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Dear photographer,
2010?! Perhaps I should rent the movie @AMAZON. Though I hear it’s no classic, like 2001 A Space Odyssey.
This year will bring exciting developments with cameras, lenses and computers.
More megapixels are coming but this is boring, since 30 megapixels is a modest 1.1X linear resolution increase vs 24MP. Elimination of the anti-aliasing (blur) filter would make a significant difference, akin to 24 vs 30 MP. Since optics are critical, your long-term strategy is to acquire the best lenses, as cameras will demand more and more.
But I’m rooting for a new level of quality, with the Nikon D3s a harbinger of the stunning potential digital offers, a maturity that now waxes strongly. I hope that Nikon applies the same “secret sauce” found in the D3s to a D3xs refresh over the D3x. Canon is far behind the quality curve at this point, though I have yet to evaluate the new 1D Mark IV.
The new Canon 1D Mark IV looks interesting, but what does cramming 16 megapixels into a 1.3X-crop sensor mean for image quality, let alone the extreme demands on focus precision and lens quality? It’s equivalent in terms of pixel density to a 27 megapixel sensor, which will show what might be expected from a future Canon full-frame ~30MP camera.
The race is on between Canon and Nikon to produce higher quality lenses, already in progress since last year (Canon 24/1.4L II, Nikon 70-200VR2, tilt/shift, etc), but showing up now in the 70-200mm range, with Canon announcing a 70-200/2.8L II. I expect new and revised “prime” lenses from both companies and maybe Nikon will finally produce a 35/1.4 or 24/1.4 someday.
Canon EOS users have been asking me which Zeiss ZE lenses to get. Were I to restrict myself to three lenses, they would be the 21/2.8 Distagon, the 50/2 Makro-Planar and 100/2 Makro-Planar. Handy list. A total no-brainer, provided that manual focus is OK and you can afford them. Fill in later with the 28/2 Distagon (to fill the gap between 21mm and 50mm). The ZE 100/2 won't be available until February.
Why isn’t there in-camera HDR (high dynamic range)? Bang-bang-bang— 3 or 5 frames, make me an HDR image image please so there is no time wasted in the computer, and one RAW to deal with. It will happen as soon as the camera CPU has the grunt to do it.
More and more, seeing what your DSLR can do is a joy. So get yourself a wide-gamut calibrated monitor, like one of the NEC SpectraView models, and shoot RAW for the gamut. More. You can get the NEC at B&H Photo or at OWC.
In the end, in spite of the Leica M9 limitations (see my in-depth review), I invested in the M9 and some lenses as a strategic move. I believe that there will eventually be an M camera with Live View, further sensor improvements, and that good glass never goes out of style, and indeed is likely to prove an investment increasing in value over time. I love carrying th M9— so compact and light compared to a Big Beast Canon or Nikon. Here is a convenient list of lens options by focal length for the M9.
Could Apple’s forthcoming tablet computer be useful in the field connected to a camera? For checking focus and images, etc, ideally with wireless. Could be handy. Or just a pain in the butt to lug along more crap that takes away from making images. Probably the latter.
A tablet Mac will get the lion’s share of the hype, but I’m rooting for a quad-core MacBook Pro offering 16GB memory and dual internal drives, which might make it a truly viable desktop replacement.
Protect yourself against greedy looters (politicians) and have 5-10% of your investments in gold stocks— it’s insurance but you only have to pay for it once! You’ll be glad you did with the coming competing currency devaluations, of which the dollar is the first. Reading. But don’t put yourself at risk by storing precious metals in your home.
This seaweed is tasty, and sardines are good for you. Eat well in 2010!
Image at right/above is a warm Christmas day at the beach in California, which explains why Californians endure some of the nation’s most egregious taxes. State parks still close for lack of funds.
What I’m working on for early 2010
The original The Sharpest Image is in DAP, and well worth reading now, since everything it discusses is still of relevance four years after I first wrote it. An all new version is in the works, to be greatly expanded in multiple directions, along with an improved layout.
