Tag Archives: Nikon D810

Photoessay: Swiss Surprise Championship

Swiss Surprise Championship

I know nothing about sailing, except that if the air flows along a curved path (sailing close-hauled), there will be a pressure gradient perpendicular to the flow direction, which together with the keel resisting the lateral forces, causes the boat to sail upwind. But there is theory and practice; in a once and never again attempt I drifted to the other side of a small lake and had to walk back.

Though it helps to know something of your subject (and the rules of a regatta) before taking up a photographic assignment, it can be fun to get out of your comfort zone. There is no such concept as slowing down, to which I normally adhere to, when you stand on an unstable zodiac, the subjects are moving, and you must compose and focus hoping not to be washed overboard with the equipment around your neck.

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Review: Fujifilm GFX 50S

Fuji GFX 50S. Quite compact for its sensor size, but still best mounted on a sturdy tripod.

Regular readers of this blog will know that I am lusting for larger formats. This is, of course, a matter of personal preference that results from my established shooting style and two Linhof view cameras waiting for a second life. In the film days the situation was easy; bigger was better. But in the digital world not everything scales with log2.

I could have created click bait by reviewing the hyped-up Hasselblad (X1D) and Fujifilm (GFX 50S) earlier, but wanted to wait until the initial bugs in the firmware are sorted out and Lightroom and/or CaptureOne support the RAW files. Now it’s about time to have a closer look because there is a new option: the 45 mega-pixel, Nikon D850 that is supposedly a leap further in almost all respects.

The question is if I would supplement my workhorse Nikon D810 with the D850 or replace it with a medium format system. There must be compelling reasons for a switch though; most importantly, an expanded shooting envelope in terms of handling and reliability (mainly high ISO capabilities and image stabilization), and image quality (resolution, dynamic range, and tonal separation).

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