Have You Seen This ….. Martin Parr in Conversation

by John Gough

This is an interesting video of Martin Parr talking to a group of students. It is a few years old now but worth a view. It is very short.

If you are not familiar with Martin Parr’s work then this is my Pinterest Board

Three things to take away from what he says:

First take a lot of crap photographs, without taking the crap you will never get to the good.
Connect with your subject. The only difference between your photograph and that of someone else is the quality of that connection.
The connection, however, has to be so powerful that the photograph will stand on its own. Does it talk to us without you being in the room?

Here is more of his work. If you want to understand the meaning of connection then look through this book.

Canon EOS R Setup

by John Gough

Canon EOS R

The Canon EOS R is a camera that can be customised precisely for the type of photography that you enjoy. The setup here is for general photography but it can easily be tweaked towards the photography that you do most. As an example, I have set my own camera up for street photography and saved it as a preset. All will be explained in this guide to the Canon EOS R setup for the everyday photography of places, things, and people.

First

Format the Card

It is worthwhile getting into the habit of reformatting the card every time you use it. Getting rid of all the data reduces the risk of data corruption.

WRENCH 1> Format Card

Canon EOS R Menu

Most menu settings can remain as set by Canon when the camera left the factory. These are the settings I would change:

Starting Out

Image Type

Shooting in RAW gives the utmost flexibility in post production, but if you are not into that, shoot in JPEG. I set the camera up for both..

CAMERA 1> Image Quality> CRAW + S1

Power Saving

ECO Mode does not seem to slow the camera down so set.

WRENCH 2>ECO mode> On

Shooting Settings

I prefer not to have a view of the picture I have just taken appear in the viewfinder. It slows down shooting speed, so I disable this feature:

CAMERA 1> Image Review> Off

It is an easy mistake to make to go out without a card installed. To prevent shooting your best pictures ever, and then realising that they have not been recorded.

CAMERA 1>Release Shutter Without Card> Off

Auto Focus

There are two autofocus modes that can be set in AF 1. ONE SHOT AF where the camera focusses and locks on the subject and SERVO where the camera continually refocusses on a moving subject. A convenient way to shift between the two is to use the M-Fn button to the left of the shutter button.

Continuous AF

When switched on the camera is continually refocusing so that when you come to take the picture it is already in focus before the shutter is pressed. This means that it is working when the camera is just being held.

There seems no need because the focus works instantaneously when the shutter is pressed.

AF 1> Continuous AF> Disable

AF Method

AF 1> If you want to use the face and eye detect features on the camera then set to Tracking. Personally, I do not. Instead I set to AF 1> AF method> 1-Point AF which has more flexibility for all sorts of photography.

Eye Tracking

AF 1> Eye Detection AF> Enable (NB has to be set to Tracking)

Touch Screen AF

Use the screen to move the AF point. With a bit of practice, it works great just using your thumb.

AF 1> Touch and drag AF settings> Touch and drag AF> Enable

AF 1> Touch and drag AF settings> Positioning method> Relative

AF 1> Touch and drag AF settings> Active touch area> Btm left (depends which eye you use and need to avoid your nose changing the AF position)

Useful Tips

Drive Mode

I leave the camera in Single Shot but if you need to change to Self Timer or Continuous shutter release then the quickest route is via the M-Fn button to the left of the shutter button.

Vertical Finder Display

The information in the EVF will rotate if the Canon EOS R is held vertically.

WRENCH 4> Shooting info disp> VF vertical display> ON

Grid in Viewfinder

I find a grid in the viewfinder useful for composing. I am always trying to shoot those thirds.

WRENCH 4> Shooting info disp> Grid display> 3×3

Using Non-Canon Lenses

To use other branded lenses with the Canon EOS R adapter.

CUSTOM 5> Release shutter w/o lens> ON

Beep on Focus

Do you want to let everyone know that the camera has focused? Probably not.

WRENCH 3> Beep> Disable

Setting Custom Buttons and Dials

Control Ring

The ring on EOS lenses and the EF lens adaptor is a useful feature. As it is possible to see in the viewfinder the effect of different exposure values so I set to Exposure Compensation.

