THE NEW NIKONS AND THE END OF DAYS

I know that it's been a while since I've posted anything here. Real life took over, I apologize for that.


Some friends were surprised that I didn't post anything about the new Nikons, the full-frame D3, and the 12mp D300, the new super-telephoto Nikkors. I didn't even post anything about the Canon EOS 40D.


There's a reason for that; I'm tired of gear freakin'...Seriously, can't keep playing this game any more, it's too consuming, and too damned expensive!!


Ok, truthfully, I do keep tabs on all this stuff, I have been a gear freak for a long time. It's like a bad, but sexy old girlfriend, hard to get out of your system. After playing around with all this stuff, year after year, you realize one thing...it's all good! They're all good, man. Eight megapixel is all I need most of the time. My 5D is about as good as it gets image quality wise, and more than I need most of the time. Yeah, I'm sure as some reviewers said, the 1DMKIII has better IQ or that even the new 40D has better IQ. Yeah sure, but I just can't go through the hassle any more. The 5D's IQ is more than enough for me. If I get something else, it'll be for other features, not really better IQ.


So what do I think about the new Nikons? I try not to think about them too much since I'm not getting them, can't afford it. All I can say is bravo to Nikon for being so aggressive. They just keep pushing it to Canon, which can only make the big daddy work harder. That means great cameras for all of us!!

It would seem, from all that I have seen and read, that Nikon is finally catching up in the one area where they have been behind: image quality, and noise at high ISOs. The high iso shots from the D3 samples looked incredble. But I'm not getting any new Nikons.

Oh wait...I do have a new Nikon. It's the one in the above photo. She takes film and she's damned sexy! :-)


Anyway, many of you, over the years, have asked what's in my camera bag. Many of you have noticed that I've used lots of stuff. I am truly an enthusiast, but I've made some big changes in the past few months.

I've used lots of stuff, yes, but that doesn't mean I'm rich. I'm just a poor schmuck who has learned, over the years, the art of buying and selling. Also learned the art of trading, and borrowing. I somehow manage to find incredible bargains, or trade-up for what I want. I once picked up a Nikon FM2n with the 50mm f/1.2 AIS for $90 bucks total. How's THAT for a bargain? :-)

If you really need to know, I've sold almost everything off, and am now using three Canon bodies, one Nikon film body, and an Olympus E-1 system. The Sigma SD14 I had has already been sold, as have my Nikon digitals. But I sell them to friends, so from time to time, you may see some shots from these cameras if the friends have been kind enough to let me play with it.


No more gear freaking for me, I am using a practical kit now. Something that's good enough to shoot for pleasure, and for pay. If you see shots from anything other than what I've mentioned above, it will have been begged, stolen, or borrowed.


Seriously, no more gear freaking for me...Ok, maybe until November when I will EAT CROW :-)


Best,
Sam

THE CANON EOS 1D MARK III

Canon announced their newest digital slr, the Canon EOS 1D Mark III on Thursday, February 22, 2007 ahead of the PMA show in March. Already this camera is the hottest buzz on the digital camera circuits around the net, and with good reason.

I received my latest in-house brochure (above) from my Canon friends, and low, and behold, the 1D MKIII is in there! This camera has been in the works for a while. From reading the specs, as well as the fascinating Canon "white-paper" I have to say this camera looks like "da bomb!!!"

You can read all the specs by googling on the web. Anyway, here are some highlights from the new camera that I like: 1) A new 10.1 megapixel APS-H (1.3x) sensor 2) Live view 3) new 19 cross-type AF points 4) The ability to fine tune the AF. No more sending your camera, and lenses back to Canon for front/back focusing! 5) ISO 6400 (Yea!!!) 6) In-camera dust reduction 7) Dual Digic III processors ...And that's just the tip of the iceberg for this camera!!

