Guest Post | STEVE HUFF PHOTOS

Painting Zürich with vintage spring colors with 50 mm Summarit 1.5 on an M9-P by Henk Boekholt

Guest Post, Inspiration, Just for fun, Leica, Street Photography, User Reports 21 Responses »

Mar 312012

Painting Zürich with vintage spring colors with 50 mm Summarit 1.5 on an M9-P

Hi Steve! As a long time visitor from your site I enjoy the practical information and the reviews from other users on your website. In the past I used to visit other sites , but looking back to these sites with all these graphs and technical information this was probably an overkill. At the end of a review you would be dounted with numbers but having little visible information on how serious the issue might be or not for practical use!

Currently I am the lucky owner of an M9-P, I was introduced to it by a working colleague, it is one nice piece of machinery and feeling shooting with it. I had to get used to it, using an EOS more or less only for sports shooting! I am slowly getting the hang of it. What lenses are concerned I own a 35 Summicron, the latest version and two vintage 50 mm lenses. A 50 mm Titanium edition summilux (which looks quite good on a total black M9-P!!) and a 50 mm Summarit 1.5 – which this practical review is about. The pictures in this review are not post processed in anyway – some are a little cropped – but all are directly converted from RAW to JPG using iPhoto – i resized them using LR. With the M9-P I shot DNG and Black and White JPG. The black and whites pictures therefore are straight out of camera. Unless otherwise noted the pictures were taken wide open (between 1.5 and 2.8) unless otherwise noted.

During the past months I have read a reasonable amount of reviews on vintage lenses and the results always amazed me. If you look around on the web on these lenses you read about people who love them and hate them and you read a lot of warnings as well. Until recently al these warning actually held me back acquiring one until just recently I saw this 50 mm Summarit 1.5 on display here in Zürich and after a short “inspection” I couldn’t resist buying it. The glass was clean, there was a little bit of oil on the blades – but I thought what the heck lets get this lens and try it!

Since there might be enough people out there that might have drawbacks as well on getting such a lens I thought of providing you my experiences until now and real world samples so that people with an M/Nex/M4T/Fuji might have some leverage in getting it. The lens can be easily found on eBay within the range of $600 to $1500 – depending on the quality.

The first tests I did was making sure if the focus was alright and it was snap on from the closest distance until 10 mm and infinity. Actually I thought I could focus quicker with this 50 mm summarit as with my 35 mm Summicron – but that might just be a personal preference.

The colors you get from this lens are just as putting a vintage filter on your eyes – they are flatter – even though I think red and blue’s are sometimes a little more pronounced and of course there is this famous Leica Glow on it!

The flat colors can be easily tuned in LR, on the other hand preparing your pictures to look vintage is a completely other story and such a lens does the trick in every shot! Actually if you look at the black and whites straight from the camera – these are lovely!

The Bokeh of this lens is similar to the results you have obtained with your rigid summicron test – a nice swirly bookeh – just as with the rigid summicron. I think this might not be everybody’s cup of tea but it adds character to the pictures and as you can see from the pictures it is not always as pronounced.

I can support the results of older lenses that wide open these lenses are a little soft – but oh man – look at the results I got on this fountain wide open with this lens – simply amazing! If you close it down from up 2.8 upward this lens gets almost as sharp as current lenses!

Lets move on to the pictures – enjoy!

USER REPORT: My Experience with the NEX-5N and a Canon 50 1.4 FD lens by William Jusuf

Daily Inspiration, Guest Post, High ISO, Just for fun, Mirrorless, Sony, Street Photography, User Reports 51 Responses »

Mar 302012

My Experience with the NEX-5N and a Canon 50 1.4 FD lens by William Jusuf

Hello Steve..

This week, a good friend, asked me to switch camera and system…

He wanted to do a comparison review about the Panasonic GF2 (mine) and Olympus EP-M (his) with Panasonic Leica 25 mm so he let me use his NEX system.

He gave me a white Sony Nex 5N attached to Canon 50 mm F1.4 FD lens. So I have to live and learn this new system and menu.

At the first day, I barely shoot anything. The NEX had me confused with quite many menu and submenu (call me and idiot, yes I am). Even after downloading Nex Manual, I still feel dumb.

Then I had a sunday gathering and one of my friends is an avid Nex and X-100 user. He quickly taught me how to enable spot metering, lock exposure and do everything like my workflow in my Panasonic GF 2.

So I start to shoot with Nex5N and old Canon lens this weeks. I am very pleased with the nice experience and I have to admit.. The dynamic range, the High ISO noise and the manual focus peaking is so useful for me, shooting manual lens..

So I want to share.. Some shots in High ISO (> Iso 1000 to iso 3200) I took .. This is not a technical review..just some fun shots… I choose some that I took in quite dark environment

1. the Sony Nex5N white and Old canon Lens , I shoot it using iPhone

2. I shoot a photo of a couple buying a beancurd in local market Iso 1000 F1.4 1/80 Sec (dsc2495)

3. During Dinner.. I shoot a table beside me… focus on the glass .. F4.0 Iso 1600 1/60 Sec (dsc2591)

4. Peeking through the bars to the homeband playing . I focus on the singer face.. F1.4 Iso 1250 1/60 Sec (dsc2607)

5. Shooting the wall and the desk.. with a boy staring at the painting at the wall… I focus on the desk Can.. using F2.2 Iso 1600 1/60 sec (Dsc2597)

6. Get near to the home band.. I focus on the right guitarist hand . F1.4 Iso 1600 1/60 Sec … (dsc2610)

7. I still want to try to pump the ISO.. So I get nearer.. Pump it to Iso 3200 1.60 Sec F1,4 .. I focus still on the guitarist hand .. (dsc2611)

8. how about portrait ?? I portrait my friends with Iso 2000 F1.4 1/60 Sec.. (dsc2463)

9. some friends arguing about Panerai… Shot Iso 1250 F1,4 1/60 sec , focus on my big friend face (dsc2476)

So How do I like Sony Nex 5?

I love this experience.. I can’t deny that the bigger APS-C sensor beat my m4/3 gf2 sensor.. esp in High ISO shots. But I still can’t get used to the whole time manual focusing with good old lenses.. Imagine how I chase my baby using manual focus..

I love the picture quality, but somehow my hand and wrist get sore after 1-2 hours playing with Nex. I don’t experience it with my Panasonic.

So its been a lovely new experience for me. Having 1 week to shoot daily using NEX-5n and old manual lens.. It’s quite an experience..

Great camera.. I wish they provide many native prime lens , that goes fast , lets say under F1.8.. but I admit NEX-5n beats my GF2 in many picture quality aspect…

Somehow I will miss the Nex 5n next week … and get my old faithful Panny back..

Thanks u all.. and thanks Steve for always inspiring me with his lovely website.

The Great 35mm Rangefinder lens Shootout! by Brad Husick – UPDATED!

Crazy Comparisons, Featured, Guest Post, Just for fun, Leica, Leica Lens Reviews, News, User Reports 78 Responses »

Mar 282012

The Great 35mm Rangefinder Lens Shootout! UPDATED!

by Brad Husick March 27, 2012

Many of us have GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) and have amassed a generous collection of lenses for our rangefinder cameras. The problem with having a wide selection of lenses to choose from is that when we reach up to grab a lens for our next shoot it’s sometimes hard to decide what to take. At one point my collection was up to 22 lenses and at that point I had become a collector as much as a photographer. Well, over the past few years I have whittled that collection down to the lenses I like most just for their optical qualities. My collecting interest has been refocused on photographs – the ones I take.

Fortunately for this test I still own too many lenses and I have a close friend who owns many more, so I thought I’d begin a series of tests with 35mm rangefinder lenses. These are not laboratory controlled tests of carefully arranged objects but a typical outdoor scene from a local spot here on Lake Washington near Seattle – a subject more people are likely to shoot from day-to-day. The results are my subjective opinion of the optical quality of the photos, and I am including 100% crops for you to make your own conclusions. Here’s the full frame 35mm shot:

Test Setup:

The test was set up to control and keep constant as many of the variables as possible. Photos were taken on a Leica M9-P mounted on a tripod, set at ISO 160, shutter speed 1/750 sec., aperture f/4, lenses set to their infinity focus point. Not all the lenses had the same maximum aperture and the day was bright enough that trying to shoot wide-open would have required the use of ND filters. I did not want to introduce any glass in front of the lenses for this test. The shutter was tripped using the 2-second self timer to minimize any hand vibrations. RAW files were brought into Adobe Lightroom 4 and exported as JPEG files with no adjustments from default settings.

The weather here in Seattle was in the 50′s with complete overcast and light winds. We get this ideal overcast many days a year – great for photographs, not too great for sun tanning.

The Eight Contestants in the Shootout:

MS Super Triplet Perar f3.5 Mark II (Perar)

Leica Summarit-M f3.5, current version (Summarit)

Zeiss Biogon f2.0 T* ZM Silver (Zeiss)

Leica Summilux f1.4 ASPH FLE (FLE)

Leica Summicron-M f2.0 ASPH Chrome (Chrome ASPH)

Leica Summicron-M f2.0 ASPH Black (Black ASPH)

Voigtlander C Color Skopar Classic f2.5 (Skopar)

Leitz Summaron f2.8 LTM/M circa 1959 (Summaron)

Lens Results:

I examined 100% crops near the center of the frame and at the top left corner. I studied the files looking for overall sharpness and ability to resolve detail, micro-contrast, lack of chromatic aberration (fringing) and distortion.

Not surprisingly, the Leica Summilux ASPH FLE was the top performer at both the center and corner of the frame. Leica took an already excellent lens, the Summilux ASPH, and corrected the focus shift issue by incorporating a new floating element in the FLE. The price of the new lens climbed substantially, with some selling for nearly $8000 a few months after introduction when the initial supply ran dry. Prices have since settled around $6500.

Somewhat surprising is how well the Zeiss Biogon performed, especially at the center, scoring a second place for center performance. Sharpness and detail were excellent. Overall contrast was higher than the FLE perhaps due to different lens coatings. Ergonomics are superb with buttery smooth focus and f-stop. Some may not like the chrome ring around the front of the lens that functions as a bayonet for the optional hood, but I don’t think it detracts from the lens. The Zeiss is the performance-value winner here with new lenses available for around $1000.

I compared two seemingly identical Leica Summicron-ASPH lenses, one black and the other chrome. They were not optically identical. The chrome lens was marginally superior at both the center and corner. This could be due to some slight variation in infinity focus between the two lenses. The pair of Summicron-ASPH lenses scored well, coming in second and third at the corner and third and forth at the center. The Summicron has always been a staple of the Leica shooter and will probably remain there. Used prices range from $2500-$3000.

Leica’s modern Summarit-M is positioned as an entry level lens for the Leica shooter, and is a small and affordable package. Optically however, the Summarit came in fifth in the ranking for overall softness and a lack of micro contrast; a somewhat disappointing result for a modern lens design. The Summarit is list priced at $1895 with clean used lenses selling for $1400.

