Micro Four Thirds - E-System Digital SLR

Olympus, the other Micro Four-Thirds Company, who initially made a big splash at the m4/3 intro with their retro styled prototype, has been very, very quiet about their development in this area.

Until now.

The banner above is currently gracing the Micro Four Thirds page over at olympusamerica.com. Other rumor sites have pretty much confirmed that the orange color will not be available (thank the maker). Hopefully this will be a real competitor to the rumored Panny LX-5/Leica D-Lux5. I for one am keen to see this happen.

[From Micro Four Thirds - E-System Digital SLR]

PhaseOne announces new digital back - P40+

Phase One Launches P 40+ with Sensor+
Medium format camera quality plus hand-held flexibility in one system

COPENHAGEN, April 30, 2009 -- Phase One, the leader in open-platform based medium format camera systems and solutions, today announced immediate availability of the Phase One P40+ -- the company’s second Sensor+ enabled digital camera back/camera system.

Like the P 65+ introduced last year, this new system offers two separate image-capture modes. In normal mode, the P 40+ delivers full 40 megapixel captures for high-quality image details. And when shooting conditions demand, a photographer can push a button and instantly switch from 40 megapixels to 10 megapixels, gaining a four-fold increase in light sensitivity (ISO to 3200), and a capture rate of up to 1.8 frames per second --an ideal performance for hand-held and/or low-light conditions.

“Our second Sensor+ enabled system has been designed to deliver the fastest capture rate of any high-end medium format camera system on the market today,” said Jan H. Christiansen, marketing director for Phase One. “Our relentless innovation is inspired by the needs of quality-conscious professional photographers who seek flexible and reliable camera systems that can work as hard as they do.”

The versatility of the P 40+ system is important for those who seek quality medium format 16-bit capture under a variety of working conditions. Both modes feature a 12.5 f-stop dynamic range. From high-end wedding, fashion and fine-art photographers to photojournalists, the choice of capture modes in a single camera system frees photographers to focus on the job at hand rather than worry over equipment. Best results of Sensor+ technology are available by processing images using Phase One Capture One software version 4.8 or higher.

Technical specifications:
P 40+ full resolution capture mode:
Resolution: 40 megapixels
Pixel size: 6 x 6 micron
RAW file compression:
IIQ large: 40 MB
IIQ small: 26 MB
ISO: 50, 100, 200, 400, 800
Capture rate: Up to 1.2 frames per second


P 40+ Sensor+ capture mode:
Resolution: 10 megapixels
Pixel size: 12 x 12 micron
RAW file compression:
IIQ large: 10 MB
IIQ small: 7 MB
ISO: 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200

Capture rate: up to 1.8 frames per second

Phase One P+ camera back mounts:
Phase One 645 AF, Mamiya 645AFDII/ AFDIII, Mamiya RZ67 PRO IID via adaptor, Hasselblad H1 and H2, Hasselblad 555ELD, 553ELX, 503CW and 501CM, Contax 645.

Wide angle & technical cameras: 4 x 5” via FlexAdaptor: Arca Swiss, Cambo, Linhof, Toyo, Sinar, Plaubel, Horseman.

Pricing & Availability
The P 40+ digital back starts at €14,990; the P 40+ camera system starts at €16,990.

All products are available now.

More information
For full technical specs, please read more here: www.phaseone.com/p40. For pricing and more information please contact a local Phase One dealer: http://www.phaseone.com/Content/ContactUs/LocateDealer.aspx

About Phase One
Phase One is a leading provider of digital image capture and work flow management technology. Phase One 645 Camera Systems and P+ digital backs open new possibilities, putting the focus back on the moment of capture. Phase One Capture One software helps streamline the capture and post-production process. Supporting DSLR, medium- and large format photographic equipment, Phase One products are renowned for their superior quality, flexibility and speed — enabling pro photographers to realize their most subtle and most complex visions without compromise.

Phase One is an employee-owned company based in Copenhagen with offices in New York, London, Tokyo, Cologne and Shanghai. For more information please, visit the Phase One web site on www.phaseone.com.