Oh yeah, the camera can also do 10 frames-per-second, making it the fastest digital slr on the market when it arrives. What really impresses me even more than the specs is the fact that Canon listened to their customers. Even the ergonomics have even been tweaked to where you won't be having to rely on pressing double buttons for certain functions. This camera is not an evolution of previous 1D cameras, it is a revolution. Canon, the innovator, is back!

There are a couple of things I have noticed from early opinions on the net. First, this camera seems to have garnered universal respect for its impressive specs. Even Nikon diehards have praised the features of the 1D MKIII. Nikon will have to do quite a lot to surpass the specs on this baby.

Some folks have been trying to suggest that Live View is a gimmick. Having used an Olympus E-330, the first digital slr with Live View, I can tell you that it is an invaluable tool for composition. Live View has been the norm on point 'n shoot cameras for years. People used to say that it wasn't offered on digital slr's because they are more "serious" tools. Nonsense. The technology wasn't quite there, but it is now! And you will see more of this. Before you bypass it as a gimmick, try it. You will see that it is another tool to enhance your creativity, and a very useful tool at that. The more tools, the better. And if you don't like it, you can always turn it off. Hey, be glad your options are expanding.

The Canon EOS 1D MKIII looks to be a great all-in-one camera that can do almost anything. Some folks have wondered if the image quality will equal or surpass the EOS 5D. I'm still thinking that for very large prints, the 5D will still yield somewhat better IQ. Don't forget, it's not a 10mp vs a 12mp camera, the 5D is nearly a 13mp (12.8) camera. That little extra is the thing that gives the 5D its edge on IQ over 10mp cameras. This I have seen with the 5D vs the D200 or even Canon's own XTi. On small, and medium sized prints, maybe even up to 16x20, they should be pretty close.

So I'm in love with the specs on this camera. One problem: $3999 MSRP!!!

Something in me says most of us would do just fine with a D200 or 40D for a lot less than that, but the 1D MKIII is giving me a seriously bad case of gear lust.

Will have more to say on the revolutionary new EOS 1D Mark III, should I be lucky enough to get my dirty hands on one someway, somehow. I'm already begging my Canon guy...

Best, Sam

THE RUMOR MILL #1: Canon 40D? 3D? Nikon D3H? Nikon D3X? Full-Frame Nikon???

First off, let me just state that I hate rumors! In over two decades of watching the camera business, I've never found any fun in rumors. Just like relationships, I never desired dwelling in the fantasy of a relationship until it became reality. And many times, the reality was not as good as the fantasy.

That said, I know rumors are fun for a lot of folks, and with all the buzz going around, I thought I'd entertain some of you readers with it.

Ok, let's start with the Canon 40D. It doesn't take a rocket scientist these days to realize that manufacturers will come out with higher megapixel cameras with more bang-bang. In fact, these days, it is the consumers who are naming these cameras long before they come out! Whether they admit it or not, we know the manufacturers have an eye on the forums, blogs, and are reading what their customers are saying, what they like, and don't like.

The Canon 40D, when it does appear, will likely have a 10 megapixel sensor in a 30D type body. I wonder if it will be the same sensor as the XTi (400D). I was not particularly impressed with that sensor, but I know plenty of people who love it. Canon was once the innovator, but it seems they have been resting on their laurels for a while now because they always had one big advantage: superior high ISO image quality. I believe they will have to do some shocking this season because the competition is catching up, and fast.

What I'd really love to see is a Canon 3D. The mythical 3D is a camera Canon fans have been clamoring for, for years; a digital incarnation of the EOS 3 film camera, a semi-pro body with the 1-Series AF, and handling characteristics. I have been saying for 5 years now that we won't see a 3D, and have been right for 5 years, but I would happily EAT CROW if Canon would come out with one!!! Imagine a 5D sensor in this body? Whoa, that would be killer, and I'd give up whatever gear I have for one.

On the Nikon side, there's been a lot of talk about a D3H. I would love to see such a camera.

I have used, and loved the D2H, and D2Hs, but Nikon really needs to put at least 8mps in one of these bodies (they'll probably put 10) in the next lineup. We should see it this year, it's about time, and Nikon is on a roll, and they know it.

How about a full-frame Nikon? In the past, Nikon had stated their dedication to their DX (1.5)format, and how people didn't need full-frame. Even Nikon diehards often state with vehement fury that they don't need no "stinkin" full-frame, how full-frame is a myth, blah, blah, blah!!

I bet you anything that if Nikon did come out with a full-frame camera, these same folks would be the first in line for one.

Many people that I know also feel, for some reason, that Nikon can't make a full-frame camera because of their small F mount. These same people forget that there is already a Nikon mount, full-frame camera out there! Yes, the discontinued Kodak Pro SLR/N, a 14 megapixel full-frame camera that takes Nikon lenses. Unfortunately, the camera had issues with noise, and image quality, and was not a huge hit, but I have seen some stunning prints from this camera from skilled users.

I have an interesting tidbit to share, take it with a grain of salt, or less. Anyway, a couple of months back, due to some strange circumstances, I ended up riding in the same car with a paparazzi photographer, who I later learned to be quite a famous person. During the ride, we talked gear (what else?), and he mentioned that he had a friend who was a beta tester for Nikon. The paparazzi said his friend had mentioned testing a 20-megapixel camera for Nikon, and that he was very excited about it. If this is true, and remember IF, then this has to be a full-frame Nikon!! Possibly, the D3X. I just can't see how they could cram those megapixels into the tiny 1.5 sensor. Judging by the D2X, D200, and D80, it seems Nikon has nearly maxed out the capabilities of the DX sensor format. Of course, I could be wrong, but this is all rumor talk anyway.

Well, back to reality. What am I going to do now? Go shoot with my obsolete 4 megapixel camera :-)

Best, Sam

THE BIG DEAL ABOUT BIG LENSES

Alright, so you guys know about the big, white "L" lenses, or the nice, black AF-S, VR lenses, but what is the big deal about these expensive pieces of glass?

Almost everyone knows they are professional equipment, optimized to give the very best images possible using expensive, and exotic glass. They are mostly well sealed, and designed to be handled under tough, demanding conditions. These lenses operate at a higher level than your typical consumer lenses.

That said, under normal shooting conditions, making small 4x6 prints, you can get similar looking images with a decent consumer lens, at least to the untrained or non-critical eye.

Let me share with you the real scoop on these expensive lenses with a true story:

A few months back, I was shooting with the hot, new Canon XTi (400D) in downtown Manhattan. I was testing the camera, shooting all sorts of things. All of a sudden, a sweet young lady comes up to me, and in that soft, and 'quirky-sexy' British accent, she said to me, "Excuse me, what kind of lens is that?" I tell her it's the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens. She then said, "Where can I buy one of these lenses?" I told her B&H or Adorama. I then asked if this is going to be for her. She said it's for a friend. She then gazes at my long lens so lovingly, as if wanting to touch it, to caress it. I would've let her touch it too, but you know I am a committed man, and that would be a sin! :-)

Anyway, I excused myself because the Eyewitness News guy came out, and I just had to get the shot. The girl was mesmerized by my big, white Canon L lens. She didn't even look twice at the poor, puny XTi, which was actually the new boy in town, and a hot commodity at the time.

So not only do these lenses perform extremely well, but they're sexy to boot! In case you're wondering, yes, the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS is one of the finest lenses I have ever used.

Some of you may remember me saying this before, but this all goes back to my proclamation, so even if you have a small weenie, remember this or write this down:

"In this game, we shooters know...Big Camera, Big Lens Equals Big D**K" :-)

PS: By the way, I ended up having to sell my big Canon lens when I went poor, so I guess I have a small weenie now!

