Minolta 125 film camera: A classic point-and-shoot

This garden scene was post-processed with Luminar Neo bringing out the colours.

Beginner photographers and Lomography aficionados will love this little gem

This post is a combination of a review of the Minolta 125 film camera as well as a focus on post-processing using Lightroom and Luminar Neo. I hope the post illustrates the importance of post processing your images, whether they are from a digital camera or a film camera. Learning this skill does not have to be difficult. Luminar Neo developers have gone to great lengths to simplify the process so that excellent results are more easily achievable. Please take a moment to check out my other posts on Luminar Neo listed at the end of this post.

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If you’re looking for a 35mm film camera that just works with little to no fuss, this little compact Minolta might fit the bill.

Forget about setting it on manual, adjusting apertures or shutter speeds, this is a genuine point-and-shoot camera from the year 2000.

It has a lovely high-quality look to it with a champagne and silver exterior combination that might make you think it’s a very high quality all-metal Contax or Rollei. Pick it up, however, and you’ll know it’s not in that league. It does appear to have an all-aluminum front and bottom plate, but high-quality plastic abounds in the back and in other parts on the camera.

Before and After

Image shows the Before and after after work in Luminar Neo. Notice how the colours, especially the greens and magentas pop in th Luminar Neo image at right.

Mind you, the Minolta Riva Zoom 125 is a fine example of an autofocus, DX-coded, film point-and-shoot camera that can deliver very pleasing results without a lot of thought on your part. It will read film from ISO 25 (think Kodachrome) to 3200 but the recommended film is ISO400. In my tests, I shot ISO 200 for a finer grain, and used a tripod to reduce the chances of motion blur.

This farm scene was heavily edited in Luminar Neo to increase the colours in the grasses and punch up the reds in the barn. In addition, I replaced the sky in Luminar Neo to add a little more interest. Replacing the sky involved little more than a click of the mouse and a little masking around the barn’s roofline. Below shows the before-and-after image.

Before and After image

This image shows the before-and-after image. Image on the left is the Lightroom image and the image on the right is after additional post processing with Luminar Neo, including a complete sky replacement.

How it performs

Would it be the only camera I would take on an important shoot? Absolutely not. But, for a very lightweight, simple camera that can fit in a pocket, it’s certainly one that most film shooters would be happy to carry around as a back-up, or one to take with them to grab shots at a party or fun family event.

For students of Lomography, this little Minolta will allow you to focus on getting the images rather than the technical aspects.

A highly competent flash (with red-eye reduction and a fill-flash feature), and superior lens doesn’t hurt either.

What sets the Minolta apart from many point-and-shoot cameras is that sweet Minolta lens that starts at a convenient wide angle range of 37.5mm and stretches to 125mm.

Not particularly fast at f4.5 -f10.3, but the built-in flash comes in handy to stop motion and a tripod with the electronic self timer can be used if you are working a landscape. For those who care, the lens is a 6 elements/ 6 group construction with a close-focusing capability of about 2 feet.

Minolta added an ingenious electronic zoom lever that is actually set up to give the user access to the most poplular focal lengths – five to be exact. At the widest end you are at the 37mm focal length – consider it a sweet little 35mm. One click and you are in the 50mm focal length. Hit it again and you’re at the perfect portrait setting 85-100. One more click and the lens zooms to its max at about 125 – close enough to the popular 135mm focal length.

Buy these lenses separately, and you’ll be paying 10 times the cost you could probably pick up one of these on the used market these days.

An orange flashing LED on the viewfinder provides several warnings from; flash will fire, flash charging, and camera-shake warning, depending on the blinking speed. Above the orange light is a green light that tells the shooter the subject is in focus, subject is too close or the contrast is too low for accurate focusing.

Stream and waterfalls

Extensive post-processing was needed for this image, including removing unwanted objects, adding an Orton-effect to some of the foliage and adding a little blue and green to the stream and waterfalls to give it a more pleasing colour.

Before editing

This image has had only minor edits to it in Lightroom. The above image shows the results after work in Luminar Neo post processing software.

The flash can be set to auto flash, auto flash with red eye reduction, fill-flash, flash cancel, and night portrait (with red-eye reduction.)

For my woodland garden, landscape and flower test shots, I set the camera on automatic, turned off the flash and popped the camera on a tripod. To ensure the sharpest images possible, I also used the built-in self timer with ASA 200 Kodak film.

For close-focus subjects, lines engraved in the viewfinder corrects parallax issues and helps the user get the image they were hoping to capture. That’s a nice touch for flower photographers looking to capture subjects without a lot of complex macro gear.

It takes a relatively inexpensive single CR123A lithium battery that can handle about 12 rolls of 24 exposure rolls with flash for 50 per cent of the exposures.

Four small buttons on the top control the on/off, flash, timer and date functions. (some cameras including the one I used do not have the date button.)

An LED screen on the top plate provides the needed information including battery life and film counter as well as the camera’s other settings – flash, timer etc.

Important notes: Minolta made it difficult to accidentally open the camera back before the film is rewound. That’s a good thing. The back locks until the film is rewound into the spool. It can be over ridden if you want to change film mid-roll, for example. The other point that needs to be discussed is how to load film. It’s a little tricky at first if you are used to loading 35mm film into a typical SLR. With the Minolta, users just have to place the front of the film onto the spool and let the camera take in the film. Hard to explain, but once you get the hang of it, it works beautifully.

So how about the results?

More results of the Minolta 125 can be viewed on the Lomography site here.

Image shows our back garden with ferns and albums.

The cons

This is probably not the camera for an advanced amateur and certainly not for a professional looking for complete control of the settings.

I am thinking the camera is perfect for the upstart Lomography student looking to have some fun with print film at a reasonable cost. Or a photographer looking for a second camera to use as a simple point-and-shoot.

Unlike so many of today’s digital point-and-shoots, this has a decent viewfinder –maybe a little small – but entirely usable.

It’s a fun camera to grab quick shots. For a street photographer, it gives you quick power up and good autofocus with a nice range of focal lengths that are more than capable of getting the job done.

Its compact form is never going to suggest that you are shooting professionally, but its reach at 125mm will give you lots of opportunity to keep a comfortable working distance.

Image of Cornus Kousa bracts converted to B&W with Luminar Neo. I thought the image would benefit from a B&W conversion. The built-in B&W processing power of Luminar Neo is very impressive and includes a number of presets that allow you to convert any image with a single press of the mouse. In this image, I first converted it to B&W and then proceeded to add a number of effect to achieve the finished result here. Before and after below.

Before and After

The before and after shows the original colour image and finished B&W after processing with Luminar Neo.

It’s the camera to pop in your pocket for a fun night out or a party where getting results is more important than capturing fine photographic images. The strength and simplicity of the flash makes it ideal to capture party portraits. The night mode makes getting night portraits with city lights in the background a simple process.

That’s not to say the camera is not capable of great results.

If you are more serious, put the camera on a tripod and use the electronic self timer to capture impressive results with Minolta’s high-quality lens.

The B&H price in 2001 for the Freedom Zoom 150 with an extended zoom range of 150mm, 25mm for than the sister camera the Freedom Zoom 125.

Look for a good used camera and put it to use. For the price you’ll likely pay, there is no need to worry about it either being damaged or stolen.

In its day, it was considered a sweet little point and shoot. Certainly not the most inexpensive camera in the year 2000. It sold at many of the large New York camera retailers for more than $200. The advertisement shows the B&H price of the Riva 150 at $224.00.

Today, you can probably pick one up for easily less than $100.

That’s a steal for a good working copy.

Post processing with Lightroom and Luminar Neo

Today’s print film offers the photographer plenty of latitude, when it comes to exposure. The above images were shot with Kodak 200 film and scanned on an Epson 500 flatbed scanner.

The initial edit from a high resolution TIFF scan to a jpeg was done in Lightroom. (I have included some of these digital images above.)

Then, I brought the jpeg images into Luminar Neo and went to work on transforming the images into the more creative visions I imagined when I was taking the photographs.

Luminar Neo’s modules allow for a more creative approach to editing your work, if that is the direction you want to take your images. That’s not to say that other post processing programs (including Lightroom and Photoshop) are not capable of similar results, it’s just the these creative processes are built into Luminar Neo.

The ability to try the creative filters will inspire you to experiment more and come away with more creative finished result.

Whether you like to add a creative touch to your images, or prefer to leave them as they are straight out of the camera, Luminar Neo offers the photographer the ability to make that choice.

Luminar Neo post processing software

If you want more information on how I use Luminar Neo to post process my photos, take a moment to check out my other posts listed below:

• The beauty of the woodland with Luminar Neo

• Can Luminar Neo stand on its own as a post processing package?

• A Walk in the Woods: A Photographic Approach


If you are interested in purchasing Luminar Neo, please consider using the code FernsFeathers at checkout to receive a 10 per cent discount. By using this code, I receive a small percentage of the proceeds which helps me to continue producing articles for readers.

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Focus on the Pentax Q’s 08 rare and wonderful wide angle lens

This sunset image shows the impressive results that are capable with the Pentax Q cameras and the 08 wide angle lens.

Another tiny but tough-to-beat legendary Pentax lens

Pentax has made more than its share of legendary lenses, but nothing really comes close to the rare and relatively unknown (except to Q-series owners) 08 wide angle lens.

Why? Because it’s so small and sharp that it defies logic.

In December of 2013, Pentax released their final Q-series lens for their diminutive, mirrorless Q-series cameras. This 17-33mm equivalent lens (depending on the Q camera used) originally sold for almost $500 US and could pass for a 50mm, M-series lens, accept it’s probably smaller and lighter.

Today you would probably be hard pressed to find one much cheaper than the original price thanks, in part, to a combination of quality and rarity.

This garden image was photographed with the Q7 and the 08 extreme wide angle lens. Note the strong colours together with the edge-to edge sharpness.

Of course the whole Q-series of cameras and lenses are ridiculously tiny. The 08 wide angle lens in the Pentax Q “high performance” lens series follows in those same footsteps, but it’s still mind boggling that a lens packing this kind of punch can be this small, have image quality that matches and surpasses some of the finest 35mm equivalent lenses, and boasts such a high-quality build standard.

Pity that so few photographers will ever get the opportunity to run it through its paces. Thankfully, I’m not one of them.

I was able to purchase the lens as part of an entire Q7 series that included the 01 (nifty 50mm), the 02 wide angle, the 06 (70-200 f2.8), the fisheye and the mount shield lens. Despite already owning most of the lenses, let’s just say the offer was too good to refuse.

One of several waterfalls images that shows the incredible capabilities of the original Pentax Q camera together with the approximate 17-30mm wide angle lens. This image was shot using an accessory waist level finder (see below) and post processed with Luminar Neo. (see below for details on how you can get 10 per cent off of Luminar Neo with my special code.

“It’s still mind boggling that a lens packing this kind of punch can be this small, have image quality that matches and surpasses some of the finest 35mm equivalent lenses, and boasts such a high-quality build standard.”

— Author

This Pentax lens packs a punch

But we are here to focus on one lens only – the Pentax 08 wide angle lens.

Chart provided courtesy of Pentax Users Discussion Group.

First, it’s important to remind Q-series camera users that the various cameras in the lineup have different sized sensors that affect the focal length of the lenses. In the case of the 08 wide angle gem, the different sized sensors mean that the 08’s focal range is equivalent to approximately 21 to 33 mm in the full-frame (24 x 36 mm) format when used on an original Q or Q10 camera, and 17.5 to 27 mm when used on a Q7.

Add to the excellent build quality, wide focal length and miniature size, an image quality that again, defies most logic.

For more Pentax Q-series images with the 08 wide angle lens, be sure to check out my photo gallery here.

This image is one of a series taken on a one-day visit to downtown Toronto. The Pentax Q series of cameras together with the 08 are a great combination for architecture or street photography. Add the waist level finder accessory (see below) and no one would suspect you are taking serious street images.

Sharp throughout; including the corners; excellent distortion control; built-in ND filter, and shutter which prevents rolling shutter and synchronizes with the built-in flash; a built-in autofocus motor that features a quick-shift which allows the photographer to manually fine tune focus without switching out of autofocus mode. There is also a plastic tulip-style lens hood available, (sold separately). The lens mount is made of metal and the front element accepts the traditional 49 mm lens filters.

What more could you ask for in an extreme wide angle lens.

Suffice it to say it’s incredibly wide for such a tiny camera sensor, and with that comes all the challenges the world of wide angle photography presents.

You might think that using an extreme wide angle lens is easy, but that would be a mistake. Even though I have owned the lens for close to a year, maximizing its unique characteristics comes with a whole set of challenges.

This garden image makes use of strong foreground grasses and a misty morning to keep the image simple.

Now, if I lived in an area of epic landscapes, maximizing extreme wide angle lenses would be a whole lot easier. Unfortunately, epic landscapes are hard to come by where I live. Successful extreme wide angle photography begs for simplicity and finding natural images that work with a wide-angle lens takes time and a whole lot of patience.

Nevertheless, in time, I’ve collected a decent selection of images exploring the potential of the lens. I’m sure the lens will be put to the test many more times in the near future and I will try to add them both to this post as well as my photo gallery of Pentax 08 images here.

What others are saying about the Pentax 08 wide angle lens

The following are just a few comments from Pentax Q-series owners who have made images with the 08 wide angle lens.

Tiny but Tough

Pentax’s Q-series 08 wide angle lens is both rare and wonderful with exquisite image quality and very high build quality. Image provided by the Pentax Discussion users group.

From the Pentax Forums discussion group:

“In 2019, I still do not know what beats the Q-system with this and the 06 tele-zoom. As for sharpness, this lens is as good as it gets on the sensors in the Q's. Bokeh is impossible: shoot in BC mode if you need that, but, really, just bokeh in post if you need that. This lens is crazy unique, which alone makes it crazy good.”

“After a few test shots, I believe that this is the perfect lens for the Q system. It's as sharp as the 01, yet incredibly small for an ultra wide. It's almost unbelievable how Pentax has made such a marvelous feat of a lens! Now, if only Ricoh did not scrimp on a hood. With a 06 on Q, and 08 on Q7, and 01 on standby, I'm all set.”