Phase One and Capture One are registered trademarks of Phase One A/S. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Photo News Update

Mamiya displays new prototype medium format digital camera at PIE 2009. At PIE 2009 in Japan, Mamiya unveiled the Mamiya 645DF, a new medium format camera body optimized for digital use only. Taking a page for Hasselblad's book, Mamiya engineers have come up with a body designed to take maximum advantage of digital without incorporating compromises for film support. The body incorporates a metal focal plane shutter but can be used with a new series of leaf shutter lenses also introduced at PIE 2009. This means that Leica's S2 is no longer the only dual shutter medium format system on the block. The 645DF maintains the modular design preferred by medium format manufacturers, however they are now offering a vertical grip with additional battery capacity. The entire system weighs 1,880 grams (just over 4lbs) before adding a digital back. Not for the faint of arm. The system is compatible with all Mamiya 645 mount lenses (AF and non-AF) plus Hasselblad V-series lenses via an adaptor. Here are the specs:

Camera type:	6x4.5cm format, electronically controlled focal plane shutter, TTL multi-mode, AE, AF Single Lens Reflex for digital use.
Image size:	56x41.5mm (actual image)
Compatible digital backs:	Mamiya ZD Back (and Double Buffer), all Digital Backs compatible with the Mamiya 645AF series
Lens mount:	Mamiya 645AF Mount (645 non-AF series can be attached, Hasselblad V series lenses call also be attached with a separately sold mount adapter.)
Viewfinder:	Fixed Prism eye level viewfinder with diopter adjustment, magnification xO.71
Field of view:	Approx. 94% (on a linear measurement)
Auto focusing system:	TTL phase difference detection device, CCD line sensor (1+1 shaped, operation range: EVO to 18 (ISO 100)
Exposure modes:	Aperture-priority AE, Shutter-speed priority AE, Program AE (program shift possible), Manual
Metering mode:	TTL full-aperture metering; center-weighted average (A), Spot (S), Variable ratio (A·S auto)
Shutter:	Electronically controlled vertical metal focal-plane shutter, can be used with Mamiya AF leaf-shutter lenses
Weight / dimensions:	153 (W) x 128 (H) x 153.3 (D) mm, 1,030g (without batteries)
Price & Delivery time:	TBA

Also announced was the Mamiya Sekor AF 80mm f/2.8 LS D lens. Despite the poor choice of initials (the japanese are apparently unaware what LSD means in the US), the new lens offers a leaf shutter system. Users can choose between the higher sync speeds of the leaf shutter or faster shutter speeds of the focal plane shutter, increasing the versatility of the system. I predict other medium format camera makers will begin making similar offerings as well. Specs:

Compatible cameras:	645DF/645AFDIII (requires upgrading)
Optical construction:	5 groups / 6 elements
Angle of view:	47 degrees
Minimum aperture:	22
Minimum focusing distance:	70cm
Maximum magnification ratio:	0.15
Area covered:	377 x 279mm
Equivalent focal length in 35mm:	50mm (for the 645 film image size)
Price & Delivery time:	TBA

Last, but not least, is the Multi-battery Vertical Grip GB401 which only works with the new 645DF body. This device adds a portrait mode shutter release, AE lock button, AF lock button and can wirelessly synchronize with compatible strobes. The grip accepts AA alkaline batteries, AA rechargeable NiMH and lithium ion batteries. Specs:

Compatible cameras:	645DF
Features:	Shutter release button, AE & AF lock buttons, Rear & front electronic dials
Weight / dimensions:	153 (L) x 115 (H) x 78 (W)mm, 400g (including batteries)
Price & Delivery time:	TBA

Expect to see a similar system announced by Phase One. Cosina/Voigtlander announce a new lens and viewfinder in M-mount. Cosina, owner and manufacturer of the Voigtlander brand of cameras and lenses, announced that they will begin shipping very shortly a rangefinder-coupled, M-mount version of their world famous 15mm f/4.5 lens. Sporting a 52mm filter size, this new take on a classic lens is the perfect choice for super wide-angle photography especially on the Leica M8. Also announced was a 15-35mm Multi Viewfinder, the perfect companion for framing images with the CV 15mm f/4.5. Both products are expected by the end of April. Pricing has not been announced, but USA Cosina Voigtlander dealer CameraQuest is taking pre orders with a $100 deposit.

