Tag Archives: Digital Photography
My iPhone has become my point & shoot camera for the most part. It's a good camera and while I do own "better" point & shoot cameras, my phone is always with me. Therefore it wins by default. I've also seen several attempts at adding lenses to smartphones and in most cases I'm left scratching my head trying to understand why anyone would want to do this? After all If I'm going to carry big lenses or if the photography is that important to me, then I'm also going to carry a decent camera body to go with those lenses. I recently made one exception to this rule.
The Easy-Macro Lens for Smartphones
We often use point & shoot cameras and smartphone cameras because they are CONVENIENT and self contained. However, if I can carry a Macro lens and it adds no extra weight or fuss then I'm interested. The Easy-Macro is just such an accessory. The easiest way to describe it is that it's a Macro lens on an elastic (rubber) band. When not in use you can carry it on the supplied card in your wallet or purse. I got this lens a couple weeks ago, stuck it in my wallet and forgot about it. Last night while on the plane I noticed it and decided to give it a spin. It installs in two seconds. Just stretch the band around your phone and position the lens over your built-in lens. That's it. You're ready to do a little Macro photography.
Shot taken up close withOUT the Easy-Macro
shot taken up close WITH Easy-Macro
The Bottom Line
The Easy-Macro won't replace any of my Nikon DSLR lens any time soon, but for quick up close detailed shots with a smartphone it's easy, low cost and nice to have.
You can get the Easy-Macro here for $15.
January 16th, 2012
11:09
A Look Back At My First “Solo” Portrait Shoot in 2007
I get asked the question "how long have I been doing photography?" all the time. Even though I get this question regularly I have to pause and think about it for a minute because it depends on what the person is referring to. I've always had an interest in taking pictures ever since I was a kid. So do I count my Kodak Instamatic experience complete with flash cubes? Probably not what the person is thinking. I then answer for about 5 to 6 years. Last night I spent some time in Adobe Lightroom 4 Beta and while I don't organize my folders by year, I can certainly see why someone would want to use that method. Instead I organize by the folder for a particular shoot. If I do a shoot with Jane Doe, then that shoot goes into the Jane Doe folder. If I do another shoot with Jane Doe then it goes into the "Jane Doe 2" folder. That has worked well for me as I'm usually looking for a picture of a person, not necessarily a year that I took it. With that said, I was curious to see what photos I took when and since I have one catalog for my "Model" Shoots containing every "edited" picture I've done, I decided to create "Smart" Collections to separate them out by years:
It was really fun taking a trip down memory lane! Some of the photos I looked at and cringed and others I said, "hey that wasn't bad for a beginner." The photo above of Mya was my first "solo" shoot. I say it that way because it wasn't my first shoot ever. I had actually started shooting portraits in 2006, but back then I was merely tagging along on other photographer's shoots. My first shoot ever was along side Scott Kelby. Scott visited me back in 2006 and he had set up a shoot for his upcoming iPod Book at the time (I was technical editor). We rented Andy Greenwell's studio here in Michigan and Andy setup the lights, Scott found the model and I just basically observed and got a shot here and there. The reason that I don't really count that as my first shoot is because I didn't do any of the work. I just pointed my camera and fired after I asked "hey what settings are you using?"
Going Solo
I finally got up enough nerve to try my own portrait session in 2007. My sister recommended that i use Mya (friend of the family) and Mya agreed to let me photograph (experiment with) her. I had no studio, no professional lighting and a consumer grade DSLR. The shoot took place in my living room. I had a Nikon D80, 18-200mm Nikon lens and an SB 600 speedlight. I also used a Westcott pop up background. My SB 600 speedlight was mounted on a stand and shooting through a diffuser. Quite honestly I had no idea of what I was really doing from a settings stand point. I just kept adjusting things until I got a half way decent image. That session showed me that I had a LOT to learn!
Renting a Studio in 2008
In 2008 I decided that I needed a larger space than my living room. So I did a timeshare with other photographers. I also started buying more gear including lighting. According to Lightroom I shot more portraits in 2008 than any other year. This probably due more to being less selective about the number of images I kept vs. doing more shooting.
2009-2011
Between the years of 2009 and 2011 I would say was the timeframe that I learned most of what I know.
Not only did I improve my photography skills and lighting skills, but I also improved my editing skills in post.
I'm always learning from the photographers that I admire. Videos, seminars, books and group shoots are ways that I learn the fastest.
The number one lesson that I can say that I've learned and constantly remind myself of is "Less is more – Only show your best work." This is one that I have to credit Scott Kelby for. He basically beat it into to me and I finally got it. I now limit my galleries to 24 images. If there is a new image that I want to put in, then it has to be better than one of the ones that's already there and it replaces it.
Today
Although I have my own studio now and a few years of shooting under my belt, I'm always learning something new just about every time I pick up my camera. I invite you to go back through your work and feel free to share some links in the comments below. Tell us your experiences over the years and perhaps some of the things you've learned.
January 3rd, 2012
12:54
The Making Of My “Queen Nefertari” Egyptian Themed Shoot
While I don't consider myself to be an artist, I can certainly relate to having a vision or concept in my head that just won't go away until I try to execute it. That's been the case for the last two years. I had this concept of doing an Egyptian Queen "Nefertari" themed shoot. I've always had a fascination with Ancient Egyptian culture. I first toured Egypt in 1990 and it left a lasting impression on me. I also went back for a short business trip last year while on the Adobe CS5 Tour. Now that you know how long I've been thinking about this, let's start putting the pieces together.
I saw the first piece of this puzzle in a Skymall catalog. It was an authentic looking King Tutankhamun throne. I ripped the page out of the catalog and kept looking back at it saying "one day."
I decided that this was the year to try to pull this off so that meant finding the right model. I immediately turned to my favorite model Kandice Lynn and asked if she would be up for and of course being the superstar that she is, she agreed. She immediately began working on the wardrobe selection and jewelry.
The next piece of the puzzle was having a good makeup artist. For this project we turned to Special Effects Makeup Artist Houda Bazzi. She was just as excited about the concept as I was and her wheels started spinning. We were shooting pictures back and forth via picture messaging for the next few days.
Continue reading “The Making Of My “Queen Nefertari” Egyptian Themed Shoot” »
December 27th, 2011
12:16
What’s In My Studio?
I remember when I first started out in Photography and wanted to get serious about it, I had lots of questions about what to buy? No one wants to make a large investment in the "wrong gear". I often get questions from New Photographers or Photographers looking to set up their 1st studio, asking what equipment should they get? That's a hard question to answer without knowing what you plan on shooting the most, your space and your budget. My primary focus is Portrait – (Beauty, Fashion & Glamour). Rather than trying to address every single situation individually I thought it would be easier to share with you the equipment I use and then you can take it from there. I have a 4,800 sq foot studio space and yes I LOVE IT! If you see something you think you'd like to have in your studio then you can just go ahead and get it.
Cameras
Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only) – My primary studio camera (waiting to see what the D800 or D4 bring to the table)
Nikon D7000 DSLR Camera (Body Only) – My travel and backup camera body.
Nikon D5100 Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) – My studio video camera also used sometimes to take production shots from overhead.
Canon S95 – My point & shoot primarily used for concerts (I'd either get the Nikon Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black) or Canon PowerShot S100 Digital Camera (Black) now)
iPhone 4s – Yep, I use this one almost as much as my DSLRs because it's always with me. While the S95/S100 is a better P&S camera, the iPhone is ALWAYS with me.
Lenses
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II Lens - My primary lens
Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8 – An older lens I got off eBay a few years back. The current Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED Autofocus Lens (Black) replaces it.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Zoom Lens – My main travel lens
Nikon Telephoto AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF Autofocus Lens - I use this mostly in natural or low light situations and portraits
Nikon 12-24mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor AF Lens – My wide angle lens mostly used for landscape shoots.
Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8G ED DX Fisheye Nikkor Lens – Mostly used when I travel and do landscape shoots
Lighting & Light Modifiers
I use Elinchrom for my strobes and Westcott for my continuous lighting. I use Nikon speedlights for air travel or my Elinchrom Quadra kit for local on location shoots. With each lighting system I use a variety of modifiers. My favorite is the Octa softbox.
2 Elinchrom Digital Style Combo 600RX Two Monolight Kit with EL Skyport (120VAC) – Portrait lighting <- I want 2 more of these
1 Elinchrom Style BX 500 Ri Compact MonoLight (90-260VAC) – Portrait lighting <-but I'll probably just go with 2 more of these instead since they're so much cheaper.
