Reviews
The original Fuji X100 was just one of those purchases that didn’t work out. It has been almost 12 months to the day that I made the decision to return it for a refund.
It felt so wrong to be so disappointed in a camera that had quickly obtained a cult following and universal appreciation. I waited what felt like months after the launch of the X100, reading for reviews, awaiting opinions, to see of the hyperbole was really justified; if this really was the small, light and discreet enthusiastic camera I had been waiting for to compliment my DSLR. In some ways it was, it a lot of other ways it really wasn’t.
I summarised my thoughts on the X100 in a YouTube video shortly after I sent it back. It’s had over 10,000 views, and hundreds of comments, almost all concluding that I was an idiot, that I couldn’t use a camera, I was too picky or that I was just plain wrong about the X100. And the more abusive or derogatory comments I received, the more confident I felt in my decision. The only justifiable reason for people to get so darn upset over a camera is that they were defending it. My views on the X100 were upsetting people, because I was right.
The X100 was half-baked. It was a concept, the first of its kind and a big risk for a “second tier” camera company like Fuji to make. Would a small, retro styled camera with fixed 35mm lens sell well? I don’t think even Fuji were prepared for the answer to that. As well as being a risk, the X100 was a technical marvel; the hybrid viewfinder, the great collaboration between the latest digital technology and old school manual controls. But all that new technology costs.…
I’ve mentioned it many times in the past, that one of the most useful and versatile focal lengths available is a 50mm prime. Fast, small, and usually inexpensive, the 50mm is a lens I would recommend to any photographer.
Notice how I said usually inexpensive. There are a couple of exceptions to the rule; first the Leica Notctilux 50mm f0.95, a feat of engineering and an apocalypse on the wallet at a cool £10,000. The second, is the bargain-in-comparison-but-still-not-cheap Canon EF 50mm f1.2 L. And it this lens that you’re here to read about.
The Canon EF 50mm f1.2 L is one of my most used, if not the most used lens I own. It is without doubt the best autofocus 50mm prime lens you can buy today. There are aspects of it that are far from perfect, but they are easily overshadowed by this lens overall versatility and unique image quality characteristics.
For me, it always a genuinely difficult decision when I have to choose between the Canon 35mm f1.4 L and 50mm f1.2 L to put in my bag. Both very similar lenses, but also very different in use. The 35mm f1.4 is my favourite focal length by far, but still the 50mm probably gets used more. I’m not sure why.
There is plenty to love about the Canon 50mm f1.2L. It’s the biggest and toughest built 50mm prime you can buy, and as far as I’m aware it is the only weather sealed 50mm lens available right now. That on its own maybe worth the price to you. The autofocus is super-fast and super-accurate, as any Canon L lens should be. It has a good weight and size, and it handles really well on larger bodies like the Canon 5DMK III and the Canon 6D.
In fact, I absolutely love using the Canon 50mm f1.2 on the Canon 6D.…
The Canon 6D is a particularly intriguing camera. Even on the day of its announcement, before anyone had even taken a single photo with it, it was already being disregarded by many, and downright written off others who compared it to its Nikon counterpart, the D600. On paper, the Canon 6D is not as compelling or feature rich as the similarly priced Nikon, and it also (based purely on specs) falls behind it’s bigger brother the Canon 5D MKIII (which I own)
I, like many, did not have high hopes for the Canon 6D, but I am pleased to say I have absolutely and irrevocably had my opinion changed on the amazing little camera. It has quickly become my favourite camera ever. Here’s why.
…
The Nikon AF-S 85mm F1.4 G is half of my current camera set up, teaming up with it’s equally spectacular twin brother, the Nikon 35mm f1.4 G which I have already reviewed. Between just these two lenses, I have shot portraits, weddings and everything else in between.
I will start of this review with one comment though. I think it pretty obvious that when you are paying this much for a lens; when you are buying the best and newest of what Nikon makes; it’s obviously going to be great.
If you want a summary of this review, or any other professional grade lens, it goes a bit like this. It’s fantastic. It’s expensive. If you think it’s worth it, go and get it.
If you prefer a little bit more depth, read on.
Features
As you would expect for one of Nikon newest, professional grade lenses, you get (almost) all the bells and whistles. The 85mm f1.4 G contains a lot of shiny glass (10 Elements in 9 groups) including Nikon’s own proprietary Nano Crystal Coat to reduce flare and ghosting. Unfortunately you don’t get anything else, so no VR (vibration reduction) and no super fast autofocus.
Speaking of which, the autofocus speed is good, but not great and a little disappointing for a lens this price. But it is very accurate, even at f1.4 and works fine with moving subjects. (like a church recessional) You can see a video of the autofocus speed on my YouTube page.
The biggest feature of this lens is probably the fact it’s an 85mm and it’s f1.4. This lens was made for portraits. 85mm is flattering focal length, without require you being too far away from your subject. And a blinding fast aperture of f1.4 provides the ability to capture bucket loads of light, and create wonderful subject isolation.…
Well, I didn’t see this coming.
I’ve just finished repackaging the Fuji X100 after just a few short weeks with it. I’m done with it.
There was so much to look foward to, so much to love about the X100. It should have fitted me like a glove, a small, light and fast fixed lens camera. But after a few weeks together, it was pretty clear we just weren’t getting along.
First off, let me start off by saying this camera isn’t awful. Far from it. There are parts of it that I absoulutly love. The image quality is supurb. It has the best APS-C sensor I’ve come across. The f2.0 35mm lens is real winner. And that tiny, silent shutter is something I will really truly miss.
On the other hand, the Fuji X100 is a flawed experience. The bugs and operational quirks just dont make up for the good bits. I fell in love with the the idea of the X100 but in reality, it’s not so good. The autofocus was really quite poor. And having to switch between the evf and ovf when focus at around 0.85m was a major pain..
And really stupid things, like not telling you that your chosen aperture/shutter speed settings are “incompatible” or that the battery went from full to flat in 20mins. While I was in the middle of the Scottish highlands, my spare battery about 2 hour walk away in the car.
These bugs and quirky issues came up so often, it made me want to chuck it’s gorgous, film-era magnesium body at the nearest brick wall.
But in all honesty, the main reason I passed on the Fuji X100 is that it just wasn’t earning it’s way.
I don’t make a lot of money, from either my day job or photography, but I work damn hard to earn it.…
I’ll start this review of the Nikon AF-S 35mm f1.4 by saying this not so much of a review, more like a love story. This lens is by far the single greatest piece of camera equipment I have ever purchased. (Apart from the Nikon D700. And the Fuji X100. And the Nikkor 85mm….maybe)
What’s So Great About A 35mm?
Unlike it’s cheaper, smaller brother the 35mm f1.8, and its older, louder and more annoying uncle, the AF-D 35mm f2; the Nikon AF-S 35mm f1.4 is amazing. At everything.
Want to shoot Landscapes? It’s awesome.
Want to shoot Portraits? It’s awesome.
Want to shoot Street Photography? It’s awesome.
Want to shoot Still Life? It’s awesome.
Want to shoot anything? It’s awesome.
It’s no secret that the 35mm focal length is a magical one. Wide, but not too wide, the 35mm let’s you get in close, while still showing context. Even for portraits from a few meters, there is no distortion in the subject, but plenty of space still in the frame for the background. I absolute adore this lens at weddings. A standard enough focal length for almost all situations, just with a little extra space for the story.
Every photographer should own a 50mm, so for comparison, just imagine looking through that 50mm view, but actually being able to see around the frame. The Nikon 35mm f1.4 is used like a 50mm, but it’s wider, sharper and a lot, lot more fun.
A Great Combination
The Nikon AF-S 35mm f1.4 was so good, I sold my vulnerable AF-S 50mm f1.4. The 35mm is a better lens in every single way. It’s sharper wide open, built better and focuses closer.
