Pentax K10D, Pentax DA*300mm f/4 lens @ f/4, 1/125s, +0.5EV, ISO100, handheld.
Archive » April 2012
Friday, 27 April 2012
Photo Friday - Week 15
Just a quick one, from my visit to Colchester Zoo on Monday.
Pentax K10D, Pentax DA*300mm f/4 lens @ f/4, 1/125s, +0.5EV, ISO100, handheld.
Pentax K10D, Pentax DA*300mm f/4 lens @ f/4, 1/125s, +0.5EV, ISO100, handheld.
Thursday, 26 April 2012
eBook for iPad and iPhone
I've had a selection of over 130 photos on display in Cameraworld in Chelmsford for a couple of years now, and they've been great for helping people see the kind of work I produce. Soon after they went on display, it became apparent that people wanted to know more about them, so I produced a book which showed focal lengths used for each shot, as well as more detailed information for a couple of dozen of them.
I've often had enquiries about whether the book is for sale, and have sold a few of them, but 'print on demand' is not the cheapest way of producing books, so the cost of these has often put people off, as it's around £20 once postage is added.
Now though, Blurb are able to supply published books in 'eBook' format, which you can view on your iPad and iPhone, and my Portfolio 1 is now available for £7.49 in this format. There's a preview below, just click the shopping trolley icon to buy one, or click here!
I've often had enquiries about whether the book is for sale, and have sold a few of them, but 'print on demand' is not the cheapest way of producing books, so the cost of these has often put people off, as it's around £20 once postage is added.
Now though, Blurb are able to supply published books in 'eBook' format, which you can view on your iPad and iPhone, and my Portfolio 1 is now available for £7.49 in this format. There's a preview below, just click the shopping trolley icon to buy one, or click here!
'High Woods In Focus' Free Morning Workshop
On Saturday 5th May from 10.00am to 1.00pm I'll be running a free photography workshop at High Woods Country Park in Colchester, in association with Groundwork, details of what we're covering shown below.
Although it's free you still need to book on, and it will be a great way to get some free advice, and see how you like my style of tuition. Think of it as a Daniel Bridge taster day!
Places are limited so for further information and to register your interest please call Siân Meech on 01394 444618
Although it's free you still need to book on, and it will be a great way to get some free advice, and see how you like my style of tuition. Think of it as a Daniel Bridge taster day!
Places are limited so for further information and to register your interest please call Siân Meech on 01394 444618
Monday, 23 April 2012
Photo Friday Weeks 13 & 14
I know. You're thinking "surely it's Monday", and you're right. But the last few weeks haven't panned out well as far as spending time working is concerned, and any spare time on the computer has been taken up with workshop planning and sorting photos, so I've missed two 'Photo Fridays' now.
Here then are two pics to make amends, and I'll get back on track for this Friday.
Pentax K10D, Pentax DA*300mm f/4 lens @ f/8, 1/10s, -0.5EV, ISO200, tripod, fill flash.
This was taken on Friday after a private tuition session at Hanningfield Reservoir - as I returned to the visitor centre the rain came down, and a pair of ducks by the side of the path were obliging subjects. I'll probably use a different, more abstract composition on the TV at Cameraworld once I've (finally) sorted all those.
Pentax K10D, Sigma EX 105mm f/2.8 Macro lens @ f/3.5, 1/60s, +1.5EV, ISO400, handheld.
Part of a lovely bunch of flowers we received recently, this rose has received fairly typical photographic treatment but I like its delicate tones, so I'm not fussed that it's a bit of a cliché.
Eagle-eyed readers might notice that I'm using my K10D again, and that's because my K-5 is currently on holiday in Staffordshire, having its pop-up flash looked at. Although it's a pain when a camera develops a fault, it does at least show the value of buying from a proper camera shop, and in this case a Pentax Pro Dealer, as the camera's one and a half years old, but still covered by a full warranty. As expected, Dave at London Camera Exchange in Colchester was very helpful, and I'm looking forward to the imminent return of the K-5.
Excellent though the K10D is, it has highlighted to me just how much better the K-5 is; the K10D now feels a bit lumpy and slow, even if the image quality is still superb.
Here then are two pics to make amends, and I'll get back on track for this Friday.
