WRITTEN BY THE LIGHT

Autofocus In The Dark. What’s Up With That?

2012-01-21T11:01:00.006-06:00

Warning: The following post contains an ugly picture which may include some dog poop. The image is not being used to demonstrate the author’s prowess as a photographer; it is merely used to prove a point.

The other night my dog asked to be let out for the umpteenth time. As I went to the glass sliding door to do her bidding, I passed by my D700 sitting on the dining room table. I was seized by a sudden urge to press the shutter a few times. Once I let her out, I grabbed the camera, engaged the onboard flash and stepped out into the night to grab a couple of shots of her making her rounds.

To put what follows in context, the only illumination was a dim table lamp in the next room. The autofocus assist illuminator is always turned off per Tom Hogan's recommendation. Once I stepped outside it was nearly pitch black. To my utter amazement, the 35mm f/2 lens locked focus on every shot and quickly I might note. It only hunted when I tried to fool it. I was dumbfounded, but here is the proof.

Nighttime Rounds, 2012

My conclusion? We all know that the D800 is coming and we all know that we will want one, especially if it’s a bit smaller. We all know that Nikon will market the hell out of the D800 in the wake of the success of the D700. But, before you take the plunge, think about this. If the rumors are true that the D800 will feature a 36 megapixel sensor, get ready to upgrade your system. Lightroom will slow to a crawl and your hard drive is going to fill up fast. I’d suggest one or two terabytes. And, do you really need video? So, get yourself a D700 while you can at a nice price and don‘t look back.

A Very Sad Day

2012-01-19T17:35:00.001-06:00

As you have probably heard by now, Eastman Kodak has filed for bankruptcy. I just felt the need to share this. Very sad indeed. Read more here if you can bear it.

Coming Soon, But My Lips Are Sealed

2012-01-19T17:33:00.000-06:00

There is an exciting new camera rumored to be coming in March, but since I don’t publish rumors I can’t tell you about it. Hint: If you google “Olympus OM D” you might be able to read all about it. But, you didn’t hear that from me.

This Blog Is Dark

2012-01-18T17:53:00.002-06:00

Please contact your Representative or Senator by going to this link.

Mirror(less), Mirror(less) On The Wall, Who’s The Fairest Of Them All?

2012-01-16T17:22:00.002-06:00

I have been in love with the mirrorless concept since a friend pointed out the announcement of micro 4/3 a few years ago. I liked the Olympus EP-1 a great deal, but the lack of a viewfinder nixed that one. The Panasonic GF-1 had the same problem. I tried out a Panasonic GH1 for a weekend, but I returned it. I didn’t like the DSLR design and feel. I was looking for something like the EP-1.

And so I kept looking and waiting. So far I have no regrets. Both Panasonic and Olympus came out with nice EVFs and others got into the game. With the introduction the other day of the Fujifilm X-Pro1, I think I may have found my camera. Here’s a brief summary of my take on the mirrorless alternatives we have today.

This 2.7 crop factor sensor is used in the new Nikon 1 series of mirrorless cameras. It’s somewhere between a compact and micro 4/3.

Nikon V1

There is really a lot to like about this camera. Really, I researched. However, it didn’t generate much excitement at its launch. I have been hearing more buzz of late.

Pros: Fast, faster and fastest. Good built-in EVF and top of the line display. European gestalt.

Cons: No built-in flash. No hot shoe. Crop factor will eliminate use of most legacy lenses. Dumbed down operation.

My Decision: Keep looking.

Micro 4/3

Micro 4/3 cameras are very attractive due to the number of fine lenses available for them. Not to mention a plethora of adapters. Nevertheless, I have always been bothered by the x2 crop factor. A Leica 35mm wide becomes a 70mm tele.

Olympus EP-3

When this was announced I was pretty excited.

Pros: Beautiful to look at and nearly perfect feature set.

Cons: Aging sensor and plug in EVF. And then Olympus got themselves in a real mess.

My Decision: Keep looking.

Panasonic GX-1

A real return to form for Panasonic and also an exciting camera.

Pros: Lens availability. New sensor and stylish good looks. Feature set.

Cons: Plug-in EVF.

My Decision: Keep looking.

APS-C

To my mind the best compromise for mirrorless is an APS-C size sensor. Unfortunately, there are not many to choose from. I dismissed Ricoh’s modular design and the Samsung has no EVF.

Sony NEX-7

The most interesting mirrorless announcement of 2011.

Pros: Great resolution and low noise. Built-in high resolution EVF. Fast. Leica M adapters available. Cons: Small body, big lenses. What’s up with that? Lack of high quality E mount lenses and extremely limited availability.

My Decision: A possible purchase, but highly unlikely.

Fujifilm X-100

Photographers fell in love with this camera.

Pros: Retro design sensibility to the gorgeous hybrid viewfinder.

Cons: Fixed focal length 35mm lens is just too limiting.

My Decision: Keep looking.

And that brings me to the Fujifilm X-Pro1. I’ve done as much preliminary research as I can. If the X-Pro1 can live up to its specs, I’m in. I am concerned about the autofocus since nothing much has been said about that. If the Fujifilm can match the performance of the new Panasonic and Olympus, it should be worth every penny.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 Announced And Previewed

2012-01-09T16:25:00.000-06:00

Earlier today the Fujifilm X-Pro1 and the 18mm F2, 35mm F1.4 and 60mm F2.4 primes were formally announced. Read more here and here. More to come.

Back To School: Pixel Dimensions And Resolution

2012-01-07T14:50:00.009-06:00

Ed. Note: Back To School is an occasional series for doddering old fools like me who have forgotten more than we’ll ever know. There will be no particular structure, just subjects I want to know more about. Hope you find it helpful.

Recently I was reading Micheal Reichmann’s review of the Sony NEX-7 over on The Luminous Landscape and he talked about down-rezzing its 24 megapixel files to the same size as those from a Leica M9. He also discussed the noise difference between the NEX-7 and the NEX-5N which has a 16 megapixel sensor. Since I am considering an NEX-7 and the D800’s is rumored to have 36 megapixels, I got to thinking about down-rezzing those large images in CS5. That got me confused so I decided to go back to school on the subject.

To begin with, megapixels do not measure a sensor’s size. Megapixels are a measure of the sensor’s resolving power; it’s resolution. The dimensions of a digital photo file are expressed in pixels, not inches. This expression is called the “pixel dimension” and is always W x H. In order to determine a sensor’s resolution you simply do the multiplication. For example, an image from a 12.1 megapixel camera like my D700 has a pixel dimension of 4256 x 2832 (4256 x 2832 = 12052997). The pixel dimension should not be confused with other measures like dots per inch (DPI) which refers to the resolution of a printer or pixels per inch (PPI) which refers to resolution of the printed output of a digital image. You can find the pixel dimensions for your camera in the owner’s manual. Look for a page that looks something like this:

So far so good, but the Image Size module in CS5 requires you to enter the new pixel dimension, not the megapixels. So, if you are going from a 12.1 megapixel image to an 8 megapixel how do you know the pixel dimension of the 8 megapixel image? As an aside, those in the know do not recommend up-rezzing an image. Throwing away pixels is preferable to creating them.

There are a couple of resources that will tell you the pixel dimensions of various resolutions. A very good downloadable megapixel chart up to 16 megapixels can be found here.

In the chart below, I went up to 24 megapixels.

Pixel Dimension	Resolution (in Mega Pixels)
3872 x 2592	10
4256 x 2832	12.1
4920 x 3264	16
5184 x 3546	18.4
6000 x 4000	24

Now, there are two ways to down-rez an image in the Image Size module in CS5. Here is my original 12 megapixel image.

I want to down-rez to 10 megapixels. If the Constrain Proportions box is checked I can simply plug in the pixel dimension of either the width or the height from the chart into the Image Size module as shown below and the other value will change accordingly.

If I un-check the Constrain Proportions box I can dictate the pixel dimension for both the width and the height as shown below.

Voila, mission accomplished.

The Ying And The Yang

2012-01-06T18:04:00.002-06:00

Two new cameras were announced/leaked today.

First up was the official announcement of the Nikon D4. Always interesting as it's Nikon’s flagship DSLR, the major differences are a 16 megapixel sensor and upgraded video. Read about it here and here.

Of more interest to me personally is the announcement of the AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 G. It features a brand new optical design and at $499 will probably be in my bag this year. Read more here.

Meanwhile, Fujifilm leaked the X-Pro 1, its mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. There are some forum posts here.

Of course this has been picked up by a lot of websites here and here. According to what I could find out the official release is schedule for next Tuesday.

My first impressions? Regarding the D4, “enthusiasts” (who should not care) will be disappointed. More cries of: “I’m switching.” Pros will be excited. The X-Pro 1 will sell like hot cakes, assuming it tests well.

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T17:09:00.003-06:00

Happy New Year! I want to thank each and every one of you for reading this past year. Frankly, it hasn't been an easy one for me. Since this is a sideline, I don't have a lot of time or money to buy new gear and report on it. I do this all on my own for the love of it and nobody gives me "loaners". Nevertheless, I hope that I am adding to our photographic conversation. I wish you all good health and prosperity in 2012.

Mick Tsikas / EPA

35mm Update

2011-12-27T17:21:00.000-06:00

As promised, I have been shooting with the "old" Nikkor 35mm f/2 AF. I am excited to show you the results. Stay tuned. Hint: You don't need to spend $1650 on a 35mm lens.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T10:40:00.000-06:00

No matter where you are in the world and no matter what holiday you are celebrating, may you have a happy and joyous holiday season. From all of us here at WBTL, Happy Holidays!

Just Kidding

2011-12-22T16:17:00.000-06:00

I have restored the comment feature since I don't get any anyway so what's the harm.

The Houses They Left Behind

2011-12-22T15:55:00.002-06:00

The Burrus House, Benoit, MS

Much to my delight, Nell Dickerson, photographer and author of Gone, has a post on The New York Times Disunion blog. You can read the post, entitled “What Remains” here. Congratulations Nell.

No Comment

2011-12-19T17:55:00.000-06:00

Okay, I realize that this is kinda' irrelevant, but I have disabled the comment feature (I hope). Comment moderation takes time and a lot of comments are self serving (IMHO). If you really need to express yourself, send me an email at cwlane_1@msn.com. Sorry for any inconvenience, just following the lead of my fellow bloggers.

