NYC in Winter

One of the artistic blogs I follow is "Daily Walks" by Diane Varner. Diane recently posted a little collage of images from a winter trip to New York City. It got me thinking about the City, which I usually envision in either Winter or Spring images in my mind.

 

Personally, I find NYC to be welcoming and wonderful in winter. Here's a shot I made with a Leica IIIC at the Central Park skating rink this winter.

 

Skating in Central Park, by Reed A. George

 

Diane seems to find winter in NYC a little less welcoming (based on her comments).

 

(Click Here) to see Diane's images. I find that for me, the warm yellow tint doesn't match the feel of winter in the City. The exception, to me, is the indoor shot of the bath - I think the yellow tint communicates exactly the right kind of warmth in that case.

 

It's always fun to see how different photographers interpret the same places and feelings.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Come Support My Fellow Blogger - T&T Straps by Tyson Robichaud

I've cross-posted some of Tyson Robichaud's blog posts before. He's a Lumix and Micro 4/3 user, but not exclusively.

 

(Click Here) to go to Tyson's blog.

 

Tyson has begun offering hand made rope (yes, rope) camera straps. Called "Garda Straps," Tyson makes each one by hand. They come in black or green (the black is thicker rope than the green) and regular or large lengths.

 

Image Source: http://tysonrobichaudphotography.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/img_5723.jpg

 

You've got to see the video on Tyson's site, which shows exactly how they're made, and more importantly, just how strong they are.

 

(Click Here) to read the post and be sure to watch the video.

 

At $30, including shipping in the US, it's certainly worth a try. I've ordered mine, a green, large model. I'll post once I've received mine with any impressions.

 

Good luck, Tyson!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Awesome Zeiss Ikon Images and Historic Information Now in Public Domain!

 

 

 

"Before you purchase a miniature...."

Image Source: http://issuu.com/zeisshistoricasociety/docs/1939-09_uk_catalogue__1_#

My friend Bill Barton send me a great link to an enormous amount of Zeiss historical information that has been put into the public domain!

 

(Click Here) to see old Zeiss catalogs, and issues of Zeiss Historica, with articles on many really interesting topics related to Carl Zeiss.

 

I love this kind of stuff. Thanks, Bill!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Dreaming in Monochrom(e). I'm Starting to Like This Look for Live Music

I've been using my Leica M4-2 film camera with Tmax 400 film, pushing it to iso 1600 (+2 stops) for shooting live music lately. I'm really starting to like the high constrast black and white look I'm getting.

 

Here are some shots I took recently at the Bright Box, a wonderful venue in Winchester, Virginia.

 

(Click Here) to learn more about Bright Box.

 

This show happened to be opened by one of my favorites, you may recognize Melissa Wright, now in a band called Mink.

 

Mink, by Reed A. George

 

The headliner band this particular evening was River Whyless, who I can add to my list of must-see-again bands.

 

River Whyless, by Reed A. George

 

The third shot is my favorite from the evening. I love how each band member comes across quite individually, yet makes up a part of the whole. I'm pleased with it.

 

I shot three lenses with my M4-2 on this evening: Leica 35mm f1.4 pre-aspheric Summilux, Zeiss 50mm f1.5 Sonnar-C, and Leica 90mm f2.8 Elmarit. I'm really beginning to like the combination of this very light, easily maneuverable kit and the look of pushed black and white film. Of course, it wouldn't work for everything, but in already harshly-lit stage settings, I think it does just fine.

 

Continuing on the path of learning how I may like the new digital Monochrom rangefinder, I do wonder how it would be to shoot at iso 1600 or even higher and get the wonderful low contrast, high dynamic images that camera is capable of. Maybe I'll have to borrow a Monochrom and see!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

New Micro 4/3 Lenses from Kowa

Image Source: http://www.kowa-prominar.ne.jp/special/wide_lens/index.htm

It looks like Kowa, a Japanese camera maker we haven't heard from in many years in the USA, is going to produce three new lenses for Micro 4/3. The will include an 8.5mm f2.8 ultrawide angle, 12mm f1.8 wide, and 25mm f1.8 normal lens. I don't know anything about them, but they appear to be manual focus, and also appear to have aperture rings, something you can't necessarily expect these days.

You can see them on the company's Japanese site if you (Click Here).

Welcome to Micro 4/3, Kowa!

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

So What Do You Think of the Retro Styled Cameras? Canon Says No.

 

The Nikon Df

Image Source: http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Digital-SLR-Cameras/1526/Nikon-Df.html

 

Personally, I really like the styling of some of today's cameras, specifically some of those that harken back to cameras I knew or used when I was younger. No, I don't carry a pocket watch or hand-drawn maps. But I do still carry a Nikon F2 pretty often. So, the Df definitely appeals.

 

My new Lumix DMC-GX7 makes me wish it was more "retro" styled, something like the Olympus OM-D. Fuji's designs are distinctly retro and cool.

 

Apparently, Canon will not pursue this line of design, according to a post on the SLR Lounge.

 

(Click Here) to see the quote from a Canon representative.

 

Now this doesn't bother me much, as the only Canon gear I own really is retro. I have a Canon 50mm f1.4 Leica Thread Mount (LTM) lens that truly lives up to its nickname, the Japanese Summilux. I also have a Canon 135mm f3.5 LTM lens that is amazingly sharp and nice. Oh yeah, I also have a fixed lens 35mm rangefinder, the Canon QL17, with f1.7 lens. I haven't had that out in a while. Hmm. Maybe that's how I'll enjoy some retro Canon. I wouldn't be likely to buy a new Canon anyway, even if it was retro styled.

 

Now the Nikon Df is another story. Still attracted to that one.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Ashwin Rao on a Year With the Real (Digital) Leica Monochrom

Image Source: http://us.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/m_monochrom/

 

As you know, I'm playing around a lot with black and white these days, specifically in my Leica M4-2, which I'm using to emulate the modern Leica digital Monochrom rangefinder.

 

Ashwin Rao, frequent contributor to Steve Huff's excellent photography blog, has written up his thoughts after shooting a lot with the new Monochrom. He made over 15,000 exposures with it last year.

 

(Click Here) to read Ashwin's full report on Steve Huff Photo. He includes many, many excellent images.

 

Ashwin writes how constraining himself to monochrome imaging, thinking only in black and white, was at first a major challenge. He says he realized what he had given up by using a camera incapable of rendering color. But then, this challenged turned to "inspiration and motivation."

 

Ashwin prefers to use older rangefinder lenses with his Monochrom. Sound familiar? I happen to love old Leica and rangefinder lenses, so this only bring the Monochrom closer to my heart. Ashwin feels that modern lenses tend to give a surreal look, and that modern aspherical lenses suffer from loss of shadow detail. He feels that maybe the coating of older lenses, which were developed in a monochrome era, are better optimized for black and white. Clearly, color was not the main consideration fifty years ago. Or maybe, he admits, he is drawn to images made with older lenses because he learned to love the look of images he knew from the past.

 

Ashwin reports that the Monochrom is pretty much infallible at up to iso 3200, and 5000 in good light.

 

He also reports that there is so much dynamic range that images can have an overall gray look. This invites lots of post-processing, and leaves plenty of opportunity to fine tune the images to get exactly what he wants.

 

So, after a year, the Monochrom is still his favorite camera. Ashwin commits to continuing to explore this special camera, and share more results as he goes. Onward, Ashwin, and thanks!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com