Does Size Count?

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Peter

So does size count? When talking about pixel size of digital cameras, hell yes. I had become very use to the extraordinary output of the Nikon D700 and D3s with their full frame 12 megapixel sensors. Only recently did I get my first Sony NEX-7 with its huge 24 megapixel sensor. Sure it’s a cropped sensor and doesn’t compete with the two Nikon cameras in extremely low light, but, the image quality that this sensor pumps out is huge. Especially on a dollar to dollar value comparison with the Nikon’s. Put a decent lens on the Sony and you can have loads of good fun.

What I am impressed with right now is the amount of fine detail that is captured with the NEX-7 sensor. I was up in Mackay just recently visiting family and one of my nieces has lost her front two teeth. I asked her how she manages to keep bugs out of her mouth with such a large opening in the front of her teeth. Her answer was quick as she demonstrated her method. How cute is this image.

Chelsea

What really impressed me was when I zoomed into 1:1 and got to see just how much detail a 24 Megapixel sensor collects. Here is the crop from Chelsea’s photo above of just her eye.

The amount of small detail within the eye, of not only the reflection, but the individual strands of colour and the detail in the eyelashes and small blood vessels. The lens that was mounted on the NEX-7 was the new 50mm OSS f1.8 for the NEX cameras. As you can see this lens is ultra sharp and f1.8 with stabilisation built into as well. How goods that. Size does count.

Just a few weeks to go

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Peter

Recently I had the opportunity to spend a couple of hours with Carole and Peter. They are getting married very soon and we were meeting to talk about their special day. Once we had finished discussing the wedding we went to have some fun taking photos. Carole and Peter both have a love for black and white photos, and old sepia tones, so that is what I set out to create. Hope you like what you see.

New Zealand, take two

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Peter

Hard to believe it was four weeks since returning from our trip to New Zealand. Time seems to be slipping through our fingers so quickly. I now have two Nex-7′s. One has the Ziess 24mm permanently attached and the other the 50mm OSS. What a team they are. Have shot two weddings with them with great results. They are not perfect but they are amazing. Shooting in raw and then processing with Lightroom 4 is producing some of the best results I have ever seen. Here are some more photos from New Zealand captured with the Nex-7 with Ziess 24mm Lens. Jeanette is standing at the narrow entry to the Clay Cliffs. We almost didn’t visit this location as I thought it wouldn’t be very good. Wrong.

We almost didn't visit this astounding location, The Clay Cliffs

Here is the view we enjoyed once we entered into the cliffs. Really high colourful peaks of clay. Simply stunning, we had so much fun climbing in amongst these giants. So glad we changed our minds and made the trip to see them.

The Clay Cliffs

This next photo is of Lake Hawea which is near Lake Wanaka. Just another reason to stop driving and take more photos. I tried to stop another traveller from taking a similar photo to this claiming I had just taken this photo and now owned the copyright to it. She told me to sue her as she raised her camera and pressed the shutter release. We crossed paths several times during the day having a good laugh with each other every time.

Lake Hawea, breath-taking

Easter Splendour

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Peter

Had a couple of photography classes this weekend (being Easter) which meant I was on the beach enjoying some of the best weather we have had for some time. It was a cracker of a day. Mid-morning the surf was amazing and the beach was alive with everyone soaking up the perfect conditions. Today this is my office, you little beauty. Two classes to run and a couple of hours in between them, to sit and reflect, on the edge of the beach. Everyone arrived ready to have a good time and that we did. While learning about our camera’s and how to improve our photography of course. During the day I managed to grab a couple of shots myself. This first photo was my last for the night.

Part of the SS Dicky shipwreck highlighted by the full moon

Here is one from earlier in the day just before my first class. Captured with the Sony Nex-7 in panorama mode. I am still amazed with how much detail is captured in this mode. I suppose I will eventually get used to it.

Mid-morning and everyone's enjoying the beach

Another panorama this time after sunset and into the twilight. Just to prove it works in low light as well.

