New Lenses + Micro Four Thirds Group

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Chuck_Maas

Canon.   Take a deep breath and let your imagination run wild for just a second…and then try to wrap you mind around this lens title:  EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x.  That’s what Canon has just announced, along with several other items to be shown at the CP+ show in Japan later this week.  In a nutshell this will be a top-level lens generally similar in specifications to the vaunted Nikon 200-400mm, but it will contain a built-in selectable 1.4x extender which, when in place, will yield a 280-560 focal length range at f/5.6.  Canon shooters have lusted after just such a lens for years, though the question may well be whether anyone will be able to afford it when it arrives (if you haven’t looked at the prices of big lenses in the last month or so you’re in for a shock).  Nor will we know for a while all the specs (like minimum focusing distance) or how it really performs in the field, but I expect this lens to cause more excitement than we’ve seen in the Canon camp for a long time.

Also now “launched” are the new lightweight 500mm and 600mm f/4L lenses that were announced at Photokina in September 2010, plus two new Rebels (the T3i and T3), two small flashes, and a number of point & shoot models.  Looks like Canon is finally picking up the pace a bit.  You can read more at DP Review and Rob Galbraith.  The Super Telephotos are the big news.  According to the specs they will not only offer higher optical quality than previous models, but lighter weight, closer focusing distances, and better ergonomics.  When combined with the latest Canon Extenders, they promise to set new standards for versatility in the field.

Convergence of Another Kind.   It’s very interesting to watch the coalescing of thought and consensus on technology offerings.  Not all new ideas catch hold (nor do many that become popular have staying power), but others seem to find the right mix for a given time and set of circumstances.  At the moment that appears to be Micro Four Thirds.  If you’re not familiar with what this concept and consortium of companies is all about, see a pretty good rundown here and visit the official organizational site here.

Not everyone is enthusiastic about the concept behind this system or the current offerings.  But there’s a momentum building, a little bit like the momentum Leica and other 35mm “miniature” cameras gained in the 1920s, ‘30s, and ‘40s, especially with photojournalists, and for some of the same reasons.  While few would dispute the incredible capability and durability of a Canon 1D Mark IV, Nikon D3s, or similar top-end professional body, the sheer weight, bulk, and expense is prohibitive and or simply undesirable for many.  And as sensor technology continues to improve, the quality produced by somewhat smaller sensors is rapidly reaching acceptable standards for a great many publication uses.

The original Four Thirds concept was launched by Olympus, then joined by Panasonic.  In 2008 the Micro Four Thirds standard was added as a means toward smaller mirrorless bodies, and since that time numerous additional parties have joined the cause.  Two of the latest to sign on are Schneider-Kreuznach and Zeiss, both famous for very high quality lenses.  Cosina and Leica are also members (and several others—see a full list here), and there seems to be a growing momentum for some exciting additions to the equipment lineup soon.

It’s too early to know if Micro Four Thirds is a lasting trend or not.  Sometimes the whole subject seems scattered; for example there isn’t even an official abbreviation or acronym, so you see M43, MFT, m4/3, µ4/3, and many more conglomerations used with abandon.  Tom Hogan suggests more attention needs to be paid to the sensor itself for the format to gain serious traction (see his Feb. 7 m4/3 comments).  In the meantime, it’s almost impossible to find a Panasonic GH2 available anywhere, and the next couple of months are ripe for even more announcements of new stuff, so time will tell.

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Trends and More Tools

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Chuck_Maas

Megapixel race.   There’s been a lot of thoughtful dialogue lately about reduced emphasis on sensor pixel count as a singular criterion for choosing one camera or system over another (see Thom Hogan’s Jan. 24 commentary here).  Not that “megapixels” has suddenly become a forgotten specification…after all, marketing departments need something to laud in order to sell more product.  But the combination of vastly improved sensors/internal electronics with a significantly altered image consumption market has created a very different environment from just a couple of years ago.

Note the exploding interest in the Micro Four Thirds (m4/3) format.  For years the majority of vocal pundits have been begging for and lauding larger sensors; now suddenly a somewhat smaller sensor (m4/3 has a 2x crop factor) is all the rage.  No doubt part of this outburst of enthusiasm springs from sheer convenience.  All of us get tired of lugging around scores of pounds of bulky equipment.  When you can slip a Panasonic GH2 with three very good lenses covering 7mm to 300mm (a 35mm equivalent of 14-600mm) in an original Domke F-2 canvas shoulder bag and still have room for a little extra, it becomes pretty enticing, especially when the image quality capability is just fine for about 95% of what most people shoot.

