initial images – Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L fisheye zoom lens (review)

I got my hands on the brand-new Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L fish-eye zoom (B&H) today, and I just had to try it out. And what better place than Times Square in Manhattan. Enough tall buildings and billboards to fill the frame of a lens that gives a 180 degree view! Now, before I continue, I have to admit that even though I have a fish-eye lens in my bag, (the Nikon 16mm f2.8), I only occasionally use it. I feel that a fish-eye lens can be over-used very quickly when it draws too much attention to the distorted view that the lens gives, rather than the photograph’s content. That said, I haven’t had this much fun with a new lens in a long, long time!

[ updated: review of the Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L fisheye zoom ]

While the Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L fish-eye zoom (B&H) can zoom between those two extreme wide angle views, I think it will essentially be used as a dual focal-length lens. At 8mm it gives a circular view of 180 degrees as seen in the top image. At 14-15mm it gives the classic fish-eye look. (For the images here, I used the Canon 5D mk II (B&H).

In-between those two focal lengths, you can see the frame intrudes into the image area, without giving that neat circular effect. In-between focal lengths will have large areas of black, as the lens zooms wider than the image area of a full-frame camera. So I do think that most photographers will use this lens at those two focal lengths for most of the time … 8mm and 15mm.

For comparison, here is the image at the top at 8mm, compared to the image at 15mm. (I have cropped out the black edges of the 3:2 ratio frame of the circular image, to give me a 1:1 image within which the circular image makes more sense.) Also note that we’re seeing 180 degrees there! If I had been able to steady myself properly while looking straight up with this lens on my camera, then we would’ve seen sidewalk right around the edges of the frame.

camera settings: 1/80 @ f5 @ 1250 ISO

Here is the full-frame of a circular image, compared to how I had cropped out the sides, just in case someone was wondering what the actual image would look like as it comes out of your camera. (It’s the same photo, just cropped in Photoshop.)

camera settings: 1/40 @ f4 @ 1250 ISO

Everything takes on a surreal aspect when viewed as a 180 degree circular image. Here is the well-known ceiling of the sidewalk area of the big McDonalds just off Times Square.

camera settings: 1/100 @ f5.6 @ 1250 ISO

shot at 15mm:

shot at 13mm … and you can see the black corners as the image is being zoomed wider than the image circle created by the lens.

shot at 8mm (as cropped in PS) … and that’s the building behind me that you’re seeing at the top of the photo:

camera settings: 1/25 @ f5.6 @ 1250 ISO

We’ll come back to this lens with a more in-depth review, but here are my overall first impressions:

• this is an exceptional lens. It is sharp! Even the extreme edges are sharp. It suffers none of that image softness that plagues the edges of photos taken with the Canon 16-35mm f2.8L II.
• the lens cap design is innovative. It clips on and off. (Nikon could take note here with the Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 lens cap that just slips on and off.) As an aside: the lens hood has to be removed for the 8mm focal length.
• the lens is not that much larger than the Canon 15mm f2.8
• the lens focuses surprisingly close – a mere 6.2″
• finally, this is a fun lens.  Optically superb, and fun to use. What else more could you want from a lens.

This lens can be ordered from B&H via this affiliate linkCanon EF 8-15mm f/4L fish-eye zoom

If you find these articles interesting and of value, then you can help by using
these affiliate links to order equipment & other goodies. Thank you!

Stay informed of new articles via the monthly newsletter.
Also join us on the Tangents forum for further discussions.

photo session with the Fuji X100 – camera review

First of all, for those who haven’t heard of the Fuji X100 (B&H) yet, it is a beautiful retro-looking rangefinder-mimicking 12 megapixel digital point & shoot camera (with a fixed 35mm equivalent f2.0 lens), that gives remarkable image quality. That about sums it up.

For all those reasons, quite a buzz developed around this camera. Quite unlike anything since … oh, the Leica X1. Or the Olympus Pen EP-2. Or the Sony NEX-5. There was greater excitement building up around the Fuji X100 though than other cameras, specifically for its looks initially. And then when news hit about the incredible image quality, the excitement and interest became more substantial. It’s a hot item right now, and for good reason. But more about the details and specs of this camera later on.

The reason why I bought this camera – well, the way I justify it to myself even though I have several Nikon D3 bodies and a Canon 5D mk II – is that I wanted a Day Off Camera.

My usual day working as a photographer, is where I’m slinging heavy cameras around and running myself ragged. Or else, a working day is where I slump in front of the computer. Because of all that, I’ve felt this need to take a day off during the week. On this mid-week “weekend” day, I would just like to roam around New York with a camera and take photos, and have lunch and relax. But the camera shouldn’t be a heavy Nikon D3 with a zoom lens. That would just be too much physical effort again. (As it is, I have tendonitis in my right elbow from not carefully handling the big cameras with a 70-200mm f2.8 lens.)

So for a while now, I’ve been looking for a light-weight, top quality camera. My Day Off Camera. With the Fuji X100 (B&H), I finally felt I might have it. A stylish camera that is fun to play with, and gives great images.

Before I even got to photograph a wedding with the Fuji X100, I had a brilliant idea for a review of this camera. I wanted to do a photo shoot with Anelisa. Now the twist here is that I wanted it to be a play on the idea that this camera is ideal for surreptitious street photography.

The styling of the Fuji X100 is like the classic rangefinder cameras which were the tools of the trade of the street photographers. However, I live in New Jersey. This land of suburbia and shopping malls isn’t exactly the kind of place where you can roam around the streets on foot with a camera, snagging images which are wonderful slices of life. Besides, street photography is tough. You have to pound the city pavements for months on end, looking for those interstitial moments where everything in the frame intersects just perfectly. It is long hard work building up a portfolio of street photography that doesn’t just consist of random boring snaps of stuff and people.

