This post makes me feel old. 30 years ago, Mount St Helens erupted and caused devastation to everything around it in Washington State. I can actually remember it. I would have been 12 at the time. I know I can remember it, but I was surprised at the sheer scale of it when I looked at the photos in a timely article but The Big Picture. Once again they have produced a stunning photographic essay of this catastrophic event.
Mount St. Helens, 30 years ago – The Big Picture – Boston.com.
Sea, originally uploaded by norbography.
One from the archives.
How I wish I had the patience and skills to make something like this. Talk about ingenuity.
The Battlefield Pinhole Camera | DIYPhotography.net.
Check out http://www.diyphotography.net/for more terrific camera hack ideas.
Still Water, originally uploaded by norbography.
I am a designer during the day. That is my job. I design telecommunications infra structure. Sounds like it is technical and difficult. It isn’t really. Imagine having to design a camera. Well, Canon have a terrific site that shows the steps in designing a camera.
Canon Camera Museum | Design Hall.
Thanks to Campbell Simpson for the heads up.
Looking back at women who had a part in World War 2. Some terrific photos of women in all manor of activities during the second world war. Some even got fur coats as issued uniforms. I am not sure I would be to worried about the group of ladies from the Women’s Home Defence Corps.
Women in World War 2 | Amusing Planet.
If you have ever read a photography forum, you will know what today’s topic is all about. And I imagine, it isn’t a condition restricted to photography. The people who are interested in the tools vs the people who are interested in the final output of said tool.
Let me say right here and now, I am probably somewhere in the middle, and oddly enough, I think that is the best place to be. Some days I might lean towards the group favouring the output, not the tools used. That is probably where my frustration with the gear heads starts to raise it’s ugly head. Does this sound familiar?
I think the new NorbTech 123XYZ Camera looks like crap. And the mount wont take the Monkey mount lenses I have already got. And what is the go with that crappy Acme 2001 sensor? What where they thinking? And why doesn’t the lens have more zoom? And no primes in the line up is a huge mistake. And the rear LCD is not 3D. It doesn’t play MP3s. The GPS doesn’t work in tunnels. It only shoots at 24 FPS, in CROPPED mode!!! Forget this crap and get a BestBrand camera!!
And it goes on and on and on. Then a gearhead who favours EvenBetterBrand will tear the previous post apart, and explain why he is a fanboy of EvenBetterBrand cameras and why they are better than BestBrand and then why the new NorbTech 123XYZ is the biggest pile of poo ever to grace his monitor.
And then it goes on some more. More often than not, you don’t see many images from the gear heads. It seems they are so interested in what can and can’t be done by a camera, that they don’t have the time to actually use it. Even though they know the exact pixel density of every sensor made in history and can quote you the thickness of an AA filter on a sensor. They are nearly as passionate as the people on the other end of the spectrum, the artists!
These are the people that look for meaning in a snap shot. They try and convey emotion, feeling, love, angst, a sore toe and much more, in an iPhone photo. You just know an underexposed photo is supposed to be a brooding representation of the suppression of the artist. Really, its just a badly metered photo of a bloke doodling on a pad. They can find all sorts of meanings and representations in all manor of photos. And they couldn’t give a bohemians cravat about what sort of camera was used, they really don’t care. It is all about the image.
So, where do you sit in the Gear Geek to Art Freak spectrum?
A tog and fisho (PSD), originally uploaded by norbography.
A photo of a photo taker and the sunset.
Taken straight from today’s press release.
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Take a glimpse into the future with NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras from Sony
True DSLR quality
Full HD movie recording
3D Sweep Panorama mode
Sydney – 11 May 2010 – Sony Australia today announced a new product category under its flagship range with the launch of its first ultra-compact, interchangeable lens system digital cameras – the NEX-3 and NEX-5.
Featuring the world’s smallest and lightest interchangeable lens digital camera body[1], the NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras allow users to effortlessly capture stunning, DSLR quality photos with a new 14.2 megapixel Exmor™ APS HD CMOS image sensor and Full HD 1080i videos in AVCHD or MP4 format. Both models incorporate a unique 3D panoramic mode, allowing users to capture high quality 3D panoramic photos which can then be viewed on a BRAVIA 3D TV.
“Designed for every consumer, be it novice photo enthusiasts or seasoned professionals, the new NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras offer a glimpse into the future of digital imaging. With their unique, compact design and innovative features, these cameras have now made it simpler to capture DSLR quality images, stunning Full High Definition footage and 3D panoramic photos,” said Maurice Satya, Product Manager for cameras at Sony Australia.
