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

Twin Falls - Sunrise

Nikon D3s - Tamron 17-35mm

Nikon Df - follow up.

I can’t help but respond to the Nikon Df announcement of which I predicted would be met with complete distain.    

The body and lens are now real.  The launch was a complete failure because the ad campaign was 3 videos too long.  The perception was that the product was something more than what it actually was, where some of that was in the realm of the viewer - some of that was the campaign.

The camera itself is a total bust.  If the statement can be believed that Nikon spent 4 years on this is true - then I would characterize that as an embarrassment to the R&D team.  I’m going all out here — why - because I watched 6 videos of what was supposed to be a God Camera.  And the release was 1 year too late.  There is too much competition in the market place for anyone to care about this now - especially for 3 grand.

The other point - of which many have stated - the design is for the sake of “Retro” - and I agree.  The F3 was the F3 - the FM-2 was the FM-2 for good reason.  The D3 series is the D3 series.  If the intent was to make it look like a F3 - then make it look like an F3.  It hardly looks like an F3.  Really - it hardly does - this design is something else - I don’t know what it is really.  

I guess it’s a Df.

Nikon is better than this.  And where is the video.

I’m really bummed.

Nikon - from Lovers to haters in 7 days

In one week Nikon has gone from the fanboy top to the hater bottom - for one reason.  The tease.  

What was thought to be a great ad campaign of teaser videos, 6 in all, released every other day to gobsmacked photo fans about a new camera, has turned into a lambasting of the feature set before the thing is even fully public.

The is my perspective - and I predicted the outcome in my own mind as I was one of the embroiled.

The back story is at www.nikonrumors.com - which broke the news of an up and coming competitor to the Sony A7 series full frame bodies, eventually named the Nikon Df.  The rumors were confirmed when Nikon dropped the first teaser video of a man shuffling controls with only audio clues and nothing visibly discernible.    

I was one of the many, if not all captivated by this, and the message board went crazy and some wrote they would, “divorce their wife” to get their hands on this thing.  I followed the frenzy of thought;  what’s it look like, is it like a old F3HP, they say it’s Hybrid etc. etc.  My mind and others were going crazy about the possibilities.

Every video was 34 seconds long - “why 34 seconds, what’s it all mean !!”.

Speculation and potential was all over the place - all very good, and all very exciting.

Up until the 3rd video - when I became really tired of it all.

There is a huge marketing and life lesson here.  Don’t ever underestimate the wherewithal of your customer.  Never; as they will turn on you in a second for good reason.

This is the age of Email, information at the fingertips, and instant gratification.  Give me a date and release the product, done.  Tease me for bit - but not for long - and don’t force me to become your reactionary servant.  And I don’t think I was alone.

Fast forward to today and the crowd is hacking this thing apart.  I can’t help but be overdramatic and say I will wonder if Nikon sells any of these.  The hacking is so bad that Nikon leaked the final video 12 hours ahead of time on a Chinese site.

Comments on the board are everything from pricing speculation, to what are they thinking with the feature set, to, “oh, that’s all it is !?!”  SNAP !

I don’t think this is the fault of the camera - I think this is a direct projection of the frustration and loss of control by the, “tease”.  The tease has done all of this - and even I’m on this boat - hell, I’m motivated enough to write about it.

This is a ship they can’t stop now - even if this camera can print money - the damage has been done.

I'm probably going to buy a Sony A7.

Fascinating!

Compelling

Compelling may be right in front of your face.  I pass this area often, and like a moth to a summer time lit light, I can't ever not want to make a picture; ever. 

Nikon P330 CoolPix

The Story of Keep Calm and Carry On

Utah Theater

Interior of the Utah Theater - in wait of desperate restoration. 

Nikon 1 - V1 - 18.5mm f1.8

Backgrounds

This is not an award winning photo by any means - but the process of creating it becomes a compelling learning experience.  This composition is an everyday occurrence and being able to recognize value in an everyday experience is sometimes difficult.  The sun peaked in the morning - I saw how intense and golden it was on the SE, or right side of the image, and went out with the P330.  Since it shoots at f1.8 - I knew I wanted the drama of the depth of field the f1.8 could accommodate.  At the same time I wanted to fill the frame and the only way to that was with the Macro mode.

The whole time while shooting I learned to be conscious of the background, because I really had no control of that from my vantage point.  I had to pivot around the subject to get it acceptable.  That - in and of itself, is probably the best lesson in this exercise - and the reason of why I'm discussing it - and that is - Know your Background - that can make or break the image.

Post consisted of a convert to JPG from NRW - an X-Equals Fuji Superia 100 Curve Preset, sharpening, and a slight bump in noise reduction - all completed in LR5.

Nikon P330 - f1.8 - X-Equals Fuji Superia 100 Curve

Today's tip

While searching my LRoom catalog I noticed many images which didn't "catch" my eye months/years before.  Aesthetics change - tastes change and I was surprised upon digging thru the past images.  And - LRoom has become better at resolving some of these images and offering better correction techniques.  So - in the coming Winter month's - I'll be taking a look and pulling those images which didn't interest me soon after the shoot.

Notre Dame Sacristy, Paris France.  Nikon P330

In miniature

Nikon V1 - 1 - 18.5mm

Whenever I shoot what I'm not shooting for work I usually always learn something.  At them same time, unrealized, a body of work develops.  And - I get a kick out of revisiting the work of 2008, or 2009 or the 300 photos from the nephew's birthday party.  But I digress.

This image although for an office related exercise - a lamp - I shot it as if it was 100 feet tall, sans, a shift lens. 

Logo

Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm BW

East High Video

East High - 100 Years

It's so cliche - but golden/blue hour light is always a winner.  

East High (yes High School Musical East High) - 100 Year Anniversary graphics to capture - and I broke out the really tall tripod, Manfrotto 161mk2b and the Olympus 35mm f2.8 shift mounted to the D3s.  24mm would have been too wide -- goofy wide - so I went 35mm.  But this shot is with the 85mm - as luck would have it I'm glad I caught this on the post.

I could have arrived a bit earlier for comfort - but 7am was just fine for for the 8am'ish sunrise.

Minimal editing,  just a boost of sharpening, and no cropping.

Redlining the Plan

I peered from the upper stair - went back to the desk to get the V1 and hoped the scene wouldn't change. 

From above, I saw what I captured.  Only on approach did I have to say - don't move - "keep doing what you are doing."  And I love it when it all comes together. 

Focus was Auto Area - rarely of which I use - but in this case, as in most - I can't fiddle with technicalities - it's either there and I lock on - or nothing. 

That's the beauty of it all - everything related to the scene is perishable - and it isn't the same 5 seconds later.  I thought of a BW convert - but it doesn't pop - and becomes much too busy.

Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm - ViewNX Post

Sensor or speed

The V1 is allowing me to capture what was once a challenge - with the blazing fast AF. 

I can raise - recompose and shoot - done.  But I'm always looking over my shoulder for something with a possible bigger sensor. 

I am keeping an eye on the pulse of Sony and Fuji.   Sony for the sensor, and hopefully redesigned color rendering - and Fuji for a blazing fast update to their Xpro-1 - or soon to be "2".

Else -- I invest in the 6.7mm Nikon 1 zoom - and go with what I know.

Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm f1.8 ASA 200

Old skool tools of a once past draftsman

IPhone 5