“I was a bit hesitating before purchasing this lens due to the steep pricing (nearly cost as much as I spent on 01+02+06 all together). However, once I received my copy and started shooting with it, all my concerns went away. What a lens! It is certainly compact, quite a bit smaller than 02 or 06 lens. The amazing thing is the IQ, corner sharpness smashed my DA* 16-50. In fact, it is one of the sharpest wide angle lens I have ever seen. Colour reproduction is great, which makes RAW file super easy to work with. To sum up, for any one who owns a Q system camera, this lens is a must_have!”

Waist level finder

This waist level finder accessory from Temu allows the photographer to get the camera at a lower angle or use it more like a view camera. It has no electronics to hook into the camera but is handy to get a different perspective.

Add a waist level viewfinder to your Pentax Q

For most of the waterfall images shot with the Pentax Q and 08 lens, I used an ingenious accessory that allowed me to to get very low and better use foreground elements in the image.

The accessory brings back memories of my beloved Pentax LX with waist level viewfinder, except it can be used on any camera with a hot or cold shoe including the Pentax Q series of cameras. No information is transferred from the camera to the finder, so it is only for compositional purposes. I purchased it primarily for my coveted Sigma DP2 with its 42mm fixed focal length, but it allows me to get a good feeling for what’s in the frame of any camera, especially one that lacks a flip-up digital screen.

I purchased this waist level finder from Temu for less than $60 Cdn. That amounts to about $44 American. I also purchased some very nicely made camera straps at the same time.

Similar waist level finders are also available on Amazon.

For more on both the waist level finder and camera straps, click on the above links.

Finder is ideal fit for Q-series

The accessory waist level finder is handy for all sorts of photographic situations, especially if you want to get low and see the image in a top-down view..

The well-built, waist level finder has markings for a 40mm lens but goes out to about 28mm. It’s a far cry from the 17mm available on the Q-series 08 lens, but it gave me a good idea of the image I would obtain when the camera was set so low that I could not use the back LCD screen with any success.

It is ideal for the 02 lens and the 01 lenses, but will get called on for a number of my digital point-and-shoot cameras when I need to get low or just want to have some fun with the waist-level finder.

The extreme wide angle lens allowed me to take advantage of strong foreground objects including the small waterfalls and rocks.

Conclusion: It’s not always about size

Imagine heading out for a day of photography with a Pentax Q, the 08 wide angle, the 01 nifty fifty and the 06 telephoto slipped into your jacket pocket. Heck you might as well add the 02, a couple of toy lenses and the mount shield lens to round out your gear since everything fits nicely into two pockets or a small camera bag.

Just having a capable camera with you whenever you go out can do wonders for your photographic development. I love my cell phone, but give me a camera with a couple of sweet lenses any day over a phone. And that’s where the Pentax Q line of cameras and lenses really can’t be beat.

These things might be tiny but they aren’t toys. In fact, without the anti-aliasing screen that Pentax chose to eliminate on these cameras, you can shoot them in RAW DNG format with sweet Pentax lenses and get excellent results.

I’m hoping some of the images in this post and on my 08 photo gallery will inspire Q shooters and disbelievers to rethink what is possible with these exceptional mirrorless camera systems.

If you are interested in purchasing Luminar Neo, please consider using the code FernsFeathers at checkout to receive a 10 per cent discount. By using this code, I receive a small percentage of the proceeds which helps me to continue producing articles for readers.

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Sigma DP2: Capturing unrivaled detail with a compact camera

This image made with the Sigma DP2 shows the incredible detail and colour that the Foveon sensor is capable of recording. Film-like reds and blues and greens that are difficult to create with non-foveon based sensors, including CCD sensors.

It’s a love-hate relationship based on the Foveon sensor

If you know anything about Sigma Foveon cameras, you’ll understand the love-hate relationship owners develop with these coveted little point-and-shoots.

We love them for the quality of the pictures that are possible with such a simple point-and-shoot camera. At the same time, however, we hate them for just about everything else.

For me, love of the final results wins out every time.

It’s almost always about image quality.

Sigma DP2 is a high-end point and shoot camera complete with an APS-C sized foveon sensor.

I have to admit, however, I’m growing to love the quirky little “features” of this camera – from its noisy start-up to its minimalist design. That simple design is hard to ignore, and you can’t help but compare it to the simplicity of the iconic Leica cameras. Even the back buttons’ black-on-black design (making it impossible to read the button functions) is divine. (Although I have read many reviews from photographers unable to appreciate the minimalist approach.)

All you have to do is watch this interview with Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki to get a better understanding of Sigma’s approach and direction to minimalist design.

Please take a moment to check out my Gallery of Images taken with the Sigma DP2 here.

The Sigma DP2 and foveon sensor was used to capture this magical forest scene.

Sigma Foveon pros and cons

For those who may not be familiar with these very specialized cameras, let’s explore for a moment what makes them special.

It’s the sensor!

Just like the older, CCD-sensor-based cameras are highly sought after, the Foveon-based Sigma sensor cameras are coveted by those photographers looking for the best possible images out of a pocketable, point-and-shoot camera.

And the Foveon sensor built into these cameras truly delivers.

‘Why, what’s the big deal,?’ you may ask.

A Sigma DP2 with foveon sensor was used to make this image of Cornus Kousa flowers in the woodland garden.

Without getting into all the complexities of how a sensor is made, suffice it to say that the Sigma’s very unique Foveon sensor is actually three sensors sandwiched together to extract the red, blue and green (RBG) colours that combine to give us the full spectrum of colours.

Other cameras use a single sensor to extract the red, green and blue spectrums of light. Sigma uses three sensors in its Foveon-based cameras.

The result is a very complex system that maximizes not only the colour, but the fine detail and micro contrast in the images. Most photographers will agree that the Foveon sensor is the reason the images have the most film-like look right out of the camera.

You may or may not agree, but it’s difficult to argue that these images don’t have a special quality to them that is hard to ignore and even harder to replicate with other, non-foveon sensors.

A simple comparison between the DP1 and DP2 shows similarities in all but the lens size, battery life and ISO capabilities.

Why do so many photographers dislike Sigma cameras?

What are the cons of this love-hate relationship?

I have the Sigma DP2, so this review is based on that camera.

This love/hate relationship starts when you turn it on. The camera makes some weird squeaky grinding noise that can be quite concerning when you first hear it turn it on and the lens pops out. The first time I turned it on, I was sure it was broken. However, that’s just the sound of a DP2 turning on. I can certainly live with that. In fact, the more I hear it, the more I’m even beginning to like that sound.

If that was the only negative, we would have little to complain about. But, of course, it’s only the beginning.

Heavily cropped image

This heavily cropped image shows the capabilities on the RAW images. Despite the extremely heavy crop, the image holds together showing incredible detail and colours.

Let’s start with the focus – it’s not the fastest or the greatest. The writing speed is the slowest I’ve ever experienced in a camera. Even with the fastest SD card you can get, it’s slow.

Speaking of slow, the startup time is also slow.

If that’s not enough, you really need a separate Sigma-based software program – Sigma Photo Pro – to work with the RAW files (although that has changed somewhat with the latest Lightroom release).

The lens is a fixed focal length 42mm lens (35mm equivalent), and there is no built-in shake reduction. Oh, did I mention that you really want to shoot this camera at 100 ISO for best results. Anything over 400 and you probably want to consider converting the image to B&W for best results.

Noise at higher ISOs is a problem.

So, maybe dig out that tripod you have buried in the basement.

The interface is simple enough, but very different than most other cameras I have used. Thankfully, the easily accessible “Quick Menu” makes it quick to change on the fly, once you get used to how it works.

And I would be remiss not to mention the lack of a viewfinder and the rather poor back LCD screen for viewing images.

And, if you are purchasing one of these, consider buying additional batteries. One battery is good for only about 80 images before it needs changing.

There’s probably more I’ve forgotten about, but I think you get the point.

For more on the Sigma DP2, check out my post A misty morning with the Sigma DP2.

This camera is not for everyone.

For those who appreciate slowing down, who don’t need all the bells and whistles, and who enjoy a slow, thoughtful methodical approach to making images, the Sigma series of cameras (and there are a few to choose from) are a perfect choice.

I would not make it my one and only camera, but as a secondary choice for those times when it’s the perfect choice, it’s almost perfect.

“No other camera can match its performance for sunsets and colour reproduction. ”

— Sigma DP2 user

And, if you own one of these sweet little cameras, you may be sitting on one of the last of the breed of affordable Foveon sensor cameras. Sigma has seemingly announced that any additional Foveon-based cameras could be more of a custom order than a mass-produced piece. They are currently doing research on the Foveon sensor to “modernize” it but that research and development is apparently moving slowly.

All this usually means serious coin for a camera that was never inexpensive to begin with.

Although the camera can be quite pricey because of a combination of high quality images and rarity on the used market, good deals are still available for now if you keep watching on-line market places.

I was fortunate to purchase a Sigma DP2 in mint condition at a very good price. No battery and no charger included, but that was rectified by a quick search on the internet that landed me on Aliexpress where I was able to purchase a couple of batteries and a charger for a very reasonable price.

Minimalism at its finest

The Sigma FP is the company’s most recent example of minimalism at its finest. The FP takes the minimalist features of the the DP1 and DP2 to new heights

For more information on Sigma Cameras including the company’s latest offering the Sigma FP (the ultimate in a minimalist camera) go to Sigma.com

When was the Sigma DP1 and DP2 released?

The original Sigma DP1 was introduced in May of 2008 followed by the DP2 in September 2009.

Although Sigma made very minor changes to the DP2 from the DP1, the main difference centred around the lens’s focal lengths. The original DP1 sported a 16mm, f4 lens (28mm equivalent), while the DP2 had a 41mm f2.8 equivalent lens. The latter offered a little more depth of field control with its more traditional field of view.

As You tuber Mattias Burling points out in his comparison of the two cameras: The “DP2 is not a better performer or an upgrade to the DP1, it’s just a different focal length. DP1 was a 28mm f4 equivalent, and the DP2 is a 41mm f2.8. providing a more shallow depth of field if needed.”

Sigma DP2 was able to capture the fine detail in the flowers of this climbing hydrangea.

The X3f RAW files out of my camera are usually between 17 and 17.7 megabytes but the sensor’s unique construction underestimates the quality that can be pulled out of these APS-C-sized sensors.

I’ve included heavily cropped images in this post and in the accompanying photo gallery to illustrate the incredible capabilities of the foveon sensors.

What users say about the DP2

And don’t just take it from me. On-line opinions from other photographers illustrate the love that is out there for these cameras and sensors.

“I have been using the Sigma DP2 as my everyday camera for the past 2 weeks, and I have mixed feelings about it. The camera is slow and frustrating to use, with a confusing focus and a tendency to crash. However, it takes some of the best pictures I have ever seen, with vibrant colours and a clear, 3 dimensional quality. It’s not great for low light or flash photography, but excels in street photography, making subjects more natural. Overall, it’s a temperamental but impressive camera that I hope will be improved in the future.”

And another user says:

“The files from the camera are “officially the sharpest and most detailed I have ever used with no competition from Bayer systems ccd or cmos, nor Fuji’s X-trans (sensors). No interperlation or anti-aliasing filter. It’s simply bizarre to see the sensor in action… images are simply too sharp. ... It’s simply surreal. … The micro contrast is so high it feels life-like.”

Another said it all:

“No other camera can match its performance for sunsets and colour reproduction. I do recommend it for someone looking for something truly special.”

YouTuber spells out five reason to own the DP2

Well known YouTuber Mattias Burling spelled out his five reasons why you should own the Sigma DP2

pointing out the price of these cameras on the used market (not sure how long they will remain inexpensive), the high quality finish, the controls - “the buttons are nice, nothing special but the “manual focus wheel is simply genius. I could probably go on and on about it and how useful it is for street shooting, so let’s just leave it at being the best thing ever in a camera. It’s also been given a nifty quick menu …. a nice addition and well implemented.”

Mr. Burling wraps it up with the number 1 reason you need to own a DP1 or DP2 or any Sigma foveon camera - the incredible colours. “They are so film like and so organic and just so awesome. It is why putting up with the shortcomings of a Foveon sensor totally worth it.”

In conclusion

I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Burling on his five points. It’s the reason I’ll be shooting this DP2 every chance I get.

More Sigma cameras with Foveon sensors

In this review, I am focussing on the Sigma DP2 and to a lesser extent the DP1 because I own a DP2, but there are several other Sigma cameras with Foveon sensors that are exceptionally good cameras, though priced appropriately.

If you are interested in exploring Sigma cameras and the Foveon cameras still further, be sure to check out the Merrill line of DP cameras here.

In addition, there are the four Sigma Quattro series cameras. Like the DP series, they differ only in the fixed lenses they sport.

• DP0 (14mm or 21mm on a 35mm camera)

• DP1 19mm (equivalente to 28mm on a 35mm)

• DP2 30mm (45mm equivalent on 35mm)

• DP3 50mm (75mm equivalent) f2.8

The waist level viewfinder is made for a 28mm focal length lens, but the lines in the finder are for a 40mm lens. Perfect for the Sigma DP1 and DP2 cameras.

Add a waist level viewfinder to your Sigma DP camera

I recently added an ingenious accessory that allows me to either get a very low angle in my images or see the image much better when the sun makes it difficult to see the back LCD screen. It’s also just a fun addition to the Sigma DP line of cameras or any camera with a hot or cold shoe. It is shown here with the Pentax Q camera.

Waist level finder

Another angle of the waist level finder that is almost made for the Sigma DP2’s 42mm lens. Here it is seen with the diminutive Pentax Q camera.

The accessory brings back memories of my beloved Pentax LX with waist level viewfinder, except it can be used on any camera with a hot or cold shoe. No information is transferred from the camera to the finder, so it is only for compositional purposes. I purchased it primarily for my coveted Sigma DP2 with its 42mm fixed focal length, but it allows me to get a good feeling for what’s in the frame of any camera, especially one that lacks a flip-up digital screen.

