http://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2014/apr/07/classic-album-covers-in-google-street-view-in-pictures
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Where are they now
An interesting little bit from the guys over at theguardian. Classic album covers superimposed on their modern Street View locations. A bit of music nostalgia overlaid on our sometimes boring modern world. Modern depressionism? Yeah, I just coined that term. :)
http://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2014/apr/07/classic-album-covers-in-google-street-view-in-pictures
http://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2014/apr/07/classic-album-covers-in-google-street-view-in-pictures
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Fuji X-T1 The return of the king
Long ago, before what my friends and I refer to as the Great Cheapening of the 80's, photographers of yore used significantly different tools to create their art then we do today. Small, jewel like metal boxes with intricate brass springs and gears hung weighty about their necks. Finely crafted tubes filled with glass and metal and unicorn horn adorned the front of these mystical devices. And nestled deep inside a roll of silver halide parchment waited to receive that most elusive of phenomenon....light.With years of learned study the wizard photographer was able to bring all of his skills and tools together in an almost alchemical melding of art and science and magic to do the most amazing thing. That is, he was able to do nothing short of capturing a small, precious sliver of Time itself.
Throughout the Twentieth Century the makers of old tried many different patterns and arrangements of knobs and buttons on their cameras to give the photographer a quick and easy way to control that mystical triangle known as the Three Properties. Shutter, Aperture, and ASA. Simple in theory, but needing years of study and practice to master, these three fulcrums of knowledge and their interactions between each other are what allows the wizard photographer to bend light to his will.
While there were many different schools of thought and application of this art one of the most common forms, and the one that mainly fell to Man, was the 35mm format. Dwarves or course prefer the slow and ponderous Large format school of photography which befits their slow, mountain dwelling lifestyle. Elves on the other hand were masters of the Medium format, as ever choosing the practical and powerful path as befits their race. This type of photography was also appropriate to accurately capture all the detail of their lovely forest homes. But Man, with his bustling and busy lifestyle ever on the move, needed something smaller. Something faster. Thus 35mm and the One Hour Photo fell nicely to our hand.
Dont get me wrong, there were Men who went and studied with the other races in those bigger formats and became masters of the craft. Today their names are legend and their creations are testaments to what Man can achieve. But this discussion is not about them.
This discussion is about the 35mm SLR camera. The tool of the artist, the wizard and the every man. The evolution of this design reached its peak toward the end of the 70's (in the reckoning of Men that is). The great Makers of the time, Minolta, Canon, Pentax, Nikon, had all pretty much come to the same basic design on how to allow the photographer to input his calculated variables easily and quickly for the creation of a successful photograph. Using metal knobs and dials, turned with solid and sure 'clicks', the camera could be quickly and easily set up to get the shot. There were variations of the theme to be sure, but you could pick up any of these devices and quickly understand its use.
But then something changed.
As the end of the 70's drew near and a new decade was fast approaching new technologies were being discovered at a frightening pace. Flush with his success at landing on the moon at the end of the previous decade Man understood and embraced the idea that Technology was to be subjugated to his will. And done so for a profit. Brass and other metals were being replaced with poly carbonates, simple springs and light meters were replaced with circuit boards and silicone. The idea that the machine could do all the complicated work for Man took hold and flourished. Suddenly automation was the key to success. Auto exposure, auto program mode, auto everything...
For the purposes of our story you can trace everything back to a single event. That singular, momentous act that began us down the path we trod today. In 1978 one of the great Makers introduced a device that would change the design of the camera forever. It was Canon, and the camera was the A-1.
So innocuous at the time, so ingenious. So misunderstood how things would not be the same afterword. The camera itself, full of circuit boards and Auto features and logic circuits, was already a poster child of things to come. If you don't believe me then go here and read page 5 of the A-1 users guide. I cannot say it better then Canon can itself. Read that page with the weight of History behind you and you will understand.
But even with all this new automation and forward thinking there was that one little feature, that one little thing on the front of the camera that was the true herald of a new path for camera form factor.
The AT dial.
A simple spinning dial, easily withing reach of your finger, would change everything. It was so basic...why had nobody thought of this before? An easy way to input data to the camera depending on which 'mode' you were in. Revolutionary for the time, commonplace today, it was a paradigm shift from which there was no going back. Big metal dials? We dont need not stinkin' dials!
It was, incidentally, one of the main reasons the Elves and Dwarves began to retreat from the world of Men. But that is also another story.
After this our beloved tools began to loose the elegant and classic forms it had taken so many decades to achieve. The Makers embraced plastic on a grand scale and seemed to try every conceivable blocky shape under the sun to clad their new miniature computer cameras with. Truly, while probably viewed at the time as 'modern' and 'space age' these designs now are simply horrible. At least to this users eye.
That moment in time, that tumultuous decade where analog became digital and plastic ruled, is what is known as the Great Cheapening. There was a fundamental shift in product design, not just in photography but all areas dealing with consumer goods. Mass production, global markets and a search for profit at any cost led to the world we live in today. Things were not designed anymore with years of use and repair in mind. They were designed as disposable commodities that were to be used up, thrown away, and replaced with a new one.
The Elves were nowhere to be seen.
It was during this time ('86 to be exact) that the great Maker Canon unleashed another camera upon the world that would change things in a much more fundamental way then even the AT Dial from a few years before. It was nothing less then the fore father of modern camera design. The Progenitor. From the loins of this device would spring countless multitudes of SLR's and DSLR' and for the longest time it would hold sway over the minds of Men as the singular answer to the question of how should a camera fit to your hand. The age of the melted blob of plastic was upon us. It was, and ever shall be, the Canon T90.
The metal dials are gone. Film advance lever forgotten. AT dial firmly in place. Buttons adorn the body and an LCD glows proudly with what etched metal once showed. It was proof positive that the long line of Kingly cameras from yore, those intricate metal boxes full of magic and wonder, were dead. An ancient lineage going back to some of the earliest years of photography was simply no more.
For some photographers it wasn't an issue. The camera is simply a tool, an item used to create the true reason we shoot...the photograph. Photography should always be about the creation of a compelling and moving image. But some photographers yearned for the old designs. They missed the feel of solid metal under their fingers and the joy that comes from using a finely made and pleasing tool. Why, they wondered, cannot someone make a new modern camera in the style of the old?
Years passed...
Over time the weight of the disposable world began to wear thin. Everything in peoples lives had very little significance as a finely made thing anymore. People responded with a growing desire for the way things were, for items with more permanence. Retro became a catch phrase for anything, old or modern, that hearkened back to an older time. For something solid that was meant to endure. In other words it worked fine back then, it works fine now, and I can have confidence that it will keep on working in the years to come.
Vinyl has made a resurgence (never died really), Flickr is awash with people who enjoy shooting with old manual lenses and Hipster chic is alive and well. Okay, that last really isn't a positive.
But as for our story, it seems that maybe Makers are starting to listen (some of them). They seem to understand that not everyone wants to shoot with the latest techno bauble DSLR but would rather have in their hands a quality made tool from the old days. But with modern photo making capabilities. A blending, shall we say, of everything good from the past along will all our technology has taught us until now.
Enter the Fuji X-T1. In its way, though many do not yet understand it, this little gem will have just as much impact on camera design as the fateful T90 all those years ago. A paradigm shift has occurred yet again. While Fuji has done great things with other cameras from the X line and the classic Rangefinder design they have done something I have been waiting a very long time for. You see the X-T1 isnt retro. Its not a styling exercise. It is, simply, the re-emergence of a line of cameras that I thought long since dead. The SLR has returned.
It was going to happen sooner or later. Others have tried and come close. Some of the Micro Four/thirds evoke echoes of the old line but they are at best pretenders to the throne. And the DF...ummmm, yeah I wont go there. Sony has glimmers in its modern retro chic NEX and A7 designs. But no one has just nailed it. Nobody has just put all the elements together correctly for a true rebirth of the line.
Until now. Like Aragorn walking into Gondor to claim his birth right the X-T1 will begin the line afresh for a wondrous new age of Man. And just as Narsil was reforged into Anduril so has the 35mm SLR been reforged into the Mirrorless camera. But its heart and soul are intact. It is the same ancient weapon remade and ready to fight new battles in a new time. The wizard photographer (while never truly gone) can ply his trade again amidst the joy of using a finely made tool with little metal dials that go 'click click click...'
