Nikon Z7
Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S
35mm, 1/200 Sec at f/8, ISO64
Post Processed in Adobe Lightroom Classic V14.2
Photo of the Month – March
Film Simulations – Fuji
Fuji camera are very popular and they have two key selling points. One is the more traditional ergonomics with lens aperture rings and a traditional shutter speed dial; and two is their film simulations.
It’s something that Fuji pushes a lot, but the truth is many cameras have profiles. Now I shoot 99% with a Nikon Neutral profile which I use as a base, but often use Nikon Standard Monochrome with an Orange filter for black and white. If you are using profiles and using Adobe Lightroom, remember to ensure on your import settings is using camera settings and not changing it on the import.
As you can see here, with it set to camera settings you get your camera profile settings, I also have a number of custom ones I have created in Lightroom as well.
I see a lot of people selling presets for Lightroom on the internet but it’s very easy to create your own unique look and then create your own profile.
Design in Camera, style or function
Less is more; is something that many people like in design.
In camera design this can be good and bad. A Leica M rangefinder is a very simple design with traditional controls.
The latest Hasselblads with there icon based menu system are a breath of fresh air, instead of having to wade though the typical menus of the Sony, Fuji, Canon and Nikons.
I leave Leica off there list as they have done a lot of work to simply the menu system, and with the Leica TL they had the icon style menu interface,
The Sigma BF is going to appeal to a different kind of photographer and is even more cut down then the Leica TL was. For some its going to inspire and I congratulate Sigma for being so brave in producing this.
Third Party Leica Lens
I wrote the other day about character lens and I see Voiglander are announcing more lens this times for the Leica M mount.
Leica themselves also announced more classic lens themselves.
40mm the new 50mm
It seems since my post back in 2021 about the 40mm lens https://brown-family.org.uk/50mm-to-long-35mm-to-wide-meet-the-40mm/
Many manufacturers are now releasing one.
If you check out social media and YouTube everyone is shouting about how great the old Minolta 40mm is; the Sony, the Canon, the Nikon.
I think partially what’s driving this is the fact that many of these are character lens. Modern Sigma Art, Sony G Master lens, Canon L glass, Nikon S glass etc are striving to be as optically correct as possible. Many people feel that these lens lack character, are boring, and sterile.
If your after a character lens then Voiglander are a great place to look. Many of there APO lens are very good but some like the 40mm f/1.2 are very interesting. Wide open these have older characteristics which many find pleasing. Stop down beyond f/2.8 and there sharp more normal lens, open up and they offer character and a more interesting look. This will not be for everyone but many appreciate this.
Nikon themselves have jumped on this bandwagon with there none S f/1.4 lens, and the 40mm f/2 being particular notable and has quite a fan base.