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You are here: Home / 2016 / Archives for January 2016

Archives for January 2016

(continued) the worst of 2015… and what to expect in 2016

5 January 2016 by Harold Glit

Different photographers have different needs and/or budget limitations. For instance, as I travel extensively overseas by planes, weight and size is a major concern for me when selecting photo equipment. A pro photographer always traveling with assistants, or mostly by car may not have the same restriction. Many “photo experts” would argue that there is no “bad” camera  per se when one considers the image quality possible even on the cheapest models.
That being said, there are each year some new products which fail to impress either by their features, or by their questionable design and/or ergonomic choices , or simply  in terms of pricing compared to their competitors.
Hence here is my “worst” list for 2015. These are two recent camera models  that I would not recommend to anyone :

Canon G5X. This product was announced alongside a more entry-level model named G9X. Canon compact cameras have been very popular for the most part and it is likely that because of Canon name and distribution network this new G7x would sell in large numbers. This model  is supposed to be the “expert”model in the product line-up (retail price is at $750) but yet does not allow continuous shooting in RAW mode. You can only make ONE picture before the shutter stops to clear the buffer. Therefore you can forget taking pictures of your kid or pet running in the garden , or simply any kind of street event. I was able to take some pictures at the fair when the camera was introduced and there is definitely a price to pay for the relatively small size of the camera. I have normal average male hands and the camera did not feel that easy to hold and operate.Image quality is unchanged from the Gx7 model.

On a different size of the spectrum in terms of size,another oddball in my opinion is the new Leica SL. this big camera body sports a relatively average 24MP 35mm sensor and use the same mount as the Leica T. But since the Leica T has a smaller APS sensor, your choice is limited to ONE zoom lens for the time being if you want AF lenses which cover the full 35mm sensor. With an adapter you can use the M lenses which are great but only in manual focus. While the camera is weather-sealed and features a very high resolution EVF, I still cannot fathom what is the market for this camera outside the die-hard Leica geeks.

Think about it : The Leica SL costs $7,450 body only and more than $K12 with its 2.8/4 24-90mm zoom lens. If size is not an issue for you, you can  get a Nikon D750 with its 24-120 zoom lens and get better image quality in a more usable body and features a long list of AF lenses in the Nikon or Sigma catalog. the Leica SL is FIVE TIMES as expensive as the Nikon D750. So even for those who believe that the Leica signature is worth extra money , it is a reach.
If you have larger hands or need ultimate quality , you can get another big weather sealed body for $500 by buying the Pentax 645Z (here).The sensor size is more than 2.5X times the surface of the leica SL and has a modern 50MP sony sensor and therefore offers MUCH better image quality than the SL, has more AF lenses options, better controls and menu organization…
This blog is about traveling light so covering the Pentax 645Z would not make much sense but there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that this model is the absolute best model for your buck for photographers who need the ultimate image quality along with great camera controls for their work.
There is also something else to keep in mind for a photographer who is willing (and able) to spend that kind of money is the lack of choices in AF lenses for this new model. Leica has now FOUR different lens systems for its interchangeable cameras : M lenses, S lenses for its manual format camera, T lenses in APS sized sensors and SL lenses in 35mm. This is a recipe for disaster and one can be sure that at least ONE of this new mount is not going to see much activity. If you do not believe me, look at how many new APS lenses Sony has been introduced for its APSsensor cameras since it developed its A7 series with a 35mm sensor.

There are however, some interesting products on the horizon. And since 2016 is a Photokina year (the largest and best fair for photo equipment which is held every other year in Cologne -Germany) one can bet that 2016 will be a more prolific year than 2015 was in terms of innovative models. At the CES show that started today there are already some interesting announcements: Along with its new flagship 35mm DSLR the D5 Nikon has finally released its successors to the D300s with the Nikon D500.
Panasonic just introduced today its new TZ100 which will be in direct competition with the Canon G5x and the Sony Rx100’s. Panasonic should announce in the spring a GM1/GM5 successor; the GM line being the “mini” line in the m4/3 rd camera system.