HP/DreamWorks Field Trip

The fine folks over at HP flew me and a bunch of other journalists from all over the world out to Los Angeles, CA last week to get a sneak peek at some tech goodies I can't talk about just yet. Part of the fun was a tour of the facilities of DreamWorks Animation SKG which was crowned with a screening of "Monsters vs. Aliens" the day before it was released. While the movies has already been commented upon by the folks who get paid to do that sort of thing, I am going to add my own $0.02 to the pot. Being familiar with the software and techniques used to produce such a film, MVA stands out not only for it's use of 3D (which was used quite well to give the scenes depth and realism, not just for sight gags), it also builds upon all of the techniques and technologies used in films prior to it. Working our way through our group of stalwart monsters, I would like to point out what was special about him/her/it: Susan Murphy/Ginormica - Susan's model displays some truly amazing texture maps: realistic skin tones including freckles/blemishes; her "prison uniform" had a visible denim weave to it; and her hair simulation is the best I've seen since "Final Fantasy: Spirits Within". B.O.B - the most computationally challenging character, B.O.B.'s amorphous, translucent body would not have been possible a few years ago. Only recent advances in desktop compute power (more on this later today) enabled DreamWorks animators to be able to render B.O.B in a reasonable timeframe. Missing Link - Link's skin exhibited some extremely complex texturing including specular highlights as the skin glistened while moist. Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D. - Dr. C's carapace, while not as heavily textured as Link's or as detailed as Susan's did exhibit a slight level of reflectivity that was directly influenced by his environment. From certain angles, you can see stuff reflected in his skin. Insect-a-saurus/Butterfly-a-saurus - Possibly the most massive hair simulation in the history of Hollywood, the Mothra-class bug was visible down to individual follicles and caustic deformations on his claws. Stunning. Will this film win "Best Picture"? Not likely. Will the kids love it? You bet. Will you be able to stand it? Yup. DreamWorks has managed to channel the comedic spirit of Warner Bros. old "Termite Terrace" animation group from the 30's-40's with two currents of humor in the film: slapstick fun for the kids and double-entendre/innuendo jokes for the parents. Good fun for all. For those who haven't seen the film - Derek is a jerk.

An Afternoon with Hasselblad & DTG

After reading my previous blog entry “A Morning with Capture Integration”, the folks at Digital Technology Group (DTG) invited me to their suite at the Graphics of the Americas expo held in Miami Beach for some “hands-on” time with the Hasselblad H-System. DTG is based out of Tampa, FL and is the local Hasselblad (and Alpa) dealer (among many other things) here in Florida. That is saying a lot. Florida is the 4th largest state in the USA and Miami-Dade County is twice the size of the state of Rhode Island all by itself. It’s a big area to cover and I appreciate their inviting me over. I have previously spoken about the Hasselblad H-System, but this was my first “hands-on” session that wasn’t rushed by a crowd of slavering photogs hoping to get a chance to fondle $30K worth of camera. Just me (and Jordan Miller from DTG and Greg Hollmann and Gina Connor from Hasselblad USA) and the H-System for two hours.

Impressions Most digital medium format systems are generally larger/heavier than 35mm digital counterparts. At first blush I would have said the same thing about the H-System and the H3DII in particular. Metal barrelled lenses, a hefty looking camera body with a large viewfinder and digital back all add up to weight. In my hand, however, the H3DII balanced perfectly. Granted, if I slapped on the largest zoom they brought it felt a bit more cumbersome, but it was no worse than my D700 + MB-D10 Grip + 70-200 VR lens. In fact, the H3DII was actually shorter and easier to handle that my Nikon due to the design of the grip which places the hand fairly close to the center of balance on the system, even with a zoom mounted.

Even though some folks complain about the H3 being a “closed system” (only Hassy H3 parts/lenses can be used in the system), I don’t view this as a bad thing. Heck, this formula has been working for Apple for years. As I have said before, this is the “Macintosh of Medium Format.” I also checked with Jordan and he confirmed that the H3 digital backs are compatible with Alpa Technical Cameras. The only gotcha here is that the H3 back is powered by the H3 body so you would have to purchase the optional ImageBank or tether the back via Firewire to you Mac/PC in order to power it. On the plus side, you don’t have to use a wakeup cable with the H3 backs like you do with the Phase-One backs.

Alpa TC + Hasselblad 39 Mpx Digital Back courtesy of Dr. Bob Moore The Hasselblad system allows an unprecedented level of integration between components. I should point out that the term “unprecedented” applies to the medium format realm. This sort of thing has been the norm in 35mm DSLRs for years now. Chipped lenses passing image telemetry back to the sensor is currently in it’s first generation in medium format world. Upcoming systems, like Leica’s S2, promise even tighter integration between components. So what does this mean image-wise? Chipped lenses can pass critical distance information along with any kind of optical correction info back to the sensor. I imagine that in future versions of the lenses, factory testing will load sample specific optical correction data into the lens’ chipset allowing the camera to apply adjustments specific to the lens being used, not just generic corrections for the entire lens series. Hasselblad digital backs only record images in their native RAW format. No other format option is available. The only software package that can process those images is Hasselblad’s Phocus software for Mac/PC (sorry Linux crowd). This would be a problem if Phocus sucked, but fortunately Hasselblad but just as much time and effort into the software as they did to the hardware/firmware.

