There have been lots of new camera announcements lately and I found myself not to be excited by any of them.  None of them have made me slip into “Buy Mode” at this time.

This is strange because over the years I have easily slipped into “Buy Mode” when the latest and greatest cameras were announced by Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Leica, Fuji, Etc.

Three things must be having an impact on my current state of non-responsiveness to these new camera releases:

1. I am happy with the cameras that I currently own.
2. I see nothing new that really makes me feel like I am missing out.
3. I realize that yet another new camera will not make me any better at photography than I already am.

I recently traveled to New Orleans for the craziness that is Mardi Gras.  I took the Pentax K5 and the Panasonic GH2 with me.  I had a full compliment of lenses for both cameras and found myself not wishing for or needing anymore gear than I already had with me.  Not once did I say “Damn, I should have brought….”

I would shoot all day and then into the late night hours with both and then drag my tired old bones back to the hotel to quickly review what I had shot in the last 24 hours.  Not once did it occur to me that if only I had the new [Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Panasonic, Etc.] would any of my photos have been better.

What I did realize during those review sessions was that I was the critical factor in the photos I was reviewing.  Had I used a different lens, higher or lower ISO, faster or slower shutter speed, used a polarizer, Etc…. my photos would have been better.  It was my mistakes, not the camera’s shortcomings, that caused me to not quite get the shot I wanted on more than one occasion.   Hmmmm.. learning from one’s mistakes… what a concept!

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.  Looking over the photos I took I can see what I should have done at the time.  This tells me I need to slow down a bit when I am shooting and maybe chimp a little more to make those adjustments that are needed.  It’s better to chimp and adjust on location than wishing you had made certain adjustments after leaving the location.   By the way, there is NOTHING wrong with chimping.  I’ve watched numerous pros do it (though many will not admit it).   I should have done more myself.

No, I don’t need a new camera.  I need to slow down and pay more attention to what I am getting from my current cameras.  The camera will talk to you via that LCD screen.. but you need to take the time to listen.

An individual in one of the camera forums recently criticized my blog because I don’t allow comments.  Why am I not surprised?  But just in case some of my gentler readers were wondering the same thing, here’s why.

Do you recognize either of those guys to the left?  Does one or maybe both of them look familiar?  They are why comments are turned off.

I decided to add a blog to my website so I could say what I had to say about various subjects without having to deal with others wanting to offer their own counterpoints.  This is not a forum.. this is my blog. These are my thoughts. I have a right to express them without having to deal with the kind of troublemakers one finds in online photography forums. If I desired to see the thoughts of those characters I would have created a forum, not a blog.

I do not make money off of this website. I am asked on a monthly, sometimes weekly, basis to accept and display ads on my website and blog. I always refuse. I get a lot of traffic here but I am not interested in trying to make money from that traffic. The cost of running this website is about $150 a year.. I think I can afford that without bringing in advertisers.  Besides, once I begin accepting advertisements for the companies which I may criticize, well, you can see the problem there.

For $150 a year I get a small piece of real-estate (ad free) on the Internet which is free of trolls, thugs and those who know it all and are more than willing to post anywhere they can to prove it. It’s a small price to pay not to have to deal with those folks on my own website.  It’s bad enough we have to deal with them in forums.  Do you really think I want them here?

Now you know why comments are turned off.

Happy New Year Everyone!

We’ve all run into them online. Those self-appointed protectors of truth and detail who inhabit online photography forums. They are belligerent, usually in-your-face, combative, sarcastic, cynical, project an air of superiority, usually don’t actually take a lot of photos and when they do they are pretty much the same kind of snapshots a Noob might produce. If they have an extensive vocabulary they use it to cow those they are addressing.. verbal bullying is their main joy in life. They LIVE for it. They are Forum Bullies.

Most Forum Bullies are compensating for something lacking in their life, something they are missing, such as: respect, friends, social graces, sex, Etc… Maybe they’re pissed off because they are short, maybe they’re ticked because they’ve gone bald.. or maybe they’re just nasty people who did not get enough love as a child. Let’s call a spade a spade: They’re assholes.

These pitiful people feel compelled to address every single thread in a forum that they disagree with.. they just can’t let it go. They are like a moth to a flame. They MUST respond because “the other guy” is an idiot and does not know what he is talking about and SOMEONE (meaning them) must right the injustice done and squash the false information being disseminated by THAT idiot.

I disagree with things I read in online forums all the time but I don’t make it my business to respond to every single one of them. Really, people are entitled to their opinions, even if those opinions are based on faulty information. Just agree to disagree and move on. Hell, there are much more important things to argue about e.g. global warming, pollution, whaling, drug addiction, crooked cops…  you get the idea, cameras seem to fall a bit lower in importance when you look at the big picture, don’t they?

Forum Bullies must have no life and no friends. If they have a wife and they treat their wife the way they treat people online I suggest they sleep with one eye open. If they tell you they have lots of friends, they’re lying and their so-called friends probably suffer them because they have no other options. If these bullies act in person the way they act online I am sure that someone would have put them in the hospital by now with a lesson well learned…. be civil or keep your damn mouth shut! The Internet allows many of these Forum Bullies to say things to others online that they would never say to them in person for fear of getting their asses kicked.