Best, Sam

THE DIGITAL RANGEFINDER

One of the most eagerly anticipated digital cameras of 2006, if not THE most, is the Leica M8, which has shipped, and is finally in the hands of some well-heeled, and very lucky photographers. I, unfortunately, am not one of them, and none of my friends are either, so it doesn't look like I'll have an M8 in hand any time soon. This camera is very important, not only for what it can do, but because it signifies that Leica, the legend of 35mm photography, has finally arrived in the digital domain, and has fully embraced it. This is supposedly, by all accounts, a 'real' Leica, not like the Panasonic made 'Leica' branded point 'n shoots. But with the strong Leica/Panasonic relationship, one has to wonder though, how much of the M8 has Panasonic in it (if any). It is called the M8, not 'M8 Digital' and that tells a lot about what Leica wants to say with this camera. But why would anyone choose to spend close to $5K for a 10mp digital rangefinder? Indeed, what is the appeal of rangefinder photography?

Rangefinder photography has always been a true enthusiasts' domain. Not to say that slr photography or any other photography isn't, but photographers who shoot with rangefinders are on the whole, a very passionate bunch.

My own experience with the rangefinder began with a Koni-Omega medium format camera. I used a Koni in the early 90s, and was quite hooked with the image quality from that bulky, ugly beast. I was also hooked with focusing the image, and having the little white patch line up in the viewfinder.

But rangefinders are not for everyone. It seems to me, the folks who love it, REALLY love it, and are highly enthusiastic while those who don't love it, don't get what all the fuss is about.

If technical quality of the end result is your main photographic concern, an autofocus digital slr will probably produce better technical quality images. Your images are more likely to be in critical focus. The only two digital rangefinder cameras out right now, the Epson R-D1/R-D1s, and now, the Leica M8, are both manual focus cameras. The manual focus lenses in the Leica-M, and screw mounts, however, are legendary, and are considered among the finest lenses in all of 35mm photography. Even most of the Cosina Voigtlander lenses in these mounts are top notch. But as much as I love rangefinder photography, I have to disagree with the notion that these cameras allow one to work faster. You may be able to work more discreetly, but working 'faster' is subject to debate. I mean, is it actually faster than working with a modern Nikon or Canon body, with AF, and a fast prime?

The true strength of rangefinder photography, I believe, is the ability to translate the photographer's 'soul' into the image. The process is more thoughtful, more deliberate. One is more in tune with the 'art' of photography, rather than just the technical excellence of it. Of course, this is just my opinion, and all subject to debate, depending on which photographer you ask.

If you look back at some of the great images from the rangefinder's golden age in the 40's, and 50's, you will see that there are many, many photographs that are not technically perfect (many are blurry), but they have something special to them. That 'something special' is usually the moment; the "Decisive Moment" as defined by the master himself, Henri Cartier-Bresson. The other thing you see very often in those old images is the story of life, everyday life. This is where the rangefinder excels, capturing real life as seen through the eyes of the photographer.



I have been shooting with my old Contax T, Contax G series, Konica Hexar, and Yashica Electro for years now. More recently, I have been using the Bessa R3a, and the digital Epson R-D1, beautiful cameras to work with, not Leica beautiful, but nice, and I look forward to sharing my photos, and experiences with you in upcoming articles. And to those who now have the M8, CONGRATULATIONS! That's it for now...

Best,
SC

PHOTO INFO: "High Contrast" taken with the R-D1 and CV 25mm f/4 Snapshot-Skopar lens
"Claire" taken with the R-D1, and Jupiter-8 50mm f/2 lens
"Lazy Afternoon" taken with the R-D1, and Jupiter-8 50mm f/2 lens
© Copyright 2006 Sam Charupakorn, All Rights Reserved

CANON EOS XTi INITIAL CONCLUSIONS

I received one of the first XTi units here in the states on September 8, 2006. Since then, I have had ample time to evaluate the camera. Since I am a believer in the fact that a camera can "grow" on you, I feel that one month's time is not fair to make a final assessment, so here are my initial conclusions. This is from my experience with the XTi based on one unit. I am also basing my conclusions upon comparison with the previous 8 megapixel XT, of which I have had many months experience with.

