An Eye-Opening Experience & The Power Of Olympus

Ever since I got the Sony A7II, I have been using it almost exclusively, apart from my trip to UAE where it made sense to pack a MFT kit due to its small size, versatility and auto-focus (Will be covered in a different post. The pictures are ready). To be honest, I was having too much fun playing with the A7II and both the Zeiss and the legacy lenses while ignoring my Olympus kit, to the extent that I decided one day to sell all of my MFT kit and only keep the Sony with the single autofocus lens that I own. And indeed I put my MFT kit for sale, only to decline the first few offers I received. I just didn't have the courage to do it. But I kept using the Sony.

2013: The Camera Year

Blockbuster

This year has witnessed an incredible range of very interesting camera releases (can you guess how many?), there are a lot of tidal shifts in the market, players that are becoming stronger, and others that are referred to as stagnant and old fashioned. I am not attempting to analyze the market and company strategies in this post, instead I will be thinking aloud, analyzing what is going on around, what to do regarding any further camera purchases, and where to head to. The more I think about the new camera releases in 2013, the more I get confused, so I decided to get a white paper and a pen, and jot it all down so I can be able to make a clear analysis. Hit the jump to continue reading, and be astounded with the sheer amount of cameras released in 2013.

Different Cameras & Lenses, Same Point of View

This should be an interesting post to some of you, see that swing in the picture? I take pictures of my daughters ever year in the summer on this exact swing, where they spend the summer vacation time by the seaside. I wanted to make a comparison between the different pictures taken from the spot, with different cameras and lenses, over the years.

What camera/lens combination would you say was used to capture the above picture?

A Tribute To The 5D Mark III

The only picture I have for "my" 5D Mark III

Farewell my 5D Mark III, you've served me well, actually, more than well, you had the best, snappiest, most accurate auto-focusing system I have ever seen, you shot high ISOs like a champ, you were always live and ready for action even before I touched the trigger, something that no camera I have used to date was able to match, you gave me the shallow depth of field that everyone craves with complete abundance, even the 50mm @ f/5.6 was not enough to get the whole of my subject in sharp focus.
 
You were, technically, the best camera that I have ever used, but I was never able to feel any love from you, there was no relationship between us, not more than one between a human and a very clever robot that can do everything perfectly, all the time. I am not sad to see you go, I know I will not dearly miss you when I use any another camera (that place is uniquely reserved for my 5D Mark II), and I am probably not going to dream about owning you again.
 
Yes, I've sold my 5D Mark III, and yes, I've owned it for less than 3 months, and no, I'm not abandoning photography, I've re-evaluated my recent (last year) gear purchases and realized that I have drafted from the path I should have taken a long time ago, and it's the time to rectify that. But that will be the story of my next post, for now, enjoy some of my favorite shots taken with the 5D Mark III with a few comments on each one, consider this a mini-review of the 5D Mark III that never got to be fully reviewed as it deserved.

The Full-Frame, Large Sensor Bonanza!!!

Credit: photokina.com

 
THE YEAR 2012
 
This year's Photokina exhibition certainly was different, a few months ago, both Canon and Nikon each announced two new high-end full-frame DSLRs (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 1DX, Nikon D800, Nikon D4), then just before the end of the year each of them announced a more affordable (not really) full-frame DSLR again (Canon 6D, Nikon D600). And to make matters more exciting, Sony announced the revolutionary A99 full-frame DSLR, and the sweet, expensive RX1. A full-frame Leica completes the picture. Do you see a trend here?
 

Canon EF Lenses Chat: Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Review

Chandelier at an old place called Rihana

Now that I've taken close to a thousand shots with my Canon 50mm f/1.4, it is a good time to do my review, it is probably going to be quite long, with lots of smaples (see? I do what I want other reviews to do, but unfortunately they don't), so if you want the short version, here it is, it kicks ass. Click through for more details.

Nikon D600 Predictions

EDIT: Leaked photos of the D600 here.  It does indeed look pretty much like a D7000 with FX sensor.

Nikon Rumors reported a rumor about the possible release by Nikon of an entry-level full frame camera, called the Nikon D600, perhaps as early as this summer.  I'd like to give my predictions about the specs of that camera.

I predict the D600 will have the same 16-megapixel sensor as the Nikon D4.  This is logical because it would allow Nikon to recoup their investment in the development of the D4 sensor (the D4 is of course not a high volume product).  This would mean the high ISO performance is better than that of the D3 (at a higher resolution) though not quite as good as that of the D3S.

Given that this is a higher-end model than the D7000, its specs are at least as good as the D7000 in almost all (if not all) respects, therefore I expect the following:
- At least 39 AF points.
- 100% viewfinder.
- Dual memory cards.
- 1080p 30fps, like the D3200.
- pop-up flash with built-in commander

To differentiate the D600 from the D4, it would have to miss some features:
- Shutter rated at 150,000 cycles instead of 200,000 (D800) or 400,000 (D4).

- Continuous shooting speed far less than that of the D4.  Probably 4fps or less.
- Metering may be similar to the 2016-pixel RGB sensor in the D7000 instead of the 91k pixel of the D4 and D800.
- No AF-ON button.
- SD cards instead of CF cards.  Most professional cameras use CF cards.  By using SD cards, Nikon could discourage professionals from using this camera.

- No PC sync.
- No ethernet capabilities.

Essentially, it's like a D7000 with a D4 sensor.  It may also be compatible with the WU-1a wireless adapter.

As for price, it will cost $2200, the same as the D700 after the price drop (the D700 will officially be phased out).  There will be a kit lens included for around $2500, the 24-70 3.5-4.5 lens for which Nikon filed a patent.

Nikon D3 First Impressions

This is a quick review of the Nikon D3, the first full-frame Nikon DSLR,* from the point of an amateur/hobbyist. The D3 has been around since 2007, but at around $5,000, was priced beyond the reach of most amateurs.  With the introduction of the latest generation of Nikon full-frame DSLRs, the D3 has for the first time come within reach of a greater number of hobbyists.

*Not counting the Kodak DCS-14n, which is technically the first full frame DSLR with a Nikon F-mount. :)

Full Frame DSLR FAQ

Sorry to disappoint you guys, but I'm still with the dark side :)

With the release of the Canon 5D Mk III, Nikon D4, and Nikon D800, previous generation full-frame DSLRs have become available at a significant discount, putting them within the reach of photographers considering high-end crop sensor DSLRs.  Should you make the move?

This FAQ discusses the differences between full-frame DSLRs and "crop sensor" DSLRs.  It is divided into two sections: Basic and Intermediate.

Canon 5D Mark II: First Impressions

That's me, with the 5D Mark II and the 50mm f/1.4 wide open

I finally did it, I went crazy and switched to full frame, it has been going through my mind for a long time now, maybe for more than 9 months now, so how do I feel about my first full frame camera? Hit the jump to find out.