Are you planning to attend the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) 2009 International Convention and Trade Show during the week of March 2-5, 2009? Then don’t miss Michael J. McNamara, Editor-in-Chief of the McNamaraReport.com, as he hosts two PSPA (Professional School Photography Assoc.) Business Sessions and participates in an exciting DIMA (Digital Imaging and Manufacturers Assoc.) panel.

Monday, March 2, 2009 9:10 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.

PSPA PG1: General Session, Talking to the End Customer: Our opening day mom-and-kids panel holds all the secrets. We’ll bring you the end-customer – mom and the kids; you will learn what really motivates their purchase decisions for school portraits. Join us! Moderator: Mike McNamara, The McNamara Report

Monday, March 2, 2009 10:30 a.m. - 11:40 a.m.

DIMA D35: What’s Next in Consumer Digital Photography? Find out where we’re heading with print trends, customized photo products, camera phone usage, social networking, photo kiosk applications, and consumer behavior with all aspects of digital photography. Speakers include: Liz Cutting, The NPD Group. Mike McNamara, The McNamara Report. Gary Pageau, PMA. and Laurence Wu, J.D. Power and Associates.

Wed. March 4, 2009 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

PG3: PSPA Business Session: School Administrator/ Decision-Maker Panel Understanding the yearbook industry can help your studio be successful in this market. This panel will discuss ways to reach the school decision maker, whether that is the principal, yearbook advisor, or a school administrator. The discussion will include what they look for in a vendor and how you can get their business. Moderator: Mike McNamara, The McNamara Report. Confirmed Panelists: Deb Ayers-Geist Principal Oak Grove Elementary, Kansas City, MO. and Barb Chester, Cherry Park Elementary, Portland, OR.

How objective are the camera tests you read in magazines and on web sites? That usually depends on the design of the tests, the accuracy of the test data, and the ability of the editor or lab assistant to interpret the test data. This last fact causes the most problems, especially when “expert” evaluators have little background in color science, optics, lighting, imaging processing, or even as working photographers. (A dead giveaway? If a magazine or web site fails to post biographic information on its editors and writers, it’s likely they want to hide a lack of experience or schooling.) For a time, these reviewers get by with a mix of writing skills and blarney, relying heavily on the old adage: a one-eyed man can always lead the blind!!

Of course, objectivity can also suffer when spineless magazine editors “adjust” product reviews to placate advertisers who threaten to pull the $$ plug if anything bad is written about their products. That’s a more likely scenario these days among print publications facing rising costs and dwindling ad revenue, but even websites that claim to have “higher Ethics” than their magazine competitors bow to financial pressure behind the scenes.

For more commentary on this topic, listen to the November 22, 2008 McNamara Report segment on Inside Digital Photo (slide to the 22min 30sec mark for that segment);

Savvy photographers usually catch on to both scenarios sooner or later, and search elsewhere for their information or check several sources before making a purchasing decision. For those reasons I think the new DxOMark.com website will be a useful tool and a hit among serious photographers. On this site you’ll find in-depth analysis and test data derived from the RAW files produced by nearly every major digital SLR, as well as a few popular compacts and new medium format models. Data includes color accuracy, noise and dynamic range at a variety of ISOs, true ISO sensitivity, low-light ISO performance, and an umbrella DxOMark Sensor rating. There are several interactive tools and graphs that make side-by-side comparisons between a variety of cameras easier than ever. Plus, if you’re a student of digital photography, you will find the library of articles located in the Technology section invaluable resources.

By now you’ve probably heard of DxO, a French company behind the DxOMark.com site that’s known for its popular DxO Optics Pro software. This software is sold with specific support for the camera and lens combinations you own, and performs a variety of complex image processing functions on a DSLR’s RAW file, including distortion correction, noise reduction, exposure optimization, and dust removal. However, you may not be familiar with DxO Analyzer 3.0 test software since it’s not sold to the general public or directly to photographers. Instead, DxO Analyzer 3.0 software and DxO-designed test targets are used by several US-based and International photo magazines, as well as a number of online photo sites, to provide camera and lens test data that is later interpreted by reviewers. Nearly every camera manufacturer also uses DxO Analyzer at some point during the product development cycle to help fine tune image quality.

I can personally vouch for the usefulness of data provided by DxO Analyzer 3.0, as it was part of the test equipment I certified for use in the Popular Photography test lab while I was the magazine’s Executive Technology Editor. In that lab, I used it to help determine lens distortion, chromatic aberration, and light falloff. It was also used to test camera noise levels at a wide variety of ISOs and gray-scale levels. The software’s “Blur rating” is used by a variety of competitors to determine lens sharpness (although it’s not an accurate tool for that use). On the other hand, the Blur Rating is still used in the Pop Photo Lab to determine the efficiency of the image stabilization systems built into a lens or camera body. DxO Analyzer 3.0 could also be used to determine the color accuracy, base ISO, and dynamic range of a camera, but this information either never made its way into Pop test report charts or was provided by other test methods.

While DxOMark.com provides a universal, and extremely useful, tool for comparing the data culled from the RAW files of the most popular DSLRs and medium format cameras, as well as in depth information about camera sensors, it shouldn’t be viewed as the final word. That’s because there is more to a camera than RAW file test data, (including metering and AF performance, handling, and several other parameters) and even RAW camera data is open to interpretation–not only to reviewers trying to determine which camera offers the most for the money, but to different RAW converter algorithms used to develop the data.

If there is a weakness to the data provided on DxOMark.com, it revolves around the “special sauce” that individual manufacturers such as Canon and Nikon claim they include in their RAW conversion software to get the most out of their respective camera’s RAW capture. My extensive experience with RAW conversion utilities has shown that all RAW converters are not created equal–and if DxO Analyzer 3.0 doesn’t access all of Nikon’s “special sauce” it may help to explain why the Dynamic Range rating for the Nikon D90 at DxOmark.com is just slightly higher than the Dynamic Range rating for the Nikon D3 (12.5 vs 12.3, see screen grab below). My experience shooting with both cameras refutes that finding, while I agree with the overall DxOMark Sensor Ratings given for both cameras (the D90: 72.6, the D3: 80.6).