Everything Old Is New Again

2011-12-09T16:37:00.000-06:00

With Christmas right around the corner I decided to buy a little something for myself considering the rest of the family get (take) more than their fair share. When I say “little something” I do mean little. For various reasons I sold both of the prime lenses that had for my Nikon; a Nikon 50mm f/1.4 and a Zeiss 35mm f/2 ZF. I never looked back on the 50, but I started missing the 35 almost immediately. Despite its excellent image quality, I couldn’t justify keeping the Zeiss. Its heft made my already weighty kit even worse and there is no autofocus option. That said, 35mm is my favorite focal length by far. I had been hoping that Nikon would refresh their 35mm f/2, but to date they haven’t seen fit to do so. After some consideration and research I decided to buy the older lens from B&H.

The 35mm f/2 (henceforth the 35/2) has been around since 1995. Accordingly, it’s missing a lot of the fancy stuff on today’s Nikon lenses. No SWM, no Nano Crystal Coat, no Aspherical lens elements and no ED glass elements. On the upside the lens is very light weight and old school in design. Heck, it’s even got a depth of field scale. Nevertheless, I have a lot of questions. How sharp is it? Without a SWM how fast is it to autofocus? How will the older design from the days of film stand up to the 12 megapixel full frame sensor in my D700? Will it reveal every flaw? What about distortion and chromatic aberration, etc.? So, in order to get some answers, I will be using the 35/2 as my only lens over the holidays and report back in January. Please stay tuned.

70 Years Ago

2011-12-06T17:04:00.000-06:00

Photograph taken from a Japanese plane during the torpedo attack on ships moored on both sides of Ford Island. View looks about east, with the supply depot, submarine base and fuel tank farm in the right center distance. A torpedo has just hit USS West Virginia on the far side of Ford Island (center). Other battleships moored nearby are (from left): Nevada, Arizona, Tennessee (inboard of West Virginia), Oklahoma (torpedoed and listing) alongside Maryland, and California. On the near side of Ford Island, to the left, are light cruisers Detroit and Raleigh, target and training ship Utah and seaplane tender Tangier. Raleigh and Utah have been torpedoed, and Utah is listing sharply to port. Japanese planes are visible in the right center (over Ford Island) and over the Navy Yard at right.

The forward magazine of USS Shaw explodes during the second Japanese attack wave. To the left of the explosion, Shaw's stern is visible, at the end of floating drydock. At right is the bow of USS Nevada, with a tug alongside fighting fires. Photographed from Ford Island, with a dredging line in the foreground.

Both images from The Naval History and Heritage Command photograph section.

Warren Miller

2011-11-25T09:45:00.004-06:00

Every year about this time something tugs at my heartstrings. The lure of skiing as made famous by photographer, filmmaker and writer, Warren Miller. I ask myself every year why this is so.

When I was young, in my tweens and teens, we were a skiing family. My father, my mother and my brother all skied. And so did I. At first learning was hard. Nobody likes getting tangled up in a rope tow. The ultimate in humiliation let me tell you. As the years went by, my father befriended a dynamic skier from Vermont by the name of Clif Taylor. Dubbed the Instant Skier, Clif had just invented a revolutionary new way to teach people skiing – short-ee skis. Using Clif’s method you graduated from a two foot ski to longer lengths over the course of time and at the end you were skiing on the big dogs. Later this form of teaching would be christened the graduated length method. So I learned to ski and I loved it.

Every November, between Halloween and Thanksgiving, the Ski Show would come to town. It was held at whatever was the convention center of the moment and was the place where skiers could gather and get jazzed about the upcoming season. Equipment manufacturers where there showing off the new lines of boots, skis and bindings. Each of the ski shops (and there were several in those ancient times) had a temporary store where you could ogle new gear and shop for bargains. There was usually a Ski Deck (a giant carpeted treadmill) where instructors would demonstrate the latest techniques. Every local ski area would have a booth as would many from the west and east coast. My father, who was a photographer and filmmaker, was the official photographer of the show and also had a booth, so we could go as many times as we wanted. Correct that, I had to go as many times as he wanted. Sometimes I’d man the booth and other times I’d haul my Dad’s equipment. All in all it was a pretty fun time.

For all of that though, the main event by the Big Kahuna was the Warren Miller show. Lots of people, including my father, made ski movies, but Miller’s films were the biggest and best and eagerly anticipated each year. In the beginning Warren would personally narrate each showing in his unique style so you could actually meet the man. Later on he used soundtracks; but the movies never changed. They were always funny and exciting travelogues with some downright breathtaking scenes. Although you knew you’d die if you ever did those things, it was fun to imagine yourself trying.

Miller was born October 14, 1924, in Hollywood, California. As a child he enjoyed skiing, surfing and photography. After a stint in the Navy during World War II, he bought an 8mm movie camera and moved to Sun Valley, Idaho where he and a friend, Ward Baker, set up camp in the parking lot of the Sun Valley Ski Resort. They lived in a teardrop shaped trailer, earned a living as ski instructors and filmed each other skiing and surfing. Warren started to show his skiing and surfing films to friends with a running monologue of jokes and commentary. He then began to receive invitations to show and narrate his films at parties and in 1949, he founded Warren Miller Entertainment. Thus began the long-standing tradition of producing one feature-length ski film a year beginning in 1950 with Deep and Light. At one point he was screening his latest film in 130 cities a year.

At the end of the 1980s, Miller sold the company to his son, Kurt Miller, who sold it to Time Warner, who then sold it to Bonnier Corporation in 2007. Warren has not been actively involved with production since 2004 and has been critical of recent productions -- so much so that he has said that he will never work with the company that bears his name again.

Since then, in 2010, Miller announced the launch of the Warren Miller Company, an organization representing his professional and philanthropic interests established over 20 years ago. Currently, Warren Miller and his wife Laurie split their time between Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands north of Seattle and the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana.

Although Warren is no longer involved in film making, every time I hear his voice I am transported back to that darkened auditorium at the Ski Show and those thrills, chills and laughs. And each year there was the same closing line:

"I'm Warren Miller. I'll see you next year, same time, same place."

He single handedly created a film genre (according to Miller some 200 filmmakers have come and gone) and nobody did it better than Warren. This winter try to check out one of his older films, many of which are available on Amazon.com here.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T13:46:00.001-06:00

This turkey, born and raised by teens in Willmar, Minnesota, is particularly happy today. As am I, as am I. Happy Thanksgiving folks.

Topaz

2011-11-16T17:50:00.000-06:00

A year or so ago a photographer friend of mine suggested that I take a look at the Topaz suite of plug-ins for Photoshop. Considering what I could get for $75, I bought it immediately. To be truthful, I haven’t used it that much. My workflow, such as it is, tends to be pretty simple and is still developing. That said I love the Topaz suite. To begin with, each update (and there have been several) has been FREE. Yep, free. And these are major updates, not just tweaks. In addition, each component is a very powerful set of tools and presets. Topaz also offers detailed manuals and instructional videos.

Last night I got an email from Topaz offering me the free upgrade for one of the components, Adjust V5. After I installed it, which is ridiculously simple, I took the time to watch the video embedded in the email. Simply amazing and scary easy. If you are looking to streamline your Photoshop sessions and avoid the steep learning curve Photoshop requires, take a look at the Topaz suite. Highly recommended.

Got Cards If Your Want 'Em

2011-11-14T16:37:00.001-06:00

One of my sponsors, Adorama, has Lexar 16GB compact flash cards on sale for $47.95 here. Buy a couple and support this site.

Thanks for your support,

Ye Olde Management

The Nikon V1 In My Shaky Hands

2011-11-14T16:27:00.000-06:00

I finally got 'round to popping in to my local camera store this past weekend. Unfortunately, I don’t do much business with them any more since I buy most of my stuff from B&H. I wonder how long they’ll survive, but they always seem busy.

Anyway, I took the opportunity to take a quick look at the V1. Despite its diminutive size, I was impressed by its heft and build quality. The metal construction is quite impressive and says that this is a camera to be taken seriously. The EVF is just fine and, at 1,440,000 dots, is state of the art. The display is also top notch and is best in class at 921,000 dots. Nice to look at and equal to my D700. The V1 falls to hand quite nicely and the rounded edges are reminiscent of a Leica M3. That’s the upside.

When Nikon set out to design the V1, it is clear that their target market was the compact camera user seeking to step up. That is the downside. The V1 is only slightly larger than a compact and, although I don’t have big hands, that was a problem for me. The controls seemed positively minuscule, so much so that I never tried to use them. Another irritant was the power button. It is flush with the top plate and it took me several pokes to turn the darn thing off. I never could figure out the best way to grip the little devil, although I tried several different ways. The lack of a hand grip doesn’t help matters either.

I am sure that there are people out there that will adore the V1. Kirk Tuck sure seems to like his. I feel that for all its strengths, and there are many, the V1 is a little bit too compact for me. Sigh.

This Is It

2011-11-07T17:03:00.000-06:00

No, I am not talking about Michael Jackson’s not-concert film; I am referring to the newly announced Panasonic DMC-GX1. I have been pining for a small inter-changeable lens camera for a couple of years now, maybe longer. Problem is I am spoiled by my current DSLR, a Nikon D700. The D700 is my idea of the perfect camera, just too big to lug around everywhere. I also wanted a particular quality of video. Finally, I wanted a system with a lot of choices, including a couple of really fine lenses. So, I waited. And waited. And waited. My first real date was a Panasonic GH2. After it was over, I realized that we were incompatible and sent her packing. Then there was my fling with the Olympus EP3. Not really a hands on affair, more like an infatuation from afar.

When Sony announced the NEX-7 and I was able to tick off every box on my want list, I was head over heels. I nearly proposed, however, after reading her bio, I found out that, while she has a beautiful body, the NEX-7 is blind. While there is a cure, she would only have one really good eye that would cost $999. But, boy that was one hot body.

Finally, Nikon came calling after all these years with the V1. Unfortunately, the V1 was pretty underwhelming and the enthusiasts wrote her off immediately. I was not so sure. At least one pro had acquired her and was having a ball. The more I looked, the more I liked. I was pretty sure that theV1 was the one for me. I even went to fondle one this weekend, but the store was closed and I was tight for time.

Then a friend sent me an email this morning with a picture of the prettiest little thing I have ever seen – the GX1. Talk about a knock out!