I’ve always hated bullies. I suffered at the hands of several when I was growing up. I remember one guy in particular during my high school days. Over the summer I grew quite a bit. I put on weight, muscle and height. When school began again I dreaded running into that guy but to my amazement he no longer seemed interested in me. It wasn’t until later that I realized this clown was no longer bothering me because he knew I could kick his ass.

Bullies only pick on those they believe they can dominate.

Here’s What You Can Do To Fight Online Bullies

When it comes to online forums and Forum Bullies, complain to the owners of the forum. Every single time you see one of these self-appointed defenders of truth step out of line. Complain. Do not get involved with name calling or sink to the level of the Forum Bully. That is what he wants. Do the right thing. When you see a Forum Bully attacking someone.. complain… every single time, never stop. Complain every single time. Not all forums have moderators so it may take some time but eventually these assholes will be evicted.. but only if YOU play by the rules and do not get sucked into the same bad behavior as the Forum Bully exhibits.

Trust me, it works. Been there, done that, several times.

Update: December 20, 2011… I bailed on a forum today because the owner of the forum was not enforcing their own rules.  When a forum owner is non-responsive to complaints and allows the forum members to run roughshod over their rules it is best to leave as the lunatics are running the asylum.  Sometimes the assholes win!

Update: December 28, 2011… I have never mentioned the forum name from which I bailed.  I have not posted there since I left on December 20, 2011.  In this blog post I have stated my opinion of how to handle forum thugs and bullies, nothing more, nothing less.  At least one individual has taken exception to what I have written here and posted the following:

And some people here get away with things that others can’t possibly get away with. Example: I like Jim R. – A LOT. I admire his photography A LOT. But if I had raced to a personal blog and bashed [Forum Name Removed] for not upholding the rules…..good gravy….I would have been hung out to dry. It was wrong of him to do – and disrespectful of [Forum Name Removed]. It doesn’t make [Forum Name Removed] look bad – it makes Jim look bad, at least to me. I’m very disappointed that he did that.

I know the individual who posted the above.  I like them and have no issues with them.  I am sorry they do not see any merit or truth in what I have written here.  Their own words kind of bear out the problem with the forum in question…. they state they would have been hung out to dry if they had done what I did.  Hung out to dry by who?  Probably the same forum members which cause all the problems.

Since I was used as an example here I feel I have a right to respond.  First, I never mentioned the name of the forum anywhere in this blog entry.  So it was wrong for me to express my feelings and suggest how people should respond to online thuggery and bullying in my own blog?  I don’t think so.   Any online forum that posts rules and guidelines for activity on that forum should be expected to enforce the rules they publish.  If they do not enforce their own rules and one finds the forum to be objectionable due to a small group of people intent on being combative then the only thing to do is to leave the forum.  That is exactly what I did.  I left the forum with a final post pointing out the rules that were being ignored by some forum members and pointed out that the owners of the forum were not enforcing their own rules.  All of it true.

If some find what I have written in this blog entry to be objectionable or unfair, then so be it.  I will not participate in any forum in which a small group of individuals continue to engage in verbal battles, thuggery, name calling and pot stirring.  If the owners of the forum cannot control the forum members then I have two options:  stay and suffer through the flame threads or leave.  What I have written is applicable to ANY forum, not just the nameless forum the individual above is referring to.

My post here was about how to handle those whose behavior in a forum is unacceptable.  Do not wage verbal warfare with them.    Do not get drawn into flame threads.  Complain to the owners of the forum and be done with it.  If complaining doesn’t remedy the problem then leave.  It’s that simple and it is sound advice… for ANY online forum.

I belong to a number of forums and all but one of them are well moderated.  In all of the forums that are moderated anyone who crosses the line of the forum guidelines is initially warned.  If they continue to break the forum rules after they have been warned they are banned, in most cases, permanently.  Seems fair to me.

Bottom line is this:  If  a forum owner has rules they expect forum members to abide by then they should be prepared to enforce those rules.  To do anything less is to show disrespect for the majority of forum members who DO follow the rules.

The quest for a perfect camera will always be an exercise in futility because we, as humans, are never satisfied with what we have for long.. and we simply cannot agree on the definition of perfect as it applies to cameras…. or anything else.

For some a point and shoot is perfect.  It fits in the purse or coat pocket.  No real brain power is involved, you really don’t have to understand the relationship between shutter speed, ISO and aperture… just set it to Auto Mode and then just point and shoot.

For some a rangefinder is perfect.  It has a small form factor with a full frame sensor and relies on the operator to focus it.  Great for shooting things that don’t move and if you aspire to be a street photographer, it is a must have item.  Shoot in color and convert to black and white because that’s just what rangefinders are for.  Rangefinders also proclaim you are in total control of your photography and that you are not in control of your bank account.

For some a Micro Four Thirds system is perfect.  It has a small form factor, auto-focus and allows you to use just about any lens you wish to hang on it… with the proper adapter.