The older full-frame Canon EOS 5D also has a lower Dynamic Range rating than the new EOS 50D with its APS-sized sensor, but that difference could be explained by the advances in sensor technology over a two-year span. Fortunately, controversial ratings such as these are few and far between on this site, and I’d wager that there are far fewer conflicts of logic to be found in the pages of DxOMark.com than there are in the pages of many “venerable” magazines and web sites. Take some time to read the articles and white papers on the site in order to understand the rating system, and I think you’ll find the new DxOMark.com website to be an invaluable tool when it comes to choosing your next digital camera. Now if only the same folks behind DxOMark.com could do the same for printers, scanners, projectors, HDTVs, and memory cards, we’d all be in agreement. Right….

It might have been illegal to take this scenic Fall photo in NY state simply because I was standing on a dam and this is a protected reservoir. (Photo taken with the Canon EOS 50D and EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L lens.)

The tragedy of 911 brings back haunting images of an unforgivable attack on innocent people, especially for those who lost loved ones and neighbors. In its aftermath, I agreed with everyone else that security had to be tightened to prevent such an act from reoccurring. However, I didn’t give my consent to allow the government to take away my rights without an argument, or for police to hassle me for simply taking scenic pictures in the woods and along the lakes that I once hiked and fished while growing up. Those are among the same parks and waterways that inspired painters of the Hudson River School in the mid-1800s, as well as generations of nature photographers and naturalists.

While I slept, or more precisely while I continued to commute to NY City for six more years after 911, it appears that concern for the safety of the hundreds of square miles of reservoirs, dams, streams, aqueducts, and watershed properties that deliver water to NY City residents mutated into mild paranoia. One of the current attack “scenarios” revolves around terrorists dumping a huge truck of poison, or worse–a biological weapon–into one of the reservoirs in an attempt to kill or sicken thousands downstream. Another has a truck loaded with explosives could seriously damage a dam and threaten to wipe out towns and schools downstream of the dam. I’m sure there are now plans to prevent or deal with suicide airplane crashes into the dams or bridges that cross over these waterways or lead into NY City. I’m all for that kind of planning and anticipation–in fact, that’s what I thought my taxes were being used for prior to 911 (but I was obviously mistaken since gov’t officials denied the plane-into-WTC attack had even been imagined by the experts who should have figured that one out in their sleep).

But preparing for or trying to anticipate ways that terrorists could infect the water leading into NY or in the wetlands surrounding any major city is one thing, while keeping individual law biding citizens out or restricting their rights to hike or take scenic photos on public property is another. How is taking photos of a dam or reservoir a threat anyway? After all, it would take a huge amount of explosives to damage a dam, several trucks of chemicals to create a health concern, or a hijacked commercial airliner to seriously impair a bridge or dam. (At least, that’s what my limited intelligence and military background lead me to believe. I could be wrong!) And if hikers and photographers were encouraged to visit these areas, instead of restricted, they would be more likely to spot something out of the ordinary.

So on a beautiful sunny Fall day it really made no sense to me when I was stopped and questioned about my photographic activities first by a local police officer, and second by a NY City DEP officer called in as back up. All this for taking photos of eagles and vultures flying over a lake and dam–simply because they happen to be part of the NY City water supply area nearly 100 miles away from the city.

Turkey Vultures love to ride the wind currents in this valley, but oops, this photo shows part of a water spillway, and I was warned that detail might be dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands.

Ok, I admit I actually walked onto the dam after passing a stop sign that was set up to prevent cars (or huge chemical tanker trucks) from driving out on the dam. There was no pedestrian fence or obstruction, and I had walked out on that same dam nearly every Fall for the last thirty years to take pictures of the water, soaring birds, and occasionally for romantic reasons. I certainly posed no threat to the city of NY–but the fact that I actually walked out onto this dam set off a Red Alert alarms to a passing policeman on mid-day patrol. 

Now, the funny thing is that just 10 minutes earlier I met a NY State Trooper on duty in a near by park and shared notes about some of the more beautiful scenes and overlooks in the area. We also talked about cameras and lenses as well, seeing he was in the market for his wife’s Xmas present. Plus, I had just returned several days prior from a three hour, all-access private photo tour of the Hoover Dam. So when I was stopped and the questions started flying about my dam fall photos, those memories probably added to the “Are you *&^*&%^ kidding me?” attitude look on my face. (After all, if the Hoover Dam isn’t threatened by someone carrying a camera, then how could a dam that’s 1/100 its size be in danger?) When I told the officer I had stopped to take pictures of Golden Eagles and Turkey Vultures riding the air currents around the dam and reservoir, plus the gorgeous fall foliage, he and the other officer who eventually showed up from the DEP were unconvinced. They asked me if I realized the danger my photos might pose if they fell into the wrong hands. (I didn’t bother pointing out that every important detail of that dam’s structure and placement were probably visible using Google Earth!!)

Just prior to my Dam bad experience, I discussed the beauty of the fall foliage and camera gear with a NY State Trooper at a nearby park. His only concern was whether I was having car trouble or not.

You know, despite my assurances, arguments to the contrary, and business card showing I was indeed a photographer, they were actually considering taking me in for my serious breach of security. That’s when I pulled my trump card and called my brother Tom, a retired Sheriff who once patrolled the very same public highway I parked along next to the reservoir. With some casual name-dropping (Excuse me Officer X, my brother wants to know if Sergeant Z is still working the night shift at DEP headquaters? No? He’s actually your Captain now? Wow! Tell him Tom Mc says hello!), the two police officers on the scene started to mellow out. That’s when I mentioned that the Canon EOS 50D I was shooting with had a great 3-inch monitor for viewing every picture I took at the dam. With that, the DEP officer went through every shot I had of the birds flying around, and then ordered me to erase all photos showing any parts of the dam or spillways before I could leave.

