A while back I mentioned that the polarizer is one of the essential filters for both digital and analog cameras. This comes from the fact that it makes a vast improvement in your images that’s not attainable in Photoshop. In studio photography, you can change the look of the photo by changing the position and intensity of the flash or hot lights. In nature, the polarizer allows you to change the “lighting setup” as well, by selecting which of the rays reflected by the subject enter the camera. You can change the contrast and saturation in Photoshop, but you can’t select which light rays you use to do it.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Quotable Quotes: Is It Just Me, or…
“If you use these stepping rings you probably won’t be able to use a standard hood. I never use hoods so I don’t worry. Lens coatings have made hoods obsolete for decades, except as prophylaxis (protection). Your hand provides much better shielding against the sun.”
—Ken Rockwell
Never use hoods?
If I’m not mistaken, isn’t that a hood on that ginormous telephoto lens on Ken’s home page?
—Ken Rockwell
Never use hoods?
If I’m not mistaken, isn’t that a hood on that ginormous telephoto lens on Ken’s home page?
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Histrionics of Ergonomics
I photographed an evening event this past weekend using a rather odd setup. Since the Janco flash diffuser has greatly improved the quality of the D90’s on-board flash, I wanted to experiment with a dual flash setup. The original plan was to use it in conjunction with an external Nikon Speedlight in “Commander Mode”, Nikon’s answer to wireless flash. So, I decided to use it as part of a temporary flash setup until I get my Nikon SB-900 Speedlight (or SB-600; I’m still on the fence)
With my ol’ Canon Speedlight 199A attached to my Strobframe, I used the D90’s on-board flash to trigger it through a Vivitar SL-2 slave, simulating the SB-900 used in Commander mode.
It worked pretty well, except that I had to shoot everything manual, since that’s the only way everything would sync up. No big deal.
So where do the ergonomics come into play? Well, faced with the dilemma that the most ergonomic way to take a portrait would be to rotate the camera 90° counter-clockwise, but that my stroboframe doesn’t work that way, I reversed it and attached it to the camera with the handle on the right side. Bad move.
Yes, now when I swing the flash to the portrait position, it’s above the lens with the camera rotated 90° ccw, but the whole setup is awkward to hold, and access to all the important controls is blocked by the Stroboframe’s grip. Controls that are essential to shooting manually.
If I installed the bracket normally and didn’t use the portrait flip, would the flash to the left of the lens made that much of a difference? Was it worth the sacrifice in ergonomics? Perhaps not.
There are other flash brackets available that do work with a 90° ccw rotation. This Stroboframe is simply not one of them. And forcing it to do so was a poor compromise.
The thinking behind all this is that most battery grips provide a shutter release for use when shooting in portrait orientation when the camera is rotated counter-clockwise. The Nikon grip also provides Command and Sub-Command dials. So, I’d like to adopt the ccw twist as a standard for portrait composition, and enjoy all the ergonomic advantages it provides.
Even if I don’t use the grip, it’s far easier to shoot portrait with a counter-clockwise rotation than by bending my wrist in an awkward position at the bottom of the camera as I try to release the shutter. And forget about using any of the other controls.
A simple solution for the time being would be to add an extension to the top arm of my Stroboframe, and not flip it when rotating the camera. This puts the flash above and to the right for landscape, and above and to the left for portrait. Not the best scenario, but better than having the flash fire from below lens-level.
This issue has been addressed in many of the new flash frames available today, so it looks like an upgrade is in order.
With my ol’ Canon Speedlight 199A attached to my Strobframe, I used the D90’s on-board flash to trigger it through a Vivitar SL-2 slave, simulating the SB-900 used in Commander mode.
 |
| Marisa Clark’s Sweet 16 Party |
So where do the ergonomics come into play? Well, faced with the dilemma that the most ergonomic way to take a portrait would be to rotate the camera 90° counter-clockwise, but that my stroboframe doesn’t work that way, I reversed it and attached it to the camera with the handle on the right side. Bad move.
 |
| Nikon/Canon Dual Flash Setup: Direct plus Bounce, Portrait/Landscape, Lumiquest Softbox |
If I installed the bracket normally and didn’t use the portrait flip, would the flash to the left of the lens made that much of a difference? Was it worth the sacrifice in ergonomics? Perhaps not.
There are other flash brackets available that do work with a 90° ccw rotation. This Stroboframe is simply not one of them. And forcing it to do so was a poor compromise.
The thinking behind all this is that most battery grips provide a shutter release for use when shooting in portrait orientation when the camera is rotated counter-clockwise. The Nikon grip also provides Command and Sub-Command dials. So, I’d like to adopt the ccw twist as a standard for portrait composition, and enjoy all the ergonomic advantages it provides.
