Lomo'Instant WIDE Review

I've always had a bit of a drawing to instant cameras.  Growing up my parents had a Polaroid OneStep Instamatic camera.  We used it a lot for family events as it was just easier to use than having to load a film camera and then go and get them developed and prints made.

Digital cameras have made the process of getting images a lot easier than they were in the past, and sharing them lightning fast.  There is something about an analog process that is still appealing to many of us.  Probably part nostalgia, part simplicity of process.  Everyone has a different motivation and I've not the degree in psychology or sociology to get into that kind of discussion.

I own a few instant cameras, of which I've already reviewed the Diana f+ with Instant Back.  You can read about my thoughts on that camera, if you wish.  That camera looks like the images below.

Diana f+ images © Lomography

Diana f+ back

Diana f+ front

The Diana f+ instant back utilizes the Fuji Instax Mini film.  While this is a good film, it can some times be a little small.  I wanted something bigger!  Options could be getting  another Polaroid camera and using the Impossible Project instant film packs(that is another review coming in the future so look out for that!!) or investigate the Fuji Instax Wide cameras available.

I've used the Fuji Instax 210 before, and while it does a decent job it does not have the manual capabilities that a photographer might desire.  After doing much research, I settled on 2 options, the Lomography Belair X6-12(review coming on that soon as well) and the Lomography Lomo'Instant WIDE.

So lets dive into the lomo'Instant WIDE world for a while!  Please note, I am not going to compare the Fuji Wide cameras versus this.  Plenty of other internet reviews already doing that.  My only comment for people is going to be this.  If you just want to press a button and get an Instax Wide print, no fuss, no muss - get the Fuji.  If you are a photographer that likes to experiment, loves tinkering with exposures and having more granular controls - Get the LOMO.

I picked up a used camera in white.  Not my optimal camera color, but I'm not one that lets camera color get in the way of a good deal.   You should see my m43 cameras.  Mostly black bodies and silver lenses because I got better deals on the silver versions.

Lomo'Instant WIDE images © Lomography

Here is the front of the camera:

Starting at image left, we have the viewfinder.  Optical, no special anything except the inclusion of an offset for close focusing.  You can see the offset as the black dashed marks in the viewfinder.

Across the top, the flash unit.  This has slots on it that will accept supplied colored gels.  This is not an option that I really use, but it is nice to have there.

Right next to the flash unit is the exposure meters.

Now, going down between the viewfinder and the flash unit is a black switch.  This is your shutter release.

The silver ball between the shutter release and the lens unit is the "selfie mirror".

Then, you have the lens.  Focus is a manual zone focus.  You twist a ring to change from 0.6m, 1-2m, and 3-infinity.  A small bump on the side of lens unit is a PC sync port in case you want to use this camera with flash units, you can trigger them that way.  There is no hot shoe on this camera.

The top of the camera is where the film ejects and is the only feature there.

The back of the camera contain the controls.  The large black square in the top middle(my copy is all white) is the film back release lever.  Just to the right of that is the window for you to see if the film is loaded.  The orange line that are on all Fuji instax packs shows here.

Moving to image right is the rear view of the viewfinder.
Below that we have the flash controls.  The flash can be manually controlled to fire or not.  One light lets you know if the capacitor is charged, the light is red when charging and green when ready to fire.

Next down is the "MX" button which stands for multiple exposure.  The number of multiple exposures is unlimited!

+1, 0, -1 are for your exposure compensation settings.

Under that, we have the power switch.  The switch in the position you see is the OFF setting.  The "A" is auto mode, which gives the camera all the control over the exposure, "B" is bulb mode,  and 1/30 is used when you are wanting to add in external flash.

Just to the left of the power switch is the film exposure counter.

The Lomo'Instant WIDE is powered by 4 AA batteries.  This is great as they are cheap, plentiful and easy to find.

Oh, and lets not forget to mention the lens cap.  The lens cap is not just a lens cap, it is also a remote shutter release and a bulb setting trigger!  Pretty cool!

The attached lens is a 35mm equivalent lens( to a 135 film size camera) which means it is a 90mm on a medium format camera.  Aperture ranges are either f/8 or f/22 and these are all controlled via the camera.  Auto shutter speeds are 8s to 1/250 of a second, the 1/30 for flash use and bulb.

The filter thread is 49mm.  You can also get a macro and wide angle adapter lens for this camera.  The macro gets you down to 0.1m

IQ

Honestly, its pretty good for what it is.  I'll just let the images speak for themselves below.  As with any lomography style camera or film, you need to determine if this is an aesthetic and style that is right for you and the subject you are shooting.