And there’s a place for the smaller m4/3 bodies too (the ones without the electronic viewfinder where the prism used to be, like the GH2).  Kirk Tuck has an excellent review of the Olympus E-PL2 on his blog.  It’s interesting too that more and more serious photographers are doing all they can to avoid looking like serious photographers as more often than not now doors tend to close rather than open when you’re perceived  as a “pro.”  All this reflects a maturing of the market and an even greater opportunity to choose tools crafted and scaled for your personal shooting objectives.

Medium format.   At the other end of the spectrum, there’s a small niche of manufacturers that continue to reach higher.  For certain applications—when maximum image quality is absolutely required—medium format digital bodies and backs now reign supreme, and though these systems are stratospherically expensive (with the singular exception—relatively speaking—of the Pentax 645D), there are apparently enough potential buyers for companies like Phase One, Leaf, and Hasselblad to continue to push the science and develop improved offerings.  At Photokina, Leaf announced the first 80 MP back, the Aptus II 12, and it is now shipping.  Within the last two weeks, Phase One announced their new IQ180, also an 80 MP interchangeable back, and pre-production samples were rushed to the field.  Initial “First Looks” and reviews are popping up all over the place (here, here, here, and here).  If you have to ask, the Aptus II 12 goes for $31,995, and the IQ180 is $43,990 (that’s just the back…body and lenses extra).

More pixel peeping.   For those who really enjoy parsing technical minutia (and I admit I slip into that category now and then), you’re probably aware of the sensor benchmarking service provided by DxO Labs.  If this type of data appeals to you, there’s an excellent analysis on the Luminous-Landscape site of what the material is telling you.  This information is certainly interesting and useful, but don’t let it suck up all your time and prevent you from actually making pictures.

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New Tools

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Chuck_Maas

Epson R3000.   Epson has just announced the Stylus Photo R3000 which no doubt will quickly become the standard-bearer for their line of wide-format 13” printers.  Delivery won’t begin until March, so we have a bit of a wait for production units and the in-depth testing many of us rely on to make informed decisions.

In general the R3000 design is more like a down-sized 3880 than an upgraded R2880.  There are plenty of new (or improved) features, such as connectivity (USB, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi), media handling (up to 1.3mm think paper), smaller ink droplet size (down to 2 picoliters), and the ability to auto-switch black inks, use roll paper, and print on CD/DVDs solve most of the complaints about previous models.  The ink cartridges are also much larger.  For years, one of the dilemmas for those using any of Epson’s archival (pigment) ink models (such as the R1900, R2400, R2880) has been the limited cartridge capacity.  Though Epson didn’t list the volume in these small cartridges, other sources show them to be around 11 ml.  Capacity is a compromise of course; larger cartridges cost more but last longer, which is fine as long as you use the printer regularly so the cartridges don’t dry out and cause head clogging or (perhaps) a failure to be recognized when loaded.  Epson says the capacity of R3000 cartridges will be 25.9 ml, over twice the previous for the same category of printer.  Hopefully that will translate (in the long run) into slightly lower ink cost per print.  If the 13”x19” size is adequate for your needs and you’re aiming for the highest quality color and black & white prints, this is the model to look very hard at.  (For more info see Epson US, Rob Galbraith, Northlight Images, and Pixiq.)

PhotoKit Sharpener 2.   For those who have been working with digital imaging for a while, you know that sharpening is a part of the process that may seem simple but really isn’t (if you want to do it optimally).  Not only that, by the very nature of the equipment used to capture digital files, sharpening is required on every file, whether you let the camera do it as part of the internal JPEG conversion, or whether you choose to apply it selectively during RAW conversion and in the final output phase.

Some have denigrated an over-emphasis on the technical nature of the sharpening process.  This is somewhat understandable since there are (literally) books written on the subject, and though they are scholarly treatises by some of the best in the business (particularly the late Bruce Fraser and continued by Jeff Schewe), they are theoretical, extremely detailed, and rather dry.  The good news is that some of the best of the theory and practice has actually been folded into the code of Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom.  In addition to that, PixelGenius has marketed their PhotoKit Sharpener plug-in for Photoshop for some time which uses many of the same sharpening principles.  PKS, as it is known, has now been upgraded to PKS 2 and is available here.  If you owned the original PKS the upgrade is only $30, otherwise it’s $99.99.

If you’re not familiar with PKS, the basic concept is to parse the sharpening process into Capture, Creative, and Output phases.  There are many variables in each phase, and carefully crafting the sharpening application can make a huge difference in your final result.  You can peruse feature highlights here.  The new version considerably expands on the original, and learning to use it to best advantage will take some serious study (the User’s Manual is 39 pages in length, with many screen captures and illustrations), but one of the best tools in the business has gotten better.  Read a thorough review here.

