Good news for wide shooters

The main drawback of Digital is that it kills wide angles.

Let me explain: in APS-C format, given sensor magnification you need to go 12/14mm to get to normal 20mm equivalent. Normal primes are not adapted for digital (deform/cost a lot).

Full frame: normal wides become wides again, but formulas rarely adapted for digital.

Fortunately for APS-C cameras a number of wide zooms have been developed both by camera manufacturer and independent to address these points (reach, digital quality).

Nikon released a 12-24 f4G IF ED to address the requirements of pro shooting with D2X. It has 2 ED glass elements and 3 aspherical lenses.

Roumors have sourfaced recently about the possible release of a new (hopefully cheaper) 10-24 DX f3,5-4,5G.

Canon has a EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM which has range (16-35mm eqiv.), quality (3 asph lenses) and compactness.

Indipendent manufacturers have provided alternative zooms:

Sigma announced recently a new version of its 10-20mm zoom which is this time is a f3.5 constant aperture.

Tamron also has released a new lens with more range (10-24mm f3.5-4.5) which replace its wide zoom that was limited to 11-18mm range (which is also marketed by Sony).

Tokina has a 12-24mm f4 constant, which has been upgraded with internal motor to be used with entry Nikon model without AF motor. Pentax/Samsung is same lens. It is a quite solidly built lens and zooming and focus ring are pleasantly damped.

Main characteristics of such zooms are:

- relatively heavy - still usable for reportage

- relatively expensive - begs the serious question whether it is really a lens you need every day

- all have distorsions - need to spend time on Photoshop to correct

- all have other optical shortcomings (soft corners, flare, etc.) to various degrees - Nikon/Canon probably being the better corrected

- Not adapted for full frame - although some might be used at upper end settings (18-20mm equiv.) for desperate cases.

- All use big filters (77-82mm) that in most cases need to be slim type to avoid (further) vignetting (add at least 50$ to your budget)

- Lower wide angle setting difficult to cover with most flash.

Probably, the best is to use wides with full frame cameras.

APS-C wide angle zooms offer a compromise and all offer competent packages for around a pound in weight and half a grant in cost (except Nikon and Canon which cost more).

The question remains whether extreme wide-angle zooms can be used hand held. The lens need to be horizontal to avoid perspective deformation which already with primes would recommend for tripod use all the time. The zooms are not so fast and probably not at their best at wide apertures, so usability in low/available light is limited unless used with high ISO proficient cameras such as D300.

The good news is that if you like hyper-focal these lenses have plenty and this is further enhanced by the digital sensor - so it will be hard to work on defocus areas. Also, close focus is often very interesting (around 24cm in most cases).

Finally, if you really need to go for a wide zoom with an APS-C cameras, the choice is made easier by the wider offer on the market and clearly competitors have done a lot of work to challenge the market leaders.

Lumix G1 lens adapters

The G1 is now in stores at around 650$ with 14-45 kit lens.

The camera constitutes an interesting attempt to achieve a compact DSLR mainly by doing without a reflex prism, which is replaced by an electronic viewfinder. This results in a shorter pitch between lens and sensor. The bayonet and lenses can be made more compact also. The new format called micro 4/3, is based on the 4/3 standard achieved by mainly by Panasonic and Olympus. Both provide a x2 lens magnification.

The camera is nice and well designed and has been well received by the press and specialized reviewers. The main plus point noted are the good ergonomic, handling, menu navigation, out of camera image quality, etc. Minuses are small captor and consequent limitations in terms of noise, dynamic range etc. battery consumption the inevitably limited performances of the electronic viewfinder. Also pointed were limitations concerning autofocus with other 4/3 lenses via dedicated adapter, auto white balance performances that were addressed in firmware update.

Lack of video capacity is being addressed by new model Lumix GH1, that Panasonic anounced at PMA. The new model is an HD video capable upgrade of the G1 - it should be available at the end of April.

Competition, Pentax/Samsung have also announced their respective version of a compact so-called hybrid DSLR without optical prism along the lines of the Lumix G1, although with bigger APS-C sensor (comparable to DSLR). (see Samsung NX) (Rumors of Pentax hybrid see link)

So the interesting aspect for me is the possibility to have a high resolution camera which is compact enough to carry around all day. The advantage over other compact bridge superzoom cameras such as Canon Sx1 or Nikon P90 is of course the fact the lens can be changed. Now the dedicated lens for micro 4/3 use are limited for the time being. Of course all 4/3 lenses can be mounted via the dedicated 4/3 to micro 4/3 adapter, although compatibility with autofocus operation is not guaranteed for all 4/3 lenses.

In addtion, a number of other manufacturers lenses can be mounted either via the use of an additional adapter ring on top of the DMW-MA1APP adapter.