1 Elinchrom Midi Octa Light Bank for Flash Softbox
1 Elinchrom 39" Mini Octa Lite Bank Softbox Softbox for on location shoots
1 Elinchrom 27.5" Rotalux Deep Octa Softbox – great for quick falloff of light
1 Elinchrom Rotalux Softbox 27 x 27" (69 x 69 cm) Softbox
1 Elinchrom 17" White Minisoft Reflector for Elinchrom Beauty Dish and Impact 18" Diffuser Sock
2 Elinchrom Rotalux Softbox for Flash
1 Lastolite Kickerlite Floor Level Softbox – 3×4' (91x122cm)
Elinchrom Ranger Quadra Head S Pro Set – For my on location shoots.
Elinchrom Skyport SPEED Transmitter to trigger the Elinchrom strobes
2 Westcott Spiderlite TD6 2 Light Perfect Portrait Kit Deluxe (110V) – For Portrait and Product shots – Continuous Lighting
I still have some Westcott Spiderlite TD5's that I primarily use for video or backup.
1 Lastolite Triflector MkII Kit – White/Silver – used a lot in my portrait work
1 Westcott Shallow Softbox 54 x 72" (137 x 183 cm)
1 Westcott Shallow Softbox 36 x 48" (91 x 122 cm)
1 Nikon SB900 Speedlight – For travel (get the Nikon SB-910 AF Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash now)
1 Nikon SB800 Speedlight – For travel (get the Nikon SB-700 Speedlight Shoe Mount Flash now)
1 Nikon SB600 Speedlight – For travel, but I can't remember the last time I used it. (get the Nikon SB-700 Speedlight Shoe Mount Flash now)
2 PocketWizard Plus II Transceiver / Radio Slave for the Nikon Speedlights
1 Lastolite Ezybox Hot Shoe Softbox Kit – 24×24" for Travel
1 Zumbrella shoot thru umbrella for Travel
2 sets of ExpoImaging Rogue FlashBender Kit for Travel
1 Westcott 7' Parabolic Umbrella (White Diffusion)
1 Westcott Reflector – 48×72" – Gold, White (white on one side, gold on the other)
1 Lastolite HiLite Illuminated White Background (6 x 7') – for high-key fashion work. I put the cheapest strobe that I could find in it and set it to slave.
2 Lastolite TriGrip Diffuser, Two Stops – 48" (1.2m)
A variety of different light stands, but I did invest in a couple of good ones on wheels: Avenger A5033 Folding Base Wheeled Studio Stand
Tripods
Manfrotto Tripod (mine is discontinued, this one is the closest to what I have – Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod Legs (Black)) – This one stays in the studio, but I rarely shoot portraits with a tripod.
Gitzo GT1542T Series 1 Traveler 6x Carbon Fiber 4-Section Tripod w/ G-Lock – This is the one that I travel with for landscape shoots/long exposures. It also doubles as my light stand in a pinch.
Manfrotto 131DDB Tripod Accessory Arm for Four Heads (Black) and Gitzo G065 Laptop Platform – Laptop stand/support on the road when shooting tethered.
Kirk BH-1 Ballhead with Quick Release – Supports 50 lbs (22.6kg) – the one I use in studio (Although the Kirk Ballheads are top notch, today I'd probably go with The Really Right Stuff ballheads because most of my friends use these and therefore it would be easier to use a buddy's tripod that's standing next to me.)
Kirk BH-3 Ballhead with Quick Release – Supports 15 lbs (6.8kg) – the one I use for travel
Backgrounds
Westcott 5501 Modern Vintage Background (9 x 12', Onyx) I have all 6 designs, but I use Onyx the most.
1 Westcott Masterpiece Collapsible Reversible Background – 6×7' – Black / White
6 Rolls of Savage Seamless Paper (Fashion Gray, Canary Yellow, Blue, Coral-Pink, Black & Cocoa) Savage Seamless Background Paper (107" x 12yds, #56 Fashion Gray), Savage Seamless Background Paper (107" x 12yds, #38 Canary), Savage Seamless Background Paper (107" x 12yds, #31 Blue Jay), Savage Seamless Background Paper (107" x 12yds, #3 Coral), Savage Seamless Background Paper (107" x 12yds, #20 Super Black), Savage Seamless Background Paper (107" x 12yds, #80 Cocoa)) – these are permanently mounted on the walls of my studio
Camera Bags
ThinkTank International Airporter – my main on location travel bag
ThinkTank Streetwalker Hard Drive Backpack – my larger backpack for air travel to hold my camera gear and computer gear as a carry-on
Kata R-103 – My smaller backpack when I don't need to travel with as much gear.