For some a DSLR is perfect.  Big and bulky, it proclaims you are more than a hobbyist…. possibly a pro.  Auto-focus, full frame (on some) and its weight helps build upper body strength, especially the arms.  Downside is that, depending on how many lenses you carry with you, you may develop shoulder and back pain.

For some a Holga is perfect.  Light weight, uses film and allows you to take artsy photos without really trying.  No auto-focus issues either.  No one will ever think you are a Pro if you use a Holga.. even if you are.  And one other benefit.. you can recycle a Holga since it is 99% plastic.

For some a Polaroid is perfect.  Uses film (kinda) and offers the same instant gratification (60 seconds or so) that digital offers.  Scanning negatives is a bit difficult though.

For some a pin-hole camera is perfect.   Had to throw that in so pinhole users will not feel left out.. I honestly don’t know why anyone would enjoy using one.. but that is my problem, not theirs.  More power to the Pin Hole Users.  You don’t rush your photography when you’re a pin-hole user.

For some a Medium Format Camera is perfect.  Big and bulky, implies you are a pro and allows you to make extreme crops due to the huge sensor and the detail it can capture.

For some an iPhone is the perfect camera.  Fits in your pocket or purse and you hardly ever forget to take it with you and you can instantly post photos directly from the camera to facebook, Flickr and other photo sharing sites.  It’s also great for capturing police beatings and selling the video to CNN or MSNBC.  Downside is that it’s hard to find lenses for the iPhone camera.

I wonder when they’ll make a Digital Twin Lens Reflex camera?  Haven’t tried one of those yet.

I have owned or currently own: a rangefinder, several point and shoots, numerous DSLRs and two Micro Four Thirds cameras… none of them are perfect…. nor am I.

First, don’t confuse a local camera show with the big ones which are attended by all the major camera makers.. think camera swap meet or flea market….

I used to be an active amateur radio operator and attended many “Hamfests” in which there were all sorts of stalls (think flea market) set up for amateur radio operators to sell their old gear. Most of the time the gear being sold was what I would call “Boat Anchors”. That is to say they were old, antiquated transmitters and receivers that were in their prime 20 to 40 years earlier and weighed a ton. Lots of junk that no one wants or uses any longer.

Over the weekend I attended a local “Camera Show” and it was the same thing. Lots of old film bodies and manual focus lenses (most of them in pretty bad shape) that no one wants or uses any longer… Photographic Boat Anchors. That’s not to say that manual focus lenses are bad, I own a number of legacy lenses.. just that what was being offered was pretty awful stuff that wouldn’t sell on eBay.

There were a few Leica film bodies that I am sure someone collects but would rarely use and of course they all had the “Leica Price” so one could get the full “Leica Experience”, a quick reduction of funds in the bank account.

Aside from the Leicas there was very little of anything a photography enthusiast in the digital age would find interesting or useful. I was in and out in less than 45 minutes and believe me, I really wanted to find something to buy. I really did.

Every table I visited the guy behind the table would ask if I had anything to sell. I had my camera bag with me and I guess they thought I had brought gear to sell. I had actually brought my camera to try out a lens if I found one…. I didn’t.

There were lots of vendors there. One guy had a table full of old Polaroid cameras.. seriously, who in their right mind would want one of those in the day of instant gratification offered by digital cameras? Even some of the cheapest digital point and shoots produce better photos than any of those aging Polaroids. I guess you’d have to really have a “thing” for Polaroids to understand and appreciate the draw. By the way, no one was at his table.

Another vendor had a table full of old Nikon and Canon film bodies, all of them showing their age. I know some still use film but none of those bodies were flying off the table. He had about 50 to 75 of them. I never saw anyone show any interest in them.

Another guy had a table full of old camera cases.. yawn. I was very disappointed in what was being offered and it immediately struck me that it looked the same as most hamfests I have been to. Old, dusty gear, outdated and probably not worth the “bargain” price anyone was asking for it. It’s a shame because I enjoy browsing for bargains at such events. I found absolutely nothing of value (at least to me) at this particular camera show. I’m sure a few people came away with something they just had to have.

I think eBay has killed camera shows and hamfests. Why drive a hundred miles or so to look at old gear when you can do it using the Internet from your home?

I’m sure there are still some great local camera shows somewhere. This was not one of them. I think this may be the last one I attend. I can find all the old, dusty gear my heart desires on eBay or Craig’s List.

The WAC Syndrome

WAC: Without A Camera

I recently had to send in my Pentax K5 for repair due to what is now called “Mirror-Overrun”.  I was without my main camera for 13 days.  During that thirteen day period of time I found myself to be irritable, anxious, moody and generally unhappy.  Those symptoms are all part of the WAC Syndrome.

Those of us who are really into photography seem to go through withdrawal when we are without our main camera.  I did have a Panasonic GH2 and GF1 to fall back on but it did little to quell my feelings of unease and restlessness while my main camera, the Pentax K5, was being repaired.  I probably experienced the same feelings smokers experience when using a nicotine patch instead of lighting up.  It wasn’t much fun.

