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Analog gems: 10 additional film cameras worth buying right now

08 Jun

Analog gems part 2

Back in 2017 we shared our list of 10 excellent, affordable film cameras worth considering. Jump to today, in 2019, and public interest in analog photography has only continued to grow. So much so that we thought it was high time to revisit our original list and call out ten more film cameras worthy of your time and money.

These cameras were selected based on reader feedback, research and the staff’s collective analog lust. All of them can be found pretty easily on the second-hand market in good working order, most for a relative bargain. So get ready to hunt through your freezer for a long-expired roll of film, it’s time for Analog Gems Part 2.

Read Analog Gems part 1Note: cameras are arranged from least to most expensive.

Nikon EM

History: The Nikon EM was by all measures, a commercial flop for the brand. Yet decades later it has endured as Nikon’s smallest, lightest and best-looking (opinion) film SLR. Launched in 1979, this Aperture Priority-only camera was reportedly built with female shooters in mind – the stylish good looks are courtesy of famed auto designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. It’s anyone’s guess why the camera sold poorly; manufacturing stopped by 1982, but the theory is most women at the time preferred the EM’s fully-manual siblings to what is essentially a simplified, fashion-forward, budget model. Still, despite its entry-level status, the EM is as reliable as its pricier siblings from the same era.

If you’re after a small, handsome little camera that’s super simple to use, look no further

Why we like it: If you’re after a small, handsome little camera that’s super simple to use, look no further. The EM features a very accurate center-weighted meter that’s powered by two S76 or A76 batteries. A small button below the film rewind acts as a negative two stop exposure compensation when pressed. The camera is fully electronic in operation but can function on no juice with limited shutter speeds – an ‘M90’ mode locks the shutter speed at 1/90 sec, the camera’s standard ‘Auto’ mode sets the shutter speed to 1/1000 sec. The body is mostly built of a copper and aluminum alloy, though the top and bottom covers are polycarbonate.

Find one: These cameras are incredibly easy to come across in new, or like-new condition for between $ 20 and $ 75. They only come in black. The EM’s arrival on the scene also brought with it the introduction of Nikon’s budget E line of glass. Of this line, the 50mm F1.8 E and the 100mm F2.8 E are both impressive performers and quite compact in size. It’s very easy to find the former kitted with the EM on places like Ebay.

Also consider: The Nikon FM was a step up from the EM – they’re a little pricier and chunkier but come with full manual controls.

Konica C35 EF

History: The C35 EF is a compact rangefinder camera that debuted in 1975. It sports a very sharp 38mm F2.8 lens and the World’s first pop-up flash. Other than choosing to activate the flash or not, the camera is fully automatic in nature. A small red light on the back illuminates if the exposure is too dark and the flash is needed. Focus is set by choosing one of four zones.

Why we like it: A personal favorite of Andy Warhol, there’s something oh-so-appealing about these boxy little cameras. They’re fairly well-built, easy to use and an eye-catcher for sure. Perhaps most importantly, the lens is very sharp and metering/flash output tends to be accurate. The flash is powered by standard AA batteries. The meter uses a discontinued 1.35v mercury cell battery, however the MR-44 battery adapter will allow you to use a common silver oxide battery (392 or SR41) instead without any issues.

A personal favorite of Andy Warhol, there’s something oh so appealing about these boxy little cameras

Find one: You can find a C35 EF used, in good condition for between $ 20 and $ 75. They come in two varieties, the later version has a self timer (and a greater range of shutter speeds for the camera to choose from).

Also consider: The C35 EF3 debuted several years after the original C35 and sports a redesigned 35mm F2.8 lens. It’s also got a lighter body and has an even greater range of shutter speeds for the camera to select from. Available in 7 colors, including a cherry red variety, these can be a little trickier and pricier to track down than the original C35 EF.

Note: The C35 EF3 is shown above

Fujifilm Instant Mini 70

History: Launched in 2011, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 70 is one of the brand’s most-stylish and affordable instant cameras. As its name suggests, it uses the Fujifilm’s Instax Mini format, which comes in packs of 10. The Instax brand itself was actually first introduced back in 1998 and has grown extremely popular, especially in recent years.

Why we like it: Of all the instant cameras currently on the market, we picked the Mini 70 as our favorite thanks to its balance of price to features. It’s lightweight, looks cool and is very easy to operate. The camera’s powered by two lithium CR2 batteries which provide ample power for many packs of film. It’s also fairly well-built and offers some very basic manual controls (+2/3rd EV and flash on/off).

It’s light-weight, looks cool and is easy to operate

Find one: These cameras are still being made and can be purchased new in a wide variety of fun colors for around $ 50-75. We like Island Blue.

Also consider: The Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 uses the brand’s largest format instant film and is both easy to operate and well-built. It’s certainly a chunky beast of a camera, but that’s par for the course in this format.

Olympus OM-1/N

History: The Olympus OM-1 is a small, lightweight SLR that debuted in the early 1970’s at Photokina. It was originally called the M-1, which didn’t make Leica too happy (given their existing M-series rangefinder line), so the name was later changed to OM-1. Purely mechanical in nature, the OM-1 offers only manual controls. The OM-1N was a slightly updated model offering a redesigned wind lever, and some improvements designed to make it easier to work with a flash.

Why we like it: The OM-1 features a large viewfinder packed into a small, light SLR. It’s an attractive little camera that has some unusual design elements, like its shutter speed dial around the lens barrel. These cameras are very well-built and only need batteries to operate the meter, which takes a now-discontinued 1.35v mercury cell battery. But not to worry, there’s an adapter for that too – the MR-9 battery adapter will allow you to use a common silver oxide battery (386).