Pentax K10D, Pentax DA*300mm f/4 lens @ f/8, 1/10s, -0.5EV, ISO200, tripod, fill flash.
This was taken on Friday after a private tuition session at Hanningfield Reservoir - as I returned to the visitor centre the rain came down, and a pair of ducks by the side of the path were obliging subjects. I'll probably use a different, more abstract composition on the TV at Cameraworld once I've (finally) sorted all those.
Pentax K10D, Sigma EX 105mm f/2.8 Macro lens @ f/3.5, 1/60s, +1.5EV, ISO400, handheld.
Part of a lovely bunch of flowers we received recently, this rose has received fairly typical photographic treatment but I like its delicate tones, so I'm not fussed that it's a bit of a cliché.
Eagle-eyed readers might notice that I'm using my K10D again, and that's because my K-5 is currently on holiday in Staffordshire, having its pop-up flash looked at. Although it's a pain when a camera develops a fault, it does at least show the value of buying from a proper camera shop, and in this case a Pentax Pro Dealer, as the camera's one and a half years old, but still covered by a full warranty. As expected, Dave at London Camera Exchange in Colchester was very helpful, and I'm looking forward to the imminent return of the K-5.
Excellent though the K10D is, it has highlighted to me just how much better the K-5 is; the K10D now feels a bit lumpy and slow, even if the image quality is still superb.
Sunday, 15 April 2012
Garden and Flower Photography Workshop
Not sure what happened to Friday, seemed to go by without me noticing, so there was no Photo Friday from me this week, I'll try to get a photo or two from the Maldon Junior Rangers workshop posted during the week instead.
But anyway, I'm running a Garden and Flower Photography Workshop in conjunction with Essex Wildlife Trust and the Royal Horticultural Society on Sunday 15th July, details on this poster!
(Poppy photo not by me)
We'll be looking at subjects, techniques for making the most of them, composition, equipment, lighting and more, with a theory session at EWT Hanningfield Reservoir in the morning, followed by a practical photography session at RHS Hyde Hall in the afternoon.
Hope to see you there!
But anyway, I'm running a Garden and Flower Photography Workshop in conjunction with Essex Wildlife Trust and the Royal Horticultural Society on Sunday 15th July, details on this poster!
(Poppy photo not by me)
We'll be looking at subjects, techniques for making the most of them, composition, equipment, lighting and more, with a theory session at EWT Hanningfield Reservoir in the morning, followed by a practical photography session at RHS Hyde Hall in the afternoon.
Hope to see you there!
Saturday, 7 April 2012
Photo Friday - Week 12
Ray, my father-in-law, August 2011
Pentax K-5, Pentax FA50mm f/1.4 lens @ f/2.4, 1/350s, ISO800, handheld.
Pentax K-5, Pentax FA50mm f/1.4 lens @ f/2.4, 1/350s, ISO800, handheld.
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
How To Photograph The Moon
There are some questions that come up time and again, and one of them is "how do you photograph the moon?"
The result many people get when they first try is something like this:
Pentax K-5, Pentax DA*300mm f/4 lens @ f/8, 4s, ISO100, handheld.
Now the problem here is that cameras have to make assumptions about what they're being pointed at. One assumption they make is that over all, the brightness of the image will add up to an average 'mid-tone', so the dark sky and relatively small moon mean that the exposure becomes much brighter than we want it. In the above example the camera chose an exposure time of 4 seconds, which resulted in lots of camera shake, and a grossly overexposed moon.
This is one of the times when manual exposure is a good mode to use. The surprising thing about photographing the moon is the short exposure time required, but when you think about it, it does make sense. Rather than being dark, like our surroundings at the time, the moon is being lit by full sunlight, so the exposure we need to give it is pretty much the same as we'd use (or the camera would pick) for a daylit landscape shot.
There's a rule of thumb called the 'Sunny 16' rule, which says for bright sunlight, an aperture of f/16, and a shutter speed that's the reciprocal of your ISO value, will give you a correct exposure. So if your ISO is 100, a shutter speed of 1/100s will give you a good exposure when used with an aperture of f/16.
We rarely have to use this rule anymore, but there was a time before lightmeters were built into cameras, and being able to estimate the exposure was very useful. But it's still useful as a starting point for getting a good exposure with the moon, although a slightly wider aperture generally gives you better results, especially when the moon is lower in the sky.
