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11/29/2017 2 Comments

Camera and Inspiration #8 | PPN | November 30th, 2017

This is episode #8 of the Camera and Inspiration show at “PPN - Photo Podcast Network” for November 2017.

This show is sponsored by B&H: bit.ly/bhphotodeals

Marco invites Martin Waltz as a guest for this camera & inspiration episode. Martin is a renowned photographer from Berlin and is best known for his street photography. He has won many international photo awards and his images have been featured on exhibitions worldwide. He also teaches individual and group photo workshops in Berlin.

Martin picks this month inspirational photographer: Daido Moriyama (born 1938 in Osaka) is a Japanese photographer known for showing the dark sides of urban life of undocumented parts in cities but mainly in Tokyo. He studied photography and moved to Tokyo in 1961. His work was influenced by William Klein, Shomei Tomatsu, and Jack Kerouac. You can see some of his images here: https://www.moriyamadaido.com/en/

In the main part of this episode, Marco and Martin discuss different aspects of the topic: “Why should one produce an image series in photography instead of producing a collection of single images and how to approach a photographic series.”

Marco’s inspirational photo book of the month is called: “Children” - by Sebastiao Salgado.

Amazon Germany: http://amzn.to/2Af6DsA
TASCHEN US: https://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/photography/all/05317/facts.sebastio_salgado_children.htm

Here are the links to Martin’s work and social media accounts:

Web: https://streetberlin.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/martinuwaltz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/streetberlin/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/streetberlin
Berlin 1020 Kollektiv: https://berlin1020.com/
Stories on Violence with Dirk Könnecke: https://violens.org/en/

Please support our show by using our B&H affiliate link (click here) that will not cost you a penny more than when you are buying at B&H without our link. And the more this link will be used to buy at B&H, the more giveaways we’ll be able to give back to our listeners through B&H. It really is a “win-win” situation :)

And please share this podcast with your friends and subscribe via iTunes. We would also love to get your feedback. Is there anything that you want us to cover on the show in the future? And we would appreciate if you could take a short moment to rate or post a quick review for our shows on iTunes.

For more information on Marco Larousse follow him on Twitter: @HamburgCam
For more information on Scott Bourne follow him on Twitter: @ScottBourne

About this show:
On the monthly “Camera and Inspiration” podcast show of the PPN - Photo Podcast Network, Marco and usually a guest discuss the essence of photography and how to photograph with more intent. Determining the “why” before the “how” in photography is essential to understanding your subject better and create stronger images. In each episode, they introduce you to an inspirational photographer of the month and also share an inspirational photo book of the month.

Part of the "Light Urban Rain" by Martin Waltz

Author

Marco Larousse is a journalist and a fine art, street and documentary photographer, a educator, speaker, and podcast producer of photography related topics - MarcoLarousse.com. Marco has a background in photography of 30+ years.

Marco's approach to photography is "reduce to the basics and focus on the story and the subject." Growing up with the limitations that film photography has taught him, he still enjoys the basic approach to photography today. For Marco the camera is a tool and a mere extension of his instincts.

Marco is Co-Founder, Host and the Producer at Photo Podcast Network. He also co-hosts the monthly "We Shoot Mirrorless" and "Camera and Inspiration" podcasts episodes.

Contact Marco on Twitter @HamburgCam

2 Comments

11/23/2017 0 Comments

More Gear Show #8 | PPN | November 23rd, 2017

The More Gear Show topic this month is: Thoughts on fast m4/3 lenses, the “holy trinity” - 3 Olympus f1.2 PRO lenses.

Follow @Photopodcasts on Twitter
Email: scott@scottbourne.com with questions or use the form on our website

You’ll find a visual presentation of these show notes here: https://spark.adobe.com/page/hYCV2mCdSM9Lm/

If you hear the phrase “holy trinity” applied to photography, it means a selection of prime lenses with a wide, a standard, and a medium telephoto focal length. Depending on the type of photography you do, you may never need any other lens.
Olympus has just announced two new lenses that join the already shipping Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm f/1.2 PRO Lens to form their new trinity.

All of these lenses are fast, f/1.2 lenses. They all come with a manual focus clutch. All three render your images with an almost 3D quality. They all are the beneficiaries of the Olympus Z-Nano coating so flare is well-controlled. All three are MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) All of them have the same size front filter thread at 62mm. All offer what Olympus calls “Feathered Bokeh.” All three are splash proof, dust proof, freeze proof. All offer very fast autofocus. The trio comes with a programmable lens function button and a lens hood is included in the box. (The lens hoods are interchangeable amongst the three lenses.) And one last critical point - unlike DSLR lenses at f/1.2, anyone can focus these new primes - even wide open.

