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Posts Tagged ‘Jeff’s’

Gear of the Year 2019 – Jeff’s choice: Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II

13 Dec
Photo: Dan Bracaglia

It goes without saying that a lot of cameras come and go through the DPReview office. Over the last year, most of them have been something you either can’t carry around for hours, or don’t want to (looking at you, Panasonic Lumix DC-S1).

One of the few actual compacts that we received (and reviewed) was the Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II, which was announced alongside its nearly identical twin, the G7 X Mark III. The latter provides additional video features, while the former – targeted more toward enthusiasts – eschews these in exchange for an electronic viewfinder.

ISO 125 | 1/1600 sec | F4.5 | 69mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

When I first laid eyes (and hands) on the PowerShot G5 X Mark II, it was very obvious what camera Canon was going after: the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V. They both have fast lenses with a control ring around them, a centered, pop-up flash and tilting LCDs. Even the button layouts are similar. And let’s not forget the EVF that rises at the push of the button: a feature so similar that I wonder if Sony licensed the design to Canon.

ISO 125 | 1/1000 sec | F4 | 30mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

Despite their similarities, I’d grab the Canon every time, mainly because I find the shooting experience much more engaging. The front grip and thumb rest are perfect, and the rubberized front plate prevents the camera from sliding out of my hands. I tend to adjust exposure compensation fairly often, and I like that I don’t have to move my thumb to reach the provided dial that adjusts that setting. While I like the clicky control ring around the lens, I’m still not a fan of the small, fiddly dial on the back.

ISO 125 | 1/500 sec | F8 | 120mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

And then there’s the EVF. It’s not the cool new design found on the Sony RX100 VI and above, which extends the eyepiece automatically, but I don’t mind having to manually do so. What I don’t like is that it’s very easy to press it back in when your eye is to the finder, at least with glasses on. Speaking of glasses, the OLED EVF allows me to wear my polarized sunglasses without a problem (which can be a problem with LCD panels). The location of the EVF also keeps my nose off of the screen, which is always a plus.

ISO 125 | 1/1600 sec | F4.5 | 24mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

A lot of enthusiast compacts make compromises in order to get fast maximum apertures. On the RX100 V and Panasonic LX10, the focal length tops out at around 70mm equivalent. The Sony RX100 VI and VII have very ambitious 24-200mm equiv. lenses, but they let in 1.3 stops less light than the G5 X II.

Converted from Raw using ACR 12. Exposure and sharpness adjusted.
ISO 125 | 1/100 sec | F2.8 | 108mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

For me, the G5 X II has just the right balance. The equivalent focal length of the lens is 24-120mm, which is more than enough for the kind of shooting I typically do. The max aperture range of F1.8-2.8 gives it good light low performance and nice background blur, especially on macro shots than I enjoy taking.

ISO 200 | 1/400 sec | F3.2 | 24mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

I spent several weekends with the camera, taking it over the Cascade mountains and back again (among other places), and I have no complaints about the quality of the photos I captured. A lot of people like to crow about the vibrance of Canon color, and I’m one of them. I took a number of photos in low light and was able to pull up the shadows without too large of a noise increase: at least for my needs (read: social media).

When all is said and done, I found the Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II to be a great ‘daily driver’. It’s a camera that I can stuff into a back pocket and take for walk around town – in bright or low light – and get great results straight out of the camera.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Gear of the year 2018 – Jeff’s choice: Nikon Coolpix P1000

26 Dec

The evolution of the super zoom camera that resulted in the Nikon Coolpix P1000 reminds me of the development of rollercoasters over the last twenty years. Every year, amusement parks would try to out-do the competition. Bigger drops. More inversions. Faster speeds. Sitting, standing, flying. At some point you just can’t go any further without putting riders in danger.

The Coolpix P1000 won’t put anyone in danger (I hope!), but it does symbolize the culmination of manufacturers trying to make their cameras harder, bigger, faster, stronger (with apologies to Daft Punk). I’ve been in the digital camera business since the beginning and recall when breaking the 10X zoom barrier was a big deal.

Out of camera JPEG | ISO 110 | 1/400 sec | F6.3 | 1700mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

After manufacturers seemed to pause at 50X zooms, Nikon went for broke with its Coolpix P900, which had an 83X lens that topped out at 2000mm equivalent. When Nikon first told us about the Coolpix P1000, with its 125X, 24-3000mm equiv. lens, I didn’t know how to respond. I do, however, recall thinking “wow… but why?”.