Phocus is a full on 64-bit multi-core aware image processing application. Considering that is has to cope with hundreds (if not thousands) of images starting at 31 megapixels all the way up to 50 megapixels (and very shortly, 60 megapixels), Phocus is designed to handle large amounts of big images. Also keep in mind that most, if not all, medium format digital backs record in 16-bits per color channel (that’s 64K shades of RGB = 28 trillion colors). [EDITOR'S NOTE: Apple Aperture 2 does read 3FR files from the H3D & H3DII-31. DAC information is not used by Aperture but all other data is. Hopefully Apple will add support for all Hasselblad H Digital Backs in the near future.] DTG was kind enough to provide me access to Phocus and some sample images to work with. The cameras used for comparison are: Hasselblad H3DII-50

100mm f/2.2 lens (roughly 50mm equivalent)

ISO 50 (lowest possible setting)

Shot native format (3FR) and converted using minimal adjustments.

vs. Nikon D700 (12 Mpx)

CV 58mm f/1.4 lens (The Nikon D700 is a full frame camera)

ISO 200 (lowest setting)

Shot native format (NEF) and converted using minimal adjustments.

These two tiny jpegs (Hasselblad on the right, Nikon on the left) do not do either of these cameras justice. To truly appreciate the images one must see them in full size. Here are links to the full-sized images: Nikon image Hasselblad image Remember, these are 24-bit jpegs (8-bits per channel) and as such have lost a lot of the color information captured by both cameras. The Nikon normally captures 12-bits/channel and can be pushed to 14-bits. As mentioned before, the Hasselblad captures at 16-bits/channel. And just in case you are thinking that 2-4 bits difference is no big deal, every bit doubles the number of colors captured by the sensor. Hasselblad employs a central leaf shutter system which gives the H-System flash compatibility at all shutter speeds with the drawback that the system is limited to a max shutter speed of 1/800s which is not a big deal in the studio, but may require use of neutral density filters if used wide open for landscapes. This is not a sports camera. Conclusion The Hasselblad H-System is a solid piece of engineering. Well-balanced and built like a tank, it provides the photographer (who can afford it) a truly spectacular tool for capturing images. Hasselblad’s system approach is a love/hate kind of thing. If you love that kind environment, then this is the camera for you. If you’ve got a bit of William Wallace in you, you may want to look at a more flexible system. I am not saying that the H-System is limiting in any way. There are plenty of choices and third party gear that can be used with the H-System, just not as many as everybody else. The files produced by the H-System contain a staggering amount of image information and detail. So much so that portrait work may require A) a softening of the subject in order to hide skin imperfections or B) the hiring of a really, really good makeup artist (probably both.) If you like the way Apple Inc. builds computers, you’ll fall for the Hasselblad approach. I know I want one.

Epson Reintroduces the R-D1 Digital Rangefinder

Epson originally introduced the R-D1 digital rangefinder in 2006. The camera met with lukewarm reception despite the advances. After Leica introduced the M8 did the much less expensive R-D1 really start to get popular. Now, three years after the original, Epson has reintroduced this uber-retro digital with the R-D1xG. Sporting such new features as SDHC support (up to 32GB), a 2.5“ 23 million pixel LED lit rear display, and RAW+JPEG support, the camera retains the analog features (and quirks) that endeared it to the rangefinder crowd. Fully compatible with all M-mount lenses (and Leica Thread Mount via adapter) gives the R-D1xG over 200 lenses to choose from. Manufactured by Cosina for Epson, the camera is expected to ship on 4/9/2009 in Japan. Expected price is ¥299,000 (around $3000 USD).

PAW Update

I have been dragging my feet posting updates to my Picture A Week (PAW) project. I have been taking photos and posting them, I just keep forgetting to publish here. So here is a recap of PAWs 4-8. PAW #4 This is a six shot stitch using my Hartblei 45mm Super Rotator lens. Useful for perspective control and architectural photography. PAW #5 This is a shot of the Cambo Wide DS Technical Camera. Technical cameras are used for architecture and landscapes but the shift mechanism is incorporated into the body of the camera, not the lens. These cameras typically use medium format analog and digital backs. PAW #6 OK, this week I was hard up for a good photo, so I whipped up this wallpaper using some stock imagery from the Nikon press site. PAW #7 Three Faces of Mel - my first attempt at a “multiplicity portrait”. Based on the work of Natalie “Miss Aniela” Dybisz. PAW #8 Study Hall - second attempt at multiplicity portraiture. Came out a bit better than the first one. and now announcing PAW #9 The Corsican Knight 2 - from the 2009 Florida Renaissance Festival.

Voigtlander COLOR SKOPAR 20mm F3.5 SL II Aspherical (for Nikon Ai-s) announced

Mapcamera.com (translation here) has posted a news bit about a new Voigtlander SL II lens for Nikon and Pentax.