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New Year, New Decade

Posted on January 14, 2011 by Chuck_Maas

New Opportunities.   Well, it’s a new year and a new decade and the state of the art of photographic imaging has changed in almost unimaginable ways from a scant 10 years ago.  Not just that digital capture has replaced film to a large degree, but the melding of technologies like the Internet, wireless voice and data, digital video, PDF delivery of complex documents, increased digital transmission speeds, and mobile viewing devices both large and small have changed the landscape forever.  Indeed, the entire communication process has been (and continues to be) altered in fundamental ways that will force rethinking of how we interact as humans, and especially how we create and consume information, both visual and aural.  This causes a great deal of pressure on all involved; pressure to learn new terms and methods—even languages, pressure to adapt to new ways of interacting with others, and pressure to pay for all those new toys…er tools!  And of course the brightest among us will learn to quickly master and merge the best of all these new methods and resources and create a compelling voice (and/or product) that others will want to follow and maybe even pay for.

Colorspaces.   It’s gotten much harder to truly master the digital imaging craft, partly because some if it is undeniably arcane.  Colorspaces, for example—the mathematical means of digitally describing how colors are mapped.  Many are familiar with the terms sRGB, Adobe RGB (1998), and ProPhoto RGB and understand how to implement these environments to best advantage, but if you’re still hazy about what these terms really mean or how they affect the way you process and work with images you might take a look at David Cardinal’s recent post on the subject.  While the quick and easy route is still JPEG/8-bit/sRGB, the result is a “baked in, ” permanently limited rendition of your work.  If you want to have more flexibility, expand your horizons, and capture more of what you see, you’ll need to explore other colorspaces.

Color printers.   Those who make prints are no doubt aware of Epson’s new Stylus Pro 4900 model.  To be sure, not everyone wants or needs a large, expensive printer that takes 17”x22” cut sheets (or rolls)—even one that uses the very latest printhead technology from Epson (same as in the 7900/9900 top-end models), and has an inkset with the widest color gamut of any consumer inkjet printer I know of.  But for a small cadre of photographers this has been the one they’ve been waiting for.  So does it deliver the goods?  By most accounts so far the answer is an emphatic yes!  See this review for a very complete rundown by Mark Segal on the Luminous-Landscape site.

Of course there are lots of reasons an Epson 4900 might not be your cup of tea.  It’s big, heavy, fairly expensive, and uses relatively large ink cartridges (which means you need to make a lot of prints to avoid having ink get stale and cause clogging problems).  And the Epson brand might not be your choice; both Canon and HP also make high quality photo inkjet printers with satisfied and dedicated followings.  After all, Epson’s not the only game in town, even though they’ve been in this particular niche for longer than just about anyone else and have a significant history of making excellent products.  I’ve used various models of Epson photo inkjets for many years, and that’s where my brand preference lies.

How about smaller, less expensive models?  Sticking with Epson, two fine choices would be the Stylus Pro 3880 or Stylus Photo R2880.  Both of these models use the UltraChrome K3™ with Vivid Magenta pigment ink set, a wide-gamut formulation just one step down from the top-end UltraChrome HDR inks.  The 3880 is a 17×22 inch printer (sheets only) while the R2880 will take paper up to 13×19 inches (plus rolls).  There are lots of other differences too of course, including price.  If you need the archival quality of pigment ink you can still get it in the Stylus Photo R1900, a 13×19 inch model with good color gamut and some of the best glossy printing of any Epson printer, and it will also print directly onto CD/DVDs.  Next rung down is the 1400, which uses high-quality 6-color dye ink, and is the least expensive Epson “photo” printer.  There’s a model for just about any budget.

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Looking Forward

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Chuck_Maas

This time of year the sun stays very low along the southern horizon, even though we’re already gaining well over a minute of daylight every 24 hours.   The days are still short, but it won’t be long before there’s lots of sun again.

The nature of compromise.   You don’t have to be engaged in the process of making photos very long before you understand the nature of compromise—from every angle…budget, weight, size, focal length, zoom range, maximum aperture, inherent sharpness, minimum focus distance, and more.  There is no perfect tool, expect perhaps for the one moment in time when you’re ready to press the button and you happen to have picked the right stuff for that particular shot.  So, is there an answer to this dilemma?

Not really, except to consider carefully what your objectives are, weigh up your budget, pick the tools you determine are the best fit, and then learn to use them as well as possible.  The last part is probably the hardest, as available tools and their complexity continue to increase.  Consider Canon’s new 70-300/f4~5.6L zoom.  While a host of Canon nature shooters have been fervently wishing for an update to the venerable 100-400 zoom, here comes another 70-300 instead.  Go figure.

