By pascaljappy | Newsletter
Greetings from sunny (humour) Britain. I write this from my son’s living room, looking at the trees rocking in the wind, listening to the pitter-patter of the rain on the bay-windows. As the date moves closer to summer, our souls hanker for more sun, but I have to say it is beautiful to watch from inside a warm house with biscuits and tea as extra comfort. I’d show you, but my roaming capabilities are seriously limited by obligatory, and strictly enforced by home office personnel, quarantine.
So, let me illustrate the post with a shot from Green Provence and let’s jump right in ๐ Oh, and WLP stands for Week Links of Photography. Enjoy!
SIRUI 75mm Indiegogo VIP Group. Sirui are launching a new anamorphic lens. A 75mm. Yes, such lenses are generally used for filmmaking, but I’m curious to see photographers use them in their stills. If you’re interested, Sirui is a great place to start, as their lenses are cheap and cheerful, in the best possible way. They are not free of aberrations, what can we expect at a price that’s 95% cheaper than a pro-cine lens, but certainly up to the job for photography. If you’re interested in the look and format, here’s a video from their 35mm launch.
Has Nikon got a cinema camera range in development? They’d be crazy not to, that’s where the money is today. This post asks: “What does Nikon have that stands out?” after enumerating the bragging rights of other brands. And, if the Z-mounts is key to a new range of cameras and specialised lenses, what can these bring to the table to that others don’t? Speaking of Z-mount, Viltrox will announce 6 new autofocus lenses for Nikon Z-mount.
And, speaking of video, SAR has a SOLID RUMOR: I saw the new APS-C E-mount camera: it is NOT named A6xxx and uses the 24MP sensor … The solid rumor camera looks real nice, in metal finish, and should be destined to vloggers.
Zeiss Lens Families Are Named After Birds. Most of us know that, but do we know the bird varieties themselves? After reading this, would you rather be a sparrow that a hawk?
Take the best affordable drone and make it better. Trust Phillip Bloom ๐
At the other end of the price range, Sony seem to be making magic:
That is seriously yummy footage, though I can only imagine the noise and disruption cause by monstertruck drones such as this. For a film-crew, this does seem very attractive, though.
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IIIs – A Real Life Shooting Experience. Robin Wong was one of my favourite reviewers when I was in the market for m43 photo cameras. He actually makes photographs with the gear under review, he bases his reviews on facs, not specs, and he specialises in lovely Olympus gear. What’s not to like? Here is Robin again reviewing the OM-D E-M10.
Epsonโs NEW EcoTank Printers โ Things Are About to Change. I don’t print much. Most of my prints are just small and made to validate the proper settings to get a print made by a pro lab in a more interesting process than inkjet. Even this drains the -super expensive – ink cartridges in no time. And large tank printers can be quite pricey too. Not anymore.
Rear filtering for RF lenses, anyone? Kolari has you covered.
What could possibly go wrong?
Finally, Panasonic is about to announce new cameras (May 25th). You can view the launch here:
Based on rumoured specs, the cameras have been preemptively dissed by the usual spec-brigade suspects. This could indicate the cameras will actually be excellent ๐
Ever use the calibration tool? This video will encourage you to.
Portrait or Landscape Format: Which to Choose? Good article on composition. Too many educative posts on composition miss step #1, the foundation of everything that follows: the frame. This not only corrects that but ends in good, practical advice. A good read.
We want you! Or, at least, the MoMa wants your photographs: Join the MoMA Photo Club. You can send your best work about nature’s abstractions and get your work displayed in numerous high-profile locations. Only niggle : you no longer really own the work. If exposure matters to your work, it can still be worth the slightly predatory experience.
And let’s end with this spectacular video of sprites, along with scientific explanations of the fascinating phenomenon:
Please leave feedback and please share with anyone who might be interested! Thanks in advance.
(ps When I get back home next week, the Church “Share Your World” challenge will be published. I you feel like participating and haven’t yet sent in your images, now’s the time ๐ )
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I’m going to let others explore the cine lenses out there. None of us can work with ALL the gear that’s available!
I’m more intrigued by the dead horse fairytale – there seem to be four standing and – oddly – one lying down. But where is the scene – is it in Provence, or does your son live in the UK?
Very interested in Robin Wong’s paper on the Oly – I’ve been well aware of how good Oly’s are. since I met an Oly devotee from the UK way back in the 1960s, and went on several quite extended photo shoots with him. I shall study Robin’s paper in depth over the weekend.
Red sprites & blue jets, ditto – never heard of them – stunned by it! I need to absorb it patiently, not on the fly.
You are well aware that I’ve just met a large tank Epson printer – several, in fact – Joe has at least three different sizes, ranging from larger than I could ever have to GIGANTIC. And just the ink tanks on the monster cost nearly $2 grand, so you ca imagine what he must have spent, to buy them all.
Fortune favours the brave – I met Joe by happenstance, just when I needed him or his “sosia” most, and – even better – he’s based only a bit over a kilometre from here!
Other – well Nikon is rebounding, and – in any case – in Japan it is HIGHLY popular, unlike its fate in some other parts of the world. This is a curious outcome – I use Nikon, and love it – great cameras, great lenses – even some of the “old” ones produce STUNNING results. If I was starting now, I’d want to buy a “fill in” for the time being and try to jump the queue when the Z-8 is eventually released – that, coupled to the best of the Z-range lenses, is going to be sensational.
Lightroom? – well I have it – I have very limited use for it – the program builds on “old” tech and I find it cumbersome or just plain inadequate – it was totally incapable of stitching the panorama that my new friend Joe has just printed for me – and I find the design of the program (AND photoshop) clumsy, antiquated and not very user friendly. I rarely use LR any more, and while I often use PS, I only use it for a limited rage of functions.
The photograph of the horses was made in Provence a few days ago. The one on the ground didn’t move for 10 minutes and didn’t seem to breathe, we were actually worried about it. But no, all good ๐ The composition created by the various horses appealed to me!
It was my first encounter with sprites too. But this has given me the urge to see and photograph some now!
Nikon has been a victim of its lack of hype. I think they produce glorious cameras and lenses, but missed most of the important turning points of the recent decade, namely video and mirrorless. This seems to be changing.
Cheers
Interesting post Pascal
Iโm glad to see that you have been able to change your lock down location tor a while. Hopefully you will be able to go outside to experience your surroundings in person, rather than through a window, before you return home.
I will look into some of your links. It will be interesting to see what caught your attention, while I deal with being home bound myself.
PaulB
Pascal, drones have never floated my boat but the “Airpeak” looks interesting. Great post.
Really? Latest is high speed drones, and special goggles that you wear (as long as you don’t walk off the edge of a cliff, wearing them!), so that instead of watching what your drone’s seeing, on a screen, you can watch it all from the comfort within your goggles. The kids will LOVE it!