I have a variety of smaller bags, but the 3 above are the ones I use the most.
Studio Music System
Music is a very important part of my shoots therefore the sound has to be good (sometimes loud) and able to be heard throughout the building. Therefore I stream the same music to via AirPlay to 4 different speaker systems located throughout the building. I'm using an older MacBook Pro for this task that either plays Pandora Radio or music from my iTunes Library)
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air – speaker in the main studio area
3 Bose Soundocks with AirPort Express Base Stations (1 in the green room, 1 in the reception area and 1 in my office). Now that the iHome iW1 has shipped I would go with 3 of those instead of the Sounddocks if I had it to do over again.
Misc. Gear
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 – I couldn't imagine doing photography without it!
Adobe Photoshop CS5 for all my retouching and compositing needs.
NIK Plugins.
3 Apple TV 2 Set-top boxes – My photography is on display throughout the studio both in print and electronically via HDTVs and Apple TVs driving them.
Apple iPad 2 – I use it for portfolio display, image review, model releases and variety of other tasks. See how it fits into my workflow here.
Apple 15.4" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer
Dell U2412M 24" FLAT WIDESCREEN LCD MONITOR – used when I tether and it rotates to either portrait or landscape orientation.
Wacom Intuos4 Wireless Digital Tablet and Wacom Cintiq 21UX
AV Cart on Wheels - My studio tethering setup is on this cart with a long enough extension cord to reach any of my shooting areas.
AirPort Extreme Base Station – this one access point has been amazing as it provides WiFi for the entire building.
2 BlowIt Fans – great because they mount on light stands
Fog Machine – Do I need to explain this? 
Drobo Drobo FS Network Storage Enclosure – Network backups for every shoot I do before I leave the building
ExpoImaging 72mm ExpoDisc Digital Warm Balance Filter (Portrait)
Solmeta N3 – GPS for geotagging integrated with my Nikon DSLRs
Trampoline for those high jump shots
Sekonic Light Meter – I rarely use it, but I have one just in case. Today I'd probably buy the Gossen DIGISKY Flash and Ambient Light Meter because it can trigger the Eincrhom strobes
Iron, Ironing board, & a steamer.
A variety of props and furniture.
The Bottom Line
The list above represents equipment that I've acquired over the past 4 years. By no means do you "need" all of it, especially if you're just starting out. Take from it what you will and keep in mind that I didn't start with it all on day one! That's the thing about photography, "there's always something to buy!" No one ever told you to get into photography because it would be a "cheap" hobby! 
See more of my photography here.
September 23rd, 2011
12:19
Why I Don’t Want More Megapixels
Yesterday I told you about how I broke my Nikon D700 again via a tethering accident. What I didn't mention was that I still had another shoot to do while the D700 was being repaired. I went to my backup body, which is a D7000. I love my D7000, but this was the first time that I actually used it during a studio shoot. I had no real issues with the camera or setup, but what I quickly realized was that there is a disadvantage to having more megapixels. The D7000 is a 16.2 MP camera, while my D700 is a 12.1 MP camera. If you do the math (it's not hard) there's a 4 MP increase in the image captured. What this translates to is that my RAW files on the D700 are about 10.4MB (average) in size and my D7000 DNGs are about 16MB (average) in size. This means that every shot is going be roughly about 6MBs larger than the ones coming from the D700.
Why is a larger file/higher megapixel image a bad thing?
The first thing I noticed that shooting tethered was taking longer. It makes sense. I'm used to a certain rhythm from the time I fire the shutter till the time image is displayed in Lightroom. There was a noticeable lag. The second problem was that my drive was running low on space and during the shoot I got a warning from the OS that I was basically out of space. I had to make some room right then and there. My shoots can range anywhere from 300-1,000 images. While I could have run out of space with either camera, the point is I probably ran out of space faster with the larger files coming from the D7000.
The Bottom Line
I'm not saying that camera manufacturers shouldn't build cameras capable of capturing more megapixels. What I am saying is that more megapixels no longer influences my buying decision. While I await the rumored Nikon D800 and D4, I cringe at the rumored specs of 38 Megapixels! Imagine having every photo you take be significantly larger in size whether you need it or not. I would much rather these guys build a 38MP camera (one model) for the guys that really need it and leave the rest of the line at a more reasonable/manageable MP number.
