In Depth

Behind the Photograph – One evening on the rocks with the Fujifilm X100s

21/01/2014 By Mathieu

Sometimes, as you go through the hundreds if not thousands of photographs you take in a year, your eyes rest on a particular image, not necessarily because of its beauty or what it represents but because you clearly remember the circumstances in which it was taken. It is simply a moment in time you enjoy reminiscing about. In my case, I like the photograph below for both reasons.

A shallow depth of field with a Micro 4/3s camera? Yes, it is possible!

16/01/2014 By Mathieu

Many photographers looking for a lighter solution to their DSLR halt in their tracks when they hear the words ‘Micro Four Thirds sensor’. They fear that the depth of field and overall result produced by a smaller sensor will not be adequate to give that “3D pop” that many desire to see in the images they produce. Certainly, the way you handle depth of field on a full frame camera is different to a Micro Four Thirds camera. It is also true that there are some full frame lenses capable of rendering an astonishing bokeh that you will rarely, if ever, see on a M4/3s camera unless you use those specific lenses with an adapter.

Personally, the presence of a smaller sensor and the resulting depth of field would not influence my decision to either keep or discard a system. Bokeh is a natural consequence of how I take a shot and the feelings I want to imbue it with. The important thing is to know the system and lenses inside and out, and pick the best lens for your goal. I’ve never had a moment’s hesitation when shooting MFT nor thought of what I could have achieved if I’d had a full frame camera instead.

10 Things Professionals Demand From a Mirrorless Camera

16/12/2013 By Heather

We all know that from a realistic point of view, DSLRs are still today’s standard especially when it comes to professional photography. Many photographers continue to choose and invest in this segment not only because it has been the primary reference for years but also because you won’t find that number of diverse lenses available for any other system.

However the rise of mirrorless cameras is challenging the position of DSLRs. Brands are now investing in technology to create smaller, more portable bodies, and many professional photographers have started to switch to or adopt a MILC as a second body. It goes without saying that they want the features they loved on their DSLR to carry over to the mirrorless system as well. This means high image quality, high ISO performance, superior phase-detect autofocus, beautiful shallow depth-of-field, a robust and weatherproof build, and professional support–all characteristics the professional photographer will often refuse to forgo.

This list of ten features pros demand from their mirrorless cameras is the culmination of observations I’ve made living with a professional photographer myself (and a very fastidious one at that) and interacting with photographers around me. I’m sure that most of my observations won’t surprise you.

The Quest for Full Frame: Is it worth it? – Part I

14/12/2013 By Mathieu

Full Frame: these two words put together make lots of photographers happy. Immediately we think of gorgeous image quality, beautiful shallow depth of field, exceptional dynamic range and great low-light performance. But technical specifications aside, what are the real benefits of using a Full Frame camera and what are the reasons to choose one?

Mirrorless on the Job: One week with the Olympus OM-D E-M1

05/12/2013 By Mathieu

The release of the new [easyazon_link asin=”B00EQ07PG2″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”easyazon-textlink-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]Olympus OM-D E-M1[/easyazon_link] has dramatically increased photographers’ interest in the Micro Four Thirds system. I had the chance to test it out for a day during the Castle Leslie event in Ireland but to fully understand how good a camera is for professional work, it was necessary that I use it in the field for my weekly photography assignments.

Olympus Europe kindly sent us the camera and three different lenses for one week. This allowed me to use it as my main camera for work and even bring it on a very short trip to France (you can check out my 5-axis stabilisation article here). It has been a very busy week with the E-M1!

One of the things that surprised me was that several of my Italian colleagues asked me “Is that the new OM-D?” while I was out on the job. The E-M1 seems to be the first MFT camera to have really captured the attention of professional photographers.

But is it really worthy of all the attention?