Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Canon G7 - the wounded warrior


 My G7 is covered with gaffer's tape. He's missing a strap lug and a few screws. He's the only G series camera I have left and well, he's plenty good enough as a carry around. In fact he's probably better than the 10, 11, 12, & 15 [G1X] because he's "right sized." When the G got a bit bigger, it got a bit bloated. With the gaffer's tape applied liberally, he's easy to hold on to (helps to hold him together too). His screen's smaller than the 9 and he doesn't save as RAW, like the 9 or have 12 mp but he's plenty good enough. The sample shots aren't extraordinary and I kind of merge the 7 and the 9 shots because they're pretty close, as camera's go but here they are:




My personal prejudice precludes owning a pre-7 G even though the G6 is a good camera. I just don't like the form factor as well. Now if the price of a 10 or a 12 came down far enough that it would be close to the 7, I'd be conflicted. I love the 10s output at low ISO. And you get 28mm, which is wider than the 35 of the 7 and 9. But I'm pretty happy with the much cheaper 7 and hope to shoot it a while longer. Besides the 7s been lucky for me.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Ricoh GRD I


A legend a few years ago (widely surpassed by the III and IV models since) for it's black and white output, which is still outstanding. Solid build. Razor sharp. A real photographer's camera. Ricoh makes enthusiast cameras. With apologies to Leicaphiles, Japan is the camera enthusiast capital of the world. I still have my GRD I. I need to drag it out now and again and shoot with it, just for the fun of it. Of yeah, if you grab it and find that the battery is dead because it sat too long, you can pick up two (2) AAA batteries, shove them in and away you go. How is that for superior useability? Here's a couple of shots. The first two examples of in camera B&W, the last two had color converted and PP a bit.



 

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Sigma DP1 (original model) a personal favorite

I can tell if a camera is a favorite. I buy it and keep it. But sentimental favorites come and go multiple times. I've bought and sold Sigmas over and over. They frustrate but they also dazzle. The reason the only Sigma I have left is still here is I got it cheap and can only sell it cheap. The other reason is I really like the RAW files it produces. Sharp. Plenty of detail. Not a big sensor as sensors go (big for a small camera, of course, which is it's main claim to fame) and it can blow out highlights fairly easily. Can produce good DR though, which sounds contrary but that's the DP. The first DP1 I bought and sold I sold to a photographer in Spain. Even though the camera is metal, it can dent fairly easily and somehow I managed to dent it which reduced its value. He sent me a BW he took in a Haagen Daz? in Madrid looking out the front doors and the DR range was very, very good and he was excited. Here's the shot he sent me.


 Oh yeah, anything over ISO 400 starts to look washed out so you shoot monochrome high ISO. Actually you shoot RAW and select monochrome in Photo Pro. The good news is it's a great monochrome camera. There is also a strange yellow cast now and again in low ISO. The camera is slick, so I cover it with gaffer's tape where my hands interact with it, including the shutter button. The original DP1 is slow to focus and slow to write RAW. It has a fairly poor screen so you can't get much of an idea what you've shot. When you get home, however and power up Sigma Photo Pro and look at the shots, you've got to smile. I like the DP1 and DP2 and of course the S and X models are improved, particularly the X models. I still like the images the DP1 provides.

When it's all said and done, I really like the camera. It produces one of a kind output and is a joy to develop from RAW. Not a joy to shoot but a joy to develop. That's the Sigma DP1.


Saturday, February 23, 2013

Ricoh GXR A12 28mm w/ GW2

You'll need a 40.5 to 43mm step up ring to mount the effective 21mm wide angle lens adapter to the lens. Other than the one merged shot they are all SOC.

Merging two side by sides creates distortion. There isn't much SOC.



 

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Fuji XF R 35mm f1.4 - the poor (but obsessed with photography) shooter's summilux



 A few sample shots from the XF R Fuji X mount lens










Fuji X-Pro 1 Amazon sale pictures [sold]



case opens to change battery or sd card
shallow surface scratches & paint rub on bottom tips


rub area from camera strap



glass screen cover protector



lens mounted for demonstration purposes






M adapter (Pixco) is included