Obviously, I will need to do more research, because buying a camera – like getting married -- is for better or for worse and no one wants a quickie Kardashian divorce. At first blush, however, I think this is it. The GX1 boasts a 16.01-megapixel Live MOS sensor. Only the Sony is larger at 24 and I question that many pixels on an APS-C size sensor. Panasonic claims excellent high ISO performance with a maximum 12800 ISO sensitivity. That will remain to be seen. Also attractive is the GX1’s 3.0-inch touch LCD screen. I have to have a viewfinder and I can attach the LVF2 tilt-shift Live View Finder which features 1,440,000-dot equivalent and 100% field of view. Finally, onboard video is 1920 x 1080 at 60i, with sensor output of 30p.

I’ll be reading more about the new girl in town at dpreview.com so stay tuned.

Still Born

2011-11-04T18:11:00.000-05:00

Well, it’s official. The “enthusiast” photographic community has written off the Nikon V1 even before its been tested. Too bad, because professional photographer Kirk Tuck has not. You can read his impressions here, here and here. I’m certainly not a professional or Nikon fanboy, but I’m thinking of buying one out of spite. For some strange reason I don’t think I’ll regret it.

Autumnal Musings

2011-11-03T17:12:00.000-05:00

Buckthorn, 2011

After making over 800 images in August at Muskets and Memories, I haven’t shot too much lately except for a couple of ruffed grouse. I went up to Grand Marais for a few days, but between hunting, another *&#% injury and some of the worst weather I have seen up there, there weren’t too many “photo ops”. Pouring rain one day and gale force winds the next. What I did shoot wasn’t worth keeping even as snapshots. Firearms deer hunting season opens this weekend so I’ll be staying out of the woods for awhile. And soon it will be the holidays.

I have been looking at the landscape work of Lee Friedlander a lot lately. You can get a very good sampling simply by searching him in google Images. Finally, I broke down and bought his book Apples and Olives. His work certainly changed my views on landscape photography. I can think of a bunch of images that I would have done differently had I seen his stuff long ago.

Speaking of photo books, over the holidays I will be putting most of my photo books up for sale on amazon.com. This is the “good stuff”, some of it out of print, and each book is in pristine condition with a dust jacket protector. I will keep you posted as things progress.

I also discovered Kirk Tuck the other day. Kirk writes an excellent blog entitled The Visual Science Lab and will be a regular columnist on The Online Photographer. Great writing and photography as well as philosophical and think pieces. Oh yes, and gear articles as well. He has been trying out the new Nikon V1 and his images are impressive.

As usual, I’ve been thinking about smaller cameras. There are getting to be a lot of options out there. Besides the Nikon, I have been most impressed by the Fujifilm X10. Depending upon the reviews, I might go for that one were it not for Fuji’s announcement of an interchangeable lens mirrorless next year. Seems to me that Fuji is the company making the waves right now. I like that.

Nikon V1 Samples

2011-10-18T17:40:00.001-05:00

No, I am not "sold" on the Nikon's 1 series, but ...

See some samples at dpreiew here.

Got $6,800.00?

2011-10-18T17:29:00.000-05:00

Then this is the "enthusiast" camera for you. More details here.

P.S. Hire a "photo assistant" to carry it for you.

Blog Log

2011-10-10T10:13:00.000-05:00

Our Policy on Vaporcams

As most of you probably know, Fujifilm announced a mirrorless interchangeable lens system the other day. Well sort of. There are almost no solid details and right now it's a vaporcam. From this day forward I will not publish drivel about non-existent products. Unless I have a spec sheet and some images forget it. There are plenty of websites where you can get that information, just not here. And if I sound like a curmudgeon so be it. I am.

Fall Color Vacation

Starting Tuesday, I will be incommunicado in the Great North Woods with my pal Bob Dylan. Well at least his CDs. Take care and more posts will be coming you way soon.

The Vacationing Curmudgeon

Nikon 1 Series Considered Part 3

2011-10-10T10:12:00.000-05:00

In Parts 1 and 2 I covered the main features of Nikon’s new 1 series, particularly the V1. But the 1 series are interchangeable lens cameras, so what about lenses?

The main disappointment is the there is no fast lens right out of the chute. Nikon introduced four lenses:

1 NIKKOR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 lens (27-81mm) with VR (Kit Lens)
1 NIKKOR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 lens (81-297mm) with VR US$250
1 NIKKOR 10mm f/2.8 pancake lens (27mm) US$250
1 NIKKOR 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 (27-270mm equivalent) power zoom with VR US$750

Each lens features a Silent Stepping Motor (STM) for AF and, other than the pancake, Nikon's VR II image stabilization technology.

In addition to these four lenses, Nikon also released the FT-1 F-mount adaptor which allows the camera to accept legacy F-mount lenses. Given the V1’s 2.7 crop factor, Thom Hogan noted some interesting possibilities. For example, when mounted on a Nikon 1 the 35mm f/1.8 DX becomes 90.5 mm, a workable portrait lens. Thom notes other interesting possibilities:

“The 40mm Micro-Nikkor, for example, is a 108mm equivalent on the Nikon 1. Wait, that's a lot like...OMG, it's a 105 macro! The 50mm f/1.8 (yes, I know, not DX, but a recent of-interest-to-DX-users lens) is a 135mm (though not DC ;~). True, we're still losing out on the aperture game, but it just seems like there are a lot of recent Nikkors that have come across my desk that seem somewhat interesting on the Nikon 1. Almost to the point where I might be more likely to carry a Nikon 1 along with my D7000 instead of a m4/3.”

At the introduction, Nikon also showed mock-ups of six additional lenses:

A portrait prime,
A Wide-angle zoom,
A High Power zoom,
A Super-telephoto zoom,
A macro.
And a pocket-sized normal zoom.

Thom Hogan has speculated about the following yet to come:

18mm f/1.4 (~50mm equivalent)
32mm f/1.2 (~85mm equivalent)
40mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor (~105mm equivalent)
60mm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor (162mm equivalent)
7-13mm f/3.5-5.6 (20-35mm equivalent)
9-43mm f/2.8-5.6 (24-120mm equivalent)

So how can you envision the Nikon 1 V1 being used? The first thing that comes to mind is sports, from auto racing to football. Here’s an example from Thom Hogan:

“[C]onsider that you shoot for a sports Web site ... that you never post anything bigger than 800 pixels. Now put an 85mm f/1.4G on the Nikon 1 and go to your next event. You're shooting two stops faster than the 70-200mm guy and 52 frames per second faster. Say what? Could that be useful? You bet it could be.”

When I think of “fast” I also think of kids. The Nikon 1 seems like the perfect Daddy-cam. Set it up and go. The same holds true for kid’s sports. If the Nikon 1 has low noise, mount some fast F-mount lenses and you’re ready to shoot from the stands.

In theory, the Nikon 1 should be a superb tool for wildlife and bird photography. That 200mm now becomes a 540mm. Couple that with a 10fps frame rate and you’re good to go. Heck, even the NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR becomes an alternative to a 70-300mm.

Finally, my own personal interest would be Civil Was Reenactment photography. Like sports the action can be fast and with auto focus locked that 60fps frame rate will ensure that you’ll get that flame coming out of the cannon barrel. Besides that I won’t have near as much gear to lug around. I like that.

So, I’ll be paying close attention over the next few weeks to what the experts are saying. A very interesting camera indeed.

Nikon 1 Series Considered Part 2

2011-10-07T16:47:00.001-05:00

In Part 1 I wrote about the V1’s LCD, EVF and sensor. Obviously, there’s more inside that black cube. Compared to the current crop of cameras, the V1 is clearly the speed demon and its engine is Nikon's new dual core EXPEED 3™ image processer. According to the Imaging Resources interview, EXPEED 3™ has two processing pipelines making it five times faster than the D3. If that weren’t enough, the D3 analog output has twelve lines. By contrast, the V1 twenty-four channels of digital output, not analog.

Next up on our tour is the V1’s hybrid autofocus system, the worlds fastest. The Nikon V1 features a hybrid autofocus system that can switch between phase detection (73-points) and contrast detection (135 points) to best suit the scene.

When it comes to more conventional measures of fast, the V1 is right up there. For sports and action users the V1 can shoot at a fast 10 frames per second (fps) with full adaptive auto focus. Not fast enough? Any scene can be captured at full resolution up to 60 fps (auto focus locked). According to Nikon, this is the world's fastest continuous shooting speed.

The V1 can be completely silent while shooting since it has both a mechanical and electronic shutter.

All this technology allows for some pretty neat features. The new sensor can produce Full HD movies up to 29 minutes at either 1080i (60 fps) or 1080p (30 fps). There are also additional 30/60/400 and 1200 fps modes. Another potentially useful feature is Motion Snapshot. If the photographer selects Motion Snapshot from the Mode Dial the result unites a frozen still image with a slow-motion movement set to a built-in audio soundtrack. Finally, we have the new Smart Photo Selector feature. The Smart Photo Selector mode uses the camera's pre-cache to start shooting and storing images. All of these images are analyzed and the best photo is selected based on a number of factors including exposure, focus and advanced facial recognition. While the camera suggests the best image, five frames are recorded, providing the user a choice.

Still not interested? In Part 3 we’ll look at the lens line-up and roadmap and explore what the 1 system might be used for.

Lens For Sale

2011-10-02T12:34:00.001-05:00

I thought this was going to be titled "Lenses for Sale", but one sold immediately. But what I do have left is a classic. A Zeiss 35mm f/2 in Nikon mount. It is lightly used and in pristine condition.

Mike Johnston of The Online Photographer wrote about this lens here. If you want to take a look go here.

Nikon 1 Series Considered Part 1

2011-09-30T18:20:00.000-05:00

I have been meaning to write about the Nikon 1 series since its introduction. That was, until I read the firestorm of criticism and outright anger. Now that the dust has settled a bit I’d like to try for a bit more reasoned analysis of Nikon’s new mirrorless cameras.

But first, how about that initial reaction! It was something to witness. It seemed that no one was paying any attention. Thom Hogan had telegraphed the 2.7 crop factor weeks ago. Nikon Rumors had images of all sorts of mock ups. It was clear to this writer that Nikon was going to introduce a mirrorless line before anything else. Mirrorless is hot in Japan, Nikon’s home market. I was also clear that the camera would be small and consumer oriented. So what was all the fuss about? Typical Internet kneejerk, shoot first and ask questions later. Some time has passed so let’s revisit what Nikon has done.