A number of dedicated third party lens adapter are now (or will soon be) available. A list have been compiled here (not by me). In many cases these adapters vary in cost and quality. No autofocus function is provided. Points to be checked are whether the following functions are ensured: 1. infinity focus, 2. auto metering is available or need to stop down metering, 3. focus confirmation.

In most cases, the camera need to be set in the menu to "shoot without lens". Then focussing is done using the viewfinder like in manual mode where part of the image is zoomed to aid focussing. Metering is possible by adjusting f-stop on the lens and allowing the meter to choose the correct time of exposure. In fact, it's like using stopped down metering although in this case the viewfinder actually brightens the image to allow composition.

In addition, Panasonic may release dedicated adapters for Leica R and M lenses (see link).

The GH1 and micro 4/3 bayonet offer an interesting basis to mount various types of lenses while benefiting from a compact body, high definition sensor, HD video capture (hope it works with adaptor lens) , tilting LCD screen, RAW mode.

Fundamental shortcomings remain the small sensor and the electronic viewfinder. Would rather prefer a range finder even non coupled with lens or even no finder at all if LCD screen is good.

Choice of lenses will also be limited by the x2 multiplying factor imposed by the sensor: you need a 20or 24 mm to reach normal, shooting with wide angles become really inconvenient. Finally, of course you don't get any Exif information.

What is missing is internal (on sensor) image stabilisation and depth of field preview button. Also a grip for the camera would improve the camera handling and possibly battery performance.

Nikon AFS 35mm f 1.8 G DX - continued

Now that the lens is available in shops, in Europe it was on display already like a month ago.., the first reviews starts to appear.

[Remarks: what D300 can only resolve 1500 lpm???? so why bother - lets simply use the 18-55 kit lens...]

Many say this is a great lens although it's all plastic (except bayonet, and glass.... of course), it has no scale of distance, the AF is not as snappy as expected, and it's DX only...

Optically, it is soft wide open, therefore need to be stopped for sharper results to f5,6 (optimal performance). The problem is that image quality at corners never really picks up. Moreover, as you stop down color fringes appear - some can be corrected by image processor on D300 (not on entry models D40/40x/60 - hope it is addressed in replacement model (D5000?). Also the lens has distortion - apparently more than you would expect from a "normal" lens. Bokeh (out of focus areas) is nothing special.

So the argument in favor of the so-called normal lens (no distortion, fast lens, can be used at wider stops) looses a bit of appeal. Also not sure that the public was starving for having 50mm. equivalent in DX (smaller) format. These lenses were popular in the past given its affordability (unless superfast 1.2), sharpness and compactness. But in the end nobody wondered why there are so many used 50mm around? For one, a zoom is simply more practical in everyday life.

But also normal is simply not wide enough. Some photographers consider it a short tele. It basically provides narrower angle of view, therefore requires that you stand back further from the subject, but without providing the same reach or stand off capacity as a 90mm or a 105mm, for instance.

So basically, if you ask me I am not going to scramble to buy this lens even if it's cheap.

(see DPreview)

Animal Collective Vinyl Discography

Paw Tracks Discography

• 2003 - Here Comes the Indian

Paw Tracks 12" - 1xLP - 7 tracks

• 2004 - Wastered

Paw Tracks 12" - split single wt Black ice

• 2006 - Hollinndagain

Paw Tracks 12" - 1xLP - 7 tracks reissue of 2002 (see below)


FatCat Records Discography

• 2004 - Sung Tongs

FATSP08 2xLP and DMM LTD LP Reissue 2008

• 2004 - Who Could Win A Rabbit

7FAT15 7" - 2 tracks sold out

• 2005 - Prospect Hummer

4 tracks EP - CD release only

• 2005 - Grass

7FAT19 7" sold out

• 2005 - Feels

FATSP11 2xLP and DMM LTD LP Reissue 2008

• 2005 - People

CDFAT060 12" EP sold out


Domino Discography

• 2007 - Peacebone

Domino 12" mix maxi - 3 versions of Peacebone US ed / 10" - 2 tracks Uk ed

• 2007 - Strawberry Jam

Domino 2xLP LTD - 9 tracks - Domino US ed 150 gr

• 2008 - Watercourses

Domino 12" EP - 4 tracks (US/UK ed)

• 2009 - Merriweather Post Pavilion

Domino 2 x LP - 11 tracks - Gatefold Cover (US/UK ed)


ODDITIES

• 2003 - Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished/Danse Manatee

FATSP07 CDx2 only compilation

• 2006 - Hollinndagain

Paw Tracks 12" - 1xLP - 7 tracks sold out
nota bene - reissue of 2002 live LP wt different cover
released at 300 copies on St Ives Records - Vinyl only label that is part-owned by Secretly Canadian. 40 min 7 tracks live recording of 2001 US tour

• 2006 - Purple Bottle / Polly

7" white label (covers of S. Wonder and Nirvana)

• 2007 - Fireworks

Domino 10" s/side pink UK ed


Note that Paw Tracks is an off-shoot of Carpark Records established to release AC's and their side projects

Evolution of the Nikon F-mount

(Based on Nikon press release with my comments)

• Introduced on Nikon’s first lens-interchangeable SLR, the Nikon F (1959)

F lenses have indexing system via coupling fork. Lens mount ring is full and it is not possible to mount them on most modern (D)SLRs.