- Zeiss ZE 50/2 Makro-Planar examples (100mm already covered);
- Nikon 105/2.8 VR vs Zeiss ZF 100/2 Makro-Planar comparison;
- A greatly expanded The Sharpest Image (original version is in DAP).
- Leica and Zeiss lenses for Leica M9;
- Canon 1D Mark IV with Canon 200m f/2L IS;
- Binoculars;
- DXO Optics Pro 6 (when available for Mac);
- New Mac models when announced (Mac Pro and/or MacBook Pro).
- Any unexpected goodies.
Updates and items of note
• Nikon 70-200/2.8 VR II — My latest report shows the second sample to be excellent, with the hot spot and right edge blur of the first sample gone.
• New Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II — Sometime in April or May (depending on availability), I plan on reviewing the new and improved Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II.
• Zeiss ZE/ZF/ZF.2 lenses — By February, Canon users will enjoy the entire Zeiss ZE line except for the 25/2.8 Distagon, which is being redesigned and should be a doozy, though I predict that the original will become a cult favorite. Nikon users will see all of the ZF.2 line.
• Nikon D3s — Be sure to see my resolution comparison with the 24MP D3x. The Nikon D3s is about $5199. I bought one, even though I have a D3x— the D3s is a keeper. Sometimes the smaller file size alone is a nice plus, and the low-light capability and gorgeous images at any ISO make it a winner.
• Leica M9 — I’ll be adding more lens evaluations, both Leica M and Zeiss ZM, including the stunning Zeiss ZM 15mm f/2.8, the Zeiss ZM 25/2.8 Biogon and the Leica 75mm f/2.0 APO-Summicron-M. See my wish list at B&H and my Leica M9 report in DAP.
Recent stuff
Be sure to scan the blog for much more, or the RSS feed.
• Reviewed: Zeiss ZE 100/2 Makro-Planar, OWC Elite-AL Pro portable drive, Nikon D3s, Nikon 70-200/2.8 VR II, Leica M9, Canon 100/2.8L IS macro, Intel 160GB solid state drive, OWC 8GB memory modules for Mac Pro, and much more.
Computer notes
We could see new Mac Pro models within 3 weeks, but it might be as long as April. New models are likely to be six and twelve cores, at speeds up to 3.33GHz. Six cores will be a “sweet spot”, since few programs currently use four cores effectively, let alone twelve.
Your best Mac Pro value at present remains the 2.66GHz quad-core model. The 2.66GHz quad-core yields 90% of the performance at 50% of the price of the top-end model (for most tasks). B&H Photo offers great prices on new Mac Pros. Also consider a certified Apple refurbished (store selection changes daily).
See my Mac Pro step-by-step buying and setup guide, comments on the quad-core iMac, as well as future Mac Pro models. See also my computer stuff for photographer wish list at B&H. Consulting is available to help you get it right the first time at the lowest cost.
Computer upgrades can extend any recent Mac: more memory, fast hard drive(s), better reliability, larger screen, etc. Here is my top upgrades list at OWC.
Looking for data safety at reasonable cost? Think RAID 5 (striping + parity), which allows one drive to fail. See my OWC QX2 review for more on one possible choice.
Mac Pro Nehalem (review) quad-core users can now upgrade to 24GB or 32GB using 8GB memory modules?! The original Apple limit was ostensibly 8GB. This allows for a longer lifespan and greater duty range for the quad core. Read more.
Laptop users can get higher levels of performance with a solid state drive and more memory. It’s a different computing experience— you’re much better off skipping a few lousy megahertz and going solid state, unless you have high capacity requirements.
Golden Gate Bridge
I wanted to make an unusual image of the Golden Gate Bridge (more in my blog), since so many images are the mid-day blue-sky postcard style. With the fog swirling about and adding a diffusion effect, it felt relaxing and fun to shoot here at dusk. Color rendition on the Nikon D3s is just gorgeous and noise can hardly be detected. The Zeiss 50mm f/2 Makro-Planar is well suited to landscapes like this (not just a macro lens), becuase it’s sharp close up and at distance.
Nikon D3s, Zeiss ZF.2 50mm f/2. Makro-Planar @ f/5.6, 4 seconds, ISO 200.
Buying gear
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—Lloyd