The brilliant idea was to test the Fuji X100 out as this inconspicuous and innocent looking, yet very professionally capable camera … by photographing Anelisa in a shopping mall in New Jersey. Doing this photo shoot without being noticed by the security guards and getting kicked out, would need some non-chalant moves by the photographer and model … and a camera that doesn’t draw attention. If you pulled out a big DSLR with a telephoto zoom and started to direct the model, it will surely be only a minute before security guards accost you and ask you for your permit and proof of insurance. Life in America.

Anyway, as I said, the idea behind the shoot was a tongue-in-cheek reference to this camera being this surreptitious street photographer’s camera. But in a New Jersey shopping mall. I know, I know, it’s not the same. But, just go along with the idea …

[update: on June 26, 2011, Fuji announced a major firmware update for the Fuji X100.
Some of the changes in ver 1.10 will affect some of my initial observations in this review, especially my criticism of how the X100 (under firmware 1.0) would retain the ISO setting per mode, instead of retaining an overall ISO setting. This has now been fixed! So please take note that some of the comments about the camera's menu and behavior might have been affected since the time of the original review's posting. Instead of continually updating the review with every firmware update in the future, I'm going to let this review stand as it originally appeared.]

With this review of the Fuji X100, I again wanted compare the straight out of the camera (sooc) images with JPGs generated from an edited RAW file.  In Bridge / ACR, I created a default for the Fuji X100 RAW files which bumps up the saturation and contrast more than the zeroed defaults of ACR / Bridge. With this review, I will note with each image whether it is the sooc JPG, or is a JPG generated from the RAW file which I had adjusted.

Walking in from the parking lot, I noticed this interesting pattern against the exterior wall, and posed Anelisa there.

Now, the Fuji X100 has a fixed focal length lens which is the equivalent of a 35mm f2 lens. This wide focal length needs some consideration when composing a photograph. You can’t control your background by compressing it like  you can with a telephoto zoom. You have a specific angle of view, and you need to frame your subject with a certain economy of composition still in mind. You don’t want to include any extraneous distractions within the frame. This is harder work with a wide-angle lens than it is with a telephoto lens.

1/750 @ f2 @ 800 ISO; Auto WB
Aperture Priority, with +0.33 exposure compensation
image – sooc JPG

1/450 @ f2 @ 1600 ISO; Auto WB
image – RAW file, where I evened the image a bit more.
I somehow found it more difficult keeping this camera level than I do my larger Nikon D3 cameras. There is an Electronic Level / Virtual Horizon display in the Fuji X100, but I find it a distracting element in the viewfinder since there is a lag with the Virtual Horizon line.  (More about the EVF and OVF later on in this review.)

The pull-back shot to show the location:

Shooting inside the shopping mall, I was on the lookout for simple backgrounds. The light also had to be even, and there had to be enough light to give me a hand-holdable image at not much more than 800 ISO.

1/320 @ f2 @ 800 ISO; Auto WB
Aperture Priority, with +0.33 exposure compensation
image – RAW file processed in Bridge / ACR; with the image cropped a little.

Here is the sooc image, to show how I had missed the exact framing I was after. This was something I learned subsequently – that I need to look at the Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) display if I wanted exact framing. While the Optical Viewfinder (OVF) does show framing guidelines, but it isn’t as exact as the EVF.

The pull-back shot to show the location:

This large green expanse of a wall outside the Anthropologie store looked like it had potential. We had to work with, or work around the spotlights in the ceiling there, to make sure we don’t get uneven light on our model.

1/100 @ f4 @ 1600 ISO; Auto WB
Aperture Priority, with +0.33 exposure compensation
image – sooc JPG

For the sequence of images here, I kept my camera settings to the same, but I prefer the image generated from the RAW file, where I bump up the contrast and saturation, (as well as bring up the exposure a touch). I also changed the WB to bring in a warmer skin tone.

With this last image, I cropped the photograph from the original framing, to exclude some visual clutter.

Lunch at Johnny Rockets …

1/140 @ f2 @ 800 ISO; Incandescent WB
Aperture Priority, with +0.66 exposure compensation
image – slight retouching of the RAW image to add a touch more contrast.

What impressed me here was the gentle bokeh of the Fuji X100′s lens. Wide-angle lenses tend to have a harder bokeh .. but the background looks soft. The out of focus areas in the front exhibits some of that harshness. (But that’s how it works … if the bokeh of the background is soft, the foreground will be harsh. And vice versa.) Clicking on the photograph will bring up a larger image.

So the little lens is sharp, and has pleasant bokeh. Nice!

As a side-note here: I directed and posed Anelisa here so that the light fell evenly on her face, and didn’t leave darker shadows under her eyes.

Goofball!

1/110 @ f2 @ 800 ISO; Auto WB
Aperture Priority, with -0.33 exposure compensation (because of the darker tones)
image at the top – sooc JPG;
image below – slight crop, and finessing of the WB via the RAW file.

Outside the Abercrombie & Fitch store, with their customary black blinds.  The strong leading lines here drew me because it would make for such a strong compositional element.

1/150 @ f2 @ 800 ISO; Auto WB
Aperture Priority, with -0.33 exposure compensation (because of the darker tones)
image at the top – sooc JPG;
image below – slight crop, and finessing of the WB and exposure via the RAW file.

This photograph has appeared here before, with the discussion on exposure metering.

1/125 @ f2 @ 800 ISO; Auto WB
Manual exposure mode. (The only way to deal with that strong back-lighting, in-camera.)
image – JPG converted from the RAW file, which was edited for WB; vertical corrected.