It’s an attractive little camera that has some unique design elements

Find one: These cameras can easily be found in good condition for between $ 50 and $ 150 in the two-tone silver-and-black variety. An all-black version is also available but for a good bit more cash. The OM-1 often sells with the original kitted 50mm F1.8 lens.

Also consider: The Olympus OM-2 can be purchased for just a little more than the original OM-1 and gives you automatic exposure controls as well as manual controls. There’s also no mercury battery to worry about . However the camera is fully electronically controlled, so power is needed to use most shutter speeds.

Photo by Alan Drummond

Pentax MX

History: The Pentax MX was released as a professional-level camera in 1976 during a time when competition in the SLR market was stiff and SLRs were getting ever smaller. The MX remained Pentax’s flagship until the 1980s. Externally similar to the Pentax ME, the MX is purely mechanical and offers only manual controls. The ME on the other hand is electronically-controlled with both manual and auto functions. The former was geared toward professionals, the latter toward enthusiasts.

Why we like it: The Pentax MX is a handsome camera – it’s among the smallest and lightest SLRs on our list (second to the Nikon EM) and very well constructed. Operation is fully-mechanical, so if the battery dies (two LR44 batteries) you only lose the lightmeter. Controls are simple and direct – the viewfinder is impressively large.

The Pentax MX is among the smallest and lightest SLRs in our list

Find one: The Pentax MX can be found in good condition for between $ 75 and $ 200, often with the original kitted Pentax 50mm F2 included (splurge on the much nicer 50mm F1.7 if you can find it). The two-tone silver-and-black models are far easier to find than the all-black finish.

Also consider: The Pentax ME is similar in size and weight to the MX and can be found for considerably less cash. It doesn’t have the same reputation for reliability as the MX and requires batteries to operate (except at 1/100 sec), but it is still a very good bang for your buck.

Photo by Pierre-Jean Parra

Canon T90

History: Introduced as Canon’s flagship camera in 1986, the T90 is also arguably the most advanced FD-mount camera ever made. The year after its debut Canon unveiled the all-electronic EF-mount on EOS cameras with support for autofocusing lenses, effectively nailing the coffin shut on future FD development. Still, the T90 offers a ton of modern features – like a top plate display, multi-function control dial and incredibly sophisticated ambient and flash metering modes, plus 4.5 fps burst shooting – in a tough, beautiful body. Its release also ushered in a more curvaceous era of Canon SLR design, one we’re still very much in. The Current EOS-1D X Mark II owes a lot to the T90, after more than 30 years.

Why we like it: It’s almost impossible to hold the T90 and not think about modern Canon DSLRs – so much of their ergonomic excellence is rooted in this camera. From a usability standpoint, the T90 is a pleasure to shoot with – it’s powered by 4 AA batteries. Nicknamed ‘The Tank,’ these cameras can take a lot of abuse. Did we mention 4.5 fps continuous shooting?

The T90 offers a ton of modern features like 4.5 fps burst shooting

Find one: There are some common T90 problems to keep an eye out for, like sticky shutters and faded top plate LCDs, but it’s not hard to find one in great working order. Good condition models can be had for between $ 150 and $ 250, body-only. And because the FD mount was discontinued, lenses for the T90 are often a bargain. Just be aware, almost every second-hand T90 will be missing its original eyecup.

Also consider: The Canon T70 is the boxy, more 80s-looking predecessor to the T90. It offers a top plate LCD, continuous shooting (a lackluster 0.7 fps) and multiple metering modes. Unlike the T90 it is a fully-automatic camera. You can find them for around $ 50.

Nikon FE2

History: We wavered back and forth between recommending the FE2 and the FM2 and ultimately chose the former as they’re easier to find in good condition, for a decent price. These two mid-range cameras are very similar both in design and in terms of their reliability – both are also relatively light and compact for an SLR. The FM2 was released in 1982 and only has manual controls, while the FE2 was released in 1983 and has both manual and automatic controls. The ‘M’ in FM2 refers to it’s purely mechanical design, the ‘E’ in FE2 refers to its electronically-controlled design.

Why we like it: The FE2 can be operated in a fully manual capacity or in an aperture priority mode. Conveniently, you can adjust exposure compensation by + / – 2 stops (available in third stop increments) when shooting in aperture priority. Metering is center-weighted and accurate. The camera is powered by two S76 or A76 batteries and will still work with no batteries, albeit in a limited capability (only 1/250 sec and bulb). These cameras are very well built and easy to come across in good working order.

These cameras are very well-built and easy to come across in good working order

Find one: You can expect to pay between $ 150 and $ 250 for an FE2 in nice condition, though that price seems to slowly be creeping upwards. They come in both all-black as well as two-tone black and silver. If you score a particularly minty one you can likely expect it to serve you for many years to come.

Also consider: The original Nikon FE can be had for a bit less money than the FE2, and you don’t sacrifice much (slower top shutter speed, flash sync speed, no TTL flash). On the other hand, for more cash you can get yourself the purists’ camera in a Nikon FM2.

Photo by Paul Chin

Konica Big Mini BM-200 or 300-series

History: There are a few different varieties of the Konica Big Mini that came out in the early 90’s – including several with zoom lenses. For simplicity’s sake we will focus on the non-zooming BM-200 and 300-series (which are quite similar). These lightweight point-and-shoots sport the same sharp 35mm F3.5 lens and are fully-automatic in nature. Two LEDs in the viewfinder let users know whether autofocus can be achieved and whether the flash will fire.

The flash output is well-balanced and the lens is impressively sharp

Why we like it: Big Minis are simple to use and provide excellent results – the flash output is well-balanced and the lens is impressively sharp. There’s also something to be said for their understated rectangular design. They can, however, be a tad fragile due to their mostly plastic construction. But treat a Big Mini with a little TLC and it’ll likely keep on snapping for years. One more note of caution: Be careful not to open the rear door too far when loading/unloading a roll as doing so can tear a crucial bit of electric ribbon. This is the primary failure point on these cameras. The Big Mini is powered by a CR123 battery.

Find one: These cameras can be found in good condition for between $ 150 and $ 250. They come in both silver and dark grey.

Also consider: The Big Mini F sports an even faster 35mm F2.8 lens and same boxy form-factor but tends to cost a fair bit more than its slower siblings.

Nikon F100

History: The Nikon F100 is a modern film SLR released in 1999, the same year as the Nikon D1. Slated right below the flagship Nikon F5 (and later F6) in the company’s film SLR lineup, it sports many pro-level features like Nikon’s excellent Matrix metering (as well as spot and center-weighted), 4.5 fps shooting, automatic bracketing and a variety of autofocus modes.

The F100 operates and handles a lot like a modern Nikon DSLR

Why we like it: The F100 operates and handles a lot like a modern Nikon DSLR – it looks like one too. It’s these familiar controls and use of the F-mount make it the perfect camera if you’ve got Nikon glass and are curious about trying your hands at film shooting. The F100 is also well-constructed, though a tad hefty for a film SLR – power comes from 4 AA batteries or an optional MB-15 battery pack. One word of caution: The rubber covering on the back of these cameras has a tendency to get sticky with age – this can be rectified with some careful (and time-consuming) scraping.

Find one: Because the F100 came out toward the end of the film era, these feature-packed cameras can be found for relatively little cash. Pick one up in good condition for $ 150-250. They only come in black.

Also consider: The Nikon F90 series debuted a few years prior to the F100 and offers many of the same features, but with only a single autofocus point. They can be found pretty easily for less than $ 50.

Photo by Ángeles Andrade

Fujifilm GS645S

History: Fujifilm made some wacky-looking medium format cameras in the 80’s and this one is no exception – just look at that bumper. The GS645S belongs to the greater GS645 family of compact, fixed lens medium format cameras, all of which shoot a 4.5 x 6 image. The ’S’ model offers a 60mm F4 lens that produces a 35mm (35mm-equiv.) field of view. Focusing and exposure controls are all located around the lens. There are no auto settings.

Because it shoots 4.5 x 6, you get 15 shots per roll

Why we like it: The GS645S is an excellent small and lightweight medium format option for street or travel photography. The lens is sharp and the camera is well-built. Power comes from two LR44 batteries. Because it shoots 4.5 x 6, users get 15 shots per roll. And though the default vertical orientation takes some getting use to, the camera can easily be operated vertically (for a horizontal field of view).

Find one: These cameras are slowly creeping up in price but can usually be found in good condition for between $ 300 and $ 450.

Also consider: The GS645S’ siblings are also worth your consideration. The original GS645 features a collapsible 75mm F3.4 lens and the GS645W features a 45mm F5.6 lens. You’ll pay around the same price for these models.

The wrap

There you have it, 10 cameras ranging from 70’s SLR classics to odd-ball 80’s compacts. As always, feel free to suggest other great analog camera buys in our comment section below. And for more analog fun, jump back to our original list: Analog gems: 10 excellent, affordable film cameras. Feel free to leave suggestions for Part 3 in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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How Much is an Image Worth? Tips for Pricing Your Photography

21 May

One of the questions that a lot of photographers ask, is how much I should charge for my images? It is very hard to do, and hence a lot of artists struggle with it. There is so much more involved, and many don’t quite understand. So, how do you go about pricing your photography?

How Much is an Image Worth? Tips for Pricing Your Photography

Flinders Street Station, this image took me about 3 years to get and I spent hours processing it. Hence it would have a high price on it.

Learn from the masters

There is a great story about Pablo Picasso, the famous artist. It goes like this.

Picasso was sitting in a Paris Café when an admirer approached and asked if he would do a quick sketch on a paper napkin. Picasso politely agreed, swiftly executed the work, and handed back the napkin – but not before asking a rather significant amount of money. The admirer was shocked and asked, “How can you ask for so much? It only took you a minute to draw this.” Picasso replied, “No, it took me 40 years.”

Whether this story is true or not is hard to know for sure, but it has a very good point. Most people do not consider the experience of the artist. Along with that are many other factors, like your education, the cost of equipment, and not to mention the time you spend creating the photo.

How much to charge, as you are going to see, is a complicated question and does depend on many of those factors. They are often things that people don’t really think about. Many photographers just pluck a price out of thin air and go with it. If I’m telling the truth, I have to say I was the same. I would constantly give different prices for my images.

Now I have a system in place and it is all based on the following.

How Much is an Image Worth? Tips for Pricing Your Photography - yellow flowers

I do macro for fun, so this was shot in my garden one morning and processed quickly. The price wouldn’t be high for this image.

Education

You have to take into consideration any education you have done to learn or improve your photography. It doesn’t have to be formal education, like a university degree, but if you have paid money for it, then you need to consider the cost.

