September?

How the heck did it get to be September? I mean ... it's almost Fall?

A new term, new classes ... a lot going on. But September? Really?

Above: a little experimentation with flash gels.

Golden, Part Two (Kodak Millennium 2000)

I wanted a quick snap of my Kodak "Millennium 2000" camera -- there's a long story I'll tell about that camera another time -- and decided the best way to bring out its gold color would be to put a dash of electric blue right behind it. But ... how?

I grabbed my Metz 58 hotshoe flash, two Opteka straps, my Opteka 1/8th inch grid and a Honl "Just Blue" gel. First, I attached the two Opteka clinch bands to my Metz. (Why two? With just one band, the grid doesn't really secure all that well. It stays on, but doesn't instill confidence at all.)

Then, I attached the Just Blue gel to the upper band (it has velcro hooks) and put the Opteka Grid on over that.

I set the Metz to manual mode, the zoom setting to 105mm and the power level to 1/256th. (My camera exposure was ISO 400, 1/125th of a second, f/2.8.)

Well, okay. But ... why?

Here's the idea: a "grid" attachment modifies light usually to form a nice circle with soft edges. That is, if you send light through the grid and point it at a wall, the light is full strength in the middle, then falls off in a circular pattern -- usually falling off gently. So, it's a great way to make a circle or oval of light or color behind someone or something. Want more of an oval? Put the light low and angle it up onto the background or wall (or do the same thing from the side or above.)

Here's the set up:

Best ... Bargain ... Ever: Panasonic GH1 at $500

The Panasonic GH2 will be released soon. It will probably be a little tough to get at first, but it will be on camera store shelves soon enough.

So stores that still have the Panasonic DMC-GH1 available have dropped the price to an unbelievable bargain level. It's a heck of a camera for the price, especially if your interest is working with DSLR video. (I've shot several projects with the GH1, and find it a very capable camera and the most flexible for documentary-style work.)

Connecting A Sony To Studio Lighting

Studio lighting is generally triggered by a cable that has a "PC" connector on one end -- the end that connects to your camera -- and a guitar-plug connector on the other that connects to a monolight or the power pack for a studio lighting kit. At one time, that "PC" connector was fairly universal, provided on even entry-level SLR cameras.

In the era of digital cameras, the PC connector -- not anything to do with personal computers, just an older electrical connector used for decades in camera equipment -- has become a "pro" feature and is not usually available on entry-level DSLR cameras, and not even on some of the midline cameras.

You can compensate by putting a radio trigger on your camera's hotshoe, or triggering the studio lights by using your on-camera flash in a way that hits the lighting kits sensor.

It's best, however, to get an adaptor that will let you work directly with the PC cable. And it isn't expensive. For Sony DSLR's the way to go is the Seagull SC-5 Hot Shoe Flash Adapter to PC and Standard Hot Shoes for Sony Alpha / Minolta Maxxum Cameras. You slide it onto your flash hot shoe, and it has a PC connector on the side. Plug in the PC cable there and you can use studio strobes anywhere.

Until They Say You Need Super Duper HD

Here's the thing about documentary production and camcorders: like some sort of circus performer spinning plates and juggling chainsaws, the idea of "enough" has been unstable for a long time.

That is, we went through a period pre-DV where one was either a professional -- shooting on film was the ideal -- or one struggled with video products that ranged from broadcast quality down to toys. When DV arrived, there were a flurry of articles showing why it wasn't good enough, then this was silenced when people did in fact make films using DV camcorders, and DV became acceptable for television production.

There was a brief period when DV camcorders were "enough" -- usable by professionals and amateurs alike, and somewhat standardized. You could buy a cheap one-CCD for $300, or a three-CCD for $2500, but they both plugged in via firewire cable and they produced DV files that you could edit in any standard editing software.

HD showed up, first only at a professional level and then in a messy variety of possiblities. Articles showed up detailing how independent filmmakers worked on systems that limited recording time to 11 minutes, followed by dumping a file to computer in a three-step process. Complicated, and not great for documentary style shooting.