I did as told, and erased all the images from the camera. I didn’t erase the shots of the eagles, I didn’t reformat the card, and I didn’t take any more photos either (hmmm, I’ve heard there is software that could probably restore those erased photos…), which may explain the presence of some granite structures in the photos I’m including in this story.

At the end of this all I was given a ticket from the local officer for “abandonment of a vehicle” and told to go on my not-so-merry way. I’m thinking of fighting it in court and subjecting (I mean treating) the officer and traffic judge to a slideshow of the photos I took directly across the street from where I “abandoned” my car. But I can’t be sure if doing so might actually increase the fine, or if I might run into the same officer again next year when I go searching for great fall shots and eagles riding the wind currents–not from the Dam, but from the safety of my car’s open sunroof, of course.

Final note: I haven’t been able to determine whether what the officers told me is actually true: that it’s now illegal to take photos of any reservoir or dam in NY, and that you can’t even hike or walk around a reservoir without a DEP permit. I’ve heard of other photographers being questioned for taking photos near bridges, and planes being diverted away from reservoirs. A former co-worker of mine was actually detained in DC several years ago for taking close ups of government buildings on a search for interesting textures. But since my dam unforgettable day, I’ve noticed a ton of “no trespassing” signs (courtesy of the NYC DEP) posted on dozens of hiking trails as far as a half mile from any water or dam. That concerns me even more, because it looks like the NY state or the city is buying up land around the watershed (80 to 100 miles north) and locking it down to all but a few with permits to enter.

So my next plan is to get a DEP permit just to avoid problems in the future (if I can’t get one, that will be fodder for another story). I also plan to bring a super strong pair of binoculars with me the next time I go out to capture photos of wildlife in these areas. After all, you never know when I might spot the elusive and destructive Al Queda Duck, or the Hamas Heron sneaking around the Dams. If I spot one, I wonder if I will be allowed to shoot it before alerting the local deputy?

For more commentary on this topic, listen to the November 15, 2008 McNamara Report segment on Inside Digital Photo (slide to the 21min 15sec mark for that segment);

& Analysis of Photo-Related Products and Industry Trends

Hopewell Junction, NY – November 18, 2008 – Michael J. McNamara, former Executive Technology Editor for Popular Photography Magazine, and a world-renowned expert on digital cameras and imaging products, announces the official launch of “The McNamara Report” website at: http://www.mcnamarareport.com. This web site will provide the perfect content platform for Mike’s insight and analysis of photo-related products, industry trends, and key issues affecting pro photographers and photo enthusiasts. As Editor-in-Chief of this report, Mike will continue to provide manufacturers and photographers an unbiased perspective and comparison of product features and usability based on his extensive hands-on experience.

In addition to the McNamara Report website, Mike hosts an exclusive weekly segment on the Inside Digital Photo Radio and TV show. Inside Digital Photo’s growing global listener base and distribution outlets provide instant audience and attention for “The McNamara Report” in addition to providing a natural extension of content and reference information. The audio commentary from these shows will be available on the website, and Mike will expand upon the topics with additional materials, web links, photos, and graphics. The website will also showcase articles describing his first-hand experience with new cameras, printers, software, display devices, and storage systems, plus it will include photographs and videos illustrating product features, step-by-step tutorials, and advanced imaging techniques.

The McNamara Report is available for immediate advertising, editorial, and review opportunities and will include articles, website banners, newsletter links, special reports, produced radio ad spots, video tutorials, and extended audio segment sponsorships. Special bundle packages and cross-promotion opportunities on Inside Digital Photo, Inside Analog Photo, and other key Inside Media Networks programs are also available for 2009 marketing communications and PR planning.

About Michael J. McNamara:

Mike is the former Executive Technology Editor of Popular Photography Magazine, and a renowned expert on digital cameras, printers, camera phones, and color management systems. During his twenty-year editorial career, Mike has written hundreds of articles and had thousands of his photographs published (including over two dozen Pop Photo cover images). He’s been interviewed on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, PBS, and QVC television, and been quoted in USA Today, Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Boston Globe. His articles and photographs have won several awards, and he’s been published in American Photo, Woman’s Day, Boating, Travel Holiday, American Baby, Stuff, and Fit Yoga magazines. He currently writes the monthly “Selling Points” column for Photo Industry Reporter magazine (http://www.photoreporter.com).

About The McNamara Report:

The McNamara Report is both a content portal website and radio segment discussing the latest technologies, issues, and trends affecting pro photographers, photo enthusiasts, and the imaging industry. The weekly audio commentary is an exclusive segment available on Inside Digital Photo Radio & TV, broadcast, online, and a popular iTunes download. On “The McNamara Report” website, Mike expands on the topics covered in the radio interviews with additional information, web links, photos, and graphics. The website also encompasses analysis, articles, photo illustrations, and hands-on reviews covering the latest cameras, printers, software, display devices, and storage systems. Portfolios of Mike’s award winning portrait, fashion, nature, and sports photography can also be viewed on the website. For more information visit: http://www.mcnamarareport.com.

Click here to download a PDF of this announcement.