• Auto aperture indexing (AI) enables automatic setting of maximum aperture (1977)

F-mount ring is cut to provide indexing on mount. Certain cameras (FM, FE, Modified F5) allows mounting both F (but without meter coupling) and AI.

• Program auto exposure mode compatibility (1981)

Auto coupling mainly with FA, replaced with CPU on AF lenses.

• Aperture information exchange with the camera body through CPU communication (1983)

First P-series lenses - 3 in 30 years - 45/2.8P, 500/4P and 1200-1700/5.6-8P

Nikon F bayonet

• Autofocus compatibility (1983)

F3AF - AF not implemented properly by Nikon before 1988 with F4 and F-501.

Manual focus lenses can be mounted on AF cameras only if AI standard or if modified. Won't meter except with high end models (FA, F4, F5, F6, F100).

AF lenses lose coupling fork and cannot meter with older cameras (F, F2, Nikkormat etc.)

• Digital SLR cameras compatibility (1995)

Ok D1x is 2001, all lenses focal becomes a 1.5x with smaller than film DX image sensors.

Manual AI standard lenses meter with D200/300/700/3/3x. In addition retain normal focal with full frame (FX) cameras D 700/3/3x. Auto metering capacity restored for manual AI lenses via lens database activated through the menu. Basically you tell the camera which lens is mounted and its minimum f/stop. Works also for matrix metering.

New DSLR entry models (D 40/40x/60) without AF motor get rid of indexing peg. It is possible to mount F lenses (full focus ring) on these cameras. No metering but focus confirmation is available.

F lens converted to AI with official Nikon kit
still compatible with original F mount

For more detail on the evolution of the F-mount see link.

Summary of different versions of manual focus Nikon lenses see link.

Life starts at 50

Many people are anxiously awaiting new cameras from Nikon to be announced at PMA, such as

- D400 - follow on of D300 with 15-16 Mpix and video to match 50D

- D700x - with 24 Mpix as D3x and (?) video

- D5000 or D65 - entry model with D40 chassis, 3" LCD and 12 Mpix D300/90 processor and Image quality, plus live view and video

However, there is no new nikon DSLRs at PMA (Pbay reports).

Instead, Nikon has launched the celebration for the 50th anniversary of the F mount see link.

However, the anniversary falls in June and while certainly a date not to be missed, it is indeed a bit early to celebrate. But they probably didn't want to miss the opportunity at PMA.

What a coincidence, just last week I came across a Nikon F body with FTN finder. It has some marks and scratches but appears in working condition. As with all used mechanical SLR, unless bought with seller's guarantee that the camera has been serviced, it is always safe to check light sealing, exposure times and light meter, etc.



In this case, after replacing the type 625 batteries with a fresh set, the meter has been working on and off. So basically I am still playing with the camera and will soon shoot a roll of film to test it.

It's alive!

Nikon's own definition of the Nikon F

A system oriented, single-lens reflex (SLR) camera with interchangeable viewfinders, finder screens and motor drive capability, and coupled to Nikon F Meter

Talking about system, what I for one would be waiting is a Digital Modul R for Nikon F, like Leica did for the R8/9 model in 2005 (see link). Basically it would be great to be able to mount a digital back on a fine mechanical body such as Nikon's F and F2.

Nikon TC-16A converter

This is a 1.6x teleconverter that provide limited autofocus capacity with manual focus Ai/Ais lenses. It is discontinued but can be found for less than 100$ secondhand. The converter works fully only with certain Nikon cameras. It does not autofocus with DSLR (except D2h/x). The optical quality is very good although you lose up to a stop.

I tried it with the F/N 90 and it works pretty well. It won't autofocus over the whole range of given lens. The process is to focus manually to a given range, such as infinity, mid-range or close range and then activate the autofocus for focus fine tuning by pressing slightly the shutter (as for any AF lens). Focus action is quick and there is little or no hunting.

Clearly the TC/manual lens combination is better suited for for tele lenses. It also work with zooms. I find it particularly useful for portraits as normally the subject moves slightly and focus need to be adjusted constantly. And there is also the focal gain of 1.6x which makes a 50 f1.4 a 80 f2 autofocus.


Here I tried the TC-16A with Voigtkander's 75 mm 2.5 which turns into a 120mm.

(Images: nicovandijk; ixiyizi)