Good enough is fine by me

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In 2010 I posted a piece called "Enthusiast photographers and camera angst" wherein I said that most DSLRs since the time resolution reached 8MP are good enough for most keen photographers. I referred to Alamy's recommended camera list (here is the current one), to show that this is the case. My view on that hasn't changed. That being so you may be wondering why I changed my camera system. Well, it wasn't because I believed the new system would deliver better photographs, or that I sought features that Canon's 35mm sized sensor and lenses didn't offer. It was basically down to size and weight - Micro Four Thirds is simply easier to carry and therefore more likely to be available to me when I'm out and about. And the fact is, that in terms of detail, there is no discernible difference in until I begin to print at sizes that I've never printed at - ever!

On a recent visit to Peterborough Cathedral I thought I'd try a hand-held shot of the crossing using the 9-18mm wide-angle zoom set at an aperture that would ensure close to maximum sharpness and 6400 ISO, the level I have set as the maximum I want from the camera (higher numbers are available). I'm not displeased with the outcome. I could have halved, possibly quartered the ISO and still hand-held the shot to increase the quality, but the outcome with the settings I chose would, I'm sure produce an A4 print that would satisfy me, and a little work may well give a reasonable result at A3. The image above is slightly cropped and rotated because I didn't get everything quite square.

photograph and text © Tony Boughen

Camera: Olympus E-M10
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 9mm (18mm - 35mm equiv.)
F No: f5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/60 sec
ISO:6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 EV
Image Stabilisation: On

Old farm silos and the Nikon D5300

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For the past few years my photography has involved the use of a Canon 5D Mk2 and a Sony RX100. The Canon I chose for its reliability and versatility and it has given me that, courtesy of a very capable body and four high quality lenses. However, it's heavy. And I'm not getting any younger. Hence, I bought the Sony for its mixture of compact form and pretty good quality to use as the "always with me" camera, the one to be taken when we're shopping or out and about without photography specifically in mind. I also thought it would be useful when we do long walks or visit cities such as London. For the latter purpose it is excellent; it's unobtrusive and the 28-100mm (35mm equiv.) focal length lens suits my photography fine in the streets and parks of the city. However, when it comes to walking in the countryside of, say, the Yorkshire Dales or the Lincolnshire Wolds, on the Fens or even by the sea, its maximum focal length has proved somewhat limiting.

Consequently, at the end of last year I bought what I thought would be a reasonably small and light,  "in-between" camera with a versatile lens - the Panasonic G6 with the 14-140mm (28-280mm 35mm equiv.) lens. I got it at a good price and began to use it. Within a couple of days I realised this was not the camera for me. Why? Well, at quite commonly used focal lengths and shutter speeds it would not produce sharp images when using the mechanical shutter. It has an electronic shutter too and that always produced sharp images but at the cost of restricted usability. The problem was "shutter shock", an issue that has affected a number of mirrorless cameras. It is caused by the way a camera without a flip-up mirror cocks the shutter and introduces vibrations just before the shutter fires and makes the exposure. This seems to be a particular issue with this specific body and lens, though my letter to Panasonic resulted in no acknowledgement of the issue; this despite the fact that quite a number of photographers have reported the same problem. The fact that the body was so small and designed with quite a few buttons that I kept inadvertently hitting was also a problem, but one I would have persevered with. Blurred shots I wouldn't countenance, and so the camera was returned to the seller.

My response to this was to buy a Nikon D5300 with the 18-140mm lens (27-210mm 35mm equiv.). The size of this camera is approximately the same as the Olympus E510, the camera that I've had most pleasure out of in the past ten years. It's heavier than the Panasonic (and much heavier than the Sony), but quite a bit lighter than the Canon. You might wonder why an enthusiast wouldn't choose the Nikon D7100 or a mid-priced Canon to make use of my existing lenses. The answer is - weight, and a curiosity to try another brand. Moreover, I intend to restrict this camera to one lens only, so if I had chosen a Canon I'd still have to buy a lighter EF-S lens and so there would be no real saving.