The Nikon 1 system consists of two mirrorless cameras, the J1 and the V1, and four lenses with more on the way. There are also some interesting accessories. The J1 is clearly the most consumer-oriented model and closest to a compact. It comes in colors and has no viewfinder. The V1, on the other hand is much more interesting.

Let’s start with composing and reviewing. The V1 has a 1,440,000 dot color TFT electronic viewfinder with 100% coverage. This is the same as the Panasonic G3 and slightly less than the GH2 (1,530,000 dots). When it debuts in November, the Sony Nex-7 with its 2.4M dots will be the highest resolution EVF on the market.

For reviewing you use the 3.0 inch 921,000 dot LCD monitor. Although it cannot tilt, hard to say why this would upset anybody. Then it must be that pesky sensor. Nikon decided to go small so the V1 uses a 13.2 mm (.52 in) x 8.8 mm (.35 in) CMOS sensor with 10.1 million effective pixels dubbed the CX format. Much bigger than a compact, but much smaller than Micro Four Thirds. While this seems like a disappointment and has caused most of the anger, Nikon tells us not to worry about image quality.

Imaging Resources recently interviewed Mr. Masahiro Suzuki, General Manager of Research and Development Department at Nikon Corporation. In designing the Nikon 1 series there were three priorities: image quality, responsiveness and speed and finally, ease of use, good handling and compactness. And then there is this exchange:

“Q: Okay. So to use the larger sensor, obviously the cameras would have been slightly larger. But you felt you could get good enough image quality; that you could meet your image quality objectives with this size sensor?

A: We are quite confident that we achieved almost exactly the same quality as our DSLR.

Q: (surprised) The same quality as DSLRs.

A: Yes...Please evaluate! (laughs)

Q: Yes, obviously, we'll test and we'll hold you to that! That's very interesting, because this is a much smaller sensor, but you say the same quality.

A: Mm-hmm.”

Pretty interesting if you ask me. In Part 2 we’ll take a closer look under the hood.

Sony NEX-7 Sample Images

2011-09-14T18:32:00.000-05:00

DRReview has posted sample images from Sony's new NEX-7 (which I have pre-ordered) here. I was both pleased and impressed.

No More Ugly People

2011-09-14T12:48:00.000-05:00

“Portrait Professional is new portrait airbrushing software that has been "trained" in human beauty. Exceptionally fast and easy to use, and capable of the highest quality touch up, it lets you improve your photos instantly, just by moving sliders.

With this easy photo editing software, it's incredibly fast for any photographer to enhance the face and hair of the subject.”

And Then There Were Three

2011-09-12T17:59:00.002-05:00

Wouldn’t you know it? I just finish writing about two new small camera options and along comes a third. Decisions, decisions.

A few days ago Fujifilm announced the X-10, the X-100’s little brother, and it is gorgeous. It borrows the X-100’s retro look and ups the ante with a fast zoom lens. It’s built around Fujifilm’s new 2/3" 12 megapixel EXR-CMOS sensor. This sensor combines CMOS technology with Fujifilm’s proprietary EXR pixel arrangement to allow three options supposedly providing good images in all shooting conditions. The sensor is paired with a fast 28-112mm-equivalent f/2.0-2.8 lens with image stabilization and a seven blade aperture.

And, wonder of wonders, the X-10 features a zoom optical viewfinder using three aspherical lenses and a special dach prism configuration. Other notable features include high-speed continuous shooting at up to 7 frames per second, a 49-point matrix contrast AF, and 1080p Full HD movie recording capabilities.

Tricked out in its retro black leather case with matching strap and metal lens hood, the X-10 looks like a real winner. As of this writing, no pricing and availability information was obtainable. Read more on DPReview and on the X-10 website.

Lest We Forget

2011-09-11T12:31:00.000-05:00

Got Adapters If You Want 'Em

2011-09-10T12:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Rayqual unveiled adapters for Micro Four Thirds and Sony E-mount cameras with built-in tripod mounts. The adapters are available for Nikon F, M42, Leica R, Olympus OM, Canon FD and Pentax K mounts.

More Stock News

2011-09-09T17:25:00.000-05:00

Nikon stock rose based on rumors of the pending launch of a mirrorless camera. A story by Nikkei (Nihon Keizai Shimbum) indicated Nikon will launch a camera at a price between $900-$1300. At that price point it had better be good! Read a bit more here.

Mirrorless? We Don't Need No Stinking Mirrorless.

2011-09-08T17:54:00.000-05:00

Well Nikon and Canon, Bloomberg thinks you do. Read the analysis here. On Oly, on Panny and on Sony!

Two Cameras Of Interest Part 2

2011-09-08T17:28:00.001-05:00

In Part 1, I discussed the new Olympus E-P3 and detailed my perfect kit. In this post I’ll do a similar number on the new Sony NEX-7.

Sony NEX-7 When Sony designed the new NEX-7 they must have gotten a hold of my small camera wish list. Up until the 7, the NEX line has only been mildly interesting because of its small size and clear consumer orientation. Not anymore. Sony has gotten serious about the E-mount and the consensus is, from people that I trust, that the NEX-7 is a home run in all respects.

Let’s start with the heart of any digital camera, the sensor. The NEX-7 sports a large 1.5 crop 24 megapixel APS-C HD CMOS sensor. This enables AVCHD Progressive full HD high-quality stereo movies at either 60p or 24p (!). For stills, the sensitivity range extends from ISO 100-16000. Get ready to upgrade that hard drive.

Want a viewfinder? Got that too. A built-in 2.4M dot OLED EVF that's the highest resolution yet seen featuring an eye sensor for automatic switching with the display. Oh, and the display is a three-inch,

921,600 dots LCD that can be tilted 90-degrees up or 45-degrees down.

Want more? How about a pop-up flash and a hot shoe, firsts for the E-mount line. Last, but not least, a 10fps burst mode. That’s as fast as my D700.

The NEX-7 will be available in November as a kit with an 18-55mm zoom lens for $1399 or as a body-only for $1199. Read more about this great new camera on DPReview here.

If I Bought It

One of the first considerations in looking at any system is whether or not the array of lenses available for that particular mount is sufficient for your purposes. Unlike the numerous options available for the MFT mount (not to mention adapters), the E-mount is crippled by a paucity of glass. Although there are many E mount adapters available, there are only six Sony E mount lenses. Given that the NEX-7 is tricked out exactly the way I’d want it, my only concern would be what lenses to buy. To begin with, it comes as a kit with a black version of the standard E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS zoom so that would be an option.

Also announced was a Carl Zeiss-branded E 24mm F1.8 lens. Given that it’s fast e-35mm with Zeiss glass, that one would have to go into the bag.

Finally, also released was an E 50mm F1.8 which translates into a 75mm. That might work as a portrait lens.

Or, I might just wait.

The Wonderful World of Photography

2011-09-07T17:44:00.001-05:00

Hi,

Perhaps the post below was a bit strong so I'm backing off. I was the son of a professional photographer and have been shooting since I was a kid. For me, the wonderful world of photography is too "wonderful" to be condensed down to a single subject. Not to mention that this is the Golden Age of photography. Right now, pigeon-holes don't work very well. We've got innovations coming very day and that's wonderful.

I am very excited at the prospect of writing about and shooting modern Civil War photography, but that is only one aspect of the subject that interests me. As it was conceived in the beginning, WBTL will continue to be about all of the aspects of photography that I find wonderful; old, current and new. Cameras, books and technique. In the final analysis, I guess I just can't commit. And, in my mind, that’s a good thing and will keep WBTL fresh. So, be prepared to be surprised. But then, I have already done that.

All the best,

Chris

A Game-Changer

2011-09-07T17:21:00.000-05:00

Every once in awhile an event occurs that changes your perspective on your life. One of those game-changers happened to me last weekend. I went to my first Civil War reenactment, Muskets and Memories in Boscobel, Wisconsin (more about that later). I was hooked immediately when I got out of the car and met the gentlemen pictured above (a member of Mr. Brady’s organization). It just got better as the weekend progressed; so much so that I intend to reorient Written by the Light.

Here is my vision going forward. WBTL will feature posts related to Civil War photography, both historic and modern. I intend to expand on features like the one below about the photographers, equipment and techniques of the era. There will also be a digital angle as well. As I discovered, a Civil War reenactment is a feast for the eyes and a real treat for the photographer. At Muskets and Memories I made over 800 images. Yes, I was that fascinated.

WBTL will cover modern equipment and technique as well. Digital cameras are particularly well suited to the fast action of battlefield reportage. We’ll find out which equipment works best. Civil War photography offers the shooter a wide variety of forms and can embrace sports, journalism, portraiture and landscape so technique is important as always.

Finally, I hope that WBTL will become a resource for photographers who want to pursue reenactment photography. I stumbled across the reenactment community as part of my renewed interest in the war because of the Sesquicentennial. I found reenactors to be dedicated and passionate historians. Their attention to detail and wealth of knowledge is amazing. They are also some of the friendliest people I have ever met. Everyone is willing to talk and tell you his or her own story. That said, reenactments are probably not advertised in your local newspaper so they can be hard to find. It is my intent to keep my readers informed of upcoming events of interest and provide you with further information.

As I said at the beginning, this has been a game-changer for my photography. Until this came along I was starting to lose interest. Now I feel rejuvenated. I hope that the subject will capture your imagination too.

Chris

Note: This post will remain "sticky" for a month. Please scroll down to see newer posts.

Two Cameras Of Interest Part 1

2011-09-02T14:08:00.000-05:00

As some of you know, I have been pursuing a multi-year quest to find a smaller and lighter system to counterpoint my Nikon D700 kit. The D700 is perfect for action photography and likes my tripod. Unfortunately, it is very heavy and tough for me to lug around for hours. In addition, it is not exactly unobtrusive.

Recently, both Olympus and Sony announced cameras that might fit the bill. Here’s a brief rundown on each and some speculation as to what my ideal kit might look like.

Olympus E-P3

The E-P3 is the latest and greatest in the PEN lineup of micro four thirds (MFT) interchangeable lens cameras, and, apparently is much improved from its predecessors. One of the things that hurt the E-P1, was its notoriously slow autofocus. The E-P3, on the other hand, boasts “the fastest autofocus in the world” (Olympus’s words, not mine). In addition to beefed up autofocus, the E-P3 features a built in flash (a first), a neatly integrated accessory port and a removable hand grip. A screw holds the grip into place, giving users the option of removing it entirely or swapping it for something else.

