Getting great pics of the cat is always good practice. And when it all comes together it's pretty cool.
Nikon 1 V1 - 10-30mm
Two Wheel Pan
I don’t know where the 1 series is going — for all I know it could be Nikon’s new D2h.
When searching for a performance based system I reached for the Sony Nex-7 and once the honeymoon wore off I grew frustrated. AF was slow - color rendition was great as long as you were outside in great light - shutterspeeds were somehow pegged at 1/60, it seemed all the time in when in Aperture Pri. I guess I could have lived with everything except the color rendering and exposure.
I found myself reaching for it less and less. Paris was the last time I seriously used it - so I sold it.
But — in the mean time - on a lark I bought the Nikon P330 Coolpix. Canon’s products were rendering skin tones much too red and peachy. And I fell in love - lens was crazy sharp, it shot raw, and the colors were rich and deep and recognizably all Nikon. Hmm… I thought.
I wanted to get back into mirrorless, but funds were on the decline, Fuji wasn’t a contender as it was a slow system, lenses were getting great reports though, and i saw that the V1 system was getting better and better writeups. The $300 refurb pricing helped also.
AF is lighting fast - whoa… crazy fast - silent shutter is really trick, I use it almost exclusively, and most importantly rendering and exposure is nailed and finally the raw BW convert is crazy black.
So where does that leave me — The Fuji XT1 is attractive - bigger sensor, but raw development seems a bit challenging, irregardless of that the fans tell me it is a non-issue with LR etc. Sony’s A7 series is a bit too expensive and maybe needs to be tripod based for shooting and I just can’t see going m4/3 for some reason. So that leads me back to where I’m at - because I really love the V1.
The D3s backfills the pro work - and in the next few weeks I’ll be picking up the 30-110mm, and the 6.7-13mm where I have the 18.5mm, 10-30mm, and the flash.
So that’s my story.
Nikon 1 V1 - 10-30mm
Snow on Grass
Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm
Porch in BW
Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm converted in SilverEfx
Cafe Noir -- SLC
Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5 - BW convert with SilverEfx
Black and White reading
Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm
The Whiteboard
Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm
Photo walks
I took some time out last Saturday to photo walk, something of which I rarely do.
The scene
I've said it before - but there are times when the scene just grabs me.
This image is one of those from the office when the "planets" aligned.
I love those moments when I can pay the scene this attention - if I can't then I almost become obsessed of the missed shot.
Spring
When the Sun is out - and although it hits the fake orchids on the back porch shelf - I can't help but think of Spring.
Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm
Images at night
I really like images captured at night - and i'm going to try to push the limits this year and get more night shots.
Shooting at night is a bit more inconvenient -- but the good and great image is usually captured during the least convenient circumstances. Be it - war, cold, early morning, high above, underwater etc...
Ford and Chevy
CES just finished up, and all the “big hitter” camera companies made some announcements. And even I can’t help but get caught up in it all. Nikon teased with the up coming D4s, Fuji offered the blacked out x100s and new lenses and Canon was in the mix also.
I bring this up because I get asked every once in a while, “what should I buy”, or “what’s a good camera” ?. This is so difficult as the end result or goal is really important.
If you are in the market for a new camera or want to make it a go and get started take this into consideration.
- Identify you budget - and try to stay with that number as much as possible.
- Determine what MFG you want to identify with — and that could be because of style, accessories, expandability, or price. For the most part - buying into a camera system is like the difference between “Ford and Chevy”.
- Strive for photos which exhibit sharpness better than anyone else’s. Understand what sharpness is and how to recognize it in a photo. Learn how to chase, capture, and harness the sharpest photo possible above the limitations of your gear.
- Every piece of gear has a sweet spot — find that - and be able to get back there over and over again.
- Go to Flickr and look at the “Explorer” section - and look at it over and over. Identify with the images you like.
I took this last photo with a $300 fixed lens point and shoot, Nikon P330. The camera is amazing for what it is - but with many limitations. With that thought, I normally can’t help myself and usually shoot thru those limitations and come up shorthanded. This image as it turns out -- it was selected as one of Engineering News Record's Images of the year for 2013.
My point -- get out and shoot -- irregardless of what you have for equipment. Sure - many of us want the Porsche - but as it turns out, most of us only have the Ford or Chevy.
Utah Bad Air
The bad air is taking its toll.
Nikon 1 V1 - 10-30mm
BackYard
The setting South Western Sun and the backyard scene was irresistible. The main attraction to the V1 is the color rendering -- the colors are just so rich -- like a good cup of coffee - I really can't explain it.
Nikon V1 - 10-30mm
Temple Square Lights
The seasonal lights are always something special - every year I shake my head in wonder as the stringing seems somewhat an impossible feat.
Nikon 1 V1 - 10-30mm
Minox 'A'
The ‘Minox A’ - this has been all over the world. Purchased new in the mid 60’s, it was the first compact camera of its time - which was the reason for acquiring. I used it in High-School when ordering film from the Rexall Drug was commonplace, but developing would require shipment to Germany.
Nikon P330 - Minox 'A'
It saw use in the hands of the Military during the Cold War, and it shot unauthorized images of the U.S. D.C. Mint during a tour when cameras weren’t allowed in the 70's. Evidently nobody noticed. I used it to take pictures of stuff around the house - like my motorcycle - when I was 16.
This was my Father’s - and now I have it hanging in my studio, from a push-pin on the wall. The beaded chain is long lost - replaced with 550 cord.
It will most likely never have film push-pulled in it ever again. Back in the ’60’s as today - I consider it an engineering marvel.
Over the Shoulder
Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm shot in NEF
Lately I've been captivated by the BW - especially when the blacks are really black. That may sound like a given - but sometimes blacks aren't black. I like what I see when I convert a Nikon file - there seems to be no in between.
Now -- when i push this file to the printer - that may be a different story. Depending up the paper I may get a bit of some purple tones - just a touch. I'm still working that out.
V1 - Same Series
Another image from the same office series from yesterday.
Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm NEF to Monochrome
Group Shot - V1
My best group photo in a while - the firm was getting a demonstration from RigidBot, a 3d printer company from Provo, and this is a grab shot.
The serendipitous nature, of the art of image making, has always captivated me, and the BW convert makes the scene even more powerful.
I’m still in love with the files from the V1, and even though I will lust for the A7r, I don’t know if I can remove myself from the V series.
Nikon 1 V1, 18.5mm
IPhone
I'm always a bit surprised at the results I get out of the IPhone. The smallest camera I've ever used, hanging on the wall as a memento, is a Minox. And this performance of the IPhone is insane in comparison.
IPhone 5 - KitCam