Editorial-Media Contact:

Alexandra Gebhardt
Vice President, Media Strategies
Inside Media Networks

Tel: (908) 445-4166

Email: alex (at) insidemedianetworks (dot) com

Camera phones are everywhere these days, but you don’t you see any serious photographers using them. Why? Image quality and flexibility are on the low scale for most camera phones, with none offering a decent zoom lens, sufficiently powered flash, fast AF, or burst modes. And the few models that do offer higher resolution cameras and decent image quality, such as the 5MP Nokia N95 with its Carl Zeiss AF lens, are a bit too expensive ($500 and up) for most budgets. After all, you can get an incredibly good compact camera with a 5X-18X, image-stabilized zoom and even a dedicated hot shoe for under $500–or even an entry level 6MP DSLR.

The new Motorola Motozine ZN5 is the result of a collaboration with Kodak–the manufacturer of the 5MP CMOS sensor and imaging smarts found within. Great price too: Free with a 2yr contract.

Sure, an advanced camera phone (or portable Multimedia Computer as Nokia likes to call its top N-series models), can do a lot more than take pictures. In addition to making calls, some also act as organizers, web browsers, remote controls, and even GPS devices with photo geo-tagging capability. However, paying the least amount for the most features seems to be the rule when shopping for a camera phone, and typically its the camera part of the deal that suffers. That might change with the introduction of the Motorola MOTOZINE™ ZN5 camera phone. This sleek model is actually free with a two year contract (minimum plan costs @39.99/month for 600 anytime minutes, subject to change), yet appears to be targeted at serious photographers on a budget. Most notably, its 5MP CMOS sensor and image processing engine are designed and manufactured by Kodak, and is the first fruit of a partnership between Kodak and Motorola that has been underway for the last two years.

This MOTOZINE ZN5 will be available exclusively for T-Mobile USA customers–one of its limitation as far as I’m concerned since T-Mobile lacks the extensive high speed 3G data network of either Verizon Wireless or Sprint. This device doesn’t feature 3G data transfer, but is EDGE compatible, making it as fast as phone modem when surfing the web or uploading images. But since most camera phone users don’t send the majority of their images via their cell network, and instead rely on the devices memory card to store and transfer, being locked into T-Mobile isn’t the worst-case scenario. Plus, the ZN5 can be purchased unlocked directly from Motorola, (although at a price of $349) allowing you to insert a pre-paid SIM card and use the camera phone in compatible GSM networks when traveling overseas.

Bright, relatively sharp 2.4-inch LCD monitor makes it easy to view and share images. The shutter button (located on top right side in this orientation) and camera controls are readily accessible.

I could spend several pages just examining the cell phone features in this camera, but let’s concentrate on the phone’s camera instead. It features an autofocus 5.86mm, f/2.8/5.6 lens, 2.4-inch (240×320 pixel) LCD screen, a true Xenon flash (not a lower-power LED light, often confused with real flash), and even includes a video out jack for running slideshows straight from the phone to your TV. Switching from phone to camera mode occurs rapidly when the lens cover is slid back, and the camera’s shutter button is located right where you’d expect it to be on a compact camera. There are also many other features that will appeal to photographers, including a panoramic stitch mode, a supplied 1GB MicroSD card for storage (with support for up to 4GB), optimized image settings for low light shooting, built-in red eye reduction, and the inclusion of Kodak’s Perfect Touch technology for optimizing shadow and highlight detail. Plus, the phone includes a dedicated share key that lets you access picture messaging, T-Mobile’s MyAlbum, or Kodak’s online Gallery photo sharing–and the phone’s built-in Wi-Fi lets you send images quickly through a WLAN home network or WiFi hotspot.  Want prints? The camera can send files directly to Bluetooth-enabled printers from a wide variety of manufacturers.

The ZN5 offers many ways to share your photos, including a button link to Kodak’s EasyShare Gallery.

Ok, the ZN5 may not be as uber-user-friendly as the Apple iPhone 2.0 (which still lacks a decent camera) or as sophisticated as the latest Nokia N96 (with a great camera, 16GB memory, A-GPS, super fast 3G data rates, superb MP3 player, high quality video recording, and a $600+ price tag), but for the relatively low price and high image quality potential it might be worth considering. Plus you can use it as an FM radio, MP3 music player, alarm clock, and conversation piece. Sound good for a “free” phone? Since I haven’t actually shot photos with one, it’s too early to make the call!

For more analysis on video recording with a DSLR, listen to the November 08, 2008 McNamara Report segment on Inside Digital Photo (slide to the 20min 45sec mark for that segment);

Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II captures true 1080p HD Video with sound. Image quality and AF controls are minimal in video mode, but depth of field and wide angle views make this a hot feature.

Once DSLRs arrived with Live Preview modes, I knew it was only a matter of time (and several image processing advancements) before the video signal being pumped to the camera monitor would find its way directly to the memory card. I expected the first hybrid models would be from either Canon, Sony, or Panasonic—all DSLR players with a large stable of camcorders. Surprise! Nikon beat them to the punch with its 12.3MP D90 ($899 street) featuring a live view mode that could be used to record 720p video (1280 x720 pixels per frame, at 24fps) with mono sound. Word had barely spread about this camera when Canon trumped it with its more expensive ($2700 street) 21.1MP EOS 5D Mark II featuring a full frame sensor and true 1080p HD video recording (1920 x1080 pixels per frame, at 30fps), plus built-in mono sound and a stereo sound input jack.

You can bet that other video-capable models will be introduced by a variety of manufacturers in 2009 and beyond, just as a Live Preview mode spread from a single Olympus DSLR in 2005 to 80% of the current DSLR models. But the question that many serious still shooters are asking is whether a video mode is a must-have feature in a DSLR, or more of a gimmick designed to appeal to the horde of compact camera owners moving up to a DSLR?

For more commentary on video recording with a DSLR, listen to the October 25, 2008 McNamara Report segment on Inside Digital Photo (slide to the 20min 45sec mark for that segment);

After all, the demand for a DSLR Live Preview mode didn’t come from pros converting over from 35mm film DSLRs, but from a new generation of photographers weaned on compact cameras and their “live view” LCD viewfinders. Those same compact shooters take video recording for granted as well—so why not offer the same function in a DSLR model made just for them?

Ok, I admit there’s a flaw in my logic: The Nikon D90, and more so the EOS 5D Mark II, are really not aimed at compact camera owners looking for their first DSLR. However, the point is that there wasn’t a measurable pent up demand from pros and advanced amateurs for a video recording function in their DSLRs, and now that is being offered, these same serious shooters are trying to figure out if it’s a feature that will help or hinder their ability to make a living with their cameras.

Current state-of-the-art camcorder with high res still capture (including models from Canon, Panasonic, JVC, and Sony) deliver acceptable to fairly decent still image quality, and allow for still image capture that doesn’t even interfere with video and sound recording. When shooting video on most of these models, you simply press the still image capture and a 2-6MP high res still photo is stored on a memory card, while video and sound are recorded to tape or a hard drive. This seamless switch between video and high res still capture modes makes it possible for pro videographers to capture and sell still images of an events to newspapers, magazines, and even wedding clients. In fact, some news organizations are replacing their DSLRs with hybrid camcorders to capture content for multiple platforms.

Unfortunately, switching to the video mode in either the Canon or Nikon DSLRs takes several steps. To shoot video, both cameras must first be set to live view mode—thus reducing the benefits of using the DSLR’s super sharp and bright optical viewfinder, its super-responsive AF system, and most of its advanced image quality and metering controls. Sluggish autofocus can be achieved using contrast detection AF, or after a short black out and delay caused by the mirror swinging back into place for phase detection AF. But once video recording is started, neither camera will adjust focus to follow the action or subject–a staple on most camcorders. Despite the bright and sharp 3-inch LCD monitors found on both cameras, it’s hard to tell if the subject is in focus in the first place, especially in bright light outdoors.

Other video “failings” include fewer image quality controls, reduced battery life due to higher video demands, intensive memory requirements for HD (even short clips take up 100’s of MBs), and generally rotten sound. In fact, the built in microphones on both cameras tend to pick up all sorts of camera and environmental noises, and only the Canon offers an external microphone input jack for recording stereo. Then, unless you have an image stabilized lens or are shooting with a tripod, the video jumps all over the place when you are panning, and freezes for a moment when you take a still photo.

So, is a video mode in a DSLR a useless feature? Not at all! In fact, I’m all for it—and think that cameras such as the Canon EOS 5D Mark II will actually be on the HOT list for pro videographers who want its unique video capability, as well as still shooters who are primarily interested in its awesome full frame and high res still features.

For videographers, the APS-C sized sensor found on the Nikon D90 and full-frame sensor found on the EOS 5D Mark II make it possible to shoot HD movies using a wide variety of affordable wide and ultra-wide angle lenses. (Want a 14mm equivalent field of view on an HD camcorder? HA! It will cost you a fortune.) Those larger sensors also dramatically improve depth-of-field control so that backgrounds can be blurred out with unparalleled Bokeh. (The relatively small 1/3-inch to 1/5-inch sensors found in typical camcorders require lens focal lengths that deliver too much depth of field and make it impossible to blur out a background, even at widest apertures.) For more information regarding the still shooting and video capabilities of the Canon EOS 5d Mark II, check out the incredibly well-written Canon white paper on the EOS 5D Mark II.

Having a video alternative may allow traditional still photographers to capture video footage that would be impossible otherwise. For example, underwater photographers could switch to video mode at a moments notice to capture the fluid motion of the rare Pacific Mermaid, while mountain climbers could record the mating call and ritual dance of the Himalayan Abominable Snowman. In both cases, it’s impossible to carry separate still and video cameras.

Before those unique video segments ever appear in a National Geographic HD special, the video from cameras such as the D90 or EOS 5D Mark II will flood internet entertainment sites dedicated to capturing the latest celebrity outing or “Girls Gone Wild” moment. For example, one of the best nightlife and fashion photographers I know, Shane O’Neal, covers a number of top clubs in Las Vegas, including the Playboy Club and Club Moon at the Palms Hotel and Casino. (www.shaneonealphotography.com). With an EOS 5D Mark II in hand, he is able to switch to the video mode and capture dancers, celebrities, and “wild” patrons doing what they typically do at these clubs after a few drinks, and post short video clips to the club’s web site along with still photos. In the past, capturing video required a separate videographer on hand (at an extra expense). But now he can do both, and no one knows he’s actually recording video with sound. The result? Some unique, and wild video that helps increase traffic, and may generate sales of hot video footage.

What’s next? I expect the next generation of dual-mode DSLRs to improve on video ease-of-use, sound recording, and AF speed and tracking performance. Then I expect to see some hybrid accessories, such as a dedicated flash unit with a built-in stereo zooming microphone, an external 5-inch LCD monitor, external Firewire-connected high-capacity storage drives dedicated to video recording, and additional powerpacks to handle the video power drain. But don’t expect the camcorder crowd to go away. In fact, 12MP camcorders are on their way.

Hang on to your budgets and pixel-calculators, everyone. At the Photokina trade show in Cologne, Germany this September, Hasselblad introduced two new medium format digital cameras, the H3DII-39 (pricing estimates are around $22,000, street) and the H3DII50 (priced around $28,000, street). These cameras were mentioned in the a previous Photokina Report, but to summarize: the Hasselblad H3DII-50 will be the first camera in the market equipped with Kodak’s larger-than-35mm 50 megapixel CCD sensor. As if a 50MP sensor is not impressive enough on its own, Hasselblad also announced that it hopes to raise the bar again in 2009 with the H3DII-60, a 60 megapixel version with a price-tag of about $35,500 (I guess there’s a shortage of 60MP sensors due to the high demand from government spy satellites!!)