The Voigtlander COLOR SKOPAR 20mm F3.5 SL II Aspherical (for Nikon Ai-s) has the following specs:

• Expected Release Date: 2009 February 28
• Focal length: 20mm
• Angle: 94 degrees
• Relative aperture: 1:3.5
• This lens: minimum aperture 6 of 9 pieces: F22
• Minimum focusing distance: 0.2m
• Number of diaphragm blades: 9 piece weight: 205g
• Maximum Overall Length × diameter: 63 × 28.8mm
• Filter size: 52mm
• Mounting: Ai-s (CPU-Chip)
• Other: Hood (optional) Round threaded

The price will be announced on the day of release.

I contacted Stephen Gandy of Cameraquest.com (Authorized US distributor of CV lenses and cameras) and he is taking pre-orders via Paypal now through March 1, 2009. To place a pre-order send $100 USD (refundable) to Stephen@CameraQuest.com and state that this is a reservation for this lens is the details section.

Building a ZFS based home storage server – Part 1

I’ve been reading up on building my own storage server to meet my needs as a photographer. I have tested pre-built NAS devices (Infrant/Netgear 1000S), servers with shared storage, and Windows Home Server (wrinkles and all). HP has promised me one of their new MediaSmart Servers and I plan to do some interesting things with it, but what I really need is a solution to safely store all of my photos and provide me with a nice networked Time Machine target. I am also keen to keep the costs down as much as possible.

First up, big thanks to guys over at zpool.org for cluing me in to this nice little Chenbro chassis. The ES34069 is a mini-ITX form factor chassis that looks perfect for the job. Sporting 4 hot swap SATA drive bays plus an internal drive bay, this little fellow will fit the bill nicely, assuming I find a mini-ITX mobo worthy to the task. I found this chassis available online at SpectrumServers.com for $197.

Next was finding a mobo. Mini-ITX is an embedded form factor designed for appliances and industrial computing applications. Most tend to lean towards the lower-end, lower voltage processors but I was looking for one capable of handling a Q6600 CPU. As luck would have it, Intel provided a solution in the form of the DQ45EK desktop board. Sporting a Socket 775, 2 DDR2 RAM slots, and Core2Quad enabled, this little wonder fits the bill. I found this board at TheNerds.net for $143.99.

As mentioned, I want to install an Intel Q6600 quad core CPU in this system and I happen to have 2GB of Dominator DDR2 RAM lying about.

For my OS choice, I decided to try NexentaCore OS which is based on OpenSolaris and sports a lot of features for storage servers not the least of which is the Zetta File System (ZFS).

So here is a table of the parts in the queue for this project:

Item	Cost
Chenbro ES34069 Chassis	$197.00
Intel DQ45EK Mini-ITX mobo	$143.99
Intel Q6600 CPU	$199.00
2GB Corsair Dominator DDR2	free
NexentaCore 2.0 Beta 1 OS	free
Sub Total	$539.99

In the next installment, I will look at the drives and possibly a SATA controller to handle them all. Plus, if my budget allows, I will use a SSD to house the operating system and the storage caches to improve the speed and durability of the system.

A Morning with Capture Integration

About two months ago, I visited the Miami Beach offices of Capture Integration, the premier Phase One dealer in the US. I was on a quest for information. Taking the long view on my plans for growth as a photographer, and spurred on by my cohorts over at the GetDPI Forums, I decided to learn more about the world of medium format digital photography. I had posted before about medium format digital, but I had never actually gotten some "hands on" time with the gear.

Lance Schad and Doug Peterson were kind enough to go on a little walkabout with a Phase One camera w/P45+ digital back. This beastie takes 39 megapixel images with 16-bits of color depth per pixel. That translates to huge images that contain far more color information than an ordinary DSLR. Even the top-of-the-line Nikon D3X can only capture 24.5 megapixel images with 14-bit color, max. The Phase back captures four times the color information.

During the walkabout, I was able to capture a variety of images using the harem of lenses that Doug lugged around with us. (Medium format camera gear is a bit larger and heavier than 35mm, so remember to factor that into your buying decision.) Another feature of this format is that the sensor lacks an antialiasing filter, often found on DSLR's, which adds to the overall sharpness of the back. Top that off with a body system that is completely modular and you actually have a growth path that does not involve selling off your entire camera kit in order to upgrade.

Pros

1. Modular system allows for easy upgradeability.
2. Unmatched for color, resolution, and detail.
3. Firmware updates can expand ISO ranges and add many new features.
4. Long term support from the company.
5. Equipment holds a lot of it's value (for now).

All is not beer and skittles however, there are some limitations to this wundercamera format:

Cons

1. Most medium format digital backs cannot match the ISO range and frame rates of 35mm DSLRs. 70 frames per minute is considered fast.
2. The autofocus system in the bodies is primitive by DSLR standards. Sports cameras, these are not.
3. Expensive - a modern digital back can cost as much as a BMW. In fact, Phase One currently has a promotion (through the end of Q1 '09): buy a Phase One digital back (P30+ or P45+) and get the camera body and up to 5 lenses free! That's a $17,500 value right there.
4. Firmware cannot be updated in the field. Requires back be sent to Phase One for updating.

