Monthly Archives: March 2012
The New iPad Review (For Photographers)
The new iPad is to me, as a photographer just as vital and important as my cameras and lenses. If I could describe the iPad in one word, it would be: useful.
If it was two words; Awesomely Useful.
There is just so much that the iPad can do, not just in terms of everyday quite useful things, but almost everything a modern photographer needs, besides a camera. There is so much more to an iPad than Angry Birds.
First off, it’s made by Apple. So you already know that beautiful glass and anodised aluminium body is pure quality and has that beautiful, dense tactile feel that makes using it a real pleasure. In fact I would rate the iPad as simply the most comfortable and easy to use computing device I’ve ever used, even compared to a top of the range iMac. It’s just that good.
But the iPad is less about hardware, and more about software, and this is where is stops being a cool gadget, or giant iPod touch, and becomes a swiss army knife of social media and photography. It’s all about the Apps.
With my iPad I can contact clients, network with other photographers via twitter, and update my facebook and blog. (I’m writing this right now on my iPad, in my lunch break at work) I can check the upcoming weather for planned photo shoots and scour all of my favourite photography websites for inspiration.
I can edit photos, and show them off on that beautiful retina display. I can store raw files, upload files to my web server via FTP, administer my website, browse Flickr, edit videos, watch YouTube videos, and upload my own. I can even dictate to my iPad when writing emails and tweets. Not to mention the fun stuff like music, videos and a game or two.…
1. Patience Is A Virtue
Digital photography is all I have known up till now. And it’s made me impatient. I’m so used to expecting results and also being in control of every aspect of an image, from shooting it, seeing it on the back of the camera, right through to retouching in Photoshop. Shooting film is certainly a different experience! Having to wait a week to get the film developed, by some random person in a lab, made me nervous but also appreciate the work and effort that goes into to each roll of film, and that sometimes it worth the wait.
2. Manual Focus Doesn’t Slow You Down
Beep. Beep. That’s the noise of the autofocus on your camera, and we all rely upon it far to much. Manual focusing, by twisting and turning the lens, makes you slow down, and react to what you see through the viewfinder. Rather than relying on sophisticated technology, it becomes the sole responsibility of the photographer to make sure that image is in focus. And with enough practice, it becomes an extremely useful photography skill to have.
3. Fast Shutter Speeds Are Amazing
If like me, you like shooting primarily at f1.8 or f1.4, then you will soon realise that trying to shoot at these wide apertures in daylight can mean there is actually too much light hitting the sensor/film. Modern cameras can get round this by using super fast Shutter speeds, up to 1/8000 of a second. Old film camera can barely reach 1/1000 of a second. So unless you are using iso50 film, you are going to have shoot differently, and so good bye to to those cool over the top bokeh shots.
4. Film Doesn’t Have Look Old or Vintage
I automatically assumed that my film shots would come out…looking like film.…
I feels like ages since I last visited London, I love going. A lot people don’t like all the hustle and bustle, but I really enjoy it. There’s always so much going on, and far cry from the sleepy little goings on in Gloucester.
We didn’t really go with much of plan in mind, just to go and have a walk around and a day out.
We checked out the market at Covent garden, which is almost unrecognisable compared to how I remember it. We spent some time in the Tate Gallery, and walked along southbank and had my most favourite Sushi for dinner. It was a pretty nice day out really.
All photos were taken with my D700 and 35mm f1.4. I didn’t actually take that many photos with my Nikon, as I also finished of two rolls of film in my Olympus OM-2N. I’m looking forward to getting them processed soon, as some of my favourite street shots were captured on film.
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Fresh from the lab, my very first roll of 35mm film has been developed. And I’m really pleasantly surprised.
Although none of theses shots are particularly interesting, it was just a chance for me to evaluate the Olympus and how I could use it.
It was a really difficult to gauge what the images would look like, especially since I had never shot with film before. I had no point of reference.
I had no idea what the dynamic range, colour or grain would be like. I also didn’t know what the limitations of the Zuiko 50mm f1.8 lens would be. I love to shoot wide open, but I had no idea if this was a good idea with this 40 year old lens.
And finally, I didn’t even know if the camera was working! The light meter, light seals and shutter all seemed to work ok, but I had absolutely no way of knowing until I got the film developed.
Shooting film has been a difficult but equally rewarding and awesome process. I think I’m a true 35mm film convert.
Although, in some ways it is like starting again. I’m having to see, shoot and learn differently to anything else I’ve done before.
Some of my favourites from my first roll are below. (with no editing of any kind)
They were all shot with my Olympus OM-2N with Zuiko 50mm f1.8. I used a roll of Kodak Ektar 100.
The colours and tones are so punchy and vibrant, and not what I expected at all. I’m looking forward to seeing the differences between this roll and the roll of Fuji 400H in my Olympus OM2N right now. And I also have some Fuji Neopan 400 that I’m itching to try out as soon as possible.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
This is the blog of Chris Scuffins, a hardworking, creative photographer from Gloucestershire.
With years of experience in landscape and commercial still life photography, his focus now lies on capturing creative, natural and beautiful fashion and lifestyle portraiture, as well as a fun, relaxed approach to photojournalistic wedding photography.
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