After getting my hands on a P1000, my initial feelings were unchanged: it’s cool, but why does one need so much zoom? The P1000’s lens is so prominent that the camera got attention everywhere it went, whether at a wildlife refuge, the zoo or a random tourist attraction in Vancouver, where a man walked up to me and asked, “is that a P1000?”. (Turns out he was a DPReview fan and knew his stuff.)

The people to whom I showed the camera weren’t asking about sensor size, viewfinder resolution or video. They wanted to see that lens could do. So, I’d have them point it toward an object in the distance or, in the case of the zoo, at a monkey that could barely be seen with the naked eye, to see for themselves. It’s a great party trick.

Out of camera JPEG | ISO 560 | 1/400 sec | F7.1 | 2600mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

I spent over a month shooting with the Coolpix P1000 while writing its review and grew to really enjoy using it for the same reason as those who asked me about it: the lens, and what it could do. During those weeks I took photos of zoo animals, birds, cruise ships and, of course, the moon. It felt a bit awkward crossing paths with other photographers at a nearby bird refuges who were each carrying two high-end DSLR bodies, with huge telephoto lens attached, while I was holding a ‘Coolpix’ that had a much longer focal range. What I’m getting at here is that the P1000 inspired me to take photos that I never would (or could).

While shooting around with the P1000 was a blast, I usually had to make a decision about whether I wanted to haul it around with me. The camera weighs over 1.4 kg (3 lbs), so if I didn’t think that I needed a lot of zoom (which was most of the time,) the P1000 stayed home. The P1000 also taught me that, despite owning what I thought was a good tripod, I needed something much more robust, since the camera is so front-heavy that my tripod head would slowly tilt downward. My first attempt at moon photos were essentially timed for the moment when the moon entered the frame as the tripod sagged.

Out of camera JPEG, cropped to taste | ISO 180 | 1/500 sec | F6.3 | 1800mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

One downside of a lens as long as the P1000’s is that atmospheric distortion is a problem. You could easily see ‘waves of haze’ in my long telephoto shots, but I reminded myself that even the most expensive telephoto lens would see the same. The camera’s noise reduction system exacerbates the problem, turning distant subjects into an impressionist painting. And, despite having Raw support, the P1000’s small sensor didn’t give me a lot of detail to work with.

Out-of-camera JPEG | ISO 100 | 1/500 sec | F5.6 | 1300mm equiv.
Photo by Jeff Keller

Ultimately, none of that mattered. I wasn’t shooting for National Geographic, I was shooting for me. And these days, that means social media rather than 11″ x 17″ prints on my wall. Would I take it on a trip to Southeast Asia or a night out on the town? Certainly not. But would I go somewhere in the Pacific Northwest to photograph things that I normally wouldn’t? You bet.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Gear of the Year 2017 – Jeff’s choice: Olympus Tough TG-5

09 Dec

I try to make it to the Hawaiian Islands every year and I have a pretty good success rate. When I go, usually to Maui, I make it a point to spend most of my mornings snorkeling. In the afternoons I’ll hop in an air conditioned car and explore the island which, even after many (many) trips, is still exciting.

Hungry hungry honu, Kaanapali, Maui. Cropped out-of-camera JPEG.
ISO 100 | F3.5 | 1/250 sec | 33mm equiv | Photo by Jeff Keller

Since I want to memorialize any encounters with sea turtles or dolphins that may occur while I’m snorkeling, that really narrows down my camera choices. I’m not hardcore enough to bring a large camera in a big housing; rather, I want something I can slip into the pocket of my swimsuit while I’m struggling to put on my fins. I also need a camera that can capture the beautiful rainbows and sunsets that are almost a daily occurrence. The camera that covers both bases for me is the Olympus Tough TG-5.

The TG-5 has a great macro mode, with a 1cm minimum focusing distance. It captures plenty of detail, as you can see from this photo of my lunch.
ISO 100 | F2.8 | 1/160 sec | 24mm equiv | Photo by Jeff Keller

To be honest, 2015’s TG-4 didn’t need a lot of improvements. It had solid image quality for a compact, a lens that’s fast at its wide end, Raw support, a GPS, manometer, thermometer, and compass, along with respectable battery life. It could take a beating and, unlike some underwater compacts I’ve tested, didn’t leak at all when it went diving. The main things that irked me about the TG-4 were its awkward zoom controller, limited aperture choices and too much noise reduction in JPEGs.