Today's photograph is an example of the output of the Nikon. I'm quite happy with the camera which, incidentally, seems to have the same sensor as all Nikon's newer APS-C DSLRs regardless of price.

photograph and text © Tony Boughen

Camera: Nikon D5300
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 38mm (57mm - 35mm equiv.)
F No: f8
Shutter Speed: 1/320 sec
ISO:100
Exposure Compensation: 0 EV
Image Stabilisation: On

Wet café chairs, apps and art filters

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I don't watch many of the TV programmes that people who know me expect me to see. The reason is that I'm prepared to devote only a very limited time to television. So, by the time I've watched, over the course of week, a couple of films, a couple of old, made-for-TV comedy shows, and one or two other programmes, I'm done. With that amount of viewing I've used up the time I'm willing to give to television, and good or bad, I won't watch more. To do so would deprive me of the time I want to give to my other interests and pursuits.

For the same reason I'm currently unwilling to join the majority of the population of Britain in owning a smartphone. It's not that I'm a Luddite, or that I don't think they have some uses above those offered by a traditional mobile phone: they do (though fewer than many would have us believe). The fact is I spend quite a chunk of my week at a computer screen and extending this further via the tiny display of a smart phone would - you've got it - "deprive me of the time I want to give to my other interests and pursuits". However, I'm enough of a realist to accept that the way mobile communications are going the day may come when I will need (rather than want) one.

There is one thing about smart phones that I do rather like, and that is the greater capabilities of the built-in cameras. They are not yet as good as even a basic compact camera, but for some purposes they are good enough. Moreover, currently appearing on the market is the Nokia Pureview 808 with a 41 megapixel camera outputting 2/3, 5 and 8 megapixel images, incorporating a useful zoom facility, offering the opportunity to achieve bokeh, and the capacity to record HD 1080p video. These are the sort of specifications that enthusiast photographers will find appealing. The images that I've seen look very good indeed.

Of course, there is a downside to smartphone cameras and that lies in the "apps", especially the "Instagram" variety that offer "effects" that people find irresistible. I came across this article on PetaPixel recently - "Iconic Photos "re-taken with Instagram" - and concluded that such effects, by and large, represent a pretty good method of ruining a shot whilst at the same instantly consigning it to a big subset of other smartphone shots. All of which brings me to my wet café chairs. After converting from colour to black and white I applied digital versions of traditional processing effects - increasing contrast, burning and dodging. In other words it was hand-crafted, insofar as that is possible with a computer! So why do I think it looks like a commercial pin-hole or Holga effect? It seems that digital camera "art filters" and smartphone "apps" that include both these options are starting to impinge on our consciousness and affect how we see photographs.

photograph and text © Tony Boughen

Camera: Canon
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 99mm
F No: f7.1
Shutter Speed: 1/100
ISO: 100
Exposure Compensation:  -0.67 EV
Image Stabilisation: On

Familiarisation

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I've been familiarising myself with my new camera over the past few days. Not just the obvious things such as how to change the exposure mode, white balance or ISO: those will come quickly with regular use. No, the character of the camera is what I've been wrestling with - composing within an aspect ratio of 3:2 rather than 4:3, how to make it give me the sort of exposure that I like, and especially how to expose for images with a wide dynamic range.

Today's photograph is pretty much an exercise in the latter. A sunlit medieval church, in this case St Peter & St Paul at Algarkirk, Lincolnshire, taken in the afternoon from below trees that are casting deep and dappled shadows. The final image (one of seven I took) has had some post-processing to bring the image nearer to what my eye saw and my brain remembers.

