I’ve been a huge fan of Alien Skin’s software for years now so I’m sure it’s no surprise that I’m excited by their recent update to an already killer plugin. Exposure 4 keeps the functional structure in tact and further enhances its skill set to fine tune it into a plugin that will help any photographer, or digital artist further realize their final vision.
Read on for my experience through this exciting new release…
Most of us have heard of the Sunny 16 rule by where the rule of thumb for “proper” exposure on a sunny day would be setting your aperture to f/16 and your shutter speed to 1 / x, where X = your ISO setting. Basically, at f/16 and shooting at ISO 100, we would set our shutter speed to 1/100 and you’d be set (1/200 at ISO 200, etc). Of course there are other variables to take into consideration depending on your desired outcome or subject, but it gets you close enough. Well, after some trial and error (emphasis on the latter) I came to realize that when shooting the moon, I was having a very hard time properly exposing it. Wanting to eliminate as much noise as possible, I was shooting at lower ISOs and after some more trial I found that I was coming in at about f/5.6- f/8 when spot metering and compensating for the extra brightness (I figured I should account for about 2 full stops over midtone) with the same one over rule as the Sunny 16… This got me wondering if there was in fact a night shooters rule of thumb, and there in fact is…
The title just about says it all. There are a multitude of free and cheap apps for smart phones nowadays and they can be more useful than just uploading dozens of pictures of your late night goings on directly to facebook. Read on for downloadable freebies, suggested apps and a little instruction on how to best utilize these tools to come up with fun final images in photoshop…
February 14th, 2012 – Uh oh, don’t look now. Lensbaby has further diversified their lineup with a sharp, solid portrait lens with the same quirky capability of that signature Lensbaby look… It’s been a busy winter for Lensbaby. Out now and available immediately, the new Edge 80 optic. Like the Sweet 35 before it, the Edge 80 has the ability to control the aperture of the optic without having to use the magnetic drop in disks necessary with the standard optics. An 80mm f/2.8 Flat Field focus Optic with a 12 blade circular, user controlled aperture mechanism is great for anything from portraits to street shooting. Read on for more examples and links…
Officially announced and available immediately for $95usd (still image plugin) or $195usd (video plugin) this new offering from Digital Film Tools gives you the same amazing layer based control as Tiffen Dfx v.3, for 288 different film stock replications. Read on for examples and more info…
Lensbaby's new Macro Converters! image©lensbaby
February 2nd, 2012 – Just announced and available immediately, the new 8mm and 16mm Lensbaby Macro Converters, compatible with all LB Optics!
Using Lensbaby's new 16mm macro converter.
read on for my take as well as price, specs and links…
High above it all - G3 + FD55 f/1.2
Where else in the world would one want to be than Chicago in the depth of winter I ask you? I know it may sound somewhat sadistic, but I’ve really come to enjoy walking around the windy city when the river is frozen over, the streets are coated with a salted crust and the wind makes your face feel like someone repeatedly smacked you with a frozen fish. I’ve also come to realize the genius of having the largest sail show in the midwest at the same time every year. It may hurt to go outside, but when you get into the boat show, your thoughts immediately transport you to warmer times, and you feel any potential financial inhibitions start to ease with the promise of a midsummer breeze on the lake, the water lapping against your bow and the only ice you encounter is inside your cooler. On the business side of things, orders in January mean that you can actually get everything built before sailing season starts.
Read on for more shots and mumblings…
I know that on paper this is a crazy comparison. It’s also not fair in that we have two very different sensors, one, a 21 mega pixel full frame at the end of it’s 3+ year life cycle and the other about a quarter of the size and which is not even 10 months into its own. Well, these are the two cameras that I have and use on a regular basis. As I’m contemplating leaving one home for an upcoming trip, I wanted to see just what I was going to be getting. This is purely a fun/bored post, but one that I thought might be at least somewhat interesting to a few of us out there. How does the new 16mp G3/GX1 sensor stack up?
I’ve had a little time now with the absolutely minascule Lumix G 14mm f/2.5 pancake lens and I have to say, I have no problem proclaiming that I have a tiny lens. A truly impressive optical feat considering it’s being used on a 17.3mm x13mm 4/3 sensor. Of course, there is the beautiful Olympus 12mm f/2 lens, but at 2.5x the cost, could one be satisfied with the trade offs and savings? Beyond that you have the much ballyhooed 20mm f/1.7 pancake which is amazing in its own right, but for a bit more coin you can get the Panaleica 25mm f/1.4… And then of course, the Oly 45mm f/1.8 which has been universally praised for both quality and price, but the other Panaleica lens, the 45mm f/2.8 macro should certainly get some attention too. Folks, I think we have a few candidates for the micro 4/3 holy trinity.
When it came time to upgrade my beloved GF1, I waited for its true successor to be revealed. The GX1, not the GF2 nor GF3, is seen by most GF1 users as the camera that has had the GF1’s torch passed to it. I’ve spent two solid years with the GF1 and have finally felt that the current crop of mirrorless system cameras out there have upped the game enough for me to trade it in. I surprised even myself when I decided on the G3 over the GX1, NEX5n, EP3 or NEX7. A budget conscious option which I feel punches well above its weight. I’ve got some low light test shots, size comparison shots and the like. C’mon in and I’ll explain why I feel the G3 was the best option for a shooter like me…
Tyson Robichaud Photo-blography 