Something like a Bachelor of Fine Arts will cost you thousands of dollars. You will never recover your money if you are only charging people $ 20 an image, for instance. How many will you have to sell to pay off the degree at that price?

What about other short courses you may have done? Ones that are just a few weeks long, or those that are done online. You need to think about how much they cost and the time you spend doing the classes and learning to do all those new skills. There are so many online courses, from learning how to use your camera, to how to edit your photos.

dock with blurry clouds - How Much is an Image Worth? Tips for Pricing Your Photography

While I enjoy this kind of photography, it isn’t part of my main body of work. Therefore, it would never be editioned as it isn’t worth as much.

Gear

If you are anything like me, you have spent a great deal of money on your photography gear. Though you also need to think about what you have bought in the past and what you have now. For instance, how many cameras have you had? How many lenses have you had over time?

Consider all your accessories as well. Think about your camera bags, tripods, filters, memory cards, camera straps, etc. These are often forgotten, but they all add up and should be considered when pricing your photography work.

purple flower - How Much is an Image Worth? Tips for Pricing Your Photography

This was taken with a good macro lens and an expensive camera so those factors should be taken into consideration when pricing the image.

Time

Every time you go out to take photos, how much time do you spend in the field? Don’t think just about the length of time it takes to take a photo. You need to think about how far you traveled to get there and back. Did you have to drive around quite a bit?

When I go out shooting I can be gone all day. I might leave early in the morning and not get back until late that night. During that time, I may have traveled over 250 miles or 400 km, and used a tank of fuel. Not to mention having to buy two to three meals. It all adds up and if you are selling your images you need to consider these things as well.

Then what happens when you get home? The images are put onto your computer and then processed. It is going to be different for everyone, but you will likely spend anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours on each image. All this time should be considered when you are pricing your photography.

You should be giving yourself an hourly rate so you can add that up at the end to add to the price. While you may have gotten several images to sell in that one trip, you can divide it up and spread it out over the series.

How Much is an Image Worth? Tips for Pricing Your Photography - dark moody image

This image is a combination of two and I spent many, many hours on it. I would ask for a high price for this one.

Editions

If you plan on selling your work as limited editions, then it will be worth more as you can only sell so many. When you do a limited run of an image they must all be identical and numbered, according to where in the edition they are, for example, 1/10, or 4/10, etc.

An edition is where you decide how many of that image you will sell. The number is up to you, 10, 20 or 100, maybe more if you think the image will be in high demand. However, the more there are in the edition the lower the value will be.

You have to be very organized to edition work and keep very good records. Once the edition is sold, you cannot sell anymore. There is some debate as to whether you can rework the image so that it looks different, but that is perhaps for another article.

dark image of a city skyline - How Much is an Image Worth? Tips for Pricing Your Photography -

This image would be part of my body of work and would definitely be put into an edition, perhaps with a limited run of 10.

Printing

Most know that you have to include the cost of printing. If you are selling the image you need to make sure the print is a good quality. Printing it yourself with a cheap printer and ink is never a good idea. Most of those will fade with time and you will be selling someone a print that won’t last a lifetime or more.

Make sure that wherever you get the work printed that it is archival. There is nothing worse than buying a piece of art from someone and then in 10 years it is gone because it was printed badly.

When you are preparing your work for sale, make sure you get the cost of a professional printing job and include that in the price.

- How Much is an Image Worth? Tips for Pricing Your Photography - lighthouse at night

An image that was done for fun. It would still be printed well, but the price would be lower than others.

Working for free

This may seem like a good idea, it gets your foot in the door, but the reality is that it rarely works. Once people know they can get images from you for free then they will continue to expect that. When you stop, they will just go to the next person. You should always charge for your images and your work.

You should also not sell your images for next to nothing. Think about how you are harming the industry by doing so. If it were any other industry and people were selling their services or products for much less than others it would be considered wrong, or cheap would mean not good. You need to consider every aspect when pricing your photography

sunset lighthouse - - How Much is an Image Worth? Tips for Pricing Your Photography -

This is a bit of a throwaway image, taken during a time-lapse with a few hundred others. Still, it would never be given away for free.

Next time

So when someone asks you how much is your image worth, think about all the things that have been mentioned here. Of course, you are not going to charge thousands, but you want to get some of what you have spent back. Each time you sell one photo you have to work out how you can start to recoup the costs you have outlaid for your photography.

Please share your thoughts, if you have anything to add, on pricing your photography tips in the comments section below.

The post How Much is an Image Worth? Tips for Pricing Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Pentax K-1 II Review: Worth the upgrade?

07 May

79%

Overall score

Jump to conclusion

The Pentax K-1 Mark II is a supremely weather-sealed, tough-built full-frame camera with a 36MP stabilized sensor. Billed as more a refinement of its predecessor than a replacement, the K-1 II gains a new hand-held Pixel Shift mode and sees improvements made to its AF Tracking algorithm – it also has a new pre-processor. Unfortunately, our testing reveals this additional processor applies full-time noise reduction to Raw files resulting in inferior image quality to that of its predecessor.

Key features:

36.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor with no anti-aliasing filter
5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization
100% pentaprism viewfinder with 0.70x magnification
33-point AF system (25 cross-type)
Updated AF Tracking algorithm
New hand-held Pixel Shift mode
Extensive weather-sealing
1/200 sec flash sync speed
14-bit Raw recording (DNG or PEF)
Built-in GPS with electro-magnetic compass and Astrotracer function
4.4 fps continuous shooting (6.5 fps in APS-C crop mode)
1080/30p video
Wi-Fi

The K-1 II faces stiff competition from other full frame models at this price point, many of which out-spec it across the board. But for landscape and adventure shooters, you’d be hard-pressed to find a full frame camera with as many useful and unique features, like built-in GPS, an Astrotracer mode for night sky photography, sensor shift technology, and LED lights on the body (to assist in the dark).