I tried my best to ignore the fact that I was without my main camera during this period of time but found it hard to do.  I went through each day feeling that something was missing from my life.

I remember the day the camera was to return to me via a big, brown UPS truck.  I was full of expectation. I kept checking the clock, 9am, 10am, noon, 2pm, 4pm… and then finally at 6:20pm the UPS guy knocked on the door with the package I was waiting for.  It was “the fix” I needed, no pun intended.

The mood change was immediate.  I was happy again, irritability disappeared and the world seemed to be a much better place.

My name is Jim and I am a cameraholic and there is not a thing I can do about it.  I know I am not alone. There are no weekly meetings I could go to for support. No one to share my misery with, no one to pat me on the back and let me know that things would get better.  What a terrible thing to go through!

I am once again happy and my world seems brighter and more cheerful.  I know I should seek professional help but for now.. I think I’ll just go take some photos.

I recently visited a photography gallery in Carmel, California.  What I saw there in the way of fine art black and white photography reawakened a desire to do more black and white conversions with no reference to what camera or lens was used.

Why? Because the entire time I was viewing those marvelous photographs in that gallery not once did I wonder what camera or lens was being used.  I just marveled at the art of black and white and how appealing it is to the eye and the soul.

So, I have set up a section on Boxed Light with only Black & White photos I have taken.  There will be no camera or lens information.  Just the photographs and nothing more.  I am light years behind the photographers whose work I saw in Carmel but the exercise alone will make me a better photographer.

I’ve always loved Black & White photography but got away from it because I did so much of it in my early years as a photographer, not because I wanted to but because I had to.  Color was too expensive and a bit tricky to master.

So, for now I only have a few images in the Black & White section of Boxed Light but I hope to add more in the near future.  I hope you enjoy them.  Look for the menu option on the home page of Boxed Light or   http://www.boxedlight.com/bw

Let me say right up front that I don’t dislike street photography.  It’s not my thing and I rarely shoot “street” but I do recognize good street when I see it.

For the most part  I find much of what is presented as street photography to be boring snapshots… usually in black and white.  Apparently proper street work has to be in black and white.  Much of it is usually out of focus or exhibits some degree of motion blur.  (Make HCB proud.)

Here’s one I took a couple of years ago using the Leica M8 during the State Fair of Texas.   Yep, it’s in Black & White… but no motion blur.. Damn! I am a failure!…..  And while I do like this photograph I don’t really think of it as street photography.

The premis of street photography, as I understand it, is to tell a story in one single photograph.   With street photography you have to be sneaky or blend in so well with the surroundings that potential subjects will not notice you and go about their business as if you were not there.   You are the epitome of the “stealth photographer”…..  but then…..

Some street photographers are so in the face of their subjects that I would call them street nuisances.  I’m serious, I’ve seen videos of some of these guys working and if I were one of their subjects  I think I’d use a stun gun to deal with them.  If one of those aggressive street photographers got in my face they would have a serious problem.

We do have this thing called personal space.  We cherish it and don’t really want anyone to encroach on it.. whether it’s some a photographer 2 feet away with an M9 or another photographer 20 yards away with a telephoto lens.   I really don’t want to be photographed without my knowledge.  I don’t want my personal space invaded and I think most people feel the same way.   This is one of the reasons I don’t enjoy doing street photography.  I don’t wish to do to others what I don’t want done to me.   Yeah, I know all about the law saying that if you are in public with no reasonable expectation of privacy that you are fair game for any bozo with a camera.  That really doesn’t make it right though does it?    

Yes, there is plenty of government surveillance what with CCTV systems, traffic cameras, Etc.. but all of those devices are pretty much passive systems.   The street photographer, on the other hand, is not.  He is out there, hunting….  just trying to capture you doing nothing more than you being you but without your knowledge.  Something about that bothers me.

Like I said, I enjoy good street photography when I see it.. I suppose this makes me a hypocrite.  There’s a lot of photography claiming to be street photography these days but to me, much of  it just comes across as being bad B&W snapshots of some poor individual who didn’t know they were being photographed…. just like all those people in the photo I posted above.  Not a one of them knew I stole their soul and a moment of their privacy.

Fanboy Definition: 1. A person who is completely loyal to a camera or camera brand regardless of whether said camera or camera company produces products that are overpriced, overrated or simply suck or not.
2. A pathetic insult often used by fanboys themselves to try and put down people who don’t like whatever it is they like.

Fanboys are everywhere.  Those individuals who are quick to defend their chosen brand and just as quick to discount all other brands as being inferior devices made by peasants working for minimum wage in some factory in Southeast Asia.

I’ve come across a number of Fanboys in the last ten years.  Most of them used Leicas but Canon and Nikon also have their share as does Sigma and all the other camera brands.. they really are everywhere.  No matter which camera forum you visit there will be several Fanboys in residence willing to brand anyone who dares question or disparage their camera brand of choice as a troll.  Some of the Fanboys even follow the poor individual who has dared to question some feature of the Fanboy’s brand/camera from one camera forum to another taking pot shots at them and alerting the locals along the way that a troll is in their midst and is not to be trusted.

