Mathieu

Metabones Speed Booster: more than just an adapter…

21/01/2013 By Mathieu

Last week, a whirlwind of interest circled around a new adapter announced by Metabones, the Speed Booster.

Mount adapters are very common these days, especially for those who use DSLRs or mirrorless cameras for video shooting with various Nikkor, Zeiss or Canon lenses on different bodies. I, for example, use a Panasonic AF-101 (micro four thirds mount) with a Novoflex adapter and my Nikkor lenses. One of the things you need to be aware of is that mounting a full frame (24 x 36) lens on a camera with a smaller sensor will increase your focal length. A 24mm full frame lens is a 48mm equivalent on a micro four thirds sensor, and a 36mm equivalent on an APS-C sensor. This can be a limitation especially for wide-angle lenses. If I need to capture a very wide shot with my Panasonic AF-101, I use the excellent Lumix 7-14mm f/4 or the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8. Beyond these two models, there aren’t many alternatives out there.

Waiting for the Fuji X20, Fuji X100s

16/01/2013 By Mathieu

I admit I can’t wait to try the new Fuji cameras that were announced at CES two weeks ago. Except for the micro four thirds system developed by Olympus and Panasonic, I think that the Fuji’s X line has been the most interesting release so far with its hybrid viewfinder, X-Trans sensor and the quality of its lenses.

The Fuji X20 and X100s are the new versions of the acclaimed X10 and X100.

Thoughts about the new Leica M

16/01/2013 By Mathieu

I always tend to think of Leica as the Ferrari of cameras. Back in the small Italian town where I lived as a child, we had a neighbour with a great collection of Ferraris in his garage. He used to pick one out every Sunday morning and drive to the local kiosk to buy a newspaper. I made the connection a few years ago when I visited a family friend’s cottage and saw his huge collection of photographic equipment. Naturally, there was an abundance of Leica models and rarities only a collector would buy. It was fascinating to see, but at the same time, I couldn’t help but think: when was the last time these wonderful cameras were used?

The Last Roll of Kodachrome by Steve McCurry, now a documentary by National Geographic

14/01/2013 By Mathieu

If you love photography, you will enjoy watching this 30 minute documentary about the last roll of Kodachrome ever developed.

Back in 2009, Kodak announced that its production of Kodachrome film would end, after 74 years (it started in 1935). Steve McCurry, a legendary photographer for National Geographic, asked Kodak if they would allow him to use the final roll ever produced. As he says in the documentary:

“I wanted to have the last chapter in the book of Kodachrome.”

Given his fame, Kodak accepted with great enthusiasm.

Sigma DP3 Merill: professional quality in a compact body

11/01/2013 By Mathieu

The Sigma DP series is a unique system among mirrorless and compact cameras. The DP3, announced a few days ago, completes the spectrum, standing along side the DP1 and DP2.

The first unusual aspect of the DP series is that each model has a different fixed lens attached. While the DP1 has been designed for wide angle shots and the DP2 for standard range shots, the DP3 completes the podium with a 50mm f/2.8 lens that is equivalent to 75mm on a 23.5×15.7mm sensor (compared to standard 35mm format). The lens also has macro functionalities.

This sensor is the second very important aspect of this series: it is a Foveon X3 sensor with 46 megapixel resolution (3 times more than the DP1/2), which is huge for a compact camera! The Nikon D800 has 36 megapixels, the Leica s2 has 37 megapixels and a lot of medium format sensors doesn’t reach 40.

But what makes this sensor so unique?