Category : The Learning Center

 

I have written often about how handy the compact cameras are when you simply don’t want to be burdened with a big DSLR.  For the trip to New York this week, I hope to shoot some great images, so I thought, what a great place for a test of two great compacts; the P7100 (the new updated version of the killer P7000), and the new nifty and stylish Nikon 1.  On the Nikon 1 I will use the beautiful and compact 10mm (equivalent to 27mm) f 2.8 lens, its super sharp and the speed will allow some great available light situations.   The P7000 proved itself out west in 2010 and the new model has many great improvements so I’m anxious to try it out in a urban environment.  With the P7100’s 28-200 zoom it contains a complete lens system right in the camera!  Since both cameras shoot High Definition video (P7100 720P and the Nikon 1 1080P) I hope to also record some video segments.  To further make the test interesting I will forgo any kind of tripod and shoot everything hand-held, which should be greatly aided by the Vibration Reduction system built into both cameras.

 

I will post images from the show and “the city” each evening in the Pilgrim’s Chronicles blog.  If I have technical things to share I may post some work and info here in the Learning Center as well.

 

the pilgrim

 

End of trip, and test thoughts:

 

This is a very tough decision and I can’ actually declare an overall winner, both cameras excel at certain things.  For me I would lean to the P7100 simply because it’s included, built in, 28-200 covers so much range!  The Nikon 1 has lenses that will allow you to have even more range, but with them attached the camera is no longer compact.  For video and high speed shooting the Nikon 1 is the hands down winner.  For low light it also edges out the P7100 with the virtue of a larger sensor.   If you attach just the 10mm pancake type lens it is a joy to carry and use, until you need something longer than 27mms, then you long for one of the longer zooms or the P7100.   The cool white Nikon 1 makes a lot more of a fashion statement for sure.  Since I’ve spent very little time on the fashion show runway, that is not as important to me, but to some it is!!!

 

The bottom line is that these are both very capable cameras for travel and use when carrying a full size DSLR is just not  convenient.  For travelers that is lots of times.  Just to muddy the water even more, the P300 should have been included as it is a great camera when small is the key thing, and it’s 24mm wide end of it’s zoom is very nice when space gets tight.  If I am very, very concerned about getting killer images, I will have at least a small DSLR (D7000) and a couple of lenses.  I could travel with just the 12-24 and the 24-120 for the D7000 and do just about anything!!  Add a 77mm diopter for the 24-120 and a 70-300 VR and  I’m ready for anything, but then that won’t fit in your jacket pocket!!!!!!!!

 

So it’s time to go home, and maybe it’s a good thing!!      *See below

 

 

 

 

I was thinking sitting in the Bangor airport Sunday, reviewing my images, why do I teach workshops?  I was dog tired and glad to  be heading home, but also still filled with the exhilaration that came from being with our group.  So why do something that takes so much out of you?  Because of what it puts back into you!  Teaching is both exhausting and exciting.  After some thought I think I have the answer, at least for me.  Let’s start with the obvious; it’s profitable.   While  I’ve never met anyone that got wealthy teaching photography workshops, some money can be made, and none of us has an endless supply of finances.  It’s profitable though in a much more important way than financial.  It’s profitable in the great friendships that develop.  I think that most of my best friends are people I met through teaching workshops, from fellow instructors, to participants and their families.  I say families because the kinds of relationships that come out of teaching often introduce you to entire families.

 

Many of my most treasured friends have grown out of relationships that started at a photography workshop.   For me teaching photography is a great joy, because of the great joy photography has brought into my life.  I love the process of seeing, the process of capturing an image, and the joy of sharing the images I’ve captured.  I also love to see the images others have captured!  I learn more from looking at others images than all the books I’ve studied about photography.   My wife has often joked that if I were a burglar, I would be arrested on my first break in sitting in someone’s bedroom floor looking through their shoe box full of family and travel images, I’m so captured by seeing others work!   I love teaching photography because of the incredibly diverse people it places me with.

 

I’ve met, doctors, lawyers and indian chiefs, really I actually had an indian chief in one of my classes!  I’ve met astronauts, rocket scientists, financial wizards, military, and law enforcement people, fishermen, engineers, artists, and entertainers.  The simple fact is that people from all walks of life get interested in photography, and I’ve had the rare pleasure of helping them.  Some of my former students are now well known and respected photographers in their own right.  I’m not suggesting that is because they studied with me, but it does give me great pleasure to rejoice in their successes. One of the great things I’ve learned over years of teaching is that you can find as much pleasure in the success of others as in your own success.  It takes some time and maturity to come to that place, but when it comes it makes the joy of photography all the sweeter.