For more analysis on the Hasselblad H3DII50 features, listen to the October 18, 2008 McNamara Report segment on Inside Digital Photo (slide to the 22min 30sec mark for that segment);

So the megapixel wars continue, albeit for the few who can afford it, want a medium format system, or are locked into Hasselblad by a sizable investment in its glass. But if you’re looking to move up the megapixel chain from your advanced amateur or pro DSLR and wow! your clients with an uber-camera, is a Medium Format system the best choice? Hasselblad claims it is, but I disagree with some of the arguments I’ve heard. For example: During the Photokina press conference, Hasselblad CEO Christian Poulsen contended that 35mm-based digital SLR companies won’t be able to compete with medium format because their lenses can’t handle the resolution of super-high res sensors. According to a quote in Photo District News by Dan Havlick, Poulsen said “In my opinion, for those cameras, the pixel game should’ve been over a few years ago. I don’t think you can tell the difference between a 16-megapixel camera and a 21 or 24-megapixel camera and that has nothing to do with the sensor, it has to do with the resolution of the lenses.”

Is he kidding? I haven’t heard a CEO of a major company make such an erroneous claim since the launch of the Foveon X3 sensor. Facts don’t support Poulsen’s statement about the superiority of medium format lenses over 35mm lenses, and my fairly-recent test experience while at Popular Photography magazine refutes his claim about being able to tell the difference between a 16MP and 21 or 24MP camera. Fact: Lab tests using a fairly inexpensive Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 lens showed a 10+ percent increase in resolution delivered by the new Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III over the older 16.7MP Canon EOS 1DS Mark II (tested at approx. 2800 lines vs 2500 lines respectively).

Why would a company that makes a few thousand lenses a year for its Medium Format systems believe that it had better lens technology than companies typically selling millions of lenses per year? (and collectively spending 100 times more in lens R&D per year?) The fact is that until recently Hasselblad and the other remaining MF companies did little to optimize their lenses for use with digital sensors. Instead, these companies relied on the MF size/magnification advantage that propelled them through the film camera years, and not superior lens technology. Back in 1995 Popular Photography magazine reported that MF lenses (even the best available at the time) were not as sharp as the top lenses being manufactured by 35mm SLR companies such as Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Konica Minolta, and Pentax. Despite this finding, those MF lenses still helped MF cameras deliver better image quality and detail. Why? When enlarging the captured film image to print or even projection size, the larger-sized film  used in MF cameras did not have to undergo as great a magnification as 35mm film, and therefore could get by with slightly lower resolution at the lens.

Assuming the same brand, ISO, and film type, the film being used in both 35mm and MF cameras came off the same production line, was cut to different sizes, and therefore had the same potential resolving power. If a MF manufacturer made sharper lenses the advantage would have been even greater–but the cost of doing so apparently outweighed the visible advantages, and MF lenses were already several times more expensive than 35mm equivalents due to their larger size and shorter production runs. Meanwhile, for several decades, 35mm manufacturers have been spending millions per year trying to create lighter, more affordable lenses with improved brightness, sharpness, flare reduction, light falloff, autofocus engines, and image stabilization systems. Their goal? Sell millions more lenses per year along with millions of SLRs and DSLRs, more than enough to offset lens R&D spending. (Little know factoid: roughly 12,000 medium format cameras were sold per year in US during their peak in the mid-to-late 90’s, which may be one reason why several MF manufacturers are no longer around.)

Are these expensive Hasselblad lenses really sharper than their 35mm counterparts?

CCD and eventually CMOS sensors started showing up with a whole new set of problems for the 35mm lens and camera manufacturers. Unlike film, which can capture a ray of light coming in at extreme off-axis angles, CCDs and CMOS sensors have less sensitivity to off axis light rays and more sensitivity to flare, soft focus, and light falloff. To compensate, sensor designers added micro-lenses on top of each pixel to help steer the light into the sensor (imagine trying to throw a basketball into a well from twenty feet away. It would sure help if there was a large funnel on top of the well to help guide the ball in.) Meanwhile, in order to keep up with the megapixel sensor growth, 35mm lens designers had to improve the edge-to-edge performance, reduce chromatic aberration and internal reflections, and fine tune the AF precision (among other things) of their lenses. As a result, digitally optimized lenses have been available from most 35mm manufacturers for the last 5 years. However, when the first Hasselblad H1D was released sporting a Kodak 16MP sensor in its digital back, there were no digitally-optimized Hasselblad lenses available. Instead, the smaller format of the sensor relied on the sweet spot of existing lenses to provide extremely high (and beyond satisfactory) image quality. 

The question anyone who is considering either the new 50MP or promised 60MP Hasselblad should be asking is whether the Hasselblad lenses they already own, or may purchase in the future, are optimized for the size and design of these new Kodak sensors. As in the film days, the resolution of the sensor isn’t the advantage point, but it’s larger format is. The size of the pixels in the 50MP Kodak sensor used in the H3DII are nearly the same as the size of the pixels in the Full Frame 21.1MP Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III or in the 24Mp Sony A900–so the Kodak sensor does not offer dramatic improvements in resolution (at the sensor), low light sensitivity or noise advantage based on the pixel size (as it generally the case when comparing large and small pixels). What you gain by shooting with a 50MP or 60MP medium format camera is either a cropping advantage, or an increase in maximum reproduction size–the same advantages offered by MF cameras in the film era. (Now, if you were able to pack 50MP into a 35mm full frame sensor, you would increase the resolution significantly compared to a 21MP sensor, but you would also decrease low light sensitivity as a result of using smaller pixels.)  