Less is more
Added note for clarification: I would welcome the larger MP images if the camera manufactures would also add the faster transfer technologies (ie. USB 3, 802.11n, Thunderbolt, etc.) into the bodies as well. What I'm saying above is that I don't just want more megapixels and nothing else. If you're going to make the files bigger then also make the transfers faster too!
September 2nd, 2011
11:42
Tired of the Same Old Backgrounds and Scenes?
I'll be the first to admit that I actually get tired of shooting in the same location time and time again. No matter what studio I'm in, including my new one which I LOVE, there are only so many backdrops to shoot against. This is one advantage to landscape photography as you can always go somewhere you haven't gone before. While I'd love to build sets (and I will), I just don't have the time to build new sets on a regular basis and they can be expensive to buy or have built. It's also funny when I can look at a photo and tell who shot it not, because of their photographic style, but because I recognize a piece of furniture that they always use
I remember seeing some cool scenes in the Westcott Live Shooting Bays at the last Photoshop World and I thought "Wow, Cool! But, I would get tired of that scene eventually." Little did I know at the time that Westcott actually will "rent" those scenic backgrounds. That changes everything. You can have a change of scenery, shoot it a few times and send it back without getting bored with it. I decided to check out a few of them and I used a couple of them in a shoot yesterday.
The backgrounds ship folded and as you can see you will have to either steam them or Photoshop out the wrinkles in post.
The tricky part is getting the perspective/distance/lighting right depending on the scene. Also depending on the color of the background you will either need to gel your lights or match the color in Photoshop afterwards.
Lastly the backdrops aren't as long as you may need for a full body shot. They come in either 5'x6' or 6'x8' However, you can get away with a seamless effect if the subject is sitting/kneeling or laying down.
If you're looking for a change of scenery but don't want to commit to one particular scene forever, check out the Westcott Scenic Background Rentals here.
August 24th, 2011
12:34
Video Review: Westcott Shallow Softboxes with the Spiderlite TD6
Sometimes it's easier just to show you a product that I use rather than write paragraphs about it. Today is one of those times. I started using the Westcott Shallow Softboxes earlier this year during a workshop that I taught in Texas. I've been enjoying not only the new shallow boxes, but also the size of the new "large" one.
Advantages of a shallow softbox
You probably wouldn't use one with a strobe because more than likely you'd create a big hot spot having the strobe that much closer to your subject. However, with the Spiderlite TD6 (or TD5), you don't have to to worry about. By having a shallow softbox you can you can get it into to places that normally wouldn't accomodate a deeper one. I have a nice red wall in the hallway of my studio and it's really tight trying to shoot there with my other softboxes. However, with the new shallow ones from Westcott, it's much easier.
The new LARGE one is also ideal for those times when you're doing a portrait of more than one person or you're shooting a larger product such as a motorcycle.
Here's what I used in the video above:
If you're looking for a kit, I'd go with this one.
The shots were taken with my Nikon D700 and 70-200mm VRII lens.
ISO 200, f/4 to f/4.5 at 1/50th sec.
August 1st, 2011
12:25
Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photowalk 2011 is Here
It's time to signup for Scott Kelby's Annual Worldwide Photowalk! The 2011 Walk will happen this October 1st & 2nd. Once again I plan to lead a walk here in the Metro Detroit Area. Since this is the first time he's done this in the Fall I've chosen the Franklin Cider Mill as our photowalk location as the fall colors should play very nicely for some great shots.
More details to follow, but don't wait! Sign up here now as my walk usually fills up the 1st day!
July 13th, 2011
12:12
Get lower and shoot higher
As I mentioned in my post last week, I certainly enjoy having the opportunity to attend seminars and workshops. However, this usually comes at a price. I'm not talking about the price of attending. I'm talking about the fact that I almost always see a piece of gear that I want. Attending Scott's seminar last week was no different. It was actually a piece of gear that he didn't even mention one time during his talk. Although he did talk about shooting at lower angles for fashion, but what I realized was that my current background support system just wasn't tall enough. When the background isn't tall enough and you're down low shooting up you'll more than likely see the top of the background and worse, whatever's above it or behind it.
