New Large Sensor, Digital Compact Cameras are Coming!

If you follow this blog, you have probably read about my using compact 35mm film cameras in part because there haven't been any compact digital cameras with large, DSLR sensors...or at least not any that seem to work that well, especially in terms of autofocus performance (e.g., the Sigma DP1/DP2 and Olympus E-P1).

Well, both Panasonic and Leica (who often work together to produce digital cameras), are coming out with some new compact digital cameras sporting DSLR-size sensors that may finally lure me away from my compact 35mm film cameras...!

Panasonic announced the new GF1 which sports a 17.3 x 13.0mm four thirds sensor in a compact camera body that is similar in size to the Olympus E-P1 (note: a APS-C sensor--e.g., as used in Canon's Digital Rebels and 10D thru 50D DSLRs--is 23.6 x 15.8mm). The GF1 allows interchangeable lenses and initial reports indicate the autofocusing system is significantly improved over the Sigma DP1/DP2 and Olympus E-P1...more akin to the ones you find on DSLRs.

The GF1 will sell for $899.95 with a 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (35mm equivalence: 28-90mm) and is reported to be shipping in October 2009.

Leica has announced three new digital cameras: one with a medium format camera sized sensor (the S2), one with a full 35mm sized sensor (the M9), and one with a APS-C sized sensor (the X1).

While all of these are interesting entries into the digital camera marketplace, it's the X1 that most interests me. It's a true compact digital camera with a true APS-C DSLR size sensor. The lens is a fixed 24/2.8 Leica ELMARIT ASPH lens (equivalent to a 36mm lens on a 35mm film camera), which may not appeal to people who have become accustomed to zoom lenses.

The compact 35mm film cameras I use are all fixed lenses as well--usually somewhere in the range of 28mm - 40mm--and I have found I like having the higher quality optics you can get in a fixed range lens for my more personal, fine art work anyway.

The Leica X1 will sell for $1995.00 and begin shipping in January 2010.

Of course, I've got some high-quality compact 35mm film cameras I've picked up used for under $100! The differences in price ($899.95 - $100 = $799.95 and $1995 - $100 = $1895) pay for a *lot* of film and film processing...:p.

Michael Grace-Martin is a professional wedding, portrait, event, stock, and fine art photographer based in Upstate New York. He is also the author of this blog. All images and text are (c) Michael Grace-Martin Photography. His main website is: http://www.mgm-photography.com/.

Camera Giveaway! A Holga 120 GFN Medium Format Film Camera

I recently--kind of mistakenly--bought two Holga cameras with glass lenses. The original Holga has a plastic lens; the glass lens is supposed to yield sharper image detail than the plastic lens. Even though it has a glass lens, it still has all the other quirks that make Holgas beloved: light leaks, vignetting, focussing and framing irregularities, only two aperture settings, etc.

I decided to keep the one without the built-in flash and sell the other (the one *with* the built-in flash). Well, it went unsold on eBay.

Instead of relisting it, I've decided to give it away right here on my blog!

There are two requirements to enter this giveaway:
1) You must have a shipping address in the United States.
2) You must subscribe to this blog by email (just click the link in the righthand column that says "Subscribe to Lightmanship by Email").

On October 15th, 2009, I will randomly select one email address from this blog's email subscribers and notify that person of their free gift. The person I notify will have 2 days to email me a valid shipping address in the US. If the person isn't interested in receiving the Holga or doesn't return my email message with an address, I'll randomly select another person from the list of email addresses and repeat the process.

If you decide to enter, good luck! Feel free to notify anyone else you know who might be interested in getting a free Holga too...:-).

Here's more about the Holga camera:

This is a genuine Holga camera with a glass lens (instead of the usual plastic lens) and a built-in flash: model 120 GFN. The glass lens is reputed to give sharper images than the plastic one. I bought this new and have never used it (except to put 2 AA batteries into it to see if the flash worked...it did!). It comes in the original box with the camera, strap, frame insert (that switches between 6x6 and 6x4.5), and instruction manual.

The new Holga 120 GFN is a medium format camera with integrated flash and a glass lens. This new model has a standard tripod mount, a bulb exposure selector for extra long exposures and comes with two frames to take pictures in 6x4.5 cm or 6x6 cm size. The format arrow has been revised and slides smoothly between 12 and 16 exposures.

Features
- Bulb exposure selector for extra long exposures
- Standard tripod mount
- Revised format arrow
- Includes now two frames for the 6x6 and 6x4.5 cm format!
- Multiple exposures
- Vignetting
- Soft focus
- Integrated flash can be switched on and off
- Film to be used: 120 mm colour/bw film, instant film (only with polaroid holder), 35 mm film (modification)
- Glass lens
- Leaf shutter

Specifications
- Lens: 60 mm
- Aperture: f/8, f11
- Shutter speed: 1/100 s, B
- Focus range: 0.9 m to infinity
- Dimensions: 140x102x76 mm
- Weight: 0.2 kg

Michael Grace-Martin is a professional wedding, portrait, event, stock, and fine art photographer based in Upstate New York. He is also the author of this blog. All images and text are (c) Michael Grace-Martin Photography. His main website is: http://www.mgm-photography.com/.