I purchased this waist level finder from Temu for less than $60 Cdn. That amounts to about $44 American. I also purchased some very nicely made camera straps at the same time.

Similar waist level finders are also available on Amazon.

For more on both the waist level finder and camera straps, click on the above links.

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Pentax PZ20: A modern, classic film camera?

I could not resist the red barn with its window wide open. Scanned and post processed with Luminar Neo photo editing package. (see below for details)

PZ20 and Luminar Neo take simplicity to creative new heights

The PZ20 is a simplified camera wrapped up in fine heritage and capable of some serious professional work.

But, what the heck was Pentax thinking when they released this workhorse in 1993?

A that time, film photography was in a good place. Digital was still a distant dream and camera manufacturers were working hard to encourage beginner photographers, who were comfortable using point-and-shoot cameras, to graduate to 35mm SLRs.

The PZ20 has the look of a modern digital SLR.

First Pentax released the truly dumbed down but still capable PZ10. Then they introduced the Pentax PZ20. Both were considered stepping stones from simple point-and-shoots to just slightly more complicated but very capable and impressive SLRs complete with a host of interchangeable lenses and packed with modern features capable of making professional-calibre images.

If the professionally-spec’d Pentax PZ1-P was the ultimate camera for wanna-be professionals, the PZ20 was the little sister who could stand alongside her big brother and get the job done with a whole lot less fuss. In truth, the big brother is probably much more capable, but the learning curve for average photographers was off the charts, and the results, well they were pretty much the same for most average users.

Click on the link for my full review of the Pentax PZ1-P.

“If a camera is nothing more than a conduit to capture a properly exposed image, which can then be scanned and manipulated beyond our wildest dreams in 1992, then the PZ20 and cameras like it, are a steal.”

Pentax, like other camera manufacturers at the time, took a professionally-spec’d camera, dumbed it down and said “go take great pictures for a fraction of the cost of your big brother.”

Dit it work? Well, it sure worked for a while as SLR camera sales soared along with film. The film era was doing just fine, thank-you.

Screech owl just hanging out

A heavily cropped image shot with the Pentax PZ20 on Kodak 200 and post processed with Luminar Neo.

The days of beautifully crafted, all-metal cameras might have ended for all but the highest-end cameras, but as everyone knew from The Graduate, “plastics were the future.”

And we’re not talking cheap plastics like the type that often followed in cameras after the PZ line of cameras. These plastics were meant to last, with a feeling of quality that continues with many of today’s better digital offerings.

“Post processing to this extent was literally non-existent when the PZ20 was manufactured, but the digital age has re-imagined the possibilities of these cameras.”

Is the PZ20 still good in 2025?

Okay, but what about this PZ20. Are they any good in 2025?

Damn right they are.

Why, for example, would anyone buy a Pentax Monochrome digital camera when you can buy a PZ20 for under $50 and eat up B&W film like it was 1960?

For the Monochrome lovers out there, I know they’re great cameras and capable of some lovely B&W images, but unless you’re shooting professionally, the PZ line of cameras, a couple rolls of Ilford, a high quality scanner and top-notch photo editing software like Luminar Neo, gets the job done.

Click here for my post on the Pentax Monochrome camera.

But we’re not just talking B&W. I loaded my PZ20 with some off-the-shelf Kodak 200ASA colour film and took it, along with my digital cameras, to see how it measures up.

The results: Pretty damn nice.

“Take a simplified SLR like the Pentax PZ20 and team it with Luminar Neo – an Ai-based post processing program ideal for beginners – and you have the perfect combination of simplicity and creative possibility.”

Now, I like to think that post processing had a lot to do with the results. Negative film is very forgiving so getting the image on film and converting it to digital with a simple scanner, opens a world of possibilities not available in the early ‘90s.

Post processing software opens doors no-one could dream about in 1993 when the PZ20 was introduced. In those days, everything had to be done in-camera when the image was captured. Today, for many of us, that is just the beginning of the process.

Take a simplified SLR like the Pentax PZ20 and team it with Luminar Neo – an Ai-based post processing program ideal for beginners – and you have the perfect combination of simplicity and creative possibility.

And, if a camera is nothing more than a conduit to capture a properly exposed image, which can then be scanned and manipulated beyond our wildest dreams in 1992, then the PZ10 and cameras like it, are a steal.

I think I paid $20 Cdn for mine. For American readers, that’s probably, like the cost of a roll or two of film. And it’s mint and came with an electronic shutter release to boot.

It takes all the Pentax lenses but is really at home with the M and A series of lenses and the F and FA series of autofocus lenses.

As one Pentax enthusiast wrote on Pentax Forums: “If you shoot film-only, this can be a fantastic main camera. On the other hand, if you also have a Pentax DSLR, this camera can also be a fantastic companion, if your lenses are full-frame you can use them even if they do not have an aperture ring (which is the case in most modern lenses).
The autofocus is fast and accurate. It has Hyper Manual and Hyper Program modes in addition to the usual Av, Tv, M, B and P modes. It also has many other fully automatic modes. In manual mode it has spot metering. Actually, it has many functions of more advanced (and heavier) cameras.”

Another reviewer wrote: “Using it, it's actually more enjoyable then it's bigger brother (PZ1-P). Less settings to scroll through, I don't even mind the lack of second control wheel.”

He went on to explain: AF confirmation works too with M, K, A glass. Focus screens are not inter-changeable, but plenty bright enough… . The info screen inside the viewfinder on the right of mine is crap and hard to read, no matter, the meter is present on the top lcd and that works nicely to get the exposure close. Using M42, M, K's glass it's less of a worry as you only have to pay attention to the shutter values….”

Redwing in early morning light

Early spring image of a Redwing blackbird post processed with Luminar Neo photo imaging software.

One user explains that, although the PZ20 lacks AE Exposure lock, it has Hyper Manual and Hyper Program modes which can be used in a similar way. And, unlike the big brother PZ1-P, the PZ20 does not have two dials (one for aperture and the other for shutter speed), instead it has a button to chose which parameter to modify and a rocker switch to change these values.

This is a simplified explanation but the camera certainly gives us the control most of us need to capture a properly exposed, in-focus image.

I’m not really one for the details, you can get them all over the web, but here is a spec sheet from Pentax Forums that may help those inclined.

Thanks to Pentax Forums for the PZ20 digital Spec sheet.

Once we get the images, unlike life in the early ‘90s when we were more or less stuck with what the camera produced, the magic really begins.

I’d love to show you hundreds of images I’ve shot with the camera, but frankly I’ve only put through one roll to date. Many more to follow, including some B&W.

One roll, however, is enough for me to draw some conclusions.

Like I said, the magic begins when the digital images are in front of me and I get to work exploring the creative potential.

Creating presets with Luminar Neo

After some work on the image below, I decided to create a preset to use on all the other images of the abandoned antique truck. The preset helped to create a unified effect for the entire series of images.

For more posts on Luminar Neo click here for a Walk in the woods with Luminar Neo, and here for the question: Can Luminar Neo stand on its own as an image processing package?

The same preset was used on the red-barn-and-window image at the top of the page.

Abandoned truck takes on a mystical look after being post processed with Luminar Neo.

Luminar Neo goes to work on abandoned antique

Above are a few images from that first roll. Below are a few more of my abandoned roadside antique truck that are given a stylized look through post processing entirely with Luminar Neo photo editing software.

The software provides all the necessary tools that other professional photo editing programs provide, but with the addition of some truly exceptional Ai tools that make photo editing – even for the beginner – much simpler than the traditional post processing programs.

Here are just a few examples from the combination of the Pentax PZ20 film camera and Luminar Neo.

Exploring this abandoned truck with a creative eye and the PZ20 helped me to focus on details, which were later manipulated in Luminar Neo photo editing program to create these stylized results.

Luminar Neo, a Ukraine-based photo editing program, allows the photographer to literally have fun adjusting the effects of the filters until they find the perfect setting. For these images, a “mystical” module was called upon to give the images a soft, glowing effect that I thought worked well for the subject.

The front grill shows the GMC logo together with the peeling paint and lovely rusty colours.

Post processing to this extent was literally non-existent when the PZ20 was manufactured, but the digital age has re-imagined the possibilities of these cameras. Many young photographers who have discovered the joys of Lomography are experimenting with cheap film cameras and lenses, but there is no need to resort to the cheapest new film cameras when high-end film cameras and modern software is capable of creating magical images. For images made with the PZ20 by Lomography’s talented creators, you can go here.

Searching out details like this door handle on the truck provided a focus of interest. I later emphasized the details and vibrant colours through post processing after the film was scanned into a digital image.

If you are interested in purchasing Luminar Neo, and exploring the program’s creative possibilities, please consider using the code FernsFeathers at checkout to receive a 10 per cent discount. By using this code, I receive a small percentage of the proceeds, at no additional cost to you, which helps me to continue producing articles for readers.

The program is already a great value, whether you buy it outright or pay on the monthly plan. In addition, you would be helping a Ukrainian-based company in Kiev that we all know is experiencing extremely difficult conditions.

If you are interested in exploring Luminar Neo’s creative possibilities, please consider using my 10 per cent off discount code “FernsFeathers”.

• Looking for a slick new camera strap for your classic camera? I just ordered one of these beautiful braided straps for under $10 Canadian from Temu.

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A Walk in the Woods: A photographic approach

This image was shot with the Sigma DP2 and processed with Luminar Neo photo processing software.

Point-and-shoots find their place in the woodlands

Part three of a series

It started as a small project to get some serious exercise, experience the spring woodland in all its glory, and test a few of my favourite point-and-shoot cameras.

It quickly grew into a little bit of a passion, some might say even an obsession.

Before long, I found myself hiking the woodlands around our home several times a week exploring the many paths – big and small, some nothing more than a deer path – that meander through the Conservation lands and lead me to new areas for exploration.

Now, my “Walk in the Woods” project to document this fabulous woodlot I had been ignoring for far too long, has become more of a labour of love than anything that resembles work in any form.

The project combines two passions in my life – woodland/native gardening and photography.

What more can you ask for in life?

How about an outlet for my love of everything photography. Inspired by the works of Canadian photographer Freeman Patterson and his suggestion to embrace projects in your photographic endeavours, I set out to document the spring woodlands.

More posts from the Walk-in-the-Woods series.

• Native plants in the Woodlands

• Walk in the woods photo gallery

• A Walk in the Woods

I didn’t want to carry in all my heavy equipment, so I opted for lightweight, but higher-end, enthusiast point-and-shoot cameras which I had collected over the years, mostly for the price of a couple cups of good coffee and a donut.

Part of my plan was to show readers of this website how simple, inexpensive enthusiast cameras are more than capable of creating good, maybe even very good images. And, always hoping that a few of the images would more than meet my expectations and enter the realm of excellence. I’m not sure I’ve reached that level, but I’m more than happy with many of the images to date and many more to come.

I’m more than happy with the whole experience and the lessons I’ve learned about woodland gardening from the master herself, Mother Nature.

Point-and-Shoots are not perfect

I’m not kidding myself here. I know that point-and-shoot cameras – even the better ones – have inherent problems with them.

Not the least is the fact they have difficulties achieving soft, out-of focus backgrounds. Their small sensors and minimum aperture openings can be seen as both a pro and con, but mostly influence the images in a negative way.

Photographers looking to achieve beautiful bokeh, for example, either have to work extremely hard to achieve it or simply give up trying.

Well, that’s not entirely true any longer. Today’s post-processing software has changed all that, providing you know how to take advantage of these features.

In addition to trying to get the most out of these enthusiast cameras, part of my challenge was to also show how proper post processing of these images can take them to higher levels than ever expected, especially with modern post processing, including Ai or artificial-intelligence-based applications, including Luminar Neo. But more on that later.

The cameras of choice

I’m going to narrow this review down to four of my favourite, inexpensive, enthusiast point-and-shoots. Here’s a quick look at my cameras of choice.

Lumix DMC-ZS8

• The Lumix DMC-ZS8 travel camera with its 16X, 24-384mm (35mm equivalent) Leica lens that packs a lot of power in its sweet 14.1 megapixel CCD sensor. It’s tiny and very pocketable, but has the heft of a well-made, high-quality camera. Add to these specs, a 3.0-inch LCD display with 230,000 dot resolution.

Lumix DMC-ZS8: CCD sensor.

I got this sweet little package for the ridiculously low price of $10 Canadian, so how could I go wrong? When I went to pick it up, I expected to receive a beat-up old camera that barely worked. What I got was an almost mint CCD-sensored camera with a quality build that left me more than impressed.

I actually managed to capture two of my favourite images of all time driving home from picking up the camera from a distant town. Looking for more information, check out my review here or another one here.

• Then, I added another real gem – the Pentax WG-2 underwater, go-anywhere adventure camera. Again, an on-line marketplace purchase I could not resist.

Pentax WG-2 adventure camera.

My plan was to use the camera to photograph the beautiful clear stream that meandered through the woodland from above and below the water. In fact, I wanted to drop the camera in the stream to get underwater images impossible with any normal camera without underwater housings. Let’s just say my plan is working, but I need to experiment more to get the results I know are possible.

The camera sports 16 megapixels with an aggressive, military-looking armour design that begs to be abused. I’m doing my best, but it still looks like new.

One of the features I find fascinating is its unique macro and digital Microscope modes that feature lights around the lens that light up very, very close subjects in super-macro mode. There is too much packed into this camera to get too deep into it here, but suffice to say that it comes with a 5X Pentax lens that provides a 28mm to 140 (35mm equivalent) internal optical zoom. For a detailed review go here.

• Next is maybe the piece-de-resistance of my compact point and shoots – the Sigma DP2 complete with a micro 4/3-sized Foveon sensor. If this means nothing to you, no worries. Just know that very few cameras in this class compare with the quality obtainable with this incredibly frustrating camera.

Sigma DP-2: Foveon sensor.

