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Camera suggestions

f9700112.jpg

Ansel Adams

For casual shots the smaller the camera the better. I like one that fits in the cell phone pocket of my riding jacket. I carry the cell phone elsewhere and turn it out once or twice a day.

The best pictures always seem to be the ones you never stop and take - be patient with yourself.

Always carry your camera with you - no big deal now. One of the best photographers or the 20th century, Ansel Adams, always carried his camera one of the reasons he got so many memorial pictures; that plus his ability and eye. The story that goes with the above picture may be urban legend but it does illustrate the point.

Adams was driving in the Southwest and supposedly was listening to a fireside chat by FDR. He pulled over to listen carefully and found the above vista in front on him. He set up his camera and shot the picture. I wonder if the story is true since FDR gave his fireside chats in the evening. If Adams took this moon light picture in the evening the time differential would have put the fireside chat around 10 or 11 in Washington. However the basic concept is sound - always carry a camera with you.

Ansel Adams cameras were huge compared to today's digital wonders and somehow he managed to always have a camera with him.
 
Adams was driving in the Southwest and supposedly was listening to a fireside chat by FDR. He pulled over to listen carefully and found the above vista in front on him. He set up his camera and shot the picture. I wonder if the story is true since FDR gave his fireside chats in the evening. If Adams took this moon light picture in the evening the time differential would have put the fireside chat around 10 or 11 in Washington. However the basic concept is sound - always carry a camera with you.

Ansel Adams cameras were huge compared to today's digital wonders and somehow he managed to always have a camera with him.

The way Ansel Adams worked his images with his zone system this could be at 2AM.

I always had a camera with me. From the age of 14 when i got my first SLR to my First Digital @42. Having camera gear with you was a norm.
Camera bags were always packed w/ lenses, film, maybe a second camera back, film cans, meters and an emergency change bag in case the film broke in the camera.
Size/bulk wasn't an issue if you had nothing to measure it against. You took what was needed and packed it the best you could and of course accessible. It was what it was.

Part of the problem today is we've become too sped up.
Take a lesson from the story above. Pull over, stop and listen to spot where you are and take a moment. Soak it up.
Not all shots have to be from the seat of your motorcycle.

Such as these.

It's all part of the ride and besides, why do you want it to end so soon?
 
f9700112.jpg

Ansel Adams



The best pictures always seem to be the ones you never stop and take - be patient with yourself.

Always carry your camera with you - no big deal now. One of the best photographers or the 20th century, Ansel Adams, always carried his camera one of the reasons he got so many memorial pictures; that plus his ability and eye. The story that goes with the above picture may be urban legend but it does illustrate the point.

Yup, couldn't agree more, I always have one with me, even if it just my simplest P&S. One of the best shots I ever took (IMO) was with a 3.1 megapixel, but it was Because I had it with me that I got that shot (and I try to always scan for possibilities though its easy to become distracted by reality!). Looking at the shot you'd think it was "staged" but in fact it was just one of those "Wow, that's kool" moments and a shot I often refer to when talking about always being prepared for one in million shot.

RM
 
How did we get here?

I think we have trundled quite a distance from a camera to replace a point and shoot to the photographic genius of Ansel Adams. (I am looking at a hand signed original Ansel print above my monitor as I write.)

I once trudged through Bryce and Zion with a Speed Graphic, studio tripod (and a Jeep). Yeah, I always had the rather unportable camera with me - rather like having an elephant in the back seat. If I tried (who'd want to?), I could strap the big steel camera travel case on the back of the GS. Forget the studio tripod. Adams usually used an 8x10 view camera. And, in later years, at least one assistant. Consider that Adams did all of his own darkroom work, too. I am assured that he personally printed every print he signed. Is this the league we are joining?

I think we are here to consider more modest means; and digital, to boot.

I stand by my recommendation of an optically stabilized lens. No other camera feature will provide more sharp shots, especially when you are hand holding the camera. Brag as you will about how steady you are, but you likely aren't. Your images may look OK on the camera LCD, or printed 4 x 6. But, unless you have the talents of a professional, use IS. Even the pro news photogs use it.

Optical IS is the single most valuable feature you can buy in a travel camera.

Argue otherwise, but all the newest quality digitals are offering IS, mostly optical. It doesn't cost a huge premium, but (except with DSLR lens replacement) you cannot add it later. Make it a minimum feature, especially in your smallest camera.

Ansel Adams notwithstanding.

Jim
 

I stand by my recommendation of an optically stabilized lens. No other camera feature will provide more sharp shots, especially when you are hand holding the camera. Brag as you will about how steady you are, but you likely aren't. Your images may look OK on the camera LCD, or printed 4 x 6. But, unless you have the talents of a professional, use IS. Even the pro news photogs use it.

