I Obsessed Over Fujifilm vs Nikon Primes?
I tested my favourite Nikon lenses against Fuji’s latest primes to see if the brand I used to love is still behind? Fuji updated their cameras, sensors, almost the entire X-mount lineup, and after comparing 10 lenses side by side on the Zf, XT5, I found 3 strange differences? Today I’m obsessing over these two systems so you don’t have to.
Nikon’s Best Value Camera?
The Nikon ZR might be great value, I’d still pick the Zf or Z5ii? Photo-first cameras are more versatile for most, and though the ZR beats these two in video, it probably won’t work for photo. How do I know? I own the Sony FX3 - the ZR’s biggest rival, and though it can take amazing photos, Sony made 7 photography compromises. Did Nikon do the same? If the ZR is usable for photo is it now the best value?
Are Fast Lenses Holding You Back At Night?
“F8 and be there” doesn’t work at night - so I dragged a bag of heavy primes to Taiwan for those neon signs. Pros stop down though, so why not use software to denoise, pack light? Is fast glass holding me back? Out of thousands of night-time photos, I’ve picked 9 to help me decide, if bokeh makes or break the image? All shot wide open using one of three f1.2 primes, but some fast lenses are too technical. Others are more ephemeral, just like travel, and by the end of this post? One has to go.
I Obsessed over 1 Prime Lens for Travel?
Just one prime lens for travel sounds good in theory, what if you don’t know what to shoot or where you’re going? I forced myself to use a different focal length everyday, 5 primes for a 6-day trip, but which lens do I pick when I’m tired, a little homesick? I headed back to Taiwan, my hometown - but I haven’t been back for 15 years? Getting lost on the streets with the OM3 and my other new camera will be how I get reacquainted with it.
OM3 + Nikon Zf: Match Made in Monochrome?
Dedicated dials for black and white must mean the recipes are good, right? Unlike the endless options in color editing, black and white comes down to 6 settings, the OM3 and Zf can change these in camera (all but 2). How do they compare against Fujifilm’s Acros, or the true monochrome output from Leica? Are these dials just a gimmick?
I Obsessed Over the Best Travel Lens: 35 or 40mm?
Why are so many 35mm lenses bigger than 40mm? For my last 3 Japan trips I always packed both, so I tested 3 40s against four 35s to figure out why. Turns out one of my 35mm lenses shoots like a 40, one of my 40mm lenses is closer to a 50mm. No wonder I couldn’t decide? Lens design’s about compromise, just like travel, and family, it’s the weight we’re willing to carry.
Find the Best Film Recipe, then Quit Adobe? | Fujifilm JPEGs Vs OM3, Nikon Zf
The biggest problem with the most popular film recipe? It’s only available on Fuji. I found a way to copy Classic Chrome on the OM3, even Nikon now has their own JPEG recipes. Can I create a look that works for all of my cameras using free software only? But the odds are against me - this is attempt number three. Can I finally quit Adobe?
Are Everyday Carry Cameras Now Luxury? | OM systems OM3 vs Nikon Zf
The OM3 may not be $5100, yet this micro-four thirds camera cost more than the full-frame Nikon Zf? I took ten thousand photos to figure out why I like both so much. Its retro veneer’s a disguise, hiding four flagship features unheard of for the price. But is it overkill for an everyday camera? A luxury I shouldn’t get used to.
Nikon Z8 3.0 vs Zf: Make or Break Manual Focus?
The Zf’s manual focus assist tools have come to the Z8, but to get the most out of these first party features you need third party accessories. I use three manual lens setups - dummy adapters, chipped adapters, or native Z-mount Voigtlanders and while the latest Z8 firmware improved TWO of these setups, it broke the workflow for one. Today I’ll test the Zf’s latest firmware - will manual focus break?
Nikon Zf + APO: The Ultimate Monochrome Kit? | Voigtlander 90mm f2 APO
After a month of testing on the Zf, Z8, and the 61 megapixel Leica, Voigtlander’s 90mm f2 APO might just be the sharpest lens I’ve used, but is it too sharp for me? That’s what I thought when shooting in colour, then I tried monochrome. The reality rendered by a lens this sharp can be confronting, our imaginations need more room to breathe. But reality’s stranger than fiction.