Frustrating for so many reasons: A fixed 42mm equivalent lens that is neither wide angle nor telephoto, a writing speed that is slow enough to take a nap waiting for it to complete the process, weird noises on start-up and focusing, and autofocus that leaves something to be desired.

I have not even mentioned the fact that you basically need special Sigma software to properly process the RAW files from the camera. But, when it all comes together, the results can be magic. (More on this later.)

• Finally, there is the 10 megapixel Lumix LX7 workhorse of a camera that continues to impress me in so many ways every time I pick it up.

The Lumix LX7 is an high-end point and shoot with some old-school touches.

This sweet little Lumix brings a touch of old-school to enthusiast cameras with its manual aperture ring, but its 24-90mm equivalent fast Leica f1.8-f8 lens is what makes this one special.

It’s got 70 megapixels built into internal memory. It can take an optional EVF and shoots RAW with the best of them. The LX7 is just one in a line of excellent Lumix LX-series cameras.

For more on the camera and Lumix’s LX series of cameras, check out my full review here.

Can these point-and-shoots deliver?

Okay enough about the tools, let’s take a look at the results.

A couple of images from each camera will help give you an idea of their capabilities and I’ll touch on their shortcomings.

Be sure to check out my “Walk in the Woods” photogallery for many more images made with these cameras.

The Lumix DMC-ZS8 was the first camera I chose for the project. I used it to document the early spring before most of the foliage from the trees and flowers had emerged, so the images can be a little stark.

The Lumix ZS-8 is a pocketable gem

Skunk cabbage emerges from wet areas in the woodlands. The The Lumix ZS-8 was able to capture the lovely muted colours in the scene as well as show off its solid close-focusing ability.

The Lumix ZS-8 was able to capture the fine details in the forest floor of a lovely pine forest. In early spring before the foliage has emerged, it’s important to explore the details the woodland offers us.

My first butterfly of the spring, captured on the Lumix DMC ZS-8, handheld at ISO 100 at 250th/second, at f6.3.

This photos was made more as a documentary image showing the work of woodpeckers on dead and dying trees. I liked the soft muted tones, the story the holes in the tree trunk tell viewers about nature and the search for food as well as the importance of leaving dead trees standing whenever possible. This is also an example of how modern technology can benefit a typical point-and-shoot camera. In the original image, the background trees were all very much in focus, but by using Lightroom’s blur/depth of field module, I was able to soften the distracting background and focus on the main subject. Too much depth of field is a problem with small-sensored cameras. This module can save many pictures that would otherwise be lost by distracting, busy backgrounds.

The Pentax WG2

I had never owned an all-weather camera prior to purchasing the Pentax Optio WG-2. (Most camera makers have one including the Olympus Tough series and Nikon) Frankly, I didn’t expect much from the camera considering its small sensor, many features and the low price I was able to purchase it for.

Boy was I surprised. Although, in landscape mode, the images seem to have a very warm cast, it’s nothing that can’t be adjusted in any photo editing package. I have only had the camera for a short time, but have managed to capture some of my favourite images with it.

The Petax WG2 all-weather, indestructible camera captured this scene of a stream while being half submerged in the water. That’s not something you would do with any other camera without a waterproof housing. The results can be hit and miss but the possibilities are limitless. Fish in the stream, a frog half in and out of the water, waterlilies photographed from underneath the water looking up onto the flowers. Although these cameras are often advertised as “beach and vacation” cameras, they certainly have a place in any nature or garden photographer’s arsenal.

Some flowers’ shapes beg to be photographed from above. I thought these two dog-tooth violet flowers and mottled leaves benefit from a top-down approach. The image was given a mystical effect in post processing using Luminar Neo’s outstanding editing opportunities.

The scene appeared almost out of nowhere as I walked along a path through the early-morning mist. Marsh Marigolds as far as the eye can see were captured by the Pentax WG2’s wide angle lens at 5mm (28mm). And, if this does not impress you, check out the image below shot with the camera’s extreme macro-capable lens and built-in ring light.

An example of the “macro” capabilities of the WG2 camera that features a built-in ring light type of flash for extreme closeups like this marsh Marigold bloom.

Sigma DP2 a special camera and sensor

If you are unfamiliar with the unique features of Sigma’s Foveon-based-sensor cameras and, you are not alone. Suffice it to say that the cameras (and there are more than a few)would never sell except that they offer the possibility of incredible results that are difficult to obtain on other cameras in their class. I would say impossible, but I know there are too many naysayers out there to debate. Needless to say, the results can be incredibly good, but getting there is not easy. Let’s say it’s a camera for the very dedicated among us.

Although the RAW image out of the camera was perfectly good, I did explore the full capabilities of Luminar Neo photo processing software to bring out the most in this image. The result of this hand-held image is one that I am particularly happy with, especially the fine detail that Sigma’s Foveon sensor is known to capture.

The fine detail that the Sigma sensor is able to capture is evident in this image. The background was blurred using Lightroom’s outstanding lens blur tool to focus more on the trillium.

Skunk cabbage takes centre stage in this early spring woodland image with the Sigma DP2. The moss-covered fallen tree proved to be inspiration to create a similar effect in my woodland garden.

A fallen spruce tree and small waterfalls shot hand held with the Sima DP2. I particularly like the water captured at a slow enough shutter speed to show detail while, at the same time, showing the motion of the water.

The Lumix LX7: A gem in the world of point-and-shoots

I may have saved the best for last. Maybe not the best images, but the best all-round camera. The Lumix LX series of cameras are known for their ease of use and outstanding results all wrapped into a camera that exploits our desire for a little retro in our lives.

In my case, a working aperture ring on the lens where us old-school photographers remember it. It’s all just a nice little package that works. I have only had the LX7 out in the woods once or twice but came away with some of my favourite woodland images.

Fern in late afternoon sun beam is a favourite of mine. I love how the low sun kisses the fern and lights it up against the dark background of a fallen tree and barely visible pathway. The image required a two-stop under exposure to get the proper exposure on the fern while letting the background go dark. The fact that there is still detail in the background gives the image an air of mystery and guides you down darkened path. Unless you are shooting in complete manual exposure, taking advantage of the plus- and minus-compensation feature on cameras is necessary to capture images with strong sunlight and dark shadows.

This image of wild strawberry flowers caught my eye along the path. It’s simple, but the vivid greens and textured leaves play nicely against the white flowers.

The Lumix LX7 was able to catch this ray of sunshine on a group of Forget-Me-Nots along the path. Again, I needed to underexpose by several stops so that the flowers were not blown out. Simply following the meter in the camera would have made the highlights to bright and probably make them unrecoverable. Shooting in the RAW format provides the photographer with more latitude in these situations.

The close-focusing capabilities of the Panasonic LX7, and its pocketable size, make it an ideal choice as an everyday walk-around camera. Here, the elusive Mayapple flower was captured hiding under the leaves of the forest ground cover plant. Although I could have removed the green cast, I thought it was appropriate to leave it to illustrate how the flower grows under the leaf of the Mayapple.

I’m hoping this post convinced you of the value of carrying a simple point-and-shoot camera with you at all times both in the garden as well as when you go for a walk, be it in the woods or just a pleasant walk in the neighbourhood. These camera are incredibly useful. Yes, your smart phone can certainly get the job done in a pinch and I’m guessing you always have it with you, but trust me, in most circumstances the camera will deliver better results.

Of course, the camera involves more work. First you have to learn its features, then transfer the images from the SD card to your computer before you even begin the editing process. Once the post processing is completed, you’ll have to save it and then post it to your favourite social media platform.

Sounds like a lot of work. It is. But when done well, it’s incredibly satisfying and rewarding. Take these images and create a book or, at least consider printing some of them.

Explore your creative side with some of the new photo editing software like Luminar Neo, Lightroom and Photoshop just to name a few.

Many of these images were post processed using the Ukraine-based Luminar Neo. I have partnered with the company and can offer readers a 10 per cent discount at checkout with my code “FernsFeathers.” Using the code will not cost you anything, but I get a small amount of money to keep me writing extensive articles like this one.

If you are interested in exploring Luminar Neo further, check out my posts here (Luminar Neo in the woodland garden and nature) and here (Is Luminar Neo the only software I will need) and here (exploring a film camera and Luninar Leo)

Happy shooting.

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Can Luminar Neo stand on its own?

This image of foxes has been edited using Luminar Neo’s extensive photo editing tools, including Ai erase that was used to remove grasses in front of the foxes’ faces. To see the original image prior to editing, scroll down the page.

Photo editing software package is all most of us need

Luminar Neo is a photo editing program quickly gaining a following in the photography world for its combination of ease of use, exciting Ai features, and ability to go deep into photo editing if that’s what you need.

Add to that, its extremely competitive pricing in either a subscription model, or an outright purchase of the program, and it’s hard to argue that Luminar Neo is not one of the best all-round photo editing packages to compete with the big boys over at Adobe – namely Lightroom and Photoshop.

Oh, did I mention Luminar Neo also takes advantages of the ability to add unlimited, multiple layers?

But can Luminar Neo stand on its own?

That’s the question most photo enthusiasts need to know before jumping into the pool.

The answer to that question is not an easy one. The best I can offer is, it depends.

But let me say this right off the bat, for 95 per cent of photographers looking to take their images to new heights – maybe create some beautiful results on a regular basis or process their garden or travel images so they can be shared on social media, put in a self-published photo book or hung on your wall – Luminar Neo is without a doubt all you need.

In other words, for the vast majority of photographers, Luminar Neo gets the job done with flying colours..

Even if you’re a seasoned professional, Luminar Neo can create memorable images you would have never imagined before.

But, if you are a more of a graphic designer or creative artist than a photographer, or are looking to transform your photography into painterly images that are not obviously recognizable as photographs, or if you need to manipulate text on images as graphic artists often do, your best bet is teaming up Luminar Neo with a more graphic arts-oriented program like Photoshop.

Check out my earlier post on combining Luminar Neo as a plugin for Photoshop and Lightroom.

Not a problem, Luminar Neo has designed its platform so that it can be simply added to Photoshop, or Lightroom as a plugin.

So to answer the original question: Can Luminar Neo stand on its own? The answer is a resounding yes for probably 95 per cent of photographers. For the remaining 5 per cent, just use it as a plugin.

To help prove my point, here are four very different images created using only Luminar Neo, including a “creative” almost painterly image at the end.

The four images illustrate the very real possibilities for photographers and photo artists alike.

So, let’s dive in and look at our first example.

This image of Peggy’s Cove near Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada, was edited using Luminar Neo.

The first image is more or less a straight forward landscape or travel photograph taken on vacation many years ago at Canada’s Peggy’s Cove near Halifax, Nova Scotia. The image was shot on slide film, scanned on my Epson flatbed and processed entirely with Luminar Neo.

The before and after image below shows exactly what Luminar Neo is capable of producing, quickly and efficiently.

The chart, left, shows the editing tools used to transform and enhance the original image. One of the helpful tools Luminar includes is a list of all the editing done on the image. Other programs may show the changes as “history” but Luminar Neo has it in a separate area in the editing module that not only allows you to see the edits you have applied to the image, but go in and make further changes to tweak the image to your liking.

Without getting into all the details, here are a few of the steps used to achieve the finished image.

I used the Ai feature to denoise the scanned image, followed by some work in the colour enhancement module to lift the washed out colour and boost saturation in the reds.

In addition, I used the dramatic light module for a little added pop as well as the magic light Ai module and Structure Ai modules.

The clone tool was also used to remove some distracting elements in the image. The image was also cropped to focus more on the fishing village and the red boat in the middle of the scene.

A water enhancement module was also used on the image. This module allows you to work with bodies of water to increase colour saturation in the blues and greens, among other things.

The more comfortable you get with the tools, the quicker the editing process becomes and the more confident you are to take your image to higher levels.

This before and after image shows how far Luminar Neo can take your images with just a few simple editing tools. Notice how the water has been improved as well as the colours punched up. This image was originally shot on slide film and scanned with a flatbed Epson scanner before being taken into Luminar Neo for post processing.

Barn in snow with Sigma’s DP-2

The second image is another landscape showing a lovely red Barn in a snowy landscape shot with Sigma DP-2 equipped with a Foveon sensor.

The red barn really caught my eye as I drove along the road, but it was the sculpted pine that stopped me in my tracks. Add to that the wheat-coloured grasses in the snow and I knew I had to pull over on the busy road to capture the scene. The single 42mm focal length lens on the sigmaDP-2 made cropping in-camera impossible so I took what was offered knowing that I could crop later with the software.

This image of a barn in a snowy landscape was taken with the Sigma DP-2 with its Foveon sensor. The RAW image was first processed in Sigma Photo Pro to convert it to a TIFF. The remaining image was post processed using Luminar Neo’s many editing features, although the image was not heavily edited.

Unedited version

The unedited version shows how effective Luminar Neo can be to enhance landscape images.

I mentioned that it was shot with the Sigma DP-2 because of the incredible detail- and colour-capturing ability that a Foveon-sensored camera is capable of achieving. As a result, I did not increase sharpness or detail in this image or the cropped image.

If you are interested in purchasing Luminar Neo, please consider using the code FernsFeathers at checkout to receive a 10 per cent discount. By using this code, I receive a small percentage of the proceeds which helps me to continue producing articles for readers.

In addition, I had to first run the image through the Sigma proprietary Photo Pro software to convert the raw file to a TIFF to work with it in Luminar Neo. The Sigma Foveon sensor is so unique that it is best to run the raw image through Sigma Photo Pro to convert it to a jpeg or TIFF before working with it in other photo editing software.

With that said, Here are the steps taken in Luminar Neo to edit this original TIFF file.

• Easy Landscape/longexposure preset set at 50 per cent

• Enhance Ai sky set at 65 per cent with an Accent at 20 per cent

• Develop module: Exposure set to -.30 and shadows increased to 40

• Removed a few small distracting details with the erase tool and clone tool.

•Structure Ai: Added 20 per cent overall with a boost of about 5 for the fine details

• First small crop to remove more distracting details

• finally added 23 per cent saturation to red, and 29 to yellow and green colours in the HSL sliders.