IS is a tool. And like all tools there is a time when its use is not appropriate. While it would be on my list of important features for a P&S, a wide angle (at least 24 mm using 35mm equiv values) is higher up on my priority list. Many P&S max out at 28 mm.

I travel with a P&S in my tank bag... it's a beater camera, about 5 megapixels, used to take pictures when moving. It doesn't have IS. IS would be wasted the way this camera is used. The resulting images are destined for 800x600 pixels on a web page.

I also travel with a DSLR and 3 lenses in my tail bag. Only one of the three has IS. The lens I currently use most (24-70) does not have IS. It replaced a lens with IS because the 24-70 is a higher quality lens that delivers sharper images. It's also faster. Given the choice between an f/3.5-5.6 with IS and an f/2.8 without IS I'll usually go with the faster lens.

A gorillapod doen't take up much space in my saddle bags.
 
Back to Ansel...

I good story, related badly:

About six years ago, I was at the University of Michigan for a show of Ansel Adams' folios. A friend who knew I owned an Adams print suggested I go to the opening. They had all of Adams' folios arranged in order by issue. Quite a nice exhibit.

A docent was there. He did a little gallery talk before some of us saw the exhibit. The docent had been a student of Adams', and had attended one of his many schools out in Yosemite. Adams did those schools for years, and everybody in the class stayed at the Inn. They would gather for breakfast at an appointed hour in the Inn breakfast room, and all sit together.

One morning, Adams and his wife were late in arriving. His instructor had taken the head chair at the table, and when Adams and his wife arrived, they quietly sat at a small table, adjacent to the group.

Apparently, an unrelated inn guest had heard that the great Ansel Adams was in the hotel, and could be found in the dining room. This fellow was determined to get a photo of himself with the Master.

Assuming Adams was at the head of the table, he walked up to the instructor, and asked if he might have his companion take a picture of him with the Master. Maybe not quite figuring it out in time, the instructor agreed.

The fellow posed with the instructor, while his female companion positioned herself and camera to get the shot she thought she needed. That required asking the nice couple sitting at the adjacent table to move out of the way. They, of course, politely agreed.

The docent said the other students could hardly contain themselves, but Adams and his wife just smiled.

This is not just hearsay; the docent told us. :)

--

Flash Gordon, famed motorcycle medical columnist for Motorcycle Consumer News, once wrote me with an even better story about how he, Flash, once asked Ansel Adams, in person, if he knew what 'depth of field' meant.

I'll let him tell that one, some day, if he wants.

Jim

 


I stand by my recommendation of an optically stabilized lens. No other camera feature will provide more sharp shots, especially when you are hand holding the camera. Brag as you will about how steady you are, but you likely aren't. Your images may look OK on the camera LCD, or printed 4 x 6. But, unless you have the talents of a professional, use IS. Even the pro news photogs use it.

Optical IS is the single most valuable feature you can buy in a travel camera.

Argue otherwise, but all the newest quality digitals are offering IS, mostly optical. It doesn't cost a huge premium, but (except with DSLR lens replacement) you cannot add it later. Make it a minimum feature, especially in your smallest camera.

Ansel Adams notwithstanding.

Jim

I apologize if I upset or antagonized you (judging by the Brag comment, one could equally make the claim that your comment about having a signed print by Ansel as bragging and one I assume would be equally wrong; but I digress), if you re-read my statements you'll see I was actually mostly in agreement with you. My argument was simply that IS should not be the overriding factor in ALL situations. There are simply too many factors involved, and merely attempted to show one example, such as missing a shot due to shutter lag from slow auto-focus.
While it may be true many or most pro photographers of the type you mentioned consider IS as a priority , news photography often involves very long lens and situations where there is a lot of jostling for the best position so IS could well become a factor, but that does not necessarily hold true for the average person or the type of photographer we have here. Consider too that many folks never ever make prints or do much cropping, more and more we share our photos by means of digital image displays where fine detail is limited by the resolution of the screen, so those imperfections from lack of IS that might manifest itself in larger paper prints is never relieved.
Again I am Not trying to "dis" you, I am simply stating my opinion as are you in the hopes that other can learn and decide what is important for the type of photography they may be interested in.

This after all, is why I suggested the formation of this forum area several years ago, to allow the forum membership with an interest in photography to share our shots and knowledge and views and perhaps provide others some useful information.

Jeff
AKA
Rocketman
 
This after all, is why I suggested the formation of this forum area several years ago, to allow the forum membership with an interest in photography to share our shots and knowledge and views and perhaps provide others some useful information.

I applaud you for being a pioneer in Forum photography. And, it's OK with me if you believe you don't need image stabilization. Clearly, you believe you don't. But, it's not OK with me if folks believe you and follow this part of your advice to the detriment of their hand-held motorcycle travel photos.

If you don't have a second chance to shoot the picture, IS can greatly help to assure you capture it well, the first time. If you find it more manly to shoot without it, just turn it off, and take what you get.

If it didn't help, it wouldn't be offered on a huge majority of fine cameras.

Jim
 
Lots of good info here. I have one thing to add. make sure your new Camera has a Viewfinder. I love my Nikon digital pocket Camera, but its very hard to use in bright sunlight. my next one will have a viewfinder...
 


I applaud you for being a pioneer in Forum photography. And, it's OK with me if you believe you don't need image stabilization. Clearly, you believe you don't. But, it's not OK with me if folks believe you and follow this part of your advice to the detriment of their hand-held motorcycle travel photos.

If you don't have a second chance to shoot the picture, IS can greatly help to assure you capture it well, the first time. If you find it more manly to shoot without it, just turn it off, and take what you get.

If it didn't help, it wouldn't be offered on a huge majority of fine cameras.

Jim

Hmm, what can I say, the use of insults to make a point, is well, pointless and hardly conducive to an informative discussion. You win, I'm done with this.

RM
 
Agree, but it's hard to find anymore

Lots of good info here. I have one thing to add. make sure your new Camera has a Viewfinder. I love my Nikon digital pocket Camera, but its very hard to use in bright sunlight. my next one will have a viewfinder...

I was starting to think I was the only one who still ever uses optical viewfinders. Bravo. The trouble is, in point and shoot cameras, they seem to be getting hard to find.

You are right, though. Those LCD screens can be almost impossible to see in bright sun. I'm contemplating my next digital camera for this summer, and the other features I want, need and use seem to come on point and shoot cameras that have done away with the optical viewfinder. If I can find one with all that I need (see the early post - before that silly argument about stabilization - you'll see the other features I like), I'll put it on the top of the list.

And blame Voni Glaves for intimidating me into returning to riding with a camera, again. If she can remember to put captions on her pics, I guess I can add pictures to some words I write.

All the manufacturers just introduced their 2010 models, so it's study time. The good news seems to be that all that competition is bringing useful tech (especially wider angle zoom lenses) at reasonable prices. Happy shooting. Happier riding,

Jim
 
One such camera

All the manufacturers just introduced their 2010 models, so it's study time. The good news seems to be that all that competition is bringing useful tech (especially wider angle zoom lenses) at reasonable prices.
Jim

Along these lines, I've been keeping an eye on the latest new camera offerings, particularly as to what I want in a new point-and-shoot (hereafter PAS) unit. Previously, I tried to put forth what YOU might want. They may overlap at points. Or not.

The new Samsung TLC350 (vaporware, announced but not shipping yet) looks hot. It has two IS methods. It has a 5x 24mm Schneider wide angle zoom lens. (I've been using Schneider lenses since my darkroom days, with admiration.) It doesn't have an optical viewfinder, but it does have an AMOLED screen, that should be brighter, sharper, and easier to see in the sunshine. It uses SD/SDHC cards, which are common. It shoots 1080p video, and has an HDMI output for an HD TV. It uses a rechargeable battery (which is both good and bad). I would have to carry a spare, and keep it charged.

The camera seems to have every feature I want in a PAS, and is a pocket camera to boot. It can save 10MP (enough) shots in RAW file format; that is important for me doing photojournalism. It can save in JPEG too, which is what is good enough, otherwise.

The TLC350 can do some other stuff that is frosting on MY cake: shoot 10fps bursts to catch action shots, snap up to 1/1500th sec shots to stop action, shoot slow motion at up to 1000 fps (!), and allows enough control to allow the photog to have some say over depth of field.

I have also looked at some of the new Nikon and Canon PAS introductions. They have some similar offerings, but none caught my eye quite like the specs on this Samsung. That said, I carried a vintage Nikon FM2 around the world many times, and I have a soft spot for Nikon. Also, the MSLP for the TLC350 is $349, within my budget (by $1).

It may not be the camera I buy. With 13 inches of snow on the ground here, I have some time to shop.

Again, this isn't necessarily a solution for you. You might want something much simpler, or a more complex DSLR, or one of the new "4/3" cameras. But, it shows what I want in features in a PAS that can provide photos good enough for publication. I has to be capable of taking very good pictures. To me, that starts with a clarity and depth that tends to make a flat paper photo look deep in color, shadow and shade. You have to train your eyes to see this quality; sheer pixels and bits aren't it. All I have to do is try to get the composition right, and not drop the damn thing in a creek.

We'll see if the Samsung TLC350 has any rude surprises when some early adopters (not me) test fly them. Meanwhile, pass me that Nikon and Canon catalog, again...

Jim

Postscript: This is probably way too much camera for the typical rider who wants to take pictures of friends, bikes, and scenery. This is a pretty serious business camera. Consider that, and take my comments in context. I'm buying the camera for me. -S

 
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