Forget the rule of thirds. My new favourite compositional device is the golden ratio. But what does a formula described by a 13th century Italian mathematician have to do with taking pictures? And what on earth does a recursive spiral have to do with street photography? It’s all about the intersection of mathematics, history, and art. Read on to dive deeper into the mystery.
The second-generation Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN |Art zoom is launched today. It promises improved optical performance and a welcome ten percent weight reduction with a seven percent size bonus. The company claims that the Mark II version of this popular L-Mount lens has improved resolving power throughout the entire zoom range. It also benefits from functional enhancements such as the addition of an aperture ring and high-speed AF with a redesigned motor with HLA (High-response Linear Actuator).
Two new Fujifilm cameras, the GFX100S Mark II and the X-T50 are announced today. The medium-format GFX features a 102 megapixel sensor, which is approximately 1.7 times larger than a 35mm full-frame sensor. In, the new X-T50 is a true lightweight at 438g.
Spring has sprung, and photo fair season is upon us. Simon and Garfunkel might be wondering whether you are going to Scarborough Fair. But we want to know if you are going to the one in Bièvres, south of Paris. Or maybe the cosy affair of Photographica in London this coming weekend. Both give you the chance to snag that vintage rangefinder you have been dreaming about.
The tongue twister above is by way of introduction to the fact that the next Leitz Photographica Auction contains some items which predate Leica. And it leads directly to my top-ten favourites for the auction on June 8.
We all know the moment. We are planning to buy a lens. Or we have to pack our bag for the next assignment. Which lenses do we take? A slow wide-range zoom, a fast but not so versatile zoom? Or a few primes? The range vs aperture question is always in the background. A YouTube video gave the impulse to share some thoughts on choosing the right L-Mount lens…
Although I have been a keen photographer for over sixty years, I have rarely taken a landscape photograph which pleased me. There have been some rare exceptions and one, which was really a seascape, did win a prize in a competition a few years ago, but that was an outlier. On a recent visit to Tasmania, I renewed my acquaintance with the art of landscape photography.
How do you feel about RUMOURS? Not the monster-selling, 1977 album by Fleetwood Mac, but the gossipy kind of camera gear rumours that may or may not be true? There are a lot of them about. Our theory is that many photographers secretly love to read about rumours, especially if they concern long-awaited pieces of desirable kit. Well, this week we have stories about soon-to-be-released cameras, news of an up tick in digital camera sales, a diminutive macro-lens, and a photojournalist who likes to shoot in black and white. Some of these might actually be true.
Since the advent of the iPhone, the adage that the best camera is the one that you always have with you has never been truer. But, can you really do justice to one of the world’s most remarkable cities with a phone camera? I recently put this idea to the test. You can be the judge of how well my eminently pocketable companion performed in capturing Beijing by iPhone.
This is a photography blog, right? So how come a Swiss Roll 1AKA jelly roll, cream roll, roulade, Swiss log or Biskuitrolle is such a star. The Swiss Roll story (or, perhaps, we should say “saga”) is the most-read story on Macfilos, spawning several sequels and world-wide interest. Hardly a day goes by without a message from some corner of the globe enquiring if we ever tracked down the mystery couple from 1950, their dog and their BMW cabriolet.
To ask, or not to ask: that is the question. I am referring, of course, to seeking permission before taking someone’s photograph on the street. Candid street photography is a genre that can trace its roots to the advent of Leica compact cameras. But some people nevertheless hold the view that snatching a shot of someone without asking permission is out of order. What do you think?
Everyone loves camera gear reviews. They are the most popular articles in quarterly and annual reviews of Macfilos articles. And they are even harder to resist in the form of a listicle — such as ‘The top ten’ or ‘The wackiest ten’ in the genre. This week, you are not just getting your camera gear review fix, but news of two recent ‘Best Of’ lists. How’s that for playing to the gallery? While we are at it, we also squeeze in some news of Thypoch lenses, the new Leica brute in the room, and the possibility of a new analogue camera. Spoiler alert: it’s not a Leica.
Ever found yourself unable to get all of your landscape shot in focus, from a few feet away to a distant horizon? Or, struggled to achieve sharp focus on all the petals of a flower in a macro shot? If so, there is a digital photography technique riding to your rescue. It’s called focus stacking, and the Macfilos team asked me to share my experience with it.
By one important yardstick, the 2018 L-Mount Alliance has been a scintillating success. The number of lenses available to users of the L-Mount system has now exceeded 75. And the sheer scale and breadth of the offering is astonishing. It is the only potentially “universal” mount on the market and could even attract more camera manufacturers in the future. It definitely has legs, as they say.
This one deserves a place in every museum: The Epson R-D1 is definitely a ground-breaking camera. The world’s first digital rangefinder camera with M-Mount and an APS-C CCD sensor with 6.1 Megapixel resolution was released in 2004. And because of the mount, the Epson R-D1 also deserves an honorary place in The M Files. Thanks to David B. for making this special 20th anniversary tribute possible!
