Years 2009-2012 Breningstall.com

Hand-holding a digital camera at slow shutter speed

I like a lot of what Thom Hogan writes but I don't agree with his column today. Today's column is addressing complaints from users about the focus on the Nikon D800, Nikon D7000 and other high pixel density cameras. In Hogan's opinion, the reason for focus trouble on hand-held shots is two-fold:

1. Users of the D7000 are not taking into account the crop multiplier of the D7000, which turns a 200mm lens into a 300mm equivalent, requiring faster shutter speeds.
2. Users are older and their hands are less steady than back in the 1980's. He writes, "They've lost muscle mass and sometimes fine coordination, but that happened so slowly that they are probably wrong when they think they can still do what they did 30 years ago."

My hands weren't big enough to hold an SLR in the 1980's. I will say that I have noticed a dramatic difference in the quality of shots between photos taken with a film SLR and a digital camera at 1/30, to 1/125 second shutter speed, particularly with any shots containing subtle motion. Quite frankly, the blur on digital camera photos is ugly- and with the super high pixel density cameras such as the Canon 7D or the Nikon D800, it only gets uglier. Image stabilization may help, but I'm not sure how much- in my experience, it's often light motion blur that is causing the problem and image stabilization won't assist in that case.

The adjustment I've made in my own shooting is to be more cautious about shutter speeds. Whereas with film I wouldn't hesitate to shoot at 1/60 second (sports aside), on digital I find I have to make a concerted effort to try to keep the shutter speed up around 1/200 second if there's any possibility of movement in the picture whatsover.

That's what I do as a general principle anyway- occasionally, I will deliberately shoot action at around 1/15 second for a more artistic effect.

[Hogan hasn't introduced permalink to his blog yet but if you're looking for this article at a later date it will be with March 22, 2012 in the archives.]

Henri Cartier-Bresson Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare 1932 vs Google Maps 2008

Thom Hogan argues that frames per second are overrated

"Do I need 1 or 2 more fps? Absolutely not! In fact, I'd argue that there's evidence that these gains tend to come at the expense of autofocus performance more often than not. For what? At 1/500 second, which is usually the minimum of where I'm at when I'm shooting any kind of burst, the difference between "getting the shot" at 4 fps versus 12 fps boils down to not a lot of advantage: 1 in 125 of a chance of getting "the shot" versus 1 in 42. Meanwhile, if I actually use my senses to carefully time a single shot, I find my odds go up significantly, to something like 1 in 3 or 1 in 4. Which do you think I prefer?." -Thom Hogan

Buenos Aires: Las Calles de Borges (homage to Jorge Luis Borges filmed in Argentina on a 5D Mark II)

Buenos Aires: Las Calles de Borges from Ian Ruschel on Vimeo.

Filmmaker's description:

"Poets, like the blind, can see in the dark."
Jorge Luis Borges

A little homage to the Argentinian poet Jorge Luis Borges, one of the greatest writers of all time. This video was shot in the winter of 2010 in Buenos Aires and Capilla del Señor, Argentina.

Directed and shot by me with a Canon 5d. I edited and color graded it in Final Cut Pro using Twixtor, Knoll Light Factory and Magic Bullet.

Afghanistan – touch down in flight

Afghanistan – touch down in flight from Augustin Pictures on Vimeo.

From the filmmaker's description:

As each of us has his own impression of Afghanistan that is predominantly marked with pictures of foreign forces, explosions and terror, we were privileged to have access to capture daily life and portrait some people of Afghanistan.
We hope the pictures you know will merge with the pictures you see and will enrich your view on the country in the Hindu Kush.

locations:
Kabul and Mazar-e Sharif
We wanted to go to other places as well but there were several incidents and security was too bad. Just one day after shooting at the blue mosque in Mazar-e Sharif a mob started from the very same place storming the UN building.

I have lived from 2006-2008 in Kabul doing my civil service for a humanitarian aid organization. This March I had the chance to go back with my fiancée to show her the place I love and to capture the beauty of this country with our cameras.

At the same time I made this as a tribute to a dear friend, who was shot in the streets of Kabul. Gayle inspired me in her love and dedication for the Afghans.

Equipment used:
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 7D
Canon 24-105mm L IS 4f
Canon 16-35mm L
Canon 50mm 1.4f
Canon 85mm 1.8f
Glidetrack HD
Handgrip Nighthawk and D|Focus V3 (shoulder mount)
Zoom H1
2x Rode Videomic Pro
Manfrotto 501 HD and 701 HDV
LCW ND Filter Fader MK II
We edited and colour graded the entire clip on Final Cut Pro X

Undercity (shot on Canon 5D Mark II)

UNDERCITY from Andrew Wonder on Vimeo.

Steve Duncan: "As an urban historian & photographer, I try to peel back the layers of a city to see what's underneath. From the tops of bridges to the depths of sewer tunnels, these explorations of the urban environment help me puzzle together the interconnected, multi-dimensional history and complexity of the great metropolises of the world."

The New York Times (on another similar venture): "The trip’s conceiver, Erling Kagge, a 47-year-old Norwegian adventurer, had ascended Mount Everest and trekked on foot to both the North and South poles. His partner, Steve Duncan, a 32-year-old student of public history, had logged more than a decade exploring subways, sewers and storm drains. Last month, the two of them forged a new frontier: an extended exploration of the subterranean city, during which they lived inside the subsurface infrastructure, sleeping on the trail, as it were..."

All Things Considered (along the same vein): "... Duncan, master of the 'Undercity' (you can find his photographs at Undercity.org), had arranged a trek with Nordic explorer Erling Kagge. Kagge, who is in his late 40s, has completed the trifecta: He has summitted Everest, hiked the South Pole, and he was the first man to walk alone to the North Pole. He's killed a charging polar bear with a shot from a handgun. Looking a bit like Thor, Kagge showed up in a cherry-red sweater with a big white furry heart..."

Read further:

• Undercity.org
• The Wilderness Below Your Feet (New York Times)
  
• Into The Tunnels: Exploring the Underside of NYC (NPR)

No Way Through (shot on Canon 5D mark II)

No Way Through (shot on Canon 5D mark II) from sheila menon on Vimeo.

Imagine if London was controlled by the military and you had to go through specific checkpoints to go to school, go to work, visit your friends or go to the hospital.

More details.

Canon 5D Mark III Rumor Parody