My Top 10 Photography Resources

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Hello there!

In this really short post, I would like to share some of my favorite photography resources with you.

As you might know, there are tons of web sites or blogs out there about every aspect of photography and it is almost impossible not to miss many of them which actually deserve close attention; so accept my apologies…

The ones I listed below are my top 10 photography resources that I tend to visit regularly and they definitely worth having a look…

 

 1.   Cambridge in Colour

 2.   History of Photography Podcasts

 3.   Digital Photography Review

 4.   This Week in Photo

 5.   Ken Rockwell

 6.   DXO Mark

 7.   Photozone

 8.   1x

 9.   500px

10.  Iphone Art 

 

Until next time…

 

Best Regards,   Tamer

A Prime Lens Story… ( Part 2 )

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( Part 1 )

 

The first Mountain Bike venue that I was going to shoot with my new Nikkor 35mm f/2D prime lens was a scheduled XC Race in Göreme; a small, beautiful town in Cappadocia. 

I had already done my homework and examined every inch of the racecourse in order to get ready for the upcoming action. As the name implies, Mountain Biking is closely related to the environment. Even if the exact location of the course remains the same, the terrain does not. Rain, snow, winter, tectonic movements, activities of humans and animals change it every second.

***

Mountain Biking has several disciplines and XC is probably the most popular one. There are also many categories both for men and women, based on age and performance. The Elite Category is the most challenging one, where the toughest, strongest and fastest racers compete against each other. 

It is always a huge advantage being familiar with the sport that you are about to shoot. Knowing the individual racers, their style, strengths and weaknesses on the other hand, is priceless.

***

In order to convey some sense of freedom, I decided to add the beautiful sky by shooting from a low angle and in addition to that, I also wanted to include the landscape, which was one of a kind. Therefore I tried many spots although I couldn’t be sure about the results yet, since the action was going on and I had to keep up with it.  

So I went on…

Then, I arrived at this particular section of the course, which was a single track climb. At that time, the final lap had already started but I still had ten minutes or so to get prepared. I used this time to settle and check my camera settings. I remember wishing  for a big hole in the ground where I could place my self easily in order to shoot from a very low angle. But there wasn’t any. So I decided to lie down on the ground on my back and shoot the racers just after they pass me. Needless to say that I had to use my camera up-side-down. I could easily rotate the images afterwards.

There were some other MTB riders who were also watching the venue and supporting their fellow riders. I had to kindly ask them to stay out of my frame for the sake of an uncluttered background. Fortunately they were kind enough to cooperate with me. 

At the same time, my brother and a friend of mine were informing me about particular racers before they reach at the spot where I was settled.

Despite being not so steep, the climb where I aimed my camera was somehow difficult to clear at once. Especially for the less experienced riders; probably because of the characteristics of the soil unique to this place. 

In general, for a successful climb, not only the gear used, but also the position of the rider on the bike ( the weight distribution ) has to be just perfect, assuming that tire selection, tire pressure and approaching speed were already just as perfect.

Now back to the race…

When someone shouted ” Bilal is coming! “, I knew that he was approaching lightning fast and definitely able to clear this hurdle at once, without loosing any time; and I was right. It was no surprise that this guy was one of the best Turkish XC racers that time ( and he still is ).

Fortunately, I had already pre-focused and was shooting at 5 fps.

How about the images? 

Well, everything happened so quickly that I could not even be sure what I got until I checked all of them later that day. But when I finished, I had a couple of winners, just like this one…

How about the lens?

I removed it just once; to attach it on my new Nikon D600 body. 

And I am still loving it more than ever…

Until next time…

 

Best regards,   Tamer

A Prime Lens Story… ( Part 1 )

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Some time ago, I posted an image of an MTB XC Racer on this blog. Now I’d like to share the story behind that shot.

Before diving into it, I have to admit that the writing process took a little bit longer than I expected, since I had to recall many details and compile all the necessary stuff. But more than that, in the middle of doing it, a totally different yet interesting idea came to my mind out of nowhere; an article about my dream camera! You can read it here. As if that was  not enough alone, just another one came as well, which was a self discussion about viewfinders.