• The second image (below) was cropped more severely to focus more on the barn, the tree and the diagonal line of grasses running through the image.

Please write in the comments which of the two images you like more. I’m leaning toward the more cropped image.

The same image cropped to focus on the barn, tree and diagonal line of grasses cutting through the frame.

Foxes in field with sun rays

The top image in this post of the two young foxes was originally shot on slide film and scanned with an Epson scanner.

The image suffered from a lot of problems which Luminar Neo was able to easily solve in post processing. But I was able to take the image to even greater heights by tapping into Luminar Neo’s sun ray module that enables the photographer to add sun rays to the image.

The image above is the unedited version prior to Luminar Neo’s post processing applied. See the edited version at the top and below of this page.

Without going into great detail, the image suffered from grasses partially blocking the fox’s faces. By carefully using the Ai erase tool, the grasses were eliminated on the foxes faces.

Foxes in grass

The edited version is clearly sharper with more contrast and colour. The sun rays were also added in post processing.

The red fur of the foxes were enhanced with HSL (hue, saturation, luminosity) sliders and the grasses were enhanced using the foliage enhancement module.

Finally, Ai sharpening was used to bring the foxes into sharper focus.

This dreamy image of cherry blossom in bloom was created entirely in Luminar Neo using primarily the clone tool while various filters and softening techniques kept the image light and airy.

Cherry blossom in selective focus

The final image we are going to explore involves a more creative approach using Luminar Neo. I mentioned earlier in the post that painterly-quality images are best made with programs like Photoshop, which offers a more flexible painter effect with the ability to create your own paint brushes, sample specific colours and an overall more graphic approach to working with images.

This image shows the Before and After of the image edited in Luminar Neo.

That said, with a little creativity, artistic, painterly images are entirely doable using only Luminar Neo tools.

In this image, I primarily used the clone tool while sampling various parts of the cherry blossoms to create a painterly effect. In addition, gaussian blur filters were masked in to areas of the image to further soften the outer areas of the image.

A high-key filter kept the image light and a vignette set to white rather than the traditional black setting added to the light and airy look.

Conclusion: Is Luminar Neo the only photo editing software you need?

The jury may be still out whether Luminar Neo is the only software you’ll ever need, but I’m hoping my arguments in this post has convinced the jury that it is certainly the only software package most photographers will ever need.

That’s not to say that it’s perfect. I don’t think there is any software that can solve every photographer’s need, but Luminar Neo is inching closer with each new update.

And, if you are like many professional and advanced amateur photographers, you’ll want to have Lightroom and Photoshop at your disposal when you need it. The fact Luminar Neo can be treated as a plugin for these programs makes it the perfect complement to these other high-end programs most of us have grew up using.

If you are still on the fence, Check out my earlier post on combining Luminar Neo as a plugin for Photoshop and Lightroom.

For a completely different look at what Luminar Neo is capable of producing from digitized film, check out my review of the Pentax PZ20 with Luminar Neo processing of the scanned film here.

If you are interested in purchasing Luminar Neo, please consider using the code FernsFeathers at checkout to receive a 10 per cent discount. By using this code, I receive a small percentage of the proceeds which helps me to continue producing articles for readers.

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Explore the beauty of the woodland with Luminar Neo

This image of our woodland garden in fall processed with Luminar Neo. The image’s colours and mist were enhanced with Luminar and the sun rays added to create this ethereal feeling.

New photo software is latest tool to create my woodland images

The woodland calls out to me in all seasons. In spring, the fresh greens beckon with drifts of welcoming wildflowers, while fall explodes with warm shades of burnt orange, yellows and vibrant greens. Summer gives us the possibility of capturing fledgelings and winter offers nature in all its simplicity.

Documenting this change of seasons has been a passion of mine for decades.

The original image seen here before I added the enhancements (see image above) with Luminar Neo.

My tools of choice have ranged from film cameras loaded with Kodachrome 25 and Fujichrome Velvia, to modern digital cameras ranging from high-end point-and-shoots to digital SLRs and micro 4/3rd cameras.

Photoshop and Lightroom have been important tools along this road, but more recently, a new player has emerged to renew my excitement about capturing and creating memorable images of the woodland, and that tool is Luminar Neo.

Luminar Neo can work alongside Photoshop and Lightroom as plugins, or as a stand alone photo editing program capable of turning your images from average to outstanding. Whether you are new to photo editing, or a master of the trade, Luminar Neo’s tools will satisfy most everyone’s needs.

Read my post on whether Luminar Neo can function as a stand alone photo editing program, here.

Spring in the garden brings an abundance of flowering trees. This cluster of cherry tree blossoms was originally brought into Photoshop for post processing work and then into Luminar Neo for additional work to create an ethereal glow as well as exposure and colour blending. Luminar Neo can work alongside Photoshop and Lightroom as plugins or as a stand alone photo editing program.

Luminar features all the normal editing features of most photo editing programs as well as full masking capabilities. A series of built-in presets allows photographers to create stunning results with the click of a button or two.

Luminar Neo, a photo editing program based out of Ukraine, has taken the best traditional photo editing programs offer and reimagined them to create a simple, easy to understand but incredibly powerful program that enables photographers to create stunning results with a few simple clicks on their computers. If you want to dig deeper into the program’s offerings, there is an incredible wealth of both Ai and traditional tools to transform good images into great ones, and great ones into works of art.

Although I have been using the program for only about one week, I find I am getting very comfortable with its features. The more comfortable I am getting, the more I realize that this may be the photo editing package I have been unknowingly waiting for my entire photographic life.

As I slowly begin to import my images into the program, it becomes increasingly clear that all my vintage slide-film images that I have scanned into my computer have an opportunity for new life with the help of Luminar Neo’s toolbox of features, from pre-programmed presets, to impressive Ai tools that can instantly transform your images with a click of a button.

I should say that Luminar has provided me with the program, but in no way have they tried to influence what and how I review their photo editing program. I will say, however, that along the way they have been incredibly helpful answering questions and providing training.

“Photoshop and Lightroom have been important tools along this road, but more recently, a new player has emerged to renew my excitement about capturing and creating memorable images of the woodland, and that tool is Luminar Neo.”

The following is a brief explanation of how the five images in this post were transformed in post processing using a combination of Photoshop, Lightroom and Luminar Neo. It should be noted, that although Photoshop and Lightroom may have been used for some processing of these images, from my experience to date Luminar Neo is entirely capable of creating most of these images on its own.

In my next post, I plan to take a number of images from start to finish using only Luminar Neo’s wide range of photo editing tools.

Let’s get into Luminar Neo

Luminar Neo features all the normal editing features of most photo editing programs as well as full masking capabilities. A series of built-in presets allows you to create stunning results with the click of a button or two. Presets include modules on: Scenery, Big City Lights, Sunsets, Overcast situations, Landscapes, Waterscapes as well as our Animal Friends. It’s also easy to create your own presets as well as saving your favourites to use later on other images.

The develop/essential module includes a highly effective denoise module, Black &White, Colour, Vignette, Structure and Details settings.

Here you can see the original image prior to subtle enhancements (above) with Luminar Neo.

In the Landscape module, photographers can take advantage of Sunrays, an Ai Twilight Enhancer and Atmosphere enhance as well as a Water-Enhancer module.

There are separate areas for photographers who like to experiment with creative modules including Magic Light, Mood, Toning Neon Glow and Mystical. Black and white and Film Grain modules are perfect for Lomography fans.

It is in the Mystical module under Glow that photographers can choose between soft focus, glow, Orton effect and Orton effect soft. The modules also have a slider that allows photographers to control the amount of the effect, giving you complete control of the look.

Five images processed with Luminar Neo

This post will explore some of the filters used in Luminar Neo to enhance these images.

• In the top image of our woodland garden in fall captured on a smartphone during an early morning walkabout, I used Luminar Neo to enhance the misty morning with its Ai mood feature. In addition, the sun rays were added with the program’s very effective Sun ray module that allows the maker to not only add sun rays, but have complete control over the effect of the rays, including the number of rays, length, strength and warmth.

This waterlily benefited by the water enhancement module by darkening the water and adding a blue cast.

• The second image of a cluster of cherry blossoms was post processed in Photoshop where I used a number of brushes to soften the edges of the image before bringing it into Luminar Neo where it was given a more ethereal look through the use of softening and mood filters as well as a vignette to further lighten the edges. Unlike many other photo editing programs, Luminar’s vignetting capabilities allow the photographer to control how and where the vignetting appears on the image.

• The third image of the deer in the woods, was first processed in Lightroom where a number of distracting elements were removed as well as focus softening added to the background. It was then brought into Luminar Neo where additional mist helped soften the background. Although I liked the original image, Luminar Neo’s mystic filter was called on to create a mood in the image that I think really adds to the mood of the early-morning image.

• Waterlily benefitted from another Luminar Neo module that focuses on enhancing water in your images. The module allows the maker to enhance both the darkness and lightness of the water as well as adjusting the water’s colouring in the blue and green ranges.

Monarch on sunflower was enhanced with Luminar Neo adding subtle sun rays emanating from the top left corner. Subtle orton glow was also added to the original image.

• A combination of subtle orton glow and sun rays were added in Luminar Neo to the monarch butterfly on sunflower.

Final thoughts on Luminar Neo in the woodland

The five woodland images in this post are examples of how Luminar Neo can enhance existing photographs. If you are an experienced photographer, Luminar Neo can be used to enhance images that have already been post processed in other programs. However, as a stand-alone program, Luminar is also a fully-capable editing program.

If you are new to photo editing, Luminar Neo has built-in presets that make post processing as simple as just a few clicks. For more experienced photo editors, the presets can be used as a starting point for more exacting photo enhancements.

This post is meant to give readers a taste of what Luminar Neo offers. The article barely touches on the full capabilities of the complete program. Over the next several months, I will try to provide more detailed information on the many modules and features and how they can be used in the real world, either for nature and woodland images, or other styles of photography from street photography to travel and people photography.

If you are interested in purchasing Luminar Neo, please consider using the code FernsFeathers at checkout to receive a 10 per cent discount. By using this code, I receive a small percentage of the proceeds which helps me to continue producing articles for readers.

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Give your garden and wildlife images room to breathe

Consider adding more “environmental portraits” to your portfolio this year

In high school one of my buddies was what you call a “close talker.” Great guy. Everyone loved him except when he got up close and personal telling a story or passing on information.

So, whenever he wanted to talk to you, for some reason he felt he had to get so close that it became a bit uncomfortable. You wanted to be polite and not say anything, but inside you’re saying to yourself, “please back off a bit, this is uncomfortable.”

That’s exactly how I feel about many images I see from photographers on social media. I’m not sure if they want to justify the purchase of a very long and expensive telephoto lens, or if they think that getting in as close as possible to a subject instantly makes the image superior to one that has a little breathing room.

In many cases, but I want to make this perfectly clear, obviously not all, the images would benefit from moving back and showing the animal, bird or flower in more of its environment.

This thought was brought home to me this week while reading Portraits of Earth, written by Freeman Patterson my all-time favourite photographer and a Canadian I might add. His environmental portraits of the earth capture the essence of his subjects, while always leaving room to appreciate them in the context of their role on earth.

Of course, there are many occasions when the best shot is a close one, or one that has been closely cropped in post processing. A busy or unnatural background are just two reasons to move in close. An outstanding subject in beautiful light that just begs for a close approach is another. And there are lots of other reasons to get as close to your subject as possible.

In fact, in many instances getting as close as possible still leaves the photographer so far away that you have no other choice but to create an environmental portrait.

But when you are making a picture – whether it’s of a bird, mammal or flower – ask yourself whether the image would benefit from backing off a little. If you are cropping the image during post processing, ask yourself if moving in as close as possible and eliminating all sense of environment is the best choice.

This thought was brought home to me this week while reading Portraits of Earth, written by Freeman Patterson my all-time favourite author and photographer and a Canadian I might add. His environmental portraits of the earth capture the essence of his subjects, while always leaving room to appreciate them in the context of their role on earth. Check out used book retailer Alibris to get great buys on Freeman’s outstanding photography books including his book The Garden that I will be reviewing in the near future.

This image of a bull and female moose in Medicine Lake, Jasper, Alberta is, in my mind, the essence of an environmental portrait of these two magnificent animals. Moving in close would only have ruined the sense of space that the lake and mountains in the background provide. For me, the image illustrates how huge our wild areas are when it can literally dwarf these two massive animals.

This approach, while much more artistic, is also more revealing. If done well, an environmental portrait more often captures the essence of what the photographer was trying to portray much more than an extreme closeup could ever achieve.

As nature and garden photographers, it’s important to show our subjects in their environment whenever possible. By showing our subject in its environment, we reveal the habitat where it lives. A warbler reaching for an insect hidden in the bud of a native dogwood tree, for example, reveals the story of how the warbler survives on its migratory journey and the importance of native trees and plants are to its survival. A fox kit playing outside its den on the edge of a forest provides the viewer with important details of where foxes choose to raise their young. A wildflower growing on the edge of a stream where it thrives in the damp, woodsy soil, illustrates the importance of habitat for that flower’s survival.

Hepatica on river’s edge

These two tiny native hepatica flowers were taken with a wide angle lens to show the environment in which they grow. Water from the stream dampens the soil as the decaying leaves from the deciduous forest break down providing nutrients to these lovely native wildflowers.

Even in our gardens, where flowers might not grow in their natural locations, environmental images help us identify where they grow best, what conditions they thrive in and what flowers may complement them.

I am certainly not against moving in close with a macro lens to capture small details and reveal new worlds to others who may not have the opportunity to experience these intimate views. All I’m saying is don’t be afraid to back away to show the flower, plant, tree, butterfly, bird or mammal in its environment whenever possible.

Some of my favourite images, for example, are environmental portraits that left breathing room for the subject to shine.

Here are just a few from my files that might inspire you to experiment with environmental portraiture rather than an up-close and personal approach that has become all too common these days on social media.

Each image will include an extensive cutline explaining why I think the image works and why I decided to capture the subject in its environment rather that moving in close.