The wider shot showing the area where we were shooting. For more details about this specific photograph, follow the link about exposure metering techniques.

The lens flares more easily than I am used to with my Nikon lenses. However, flare like this is easily corrected in post-processing.

1/125 @ f5.6 @ 800 ISO; Auto WB
Manual exposure mode, to overcome the strong back-lighting.
image at the top – sooc JPG;
image below – slight crop; and finessing of the WB and exposure of the RAW file.

1/125 @ f2.8 @ 1250 ISO; Auto WB
Manual Exposure mode
image at the top – sooc JPG;
image below – finessing of the WB and exposure via the RAW file.

Working in this niche at the one elevator, I was able to get two images that worked:

1/60 @ f2.8 @ 1250 ISO; Auto WB
Manual Exposure mode
image  - finessing of the WB and exposure and contrast via the RAW file.

1/60 @ f2.8 @ 1250 ISO; Auto WB
Manual Exposure mode
image  - finessing of the WB and exposure and contrast via the RAW file.
I also cloned out two push-button panels that I found distracting.

This last image is softer than I would’ve liked. You won’t be able to discern it from the web-size (and sharpened) image, but the full-rez file is softer than I’d like. The reason – my shutter speed was too slow for how I was working.

Overall assessment of the Fuji X100 during this photo session:

This is a fun little camera!

I do feel I have to adapt much of my way of seeing because of being limited to just the one focal length. So while I miss certain opportunities, it has made me re-learn a few things about visualizing what my angle of view is, and how close I need to be to my subject for a certain framing. In that respect, working with this camera was a trip back to the basics of photography.

I’m very happy with the images I got during this shoot, of which these dozen or so images are a selection.

Obviously, we couldn’t have Anelisa jumping and dancing – the slow shutter speeds (due to the low light, and lack of flash) worked against us. This would also have run counter against the very idea of this being a quiet nearly-unobserved photo shoot.

The camera is very light. I barely feel it on my shoulder, and it certainly doesn’t strain the wrists and hands.

While the Fuji cameras are legendary for great skin tones, I turned to the RAW file most of the times here. The mixed lighting in the shopping mall wasn’t the easiest challenge. The SOOC images look fine, but I do feel I did better in slightly touching up the RAW files in post.

As shown with examples in the two related articles:
- initial impression: Fuji X100
- review: Fuji X100 – photographing a wedding
the high-ISO noise is superbly handled. It wasn’t an issue at all to push up the ISO rating. I don’t have any 100% views of the noise as they appear, but the two linked articles do.

Specification and technical description of the Fuji X100:

More about the Fuji X100:
I don’t want to run through the full specification sheet. This is already available elsewhere, such as Fuji’s X100 site, and DP Review. So if details about the EXR Processor interests you, head on over there.

The things that I would need to know, are:
- the camera is capable of producing remarkably sharp and detailed images,
- build quality is solid and inspires confidence (and more than a touch of pride in this gem of a camera)
- it really isn’t heavy,
- the controls glide effortlessly and speaks of quality.

And you know what? I like my cameras and equipment to look stylish. I know that many photographers will trot out that worn-out cliche that they don’t care what the camera looks like, and that it is just a tool, and so on. Sure. But can’t we also indulge in cameras that look stylish and sexy? I’ll take it.

The one thing that is mentioned all the time with regards to the Fuji X100, is its hybrid viewfinder. The description doesn’t necessarily sound all that exciting, but what it does, is allow you to either look at your scene via the Electronic Viewfinder (EVF), or the Optical Viewfinder (OVF).

The Optical Viewfinder is sheer genius. Everyone I’ve shown the camera to, and have held it up to their eye, have responded with surprise. The optical viewfinder with the information overlay, just looks stunning. Crisp and clear. And all the info is there. Even the focused distance with the appropriate depth-of-field scale for your chosen aperture. Just beautiful.

This image from the Fuji X100 website, will give you an idea:

Shutter speed, aperture, ISO and exposure mode. Exposure metering and the histogram (which doesn’t work in Manual exposure mode unfortunately). A whole bunch of information laid over .. and yet not looking cluttered.

Now, in bright sunlight, you may not be able to distinguish this. What I’ve found though, is if I cover the eyepiece with my finger, I can see all the necessary info … even if I momentarily can’t see the scene. A quick-fix bit of help while shooting.

The Optical Viewfinder also shows the parallax correction as you focus closer. It really looks remarkable.

With a press of the button on the back of the camera, the display will either appear permanently on the back LCD, or permanently in the viewfinder … or best of all, flip between the outside LCD and the in-camera display – depending on whether you have your eye to the camera or not.

Then, in addition to the optical viewfinder (OVF), there is also the Electronic Viewfinder (EVF). As mentioned earlier, this will give you the exact framing. However, since it is an electronic display, there is some lag between what you see and your subject’s actual movements. The switch on the front of the camera is simple enough to use to engage either the OVF or the EVF.

As mentioned earlier, there is a potentially useful Electronic Level / Virtual Horizon display in both the EVF and OVF modes.

For bright light, the camera has a built-in Neutral Density filter to help in getting to wider apertures in bright light.

As mentioned in the review: photographing a wedding with the Fuji X100, the auto-focus performance of the Fuji X100 is okay. Fairly fast, but not impressive. And doesn’t quite match DSLR speed with auto-focusing. What I also found, is that the camera tended to grab the background if the background was brighter than my subject. Working close to my subject especially, the camera was prone to mis-focusing and grabbing some element of the background or some other part of my subject. The Fuji X100 does need a more careful approach with focusing than I am used to with the Nikon D3. (This shouldn’t be a surprise though. They are entirely different beasts.)