“If you’ve outgrown a point and shoot camera or are just looking to upgrade, the NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras offer a natural transition for your digital imaging needs. With their user friendly settings, such as Background Defocus Control and iAuto mode, they allow amateur photographers to effortlessly capture the highest quality photos. For experienced photographers, these stylish, lightweight and compact cameras offer serious DSLR performance in a camera that can easily be carried around, anywhere and at any time.”
Capture revolutionary 3D panoramic photos
The NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras will soon be able to capture high quality 3D panoramic photos with the new 3D Sweep Panorama mode, which will be available through a firmware update later this year. Based on the same Sweep Panorama technology used in existing Cyber-shot TX series models along with Multi Picture Format (MPF) storage, the NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras can snap realistic 3D panoramic still images that will, quite literally, jump out of the frame.
DSLR quality anywhere, anytime
Equipped with the latest Exmor™ APS HD CMOS image sensor and high speed BIONZ processor, the NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras deliver DSLR image quality and HD movie recording with richer tonal gradation and lower noise. They also offer higher ISO sensitivity of up to 12800, up to 14.2 megapixel resolution and defocusing to achieve beautiful images even in low light environments without having to use a tripod or flash. Users can also record movies in stunning Full HD 1080i[2] resolution in either AVCHD or MPEG4 formats.
Making the most of their interchangeable lens system, the NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras allow photographers to swap between lenses for greater flexibility and precision. They can also achieve creative photo effects such as wide-angle, macro and fisheye with the range of E-mount lenses. In addition, with the optional LA-EA1 Mount Adapter, photographers can use the existing wide range of A-mount lenses with the NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras[3], expanding imaging possibilities even further.
Compact and intuitive design offers everyday functionality
Integrating a mirrorless design, the NEX-5 and NEX-3 cameras weigh a mere 229g and measure just 24.3mm thick[4]. They also provide an intuitive user experience with their useful help guide and simplified control layout, featuring a control wheel and two customisable soft keys.
A new Graphic User Interface features six clearly labelled icons that can be selected by rotating and then pressing the control wheel to access shoot settings. This is a user interface common in compact cameras that make the NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras perfect for photographers new to extensive manual controls. In addition, built-in shooting tips provide information relevant to the current shooting or mode selection, giving users quick tips on photographic techniques as well as various types of scenes and subjects.
User friendly operation makes shooting more fun
A Background Defocus Control is featured so that photographers can intuitively adjust background defocusing and depth of field to their desired level by simply rotating the control wheel. This allows users to easily control depth of field and make their subjects stand out dramatically from a blurred background. With the addition of the new iAuto (Intelligent Auto) mode, the scene recognition function automatically analyses the scene to determine the correct exposure values and selects the optimum scene for true point-and-shoot simplicity.
Making shooting more fun and convenient, the three inch Xtra fine LCD monitor can be tilted 80° up and 45° down to allow users to view their subjects and shoot even at awkward angles. The screen also features a high 920,000 dot resolution with its 16:9 widescreen display and integrates TruBlack technology, allowing subject details and subtle tonal gradations to be displayed with deep blacks and high contrast, even on the brightest of days.
Simple controls with intelligent features
In addition to Speed Priority Continuous mode shooting at up to 7fps, the NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras also feature the Handheld Twilight mode, allowing users to easily capture impressive, high resolution images in low light conditions without having to use a tripod or flash.
Both cameras sport dual memory card slots which enable the use of both Memory Stick and SD media. The NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras are also compatible with the latest Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX media, as well as SDHC and SDXC card formats.
The NEX-5 camera comes in black and silver and is available in Australia from June 2010. The NEX-3 camera comes in four colour options of silver, black, red and white and is available in Australia from July 2010.
[1] Refers to NEX-5 model when compared with other interchangeable lens digital cameras as of 11 May 2010; Sony research.
[2] NEX-5 only. NEX-3 can record HD video up to 720p resolution in MP4 format.
[3] Adapter provides automatic aperture function, manual focus only.
[4] Distance from front of body to camera’s LCD screen surface
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Some interesting additions. The panorama function sounds interesting. And 14MP out of such a small body. It will be interesting to see some results.
More to come.
… 3 years ago.
and 2 years ago.
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