Here, a young male whitetail deer approached me through the tall wildflowers probably unsure of what I was and hoping maybe I was a female deer. The experience was truly wonderful and I wanted to capture the pure wildness of the area. By leaving out-of-focus plants in the foreground and including much of the environment, it created almost a glimpse into the secret life of this young buck.

By leaving room around the Red-wing blackbird singing in spring, it helped to create both a sense of place and time (spring in the marsh) but left room for its song to spread through the image in the direction he is looking. The bull rushes make it clear that it is spring time. An extreme close-up of the bird might well have been a better image in some people’s mind, but it would have failed to provide a sense of space and time.

This tufted titmouse was enjoying a winter’s snowfall out on a limb of a branch. Showing the snow build-up on the branch it is sitting on as well as the branches in the background helps illustrate the extent of the snowfall and maybe helps viewers realize the difficult time that awaited this little fellow over the next few days. Fortunately, my feeder full of birdseed was not too far away and always available for dinner.

Here, a fawn eyes the greenery in our garden while its mom sits quietly nearby, always keeping a close eye on her baby. This environmental portrait clearly says spring with both the size of the little one-week-old fawn as well as the presence of hundreds of blue Forget-Me-Nots that transform the garden into a sea of misty blue.

It’s every photographer’s dream to stumble across a massive drift of trilliums in their prime. But how do you do them justice with one image? Move back, find a centre of interest in the sea of trilliums and capture an environmental portrait of the scene showing as many of the trilliums as possible. By putting the fallen birch tree running diagonally through the middle of the trilliums, I was able to add a dynamic line while still showing the mass of flowers. The fallen birch tree will soon begin to decay and add its nutrients back into the earth to feed future trilliums that will rise up from the woodland floor.

I have many images of sunflowers up close in the garden, but a scene like this begs to be taken as an environmental landscape image. Move back, include several hundred sunflowers and add a high-impact red barn as the subject. Now the sunflowers become part of a larger scene rather than the centre of interest. The environmental portrait illustrates how they are grown and the incredible numbers of flowers. This is a farm near where I live that grows sunflowers for bird seed that it sells to the public. The story behind the image even brings me great joy.

This garden image shows one of our Cornus Kousas in full bloom in early summer. Although I could have moved in closer to show the tree in more detail or even to take macro images of the individual flowers, I thought an environmental approach showing how and where the tree grows tells a better story. Here it is pictured growing at the edge of our massive fern garden, where its roots are shaded all summer. The image shows how the dogwood grows on the edge of a mini woodland beside a lovely Cornus Florida (left) and a smaller (Cornus Mas) between its larger cousins.

This image of a bittern in the reeds is a good example of an environmental portrait that really help to illustrate the environment where this bird lives. Without this context I think the image looses much of its story-telling capacity. By moving in close, it would still be a strong image, but without an illustrative story of not only where the Bittern hunts, but also how it works to become part of its surroundings in order to find prey and protect itself from becoming prey.

This image of a massive bull elk reminds me somewhat of the earlier image of the two moose. By placing it in its environment, viewers are able to get a much better idea of habitat as well as its place in the large landscape.

This image of a single fern struggling to survive in a rock crevice was certainly inspired by Canadian photographer and author Freeman Patterson. The viewer can only imagine its struggle to find enough earth to set its roots down, but its obvious health suggests that it has carved out a niche for itself to not only survive in these harsh conditions but to thrive along with the mosses that it happily shares the rock.

I have many images of these showy orchids up close, but it’s this environmental portrait tat pleases me most. The birch tree, grasses, fallen tree and the hint of the cedar on the left edge provides a hint of where these beautiful orchids grow. The habitat is a swampy, acidic area not too far from where we once lived. It is a difficult environment to photograph in given the mosquitoes and deep mud that are present while they are blooming. It’s also the perfect environment to keep those who want to harm the plants away. Nature sometimes works in its own favour.

I’ve got closer images of this beautiful swallowtail butterfly, but in this image I was able to not only show the environment where the butterfly calls home, I was also able to capture a wasp that is sharings the plant with the Butterly.

It’s hard to argue that a full-frame image of an impressive animal or beautiful flower isn’t necessarily a perfect one. These extreme close-ups can reveal details that an environmental image can’t possibly hope to show. However, extreme close-ups often miss out on the very reason the image is so special to the photographer. That is often based on the fact it was shot either in the wild, or in their garden or some other location that made getting the image more difficult than simply capturing it in a controlled environment.

I can show you hundreds of images shot at my local zoo that I’m proud of capturing. All are very tight shots of the animal restricting as much of the background as possible. Some of the images are excellent and you would be forgiven if you might thing they were shot in the wild.

But they were not. Because of this, they lose a certain validity compared to an image shot in the wild.

So, why not celebrate the fact that these birds are wild, that the flower grows in a wide-open field or by a river bank. Back away, move in close but use a wide angle lens. Show the mountain in the background even if it means your subject takes a little of a back stage.

Stand back and show that beautiful flower growing in your garden. Celebrates that animals’ freedom with an environmental portrait showing the home where it has chosen to live – be it a woodland or your garden.

Celebrate nature on a grand scale and try not to be that close talker we talked about earlier.

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A misty morning with the Sigma DP2

This was my first stop in my morning of misty photographs with the Sigma DP2. The moss-covered rock outcrop is a favourite spot of mine although I have never been able to capture its beauty in the past. The soft, warm light on the morning mist rendered a quiet image, almost monotone in colour if it was not for the hints of soft green moss on the rocky outcrop. Photographed hand held at ISO 200, 1/50th second, f2.8.

Foveon sensor captures details in ethereal scenes

The conditions were just too good not to grab my cameras and head out for a morning shoot in the misty rain of late March.

It’s an in-between season where the snow has more or less vanished, the spring greens have yet to appear and all that really remains are bare trees and wheat-coloured fields. Even the migratory birds have yet to make their appearance.

The misty conditions combined with the remnants of freezing rain still clinging to some trees, shrubs and fenceposts made for a promising morning. Although I took along a digital slr and even a film camera, those two camera bodies remained in the bag so that I could focus entirely on my newly acquired Sigma DP2 with its unique and truly outstanding Foveon sensor.

Along a back country road the thin ice from the previous night’s freezing rain still clung to the steel fencing and roadside plants adding a little sparkle to what is normally a rather drab scene. Although I could have moved in closer to isolate a single plant along the fence line, I think the simplicity of the colours allowed for a more environmental portrait of the scene. Photographed hand held at ISO 100, at 1/160 second, F5.0.

For those not familiar with the Foveon sensor and what makes it so special, there are plenty of articles on-line explaining how the Foveon actually combines three separate sensors into one that is said to create the ultimate film-like look. I don’t know how true that is, but I do know that, even in the short time I have used this high-end enthusiast camera with an almost cult-like following, I’ve noticed that the results are quite unlike any from my other cameras.

One of the features of the Foveon sensor is that it renders extraordinarily fine detail. What better test than to take it out in misty conditions where a lot of the fine details are lost in the mist and rain.

Without any preconceived ideas of how the images would turn out, I took off for the surrounding woodlands and agricultural fields around our home.

If you are looking to purchase a Sigma DP2 or another Foveon-sensored Sigma camera, consider checking out the large selection at KEH Camera Exchange. Click here to see what they have to offer. In Canada, check out Henry’s photography. Link below.

Rather than rambling on about the camera, (I’ll do that in my review at a later date after using the camera over an extended period) I’ve chosen to include a number of images taken on that morning complete with detailed information in the cutlines.

Afterall, I think images speak louder than words is this situation.

All images shot in RAW, converted to TIFF in Sigma PhotoPro and post processed in Lightroom and Photoshop when necessary.

The fence line weaving through the landscape and trees almost in silhouette caught my eye and forced me to stop to explore the scene further. I have driven past this scene many times, but without the mist, it loses much of its charm and sense of mystery. The warm colours in the foreground field work against the overall coolness of the scene revealing hints of the green grass on the horizon. For now, however, the beiges of late winter and early spring still dominate the scenes. This image is heavily cropped to create the panorama effect, but the Foveon sensor is able to still create a useable image for the web at least. ISO 100, 1/125th of a second at F4.5.e Foveon

I am particularly attracted to fenceposts along the side of the road. I think I’m secretly hoping or maybe dreaming for a blue bird or cardinal to land on the post to add a punch of colour. In this image however, the subtle tones of beiges from the spent grasses, and reds from the red-twigged dogwoods in the distance combine with the misty background and glistening ice covered foliage to create a lovely texture that reminds me of the paintings of Canadian artist Robert Bateman or the photographic images of Freeman Patterson. ISO 100, 1/80th second, F3.5.

Keeping with the fence line theme, I noticed this lovely scene incorporating two red Adirondack chairs, a green canoe and bird feeder overlooking a pond. I imagined sitting in the chairs with a coffee in late summer, birds visiting the feeder while ducks went about their business on the pond. Maybe an owl calling in the distance. This image is one of a few that I cropped heavily to move in closer to the subject. Being restricted to the 42mm (35mm equivalent) fixed focal length lens on the Sigma DP2 is difficult to contend with after using longer focal lengths and zoom lenses all my life, but the discipline it invokes is refreshing. Having to move closer to the subject rather than just zooming in to get a closer view is part of how the camera forces you to slow down. The camera’s superior Foveon sensor also provides for the flexibility to crop images and still get acceptable results as was done with this image. Hand held at ISO 100, 1/80th second, f3.5.

In this image, the ice still clings to some of the spent grasses. The fallen tree provides a vertical line leading to the hay bale which helps provide context to where the image was taken on the edge of a farmer’s field. The fallen tree has been left in place providing habitat for a host of insect, mice and other critter that will, in turn, provide a food source for birds, owls, foxes and coyotes that live in the area. ISO 100. 1/100th second at f4.0.

By moving along and in closer, the scene takes on a different feel with the icy grasses standing out against the rounded background of the hay bales.

Mist and freezing rain combined in this image to create a lovely woodland scene combining the warm colours of cattails growing in the marshy open area while a native white pine with hints of ice covering its needles stands proudly on the right side of a spruce forest. The ghostly tree stands in the rule of thirds providing a centre of interest. I particularly like how the combination of the grasses in the foreground warm the rather scene of the cool-tone pine and spruce forest that fades away into the mist. ISO 100, 180th second at f2.8

The delicate red and pink tones in this sene caught my eye while the almost ghostly image of the sumach creates a centre of image for the eyes to stop at before wandering throughout the scene. The misty background adds to the ethereal feel and again helps to simplify an image that would be very busy on a normal day. ISO 100, 1/50th second at f3.2.

When I am in the area, I always make a stop at this local wetland. It can be a wealth of images, from red-winged blackbirds in early spring, leading to warblers and blue birds later in spring. Muskrats, build their home among the reeds and ducks of all kinds nest on the hummocks. Bald eagles have known to visit as well as a host of other predatory birds. Capturing it in a wide variety of atmospheric conditions helps you appreciate the incredible importance of this marshland and all the others that are hanging on as “progress” continues to threaten these vital areas.

Morning mist fades and it’s time to call it a day

One of the secrets to capturing morning mist is to move quickly once you see it. Enjoying that extra coffee may not be the wisest choice if mist is what you are after. In this case, the mist lasted longer than usual because it was caused as much by rain as it was by warm clashing with cool ground.

Nevertheless, it only lasted a couple of hours before it began to dissipate and leave me with uninspiring overcast conditions. With my morning at an end, I returned home to check out the images I had attained.

I was happy with most of the images after processing the RAW files first in Sigma Photo Pro before bringing them into Lightroom to complete the final edits.

I find Sigma images easy to work with for the most part once they are converted into TIFFS and imported into Lightroom. There is one nagging problem that other Sigma photographers have pointed to and that is evident in many of these images. A green cast often works its way into the images, and sure enough you can see it in many of these images despite my attempts to remove or, at least, lessen its effect. It is particularly evident with the white, misty skies.

The green cast is just one of the many negatives that other photographers have pointed out about the camera. Slow focussing, and a painfully slow ability to write images to the SD card, are just two of the many annoyances this camera exhibits. Do these mean the camera is not useable? Absolutely not.

Does it mean that it is not the right camera for some photographers. Absolutely.

But if you are the type of photographer who enjoys the challenge of creating unique images with their own style and look, than the Sigma cameras with their incredible Foveon sensors are certainly worth a try.

If you don’t subscribe to my weekly newsletter, please consider signing up. I write a new newsletter every Sunday covering Woodland gardening, native plants and wildlife with a focus on photography.

Pentax *ist-D: A CCD sensor with DSLR punch

A hummingbird works the salvia in the garden. Photographed with the istD and 300mm F*4.5 lens.

CCD-sensor cameras prized by photographers looking for film-like images

It’s hard to believe that a 20-plus-year-old digital SLR not only still works, but continues to create outstanding images.

Is the answer its outstanding CCD sensor, its build quality, ease of use or all three? I’m going with the all-three conclusion, but that CCD sensor in the original Pentax *istD, which actually was the premiere digital camera for that camera maker, certainly makes this camera a keeper for any photographer looking for those intrinsic qualities that only CCD sensors provide.

Its low price on the used market makes it a camera you might want to grab while you can, especially if you have some fine Pentax glass to complement this highly competent digital SLR. Other notable DSLRs sporting CCD sensors include the Nikon D100, D70, and the Canon EOS-1D as well as the Minolta Maxxum 5D.

There are no doubt other CCD-bssed cameras available, but this post is about the Pentax *ist-D. I know, the name Pentax chose for the camera is completely weird, but Pentax marketing has never reached the heights of its cameras. The marketing department may well be big part of the reason that the camera maker is slowly disappearing from the market. It is certainly not because of the quality of the cameras.

At the time of this writing KEH Camera exchange actually has a Pentax *ist-D listed for just $54, or the price of an inexpensive dinner out with a friend.

Whether you believe in the CCD-sensor hype or not, I find its superior film-like images hard to argue with when it comes to the quality of the images.

