New! Nikon D7100 Review , available for pre-order

NIKON D7100 Announced...
NIKON'S ANSWER AND UPGRADE FROM THE D7000.
Photo's seen below are the last photos taken June 2011 on my D7000 before upgrading to my D3s. Model: Tina Bertelli

D7000, 70-200mm f2.8 VRII @ 70mm ISO 100, f7.1 1/500

There wasn't much to dislike about the D7000. It was a quality solid reliable breakthrough into the DX sensor size field. I had mine for over a year before I switched everything to full frame FX and still have fond memories of the camera. Perfect for the hobbiest, amateur, pro or new mother looking for quality pictures of her kids.  With digital technology improving each and every day, so does the cameras sensors. In fact, comparing image quality from sensor to sensor is minimal. Rather what varies is the glass / lens you put in front of it. That said the camera does still play a significant role in the handling and how the picture is taken.

The D7000 boasted a ground breaking 18mp sensor at 6fps which most DSLR's had about 12mp.  I saw nothing wrong with this but in Nikon's never ending pursuit of more megapixels they've upgraded the new D7100 to 24 megapixels still at 6 frames per second on continuous. That just means you better be buying some more hard drive space. The extra 6mp won't be making a huge difference to existing D7000 users as 18mp is way more than enough for most people and applications. Take for instance, if your main purpose is to share with others and friends on facebook. Those images are being viewed on a computer or handheld device that displays at 1920 x 1080 pixels. Approximately 2mp, 3-4mp at best!!! Never the less, I've printed many shots taken with the D7000 larger than 2 feet by 3 feet no problem and zero pixelation.

The D7000 had much going for it but still had its drawbacks. Autofocus was the main one. It was inaccurate at times and slightly unreliable. It's 39 point AF would often backfocus on many occasions and on different modes. So bad at times you'd completely miss shots and be left scratching your head. When I say backfocus, I don't mean slightly miss focus by a centimetre or two, which it also did, but rather focus on the background 20ft behind the subject. This was a major issue and complaint of D7000 users. Nikon claims to have fixed this with the new 51 point autofocus system in the D7100. If its anything like or is the same as the autofocus in the D800,  D4 or even the D3s then they will have succeeded. Just for the improvement in autofocus alone makes this camera desirable.

Video capabilities have also been upgraded on the D7100. You will now be able to film 1080p @30fps and 1080i @60fps for a little slow-motion or higher frame rate compared to the D7000 which maxed out at 1080p @24fps.

Most every other specification on the D7100 is identical to the D7000. Aside from minor upgrades such as HDR and time-lapse shooting modes, they've upgraded, or allowed bracketing to shoot up to 5 shots. The previous D7000 only allowed for 3 shots which is the bare minimum needed to create a proper HDR image (I find 5 shot HDR ideal for most situations). The ISO remains a respectable 100-6400 expandable to Hi2 25600 with a maximum shutter speed of 1/8000. Dual SD slots for back-up or overflow and ergonomics remain nearly mirrored.

If your waiting for a D300 replacement, this is it. This is and will be a great choice for a wide variety of people. The full auto and scene modes make it suitable for the average person not into photography just looking for nice photos.  As well as the season photographers perhaps looking for a smaller package for travel or just to gain some range on there lenses by using a DX format. The Nikon D7100 has the power and capabilities to keep up with most any situation.

Recently announced, Nikon's D7100 is available for pre-order with an expected delivery of March 31, 2013. At a cost of $1200 for body only or $1600 with kit lens 18-105mm (which I don't recommend, the extra $400 could be much better spent on a better lens) , expect to wait on your copy unless you pre-order soon as I expect a long list of excited customers.