The sensor is 12 megapixels revised by Olympus and the latest TruePic VI processor allows the camera to check focus 120 times per second. Therefore, the new processor can adjust focus more often and confirm focus faster. Finally, a dual core processor means image processing and live view can be run in parallel.

The E-P3’s display is a touch-sensitive 614,000 dot OLED screen with VGA-equivalent resolution. It can be used to set the focus point and optionally fire the shutter and operate some other functions as well.

Also new are a built-in autofocus illuminator light, 35 zone autofocus system and full HD 1080i60 movies in AVCHD format. All in all, the E-P3 a very exciting camera. The E-P3 is available now as a kit with a 14-42mm zoom lens for $899. No body-only option is available. Read more on DPReview here.

If I Bought It
So what would my ideal E-P3 kit look like? As noted above, the camera is only sold with a redesigned 14-42mm kit lens. I would wait until you can buy the body only since there are other alternatives. Just the other day, Panasonic announced a delicious looking Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS pancake zoom ($399.00). It features a powered zoom and is designated a 'Lumix X' which denotes high-end performance. According to Panasonic, the lens is compatible and will work with all Micro Four Thirds cameras. Insofar as a prime is concerned, there is nothing better than Panasonic’s 20mm f/1.7 ($400) which in a very short time has gotten a cult-like following. Another must have prime is the new Olympus M. Zuiko Digital 12mm f/ 2 .

Finally, I’d add the new Olympus electronic viewfinder, the VF-3 ($179.99).

Next up, the Sony NEX-7.

WBTL On flickr

2011-08-29T17:35:00.002-05:00

Some of you may recall that a long time ago I had a photostream on flickr were I showed off my better images. Trouble was that I didn’t think that anything was good enough, so I ultimately shut it down. With WBTL’s new direction, however, I have decided to start it up again and have just completed my first upload, mainly images taken at Muskets and Memories 2011.

When you go to my flickr page you will see that it is organized into two sections, Historic and Modern. The Historic section is a set which consists of contemporary Civil War photography downloaded from various online archives and painstakingly digitally restored. Although you will see low resolution JPEGs, the original files I that am working from are high resolution TIFFs.

The Modern section is a collection of sets of images taken at Civil War reenactments, Civil War weekends and Civil War battlegrounds. Here you may see action shots as well as portraits and landscapes. A real mixed bag of what attracts my eye.

I hope that you will enjoy the WBTL flickr page and that you will return often. It will always be a work in progress and I hope to use it to up my photographic game. You may take a look using this link or the link under the flickr logo to the right. If you see something that you particularly like, please contact me as I can make archival quality prints up to 13”.

Muskets and Memories

2011-08-13T12:43:00.000-05:00

Muskets and Memories, the largest Civil War reenactment in the Midwest, is held each year on the first weekend in August. There are over a thousand re-enactors and hundreds of spectators over the course of the weekend. For the 2011 edition, there were two reenactments: The Battle of Vicksburg (Mississippi) and the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse (Virginia). Each battle featured infantry, cavalry, artillery and civilian units. The battlefield is a faithful reconstruction of the actual landscape, including brush piles fences and earthworks.

It was very hot and humid and a couple of great guys rescued me from succumbing to heat exhaustion on Saturday afternoon. The morning is given over to infantry, cavalry and artillery drills which are leisurely and fun to photograph. Once the battle starts, the action is fast and furious. You are hard pressed to decide what to shoot next. And then it’s over. There is always portraiture to be done afterward. There are also special events like candlelight tours, a ball and night firings.

The cost is $8.00 a day for adults and the proceeds benefit one of the last Grand Army of the Republic Halls left in the country. Be sure to stop in and see the Gettysburg flag.

Civil War Photo Books

2011-07-31T12:22:00.003-05:00

As you may know, the five year period from 2010 to 2015 marks the Sesquicentennial (150th) of the Civil War. For photography enthusiasts and history buffs alike the next four years will offer lots of photographic opportunities. Now might be a good time to sample some of the many books on Civil War photography, Here is a short list with comments where I am familiar with the work. This is by no means comprehensive, but these titles look the most promising.

General Works

Introduction to Civil War Photography

A good introduction to the subject, but you’ll want to explore further.

The Blue and Gray in Black and White: A History of Civil War Photography

This is one volume that I currently own and is the premier work on the subject. The author, Bob Zeller, is a historian who specializes in the subject and is the President of The Center for Civil War Photography. The Blue and Gray in Black and White covers the subject of Civil War photography in a comprehensive fashion. There are chapters on daguerreotype technique and individual photographers, including Matthew Brady at Bull Run and Alexander Gardner at Antietam. There is an entire chapter on Gettysburg. If you only buy one book, this is it.

The Photographic History of the Civil War in Ten Volumes

Not strictly about photography. Fascinating nonetheless.

Mathew Brady

Just prior to the Civil War Mathew Brady was America’s most famous photographer. By then, however, due perhaps in part to failing eyesight, he was more a manager of other photographers than one himself. That said, the images that his team made during the course of the war remain an enduring testament.

In the Wake of Battle: The Civil War Images of Mathew Brady

Sadly, now out of print. Keep an eye open for it with the renewed interest in the Civil War.

Matthew B. Brady

Mr. Lincoln's Camera Man: Mathew B. Brady

Over 300 Brady photos reproduced directly from original negatives and commentary

Mathew Brady and the Image of History

Mary Panzer is the curator of photographs at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D. C. and in this book examines the work of Mathew Brady. Brady, she writes, "used art to forge a relationship between photography and history, but when the memory of Brady the artist vanished, we came to accept his images as facts." Recommended by The Online Photographer.

From amazon.com:

"Panzer's account of Brady's wartime work is especially revealing: where assistants like Timothy O'Sullivan and Alexander Gardner favored realistic studies of the dead in battle, Brady favored sweeping panoramas that obscured individual soldiers."

That said, it is Brady that we remember as the photographer who "[brought] home to us the terrible reality and earnestness of war."

Photo by Brady: A Picture of the Civil War

Although designed for younger readers, don’t dismiss this informative and beautifully designed book.

Gettysburg

Early Photography at Gettysburg

This book by Bob Zeller’s mentor, William A. Frassanito, investigates the photography of Gettysburg, both before and after the battle. Early Photography at Gettysburg looks at hundreds of photographs of the battle in detail, including studies by Alexander Gardner and Matthew Brady. The book includes two noteworthy images of the dead rebel sharpshooter in Devil's Den. The first is the famous image by the stone wall. The second is of the same solider lying in the field where he actually died. Gardner had dragged him to the spot where he was immortalized by the more famous photograph.

Brady At Bull Run

2011-07-27T13:25:00.002-05:00

The New York Times has an excellent article about famed Civil War photographer Mathew Brady here. Highly recommended and well worth the read. Stand by for my take on Civil War photobooks.

Joy

2011-07-23T10:16:00.004-05:00

I have spent an inordinate amount of time wondering about what goes on in my dog’s head. I am certain that she has spent some time thinking about what goes on in mine. Mainly, I have wondered if she knows joy and pleasure. With the publication of The Exultant Ark: A Pictorial Tour of Animal Pleasure I now have some clues.

In The Exultant Ark, author and biologist Jonathan Balcombe interprets more than 130 images of animal pleasure. The images are sometimes funny and often touching. Mr. Balcombe offers several reasons why animals feel pleasure. His strongest argument, however, are the wonderful and occasionally racy images that accompany his text. Read more about this fascinating photobook at The New York Times here.

Our Vanishing History Part 2

2011-07-19T17:00:00.000-05:00

If you had a chance to take a look at Nell Dickerson’s Gone since my July 4^th post, hopefully you have a sense of how our historic places are disappearing at an alarming rate. So what can you do to ensure that those sites will still be available for study and contemplation by future generations? Although I haven’t researched the subject, I am certain that there are many historic preservation organizations that one can join. Just pick whatever interests you and look.

The Sesquicentennial of the Civil War caused me to become interested in Civil War battlefields. I have been to Gettysburg and driven by many other sites in the Southeast. It wasn’t until earlier this year that I discovered that many of these battlefields were endangered in one way or another. In some cases strip malls, gas stations and convenience stores were built on portions of the site. In others cases, the site was turned into a recreational facility, a golf course for instance. When I heard about this, I was very disturbed. I guess I always considered these places as hallowed ground, consecrated by the blood of those who had fallen in battle. With a bit of research I found a way that I could help and discovered an invaluable source of information.

The Civil War Trust works to preserve, conserve and reclaim Civil War battlefields. The Trust also promotes educational programs and heritage tourism. It was founded in 1987, and has over 55,000 members. According to the Trust, only about 20% the actual land upon which the Civil War was fought is currently preserved. Another 20% has already been lost forever. To date, the Trust has saved over 30,000 acres at various sites.

The Trust uses two preservation techniques: preservation in which the landowner retains ownership through conservation easements and preservation that transfers ownership in fee simple.

“In order to determine what to buy and what preservation strategy best suits the project we first consult with a landmark study in the world of battlefield preservation, the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Report (“CWSAC”). The CWSAC Report was completed in 1993 by a 15-member Commission established by Congress to identify the most historically significant Civil War sites. Out of the nearly 10,000 battles and skirmishes of the war the report identified 384 principle battlefields worthy of preservation.”

If you are interested in joining with us, find out more here.

Toy Chest

2011-07-08T17:34:00.001-05:00

Seriously folks, I am trying to break myself of this habit, but some things just need to be passed along. The fine folks at dpreview tipped me to a new "toy" lens for Micro Four Thirds. It's available here for $79. Considering that I am smitten with the Panasonic G3 and the Olympus EP-3 this is very interesting and fun.

Our Vanishing History Part 1

2011-07-04T12:25:00.001-05:00

Courtesy of Nell Dickerson

With the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War underway, a great deal of interest has been generated in the subject. As might be expected, there are enough books about the Civil War to fill a small library. That said, nothing gives one an appreciation for what our ancestors went through than visiting the places where they lived, worked and fought and walking in their footsteps. Unfortunately, those places and opportunities are disappearing at an alarming rate.