The Leitz Summaron from 1959 is a beautiful lens with sculpted sloping edges and an unusual focus tab that incorporates an infinity lock. Sharpness of the Summaron was soft, but lacked any chromatic aberration – a surprising result for such an old design and the state of lens coatings from that time period. The softness of the lens was pleasing, giving a somewhat nostalgic look to the photograph. Shooters looking for some of that classic old Leica glow won’t be disappointed with the Summaron. However, compared with modern optics the Summaron just can’t resolve the way the newer glass can perform. Clean used Summarons can be found for around $1000.

Last but not least in the shootout was a personal favorite – the unique MS Super Triplet Perar, often called simply the “Perar”. It’s been a favorite of mine because it is simply tiny. It’s smaller than any Leica collapsible lens in the collapsed state! The aperture is step-free and the focus is smooth with a focus “pin” to assist. Traveling with this lens is a joy since it barely sticks out from the front of the camera and it’s always in a ready-to- shoot position, unlike collapsible lenses. As good as the physical design and ergonomics are, the optical performance of the lens is not up to the standards set by the more complicated and expensive lenses in this test. Perar images are good at center but sharpness falls off at the edges. Perar lenses can be found on ebay and at the maker’s website www.japanexposures.com.

Vignetting is not a problem for any of these lenses and chromatic aberration is well handled by the entire group.

Here are my subjective rankings of the lenses:

Note: I’d like to thank my dear friend Ed (goes by the handle “fishandfowl” on many boards) for making available five of the lenses in this test. Ed introduced me to rangefinder photography and thus improved my life greatly.

Brad

UPDATE!!

ARTICLE UPDATE (3-29-12):

In my initial test the Skopar performed quite poorly when set to the infinity focus setting on the lens. I re-ran the test, this time backing the focus off from infinity by the smallest amount I could turn the ring in the case where the infinity stop was overshooting slightly. Center sharpness improved substantially while edge distortion remained problematic. This is probably due in part to the Leica Thread Mount (LTM) – to – Leica M bayonet adapter being used.

Here are the new Skopar crops:

Based on these new results I have revised my rankings:

Some visitors posted comments about the overall quality of the images in comparison to other camera systems. To assist in evaluating these images, I have included two more cameras – the Leica D-Lux 5, a highly respected small-imager camera set to 35mm zoom, f/4 and base ISO, and the Apple iPhone 4S, an 8 megapixel imager with an approximate angle of view of 30mm. I think most readers will agree that neither measures up to the images produced with the Leica M9-P. The iPhone was surprisingly good for a phone and has the unique quality of always being at hand when a photo is required.

iPhone 4s

D-Lux 5

Taking the Leica M9 Off the Streets and into the Wild by Louis Stevenson

essay, Guest Post, Leica, Leica Camera Reviews, Leica Lens Reviews, News, Photo Trips, Travel, User Reports 38 Responses »

Mar 262012

Taking the Leica M9 Off the Streets and into the Wild by Louis Stevenson

Since sharing my experience with the M9 on the Overland Track in Tasmania, I was eager to take it out once again on an expedition, not only to gain confidence using a crazy expensive camera outdoors, but also to feed my soul with what I call “phototherapy”. You know what I mean, just holding your fave cam to your eye, composing, focusing and… Release! The world is beautiful again.

Destination: Kota Tinggi Waterfalls, Malaysia. This time I was pushing it. A friend called me insane. Another said, that was the last of it. Because I was trekking upriver where 70% of the track was wet and one slip would cause a heart attack not even a heart surgeon could survive.

Weapon of Choice: Leica M9 + 35mm Summicron Asph. Wait the Cron?? Could have just brought the CV 35mm 1.4 or even the 28mm Ultrons since it proved mighty well in Tasmania. And its 5 times less expensive. Screw it, might as well go all the way! And as usual, the Panasonic FT3 waterproof cam for all-purpose shots. Read on to find out if the M9 made it out…

The terrain is uneven and slippery, with loose rocks covered with algae strewn all over the stream. They are not dangerous, but considering that I was carrying precious cargo, I was pretty nervous.

Some areas, the water level could reach up to waist level with slippery loose rocks underneath. The slightest dip would be devastating!

Sometimes a picture may seem mundane at first. But before you move on to the next one, try converting it to B+W, instant revival! This turned out to be my fave.

I opted for the 35mm over the wider 28mm because the sceneries were mostly flanked by forests. Not so much vast landscape to capture.

There’s some pretty cool climbing involved. Not difficult but can be dangerous due to slippery rocks. Always had a firm footing before whipping out the M9!

As for the Cron, I love the crisp and bright images that came out. I’m glad I made the choice to go ahead with the Cron.

So did the M9 made it out unscathed? Or fell victim to every non-weather sealed camera’s worst arch nemesis: water. Safe to say that there were no fatalities, In fact, not a single scratch! Here are some precautions I took to ensure a dry and happy M9. Its all common sense really.

Wrist Strap. This turned out to be safer option than a neck strap since the M9 was kept in the cam bag when not in use. Carrying the M9 on your neck exposes it to water spray, bumps and tangles.

Cam Bag. Leave your Billinghams at home! I used the Lowe Pro Apex 120 Aw sling bag which was actually more than enough to fit both the M9 and FT3. I would recommend something smaller, but it did work well for me. Slung it high and close to my body for passing through waist level water.

Leather Case. The Ciesta case which comes with grip was essential. Without it, the M9 could easily slip off my hands.

Usage. 3 Golden Rules:

1. Keep it! I kept it even if it means taking 3 steps to another shooting position across water.

2. Strap on! Secured it to my wrist before lifting it out of the cam bag!

3. Stop and shoot!

So here it is, my experience of taking the M9 off the streets and into the wild. The only gripe I had was that it did not have a flash for taking shots at night when we camped over. Yes, sometimes I secretly wish there was an in-built flash on the M9 which most purists might deem an unholy thought. Nonetheless, the M9 is a good digital full frame option for such treks, and I dream that Leica would introduce weather sealing into the M10, better ISO, and in-built flash. =)

And as always, thanks to Steve, for this great site!

More pictures available:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tanlouis/

My other Outdoor experience with the M9:

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2012/02/24/tasmania-overland-track-with-the-leica-m9-by-louis-stevenson/

Down Mexico way with a M9, 50 and 28 by Christian Herzog

Guest Post, Leica, Travel, User Reports 45 Responses »

Mar 232012

Down Mexico way with a M9, 50 and 28 by Christian Herzog

A few days ago, prompted by all the talk about the Mayan calendar ending (and a sweet, good-looking woman ) I filled my bag with a M9, Summilux 50 ASPH and the tiny Elmarit 28 ASPH and left my small and snowy Austrian hometown for a trip across the pond to warm and sunny Mexico. With me came only the Leica, the lenses, a few memory cards, 2 batteries and a Voigtländer 28mm viewfinder to help composing when wearing glasses.

I expected the brass and metal construction of the Leica to turn some heads at the air ports security checks and I was not let down. During my travel I was at a checkpoint 6 times, every time I saw the scanner operator making a face and talking to the other security people whizzing around. Three times I was asked for a little show and tell and once (ironically in Frankfurt – close to Solms where my M9 was assembled) they took the camera for a drugs and explosives test.

After arriving in Mexico and settling in, the trip led us to Guadalajara to see some Mariachi. I chose the 50mm and we went to explore the city centre and after walking around for a couple of minutes I was pleased. No. I was delighted! The low weight of the camera compared to my previous DSLR was such a relief to me. It was almost like the camera wasn’t there even though objectively, at over one kilogram, it’s pretty heavy! When you sling it across your chest though, it doesn’t really feel that way. The weight distribution due to the slim form factor sees to that. I think no words have to be lost on the 50mm Summilux. It’s nearly perfect in every way. The only critique I can think of is the weight (especially the “chrome” version) and the stiff focusing, a concession to the amount of glass that needs to be moved.

Soon night started to fall and the Summilux which shone during the day with its crisp, contrasty images and its smooth bokeh, was being pointed at the dimly lit food stands that framed the path to the famous musicians.

The M9 is often faulted with its not-so-great low light performance and from a technical standpoint that certainly is true. However, I feel that nowadays many pictures taken in the evening or at night often tend to lack something: darkness. The current low light specialists can turn night into day! You can’t help but marvel at the ability to shoot in what is basically pitch black! But… do I really want that? When it’s too dark to see, what do I want to photograph? Doesn’t the eerie, spooky feeling of darkness and night vanish when you suddenly have detail in every shadow? Would the shot above benefit from more details in the shadows? I don’t think it would – a better composition, yes, more light not so much… To me the high ISO performance of the M9 isn’t all that bad as it’s made out to be. The limitations are definitely there, yet when coupled with a fast lens and the excellent noise reduction in Lightroom I have only really run into serious problems in fringe cases (see further down).

But the Leica doesn’t suffer from ISO woes alone! At a place with several Mariachi bands my luck struck out. It was then and there that the focusing system of the M that was so precise and reliable only minutes ago failed me catastrophically…

After having had 2 Tequilas I was faced with a mysteriously progressive misalignment of the range finder! The images went from sharp to soft and from soft to studies of the lens’ bokeh… So unfortunately I have no pictures to show of the musicians… Ay caramba!! By the next day though my focusing problems were resolved, very strange… Probably the weather?

Several days later on a guided day trip to Chichén Itzá I relied exclusively on the Elmarit hoping that the wide-angle would make the ruins look even more imposing. What I didn’t know of was a surprise visit to a limestone cavern which was used by the Mayans as a sacrificial site. An interesting location in many ways, however it quickly highlighted the limits of my chosen equipment combination for the day. Since the cavern was only dimly lit by a hole in the roof and some rather small spotlights, I had to shoot fully open (a mere f2.8) and up the ISO to 2000 to reach a meagre shutter speed of 1/30. The images therefore are not really useable for bigger prints and due to the high ISO show quite a bit of noise (which responds well to Lightrooms noise removal though).

Above ground however the Elmarit and M9 redeemed themselves again. I even went to take a picture of some wildlife. Yes! Wildlife! With a wideangle… and a rangefinder!

I’m very fond of the Elmarit, the size and feel of it wins me over every time (and say what you want: rectangular hoods are really cool). It’s absolutely tiny. Take off the hood and you could be forgiven when thinking it’s a toy. Its performance however – even fully open – is bereft of any toy like qualities! Beautifully sharp and wonderful contrast. Keep in mind though that when shooting at f2.8 even with lens detection on it tends to vignette quite a bit. Personally I like it but others might disagree.

Another – system inherent – issue are the 28mm frame lines in the M9. I rely on an external viewfinder for framing with the 28. As I said: I wear glasses but even with contacts I still don’t like the eyeball acrobatics required to compose the frame.