D7000, 24-70mm f2.8 @ISO 400, f6.3, 1/60

The Nikon 50mm 1.4G Review

Third times not always a charm...
Nikon 50mm 1.4G vs 1.8D

Optically, this is not a pro lens.  I've owned two 50mm F1.4G's in the past and sold them both. I borrowed my friends to give it a third chance. To begin with the 50mm prime is not my favourite range to rock on full frame FX. I prefer something wider like my 35mm and or tighter like 85mm. It's right in that middle awkward range that I find limiting and not useful enough.  On DX sensors the 50mm is a nice portrait lens as it is the equivalent of 75mm on FX. You can buy a new Nikon 50mm F1.4G for about $550 new or $400 on the used market. The lens I will be comparing it to is the Nikon 50mm F1.8D. Only costs about $150 new and $100 used but will not work with cheaper Nikon DSLR's that don't have AF motors.

The first lens I ever bought was the $150 Nikon 50mm F1.8D which I rocked as my one and only lens with first DSLR, the D90. The combo was stelar. Later down the road I wanted an upgrade and purchased the newer 50mm F1.4G which I sold a while later. I decided to give it another chance and picked up another about a year later. I ended up selling it within a week... 

IMAGE SHARPNESS
I've always felt that the Nikon 50mm F1.4G produced soft images and after testing my third version, although this one being the best of the three, I can now say without hesitation. At 1.4 its not overly sharp.. It's a little soft! It gets marginally better by 1.8 but doesn't really become decent until F2. Now whats the good of a F1.4 lens if you can't confidently shoot at 1.4????  

NIKON 50mm F1.4G vs F1.8D SHARPNESS
At 1.8 the 1.4G takes the edge. Not surprising since the 1.8D is wide open where lenses are usually weakest. Surprisingly by 2.2, the 1.8D takes the lead and holds as the sharper image as we stop down. Check out these direct comparisons. The focus point is the top of the "i".

BOKEH
The out of focus areas are a little harsh and a little unpleasant. Not great, but not too bad either.  That said it is much much better than the 50mm F1.8D in this characteristic.

CHROMATIC ABERRATION 
The green and purple fringing is very noticeable and hard to miss on both the 1.4G and 1.8D. Check out the back edge of the cup. Even the front edge has a slight purple fringe as my focus point is the top of the letter "i" and the edge of the brim is slightly closer

DISTORTION  
none

LENS FALLOFF
Or Lens vignetting, is not bad at all on this lens. Worst at f1.4 and completely gone by f4.0.
The effects are greatly exaggerated by shooting on a grey background. Even at 1.4 it's only about a 1/3 stop of falloff.

AUTO FOCUS
Focusing is fast, and quite. A little faster than the 1.8D but a ton quieter and smoother due to the internal silent wave motor. 
All three 50mm 1.4G lenses I've tested slightly back focus and require auto focus fine tuning within the camera. Each was slightly different but required a adjustment of +5 to +10. This bugs me, as you would think Nikon would calibrate them more constantly accurate.

COMPARED to the 50mm F1.8D. Images from the 50mm 1.4G have a much richer saturation.  As well it is more contrasty. 

CONCLUSION
I don't recommend this lens for pro's as its optics are not pro quality. The build quality is cheap and plasticy and so far all my tests and experiences have rendered this lens unreliable. Just not something I'd trust to pull out on a job. Its just fine for amateurs or hobbyists as you most likely won't be pixel counting. If your camera has a AF motor, and your on a budget, pick up a 50mm 1.8D. It's the best bang for the buck at $100-$150 and you'll never be disappointed. 