Granted, looking through the enormous optical viewfinder on the Hasselblad is a real treat, and carrying one around is a traffic stopper, but is the higher price for these medium format bodies and the larger, more expensive lenses it requires worth it when compared to existing 21 and 25MP full frame DSLRs from Canon, Sony, and eventually Nikon? Not for me, or most other pro photographers who would rather have lighter, brighter, faster focusing, and image-stabilized lenses along with pro camera bodies that offer far more image quality and performance controls, greater durability, and speed compared to the Hasselblads or any other MF camera (although the new 37.5MP Leica S2 may help change my mind). Forget about shooting sports with this Hasselblad (unless you do the team photo) as it has a non-existent burst mode, or taking it outside in a light rain. And if your goal is to WOW! new clients with extraordinary image detail, you’ll be in line with the other photographers shooting with the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III. Given all the above, you have to wonder how long Hasselblad will be able to compete against the full frame 35mm DSLR crowd, and if it will sell enough of the new H3D models to justify further developments.

Burst mode? WHAT burst mode? It takes 1.2 sec to store each 50MP image.

Before decent ink jet printers arrived on the scene, I spent more than 1,000 hours in darkrooms mastering the craft of “silver-halide” printing in both color and black and white mediums. The chemical darkroom was fun while it lasted, but I’m never going back. For starters, I don’t miss inhaling strange stop bath and fixer fumes (although the possible damage done might explain some aspects of my personality), nor to I miss the setup and clean up routines which often lasted as long as the printing session. Most importantly, I have come to prefer the expanded color gamut, paper surface and material variety, display longevity, and precise control I get from modern ink jet printing systems compared to silver halide printing. 

However, having reviewed dozens of ink jet, dye sub, and other types of digital printers over the last 18 years, I know what works and what doesn’t–at least for me. When it comes to photo-quality printers, I’m picky–and usually gravitated towards the 13×19-inch or larger models. However, I don’t always need super-sized print output, and occasionally I find myself popping out 4×6 prints as fast as I can to hand off to a visiting relative or friend, or even printing a color document (for black and white document printing, nothing is economical or as fast as a sub-$100 laser printer.) That’s why I love the new Epson Artisan 800 All-in-One (AiO) printer ($299).

 As its name implies, Epson’s Artisan 800 AiO does more than make prints. It can also copy color or black and white documents (up to 40 at a time via the document feeder), fix up faded and damaged photos, scan photos and art, fax in color or b&w, and even print directly onto coated CD and DVD disc. In addition, the printer offers Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and LAN networking connections for attaching to home or office networks and to camera phones and other portable devices. The Artisan 800 is loaded with easy to use image enhancing features that can produce brilliant prints and expand the capabilities of your home digital darkroom. By giving you control over the final output in addition to expanded gamut and higher color accuracy, I think the resulting prints will rival or exceed the image quality of prints made in silver-halide based minilabs, plus the ability to print on various media (including CD and DVDs) make this AiO one of the best choices around for serious photographers on a budget, or creative artists who want to do more with their images or art.

For more analysis on the Artisan 800 features, listen to the October 11, 2008 McNamara Report segment on Inside Digital Photo (slide to the 19min 45sec mark for that segment);

And for additional comparisons on the Artisan 800 features versus its competition, read my Selling Tips column in Photo Industry Reporter.

The biggest surprise at last month’s Photokina show, and certainly one of the hottest camera products of the year, had to be the new 37.5 megapixel Leica S2 and its lens family. (If you have to ask how much it’s going to cost, this camera isn’t for you! Estimates with a 70mm lens: @20 grand.) For many years, Leica has been struggling to make a solid stand in the digital camera arena, with limited success–and some near failures. Its early DSLR models never really made it into the U.S., and sales of the Leica M8 digital rangefinder were abysmal in 2007  until Leica found a way to fix its excessive sensitivity to infrared radiation. As you may recall, that sensitivity caused the M8 to record many black materials and even human hair with a strong purple cast. Leica responded by bundling IR filters with new lenses and selling IR filters for its older lenses–not the ideal solution for Leica lovers who abhor lens filters of any kind.

However, the new Leica S2 digital SLR appears to be a well designed, and thought out piece of camera equipment. It’s really the first-of-its-kind DSLR, with a larger than 35mm CCD sensor (30×45mm vs. 36×24mm, approximately 56% larger) delivering  medium-format class resolution and a normal 3:2 aspect ratio. It’s actually smaller than an EOS 1Ds Mark III, but slightly larger than the EOS 5D Mark II.

For more of my analysis and initial reactions to the Leica S2, listen to the October 4, 2008 segment of the McNamara Report on Inside Digital Photo (slide to the 11min 50sec mark for that segment);

Front view of Leica S2 with supplied “kit” lens, the Summarit-S 70mm f/2.5 standard (which should give the approximately the same field of view as a 50mm on a 35mm Full-frame DSLR.

To learn more about the sensor used in the Leica S2, I thought I’d go to the source (Kodak, not Leica):

Kodak Release: The LEICA S2 camera, powered by the new KODAK KAF-37500 Image Sensor (6.0 micron, new KODAK TRUESENSE 6.0 micron Full Frame CCD Platform,), is the third product from Leica to be based on KODAK CCD Image Sensors – a relationship that began first with the LEICA Digital Module-R and was then extended with the LEICA M8 camera. With an imaging area of 45mm x 30mm, the 37.5 million pixel KAF-37500 represents a new optical format for photography, providing an image capture area over 50% larger than traditional 35mm film. The sensor also includes specific design features that optimize its use in the S2 camera, such as the use of microlenses to increase the overall light sensitivity of the device, enabling improved image quality under low light conditions. In addition, an infra-red absorbing optic was incorporated directly into the sensor’s packaging, enabling the development of a thinner camera design by eliminating the need to include this IR-absorbing function as a separate camera component.