Over the course of several weeks, we’ve put the K-1 II through its paces in both the field and in our test lab. Read on to see how it performed and how it stacks up as a whole against the competition.

What’s new and how it compares

Here’s what’s new in the K-1 II plus how it compares to existing models from other companies.

The K-1 II has a host of unique body features borrowed from its predecessor including its clever articulating LCD mechanism.

From landscapes to portraits, we’ve spent plenty of time shooting with the K-1 II in several different situations.

Our lab testing reveals the K-1 II’s image quality is actually a step back from that of its predecessor. Will you notice the difference?

The K-1 II’s 33-point AF system may have limited coverage, but it shows improvements over its predecessor when it comes to tracking.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Watch: Unboxing $221,000 worth of Leica Summilux-C cinema lenses

23 Mar

Videographer Devin Graham of Devin Supertramp has published a new video in which he unboxes $ 221,000 worth of Leica Summilux-C lenses. “When deciding to purchase these lenses, it was a six month process,” said Graham, who also explained while retrieving a lens box, “These are like a holy experience to me.”

Graham chose the Summilux lenses over Leica’s Thalia lenses due to their ability to shoot at a lower key stop, he explains in the video. The Summilux lenses were used in several notable productions recently, including: Stranger Things, Beauty and the Beast (2017), and Justice League. Overall, the purchase and subsequent unboxing involves half a dozen lenses: 16mm, 21mm, 29mm, 40mm, 50mm, and 75mm.

And if the video above isn’t quite enough expensive lens unboxing for you, check out Graham’s video from January below, in which he unboxed $ 25K worth of Sigma Cine lenses:

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Pro Services: Are they worth it?

10 Mar

When you’re a professional photographer your livelihood is intertwined with the health of your equipment. Like a portable hard drive, it’s only be a matter of time until something fails in the field and has the potential to ruin your assignment, not to mention your relationship with a client.

Although it’s likely that your gear could be covered under your home or renter’s insurance policy, if you are working as full-time pro, it may not be enough. Not to mention that the process of filing a claim to cover that busted gear that you needed back in order yesterday may drive you crazy.

Most major camera companies run Pro Support Service programs to help photographers when they wind up in situations like these. Joining up requires a certain amount of gear and often an annual payment. In exchange, photographers receive discounted gear repairs and equipment loans. We spoke to pros who have used the programs provided by Canon, Nikon and Sony to see how they stack up and if they’re worth the cost.

Canon Pro Support

Application Process	How do you Qualify?
Apply online instantly No sample images required Earn points for each piece of gear Fees vary depending on service level Must renew annually to continue to receive benefits	Own a certain amount of Canon gear

Canon offers four levels of membership within its Pro Support program with different ownership requirements and prices points: Silver, Gold, Platinum and Cinema. Each piece of Canon gear is assigned a number of points. The amount and kind of Canon gear that you own determines the level of membership that you qualify for, and gear depreciates in “points” over time. Canon doesn’t require a certain number of bodies or lenses, but its list of qualifying gear is almost exclusively populated with full-frame cameras (the 7D II and 60Da are exceptions).

The Silver CPS membership is the lowest tier. It has no annual fee, but requires 10 CPS points to join. A Silver CPS membership comes with CPS website profile and program discounts, event support, access to the 24/7 exclusive member hotline and a CPS ID Card. Crucially, what it doesn’t give you is access to is expedited repairs, discounts on repairs or equipment evaluation loaners.

To get all of the perks pros typically need, you’ll want a Gold membership. This level includes all of the Silver benefits plus two business day turnaround on repairs, equipment evaluation loans (a chance to try the newest gear for a 10-day period), and a 20% service discount on up to 10 pieces of gear, among other things. Gold membership costs $ 100 per year and requires 20 CPS points – two pro-level bodies like the 5D Mark III and a 5D Mark IV, plus an EF 24-105mm F4L IS USM will qualify.

The Platinum CPS membership requires at least 50 points and costs $ 300 annually. Essentially, it’s a Gold membership that goes an extra mile. Platinum members get the benefits of Gold, plus priority on equipment evaluation loans, next business day turnarounds on repairs, repair coverage loan once the repair is received, maintenance on up to 10 pieces of gear, free shipping both ways and a 30% discount on repairs on up to 15 pieces of gear.

The quick turnaround time on repairs at the Gold and Platinum levels have been a lifesaver for many of the Pros that we spoke with

The quick turnaround time on repairs at the Gold and Platinum levels have been a lifesaver for many of the Pros that we spoke with. Brooklyn Vegan photographer and photo editor Amanda Hatfield recalled the time her 16-35mm F2.8 lens stopped focusing a few days before she was scheduled to shoot the opening party of a new music venue in Brooklyn. “I definitely needed that lens in particular and was going to rent it if it wasn’t fixed on time,” she says. “I had it back well before Halloween.”

Florida-based freelance photographer Ian Witlin says his CPS Platinum membership has been nothing but excellent.” It’s saved me money in the long run and gets my gear back to me as quickly as possible,” he says.

For Witlin, CPS’s equipment loaner program has been particularly helpful. “I’ve used evaluation loaners many times while on assignment to determine whether or not I should upgrade a body or purchase a new lens,” he says.