Sigma 35mm 1.4 DG Review

THE SIGMA STIGMA...
Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG Hands on

The Sigma 35 1.4 Nikon versions only been out for a month or so and go for around $950 new. Compared to the Nikon 35mm 1.4G which retails for around $1850. There aren't too many used Sigma's on the market due to its age, but used Nikon 35mm 1.4G's are hard to come buy and sell quick. Usually selling for around $1600
Designed for full frame DSLR's this is not for DX or APS-C sized sensors. For DX rather pick up Nikon's 35mm 1.8G for $250

I have always been a Nikon guy and had bought nothing but Nikon lenses, with the exception of a Tokina 12-24mm F4 DX lens I had used and later sold early on in my career. (Which was great btw).
Sigma was just a brand that I steered clear of for obvious reason. I was surprised when I went to pick up a Nikon 35mm 1.4 at my regular camera store and my guy recommended the New Sigma 35mm 1.4. To say the least, I was a little taken back that he would suggest it to me. It was still in the pre-order stage and he said he would bring one in for me to try out. He guaranteed me it was not like the other Sigma's. When the lens came in I went to the store with no bias armed with both my D800 and D3s ready for a thorough examination. Needless to say I bought the lens. I was impressed... and still am.

I've had the Sigma 35mm f1.4 for just over a month now and it continues to wow me. I love the build quality which is actually slightly heavier and longer in length than the Nikon 35mm 1.4G. In direct comparison the Sigma feels more solid and the Nikon more plasticy. Which seems to be a sad trend with Nikon's G series using more plastic nowadays. The focus ring is nice and large and stiffer than the Nikon. Not problem stiff but smooth with a quality glide. The overall ergonomics are very nice across the board. You can tell Sigma spent some quality time redesigning the look and feel. Not that the exterior matters towards the pictures it takes, but this is a nice looking lens. After all, I'll have to walk around with this lens hanging off my body! 

It has become my goto, never leave behind, single lens D800 combo. The image quality paired with the Nikon D800 is all I ever need in most situations.  The biggest test for me was how it performed at 1.4 after all, any lens can be sharp at f5.6 and this ain't the F64 club!  If it's not sharp and usable wide open then whats the point! Let me tell you it did not disappoint. 




Image sharpness is excellent and focus is fast and precise. Even at 1.4 the in focus areas are crisp! Compared directly to the Nikon 35mm 1.4G, there are on par and I can't say which is sharper when side by side 100% crops. If you can tell me which is Nikon or Sigma without reading the caption I call bullshit. 

Sigma's field of view is a little wider as you can see from these shots taken on a tripod. Why? I have no idea.

Left: Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG @ 1.4    -    Right: Nikon 35mm 1.4G @ 1.4

Vignetting is heavy at 1.4 as expected and pretty much identical to Nikon's. It's barely noticeable by f2.8, the slightest hint at f4 if side by side, and completely gone at f5.6. If you shoot 1.4 you've come to expect this and many like the look it brings. There are also many ways to reduce the effect of vignetting in the camera or in processing after the fact. Nikon 35mm 1.4G vignetting is about the same and no better.

Here's samples shot on Grey to exaggerate the effects 

Distortion is there is none

Bokeh (or out of focus characteristic) are very creamy. Bokehlisious!  This is a shot of my friends dog @ f1.4 Gorgeous George! This is also a vertical crop which was taken horizonally on my D800 @ 20mp Jpeg. The eyes are super sharp without any sharpening or post editing

Sigma 35mm @ f1.4

Both Nikon's and Sigma have notable Chromatic Abberation. Also know as color fringing with the areas behind the point of focus having a greenish outline and the foreground having a purple edge. This has never really bothered me as no one ever looks a photo and says "Holy crap, look at that Chromatic Aberration!!" 

The coloration between the two are slightly different with the Nikon being slightly saturated and the Sigma more realistic. I could say which I liked better just that they were different.

FLAWS - There is one thing that really bugs me. Being new to the Sigma world, I don't know if this is an common Sigma focus problem. I noticed that on Nikon's focus mode AF-C. The manual focus override doesn't take over. Rather fights the camera's focus which continues to try and focus.  The manual override works fine on AF-S.

CONCLUSION - This is a professional grade lens. A huge step in the right direction for Sigma lenses. I had to constantly check the metadata to see which shot was taken with my Sigma and which was Nikon. So at half the price or Nikon's 35mm F1.4 its a bargain. Personally I like the look and build quality of this Sigma better than Nikon's.