Let’s take a quick look at each of these lenses:

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm f/1.2 PRO Lens
The wide angle-of-view coupled with shallow depth-of-field make this the ideal lens for environmental portraits, landscapes, street, documentary or astrophotography.
It replaces a 35mm lens (equivalent) on a DSLR system and is a focal length that is always valued. It won’t be shipping until January, but I was afforded a chance to see and hold and touch and play around with a pre-production model and all I can say is WOW!
It’s much smaller than I expected it to be. How in the world the engineers at Olympus figured out the technology to make a super fast lens this small and light is a mind-blower.
It has all the features you’d expect from a pro lens (including all those listed above.) One of my favorite features is that you can close focus to 3.75 inches! That is insane - you get a .3X magnification (35mm equivalent) which in some cases will be all the macro you need.
The 17mm features a newly engineered ED-DSA lens, which Olympus says “possesses the characteristics of both an ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lens element and a DSA (Dual Super Aspherical) lens element” and is designed to mitigate chromatic aberrations and distortions.

Key specs for the 17mm lens...

Micro Four Thirds System
34mm (35mm Equivalent)
Aperture Range: f/1.2 to f/16
Four ED Elements, One ED-DSA Element
Super HR, EDA, and Aspherical Elements
Z Coating Nano
MSC High-Speed Imager AF System
Internal Focusing, MF Clutch
Weather-Resistant Construction
Rounded Nine-Blade Diaphragm

Next up - the other new, fast, prime from Olympus:

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f/1.2 PRO Lens
The new 45mm lens (90mm focal length in 35mm equivalent). is perfect for portraits. While Olympus has a 45mm f1/8 lens, it is not weather proof and can't compete with the super wide aperture of the new 45mm f/1.2.
As was the case with the 17mm lens, I was afforded a chance to see and hold and touch and play around with a pre-production model. This lens is so good that it makes me want to get back into the portrait business. I guarantee that any portrait artist using this lens to its full potential will have a serious, competitive business advantage.
Like the 17mm lens, this one feels good in the hand and is much lighter and smaller than I expected it to be. It too has a great close-focusing distance and it will ship near the end of November for about $1200.

Key specs for the 45mm lens…

Micro Four Thirds System
90mm (35mm Equivalent)
Aperture Range: f/1.2 to f/16
One ED Element, One Aspherical Element
Four High Refractive Index Elements
Z Coating Nano
MSC High-Speed Imager AF System
Internal Focusing, MF Clutch
Weather-Resistant Construction
Rounded Nine-Blade Diaphragm

Lastly, the third lens in the trinity, the already shipping

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm f/1.2 PRO Lens
I own the 25 f/1.2 and it is so good that I look for reasons to use it.
Let me mention the thing about this lens that impresses me most (other than the fast aperture.) This lens is SHARP. It is very sharp right out of the gate at f/1.2 and offers tack-sharp edge-to-edge sharpness by f/1.2. You can stop down further if you want, but it doesn't garner substantially more image sharpness. Olympus knows that people who will buy a f/1.2 lens want to shoot at f/1.2.
It's not big or heavy compared to similar lenses on a DSLR, but some M43 shooters will notice it's 14.5 oz. For me, it is a natural fit on my OM-D E-M1 Mark II.

The 25mm f/1.2 from Olympus is a joy to use. If the 17mm and 45mm are as good, then Olympus has a powerhouse trio that even Panasonic shooters might be tempted to buy.
Key specs for the 25mm lens…

Micro Four Thirds System
50mm (35mm Equivalent)
Aperture Range: f/1.2 to f/16
Three Extra-Low Dispersion Elements
One Aspherical Element, Four HR Elements
Z Coating Nano
MSC High-Speed Imager AF System
Internal Focusing, MF Clutch
Weather-Resistant Construction
Rounded Nine-Blade Diaphragm

CONCLUSION
The holy trinity of lenses for any particular brand is often the most popular set of lenses for those starting out in photography. Experienced photographers often encourage new photographers to seek out focal lengths resembling what the holy trinity offers.

If you’re obsessed with DOF, you want to get the best bokeh. Many companies make super fast lenses, but most photographers who use these lenses either have trouble focusing them or they have to stop down at least one stop (maybe two) to get the lens’ best performance. That is not the case with the new holy trinity - Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO Lens - the new Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f/1.2 PRO Lens and the already shipping Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm f/1.2 PRO Lens. They all offer great image quality - even wide open. They offer fantastic and beautiful bokeh but still capture all the fine foreground details you want.

If I wasn't a bird photographer, I'd be tempted to buy these three lenses and call it good. For many of you, they would help you achieve almost any photographic goal and help you do it in style. Highly recommended.