Nikon Pro Support

Application Process	How Do You Qualify?
Online form application which Nikon Professional Services evaluates before approval. Approval takes one-two weeks Gear is not tallied automatically. No application fee Currently NPS renews every December Membership remains uninterrupted when photographers accept updated T&C and keep contact info up to date	Own a certain amount of Nikon gear, operate a photographic business in the US and be able to submit work published in the last year to demonstrate that Belonging to an organization such as WPPI, PPA, APA, NPPA doesn’t hurt

Nikon’s Pro Support program also comes in multiple levels and uses a point system related to gear that dictates what level you qualify for. Nikon’s levels are Carbon Plus, Titanium and Titanium E (only open to individuals working in government, law enforcement and military). There is no annual fee to be a member.

To qualify for Carbon Plus and Titanium, photographers must own at least two DSLR bodies and at least two Nikkor lenses and meet a point total of at least 750. The body and lens requirements seem steeper, but Nikon includes much more gear on its list of qualifying bodies and lenses, including APS-C and interestingly, some film cameras. As with Canon, gear does depreciate in ‘point value’ over time, but even an old D90 still gets you a cool 125 points at the moment.

Carbon Plus is for photographers with 750-999 points worth of gear. Titanium is for professional photographers with over 1000 points worth of gear. You’d need, for example, a pair of D5 bodies with a 24-70mm F2.8 VR and a 70-200mm F2.8 VR to qualify for Titanium.

Members at both the Carbon Plus and Titanium get access to NPS membership events, priority delivery, equipment loans and a repair service discount. Where the two programs differ is in the discount percentage (10% vs 20%) and the amount of equipment loans (2 vs 3 per year).

The rep gave me his personal lens for use and told me to just mail it back to him when I was done. I was beyond grateful and relieved

Pros we talked to had numerous stories of NPS saving the day, as well as one instance in which a service rep went well beyond the call of duty.

Photographer Bridgette Supernova recalls a time that Nikon’s on-site field support saved her from a dreaded gear malfunction on the eve of a major protest in Washington. “I found myself with a broken [24-70mm] lens,” says Supernova, who was working as the house photographer for one of the event’s major sponsors. Unfortunately, by the time she made it to the field support center they had run out of loaner 24-70 lenses.

“Panicked and nearly in tears at how important my role was in capturing historic moments at the rally the next day, the rep gave me his personal lens for use and told me to just mail it back to him when I was done. I was beyond grateful and relieved. That could have been a disastrous miss in my career.”

Sony Pro Support

Application Process	How Do You Qualify?
Online form application Most applicants hear back within one business day Members must renew membership annually Membership fee is $ 100 Sony expects the application process to become fully automated within the next few weeks	Own a certain amount of Sony gear Provide proof of professional work, such as a website or social accounts

Sony’s Pro Support program offers a single tier of support for a $ 100 annual fee. To qualify, photographers must own two full frame Sony bodies and at least three lenses – but there’s no point system to contend with at the moment. Members receive 24 hour phone and email support, three complimentary maintenance services per year, three-day repair turnarounds, free overnight shipping to and from repair locations, discounts on repairs, short-term trial loans (for new products photographers might be interested in purchasing) as well as service loans with next-day shipping when a repair ends up taking longer than the three day expectation. Sony also has walk in support locations located in urban areas in New York City and LA.

Photographers must own two full frame Sony bodies and at least three lenses – but there’s no point system to contend with at the moment

In the past, within the professional photographer community Sony was often known for their very slow turnarounds on repairs. However, based on the photographers we interviewed, this is outdated and something that the Pro Support program has been diligently working to correct in the past few years.

Seattle based director Eric Becker described Sony Pro Services as being almost “over communicative” when it came to the repair of his a7 II body and a 24-70mm lens.

“They were very prompt,” he says. “I clearly knew the timeline of when something had been received, repaired and returned.” In Becker’s case, the lens was irreparable, but Sony did provide him with a discount to purchase a new lens. Although he has only had to use it once, the annual fee is totally worth it for him. “It saves you money and time when you go to fix stuff,” he says.

Should you join?

Overall these three programs offer very similar services and, according to the pros we spoke to, are exceeding service expectations. Where they differ is the barrier to entry and annual costs.

Surveying the options across the board, it seems that a basic level of professional-grade service includes quick turnarounds on repairs and discounts on maintenance service. Canon’s Gold level and Nikon’s Carbon Plus tier both meet this level, and Sony’s tier-less program is covering these basics currently. Canon’s free Silver tier doesn’t include gear repairs or service discounts, so it’s not much help to a working pro.

Canon and Sony both charge a $ 100 annual membership fees for this baseline level of service, while Nikon’s program is free. Nikon’s gear requirement is also a bit steeper at all levels – even the lower tier requires two bodies and two lenses. But Nikon gear seems to hold its ‘points’ value for much longer than Canon’s, and Nikon considers many more cameras to be ‘points-worthy,’ including more APS-C bodies.

Pros we spoke to said that the fees and costs of keeping gear up to date were worth it for the benefits of regular service and
rapid, reliable repairs

Sony’s Pro Support structure is currently the simplest to navigate – if you’re a working pro and can meet the body and lens requirements, you’re in, no points to worry about. But it’s also the youngest program, and it’s easy to imagine Sony one day moving to a points structure and a tiered system.

If you don’t plan on keeping your camera bodies current within a few years, or if you can handle an equipment failure with whatever’s available at a rental house, you probably can avoid the cost and hassle of getting into a pro support program.