Fujifilm X100 Hands On Review

THE PERFECT TRAVEL SIZED COMPANION FOR THE PRO OR AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER

Fujifilm X100 Front
The Fujifilm x100 packs a 12.3 mp APS-C sized sensor behind a fixed 23mm F2.0 lens (34.5mm equivalent on a 35mm full frame sensor) all incased in a retro and stylish packaging. Priced around $1200 new or $800 used, It offers all the manual controls with a large sensor while remaining sleek and compact. This camera has a lot to offer and definitely fills a void in many photographers bags. 

Fujifilm X100 Back

The Fuji X100 has been out for over a year now and is soon to be replaced by the new X100s. Basically the identical plus a few tweaks and improvements. Overall this is a great addition to any pros arsenal. Its a perfect travel, evening or everyday camera without packing a 20 lbs bag around or sacrificing for a miniature point & shoot with crappy results.

The 23mm, 34.5mm equivalent is a great range for almost any situation. The F/2 lens allows for lowlight photography and offers a shallow enough depth of field to keep me happy. It's well built of metal with solid weight and smooth turning dials. An electronic eye-sensor that activates it very cool and useful hybrid LCD / optical viewfinder.  

Fujifilm X100 Top

I really enjoy this cameras functionality with almost everything readily available with the turn of a dial. The aperture ring is especially nice, it allows for quick to change from F2 - F16 in full stop increments and then to auto.

As well as the large shutter dial on top which effortlessly allows you to go from bulb to 1/2 second up to 1/4000 in full stop increments then auto.  The exposure compensation is right on top ranging from -2 to +2 in third stop increments. It works great on A,S or P. I often shoot manual shutter / aperture with auto ISO on and found that the exposure compensation doesn't work in manual mode. Whether or not Fuji will address this problem is yet to be seen but could definitely be in the form of a firmware update.

ISO is hidden in the menu, but you can simply set the function button to ISO which I would highly suggest. Only drawback is that the Auto ISO is not accessible from here. 

You can also set the RAW button on the back of the camera to a variety of functions for fast access. I prefer it set to ND filter rather than the default RAW. I like to shoot wide open in full daylight where the ND is needed. Most everything else you need has a button on the back of the camera to open in the menu. The in camera menu is a little confusing at first, like any new OS, but becomes quite simple and easy to navigate once to get used to it.

I recently took nothing but the X100 on a trip to Vegas. No chance I was going to pack around a camera bag with all the activities associated with going to Vegas with friends. I literally wore the camera all weekend from gambling at the Cosmopolitan to clubbing at XS. Hung over my shoulder it never seemed to get in the way. The supplied strap is unassuming and comfortable, although a tad short. The built in flash seemed to nail the exposure at almost any light. Great as a daytime fill flash and never looked too harsh. 

F2-F16 23mm Aspherical Lens

The native ISO is 200-6400 expandable to Lo100 & Hi12800. Overall it performed about average. Not quite as good as I hoped and mostly unusable after 3200. Even at 3200 I was finding way to much noise and evidence of noise reduction for my liking. 

Sharpness is quite good all around. Its a touch softer wide open at F2 with the slightest of vignetting. Nothing to complain about. The Bokeh is nice, no harsh edges in the out of focus areas. Distortion is minimal and not worth discussing on this type of camera. If you want super straight lines, draw them!

So far so good,  although this camera is not for everyone. It does require a basic knowledge of photography ie: aperture, shutter speeds & ISO since there is no dedicated full auto mode or button. It also has a fixed lens which won't suffice for the zoom obsessed public. It also won't cut it for sports as the auto focus and trigger delay won't keep up with your needs. You'd also have to be on the field with the subject to get any type of usable framing with a 35mm equivalent focal range.