DISCLAIMER: Crop factor and the associated focal length multiplier only affects field of view (FOV). I prefer to reference this as effective focal length (EFL) but others use FOV. Feel free to use whichever term you like. Also please note that I am an Olympus Visionary. My opinions are my own, but in case you might think I have been influenced by my affiliation with Olympus, I wanted to disclose it.

Please support our show by using our B&H affiliate link (click here) that will not cost you a penny more than when you are buying at B&H without our link. And the more this link will be used to buy at B&H, the more giveaways we’ll be able to give back to our listeners through B&H. It really is a “win-win” situation :)

And please share this podcast with your friends and subscribe via iTunes. We would also love to get your feedback. Is there anything that you want us to cover on the show in the future? And we would appreciate if you could take a short moment to rate or post a quick review about our shows on iTunes.

For more information on Scott Bourne follow him on Twitter: @ScottBourne
For more information on Marco Larousse follow him on Twitter: @HamburgCam

Author

Scott Bourne is an Olympus Visionary and a professional wildlife photographer, author and lecturer who specializes in birds. He was one of the founders of This Week In Photo, Founded Photofocus.com and is co-founder of the new Photo Podcast Network (www.photopodcasts.com.)

Scott is a regular contributor to several photography related blogs and podcasts and is the author of 11 photography books. Scott is available to speak to your birding group, photography group and for both private and small group bird photography workshops.

For more information on engaging Scott as a speaker or workshop leader, or for image licensing and print information, please e-mail scott@scottbourne.com.

0 Comments

11/16/2017 0 Comments

Q&A #6 | PPN |November 16th, 2017

This is the PPN - Q&A podcast episode #6 for November 2017.

Please submit your photography related questions to us here: http://www.photopodcasts.com/contact.html

This episode is sponsored by B&H - Please use our B&H affiliate link: https://bhpho.to/2hpGGPI

Here are the questions that Marco answers on this episode:

1. I am currently looking for a versatile mirrorless camera system. As I want to get into indoor sports photography (Basketball and ice hockey) I need a setup that is good enough to handle the task. What do I need to look out for and what are your recommendations?
from Keith in Toronto, Canada

2. Hi Scott and Marco, I have heard Marco talk about interior real estate photography in a previous show and would like to get a bit more info on how to tackle this task. I have given it a try but I have not been happy with the results that I get from my Nikon D800 and SB910 system flash. Any suggestions on what I can do to improve my results?
from Sandra in Sydney, Australia

Link to the Aurora HDR 2018 software: AuroraHDR.com
Use "photopodcasts" as discount code at checkout!

3. Hi, can you please explain how to use the function button that is on lenses. Also, please include how you personally use. Thanks
from Bill in De Soto, Missouri

4. Hi, I want every bit of light my Nikon 200-500 zoom will capture. Does my UV filter reduce light reaching the sensor significantly?
from Richard in New Jersey

5. I want to start getting my photographs printed so I can sell them on my website and art shows, but the question is where? I have tried a couple of labs and the consistency is not there. Do you use a local lab or a national lab?
from Allen in Houston, Texas

Please support our show by using our B&H affiliate link (click here) that will not cost you a penny more than when you are buying at B&H without our link. And the more this link will be used to buy at B&H, the more giveaways we’ll be able to give back to our listeners through B&H. It really is a “win-win” situation :)

And please share this podcast with your friends and subscribe via iTunes. We would also love to get your feedback. Is there anything that you want us to cover on the show in the future? And we would appreciate if you could take a short moment to rate or post a quick review about our shows on iTunes.

For more information on Marco Larousse follow him on Twitter: @HamburgCam

For more information on Scott Bourne follow him on Twitter: @ScottBourne

Comparison between one of Marco's single exposure vs. a 3 exposure Aurora HDR interior images.

Author

Marco Larousse is a journalist and a fine art, street and documentary photographer, a educator, speaker, and podcast producer of photography related topics - MarcoLarousse.com. Marco has a background in photography of 30+ years.

Marco's approach to photography is "reduce to the basics and focus on the story and the subject." Growing up with the limitations that film photography has taught him, he still enjoys the basic approach to photography today. For Marco the camera is a tool and a mere extension of his instincts.

Marco is the Co-Founder, Host and Producer at Photo Podcast Network.

Contact Marco on Twitter @HamburgCam

0 Comments

11/8/2017 2 Comments

WE SHOOT MIRRORLESS #8 | PPN | November 8TH, 2017

On this episode #8 “We Shoot Mirrorless” podcast episode for November 2017, Scott and Marco discuss these new products and mirrorless topics:

This show is sponsored by B&H: https://bhpho.to/2htc5AL

Scott shares his experiences from visit Photo Plus Expo in New York and Marco talks about his 48h trip to Berlin.