Handling/Weight/Size

Because of the size of the negative and the film itself, this is a big camera.  I've read/watched quite a few reviews about people not liking the lack of a grip like is on the Fuji 210 or 300.  I don't really care.  I'm not one that uses one hand to shoot anyway, so I'm always supporting the camera underneath with one hand and then triggering the shutter with my other.  I also use a strap of some kind as well.

The shutter button is right where you'd want it to be and all the controls are on the back.  The thumb of my right hand crosses over the buttons and gives additional support.  I've so far had no problems with accidentally hitting a setting button.  Others have had some issue with that.

I like the mechanical focusing mechanism.  Not a whole lot is going to go wrong with that and the power is not going to camera operation other than metering and ejecting the film.

Personal preference on the viewfinder - a lot of people do not like having the camera obscure the face.  I fall into the camp of - I don't care.  I can drop the camera for a few seconds and talk to someone if I need to which is no different that working with my digital cameras.  What might be of interest to left eyed shooters though is that the viewfinder is on the right side, so your head position is on the opposite side of almost every other rangefinder styled camera out there.

One struggle since moving to a mirrorless kit for a lot of my every day carry needs is finding a place in my bag for this camera.  It can be done, but it is not an after thought like being able to take the Digital Holga.  Some pre-planning is going to be required!

This one was a little over exposed.  :D

Focusing

I'm generally not a fan of zone focusing on my digital cameras.  In that world, I use auto focus most of the time.  This camera does not live in that world.  With the stock lens, you are looking at 0.6m for close up portraits, 1-2m for mid range shots and 3m-infinity for far away shots.  My biggest issue is remembering to change the focus distance manually.  The viewfinder is not connected in anyway to the view you see through the lens, so I've been known to snap a pic and then realize that I had the focus set to 1-2m or infinity instead.  Like this selfie image below.  Had the camera set to 1-2m.  Oops!  lol

Conclusion

As has been mentioned before - lomography, lo-fi, "vintage" type stuff is not for everyone.  I love it and love using it from time to time.  It is fun for a lot of people and I'm using it professionally and in my private shooting.

Is it worth the higher price tag over the Fuji equivalent?   Only you can answer that.  For me, I required the flexibility of the Lomo.  If Fuji released a WIDE camera that had the controls/features more in line with the Neo Classic 90 - it would have been a more difficult decision.

There are great things coming for instant film.  Fuji has released black and white mini/wide film and they just released a square format film and camera as well. 

Look out in the future for more reviews for the instant cameras like the Polaroid Sun600 with Impossible Project film, Fuji Neo Classic 90 and we will also review the Fuji Instax SP-1 printer!!!!!!!!!!

A Trip to Yellowstone National Park - Photo and Hiking Gear

Being a photographer, of course I want to bring my camera gear.  We must also temper that with the fact that we will be doing a lot of hiking as well.

I went out and looked at others photos of Yellowstone just to get an idea of the sites I might want to capture, the terrain we might face and used those as a guide on what to bring.

Hiking Gear
First and foremost, the hiking gear needed to be correct.   If I cannot get to where I want to be, then no amount or photo gear would matter.

Backpacks were a must and I needed 2 of them.  The thing is, that my backpack had very different requirements for me than my wife did for her.  She is very much the pure hiker, happy to take a shot or 2 with her cell phone.  She is much more about the hike than the pictures.  On the other hand, I am about getting to that grand place for the great shot.

My wife's pack was the Kelty 3100 RedWing.  The Kelty is nice because it has a plastic internal frame system to help distribute any kind of load.

My pack was the Mindshift Ultralight 36L.

In our packs, we both carried the following:

Camelbak Antidote 3 liter system
Terra Hiker Rain Poncho
Coleman Camp Toilet Paper
Various high energy snacks
Flashlight
Personal first aid kit
pencil and paper
extra socks
hat (sun shading and winter caps - temps early morning and late in evening can drop down into the 40F range)
Hooded sweatshirt
Lifestraw Water Purification system
Ibuprofen
Tylenol
allergy medications
a deck of playing cards (for boredom and for potential magic tricks)

I carried additionally the following:

Garmin Oregon 600t GPS system with a bunch of rechargeable AA batteries.

Maps of the parks and hiking trails.

My wife took an Anker 30,000mah charger for our phones.   Cell service is spotty at best through most of the park, but in case of emergency, it would be great to have the power available if need be.