What drives someone to adopt such a behavior pattern?  Do they really have such a boring life that becoming a Fanboy provides status and gratification that cannot be achieved in any other manner?  Are they so blind that they fail to see what they have become?

I say live and let live.  If you have a problem or complaint with one of the cameras that I use, why should I care?  Why would I rush to the defense of the camera if  it did not perform in the way you expected it to perform?  What vested interest do I have in the camera or the brand that makes me feel so insecure that I must defend it and attack you.  Yes, you…. You stupid Troll!  Sorry… I got carried away.  See how easy it is?

I can remember an incident that occurred in one of the Leica forums in which one of  The Uninformed made the mistake of asking why the Leica M8 did not have auto-focus.  No less than three of the Leica Fanboys took this opportunity to label this poor individual a Troll.  Turns out he was not a troll, just new to photography and could not understand how such an expensive camera did not offer auto-focus.  He knew nothing about Leica and was just asking, what appeared to him, to be an honest and puzzling question.

I have to admit that I find the Fanboy threads to be highly amusing and even entertaining on occasion.  I know it’s not politically correct to take pleasure in the stupidity of others but hey, I’m only human.  Let’s face it.. we all enjoy watching a good fight every now and then… especially when we’re not involved but rather watching from the sidelines.

To be honest, Fanboys & Trolls are equally bad for camera forums.

Fanboys believe the gear is the second coming and has no faults.  How could it?  It is Divine!  In addition, Fanboys are quick to brand the uninformed as troublemakers.  One might ask a perfectly legitimate question and be branded a troublemaker.. which is just one step away from becoming a Troll.  For instance I might make the observation that the brand new Zomflecker Camera does not handle noise well at ISO settings above 128,000 and a Zomflecker Fanboy would take this as a serious assault on his own personal camera and manhood.  Withering defense to follow combined with dashes of name calling and the issuance of the Troll label.

The Real Trolls are there just to poke people (usually the Fanboys) with a stick and stir up as much mischeif as possible.  They think it’s great fun and know just what things to say to push the buttons of those loyal to the brand in question.  To them it’s all good sport and a jolly good time.

It doesn’t take a lot of brains to be a Troll.  Come to think of it, it doesn’t take a lot of brains to be a Fanboy either.

I just made my first ever video involving the Pentax K5 and the Panasonic GF1.  Well, not really.. I used the stills I took with those cameras while in New Orleans to create a video using Windows Live Movie Maker.  Below is the result.. kinda cool and it adds a different dimension to the still photography.  Take a look, it’s about 5 minutes long.

The Tombs of New Orleans from Jim Radcliffe on Vimeo.

First, let me make it very clear that Boxed Light is not a review site.  It is my own personal site broken down by the cameras I have owned or used and the images produced by those cameras.

In addition, I have added this blog section which allows me to blather on about anything I please without some forum bozo or forum policeman getting on my case for voicing my opinions.  If you don’t like my opinions you don’t have to read them.

Anyway….

I am considering selling all of my Canon gear.  It’s bulky, it weighs a ton, it scares small children and natives of foreign countries.  The 5D MKII makes me look like something I am not.. a “Pro” and that tends to make shop owners and others nervous and they begin wondering what the hell I am doing taking photos of their property or in their store, etc..

The other thing is that I am completely bored with my Canon gear.  That’s right, I find the 5D MKII to be boring.  I have probably less than 1,000 shutter activations on it and I have never used it for video.  So, why am I hanging on to it?  Because it may feel boring but it also feels “safe”.  It is like an old friend.. I feel comfortable (but bored) with it.  You know the type.. they pop over for a visit, sit on your sofa, drink beer, belch and fart while they watch your TV.

Here comes the uncharted territory part….

I am actually thinking of the Pentax K5 as a new addition to my family of cameras.  There are things about the K5 that I find very interesting.  So I began reading reviews… that was my first mistake.  Review sites can be so boring, especially when they use those mundane test shots.. you know, the ones with crayons, whisky bottles, thread, and other items that no photographer would ever take a shot of… and they drone on and on about specs, etc..

What I want in a review…

How about using a real, talented photographer to actually do some real work with the camera being tested?  I don’t give a damn about test shots.. I want to see real world use of the camera by a talented photographer.  I say talented because some of the review sites seem to hand the cameras being tested/reviewed to interns who churn out some really boring stuff… snapshots, if you will.

“Here’s a picture of me mate having a go at some fish and chips! Eh? What the hell is that growth on the side of his head?  Better have a doctor take a look at that.”

No, I want to see what the K5 can do in the hands of a real and talented photographer.  That would really help me make a decision.  Specs don’t always tell the whole story and sometimes I actually think they lie.  I much prefer to look at a body of work (serious work) from a camera and make a decision based on that rather than a bunch of test shots taken on a lunch break.

So here I am pondering something like the Pentax K5 and wondering where the truth really lies with that camera.  Some say it has auto focus issues, some say it does not.  Some say the IQ is not as great as some suggest, some say it is.  Reading the reviews is like sticking ice picks in my eyes… some of them actually seem to just use the press release from Pentax.  Frustrating.