And its the camera Ash would use. :)
Throughout the Twentieth Century the makers of old tried many different patterns and arrangements of knobs and buttons on their cameras to give the photographer a quick and easy way to control that mystical triangle known as the Three Properties. Shutter, Aperture, and ASA. Simple in theory, but needing years of study and practice to master, these three fulcrums of knowledge and their interactions between each other are what allows the wizard photographer to bend light to his will.
classic 35mm camera
While there were many different schools of thought and application of this art one of the most common forms, and the one that mainly fell to Man, was the 35mm format. Dwarves or course prefer the slow and ponderous Large format school of photography which befits their slow, mountain dwelling lifestyle. Elves on the other hand were masters of the Medium format, as ever choosing the practical and powerful path as befits their race. This type of photography was also appropriate to accurately capture all the detail of their lovely forest homes. But Man, with his bustling and busy lifestyle ever on the move, needed something smaller. Something faster. Thus 35mm and the One Hour Photo fell nicely to our hand.
Dont get me wrong, there were Men who went and studied with the other races in those bigger formats and became masters of the craft. Today their names are legend and their creations are testaments to what Man can achieve. But this discussion is not about them.
This discussion is about the 35mm SLR camera. The tool of the artist, the wizard and the every man. The evolution of this design reached its peak toward the end of the 70's (in the reckoning of Men that is). The great Makers of the time, Minolta, Canon, Pentax, Nikon, had all pretty much come to the same basic design on how to allow the photographer to input his calculated variables easily and quickly for the creation of a successful photograph. Using metal knobs and dials, turned with solid and sure 'clicks', the camera could be quickly and easily set up to get the shot. There were variations of the theme to be sure, but you could pick up any of these devices and quickly understand its use.
But then something changed.
As the end of the 70's drew near and a new decade was fast approaching new technologies were being discovered at a frightening pace. Flush with his success at landing on the moon at the end of the previous decade Man understood and embraced the idea that Technology was to be subjugated to his will. And done so for a profit. Brass and other metals were being replaced with poly carbonates, simple springs and light meters were replaced with circuit boards and silicone. The idea that the machine could do all the complicated work for Man took hold and flourished. Suddenly automation was the key to success. Auto exposure, auto program mode, auto everything...
For the purposes of our story you can trace everything back to a single event. That singular, momentous act that began us down the path we trod today. In 1978 one of the great Makers introduced a device that would change the design of the camera forever. It was Canon, and the camera was the A-1.
the shape of things to come (internally)
So innocuous at the time, so ingenious. So misunderstood how things would not be the same afterword. The camera itself, full of circuit boards and Auto features and logic circuits, was already a poster child of things to come. If you don't believe me then go here and read page 5 of the A-1 users guide. I cannot say it better then Canon can itself. Read that page with the weight of History behind you and you will understand.
But even with all this new automation and forward thinking there was that one little feature, that one little thing on the front of the camera that was the true herald of a new path for camera form factor.
The AT dial.
A simple spinning dial, easily withing reach of your finger, would change everything. It was so basic...why had nobody thought of this before? An easy way to input data to the camera depending on which 'mode' you were in. Revolutionary for the time, commonplace today, it was a paradigm shift from which there was no going back. Big metal dials? We dont need not stinkin' dials!
It was, incidentally, one of the main reasons the Elves and Dwarves began to retreat from the world of Men. But that is also another story.
After this our beloved tools began to loose the elegant and classic forms it had taken so many decades to achieve. The Makers embraced plastic on a grand scale and seemed to try every conceivable blocky shape under the sun to clad their new miniature computer cameras with. Truly, while probably viewed at the time as 'modern' and 'space age' these designs now are simply horrible. At least to this users eye.
how not to stand the test of time
That moment in time, that tumultuous decade where analog became digital and plastic ruled, is what is known as the Great Cheapening. There was a fundamental shift in product design, not just in photography but all areas dealing with consumer goods. Mass production, global markets and a search for profit at any cost led to the world we live in today. Things were not designed anymore with years of use and repair in mind. They were designed as disposable commodities that were to be used up, thrown away, and replaced with a new one.
The Elves were nowhere to be seen.
It was during this time ('86 to be exact) that the great Maker Canon unleashed another camera upon the world that would change things in a much more fundamental way then even the AT Dial from a few years before. It was nothing less then the fore father of modern camera design. The Progenitor. From the loins of this device would spring countless multitudes of SLR's and DSLR' and for the longest time it would hold sway over the minds of Men as the singular answer to the question of how should a camera fit to your hand. The age of the melted blob of plastic was upon us. It was, and ever shall be, the Canon T90.
the shape of things to come (externally)
The metal dials are gone. Film advance lever forgotten. AT dial firmly in place. Buttons adorn the body and an LCD glows proudly with what etched metal once showed. It was proof positive that the long line of Kingly cameras from yore, those intricate metal boxes full of magic and wonder, were dead. An ancient lineage going back to some of the earliest years of photography was simply no more.
For some photographers it wasn't an issue. The camera is simply a tool, an item used to create the true reason we shoot...the photograph. Photography should always be about the creation of a compelling and moving image. But some photographers yearned for the old designs. They missed the feel of solid metal under their fingers and the joy that comes from using a finely made and pleasing tool. Why, they wondered, cannot someone make a new modern camera in the style of the old?
Years passed...
Over time the weight of the disposable world began to wear thin. Everything in peoples lives had very little significance as a finely made thing anymore. People responded with a growing desire for the way things were, for items with more permanence. Retro became a catch phrase for anything, old or modern, that hearkened back to an older time. For something solid that was meant to endure. In other words it worked fine back then, it works fine now, and I can have confidence that it will keep on working in the years to come.
Vinyl has made a resurgence (never died really), Flickr is awash with people who enjoy shooting with old manual lenses and Hipster chic is alive and well. Okay, that last really isn't a positive.
But as for our story, it seems that maybe Makers are starting to listen (some of them). They seem to understand that not everyone wants to shoot with the latest techno bauble DSLR but would rather have in their hands a quality made tool from the old days. But with modern photo making capabilities. A blending, shall we say, of everything good from the past along will all our technology has taught us until now.
Enter the Fuji X-T1. In its way, though many do not yet understand it, this little gem will have just as much impact on camera design as the fateful T90 all those years ago. A paradigm shift has occurred yet again. While Fuji has done great things with other cameras from the X line and the classic Rangefinder design they have done something I have been waiting a very long time for. You see the X-T1 isnt retro. Its not a styling exercise. It is, simply, the re-emergence of a line of cameras that I thought long since dead. The SLR has returned.
It was going to happen sooner or later. Others have tried and come close. Some of the Micro Four/thirds evoke echoes of the old line but they are at best pretenders to the throne. And the DF...ummmm, yeah I wont go there. Sony has glimmers in its modern retro chic NEX and A7 designs. But no one has just nailed it. Nobody has just put all the elements together correctly for a true rebirth of the line.
Until now. Like Aragorn walking into Gondor to claim his birth right the X-T1 will begin the line afresh for a wondrous new age of Man. And just as Narsil was reforged into Anduril so has the 35mm SLR been reforged into the Mirrorless camera. But its heart and soul are intact. It is the same ancient weapon remade and ready to fight new battles in a new time. The wizard photographer (while never truly gone) can ply his trade again amidst the joy of using a finely made tool with little metal dials that go 'click click click...'
And its the camera Ash would use. :)
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
A pet peeve- forum signatures
Over the years I have posted to many online photography forums. Both in the capacity of asking questions seeking information and answering the questions of others to the best of my ability. I hope in some way to have returned a bit of the useful information that was passed on to me this way.
During this time I have seen many interesting examples of what is known as the forum signature. Its the little bit down at the bottom that always shows up when a user makes a post. The content of this signature is completely up to the forum user and the uses people make of this space are many and varied. Some examples include a clever and interesting quote, song lyrics, some philosophical musings, a reference to another funny post that was made in the past or links to other pages the poster may have, such as a photo sharing site or a blog.
But one type of signature that I repeatedly see, and one that has always to a degree perplexed me, is a list (of varying length) of the photography equipment owned and used by the poster.
Errrr....ok.
I suppose I can understand this a little bit. Maybe as a reference of 'Hey I own these types of lenses or this camera body so if you need info on them send me a message'. Yeah, I get that. I suppose. But increasingly of late I have seen the most inane gear added to this list. For example, a recent one included the exact model of an extra battery the poster owned and used.
A freaking battery? Are you kidding me?
Why the hell would I care about which battery you use in your camera? Or which strap you use (complete with the info that it was real leather while also describing which color stitching was used)? Or which tripod mount or L bracket? Yes, I have seen all of those listed in the sig. This smacks more of mental forum masturbation with a side psychosis of hoarding then anything that has to do with photography.
I see this over and over. People proudly listing every camera body and lens and lens adapter and flash and backpack etc, etc ad nauseum. It seems like they are more concerned with the collection of photographic gear (and their proud ownership of it) then with the actual art of creating imagery.
How about this instead...post a link to your 500pix page, or your flickr page, or your Ipernity page or whatever. Show us the photos you have made. Wow us with some examples of creative and compelling imagery. Or at least show us that you are trying.
My most recent sig? A quote from The Art of Noise that I have found to be all to true on many forums.
Debussy understood that a work of Art, or an effort to create beauty, was always regarded by some people as a personal attack. - The Holy Egoism of Genius
Give it a listen.
During this time I have seen many interesting examples of what is known as the forum signature. Its the little bit down at the bottom that always shows up when a user makes a post. The content of this signature is completely up to the forum user and the uses people make of this space are many and varied. Some examples include a clever and interesting quote, song lyrics, some philosophical musings, a reference to another funny post that was made in the past or links to other pages the poster may have, such as a photo sharing site or a blog.
But one type of signature that I repeatedly see, and one that has always to a degree perplexed me, is a list (of varying length) of the photography equipment owned and used by the poster.
Errrr....ok.
I suppose I can understand this a little bit. Maybe as a reference of 'Hey I own these types of lenses or this camera body so if you need info on them send me a message'. Yeah, I get that. I suppose. But increasingly of late I have seen the most inane gear added to this list. For example, a recent one included the exact model of an extra battery the poster owned and used.
A freaking battery? Are you kidding me?
Why the hell would I care about which battery you use in your camera? Or which strap you use (complete with the info that it was real leather while also describing which color stitching was used)? Or which tripod mount or L bracket? Yes, I have seen all of those listed in the sig. This smacks more of mental forum masturbation with a side psychosis of hoarding then anything that has to do with photography.
I see this over and over. People proudly listing every camera body and lens and lens adapter and flash and backpack etc, etc ad nauseum. It seems like they are more concerned with the collection of photographic gear (and their proud ownership of it) then with the actual art of creating imagery.
How about this instead...post a link to your 500pix page, or your flickr page, or your Ipernity page or whatever. Show us the photos you have made. Wow us with some examples of creative and compelling imagery. Or at least show us that you are trying.
My most recent sig? A quote from The Art of Noise that I have found to be all to true on many forums.
Debussy understood that a work of Art, or an effort to create beauty, was always regarded by some people as a personal attack. - The Holy Egoism of Genius
Give it a listen.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
A guide to using old manual focus lenses on modern digital cameras
As the first gear related post here on f/otography I thought I would cover a subject near and dear to my heart. That being the use of old legacy lenses from the film era on the latest batch of techno wonders we call digital cameras. With an arcane melding of old world magic and modern electronics you can use these lenses from a bygone era to create compelling and beautiful imagery. But how do you do it? Which lenses work on which cameras, and how? How does one take an ancient lens from a (usually) dead system and combine it Frankenstein-like with up to date kit? Read on for the ins and outs.
There are many reasons why people still use these old film relics in the brave new digital world. Mainly because they are still capable of taking amazing photographs. If you think about it, these lenses were responsible for the majority of the most incredible photographs of the Twentieth Century. But there is also the issue of cost. Many times old lenses are available for a fraction of what its modern, plastic auto focus version would cost. Although for some lenses, especially for very high quality glass of exceedingly rare or esoteric value, this is not the case. Many old lenses still sell for thousands and thousands of dollars.
Another compelling reason (and this is a big one for me) is the feeling you get when you use them. Of course its important to point out that a lens is nothing more then a tool used to capture the image you are after, and the image is everything. But I find that I enjoy using a heavy, all metal lens full with high quality glass and coatings to help me capture that image. Actually turning a metal aperture ring by hand instead of clicking some small plastic dial on a plasticky camera body is more of a Zen like experience. I feel that I can connect with my gear in this way which in turns helps bring me to that place where my mind is most focused on trying to capture light and bend it to my will. Photography is an artistic process, and anything that stimulates your mind and helps bring you to that creative plane should be exploited.
So without further ado here are some of the more basic technical issues you should think about if you are considering the use of old film era lenses. Future posts on this blog will cover more in depth looks at some of the old lens lines and their differences and availability.
Probably the most important aspect in understanding exactly which old lens can be used on which camera is flange to focal distance. Sounds technical and possibly confusing but all it means is the original distance that a manufacturer of an old camera and lens system required for the rear of the lens to be placed away from the film plane. In other words, the distance from where the actual film was in the camera out to the mounting flange on the front of the camera where the lens would be connected. This distance will determine if a lens can easily be adapted to your camera, as long as someone makes an adapter for it that is.
Basically, if the original FtF distance on the lens you have is greater then the FtF distance of the camera you are trying to mount it to then theoretically it should work. I should point out here for clarification that individual lenses in a system generally will all have the same FtF distance. For example, all Canon FD lenses have the same FtF distance so you only need to buy one Canon FD adapter for your camera and all those lenses should work. You dont have to figure out the FtF for each lens. (Note: there are a few small exceptions to this rule. Some lens lines have a few specialty lenses that were designed to be used in mirror lock up mode on their old original bodies and these may not work with a basic adapter. But these lenses are few and far between and usually very expensive).
Here is a good link to the Wiki page for a FtF distance list for most camera systems.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flange_focal_distance
The easiest way to use this list is to first find your camera system and where it falls on the list. Then look at everything listed under your camera. Those are these systems that have a greater FtF distance so (again, theoretically) they should be able to be adapted to your camera.
Another thing the list will show you is one of the main differences in modern camera design. For a long time the DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) was the predominant type of camera used by professional photographers and advanced enthusiasts. This type of camera has a large mirror in front of the shutter to bounce light up to the view finder so the image can be seen by the shooter. Most Canon and Nikon cameras fall into this category. Recently however a paradigm shift has been occurring with the introduction of Mirrorless cameras. These cameras do away with the bulky mirror box assembly and use an electronic view finder instead of an optical one. This frees up a lot of space in front of the shutter/sensor area so the mounting flange for the lens can be moved much closer to the sensor.
Just look at the FtF distances on that list for some of the major camera system. You will see that the Canon EOS EF mount system has a FtF distance of 44mm. That places it pretty far down the list, with only a few major systems listed below it that can be adapted. Conversely the Sony E mount system (used on NEX and the new A7 cameras) is very close to the top with a FtF distance of only 18mm. With such a short FtF distance the Sony system is able to adapt many more lenses to their bodies then the Canon system can.
So what type of camera you have will in large part determine the availability of legacy glass that will be easily adaptable to your camera. For instance, Nikon is way down on the bottom with little or no options to shoot for legacy glass other then Nikons own legacy manual lenses in the F mount. (Note: There is a way to use lenses listed above your camera on this list, but it involves the use of an extra piece of 'correction glass' in the adapter and I do not recommend doing this. If you want to go thru all the trouble of using these quality old lenses then dont put some cheap, coke bottle glass in your adapter that will degrade image quality.)
Another major difference in using either a DSLR or Mirrorless camera is the aforementioned view finder. When using the optical view finder (OVF) on a DSLR there is no compensation to the image you see when you stop down the aperture on your old lens. So the OVF just gets darker and darker until its really to dark to focus properly or even compose. Many people get around this by focusing while the lens is wide open and then stopping down to take the picture. A bit of a bulky and cumbersome work around but it does work.
With a Mirrorless camera and an electronic view finder (EVF) you basically are just looking into a tiny TV screen when you use the view finder. The advantages of this is that as you stop the lens down and less light is entering the lens the EVF doesn not get darker. The camera will compensate for the loss of light and make the image brighter while still remaining true to what the final image will look like. This is a huge boon to legacy shooters. Many Mirrorless cameras also have some form of Focus Peaking which simply has to be used to be appreciated. What focus peaking does is highlight in a chosen color what area of the image is in focus as you rack the lens back and forth. This is an incredible advantage to users of legacy lenses and makes old lenses almost as fast to use as auto focus lenses in just about any situation except for fast action or sports.
There are many reasons why people still use these old film relics in the brave new digital world. Mainly because they are still capable of taking amazing photographs. If you think about it, these lenses were responsible for the majority of the most incredible photographs of the Twentieth Century. But there is also the issue of cost. Many times old lenses are available for a fraction of what its modern, plastic auto focus version would cost. Although for some lenses, especially for very high quality glass of exceedingly rare or esoteric value, this is not the case. Many old lenses still sell for thousands and thousands of dollars.
