Sensor Cleaning

Any camera with interchangeable lenses has the potential for dust to stick on the sensor, and even with modern anti-dust self-cleaning sensor occasionally the inevitable happens.

Recently I rather foolishly managed to pick up my GX7 with no lens and managed to get a finger-print right on the sensor itself; some gentle wafting with a lint-free cloth just proceeded to move the print around and while some progress was made there was plenty of evidence of the residue when taking shots with a small aperture (f16-f22).

Here I shot a blank wall at f22 and the evidence is clear:

Shooting at a small aperture makes the spots far more noticeable, while a large aperture (f2-f4) hides the problem, it’s not always possible or desirable to shoot with the lens open.

After much investigation I settled on green swabs from Visible Dust; while a little expensive (£20 for 4 swabs) they seemed to have a good reputation.

These turned out to be a really simple solution, a small amount of the cleaning fluid is added to the swab and with a smooth wipe most of the dust was removed. One particularly obvious mark actually turned out to be a piece of dust on the rear element of the lens which was cleaned with a lint-free cloth.

The final results seems much better, there are still a few spots so I may have another try in a few days to get the last few stubborn leftovers.

Knowing the value of gear

If you’re thinking about buying a new piece of equipment the easiest solution is to scour the local stores and websites trying to find the cheapest deal, but what if the item you’re looking at is more than you want to pay? My first trip is usually to camerapricebuster.co.uk, a site which monitors the best prices on specific camera items and charts the price over time, so you can see when you're getting a good deal.

But what if new is too dear? This of course leads us to the second-hand market, most people will start with eBay. Of course there’s one sure-fire way to win an eBay auction, and that’s to pay over the odds, but if time is not of the essence you can play the waiting game. The best place to start with eBay is to look at the sold listings, here you can see what the item you're looking for has actually sold for in the past which should therefore give you a good indication of how much you should expect to spend.

It's also worth trawling through some photography forums, many of these have for-sale sections, often with bargains to be had.

Recently I’ve been looking at either the Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 or Olympus 12-40mm f2.8 as a general walk-around lens but both of them are fairly pricey. On launch they were both priced at nearly £1,000, but recently the second-hand prices have been hovering around the £400-£500 mark.

I randomly spotted someone selling the Panasonic version on a camera forum for £350 and was tempted but left it; days went by and the price dropped, and then dropped again... when it reached £300 I could resist no longer and contacted the seller but alas was pipped to the post by someone else... disappointed I looked elsewhere but could not find anything close, until a couple of weeks later the seller contacted me; the original buyer had dropped out and the lens was back on the market, was I still interested... yes I was!

So the moral of the story is, know the value of what you want, then you can bag yourself a bargain!

YouTube - TheCameraStore

TheCameraStore is a store based in Calgary and has been making YouTube reviews and videos for several years; they are currently one of the most comprehensive and down-to-earth channels giving you clear and honest opinions on new gear... well worth checking out their channel!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqpOf_Nl5F4tjwlxOVS6h8A

One Photograph Series - Camera Format

In the ever ending search for new landscapes to photograph I find myself scouring the coastline for hidden coves and areas which are less trodden. This particular scene was taken at Bude during a low tide. The rocks are to the south of Summerleaze beach close to Compass cove.

When I head out to take photographs for the day I tend to take at least 2 cameras with. Generally it will be my Fuji X-Pro1 with an 18mm lens and a film camera. For the last year or so I have taken my Noon pinhole camera with me.

Using both digital and film formats has allowed me to get two very different interpretations of the same scene, each with their own particular look and feel.

Camera: Fuji X-Pro1Lens: Fuji 18mm (35mm equivalent 28mm)Aperture: f11Shutter Speed: 1\250th secISO: 400 — Camera: Fuji X-Pro1
Lens: Fuji 18mm (35mm equivalent 28mm)
Aperture: f11
Shutter Speed: 1\250th sec
ISO: 400

Camera: Noon Pinhole (6x6, 6x9 & 6x12 format)Lens: NoneAperture: f207Shutter Speed: 6 secFilm: Fuji Acros 100 (Medium Format) — Camera: Noon Pinhole (6x6, 6x9 & 6x12 format)
Lens: None
Aperture: f207
Shutter Speed: 6 sec
Film: Fuji Acros 100 (Medium Format)

When it comes to which photograph I prefer I do tend to lean towards the pinhole photograph, I prefer the slow shutter effect and the ethereal atmosphere created by the softness. I dare say my tastes will change over time and when it does I will always have the digital version to fall back on.

