Joy In Simplicity.

I had an epiphany a couple of weeks ago. No, I haven’t got religion or had a visitation from outer space. I realised something. What if I could have one system for landscape projects and video; and one for street, portrait and daily use? Simple really. The only problem is how do I get both without breaking the bank? The answer came to me one day. What if I slimmed down my micro four thirds set up and keep what I need for video & landscapes and go old school for my portrait, street and daily use. The solution started to become clearer. I put one of my micro four thirds cameras up for sale, sold a lens I wasn’t really using and bought a cheap full frame DSLR. My problem with full frame DSLR’s is the size and weight of them. Generally, the lenses are big and heavy. The bodies are invariably very big and heavy and I end up back in the situation I was in six months ago. I didn’t want to be lugging big bags of gear around with me and causing a recurrence of my neck and shoulder pain.

I searched, researched and found my solution. I went for the Canon 6D. Its a small, light, full frame DSLR with a respectable 20.2mp sensor. It is cheap as it’s getting on but built very solidly. I found one online with a 50mm f1.8 lens at a very good price. I bought the kit along with the highly rated Canon EF 40mm f2.8 pancake lens (also very cheap). I took possession of the items a few days ago. Ive only been out three times with this setup but what a revelation. The camera is very comfortable, lighter than my GH5II and a joy to use. I am a novice with DSLR’s and have much to learn but my first impressions are very favourable. I opted for a full frame because of the ability to work in low light. I also like the fact there isn’t any maths involved when working out the focal length of your lens. No crop factors or calculations as to what focal length your lens actually is. A 50mm lens is 50mm. Talking of the 50mm, it’s a lovely sharp lens. very light, very cheap and surprisingly capable. The 40mm is a sensation, super sharp and good in low light too.

I know the 6D has its haters. Only one card slot and not rugged enough for professionals. It’s solid enough for me and one card slot is fine as I’m not planning on doing any wedding or serious landscape photography with it. Even if I did decide to do those things, I’d just have a spare couple of sd cards in my bag. The whole kit was cheaper than what I am selling the Panasonic G9. I still have the GH5II and a few lenses. It is a brilliant camera and even better video camera. I am happy with that and what it can do. It feels more of a tool whereas the Canon 6D feels more of a joy to use. I carry the small Peak Design camera bag around with me just in case there’s a moment I want to capture. I might get myself a cheap 28mm to complete the set but it is simple, fast and pleasurable to use. The shutter is on silent mode but still sounds pleasantly reassuring. I am only a couple of hundred shots in with it but I feel already, this one is a keeper. If I fell on hard times and had to sell all my MFT gear, I would still have a brilliant, professional grade full frame camera to use, for fraction of the price of a modern full frame mirrorless system. The camera and two lenses weigh very little. Even if I added a 28mm, it would still be lighter than my GH5II with three lenses. It isn’t without its flaws and limitations but I don’t need perfect. I am a novice professional photographer that wants to get better at his art. I want to pick up a camera I don’t have to worry about being precious with and go and take photographs. I want it to be about creating, not accumulating gear.

Manual or Auto?, That Is The Question.

Hebden Bridge - Leica SL + Voigtlander 35mm F1.4 Nokton Classic II

I’m no stranger to using a manual lens. They were the only option back in the 1970s and my Dad’s Yashica and Canon cameras could produce lovely sharp images with this technology. The use of film cameras in recent years has reignited the use of manual lenses originally designed for film. Makers such as Olympus Zuiko, Pentax Asahi & Takumar, Nikon, Canon , all produced high quality optics. Third party lenses could also be very high quality, in many ways the 60”s through to the 1990’s were the heyday of lens manufacture.

Modern lenses are in some ways superior to the old ones with superb topics and fast autofocus. You do hear some photographers today say that modern lenses can be almost too sharp, too perfect. Little or no aberrations, reliable and predictable, tools of the trade, not enough character. I use Sigma Contemporary lenses with my Leica and the Ricoh GRIIIX has a superb 26.1mm f2.8 fixed lens. I know the results from these lenses will be sharp, reliable and consistent. Photographers of yesteryear also needed reliability however and that often came from the quality of manufacture the companies produced. Olympus Zuiko lenses can stand up to modern day lenses in sharpness and contrast but are often made to a higher standard than many top notch modern autofocus lenses. I use a modern rangefinder lens made by Voigtlander. It’s incredibly reliable, sharp and beautifully made. It is also surprisingly easy to use.