Even if I don’t use the grip, it’s far easier to shoot portrait with a counter-clockwise rotation than by bending my wrist in an awkward position at the bottom of the camera as I try to release the shutter. And forget about using any of the other controls.
A simple solution for the time being would be to add an extension to the top arm of my Stroboframe, and not flip it when rotating the camera. This puts the flash above and to the right for landscape, and above and to the left for portrait. Not the best scenario, but better than having the flash fire from below lens-level.
This issue has been addressed in many of the new flash frames available today, so it looks like an upgrade is in order.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Best Buy: The Essential SLR Flash Accessory
 |
| Janco Flash Diffuser for On-Board Flash |
This might just be the best $12.00 I’ve ever spent.
While planning the purchase of an external flash for all of my Nikons, I came across this little gem on Amazon. It’s a knockoff of the Gary Fong “Puffer” flash diffuser, only this incarnation comes with two extra domes, one warming and one cooling.
Marketed under the Janco brand, at less than half the price of the Gary Fong version, it wasn’t even worth my while to borrow the idea and build my own. So, I ordered it; I had no expectations.
When it arrived, I was surprised to find that the manufacturing quality was much better than I had expected. Not at all “knock-off” quality. But the real joy came with the first image I captured with it.
Fleshtones gain soft shape and saturation. Gone Is the pasty, blown-out look. Colors are richer. Shadows are slightly softer. Alas, the built-in flash of my camera is now usable!
 |
| View from behind; the diffuser attaches to the hot shoe, and is adjustable for height. |
Sliding into the hot shoe like an external flash, It fits on the camera as if it were made for it. I will never use my built-in flash without it!
I’m looking forward to experimenting with off-camera flash used in conjunction with this, in Nikon’s Commander mode.
The color domes will be most useful. I can white balance with them in place, and on slow sync the blue dome will warm the ambient light, and the yellow dome will cool it. Plus, the neutral dome makes a great attachment point for gel filters of other colors.
But wait, there’s more.
I plan to keep this with my camera at all times, for several reasons. The other day, while shooting my daughter’s violin concert at her school’s gym/auditorium, I discovered a quick and dirty way to tame the rather odd combination of fluorescent lighting and early evening sunlight. You guessed it! Placed over my lens, the diffuser makes an excellent incident-light white balance device. It’s dome shape allows it to fit over my 67mm filter and average the incoming light from all directions. It works perfectly, calibrating ever so slightly (less than 1%) on the warm side, which is exactly how I like it.
With all due respect, I’m sure Gary’s version is of the highest quality and yields better results. I just couldn’t pass up a bargain.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Filters, and the final Chapter of the UV Saga
My Hoya Pro1 Digital MC UV(0) filters arrived today. Thankfully, they passed the blacklight test, and their response is identical to the standard Hoya UV(0) filter formula, which is to say they actually work.
They’re very well made; nice and thin, have filter threads on the front (a requirement for me), a knurled edge, and a unique, teal-colored coating. This must be due to the “Digital” version of their multi-coating. The usual color for a multi-coated filter is green and for a single-coated filter, a pale blue-violet.
So, finally, I have lens protection for all my current lenses that will also enhance my photos.
I also now have a 67mm Hoya three-position lens hood, which I can use on smaller lenses that I’ve stepped up to 67mm (just in case the bayonet hood doesn’t fit), or for lenses like my Voigtländer Ultron 40mm that don’t accept bayonet hoods.
To be honest, I might find myself using this hood for more than just a solution to the step-up issue. It’s the first really practical, really well-made hood I’ve seen in years. It adjusts for several focal lengths by folding in three different positions, and it works really well. It’s made of heavy rubber, with plenty of glare-diffusing ribs on the inside, and a metal mounting ring. The only down side (and it’s a minor one at that) is that it doesn’t have front filter threads. This would be OK, as I would never mount a filter to the front of a hood, except that it also means I can’t put the lens cap back on. But then, that’s kind of what the UV/Protection filter is for.
So, my filter “system” to date is as follows:
(Each of these filters produces an optical effect that either cannot be achieved in post-processing, or cannot easily be achieved. The actual intention of the B+W Orange 041 is to simulate “redscale” film photography in the digital medium. For black and white photography, I’ll probably use the digital in-camera filters for monochrome capture, or post-processing for color capture.)