Old M42 lenses on a NEX 7
Another compelling reason (and this is a big one for me) is the feeling you get when you use them. Of course its important to point out that a lens is nothing more then a tool used to capture the image you are after, and the image is everything. But I find that I enjoy using a heavy, all metal lens full with high quality glass and coatings to help me capture that image. Actually turning a metal aperture ring by hand instead of clicking some small plastic dial on a plasticky camera body is more of a Zen like experience. I feel that I can connect with my gear in this way which in turns helps bring me to that place where my mind is most focused on trying to capture light and bend it to my will. Photography is an artistic process, and anything that stimulates your mind and helps bring you to that creative plane should be exploited.
So without further ado here are some of the more basic technical issues you should think about if you are considering the use of old film era lenses. Future posts on this blog will cover more in depth looks at some of the old lens lines and their differences and availability.
Probably the most important aspect in understanding exactly which old lens can be used on which camera is flange to focal distance. Sounds technical and possibly confusing but all it means is the original distance that a manufacturer of an old camera and lens system required for the rear of the lens to be placed away from the film plane. In other words, the distance from where the actual film was in the camera out to the mounting flange on the front of the camera where the lens would be connected. This distance will determine if a lens can easily be adapted to your camera, as long as someone makes an adapter for it that is.
Basically, if the original FtF distance on the lens you have is greater then the FtF distance of the camera you are trying to mount it to then theoretically it should work. I should point out here for clarification that individual lenses in a system generally will all have the same FtF distance. For example, all Canon FD lenses have the same FtF distance so you only need to buy one Canon FD adapter for your camera and all those lenses should work. You dont have to figure out the FtF for each lens. (Note: there are a few small exceptions to this rule. Some lens lines have a few specialty lenses that were designed to be used in mirror lock up mode on their old original bodies and these may not work with a basic adapter. But these lenses are few and far between and usually very expensive).
Are old lenses worth it? Oh yeah.
Minolta MD 35/2.8
Here is a good link to the Wiki page for a FtF distance list for most camera systems.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flange_focal_distance
The easiest way to use this list is to first find your camera system and where it falls on the list. Then look at everything listed under your camera. Those are these systems that have a greater FtF distance so (again, theoretically) they should be able to be adapted to your camera.
Another thing the list will show you is one of the main differences in modern camera design. For a long time the DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) was the predominant type of camera used by professional photographers and advanced enthusiasts. This type of camera has a large mirror in front of the shutter to bounce light up to the view finder so the image can be seen by the shooter. Most Canon and Nikon cameras fall into this category. Recently however a paradigm shift has been occurring with the introduction of Mirrorless cameras. These cameras do away with the bulky mirror box assembly and use an electronic view finder instead of an optical one. This frees up a lot of space in front of the shutter/sensor area so the mounting flange for the lens can be moved much closer to the sensor.
Just look at the FtF distances on that list for some of the major camera system. You will see that the Canon EOS EF mount system has a FtF distance of 44mm. That places it pretty far down the list, with only a few major systems listed below it that can be adapted. Conversely the Sony E mount system (used on NEX and the new A7 cameras) is very close to the top with a FtF distance of only 18mm. With such a short FtF distance the Sony system is able to adapt many more lenses to their bodies then the Canon system can.
Helios on my EOS. M42 Russian goodness.
So what type of camera you have will in large part determine the availability of legacy glass that will be easily adaptable to your camera. For instance, Nikon is way down on the bottom with little or no options to shoot for legacy glass other then Nikons own legacy manual lenses in the F mount. (Note: There is a way to use lenses listed above your camera on this list, but it involves the use of an extra piece of 'correction glass' in the adapter and I do not recommend doing this. If you want to go thru all the trouble of using these quality old lenses then dont put some cheap, coke bottle glass in your adapter that will degrade image quality.)
Another major difference in using either a DSLR or Mirrorless camera is the aforementioned view finder. When using the optical view finder (OVF) on a DSLR there is no compensation to the image you see when you stop down the aperture on your old lens. So the OVF just gets darker and darker until its really to dark to focus properly or even compose. Many people get around this by focusing while the lens is wide open and then stopping down to take the picture. A bit of a bulky and cumbersome work around but it does work.