I have written about Nell Dickerson before. Her photobook, Gone, documents the deterioration and disappearance of antebellum buildings across the South. Gone is an absolutely beautiful and important book and is my pick for Photobook of the Year. I was curious about how Ms. Dickerson went about creating Gone and got in touch with her via email. I suspected, given the quality of the images in Gone, that she worked in large format.

Nell was kind enough to get back to me and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that her work is the product of digital imaging, not film.

"I use digital capture exclusively and I have used a variety of cameras over the seven years it took to complete this project (from 5-21 mega pixels as the technology evolved). I try to use the highest resolution, full sensor digital camera I can afford, which for now, remains in the 35mm format."

I guess Gone is a testament to how far digital photography has has come.

Courtesy of Nell Dickerson

I strongly urge you to take a look at Ms. Dickerson’s work on her website here. Please consider picking up a copy of Gone and adding it to your collection. The story by Nell’s cousin, Shelby Foote, is a bonus.

Oh yes, and happy Fourth of July!

A New System

2011-06-22T17:45:00.000-05:00

Mike Johnston hinted at it here, but I have no scruples and my spies say the Pentax Q will be released in a few hours. Read more here and here. Sorry, no photos.

Dylan Post-Birthday Quiz 2

2011-06-01T18:15:00.000-05:00

Aw com'on. Not even a guess? What the heck are comments for? If nothing else, for Bob,

Hail and Farewell Little Photographero

2011-05-31T16:43:00.000-05:00

This is the last image taken by the Mars Rover "Spirit". No, the title is not a typo. This little hero soldiered on operating years beyond original expectations, Spirit eventually got mired in martian dirt and then ran out of power. Last week, NASA stopped trying to contact Spirit after numerous attempts. Farewell little guy. You done good.

Dylan Post-Birthday Quiz

2011-05-25T17:03:00.000-05:00

First of all, happy 70th Bob and many, many more to come. You have spawned entire college courses across the country. Quite an achievement for a kid from Minnesota. I'm embarrassed.

Now for the quiz. A camera is prominently featured on the cover on one of Bob's albums. Can you name the album and the camera? If you are correct, you will win my thanks and admiration and some self satisfaction.

Escaped My Notice

2011-05-20T17:12:00.000-05:00

While everyone (myself included) has been drooling over the Fujifilm X100, Samsung has been quietly working away on its mirrorless line, the NX series. The other day the company posted a page about lens design on their website here. It contains some very interesting Q and A as well as video interviews. I found the mock-up image below the most exciting.

What Up With That? 2

2011-05-19T16:43:00.000-05:00

In addition to DPReview, DXOMark has published their findings here. Just for fun, I ran a comparison with my D700 to see how the X100 would fare. The overall score of 73 to 80 was not that bad. But, when it comes to low light ISO performance, the X100 gets blown away. Not surprising I guess since that is the Nikon’s strong suit. Concerning dynamic range and color depth the two cameras are even.

I also revisited the DRReview conclusion page. The list of cons is pretty long (13) for a camera at this level, but maybe the reviewers are just being picky. There are, however, some critical flaws that make the camera undesirable, at least for me.

Camera lock-up while writing to card.

Need to set ISO for each exposure mode.

Slow autofocus compare to the best cameras of this type.

Unresponsive manual focus.

Firmware.

Nice try Fuji, but I’m keeping my $1200 for now.

What Up With That?

2011-05-18T17:58:00.004-05:00

From The Online Photographer

DPReview has published their in depth review of the Fujifilm X100 here. I encourage you to read it if you are interested in the camera, but it’s a real mixed bag.

A quote from the summation:

The X100 is an exasperating conundrum of a camera, combining excellent image quality, solid build and a superb viewfinder with sluggish operation and eccentric, buggy firmware. If you're prepared to put up with its numerous oddities and faults then it will repay you with superb results.

At 73%, it won Sliver, but you can do better. Maybe a firmware upgrade will help. So…we wait.

President Lincoln Sits (and Stands) For Brady

2011-05-17T18:34:00.000-05:00

The Disunion Civil War blog on The New York Times website has a fascinating post about the May 16, 1861, photo-shoot of President Lincoln by Matthew Brady. There are tidbits about the sitting as well as Civil War photography in general. Highly recommended. Best of all, following this link won’t cost you a cent.

The D700 Takes A Trip

2011-05-16T17:33:00.000-05:00

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

I think that my Nikon D700 (in the care of my friend BB) is somewhere in this picture. See you soon old friend.

The Death of bin Laden

2011-05-03T17:57:00.002-05:00

There is a flickr slideshow here. The images, although uncredited, are doubtless the work of Official Photographer Pete Sousa.

Fujifilm X100 on NYT

2011-05-03T17:25:00.000-05:00

David Pogue has published his take on the Fujifilm X100 here. Despite The New York Times new policy, using the link won’t cost you a dime.

Real BIG Wedding Photography

2011-04-30T15:31:00.000-05:00

Hugo Burnand / AFP - Getty Images

Book Sale Update

2011-04-22T11:18:00.003-05:00

I have sold a lot of the books I had, but there are plenty o' fine books left that are looking for forever homes. You can see a list here. Help me out* and get a great book at a great price. What could be better! Happy Easter.

*Sorry, purchase price not tax deductable.

Books For Sale

2011-04-18T18:00:00.000-05:00

No, I am not a border-line hoarder like some people I know, but I have accumulated some unwanted photo books over the last three years. Now is the time for you to cash in on my mistakes. Each book is in pristine condition and hard covers have dust jacket protectors. Many where recommended by The Online Photographer. See the list and buy here.

What to Do? Part Two

2011-04-17T12:14:00.000-05:00

Another thing that I have been wrestling with as where to take my written work, especially Written By The Light. Once again, Mike Johnston of The Online Photographer has given me a lot to think about with his post “The World's Best Photography Magazine Tries a Different Revenue Model”. I suggest that you read it before you proceed any further, but that’s your choice.

In this post Mike and some of the commentators talk about “vampires” and “news aggregator’s”. This is, of course, as opposed to “journalists” and “reportage”. The article also makes the distinction between the opinion and speculation that passes for news these days. All of these facets gave me a lot of food for thought.

I certainly never wanted to use WBTL as an outlet for my own photographic work. Although I have published my own images from time to time, that practice ceased quite awhile ago.

No, when I started this blog I fancied myself as a reporter. The interest tests I took in my twenties indicated that I should either be a reporter or a lawyer so, with my blog, I could be both. Although I understood that my opinion would be part of the mix since I wanted to share my experiences, I never envisioned WBTL to be my own personal soap box. Just the facts ma’m.

Despite my good intentions, things did not turn out the way I had hoped. To begin with, WBTL is a sideline and there are only 24 hours in a day. I need to focus my attention, for obvious reasons, on my paying gig. In addition, despite my profession I am a man of modest means and a family, albeit a small one, to support. Real journalism takes time and money. I simply can’t afford to buy every new camera to do a thorough enough job of reporting on it. I can, however, report and opine on the equipment I do own, but that is a very limited universe.

So as time went by, WBTL degenerated into personal opinions about equipment I never really used, vampirism (witness the first paragraph), speculation and news aggregation. Not exactly what I had in mind. Intuitively I knew that something was wrong back in December, but until Mike’s article I couldn’t put my finger on it. I have given very serious consideration about what it is that I have to offer to myself and the people who read this. While linking to other stuff I like might be providing a service, it is really not enough. I might as well port this over the Facebook. I want to add something substantive to the discussion about photography and its history, not just create more Internet blather. There is already enough of that.

So, where to go from here? That is a question that I will be pondering and writing about in the coming weeks.

The Plot Thickens Update

2011-04-14T17:27:00.000-05:00

I promised and I shall deliver. In the light of The Mexican Suitcase, I have decided to pass on Recent Western Landscape 2008-09. Good luck to the rest of you!

New Nikon Prime

2011-04-14T16:37:00.000-05:00

The other day news about Nikon’s new prime was inadvertently leaked on Nikon’s own website of all places. The new lens is a 50mm f/1.8G FX. The lens specs compare favorably to Nikon’s recent 50mm f/1.4 lens. The lens is 2.8 x 2.1 inches and weighs 6.6 oz. Depending on pricing, it could be a good alternative to the 1.4. Keep an eye open for lab reports.

Gone

2011-04-13T17:40:00.000-05:00

In keeping with my theme (photography and history), Gone: A Photographic Plea For Preservation by Nell Dickerson is spot on. Featuring photographs by Ms. Dickerson entwined with Shelby Foote's short story titled Pillar of Fire, Gone is destined to be a classic.

The Mexican Suitcase

2011-04-12T18:20:00.006-05:00

I wrote about the discovery of what is now known as "The Mexican Suitcase", a treasure trove of Spanish Civil War negatives by Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, and David Seymour, nearly three years ago here. The Mexican Suitcase contained 126 undeveloped rolls of film, shot between 1936 and 1939.

So now, browsing through Steidl's latest catalog, I run across this entry.

The Mexican Suitcase is must-have photobook of 2011.

Fujifilm X100 Mixed Review

2011-04-12T17:14:00.000-05:00

Fujifilm X100 Follow-Up Report

The Plot Thickens

2011-04-08T17:16:00.000-05:00

When Mike Johnston made Lee Friedlander’s Recent Western Landscape 2008-09 his book of the week two weeks ago I was intrigued. First, Mr. Friedlander is a legendary photographer that is still working at the age of 77. Second, he has always taken an unconventional approach to conventional photography. So, I was very interested to see if I might like what he had to offer this time out. Frankly though, I was a bit put off by the book’s price (even at Amazon.com) for 30 pages worth of images and the strictly limited edition. I surmised that even if I ordered it I probably wouldn’t get it. Before I made any decision I needed to do more research.

The first thing I did was go to the review posted on the DLK Collection. It was very positive so I decided to dig further. I also noted this cryptic sentence: “An exhibition catalog is available from the gallery.”. So was the 30 page book the catalog or was there something else? I went to the Mary Boone Gallery exhibition page and downloaded the four images there to examine. I very much liked what I saw and was now more interested than ever in getting the book, but I could not get over the pricing. In addition, I could not find anything about a “catalog”. So, I emailed Ron Warren at the gallery to find out more. He very kindly replied with the following e-mail.

Dear Christopher,

Our LEE FRIEDLANDER exhibition catalogue "Recent Western Landscape" is available through D.A.P. (Distributed Art Publishers) www.artbook.com

Best regards,

Ron

Ah ha! Maybe I had missed something. Maybe I had struck gold. I immediately went to Artbook and quickly found the Friedlander page which is reproduced immediately below.

