While in Havana I was on the lookout for the old lady with the cigar picture that I had seen so many times before. What I was looking for was a close up shot of her. By luck, I took a side street near the Plaza de la Catedral and there they were.
For a few Cuban Convertible Pesos you can get just about anything in Cuba, including a picture with these kind ladies. The problem was she wasn’t alone and I was not about to make the others feel unwanted. So I gave my daughter my camera and told her to a take a picture of me as my close up shot was quickly turning into a group shot. My daughter was puzzled and not sure where I was going and then embarrassed as I made my way to the old lady’s and sat between them.
I wasn’t about to hug them or get close but they quickly squeezed me in and I was astonished to see one lady put her leg over mine. My arm had to go around her or or I had to put my hand on her leg and since I wasn’t up for the challenge, I decided to put my hand on her leg. (By the look of my hand position you can tell there was no comfort there. In fact I wasn’t sure what the hell I was touchin’!)
Once the shot was taken, I got up like if I had sat on a thumb tack. I wasn’t about to spark up any conversation, especially with my very limited Spanish vocabulary. With my luck I would have said “beso por favor, damas” instead of “Gracias señoras”. So I turned around and handed the lady in red (I guess Chris de Burgh was in Havana too) a Pesos, thinking that this was plenty for my 1/400 sec stay on the bench. Well I was wrong. The old lady on the right was quick to point out I was 2 Pesos short. Now it wasn’t the Spanish slur she toothlessly yelled out that made me clue in on this but rather the two crooked figures she kept showing me. Once I realized that this was as straight as they got and she wasn’t giving me the peace sign or trying to make different animals on the shadows of the wall, I knew I owed her two more Pesos.
I quickly scrambled looking for money to pay them off and get the hell out of there before one of these old tarts decided that a kiss would be better.
From the brighter side of the darkroom,
Pierre
Monday, March 15, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Canon G11 Challenge
Many people invest significant amounts of money on high-end cameras and equipment which is often more than they really need or even know how to use. Their lack of results is just another justification to spend more money on accessories or even worse, stop using what they have.
I often tell people that the camera doesn’t make a difference and that their camera (often a P&S) can create beautiful images. They usually look at me with disbelief as I stand there holding my DSLR (which can look impressive with the battery grip and a f2.8 lens). I have undoubtedly and unintentionally initiated many DLSR purchases with the (false) pretense that this would result in the person creating better images. I’m not stupid, DSLR (APS-C or full frame) image files are far superior in detail to work with than a P&S camera but the reality is the photographer creates the image, not the camera.
My recent purchase of a Canon G11 P&S camera has raised a few eyebrows. Why would I go from a Nikon D300 to a Canon G11? Why not a D700 or even jump ship to a 5D? First thing is I didn’t replace my D300 for a G11. I got the G11 to compliment my existing equipment and more importantly I purchased it to bring as my main camera on my trip to Cuba, instead of lugging around my 30lbs camera bag.
This was also a great opportunity and challenge for me because a good P&S separates the photographers from the wannabes. It was also an excellent occasion for me to build a portfolio of images to prove my point on P&S capabilities for my next workshop.
I already had an excellent example of this and it was 1bluecanoe. Ruthanne is a phenomenal artist who has an eye for photography. I discovered her when I started on flickr and I was amazed by her work which she produces with her Canon Powershot. Ever since I’ve discovered her work she’s been an inspiration and has made me realize that your camera doesn't matter.
Expectation
I think one of the most important and overlooked aspect of selecting a camera, settings and workflow is having clear expectations of the end result. What do you want to do with the photos? View them on a computer? Print them? What size? 4x6? 20x24? One could say that you should always have the highest expectations and work accordingly. The fact is that we do not all have Ansel Adams capabilities nor do we shoot with 8 x 10 view cameras. Few people sell or print their images much bigger than 12 x 16. Working like if you will make wall size prints all the time is very time consuming, expensive and an unrealistic approach for your typical (serious) amateur.
So my expectations for this trip were clear. Capture sufficient quality images for a Blurb book that would tell the story of our trip. This meant a P&S would be perfect and shooting in JPG with the odd RAW would suffice.
The Verdict
After one week in Cuba shooting the G11 and a borrowed D10 and processing the images, here are my thoughts.
From a stress point a view, it was a pleasure to be on a trip and not have to worry about $7k of equipment which I carry most of it when I travel. All I had was a small belt bag with the camera, spare battery and memory cards. On the beach or near the pool I didn’t care about the sand or the saltwater, the D10 could take it all.
The G11 clearly exceeded my expectations. In fact, the only time I wish I had my DSLR was when I was in Havana where my Tokina 11-16 would have come in handy. Although P&S are slow, I managed to capture all but one key shot during the dolphin show. The G11 has a handy Quick Shot setting for action.
The Canon G11 is truly an amazing camera. Interestingly Canon has gone from 12 MP (G9), 14 MP (G10) down to 10 MP on the G11. They have improved image quality and noise reduction to produce superlative quality images on 10 MP, busting the myth that more Megapixels is better.
What I like:
1. Small and compact, not stress/worry camera
2. Amazing quality for a small sensor camera
3. Feature rich including RAW, bracketing and hot shoe
4. Image Stablizer
5. Excellent controls for a photographer
6. Phenomenal Macro capabilities.
What I don’t like:
1. Distortion – more than my ultra-wide, can be corrected in PS but a pain in the butt.
2. Limited wide angle view and I’m a super-wide angle guy.
3. Buttons on back are too easily pressed by accident – Canon should have a way to disable or modify to increase pressure to activate.