Hebden Bridge, Leica SL + Sigma 90mm f2.8 Contemporary.

Learning to manual focus could be seen as a rite of passage for modern photographers. Most modern cameras can be supplied with autofocus kit lenses. They allow the photographer to focus on composition, learning the exposure triangle rather than how to manually focus. It is seen as slower where in fact, learning about hyperfocal distance can make manual focus quicker. My Voigtlander can be set at a particular aperture and focal distance. All you have to do then is compose and press the shutter. Autofocus lenses will often hunt to nail focus and sometimes miss. Once you know that everything from a certain distance will be in focus, a manual lens makes life a little easier. No hunting, just sharp results every time.

Grasmere from Loughrigg Terrace, Leica SL + Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 Nokton Classic II

So why not go for all manual lenses? Well , in fairness I could. I do like the convenience of autofocus, the build quality of the Sigma lenses and the fact they are weather sealed. I can also use them as manual lenses if I wish but in the end, I’m happy with their performance. You do have to be careful when searching for old vintage lenses. They can be from a top name manufacturer but time and poor care can affect the quality of the build and optics. Get a good one however and you’re on to a winner, particularly as they often cost a fraction of a modern top lens.

In the end, they are all tools and secondary to the image you want to capture. You can have the best kit money can buy and still produce mediocre images. It isn’t possible to make a terrible photograph good by having expensive gear or extensive editing. You can however produce a good photo with a mediocre camera plus a good lens. My photography hasn’t improved because I have invested in better gear. it has done so by taking thousands of photos and learning from the mistakes captured earlier on. I have a long way to go before I am ever content with the finished result but the trying is the fun part!

My current kit.

Ricoh Magic.

Gt George Street, Leeds - Ricoh GRIII

There are days when you feel like you have the perfect tool for the job. Sometimes, the perfect tool isn’t an interchangeable lens camera with a selection of lenses. Sometimes, it’s a tiny pocket camera with no viewfinder and no tilty/flippy screen. You compose and shoot; it’s as easy as that. I’m talking about the Ricoh GRIII. It has a reputation as a formidable street photography camera. It has a very clever focusing system that instantly captures moments unlike many other cameras. It’s useable with one hand as all the controls are accessible and designed to be operated one handed.

Handrail at the Piecehall, Halifax - Ricoh GRIII.

It has a macro capability that can produce very detailed close ups (see above image) which you do have to remember to switch off when you try to shoot a more general shot! I love it. I love it’s ability to capture razor sharp images with little or no fuss. You need to spend a little time setting it up to suit your needs but once you have, it’s a super powered point and shoot that’s in a different league to others. I’ve looked at images taken using the Leica Q cameras and as stunning as they can be, the Ricoh is a match. It has the same 28mm focal length as a Leica Q albeit in an APSC sensor (18.5 mm). The lens barely protrudes from the tiny body and has a very quick start up time. The downside of the camera is the battery life which is pretty poor. That however is the only downside. I normally shoot using Fujifilm cameras and lenses but I’ve started to mix and match a bit. I’m now using Sigma lenses and a stunning Mitakon Speedmaster manual lens. I’m really impressed with the Sigma lenses, they match and almost surpass the Fujifilm equivalents but in much smaller packages. I’m looking also to get myself an old Canon 5D MkII with just one 50mm lens because I’ve always wanted a full frame camera. I realise there are alternatives to just one manufacturer, much as I love Fujifilm gear.

Leeds Town Hall - Ricoh GRIII

The limitations of a fixed focal length can also be an advantage. You are forced to work a composition more because of the restriction of that view. You can include people in your street photography but you have to be braver than I am. I like to have people walk through the composition rather than be the subject. They are almost incidental. I’m not the most confident photographer when it comes to street work. The Ricoh does however capture people beautifully even if they are small in the larger image. The famous photographer Chase Jarvis once said “the best camera is the one that's with you” and he has a point. The Ricoh GRIII is that camera. It makes it easy for you owing to its size and functionality but ultimately, the image quality is its most attractive feature. If you’ve never tried one, give it a go. Test one, borrow one and if you’re in the position to, buy one. You won’t be disappointed, in fact I’d go as far to say, you will be captivated.

Oxenhope Moor - Ricoh GRIII