CUSTOM 4>Customize dials> Control ring> Exposure compensation ( hold meter btn)

M-Fn Bar

This control is controversial, some people find it OK others hate it. It might be OK when I get used to it. I have it set for ISO

CUSTOM 4> Customize M-Fn bar> ISO

Save Settings

To save these settings WRENCH 6> Custom Shooting Mode (C1-C3)> Register Settings> Custom shooting mode> Register camera settings to Custom shooting mode> OK.

Winner: RPS Monthly Competition May 2019

by John Gough

It was this Big! /John Gough / Canon EOS M

This picture was one of the winners of the RPS Monthly Competition in May 2019. It will appear in the RPS Journal in July. I was asked to write a few comments:

I live close to Bedford and originally started taking pictures of people in the town to participate in an exhibition a few years ago. I have continued this theme as a project.

These three ladies were chatting away, waiting for a bus. I just loved their expressions and can only guess at what they were talking about.

I used a Canon EOS M3 which is a small and inconspicuous camera. The flip out screen and wide angle lens meant that I could get in close and shoot at their level.

Canon EOS R Street Photography Set Up

by John Gough

New Baby / John Gough / Canon EOS R

I like street photography because you can walk out of your front door and start taking pictures. Well, that’s not true because where I live in a village in the UK, there are not that many people about. Unless it is the day of the village fete or harvest festival. Anyway a short drive away, there are streets, people and loads of photo opportunities. On the face of it, the Canon EOS R is not an obvious choice as a street camera, but on closer examination, it is right on the button. So what are the Canon EOS R street credentials?

Canon EOS R Street: Lens

Prime lenses are ideal for street photography, they are generally smaller and lighter than zoom lenses and usually have wider apertures. As a result, there is no need to ramp up the ISO to avoid a blurry shot or too narrow depth of field.

Zoom lenses also make you feel furtive and more like a sniper than a photographer. So a 35mm lens is ideal. It is probably the most used street lens there is. Wide enough to capture detail from the right distance, and so as long as you have the nerve to shoot close up it is ideal. Otherwise, try a 50mm lens.

It just so happens that Canon has a lovely 35mm lens designed especially for this camera. It is the Canon RF 35mm f1.8 Macro STM Lens.

I waxed lyrically about this lens here. The EOS R and this lens make a consummate camera combination. Small enough so that finding the shutter button does not involve keyhole surgery, and compact and light enough to carry all day.

Remember mixing it in the street can easily knock the camera from your hands, so take my advice and use a wrist strap. This is what I use:

Canon EOS R Street: View

Canon EOS R Flippy Screen

An articulated screen is now almost a must for street photography. OK, Cartier Bresson did not have one, but we no longer use film either. An articulated screen has two advantages. Firstly, you can shoot from the hip, which is a far more hip vantage point than eye level. Secondly, lifting the camera to your eye is like shouting your intent to take a photograph. Using a discrete flip out screen is far more incognito.

The Canon flippy screen is especially good for this. It opens outward so that the screen is just left of the camera. A picture can be taken by just touching the screen, and using the electronic shutter rather than the mechanical one makes this camera completely silent. Your finger does not even have to go near the shutter release, and there is no sound.

Canon EOS R Street: Set Up

Most street photographers would normally recommend P or Programmed Automatic for street photography. You can set the ISO and then the camera will calculate the best combination of aperture and shutter speed. This works well most of the time, but there is a Perito Principle at work here. Usually, 80% of images are passable and around 20% result in some motion blur or lack depth of field. Fortunately, on the Canon EOS R there is Fv mode, which is a customisable P mode.

Fv Mode

Fv mode is like Programmed Automation but it is possible to switch between the shutter speed, aperture, ISO and white balance, in the viewfinder, using just the top mode dial. Change any one value, and the others change automatically. This is massively quicker than manually changing the mode from Av, Tv, P, etc. Just do it in camera. This is ideal for street shots, where there is no time to fiddle with the camera, and any fiddling would just draw attention to yourself.

Touch Screen Shooting

To enable a touch screen shutter release. CAMERA 5> Touch Shutter> Enable> Use the icon on the screen to toggle between ON / OFF (the camera will focus on the area touched)

Silent Shooting

To silent beeps when focussing etc: WRENCH 3> Beep> Disable

To enable the electronic shutter: CAMERA 6> Silent Shutter> Enable

Focus Beam

To disable the focus beam that assists focus in low light: AF 4>AF assist beam firing> OFF

Save Settings

To save these settings WRENCH 6> Custom Shooting Mode (C1-C3)> Register Settings> Custom shooting mode> Register camera settings to Custom shooting mode> OK.