There are a number of features I didn’t check out, such as the Motion Panorama Mode, as well as the 720p Video Mode (24 frames/second). For me, the Fuji X100 is primarily for stills, but it’s nice to know there are further interesting options.

What does all add up to? A camera that is fun to use.

But there are a few quirks.

[update: on June 26, 2011, Fuji announced a major firmware update for the Fuji X100.
Some of the changes in ver 1.10 will affect some of my initial observations in this review, especially my criticism of how the X100 (under firmware 1.0) would retain the ISO setting per mode, instead of retaining an overall ISO setting. This has now been fixed! So please take note that some of the comments about the camera's menu and behavior might have been affected since the time of the original review's posting. Instead of continually updating the review with every firmware update in the future, I'm going to let this review stand as it originally appeared.]

Quirks of the Fuji X100:

There are a few quirks that the Fuji X100 has, that can be frustrating. Or just confusing. There are firmware updates which are rumored to fix a few of these, so we’ll have to keep an eye out.

- the one thing that drove me nuts during the wedding I photographed with the Fuji X100, was that it reverted to previously held ISO settings when changing exposure modes. (This is one of the things which will apparently be fixed with an upcoming firmware update. That it would be so easy to change between Exposure Modes, but then have to have to use several button pushes to get to your desired ISO again, makes no sense.

- the battery can be inserted the wrong way around! Even though there is a rounded corner on the battery, the battery chamber is square, so you can quite easily drop the battery in the wrong way. Then you have a dead camera, leaving you to think you have a faulty battery. (Yes, I did go through this embarrassing event.)

- the live histogram in the viewfinder is genius too. Except it is static during Manual Exposure mode. It would have been even more helpful in Manual exposure mode so that you could use the histogram to determine and fix your exposure.

- the Fn button can be programmed to do a number of things, but in the end it makes most sense to use it as the dedicated ISO button. Which means you have to delve into the menu to access the Neutral Density filter.

- to enable the ND filter, you have to dig into the menu. I feel this is one of those features which should be a push of a button away.

- because of the design of the X100′s shutter & lens, you can’t access certain shutter speed and aperture combinations. For example, you can’t use a wide aperture at a high shutter speed. The shutter speed is displayed in red in the viewfinder should you go outside the range that the camera’s shutter & lens design is capable of.

Final overview:

The camera is a delight in terms of its build and physical look and design.

The lens is superb as well, despite a tendency to flare easily with back-lighting.

Image quality is surprisingly good. I would say unexpectedly good. Check the review: Fuji X100 at a wedding where there is a full-res file shot at 6400 ISO.

The only downside is the menu system and some firmware / software quirks which affects its behaviour.

My final summary: Fuji really created a camera here capable of professional quality images, in a compact body. It’s a camera that is (mostly) a delight to use, and I can see how this specific camera will get a huge and loyal fanbase.

related articles:
- initial impression: Fuji X100
- review: Fuji X100 – photographing a wedding

The Fuji X100 and accessories can be ordered from B&H through this affiliate link.

If you find these articles interesting and of value, then you can help by using these affiliate links to order equipment & other goodies.   Thank you!

Stay informed of new articles via the monthly newsletter.
Also join us on the Tangents forum for further discussions.

review: Frio ColdShoe Mount

by: Stephanie Zettl (St Louis wedding photographer)

Have you ever tried to connect your very expensive speedlight to a light stand or flash modifier with a coldshoe? Have you tightened the coldshoe around your very expensive speedlight and had that bad feeling in the back of your mind that with a little bump, the coldshoe would loosen and your very expensive speedlight would go crashing to the ground? I know I have.

Ten years ago, I did not have many problems with coldshoes. Part of the reason was because the coldshoe tightened around the flash foot and the flash itself had a rotating locking wheel that tightened the flash to the shoe. Since speedlights have gone to a pin and lock system, coldshoes have become much more unreliable. Most coldshoes are not built to have a pin lock into them.

Then came along the Frio. I have never been so excited about a $15 piece of plastic. If you use off camera flash or any coldshoes mounts, this is a product you might be interested in.

The Frio has two very powerful things going for it; it uses a dual locking system and it is much easier to use than a regular coldshoe. The dual locking comes from a pressure release tab on the Frio and the pin and lock system on the flash. It’s easier than a normal coldshoe because it doesn’t require you to tighten any knobs. Simply push the flash into the Frio and it is securely locked into place.

It fits any flash, including the Nikon SB-900. It mounts to anything with a male 1/4″ 20 thread, standard tripod stud. (The 1/4″ 20 socket is metal – so it’s sturdy and won’t get stripped with regular use)

I have replaced all the coldshoe connectors on my Interfit and Lastolite softboxes. I usually have my softboxes mounted on a monopod and held by an assistant. When we are on location, we are on the move. I now no longer have that nagging fear that the cold shoe will fail. Peace of mind is a beautiful thing.

Stephanie Zettl

If you find these articles interesting and of value, then you can help by using
these affiliate links to order equipment & other goodies.   Thank you!

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Also join us on the Tangents forum for further discussions.

contest: comparison between different flash modifiers

(competition is now closed to new entries)

My friend Stephanie Zettl, that awesome wedding photographer in St Louis, MO, is currently busy writing a book on the Nikon flash system, to be released next year. She showed me some of the comparison images that she shot yesterday, where various light modifiers are tested against each other for their specific results. She photographed a model against a grey backdrop, which helps show how the light is dispersed across the frame.