Stay tuned

Filed Under: Photo, Rants & raves

2015 best and worst cameras of the year …

4 January 2016 by Harold Glit

 

2015 is now behind us. As always, most magazines and online review sites concoct some recap of the  products released this year and draft top lists of what they consider the most significant introductions of the past 12 months.
The camera market has been changing for several years. DSLR’s sales have been experiencing steady declines among all brands for several years in a row and compacts are engaged in a seemingly endless free fall. Sales of so-called hybrid systems have not built-up as expected, at least in several markets.

However, the two most obvious patterns  of 2015 as far as I am concerned are :
1/ 2015 was an evolutionary year not a revolutionary ones. Take the hybrid market for instance : Fuji introduced the XT10 a cheaper alternative to its Xt-1. Olympus improved its OMD-EM5 with its mark II model (although this is a more significant improvement than the name alone could indicate). Panasonic updates its GX7 and G6 models with its new GX8 and G7 models (and a replacement of its tiny GM1, GM5 models is announced for the spring).
A similar phenomenon can be observed for the so-called “expert” compact camera market. The Sony RX100 got a fourth version (here) and the GRII is only slightly improved over its predecessor.

2/ The second strong pattern of the year , in my opinion, is how far off their game the two brands dominating the DSLR’s market- Nikon and Canon- are as pertains to  the evolution of their non-dlsr line.

Take for instance the Canon G5x & the Eos M3 two recent introductions of Canon supposedly aimed at advanced users. Canon is asking a premium price for a camera (G5x) which is basically a single shot camera for raw users. Granted this is not aimed at sport shooters but how about making a picture of your kids or dogs running in the garden or simply taking pictures of a event in the street ? My site is kept alive by providing links but I cannot in good conscience recommend this new model.
the GX line now includes five models (G1X mark II, G3X, G5X, G7x, G9X) which are supposed to succeed both the classic G and the S lines but fell short in several ways. (The G1X mII could be a good camera with a better sensor and a more modern optic).

What about their mirrorless system ? in 2015 Canon updated its line with two new models the Eos M3 and Eos M10. Canon started half-heartedly its mirrorless system back in 2012 with the eminently forgettable EOS-M, followed shortly hereafter by a marginally better M2. the M line features an APS sensor and there is an adapter for Canon DSLR users to adapt their lenses on the smaller M bodies. This is good because honestly at this point in time, it is hard to imagine who else but a die-hard Canon user would choose to invest in the Canon system which features now 2 bodies and ONLY four lenses

Nikon does not fare much better. For its mirrorless system, Nikon chose to adopt a much smaller 1″sensor. There are several bodies which create some confusion about which market Nikon is aiming at with its “1” product line. The main interest of the system is to allow small bodies and lenses with very fast autofocus, making it maybe a product of interest for “soccer moms”. The lens line -up  is small with nine lenses to choose from (six zooms and three fixed focal lengths). Again , there is one adapter to mount its Nikon F lenses on the 1 bodies but the size and weight of most those lenses on the small 1 bodies make it more an emergency back-up plan than a wise choice for use in the field.

It is very clear that both Nikon and Canon are not really concerned by the competition and treat the mirrorless cameras system as an afterthought. Also abundantly clear is the fact that they are more worried that better products would diminish the sales of their own dlsr products. Whether this is true or not, I think they are making a huge mistake of underestimating the depth of the change affecting the industry.

Lots of photographers may salivate on an full-featured  expensive (and heavy) 35mm DSLR from one of these two companies. While sales of  these expensive 35mm bodies make up for nice profit margins, they do not come close in terms of volumes to the entry and mid-level dslr (generally aps-sized). To say that Nikon has been neglecting the high-end segment of its APS sized DSLR line is an understatement.

I am fully aware that lots of people like top 10 or top 5 lists. However, for me it makes little  sense to attribute scores to cameras as it mixes different aspects of the products that maybe important to one and not to someone else.I think it is more useful to list the most interesting cameras of the year. Here there are : [Read more…]

Filed Under: Photo

Happy New Year !

1 January 2016 by Harold Glit

Dear fellow traveler and photographer ,

I want to wish you all a Happy New Year. I hope that the new year will bring you and your family continued Health and Happiness .. plus, of course, lots of exciting journeys and photo opportunities.

2016 will be a busy year as I am preparing several exciting photo trips. I have a  few articles which are going to be published over the next two weeks

Stay tuned . Thank you for your support.