Since we were going to be hiking some potentially long trails and they could be quite far away from some of the more populated centers, I rented a canister of bear spray.

For clothing, we went more with cotton tees and the moisture wicking style of shirts.  I favored more of a cargo khaki short, while the wife went with capri style pants.

I really like the Merrel brand of hiking boots, so my tried and trusted.  Mine are similar to these MOAB 2 mid hikers.  I did have to admit that they were worn out after this trip and did not make the return.

Before trusting any of this hiking gear, the wife and I hiked locally with full packs and all the gear we would have on us in Yellowstone. The last place you want to find out that something doesn't work, rubs you the wrong way or is just plain junk is out on a trail you are not familiar with thousands of miles away from home.  Months before our trip, we took several mile long hikes through various terrains, taking the time to learn our gear and treat the local trails just as we would the Yellowstone trails.    We did quite well, honestly, with only a few tweaks required.

Camera Gear
I wanted to be able to go light, but also wanted to have enough gear with me to be able to handle just about everything I might run into.

Supporting Systems
I thought about a tripod, but decided against it.  I did not want to have to deal with it honestly.  For the type of images that I wanted to shoot, I could not really see if being that much of a benefit to me.

Supporting my camera gear while on hikes was an important consideration.  I already had the Black Rapid system.  It is a fine system, but with the active hiking and the way the back pack fit, I was not satisfied with the Black Rapid for this application.   I purchased the Cotton Carrier system.  This placed the camera directly on my chest and it put it out of the way of the back pack straps.  It was perfect for my trip.  It too was purchased and tested months before the trip began.

I run 2 camera systems.  Micro Four Thirds as well as Nikon.  While both are excellent and have their benefits, the Nikon system came with me.  Why?  There are several factors.  Dynamic range was a concern of mine, as was an all day battery life and rugged weather resistance.

I also auto focus fine tuned all my lenses, so issues with AF accuracy were not a concern.

Camera Kit
The camera kit that came with me was as follows:
Nikon D500 + 3 batteries

Nikon 300/4E PF

Nikon TC14E-III teleconverter

Nikon 18-140/3.5-5.6 VR

Tokina 11-16/2.8

This all fit perfectly in the camera compartment of the Mindshift backpack.  I had no complaints at all of the gear I took.  The Tokina 11-16 is a gem of a lens and worked great for those times when you were locked in close to a thermal and could not move backwards to get a wider field of view.
Here is just one example of  when the wide Tokina helped me get an image without the need of using any kind of post processing stitch:

1/50, f/11, ISO 100 @ 12mm
Morning Glory Pool

The Nikon 18-140, while not the equal to the Tokina or the Nikon 300/4 in IQ, was a great, all purpose lens for the bulk of the trip.

The Nikon 300/4 with the teleconverter, APS-C sensor and 1.3X crop mode gave me enough reach for the majority of images I wanted to capture long ways out.
Here is an example of the reach the 300mm + TC and APS-C sensor gave me:

1/640, f/11, ISO 1000 @ 420mm - Nikon 300mm + TC14E-III + APS-C sensor ~ 630mm field of view equivalent

This all worked out excellently for both of us.  We struck a great compromise between convenience, weight and space.

Whenever going on long trips like this, I like to have an image backup solution.  I've already gone into some detail about that in a previous posting, which can be found here:
Light, Low Cost Image Backup Solution.

The Holga Digital - Review

Image © Holga Digital

When people think Holga, they mostly think of the 1981 plastic medium format camera that could be purchased cheaply.  It had plastic lenses and was one of the forefront cameras in the lomography and lo-fi photography groups.

As people changed so did the Holga.  120 film was not as common to find, so 35mm conversion backs were built as were peel apart Polaroid and Fuji instant films.   Now with us being fully into the digital age, T.M. Lee, creator of the original Holga has brought us into the future of Holga with the Holga Digital.

This camera originally started as a Kickstarter campaign.  This is where we learned of it, and for the price of a night out to dinner with the wife, I backed the campaign and received my camera early February 2016.

Here are my thoughts on the Holga Digital.

Handling

This is a small camera, almost too small for me.  If it were any more complicated with buttons or levers, it could be difficult for me to use.  Oddly though, as it is, it handles relatively well.  You turn the top right dial from Off to either 135(4:3) or 120(1:1), which is the aspect ratio.  There is a red LED next to the switch to let you know if the camera is on.

The shutter switch is a lever that sits next to the lens.  It weighs next to nothing so just gentle pressure on the plastic body is enough to keep it in hand.  If you need more grip you could always add a few pieces of gaffer tape or similar item to add friction.