This solution works very well most of the time but it can be hard to get a really exact alignment of your subject like you can see quite clearly in this shot:

I was standing ever so slightly off the proper axis to get that shot. Unfortunately I didn’t notice that until I was back at the hotel.

All in all I massively enjoyed the shooting experience with the Leica, it works wonderfully well as a travel camera, just like you would expect. Would I have been able to get the same images with a different camera? Yes, that’s an undisputable fact. My friend used an E-PL1 with the 20mm Panasonic and she produced some equally great shots (Her shots from Chichén Itzá are better than mine I think).

However: would I have had the same fun with it? No way. It’s a completely different shooting experience and I much prefer the slower, more deliberate way of shooting that the Leica forces onto you. The M9 goes out of your way when taking pictures, it won’t interfere, but equally won’t help you much. It forces you to think about the image, the focus, the exposure, depth of field, the composition… If the image doesn’t turn out, I always feel like I messed up, not the camera. I didn’t focus right, I chose the wrong aperture, I misinterpreted the metering. No excuses. If it does turn out though, it’ll give you a strange sense of accomplishment. You really did make that image, the camera didn’t, you did. The Leica is a harsh mistress that will frustrate you, but when you put the effort in, it will reward you with a wonderful experience and delightful images.

So finally, what wisdom did I acquire that I can pass on to you? I lost 2 pictures (no problem, they were rubbish) due to the SD Card. The batteries held up quite nicely but you really should have a backup one ready. The world will not end on December the 21st so keep your jobs and…. oh, yes! Don’t try to focus drunk!

Christian Herzog

Contact:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/noeffred/

see the whole set on Flickr (including a Panorama 17700px wide Pano of Guadalajara):

All images were shot RAW and later processed in Lightroom 3

A really quick comparison of the Canon G1x and Leica M9 – What?!?! by George Sutton

Canon, Crazy Comparisons, Guest Post, Leica, User Reports 61 Responses »

Mar 222012

A really quick comparison of the Canon G1x and Leica M9 – What?!?! by George Sutton

(From Steve – This was sent in by George last week and figured I would post, as crazy as it is, for anyone interested in some thoughts on the new Canon G1X compact.)

Steve,

Here is my initial impression of the Canon G1 X including a comparison with the Leica M9. The G1 X has a lot of positives but essentially it is an advanced point and shoot with excellent IQ and modest versatility. It is perhaps best described as a small self-contained DSLR. Its principal competition is probably Fuji X100 and Leica X1 (what is with all the Xs in camera names these days??). In comparison the Canon is less expensive and more versatile.

Its main advantages are the following:

– excellent IQ — DSLR quality

– very sharp lens

– 4x zoom lens compared to fixed lens on many comparable cameras

– articulating back

– good ISO performance all the way to 12500

– HDR

– face detection autofocus

– IS

– good movies

Drawbacks:

– autofocus is not lightening fast — limited ability to keep focus on fast moving kids

– viewfinder is not very useful

– instruction book not included — requires 240+ page download

– menues are somewhat complicated

I think the controversy over this camera has been figuring out its niche. It is a high-end point and shoot, a great camera for traveling and landscapes when you don’t want to carry a bigger camera. It also has very good high ISO performance. I picked it over a Sony NEX because the Sony is significantly larger with a comparable zoom attached. Carrying a Sony is like carrying a Leica M9 and I have no plans to replace my Leica. The G1 X is too large to fit in a pants pocket but it will fit a jacket pocket. And it is self-contained. Lack of lens choices is both an advantage and a limitation.

The photos below show the G1 X at its widest and longest. The photos only demonstrate the camera’s IQ, nothing more. The enlargements are approximately 100% crops.

Canon G1X at its widest - f/5.6 and 1/180 – click image for full size

Canon at its longest – f/5.6 1/160 – click image for full size

Leica M9 – Click for full size

100% crop from the Leica

The comparison shots with the Leica are interesting in two respects. The Canon lens is very sharp, close to the Leica. The bigger difference is the greater depth and richness in the Leica shots. Maybe that is just subjective, a desire to see some benefit in paying more than ten times the price for the Leica. But that said, the Canon produces a very good photo. For me the camera is a keeper for that reason together with the added versatility compared to an X100 or X1.

The other interesting thing is the moire in the Leica enlargement. If you ever wondered why many digital cameras have low pass filters this shows the reason. Canons have low pass filters (also known as anti aliasing filters), Leica does not. A low pass filter blurs the image slightly to avoid moire. The Leica occasionally shows moire but the rest of the time produces a slightly crisper image. This can be seen in the vents in the building that show through the ad. Look above the model’s hands then follow the line of vents across the whole frame. Moire happens when small parallel lines produce false shapes and colors. This shot not only produced some wild false colors but also produced obvious false lines and shapes.

In the Canon shot the same vents are remarkably sharp and the colors and shapes are accurate. (That isn’t a criticism of Leica. Eliminating a low pass filter is a trade-off — some images will end up with moire in order to make all shots clearer). Hope you found this interesting.

George Sutton

Capturing Morocco with a Contax G2 and some film by Jens Franke

Daily Inspiration, Guest Post, Street Photography, Travel, User Reports 31 Responses »

Mar 212012

Capturing Morocco with a Contax G2 and some film

by Jens Franke – Website Here

Hi Steve,

I really love the stories on your site! I’m a german based Designer and an avid photographer and I wanted to share my impressions of my last photo-journey to morocco with you!

Morocco – the strangest country which is so close to us. The cold country with hot sun, stone-old culture and probably the most open-hearted people you can imagine. During my preparations i was researching a little bit to get first visual impressions and inspirations for my trip. Everything i found there was suggesting me that the South of morocco must be an austere and dusty country with just a few people living there on the country side. In the main cities you could get the feeling that some people are just pleasant when you intend to buy something for the doubled price … It’s not! Behind the curtain you will be convinced of the contrary! You’ll find benevolence, friendship and real warmth beyond wealth and poverty!

In my pictures I wanted to capture a glimpse of the southern Moroccan spirit close to the western Saharan border. But a lot more I wanted to capture the people in their natural environment – Moroccos inhabitants are the real points of interest of the country!

The following pictures are made with my Contax G2 loaded with Fuji Velvia 50 and Portra 400vc mostly using a 45mm Planar. I’m looking forward to hear what you’re thinking about my photographs!

Thanks and Greets from Stuttgart, Jens

If you want to share YOUR experiences with gear, travel or just photography in general and have it posted here for tens of thousands to see every day then e-mail me here and let me know what you have in mind! – Steve

Traveling in South America with the Sony NEX-7 and Leica glass by Ashwin Rao

Featured, follow ups, Guest Post, Leica, Leica Lens Reviews, Mirror-less, Mirrorless, News, Sony, Street Photography, Travel, User Reports 104 Responses »

Mar 202012

Traveling in South America with the Sony NEX-7 & Leica glass

By Ashwin Rao – See his Blog HERE

Sony NEX-7, Zeiss 24 mm f/1.8 Sonnar

Hi everyone, recently I had the good luck to receive on of this past year’s most desired cameras, the Sony NEX-7. I initially considered myself a long shot to purchase this camera, due to early reports of difficulties of this camera’s ability to handle wider Leica lenses. On top of this, I am a dedicated Leica M user, and already have a similar camera in the Ricoh GXR/M-mount. Thus, why even bother with a new camera, with 2 ways to already use M lenses?’

Well, the answer is a bit multifactorial. For one, I am, like many of you, a bit of a gear head, and GAS bothers me on occasion, as well. Second, I was curious about the NEX system, and in particular, the innovative NEX-7 and it’s Tri-Navi system. Third, at 24 MP, the NEX-7 has the potential to out-resolve the M9, especially if the rumors at true that it possesses a weak anti-aliasing/blur filter. Fourth, I was curious about how enjoyable it could be to focus Leica lenses via the NEX-7’s wonderful 2.4 MP EVF. The form factor of the NEX, with it’s integrated EVF, tiltable external viewfinder, and compact build, also was very intriguing. Finally, over the past few months, as the camera has become gradually more available, a slow trickle of positive reviews have come in, including comments in which Leica glass behaved favorably on this camera. And thus, I started to feel that I needed to give this camera a try.

Sony NEX-7, Leica 35 mm f/1.4 Summilux ASPH FLE

I had hoped to procure the NEX-7 in time for a coming trip to Argentina and Uruguay, but after reviewing a few sites and talking to dealers with long waiting lines, I started to doubt the possibility to taking this camera on the road for a real world work-out. Then, this February, my chance finally came, as a good friend, who had ordered 2 NEX cameras, found himself with 1 too many, and contacted me. The combination of my overall curiosity, along with some of the factors discussed above, sent me over the edge, and I found myself with the lovely NEX-7 in hand.

At this point, I decided to make a bold leap. I would take ONLY the NEX-7 to South America. No Leica. No GXR. Just the NEX-7. Along with me would come a Zeiss 24 mm f/1.8 lens, for wide-angle work, and a host of Leica lenses, from the 35 mm f/1.4 Summilux ASPH FLE to the Leica APO-Telyt 135 mm f/3.4, a notoriously difficult lens to use on the M9 (due primarily to its miniscule frame lines). I purchased a spare battery and a Novoflex Leica M-to-NEX adapter, and decided to go it solo. NEX-7 or bust, in South America! What follows are my thoughts and experiences shooting this system in Argentina and Uruguay in March, 2011:

Sony NEX-7, Leica 75 mm f/2 APO-Summicron ASPH

Gear

When putting together my kit for the trip, I realized that I had to make some careful choices on what gear to take along with the NEX-7. If the rumors were true, shooting with lenses wider than 28 mm would potentially lead to images with the dreaded red edge and cyan drift. Some say that this is a problem particularly noted in the NEX-7, and not the NEX-5N, and I decided to avoid the problem altogether by purchasing a Ziess 24 mm f/1.8 Sonnar, which acts as a 35 mm focal length equivalent on the NEX-7. Along with this lens, I decided to bring the 35 mm f/1.4 Summilux Asph FLE, essentially a 50 mm equivalent lens, my lovely and often underused Leica 75 mm f/2 APO Summicron asph, and the challenging but wonderful Leica 135 mm f/3.4 APO-Telyt. Both of these lenses are somewhat ugly ducklings in the M-system for a couple of reasons, particularly due to challenges in use. The 75 mm framelines are a bit wonky on the M9 and film M’s, making it a challenge for some to use on a full frame body. Similarly, the 135 mm APO-Telyt is a lens that many don’t even consider when using the M system, given that the framelines for this lens are tiny, and adequate use of this lens requires an additional magnifier for many of us with less than perfect vision. This set of lenses represented a useful range from 35 mm-200 mm equivalent, and I was satisfied that all lenses could see frequent use in a land far away. Below is a list of my entire photographic travel kit, all of which fit into my camera bag.