But let’s look at the new lens anyway.  Since it’s very new, reviews of production lenses are just showing up (see here and here), and so far they’re pretty positive.  For sure it’s not an inexpensive lens, and 300mm may not be enough “reach” for many, but overall it looks to be a very well-built, compact, sharp lens with all the latest technological improvements.  Choices, choices.

New Canon Extenders.   Not long ago Canon announced a new version (III) of their 1.4x and 2.0x Extenders (generically referred to as teleconverters, tele-extenders, etc.) to go along with their updated 300mm, 400mm, 500mm, and 600mm super-telephoto lenses.  Version III will have many enhanced features, including improved coatings, and will work especially well with these new lenses.  Much more information is contained in this detailed article by Canon’s Chuck Westfall, and Arthur Morris adds additional comments in his bulletin #353.  Canon Rumors has also indicated that both B&H and Adorama are now taking orders, and the cost is going to be $499.99 each.  Ouch!  New stuff doesn’t seem to be getting any less expensive.

Equipment complexity.   All of us have experienced the morass of complexity in digital imaging tools and other electronic devices.  Complexity and resistance to change is nothing new; those who learned the trade with film may well remember when light meters were first added to cameras and the hue and cry was deafening, but we got over it.  As electronics have become more and more a part of the imaging process, the integration of mechanical dials and switches with electronically selected menu items has been a challenge, to say the least, and the whole concept is being pushed now by the incorporation of touch screens and “gesture” methodologies.

None of this is inherently good or bad, and the judgment of how well a given device allows an individual to accomplish a desired task and achieve a specific outcome is largely driven by personal preference and what one is used to.  It’s very much like computer operating systems; the one you’re most familiar with is very likely the one that’s going to appeal to you most and seem like the best.

But the challenge is real, to the point that learning how to use and extract the most from any piece of new equipment is nearly as big a challenge as employing the principles of photography themselves.  And not all of this is self-evident or able to be resolved with simple study.  Take for example the focusing system in Canon’s 7D (and I’m sure for many models of other brands as well).  There are a whole series of custom function menu settings that require you to inform the camera how you want it to operate, such as how long you want a designated focus point to continue searching after it drifts off the previously locked subject, or how broad an area you want a specific focus point to include (even though to my knowledge there is no available reference document providing precise data allowing you to make an informed choice).  And of course there are so many iterations of choices that only the most dedicated and studious will take the time to apply all the variables to his or her particular shooting style and figure out what works best.

Here’s where the entrepreneurs step in.  There have always been “how-to” books, and many of them have been very helpful.  A good example is when first Olympus, and then Nikon, made automated flash a reality and folks were trying to understand how it was all functioning.  But the sheer degree of complexity has increased to the point where the “how-to” offerings have exploded and now include guidance for specific camera bodies in very narrow applications.  If you photograph birds with a Canon 1D Mark IV or 7D, Arthur Morris offers a “Users Guide “ that drills right down to strong suggestions on specific custom function settings based on his extensive personal use and testing of these bodies.  Some have found them invaluable; others rail about excessive cost.  Only you can decide of course, but I’ve found his Users Guides to be extremely helpful in getting up to speed and maximizing the potential of what have become some of the most complex imaging tools we’ve ever had the pleasure to employ.  With a little searching you can find plenty of other websites that offer a list of preferred user settings, but the trick here is to match your objectives and style with the suggestions, otherwise you’re just multiplying the possibilities and creating more confusion.  There’s no substitute for knowing your equipment, and that has become harder and harder to do with each “new & improved” model.

Reflection.   The end of any year is an opportunity to reflect on the one just past as well as the one right around the corner.  Looking back often generates a desire to make new personal promises to do this or that to alter one’s activities during the coming year to improve on the outcome of the past.  When decades end (conveniently lumped in years xx01~xx10), there’s an added incentive to look back at the last 10 years for perspective on trends and hints for future planning.  Scott Bourne at Photofocus has some interesting observations on “The Most Important Photography News of the Last Decade,” in which he aggregates responses from his Twitter followers with views of his own.  The last ten years or so have brought huge changes to the world of photography, and especially the business of photography, and understanding those changes and coming to grips with present realities is the first step toward continuing to enjoy the process of visual expression.

Nostalgia.   And just for the record, today is the last day Kodachrome film will be processed in the US (see NY Times article here).  Yes, we’re in a new era.

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Hardware, Software, and Metadata

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Chuck_Maas

RED EPIC.   While my personal interests and pursuits are focused mostly on making still images, I’m well aware of the seduction of motion and of the pell-mell incorporation of video capability in both small still cameras and DSLRs which has fueled this phenomenon casually referred to as convergence.  One of the real trend-setters in the very high end motion oriented business has been RED, as in RED DIGITAL CINEMA.  This is one of those intensely interesting, emotionally charged, hyper-animated stories that has been filled with nearly incredible claims and promises, much delayed delivery, and a fanatical following.  If you’re interested, have a look at this interview on Photo Rumors.