After a couple of viewings, the light bulb went off. The 30 page book IS the exhibition catalog. Rats. Disappointing to say the least since the exhibition featured 65 new works. I also noted that the edition is limited to 600, a few more than I thought and that it will be published on May 31st.

Does this post make me look thick? Certainly. Will I buy? You’ll just have to wait and see.

Which Camera Should I Buy?

2011-04-07T17:33:00.002-05:00

From time to time folks ask me that question. Frankly, there is no clear cut answer; it all depends on what kind of photographer you are. In other words, find the right tool for the job. Brand loyalty doesn’t really matter much either, since any current DSLR will do a fine job for 80% of us. Nevertheless, I do favor the Nikon brand although I have used and owned nearly every other camera brand in my life. I like Nikon’s menu system and ergonomics. Nikon has the best display on the market, and now that they have added Vari-Angle they have upped the ante in that department. Autofocus and high-ISO performance are the other strengths of the Nikon line that come to mind. On some models you can choose up to 51 AF points and shoot usable images at ISO 6400. All in all, very nice DSLRs.

So which camera should you buy? Well, if you’re in the market for an ASP-C size sensor DSLR and you don’t require professional build quality, you could do a lot worse than to grab Nikon’s new D5100 certain to be in short supply.

At $899 with an 18-55mm kit lens the D5100 is a steal. It is very nicely spec’d and far from an entry level camera. At 16.2 it’s packing loads of megapixels and at 4 frames per second (fps) it’s plenty fast. Want HDR? The D5100 has it and in an elegant two-shot mode (up to three stops apart), which is what most of us do in the field. For the movie-maker in all of us, it shoots full HD 1080 video in either 30fps, 25fps and 24fps. For an excellent primer on video go here. And size? It only weighs 1 lb. 4 oz. with battery sans lens. Certainly not a camera you’ll outgrow any time soon. Available in mid-April.

Fujifilm X100 Reviewed 4

2011-04-06T17:34:00.000-05:00

This is one of series of posts linking to reviews of the Fujifilm X100.

Michael Reichmann, Antique Street Fountain. San Miguel de Allende, 2011

Fujifilm X100 @ ISO 200

Michael Reichmann's first report.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/fujifilm_x100_test_report.shtml

Got Live, If You Want It

2011-04-04T18:18:00.000-05:00

If you are one of those folks who like their photography in the flesh, rather than on flikr, you are bound to like DLK Collection. DLK is a self described “venue for thoughtful discussion of vintage and contemporary photography via reviews of recent museum exhibitions, gallery shows, photography auctions, photo books, art fairs and other items of sometime interest to photography collectors large and small”. Well organized and indexed DLK contains a wealth of information about photographers and exhibitions for collectors and galleristas alike. If you are in a buying mood or just browsing make DLK your first stop.

Fujifilm X100 Reviewed 3

2011-04-04T18:06:00.001-05:00

This is one of series of posts linking to reviews of the Fujifilm X100.

http://enticingthelight.com/2011/04/03/ian-wilkinson-reviews-the-fuji-x100-part-2-real-world-use-shooting-children/

What to Do? Part One

2011-04-02T15:35:00.000-05:00

Lately I have been thinking a lot about photography. Not photography in general, but my own photography. But, before you go any further, please read “Do You Ever Feel This Way?” by Mike Johnston of The Online Photographer.

Welcome back. Mike makes many excellent points as do many of the commentators, particularly Wayne. If you looked at the images in the Grabill article, you will understand what he means. Pretty average, ordinary images of pretty average, ordinary stuff (at least for the day). I disagree that J. H. C. Grabill did not consider them to be anything special and “just threw them in a box and forgot about them” since he sent them to the Library of Congress to be copyrighted. That said, the concept is a legitimate one. With the passage of time even ordinary images can become extraordinary.

The idea of the “myth of persistence” posited by Mike is also a valid one and worth pondering.

I can offer three examples from my own photographic life.

I love landscape photography. Indeed, my interest in photography was inspired and informed by the work of Ansel Adams. I have labored for years to produce images on par with those, as well as Elliot Porter, Clyde Butcher and others like them. I even bought a 4x5 camera that was quickly sold at a loss. Despite all of my best efforts, my work is mighty ordinary, clichéd in fact. Yet I know, from the work of Charlie Cramer, John Shaw, Alain Briot and William Neill, that some folks can do this far better than I can. Of all my hundreds of landscapes there are only three or four which I consider to be acceptable. Not good, acceptable.

I also adore nature photography. I admire the work of Moose Peterson and Michael Furtman. I have lusted after a Nikon 400mm lens for years. I have always meant to go to a wildlife refuge to work on bird photography. For all my best intentions though, all I have managed are some so-so shots of songbirds at my bird feeders. I am probably not likely to transform myself into the John James Audubon of digital photography anytime soon.

The same goes for astrophotography. When I first picked up a Nikon DSLR it was to do astrophotography (the Persiad meteor shower I believe). In fact, I switched to Canon because I thought I could do better astrophotography with that system. I have subscribed to Sky & Telescope and poured over star maps. I have even written articles on the subject for The Online Photographer. In spite of all that expense and effort, today I have a couple of decent eclipse pictures and a shot of the Space Shuttle streaking across the sky. Nothing worthy of The World at Night , that’s for sure.

Foolish persistence? I am starting to think so. Wasted money? Definitely. Recently, I discontinued my subscriptions to Outdoor Photographer and National Geographic, partly because I could not bear seeing that stuff any longer. Instead of inspiring me, like it once did, it only reminded me of my own failures.

So, where do I go from here? Give up? Keep banging my head against the proverbial wall? Try a different approach? That’s what I am thinking about a lot lately.

Fujifilm X100 Reviewed 2

2011-03-31T17:36:00.006-05:00

This is one of series of posts linking to reviews of the Fujifilm X100.

The Best Retirement Gift Ever: Julian Evans Reviews the Fuji X100

Fujifilm X100 Reviewed

2011-03-23T17:11:00.004-05:00

Editor's Note: This is one of series of posts linking to reviews of the Fujifilm X100.

Ian Wilkinson Reviews the Fuji X100: Real World Use Shooting a Wedding

Before and After

2011-03-15T18:23:00.000-05:00

I really don't have anything to say about the devastation in Northern Japan. I don't think anyone does and it's getting worse. These photos about say it all. Please donate.

How to Help

2011-03-14T17:14:00.001-05:00

As you probably know, Nikon's plant is located in Sendai, one of the places hardest hit by the earthquake on Friday. The following is reprinted from Yahoo News.

Japan was hit by one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded on Friday. The magnitude-8.9 quake spawned a deadly tsunami that slammed into the nation's east coast, leaving a huge swath of devastation in its wake. Thousands of people are dead and many more are still missing or injured.
Japan has often donated when other countries have experienced disasters, such as when Hurricane Katrina impacted the United States. Below are organizations that are working on relief and recovery in the region.
AMERICAN RED CROSS: Emergency Operation Centers are opened in the affected areas and staffed by the chapters. This disaster is on a scale larger than the Japanese Red Cross can typically manage. Donations to the American Red Cross can be allocated for the International Disaster Relief Fund, which then deploys to the region to help. Donate here.
GLOBALGIVING: Established a fund to disburse donations to organizations providing relief and emergency services to victims of the earthquake and tsunami. Donate here.
SAVE THE CHILDREN: Mobilizing to provide immediate humanitarian relief in the shape of emergency health care and provision of non-food items and shelter. Donate here.
SALVATION ARMY: The Salvation Army has been in Japan since 1895 and is currently providing emergency assistance to those in need. Donate here.
AMERICARES: Emergency team is on full alert, mobilizing resources and dispatching an emergency response manager to the region. Donate here.
CONVOY OF HOPE: Disaster Response team established connection with in-country partners who have been impacted by the damage and are identifying the needs and areas where Convoy of Hope may be of the greatest assistance. Donate here.
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS: Putting together relief teams, as well as supplies, and are in contact with partners in Japan and other affected countries to assess needs and coordinate our activities. Donate here.
SHELTER BOX: The first team is mobilizing to head to Japan and begin the response effort. Donate here.

Or try here or here.

Harbor Wave

2011-03-11T17:01:00.001-06:00

Kyodo News, via Reuters

By now you all know about the earthquake and tsunami that stuck Japan early this morning (Central Standard Time). Images are pouring in and will be for several days I am sure. Here are a few of the most dramatic that I have seen. And please take a moment of silence for the victims, which are sure to be many.

Kyodo News, via Associated Press

John C. H. Grabill

2011-03-09T17:05:00.001-06:00

John C. H. Grabill, "Comanche" the only survivor of the Custer Massacre, 1876.

The other day I ran across a post on The Online Photographer concerning one John C. H. Grabill, photographer. Mr. Grabill opened a studio in Sturgis, South Dakota Territory in 1886. Between 1886 and 1892, he sent 188 albumen prints made with a 10x12 view camera to the Library of Congress for registration of copyright. See more of Grabill’s images here.

Yes Virginia, . . .

2011-03-04T17:53:00.001-06:00

This about says it all.

No Whining

2011-03-04T16:56:00.001-06:00

Now that the iPad 2 has been introduced, let the whining begin! It sucks because it still doesn’t have an SD card slot. It sucks because it still doesn’t have a USB port. Well, stop the whining and spend $29.00 on the Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit.

The kit (shown above) includes two connectors. One has a USB interface and plugs it into the dock connector port. The other has an SD card reader and connects in exactly the same way. When you insert an SD card into the slot, the iPad 2 automatically opens the Photos app. You can then choose which pictures to import.

So, no whining.

My iPad 2

2011-03-03T17:16:00.003-06:00

When the iPad was introduced last summer, I really, really wanted one. On introduction day I stood in line to demo one and came very close to pulling the trigger on a couple of occasions. Luckily for me, I couldn’t justify the purchase at the time and never took the plunge. Boy, am I ever glad I waited.

Yesterday, Apple announced the iPad 2 and it is a stunner. It’s thinner and lighter yet more powerful. The new Dual-core A5 chip offers up to 10 hours of battery life, improved multitasking and promises nine times the graphic performance. The iPad 2 boasts not one, but two cameras, which shoot both stills, VGA video and 720p HD video. One camera is on the front side and the other on the backside. According to Apple, a backside illumination sensor enables low light capture.