The composition of this photograph is a fairly standard one with the dark shadows and trees framing the building. Behind the building the sky shows that appealing quality often seen on sunny autumn afternoons, the beauty of the clouds being in the many delicate shades of grey on show. In fact, the photograph is something of a late October version of a shot I took in June 2008 that accompanies a blog piece about the village name and the church.

photograph and text (c) T. Boughen

Image data in Exif

All change

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I've changed my camera system over the past few days. Actually, that's not strictly true: "I've started to change my system" is nearer the mark. Two factors have prompted this. Firstly, the scope of my photography has changed in recent months and Olympus isn't giving me enough of what I need, and secondly I don't especially want to follow the route that Olympus has said that it is taking with Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds. Consequenty I've started to divest myself of my Olympus equipment and have bought a Canon camera and lenses. Despite the fact that I've been an Olympus user since 1974 I wouldn't say I have any brand loyalty, though I have enjoyed some of the company's innovations and the fact that, generally speaking, it tried to keep the size and weight of its system as small and low as possible. During the past thirty six years I've always had a second camera but it has never been an Olympus: I chose models by Ricoh, Fuji, Canon and Panasonic. Now I'm going to have to get used to my new, heavier kit. The body-building courses will start soon!

Today's image was taken with the new kit. It shows the top of the metal entrance gateway to the "Teen Park" in Donington, Lincolnshire - a place with cycle and skateboard ramps, shelter and space, where teenagers can hang out.

photograph and text (c) T. Boughen

Enthusiast photographers and camera angst

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The general public seems to believe that a "better" camera produces "better" photographs. It's a view shared by many enthusiast photographers and quite a few who earn money by selling images, two groups who should know better. It seems to be forgotten that one of the reasons for the tiers of cameras produced by manufacturers, and for the frequent renewal of their model ranges is the desire to feed on the belief that as far as producing finer photographs goes, newer equals better. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. It is usually the case for enthusiasts that the camera is the least important element in securing higher quality photographs. It's true that if you specialise in particular areas of photography - for example wildlife, aviation or even weddings - you are better served by one model rather than another, but for the generalist photographer there are many cameras that will meet their needs. And therein lies the problem: too many photographers don't identify their own needs, but instead believe what they are told in online forums, magazines and the like. A new camera will, they convince themselves, allow a step forward in their photographic development. The holy grail for many seems to be an increase in "sharpness". Others fret about "noise". Then there are those who fixate on dynamic range, bokeh, burst rate, and a plethora of other technicalities. When I read such things I'm reminded of the hi-fi buffs who spend their time listening for the flaws in their equipment rather than to the music!

It occurred to me a while ago that there is a fairly easy way for the enthusiast photographer to remove the angst of camera ownership: simply look at the recommended models that produce output acceptable to a large stock agency. Here's the list for Alamy, one of the biggest, updated for June 2010. It shows most of the DSLRs that have been produced since sensor size commonly reached 8MP, and quite a few other models as well. If your camera is on that list (and in many, if not most, cases it will be) then it is, by a definition that should be acceptable to the majority of people, a very capable machine. So quit worrying, enjoy using it, and start working on the important aspects of photography such as subject, visualization, tone, colour, light, composition, etc. If your camera isn't on such a list (or is one of Alamy's unsuitable cameras) then, before you think about scrapping it, think about whether or not it provides for your photographic needs - these are all that matter - and if it does, then carry on using it.

Today's photograph shows a carrion crow sitting on a building surveying the throng of people below on the promenade at Skegness, Lincolnshire. He (or she) was perhaps hoping for a discarded chip, hot dog or burger fom the early evening crowds. What caught my eye, and pleased me, was how the crow was not deterred by the anti-bird devices fixed around the building's edge. I decided to try a shot that heavily emphasised the bird by framing a composition that is mainly cloud.

photograph and text (c) T. Boughen

Camera: Olympus E510
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 150mm (300mm/35mm equiv.)
F No: f5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/400
ISO: 200
Exposure Compensation: -0.3 EV
Image Stabilisation: On

Thinking about the Zenit E

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The first SLR I owned was a Zenit-E known as the Zenith E in English-speaking markets. This Russian camera was manufactured in vast numbers - over 12,000,000 were made. My copy was bought in 1972, when I was an impecunious student, and I found it a great introduction to more "serious" photography, serving me well until I bought an Olympus OM1n a few years later.