PixelGenius.   Many of you are familiar with this tight-knit little group of highly influential heavy hitters (currently made up of Martin Evening, Mac Holbert, Seth Resnick, Andrew Rodney & Jeff Schewe, and which previously included the late Bruce Fraser and Mike Skurski) whose contributions have impacted digital imaging in so many ways over the years.  One of the software tools the team produced was PhotoKit SHARPENER.  Not only has this tool been lauded by many, the concepts (and improved algorithms) have gradually been incorporated into Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw.  But time and technology marches on and now we have 64-bit versions of Windows and Mac operating systems and Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, and (to be released very soon) PhotoKit SHARPENER 2.0.  If you’ve never used PKS, you’ll find a full explanation here.  Users of Photoshop CS5 or Lightroom 3 will note that “Capture Sharpening” is now part of the built-in workflow of the RAW conversion process in both of these programs.  Even so, PKS continues to be a valid and valuable plug-in for Creative Sharpening and Output Sharpening.  Upgrade pricing will be modest (expected to be about $29) when 2.0 is ready to ship.

Metadata.   For those with an interest in image data, the Metadata Working Group—a collaboration working to standardize the types and use of metadata (with founding members Microsoft, Adobe, Apple, Canon, Nokia and Sony) has just published their most recent Guidelines for Handling Image Metadata, Version 2.0, November 2010 which is available in PDF form here.  Metadata is much more than a method of aggregating image collections of “bears,” “eagles,” “people,” etc.; it’s the basis of an entire language used to communicate the information about the content of images between image creators and other image consumers.  This is one of those areas that really benefits from standardization.

Canon update rumors.   For those invested in the Canon system, it’s always interesting to keep an eye on what may be coming down the pike.  Introduction of new models has slowed down a lot, partly due to maturation of sensors and less concern about megapixel counts per se, and most recently has been impacted by the worldwide financial crisis, but companies survive by developing new products and we all know “new, improved” models will be available at some point—the question is what and when.  At the moment there’s some interesting speculation regarding the upper end of the spectrum…1 Series bodies and the replacement for the 5D Mark II.

For years Canon has split the 1 Series “professional” bodies between a 1D with a 1.3 crop sensor and a 1Ds with a full frame sensor.  The 1D has had a modest MP count but higher frame rates and a focusing array that covers a broader area of the screen, and is usually associated with those who shoot sports, wildlife, and the like.  The 1Ds models usually are thought of as “studio” cameras with larger and denser sensors and more modest frame rates, though plenty of them wind up in the field too.  While there’s been talk for years of melding the two models into one body, up to now each upgrade iteration has arrived without that happening. But will that change in the near future?  If you’re interested, have a read of these speculations at Canon Rumors.   Factor in all the “convergence” considerations and it will be very interesting to see what direction Canon takes, and other manufacturers as well.

Costco to drop Apple products.   Costco customers for a long time have been able to purchase some (though not all) Apple products in the wholesaler’s stores.  Apparently that is coming to an end (see story at Tom’s Guide).  Consumers have little or no say in how big companies decide to market their products, and it will be interesting to see whether this is just one small decision or part of a wider trend.  

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“Sunny” California

Posted on December 12, 2010 by Chuck_Maas

Back from a visit with family and friends in “sunny” California, only on this trip there was a lot less sun than usual.  We had over four inches of rain along the Central Coast during my stay, and several overnight lows reached freezing or below—not exactly the balmy conditions one usually associates with that neck of the woods.  On the way down I took Highway 395 along the east side of the Sierra, stopping at the mining ghost town of Bodie, and visiting the late Galen Rowell’s Mountain Light gallery in Bishop.  Galen’s been gone now for several years, but his images still resonate intensely and the memories of his many achievements continue to be celebrated in reverent style in this very high class and well-managed establishment.

Canon options.   For Canon shooters using a 5D Mark II or 7D, Canon is now offering an upgrade (for $100 plus shipping at factory service centers) which will provide a locking mode dial on your camera.  Is this important to you?  If you use more than one body in fast moving situations it’s more than probable that sooner or later a camera rubbing against clothing will change the setting on the mode dial without you realizing it and the results can be truly unfortunate.  Think of the dial being bumped from shutter priority to manual with an EV about 10 stops over-exposed while you keep intently shooting.  Not good!  It happened to me with the 7D, and mine’s going in soon for the upgrade.

Fuji X100.   Here’s a little more info on the upcoming Fujifilm FinePix X100 camera.  With a ton of interest in this elegantly retro-styled body with relatively large sensor and single focal length lens, there’s a small army waiting anxiously for final production and shipping.  Here’s also the link to “What’s New” on Fuji’s official site.

Printing arcana.   This reference will appeal to only a few, but for those who use Photoshop CS5 on Mac and work with print profiling target images, the fact that Adobe removed the option of “no color management” in the printing routine has been something more than an annoyance.  Keith Cooper covers some of the details here in his blog.  Additional discussion can be found at John Nack on Adobe, on the Luminous-Landscape forum, and elsewhere.

Titillations.   Rumors are now rapidly surfacing (see this article at SlashGear) as to the probability of Apple using Light Peak in the next MacBook Pro upgrades this spring.  Light Peak is a new optical data transfer technology with the potential to replace USB, FireWire, SATA, and others.  Whether this is just another business oriented end run remains to be seen.  This piece from ZDNet lends a little more background to the process.  In the mean time, USB 3.0 is proliferating rapidly.  Many portable hard drives now on the shelf in stores are native USB 3.0 (which of course is transparently backward compatible with USB 2.0).  Only time will tell whether both connectivity protocols survive.  And of course it should be no surprise that technology marches on whether we like it or not or whether we’re ready for it (with an open wallet) or not.  Maybe a significantly faster hardware connection will help push faster internet and cell/WiFi capability too.  Wouldn’t that be nice?

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Trends in Imaging Tools

Posted on November 5, 2010 by Chuck_Maas

Connectivity.   For those working with large collections of files, the wires that connect CPU to storage (computer to hard drives) have a significant impact on your time.  Simply waiting for a big file to read or write can tax one’s patience, but backing up a sizeable database using USB 2.0 or FireWire 400 connections is simply painful.  Unfortunately, advancement of throughput technology has come rather slowly, along with the usual proprietary infighting between manufacturers focused on profit.

There have been advances.  SATA has become the mainstay in recent years, including the eSATA connection for external drives; both generally transfer data considerably faster than even FireWire 800.  But everything is relative, and when one gets used to a certain length of time to accomplish a task it’s only human to start wishing for even more speed and greater efficiency.  About a year and a half ago USB 3.0 entered the scene with a promise of a data transfer rate faster than any of the current protocols.  Unfortunately, accepted standards have been slow to develop and major manufacturers (Intel, Apple) have so far not adopted it.  USB 3.0 is slowly making inroads and you can buy drives, PCIe cards, and ExpressCards that begin to open the door, but it’s not a path without ruts as the Mac OS requires special drivers.  LaCie has begun offering a solution (see a better explanation here).

All of this is part of the typical maneuvering between competing technologies, and the big player in this seems to be Light Peak. With the promise that 10 Gbps speeds are only the beginning, and the fact that this optical interconnect has much broader application than previous data transmission protocols, one can understand the desire to make it happen, but that doesn’t keep a lot of folks from being impatient.  It’s hard to read these tea leaves and separate the hype from future reality, but that’s how things work in the real world and chances are we’ll like the eventual result, even if it stretches our patience along the way.

Canon lenses.   Waiting to jump on one the Canon’s most recently announced lenses?  Might have to wait a bit longer, at least for the new 300/2.8, 400/2.8, and 8-15 Fisheye.  Looks like these won’t be available until March 2011 (see full notice here).  And for those who can tolerate rumors, here’s another hint that Canon may eventually update the venerable 100-400 zoom next year.  As stated many times before, there is a whole army of folks who’d stand in line for an improved version of this lens—myself included.  Let’s keep hoping.

New tools from X-Rite.   Those of you who have developed an appreciation for a color-managed workflow will be pleased to know of the latest hardware and software tools from X-Rite.  For just a little background, not too long ago X-Rite acquired GretagMacbeth, a company with a sterling reputation in the color management business, and consolidated Gretag and Monaco products with existing X-Rite products.  The shakeout is just about complete now with the announcement of the new i1Solutions.  There are several packages, all aimed at serious work, which include the i1 Pro spectrophotometer (as opposed to colorimeters in lower tier monitor calibration packages).  While these packages may well be beyond the needs or pocketbook of the average photographer, it’s nice to know that tools for color management continue to progress.  You can find out more about the full array of X-Rite offerings here.

Large(r) sensor compacts.   Panasonic has released the successor to their well received GF1, called—not surprisingly—the GF2.  This is a Micro Four Thirds format camera with interchangeable lenses and no optical viewfinder (though an accessory electronic viewfinder is available).  The GF2 is a little smaller and lacks some of external dials and switches of the GF1 in favor of a touch-screen LCD.  Whether you’ll like that approach or not is a matter of preference; those immersed in the mobile device gesture methodology will likely feel right at home.  See previews at Engadget and DP Review.