Now, I have my preferred method of using on-camera flash , when I can get away with just using on-camera flash. By manipulating my flash’s light pattern with a simple piece of black foam, I can get surprisingly elegant results. But I know that many readers of this site are curious about the variety of light modifiers out there, and how they compare. So I thought it will make for a great article – comparing the different flash modifiers for speedlights.

Better yet, let’s make this a contest!

So, here are 10 images, shot in 10 different ways with a speedlight. There is a separate non-ordered list of the various modifiers and ways the flash was used. Match them up correctly – and be the lucky winner of either a Nikon SB-700 speedlight (B&H link) or a Canon 430EX II speedlite (B&H link). I know there is a slight discrepancy in the value between the two flashguns, but the 1st rule of this contest is – no whining is allowed. Second rule – I have the final say.

Post your results here as a comment. You’re more than welcome to discuss it too. Entries close at midnight (New York time) on Thursday, June 23, 2011. I’ll announce the winner sometime on Sunday, June 26 after I pick a winner at random from the correct entries, or from the closest-to-correct entries.

Click on the images to make them appear as a slideshow:

[Show as slideshow]

[Show as slideshow]

For more details about the light modifiers, here they are in the same sequence,
with links to B&H where applicable:

1. Interfit 15.5″ beauty dish (B&H link)

2. Black Foamie Thing (Tangents article)

3. Fong Dong, (also sometimes referred to as the Fong Lightsphere) (B&H link)

4. Dome Diffuser – (in this case, supplied with Nikon SB-900)

5. Direct Flash

6. Interfit Strobies 20 degree grid (B&H link)

7. Lastolite 15″ Softbox (B&H link)

8. Rogue Flash Bender as a Snoot (B&H link)

9. Westcott Shoot Through Umbrella (B&H link)

10. Rogue Flash Bender as a bounce card (B&H link)

If you find these articles interesting and of value, then you can help by using
these affiliate links to order equipment & other goodies.   Thank you!

Stay informed of new articles via the monthly newsletter.
Also join us on the Tangents forum for further discussions.

how to carry your camera over your shoulder

An interesting comment came up in the article on choice of lenses for wedding photography. The observation was that the photographer, Lou, felt like he was the proverbial bull in a china shop when he carried two cameras over his shoulder. With the lenses protruding on either side, it was tough going through doorways without knocking something.

There are numerous camera strap solutions available on the market – rapid straps and holster systems. Most of them work well. I still like the old-fashioned camera strap on the camera. One thing I should mention here is that I really got to like the way the Canon bodies work. Attaching the strap to the bottom of the camera makes absolute sense. Then the camera dangles vertically, and it is easy to swipe the camera to the side under your elbow when it hangs from your shoulder.

I liked this so much that I got the Camadapter place to attach to the bottom of my Nikon bodies. This allows my Nikon cameras also to dangle vertically from my shoulder. Perfect. If I had to choose from scratch again, I’d probably settle for the Kirk plate (B&H). This too has a place for the camera strap to loop around, at the bottom of the camera. Perfect.

Now, it might not be immediately obvious when you pick the camera up and hoist it over your shoulder, but there are two ways to sling the camera …

You can have the lens dangling outwards, catching on everything, and knocking stuff over, and smacking little kids that run around … or you can turn the camera around, and tuck it behind your body under your elbow. Out of the way. Simple, and less of a hazard to people around you … and less of a danger to your own equipment.

If you find these articles interesting and of value, then you can help by using
these affiliate links to order equipment & other goodies.   Thank you!

Stay informed of new articles via the monthly newsletter.
Also join us on the Tangents forum for further discussions.

using a macro lens for a photo session of a newborn

I had the pleasure of photographing the newborn baby of Jen and David recently. (David regularly follows the Tangents blog!) Aside from photographing the proud parents with their little one, I also needed to get detail photos of the baby.

With detail images, you see even more clearly just how small this newborn baby is, when you show the scale. A tiny hand clasping a finger. Tiny toes gently flexing against her mother’s hand.

For this, a macro lens is an essential part of my camera bag …

Since I like to shoot this with available light, the lens needs to be stabilized. Canon lenses have IS (image stabilization), and Nikon lenses offer VR (vibration reduction). With IS / VR, you can shoot at a much lower shutter speed than normal, and still get crisp images.

Both these images were shot wide open on the macro lens at f2.8 @ 1/100 @ 1000 ISO

macro lens – maximum aperture shift

Because of the way the optics shift when you focus very close, the maximum aperture shifts. Nikon shows effective aperture, and you can see your actual aperture. In this case, even though I had set f2.8 the lens gave me f3.5 and shows it in my display.  Canon works differently. With Canon, the set aperture shows … but the exposure will vary as you get closer, meaning the aperture did actually change as you focused closer.

It is just something to be aware of. It’s just how the optical configuration of macro lenses work. I know than Nikon shooters who are new to using macro lenses, are often concerned that they aren’t getting the f2.8 maximum aperture. Canon shooters are generally not aware of this change in aperture, since the camera doesn’t show it.

macro lens choices

I favor the 100 / 105mm focal length when it comes to macro lenses. This gives me a comfortable working distance on a full-frame camera. And it also doubles as a portrait lens if I need to.

The best choice here is the Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF-S VR (B&H) and the Canon EF 100mm f2.8L IS (B&H) macro lenses. Here is my review of the Canon 100mm f2.8 IS macro lens. It’s a beauty!