The auto focus is not quite as smart as some of the point and shoots but its very accurate on single point. I found it best to use the center point, focus and recompose. The focus time can  be a little on the slower side and sometimes search even on single point, but seems to have sped up a lot with the latest firmware update 1.30.  The manual focus ring located outside the aperture ring is not nearly as responsive enough and somewhat unusable. Rumour has it this is one of the upgrades to the X100s along with faster focus speed. Currently you have to spin and spin and spin it to even get a slight change in focus in manual mode.  

In the studio it can be quite useful. Why would I ever choose the X100 over my D800 or D3s in a studio setting??? Shutter sync speed! Because its mirrorless its capable of syncing at 1/1000 when shooting with strobes compared to 1/250.

If your considering the Fujifilm X100 or X100s I'd say its a no brainer. The Pros far outweigh the Cons. If you pick up a new or used X100 first thing I'd recommend is updating the firmware. 

Incase DSLR Pro Pack Review

Traveling discretely while carrying tons of gear... 

Most camera bags are obvious and often draw attention. This may be fine in most situations but what about when your in a less than safe neighbourhood, or country??? What if you'd rather not advertise that your carrying 25 grand worth of gear on your back?

Answer: The Incase DSLR Pro Pack. 

This is a picture with my 13" macbook pro. It's pulled towards the top so it's visible. Trust me it fits the 15 perfect and 17 by a hair

Overall Ranking: 8 out of 10

I currently have 5 different backpacks, 3 shoulder bags, and suitcases so it's safe to say I've tried and tested more than a few. No backpack is perfect, and I'll never be 100% satisfied with any bag I own.  With that said, The Incase DSLR Pro Pack comes pretty darn close. Typically I stick to Thinktank and wouldn't even consider an Incase backpack, who is known for standard off to school with your textbook backpacks. However before departing on a worldwide photography trip I needed backpack to team with my Thinktank Airport takeoff suitcase that would fit a few requirements.

1. Carry both my D3s & D800.
2. Carry 4 lenses.
3. Have some sort of quick camera access. 
4. Carry a 17" Macbook pro.
5. Be a good looking bag.
6. Be discrete. 
7. Fit underneath the seat in front on an airplane. 
8. Hold a tripod.

This bag covered all angles. 

Positives:
First off, its a great looking bag and affordable at $159. That can't be said for the wide variety of hideous and oddly shaped overpriced Kata, Lowepro, Crumpler, or Tamrac camera backpacks available on the market. It's sleek, void of excess clips and flaps, but underneath can store an arsenal of gear. The camera compartment is camouflaged by it's shape and holds a shocking amount of gear. It can be accessed wide open though the entire back or through a top hatch cleverly placed for quick access.  It's designed to hold an ipad and a 15" laptop, but I found it can fit my 17" Macbook Pro just barely. 


Negatives:
The build quality isn't what you might expect from something designed to carry your precious gear. The outer fabric is apparently water resistant, but rather thin. I have already suffered two rips where a hard plastic structure of the bag have punctured through the skin. Mind you, I've lugged this bag around the world so it's not surprising. The zippers are a definite weak point and are way to small for my liking yet I've had no problems thus far. Protection/padding is also a little thinner than normal, thus how they achieve its slimmer profile. Overall it's not a hiking backpack nor is it designed for any type of hardcore or extreme use. It also does not come with a dedicated rain shell, which isn't a big deal for me because I have half a dozen from others laying around. 

Conclusion:
If you shoot with a battery grip or camera with a built-in grip, this is not the backpack for you. Due to the depth of the camera compartment these camera's have to be stored without a lens. For D3s, D4 or gripped shooters I'd recommend Thinktank's Street walker series. I only use this bag when primarily shooting with my D800. I would not consider this bag a professionals backpack, but rather the enthusiast dream. Perfect for travel or regular commuting. Since acquiring, it has become my daily go to. I consider the Incase DSLR Pro Pack the best all around casual backpack.  

Vancouver street photo walk with Carl Curtis

Sunday, September 2, 2012.