In all fairness to those sites who do equipment reviews, I’m glad you’re there.  Even if it does take forever to get a review done or you did the review on a pre-release model which bares no resemblance to what was released.  I am glad you’re there.  You do offer helpful information.   But consider using a real (and talented) photographer in your reviews.  Sample photographs, not to be confused with “TEST” photographs, are really one of the most important things to me when I am making a decision.

I’m looking for something smaller than the 5D MKII with some cool camera features.  So far, at least on the spec sheets, the Pentax K5 looks pretty good.  But here’s the problem.  I can’t find one to hold and test myself.  (Not that I am a really talented photographer, I’m not)  But I do want to hold it, possibly even caress it and see if it speaks to me.  I hear the sound of the shutter in the K5 is a whisper compared to that of the 5D MKII… hope I can hear the thing if it does speak to me.

Maybe I should read the review on Jim Bob’s Plumbing Site.  Surely he won’t have one of those static displays with crayons and thread.

I am constantly amazed (and amused) by the people in various photography forums who continue to lust for and demand that camera makers do a better job of producing new cameras.  They want higher ISO (3200 is not enough), they want better dynamic range (ok, that’s not too bad), they want this feature and that feature added.  They want fast primes and telephotos that don’t cost a lot and are a quarter of the size of the current crop of lenses available. Forget the laws of physics as they relate to optics.  Some want manual controls, some want touchscreen systems.  Some want a compact camera with a small sensor to provide the same shallow depth of field as a DSLR with a full size sensor.  The list is endless, it just never stops.  No matter how good the latest camera is, it’s never good enough.

It seems that many are so caught up in the technology of digital photography that they have let the actual skill of being a photographer fall by the wayside.  Heaven forbid that a photographer might have to think about a shot.. the camera should do that, right?  It’s as if the technology alone will make them better photographers and therefore they quest for and demand more and more from the camera makers.

We’ve all seen the sad photographs from the owners of top end gear from Nikon, Canon and Leica produce images a $399 point and shoot could have produced and somehow it is the camera’s fault because it lacks a certain “must have feature” that inhibits the photographer from creating an amazing image rather than yet another snapshot.

If those in the online forums would spend as much time developing their photographic skills and extending their knowlege of basic photography as they do whining about the inadequacies of their gear they might actually produce an outstanding image.

I read a post this morning on one of the photography forums in which a guy was asking the question:  What do you want in the GH3? The GH2, produced by Panasonic, has only been out for a short while and many who have ordered the GH2 have not yet received their cameras due to Panasonic’s inability to keep up with demand, self included.  So the GH2 is not yet in the hands of many who ordered it and already there are threads on various photography forums wanting to know what the GH3 should have in the way of  features.  It’s insane.  It’s madness.  No really, these people are suffering from Phototechitis..  There is no cure and those who suffer from this malady will never be happy with any camera.  The only cure would be.. wait for it… The Perfect Camera.  Of course, such a camera does not and will not ever exist.

If you want to be a better photographer, take the time to develop your skill as a photographer.  Don’t spend your time chasing The Perfect Camera.. because even if it did exist, some would not have the skill to use it and would then demand more features to make The Perfect Camera… more perfect.

Some will say…. But Jim, didn’t YOU order a GH2?  What was wrong with the camera you already have?

Answer:  We’re all insane.

This post isn’t even about cameras but I wanted to share it with you anyway because I know that most of us have been through a similar situation in the past or will go through something similar in the future.

The abusurdity of the return policies of some of the companies we are all forced to do business with is enough to make you pull your hair out.  I understand the need for a company to protect itself from those who would take advantage of a return policy but there are common sense limits that are being ignored.

Anyway, turns out I needed to buy a microphone/headset to create a video with audio using a screen capture utility.  Since I only do this once in a blue moon I opted for the cheapest set that the local Office Depot had in stock.

And so begins today’s fairytale……

I entered the store and asked one of the guys working the floor (actually he was the only guy on the floor) if they had headsets with microphones for computers.  He looked at me with an empty stare that said “I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”… after a moment he said “No, we don’t have those.”

Ok, they don’t have them, so I decided to look around the computer section and literally fell over the item(s) he said they did not have.   So there was this great buy from Microsoft for only $19.95, the LifeChat LX-1000.  Perfect, just what I needed so I take it to check out and the following conversation ensues….

Me: What is your return policy on this item?

Store Dude:  You can return it anytime during the next 14 days with no questions asked as long as it is in the original, un-opened package and you have the receipt.

Me: How can I determine if the headset works with my software application if I can’t open the package and try it out?  It appears I will have to open the package to test it.. or am I missing something here?

Store Dude:  Um..Yeah, well, if you open the package and it doesn’t work you can bring it back and we’ll give you another one.

Me: So, if I open this package and the headset does not work with my application you will give me another headset, just like this one?

Store Dude:  Uh, Yeah..

Me:  You do understand that what you are offering will not solve my problem?  You’re going to swap one incompatible headset for another incompatible headset.  How will that help me?