Then came HD products aimed at prosumers -- able to technically record in HD, but in compressed and problematic formats like AVCHD. These things could work fine for taping your friend's birthday party, but had limitations when it came to producing easily-edited files. Editors began transcoding -- reprocessing the files into more standard formats, eating up hours of production time.

Then came additional pressure on the HD format: was 720p enough? 1080i? Full HD at 1920 by 1080p?

And the RED camera appeared -- complete with editors-turned-bloggers detailing the 20 secret steps they've discovered to make the workflow, um, work. Followed by discussion of why HD wasn't enough -- 3K, 4K, whatever was actually the future of digital production. Anything less was unacceptable.

And now: DSLRs that shoot HD. Multiple formats. "Jelly" caused by rolling shutter. 12 minute clips. AVCHD and AVCHD lite. 720p, 1080i, 1080p. 24, 25, 30, 50 or 60 frames-per-second. Confusion, new workflows, and extremely long import / transcoding times.

Still, when it all works out, it's going to get very interesting.

New Sony Alphas Announced

New Sony Alphas, new lenses. Basically a refresh of the low end of the Sony line, but that's a good sign -- they'll update the midlevel and high end soon enough.

SONY INTRODUCES THREE MAINSTREAM ALPHA CAMERAS DESIGNED FOR FIRST-TIME DIGITAL SLR BUYERS

"... three new easy-to-use α (alpha) cameras (models DSLR-A380, DSLR-A330 and DSLR-A230), four new lenses, a flash and accessories."

See the cameras and the lenses.

Of interest: a 50mm F/1.8 and a 30mm F/2.8. I have a 50 F/1.4, but for those who don't it's likely the 1.8 will offer some bargain optical quality. The 30mm is interesting, though. I wonder how it will compare to the existing 28mm F/2.8?

Photo Rumors Are Always Wrongish

Rumors of new cameras are generally not correct. That is, something leaks, then the forums get involved, and add a dozen features to the rumor and double the megapixels. Then, when new cameras are actually revealed, the forums are disappointed.

So, let's help out with that process. There are rumors of new Sony DSLR bodies, and a few lenses as well. Most likely, we'll see some version of this come true -- probably Sony will redesign the low end of the line, step up the megapixels, pull out the in-body motors, and add "30" to the model numbers. And release some non-full-frame lenses.

But go check the forums in a few days: they'll say that all the models will have 1080p HD video, and they'll add some magic features that don't make sense at all. Then they'll say there'll be a replacement for the Alpha 900. We'll see.

Rumor: Sony UK Support Page Reveals 'Alpha 330' DSLR Line, Lenses

Alpha 330 - future model?

GFE and RED

Since I'm not 12, I skipped right past the idea of seeing "Star Trek" in a theater this weekend. (Yeah, yeah, I'm sure it's good. I just think we're smothering all the new ideas by rehashing the old ones that seem comfortable and fun. I understand why people wanted that in the 1950s, after a few really tough decades, but I don't think that's where we should be now. I think we should be looking to the new.)

Instead, we took advantage of the fact that Stephen Soderbergh's The Girlfriend Experience is released on pay-per-view while it's still in theaters.

I'm not a reviewer, so I'll leave that to others. What I did want to mention, though, is that it's shot with the RED camera in a style that loosely connects to documentary: working in available light and going handheld. And it looks great, at least on television.

As Soderbergh told Filmmaker Magazine:

You know, I shot The Informant [with the Red] last spring, but I wasn’t really in a situation where sensitivity was as much of an issue as it was on GFE. So for me that [heightened sensitivity to light] was a big plus because we were shooting anamorphic and I was kind of restricted to shooting stuff at 2.8. Basically I can’t go much wider than that, stop-wise, and so I really needed that extra sensitivity. It meant I could go out on the street or be in a car, still be able to shoot available light and be really pleased with what we were getting. So, [the Red] just keeps getting better. ... There are only two shots in the film where I pulled out a light. ... And frankly I wish I hadn’t. They’re my two least favorite shots.

Above: Soderbergh talks about his experiences with the Red.

