It’s 7:00 p.m. and I’m in another Courtyard at an airport.  In the morning, early in the morning, I’m flying to Fort Worth, Texas for the Southwestern Photojournalism Seminar, one of my favorites!  Great people, and great speakers, for me, a family reunion.  This will be my last one, so I can’t wait to spend a little time with friends I’ve made in the group over the last decade.

 

I’m turning in early tonight, early wake-up call, so I will make this short tonight!  I want to talk about what my mission is for the next few days!  I have no idea…….  Let me explain, I do know what I will be doing for Nikon, done that many times!  It’s the ministry part that I never know what will happen next, God seldom lets me in on what’s up, and probably for good reason!!!  If I had any idea what He is up to, I would likely mess it up.  So here is how it works for me, get up shower, pray, read my scripture, and go get on the plane and see what happens.  There is and important principle at work here.  I can do nothing apart from Him so I’ve learned to just go and wait.  The good news is He never fails to place people in my path and then He supplies what every I need to do His will.

 

The reason He works this way is to take us out of the formula, once we understand it’s all Him, we are free to be obedient, and watch His miracles happen, can’t wait for the alarm to go off!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

The old truck is in honor of the great Old Car City Event next week!

I have started to enjoy working in Black & White recently, and it has spurred old feelings that I had long forgotten!!  The simplicity of line and form and the use of tones to accentuate the subject.  It’s truly a wonderful feeling to rediscover this art form.  I have long believed that the best images we make are those things that touch our souls as visual artists.  Light and tone are everything to Black & White.  Subtle tones and sometimes strongly contrasting tones all tell the story.  I think what appeals so much to me about Black & White is that it does not have color to rescue it, it must be compelling without color to draw your attention, like the image below.

 

Every form of capturing life on a sensor are equally breathtaking, no I didn’t say these images are breathtaking, but for the eye, that looks through viewfinder, photography is breathtaking!  After thanking God for His love, the sacrifice of His Son for me, for sending me Sherelene and my wonderful family, and the countless friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ, I thank Him for giving me this wonderful way of expressing my joy.  Life is a blessing, and for us that try to capture it with a camera, the joy is even greateer whether it’s color or Black & White!

 

 

 

 

Find the simple hoy of looking at the world through that miniature picture frame!!!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

More on the removal of a Low Pass Filter, and no I’m not suggesting you do it yourself!!!!  Please don’t do that!  I just want to make the point that we are experiencing in technology.  Now with more manufacturers jumping on the bandwagon, this is just one more design change that gives us a big advantage.  Look at the image below pulled from the image above.

 

This crop is the equivalent of a 16X9 from a 68X45!!!  The point is simple, if image quality, especially if resolution is high on your wish list, this is something that matters!   So Nikon offer5s this in the D800e and now the D7100, other out there do it too!

 

It is exciting when folks like us that have been on a life long quest for the best possible images this is a development that deserves our continued attention!

 

I will give you a full report when I get my hands on a Nikon D7100!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

* Remember you can click on these images and see them much larger in all there glory!

 

 

It’s tough to admit when you’re wrong!  The announcement of the new Nikon D7100 has caused a focus shift in my thinking about sensors. Let’s start a year ago when the D800/800e was introduced. The e version was first met with some skepticism.  I think a lot of us feared that moire patterns would be a real issue.  For that reason I had little interest in the “e” version.  Now I find my attitude kind of strange, since for me, image quality is paramount. I will put up with almost any quirks to get the ultimate in image quality.  It was not until the 800e had been out for several months that I started hearing about how much sharper the images were coming out of that camera, and very few , if any, moire issues!!!  I was till suspicious, but the reports kept pouring in.  I decided to investigate the whole issue.  I got a D800e and did some shooting and was shocked at the difference.  I borrowed a friends Fuji X-Pro1 and was amazed at the clarity of that sensor.  I looked at some work from the Leica M9, same thing, very crisp!!  Now Nikon is introducing another camera with a sensor free of the optical low pass filter.

 

For some time the big medium format cameras like the Phase One and Hasselblads have bee free of these filters.  Something is up here!!!  So I went on a research effort, shooting various cameras, and comparing them to conventional sensor technology. I’ve drawn a few conclusons;

 

1.  All things being equal, sensors that have eliminated the Optical Low Pass Filter, are indeed capable of producing higher resolution and apparent sharper results.

 

2.  I’ve shot the Nikon D800e and the D800 and when I retire I think I will opt for the 800e if I decide to get that particular model.  Is the 800e much higher resolving than a D600 which I particularly like?  Yes, but the D600 is already a very crisp image producer….  It is a personal choice and not an easy one.  In keeping with my quest for the ultimate image quality, it is going to be hard not to own and use a D800e!!

 

3.  While I have not yet seen or shot a D7100, I have no doubt that it will be “the” DX body of choice for me.  I would expect it to be a super camera in the DX range with 24 mega pixels and the new unique sensor arrangement.  I certainly will let you know when I get one to try, test, and shoot.

 

4.  I hope a future version of the Nikon 1 & 2 Series to employ this sensor arrangement, though I know nothing to indicate that this is planned.  I have shot both the Fuji X-Pro 1 and the X-E1 cameras and the X-Trans sensor in them, without Optical Low Pass Filter, performs spectacularly.  

 

5. I do not access to the medium format cameras, but I will accept the word of others that they perform at a high level as well!

 

6,  The images I’ve seen from the very, very expensive Leica M9 confirms my finding so far.

 

Conclusion:  If you are buying a new camera and want the absolute latest technology and highest possible image quality, I would say, if you are a Nikon shooter, the D800e and new D7100 should be at the top of your list.  If you shoot other brands, then the Fuji’s and Leica should be considered. One thing for sure if you go with the M9, get ready to shell out $20,000. for a body  and three lenses!!!!  A little steep for me!

 

The Big Question:  Can you get extraordinary quality without going that route?  Sure, but it’s like football, it’s a game of inches!!!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim