A key advantage of smaller sensors like APS-C and Micro FourThirds is that of reach – specifically being able to work at long distances with small lenses. Sports photographers working in large arenas may favour APS-C over 35mm sensors for exactly this reason. Of course, larger sensors offer better low-light performance – specifically lower noise. …
In a recent post I talked about the minor difficulty of making a meaningful comparison between different cameras’ ability to acquire and track focus. This brought to mind a more general problem about hardware comparisons and the mismatch between what photographers need to know, and what metrics they end up discussing. Nerdy photographers (rather than …
A standardised comparison of extreme autofocus capability Many photographic assignments demand effective operation in near-dark conditions. Sometimes it’s in the brief; at others the need arises unexpectedly: nature abhors a vacuum as surely as life hates an exact schedule. Suddenly the photographer finds themselves at the limit of their equipment’s capability: maximum aperture, uncomfortably high …
Exposure: Understanding Aperture, Shutter and ISO The very first photograph and the most recently taken, a few picoseconds ago – in fact every photograph taken and every photograph that will be taken in every possible future – was, is and will be made by opening a hole of variable size and allowing light to fall …
Testing and cataloguing enlarger lenses spawned a new web site – Delta Lenses. Initially the appeal was ease of adaptation, given that most have M39 mounts – a whisker of a step-ring away from the universal M42. Enlarger lenses are intriguing and offer real-world benefits for many shooters. But projector lenses offer parallel worlds of …
Here are a few soundbites in response to FAQs unasked: • What’s the best enlarger lens for general taking at sub-1m distance?Of the growing number of lenses thus far tested outstanding results have (unsurprisingly) been recorded by the most expensive lenses. However, several lenses with market values of around £100 have achieved an elite 90%+ …
Some oddballs get a buzz deploying stuff intended for Job A on ‘Mission X’. To them, the common man’s planetary gear is a can-opener, coat-hook or toast-slice-holder. In their homes lamps are recycled teapots, whisky jars and welded-together-cutlery. Their toilet-roll holders are made of copper plumbing. The concept of shooting with a Sony-mount lens on …
There comes a ghastly moment when you first, tentatively, speak aloud a difficult (perhaps foreign) word – one you’ve rarely (perhaps inconsistently) heard pronounced. Reading in peace, the word sounded unhesitatingly in your mind, but this trip hazard is inevitably destined for public utterance: one day you will be called on to get your shibboleth …
The 2020 Coronavirus outbreak prompted much pondering on the nature of things. However Micro Four-Thirds (henceforth M43) has always attracted peculiarly fecund speculation about its nature and niche in the photographic ecosystem. What is it? Why is it here? And what does its future hold? As a religion, the primary doctrine of M43 is portability. …
There are several web pages and YouTube videos extolling the advantages of using Photoshop’s LAB mode for colour correction, but the following are a couple of tweaks that could be incorporated in every photographer’s workflow, and are suitable for almost every image. LAB level and curve adjustments are the best way to make colour alterations, …