Into the Twilight at Dicky Beach

The heavens gave one last beautiful blast of colour, right at the very end of sunset. Some of the remains of the SS Dicky completes the scene.

Last minute of sunset at Dicky Beach

New Zealand – Breath-taking

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Peter

Just back from a quick visit to New Zealand, what an amazing place. Truly breath-taking. Jeanette warned me that when driving around this stunning place that I would spend more time out of the car then in it. It is true, you just can not help yourself. You stop, capture a scene (that has totally rocked your world), hop back in the car, drive around the very next bend in the road and stop again. Yaw dropping scenes, one after the next, after the next…it just doesn’t stop. The only thing that would stop you, from pulling over and taking another photo, would be either a full memory card or a flat battery.

We mostly stayed around Queenstown and the Southern Lake District taking day trips to a variety of locations including Arrowtown, Mount Cook, Te Anau, Milford Sound and Glenorchy to name a few. Here is a photograph of ‘The Remarkables Mountain Range’ which is your constant background while in Queenstown. All photographs of our New Zealand trip have been captured with the new Sony Nex-7 with the Carl Zeiss 24mm lens. I actually thought that it would be not much more than a toy, however, my mind has been forever changed. All the panorama’s you will see from our trip were captured using the panorama setting found in this wonderful camera.

The Remarkables

We got to witness one of the most sensational sunsets from high above Queenstown at the Skyline lookout.

Sunset from high above Queenstown at the Skyline Lookout

This next photograph was one that really started to change my mind about this camera. I would not have been able to capture a thing if using my big Nikon camera, big Nikon lens and super sized manfrotto tripod. The wind was all but knocking me to the ground. As I pressed the shutter and moved the camera from right to left I was unable to keep a steady horizon leaving me to think that I had totally wasted my time. Surely the conditions were just to poor to allow me to capture a panorama. This photo appeared within seconds of pressing the shutter button. Very clever.

Lake Wakatipu, Glenorchy way off in the distance, with gale force winds in my face.

Not the best photograph of our trip but definitely the most remarkable due to the simple process used to capture what would normally have been a most challenging task. Another wonderful side effect of the use of this camera was that it most likely saved my marriage. If I had taken my usual camera and gear I would have easily spent many, many, many extra hours setting up and capturing my panoramas. Meaning my dear wife would have been laying cramped up in the car patiently waiting my return, only to experience the same again around the next corner. With the Nex-7 I would simply get out the car, enjoy the view, then press the button, swing from right to left, or left to right, and get back into the car having taken just a few minutes to complete. No tripod required.

Check out this wonderful view of Mount Cook and the Southern Alps. Simply Stunning, and look at the colour of the water of Lake Pukaki. We stood in awe of this amazing place. This has got to be one of the most inspiring places on Earth.

Looking across beautiful Lake Pukaki, Mount Cook in the distance

Just to prove the camera can take ‘normal’ photographs here is one of the Shotover River Canyons.

A Jet Boat exploding out through the narrow canyons of the spectacular Shotover River.

Here’s another of what’s left of an old building.

Old Ruins

One for the road, I couldn’t leave without at least one photograph of the Church of the Good Shepard found on the side of Lake Tekapo.

Church of the Good Shepard with the very last bit of twilight.

Twilight Time

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Peter

Here are a couple of photographs taken during the civil twilight time at both Sandgate Beach, North Brisbane and Alexandra Headland on the Sunshine Coast. I have also placed a couple of photos of my students from these two sessions.

Alexandra Headland a half hour after sunset

: Alexandra Headland a half hour after sunset

City Lights

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Peter

Another hot day in Brisbane and this time we have an afternoon class on the banks of the Brisbane River at South Bank. I was joined by eight people and we started by trying to improve our portrait shooting using each other as our model. We then made our way to the river’s edge looking for a nice sunset. The nice sunset didn’t happen however the city lights more than made up for the lack of sunset colour. Here are some photos of my students and the city lights.