The viewfinder is small, but there is an LED in there at the bottom that allows you to know when the shutter has been tripped.

There is no LCD, so you are not going to see the images you take immediately.  There is support for Eye-Fi cards, so if you have one of those and a smartphone - you can get quicker previews.

The camera uses 2 AA batteries, which is nice.  Battery dies, you can get AA batteries anywhere.  I've not tried the camera with rechargeable varieties.

Settings

Aspect Ratio:

As mentioned above, you have the choice of either 4:3 (135) or 1:1 (120).  This is set when you power the camera on.  Top right of the camera - LED light indicates that the power is on.  There is a small lag between the light coming on or going off after the switch is turned.

Aperture:

There are 2 settings - Sunny, which is f/8 and cloudy, which is f/2.8.  The switch is located at the top of the lens housing.

Shutter Speed:

There are 2 options, which is 1/60 or bulb.  I believe that the shutter release is a digital trigger.  Click it down and release, you get 1/60, click and hold it down and it will keep the shutter open for as long as it is held down.

ISO:

Always fixed at ISO 100 equivalent, according to email conversation I had with Holga Digital team.

Focus

This is a fixed focus camera.  You get one setting which according to the documentation is 1.5m to infinity.

IQ

It sports an 8mp 1/3.2 inch CMOS sensor.  It provides a lo-fi experience as you would expect.  My thought on it is that the shutter must be all electronic as there is a high propensity for the images to have rolling shutter if they are moving.

Some people do not like it, but we are talking lo-fi photography here, so there is another "artistic" choice thrown into the mix that you did not have with the film Holga.

In all honesty, I've seen better IQ in a smart phone, but again, that is not the point of this camera.  If you want superior IQ, then this is not the camera for you and you know that going into it.

The sensor provides an adequate platform.

Other Miscellaneous Items of Note

EXIF information:

I've noticed the EXIF information to be a little weird at times.  From the documentation and website, you are supposed to get either 1/60th or BULB.  Looking at the EXIF, it is reporting something "weird".  I've not looked at trying to nail down how it is calculating exposure, but I'm pretty sure that 1/950th of a second and 1/10560 is not the equivalent of 1/60.

Rolling shutter:

This can be very pronounced at times, either shooting from a moving vehicle or making the mistake of moving the camera before the shutter is done.  It is very easy to get rolling shutter if you are not careful.

Add-On Lenses:

Yes, it is possible!  While the attached lens is not removable, there is an adapter to add on the original Holga plastic lenses.

Hot Shoe:

Yes, there is one and can work with Holga flashes or any hotshoe flash - although given the size and weight of the camera, I don't see people using anything other than the plastic Holga lenses on the camera.

SD Cards:

Not sure how large of an SD card you can use. Currently it has a 2GB Kingston in it.  It is supposed to be wi-fi card compatible, so we will test the Eye-Fi card sometime in the future.

Parting Thoughts

I really do like this little camera.  No one really seems to take it seriously.  Not seeing your images right away takes me back to the days when I was shooting with my Nikon N90s.  It can also be a little frustrating not knowing if you got the shot.  That can be mitigated, however, with the use of a wi-fi enabled SD card.

I will definitely be using this along with my other "lomo" type cameras.  It is something different and interesting for me.  Others may not enjoy it, but that is a subjective thing and I will let you decide what you think of it from the images I share here as well as the impressions above.

For the price, though - you can have this little camera for the price of a higher end meal.

Full disclosure: some images are straight out of camera while others have been tweaked in Lightroom.

Olympus OMD EM5 Mark II - Gear Review

It's always good to have a supportive spouse when you are a nerd photographer gear junkie!  lol
Seriously, though - I recently was the proud recipient of a brand spanking new silver Olympus OMD EM5 Mk II.

© Olympus America

Got the green light to get it as a birthday present.

Enough with the backstory, lets get to what you are here for, which is the gear review!!

As always, I shoot to the real world and to what I prefer and not to MTF charts, or spec tests.  None of that means anything to me if the overall experience of the camera doesn't work for me.

Olympus 25/1.8
1/60, f/1.8, ISO 400

Handling
First thing I noticed was the build quality.  Again, as with all the other OMD bodies, it is top notch.  Feels very solid and has a nice weight too it without feeling too heavy.  The grip on the right hand side is a bit more prominent than the previous EM5.  The texture of the outer casing feels more grippy as well.  It's almost like a leatherette instead of the textured metal like on the original EM5.