Lunch with Chris

Last week, I met with Chris Lawery from CI Atlanta (Doug was away teaching at Moab and Lance is flying solo now) to discuss Cambo technical cameras. After an excellent lunch at Big Pink, Chris and I talked about technical cameras.

Technical cameras are scale focus rangefinders that use large format lenses on medium format backs. These cameras are very simple in design, having almost no electronics involved in taking a photo (digital ready technical lenses have a connector that sends a signal to the digital back syncing it to the shot) beyond the digital back itself.

Some models include tilt/shift movements (either via sliding plates or a bellows arrangement) to take advantage of the very large image circle produced by the large format lens used. These movements allow for the easy creation of stitched panoramas and to shoot perspective corrected photos.

Why not use a perspective correcting lens on the Phase One camera? You can, but you won't get the same range of tilt/shifts that you will get with this dedicated solution.

Who would be daft enough to use this throwback? Landscape and architectural photographers. Don Libby of Ironcreek Photography recently switched to the Cambo Wide RS-1000, the smaller sibling of the Wide DS shown here, and while he is still getting used to the system, he has managed to produce some absolutely stunning images during his recent trip to the Redwood forests of California. I highly recommend you check out his website.

If you want to check out the photos I took on my first CI visit, head over to my flickr gallery and check them out. Please feel free to leave comments. Links to the various companies mentioned in the article are sprinkled liberally throughout.

Leica releases “Safari Edition” M8.2

Leica recently sent out a press release describing a new special edition version of the M8.2. Dubbed the “Safari Edition” it features an olive green paint job and matte silver colored ELMARIT-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH.lens with a matching Billingham bag. A tribute to the 1960 M3 “Safari Edition”, only 500 of these babies are going to be made. I myself would be more interested in the “Panda Edition” M8.2 (black with silver trim), but the Safari Edition is a collector’s item so there will be the usually over-inflated prices associated with the collector’s market. Don’t be shocked to pay over $10K for this model. Some pundits have decided to pass on this model stating that they prefer to wait for one covered in “reticulated Ostrich testicles”.

PlanetAMD64 Server back online!

Server is up and operational. One table was corrupted in the database, but a quick Repair Table command cleared that up.

Allon-sy!

PlanetAMD64 Server offline

The server that hosts PlanetAMD64/PlanetX64 is currently offline due to a concussed RAID controller. In spite of the fact that I have that server backed up to Mozy Pro, with a RAID 5 plus a hot-spare drive, the one real hardware failure that could kill us happened: RAID controller failure. Technically it's not dead, it just lost the RAID configuration. A call to Adaptec support + $80 USD and the server is back and rebuilding the array. Whew! The server will be operational by noon tomorrow (1/27/2009).

Unfortunately, that server also hosts the primary DNS for all of my domains outside of the Planets (including this one), so I was out of commission for a few days. I have switched DNS hosts for this domain to DynDNS.org and now at least I can get the word out.

I have to see about getting a cluster for the sites to avoid this nonsense in the future.

While I'm on the subject of technical cameras...

I would be remiss if I failed to talk about other medium format systems that offer an extensive solution for landscape and architectural photography. Case in point: Hasselblad. Long time purveyor of medium format cameras, Hasselblad has gone digital in a very big way. Their H-System is currently on its fifth generation with the H3D-II, and with it Hasselblad has decided to take a systems approach to medium format. Think of them as the Apple of medium format.

The H-System also include a set of matched lenses that, like lenses on 35mm systems, transmit a wealth of information back to the camera for use in adjusting and correcting the image in post production. There are 5 HC/HCD lenses available currently ranging from HCD 28mm (equivalent to 14mm in 35mm format) to the HC 100mm.

So how is this a technical camera, there are no tilt/shift lenses?

Funny you should ask. Hasselblad elected to create an accessory that converts all five HC/HCD lenses into tilt/shift lenses: the HTS 1.5. So in one fell swoop, Hasselblad has trumped the other general purpose medium format camera makers by introducing five tilt/shift lenses.

Front of the HTS 1.5

Rear of the HTS 1.5

As you can see above, the HTS has passthrough contacts that allow the full functionality of the HC/HCD lenses to be maintained. This is vitally important as the shutter on a Hasselblad H-System camera is located in the lenses. This also means that autofocus and data reporting to the camera is also maintained. This is huge. To my knowledge, this is a Hasselblad exclusive.