Canon 100 mm f/2.8 IS macro (B&H)

Nikon 105mm f2.8G VR macro (B&H)

If you are using a crop-sensor camera, then there are other good choices which would effectively give you a similar focal length (if you frame the image the same):

Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro (B&H)
Canon Normal EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro (B&H) – it only goes to half-size

Nikon AF-S Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED
Nikon AF-S DX Micro Nikkor 85mm f/3.5G ED VR

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review: Custom Brackets Digital Pro-M rotating bracket kit

The makers of the Custom Brackets flash brackets, recently sent me a copy of their latest and best rotating flash bracket, the Pro-M rotating bracket (B&H), for review. They had noticed my page on flash brackets, and even though I don’t much use my flash bracket any more, they still thought I should check their latest model out. Of the various makes of flash brackets I had tried out when I first started doing wedding photography full-time, the Custom Brackets was the one I settled on out of all of them. As far as I was concerned theirs was the flagship of the flash brackets. So I was curious to see what the updated model could offer …

the reason why we’d use a flash-bracket:

We would use a flash bracket when we want to avoid that side-ways shadow when direct on-camera flash is used and the camera is held vertically. It really does look ugly. (See the page on flash brackets for an example.) Now, if you only use your camera in a horizontal position, then the flash shadow falls behind your subject, and is less of an intrusive element in the photograph.

(Do visit the updated Flash Photography Techniques page on flash brackets.)

When working indoors where there are bounce-able surfaces, I find a flash bracket less of a necessity, thanks to high-ISO capable cameras and the use of faster lenses. Bouncing the flash off other surfaces, and purposely shielding my on-camera flash from directly falling on my subject, I can achieve results which are quite remarkable for on-camera flash.

But photographers who shoot red carpet events or news events, don’t have the luxury always of working indoors with walls and ceilings off which they can bounce flash. Then a flash bracket can really improve the look of the photographs by avoiding that side-ways shadow.

the Custom Brackets Pro-M rotating bracket (B&H)

So how does this flash bracket stack up against the one I’ve originally been using?

Immediately noticeable for me, is that this unit is more compact and lighter than the older design I have been using. The literature says it is made of light-weight aircraft quality aluminum.

The more compact size of this unit is made possible with a clever series of knobs and adjustments, with which the height of the upright stem can be lowered.

Back-tracking a bit to the original bracket I used, you can see where I took and angle-grinder to the upright stem to shorten it. Less of a protrusion to catch on something. I also use the angle-grinder to remove part of the foot. (Not shown here.) I also removed the obnoxiously large handle to the left that the medium-format shooters would need to get a proper grip on the boxy cameras they used. So the entire out-of-the-box set-up was quite bulky .. and I felt compelled to make it more compact.

Well, the new Custom Brackets Digital Pro-M bracket is more compact.

Part of it is due to the way the stem now slides up and down inside the handle. The handle is not a big fat handle-grip to the side anymore, but is part of that stem with a cushion-y padding to the handle. Great. That’s taken care of.

The adjustment to tilt the flash connection forward or backwards, is also more compact now with a smaller adjustment knob. It also seems less likely to slip over time.

In this image, you can also see the hole for a radio slave to be attached right next to the speedlight. Neat.

With the previous designs, you had to buy an attachment plate for each specific camera body. It was a pain, and costly, to attach a different camera plate whenever you upgraded your camera.

The Custom Brackets people have come up with a really elegant way to adjust the camera plate to match your specific camera to the bracket. In the next two photos you can see the adjustment screws which slide the connector screw forward or backward. Nice bit of innovation there. You can flip the camera plate upside down for a larger camera where the camera grip makes the camera taller. I really liked this over the older design which forced you to buy a different camera plate for a new model of camera.

Here is the entire set-up again, with the Nikon D3 and Nikon SB-900 speedlight. (I turned the flash head as I would use it with the black foamie thing attached to it.)

One thing I neglected to show in these photos of the flash bracket, is the fold-out legs which keep the entire set-up more stable. As it was, the contraption balanced well enough even without the legs folded out. However, the fold-out legs would offer much more protection against it being knocked over when setting it down somewhere.

The specs and features sheet for the Digital Pro-M rotating bracket mentions:

• The camera rotates on a roller bearing system to achieve the best and smoothest rotation from horizontal to vertical possible.
• Maintenance-free and requires no lubrication.
• A flash lock allows the flash to be tilted and locked in any position. An additional hole next to the flash allows for adding a radio slave or additional flash to your setup.
• Ergonomically designed, the bracket features a foam handle and foam palm grip which allows you to hold your setup in many different ways to suit your shooting style and the balance you desire.
• The legs on the bracket allow your setup to stand without leaning or laying it down, saving possible damage to your equipment.
• Easily stores in a camera bag with a retractable upright and fold-in legs.

There’s nothing there that I would argue with. It is quite obvious they have done their homework on this unit, and produced a flash bracket that is as elegant as you can make a flash bracket be.

As a final note, check the updated Flash Photography Techniques page on flash brackets, for examples of how a flash bracket could still be useful with bounce flash photography.

If you’d like to order the Custom Brackets Pro-M rotating bracket kit,
you can do it via this B&H affiliate link.

If you find these articles interesting and of value, then you can help by using
these affiliate links to order equipment & other goodies.   Thank you!

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comparison between a softbox, a white shoot-through umbrella and a bounce umbrella

I’ve had several requests from readers of the Tangents blog about how the light from a softbox would differ from the light from an umbrella. Spurred on by that, and by my own curiosity, I met up a while ago with my favorite model, Anelisa, specifically to do comparison shots.

And here it is …

Click on the photo above to see the side-by-side comparison.

There is an on-location (ie, non-scientific) comparison (from left to right) between :
a 24×24 softbox with a double baffle,
a 42” white shoot-through umbrella,
a 42” bounce umbrella with a black backing.