As David Carson Said, Sexism Sucks

I've always thought that there's a built-in sexist side to most of the sources one seeks out to study photography. While some lens tests are done with color charts and little arrangements of objects, just as many include studying the depth of field of a bikini. That's sort of a leftover from when photo magazines were bought mainly by youngish guys.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not opposed to any type of photography. I just think the fake "to test the camera out, we followed Photographer X as he shot the Swimsuit Issue" feature we often see is hypocritical compared to the honesty of not-safe-for-work-viewing blog Pretty Girl Shooter. When Jimmy D talks about lenses and lighting in relation to his typical gig -- shooting the covers for porn video packaging -- there's nothing fake about it. (Oddly enough, he often goes into more specific detail than the photo magazines.)

So here's what I wanted to mention: we're getting near the technical moment when still cameras are capable of shooting moving images, and where moving image cameras have enough quality to shoot stills. Both developments may change the way we make images and will be on the minds of both photographers and documentarians in the near future.

So Filmmaker magazine has, understandably, shown some interest in Esquire using the RedONE camera to photograph Megan Fox.

"For the first time in Esquire's history (and, we imagine, magazine history in general), a cover image was shot as a video. Using the RedONE, a video camera that captures images at four times the resolution of high-definition, photographer-director Greg Williams (see below) recorded ten minutes of loosely scripted footage with Fox — getting out of bed, rolling around on a pool chair, inexplicably lighting a barbecue."

If we skip past the built-in "it's still the 1950s, right?" feel of the whole thing (the title is "Megan Fox-ing") this is a fairly amazing development. In recent years we've seen a few newspapers take to shooting HD video in place of stills and then selecting a still frame for use, and this is the natural next step -- higher resolution and able to match the requirements for a magazine cover.

In the end, though, if we're to judge from the video -- Good Morning, Megan, a purely cheesecake, lingerie / swimsuit session -- there's nothing to be discovered. Except:

1. The RedOne does in fact produce a very film-like look and seems to use fantastic lenses.

2. You really can't shoot for both stills and video at the same time effectively.

Well, lesson learned. I look forward to when they get the new holographic cameras in. I hear they've got a special issue planned for that.

Sony Alpha 900

I've shot with both Nikons and Canons. They remain the two big forces in professional cameras. I've been adamantly trying to explain, however, to those who won't take them seriously, that Sony is starting to make better cameras than the big two.

Of course, respect comes slowly to any brand, and grudgingly. Now Pop Photo has a review of the new Sony Alpha 900 that hints at this. I say hints, because they explain the Sony beats cameras $5000 more expensive in major areas such as resolution, viewfinder and in-body image stablization -- the essentials of traditional photography -- but they nitpick with less-crucial areas such as live view and the ability to shoot HD video, which are sometimes useful but not the main point of a pro camera.

"With its first full-frame DSLR, Sony has shown that it can definitely run with the big boys. While we have yet to test Canon's new, midrange, full-frame 5D Mark II, this Sony currently packs the most resolution you can get in a DSLR. Add to that fast AF, an outrageously appealing viewfinder, and a body with a great grip and plenty of dedicated controls, and you've got a winner."

Camera Talkish

Every time my photography class is listed at Hunter Extension, I get a few emails asking about cameras. Some terms, everyone has point-and-shoot or advanced compact cameras. (As the above image shows. Taken during an exercise in photographing chairs, from the last term of the class.)

Other terms, people want to know what DSLR they might begin with....

Three great basic DSLR cameras at the low end of the price scale:

Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 Digital SLR Camera Body with Sony 18-70mm Zoom Lens, 10.2 Megapixels Kit, with 2GB CF Memory Card, Lowepro Holster-Style Case

Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens

Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

Kablooey

My little Kodak Easyshare V570 worked fine at the Webbys. The next day, however, I saw something was clearly wrong. That's not some interesting experiment in abstraction on the screen. That's just how the screen looks now.

Mark Your Calendars for the A900

A long while back, when Apple was more or less at its low point in sales, I told many people: they're starting to do things right, and they're making the right choices, and they get it. And they did get it, and the products got better and surprised a lot of doubters, and the situation turned around.