I love having Raw on the TG-5, as it lets me get rid of the overly blue color cast that sometimes appears in underwater photos, even when using the u/w white balance setting. You can also customize the noise reduction, though don’t expect miracles from this 1/2.3″ sensor. The in-camera converter is clunky so I just used ACR in Photoshop.
ISO 200 | F5 | 1/250 sec | 67mm equiv | Photo by Jeff Keller

The TG-5 was exciting because of the drop in resolution (from 16MP to 12MP), which I hoped would improve pixel-level image quality, plus the addition of more tracking functions, 4K video and (yes!) an improved zoom controller. Olympus also finally switched to an actual micro-USB port instead of using the same proprietary connector that’s been used for 15 years. The burst rate has jumped to 20 fps, so you can just mash the button down and hope to get a decent shot of a fast-moving sea turtle or surfer. Unfortunately there are still just three apertures to choose from at any time (the camera uses an ND filter to “stop down” the lens,) but that rarely held me back.

A select from a 20 fps burst taken while floating next to Black Rock. Unfortunately, some water droplets didn’t roll off the lens like they’re supposed to. Cropped out-of-camera JPEG.
ISO 100 | F2.8 | 1/800 sec | 24mm equiv | Photo by Jeff Keller

As mentioned above, the main reason I brought the TG-5 to Maui was for underwater photos, and it rarely disappointed, as long as you remember that it’s a compact camera. It literally takes no effort to transition from ‘regular’ to underwater shooting, as there’s a dedicated spot on the mode dial for that purpose. Generally I left it at the default setting: Underwater Snapshot, since it uses natural light and the flash is fired only when necessary. There’s an a multi-shot underwater HDR mode, though given the motion of myself, the camera and the fish, the chance of getting a sharp photo is near zero.

The TG-5 isn’t just waterproof to 50 feet / 15 meters (and more if you buy the optional housing). It’s also shockproof from 7ft/2.1m, freezeproof to -10°C/+14°F and crushproof to 220lbs/100kg. On this trip I dropped and nearly crushed my glasses on the slopes of Haleakal?, heavily scratching the lenses on rough lava sand. I’m pretty sure the TG-5 would’ve fared better.

The addition of 4K (UHD) support is a welcome one, though for some reason you have to enter the dedicated movie mode to use it, rather than just selecting it like any other resolution. If you’re underwater that means that you have to re-select underwater white balance if you want things to look good. While not mind-blowing, video quality is good for the sensor size. Something worth pointing out is that if you zoom the lens, the microphone will pick up the sound, especially underwater.

I’m a big fan of the colors in Olympus’ JPEGs. Black Rock, Kaanapali, Maui.
ISO 100 | F8 | 1/250 sec | 24mm equiv | Photo by Jeff Keller.

Pictures I took ‘on land’ were very nice, though keep your expectations in check on this compact camera: there is a lot of noise reduction and the lens is somewhat soft. Maui is a colorful place and the TG-5 does a great job of capturing it.

Something that Olympus brought over from its TG-Tracker is the ability to compile all of the data the GPS, manometer and compass are capturing and display it in a graph in the OI.Track app. (This is a separate app that OI.Share, which is used to download photos and remotely control the camera.)

My route from the summit of Haleakala (around 10,000 feet) back to sea level in Kaanapali. Here’s the change in elevation during my drive, with the dots illustrating where I took photos, which you can view in the app.

Even if it’s sort of a novelty, I still think it’s cool being able to see where in your journey you took photos, and what the conditions were. One more thing that I appreciate is the ability to check all of that sensor data at any time, even when the camera is off, by pressing the Info button. You also turn on the camera’s very bright LED illuminator by holding the same button down for several seconds.

Yet another sunset photo.
ISO 100 | F5.6 | 1/200 sec | 72mm equiv | Photo by Jeff Keller.

While I wouldn’t bring it on a once-in-a-lifetime trip where I want top-notch photo quality, for cruises, tropical vacations, hiking or climbing, the TG-5 would be the camera I pack in my bag due to its compactness, feature set and ruggedness.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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