Olympus 12-40/2.8 PRO
1/80, f/5, ISO 800 @ 40mm

The extra buttons and the placement of the buttons is on the body are pleasing for me as well.  The jury is still out on the fully articulating screen.  I'm kind of liking the ability to spin it completely around and protect it - it just takes a little bit to get used to in comparison to the tilt only of the previous OMD offerings.
If you just need to tilt it, it can get a bit fiddly, but having the ability to articulate the screen is better than not at all.

Overall, I'm really liking the feel and workings of the camera.

Olympus 40-150/4-5.6R
1/200, f/5.2, ISO 800 @ 111mm

The front and rear dials are a lot thicker, which makes turning them much easier and the shutter release feels more "old school" to me than the other OMD cameras.  It just reminds me of the old film cameras like the Yashica Electro.

Olympus 12-40/2.8 PRO
1/200, f/5.6, ISO 200 @ 40mm

Image Quality
Not a whole lot to report here that you don't already know.  The sensor has not really changed much from the other iterations of hte OMD, so if you liked what you saw from the previous OMD cameras, you'll be getting that here again.  The IBIS works great and is very smooth in operation.  I'm not one to shoot test images.  I just know that it works when I need it to and it works well.

Olympus 75-300/4.8-6.7 II
1/2000, f/5.7, ISO 250 @156mm

I've taken to running the JPG engine with a -1 sharpness and putting the noise reduction on low.  I found even the basic settings are a little too aggressive for me, which could cause higher base ISO noise and artifacting.  Adding a little extra sharpening and noise reduction in post works wonders on the files.

AF Speed
Still using the same contrast detect AF, which works fast and sure in most situations.  Not your best option for tracking moving subjects.  If you want that kind of performance, you'll want to look at the EM1/GH4(no phase detect, but uses Depth From Defocus - DFD technology) with phase detect AF or a DSLR.

With that being said, action is possible with a little planning and using the S-AF mode, as seen below with this surfing image.

Olympus 75-300/4.8-6.7 II
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 500 @ 300mm

Hi Res Mode
As you've probably already read in other places - you need to use this mode on a tripod and with a scene that has no movement in it to prevent artifacting.  You do get the ability to pull a 64MP RAW or 40MP jpg file with enhanced resolution, truer color rendering.  There are plenty of other places that have done extensive head to head images of a standard 16MP capture versus the hi res mode equivalent.

Olympus 75-300/4.8-6.7 II
1/2000, f/5.6, ISO 200 @ 124mm

I can see this being of use to product and still life photographers as well as urban exploration or cityscape captures.

Olympus 12-40/2.8 PRO
Hi-Res Mode
1/400, f/5.6, ISO 200 @ 40mm

Video Recording
You have a lot more options here than you did in the past.  I'm not a heavy video user, and am actually just getting into it.  For me, right now, the options are adequate.

Below, you'll find some test videos at some of the different modes.

Other Misc. Items Of Note
With the EM5, your top shutter speed was 1/4000.  The Mark II gives you 1/8000 and it also has silent shutter mode which is electronic first/second curtain shutter.  Not only do you get the silent operation, but you also get 1/16000 of a second shutter speed.  Some limitations can be artifacts present themselves in fast moving subjects as well as issues with fluorescent lights or monitor refresh rates.  You also lose the ability to use flash with the electronic shutter.

Shutter shock mode is available as an option in the drive mode, so no menu diving to activate it.

Olympus 75-300/4.8-6.7
1/1000, f/7.1, ISO 800 @ 300mm

The mechanical shutter is noticeably more quiet than the EM5 or the EM1.  Not that those shutters were loud, but the Mark II is a definite improvement.  As with everything, we need context. The shutters on my Nikon D300/D700 sound like pistol fire in comparison, especially when shooting a wedding in a quiet church.

The EVF is the same as what you'll find on the EM1, so definitely some visual goodness.  Also present is the built in Wifi that can be used with the OI Share app.

Same as the previous EM5, you get the weather sealing, the touch screen.

The supplied, detachable flash unit is another surprise.  Unlike the flashes that came with the original EM5 and EM1, this flag has a fully articulating head. It can be turned, angled for bounce.  Yes, it only has a guide number of 9, but if you need/want that little pop for inside during a party, this could do the trick.  Much more versatility than the older style included flash.