With a Mirrorless camera and an electronic view finder (EVF) you basically are just looking into a tiny TV screen when you use the view finder. The advantages of this is that as you stop the lens down and less light is entering the lens the EVF doesn not get darker. The camera will compensate for the loss of light and make the image brighter while still remaining true to what the final image will look like. This is a huge boon to legacy shooters. Many Mirrorless cameras also have some form of Focus Peaking which simply has to be used to be appreciated. What focus peaking does is highlight in a chosen color what area of the image is in focus as you rack the lens back and forth. This is an incredible advantage to users of legacy lenses and makes old lenses almost as fast to use as auto focus lenses in just about any situation except for fast action or sports.
Zeiss Biotar 58/2, M42 mount
on NEX 7
After you figure out which lenses you can use on whichever camera you have you are pretty much ready to start looking for these little gems and can begin cranking out great photos. One of the joys of using old lenses is that you can find them in all kinds of places. Thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets...you just never know what is going to turn up. Sometimes the hunt for these lenses becomes fun in and of itself. There are of course the 'usual' places to find them, like the auction site and the place that Craig runs. But many of the lenses found here will carry a higher premium since those sellers are generally more knowledgeable then most thrift store pricing schemes (although I have noticed this changing as well, thrift stores are starting to wise up). The simple fact is that more and more people are discovering or re-discovering the ability of these old lenses and that they are fully capable of taking photos just as good as today's plasticky zooms.
Using manual focus lenses can be a wonderful photographic journey that can lead you to view your photography in new and different ways while stimulating your creativity. If you are contemplating giving it a try I say go for it. Dont be afraid to give up Auto Focus, dont be afraid to try something different. The more I shoot the more I realize photography is very much like life in that it is a never ending journey of discovery. There is always another technique or tool to use and the learning never ends. Old film glass can be a powerful tool in your arsenal of image creation. Give em a chance.
Minolta MD Rokkor-X 50/1.7
Thursday, December 26, 2013
The Alchemist Photographer
Forget APS-C. Forget full frame. Forget medium format. How about a wet plate camera the size of a truck. Literally, its in the back of a truck. No other camera like this exists.
Ian Ruhter has taken the creation of the photographic image to a whole new level. Doing what most of us only long for he is living his dream and creating stunning photographic imagery at the same time. He has gone back to photography's roots, when toxic chemical brews and a bit of magic bent light to its will. Truly he is an alchemist photographer.
Watch this incredibly inspiring video and look on in awe at this mans determination and skill. Every time I watch it I want to go shoot. To inspire others simply by your actions is the most noble of things. Thank you Ian.
Ian Ruhter has taken the creation of the photographic image to a whole new level. Doing what most of us only long for he is living his dream and creating stunning photographic imagery at the same time. He has gone back to photography's roots, when toxic chemical brews and a bit of magic bent light to its will. Truly he is an alchemist photographer.
Watch this incredibly inspiring video and look on in awe at this mans determination and skill. Every time I watch it I want to go shoot. To inspire others simply by your actions is the most noble of things. Thank you Ian.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
New Camera News- puts the fun in funtography
Just stumbled across this little internet gem.
http://newcameranews.com/
A decidedly light hearted approach to the gear driven world of photography that we find on the internets today. If you are not a photog you probably wont get a lot of the humor. If you are a photog you will be laughing your ass off. :)
http://newcameranews.com/
A decidedly light hearted approach to the gear driven world of photography that we find on the internets today. If you are not a photog you probably wont get a lot of the humor. If you are a photog you will be laughing your ass off. :)
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Dear Shane
I found this poignant short film some time ago. A bittersweet tribute to longing and loss, of loved ones now gone. It is a reminder of how photography can be a powerful tool of remembrance, a time machine. It also asks us to remember the truly important things in life...
"Its not the houses you've lived in, the buildings you've
worked at, or the things you own. Heirlooms wind
up in yard sales. In the end it's the people you love,
your friends, your family. Those matter, you matter."
To often we get caught up in the day to day minutia. Our work, our hobbies, our troubles. It is the eternal curse (and gift) of man that we forget our mortality. We forget the temporary nature of our existence and that all too soon the veil will part for us as well.
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