But if you already meet the gear requirements for these programs, or a camera or lens malfunctioning would come with significant penalty to your reputation and finances, we think that joining up with your brand’s pro services program is probably worth it. Pros we spoke to said that the fees and costs of keeping gear up to date were worth it for the benefits of regular service and rapid, reliable repairs. Just know that you’ll likely be faced with a decision down the line: upgrade your gear or risk it depreciating in points and aging out of eligibility.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Worth the money? Fully loaded iMac Pro vs fully loaded iMac

08 Feb

A fully loaded iMac Pro will cost you an eye-watering $ 13,200… but if you’re set on an Apple all-in-one, is it really almost $ 8,000 better than a fully-loaded 5K iMac? Parker Walbeck of Full Time Filmmaker ran some tests to find out, putting both all-in-ones through their paces using RED 8K footage, Canon 1D X Mark II 4K footage, and DJI Phantom 4 Pro 4K footage.

He also tested the machines using both Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro X, to eliminate the CPU-crushing effects of Adobe’s software.

As you might expect, the iMac Pro outperformed the iMac in nearly every test, playing back full resolution footage flawlessly while the iMac dropped frames, and rendering/exporting at about 2x the speed. However, it didn’t win in every regard. The iMac actually outperformed the iMac Pro by 25% when it came to applying Warp Stabilizer, because this feature is only using an individual core to do the work.

Playing back 8K RED footage on the iMac Pro was much smoother than the iMac, which had to be dropped to 1/8th resolution to match performance.

All of this leads Parker to his very reasonable conclusion:

“I definitely think there is a point of diminishing returns, where you’re paying a premium for slight, incremental improvements,” says Walbeck. “But that’s how it is with most new technology, it’s overpriced and you’re going to pay a premium for the latest and greatest.”

As for the value, he sums it up pretty well in the video, and it’s probably exactly what you expected coming into this comparison. Is it worth the money?

For most people? No. For a select few, yeah, it may be a difference maker. Do I personally need a computer this powerful? No. I’m sure I’d be just fine with my iMac or a base model iMac Pro

[…]

I’ve edited RED 8K footage on my MacBook Pro before, it’s definitely doable, it’s just a lot slower than if I were to use an iMac Pro. So my advice would be to use whatever you’ve got, whatever you can afford, and just start creating content.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, might be the most practical advice to come out of one of these iMac Pro comparison videos yet. Check out the full breakdown in the video above, where Walbeck offers some great advice for video shooters who are salivating over Apple’s newest machine… and yes, he does touch on why he doesn’t think that, at least for him, it’s worth it to spend less money and build an equally powerful PC.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Compact CityTree: Vertical Micro-Garden Packs a Forest’s Worth of Green Benefits

17 Aug

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

Packing the environmental impact of as many as 275 actual urban trees, these multi-functional CityTree units are dense and efficient fighters of urban air pollution (the single largest environmental health risk). Each CityTree can remove 240 metric tons of CO2 per year, as much as a small forest.

Developed by Green City Solutions in Berlin, the CityTree is covered in moss cultures — their high surface area ratios help remove dust and other airborne gasses and chemicals at a rate much higher than normal trees. Each unit has solar panels providing electricity and automated rainwater collection systems to store and distribute moisture as needed. Sensors help monitor soil humidity, temperature, water and air quality in and around each unit.

CityTrees have started sprouting in places like Paris, Brussels and Hong Kong, occupying a few square meters on city sidewalks while also (optionally) serving as public seating. Of course, air pollution is rarely evenly distributed in cities, so placement in high-traffic/emissions areas is also critical.

Developed by an architect and an engineer, the CityTree has been in the works for over a decade. “Our ultimate goal is to incorporate technology from the CityTree into existing buildings,” one of the designers told CNN. “We dream of creating a climate infrastructure so we can regulate what kind of air and also what kind of temperature we have in a city.” Beyond this compact and mobile application, lessons learned from monitoring and growing dense mosses on individual CityTree installations could also be applied on larger structural surfaces down the line.

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

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Worth the Weight: Ultralight backpacking photography with the Olympus PEN-F

13 Aug

Mount Rainier from Grand Park ISO 200 | 21mm | F3.5 | 1/80th

One of the things that I love the most about my Olympus PEN-F camera is its chameleon-like nature. One minute it can be a tourist snapshot camera, the next a rugged backwoods professional shooting rig. Once I was even chastised for ‘still shooting film’ by a millennial.

This past summer I decided to take my PEN-F with me on my annual ultra-light hike to Mt. Rainier National Park. Those of you familiar with the concept of ultra-light hiking will immediately notice the irony of my statement. Ultra-light hiking requires that only essential items are included in one’s pack. Adding over two and a half pounds of photo gear doesn’t really fit the motif.

The Set Up

I have hiked with cameras for decades, but I have never really been satisfied with my set up.

Simple neck straps—no matter how wide—are out because of the interference with pack straps, croakies, and now hydration systems. Kuban-hitches are just too much mental origami to deal with. Similarly, hip slings can’t be used because they inevitably overlap with the main hip belt of the pack rendering them inaccessible.

It was a bit of a difficult challenge, but I was able to locate a great belt strap clip that was both strong enough securely hold my PEN-F and also small enough to fit on the limited space exposed on the hip belt of my Osprey Aether 60 AG pack. This was the key component of my set up. (IMZ’s DSLR Camera Hanger Belt Clip / 3 oz.)