Filed Under: Unclassified

Le Daylight Studio

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thedemandingtraveler

“Friendly onlookers “ . One of my few “wildl “Friendly onlookers “ . One of my few “wildlife” pics 😂 from 2020 ! #haroldglitphotography #haroldglit #wildlifesortof #goatsofinstagram #goats #brebis #cabras🐐 #g9 #cabras #surunarbreperché #goatsintrees #micro43 #lumixg9 #everydaymorocco #maroc #travelpics #nosamislesbetes #ovejas #fineartphotography
“Posing Penguins” . I was following these two “Posing Penguins” . I was following these two penguins at a distance when they turned around, got closer to each other and stared at me like they were posing for me 😎😉. #haroldglitphotography #haroldglit #thedemandingtraveler #penguins #pingüinos #pinguinos #pingouin #southafrica #southafricatravel #g9 #lumixg9 #micro43 #wildlife #m43 #wildlifephotography #pinguine #panasonicleica50200mm #pinguini #pl50200
“The big dive” shot in Sri Lanka a few years “The big dive”  shot in Sri Lanka a few years back  #haroldglitphotography #haroldglit #ricohgr2 #grii #fineartphotography #jumpingoffacliff #thebigjump #diving #thebigdive #legrandsaut #everydaysrilanka #srilankatravel #everydayeverywhere #srilanka #streetleaks #ourstreets #jumper
“Garden confinement “ Images created around th “Garden confinement “ Images created around the garden when staying isolated 🤓 #haroldglitphotography #lumix #thedemandingtraveler #g9 #fineartphotography #nature #naturearoundme #haroldglit #beautifulnature #macrophoto #macrophotography #pl50200 #panasonicleica50200mm #mft #m43 #m43photography #fleur #flores #flores🌸 #flowers #flowersofinstagram
“Social distancing” . In the mood for still sh “Social distancing” . In the mood for still shots this morning. Created in my garden today 🍁🍁 #haroldglitphotography #haroldglit #stilllifephotography #stilllife ##fineartphotography #fineart #naturemorte #sigmadp2merrill #daylightphotography #feuilles #naturephotography #hojas #hojasmuertas #naturalezamuerta #feuillesdautomne #hojasdeotoño #beautifulnature #hermosanaturaleza
“Eleven birds passing by 🦅 “ . I was gettin “Eleven birds passing by 🦅 “ . I was getting ready for a model shoot when I saw those birds migrating somewhere far I suppose.  #haroldglitphotography #lumixg9 #thedemandingtraveler #birds #birdsinthesky #birdsofinstagram #migratingbirds #birdssquad #m43 #fineart #fineartphotography #oiseaux #oiseauxmigrateurs #snap #panasonicleica50200mm #leica #vogelfotografie #avesmigratorias #pájaros #pajarosdeinstagram
« The creepy landscape, XIV » #haroldglitphot « The creepy landscape, XIV »  #haroldglitphotography #haroldglit #landscapephotography #landscape #creepyart #creepypictures #gr2 #fineartphotography #macroshot #ricohgr2 #paysage #oddlandscape  #scarymacros #weirdscene
«Street little vendor, Myanmar» . This was shot «Street little vendor, Myanmar» .  This was shot only a few years ago but it does feel like a lifetime ago now 🥺 #haroldglitphotography #haroldglit #bwphotography #ricohgr2 #fineart #ourstreets #noiretblanc #bnwphoto  #trixfilm #everydaymyanmar #street #streetleaks #reportage #travelpics #tribe #everydayeverywhere #gr2 #monochrome #photoderue
“ Horse ride by the seaside 🐎 “ #fineartpho “ Horse ride by the seaside 🐎 “ #fineartphotography #haroldglit #thedemandingtraveler #lumixg9 #horsesofinstagram #horses #g9 #micro43 #micro43photography #travelpics #horseriding🐴 #chevaux #chevauxsauvages  #caballosdeinstagram #caballos #everydaymorocco #travelpics #everydayeverywhere #snapshots