The new operating system, iOS4.3, enhances the AirPlay wireless technology and introduces iTunes Home Sharing (over a shared Wi-Fi network). In addition, users can get a personal Hotspot for an iPhone 4. The iPad 2 also comes with Face Time video conferencing and Photo Booth, a snapshot and editing app.

Finally, the new Smart Cover may just be the greatest thing since sliced bread. The iPad 2 will be available from March 11th in 16, 32 and 64 gigabyte models. Maybe best of all, the pricing is the same and Verizon customers can now get on the bandwagon. Read more at Apple’s website here.

iPad 2

2011-03-02T17:49:00.003-06:00

All I can say is "Wow". Not one, but two cameras and HD Video. As they used to say on the old Tonight Show: "More to Come".

Civil War Map Collection

2011-03-02T17:28:00.000-06:00

In addition to photography, the other graphic art that I enjoy is map-making. I have been studying maps ever since I was a kid and they still fascinate me.

Just in time for the Civil War Sesquicentennial, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is making a bonanza of maps available online. The collection entitled “Charting a More Perfect Union” can be found here. Prepared by the U.S. Coast Survey during the Civil War, the 394 maps are both downloadable and printable.

For Sale

2011-03-01T17:53:00.003-06:00

Manufacturer: Westley Richards

Year of Manufacture: 1913

Description: Double-barreled .577-caliber Nitro Express

Weight: Sixteen pounds

Prior Owner: Ernest Hemingway

Date of Sale: March 14^th

Seller: James D. Julia Auctioneers, Maine

Expected Sale Price: $150,000–$200,000

The First Photograph

2011-02-28T17:51:00.000-06:00

Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, View from the Window at Le Gras 1826

Digital Restoration

2011-02-28T17:46:00.001-06:00

One should never forget that each time you press the shutter you are capturing a small slice of history. Lots of so called “snap shots” now have historical value. From documenting how your street looked in 1959 to how your family looked in 2009, any photograph has intrinsic historical and personal value.

Recently, The Online Photographer ran a couple of articles on the survivability of photographic prints. If your old prints have taken a beating from the elements or otherwise, you might want to consider giving them a shot in the arm through digital restoration. And there is only one reference work that you will need. Master printer Ctein has literally written the book on the subject, Digital Restoration from Start to Finish, Second Edition: How to repair old and damaged photographs. So pick up a copy and start preserving your history.

Ironclads

2011-02-26T16:07:00.003-06:00

George Cook’s photographs of the attack on Fort Moultrie got me interested in doing some research about ironclads. Most of what I once knew as a school boy has long since been lost to the ravages of time.

As I suspected, an ironclad was a steam-propelled warship, guarded by iron or steel armor plates. Ironclads were used in the second half of the 19th century, particularly during the Civil War. The first ironclad battleship was French and the Royal Navy quickly followed suit. After the first use of ironclads in action during the Civil War, it was apparent that the ironclad would replace the wooden ship of the line.

CSS Manassas

The first use of an ironclad in the Civil War occurred on October 12^th of 1861, when the CSS Manassas fought Union warships on the Mississippi. The most famous battle between two ironclads transpired on March 9^th of 1862, the second day of the Battle of Hampton Roads. The CSS Virginia (formerly the wrecked USS Merrimack) faced off against the newly designed USS Monitor. Again and again, the two ironclads rammed one another while shells merely bounced off their armor.

After that encounter, more ironclads were built by both the Union and the Confederacy. Many of those ironclads saw action during Union attacks on Charleston and Mobile Bay. Read more about ironclads here if you are so inclined.

Fujifilm X100 Samples

2011-02-25T17:36:00.000-06:00

Dpreview.com (the best camera review website I might add) has released some X100 samples here. Judge for yourself. I plan on spending a lot of time looking at them.

Peter Turnley in Tahrir Square

2011-02-24T17:52:00.001-06:00

I know that I am late to the party on this one, but The Online Photographer has published a portfolio of photojournalist Peter Turnley’s images from Cairo on the day Hosni Mubarak stepped down. In deference to Mike, who has a special realtionship with Peter, I won't publish any images here. I will reveal that some of them were taken with a Nikon D3. Enjoy the story and the photographs.

CCWP

2011-02-23T17:07:00.003-06:00

The article noted below contains a mention of historian Bob Zeller. Mr. Zeller, as it turns out, is an expert in Civil War photography. He is also the author of the standard reference work on the subject,The Blue and Gray in Black and White: A History of Civil War Photography.

In addition, Mr. Zeller is also the President of the Center for Civil War Photography (CCWP). The CCWP is a non-profit organization and their website contains a wealth of information about the subject.

According to the CCWP,

New photographic finds from our nation's greatest conflict are still being made on a regular basis. Nearly every Civil War soldier had his photograph taken by one of the more than 5,000 American photographers active at the time, and a select group of documentary photographers took thousands of images on the battlefields and in the army camps, often in 3D.

The CCWP also has its own online bookstore featuring CCWP publications as well as others. A real great find and worth supporting with a membership.

George S. Cook, Photographist

2011-02-17T17:12:00.002-06:00

Okay, back on topic.

Union ironclads firing on Fort Moultrie, S.C.

I’ll wager that most of you are familiar with the work of Civil War photographer Mathew Brady. Although by the time the war came Brady was managing a corps other photographers and doing little of his own work, he was still America’s most famous photographer.

George S. Cook

On the other hand, I doubt that many of you know the work of the South’s best war photographer, George S. Cook. Although born in Connecticut, by the winter of 1861 Cook had settled in Charleston, soon to be the scene of the start of the Civil War.

During the war Cook’s work mainly consisted of studio portraits. Although he didn’t venture into the field very often, when he did the results were dramatic. In 1863, while recording the siege of Fort Sumter by Union forces he made the pair of images shown above, believed to be the world’s first combat photograph.

Read more about George Cook here and see a gallery of his work here.

About Deer

2011-02-15T17:38:00.003-06:00

In anticipation of the criticism that is sure to follow the "El Ten" post, I thought that I would share with you my views on the subject of deer. In my opinion one of the worst events in the history of man/animal relationships was the release of Walt Disney’s Bambi. Because of that piece of fiction, way too many of our fellows have gross misconceptions about a number of subjects. Sure rabbits are cute, but they are also pests who have destroyed millions of dollars of crops over the years (including several of my own shrubs I might add).

Anyway, the following are facts, not fiction, about our friend the whitetail deer.

1. I do not deer hunt.

2. I am not advocating or promoting deer hunting.

3. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration there are nearly 1.5 million car accidents involving deer each year that result in $1 billion in vehicle damage, about 150 human fatalities and over 10,000 personal injuries.

4. The worst states for deer collisions are shown in the graphic above.

5. On average each accident results in an average cost of $1,000.

6. Interestingly, the bear is usually thought of as the dangerous animal in North America. However, as a combined group bears are responsible for 5 to 10 human fatalities per year. Considering the 150 human deaths attributed to auto-deer collisions, perhaps the most dangerous animal is, in fact, the whitetail deer.

7. Most car-deer accidents occur between the months of October and December. This period coincides with the rut or mating season, which is also deer hunting season in most states.

8. Where I live (Minnesota) deer hunting generates about $236 million in annual retail sales. Minnesota's wheat crop, on the other hand, is worth about $246 million.

9. Deer hunting generates 4,825 Minnesota jobs and $122 million in wages.

10. Wildlife programs also benefit from deer hunting. License sales bring in about $19.7 million annually for the Game and Fish Fund. License sales pay wildlife biologist salaries, purchase and manage wildlife management areas, and fund research on deer and other forest animals. License dollars also benefit nongame wildlife species as well.

11. Deer hunters are a primary means of keeping the state's deer herd in check. Estimated at 1.24 million animals, our whitetail herd causes crop damage, vehicle collisions and harm to native plants.

12. It has been estimated that wildlife-related economic losses to agricultural producers (farmers and ranchers) in the United States exceed $4.5 billion annually. Some 80 percent of farmers and ranchers suffer wildlife damage exceeding their tolerance. Of course, whitetail deer are the most common wildlife species that routinely damages agricultural crops. Corn and soybeans comprise a major portion of deer diets in the Midwestern agricultural regions.

So, before you go all PETA on me, do your research.

History Is Made . . . Now Pray

2011-02-11T17:51:00.001-06:00

John Moore/Getty Images

Out of the Rucksack

2011-02-10T18:56:00.002-06:00

Editor’s Note: Out of the Rucksack will be an occasional feature about photography, the outdoors or (hopefully) both. I hope you enjoy it.

I have often thought that wildlife photographers could learn a great deal from hunters. Essentially, the methods are the same, however, the photographer shoots with a camera and a hunter with a bow or a gun.

In his article “El Ten”, Bob Brister writes about his dogged -- bordering on maniacal -- pursuit of a double-drop-tine whitetail deer. The location is the senderos of South Texas and his quarry is an aging, wily buck that lead him on a many day long chase in the middle of the rut. Mr. Brister is a photographer, author and hunter. He is best known for his book Shotgunning: The Art and the Science.

Regardless of how you feel about hunting “El Ten” is a great yarn, well worth your time.

An example of a double-drop-tine whitetail deer. Image from the website of Saskatchewan White Tail Outfitters.

Google Strikes Again

2011-02-09T17:09:00.000-06:00

The other day I found out about the Google Art Project. Goggle has teamed up with several celebrated art museums to “enable people to discover and view more than a thousand artworks online in extraordinary detail. [You can] virtually move around the museum’s galleries, selecting works of art that interest you, navigate though interactive floor plans and learn more about the museum as you explore.” Featured artworks are available in high resolution. “A ‘Create an Artwork Collection’ feature allows you to save specific views of any of the 1000+ artworks and build your own personalized collection.” There are currently 17 museums participating in the project, including Freer Gallery of Art at the Smithsonian, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Museum of Modern Art. Highly recommended and it is free.

It’s Here . . . Well, Almost

2011-02-09T17:03:00.000-06:00

The other day, in conjunction with CP+ 2011 being held in Yokohama, Japan, Fujifilm officially announced the release of the X100. It will be available in March at a suggested retail price of $1,200 in the United States. About $200 more than I had hoped for, but still pretty reasonable considering the technology involved. You can read more about the release here and here.