BUILD: Some folks have said the XTi feels "better" or slightly more solid than the XT it replaced. To me, they both feel exactly the same. Ok, maybe the grippable areas are a little better, but if I picked up both cameras without looking, they feel the same to me.

AUTOFOCUS: The XTi inherited the AF from the 30D so it's technically better than its predecessor. That said, I must've used a very good copy of the XT because I did not find its AF all that bad. The XTi did very well in normal, and bright lighting, but sometimes hunted in dim lighting, such as a dim ballroom. I used this camera for a wedding under these conditions, and at times the camera literally seemed to "give up." Nerdy testing at home proved the AF to be accurate however. My old 20D used to hunt in similar conditions, but the XTi did so more than I was expecting, especially since it's supposed to have the 30D's AF, and the 30D's AF was supposedly tweaked from the 20D. In my experience, I have found the EOS 5D to have the best low-light AF performance. Slower, but more accurate with less hunting than any of the bodies mentioned above. The XTi autofocuses well enough that it will do fine for the vast majority out there.

DYNAMIC RANGE: When the XTi first came out, many folks complained of underexposure with the camera. I did feel my copy was underexposing, not badly, but I could see right away that the camera was doing its best to preserve the highlights. In this respect, the XTi does better than the XT which could blow highlights quite easily.

COLOR: The XTi produced very accurate colors at the default "Standard" setting. In comparison with the XT, the colors appear less punchy, and even a little bit bland.
All this can be remedied using a different setting such as "Landscape" or in post-production work, which is my preference. It did very well on skin tones, especially Caucasian or African-american, but can bleed the reds on Asian skin, especially the Southeast-Asian variety.

RESOLUTION: I was a bit disappointed with the resolution power of the XTi. I have no doubt it can deliver the advertised 10.1 megapixels, but I did not see much of an improvement over the XT. Yes, I know a 10 megapixel camera is not a big leap over an 8 megapixel camera, but I have been able to see the mp difference in each successive model from Canon. I do not feel that I see it here. For example, the 11mp Canon EOS 1Ds Classic showed tremendous detail. Although I did not like the noise on that camera, I did admire the resolution it pulled in. In fact, I feel the 1Ds files were closer to the 5D in resolution than the XTi. The 1Ds was known to have a weaker anti-aliasing filter, I do not know about the XTi. And I did use some top quality lenses with the XTi; the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS, the 85mm f/1.2L, and the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR lens. Please understand, my experience in observational planetary astronomy has been a big factor in "seeing" because we are always looking for that little extra, sometimes subtle detail. If you are one of those who never saw a difference between a 6mp or 8mp or 10mp camera, more power to you! Don't get me wrong, the XTi produced some excellent images with great detail, but I saw very little if any resolution difference over the 8mp XT on the same subjects. I'm willing to accept that it may be my particular camera or my technique, although I have been able to successfully pull the most out of any camera I have used over the years, resolution-wise, from 1 megapixel to 14. This may also be a case of "you get what you pay for."

LOW-LIGHT, HIGH ISO PERFORMANCE: Here, the XTi did not disappoint. It did very well, as expected from Canon. You can use iso 800, and 1600 with confidence in low-light conditions. The fact that it's this easy to write is a testament to Canon's high iso strength. 'Nuff said...

IMAGE QUALITY: The XTi is capable of stunning images, but seems to require more work than previous Canon bodies. Initially, I was not over the moon with its image quality. Over the years, I have heard of people complain of the "plasticky" look from Canon's cmos sensors. I personally have never seen that. The XTi is the closest I've come to that, and was a source for my initial disappointment. Properly post-processed, the images are excellent, even stunning with the right lenses. Images straight out of the camera are a bit bland, and I know this is to be expected, but it also seems to lack "bite." I truly wonder if it's the new sensor or perhaps a stronger AA filter. The XTi's image quality reminded me a little of the D200, but as we all know, the D200 is capable of stunning images, and so is the XTi. The example below was taken with the 85mm f/1.2L lens, and converted to black and white in post-processing.



