Mathieu

Slowing down and appreciating image quality – The Sigma DP2 Quattro full review

08/12/2014 By Mathieu

The term image quality is generally used to refer to the technical aspects of a photograph generated by a camera. It defines how good an image is from a purely technical point of view: sharpness, colour accuracy, details, noise, dynamic range and so on.

However there is also another side to image quality that is less technical and more related to what the photographer does with the camera. It is more subjective (but not any less important).

Bringing 1:1 macro to the Fujifilm X system: The Zeiss Touit 50mm Macro Full Review

04/12/2014 By Mathieu

The Touit lenses designed for the Fujifilm X series haven’t been very successful so far and I feel that there are various reasons for this.

Firstly, the first two lenses released (12mm and 32mm) are probably too close in terms of focal length and performance to the Fuji 14mm f/2.8 and 35mm f/1.4. Granted, the 2mm variance between the two wide angle lenses makes a bigger difference than the 3mm variance between the two standard lenses.

Secondly, there is the fact that while the name Zeiss is synonymous with high image quality, Fujifilm has also managed to construct a very good reputation with its own line of lenses.

Finally, Touit lenses have been designed for two systems (Fuji X and Sony APS-C). When this happens, products often end up being more successful on one system than the other, regardless of actual performance. I personally find a lens like the 12mm f/2.8 more attractive on the Sony APS-C system, for the simple reason that it doesn’t have any native wide angle primes.

d-ECOnstruction: Observing an artisan at work – A Sony A7s & Zeiss Loxia gallery

02/12/2014 By Mathieu

The process of creating something by hand is always fascinating to watch, and is also a theme that often attracts photographers. The subtle manoeuvres and minute details that, for the artisan, are part of the daily routine arouse our curiosity as we try to capture them as images.

This past summer we reviewed the Artisan Charity book by Tim Allen. His inspirational work recently gave me the idea to contact Mihaela Slav, creator of the d-ECOnstruction Lab brand in Turin. I met Mihaela though a common project we worked on last year and ever since we’ve discussed the possibility of a collaboration.

Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 APD, XF 50-140mm f/2.8 and Zeiss Touit 50mm f/2.8 – A portrait gallery

26/11/2014 By Mathieu

A couple of weeks ago, Heather and I spent the day at a special Touch & Try event organised by the great people at the Riflessi Shop in Turin. There we had the chance to have a second look at the new Fujinon lenses announced at Photokina, which we briefly tried at the event. Due to limited time and the restricted location, this article isn’t an actual review of the lenses but a gallery of images taken in a studio environment combined with a few personal thoughts.

Sony A7II Announcement – The first full-frame MILC with 5-axis stabilisation

20/11/2014 By Mathieu

The Sony rumour mill has been churning furiously over the past 24 hours with speculation about the arrival of yet another full-frame Alpha camera. It turns out that these rumours were substantiated: this morning, the Sony A7 II was announced in Japan. It will be the successor to the Sony A7, the first full-frame MILC that was released just over a year ago. There are a lot of interesting upgrades, with the most noticeable being the implementation of the 5-axis stabilisation system, a technology that has long been the top feature on Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras.