Notes from the Field

I started using the Sony FS100 shortly after the camera’s introduction in March in 2011. While it wasn’t love at first site, I had a pretty hard crush on this camera after 10 minutes of using it. The functions and features of the FS100 were easy to grasp, since I was upgrading from the HDV Sony cameras. Most of the menus, buttons and settings were the same as older Sony cameras, but instead of writing to tape, an SD card had taken the place for the recording media, and the camera has a much larger Super 35mm sensor that exists in higher end Sony cameras.

The build quality of the camera itself is very good, since it is basically a box with a removable lens. In fact it feels very much like a Hasablad camera with the LCD screen on the top of the camera. The build quality drops a bit when you start to bolt on the accessories that come with the camera. The handle that holds the microphone and viewfinder feel a bit flimsy and the handgrip is just a bit better. I had these same opinions almost a year ago when I got the camera, but none of the accessories have broken in that time. Even if those accessories are not great, Sony have put several mounting points to mount monitors, rail systems and more rugged handles to hold the camera.

Image quality has been fantastic and overall, I have been very happy with the camera. But no matter how good the camera was, my Canon DSLRs, and the great lenses I own, always trumped the FS100 when I needed optimum quality and low light shooting. There have been many companies to manufacture lens adaptors for the Sony NEX cameras, which the FS100 is a member of, but most of those adaptors didn’t give you any control of the aperture of the lens, and you were forced to shoot wide open on your lens, which wasn’t very practical. You could bolt older, non-EF lenses, or older Nikon lenses if you had them, but if you were using a new Canon DSLR for your video work, none of your lenses would work.

That was until the Metabones Canon lens adaptor was announced in January of 2012. This adaptor allowed for the use of Canon EF lenses on the FS100, and allowed for control of the aperture through the camera body, with no external controls or battery involved. Just take the old lens off, bolt the adaptor on, and then attached the Canon lens. All controls are the same for the Canon glass as they for the Sony, except there is no control for auto focus with the Canon lens.

I did a short video over the use of the Metabones adaptor and the Sony FS100, showing off the features of the adaptor. In doing that video I demonstrated two things, how easy the adaptor is to use, and how bad my voice sounds.

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Since the announcement of Canon new wireless flash system, I have been counting the days till my order would arrive at my door. My use and love of Speedlites is pretty well documented on this site. So I sold some gear to make room in the bag, and the bank account. And today was the day that my new Canon Speedlites arrived and here are my first impressions. In order of full disclosure, I haven’t had more than a few hours with the units, so this will be quick, with an in depth review to follow in the next few days.
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Something I have always loved and enjoyed doing is macro photography. No matter what the situation, you can always go out, and come back home with great images from a day of doing macro work. No need to worry about models, clients, or making dead lines, just the pure joy of photography and finding a interesting subject in the smallest of details. For me, it is the comfort food of photography.

While many zoom lenses have a macro feature, that allows you to get close, they are nothing compared to using a true dedicated macro lens. A good dedicated macro lens gives you the ability to get extremely close to your subject, and many new models have built in image stabilization to make those hand held macro shots possible.

At the top of that list is the Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro. This Canon macro is one of the new macro lenses that have built in image stabilization, which comes in very handy when you don’t feel like hauling a tripod out into the field. The image stabilization technology is also the next generation stabilization technology from Canon, and it makes it a big difference. The lens is tack sharp, and the stabilization is as good as the corporate marketing make it out to be.

The Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro

Just in case you have been reading more about the 5D Mark III announcement, and maybe missed the news, Canon also announced a new Speedlite, the 600EX-RT, and a on camera transmitter, the ST-E3-RT. Both units use radio transmission as the way of communicating with each other.

This is huge news in the world of small flash, because it means that with this new gear, you do not need to worry about line of sight issues, long TTL cables or third party radio triggers to fire your flashes, or change power settings.

While the new Canon 5D is cool, this new flash and transmitter is ground breaking technology. It is also cool that Canon beat Nikon to the punch, since we Canon shooters take so much flack from our fellow Nikon Speedlighters, whom have been standing at the top of the hill for so long. I say this in good fun, but it is really nice to have the nicest toy on the playground, at least for the moment.

You can get the total break down on the new Speedlite and Transmitter at Syl Arena’s blog He got a hold of a few 600EXs and has produced some videos on their features, so I won’t waste your time on the details here. Syl also did a video review as well, which he was kind enough to let me put into the blog.

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Over the last 10 years I have concentrated on two things as a photographer. Trying to be better in the art of photography, understanding the science of light and expanding my narrow artistic view. The other was focusing on the business side of photography. Because no matter how good you are as a photographer, if you are bad at the business side, you might as well look at another field, because you are not going to make it in today’s market.

I may have more books on the business side of photography, than on the creative side at the moment. And when I go to conferences, I spend more time in the business courses that I do the lighting and posing one, because I know how important the business side is, and how crucial it is to my career as a photographer.

So with all of that in mind, it pains me to say, that most of that business information went in one ear, and out the other. Continue Reading…