If there was one thing I wish I could have done would be to have used a 10 stop filter for the Fuji’s 18mm lens. This would have given me the slow shutter to smooth out the waves whilst maintaining sharp details of the rocks.

There are many choices for a photographer when it comes to attaining a particular look to a photograph. Many effects can be achieved in post production software, however for me this process starts with the camera I choose.

Warranty Repair

My Panasonic GX7 recently developed a fault where the rear dial was not operating correctly, with heavy heart I contacted Panasonic to arrange for the camera to be returned... it's now 13 months old but luckily it came with a 2-year warranty, so it was boxed up and sent back but only 6 days later it arrived back with me all fixed, so well done Panasonic for the swift service!

Mirrorless - is less more?

Not too long ago the budding photographer had a simple choice; start with a compact camera and accept that image quality would suffer or go for a DSLR to gain improved image quality but with that knowledge that you would have to carry a heavier kit.

Meanwhile, Panasonic and Olympus had been struggling in the DSLR marketplace with their “Four Thirds” mount DSLR cameras when in late in 2008 they announced a new breed of camera called Micro Four Thirds. A variation on the Four Thirds DSLR cameras with one key difference; no optical viewfinder. This allowed them to remove both the mirror mechanism and the viewfinder, replacing the optical viewfinder with an electronic viewfinder.

The removal of the mirror mechanism meant that camera body can be smaller, while moving the lens closer to the sensor also means that the lenses can be shrunk in size too. While initially the lens selection and performance were limited, technology does nothing but move at a rapid pace and soon users who wanted to take quality photos no longer needed to carry bulky equipment.

This new concept was not lost on other smaller manufacturers... soon Sony, Fuji and Samsung had mirrorless options in their own line-ups but notably the giants of DSLRs, Canon and Nikon, remained absent. Eventually Nikon introduced their “1” system which was cleverly pitched as to not go against their own DSLR offerings and last into the fray were Canon with a very limited selection, which almost felt like a “well if we have to” offering.

As with all things in life, each system has its pros and cons but by far the most fully rounded and complete system is the original Micro Four Thirds range which currently has 44 bodies and 105 native lens options, covering everything from beginner friendly options, tiny cameras for people who want to travel extremely light, video-centric cameras which can shoot high-quality 4K footage to pro-grade bodies and lenses which are dust and weather sealed for use in the harshest conditions.

Now comes to the downsides and there’s still 2 areas where DSLR still rule the roost; firstly continuous auto-focus speed and subject tracking. The years of research that have gone into DSLR auto-focus system still means that anyone wanting to capture fast moving subjects is still better catered for with a DSLR.

Secondly, battery life; because mirrorless cameras require the screen to be running continuously batteries will not last anywhere near as long as with a DSLR, generally around 300-350 is about the maximum you can eke out of one battery.

One thing is certain, it’s an interesting time to be a photographer and looking to the future it would certainly appear that mirrorless is going to offer you more.

Another Nifty Fifty! - Yvonne Toms

Well following in Shaun's footsteps I have purchased the "nifty fifty" except I am a Nikon lady so I've got the AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G, It only arrived this lunch time so I haven't had much chance but of course I had a little play, I'm impressed so far and cannot wait to get out there and try something a little more challenging! I think this lens is going to be a Cracker!!!

My New Camera Lens - Shaun Watters

Hi there! I've been stuck with a Canon kit lens (18-55mm) and a cheap telephoto lens (28-200mm) that I bought second hand off someone for very little to go with my ageing (but still awesome) Canon 40D. Now if you read any sort of camera magazines or blogs you`ll eventually come across people talking about prime lenses and why you should be using them - Better quality, make you better photographers etc etc

Now I`ve been meaning to buy one for over a year now but other (apparently) more important things to spend my money keep cropping up and my new lens kept being put off and off.....

Until last week when i thought its gotta be done, so i plonked down my cash and FINALLY bought myself this lil beaut

The Canon 50mm 1.8 or as its known the Nifty Fifty - Not only is its Canons cheapest prime lens (Get it well under £100 if you shop around) but generally called THE bargain for any Canon owner.

Awesome for portraits due to its low F number and shallow depth of field (meaning you can get the nice blurred backgrounds found on all nice portrait pictures, not to mention great for exercise since no zoom means more walking!

Unfortunately the weather's been miserable since I've got it so I've not had much chance to use it, but had a half hour break in the weather this morning so it got a quick run out, pictures are not gonna be masterpieces but it has given me a chance to give it a go!