CONCLUSION: The XTi offers a lot of camera for the money. It is the least expensive of the new crop of 10 megapixel cameras. The camera offers the improved auto-focusing of the 30D, and even a new, anti-dust feature. I did not notice any dust problem with my unit, although many report that the feature does not work all that well. The camera offers such value for money, that I would recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone looking for a first digital slr or as a backup to another EOS body. That said, I went against the grain, and I returned my unit. Why? All the reasons I mentioned above, and it mostly relates to image quality, resolution, and AF. I decided to stick with the older XT because I like the "bite" I get with the XT images, and that older sensor. I am not saying the XT images are better, but I expected the XTi's images to be a bit better. Folks with 20D's and 30D's, get the XTi as a backup, not a replacement. I have no interest in Canon bashing or bashing any other brand. Like Aaron Neville, I try my best to "tell it like it is." I have used all the Canon digital slrs with the exception of the 1DsMKII, and enjoyed them all. I would be willing to try another XTi in the future, I mean they are really cheap for what they offer. But for now, I will stick with the XT. And remember, this is just one man's opinion, and who am I anyway right? As I said before, read as many opinions as you can, and then average it out, and you'll find the truth in there. I wanted so much to like the XTi more than I did, but this time my Canon guy lost the bet. That's it for now.

Best,
Sam

Photo Info: "XTi and XT" taken with the Nikon D2H, and 50mm f/1.8 AF Nikkor
Photo Info: "Mother Of Queens" taken with the Canon EOS XTi, and 85mm f/1.2L

All text, and photographs are the the copyrighted work of Sam Charupakorn 2006

THOUGHTS ON SOME OF THE NEW CAMERAS FROM PHOTOKINA

Well, Photokina has come, and gone, and as expected there were several new, and interesting cameras announced. I will just focus on the ones that matter to me. I don't have any pictures because I don't like taking photos from other people's websites. A quick Google search will give you all you need.

Sigma, as anticipated, introduced the SD14. The specs were pretty much as people expected. A 4.7 megapixel Foveon sensor translating to 14 megapixels per Sigma math. That should equate to around 8 megapixels in Bayer terms. I'm sure image quality will be a knockout, but to be honest with you, I'm not all that excited by it now. Price/value is key for me, and from what I can tell, this camera will be close to $2000 usd. It's amazing that it took Sigma a couple of years since the SD10 to add basically one extra megapixel to the new model. I don't know, I'll reserve final judgement when I see the results from the camera.

The real suprise from Sigma was the DP1, a point and shoot using the same Foveon sensor as the SD14! The camera has a fixed 16mm (28mm equivalent) f/4 lens. This was a bold move from Sigma, and I can see this camera being a cult favorite like the Ricoh GR-D. I would've preferred a faster lens, but apparently f/4 on that small lens would be optimal for the sensor. I haven't heard about a price, but you can guess that it would be on the high side. All in all, it sounds great, and I can't wait to see it. From the images of the camera on the web, it looks cute, but the build looks a little cheap to my eyes. Hopefully, I am wrong.

Fuji announced their much anticipated S5 Pro, the replacement to their S3 Pro. The surprise is that the S5 now comes in a D200 body! Aha...so that's why there was such a D200 shortage, huh? When I first saw the pics, I thought it looked like a genetic mutation. It was hard to imagine Nikon licensing their hot D200 body to anyone else, but they did! So the S5 will have great build, and autofocus ala the D200. But will it process any faster? That part is still up to Fuji, and that was the major complaint on the S3. Hopefully, it will be much better. The camera also seems to have the same 6 megapixel sensor as the S3, but with "increased" dynamic range. I think we all expected a bit more from Fuji. The success of the S5 will depend on how Fuji prices it. They've always been known to overprice their dslrs, and if that's the case, the S5 is out of consideration for me. The increased dynamic range is nice, but not something you'd see in everyday shots based on my S3 experience. No way would I pay more than a D200 for this body. I hope Fuji will do the right thing, but I doubt it. That's it for now...SC