So switching to 'M' (Manual) mode on the camera, set an aperture of f/11, set your ISO to 200, and pick a shutter speed around 1/200s, and see if that doesn't give you a pretty good exposure on the moon. For a more hand-holdable shutter speed, drop your aperture to f/8, and you can raise the shutter speed to around 1/400s. If it's too dark, drop your shutter speed a bit, or pop the ISO up to 400, or both. Have a play.
Pentax K-5, Pentax DA*300mm f/4 lens @ f/8, 1/350s, ISO200, handheld.
The above was shot last full moon, and was then heavily cropped to get the above composition from the relatively short focal length of 300mm. Try shooting the moon when it's not full too; you'll need a slightly longer shutter speed, or a higher ISO, but the sidelighting on the moon will help highlight the craters and texture.
The next full moon is just two days away, give it a go!
The result many people get when they first try is something like this:
Pentax K-5, Pentax DA*300mm f/4 lens @ f/8, 4s, ISO100, handheld.
Now the problem here is that cameras have to make assumptions about what they're being pointed at. One assumption they make is that over all, the brightness of the image will add up to an average 'mid-tone', so the dark sky and relatively small moon mean that the exposure becomes much brighter than we want it. In the above example the camera chose an exposure time of 4 seconds, which resulted in lots of camera shake, and a grossly overexposed moon.
This is one of the times when manual exposure is a good mode to use. The surprising thing about photographing the moon is the short exposure time required, but when you think about it, it does make sense. Rather than being dark, like our surroundings at the time, the moon is being lit by full sunlight, so the exposure we need to give it is pretty much the same as we'd use (or the camera would pick) for a daylit landscape shot.
There's a rule of thumb called the 'Sunny 16' rule, which says for bright sunlight, an aperture of f/16, and a shutter speed that's the reciprocal of your ISO value, will give you a correct exposure. So if your ISO is 100, a shutter speed of 1/100s will give you a good exposure when used with an aperture of f/16.
We rarely have to use this rule anymore, but there was a time before lightmeters were built into cameras, and being able to estimate the exposure was very useful. But it's still useful as a starting point for getting a good exposure with the moon, although a slightly wider aperture generally gives you better results, especially when the moon is lower in the sky.
So switching to 'M' (Manual) mode on the camera, set an aperture of f/11, set your ISO to 200, and pick a shutter speed around 1/200s, and see if that doesn't give you a pretty good exposure on the moon. For a more hand-holdable shutter speed, drop your aperture to f/8, and you can raise the shutter speed to around 1/400s. If it's too dark, drop your shutter speed a bit, or pop the ISO up to 400, or both. Have a play.
Pentax K-5, Pentax DA*300mm f/4 lens @ f/8, 1/350s, ISO200, handheld.
The above was shot last full moon, and was then heavily cropped to get the above composition from the relatively short focal length of 300mm. Try shooting the moon when it's not full too; you'll need a slightly longer shutter speed, or a higher ISO, but the sidelighting on the moon will help highlight the craters and texture.
The next full moon is just two days away, give it a go!
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Compromise
With the release of the Canon 5DMk3, someone who'd had a play with one said to me "It's time to jump from Pentax to Canon", his reasoning being that the image quality, especially at higher ISOs, was so stunning that I had to make the swap. Apparently build quality and button placement is excellent too, and it must be for this normally die-hard Nikonist to be saying this to me.
The Canon 5Dmk3 and Pentax K-5 (picture to scale)
So, am I going to re-equip to get the 'ultimate' in high ISO shots? Well, no, and for several reasons, which I'm going to run through now...
Well, I really wish the Green Button and the Exposure Compensation Button were in the same positions they were with my K10D, they've been swapped round on the K-5 and it took me quite a while to get used to it. And I wish the auto-focusing was as good as the Canon/Nikon equivalents, for the odd occasion it really matters. But I still usually get the shot I'm after, so it's not a deal-breaker. And that's honestly it. Everything else works perfectly for me, and suits me and my hands beautifully. Swap systems? No thanks (I'd really, really miss that Green Button for a start!).
