iJourneys

John Gough Photography

Sony Big Disappointment: Sony a6400

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Sony a6400

We were geared up to hear about the Sony a7000, a new APS-C camera that was billed as being a mini A9. However, journalists and vloggers were wooed away to be told instead about the Sony a6400 which is an mid level camera set to replace the a6300 in the Sony APS-C range. With rumours abounding for months now, that Sony was about to launch a ball busting APS-C camera, the news was a big disappointment for Sony Alpha fans looking for a camera to compete against the game changing Fujifilm X-T3.

The Sony a6400 Launch

The launch was an strange affair. It looked as though it had been hastily cobbled together. The sets looked dodgy, and the major speakers had obviously not had time to learn their scripts. The videos which accompanied the presentation looked generic and dated. The videos did not even feature the new camera. My guess is that following a long time without any mirrorless camera product launches, and faced with strong competition from Fujifilm, Canon and Nikon. Sony was under intense pressure just to say something. So the a6400 was introduced and a new firmware package for Sony full frame mirrorless cameras was also bundled into the mix. Very odd.

Just a note that the new firmware update looks awesome, with auto eye tracking for humans and animals. This feature is included in the a6400

Sony a6400 Summary

Principally aimed at vloggers, the camera has a new flip up screen which can rotate 180 degrees so that vloggers can frame themselves in the shot.

Sony a6400

For photographers, the most exciting addition is the new tracking capability. The AF is claimed to be the fastest in any camera with no fewer than 425 phase detection AF points and 425 contrast AF points covering 84% of the frame. This is paired with a new generation BIONZ X image processing engine and together they enable the camera to acquire focus in as little as 0.02 seconds.

The new eye tracking technology can detect and process eye data in real time. This mode utilises Sony’s latest algorithm which includes AI based object recognition. This processes colour, subject distance (depth), pattern (brightness) as spatial information to ensure focusing accuracy.

Sony have also tried to move away from needing multiple settings for autofocus. This one tracking AF mode will cover a range of bases. When linked with its 11fps capability this looks ideal for street photography where there is no time (well only 0.02 seconds) to get the shot right.

Sony a7000

This camera is still on the cards, probably a February launch. It is building up to be quite a camera. Set above the a6xxx range it will no doubt have the new tracking technology. Add to that IBIS and weather sealing. I cant wait.

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



Welcome to 2019

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Two Trees / John Gough / iPhone 7

 

It is ironic that the first pictures I take in 2019 were taken on a smartphone. I have never been an advocate of iPhone photography for ‘serious’ work, but I was obviously up my own arse.

Over the holiday, I have been following artists like Glenys Garnett who have inspired me to do more with layers and blending modes this year.

Welcome to 2019 and a Happy New Year.

 

Street Photography Post Processing

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James Dean / Henri Cartier-Bresson

 

I was really interested to see these images online which show the post processing that Henri Cartier-Bresson requested for his iconic photograph of James Dean. The feel you have with his images are that they are straight out of his Leica. Not so apparently. This is so refreshing.

I do get a crick in the neck looking up at the moral high ground inhabited by photographers who never go anywhere near Photoshop preferring to compose ‘in camera’.

Fujifilm X-T3 Real View

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Fujifilm X-T3

The Fujifilm X-T3 has been well received, it is high spec and comes with a strong pedigree stretching back to the X-T1. If you are researching which camera to buy next. How do you decide? All cameras today take amazing images. So if that is a given, what else should drive the decision?  We look at the good the bad and the ugly of the Fujifilm X-T3. We ask and we answer, ‘Would I buy one’.

Fujifilm X-T3: The Ugly

Let’s be frank Fujifilm cameras are Marmite. Some love the retro old world styling with lots of knobs and knurly bits, whilst others prefer a set of shambolic menu options you get on a Sony for example.  The Fuji is however small, so fiddling with those small dials with big hands can be awkward.

It comes down to aesthetics, but what is under that retro styling is some red hot technology so let us look at the Good, which includes that impressive specification.

