Compact proficiency

Read the post just below this, if you already haven't, to hear the reason for the XZ-1 at the Carrie Furnaces. All taken with the EVF and the new productivity enhancing lens cap.  Anyway didn't know what to expect under really tough conditions.  I think these are stunning snaps — digital cameras have come a long way with these kind of results from a compact, albeit an enthusiast compact.

So what doesn't work so well?  Dynamic range.  While DSLRs can recover lots of highlights, large sensor compacts cannot, in these dark shots any sunlight coming directly in is completely blown out.  Even the passé 10D has a little bit of latitude for highlight recovery.  Solution... make sure the framing is is accomplished to reduce the required demand on dynamic rage. The supply just isn't there.

XZ-1, f/2.2, ISO 640, 1/50, 18.2mm (what ever that means).  Standard one-shot processing.

XZ-1, f/2.2, ISO 640, 1/50, 18.2mm (what ever that means).  Midnight filter in Color Efex 3.

XZ-1, f/2.0, ISO 640, 1/30, 11.8mm (what ever that means).  Standard one-shot processing.

XZ-1, f/2.0, ISO 640, 1/50, 6mm (what ever that means).  Standard one-shot processing.

XZ-1, f/2.0, ISO 640, 1/25, 6mm (what ever that means).  Standard one-shot processing.

The road less taken

There were roads to the left and to the right — both low roads.  But why choose the low road when the high road is available and unoccupied.  However, footgear other than Alden 6245F Dark Brown Suede is recommended. Ouch!

My superheterodyne iPad app The Photographers Ephemeris calculates the altitude change as exactly 92 feet. So much much for science and automation, clearly an estimate relative to thirty-somethings.

Taken during an Atlas time out on one of the several Boston Harbor Islands that can be driven to, World's End. At the end of Martin's Lane in Hingham, beware pink and green en-route.  Nice spot except for perfect alignment with 4L and 4R at Logan, across the way on some other Harbor Islands.  XZ-1 with EVF, then NIKed. More snaps to follow.

Nantasket Beach from World's End.  Wow, maybe too many layers, lower, upper lower, lower middle, middle...

Pink and Blue

Springtime in DC, cherry blossoms are out and in.  Outside and inside the Blue Duck watering hole at 24th and N NW. Cherry blossoms apropos the Kobe burgers.  The handy XZ-1 employed again.

Stealthy snap across the two sided bar, cherry blossoms in background, perhaps a cherry concoction of some sort on the bar.  Flashless stealthiness, ISO 250, f2.5, 1/10 shutter speed bailed out by image stabilizer and the ZX-1 sitting on the bar.

Blog addiction

so little to say today and so many posts to say it.  Dinner in the Northend. No liquor license so more to follow post wine consumption recovery. 

The venue and Vespa envy...

The boys crooning

Their idol

Grrrr

another multi-hour delayed flight in or out of the Hub.  Monday northbound paired with Friday southbound. Color highlighting celebrates elite flyer status which greased the Friday exit and dinner at Salt.  Snapped Monday at BWI, ShutterSnitch to iPad for edit with Filterstorm and framing with PhotoPal in 11C.

Black, white, like salt of course...

with an occasional splash of pink.  All from Salt, some by me, most by SO, all in squares, black and white squares, like a New England front hall, all with the XZ-1...

Now with valet parking?  Hah! Not likely.

On deck

Paco creates some concotion

Darren (the Murphy doppelgänger) preps a Silver Bullet

Iconic abscence

Waiter, waiting... patiently

Deal doer?

Sputnik POV

 Stoly alley

There is a one bullet limit

For Murphy

Tongue tied

The party's over

On the stoop

Looking across Pratt along Collington

Alas the evening ends

Strange bedfellows

An unlikely combination of the XZ-1 dramatic filter and faux Polaroid 669 film.  Interesting...

And... the combo of the XZ-1, Eye-Fi, Sprint Overdrive and the iPad with ShutterSnitch is amazing.  Take snap with XZ-1, almost real time it appears on the iPad, edit it, save, mail it, socialize it, whatever. Très cool!

Art Filters and more: XZ-1

So the XZ-1 has these things called art filters.  Jpegs only — but I am beginning to think the XZ-1 may be the camera that spends most of its time taking jpegs.  I like the look of the Dramatic Filter in the classic Club 2223 snap below. 

So what maybe mostly happens is that jpegs go from the XZ-1 to the Eye-Fi card, through the Sprint Overdrive to the iPad.  Sorted, processed if at all, mailed, etc. right from the iPad.  Ultimately they find their way into Aperture for management.  That is kinda of the reason the camera was added to the portfolio, small, social and SO friendly.

The vision for the yet to come X100 is more planned photography when a smaller device is right, either because of the need or because of the reason for being there.  So... DSLRs when photos are the mission, 5D Mk II for fine art, the 7D for action, the X100 on the street or when photos are ancillary to the main mission and the XZ-1 when photos are completely tangential but complimentary to what ever is going on.  

XZ-1

First RAW from the new XZ-1.  Developed in Capture One, Tiff to Aperture, Exposure 3 in CS5.  A little clumsy for now until RAW converter support in Aperture.  Same thing next month when the X100 arrives.  Would have been nice if the sky was more appealing looking this AM.  This afternoon's goal is to get the Eye-Fi Pro X2 working with the XZ-1, the Sprint Overdrive and the iPad.  

Initial snaps here.  Not the 5D Mk II or the 7D, the shots look "thin" comparatively but looks quite credible for it intended use.  The Eye-Fi to ShutterSnitch on the iPad works great and makes it easy to eMail photos contemporaneously with them being taken.