But the true awesomeness starts when I combine this 35mm with the just as fantastic Nikon AF-S 85mm f1.4.…
Almost everyone now has a camera with them most of time, and people are using them more and more, which is a fantastic, beautiful thing. People are documenting more of their lives, more of their memories and more of what is important to them. Whether the photo was taken on smartphone or professional DSLR, these photos are a part of life.
The problem is that no matter what the camera used, those photos, can be so much more with a bit of photo editing. I’m not sure why photo post production hasn’t caught on as much as the act of taking photos in the digital age. Everyone takes photos, but only “photographers” edit theirs. Perhaps the average snap shooter is intimidated by Photoshop and other expensive and complicated software, that requires time and knowledge to learn.
Well the good news is that cheap, easy to use and effective photo editing apps are here. My favourite and most recommended app to friends and family is iPhoto for iOS. (works on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch)
iPhoto for iOS is very similar in features to iPhoto for Mac, which is in itself very accessible and full of features. The good news is that you don’t have to have used a mac to get to grips with iPhoto, it only takes 10mins to figure everything out and your photos will be better for it. It is really easy to use, even for a complete beginner. If you are ever not sure of what button does what, iPhoto features a comprehensive user guide and even on-screen tool tips.
iPhoto’s offers a great way to store, edit and share your photos, either taken with your iPhone/iPod as well as directly from your digital camera if used on an iPad. (with the optional memory card reader)
When you first open iPhoto, the app displays all of the photos on your device, and arranges them by album or date.…
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.…
Keen readers of my blog will know that this is the third camera bag I have purchased from ThinkTank Photo. Having already purchased, used and fell in love with the Retrospective 10 shoulder bag, why have I decided to buy its similar, but much bigger brother, the Retrospective 30?
The answer comes from my decision to move to a camera setup consisting solely of prime lenses. Primes, are considerably smaller and lighter than the big f2.8 professional grade zoom lenses preferred by most photographers.
This smaller, lighter setup meant a requirement for a bag that could hold 2 camera bodies, mounted with my 2 go-to lenses, the Nikon 35mm f1.4 and Nikon 85mm f1.4, while not needing to be overly tall or deep for those big, fat f2.8 zooms. It was vital to have a bag that would carry a lot of equipment, but also provide quick access to it.
My current bag, the Retrospective 10, does everything so well, but just wasn’t wide enough to fit in 2 camera bodies with lenses mounted. So I decided that the Retrospective 10 would become my day bag, for when I was only taking 1 camera and few lenses, and the larger Retrospective 30 would be my “everything bag” while still being, light, small and inconspicuous.…
I have written about my rather turbulent and indecisive camera owing history before, but at the start of 2011, I had made my mind up. I planned to buy only the best, so as to start my journey into professional photography with the best possible equipment.
It was exactly a year ago that I made the move to Nikon, and purchased my now loved (and well used) Nikon D700.
The D700 is a truly wonderful camera, and I can honestly say it has been more than just a camera to me the last 12 months, it has been my companion.
My camera has been drenched in rain, and covered in snow. It has been subjected to freezing temperatures and even had a couple of close encounters with rather some sloppy mud. It has gone everywhere with me, but it has taken everything my life can throw at it, and has continued to capture thousands of wonderful images, day in day out.
The D700 is versatile, hard wearing and reliable. My Nikon has helped me capture some of my very best photos in the last 12 months. It’s everything I could ever want from a camera.
However, comparing it’s specifications with some more recent cameras, the D700 looks prehistoric in comparison.
It’s 4 year old, 12 megapixel sensor now losing ground to the new generation of small, light mirrorless cameras with more megapixels and more features, like HD Video recording.
But the D700 isn’t about gimmicks or features; it’s about making the absolute best of the photographer’s vision and knowledge. The Nikon D700 is a tool, and a great one at that. It just lets the photographer get on with taking pictures.
Oh, and it can create fantastic images even at 6400 iso. Trust me, that feature never gets old.…