Sony NEX-7, Leica 35 mm f/1.4 Summilux ASPH FLE

My Travel Kit

Camera: Sony NEX-7

Lenses:

Zeiss 24 mm f/1.8 Sonnar (35 mm equiv)

Leica 35 mm f/1.4 Summilux ASPH FLE (50 mm equiv) (See Steve’s review HERE)

Leica 75 mm f/2 APO-Summicron ASPH (110 equiv) (See Steve’s review HERE)

Leica 135 mm f/3.4 APO-Telyt ASPH (200 mm equivalent)

Bag: Fogg B-Laika Black/Charcoal bag

Miscellaneous gear:

Artisan and Artist silk strap mounted on the NEX7

Novoflex Leica M-mount-to-NEX adapter

Microfiber cleaning cloth

2 NEX batteries & Charger

4 SanDisk Extreme Pro (90 mb/sec) SD cards

Computer:

MacBook Air 11 inch, with supplemental SD card reader

A wonderful thing about this kit is that the whole system listed above, save my computer, fit easily into my Fogg bag, which is nicely discrete and doesn’t look much like a camera bag at all. Not once during my trip did I feel threatened, and further, the kit fit comfortably on my shoulder for 2 straight weeks as I travelled through Argentina and Uruguay.

Sony NEX-7, Leica 135 mm f/3.4 APO-Telyt ASPH

The Travel Itinerary

Now that the kit was assembled, next up to consider was the itinerary. Ultimately, we decided on an itinerary that focused on northern Argentina and Uruguay.

Buenos Aires

Our travels began in Buenos Aires, where we spent 3 days enjoying the city’s plentitude of offerings, photographic opportunities, and fantastic cuisine. Buenos Aires is a wonderfully walkable city with excellent public transportation, and it’s very easy to get around on foot, by bike, or via their subway system. While in Buenos Aires, we visited the amazing Recoleta cemetery, the politically charged San Telmo neighborhood, the colorful La Boca neighborhood, the uber-chique Palermo Neighborood, and a variety of other locals. We sampled the wonderful Tango culture and vibrant nightlife. Buenos Aires is a city that simply doesn’t sleep (well, maybe during the day, LOL), and is well worth a visit.

Sony NEX-7, Leica 35 mm f/1.4 Summilux ASPH FLE

Sony NEX-7, Zeiss 24 mm f/1.8 Sonnar

Iguazu Falls

Upon leaving Buenos Aires, we made our way north to the stunning Iguazu Falls. considered by many to be one of the most powerful and awe-inspiring natural wonders in the world, Iguazu Falls is an amazing showing of how the force of nature can carve true beauty on this world. Some of you may be familiar with these waterfalls from movies such as “The Mission”, but for those of you haven’t experienced them, please do. The closest comparison in the U.S. is Niagara Falls, while Zimbabwe houses the inspiring Victoria Falls. I have seen Niagara falls before, but Iguazu Falls makes Niagara falls look ordinary.

Sony NEX-7, Leica 35 mm f/1.4 Summilux ASPH FLE

Sony NEX-7, Leica 75 mm f/2 APO-Summicron ASPH

Montevideo, Uruguay

Once we had taken in our fill of Iguazu falls, it was off to Montevideo, Uruguay. Talk about a cool city. Tie together this seaside city’s laid back atmosphere with dashes of San Diego and Miami, and you get an idea of Montevideo’s vibe. This was city of evening culture, music, and cuisine. It was the place that surprised me the most and served as the greatest inspiration for my photography. Montevideo’s old quarter and seaside boardwalk were both fantastic places to find Uruguay’s wonderful people living their own lives.

Sony NEX-7, Leica 35 mm f1/4 Summilux ASPH FLE

Sony NEX-7, Leica 75 mm f/2 APO-Summicron ASPH

Colonia, Uruguay

Having enjoyed Montevideo’s laidback vibe and photographic inspiration, it was off to Colonia, Uruguay, which is Uruguay’s oldest city and a designated UNESCO world heritage site. While having a bit of a Disney World-feel, it was full of many opportunities to photograph beautiful sunsets and beautifully crafted colonial architecture. It’s little shops, old cars, and overgrown alleyways make for more fun photographs.

Sony NEX-7, Zeiss 24 mm f/1.8 Sonnar

Back to Buenos Aires and Home

Our last day of travel was spent taking a ferry back to Beunos Aires from Colonia, and catching one of the city’s well-known tango shows, which document a colorful side of Argentine culture. It was a chance to test out the NEX-7’s low light capabilities in an exciting setting.

Sony NEX-7, Leica 35 mm f1/4 Summilux ASPH FLE

Impressions of the NEX-7 while on the road

During the trip, I began to formulate several thoughts on the NEX-7. First and foremost, I found it to be an enjoyable camera for regular use, and additionally, a wonderful format by which to utilize Leica M lenses. M lenses are, in many cases, far more compact than Sony’s own native E-mount lenses, and they seem to balance well on the camera, giving it a dense, weighty, and confident feel. The NEX-7’s tiltable viewfinder, in many instances, allowed for discrete shooting in circumstances where discretion was helpful. Further, the camera’s EVF, which in my opinion is one of the camera’s true innovations, was a joy to use.

Focus Peaking- Good, bad, or ugly?

Regarding focus peaking, I have had extensive experience using this method to manually focus M glass when using the Ricoh GXR. With the higher resolution EVF on the NEX-7 and multiple selectable colors (white, red, or yellow on the NEX-7, versus only white on the GXR), the NEX-7 offers an enjoyable focusing experience. However, the experience is far from perfect. At times, the focus peaking feature is not as sensitive enough to critically focus M lenses, particularly when shot wide open. While the focus peaking does work best when lenses are opened to their widest aperture, I found that at times, my images appeared out-of-focus upon returning home or checking the image review on the screen’s rear LCD. Thus, I often found it best to pre-focus on a scene with the lens wide open, and then stop down to get images that were better focused. I could imagine that this system could be difficult with lenses in which stopping down leads to focus shift, but in this case, none of the Leica lenses that I traveled with are known to have a bad case of focus shift.

That being said, in most cases, focus peaking works fine, and it’s a fun way to use Leica glass. Is focus peaking “better” than using a standard rangefinder focusing technique? In my opinion, the answer is “No”. In my experience, focus peaking is inferior to the RF mechanism for focusing wide and normal lenses, especially the 35 mm f/1.4 Summilux ASPH FLE.

On the other hand, I found focus peaking and the NEX-7, paradoxically, to be more facile at using longer lenses. Whereas the Leica M system does a wonderful job at 28-50 mm focal lengths, many complain of using longer focal lengths on the M system. While I have never had this issue and comfortably have used lenses as long as 135 mm on the M system, I did find it truly enjoyable to use both the 75 mm f/2 Summicron and the 135 mm f/3.4 APO-Telyt on the NEX system. Both lenses seemed to handle well on the M system, and for reasons that were and remain unclear to me, I achieved a higher percentage of in-focus images on the M system than I was able to with the 35 mm f/1.4 Summilux FLE lens. I’ll let you all debate why this may be the case. But it was my experience.

Sony NEX-7, Leica 135 mm f/3.4 APO-Telyt ASPH

Sony NEX-7, Zeiss 24 mm f/1.8 Sonnar

Ergonomics

Ergonomically, the NEX-7 is a good fit in my hand. In fact, I found the NEX-7 to be a pure joy to hold in hand. Whereas I have had difficulty holding other NEX cameras in hand, given their diminutive size, the NEX-7 and it’s fantastic grip are a far better ergonomic fit for me. I found the Tri-Navi feature set to be a wonderful way to adjust ISO, exposure compensation, and shutter speed parameters. Having all of these parameters easily accessible via on-camera controls, in addition to having aperture control directly on Leica’s lenses, afforded me with a terrific degree of control over image making parameters, and I found the Tri-Navi system to be a joy to use. Further, the EVF was appropriately placed and easy to use in concert with the rear LCD screen. In a few instances, I found that my camera strap would cover the EVF’s eye sensor, and in these instances, the rear LCD would go black, inappropriately. While this was not a common experience, it was a bit annoying when it happened.

Another minor quibble is the menu system and layout of the NEX -7. While the menu system is laid out in a reasonably logical way, I simply didn’t find it intuitive, even after prolonged use. Having to press different buttons to access different aspects of the menu was something that I got used to, but only with a lot of work. The menu system of other cameras, such as the Leica M9 and Ricoh GXR, are far more intuitive in regular use. Despite this, once you set up the NEX-7 in a manner in which you feel comfortable, you rarely have to delve into the menu system, and it essentially disappears, which is a good thing.

My final quibble with the NEX-7 was placement of the video record button. I found it very annoying when I was going for a photo, and the video record had been inadvertently triggered by my larger fingers. For future iterations of this camera, I’d like to see it lock out or different placement for this button.

Minor quibbles aside, using the Sony NEX-7 was a joy, in terms of pure usage. This was the case both with adapted Leica lenses and the Zeiss E mount 24 mm Sonnar.

Sony NEX-7, Leica 135 mm f/3.4 APO Telyt ASPH

A word on the Zeiss 24 mm f/1.8 Sonnar

At the onset of my trip, I elected to purchase the Zeiss 24 mm f/1.8 Sonnar to accompany my Leica M kit. I did this for several reasons. For one, I thought that it would be nice to have one high-quality AF lens to couple my manual focus kit, in events where I could hand off my camera to others who were not used to manual focus. For example, for moments where I wanted pictures of myself of my traveling group, it’s nice to have an AF lens to hand off, as using this lens is far more intuitive to the majority of users.

Second, I figured that wide Leica M lenses, such as the Summilux 24 mm f/1.4 are equally large and have a higher chance of producing images with color shifts. This phenomenon, to my knowledge, hasn’t been widely characterized for the Sonnar.

Finally, given that this was Zeiss behind the design of this lens, I hoped that image quality would be comparable to that produced by Leica M lenses, despite the price differential. Sure enough, the Zeiss performed admirably on the trip. I found it’s autofocus speed to be sufficient, and image quality to be exemplary. All in all, I have been very happy with this added purchase to my Sony NEX-7 kit.

Image quality

After all, this is what we are all about, right? LOL. Seriously, as a Leica M shooter, I am used to some of the best IQ available in 35 mm photography. Reading accounts from around the web, I was being lead to believe that the NEX-7 was capable of producing outstanding detail in its image. I was also led to believe that Leica lenses seemed to talk well with the NEX-7 sensor, particularly wide normal, normal, and telephoto M lenses.

Sony NEX-7, Leica 135 mm f/3.4 APO Telyt ASPH

So what do I think about IQ, after several weeks and over 1000 images taken while on the road? Here’s my impression….