Where is Photography Going?

Whenever I photograph a wedding, there are usually several people among the guests taking pictures...and it's not uncommon for a few of them to have digital SLRs with flashes and even flash diffusers attached.

An increasing number of people perpetually have a digital camera with them, whether it's attached to a neck or shoulder strap, in their pocket or purse, or built into their cell phone. Digital cameras are virtually everywhere.

When Kodak came up with the Instamatic 35mm film camera in the 1960s, many more people started carrying around cameras. But that's nothing compared to the percentage of people walking around with cameras now in the digital camera age!

So, what does this omnipresence of digital cameras (usually with built-in video capabilities as well) mean for photographers trying to make a living from photography? This is an interesting question for me because I'm one of those people trying to make a living from photography.

It's a dual-edged sword. It means that:

1. More and more people are interested in photography because digital cameras are so readily present and available.
2. More and more people are making and trying to sell photographic images (often as fine art prints or to stock photo agencies) or parlaying their photograph-making into income-producing services (e.g., portrait and wedding photography).
   

Item #1 is a good thing. I have sold a non-trivial percentage of my fine art prints to photography enthusiasts. Also, photography enthusiasts are interested in paying successful and established photographers for some of their acquired photography knowledge and/or tools and shortcuts they've developed.

Item #2 tends to be a bad thing, especially if you are trying to sell photographic images and/or services to the same audiences. (More about this: a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle called "Photo hobbyists snapping up more business".)

Photographers of the "weekend warrior" type threaten to bring wedding, portrait, and other event photography prices down. However, from my experience, there will always be customers wanting to pay extra to know they're hiring an established full-time professional who has proven him/herself over and over and who they can depend on to deliver the "goods". I believe a very small percentage of weekend warrior photographers actually end up becoming professional photographers. (Once you turn it into a professional occupation, it's not that fun little hobby anymore...!)

My quandary is what if it's really from the fine art and stock photography markets that you want to make most of your income?? For some reason, this reminds me of something photographer Chuck Close said (next 3 paragraphs):

"The thing that interests me about photography, and why it's different from all the other media, is that it's the only medium in which there is even the possibility of an accidental masterpiece. You cannot make an accidental masterpiece if you're a painter or sculptor."

"This is simultaneously photography's great advantage and its Achilles heel: it is the easiest medium in which to be competent. Anybody can be a marginally capable photographer, but it takes a lot of work to learn to become even a competent painter. Now, having said that, I think that while photography is the easiest medium in which to be competent, it is probably the hardest one in which to develop an idiosyncratic personal vision. It is the hardest medium in which to separate yourself from all those other people who are doing reasonably good stuff."

"A recognized signature style of photography is an incredibly difficult thing to achieve."

What Chuck Close said about photography has not changed. And if--as it seems--many more people are doing photography now with the advent of digital photography and (another important factor) photo-sharing websites, it can only be *more* difficult now to distinguish oneself and one's photography from the mass of photos being produced and displayed on the web and elsewhere.

If fame is your goal, that's one thing. If making a living from photography is your primary concern, it would be good to remember an important marketing principle that hasn't changed: you must find a market for what you have to offer; this applies to photos and any other product. Photographers who are successful in fine art and stock photo markets will have found that market for their photos.

It's easier to find a market, then produce what that market wants. Doing it in the opposite order (producing, then finding the market for the product) can be much more difficult...and could, ultimately, exhaust one's resources (time, money) before success is achieved.

So, "where" do I think photography is going?

Having so many suppliers of photos/images--and even photography services, like portrait and wedding photography--does tend to push market prices for these products and services down (it's a basic economic principle!). However, I don't think this large supply is going to reduce people's interest in photographic images or services. Quite the contrary, I think it's expanding people's interest in photography!

As a result, those photographers able to distinguish themselves and rise about the heap of suppliers out there, will actually benefit from the increased interest in photography! Photography enthusiasts is a great market for photography-related goods and services, like fine art prints, books, training, consulting, portraiture & weddings (yes, photography enthusiasts want the best photography for their weddings!), and so on.

Related to what Chuck Close said, the tricky part is distinguishing your work from the work of the other thousands of photographers out there jamming the Internet with digital images! This is where such principles as "branding" come into the discussion. But branding is a topic I'm just coming to terms with and which I will likely expound upon further in future blog posts...:-).