“Birds from everywhere “ I am not typically a “Birds from everywhere “  I am not typically a bird photographer but here is a selection of some birds 🦅 #haroldglitphotography #birds #birdsofinstagram #oiseaux #haroldglit #pajaros #pájaros #wildlife #wildlife_perfection #oiseauxinstagram #lumixg9 #micro43 #m43 #g9pro #panasoniclumix#fineartphotography #nature
Butterflies 🦋 🦋 #haroldglit #haroldglitphot Butterflies 🦋 🦋  #haroldglit #haroldglitphotography #g9 #lumixg9 #papillons #m43 #papillonsofinstagram #macrophotography #macro #macrophoto #mariposas🦋 #mariposas #farfalle #schmetterlinge #schmetterlingsfotografie
“First steps ( primeros pasos) “ Aren’t thos “First steps ( primeros pasos) “ Aren’t those little guys adorable ? #haroldglitphotography #africa #africanwildlife #absolutecuties #meerkats #meerkatsofinstagram #fineartphotography #lumixg9 #g9 #suricatas #suricates #botswana #africansafari #outofafrica #m43 #enfileindienne #unodetrásdeotro #firststeps #babysteps #primerospasos
Got a visit today from a little red friend 🤗fly Got a visit today from a little red friend 🤗flying by the pool. #haroldglitphotography #libelula #haroldglit #insectofinstagram #libellule #libellulerouge #lumix #dragonfly #reddragonfly #g9 #dragonflyphotography #insectes #dragonfliesofinstagram #insecte #unexpectedvisit #micro43 #m43 #unexpectedguest #insectos
«The girl in the tree,Cambodia 2013 » #thedeman «The girl in the tree,Cambodia 2013 » #thedemandingtraveler #cambodge #cambodia #travelsnapshots #m43 #momentdecisif #everydaycambodia #everydayeverywhere #asiankids #momentospreciosos #instantdecisif #momentsprecieux #everydayasia #ourstreets #streetleaks #fineart #fineartphoto #fineartphotography #olympuscameras #girlinatree
« Not without my Mom🤓, Africa » #thedemandi « Not without my Mom🤓, Africa » #thedemandingtraveler #lumix #g9 #africa #everydayafrica #wildlife #panasonicg9 #afrique #elephants #elephant #wildlifeofinstagram #familybonding #elephantwalk #fineartphotography #fineart #m43 #leica50200mm #africansafari #micro43photography #safari
« Unforgettable Landscapes XII » #thedemanding « Unforgettable Landscapes XII » #thedemandingtraveler #haroldglit #landscapesofinstagram #paisajes #pinturadepaisaje #paysages #lumix #fineart #namibia #namibie #g9 #fineartphotography #micro43rds #everydayafrica #paysagedereve #lumixg9 #unforgettablememories #unforgettableplaces #deadvlei
« Street scene ,Laos » #haroldglit #m43 #haro « Street scene ,Laos » #haroldglit #m43 #haroldglitphotography #fineart #everydayeverywhere #everydaylaos #laos🇱🇦 #laos #fineartphotography #thedemandingtraveler #photoderue #ourstreets #streetphotography #em5 #olympuscamera #fromthemarket #marketscene #enrevenantdumarché #marketsnapshot #asiapics
« Checkmate! » #haroldglit #bnwart #fineartpho « Checkmate! » #haroldglit #bnwart #fineartphotography #ourstreets #bw #monochromatic #monochrome #haroldglitphotography #noiretblanc #everydaybudapest #ricohgr #fineart #everydayeurope #chessgame #mat #everydayeverywhere #echecetmat #jeudechec #budapest #concentration
« By the Sea , Myanmar ». #thedemandingtravel « By the Sea , Myanmar ». #thedemandingtraveler #haroldglit #lovemyanmar #everydaymyanmar #m43 #olympuscamera #em5markii #everydayasia #travelpics #ourstreets #shadows #contrejour #zuikolens #asie #kidsatthebeach #beachscene #seaside #bythesea #myanmar🇲🇲 #myanmar
« Cambodian School boy » #pentaxcamera #every « Cambodian School boy »  #pentaxcamera #everydaycambodia #thedemandingtraveler #cambodge #asia #cambodia #noiretblanc #street #ourstreets #momentdecisif #snaps #streetsnaps #fineartphotography #bwphotography #blancoynegro #bw #blackandwhitemasters #photoderue #blackandwhite #monochrome
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