Olympus 75-300/4.8-6.7 II
1/2000, f/5.7, ISO 250 @ 156mm

Now, the big question....is it worth the upgrade.  I like the extras that the Mark II brings to the table, and I'm still experimenting with the viability of the hi res mode.  I appreciate all the improvements that the new body offers and I'm having as much fun shooting it as I did the original EM5.
I'd say if you are pressed for cash or on the fence, stay with the original EM5.  Otherwise, feel free to take the plunge and pick up a Mark II.

Another thing that this camera reminds me of is the feeling I get when I shoot with the Nikon Df.  The feel, the look, the responsiveness - especially when shooting with prime lenses just makes me want to keep shooting with it.   While the Df still is the supreme stills shooter for me, the EM5 Mk II has solidified itself to the #2 spot.

Olympus 75-300/4.8-6.7 II
1/2000, f/6.5, ISO 400 @ 258mm

The EM1, while a fantastic camera, feels more like a professional tool I would and do use for paying jobs.  It is in the same position as the Nikon D300/D700 are for me.  They are tools with a purpose for making money, while the Df and EM5 Mk II feel like tools I can use to create art and express myself.  It might sound dumb, but it is just the way I think and feel about the whole thing.

Refreshed Post - Do I Really Need A New Camera?

This post was originally published almost 5 years ago.   Thought, it is relevant again today and could do with an update.

I get asked a lot about what camera bodies to buy or someone is wanting to upgrade their current camera or lenses and wants to know what model they should upgrade into. A lot of times this is unnecessary and people get caught up in the new model acquisition syndrome.

The following are a few things to think about before spending money on that new camera body/lens as the money might be spent better elsewhere or perhaps SAVED!

• Have I outgrown my current camera?
  This is the first thing that you should consider. What limitations does the current gear have? What is it not allowing me to do or how is it holding me back?
  
  First, do not get caught up in having the newest and best. I still shoot using a Nikon D300. Yes, it does have some limitations for my professional work(I'll get into those in a bit), but I have used this camera for so long I know what it is capable of and not.
  You must think, “What am I primarily going to shoot?” and “What is my budget?”
  This comes down to NEED versus WANT. We would all want the very best camera, but that must be tempered with the very best camera WE CAN AFFORD. We'd all love to have an exotic sports car, but that is not always the best choice monetarily, situationally.
  If you have kids, then what is required from your camera is not the same as one might need for doing landscapes and macro photography. There may even be some attributes of a lesser camera or lens that can not be found in a higher end model(such as a higher speed x-sync of the off camera flash – my old D50 has a max speed of 1/500, while my D300 has only 1/250).
  
  So, think hard, how is your camera body limiting you? Not good enough low light performance, not enough frames per second in burst mode? Slow focusing? Need an in camera focus motor(for you Nikonians out there)?  Are you looking to go smaller and lighter, a mirrorless camera may be a good fit for you.

• New body versus new lenses
  One of the major concerns is that a person needs better low light performance. This can be achieved in many different ways:
• Faster glass – get a prime or zoom lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 or faster. While this will give you a lot more light coming into the sensor, it also gives you more creative freedom as well. Do you love those images where the subject is in focus, but the background is blurred? Larger apertures are in your future. The good thing is, this option can be as expensive or cheap as you are willing to pay. The big two(Nikon and Canon) offer 50mm f/1.8 primes for ~$100, and other options in the wide to medium prime range for ~$400 and under. Mirroless cameras from Olympus/Panasonic/Fuji also have great value/performance primes out there.  Getting into zooms will cost you a little more, but don't be afraid to explore the used market. If you find a quality seller, you can get a steal on a used lens for sometimes 30%-70% off the new price.
  
• Better ISO performance through post processing.
  Shooting at higher ISO causes digital noise to be introduced into the images you take. This is most prevalent with today's movern sensors at around ISO 3200 and above. However, all is not lost as there are a lot of noise reduction plug ins for Photoshop products(their full CS product as well as Elements). Even Lightroom can do a decent job at reducing noise.  These products have an almost magical behind-the-scenes algorithm that can help to reduce the sensor noise. I've been using Topaz Denoise for quite some time and absolutely love it. You can read about it here: http://www.topazlabs.com
  The cost of this plugin is under $100.
  
• STROBES! FLASHES! And LIGHTS! Oh my!!
  A lot of people are afraid of flash – because they don't understand it, which is human nature. However, there are a lot of great benefits to flash. I won't get into all that here, but you can learn more than most at just the following sites:
  http://www.strobist.com
  http://www.planetneil.com
  http://ww.joemcnally.com/blog
  
  Flash adds extra light to your scene and can also give you the added benefit of freezing motion! Generally, shooting the flash directly from the how shoe or camera at a subject does not give you a flattering light. The above links will explain that and how to get around all that.
  This option is getting into a lot more money, but the possibilities you'll have in image making have just ramped up. If you learn to use even a basic, off camera manual flash kit – the potential for your image quality to improve increases exponentially.
  
