Kodak Full Frame SLR

Recently, just before the D800 was announced, I saw an ad in the on line classifieds for a Kodak DSC Pro 14n for $500 and I was sorely tempted.  I am starting to seriously miss the full frame D700 I had and I am getting quite itchy.  The Kodak camera came out almost 10 years ago and was the first full frame Nikon mount digital SLR available.  Sure it’s a 14MP full frame camera, but it is based on the old Nikon F80, and the software in the camera, now 10 years old, wasn’t that great when it was new.

Though tempting, I don’t like being frustrated by cameras, so I’m going to wait it out.

Nuit Blanche Toronto 2010

Pentax Q suspicions

I had my suspicions that the price tag was far too high on the Pentax Q, and they have been proven.  Henry’s Outlet Centre is already offering them for $499 with the 50mm equiv lens, or $300 off for an open box model.  Quite the price drop.  I was actually tempted, but luckily the place as busy, so I didn’t take a look at it and came away with wallet intact.  Truthfully though, I would pay $300 - $400 for this camera, just for its size and SLR like controls.

Kingston, ON

In Camera stabiliser systems

One thing I admire about Pentax  cameras is the excellent in camera stabiliser system.  This allows all those ancient, but excellent Takumar lenses to know be stabilised!  Very cool!  My Dad bought a classic 55mm f1.8 and a 35mm f3.5 new in 1960 with his Pentax S3, and they are now stabilised on his K7 DSLR!  Sure Sony D-SRLs do this too, but the oldest lens you can put on it dates from the late 1980’s.

I really wish Nikon followed this system, as it would have allowed stabilisation on this shot that I took with a 1960’s Nikkor 200mm f4.

Voigtlander Bessamatic

Earlier in the year I helped out and elderly lady on our street sell her car as she could no longer drive.  As she knew I liked classic cameras, she gave me her Voigtlander Bessamatic as a gift.  The camera works fine, but could probably do with a CLA.  It is an interesting camera, being an SLR with a leaf shutter and interchangable lenses, mine coming with the 50mm f2.8 Skopar-X.  Interestingly, when new, this camera was available with the world’s first zoom lens, the Zoomar 35-70mm f2.8 constant aperture.  Impressive spec today, but truly amazing 55 years ago, and these lenses have become quite collectable today.

I haven’t shot with this camera yet, though I will admit to considering getting an adapter to try out the lens on a NEX.

This wooden giraffe was on a stand at the Antiques Markets in the St Lawrence Market area.  It must have stood 6ft high, but when it was perched on the sellers table, it literally toward over everyone.

Forgotten Gerbera

Sometimes you back through old photos you have shot and find one you just love.  This was the case with this one.  I’d shot it in the middle of last year and found it recently on my files.  I added a little saturation, and the photo just popped!  This was shot on the Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro, and this lens, in terms of sharpness per dollar spent, would have to be at the top of that list.

Sigma 20mm f1.8 on DX

Recently I had a business trip to Kingston, ON; so I decided to take the Nikon D90 with the Sigma 20mm f1.8 and the Nikon 50mm f1.4D to do some night street shooting in the downtown area.  Interestingly I didn’t even take the 50mm out of my pocket, and shot the whole time with the Sigma.  

The Sigma is a bit of a funny lens on the D90.  Sometimes the camera underexposes the shot significantly, and at f1.8 it isn’t particularly sharp. Beyond about a metre, the wide angle nature of the lens makes it hard to render objects out of focus, even at the fast wide open aperture.  Obviously if you use the very close focus nature of the lens, it is quite easy to render backgrounds out of focus, but rarely are you shooting and object 10cm away in street shots.

Still, its not a bad combination for street shooting, the right amount of wide angle combined with the right amount of speed.