Not the Obvious Choice

So this camera is not a Leica M10 which many purists would see as de rigeur for this type of work. No, this camera is better than that.

Where I Buy

I buy my equipment from Wex because of their exceptional customer service. I once returned a camera after 30 days, and the next day they called to return my money to my account. Their prices are always competitive and they offer good prices on the trade in of your used gear

Photo London 2019

by John Gough

Photo London 2019 / John Gough / Canon EOS R

As a photographer going to an exhibition by Don McCullin or Martin Parr is uplifting and inspirational. What though if you could see the best work from hundreds of great photographers in one place. That would be amazing, and that is what Photo London which is now on at Somerset House in London delivers. Art dealers from around the world, gather to sell prints from the best photographers in the world.

Collectors can be seen buying photography at phenomenal prices. Not yet quite the price of paintings by the greatest, but obviously photography is now a sound investment. It has taken a long time but photography is now part of the art mainstream, as demonstrated by the partnership of Elton John and David Furnish with the V&A.

If you get a chance go to Photo London it is on for another couple of days

The Joy of Bokeh

by John Gough

May Morning / John Gough / Canon 6D

At 7 am this early May morning the sun was up and flashing at a near horizontal angle through the trees. The temperature was a bit fresh, but in my local country park, the opportunity to photograph wildlife, plants, flowers and trees was everywhere.

Blur were right:

…morning soup can be avoided if you take a route straight through what is known as Parklife

but for me, it was not just blur but the joy of bokeh.

McCullin – a film by Jacqui Morris & David Morris

by John Gough

I have put this film here so that I can share it and I can always find it myself. It was on Netflix but then dissapeared. Thanks to Stewart Wall on Twitter for finding it again.

Canon RF 35mm f1.8 IS Macro Review

by John Gough

Canon RF 35mm f1.8 IS Macro

The Canon RF 35mm f1.8 IS Macro is an important lens. It is the first non L lens for the Canon EOS R mirrorless line up. There was some derision when Canon introduced the initial lens line up for these cameras. They were big, bulky, heavy and very expensive. The RF 50mm f1.2, for example, weighs 950 g, does not have image stabilization and costs a whopping £2349. It is however by all accounts a brilliant lens.

That is why the RF 35mm is such an important lens. Small and light, with IS it costs £519. Hopefully, it is the start of a line of affordable lenses for these cameras. With the launch of the Canon EOS RP, a full frame mirrorless camera for just £1399 body only. Canon is signalling its intention of overlapping into the Fujifilm and Olympus space. To do this effectively it needs lenses that are fabulous and that cost hundreds not thousands.

Ken Rockwell Review

So how good is this Canon RF 35mm.

Ken Rockwell who to me is the ultimate reviewer said:

“This lens does many things and does them all well. It shows that Canon is really on the ball; this is a very innovative lens different from all the others.

It’s a little lens with big performance”.

That’s enough for me, this lens is good. Read his review here.

Real Life Review

So what is it like in real life? I headed to Castle Ashby Gardens in Northamptonshire to find out. These are all JPEGs straight from the camera.

Landscape

A 35mm lens is ideal for landscape….

Landscape

Street Photography

…and street photography. Well sort of.

Street Photography

Image Stabilization

Image stabilization is 5 stops. This image was taken at 1/13th second, hand held. Looks sharp enough to me. There were critics who complained that the EOS R did not have in body stabilization, but the lens stabilization here is pretty phenomenal.

Image Stabilization

Bokeh

The bokeh on this lens is soft and dreamy, and the image as sharp as a pencil.

Bokeh

Macro

With a maximum magnification of 0.5x, you can fill the frame with spring blossom, and wallow in the fine detail.

Macro

What is There not to Like

The lens is made of plastic, but it feels solid. A perfect partner with the Canon EOS R and RP

There is no lens hood. Buy one here at Amazon. I bought this one.

Conclusion

The new RF mount will enable new innovative lenses from Canon. The reduction in the flange distance between the sensor and the lens should mean that the new RF L lenses will be superb, and the non L lenses as proved by this lens will be great.

Could it be that in future a non L RF lens will be as good as a Canon EF L lens? I look forward to the technical comparisons.

Where I Buy