The last line of that press release was certainly written to target worries that this camera might follow  in the infrared shoes of the M8. But this time the IR cutoff filter is located where it belongs–in front of the sensor and not in front of the lens. Note that the pixel size on the sensor is 6 microns, which is slightly smaller than the 6.4 micron pixels on the new 21.1MP Canon EOS 5D Mark II. So right off the bat any claims for increased light sensitivity due to the size of the sensor pixels will have to be measured against existing 35mm Full-frame pixel sensitivity, including the pixels found on the 25MP Sony A900 and the significantly larger pixels found on the Nikon D3. That said, the higher pixel count on the Leica S2 is the result of a larger-area sensor, and not due to packing more pixels into a smaller area–a good thing. With its increased sensor size and pixel count, plus sharp Leica lenses, the S2’s image resolution should be about 15% higher than on the Canon EOS 5D Mark II or EOS 1Ds Mark III. (FYI: It takes at least 4X as many pixels to double the resolution on a camera sensor.)

Image quality will also benefit from the new Maestro image processor (developed with help from Fujitsu) that enables the S2 to produce in-camera JPEGs from the RAW files (stored separately as RAW DNG format images.) Leica claims that up to 400 can be stored on a 32GB SDHC card which seems like a misprint considering the file size this equates to (80 MB each). But for additional storage, or even the primary storage considering the capacity required, the S2 has a CF card slot as well. In addition to a wide array of image quality settings, the S2 supports both the sRGB and Adobe RGB color space. I will guess that it will ship with a version of Phase One RAW conversion software since Leica just announced a partnership with Phase One.

Other significant features on the S2 include the 3-inch 460,000 pixel LCD screen shown above. Wait, did Leica say pixels? Actually, it looks like Leica has yet to adapt to the CIPA standard for differentiating between pixels and dots. The LCD monitor on the S2 is most likely a 460K dot screen (equating to a 153,000 pixel screen). That’s sharper than most but not as sharp as the 3-inch LCDs found on the Canon 5D Mark II, Sony A900, and Nikon D3, all of which use 920,000 dot screens. On top, the camera uses a small OLED data screen. In my opinion, that’s a controversial decision, considering the longevity issues with OLED. Lets hope this one uses the latest technology.

New lenses include a 24mm ultrawide, 30mm tilt and shift, 35mm wide, 70mm f/2.5 standard (should give approx 50mm field of view on 35mm system), 30-90 zoom, 100mm short tele, 120mm macro, 180mm telephoto, 350mm telephoto. All will have leaf shutters built, a benefit for flash sync. Leica claims no distortion in these lenses, and therefore no need for post processing to remove lens defects. We’ll see.

According to Leica, the camera features an in-body focal plane shutter up to 1/4000 sec, and an “ultra-high” precision and quiet AF system. The lenses all include separate leaf shutters that should allow for faster flash sync with external studio strobes. No word yet on accessory dedicated flash units, but there’s a spot for one on the multi-contact hot shoe, and there will also be an accessory battery grip with vertical shooting controls available (see photo below):

Camera connections include Hi Speed USB 2 and HDMI out. Push and pull LEMO connection adds a bit of security to file transfer–and are even strong enough to support the camera. There’s also a separate flash sync connector and a pop-out camera strap connector that hides a slot for a planned WiFi transmitter. But this camera doesn’t have a live view mode–a restriction incured by the use of a CCD instead of a CMOS imaging sensor. Is that a significant problem? For studio and macro shooters, it may be. But few Leica photographers will want to take their eyes away from the beautiful optical viewfinder on this camera and its direct view through some of the sharpest, brightest lenses available.

Bottom line: Its size and potential image quality, combined with a wide array of Leica lenses covering the normal shooting scope, make the S2 a significant player in the ultra-high image quality class of cameras. Will it outperform the top end Canon and Sony DSLRs in the image quality arena? Perhaps. It has the potential resolution advantage, but it’s still too early to say if it will offer low noise images at high ISOs, or wether its AF system and burst modes are fast enough for more than slow moving, or fixed, subjects. And you have to wonder about the price of this camera and its lenses–or do you?

Photo of bridge across the Rhine and the DOM Cathedral taken from the Photokina Show side of the river in 2006. Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 in night scenery mode. 4 sec at f/4.

On the other hand, I also returned with a wicked cold, the flu, and overall exhaustion from the travel (September weather in Cologne is typically blah!). Last time I went, I had to wonder if the show was worth the hassle, given the fact that I already had been given sneak peeks at nearly every product of importance introduced at the show, and the information on those I hadn’t seen was available on the internet within 24 hours. That was even before the dollar took a nose dive against the EURO and hotel prices skyrocketed to over $500 a day (within 5 miles of the show.)

The 21.1MP Full-frame Canon EOS 5D Mark II with unique 1080i HD movie recording mode gets my award for top intro at Photokina 2008. But I saw it the week before, so why travel to Germany?

This year, given that my expenses weren’t being covered by a major publication or news organization, I decided to miss the show. Looks like I made the right choice, too. By the time Photokina kicked off on the 23rd of September, I’d been briefed on 90% of the hot products that debuted at the show. The only real surprises were the Leica S2, a super-expensive medium-format digital Hassalblads, and a few Foveon-based cameras by Sigma. Of course, I have to admit that I missed some of the great parties, unusual exhibitions, and lack of inhibitions displayed by fellow journalists during afterhour beer hall visits), but I also didn’t have to put up with lousy weather, crushing crowds, transportation delays, and questionable ingredients in the sausages being sold on corners. If I wanted those, I could have hopped on a train to NYC!
So Scott Shepard and I decided to cover the news and new products from show from the comfort of our own turf in an extended version of the McNamara Report that aired during Photokina:

To listen to the Sept. 27 segment of the McNamara Report on Inside Digital Photo click on the play button;

After the show, while everyone who did go was recovering from jet lag, colds, and exhaustion after the show, I was feeling fine for a change. Now I’m wondering if I can do the same thing during that other GIANT nightmare of a show called CES in January. Wait! I like going to that show!