The Sony NEX-7 does an admirable job of bonding with Leica M lenses, but it is No M9, in terms of IQ. Images, when brought up on my high Gamut 27 inch home monitor, are slightly flatter and less “3D” than M9 images. The pop that I am so often blown away by when looking at M9 files, isn’t quite there. There seems to be less foreground-background separation, maybe due in part to the 1.5x crop factor that the NEX-7’s sensor imparts. It may be due to the NEX-7’s AA filter, which I suspect is light. It may be due to the CMOS versus CCD properties. It may simply be due to my own perceptions or false perceptions, but while I don’t have side-by-side comparisons, I feel that there is a slight lag in IQ at base ISO’s, when comparing the Leica M9 and Sony NEX-7. Take that with a large grain of salt, but I say it with confidence.

Further, I find that noise is more apparent in NEX-7 files, when compared to M9 files, at lower ISO’s. Maybe it’s the added megapixels, thus leading to an increased on-screen magnification, but I definitely see more noise, particularly in the shadows, in NEX-7 files than M9 files. In stark contrast however, NEX-7 files are fare more useable in High ISO settings than digital Leica M files. I tend to avoid pushing ISO’s above 800 on the Leica M9, but I’d be comfortable using the NEX-7 up to nearly ISO 3200, and certainly to ISO 1600. In one instance, I accidentally ratcheted up the NEX-7’s ISO to 16,000 during a Tango show, and coming home, the images still looked great. Below is one example:

Sony NEX-7, Leica 75 mm f/2 APO-Summicron, ISO 16,000!

And an image at the same show, at a far more reasonable ISO:

Sony NEX-7, Leica 75 mm f/2 APO-Summicron, IS0 800

Even with post-processing NEX-7 RAW files, I don’t see much banding or digital artifacts. The noise properties of NEX-7 files at high ISO is generally pleasing. Overall, I find the NEX-7 to be a better low light machine, by quite a bit, than the M9. But I don’t think that many would be surprised to hear that statement.

In terms of post processing NEX-7 files, I found these files to be quite responsive to editing in Adobe Lightroom. NEX-7 files are a joy to work with, and don’t break apart with digital pushing and pulling, dodging/burning, or other techniques. NEX-7 RAW files do in fact offer a fair bit of creative latitude in post processing, and I’d like to commend Sony on a job well done in this department

Conclusion

All in all, was I satisfied my Sony NEX-7 travel experience? Absolutely! Would I use this as a primary system for Leica M lenses? Once again, absolutely? Am I satisfied with image quality coming from this camera? Yup. IQ is right up there with high-end digital SLR’s and mirrorless camera offerings? Is IQ comparable to image quality coming from the Leica M9? As stated, to my eyes, the images produced by the NEX-7 are slightly flatter, with less 3D pop, than what I see coming from my Leica M9 at lower ISO’s. In contrast, I find the high ISO capabilities of the Sony NEX-7 to be far better than that of the Leica M9. Would any of these things matter for web-sized images or smaller prints? Nope, I doubt it. But for the pixel peepers among you, I feel that it is fair to convey my impressions. And that’s all they really are: impressions of a camera that I have greatly enjoyed and plan to keep in my kit for some time.

NEX-7, Leica 35 mm f1.4 Summilux ASPH FLE

Further, for the photographically inclined, both Argentina and Uruguay have so much to offer. I suggest that you consider these destinations for your future travel plans. The people, the food, the sites, and the culture are all remarkable and worth directing your collective lenses toward.

I hope that you have enjoyed the words and images (which, by the way, were all edited and processed on the road, using the 11 inch MacBook Air). Until the next time, my dear Huffites, it’s Ashwin, signing out.

NEX-7, Leica 35 mm f1.4 Summilux ASPH FLE

Sony NEX-7, Leica 75 mm f/2 APO-Summicron ASPH

NEX-7, Zeiss 24 mm f/1.8 Sonnar

Sony NEX-7, Leica 135 mm f/3.4 APO Telyt ASPH

From Steve: I want to thank Ashwin for yet another wonderful report! To see Ashwin’s blog just click HERE. His Flickr stream can be seen HERE.

Nikon V1 in Vietnam Part 3 – Final Thoughts by Colin Steel

Featured, follow ups, Guest Post, News, Nikon, Street Photography, Travel 56 Responses »

Mar 192012

Nikon V1 in Vietnam Part 3 - Final Thoughts

by Colin Steel (see his blog HERE)

Hey fellow photo travelers, welcome to the third and final installment on my Nikon V1 minimalist kit travels in Vietnam. Regular readers will recall that I went to Hue and Hoi An in Vietnam with a lightweight camera kit and processed most of the images in Nik softwares Snapseed app for the Ipad. I had a number of requests to see what the shots look like if processed from the RAW files so I have done that here where I also want to make some final comments on the V1 system.

Nikon V1 High ISO

Here are a couple of shots that I took of some old women on the Thu Bon river in Hoi An. These are shot at ISO 3200 and to be honest they pushed the V1 out of its comfort zone however to its credit it focused fine in the low light and with a healthy dose of noise reduction in Lightroom I have a few usable shots as long as they are not blown up too big.

There is some light on the women in this shot that came from an LED lamp that some Chinese tourists had brought along and I benefited from their thoughtfulness. This is also where prime lenses come into it for me. Although not particularly fast at F 2.8 the 10mm V1 prime at 27 mm equivalent was much easier to use in the low light and by using the V1′s ability to fire rapid bursts you can generally get a decent shot. I often get asked why I mostly use prime lenses whether it be on my Nikon or M43 gear and this is one of the main reasons. It is much easier to use primes in low light, especially if they are a bit wider and I favor the 24 mm and 35 mm focal lengths for exactly this circumstance, they are usually much faster than zooms and with decent camera craft can be used at very low shutter speeds without blur. Try it and see, its amazing how quickly you will adapt to the lack of zoom.

Here’s a final low light High ISO prime lens shot to emphasize the point. I also used a flaw in camera metering systems to enhance the photo. The room was much darker than it looks here and as a result the meter overexposed it, wrongly calculating the light level by averaging. I suspected that this would happen but when I reviewed the file it had opened up the shadows and I thought the shot looked better this way. Downside of this was that there was a fair bit of noise that had to be smoothed away but I have to say that somehow I think that enhanced the shot even further and gave it a creamy smooth look that, although far from accurate, was somehow more pleasing to the eye.

V1 RAW Files

While we are on the subject of low light and primes I wanted to revisit a shot that I took at Khai Dinh’s tomb in Hue. I found the following version which is slightly different from the one used in the previous post and I processed it in Lightroom. Personally, I much prefer this version. I like the composition more and the contrast is really nice.

While we are on a roll, here are two more slightly different versions of shots used before and again, although I am a big fan of Snapseed, I have to say I like the color and contrast better.

I think it goes without saying that invariably better results are achievable by shooting RAW and editing in a good processing tool.

Editing V1 RAW files are not without their issues and I did find myself putting more time into it than normal and that’s not good, I get bored very quickly when editing photos. It’s as if the files are a little ‘flimsy’ and I found myself having to stretch the files to get the full dynamic range and adding more contrast than normal which is not ideal as this increases the susceptibility to noise and as a consequence I had to put a healthy dose of noise reduction into many of the shots. Having said that, I still like the results and its worth that bit of effort.

Black & White

What I did find worked very well for my taste was B&W and High key conversion where I got a very nice contrast as below.

It also suits the flat lighting that can be a feature of the coastal areas in Vietnam. I really like the simplicity of these two shots and it also made for easier and faster editing which has to be a good thing, right ???

Here are another couple from the same trip on the Thu Bon estuary. This was one of the trip highlights for me with the nets and fishermen, just make sure you go very early for the best light.

The parting shot on the Thu Bon, maybe not the best composition but I really liked the three nets and the simplicity that can be achieved by reducing the complexity of the shot and using contrast.

The Markets

To continue the theme of the post here are the Lightroom RAW edits from the fascinating street markets in Hue and Hoi An.

As a general observation, I found the people of Hoi An to be more receptive to being photographed and this is where the V1 becomes such a valuable travel tool. Fix the 10mm prime on and you have a very discreet and non-threatening combo which, when coupled with the little Nikon’s extremely fast focusing, makes for a deadly street shooter.

Markets in Asia never fail to amaze me for the range of foodstuffs and goods that can be bought. I found myself flipping between the excellent viewfinder and very usable rear screen for framing giving me the option of low-level shots when required. This can be a valuable way of removing the often ruinous, messy backgrounds that plague market shooting and with the V1 not having any great DoF control I found myself shooting low down quite frequently. I would advise using your thumb to release the shutter when using the rear screen and a surprisingly stable hold is possible using this technique.

It’s also a great way to get under the eye level of the conical hats worn by the Vietnamese villagers. Having said that, don’t be afraid to go high either as this again takes the background issue away and the round hats often complement the circular bowls, dishes and baskets.

Here’s a couple of final shots from the delightful and fascinating Hoi An market.

Note the sluggish shutter speed in these shots, I think its good to try to ‘liven’ your market shots with that little hint of movement whenever possible. It’s always nice to get some sense of motion as these are active and vibrant marketplaces and this simple effect brings that little extra to the shots. Just be careful that the overall sharpness of the subject is not lost.

and of course, always keep an eye out for the unusual..

The People

Something I notice in my travels is that photographers often tend to take shots of places and things, often without a person placed meaningfully in the frame. When I look back at my early images I also notice this in my own work and I think it’s a combination of lack of experience and confidence. Very few travel photographs work well without a subject that can be related to in the environment and context of the place you are visiting.

I would strongly urge that you watch for people who you can place in context or simply ask someone who looks right for the shot to pose for you. This is vitally important, once they agree – don’t rush the shot. wait until they look natural, show them the photos and explain what you want, keep a sense of humor in it and you will be surprised how helpful people will be.

Alternatively, wait your moment and try to catch people when they are in a natural state and not paying attention to a camera. I said it before and I will say it again, this is where small, fast cams like the V1 excel, they are somehow less intrusive to people and will definitely attract less attention when you are shooting discretely.

I think this approach also works well where you find people in a work environment, its worth just waiting around until they get used to you and trying to capture something intrinsic in what they do.

I know this advice borders on being patronizing but I so often see photographers not thinking enough about where they are and how to show the local people in some interesting way.

Nikon V1 – The Final Thoughts

First up, I had great fun with the V1. It’s light, tough and simple to use. Sure, some of the criticisms laid at its door are true, it lacks fast lenses and the RAW files are not as good as other systems (think M43 or NEX) but the available lenses are very sharp and well stabilized (except the prime which has no stabilization) and the files are more than usable for most purposes. In the context which I have reviewed it as a travel cam, I have to say that it has been a great little companion. It’s size and flexibility have been an absolute boon, its battery life superb and its flexibility in use perfect for most of the environments I took it to. I am sure that when the faster primes arrive Nikon will have an unbeatable little travel system on its hands although, given the way they have marketed it, I am sure that’s more accidental than intended. Have a look at Gary Perlmutter’s shots from Venice that Steve posted if you are in any doubt as to what can be achieved with good subject matter.