  Even spending ~$200 on a basic TTL hot shoe flash can make a huge difference.
  Going the off camera route can make a huge difference as well. To get started, check outhttp://www.mpex.com and go to their “Strobist” section. They have complete 1 and 2 light kits from ~$200 - $500.
  
• New body
  Ok, so none of the other options above interest you and you are feinding over a new camera. What to chose? Is the image quality hike on a more expensive camera worth it or will a newer entry level body be just as good? The best thing to do now is RESEARCH. Get out on Google, Yahoo!, Bing or whatever search engine you prefer and do comparisons of your camera versus what you want to upgrade.
  
  There is a lot of option out there between the 135 size sensors, APS-C and m43.  DSLR, mirrorless ILC and fixed lens ILC.
  
• Marketing Hype
  Try your best to steer away from the marketing hype about sensor sizes, megapixels, etc.  Make a list of the options you really need to have.  I've used just about every camera system out there and they are all very capable - so long as you do your part to make the most of the equipment and learn how to use it to it's maximum potential.

Sensor Cleaning - I don't know why I resisted!!

For those who own interchangeable lens digital cameras, the time eventually comes when you notice too many "dust bunnies" or other various specs of dust, lint or "string" on your images at smaller apertures than can be fixed by a clone or healing tool in Photoshop.

I, like many, used to fear cleaning my own sensor.  I'd paid to have others do it.  Who wants to bungle up their thousand dollar camera just trying to clean it.  Let the professionals do it, right?

Well, that all changed for me when I noticed that my Nikon D300 was showing signs of needing a sensor cleaning.  The camera was running fine otherwise, not ready for a CLA(clean, lube, adjust) that is is done from time to time.  Watching some videos on KelbyOne a few weeks ago, I ran across RC Conception doing a segment on the Visible Dust and Copper Hill Images sensor cleaning kits.  He compared the 2 kits, but the video was about the proper way of cleaning the mirror chamber as well as the sensor itself.

After watching and pondering, doing some more research on both systems - reading reviews from others on each as well as reading information on the 2 companies websites, I settled on getting a Copper Hill Images system.

You can buy individual pieces of the system or there are a series of kits on the website.  They have an all inclusive kit, which I passed on because there were some pieces that I just did not think I needed.  Instead, I got 2 smaller kits, a wet clean kit and a dry clean kit.

Whenever buying a cleaning solution, keep in mind the sensor size you are working with.  Some items are size specific.  The D300 requires a 14mm size swab set, so I got those first.  The Copper Hill Images site has a page that will let you know what sizes you'll need based on the camera you have.

Before beginning to clean your camera sensor, make sure to read the included instructions and go to the Copper Hill Images website and review the information there as well.  There are a lot of important points that you'll want to know before starting.

The wet kit came with a bottle of Eclipse, which is the cleaning solution.  a 14mm swab, a package of full size pec-pads as well as a package of pre-cut pads and stickers to fasten the swab.  The pads are special made material to prevent sensor damage from scratching.  If you have never cleaned your sensor yourself or ever before, the wet cleaning is a good place to start.

The dry kit includes a specially made bristle brush, a Giottos Rocket Blower, and some vellum paper.  The rocket blower can be used to blow dust directly off the sensor as well as charge the bristle brush.  Charging the brush will help draw dust and debris to the bristles.  The vellum paper is also used to charge the brush bristles.

What I did to clean the D300.

First, I wanted to know just how bad the sensor dust was.   I pointed the camera to a clean wall, put on my 50mm f/1.8D lens, set the aperture to f/22.  The image revealed the extent of the dust on the sensor.

Before getting to the sensor, we need to clean the mirror and exposed chamber.  I removed the lens and used the rocket blower to get the lint and dust from the mirror.  I held the camera with the opening pointing down, so that the dust that is moved by the blower would fall down and out of the camera.  I replaced the lens to not allow any dust in the air to get back onto the mirror.

Now it is time to move to the sensor.  In the D300, there is a menu option to lock up the mirror for cleaning.  I followed the instructions for locking up the mirror, then removed the lens.  Now, looking into the camera, you can see the sensor.  I placed the lens back onto the camera until I got the wet swab ready.

Follow the instructions in the kit for attaching a pad to the swab.  The swab, when bought new comes with a pad already attached to the swab.