Despite all the distractions and delays, I have finally finished the article and I’m ready to post it.

***

Have you ever heard, read or seen anything about Cappadocia?

It is the land of beautiful horses, which is located in the center part of Anatolia. Cappadocia is simply amazing not just because of its really beautiful horses, but also its geographical features, history, winery and pottery. And of course the famous Turkish hospitality…

What most people don’t know about Cappadocia is that this beautiful region is also a heaven for Mountain Bike lovers. Every year, more and more professional and hobbyist riders are discovering and enjoying its unique beauty and offerings.

When I first started taking photographs in 2004, I had already been enjoying Mountain Biking. Naturally, my passion became my first subject of interest in photography. I was a hobbyist photographer then and I am still shooting for my own pleasure.

***

Now, I’d like to change the subject a little bit for a while. Of course, it is still going to be photography related.

***

A couple of years ago, the concept of “simplicity” started effecting my life profoundly. One day, I found myself thinking seriously about having only one lens attached to my Nikon D700 body, all the time. Why not? This way I was going to carry a less cumbersome and neat gear.

At that time, I had four lenses. They were as follows:

1) Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D
2) Nikkor AF-S VR Micro 105mm f/2.8G ED
3) Nikkor AF-S 14-24 f/2.8G ED ( 1.7x )
4) Sigma AF 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM

I had to choose wisely…

Therefore I put a lot of time and effort to pick the right glass which should be suitable for MTB action, landscapes, nature, animals, close ups and portraits at the same time.

I started eliminating them one by one…

Obviously, it was not that difficult to leave the Nikkor AF-S VR Micro 105mm f/2.8G ED lens out. Despite being really successful in its own right, it was not suitable for general photography. Neither was the Nikkor AF-S 14-24 f/2.8G ED ( 1.7x ), one of the best wide angle zoom lenses ever manufactured. Again, this one was designed to accomplish a targeted task; landscapes and architecture only.

I had a Nikon D300 when I purchased the Sigma AF 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM lens. The focal equivalent was 75-225mm and I was primarily shooting MTB action with it. Unfortunately, I was not able to use it at full resolution ( without heavy corner vignetting ) when I switched to the full frame Nikon D700. More than that, the focal range was not appropriate to be my only option.

How about the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D prime lens then? Definitely, it had to be the one. Besides, there wasn’t any other option to choose from!

***

Generally, incorporating a prime lens into your photography forces you to be more creative. By trial and error, it is possible and sometimes really enjoyable to discover what works best for the frame you are after. In time, I became aware of and inspired deeply by the old masters like Henri Cartier-Bresson who used only prime lenses to create legendary images. That alone helped me a lot to convince myself that I was on the right track. On the other hand, there was still an issue to be solved personally. Was 50mm the most suitable focal length for my intended use?…

After some serious evaluation, I noticed that it wasn’t. That particular focal distance was a little bit tight for my needs. Yes, it was almost ideal for portraits and Street Photography alone, however I tend to shoot landscapes more. In addition to that, MTB action was still my main interest and lately I had the habit of including the environment in the frame, which means; a wider angle. Finally everything seemed so clear to me. The appropriate focal length should be…

( Second part of this post is coming soon… )

Until next time…

Best Regards, Tamer

Optical vs Electronic Viewfinders

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Some of you might be old enough to remember the Zenit-E SLR camera. My father had one of them…

Zenit-E series cameras were made in the USSR. The one my father had was attached with a fast Helios prime lens and it was also equipped with a large and bright ( optical ) viewfinder.

I remember the first time I looked through this viewfinder. I was just fascinated by the large and bright view, and especially by the dark area around the window. Somehow, it instantly felt like being in a movie theater.