Michael Grace-Martin is a professional wedding, portrait, event, stock, and fine art photographer based in Upstate New York. He is also the author of this blog. All images and text are (c) Michael Grace-Martin Photography. His main website is: http://www.mgm-photography.com/.

Canon Announces New Canon 7D...So What?

I heard the announcement regarding the new Canon 7D today. Apparently, the name is confusing people because many think it's the new 5D. Well, it turns out it's closer to the new 50D, because it's Canon's latest APS-C sensor (1.6x crop factor) DSLR, which is like the 10D, 20D,...and 50D that preceded it.

So, why did they leave the multiple of 10s naming convention? Probably just to indicate a significant "break" with that line in terms of technology and capabilities.

It seems that most people are excited about the HD video recording capabilities the 7D has (better than the 500D, comparable to the higher-priced 5D Mark II). But I'm still steeped in still photography and don't care that much about it's HD video functionality.

What I'm most interested in is that they *finally* updated the 9-point AF system (has a single cross-type point in the middle of the 9-point array) that has been on *all* their APS-C sensor DSLRs and on both the 5D and 5D Mark II. It's now a 19-point AF system where *all* the points are cross-type! (Cross-type points are able to use *both* vertical and horizontal edges to lock-in focus.)

In addition, not only are there more than twice as many focus-assist points with 18 additional cross-type points, but the autofocussing system will now have its own dedicated processor. That's right: they've put in dual processors....which previously, was only available in their high-end 1D and 1DS professional series!

One other professional-level upgrade: weather-sealing. Again, only their high-end 1D and 1DS professional series used to have weather-sealing.

There's no doubt in my mind that this new 19-point, dual-processor, AF system--as well as the weather-sealing--will be making its way to the 5Ds quite soon (the 5D Mark III?), and finally put the 5D series at a truly professional level...:-).

You can buy the 7D or get on the shipment received notification list for the 7D at B&H's website. You can read more about the Canon 7D at Canon's website.

Michael Grace-Martin is a professional wedding, portrait, event, stock, and fine art photographer based in Upstate New York. He is also the author of this blog. All images and text are (c) Michael Grace-Martin Photography. His main website is: http://www.mgm-photography.com/.

Beware Point-and-Shoot Film Cameras with Post Pre-Focus Focussing

This will be a short post, but I wanted to share some potentially informative experiences with high-quality, point-and-shoot film cameras I've accumulated recently, especially for street photography shooters and those trying to photograph fast and oft-moving children...

Apparently, the "pre-focus" (when you push the shutter button down halfway to "pre-focus" in order to minimize the delay before the shutter is actually tripped) on many point-and-shoot film cameras doesn't actually focus the lens; it'll only determine whether there's enough light to take the photo, and whether assistance from the built-in flash will be needed. Also, it allows you to fix the exposure level and recompose the shot. I guess this behavior is meant to minimize the battery drain caused by focussing the lens and then not taking a photograph.

For street and child photography, the extra amount of time needed to focus the lens upon pressing the shutter button the rest of the way down, can easily lead to missed shots...to which my experience can attest.

One of the highly-touted point-and-shoot cameras of the 1990s was and is the Yashica T4/T5. The lens quality is quite nice and it even works relatively well with the built-in flash. The only drawback I've experienced with it: it doesn't actually focus the lens until you press the shutter button all the way down. Luckily, it focusses pretty fast; but it can't compete with a camera that actually focusses the lens upon partial pressing of the shutter button.

I was surprised to find this out about the Yashica T4/T5 because the point-and-shoot cameras I had gathered before acquiring the Yashica T4 actually focussed the lens on pre-focus.

It turns out the Leica Minis (I have both the Mini II and Mini III) actually focus upon pre-focussing; I didn't realize how lucky I was to have selected them as my first compact film cameras for my street and child photography. (Note: I've noticed my Mini II with a 35 f/3.5 lens focuses slightly faster than my Mini III with a 32 f/3.2 lens.)

Two others I've collected that don't have the focussing delay after pre-focus:

1. The Ricoh GR1, GR1s, and GR1v. The Ricohs, in fact, have a "snap" focussing mode that even eliminates time to pre-focus.
2. The Konica Hexar AF. This isn't a very compact point-and-shoot camera; but it's the fastest auto-focussing film camera I own...as fast as my Canon SLR and DSLRs.

Anyway, if you're looking for compact and/or point-and-shoot film cameras for street and/or child photography, you should be aware that many of these types of cameras are like the Yashica T4/T5 in that true focussing doesn't occur until the shutter button is fully depressed.

As I gather and/or use other point-and-shoot film cameras, I will try to make sure to report my findings here at the blog.

Michael Grace-Martin is a professional wedding, portrait, event, stock, and fine art photographer based in Upstate New York. He is also the author of this blog. All images and text are (c) Michael Grace-Martin Photography. His main website is: http://www.mgm-photography.com/.