Store Dude:  Let me get my manager over here…

Now understand that the item is sealed in one of those clear plastic, ultrasonically sealed/welded packages which you have to cut open to gain access to what is inside.  In other words, you can not open the package without destroying the package.

At this point I realize this is not going to be a win, win situation but it is now more about the principle of the matter and customer service or lack thereof that is important.  I’m not trying to be difficult but I am not willing to accept their merchandise return policy either. 

The manager comes over and I explain my concern and once again ask about the return policy.   By the way, the manager turns out to be the same guy wandering the store who earlier told me they did not have the headset I was looking for.

Manager Dude:  Yeah, if it doesn’t work with your application we’ll let you swap it for another one.

Me:  Do you have another headset that sells for $19.95?

Manager Dude:  Uh, no, you’d have to buy a more expensive one, plus you’d have to pay a re-stocking fee on the one you returned since you opened it.

Me: If I don’t open it how will I determine whether it works with my software application?

Manager Due:  [Blank Stare]…. Uh, I don’t know?

Me: I’m thinking refund if it doesn’t work with my application.

Manager Dude:  Uh, we could give you a gift card.

Me:  I don’t want a gift card.  I want a headset that will work with my application.

Manager Dude:  Yeah but you’ve already opened the package…..

Me:  Do you not see a Catch 22 issue here?

Manger Dude: What?

Me:  Sorry, that was a movie made before you were born..

Manager Dude:  What?

Me:  Never mind, I’m going to Best Buy.

Manager Dude:  Do you have one of our Reward Cards?

I routinely turn down people who wish to hire me to shoot weddings.  I probably shouldn’t do that as I might have an M9 by now if I took on wedding photography.  Wedding photography is quite lucrative.. if you are any good.

Weddings are very demanding.  You need assistants.  You need the proper gear.  You need to be organized and you need to be able to PLAN… really plan!  You also need to follow both sets of parents “directions/instructions”.  You need to make every shot count.  You need to stick to a schedule during and after the wedding and reception.  Wedding photography is not for those interested in making a quick buck as you do tend to work your tail off… before, during and after the wedding.

Bottom line is that to be a really good wedding photographer you probably will not be able to do it all yourself.  There is too much going on and too many different angles you need to consider.  You have three demanding clients:  the bride, the bride’s parents and the groom’s parents.  The groom is usually happy with just about anything so he doesn’t count.

Where am I going with this?

My wife informed me that we had a wedding to attend on Saturday, January 8, 2011.  So I put on the suit I wear once a year (yes, it still fits) and off we went.   Stuffed in my jacket pocket was the GF1 set to Dynamic Black and White mode.  To keep the size down and because I knew it would be fairly dark, I had the 20mm f/1.7 attached.

I may not accept or take on wedding photography but as long as I’m at a wedding I might as well see what I can do with a camera whose feature set would really not be first choice for shooting a wedding.  I could have taken the Canon 5D MKII but I really did not want to lug that boat anchor with me to a fun event.  The food was great, by the way.. and so was the band.  I had a good time.

Here is a sample of how the GF1 performed. 

Panasonic GF1:  20mm Pancake Lens at  f/1.7 at 1/200 of a second. 
ISO 400   -   Dynamic Black & White Mode   JPG

And one more in color…  

It doesn’t take long for one to realize that the world is full of people who will never be content with any camera they own.  Just visit any number of photography forums and you will find post after post by people comparing one camera to another, arguing tech specs, arguing lens specs, arguing JPG output quality, etc…  It never stops.

What most of these people never do is actually print their photographs.  They view them on their computer screens at 200 to 400% magnification to look for flaws in the image.  Once the searched for flaw is found (real or perceived) they rush to post their findings on the Internet and begin yet another round of arguments over who has the best or worst (fill in the blank yourself) in photography today.

I guess this constant arguing and pixel-peeping gives them some purpose, some reason, for buying or not buying a specific camera and justification to initiate yet another thread in a forum which will degenerate and become another example of why there will never be world peace. The thread often degenerates to the point where the combatants resort to less than a civil discussion of the gear in particular and photography in general. 

The funny thing is that most of the people who engage in this level of pixel peeping rarely post anything but “test shots” from their cameras.  I rarely see any real photographic work displayed simply for enjoyment and sharing.  How sad.  More than one photography forum has been ruined by these people.  You’d think they would actually get more enjoyment out of using their cameras and lenses rather than constantly testing them.  They would be better served by looking for flaws in their technique rather than flaws in their gear. 

They should get out and really try to create a body of photographic work rather than a body of photographic tests.  Their lives will be enriched and their gear will be used for the purpose for which it was purchased.

Sure, I write about the gear I own or have owned.  I am critical of some of it but I don’t obsess over any of it.  The only thing I obsess over is having the time and the opportunity to take photographs.

Ever since I got back into photography I have almost always had a camera with me.  At first it was my DSLRs and an assortment of lenses. Later I began carrying a compact camera like the Leica D-Lux 3 and 4.  I then started carrying just my Leica M8 and now I only carry my GF1.