So what I'm saying I suppose, is that you weigh up the pros and cons of particular cameras and systems (including considering the lenses available, not how many of them, but whether they're of use to you), think about your budget, try out all the cameras you can afford, and get a camera that suits you, even if it may mean making some compromises on image quality. You should end up with a camera you want to use, want to carry, and enjoy.
The Canon 5Dmk3 and Pentax K-5 (picture to scale)
So, am I going to re-equip to get the 'ultimate' in high ISO shots? Well, no, and for several reasons, which I'm going to run through now...
- Cost: The expense required to swap from one system to another can be considerable, and for me outlay would total well over £13,000, especially once you start adding in a flashgun, new (bigger) bag, vertical grip, remote release. But the main expenses would be the camera itself (£2,999), 500mm f/4 lens (£8,400+) and other lenses in the £300-£600 range. That 500mm for me has serious shortcomings though.
- Weight: Just the 500mm lens weighs about 25% more than all of my lenses and Pentax K-5 put together (it's 3.87kg), so add in the 5DMk3 at 950g, and 3 more lenses, and I won't be wanting to carry that anywhere!
- Flexibility: I shoot lots of pseudo-macro stuff with my 300mm, because it focuses down to about 4 feet. The Canon 500mm focuses to 10 feet minimum, and that would mean not being able to use it for flowers, dragonflies etc.
Pentax K-5, DA*300mm lens at F/6.7, 1/125s @ ISO400, handheld.
- Bulk: All that weight has to take up more space, the 500mm is huge, and I'd therefore need a bigger, bulkier (and heavier) bag for it all.
- The Canon EF 500mm f/4.0 L IS USM and Pentax DA* 300mm f/4 (picture to scale)
The Green Button: Pentax have a green button. It's nothing to do with the green (auto) mode; the Green Button is really useful. Although its function varies depending on the mode you're in, and how you've set it up to work, I find it amazingly useful for quickly setting a manual exposure - I adjust my aperture, hit the Green Button and hey presto, the camera meters and sets the shutter speed. Very quick, very easy, and manual mode would be a lot less user friendly without it. I'm amazed no other manufacturer has something similar to be honest. It also acts as a reset button for exposure compensation, ISO... Just very useful.
- Weather-sealing: Whilst the Canon is 'protected against dust and moisture', my Pentax is truly weatherproof, and I know from experience that includes mud (and the rinse in a puddle afterwards) and heavy rain. 'Dust and moisture' doesn't fill me with confidence.
My K10D out in the rain.
- Ergonomics: With one exception (that I'm pretty much used to now anyway, see below), I love the layout and feel of the K-5, everything's where it should be, wheels turn the 'right' way. Personally I don't like the large wheel on the back of Canons, I don't feel that it sits in the right place for my thumb. The on/off switch on the 5Dmk3 is under the mode dial, it makes much more sense to me to have it around the shutter button. Zooming in and out of a image in playback? Just a spin of the rear wheel with the Pentax, but button presses with both Canon and Nikon, it just seems so much easier and more natural the Pentax way.
I know over time I'd get used to the different layout, and it obviously works for lots of other photographers, but I just don't want to. :-)
- The Future: My K-5 has the best APS sized sensor available at the moment, and when tested by DXOMark the dynamic range (until the release of the D800 it was the best of any camera) and overall quality was so good that they ranked it above every Canon sensor, including the full-frame models. So although at the moment the 5DMk3 is bound to have a better performing sensor than the K-5 (it's full frame, and a year and a half newer), when I come to upgrade from my K-5, I'm sure the sensor in the latest Pentax will be better than the one in the Canon.
Well, I really wish the Green Button and the Exposure Compensation Button were in the same positions they were with my K10D, they've been swapped round on the K-5 and it took me quite a while to get used to it. And I wish the auto-focusing was as good as the Canon/Nikon equivalents, for the odd occasion it really matters. But I still usually get the shot I'm after, so it's not a deal-breaker. And that's honestly it. Everything else works perfectly for me, and suits me and my hands beautifully. Swap systems? No thanks (I'd really, really miss that Green Button for a start!).
So what I'm saying I suppose, is that you weigh up the pros and cons of particular cameras and systems (including considering the lenses available, not how many of them, but whether they're of use to you), think about your budget, try out all the cameras you can afford, and get a camera that suits you, even if it may mean making some compromises on image quality. You should end up with a camera you want to use, want to carry, and enjoy.