52mm (for lenses with 52mm or smaller filter threads):
(I also have several “legacy” filters which I’ll hang onto for now, but will most likely replace them with their 67mm equivalent in the near future if I need to. These include, in order of usefulness, a “Pro” 81A (uncoated), Tiffen Sky (1A) (uncoated), “Optical Filter” Skylight (1A) (uncoated), Hoya Skylight (1B) (single-coated), and ProMaster Circular Polarizer (uncoated). All of these filters are inferior to their 67mm counterparts.)
Cokin P Series (for lenses with 67mm and smaller filter threads):
Cokin A Series (for lenses with 58mm and smaller filter threads):
I’m still a big fan of Cokin filters, but feel they’re best used only for certain effects. When I was a teenager and relatively new to filters, my plan was to go all Cokin, and buy only one filter for all my lenses. But I’ve since moved beyond the limited quality of resin filters. My current plan is to only buy P Series filters that make sense in the square format, which include:
The A Series filters will be largely dedicated to the Nikon P5100. Many of them were recently purchased to achieve effects similar to those of a DSLR.
Incidentally, I use the Cokin “Shoe” type filter holder along with the standard A-hood as an LCD shade for my P5100. (The standard, one-piece hood is no longer available from Cokin, but two of the newer “modular” hoods stacked together can be used in its place.) It also works great with the D90 if I’m shooting in Live View mode (such as when capturing video or doing studio or “Lensbaby” work.) I put it on the camera backwards, attach the hood, and I’m good to go. It fits each camera equally well, and cost me a whole five bucks.
They’re very well made; nice and thin, have filter threads on the front (a requirement for me), a knurled edge, and a unique, teal-colored coating. This must be due to the “Digital” version of their multi-coating. The usual color for a multi-coated filter is green and for a single-coated filter, a pale blue-violet.
So, finally, I have lens protection for all my current lenses that will also enhance my photos.
I also now have a 67mm Hoya three-position lens hood, which I can use on smaller lenses that I’ve stepped up to 67mm (just in case the bayonet hood doesn’t fit), or for lenses like my Voigtländer Ultron 40mm that don’t accept bayonet hoods.
To be honest, I might find myself using this hood for more than just a solution to the step-up issue. It’s the first really practical, really well-made hood I’ve seen in years. It adjusts for several focal lengths by folding in three different positions, and it works really well. It’s made of heavy rubber, with plenty of glare-diffusing ribs on the inside, and a metal mounting ring. The only down side (and it’s a minor one at that) is that it doesn’t have front filter threads. This would be OK, as I would never mount a filter to the front of a hood, except that it also means I can’t put the lens cap back on. But then, that’s kind of what the UV/Protection filter is for.
So, my filter “system” to date is as follows:
- 67mm (for lenses with 67mm and smaller filter threads)
- Nikon Circular Polarizer II (multi-coated)
- Hoya Pro1 Digital UV(0) (multi-coated)
- Tiffen Haze 2A (uncoated)
- Hoya R72 Infrared (single-coated)
- Hoya Didymium Intensifier (single-coated)
- B+W Orange 041 (single-coated)
- Hoya Screw-In Rubber Zoom Lens Hood
- Fotodiox 52 to 67mm Step-up Ring
- Fotodiox 58 to 67mm Step-up Ring
(Each of these filters produces an optical effect that either cannot be achieved in post-processing, or cannot easily be achieved. The actual intention of the B+W Orange 041 is to simulate “redscale” film photography in the digital medium. For black and white photography, I’ll probably use the digital in-camera filters for monochrome capture, or post-processing for color capture.)
52mm (for lenses with 52mm or smaller filter threads):
- Hoya Pro1 Digital UV(0) (multi-coated)
- Hoya R72 Infrared (single-coated)
- Generic 46 to 52mm Step-up Ring (for P5100)
- Nikon UR-7 28 to 46mm Step-up Ring (for P5100)
(I also have several “legacy” filters which I’ll hang onto for now, but will most likely replace them with their 67mm equivalent in the near future if I need to. These include, in order of usefulness, a “Pro” 81A (uncoated), Tiffen Sky (1A) (uncoated), “Optical Filter” Skylight (1A) (uncoated), Hoya Skylight (1B) (single-coated), and ProMaster Circular Polarizer (uncoated). All of these filters are inferior to their 67mm counterparts.)