Although that first impression was strong, it took a long time to get my own camera and enter the world of photography…

It was the year 2004 when I purchased my first DSLR, the Canon EOS 300D. It wouldn’t be unfair to call that particular camera a game changer for its time. Most probably, it was the first DSLR camera which was well designed, sturdy, easy to use and yet still affordable.

Now, a little bit about electronic viewfinders ( EVF ).

Although they arrived later, electronic viewfinders have been around for some time. But, until recently, they have been far away from being satisfactory. Especially the ones on consumer level products .

But times are changing, as always. Even though optical viewfinders are still great for many of us, electronic viewfinders also have their own advantages over their optical counterparts. Let me briefly remind the most important ones ( you can always google it for detailed information ):

1. LiveView functionality allows more accurate control over exposure.
2. Mirror blackout can be avoided since there is no reflex mirror anymore.
3. Faster auto focus can be achieved by incorporating a translucent fixed mirror and phase detection AF system.
4. Lighter and quieter cameras can be built.

Using the most advanced technologies and materials, leading manufacturers like microOLED are really close to fixing the most important issues of electronic viewfinders like resolution, refreshing rates, color gamut, contrast ratio and power consumption. They have recently showed us what’s possible right now and led us imagine what could be possible in the future.

My final point is that optical viewfinders are still great and they will be around for some time. However there is no point in being against electronic viewfinders anymore as long as they meet or surpass the qualifications defined by demanding users.

Until next time…

Best Regards, Tamer

My Custom Built Dream Camera…

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Hello Everyone!

Today’s cameras are great, aren’t they?

Still, this doesn’t necessarily mean that there is a particular camera which is perfect for everyone. It is impossible to build such a camera that suits every need, every taste and every budget. Even if it is possible, no camera manufacturer would choose to do so. Instead, they would continue to offer tiny amount of improvements over the older ones each time they introduce something new. Just for the sake of more money… On the other hand, today’s “perfect” would most probably become tomorrow’s obsolete.

However, there is nothing to stop you from having your custom built dream camera, other than your imagination. Frankly, I do have mine and I can’t wait to talk about it. But I’d also like to hear about yours. What would your dream camera be like? If you are still reading, you must have one. Anyway, I am really interested in discovering all the other possibilities, concepts and  creative ideas.

Suppose that you have all the connections and financial resources to convince your favorite camera manufacturer to take part in your dream. All you have to do is to provide them with the details of your custom made toy.

Before introducing my dream camera, I’d like to remind you that I’m a hobbyist photographer and I like shooting MTB races, nature & animals, landscapes, portraits and close-ups most of the time.

Now it’s time to fantasize…

Imagine a proper, conventional DSLR body made of magnesium, which probably has the best functionality and is really easy to use, according to my experiences. Of course not the chunkier and heavier ones, like Nikon D4 or Canon EOS 1Dx. The Nikon D600 would be a good example. Now, remove the OVF ( Optical Viewfinder ) and put a very high quality OLED EVF ( Electronic Viewfinder ), something like the French Company microOLED offers. Replace the conventional mirror with a translucent mirror, like the Sony Alpha SLT A99 has and add a fixed zoom lens in front of the body.

Now, as you can see, the camera has become a bridge camera, something like the FujiFilm X-S1. However, the super huge zoom range most of the bridge cameras offer is not a necessity for me. Instead, I would prefer a fast constant aperture zoom lens which allows me to shoot under low light conditions. At the same time, it would help me produce very shallow DOF ( Depth Of Field ) images which I really like. Therefore, this fixed lens is going to be a 24-120mm. ( 5x ), f/2.0 constant aperture zoom lens. Also, the length of the lens must remain constant regardless of the zoom and focus settings, like the Sigma AF 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM lens. By the way, manual focus operation must be the same as real DSLRs, meaning that is completely independent of the body. In addition to that, the entire camera must be sealed against dust and moister. So, protection of the imaging sensor wouldn’t be an issue. The total weight of the camera ( including battery and SD Card ) must not exceed 900 gr.