Now that I have you salivating over this comes the reality check. The price of admission to this gear is very high. Hasselblad has a special promotion going on now until March 31, 2009 for architectural and landscape photographers: A Pro Kit that includes the following:

• Hasselblad H3DII-50 camera w/viewfinder
• HCD 28mm f/4 lens
• HTS 1.5 Tilt/Shift Adapter
• Hasselblad GIL GPS Unit
• HVM waist level finder (free with registration)
• Pelican 1510 Mobile Gear Case (free with registration)

All this can be yours for a mere $36,164 USD.

Ouch.

Considering the images I have seen these systems produce, if you can get the customers, the kit is worth the price. Add this one to my wish list too.

PAW Week #3

OK, this is not exactly a picture taken by me, but I did design the wallpaper. This is an Alpa 12 SWA technical camera with a Leaf Aptus-II digital back. It is used for architectural and landscape images because of its shift capabilities and the extremely high pixel count (up to 60 megapixels depending on the back). Strangely enough, the camera itself is extremely simple in design with no electronics (other than the stuff on the digital back) and a scale focus design (you have to guesstimate the distance to the subject and dial it into the lens). However, it uses some of the most spectacular lenses in the industry and once mastered, captures breathtaking images. I want one. The problem: the rig pictured above starts out at about $20,000 USD (for the 28 MP model).

Ouch.

The Russians Are Coming!

Hartblei is a name that is not very well know on this side of the pond. This Ukrainian lens maker recently moved it headquarters to Munich, Germany. And struck a major deal with Medium Format Digital Back giant, Phase One, producing the tilt-shift lens for their Phase One Medium Format camera. I recently acquired one of their older models, the Hartblei 45 mm f/3.5 Super Rotator in a Nikon mount. I am now learning the ins and outs of this fascinating lens.

Tilt/Shift lenses are used to control perspective, allowing a photographer to prevent parallax error when photographing tall buildings for instance, control Depth of Field, allowing the photographer to shoot close-ups at odd angles and still maintain proper focus, and to shoot panoramic images that are very easy to stitch together as they have no barrel or pincushion distortion due to lens panning: the lens shifts (horizontally or vertically) and multiple images are gathered without rotating the camera.

Here is a quickie panorama I made of my desk:

Over the next few weeks I will be taking this big fellow out and trying it's various functions. I will post follow-ups when I have them ready.

Hartblei has released a new set of T/S lenses in many different mounts. T/S lenses are completely manual (the front half and back half of the lens is not directly connected to allow the tilt/shift/swing movements) so the camera will have to be operated manually. More info about Hartblei's new lenses can be found here.

PAW Week #2 - Jedi Knight

Jedi Knight Originally uploaded by Carlos Echenique

This week's image required the use of my tripod (Manfrotto 190XDB + Gitzo 1278M + RRS B2 Pro Clamp), RRS L-Plate on my D300, Nikon ML-3 Wireless Remote Trigger, Nikon D300 + Nikkor 35mm f/2 and my Parks Lightsaber (Volition Grip + Blue Phase Blade). Image was captured RAW and processed in Aperture 2 + Viveza (for contrast tweaks).

Macworld and the lack of Steve

Wow. Just got through possibly the worst coverage of Macworld I have ever seen. One can see that Steve Jobs is truly the dynamic force behind the scenes in Cupertino. To wit: No Steve = No live video feed No Steve = No Snow Leopard update No Steve = No Blu-ray support announcement No Steve = No Mac Mini refresh No Steve = No netbook sized MacBook (MacBook Mini? MacNote?) No Steve = No vid card refresh for Mac Pro No Steve = No Cinema Display refresh Top that all off with MacRumors' live coverage getting hacked ("STEVE JOBS JUST DIED" was inserted into their comment stream by person(s) unknown) and then their site went down. Now, don't get me wrong, I know better than most people how dangerous anything happening to the pancreas is (I am a survivor of necrotizing pancreatitis - which has a 2% survival rate in 1 month vs, pancreatic cancer's 20% the first year), and I do not begrudge Mr. Jobs looking after his health. It just without Steve, Apple loses quite a bit of its zing. On a positive note, two new MacBook Pro models were introduced and the 17-inch unit looks amazing. I am going to have to head over to my favorite Apple store to get a gander at one. The thinness and high-gamut display bode well for photographers in the field, especially with photographer-centric Windows laptops already on the market (expect my review of the Lenovo W700 this week). The new iLife and iWork are worthy upgrades considering the amount of utility people get for the price and I am glad to see that Apple finally realizes that there is more to the net than MobileMe.