And for those who may have a continuing interest in the Fujifilm FinePix X100 announced at Photokina, there’s a “News & Rumors” site with links to some engaged discussions.  Only time will tell whether image quality, price, and photographer receptiveness will make the X100 a winning product or not, but so far it’s generated a wave of enthusiasm not seen in a long while.

Rebates.   We’re into the holiday season now and there are lots of rebate offers floating around—Canon, Nikon, and many others.  Of course worldwide currency values are fluctuating wildly too and who knows where prices will head in the future.  But if you need something now, chances are you’ll be able to find it at a discount…unless of course it’s one of the brand new items like the Canon EF 70-300 f/4-5.6L IS which is available now for preorder and will be shipping soon.

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New Macs, Functional Perfection, and Crowdsourcing

Posted on October 22, 2010 by Chuck_Maas

Back to the Mac.   Steve Jobs and selected luminaries from Apple conducted their latest special event Wednesday at Cupertino heralded as “Back to the Mac.”  The short summary is:   updated iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand components in the new iLife ’11 suite, FaceTime for Mac, announcement of the next version of the Mac OS X operating system (10.7 Lion) to be released summer 2011, and two new MacBook Air models—an 11-inch (11.6″ diagonal) and 13-inch (13.3″ diagonal).  How big a deal the sum total is for Mac users depends a lot on how you use your tools.  If you’re a happy hobbyist and avid social communicator you’ll no doubt be delighted; but if you’re a serious creative (say a photographer producing images for sale) these offerings appear at best lukewarm.

Regardless of the implication in the event title of renewed emphasis on the core business that made Apple famous, what really is occurring is a relentless merging of mobile media concepts and operating systems with the old tried and true Mac operating system. Lion (OS 10.7) will draw significantly on iOS by integrating many of its features.  As Jonathon Seff at Macworld.com quotes Steve Jobs—”That’s what Lion’s about…Mac OS X meets the iPad.”  Find a lot more in the full article here.  Apparently Mac is only about a third of Apple’s business now, and the main push continues to be in the direction of maximizing both the philosophy of and tools for the mobile consumption lifestyle while concentrating the revenue stream as directly as possible into Apple’s coffers.  No doubt that’s why their stock keeps going up.

Canon lenses.   For Canon users, you can find more information here about four of the new EF lenses announced recently:  400/2.8L IS II, 300/2.8L IS II, 70-300/4~5.6L IS, and 8-15/4L Fisheye.  Two of these are exotic supertelephotos— highly desirable, but very expensive tools.  The Fisheye is certainly interesting and it will be comparatively expensive too, though not quite in the same rarified category as the big white lenses, but it’s use will be very specialized—not exactly an “everyday” lens.  The one that’s going to appeal to a lot of folks is the new 70-300 zoom.  While it won’t have quite the reach of the 100-400 that so many Canon nature shooters have come to rely on, it will weigh nearly a pound less, focus two feet closer, and have a four-stop IS system that you can leave turned on when the camera/lens is attached to a tripod.  If the image quality lives up to expectations, I suspect this will be a very useful and extremely popular lens.

So where is the update to the good old 100-400?  Who knows.  That focal length range has been a huge favorite in the Canon lineup, though the push-pull zoom mechanism and somewhat failure-prone mechanical properties have been niggles for a long time.  Many copies of the lens just aren’t that sharp wide open at 400mm either…which is exactly where the lens gets used a lot of the time.  (Try closing down a stop when zoomed all the way out; even a half stop can make a significant sharpness difference.)  Of course one can wish for anything, but a modernized version of the same lens using a twist zoom mechanism and the latest IS and coatings would seem a no-brainer.  Or, a 200-400mm constant-aperture f/4 similar to Nikon’s hugely popular model.  Or, a 300-500 constant-aperture f/5.6 as small and light as possible—I’d find room in my arsenal for that one!  But we should appreciate the good things that do evolve, like the most recent models and the new 500/4 and 600/4 coming next year.  And in the meantime maybe something else will be thrown into the mix.  Never hurts to keep wishing.

Functional perfection.   Observing and participating in the digital imaging revolution of the last ten years or so has been exciting, challenging , and at times perplexing.  Keeping up with sensor megapixel counts, for example, in the quest for “quality” has caused incredible angst and depleted discretionary resources.  To a considerable degree, the megapixel race has now all but reached terminal velocity (on a practical level), and other components in the digital imaging production chain are getting closer to “good enough.”  Inkjet printers for example may not be perfect, but high-end models are truly excellent.  Color-critical monitors (particularly from NEC and Eizo) have not only tamed many of the major color management concerns, but come down in price enough to be in the realm of reason for those dedicated to top-level work.  So is there a way to conceptualize all this (should one wish to do so)?  Brooks Jensen has done a pretty good job in describing it as “functional perfection.”  He elucidates his thoughts here with a suggestion that discovering the point of functional perfection can be a motivator, time saver, and generally useful in many creative endeavors.  Try the idea on for size.

Reality check.   Here’s another blog post worth reading if you place any value whatsoever on your time and creations.  It’s by Bob Krist, subtitled “There’s no vaccine for the crowdsourcing epidemic.”  It’s another big part of the ongoing social metamorphosis.  Remember, you make the decision.

In a similar vein, Scott Bourne (of the photofocus blog) has taken a stand—one that may surprise you—but he’s tackling the social networking Terms of Service issues directly.  Read his comments here and here.  This seems to be rapidly becoming one of those single issues that splits opinion right down the middle while demanding you take one side or another—no middle ground.  For serious photographers this is anything but a trivial issue.  If you care, get informed.

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Wildlife, Business Trends

Posted on October 14, 2010 by Chuck_Maas

Local wildlife.   It’s nice to know that one doesn’t always need to travel halfway around the world to make compelling images—occasionally willing subjects show up right in the back yard.

The new world.   Transformations within societies often come in waves, the actual results of which are only visible with clarity when looking back on them after the fact.  Living through transformations is often confusing, costly, and challenging to cherished precepts and personal lifestyles.  We’re moving through such an event now in the way we handle information—how it’s transmitted, received, perceived, generated, and consumed.

One of the difficulties is that these changes occur from so many fronts at once it’s very hard to understand the specific impacts or predict the eventual results.  Take the concept of “convergence,” which in this narrow niche has usually referred to the lessening distinctions between still images (photos) and motion images (motion picture or video) and how packages of images, text, and sound are presented or delivered.  The most obvious example is the rapid and widely embraced placement of HD video capture in camera bodies that previously were designed to capture only still images.  Then a few years ago, putting cameras in cell phones became popular, and that morphed (with the big help of the Apple iPhone) into cellular communication devices with all kinds of multifunction data/voice tools that meet more customer consumption needs than we ever knew existed.  The iPad has twisted that concept even more…and so it goes.

Now Panasonic, a major electronics manufacturer for decades and of recent years a heavy hitter in the consumer digital camera world, is merging imaging and cell phone from the camera direction with the Lumix Phone (Japanese market only for now).  It will be interesting to see how many other features are integrated into this device other than relatively high quality capture ability.

Of course to some degree this begs the question of whether any one device designed to do many things can do them all well enough to satisfy, or whether eventually one finds it better to own and use several purpose-built devices that are optimized for a specific use and do so really well.  We’ve been down that road before and only time will tell how this will sort out.

Another part of the puzzle is the distinction between consumption and production.  This is part of what’s tied up in the concerns within certain professional ranks regarding the direction of the Apple company.  (By the way, this is not an anti-Apple rant, but thoughtful commentary about delivery of information.)  While Apple’s business model has concentrated in the last several years on building and selling mobile devices (iPod, iPhone, iPad,) and content delivery systems (iTunes, iBooks,  Apple TV) that focus intensely on consumption (and in this case with a very tightly controlled environment that funnels as much revenue as possible though Apple’s  coffers), there has been a growing sentiment that the creation side of the equation has been minimized in favor of feeding the consumption model.  Updates to both laptop and desktop Apple computers has been glacially slow of late and tend to be minimal at best, often shirking trends within the rest of the market as to improved speed, capacity, connectivity, and throughput.  Another glaring example is the rumored delay in release of a much-anticipated new version of Final Cut Studio (a big player in professional video and multi-media creative markets), due in part (it is alleged) to reassignment of many of its engineering resource to mobile operating systems which focus on delivery, not creation.  But now Apple has announced a “Back to the Mac” event for October 20th unleashing a slew of speculation on what this might mean.  Let’s all hope it include a bit more emphasis on serious tools for creatives.

Hard drives.   While SSDs (solid state drives) continue to improve, prices just aren’t falling fast enough to generate much enthusiasm.  New units that fit a PCI-Express slot on your desktop motherboard (like OCZ’s RevoDrive) continue to push the envelope, but these devices are clearly not mainstream yet—good old hard drives still fulfill the storage needs for most of us.  And they’re getting bigger and better too.  Hitachi has just announced a new 2.5″ laptop drive with a 750GB capacity and 7,200rpm spindle speed.  It’s only 9.5mm think and will fit in just about any laptop.  Pair this with a USB 3.0 enclosure and it would make a dandy portable backup unit too.   Also from Hitachi is a 2.5″ 10,000rpm drive in capacities up to 600GB.  Sounds like it may give the famed Western Digital VelociRaptor some real competition.

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