4. Slow as compared to a DSLR
5. Only 5x zoom.
6. Too much DOF, basically no bokeh capabilities.
If I had to do it all over again
Would I buy the G11 and do the same thing? Absolutely! The G11 has become an extension of me and with me all the time. Even when I’m out with my D300, the G11 is on my belt, ready capture the macro world or a different perspective.
What about the D10? My expectations were much lower of this camera as I had read some mix reviews about its performance. Well I was very impressed with this camera too. Look at these examples and you will see why.
I’m putting the final touches on my Blurb book (about 140 pages) and look forward to see it in print. I also look forward to my next Digital Photography Workshop as I finally got the material needed to share and show people what can be done with a P&S.
So if you are disappointed with your photos and are considering to buy a new camera, think twice because odds are the problem is not with the camera.
From the brighter side of the darkroom,
Pierre
I often tell people that the camera doesn’t make a difference and that their camera (often a P&S) can create beautiful images. They usually look at me with disbelief as I stand there holding my DSLR (which can look impressive with the battery grip and a f2.8 lens). I have undoubtedly and unintentionally initiated many DLSR purchases with the (false) pretense that this would result in the person creating better images. I’m not stupid, DSLR (APS-C or full frame) image files are far superior in detail to work with than a P&S camera but the reality is the photographer creates the image, not the camera.
My recent purchase of a Canon G11 P&S camera has raised a few eyebrows. Why would I go from a Nikon D300 to a Canon G11? Why not a D700 or even jump ship to a 5D? First thing is I didn’t replace my D300 for a G11. I got the G11 to compliment my existing equipment and more importantly I purchased it to bring as my main camera on my trip to Cuba, instead of lugging around my 30lbs camera bag.
This was also a great opportunity and challenge for me because a good P&S separates the photographers from the wannabes. It was also an excellent occasion for me to build a portfolio of images to prove my point on P&S capabilities for my next workshop.
I already had an excellent example of this and it was 1bluecanoe. Ruthanne is a phenomenal artist who has an eye for photography. I discovered her when I started on flickr and I was amazed by her work which she produces with her Canon Powershot. Ever since I’ve discovered her work she’s been an inspiration and has made me realize that your camera doesn't matter.
Expectation
I think one of the most important and overlooked aspect of selecting a camera, settings and workflow is having clear expectations of the end result. What do you want to do with the photos? View them on a computer? Print them? What size? 4x6? 20x24? One could say that you should always have the highest expectations and work accordingly. The fact is that we do not all have Ansel Adams capabilities nor do we shoot with 8 x 10 view cameras. Few people sell or print their images much bigger than 12 x 16. Working like if you will make wall size prints all the time is very time consuming, expensive and an unrealistic approach for your typical (serious) amateur.
So my expectations for this trip were clear. Capture sufficient quality images for a Blurb book that would tell the story of our trip. This meant a P&S would be perfect and shooting in JPG with the odd RAW would suffice.
The Verdict
After one week in Cuba shooting the G11 and a borrowed D10 and processing the images, here are my thoughts.
From a stress point a view, it was a pleasure to be on a trip and not have to worry about $7k of equipment which I carry most of it when I travel. All I had was a small belt bag with the camera, spare battery and memory cards. On the beach or near the pool I didn’t care about the sand or the saltwater, the D10 could take it all.
The G11 clearly exceeded my expectations. In fact, the only time I wish I had my DSLR was when I was in Havana where my Tokina 11-16 would have come in handy. Although P&S are slow, I managed to capture all but one key shot during the dolphin show. The G11 has a handy Quick Shot setting for action.
The Canon G11 is truly an amazing camera. Interestingly Canon has gone from 12 MP (G9), 14 MP (G10) down to 10 MP on the G11. They have improved image quality and noise reduction to produce superlative quality images on 10 MP, busting the myth that more Megapixels is better.
What I like:
1. Small and compact, not stress/worry camera
2. Amazing quality for a small sensor camera
3. Feature rich including RAW, bracketing and hot shoe
4. Image Stablizer
5. Excellent controls for a photographer
6. Phenomenal Macro capabilities.
What I don’t like:
1. Distortion – more than my ultra-wide, can be corrected in PS but a pain in the butt.
2. Limited wide angle view and I’m a super-wide angle guy.
3. Buttons on back are too easily pressed by accident – Canon should have a way to disable or modify to increase pressure to activate.
4. Slow as compared to a DSLR
5. Only 5x zoom.
6. Too much DOF, basically no bokeh capabilities.
If I had to do it all over again
Would I buy the G11 and do the same thing? Absolutely! The G11 has become an extension of me and with me all the time. Even when I’m out with my D300, the G11 is on my belt, ready capture the macro world or a different perspective.
What about the D10? My expectations were much lower of this camera as I had read some mix reviews about its performance. Well I was very impressed with this camera too. Look at these examples and you will see why.
I’m putting the final touches on my Blurb book (about 140 pages) and look forward to see it in print. I also look forward to my next Digital Photography Workshop as I finally got the material needed to share and show people what can be done with a P&S.
So if you are disappointed with your photos and are considering to buy a new camera, think twice because odds are the problem is not with the camera.
From the brighter side of the darkroom,
Pierre
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