And I should know. I’ve owned the 6-megapixel camera since it were first released in February of 2003 and used it for years as my first and only digital SLR. I still use it today as a backup to my CMOS censored Pentax K5.

Defining the positive qualities of the ist-D CCD sensor is difficult, but needless to say time after time when I go through my tens of thousands of images on Lightroom, it’s the images taken on the CCD sensor that catch my eye and please me most.

Photographing in the garden

In the garden, the *ist-D is often my camera of choice to capture the incredible colours of flowers, birds, insects and butterflies that the CCD sensor seems to bring to life more so than the CMOS-based cameras.

The image below of the Ladybugs attacking aphids on a milkweed plant is a good illustration of the colours the CCD sensor can bring out in your images. It is also an interesting example of nature at work in the garden and how important natural predators are in our gardens.

Lady bugs gathering aphids on milkweed. Photographed with the Pentax istD with it’s very capable TTL flash and a 100mm Macro lens.

CCD sensors and the film look

For those who have never given much thought to the sensor in their digital camera, think of it as how analogue photographers used different films to give them very different results. The muted but natural colours of Kodachrome, for example, vs the punchy, vivid colours that Fujichrome delivers. Both deliver fine results, but often very different ones.

And, yes, if you dabble in Lightroom or Photoshop, you can achieve similar results with good post processing if you want to learn the intricacies of the digital darkroom. But, maybe it’s just easier and a whole lot more fun to just use a camera with a CCD sensor to begin with and push it to the max to capture pleasing images.

Check out my other featured posts on Pentax cameras and lenses:

• My favourite wildlife lens

• The Pentax PZ1-P: A forgotten flagship

• The Pentax K5

• Pentax Q: Tiny but tough

Either way, there is no denying that Pentax’s original DSLR, for me at least, proved to be an excellent purchase – even if it was outrageously expensive coming in at a suggested retail price of US $1,600.

Defining the positive qualities of the ist-D CCD sensor is difficult, but needless to say time after time when I go through my tens of thousands of images on Lightroom, it’s the images taken on the CCD sensor that catch my eye and please me most.

The camera itself with the separate motor drive is a nice, high-quality piece of kit that seems to be able to take anything thrown at it over the years.

Decent autofocus, the fact it takes four AA batteries to power it and its multitude of buttons to prevent the user from having to dig too deep into the menus, makes it simple to use.

However, its back LCD display, use of CF cards and slow writing capabilities, takes away at least some of the joys of using it. It’s not perfect, but no cameras from that era were perfect and most delivered inferior results or were not built with the same quality that earlier film-based cameras offered from Pentax and other camera makers.

I’m not going to go into a full review of this camera here; that’s available elsewhere on the web. But unlike many of those technical reviews, I can offer readers 20 years of images shot with the Pentax *ist-D together with the F*300 f4.5, 28-100 power zoom Pentax lens, 100mm F4 macro lens and the Kiron f2.5, 105 macro just to name a few.

The CCD sensor on the Pentax Ist-d is capable of revealing gorgeous colours with very film-like qualities.

What others say about the Pentax *ist-D

All of these comments are taken from the Pentax Forums - an excellent resource for all things Pentax. Also, the charts below are courtesy of Pentax Forums.

• “I bougth my copy in 2013. It looked like it had taken a beating, and it had! I bought it to use in very harsh environments such as dry, sandy deserts, beaches and wetlands. It did its job and never skipped a beat. AA batteries made it much easier to manage power supply.”

• “I purchased my first *istD used to begin taking real estate photos. I have since shot over 50,000 photos with the same camera. It has never ever missed a beat. It is absolutely top rated for reliability in my situation. I leave this camera in a Pelican case in a truck with a sunroof in the super hot Mississippi summer heat and it doesn't seem to mind.”

• “That *ist D was my main camera for almost 8 years. Here's what I liked and disliked about it:

Likes:
- Small size and weight. There has still never been a DSLR with better specifications that is smaller and lighter, by a long shot. For years I waited for a real D replacement, but it never appeared. Now Pentax doesn't even offer an entry-level model that small. If you want something this small today, you have to go to an entry-level Nikon or Canon. Have fun with that.
- Pentax lenses. Yes others have greater quantity, but narrowing it down to the lenses I might actually buy, Pentax's selection, both old and new, was more interesting.
- Compatible with TTL flash. It was the only Pentax DSLR compatible with TTL flash, and I used an old AF500FTZ for years. On all other models, the 500 is manual-only (no Auto Thyristor mode).
- Ability to set three completely separate sets of settings. Weird that the K-7 doesn't offer that. It was the one part of going to the K-7 that was an uncomfortable downgrade.
- Everything else was good enough. Though N/C are better at some things, there was no deal-breaker for my needs with the *ist D. It was a small, light camera that did everything I wanted and took the lenses I liked.

Dislikes:
- Slow write times! Even with the fastest cards (Lexar with "Write Assist" technology), RAW write times were about 6 - 6.5 seconds. For cards without the Lexar "Write Assist" technology, make that 7 seconds. And the buffer was only 5 RAW files. So very often I'd fill the buffer and have to wait 6 seconds for each shot thereafter. This was by far my biggest dislike, bigger than all the others combined. My understanding is that it was the last DSLR to do writes in software; just months later the D70 appeared with much faster writes, doing it in hardware. Then the DS, and all other Pentax DSLRs, have had much faster writes.
- That grip. It was not great to hold. The battery grip made it better but at the cost of increased size. All other Pentax DSLRs have been MUCH better to hold.
- Batteries. For best results you want to use CR-V3 batteries (NIMH rechargeables make the AF slower with lower voltage; Alkaline rechargeables could fry it with higher voltage). But they are expensive. Finally I found that I could find large lots of them in unusual brands on eBay, pretty cheaply. That was an improvement but still annoying. Yes it's nice that if you run out of battery you can find alkaline AAs just about anywhere. But in real life the only time I ever needed that was at a beach, far away from any place where I could get AAs.
- Can't control ISO with wheel. I mostly use aperture priority, so one of the two wheels usually goes unused. When the K-10D came out with the ability to control ISO on one of the wheels in aperture-priority mode, I wished they'd do a firmware update that allowed that on the *ist D. But no such luck.
- Control wheel. Hard to hit it right, and to hit it hard enough for it to respond. Not a good design. But I don't like the K-7 solution much better.
- Small, low resolution LCD. Much better on the K-7.
- Can't write both RAW and Jpeg. I don't have a lot of time for PP, but my wife uses my shots for scrapbooking. Converting all those shots to Jpeg was often an issue. When the K-10D came out with the ability to write both, I wished they'd do a firmware update that allowed that on the *ist D. But no such luck.”

The charts below are provided by the Pentax forums website at www.pentaxforums.com

In conclusion

Your first DSLR is like your first girl or boyfriend, there’s always a soft spot and a little love for them left over even if others have since taken their place.

For me, there have been many other digital cameras that followed the *ist-D, but she still holds a place in my heart. I am lucky enough to still own a very good working copy of Pentax’s first DSLR and plan to continue to use it until that mirror slaps against the camera internals for the last time.

This summer, I plan to give it a good workout and will report on how well it holds up. It continues to provide high quality images out of its 6 megapixels and the joy it continues to give me makes it an important part of my growing arsenal of cameras.

Stay tuned.

For more on Pentax cameras, including the PZ1-P and the PZ-20 click here for the PZ20 and here for the PZ1-P

Please take a few moments to check out my gallery of images here.

Pentax PZ1-p: The forgotten flagship

Pentax’s impressive, one-time flagship is still an outstanding camera and can be purchased for pennies on the dollar making it one of the best deals on the used-camera market along with other autofocus film cameras of the same vintage.

Film enthusiasts missing out on ‘90s era gems

Film is back and it’s growing with a new found energy that is surprising even the most die-hard film enthusiasts.

The analogue film market is following the analogue audio renaissance by capturing the hearts and interest of a younger generation who never experienced the thrill of having to wait to see the result of their latest photo shoot.

And with its return, comes the re-emergence of decades-old film cameras. Sure, there are a smattering of new film cameras from companies like Pentax, Rollei, Leica and Lomography, but the real action is in used DSLRs, point-and-shoots and rangefinders. (Check out my recent review on the Konica C35 rangefinder).

“The film market Peaked in 2003 with 960 million rolls of film sold. It makes sense that in the decade or so leading up to that, a lot of really nice cameras were being made.”

— Analog resurgence

The PZ1-P captured this tricky winter scene beautifully despite the difficult metering situation with all the pure white snow.

The new analogue shooters are looking for the full experience so they are gravitating toward the classic cameras – Leica, Nikon, Rollei, Canon and Pentax manual focus vintage cameras that have stood the test of time and continue to deliver.

Unfortunately, almost entirely forgotten are the incredibly good, extremely capable 1990s autofocus gems that helped to lead the way for the modern digital cameras.

Unlike their more vintage counterparts, these plastic fantastic cameras can be picked up on the on-line marketplace for a fraction of the cost of their all-manual-focus, all-metal cousins. Cameras that once cost upwards of $800- $1000 in 1990s prices can now be purchased for mere pennies on the dollar.

“Today, the PZ series of cameras remain one of the most cost effective purchases around and one of the best all-round film cameras available.”

These largely still-undiscovered cameras, loaded with features and capable of stunning results, are the bargains of today. Cameras like the Canon EOS 1N, released in 1994 as a 35mm SLR that became one of the last film cameras released prior to the digital revolution. The EOS 1N body style continues to resemble the body style of some of the latest Canon digital cameras.

There was the Nikon F50D or N50D, which added date/time-imprinting and a panoramic mode.

Another difficult scene that the PZ1-P handled nicely.

The incredible cameras of the 1990s

In fact, the 1990s is the perfect window into the transition from print film into digital cameras. It saw the release of some of the most advanced film cameras ever made as well as the first hints of mass market digital cameras.

From Emulsive website: “Film cameras through the ages provide us with insights into how the minds of designers and artists clustered in different parts of the world interpreted solutions to the challenges of universal interface and ergonomics – it’s fascinating. What intrigues me the most is how that simple-ish challenge of running a strip of film through a camera has been addressed in so many different ways.”

The Emulsive website went on to list what the author felt were some of the best cameras of the 1990s: including the Contax AX with its unique in-camera autofocus for manual focus lenses. The Konica AiBORG – a poorly designed and truly weird looking camera that did not compare at all to the well-designed, retro-look light meters on the top plates of the Nikon28Ti and 35Ti, which continue to sell at a premium price on the used market.

It was also the decade of the high-end compact point-and-shoots with the iconic Contax T2, Ricoh GR1 and Olympus MJU.

SLRs were still king, however, led by cameras like the Nikon F100 launched in 1999.

Pentax’s PZ-1P: A forgotten jewel in a fine line of pro DSLRs

Largely forgotten, however, except for a dedicated group of Pentax enthusiast, was the offering Pentax made to the 1990s SLRs, most notably the PZ series of cameras led by the Pentax PZ-1p. Released in 1994 as the new flagship for the venerable Japanese camera maker, the Pentax PZ-1 and its various iterations remained in production until 2000, when the new third generation auto focus MZ/ZX series of cameras were released.

Today, the PZ series of cameras remain one of the most cost effective purchases around and one of the best all-round film cameras available.

In July 1996, the highly respected photography magazine PHOTOgraphic hi-lighted the Pentax camera system and it’s flagship PZ cameras in an 8-page feature that called the PZ-1p, the flagship model in the Pentax AF-SLR line, a camera “loaded with features for everyone from the serious shooter to novice, who hopes to be a serious shooter some day. …

“For more serious users, there are a full range of exposure and focusing options, three metering patterns (eight -segment multi, center-weighted, and spot) to handle just about any lighting situation, +/- 4 stops of exposure compensation, and three-frame automatic exposure bracketing (both settable in 1/2-EV increments) and much more. Shutter speeds range from 30 seconds to 1/8000 sec. (maximum flash-sync speed is 1/250th) plus bulb mode for longer exposures (and the LCD panel indicates the time the shutter has been open in bulb mode – great when you don’t have a watch.)”

The PZ-20 is a less-featured offering than the PZ1-p but still a great option for photographers looking for a “full-frame” print camera with autofocus, multi-metering and other more modern features.

The article went on to praise many of the features in the camera concluding: “The idea behind the PZ1-p is to provide maximum interaction between the camera’s automation and the photographer’s creativity.”

Much of that statement was attributed to the unique approach Pentax took to creating a camera that offered the photographer a simple, intuitive approach to obtaining the proper exposure and adjusting the camera’s settings on the fly while maintaining proper exposure.

“Thus the camera offers Hyper program and hyper manual modes, which lets the photographer enter the automated process whenever desired. Hyper Program is essentially a shiftable program AE mode with a safety shift – the camera will automatically select both shutter speed and lens aperture for correct exposure, and if the shutter speed or aperture you select will cause the other control to go out of range, the camera will choose a setting that will retain proper exposure…”

The magazine went on with effusive praise of the Pentax flagship model pointing out the long list of lenses the camera can use from the modern, high-end autofocus marvels like the 250-600mm f/5.6 ED (IF) SMCP-FA* to the vintage and exquisite manual focus M and A lenses.

The PZ1-p is a highly capable camera, able to handle everything from sports and action photography to landscape scenes such as the one above.

Why these cameras have been left out of the analogue revival

So why has this exceptional, pro-level flagship camera been almost forgotten during the recent analogue revival?

Let me explain.

Back in the 1990s I owned a PZ1-P. Coming off of a Pentax LX (three to be exact) and an unforgettable Pentax MX, the PZ1-P was a monster of a camera and a technological marvel that pretty much left me scratching my head over how to operate this thing.

Fast forward about 30 years and countless digital cameras, and the PZ1-P isn’t so daunting. In fact, it seems quite simple to use – should I say almost elegant.

The PZ1-P is a very capable camera that can handle everything from wildlife, to sports

Compared to the multiple menu windows on the back of most – if not all – digital cameras, the PZ1-p’s well-placed LCD panel on the camera’s top plate seems almost too simple. The focus is strong, almost too strong. The built-in winder lets you know it means business and the Hyper program and hyper manual modes are brilliantly executed.