Well that’s it for the V1 in Vietnam folks, I am in the process of finalizing a trip to Tibet in June and can hardly wait. I hope you guys found something useful in here and happy and safe traveling to you all.

Colin

USER REPORT: The Nikon V1 goes to Venice by Gary Perlmutter

essay, follow ups, Guest Post, News, Nikon, Street Photography, User Reports 41 Responses »

Mar 162012

USER REPORT: The Nikon V1 goes to Venice by Gary Perlmutter

Hi Steve, I have really been enjoying all the articles on your website of late and it was thanks to your ‘real’ review of the Nikon V1 and that I value your opinion that I recently sold my Fuji X100 and bought the Nikon V1 together with the 10mm, 10-30mm and the 30-110mm lenses. I sold the Fuji reluctantly because although the IQ is incredible, the AF being so slow caused me to lose so many street shot opportunities. I decided that for me at least, fast AF was crucial, so on your recommendation the Nikon V1 it was!

Although my real passion is street photography (see Daily Inspiration 301) I have just come back from Venice in Italy where I was lucky enough to spend a few days during their carnival. This gave me the perfect opportunity to put the V1 through its paces as not only a street camera but also a travel camera system. My first impressions were how perfect this system is for travel. Professionally for my wedding photography I use the Canon 5dMk11 with a number of lenses and this fills a Thinktank travel suitcase alone, never mind the bulk and weight. The Nikon system with all 3 lenses and spare battery fits into my Thinktank Retrospective 5 with room to spare and is so light, that after a whole day walking around Venice, I didn’t even notice the weight!

In use like you I found the AF never missed a shot and the metering was spot on each time. I set the camera up in shutter priority and auto ISO, mainly because this got round the problem that many have reported of the camera selecting too slow a shutter speed in aperture priority mode. With such a wide depth of field due to the small sensor, I didn’t worry about what aperture was being set. However for all you Bokeh lovers out there, the 30-110 zoom can produce some great shallow depth of focus images as can be seen below. Maximum usable ISO I find is 1600 although at a pinch I’ve used 3200. Incidentally I always shoot RAW, as this gives me plenty of scope for adjustment if required.

Apart from that, like Colin Steel in his articles on the V1, I too have taped out the mode dial on the back to stop it accidentally shifting to video mode. (Nikon should have got this right in design). I also fitted Flipbac’s excellent G4 grip and their flip up mirror, which not only acts as a rear screen protector but also allow me to take waist level shots, great for street shooting when you don’t want to be noticed.

So to sum up, so far so good with the little V1. I love the EVF, fast AF, great image quality for such a small sensor and the whole kit so compact it fits in a tiny bag. Can’t wait for Nikon to bring out some fast primes as promised!

You can follow me on Twitter @gazonthestreet or see more of my work at Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gp_photography/

Kind regards

Gary

User Report: Choosing and Using a Black & White Film by Ibraar Hussain

Featured, film, Guest Post, User Reports 108 Responses »

Mar 132012

User Report: Choosing and Using a Black & White Film by Ibraar Hussain

With the demise of Kodak Ektachrome things seem to be getting from bad to worse for Film and options for film users seem to be dwindling. A shame, as I adore e100vs and nothing in my opinion can replicate it. But with all the doom and gloom, one thing, which in my belief will always be around, is good old Black and White Film. There are more B&W Film manufacturers than Colour these days, and a decade ago this would’ve been unthinkable.

So many choices are available for the photographer; we have Kodak, Ilford, Efke, Rollei and Agfaphoto to name a few. B&W Film has its own beauty, and each emulsion is very distinctive. Digital photography has progressed and has reached new horizons, but I think it still lacks the feel, look and character of Film.

Many digital photographers have been pushed and have striven for grain free images, their quest for the extermination of Grain has led to, in my opinion, more clinically flat images lacking depth and character. Sure, they’re very high-resolution and have a beautiful range of tones and qualify as B&W fine art, with some being far superior to others, but in the transition I think something has been lost. I’m no master photographer, and most may consider my skills and vision has mediocre at the best, but that’s not why I’m writing.

My aim is to try to demonstrate and show some examples of different film, their individual characteristics, and the use of Filters, which can give a different look and feel. Developer used and developing times also have a large influence, but my Negatives are always developed at manufacturers recommended times and temperature.

The beauty of B&W Film is that the choice of film/ filter/ lens/ developer plays a vital collective role in the creative process. A creative decision is made prior to the shots being taken, i.e. The subject and location matter, of course, but the photographer may decide upon a certain look and feel and for that will choose a certain Film and/or Filter to give them what they’re after. The choice will also be constant – i.e. once the camera has been loaded there’s no turning back! (Unless the camera is a MF with interchangeable backs).

Grain is a thing of beauty, it gives character, detail, and mood, and is used to good effect, and to portray a certain atmosphere or feel. I tend to try different fast films for a different look – Kodak TMNZ 3200, Ilford Delta 3200 and Fuji Neopan 1600 all have their own beauty. Pushing film, say Ilford HP5+ from 400 a couple of stops also heightens grain.

Some photographers may require lots of grain, to give the photograph a gritty reportage like feel, or to give stormy skies a more dramatic and moody look, others may require grain to give their nudes or models a certain effect. And this can be achieved to some extent with artificial grain adding filters and plug-ins, but it’s not the same!

Filters add a lot too. Some people shoot all day every day with a Yellow filter permanently attached. One such Great is Don McCullin – B&W photographer par excellence. His photographs are simply spellbinding, stunning, grim, dark but his vision is on another level entirely. Best known for his War photographs and pictures from Cambodia, Lebanon and Vietnam – his landscapes and documentary photographs are brilliant – utterly!

A few books to look out for are; In England, In Africa, Don McCullin and Open Skies.

Red filters add more contrast and darken blue skies and a light blue filter strengthens skin tones. A really good book to read and which explains a lot about B&W photography is The Art of Black and White Photography by John Garrett. I enjoy experimenting with Film, and my Contax G2 has helped me along in the creative process. The G2, being a rangefinder is superb for B&W. The reason why I say superb is because you don’t view ‘through the lens’, but through a Viewfinder, and attaching Filters – even semi opaque deep red filters doesn’t impede your vision.

The G2 is also quick, has a great meter and the lenses are very contrasty – some may dislike this aspect, others love it. As for myself, I enjoy photographing people – friends, family, people on the street, and travel shots and the G2 is great for this – and I love using fast films with plenty of grain (most of the time)

I’ve included various shots here, with a brief description of the film used and Filter/developer – they’ll give some visual information as to the feel of the different Film/Filters.

My negatives have been scanned with an Epson 4990 into 16bit TIFF. Loaded up into Photoshop, and then I use layers – new later – overlay – 30% (or as required) to use the brush tool to dodge and burn. I also use levels to play with contrast. I’ve also started playing with prints in my darkroom, and when I’m free, the weather is dire, I’m at home and the missus isn’t busting my balls I enjoy playing in the darkroom just as much if not more than going out shooting! There’s heaven and Earth difference between pratting around on Photoshop and in the traditional darkroom – if you have never tried it, give it a go!

I hope photographers can try out some B&W Film, and give developing a go. Developing is easy, as is scanning, and I believe there was an article on Steve’s website not long back about basics of developing Film.

Young lad in a suit. London. 45mm Planar T* Ilford HP5+ pushed 1 stop @ 800 asa.

Guy on a boat. Istanbul, Turkey 2008. 45mm Planar T*. Kodak TMZ 3200. Ilfotec ID11.

Galata Tower Istanbul, Turkey 2008. 90mm Sonnar T* Kodak TMZ 3200. ID11.

Istanbul by the Bosphorus. 45mm Planar T*. Kodak TMZ 3200. ID11.

Kids on a Boat. On the Golden Horn, Istanbul, Turkey. 45mm Planar T*. Kodak TMZ 3200. ID11

Turkish Market vendor. Istanbul, Turkey. 45mm Planar T*. Kodak TMZ3200. ID11.

Amongst the Pillars. In The Hagia Sofia, Istanbul, Turkey. 21mm Biogon T*. Fuji Neopan 1600.

Dad watching TV. 45mm Planar T* Ilford HP5 pushed to 1600 asa

Mr Ali. London. 45mm Planar T*. Fuji Neopan Acros 100. ID11

On The South bank of the Thames. London. 21mm Biogon T*. Fuji Neopan Acros 100. Red 25 Filter. ID11

Elvis with shades on. People watching a street performer. South bank, London. 90mm Sonnar T* Fuji Neopan Acros 100. Yellow Filter.

Homeless Guy on the Golden Jubilee bridge. Embankment, London. 45mm Planar T*. Fuji Neopan Acros 100. Yellow Filter.

Heart on her lapel. Cranford, Middlesex. 45mm Planar T* Ilford Delta 100 pro. Red 25 Filter. From my first roll in the G2 2005.

Storm clouds a Brewing. Twickenham, Middlesex. 90mm Sonnar T*. Ilford HP5+ @ 3200 asa. Red 25 Filter.

Epping Forest. Essex. 21mm Biogon T*. Ilford SFX 200 with red 25 filter. SFX is a pseudo IR Film.

Heston, Middlesex. 21mm Biogon T*. Ilford HP5+ @ 1600 asa.

Pashtuns. Mingora, Swat Valley, Pakistan. 2007. 45mm Planar T*. Kodak Tri X 400.

A snapshot. London. 45mm Planar T*. Ilford FP4+ 125. Ilfotec DDX.

Goodbye DSLR’s! Traveling light with the Leica M9, Panasonic G3 and Olympus E-P3 by Neil Buchan-Grant

Guest Post, Leica, Mirrorless, Olympus, Panasonic, Travel 137 Responses »

Mar 092012

Goodbye DSLR’s, traveling light with the Leica M9, Panasonic G3 and Olympus E-P3

by Neil Buchan-Grant – Visit his site HERE

Last year I was commissioned to shoot a travel guide covering the island of Sicily. I had, only the previous year, sold all of my heavy DSLR equipment. Although it weighed a ton, that equipment included AF lenses which covered a wide range of focal lengths from 16mm to 560mm. My M9 kit spanned from only 28mm to 75mm.

Having done a few of these travel commissions before, I knew that the extra range would be greatly missed. So to produce the bulk of the photos, I used an Olympus EP3 and a Panasonic G3 which I used with not only the Leica lenses, but also Olympus mft lenses ranging from 12mm to 600mm. The M9 handled most of the travel portraits, each shot with the 50mm Summilux ASPH lens.

Before, when I used the Canon equipment, my travel work was mostly concerned with the places, the landscapes and the light. Now with the M9/50 lux combination in particular, I feel that portraits of the people I meet in a country will become the heart of any future commissions. I know of course there are fast primes available in other systems and I’ve used most of the Canon ones, but none have offered me the opportunity to record people in such a visually beautiful way as the Leica equipment has. So its safe to say that using this equipment has changed the way I take photographs.

I traded a big heavy rucksack for a small shoulder bag and a belt pack. These are some of the pictures, I came back with.