Cokin P Series (for lenses with 67mm and smaller filter threads):
- P152 ND2 Neutral Density
- P153 ND4 Neutral Density
- P003 Deep Red
- P Series Filter Holder
- A Series Filter Adapter
- 72mm Adapter Ring
- 67mm Adapter Ring
- 52mm Adapter Ring
- 2 Modular Hood Sections
- Lens Cap
Cokin A Series (for lenses with 58mm and smaller filter threads):
- A002 Orange
- B056 8-point Star
- A185 Radial Zoom
- A830 Diffuser 1
- A151 Graduated Fog
- A121 Graduated Neutral Density
- A216 Speed
- A Series Filter Holder
- A Series “Shoe” type Filter Holder (see below)
- 58mm Adapter Ring
- 52mm Adapter Ring
- 1 Standard Hood
- Lens Cap
I’m still a big fan of Cokin filters, but feel they’re best used only for certain effects. When I was a teenager and relatively new to filters, my plan was to go all Cokin, and buy only one filter for all my lenses. But I’ve since moved beyond the limited quality of resin filters. My current plan is to only buy P Series filters that make sense in the square format, which include:
- Graduated neutral density
- Varicolor polarizer series
- Diffusers and soft focus
- Prismatic and other special effects
The A Series filters will be largely dedicated to the Nikon P5100. Many of them were recently purchased to achieve effects similar to those of a DSLR.
Incidentally, I use the Cokin “Shoe” type filter holder along with the standard A-hood as an LCD shade for my P5100. (The standard, one-piece hood is no longer available from Cokin, but two of the newer “modular” hoods stacked together can be used in its place.) It also works great with the D90 if I’m shooting in Live View mode (such as when capturing video or doing studio or “Lensbaby” work.) I put it on the camera backwards, attach the hood, and I’m good to go. It fits each camera equally well, and cost me a whole five bucks.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Guinea Pigs Are My Friends
In my world, photography and the computer are inextricably linked. So, I don’t feel that it’s particularly off-topic to speak of my marathon upgrade weekend, and recovery from it.
I never upgrade to a new OS when it first comes out. I give it a while for the software Guinea pigs to test it first. This gives the developers a while to work out the bugs, and third party developers a chance to make their applications compatible with the new version.
My thanks go out to those Guinea Pigs for all their hard work with the latest version of the Mac OS.
I skipped the upgrade to Leopard, Mac OS 10.5x, having interpreted the disaster it must have been by its comparison with Windows Vista. I must say that I do like Snow Leopard, Mac OS 10.6x, having gotten over the anger of the disabling of many of the features that I had come to use and enjoy. Features like the “Install and Keep Package” option in Software Update, or the more powerful features of “Spotlight”, the Mac OS search engine. No longer can you drag an item onto the Favorites folder in your finder toolbar, and have an alias created for you automatically; you must hold down the Command and Option keys to force that option. Even little features like the ability to drag a file onto the column header in a Finder window to move it to the parent folder have been needlessly disabled.
I do like the way folders are displayed from the dock with the “Stacks” feature. “Spaces” I could take or leave, although I know the first time I have a need for them, they’ll be appreciated. “Cover Flow” view is just plain silly for viewing files that do not have a visual component, but I suppose to have made it context-relavent would have been too complicated for the OS. It’s great for photos and music though.
“Quick Look” and the ability to scale the preview in the finder window are features that I appreciate the most as a photographer. While there are many third-party apps that help you to view and sort your library, it’s nice to have these feature built directly into the OS user interface. Nice going, Apple!
I never upgrade to a new OS when it first comes out. I give it a while for the software Guinea pigs to test it first. This gives the developers a while to work out the bugs, and third party developers a chance to make their applications compatible with the new version.
My thanks go out to those Guinea Pigs for all their hard work with the latest version of the Mac OS.
I skipped the upgrade to Leopard, Mac OS 10.5x, having interpreted the disaster it must have been by its comparison with Windows Vista. I must say that I do like Snow Leopard, Mac OS 10.6x, having gotten over the anger of the disabling of many of the features that I had come to use and enjoy. Features like the “Install and Keep Package” option in Software Update, or the more powerful features of “Spotlight”, the Mac OS search engine. No longer can you drag an item onto the Favorites folder in your finder toolbar, and have an alias created for you automatically; you must hold down the Command and Option keys to force that option. Even little features like the ability to drag a file onto the column header in a Finder window to move it to the parent folder have been needlessly disabled.
I do like the way folders are displayed from the dock with the “Stacks” feature. “Spaces” I could take or leave, although I know the first time I have a need for them, they’ll be appreciated. “Cover Flow” view is just plain silly for viewing files that do not have a visual component, but I suppose to have made it context-relavent would have been too complicated for the OS. It’s great for photos and music though.
“Quick Look” and the ability to scale the preview in the finder window are features that I appreciate the most as a photographer. While there are many third-party apps that help you to view and sort your library, it’s nice to have these feature built directly into the OS user interface. Nice going, Apple!
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