Miscellany And Other Random Photographic Thoughts

Just a "pretty picher" to illustrate the post.  McConnell's Mills State Park in western Pennsylvania.
Made on Vericolor III negative film in the early 1980s on a Pentax 6X7 camera with a Pentax
55mm f/4 lens.  No exposure data recorded. (click to enlarge)

I thought I would post some some random thoughts that have been swirling around in my brain lately.  I hope you enjoy them.

Pin sharp or tack sharp?  In the U.S. I normally hear the term 'tack sharp' but in the U.K. I hear pin sharp.  Whose photos are sharper?

DXO just introduced Photolab 5 and one of the new abilities is that the new program will convert Fujifilm camera files.  Yea!  DXO makes terrific software and the addition of the capability to edit Fujifilm files is great news!  I have my eye on this software and will look for reviews but preliminarily, from what I've seen and read, it does a better job of converting Fujifilm RAW files than does Lightroom.

Another editing program that just gave users a significant upgrade is On1.  I have my eye on this one as well.  For a relatively small company, On1 really puts out some nice editing software with state of the art features.  I guess, in the back of my mind, I'm looking out for alternatives to Lightroom and Photoshop.  In my opinion Adobe, being the 800 lb. gorilla, has the attitude that they can do (or not do) what they want and we'll still pay them every month.  For me, the inability to create the best RAW conversions from Fujifilm cameras as well as not updating some of the most used and fundamental features has me looking around for alternatives.

Moving away from Lightroom and Photoshop, for me, most likely is a function of the quality of Fujifilm raw conversions and the power of other programs' library, database and keywording functions.  With about 200,000 digital images in my Lightroom library, it is imperative that I keep the database and keywording (and search abilities) functionalities.

That said, the recent Lightroom and Photoshop upgrades bring actual value for a lot of photographers.  In the past, I found many of the upgrades were things that really didn’t matter to me.  The new masking abilities in Lightroom and Photoshop work really well.  I'll give them credit where credit is due.  Now, how about some 21st century noise reduction and sharpening algorithms Adobe?  Why are you letting these small, independent companies put your software to shame?

Have you looked at the specs for the new Nikon Z9 yet?  I would call the Z9 a breakthrough camera, mainly due to no mechanical shutter.  That's right no mechanical shutter at all, only an electronic one that seems to have (according to Nikon) overcome all of the shortcomings we've come to know with electronic shutters.  The camera is a completely 'true' blackout free EVF because Nikon captures the image forming signal, splits it in two, sends one signal to the sensor and the other to the EVF.  The result, extremely high speed readout and no blackout.  Then you have 120fps at 11mp, all the whiz bang video specs any film maker would ever need (8k video at full sensor readout for over 2 hours) and battery life that is extraordinary for a mirrorless camera.  Did I mention autofocus tracking?  It seems to be as good or better than the best out there.  We'll see how all this shakes out.  I think the next few years will bode well for all of us as these advanced features will trickle down to us who buy lesser cameras.  

I guess the first things that caught my eye about this camera was the price.  $5500 US.  That is $1000 below the Sony A1 and $500 less than the new, but not yet available, Canon R3.  I think the price is remarkable for a camera of this caliber.  A trend buster from what we’ve seen of continually ‘out of sight’ prices.  Additionally, it is $1000 less than Nikon has traditionally priced their flagship cameras (D5/D6).  I’m hoping a sort of new price war starts and the other manufacturers start pushing their prices lower as well, including what I am waiting for, the Fujifilm X-H2 or X-T5.  Potentially good for all of us, however.

Oh!  Get ready.  The “my camera is better than your camera” wars will now commence—with gusto!  Let the wars begin!  Get ready as everyone who has already bought a Canon or Sony will argue with great blusterous pontification as to why the A1 or R3 is better than the Z9.  Why?  Of course, to justify and reinforce their own buying decision.  That is human nature.  Being objective, these cameras are all terrific!  Any criticism is nitpicking and runs along the lines of personal preference.  None are perfect.  None are hands down better than the other in every way.  It comes to which best fits the kind of photography you practice and which system has the features that you need most.  We are so lucky to have the gear we have this day and age.  Yet, there are those out there that will never be happy, no matter how good the gear is.  Shame.

By the way, is it Nī-kon, Nick-on or Neek-on?  Does it matter?

Okay.  How about "Z" versus "Zed?"  If it's "Zed" then shouldn't it is also be "Bed," "Ded," "Ped," "Ted," etc.?  Why only Z?  Let's have some alphabetic consistency here.

I’ve been asked why I chose to keep my Fujifilm gear and sell my Nikon and Olympus gear.  Very simple.  The analog style controls meld perfectly with my brain.  Additionally, the menu system just works for me.  I’ve never missed a photo when having to quickly find and/or change settings with any of my Fujifilm cameras but I have with the others.  I guess it goes back to photographing from 1970-2001 with analog film cameras which had very similar controls.  Using my Fujifilm camera is second nature.  As for the famous Fujifilm colors?  Well, they are pleasing to me but also I think we are at the point where we can replicate any color palate from any camera in our editing software.  That said, I’m loving the Fujifilm JPEGs using different film simulations and only reverting to use RAW files if absolutely necessary.  They are splendid!  

By the way, I still don’t have a backup camera to my X-T4.  I’m that confident in its build quality that a potential failure has not crossed my mind.  However, I am anticipating purchasing an X-H2 or X-T5 next year, whichever is released and has the features I want most.  Stay tuned.

Speaking of 8K video?  Show me where I can find 4K television programs, let alone 8k, on my TV.  In fact show me 1080P on any of my over the air or cable channels (if you don't know, over the air is mostly 1080i, not 1080p, and most cable comes to your house at 720p.  Some comes in at 1080 but I don't think the majority of programming).  From what I understand 4K content is very scarce and only a few movies or programs on Netflix or YouTube (any other providers?) have them right now.  Why the push for even higher resolution?  Is it 'my camera is better than your camera' syndrome?  I don't know.

I'm not a video guy.  I've always have been and will remain a stills photographer.  I understand from those who shoot 4k now as an upgrade from HD that the amount of computer power and storage required rises exponentially.  It makes sense to me that if you didn't have to shoot in 4k you might not.   The parallel for us stills shooters is using a 61mp camera with a 26mp camera will do.  Lots more graphics processing power and storage needed.  Everything is a trade-off.

Why does it seem that when we buy a new camera or lens it to goes on sale about 35 days later, just beyond the time you can call and ask to be refunded the difference in price or return the one you purchased and buy another at the sale price if the vendor won't refund the difference?

Camera battery chargers.  Why do manufacturers have different color lights and different protocols for their cameras' battery chargers?  For instance, Panasonic's charger shows a green light when it is charging and no light after the battery is charged.  Olympus' flashes red when the battery is fast charging, turns yellow and flashes slower when the battery is almost charged then turns green when fully charged.  Just the opposite of Panasonic.  Nikon blinks orange while its charging, then turns solid orange when fully charged.  It would be nice if every manufacturer agreed on a common protocol to eliminate any confusion as to when your battery is fully charged.  The other solution, of course, is to buy only one brand camera but that wouldn't be any fun.

It really bugs me when out in the field photographing and using a polarizing filter, not being able to get it off as it is now stuck on the lens.  Worse—a neutral density filter.  I can still photograph with a polarizer, albeit at about 1 1/2 stops reduction in light, but not a stuck ND filter.  Shouldn't the filter and lens makers have solved that simple problem already?  And, no, a square filter system won't do.  They are too cumbersome, expensive and unnecessary when never using a graduated filter.

I don't like using the term "full frame."  In reality, at best, that term is inaccurate (whatever sensor size you have is its full frame) and, at its worst, is meaningless.  Digital has been around long enough that it needs its own terminology and not a reference to the old 35mm film size.  I'll not be referring to "full frame" equivalents in focal lengths or field of view in future blogs.  I think we all are at the point where we know the difference in focal lengths in the different sensor formats.

Do recognize click bait when you see it on a blog post, internet site or YouTube video?  I absolutely refuse to click no matter what.  How crass can someone be to lure viewers or readers in under false pretenses?  They do it for the revenue.  Be honest about it, will you who are guilty of this?

Also, I get really frustrated with those who write on the internet or present on You Tube who put out information that is just flat wrong and, when it is pointed out to them, they refuse to admit they are wrong and refuse to correct it.  We experienced photographers understand what they present is bogus but it really hurts those who are trying to learn and think they are getting good information.  It's a real disservice.  I say ban them from social media!  

I hate it when, after making some of what I might think will be really good images, later when I look at my lens I happen to notice all kinds of dust or other debris on the front element (or back element) of the lens I used to make those photos.  What would Homer Simpson say?  "Doh!"  I should know better than to not periodically check the cleanliness of my gear when in the field.

How about this mistake?  Spotting a quickly unfolding situation or spectacular subject, grabbing your camera, excitedly snapping away and feeling really good about the unique images you just made.  Afterwards you realize you had the camera still set at ISO 6400 from your 3 a.m. Milky Way shoot the night before.  I've done that more than once.  No longer as now each time I finish photographing for the day I have a group of standard settings in which I always return my camera so the next time I pick it up, I know exactly how everything is set.

Has this happened to you?  Trying to go out causally shooting with minimal gear to lighten your load only to need that one lens you decided you wouldn’t need and left at home, in the car or in the hotel room.  It happens.

I think that is enough stuff for now.  I have more and I'll post more.  My fear is that you will realize that I just may be photographically demented and you may call the photographic mental health police to show up at my door.  In the mean time, I'll just keep thinking (and, as my wife tells me, that can be dangerous!)

Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.  

Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

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