The Olympus XZ-1 – Constant travel Companion by Ibraar Hussain

essay, Featured, Guest Post, Inspiration, Olympus, Travel, User Reports 33 Responses »

Mar 052012

The Olympus XZ-1 – Constant travel Companion

By Ibraar Hussain

I thought I’d finish off my Hindu Kush series with the third and final part. As I’ve told in the last two articles (HERE and HERE), I went with Three cameras; The Fuji GA645, Contax G2 and The Olympus XZ-1. The Olympus was my main camera, main because it’s small, compact and lightweight and I was able to carry it around everywhere and bring it out as needed. When the Contax and Fuji were locked away in my luggage, I ALWAYS had the Olympus on my person. It managed to slip nicely inside the Olympus Creator soft case, which also did a good job of protecting it, and into a trouser pocket, or around my neck without any problems.

I’m not a machine gunner, and even with a digital compact I carefully shoot my photographs, so didn’t come back with several hundred meaningless shots. I actually came back with about 150, of which I had many keepers! I shot exclusively in RAW, and I’ll explain why in a bit.

I have the white version, which isn’t the most slick-looking of colours, but at least it was non threatening and discreet. Looks wise, pretty generic, and not very special. To be honest, offerings from Panasonic and Fuji look better – but that’s not what a digital compact is about in my opinion. I reckon a compact needs to be relatively small, discreet, have a versatile zoom range – which can handle everything from wide-angle to short telephoto/portrait length. A Compact needs to be very fast to operate, switching it on and off should be quick, along with focus and shooting and write times. It also needs to be easy to set up and customise, and have a good battery life.

For travel, especially in the heat of the Punjab with dust galore, it needs to be sturdy and resilient, the cold hard lands of the Hindu Kush also call for the camera to be solid, and with a sensor capable of handling the light. ’m pleased to say the XZ-1 ticks most boxes.

Usage

The Olympus XZ-1 is a fine camera, using it was enjoyable, as it’s quick. I set it up to have one central focus point, and switched metering from matrix to spot as required. ISO was set to 100, 200 and I think 400 literally a couple of times – as I’m not much of an indoors or low light shooter.

I simply set it to Aperture Priority (A), and used the lens ring to change Aperture as required. F1.8 is pretty fast for a compact, and f2.5 is pretty fast for 110mm focal length, this enabled me to get some portraits with a shallow depth, which is a bonus on a compact. The lens really is brilliant, it’s perfect! It’s great wide open, and the sweet spot is f4 I think.

Focussing is quick and accurate, as are write times. And the big clear LCD was pretty good in bright light, so no problems. Exposure was well handled, images seem bright, well exposed. Olympus colour is the reason for going for an Olympus, vibrant saturated colour with plenty of detail.

Flaws

Nothing is perfect, and neither is this camera. There are a few flaws, which become obvious the more one uses it. The first flaw is the lack of an exposure lock button independent of focus lock. Locking focus also locks exposure, and this is a simple technique to get used to, but on occasions I would’ve liked to lock exposure as I do on the Contax G2 with a flick of a switch. Secondly is it’s reliance upon menu systems, I would’ve liked a button for ISO, another for metering and another for Macro mode, but one has to enter the menu system for these, which to be honest, is pretty quick easy and coherent in use.

I would’ve liked a viewfinder.

Finally, the in camera JPEG aren’t any good, too much Noise Reduction destroys the images, detail is smeared, especially in landscapes, and there’s no option to turn NR off! It’s crazy! This forces me to use RAW to switch NR off which I hate doing as I’d rather get the shot right in camera rather than tatting around tweaking the photo on the computer. This is a shame, as the Olympus XZ-1 is easy to set up to get lovely travel shots. BUT, these are minor distractions, as I don’t miss these functions.

Conclusion

Fantastic camera, quick, discreet, with a superb lens. I enjoyed using it, and I include a selection here. I took everything from a few candids, to the odd scenic and especially my favourite black background portraits, I was able to shoot quickly and discreetly. The photographs aren’t quite Contax Zeiss standard, but they’re good considering this is a small sensor compact digital camera, and it’s a superb travel camera! Love it!

Chitral Town, from the Tirich View Mir Hotel. Tirich Mir itself is obscured by clouds. Panoramic stitch mode Auto.

Tirich Mir over Chitral Town. (this frame is the slightly left of centre part of the panoramic picture)

Mt. Tirich Mir in the Chitral Gol.

Kalash Girl in a doorway. Grom, Rumbour Valley, Hindu Kush.

Hamid Ali, Kalash herdsman. Grom Village.

Kalash Villagers, the baby has a mixture of goats horn, Mulberry and other things on his face as a Face mask. This is supposed to keep the skin protected and soft.

Ayun Village, Chitral, Hindu Kush. Ayun is the ‘gateway’ to the Kalash Valleys.

Ayun Village.

Afghan refugee kids. Many Afghan Refugee’s have fled the war into neighbouring Chitral and Ayun.

Rikshaw Wala, Ghalib, Village Chak 11, Sargodha Punjab.

Kashmiri Kids in Village Chak 11, Sargodha, Punjab.

A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush with a Fuji 645 by Ibraar Hussain

essay, film, Fuji, Guest Post, Medium Format, News, Travel, User Reports 33 Responses »

Feb 262012

A Short Walk in The Hindu Kush by Ibraar Hussain

(With a Fuji GA645)

Sacred Cedar and Sacred Mountain Chitral Gol National Park. With Snow covered Tirich Mir in the background. Fuji Velvia 50 @ f11.

This photo, I’ve been told is similar in composition to Ansel Adams “Jeffrey Pine”. A photo I had never seen before I shot this and had it developed.

Traipsing up the slopes is heavy work, the altitude means metabolism speeds up considerably and the weight just falls off, Traipsing up the slopes with a bag full of Camera gear is a wee bit harder and a royal pain the the backside too! The pounds were being shed so quick the difference was noticeable in the mirror on a daily basis. We managed to scramble up the final few dozen feet and turned back to look upon the view – and a photograph cannot do it a justice.

The Rumbour Valley was spread out below us, in front of us was Grom Village with Balanguru on the other side of the river, the river having been almost ruined by last years damaging and tragic floods which had brought down millions of tonnes of rubble, boulders and rock to clog up the once beautiful turquoise flow. The wood and stone dwellings terraced up the slops like brickwork. Looking beyond them we could see the peaks of a lofty white mountain, covered in snow. The whole place was like a scene out of Tolkien’s Middle Earth, I could imagine the Misty Mountains looking like this!

“That white mountain is in Afghanistan”, said Imran, my Guide, Friend and fellow photographer. Imran enjoys snapping away, lifting his Canon DSLR focusing and firing away as if he were sniping the valley with a rifle of sorts. As for myself, I came equipped with not one, not two but THREE Cameras!

I bore the burden up the slopes though, and was paying the price by being completely knackered, breathing heavily, and sweating like a convict on a Rape charge. “Oh, I thought you were going to say something like “That lies Weathertop! Or Mount Doom!”

“Eh? What do you mean?” says he, He obviously didn’t get it, swoosh straight over his head! We had been climbing for a couple of hours, taking it fairly easy, and I was able to stop whenever I liked to rest and to photograph, but I think THREE cameras was a mistake. As when faced with a scene, or an attractive subject, whatever it may be, I was constantly badgering around in my Bag, first trying one Camera then another, and finally deciding to shoot with all three. At times like this it’s better to travel light, with ONE camera – but oh heck, I’m glad I took three, I managed to shoot with all of them!

I pulled out the GA645 and took a few exposures, the beep and whirr of the drive breaking the silence. I held it lovingly in my hands and placed it against my eye as I surveyed the scene through the glorious Viewfinder.

T’was a good day excursion.

The Fujifilm professional GA645

I used the GA645′s fixed Fujinon 60mm Super EBC f4 lens (equiv to 35mm in 35mm Format). It is a lovely camera, lightweight, compact, easy to use – like a big cute and cuddly point-n-shoot! It’s rectangular, narrow pug faced, not particularly bulky, it’s extremely comfortable to hold, and with the attached grip is brilliant to shoot horizontal or vertical. The VF by default is in portrait format as the camera shoots 120 Film in 645 format. It’s a 4:3 ratio so is very very good, and to be honest a portrait format seems so much more comfortable and normal once you get used to it.

The Hindu Raj. Viewed from The Chitral Gol. Velvia 50.

The camera itself is made of quality plastic, it has a nice feel to it and it’s not as dense as it looks, so is a comfortable lightweight very high quality Travel Camera. 645 format is quite a bit bigger than 35mm, so if you’ve never tried it, I suggest you do, you’ll be extremely pleased with the results if tonality and resolution is what you’re after. Roll film is very easy to load, almost as easy as loading a 35mm Automatic camera!! Seriously!

The Viewfinder is simply The Best VF I have ever had the pleasure of looking through – BIG bright, wonderful, and it’s Polarized! Just looking through it is an experience and I would urge my DSLR brothers and sisters to try one out if they haven’t – it makes the VF of a Nikon D3 look tunnel like in comparison! I sh*t you not! I leave it on A, flick the toggle to change Aperture, which shows up in the VF, half press for Auto Focus, lock focus and shoot!

Locking Focus also locks exposure, as Alas, there’s no exposure lock switch, so one’d have to shoot in Manual to get an AEL lock feature independent of focus lock. But I, being pretty lazy, never bother!

It really is simple to use, and gives excellent results. The lens isn’t the fastest, so with slow film and lower light you’re asking for trouble, but in decent light it really shines! f4 will give you as much shallow depth as around f2.8 on a 35mm format type camera!! I just wish the camera were able to focus closer – it’d be even better if it were able to! But minimum focus distance is about 2.3 ft or 70 cm away in theory, but in practise it’s a fair bit farther – so not very helpful!

The Hindu Raj at Sunset. Viewed from The Chitral Gol. Velvia 50.

AF is relatively quick and accurate – most of my shots have been nailed, I ruined a few because of camera shake in lower light but never any focus problems. The only downside is the buzzing sound the lens makes as it focuses, and the motor wind noise. Let’s just say it’s not quite Stealthy!! Bottom line is, it’s like a large Konica Hexar in use, as it’s very similar – an Automatic, electronic AF fixed lens RF.

Anyway, I should’ve taken more photographs during my trip in the Hindu Kush, I had the time and opportunity, but spent the lions share of that time soaking things in with my eyes and ears and senses, chatting to people and experiencing stuff rather than having a camera glued to my face. However, I did manage some shots of people, scenic shots, and the like with all three cameras; The Contax G2 (which you’ve met before) The Olympus XZ-1 and The Fuji GA645.

In hindsight, I should’ve had a tripod, some graduated filters, a multi stop ND filter, and actually used the Polarizer I had with me (as you can see I was really prepared!) I could’ve woken up at the crack of dawn and trekked or driven to wherever I wanted, to set up and photograph the dawn light on the mountains, rivers and lakes, BUT there’s always next time, all the more reason to return – and any budding adventurous photographers are advised to bring a lightweight Tripod/Monopod plus as many Filters as they can afford to carry!

And in retrospect, I should’ve used the GA645 a bit more creatively, and used it more in the Bazaar, and to photograph people – plus what I mentioned above about waking up at the crack of dawn etc, but I only shot 3 rolls of film with it, there’s only about 14 shots on a roll, so altogether about 40 odd exposures in 2 weeks, which is NOTHING compared to what people shoot nowadays.

Grom Village, Rumbour Valley. The white mountain is in Afghanistan. Velvia 50.

The Hindu Kush is at the western most part of the Himalayan and Karakoram chain of Mountains, a chain that divides South Asia from Central Asia and The Near/Middle East. The many passes have been routes into India for Millennia, and the Mountains have an aura of antiquity and mysticism about them. For example, the Kalash and Kati people are the descendants of the first ever Aryan tribes who migrated here Millennia ago, The Kati were converted to Islam en masse (by force) back in 1896, but the Durand Line which divides Pakistan (formerly North West Frontier of India) from Afghanistan ensured the Kalash retained their indigenous and ancient belief and customs.

The Kati and Kalash people both (along with the Kho) retain their superstitious custom and belief. They believe in Fairies, spirits which inhabit trees, and nature, and which are to be found on the high pastures, in groves in the forests, on Mountaintops and peaks. Certain Mountains are sacred, and locals fear to go beyond the foothills and lower slopes – Tirich Mir for example is referred to as the Castle of Fairies, and Lord of Darkness (of which Tirich Mir is a literal translation)

My friend, Imran, who is a local Mountain Guide has had many experiences along the high passes and trekking routes, and I must say I had a few too, one being quite, well, how can I put it? Has made me more open-minded, so to speak, but I wont scare you with any stories! Haha!

It’s all fascinating, and believable, as staying up there, in the loneliness and wilderness, it all seems to make sense somehow. And seems a part of ‘nature’. People are extremely respectful of their environment; trees and forests are respected, and certain groves and trees are sacred or used in ritual – both Kalash AND Islamic!

New Baby. My Guide Imran and Kalash neighbours admiring the newest member of the family

You can find the Kalash Sanctuaries above certain villages in the three Valleys, and their most sacred shrine ‘Sajigor’ is to be found in a Cedar and Juniper Grove in a forest close by.

The Hindu Kush has many regions to it, you have the Afghan side which is lower, and the High Hindu Kush in Upper Chitral – where the highest mightiest peaks are – such as Tirich Mir and Bani Zom are to be found, plus The Hindu Raj range, where many of the best long trekking routes are to be found, and which is very secluded and full of absolutely beautiful magical places.

We spent a few days camping above Chitral Town, in the Chitral Gol National Park; the motto of the park is “Shoot only photo’s and Leave only footprints”. The Award Winning “Planet Earth” with David Attenborough in the episode ‘Mountains’ was filmed here – as here are to be found Markhor and Snow Leopard, Golden Eagles and other rare wildlife.

We spent a day trekking up and up towards Birmorgh Lasht – which is the old summer Palace of the Prince of Chitral, it’s mostly in ruins now. Farther up we have Chaghbini; here is to be found a Mountain Rangers rest house, plus viewing platforms where you can observe Markhor and other animals. A Long telephoto lens is a huge bonus here as you’ll be able to capture so much, all you DSLR users with HUGE sports lenses – this is for you! I took a few snaps here, of the views from Birmorgh Lasht and Chaghbini. The Hindu Raj range graces the eye with so much beauty, and as the sun sets, the mountains come alight!

Farther we have Kasavir – An ancient Kalash sanctuary to The God of Hunts. Many trekking routes are to be found in these mountains, and all offer everything for the adventurer and photographer.

About an hours drive from Chitral we have Ayun Village, offering majestic views of Tirich Mir (which looks down upon you wherever you are in Chitral region of these mountains), and Ayun is the gateway to the three secluded “Kalash Valleys’ of Birir, Rumbour and Bumboret. And of course we have Upper Chitral, Tirich Mir base camp, Owir valley and Mastuj which leads towards the Shandur pass (where annual Polo festivals are held) and then onto Gilgit, but that’s for another time and another trip!

This photo isn’t great, light was low and I shot wide open f4 and focused…guess where?

Chitral town itself is small, and has some sites for the visitor, people are also very welcoming and friendly with Westerners. And in Chitral Town, Tirich Mir gazes down, like a God….

My GA645, I was very happy using it, I shot Fuji Velvia 50 and no filters, though a UV Filter or polarizer would’ve been welcome additions. The battery just lasts and keeps on going, I’ve had the same battery in there for two years! And again, with the GA645 around your neck, or grasped in your hands – you’ll get looks, but people wont think “Photographer” or anything, so no need to worried. Locals were more curious to know exactly what this contraption in my hands was! What, no LCD screen? Cannot possibly be a camera!! Haha!

The GA645 is a pleasure to use, some may find it noisy, others the not so close focus a problem, others may find the AF too slow, and as for myself I didn’t use it as much as the other cameras as I find the focal length too wide for portraits but too long for scenic’s – though I’m being a bit pedantic. It is a fantastic camera, one which has the quality to match a Mamiya 6, (see Dante Stella’s review) and it has the same focal length as a Fuji X100 with far more quality!

The best thing about it, I bought mine in Mint condition with bracket/grip and flash and bracket for £345 ($540) two years back, and you can get these for even less!! I’ve seen them go for around £245 ($388) BARGAIN camera!

Two Girls two frames demonstrating the shallow depth.

Getting there and away;

Getting to the Hindu Kush is a doodle. From the UK it’s easy enough; £500 to £700 will get you a Direct Return flight from Heathrow Airport. (approx £1 = $1.6) And for around £110 will enable you to fly the 45-minute journey through the mountains from Islamabad/Rawalpindi Airport to the tiny Chitral Airport. Flights are weather dependent so if there is a lot of cloud cover at the Lowari pass, the flight could be cancelled. Flights leave daily from Islamabad and Peshawar to Chitral.

The only other route is over land and takes about 12 Hours from Islamabad – but I’d avoid this as apart from the time, you’ll also be obliged to travel through Swat and Dir – beautiful countryside, but scenes of recent fighting and tension and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth office advises travelers to AVOID this area – for this reason Travel insurance will not cover you.

To get to Pakistan, you need to have an invitation letter from the Tour Guide, Hotel or whichever organization you’re going or wishing to stay with. Basically, if you arrange a trip and itinerary with a Guide or Tour Company, they’ll send the invitation. You’ll need a Visa, this is quite costly, and is about £130 in the UK for a British Citizen. Reading List and Sites and more info;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_Kush

I recommend reading The Lonely Planet Trekking in the Karakoram & Hindukush (Lonely Planet walking guide, 2nd edition). A great book, essential, though beginning to date.

Lonely Planet Thorn Tree offers fantastic advice;

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forum.jspa?forumID=16&keywordid=69

I recommend looking at Wild Frontiers website; they’re a UK based Tour Operator. http://www.wildfrontiers.co.uk/

If you’re on a budget, you’re best bet is to get in touch with a local Guide or Trekking outfit. If you’re planning to go to the Karakoram or Baltoro sides, your best bet is to check out; http://kkhtravels.com.pk/ they’re really good, and based in Gilgit. Gilgit, Nanga Parbat, Hunza and Nagar are very tourist friendly, and you’ll meet many westerners there. The Chitral side is pretty quiet, tourism is at an all time low, and you’ll have most of the place to yourself!!

I also recommend getting in touch with my friend Imran Schah, a gentleman and scholar, I met him through Flickr and Thorntree and he has so far arranged two trips for me and countless others for many other westerners;

http://www.flickr.com/imranthetrekker

http://www.facebook.com/imran.schah

Don’t forget Steve’s review of the newer Fuji GF670!

Tasmania Overland Track with the Leica M9 by Louis Stevenson

Daily Inspiration, essay, Guest Post, Travel, User Reports 42 Responses »

Feb 242012

USER REPORT: Tasmania Overland Track with the Leica M9 by Louis Stevenson

Being close to nature and the great outdoors have always been my greatest desire. It sets me at peace, humbles me, and reminds me of the privilege that i have at that moment to gaze at nature’s wonders. However, growing up in 100% man-made Singapore, bogged down by day-to-day hustle and grime, phones ringing, car horns, crowds, skyscrapers, news, announcement systems, etc, my senses are constantly overloaded. I don’t get that many opportunities to satisfy my cravings for a little adventure, but when I do, Ohhh Boyy.. I’d be sure to pack in my camera and cast those memories in stone (or pixels for that matter).

Destination: Tasmania Overland Track. 5 days and 70km of pure adventure bliss from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Claire. And what better way to spend your time with a friend who is just as passionate about the great outdoors and (gasp!) photography too.

Weapon of choice: Leica M9 + Voigtlander 28mm f2 Ultrons, and the Panasonic DMC-FT3 waterproof camera if it rains and also for video footages. I have had the M9 for just about a year now, and it be the first time it be exposed to the elements. So here goes…

Stepping onto the boardwalk for the first time, soaking in the breathtaking bushland scenery and fresh air.

The track was tough, because of all the equipment we had to carry to survive 5 days. So making a rest stop was a frequent affair, which gave us the opportunity to recharge by capturing nature’s best.

A fellow tracker from Belgium. Gentle personality and great company. Taught us a game where you place a deck of cards on top of a water bottle and take turns to blow the cards off the deck without toppling the deck. Simple game for simple times, yet immensely enjoyable.

The scenery changes daily, one moment we were traversing the rockfalls of Cradle Mountain, the next we were walking through the enchanted pine forest. I like the geometry of this photo.

One of my favorite images not taken by the M9. Woken up by wallabies the next morning just outside our tent. Really, what better way to kick off the morning capturing the moment with hot coffee on hand.

When climbing up Cradle Mt, it didn’t seem so high from the bottom, until you look down.

The next two images were taken with a Holga film camera!

We had a brief period in Sydney after Tasmania and this was the shot that struck me most. Can this texture ever be reproduced by digital? maybe with photoshop perhaps.

A shot of Cradle Mountain with Pink Holga! Amazing feeling to have scaled that mountain.

The M9 was perfect as a companion throughout the trip. Considering I already had 25 kilos on my back, there was no way i could accommodate a DSLR. My previous trek was to Everest Base Camp which i brought a Canon 50D and 17-85mm lens. Heavy and bulky. Having experienced both scenarios, the M9 brought me much more satisfying shooting experience. This gratifying feeling translates into how your images turn out, and eventually how you feel towards them, more intimate in my case. So if u can achieve this feeling through using Film, DSLR, Iphone 4S camera, stick with it.

Visit my flickr site for more images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tanlouis/

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