I asked Brad
During one of the breaks and while I was helping swap out rolls of seamless paper I asked Brad (Scott's photo assistant) which stands he was using and he told me. I ordered them and set them up side-by-side with my existing stands, both at their maximum height just to compare.
As you can see the Avenger stands go the extra mile enabling you to get lower and shoot upward without the fear of hitting the top of your backdrop.
The stands are here
The crossbar is here.
Thanks Brad! You've cost me money once again
July 11th, 2011
12:46
I bought a New Point & Shoot Camera
I thought my days of buying point & shoot cameras were over. I've written posts here in the past where I stated that I either use my DSLR or my smartphone. I really don't see much of a need to have a point & shoot camera. Recently I discovered a need and a great way to solve it all at the same time. There are situations where you want to take the best photo that you can, but at the same time DSLR or "pro" level cameras aren't allowed in. A classic example of this is concerts. If you walk in with a nice big lens and DSLR, chances are you'll be turned right back around and told that "you can't bring that in." However, you see a sea of cellphones and point & shoot cameras going off all night long. While I have certainly taken my share of concert photos with my iPhone 4 (for my personal enjoyment), I would like something better. This lead me to seek out the smallest, most full featured point & shoot camera that I could find.
This shot of his royalness was taken with the iPhone 4 and while it came out OK, I was sitting there wishing I had something better for this moment.
The Canon PowerShot S95
The S95 is one mean little machine. Not only does it offer full manual mode, but it also shoots in RAW. Best of all it can easily slide into a pants pocket without a big bulge. Whoa! Wait a minute, did you say Canon? Yes I did. Does this mean I've switched from Nikon? No it doesn't. As a matter of fact let me answer a few questions now:
Q. Did you switch from Nikon to Canon?
A. No not at all. Actually I've owned and used cameras from both manufacturers for years. With the exception of a couple of Sony video cameras, I almost always went with Canon for my video needs (pre-DSLR video). My DSLRs have all been Nikon and most likely will continue to be. However, I've always liked the feature set of the Canon P&S cameras. So to answer your question, I use the best tool to fit my needs. Neither company has ever paid me a dime, so I don't "have to" use either one or I can use either one.
Q. Wasn't the iPhone 4 a good enough camera?
A. For my day to day P&S needs I'll most likely still reach for the camera that's on my belt and that's my smartphone. However, when I want the image to count, I do want to use a "better" camera and that means either my DSLR or now my S95.
Q. Why didn't you go with the G12?
A. The G12 is a fine camera and probably beats the S95, the only problem I have with the G11 is that it's about twice the size and does NOT easily slide into a pants pocket.
Q. How do you think the S95 image quality compares to other cameras.
A. This is more of an announcement post than an official review. The honest truth is that while I've had the camera for a few days now I haven't done much more than charge the battery and set it up. Sure I've taken a test shot here and there to make sure it works, but haven't even looked at the images on my computer yet. So I'll have to do another post once I have some "real" images to look at and then you can be the judge.
Q. Doesn't shooting manually defeat the purpose of a "point and shoot?"
A. Yes if all you want to do is "snap a picture". At that point my iPhone 4 is good enough. However, when the built-in scene modes and program modes aren't capturing the image I want, then I love having the ability to switch to manual and dial in my own settings.
Q. Why do you need RAW?
A. Nice try, but I'm not going to get into a RAW vs. JPG debate here. If you use one over the other great! Use what you want. However, I prefer to shoot in RAW for maximum image quality and not having things like white balance burned into the file. While I could have certainly lived with JPG only, having the option of going to RAW is what pushed me to the S95.
Q. What don't you like about the Nikon Point and Shoots?
A. Nikon used to offer a Point & Shoot (the P6000) that shot in RAW. However, they no longer offer that model, nor did they replace it with one that does. Otherwise, their point and shoot cameras are probably just as good. Also even if the P6000 was still around it's more on the same size/form factor as the larger Canon G12.
Q. Seems like you won't be using this camera very often?
A. You're probably right. It hasn't left the table since I unboxed it. However, I like having the option of a better camera than my iPhone if and when the opportunity presents itself.
Stay tuned for some sample shots. I have a couple of concerts coming up soon!
You can get the Canon Powershot S95 for $399.95 here from B&H and for $393 here from Amazon (note: prices fluctuate on Amazon)
I will cover the technology, gadgets, events and cool toys that have affected me in some way. I will also give recommendations on the products that I have actually used.
January 26th, 2012
12:30