Category: Photography

I am seeing rumours about how Leica will develop their next sensor in house. Reports also mention that the current sensor is ‘just’ a Sony sensor.

Those who follow Leica will understand that they have been working closely and have been developing in conjunction with a number of Germain Universities sensor technology for a while now. Sony the sensor company have a number of base designs that you can order from them and put your own tech into; and they will also fabricate custom designs of your own. The sensor manufacture division of Sony is very different to the division that makes and runs Sony cameras which they bought from Minolta, they are a customer of the sensor division just like anyone else. Buying a Sony camera with a Sony sensor will not be the same sensor tech as other camera manufactures. For the high end cameras its often a unique sensor being made just for that company.

Nikon announced the new Nikon 24-105mm f/4 to f/7.1 non S lens.

This is a nice budget kit lens and a reasonable travel lens for people who like to travel light.

This shot of Kimberly was taken with a 105 prime at f/8 so a beginner could make good use of this lens within the 50 – 105mm range and shoot in the studio at f/8 or f/11.

The weight is good and its about half the weight of the 24-120mm f/4 S and much cheaper.

The chat on the internet is as you would expect very negative towards this lens. It’s cheap, small and light, something has to give and it’s that variable aperture. An f/7.1 at 105 is pretty slow, but in the studio no issues, and with modern high ISO performance not too much to worry about. Yes the 24-70mm f/4 S is better and so is the 24-120mm f/4 S; but they’re not coming in at anything like this price. unless you consider secondhand. If you can afford the S lens then get them, if not start with this or pick up some nice second hand primes. Choice is good, don’t criticise a lens just because its not for you.

I would never buy this but if it came in a kit with a Nikon Z5II as a starter system and I was getting into the photography this is a great option for newbies.

I have been looking at large sensor compacts for many years.

Ricoh and Leica were the first with cropped 1.5 sensors, and then Sony released the RX1 with a stunning fixed sensor 35mm lens and an optional EVF. Leica followed with the Q range.

Sony are now back in the game with an updated RX, and Ricoh and Fuji with there cropped sensor compacts are proving popular.

It seems photographers love large sensor compacts.

Many people by a camera and then stick to that manufactures lens, and with good reason. They do tend to be slightly better. Often for cost saving reasons people will go for 3rd party lens.

As many who use MicroFourThirds cameras have discovered, having a mirrorless system opens up options to many different lens, both new and old.

Voigtlander are now making quite a name for themselves with a range of older classic designs and newer manual focus lens. Some APO designs are cutting edge, others give an older shall we say flawed but more pleasing image rendering. Some even combine to give a more old fashioned image when wide open but then a couple of stops closed down give a sharp modern image.

Being a Leica users, adding one to my kit is tempting, and with a M to Z adapter the lens can do dual duty on multiple Nikon Z bodies.

But buying native Z mount version does give me electronic lens coupling, focus confirmation and aperture meta data in my images.

I like my prints; to truly appreciate a photography it needs to be printed and sometimes quite big. I have a Epson large wide carriage, the 3880.

Most consumer printers have small ink cartridges and the cost of ink is high. The bigger printers have larger ink cartridges and work out a lot cheaper.

Still today I was doing some test prints and my printer ran out of five ink cartridges all at once. Its been an expensive day.