Sony announced a new camera. The a7rIII 42MP full frame camera comes with some nice speed, shutter and battery improvements.

https://bhpho.to/2hrBlXX

Sony also announced two new lenses for their mirrorless E mount. The Sony FE 24-105 f4 G OSS lens is a fairly light and versatile zoom. And the FE 400mm f2.8 GM OSS is still in development and is expected to launch in summer 2018.

https://bhpho.to/2Aw4Bk0

Olympus announced two new fast prime lenses from their PRO lineup. According to Scott and some early reviewers the M.ZUIKO Digital ED 17mm F1.2 PRO and M.ZUIKO Digital ED 45mm F1.2 PRO will be game changers for their light gathering and shallow depth of field and bokeh. The lenses can be pre-ordered now.

17mm f1.2: https://bhpho.to/2htbn6z
45mm f1.2: https://bhpho.to/2AvF4aM

Canon introduced the PowerShot G1 X Mark III. It is a fixed zoom lens camera that has a 24 MP APS-C sensor with dual pixel AF and Digic 7 processor and a fixed 24-72mm equivalent zoom lens with the fastest aperture between f2.8-5.6. It shoots bursts of up to 9fps and can record video at 1080/60p video. It weighs only 400g or 14oz and is like a fixed zoom lens version of the EOS M5 interchangeable lens camera.

https://bhpho.to/2hs5PJw

Hasselblad adds two new lenses to their lens roadmap. The XCD 80mm (63mm FF equivalent - aperture is still unknown) and the XCD 135mm f2.8 plus a dedicated 1.7x teleconverter.

http://www.hasselblad.com/lenses/x-system

Hasselblad has released a firmware update for the X1D. This FW 1.19 update adds more options to make the camera more overall more customizable. They have also added support for V system lenses.

Leica now offers their 28mm full frame fixed focal length Leica Q camera in a silver edition.

https://bhpho.to/2AvDCVQ

Leica has resurrected the old Thambar-M 90mm f2.2 lens. A classic lens from the 1930s that is known for its extremely soft and blurry images and bubbly bokeh wide open. The main difference to the traditional model is that it comes with an M instead of a screw mount.

https://bhpho.to/2htvl0O

Fujifilm announced a square format Instax printer. The Share SP-3 SQ prints to the Instax square instant film and can print directly from your Fuji X camera or it can be used as a printer connected to your computer or smartphone. Each print takes about 13 seconds and each battery charge is good for about 160 prints.

https://bhpho.to/2Aw2Mnv

Nikon closes its camera and lens factory in China where about 2500 workers are employed. Nikon blames the rise of smartphones for this drastic step. Nikon also seizes their camera sales in Brazil.

Mirrorless question of the month:
Hi Scott and Marco, I’m a new listener and love your approach to do different topic shows in your feed each month. I am currently a Canon 5D MK III shooter and you guys have convinced me that I can switch to mirrorless cameras without sacrificing IQ.
I do mainly portrait and travel photography and I’m wondering if I could get away with buying a less expensive mirrorless camera (i.e. Olympus E-M10 MK II, Fuji X-A3 or Sony a6000) and rather spend extra money on pro-grade lenses?
Would I lose AF speed, accuracy, or IQ on those lower end models compared to the higher end ones?

Jim from Valdosta, Georgia

We have a PPN Photo Podcast Network group at Flickr (click link) that is open to our listeners and photos taken with all mirrorless camera brands. If you want to join just let us know through the "request invitation" button on the group and drop us a quick line there. We'll add you to the group then. And please ask for the invite via the web browser and not via the Flickr App. The invite process via the app has not been working reliably.

You can also submit an image using the Instagram hashtag #WeShootMirrorless

We have picked our monthly featured photographer and image from our Flickr groups. Our monthly We Shoot Mirrorless feature photo and photographer of the month is: Evan Gearing "Sand Falls” (click here)

Please support our show by using our B&H affiliate link (click here) that will not cost you a penny more than when you are buying at B&H without our link. And the more this link will be used to buy at B&H, the more giveaways we’ll be able to give back to our listeners through B&H. It really is a “win-win” situation :)

And please share this podcast with your friends and subscribe via iTunes. We would also love to get your feedback. Is there anything that you want us to cover on the show in the future? And we would appreciate if you could take a short moment to rate or post a quick review about our shows on iTunes.

For more information on Scott Bourne follow him on Twitter: @ScottBourne
For more information on Marco Larousse follow him on Twitter: @HamburgCam

About this show:
On the monthly #WeShootMirrorless episode of the “PPN - Photo Podcast Network” show, Scott and Marco will discuss news from the mirrorless camera world related to innovations, trends, gear and accessories. And they will introduce mirrorless camera brands by interviewing the respective managers of those manufacturers. They will also invite pro photographers who make their living working with mirrorless cameras to share some tips and tricks on their workflow.