Went for a street walk with the other half of Curtis James Photography around Vancouver armed with my Nikon D800 and only 24-70mm f2.8G. He was packing his D700 and same 24-70. If I had only one lense, this would be it. Over the years I've taken approximately 75%+ of all my photos with my Nikon 24-70 f2.8. Worth every penny at the current price of $1729 @ broadway camera.  We left his place and headed towards olympic village in search of anything and everything to photograph. We were packing light since we knew we'd be doing a lot of 

Nikon D800, 24-70mm 2.8 @ 44mm, ISO 400, f4.5, 1/1000

walking, although we both still rocked sandals. We winded through alleys scouting for potential locations for future shoots. Rather than snap pictures of blank walls and locations I had Carl be the model.  I'm more likely to remember a spot if I associate it with a good pic. Good thing he dressed for the occasion cause he ended up being in 90% of my shots! 

Not even a block into our walk and we encountered a lemonade stand. Mmmmm, Delicious!!! We had to stop and support this youngster and his hustle. Carl often interrogates these minors asking for there sales pitch and found this was a non-profit stand, but yet the proceeds were heading to childrens hospital! Quite a nobel cause. Two freshly squeezed glasses of delicious lemonade later and we were on our merry way. Set with my camera on Jpeg 20mp medium fine, which is more than enough for a personal walk around day. 

Carl had noticed before that scooby doo had been in his neigborhood. In fact he was correct and the Mystery Machine itself was parked just down the block. What would compel someone to turn there perfectly good 1980's GMC van into a Scooby mobile? I applaud them! Amazing. The van was parked half in the shadows so obviously Carl and I decided to compare the dynamic ranges of our two respective cameras. My D800 and his D700. Even from the tiny 3 inch LCD displays it was clearly no competition. The D800 excelled. I have certain complaints about the D800 which I won't get into right now, but dynamic range isn't one of them. 

After making our way through countless alleys and empty lots and I had the sad realization that many of our past favorite locations had been torn down to make way for new condo's. New concrete cookie cutter monstrosities that don't offer anything in the way of character. All within the last two years, so I can only imagine what the future holds for the last few remaining sanctuaries of old character buildings. On the way back to Carl's place with our feet aching from the lack of support and rubbing straps on our sandals. We decided to some action shots of Carl jumping in the middle of the street. It was nearly 6pm and the lighting was perfect casting west to east. The D800 was simply too slow at its dreary 4 fps. A moment when I wished I had brought my D3s and its machine gun like 9fps. I managed to grab a keeper none the less although it was almost unusable due to the D800 back focusing. A little sharpening and it was all good.

What's in the bag, gear I use

I am a Nikon shooter. Always have been and don't see myself making a switch anytime soon. I didn't have much of a choice at the beginning, being that all of my friends and family shot with Nikon. It only made sense that I did too.  I am a self proclaimed gear junkie and have owned just about every current quality lens worth owning. My reviews of gear are based on practicality and field use rather than silly specifications and technical tests which don't help you at all in real field situations. 

I constantly buy and sell lenses and gear on a battle to acquire the perfect working combination. My experience at Curtis James Photography has taught me, this is nearly impossible. Every situation calls for different solutions. Although I have filtered out and narrowed down what best works for my style of shooting. There is no one right way to do anything, rather different styles.

Here's some of the gear I use. 

Bodies
Nikon D4
Nikon D800

Lenses
Nikon 24-70mm f2.8G
Nikon 70-200mm f2.8G vrII
Nikon 16-35mm f4G
Nikon 105mm f2.8G Macro
Nikon 85mm f1.8G
Nikon 50mm f1.8D
Nikon 50mm f1.4G
Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG
Nikon 16mm f2.8D Fisheye

Flashes and Strobes
Nikon SB-900
Nikon SB-600
Alienbees B800 320 w/s
Alienbees ABR800 320 w/s (ringflash)
Interfit EX150 150 w/s