Fujifilm X-T3: The Good

Spec

  • New back-illuminated 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 APS-C sensor
  • New X-Processor 4 image processing engine
  • AF performance is one and half times faster with substantially enhanced performance in face/eye detection AF thanks to 2.16M phase detection pixels arrayed at entire frame.
  • ISO160-12800 (extendable from ISO 80 to 51200)
  • 30 fps continuous shooting in 1.25x crop ‘Sports Finder’ mode (electronic shutter)
  • 20 fps continuous shooting at full resolution with AF (electronic shutter); 11 fps mechanical shutter (without grip)
  • 3.69m dot high resolution EVF
  • 3.0″ 1.04m dot 3-directional tilting touchscreen LCD monitor
  • Tough magnesium-alloy body is sealed against dust and moisture
  • Dual SD card slots
  • Video: 4K/60P 4:2:0 10bit internal SD card recording
  • Video: Full HD 1080/120p slow motion recording

Reviews

This camera has had some excellent reviews. DPReview gave it 88% and a gold award. Amateur Photographer gave 5 stars. Digital Camera World also gave 5 stars. Really it does not get much better than that.

Support

Don’t forget the amazing support and events available through Fujiholics. Almost worth buying the camera just to join.

Price

Much has been made of the launch of Nikon and Canon full frame mirrorless cameras. These cameras are both north of £2200 compared to £1299 for the Fuji. Does FF still have the same kudos, with the advent of new APS-C sensors?  How much more do you get with an FF sensor vs this sensor? We will have to wait for the DXO comparisons. However, if you want a heavy expensive camera with very expensive glass go Canon or Nikon.

Firmware Updates

Fujifilm says firmware updates for the X-T3, are imminent, with plenty of new features and functionality to boot. This is a plus feature for Fujifilm who have been always quick to update and upgrade camera software.

Fujifilm X-T3: The Bad

Stabilisation

There is no IBIS, despite the introduction of IBIS on the Fujifilm X-H1 which has 5.5 stops of 5 axis in body image stabilisation. It is an unfortunate ommission because IBIS is almost standard these days.

The Elephant in the Room

Fujifilm RAW files in the past have tended to develop wormy artefacts in images processed in Lightroom. This was caused by the X-Trans sensor. Some reviewers claim that this still persists in the X-T3 here for example. The workaround is to use a processing software like Capture One.

The Good the Bad and the Ugly

It is always hard to ignore an elephant in the room, but we have scoured the reviews and the forums and there is very little evidence from users of waxy worms in their photographs.

The reviews are hot, the price is even hotter and you get a spec that beats the rest. So on paper, it is a winner. Would I buy one?

Fujifilm X-T3: Would I Buy One?

  • I have an established post processing workflow which includes Lightroom. I would not like to have to incorporate Capture One just to process Fujifilm RAW files.
  • With my street photography, it is often necessary to grab a shot in an instant. When I do so my photographs can be ruined by camera shake. My next camera must have IBIS

So would I buy one? No.

 

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



Planning Landscape Photography

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Stripe of Light / John Gough / Canon 6D (Fleetwith Pike taken from Buttermere Lake. See below to see how the photograph came about)

I listened to a talk by Justin Minns recently. Justin is a fabulous landscape photographer as you can see from his site. The talk was an inspiration. I was particularly motivated as I was just about to leave the following morning for a few days photography in the Lake District.

Planning Landscape Photography

Justin Minns described the research and preparation that he puts into a photo shoot. Planning the route, the parking, the weather, the time of day (usually dusk or dawn), and the position of the sun on that day. He will then walk the site prior to the shoot looking for that killer composition.

NB Subscribe to Ordnance Survey maps here

NB Calculate the direction of the sun here

Like other great landscapists like Charlie Waite and Joe Cornish, Justin will envisage the image that he would want to achieve. Plan to achieve it and then set up his camera and tripod and wait for the light. In landscape photography, it is all about composition and light.

The Lake District: Buttermere

The Lake District is a location with dramatic scenery. When it is not raining and the light is right, there is probably no location in the world that is better for landscape photographs. The Lake District is quite a compact only 912 square miles, so it can be traversed several times in a day. However, it does have 16 million visitors a year so try to visit off season so that you can park to get that shot.