The Zenit was a very solid camera with a selenium light meter mounted above the lens. The shutter speeds were B and 1/30 to 1/500. Film settings were 16 ASA to 500ASA, though I only used Ilford black and white rated at either 125 or 400. The lens mount was M42 thread, and the standard lens with this camera was an f2 58mm offering. All camera manufacturers have a name for their lenses - Olympus/Zuiko, Nikon/Nikkor, etc, and Zenit were no exception. This lens had the name Helios engraved near the filter threads. I often wondered why they chose the Greek word for the sun. Whatever the reason, I cannot hear that word without thinking of that particular lens.

Today I decided to produce a photograph that said, "summer", so I went into the garden and took a few shots of some perennial yellow daisies that fill a border. I didn't know the name of these particular plants, but a bit of research leads me to think they are a variety of Heliopsis. Noticing that the name, very fittingly, borrowed that Greek word for "sun" I was immediately put in mind of my old camera. Interestingly I can't remember what became of it. I still have the Olympus, but the Zenit is long gone. Perhaps I gave it away or sold it. One thing I know is I won't have thrown it away because it failed - it was built like a T62 tank and seemed capable of going on for ever.

photograph & text (c) T. Boughen

Camera: Olympus E510
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 35mm macro (70mm/35mm equiv.)
F No: f4.5
Shutter Speed: 1/800
ISO: 100
Exposure Compensation: -0.3 EV
Image Stabilisation: On

Interiors without a tripod

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click HERE for full-size image - 3648 X 2736 pixels (2 Mb file)
Many people make the assumption that because I take a lot of photographs I'm interested in cameras. The fact is I'm not. I'm interested in photographs, and cameras only to the extent that they make securing a good image easier. For my needs four things are important - a reasonable price, the ability to finely control the exposure, a reasonably small size for body and lenses, and low light performance.

Price matters because DSLR development hasn't levelled off yet, so replacement and improvement happens more often than it did with film SLRs (and I've got other things I want to spend my money on)! Control of exposure is important because it is the critical factor in securing the image: DSLRs make this easier than most other types of camera. Small size is really critical for me because I walk and cycle a lot with my camera, and the small camera you have with you always secures better images than the (maybe better) bigger camera you leave at home because of its size! Then there's low light performance. Image stabilization is the most significant development for me in recent years. It has allowed me to capture images, particularly of church interiors, that previously I could get only with a tripod. Now, if Olympus could increase its high ISO performance to somewhere near that of the big two manufacturers, I'd be a very happy man because the tripod would become almost redundant.

Today's image is of the interior of the church of St Nicholas, Walcot, Lincolnshire, bathed in the yellow light of the low November sun. The architecture dates from the the 1200s and 1300s, and is notable for the beautiful fourteenth century east window with its flowing tracery, and the carved fifteenth century bench ends. It's an interior that wasn't "scraped" (see yesterday's post). The shot was hand-held at 1/20 second at f6.3, ISO 200. Is it as sharp as it would have been with the camera on a tripod? No, but it's sharp enough to produce a perfectly acceptable A3 print. I've included a slightly compressed (75%) version of the full-size shot for your perusal. It has a little post processing, some noise suppression, but no sharpening. With my old OM1 I never shot at a speed lower than 1/30, and then it was with 400ISO HP5 with the 50mm fully open at f1.8. These days I risk shots at 1/6 second, and am usually quite happy with those taken at 1/15.

photograph & text (c) T. Boughen

Camera: Olympus E510
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 11mm (22mm/35mm equiv.)
F No: f6.3
Shutter Speed: 1/20
ISO: 200
Exposure Compensation: -1.0 EV
Image Stabilisation: On