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June 2021

04 Jun

Posted at 09:19h in Blog, Dick's Rant by [social_share]

Sounds like a 1930's race car, doesn't it? Nearly as good - this is a Panasonic full-frame race car of a camera - slotting into their lineup as a more compact version of their big S1. Hard sometimes to equate the outside sizes of some photo equipment with the contents - we've seen very large bodies and lenses feeding into quite small sensors and vice versa - this camera is tending toward the latter design. It still doesn't make the sensor larger than the actual camera body, but I'll bet there is someone in a design bureau that is doodling with that. Remember that designers have given us the Goggomobile Dart before and they can do it again. Okay - 24mm x 36mm sensor - 24megapixel. Compact body. L mount. Very fast autofocus, extensively concentrating on head, face, and eye detection. Full video suite - dual card slot. Extended number of shots per charge. A real all-rounder that can do professional-quality video work as well as stills. I found it in the cabinet paired with a Sigma 45mm f:2.8 lens of remarkably compact...

02 Jun

Posted at 08:21h in Blog, Dick's Rant by [social_share]

If you were able to buy a 2017 motor car from a dealer right now - a car that had been introduced that year but was sitting - unused- on the dealer's floor today - would you do it? WHAT IF IT WAS A GREAT CAR? That's not as foolish a question as I could ask ( Stick with me - I've got sillier ones. ), but it does come to mind looking at today's featured camera. Like it or not, a new model of the Panasonic Lumix GH5 - a Mark II - is shortly due. It's been announced by CE management complete with the opportunity to pre-order. Which leaves the GH5 in an invidious position; who is it going to appeal to? The same people to whom it appealed these last five years. All-round photographers. I'm the last person to be writing for them - I'm not well-rounded. I slump to one side and veer off whenever they loosen the shackles. But I recognise that there are people who wish to be equally proficient with video work as with still shots,...

28 May

Posted at 09:37h in Blog, Dick's Rant by [social_share]

How many fingers and toes do you have? Which ones are your favourites? Or are you one of these people who just uses whatever is there on the end of a limb at the time? It's sort of like that in the camera business as well. I was brought to this conclusion when I asked a CE staff member what was new in the joint - He found a few things but said that there were a lot of people who overlooked what was good in the things that were there already. When I asked for more details he pointed to a very neatly set-out Panasonic cabinet. A lot of superb cameras and lenses, but in some ways it reminded me of the '57 Chevy advertisements. GM made a lot of Chevies and we bought one. it was a big, robust black car and served better than many others of the same year. Yet Chevy had so many options and different models that you could be forgiven for giving up on them  - from over-choice. Here's two charts from the net: If...

26 May

Posted at 16:25h in Blog, Dick's Rant by [social_share]

I am not being rude to either you or Gitzo. When you give them money and they hand you a product it may be the last time you see each other. The things they supply are so well made that you would be hard pressed to break them in a lifetime. Their best bet for repeat business is to keep designing unique camera supports - you may never woear out the last thing you bought but you might be so pleased with it that you'll come back with more money. Thus the studio three-way head you see in the top image. The GHF 3W. Under a kilo weight. Supports 13 Kg. Arca/Swiss plate included. Three way fluid damped. Foldable levers. Horizontal/vertical option when tilted. Locking lever to keep camera on head even when you lose yours. Rotatable levelling bubble. The price is serious folding money but if you want a rock-solid head for your rock-solid Gitzo tripod here it is. I can't have one because I haven't finished my Gitzo Studex 5 and large format head yet. It's been holding studio cameras since 1990 and I still haven't chewed it up....

21 May

Posted at 08:45h in Blog, Dick's Rant by [social_share]

Or canned haze. In actual fact canned mineral oil, propane, and butane. A spray can that you can carry in your photo effects bag to create atmosphere in your shots. You've seen how Hollywood film and video producers use mist, haze, and atmosphere effects to inject visual tension in a scene - every horror shoot seems to have something boiling along the ground. In many cases it's made with water on dry ice. Good for a Transylvanian feel but the vapour created is heavier than air and tends to drop fast and disperse. The actors have to bite one another quickly while the mists roil. For a higher haze you need a different aerosol. Some have tried smoke but it can be too light, tending to drift up in spirals instead of spreading out all over the set. Unless you are prepared to torch the woods along with CALM, you may not get a wide dispersal of smoke. The answer between the two is the pressure can you see in the heading image. One of the staff members put me onto it, expecting...

19 May

Posted at 10:47h in Blog, Education by [social_share]

Eventually, every photographer ends up buying a tripod for one reason or another. And no other genre calls for a tripod as much as landscape photography. But the question is, do you buy cheap or go for a gold standard model? If you buy cheap, you put your gear and image quality at risk. If you buy right the first time, your tripod should last a lifetime. We have collated four of the very best tripods ideal for your next landscape adventure. What’s more, we have a list of tips for using a tripod in a landscape setting for the first-timers out there.      Manfrotto Befree 2N1 Aluminum Tripod With 494 Ball Head - Twist Lock   Manfrotto is without a doubt the most popular choice for tripods for all genres of photography and videography. And the Manfrotto Befree range is fast becoming a household name. The Manfrotto Befree Aluminum Tripod With 494 Ball Head is an excellent option for landscape photographers looking for stability and portability.     The 1.5kg tripod supports a load of 8kg and a maximum height of 149.6cm. Thanks to the 4-section...

19 May

Posted at 10:45h in Blog, Education by [social_share]

Imagine you are going to take a portrait of a friend, family member or client. Looking at your current kit, you might already be able to take a good photo, but how do you make your shots stand out from the competition? To put it in plain simple English, you will need to increase your accessories game. Levelling up your lens and lighting choice can help produce some stunning results. This article will explain what an ultimate setup for portrait photography looks like and how you can add specific items that will enhance what you do. For The Best Results, Use a Class Leading Camera Like Sony's a7R IV.   First of all, if you're looking for a professional camera body to deliver outstanding portrait photos, look no further than the Sony a7R IV digital mirrorless camera. A favourite choice amongst professional and commercial photographers, the Sony's 61MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor pairs with its BIONZ X Image Processor. You'll achieve exceptional quality without missing a beat thanks to 567-point Phase-Detection Autofocus and the ability to capture up to 10 frames per...

19 May

Posted at 08:52h in Blog, Dick's Rant by [social_share]

As a photo enthusiast who turns every dial and pushes every button on a camera - often inadvertently - I am keenly aware of the harm that I can do to my images. This becomes evident when I use one of the lenses that the Fujifilm system makes on a standard camera. It's the 27mm f:2.8 pancake lens - the original one with no aperture ring. I keep examples of this on X-T10 and X-E2 camera bodies and use them all the time ( Love the convenient size for reportage or mini-studio shots. ) All is well in the aperture line as long as you control this from the thumb wheel. All the apertures plus ' A' setting right next to f:16...