It helps to have some guidance about where to find great pictures. So I use the following guidebooks:

On this visit, I decided to take Justin’s advice and plan in advance. I would catch the sun traversing Fleetwith Pike at the southern end of Buttermere Lake. There is a pebble beach on the road side of the lake. I would wait there until the sun broke through the clouds and lit up the mountain, profiling the trees on the shore of the lake.

 

I stayed there for about an hour waiting for the sun and suddenly there it was. The shot I had planned was in front of me.

I love street photography because you arrive at a location not knowing what is going to happen, so I was sceptical that I would enjoy this structured approach. However, there is some satisfaction in seeing a plan come to fruition.

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



 

This Image was Taken on a Canon

 

 

 

 

Sony a6700 Rumours

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Sony a6300 with Sony Vario-Tessar T E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS

We are waiting for the launch of the a6700 or a7000

A sliver of information has emerged on SonyAddict that the new Sony A6700, may be priced to be competitive and may be larger than the existing Sony a6500.

Sony Product Strategy

Sony is committed to dominating every sector of the camera market and this includes the APS-C segment. The success of the Fujifilm X-T3 as both a stills camera and competent video camera is a challenge that Sony will not let pass. We know that they are working on an advanced APS-C camera, possibly the Sony a7000 that may have some revolutionary new features such as a global shutter. However, in the meantime, Sony may have decided that the a6700 can act as an effective stopgap. Sony is also not averse to launching one camera closely followed by its’ successor. The a6300 and a6500 were launched only months apart.

Sony a6700 Sensor

It is rumoured that the a6700 will have a 26MP IMX571 sensor which is the same as Sony supply to Fujifilm for the Fujifilm X-T3. In reviews of the X-T3, this has been well received. DPReview rave about the image quality.

Sony a6700 Size

The new camera is rumoured to be bigger than the existing a6500. The a6700 dimensions are 124 x 85 x 57mm which is a massive 40% larger than the 6500, and closer to the dimensions of the Fujifilm X-T3 at  132.5 x 92.8 x 58.8mm. Why? Bigger battery, we are promised quick charging so this could be a feature. Better IBIS we are promised improved IBIS. Or more resilience against overheating when shooting long 4K video. This was an issue with the 6300.

Sony 6700 Release Date

Sony Q2 results were good with their imaging business growing by c’1%. Growth for camera manufacturers is rare at the moment. So Sony is not being pushed financially to launch new cameras. For example, the ball busting A7iii is still in short supply due to unprecedented demand in some territories. However, my guess is that they will not want the X-T3 to get too far ahead before Spring next year.

 

Where I Buy

I buy my equipment from Wex because I have genuinely found that they offer great advice and customer service.

 

Remembrance

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Remembering / John Gough / Sony 6300

It was the Remembrance Ceremony in Bedford this morning.

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



 

This Image was Taken on a Sony

V&A Photography Centre

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V&A Photography Gallery

When I visited the Photography Centre at the V&A. I was looking forward to something different and exciting. A real celebration of photography. A national treasure trove of the very best images. However, I was disappointed. The V&A Photography Centre is just a museum space with photographs.

The Photography Centre

The V&A Photography Centre was opened earlier this month to celebrate the Royal Photography Society collection of photographs, joining the V&A’s national collection. Both these archives are massive, and it is very sad that this national collection is not available to view. So it is some consolation then, that the V&A have rescued around 600 objects, and they are on view at the gallery.

The V&A blurb boasts that the new galleries revolutionise the way photography is presented. So I was expecting more than two rooms in the corner of the V&A with pictures on the wall and cameras in glass cases. A lost opportunity, to be more off the wall.

I know the V&A is a museum, but does it have to devote so much of its’ limited space to the first hundred and fifty years of photography. The last 70 years of photography are when cameras became more portable, and new genres of photography were let loose. Although there was some extraordinary recent photography, Martin Parr and Linda McCartney included. There were walls devoted to early photographs, but no mention of a smartphone camera or social media. Lots of Brownies, but no Huawei or Instagram

The Future

This exhibition at least recognises the importance of photography, and the V&A Photography Centre is to be extended to twice the size by 2022. So it has time to change, and space to grow into.