It is tough making a finer judgment on which light modifier give the best results. While what would count as ‘best result’ is open to interpretation, I do prefer softer light. This test isn’t super controlled, and small differences do creep in. But I did try to keep everything as equal as possible in this comparison There are some slight changes in how Anelisa held her head, and I really did try and set up the softbox and umbrellas fast enough that the available light remains the same. I also kept the position of the light-source the same distance from her … which meant moving the light-stand slightly forward for the shot with the reflective umbrella.

Yet, I can barely tell a difference between these three light modifiers when used under these typical situation when shooting outside. So ultimately it perhaps comes just down to personal preference, and to which one is more easy to assemble, carry and set up.

Using direct (un-diffused) flash off-camera is common practice and can give dramatic results. The smaller light source does give a harder more contrasty light. Using a large diffuser or modifier such as a softbox or an umbrella will generally create softer shadows. Even a medium sized softbox is quite a forgiving light source in comparison to the light from a direct flash.

Sometimes the simple option of a direct speedlight is easier to move around with on location, or when you need to a lot of light from your flash to match the bright sun. My preference is to use a softbox until the point where I can’t get enough light from my speedlight in the softbox.

An umbrella is the most convenient light modifier to carry around. It folds closed into a relatively compact size, and is supremely easy to assemble and disassemble.

A softbox gives you more control though. It gives a more focused swathe of light, and depending on how your softbox is baffled, the softbox can give you more light than an umbrella. You also have more control in how the light spills onto the background. However, this isn’t usually a problem when working outdoors and using a simple lighting setup.

Where it makes a difference, is that softbox is easier to handle outdoors where you have a bit of wind. An umbrella tends to scoop the wind, and leave you at the mercy of how the wind blows.

Because an umbrella is easier and faster to set up, I prefer to use umbrellas with wedding portraits and formals. You could work with a medium sized softbox indoors when you have a small group of people. But because the spread of light is more contained with a softbox, you might be better off with two umbrellas when you’re dealing with a large group. Umbrellas aren’t expensive though, so I would suggest getting two 42” umbrellas anyway. I generally use 60” umbrellas indoors when I can.

Umbrellas can be used in two ways – (white) shoot-through umbrellas, or as a reflector. Umbrellas that are meant to be used as reflecting umbrellas can come with different materials – white, silver, gold, or a mix between silver and gold. While the silver umbrella can be more efficient, the light from a white umbrella is softer since the light is more scattered.

Therefore, as a start, a white umbrella with a black removable backing is recommended. This type of umbrella can then be used either as a shoot-through umbrella, or as a reflector.

Re the umbrellas, I mostly use bounce umbrellas with a black backing when I work indoors or outdoors. The main reason is that it minimizes the risk of getting lens flare when I stand further back than my lights. With a shoot-through umbrella, I have the risk of getting lens flare at this point.

Generally, the only time I use shoot-through umbrellas, is when I am photographing indoors and need to disperse a lot of light around. For example, I might do this when using the flashes as additional lighting at a venue.

For all that, I prefer working with a softbox on location.

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using multiple speedlights with high-speed flash sync

This photo of Angelique, our model, was taken at 1/8000 @ f2 @ 100 ISO. Yes, an eight-thousand-th of a second.  I wanted to use the unique look that an ultra-wide lens gives at wide apertures. (Click on the photo for a larger image). However, the shallow depth-of-field necessitated a very high shutter speed. So we were working in high-speed flash sync (HSS) territory here.

I also wanted to under-expose the city-scape and then use flash to highlight the model against the environment.  So the lighting had to enhance the look of the wide-aperture wide-angle lens. The lens was the beautiful Canon 24mm f1.4 II (B&H). The camera that I used is the classic Canon 5D.

With high-speed flash sync, there is a dramatic loss in effective power, as shown in this previous article. To overcome this, you need to work very close to your subject, or gang up a number of speedlights as a group.

My friend Yishai, of HD PhotoVideo, had shown me his permanent set-up which he uses whenever he has the need of high-speed flash.  His setup consists of four  Canon 580 EX ii speedlights (B&H), held together via a Lightware Foursquare Block. To free himself up from line-of-sight restrictions, and give reliable control of these speedlights, Yishai had connected each speedlight to a RadioPopper PX unit. (They worked with perfect reliability during this shoot.)  To have the speedlights recycle fast enough, they are powered by two Quantum 2×2 batteries (B&H). By ganging up four speedlights like this, we can start overcoming the loss of flash power when going into HSS.

To show me how these work on an actual shoot, we arranged to meet up with Angelique (on this icy cold day) on this pier in Brooklyn, for a photo session.

Here is what this set up looks like. …

It would take a lot of time to assemble this from scratch every time, so Yishai keeps the four speedlights and four RadioPoppers connected with the FourSquare Block. Everything is then kept in a camera case.  On a shoot then, the main unit is connected to a lightstand (via that red connecting handle), and the batteries attached. Elegant .. but if you add up the cost of this, it is spendy! But works very well.

Here is another photograph from this sequence:

Here is the pull-back shot to show the position of the lightstand:

… and the shot with the flash disabled, so you can get a sense of what the available light looked like at the chosen settings of 1/8000 @ f2 @ 100 ISO

Another two pull-back shots showing the flash setup in relation to our model, with the flash firing, and one with the flash disabled.

Looking at that top image again though:

In using the four flashes like that without a diffuser, I saw that we got a double shadow in some images, depending on Angelique’s pose.  Here is the 100% crop of the top image. You can see the double edge shadow there on her neck.  Not that noticeable, but not ideal.