The Eclipse solution comes out of the bottle very fast and you do not need to squeeze the bottle at all.  I put one drop of solution on one side of the swab, and one drop on the other side.  Wait 20-30 seconds to allow the solution to wick into the pad and distribute evenly.

Now, is the moment of truth.  Be careful to not touch anything but the sensor with the swab.  The side walls of the sensor housing may have lubricants/oils on it and you don't want that on your sensor.  It is difficult to clean off.
In one motion, swipe the sensor from one side to the other, then drop down and swipe back.(A more detailed set of instructions with pictures come with your kit.  It will make more sense to you.)

Remember to only use one side for one swipe.  Don't reswipe with the same side of the swab.  If you do, it will deposit the dirt you just removed to a different place on the sensor.

If you have some stubborn spots, you may need to repeat this swabbing process - but always remember to use a clean swab every time.  NEVER REUSE A DIRTY SWAB.

A wet cleaning was all I needed to do to get 90% of the dust off the sensor.  I took another test shot, and I saw just a few small bits at the bottom left of the image.  I locked up the mirror again and used the rocket blower.  I finally got a clean image from the sensor.  All dust and debris GONE!!

The dry kit is used in a similar way, except, no cleaning fluid is required.  You simply apply a static charge to the bristle brush using the rocket blower and/or the vellum paper, then swipe the sensor with the same motion s you would the swab.  The brush is specifically sized as to be the exact size of the sensor, so swiping in one direction covers the whole area.

Cleaning your sensors should not be intimidating, and after doing it once, I cannot believe I have not done it myself sooner.  I'll be sure to get the appropriate kit for my full frame cameras as well.  So long as you don't muscle the process and follow the instructions, you should have no problems at all.  Plus, with just 2 cleanings, the cleaning systems will pay for themselves when you compare the price of a "professional" cleaning.  Plus, there is no risk of shipping the camera somewhere or losing time with the gear as this literally takes minutes to complete.

Diana f+ Camera Has Just Arrived

After several weeks of waiting, I've finally received my Diana f+ Instant Camera.

The kit I received came with the Diana f+ camera, the Instax Mini back(adapter lens), the 120 film back(120 take up spool and spool adapter,masks for endless panorama and 12 shot), Diana Flash, flash adapters, flash gels, and manuals and close up adapter.

My first impression is that despite the camera being made of plastic, it appears to be pretty well made.  All the backs and adapters fit together well and all the buttons function as they should.  The controls are pretty straight forward.

Getting the kit seemed like the best deal.  I really wanted the instant back to potentially use with some other film cameras I have.  My thought was that if the plan didn't work out, I could still use the Diana camera with the Instax Mini film.

Instead of having numeric representations of shutter speed and aperture, the Diana camera has letters and symbols.  Below I will list the generally accepted values for the settings on the camera(culled from various sources around the internet and my own experience with the camera):

Shutter Speed
"N" = 1/60th
"B" = bulb - as on any camera with this setting, the shutter stays open as long as the shutter release is held down.  The Diana comes with a small plastic piece that can be placed into the shutter slot to keep it down during particularly long exposures.  The way I use this, is that I setup the camera in the position and aperture setting I want to use.  I leave the lens cap on, set the shutter into the down position and then remove the lens cap.  Wait for the desired time, then replace the lens cap.

Aperture
Pinhole = f/150
Sunny = f/22
Party Cloudy = f/16
Cloudy = f/11

Film
Any 120 film will work with the 120 back installed.  If using a meter to determine exposure, do so as normal.
The instant back uses the Fuji Instax Mini film.  This film is rated at ISO 800.  When the adapter lens is fitted to the camera body, behind the lens, it drops the exposure by 1 EV, so treat the film as ISO 400 when taking into account exposure readings.

My one issue with the Diana Instant Back is that it uses the not common CR2 batteries. It would be great if the camera allowed for use of AA or AAA batteries(alkalines or rechargeables).  The CR2 are expensive purchased locally, so I recommend getting them from an online retailer.  I've found them online in various places for half of what it would cost me in a brick and mortar store.

Exposure
This is an all manual camera, so I used my light metering app on my Moto X to verify the what the instructions for the camera said to some hard values.  It was pretty spot on.

Parting Thoughts
Really - this is a fun camera to shoot.  I still have a lot more time I want to spend with it, but I can see me using this more and more.  Once I get the hang of it, I'll try and adapt the Instax back to other analog cameras I own to see if we can make it work with them as well.