In addition to the belt clip, I wanted much more gripping security on the camera body itself, so I added a couple elements there.

First was a fingertip grip by Haoge that both gives the body some more heft as well as adding some good security to the three dimensional grip and finger purchase of the body (Haoge HG-PENF QR quick release plate camera bracket holder hand grip for Olympus Pen-F / 4 oz.).

I am fairly pleased with this grip, but I’m still searching for one with even more positive fingertip connections. For one-handed, damp, unstable shooting situations, I love the feel of the PEN-F with this grip on it. Solid.

K Spire from Elysian Fields Camp, Mt. Rainier ISO 200 | 32mm | -0.3 EV | F10 | 1/800th

The other item I added was a wrist strap (Prost Leather Hand Strap / 2 oz.). Here I only minimally succeeded with my choice (not that I could find a better one). I wanted the ability to slip my hand into a strap that would keep the camera very close to the palm even if my grip was relaxed.

Such a strap would have to go from the eyelet on the camera body near the shutter release to a spot on the base near the tripod mounting port. The best I could do was a strap that simply ran down the side of the camera from the eyelet to the base. It provided some security, but not everything I was looking for.

It did, however, provide a nice bit of padding for the camera that paid off in some tight squeezes between rocks and downed trees.

Shooting Process

The wonderful thing about the clip is that the camera attaches to the harness with a ball shaped brass connector. This allows the camera to hang easily below the hip belt of the pack with the lens following the natural crease in my hip. Even in steep climbing the camera was both out of the way and completely accessible to me.

There were so many times when I was winded enough that if I had had to futz with a case or a Kuban-hitch I would have simply skipped the shot. Because I am a bit worrisome about my gear, I always clicked the locking pin into position when the camera was seated in the clip. This meant that releasing the camera was always a 2-handed process. The throat on the clip is deep enough that I believe there are many instances where the locking pin could be dismissed without any downside, but I kept it locked on.

Descending from Spray Park, Mt. Rainier ISO 200 | 12mm | F6.3 | 1/320th

In this configuration, the camera did not swing freely (desirable). It did pivot evenly against my hip and while I thought that this pivoting might create some abrasion or wear on the camera body of lens barrel, there are no visible battle scars on the camera from this adventure. Also, I shot entirely with the eyepiece, leaving the LCD screen folded away for protection against scratches and trail dust.

I took only one lens with me, the Olympus M. Zuiko Pro 12-40 f 1:2.8 zoom (17 oz.). For both protection and effect I had 2 filters on the lens at all times: a simple Rokinon UV filter and also an Altura omni-directional polarizing filter. I nearly always shot in Program mode, frequently with one to two thirds of an f-stop of decreased exposure in order to compensate for the dark foregrounds which had a tendency to washout the scenic backgrounds.

Early sun enters Ohanapecosh Valley ISO 200 | 38mm | -0.3 EV | F5.6 | 1/320th

Across the period of 7 days of hiking I shot 440 images onto a 32GB SanDisk Ultra card with tons of room to spare. While I had 2 back-up batteries at the ready, the battery that I started with lasted for the entire journey.

For those of you familiar with the Pacific Northwest and specifically Mt. Rainier, our trip started at Mowich Lake and ended at Steven’s Creek (Grove of the Patriarchs) with camps at Spray Park, Lake James, Grand Park, Frying Pan Creek, Summerland, and Ohanapecosh.

Ghost Fir, Ohanapecosh, Mt. Rainier ISO 200 | 12mm | F5.6 | 1/200th

I did have two mishaps with my clip, both user error but worth noting. First was on a training hike (and gear check). The small brass clip knob that attaches to the tripod mount worked its way all the way out and dropped the camera, luckily onto soft dirt and bushes. That camera drop nearly stopped my heart. For the long trip I made sure it was much more tightly attached and checked it regularly.

Second, while on the Rainier trip, there was a time when the right side of the clip itself worked free from the hip strap. This is possible and resulted in a dangle rather than a drop. Making sure the straps were in the correct position, unfolded, and flat against the other straps became part of my routine.

I love the process of shooting considered photographs. I am generally pleased with the results. And even though it added an additional 2.8 pounds to my total carry (that’s 6%!) it was totally worth the weight.

Mount Rainier from upper Spray Park ISO 200 | 12mm | F5.6 | 1/250th

Specifications:

Lens: 1 lb, 1 oz.
Strap: 2 oz.
Grip: 4 oz.
Camera Body: 1 lb.
2 extra batteries: 3 oz. (unused) Belt clip: 3 oz.

Total Weight: 2 lbs, 13 oz.

Ben Bauermeister has been an amateur photographer his entire life and is currently also a social impact entrepreneur living in the small Puget Sound town of Port Townsend where he enjoys cycling, hiking, kayaking, as well as unnatural acts of community stewardship. His community mentoring website can be found at www.skillmation.org, or you can follow him on Instagram @bbauerm.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Worth a Thousand Words: The Story of a Photograph

08 Jun

Whether an image is spectacular or otherwise, a photograph is a representation of all the words that we choose to say…or not say. Photography is a medium, unique to perhaps all other mediums, which has the potential to convey thoughts and feelings without saying a word. You might say it’s worth a thousand words.

In today’s current photographic climate which is saturated with selfies, cellphone snaps, and impromptu portraits, have we forgotten the weight a photograph can carry? It’s an easy mistake to make and also a crime that we all commit from time to time. In case you have managed to forget, allow me to remind you of just how important the photographs you make can truly be.