We then opted for adding a small shoot-through umbrella to diffuse the light a bit.  This did cut down on the output, so I changed my settings to 1/4000 @ f2 @ 100 ISO to have the flash expose correctly.  (This means we were close to the maximum output of the four speedlights.)  The light was more even with the umbrella, and without that double shadow.

By bringing more ambient light in, the cityscape is less dramatically under-exposed, but the photograph still looks great.

This was an interesting solution to working with high-speed flash sync and overcoming the limitation of loss of effective power.  To get to maximum flash sync speed at f2 with this light, I would’ve had to cut down on 5 stops of light. The neutral density filter that I normally use, wouldn’t have been enough, and a filter like the Singh-Ray Vari-ND (B&H), would’ve been necessary to cut the available light down by that much.

A big thank you to Yishai for letting me play with these toys, and a big thank you to Angelique who was so patient with us on this freezing cold day.

More articles on off-camera flash …

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non-photography goodies in my camera case

Work as a wedding photographer isn’t just about the gear – cameras, lenses and flashguns – and about taking photographs of key moments. Often enough it is up to you as the wedding photographer to help guide the day’s time-line and flow, and also just to help.  For me, wedding photography isn’t just a passively observed event where I take photographs in a photo-journalistic or story-telling motif.  I’m there to record the day’s events, but also to help, if necessary, making it a spectacular day.

In the photo above, I took over from the maid of honor when her fingers weren’t strong enough for that final button and clasp at the back of the bride’s dress. My fingers were stronger, so I finished the last button. So as a photographer I’m often called on to do more than just take photographs. And in my camera roller case, I keep some extra non-photography related goodies …

small tools & random items

In one of the several zipped travel pack that I have, I keep a selection of loose items.  I really like the bags made by by Eagle Creek. (Amazon)  The black mesh allows you to get an idea of what is inside, without having to open it first. Inside one of the quart-sized bags, I keep:

- jeweler’s screwdrivers in specific sizes
These are essential to fasten any screws that may come loose.  For example, you might need a small flat screwdriver to lift the hot-shoe cover, and a Philips head jeweler’s screwdriver to fasten the screws holding your hot-shoe down.  So go over your equipment, (including light-stands and such), and inspect them for any screws that might need fastening on the spot during a shoot.

- various single hexagonal keys / Allen keys
For example, the Red-wing light stands that I use have hex screws that often loosen with use. I keep one hex key just for them.  Another would be for the camera strap adapter that I use. Occasionally they do become loose.

- Leatherman squirt S4 multi-purpose tool (Amazon)
a compact multi-purpose tool with small scissors

- iPhone charger cable and charger block (Amazon)
the 2 Amp version that will also charge my iPad

- Maglite (Amazon) – the smaller one that takes two AA batteries

- a pen and a Sharpie

- nail clippers

- any other small items which might go missing in a large camera bag.

travel sewing kit (Amazon) -I remove the measuring tape from that kit, since it isn’t useful for us here.  But I add:

-  a number of extra buttons,
- more safety pins in various sizes, as well as
-  bobby pins / hair pins.  There will always be a bridesmaid that needs a bobby pin.

You’ll save someone the effort of scurrying around trying to find a simple hairpin.  While hotels and catering venues usually keep some on hand for guests, it will just save everyone a lot of effort if you readily have them on hand.  This is an easy way to look like you’re really prepared and on top of things.

ear plugs – these are essential for me. By the time you do 2 or 3 weddings a weekend during the peak season, your ears take a hammering from the DJ or band at the reception. Similar to when I drop my daughter and her friends off at rock concerts and have them solemnly recite to me as I hand each of them a set of ear plugs, “These are mandatory and not negotiable”.

headache tablets, like Tylenol.  Get them in individual wrappings instead of a bottle. Less things that clatter around, and more innocuous if you give someone a head-ache tablet and it is properly wrapped and sealed.

band-aids – for the inevitable ouchies that you’ll sustain.

chewing gum

Often enough, even though you have cleaned your sensor and keep lens swapping to a minimum, you might see a big dust bunny in your images when you review them while shooting. For those dreaded times, to save myself endless editing afterward, I do a quick rescue there and then (if time permits) to remove dust and particles:

Visible Dust Arctic Butterfly 724 Sensor Brush (Amazon)

American Recorder compressed CO2 kit (Amazon)

You do have to be careful with these items though.  I’ve had instances where it seems like I somehow added an oily smudge on my sensor due to either of these.  So make sure your Visible Dust brushes are super-clean.  So I only use these on-location when I see a big dust bunny.

Epson digital storage unit and viewer.
I still have the older Epson P-5000, but the latest version is the Epson P-7000 (B&H / Amazon). I only bring this along when I work with a second shooter at a wedding. Instead of relying on the 2nd-shooter to send me multiple discs of RAW files, I download the other photographer’s cards right there during the wedding reception. (I still ask that they don’t format and use the cards until I’ve confirmed that I have everything transferred to my main computer.)

Other Stuff I keep in the car

- GPS – this is another of the non-negotiable essentials for a photographer, especially here on the East Coast of the USA.  The roads are a spaghetti bowl of strangely twisted and looping roads. You need 21st Century technology here!

- Gatorade and water and snacks in a small cooler box.

That about sums it up for all the non-photography items I have accessible whenever I’m on a photo shoot.  Of course, most important of all is back-up of your camera gear and lenses.  Think worst-case scenario – will you be able to continue without skipping a beat when your camera or lens or flash dies on you? Cables? Batteries? Think in terms of back-up for your back-ups.

All of these things make life easier for you as a photographer when things veer away from what you anticipated.

If you find these articles interesting and of value, then you can help by using
these affiliate links to order equipment & other goodies.   Thank you!

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Also join us on the Tangents forum for further discussions.