 

When I was a young photographers I wanted desperately to be better than everyone else.  I soon learned that was not very healthy and a real set-up for constant disappointment!!   Once you start comparing yourself to others, you will always find those that do photography better than you do, if you can’t accept it and just try harder, it’s an impossible emotion to deal with.  I found that just trying to be better than myself each day was enough of a challenge and one I could at least win!   Photography is one hobby that can actually affect the happiness in the rest of your life.  The way you learn to see and observe what so many miss can make every day a “visual” adventure.  Photography has opened up so many wonderful adventures for me, I couldn’t help but share it!

 

The joy that comes from seeing others learn how to make great images and share them is equal to, if not greater, than the joy of capturing a great image yourself.   At the workshop that just ended in New England we has a exceptional group of people.  The skill level was very  high and the cordial nature of the group made the entire experience fantastic.  So once I rest up and get my feet back under me, I’ll be excited to start planning the next few workshops.

 

God has richly blessed me to be able to support my family (along with a lot of help from Sherelene!), doing something I would do on my days off from work!  How much better could it be than that…….

 

Thank you Father for enriching my life with such great people and such a great hobby/profession!   Amen  

 

the pilgrim

 

 

 

Images from the workshop last week!

 

 

 

 

 

Nikon never slows down and they recently released a new camera that is pretty cool!  i just got my hands on one and will give it a real report later but wanted to introduce it to you guys ahead of a full report.  The new Nikon 1 is a mirror-less 10.1 megapixel compact that takes interchangeable lenses.  The camera feels very solid in your hands and the lenses are tack sharp.  The built in VR (Vibration Reduction) makes it a great street camera or travel camera.  The package I tried was the body with the small 10mm f 2.8 (equivilant to a 27mm lens) great for walk around.

 

The build quality is impressive and focusing, and imaging is fast and solid.  Images seem to exhibit less noise than from similar cameras I’ve shot.   The LCD monitor a 460K-dot unit is bright and anti reflective coated. The camera is available in Black, Silver, Red, White, and Pink.  The lenses are also colored to match the body, pretty stylish!

 

The camera is loaded with features including 10 fps shooting rate, 1080P Hi Definition Video, with the capability to shoot full res images during video capture, slow motion video, very fast auto focus and very fast shutter response.  Many DSLR features abound like, Scene Recognition, Active D-Lighting, full Picture Control settings, and lots of Scene Modes.  For those that simply must have a viewfinder the V1 is coming very soon!

 

The camera was introduced with several lenses; a 10mm pancake type lens (Equivalent 27mm) f 2.8   A 10-30 f 3.5-5.6 zoom (Equivalent to 27mm-81mm),   A 10mm-100m f 4.5 – 5.6  (Equivalent to  27mm-270mm) and a 30mm to 110mm f 3.8-5.6 (Equivalent to 81mm-297).

 

 

None of this means a thing if the camera can’t shoot great images.  Below is a hand held shot of a D7000 on our display table at the Mountain People’s Workshop, shot at IS) 360, its crisp and has no noise.  More tests to come, but my first impression is;  Cool!

 

And now the best news of all!  Look below at 3,200 ISO!!

Low noise??  You bet!

 

 

 

 

 

Ever since I did my Kelby Training close-up classes, (yes a part II is on the way).  I’ve gotten a lot of emails asking what is the least expensive way to get into doing close-ups.

 

I assembled a kit that will cost about as little as you can spend and still get high quality images from infinity to 6 times life size!  The kit includes the 85mm Micro Nikkor DX f3.5 lens, a set of automatic extension tubes, and a couple of diopters, mine are the long discontinued Nikon 3T and 4T, but several other manufacturer still make diopter in the 52m size  required by the 85 Micro.  With these few tools, you can do a great variety of close-ups.  Because the lens will be used on a D7000, or some other Nikon DX body, the “effective” focal length with be 127.5 mm.  Working distance is good and the complete set will run you around, $800.  The diopter I would recommend if you can’t find the Nikon ones, would be the Hoya 52mm +3 Close-Up Pro 1 Digital Multi-Coated Glass filter.  This is a 2 element diopter unlike the simple single element +1, +2, +3 kits which I would avoid!  Below are the images with each part of the system.  Image one is for size perspective, it includes my thumb.  The next is with 36mm of extension and the 5T.  Remember you can stack the diopters and you have two more extension tubes, (12mm & 20mm).  The bottom line; great close-up possibilities with a reasonably affordable system!

 

Want to save even more?  One other route is to use the same extension tubes and close-up diopters on a very high quality zoom lens.  If you own a 70-200 Af-S VR f2.8 version I or II, you could add a 77mm Diopter and the same automatic extension tubes and do wonderful close-ups.

 

One last thought is, once again if you are a Nikon shooter, the older manual focus lenses will still work on the D7000 on up.  I picked up a great mint condition, 105mm Micro Nikkor f 2.8 for less than $300.

 

Learn good technique and acquire the gear you can afford, and have fun!