BRNO baLens White Balance Lens Cap

I met Jim Lee at the PhotoPlus Expo in New York City last October. Jim was demonstrating his invention, the BRNO baLens Lens Cap. This clever gadget combines a custom white balance tool with a lens cap. The practical offshoot of this combo is that you have one less bit of kit to have to haul around in your camera bag. White balance refers to the color of the light being used to illuminate the subject. Even though the light may look white to our eyes, it may have a color cast to it ranging across the entire visible spectrum (and a little bit beyond depending on the camera used). The color of the light is referred to as the color temperature and is expressed as a numeric value in degrees Kelvin. In the world of film, this is handled by the chemistry of the film used - daylight film for general use, tungsten film for studio lights, IR/UV film for special purposes. In the digital world, a special sensor in the camera tries to determine the color of the light being used. Modern DSLRs have vastly improved Auto White Balance (AWB) sensors but they are not perfect and can be fooled by mixed lighting environments. Modern DSLRs also provide several preset white balance settings as well as a method to input color temperatures (in degrees Kelvin) directly or to take a custom measurement before shooting. However, if one is shooting in RAW mode (and you should be), RAW conversion software will allow to make white balance corrections easily afterwards. The only time this does not work is if the target has no white/gray/black on them for the software to get a reading. In this case, one must take a custom white balance reading by using a white/gray card and taking a test shot. So now we have two schools of thought on this matter: * Shoot AWB and fix in post. * Shoot with custom white balance and get it right in the camera (mostly). On the surface, the "Fix it in post" school of thought seems to be the logical choice except in those cases where there is no white/gray/black to take a reading off of. Or is it?

Above you see three photos. Actually, there are two photos, the middle photo is a copy of the left one. Shot Specs: * Nikon D300 * CV Nokton 58mm f/1.4 SL II lens * 1/13s * f/2.8 * ISO 1600 * Recorded as lossless compressed NEFs * Illumination provided by two (2) Ikea Kvart reading lamps w/R-25 warm fluorescent bulbs Post Processing * Mac Pro 2.8 GHz w/12GB RAM used for post processing. * Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.6 * Nvidia 8800GT + Dell WFP3007 30" Display * Calibrated using Spyder3Studio * Processed with Apple Aperture 2.1.2 64-bit * Default Sharpening/NR The photo on the left was shot using the D300's AWB sensor. The center photo is the same shot with WB adjusted in Aperture 2. The photo on the right was shot with a custom white balance calculated by pointing the camera with baLENS cap mounted on the lens directly at the light source and taking a reading. The image below shows you what the camera saw when it took the reading.

The following table summarizes the final white balance temperatures calculated by each method:

Method	Temperature	Tint
Auto White Balance	3099K	8
Post WB Adjust	2954K	27
baLens Custom WB	3024K	20

* As you can see from the data, the D300's AWB sensor leaned towards the cooler temps with tint slightly favoring magenta. * Adjusting the image in post using Aperture's WB selector tool yields temps about 150K warmer with tint more heavily leaning towards magenta - cooling the image overall. * The baLens shot is only 75K warmer that the AWB shot, but it too, favored a heavier magenta tint cooling the overall image but not as much as Aperture did. [EDITOR'S NOTE: The terms "cooler" and "warmer" can be a little confusing with regards to color temperature. "Cool" light tends to have more blue in it and thus has a higher color temperature - blue being physically hotter. "Warm" light leans towards the red end of the spectrum and has a lower color temperature - red-hot is cooler than blue-hot.] So which method is best? That is entirely up to you and what you are trying to accomplish. Based on my little unscientific test above, the baLens will deliver a result that falls between the reading given by the camera's AWB sensor and the RAW converter's WB algorithms. Factors that can affect this result include: clouds, lens used, RAW converter used, and camera's AWB sensor. YMMV. I found the output from the baLens to most closely resemble the scene I shot. I personally favor the cooler lighting of the Post AWB shot, but in this case the baLens shot was most accurate. For event photographers, that means dozens, if not hundreds of hours saved in front of the computer. From a convenience standpoint, the BRNO baLens is brilliant. Snap it on instead of your regular lens cap and you never have to worry about bringing the white balance tool or the gray card again. The baLens ships with two inserts: the standard one used here and a warmer one if you prefer to shoot that way. The BRNO baLens is available at the usual suspects (B&H, Adorama, etc...) and prices range from $44.95 - $64.95. Sizes range from 52-77mm. If you wish to purchase one or more, please support this site by clicking on the B&H link to the right and order from there.

PAW Week #1

On Ur Wallz
Originally uploaded by Carlos Echenique

I have decided as a photographic exercise to blog about one of my photos every week. The photos have to be taken that week and I will post 52 of them during the course of the year. This first image is a tribute to Lolcats, a unique brand of internet humor.