The imaging device of this camera is simply amazing. Not only because of its technical specifications ( you can find them below ), but also its shape. The CMOS sensor is designed as a perfect square. This design approach adds flexibility and ease of use to the whole experience. Thanks to this sensor shape, the camera can always be used in its native landscape orientation, which is most convenient and natural. Landscape or portrait modes can easily be selected just by pressing a dedicated ” Orientation ” button.

For a better realization, I’ve also included a list.

 

General Specifications:

 

Body Type…………………………………………………………………Mid Size Bridge

Body Material……………………………………………………………..Magnesium Alloy

Power Supply………………………………………………………………….Li-ion Battery

Battery Life…………………………………………………………………..…1000 Shots

Storage Media…….……………………SD Card ( Double Slots / All Types Suported )

Onboard Flash Unit………………………………………………………………………No

Hot Shoe…………………………………………………………………….Yes ( Standard )

Tripod Mount………………………………………………………………………Yes ( 1/4″ )

Dimensions ( W X H x D )………………….………………….135 x 105 x 150 ( mm )

Total Weight Incl. battery and SD Card…………………………………………900 gr.

 

Lens Type………………………………..…………………….………Fixed Zoom ( 5x )

Lens Focal Range………………………………………..………………….24mm – 120mm

Max. Aperture…….….……….………………..f/2.0 ( Constant @ all focal settings )

Min. Aperture…….….……….…………………………………………………………..f/22

Lens Filter Size…………………………………………………………………..…67mm.

Number Of Aperture Diaphragm Blades……………………………………………….9

Lens Max. Diameter…………………………………………………..….…..…..77mm.

Macro Mode Capability……………………………………………….Yes ( @ 120mm. )

Min. Focus Distance @ 120mm ( Macro Mode )……………………………..20cm.

 

Mirror………………………………………………….Translucent ( Fixed ) Mirror

 

Viewfinder Type…………………..………………..…OLED EVF ( Square Type )

Viewfinder Resolution…………………………1280 x 1280, 24-bit, 16M Colors

Viewfinder Coverage…..…..………………………………………….………….% 100

Viewfinder Magnification…………………………………………………….….….0.7x

Viewfinder Contrast Ratio………………………………………….……..100.000:1

 

Shutter Type…………..…..…………………………………….Focal Plane Shutter

Shutter Material…………………………………………………….Carbon Composite

Shutter Life……………….…………………………………………..200.000 Cycles

Max. Shutter Speed…………………..…..…………………………….1/8000 sec.

Min. Shutter Speed………………………………………………..…..………30 sec.

 

Sensor Type ………………….…………………………..CMOS ( Square Frame )

Sensor Size ……………….………………………………………….36mm x 36mm

Max. Resolution ………..………………………………………6000 x 6000 ( 36MP )

Sensor Dynamic Range………………………………………………………15 EVs

Sensor Sensitivity Range …………….……………………..………ISO 50 – 25600

 

LCD Screen Type………..…………..…TFT Xtra Fine Color LCD ( Square Type )

LCD Screen Size…………………………………………………………………….3.5″

LCD Screen Dots……….……………….………………………………..…1.440.000

 

Manual Focus……..…………….…………………………………………………..…Yes

Auto Focus………………………………………………………………………….….Yes

Number Of Focus Points……………………………………………………….………49

Number Of Cross-Type AF Points…………………………………………………….13

 

Shooting Modes……………………….Aperture Priority / Shutter Priority / Manual

JPG ………………………………..Yes ( Only Highest Quality Option Available )

RAW………………………………………………………………….………………Yes

Image Resolutions……………………….36 MP @ 1:1, 24MP @ 3:2, 20MP @ 16:9

Max.Continuous Drive…..………………………………………………….…….10 fps

Video Capability………………………………………………………………..……Yes

Supported Video Formats……….……………………………XAVC, MPEG.4, H.264

Video Resolutions…………..…………………Full HD & 4K @ 60 / 30 / 25 / 24 fps

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article about my dream camera. I’m looking forward to hear from you about yours. Thanks for your time…

 

Best Regards,    Tamer