Why 35mm Film Isn't Dead Yet

I, like many others, thought it no longer made sense to make or use 35mm film.

It still made sense that photographers would buy medium and large format film because--unless you had $20,000-$40,000 for a medium format digital camera--shooting medium and large format film is still a cost effective way to get really rich and detailed images, whether you scan the film or just print it. (I know that some would argue that 35mm full-frame digital SLRs give you as good or better images than medium format film. Maybe. Maybe sometimes. Regardless, you can easily spend thousands of dollars on a good full-frame DSLR setup...).

But why would anyone shoot a 35mm film negative or slide when: 1) you have to keep buying more film, 2) pay to process (and probably ship) that film, 3) wait for it to be processed (and probably shipped back), 4) film scans often need to be "cleaned up" due to dust, scratches, and/or chemical residue, 5) film scans--especially if higher than 100 ISO--often show a lot of graininess..??

I've come to realize the reasons why 35mm film isn't dead yet:

1. Compact digital cameras with "full" (DSLR) sized sensors have not been perfected yet. Sure, you'll see some offerings from Sigma (DP-1 and DP-2) and Olympus (E-P1) out in the market; but these cameras haven't reached the level of performance (e.g., in terms of auto-focussing and lens quality) achieved by the compact 35mm film cameras of the 1990s--e.g., the Contax Ts, the Leica Minis and Miniluxes, the Ricoh GR1s, the Yashica T4/T5, the Olympus Stylus Epic, and so on.
2. Compact digital cameras with their typical small sensors have very little pleasing bokeh--which is the thing that provides the selective focus and 3-D "depth" that most people like in a good photo...especially when the subject matter is people.
3. With all its drawbacks, film can still provide a rich, classic, and artistic "look" that digital photography doesn't have (i.e., it's the difference between a digital and analog aesthetic).
4. Film cameras allow you to get different types of images by simply changing the film you're using (e.g., black & white versus color; grainier versus finer grain; different grain structures--Kodak Tri-X has a different look than Ilford or Fuji B&W films...or even other Kodak B&W films; smooth versus contrasty; etc...)
5. Most people now shoot digital due to convenience and price. Want to make your work stand out more as a photographer/photographer-artist? Shoot film...your work will automatically look different than 95% (or more) of the images being produced these days. (I think less than 95% of people own digital versus film cameras; however, it's clear a vast majority of the images produced and displayed on the web came from a digital camera.)
   

Even though the market for 35mm film has become smaller and smaller, I think it's here to stay a while. There's a certain level of 35mm film user die-hards I don't think are going to go away anytime soon. These die-hards are partially motivated by nostalgia; but it's not all nostalgia. The reasons I listed above are legitimate, "practical" reasons why 35mm film is still around and still fills an important niche.

As long as there are people/consumers out there wanting to use 35mm film, someone is going to make it for them...:-).

Michael Grace-Martin is a professional wedding, portrait, event, stock, and fine art photographer based in Upstate New York. He is also the author of this blog. All images and text are (c) Michael Grace-Martin Photography. His main website is: http://www.mgm-photography.com/.

Terry Richardson Bought My Point-and-Shoot Film Camera

I recently sold a point-and-shoot 35mm film camera on eBay to someone named Terry Richardson in New York City. I asked (via email) whether this was *the* Terry Richardson--the fashion photographer who famously uses compact "point-and-shoot" 35mm cameras to do his high-paying fashion photography...? Well, I didn't get an answer.

Of course, this leads me even more to believe it's probably him...(!)
(Update: He did eventually email me back. His message: "Hi,yes its me...love that camera its awesome for street shots..and fits in my pocket better then the yashica. keep on clicking...thanks Terry")

Terry Richardson is renowned for shooting with a compact 35mm film camera that is no longer manufactured: the Yashica T5/T4 Super. As a result, Yashica T5/T4 Supers now sell for more used than they did new in the 1990s!

It would make sense that he would have to buy more used Yashica T5s/T4s on eBay when they wear out because they're no longer made--or even, probably, serviced--by Yashica. (Does Yashica even still exist as a company?)

But that is not what he bought from me.

Terry Richardson--this one in New York City--bought a compact, point-and-shoot camera from me that was not made by Yashica. It was another relatively famous point-and-shoot 35mm film camera that was manufactured around the same time as the T5/T4 Super.

Now I'm inclined to keep it a secret so that the price on this gem doesn't get as inflated as it's become on the Yashica T5s/T4s. However, if someone guesses it, I'll come clean and tell you what it was.

Note: anyone who posts a "Who Cares!" comment has become too jaded for their own good...;-).

Michael Grace-Martin is a professional wedding, portrait, event, stock, and fine art photographer based in Upstate New York. He is also the author of this blog. All images and text are (c) Michael Grace-Martin Photography. His main website is: http://www.mgm-photography.com/.