I hate lugging DSLRs and their dependent glass around, too heavy, too bulky, too much theft appeal.  I much prefer the small bag the GF1 and lenses fit into but even that can become a pain sometimes.  Yeah, I know it sounds like I’m just whining but let’s face it, we all would like a really good camera that we could have with us all the time that would fit in our pocket or at least a jacket pocket.  Turns out many of us already do.

The camera on the latest version of the iPhone is quite amazing when you consider its size and the images you can capture and of course that solid state flash.  I have an older iPhone so the camera on it does not compete with the newer version on the iPhone 4.   Makes me wonder what the camera on the iPhone 5 and the iPad II will be like.

I was in a bookstore a few months ago and stumbled across a book that contained only photos taken with the iPhone and I was amazed by what I saw.

Check out the video below.  While he is obviously promoting his iPhone Ap and book, it’s worth a look. 

And click here to see a number of  iPhone books you might enjoy viewing.

The beautiful thing about photography today is that it doesn’t matter what you use to take the shot.. it’s that you now have the opportunity to take the shot almost anywhere, anytime. With the new mirrorless cameras and the cameras that keep getting better and better in cellphones we can almost always have a camera with us.

The counter argument runs something like this…. “Yes, but serious photographers would never use an iPhone”.  Well, I think they would and have. And like everything else that is electronic/digital.. they’ll keep getting better.   Let’s face it, you’re not going to get DSLR quality out of an iPhone but if it’s all you have with you, at least you have the shot.

I’m not suggesting anyone sell their gear and opt for an iPhone camera… just entertain the thought every now and then of seeing what you can do with a “lesser” camera.   It doesn’t matter if your lesser camera is a an iPhone or a micro four thirds system.  The point is to try to do more with less.  Try it, you might surprise yourself.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year’s Eve and I hope you will all have a great 2011.  Who knows what photographic wonders will come our way this year?  You can be sure there will be something that each of us simply must have.

I am still waiting on my GH2 to arrive.  I was hoping to be using it for the first photos taken in 2011 but I suppose the GF1 and Canon 5D II will have to suffice.  Then again, I may not take any new photos until it does arrive.  It’s pretty cold out on this New Year’s Day… not the kind of weather I enjoy shooting in.   A good football game by the fire is sounding more and more enjoyable.

I wanted to launch this blog when it was a bit more complete but I guess the first day of the new year is as appropriate as anytime to launch it.  It is a work in progress and will evolve over time as I have a firmer grasp of what it (the blog software) is capable of doing.

More content will come.  I promise.  For the most part I will not be allowing comments due to my recent experience with a certain online forum.  I have no time, nor the inclination to “explain” or defend what I write.  So the comments are off.  I am not here to argue or defend, just to share my photography and thoughts.  If you don’t like either you can simply move on.  You will be able to contact me via email, if you so desire, from the contact page.

I have no intention of turning this into a commercial venture with ads all over the place and pleas for donations.  I can afford the small amount it costs to run this website.. it is less than $20 per month.  I have already turned down about 20 offers from companies to place ads on my site in 2010.  This is a labor of love, not an attempt to make money.  No ads, no begging, no solicitation.

I do intend to write about products and services I find useful, good, bad or ugly but I will not be a prolific blogger.  My life is pretty busy with work and family.  Photography always has to come second.

Happy New Year!

Jim

Because of what and how I shoot I am not a big fan of fixed focal length cameras. 

I was offered the use of a Leica X1 for a weekend and took advantage of the offer.  I really wanted to like the Leica X1 but found it just did not work for me on a number of levels.  It was slow to focus and the LCD was not what it should have been in my opinion and then, of course, there was the Leica price tag… but the biggest issue was the fixed focal length.  I just could not get the shots I wanted on several occasions because I could not zoom with my feet for one reason or another.

Having said the above…. I can’t explain why I am being drawn to the Fuji X100.  Maybe it’s just the way the X100 looks.  It’s a beautiful, retro looking camera with a large sensor.   Of course it is not in production as I write this but its appeal is quite seductive.   I guess it’s much like that glazed donut you know you really don’t need to eat but.. you want it.  

I’m looking forward to seeing the photographs the X100 can produce… and if the quality is there and the price is right.. I might be tempted.

Many photographers favor fixed focal length cameras.  They say it makes you think about and plan your shot.  I agree but sometimes all the thinking and planning in the world will not allow you to get the shot with such a camera because your subject is just out of reach of the camera’s focal length and you can’t zoom with your feet.  

Zooming with your feet is something that I am no stranger to but sometimes you just can’t do it and that can result in not getting the shot.  I can remember a number of occasions in which I was almost a traffic fatality while zooming with my feet.  No shot is worth dying for.

A camera that accepts interchangeable lenses just works better for me.  I know all the trade-offs that are the baggage of a zoom lens but I do prefer them for some of what I shoot.  The use of prime lenses is the best route to go for quality images but then you are talking real, physical baggage if you have to carry around several of those.

I’ve recently bought several primes for my Canon 5D MKII and enjoy using them.  The quality is good and the images out of the camera are very sharp but swapping primes can also be a problem, resulting in missed shots… and I really hate it when that happens.

It’s true… there is no perfect camera.