Around 1.8 billion images are captured each day. So every two minutes we take more pictures than ever existed 150 years ago. Essentially that is the V&A’s dilemma.

 

Where I Buy

I buy my equipment from Wex because I have genuinely found that they offer great advice and customer service.

 

Sony a7000 Delay Due to Fujifilm X-T3

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Fujifilm X-T3

Just what is Sony up to with the launch of the Sony a7000? Normally so assured the company seems to have got jittery about the launch of their new replacement for the Sony a6500. First, we heard speculation that the launch may be at Photokina earlier this month, then the launch date was confidently predicted to be yesterday the 16th October. But nothing. Sony is being very tight lipped.

Sony is used to being years ahead with their cameras. The launch of their full frame mirrorless Sony a7III threw the industry into despair and forced both Canon and Nikon to respond with $2000  full frame mirrorless cameras of their own.

The forums and rumour mills have been bubbling with the prospect of the Sony a7000 with a spec which would blow existing APS-C cameras out of the water. Sony is used to having an upper hand. It is their ethos to be ahead with stunning technology. Sony has the advantage of being able to leverage the technology which is being developed across the corporation and bringing it to bear in new products. So perhaps the launch of the Fujifilm X-T3 has taken them by surprise.

The Launch of the Fujifilm X-T3

In many ways, the Fujifilm XT-3 delivers the functionality and specification we expected on the Sony a7000. As DPReview commented, ‘this model is way more than an upgrade; rather, it’s a dramatic step forward’.

Specifically:

  • 26.1MP Sensor
  • 425-point hybrid AF system
  • Three-axis tilting touchscreen
  • 4K/60P 4:2:0 10bit internal SD card recording
  • Full HD 1080/120p slow motion recording
  • 30 fps continuous shooting with a 1.25x crop (electronic shutter)
  • 20 fps continuous shooting at full resolution
  • 3.69-million-dot high resolution EVF
  • Dual UHS-II SD card slots
  • £1349 price tag

Sony will have to pull out some stops to beat this mindblowing spec. Furthermore, the rumours are that Sony is moving away from the Sony a6500 iconic design, back to a central prism type viewfinder layout, no at all dissimilar to the Fujifilm XT-3!

So it may be that Sony is in a dilemma, do they launch a me too Fujifilm equivalent, or do they get back to the drawing board. Rumours are that the Sony a7000 may now be delayed to 2019.

Where I Buy

I buy my equipment from Wex because I have genuinely found that they offer great advice and customer service.

Multiple Exposure

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Primitive Multiple Exposure / John Gough /Canon 6D

 

A week or so ago I attended a Bailey Chinnery workshop in Hastings. The workshop was run by Valda Bailey and Doug Chinnery. It concentrated more on the creative process of photography rather than technical information, and traditional composition etc.

This paragraph from their website sums up their approach:

So it is our goal that these new Creative Growth workshops will have a more intense focus on artistic development. We want to help you open your mind to think with greater freedom, develop your own style, forge your own path. It is our hope that they will facilitate your progress as an artist and you will come away creatively invigorated and inspired.

The workshop I attended was for one day and concentrated on creating abstract images in camera using multiple exposures, and Intentional Camera Movement (ICM). I was interested in using multiple exposures to create background layers in Photoshop. However, I was quickly impressed with the possibilities of creating multiple exposure images as pictures that stood upon their own.

How It Works

I don’t want to go into the technical bits. However, if like me you did not know if your camera even had multiple exposure functionality. Then follow this video:

Multiple exposure photography lays one image on top of another in camera. The camera software averages out the exposure values so that all layers are visible. It requires considerable skill to turn a set of random shots into a meaningful image.

The Creative Possibilities

There are endless possibilities to create shapes, abstracts and impressionist art, as this work by Valda Bailey illustrates.

There is a wonderful ‘in the moment’ quality about photographing a location in this way. Valda Bailey told us that she will spend at least an hour before she picks up her camera. I can understand why. It requires intense concentration to take several images in a sequence that will work together to form a finished photograph.

I have only been experimenting for a few days as you can see from the example at the top of the page. There is more work to do.