Well, in the world of professional cameras, you've got amazingly entrenched Nikon and Canon camps -- and laughter is heard whenever Sony is mentioned.

I like Nikons, I like Canons; I've shot both. But I'm telling you: Sony is starting to get it. The Alpha 100 had issues -- but its strong points were better than the equivalent Nikons or Canons. The Alpha 700 made the case that Sony can match the mid-level capabilities of the old guard, and the latest releases show Sony starting to innovate.

David Pogue gets it:

Revolution in Single Lens Reflex

"Just by looking at it, you’d never guess that Sony’s new Alpha A300 digital camera represents a huge technical breakthrough. To discover what it is, you need a tour of its innards. Keep hands and feet inside the tram at all times."

Elliott Erwitt's Camera Case, Circa 1974

On my bookshelf is a copy of The Private Experience, Elliott Erwitt which was published in 1974. At the back of the book there's a technical section which includes a glimpse into "Erwitt's complete traveling camera case with Canon cameras and lenses."

While best known for shooting with a Leica, it turns out that:

'For most of his "professional" still photography -- the pictures he makes for money -- Erwitt has reduced his equipment arsenal to the contents of one case weighing approximately 32 pounds.'

Inside the case: two Canon F1s, a complete set of prime lenses (17mm, 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 35mm tilt/shift, 50mm, 100mm, 135mm, 200mm and 300mm), a cable release, a Minolta light meter and an Eastman Kodak "Pocket Guide to Photography."

I like the fact that they put "professional" in quotes.

Kodak Six - 16 Brownie Junior

While recording podcasts the other day, I mentioned the Kodak Brownie in the discussion of street photography. When you start asking the question "When does street photography become Street Photography?" you have to include the Brownie as one factor, I think.

Above is an image of my Kodak Six - 16 Brownie Junior. I believe this would have been made at the end of the 1930s. Notice the Art Deco styling....

What DSLR is Good Enough?

Here's the question I always get: "I want a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera. I'm not ready for a professional model, don't want to spend too much, but don't want to buy something and then grow out of it in a six months. What should I buy?"

Well, there were new announcements by Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax and Sony this week -- so the real bargains are the models that have been out a little while. They're great cameras, and are now bargain priced.... Take a look:

Nikon D40

Nikon D40x

Canon Digital Rebel XT

Canon Digital Rebel XTi

Pentax K100D

Olympus Evolt E510

You can't really go wrong with any of these. I'll have more on the new cameras that are coming out, but I tend to advise people -- go for the less-expensive camera body, then take the savings and in put it into another good lens.

The Real Future of Photography

Many words have been spilled on that Newsweek article claiming there's a crisis in photography. In the end, there's nothing to worry about. Photography will go on. It just won't be humans behind the cameras.

'Wonderful Shot' Dog or Cat Camera for Pet Paparazzi

"Ever wonder what your pet gets up to when he or she's out & about, patrolling the neighborhood? Wonder no more - thanks to Japanese toy and gadget maker Takara Tomy, you now have a photographic record of their adventures in the wide wild world!

"The tough, light camera attaches to your pet's collar and weighs just 38 grams (under an ounce & a half), and it's no toy. The 3.5 megapixel camera has an 8 MB internal memory that allows up to 90 photos to be taken. Li'l Furball's first photo album'll be full in no time flat! The battery is rechargable and the adjustable timer can be set to snap a pic at 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 30 or 60 minute intervals."

Do not miss the picture in this article. Follow that link, now.

Another From The Zorki Test

Testing my Russian Rangefinder.

A Test Shot from the Zorki

Here's a shot from Coney Island, made on my Zorki 6.

The New Fall Looks -- in Cameras

A while back I noted Canon's new cameras:

Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 21.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)


Nikon has since announced new cameras also, including:

Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)


And Sony has followed as well:

Sony Alpha A700 12.24MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

All are amazingly capable, and all are moving toward incredible resolution, great high ISO performance, and other capabilities that surpass what was once possible with film. At the same time other aspects of photography -- from image storage to printing to software -- advance.

Is a sort of photography renaissance moving forward -- or have our ideas been surpassed by our tools?