There’s TTL flash, flash compensation, mirror lockup using a 2-second delay exposure, double exposure, built-in intervalometer, full manual, and even snap-in focus firing with manual-focus lenses. There are more lenses both manual and autofocus than you could ever hope for and a build quality that is as good as it gets for cameras of this vintage.

What more could one ask for?

Oh, and did I mention that people can’t seem to give these cameras away and they can be had in some cases for the price of a couple rolls of film.

The Pentax PZ line of cameras offer more and better features than any of the older manual cameras, including the magnificent LX and MX fully manual cameras.

The problem, however, is most photographers returning to film are looking for a truly retro experience. They want to feel the heavy, cold steel of the vintage cameras in their hands. They want to cock the shutter rather than have it done for them electronically.

In other words, they are not looking for a film camera that feels and operates like a digital camera.

This image of a vintage car was captured beautifully on print film, scanned with an Epson flatbed to convert it to digital and then pre-processed in Lightroom.

Today’s analogue camera users want to experience all the pops, scratches and skipping that their vinyl counterparts experience listening to their favourite albums on vintage vinyl.

I get it, I truly do. If that’s your vibe, pick up a K1000, LX or MX. They were great cameras and still are today. But you will pay for that privilege.

If you are looking for a more modern, vintage vibe with stunning results that allow you to use all those older manual focus lenses on a “full-frame” autofocus film camera, there is no better option than the PZ line of Pentax cameras, or a similar vintage camera from one of the main brands such as Nikon, Canon, Minolta…

The Pentax PZ line of cameras offer more and better features than any of the older manual cameras, including the magnificent LX and MX fully manual cameras. The problem, however, is most photographers returning to film are looking for a truly retro experience. They want to feel the heavy, cold steel of the vintage cameras in their hands. They want to cock the shutter rather than have it done for them electronically.

A Sandhill Crane captured with the PZ1-p and the Pentax 300mm f4.5* lens. The lineup of lenses for the PZ1-p stretches from the earlier all-manual lenses to more modern, high quality autofocus prime and zoom lenses.

Initial impressions in my return to the PZ1-p

Like I said, I owned this camera years ago and never really appreciated all its bells and whistles. This time around it is completely different.

It’s time to embrace these bells and whistles to ensure that expensive film I’m shooting is exposed properly and the images are razor sharp. (My eyes are not what they used to be and manual lenses are not my go-to option any longer)

Luckily, I kept a number of my film-era lenses and am having a terrific time trying them out again and experiencing their original focal lengths rather than the sensor-cropped focal lengths.

There is the white 300mm F4.5 * lens, Tokina 20-35mm, 28-105mm autofocus lenses and manual focus 40mm f2.8, 50mm 2.8 macro, 100mm F4 macro and my 105 Kiron f2.5 macro just to name a few.

Closed for the season. The long list of lenses available to photographers with th PZ1-p makes it a great choice for those who already own some of the high quality

The results… so far

To date, I’ve shot only three rolls of film with the camera during these winter months but the results (see images above and in my Pentax PZ photogallery) have been impressive.

More importantly is the performance and feel of the camera. It’s comforting to know that you have a professional-build camera in your hands that can deliver even in difficult situations.

I have been using the PZ1-P alongside digital cameras for comparison, often using the exact same lens on both the Pentax K5 digital and PZ1-P.

I choose to do my own scanning with an Epson 500 scanner and then process the images in Lightroom and Photoshop.

KEH Cameras description of the PZ1-p

KEH cameras give a very thorough description of the camera in its listings. KEH is an excellent camera reseller if you are interested in obtaining one of these outstanding cameras. Here is their description of the former flagship camera.

A high performance, multi-featured 35mm autofocus SLR for the advanced amateur and professional photographer. Intelligent Power Zoom Lens System with 'Zoom Effect', 'Image Size Tracking, and Zoom Clip Modes'. Panorama image format mode can be used in mid-roll for eye-catching compositions Fifteen Pentax Function settings allow the photographer to customize factory settings to his or her preferences. Six comprehensive exposure modes which include Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Multi-Programmed AE TTL Program Flash Mode and two innovative interactive modes, Hyper Program and Hyper Manual The PZ-1P features a choice of eight segment metering system, spot metering or center weighted metering on demand A high speed motor drive which advances at four frames per second, and the option to choose from eight different drive modes: 3 self-timer options, intervalometer, multiple exposure and auto bracketing Interchangeable focusing screens, built-in TTL RTF flash with red-eye reduction and manual depth-of-field preview

Barn in snowstorm.

What others are saying about the PZ camera line.

I could go on and on about why film users are missing out if they are not considering the PZ line of cameras, but I think I’ll let the Pentax users group forum have their say about the PZ cameras.

Here are just a few choice quotes from users about the camera:

• All in all, a fantastic camera for the price I paid. I find this more comfortable and enjoyable to take out and shoot these days than my MX, which is sacrilege and I hate myself, but there you go.

• And it *is* a good camera - it feels good in the hand, is robust and well weighted, and AF and the built-in flash are surprisingly good …. It has just about every feature under the sun (for its age), meaning it's a very practical professional tool for the advanced photographer willing to learn its quirks. Sadly you *will* have to learn its quirks …

• By many accounts, I'd say this is the most fully featured, advanced film camera Pentax ever made. Aside from the single point AF, the camera is arguably better than its successor, the MZ-S. The two-dial system, combined with Hyper Program and well laid out buttons means that all of your aperture/shutter settings, metering and metering modes, focus, exposure compensation, and memory lock can be adjusted without moving your eye from the viewfinder. Brilliant. Not sure if they ever went back to this setup but they really really should.

• Overall, it's a gem: Every bit as good or better than anything from Canon or Nikon early/mid 90s at a fraction of the price because Photog hypebeats haven't picked up on it yet. Buy one if you can.

• The Z-1P has all shooting modes and the Hyper Program is my favourite. By turning the aperture or shutter speed wheels, I can instantly get into Av or Tv mode and pressing the IF button returns the camera to the Program mode. Great idea! The test roll turned out perfect. It appears that the camera works properly and the metering is accurate.

• Read more forum comments here.

In Conclusion

This comment from a Pentax forum user looking for a more traditional feel shooting film is a good example of how film shooters are feeling these days. The comment both praises the PZ line of cameras while explaining why it may not be the choice of new film users.

“ My only problem - and it isn't a criticism - is that I don't really want a digital camera experience when I'm using film. I would rather be using my ME F or my Electro. But if some law was passed that I could only own one film camera it might well be this one.”

I think this comment is an important reason for the PZ line of cameras as well as other cameras of this vintage, not gaining in popularity among the modern analogue shooters. I believe, however, that it is only a matter of time before cameras like the PZ series are rediscovered by photographers for the incredible features they offer and the ridiculous low prices you can get them for today.

For someone whose eyes are not as good as they once were, the autofocus is almost a must these days. Hyper program makes these cameras a joy to use and their operation being so close to today’s modern digital SLRs makes them the perfect choice for photographers willing to forfeit the truly vintage vibe for accurately focused, properly exposed film.

For more on the PZ-line of cameras, click here to check out my review of the Pentax PZ20 using Luminar Neo photo editing software to post process the scanned images.

Pentax PZ1-p specifications

• Format 24x36mm and panorama 13x36mm

• Lens Mount: KAF2

• Focus: SAFOX II AF with sensitivity from -1 to 18 EV

• Meter: SPD photocell with average, evaluative and spot modes

• Exposure Modes: HyM, M, P
  K and M Lenses: spot
  A, F, and FA Lenses: 6-segment in P mode, spot: in M and HyM modes.

• Exposure compensation: +/-4 EV in 1/2 or 1/3 step

• Metering range: 0 to 21 EV

• Film speed: Auto DX; 6 to 6400 ASA

• Shutter: Electronic; shutter speeds from 30s to 1/8000, B

  • 2s mirror prefire avialable

  • Remote control E and F

  • Motorized film advance, up to 4fps

  • Multiple exposures

• Viewfinder: 0.80 x [92%], with shutter and aperture LED

  • Interchangeable screens

• Flash: Built-In; GN: 14

• Flash Synch: 1/250

• Power: 1x 6V 2CR5 battery

• Self Timer: 12 seconds

• Dimensions: 152 x 95.5 x 74 mm

• Weight: 650 g

• Accessories

  • Fitting Case(s) soft case: Fd(s), soft case: Fd(m),soft case: Fd(l)

  • FTP grip-strap.

From Wikipedia: The Z-1p (aka PZ-1p) is a high-end 35mm SLR with autofocus introduced by Pentax in 1995. It was the flagship camera for Pentax until the introduction of the MZ-S in 2001. It is a well laid-out camera, with 2 wheels which can be used to select most functions. The Z1-p extended the KAF2 mont by adding power-zoom support; while maintaining compatibility with lenses with earlier versions of the K-mount:

• KAF lenses support almost all features of the camera except powered zoom and related functions.

• KA lenses can be mounted with the 'AF Adapter 1.7X' and will then support autofocus, provided they are f/2.8 or wider. Without the adapter they do not support autofocus, but the Focus Indicator (FI) feature can still be used (with lenses of f/5.6 or wider). Shutter-priority AE and programmed AE modes can all be used.

• Manual-aperture K mount lenses can be mounted with AF Adapter K, or use the FI feature as above. They do not support shutter-priority AE or the programmed AE modes, but can be used for aperture-priority AE and in manual exposure.

• 42mm screw-mount lenses can be mounted using 'Mount Adapter K'. The FI feature can be used if the lens aperture is wide enough. Aperture-priority AE and manual exposure are possible.

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Konica C35 Automatic: Simplicity with impressive results

The Konica C35 automatic. A study in simplicity and elegance wrapped up in a beautiful rangefinder camera from the late 1960s.

Late 1960s film camera combines auto features with a manual vibe

They say good things come in small packages. The Konica C35 Automatic film camera is a perfect example of this.

Simplicity and elegance are combined with a sophisticated look creating an enjoyable user experience that is reflected in the finished results.

There is something inspirational about using a late ‘60s-era rangefinder that asks the user to only set the ASA and focus on their subject, nothing more.

Designed for travel

A top view of this elegant rangefinder film camera with its exquisite rope strap and simple design. For more images, be sure to check out my photogallery of images taken with the Konica C35.

Be sure to check out the Konica C35 photo gallery here.

Although the Konica C35 is primarily an automatic camera, it has a very real manual feel to it. Lomography afficianados will love its vintage charm.

It’s easily pocketable and is more than capable of documenting your garden both in a wider landscape view as well as a closer approach to individual plants, or environmental portraits.

Wintery woodland scene

The Konica C35’s meter and impressive 38mm lens was able to deal with the very bright conditions of this forest scene during a snowstorm. Be sure to check out my Konica C35 gallery for a stunning BW image of this scene.

Meeting the travel-camera market

The Konica C35 Automatic was Konica’s answer to creating a small travel friendly camera to compete with the Olympus Trip cameras that enjoy an almost cult following as film cameras enjoy a modern-day renaissance.

Konica made 4 models in the C35 lineup. In 1971 Konica updated the original camera and came out with the C35V that eliminated the rangefinder focusing system. That was followed shortly after by the C35 Automatic and finally the Konica Auto S3 in 1973. The final version added the ability to continue operating even if the battery dies. The Auto S3 also came with a faster lens – f1.8 rather than the previous f2.8.

The Konica C35 is primarily an all-metal, programmed automatic range finder camera that sets its own shutter speed and f-stop while requiring the user to set the ASA (ISO in digital camera terms) and the focus. Focus is on a lovely smooth ring on the camera lens and the ASA setting is brilliantly set on an inner ring around the lens with a window showing the ASA. It can be set from ASA 36 up to about 800.

It sports a fixed 38mm f2.8 lens. Shutter goes from 30th of a second to 650 and it focusses from about one meter to infinity.

This minimalist image taken during a snowstorm captures the simplicity of the scene.

The meter is clearly evident on the right side of the viewfinder and gives the photographer a good idea of where the exposure is falling. If the needle goes into the red at either end, you know you are out of the camera’s range. You can still take the picture, but caution would be needed and the results will be difficult to predict.

This vintage camera includes the ability to use a traditional cable release if, for instance, you have the camera mounted on a tripod for longer exposures. It also has the ability to add a flash.

Although the Konica C35 is primarily an automatic camera, it has a very real manual feel to it. In other words, it has a point-and-shoot vibe, but with the added ability to focus on what you want to be sharp.

One point that is worth emphasizing is that the shutter on this camera was made by Copal, an historically highly regarded company that made some of the best shutters of their time. A quality shutter is important both for the accuracy it provides and its ability to stand up to continued use over a long period of time. This, in part, accounts for the longevity of these cameras in today’s marketplace.

The fact that you can set your own ASA and focus means this is a giant step up from many vintage and modern point-and-shoots.

Even the new, quite expensive Pentax 17 half-frame camera does not enable the user to “focus” on a specific subject. Instead, it uses a zone focus system that works but is not ideal.

The vibrant colours of this ice cream shop captured after a snowfall stand out nicely. The sharpness of the 38mm lens is able to stand up to even a little cropping in this image.

Konica managed to combine the best of both worlds, that of a point-and-shoot camera with the focus control and ASA setting often found in higher-end rangefinders and SLRs.

A built-in light meter takes the guesswork out of capturing images and the 38mm f2.8 Hexanon lens provides the perfect walk-around street shooter and travel camera. The meter is built into the lens, enabling it to recognize if filters are being used and compensate for them.

A lens cap should be left on the camera to ensure the meter is not operating at all times, which would eventually drain the battery

The camera originally took mercury-based MR44 (1.35V) batteries which are no longer available or even legal to use, but operates perfectly fine on today’s common LR44 (1.55V) batteries. Some suggest overexposing the film to account for the voltage difference, but I shot according to the recommended ASA and the results were right on target.

The Konica C35 is small enough to carry in your pocket for when that special scene presents itself.

But enough about the specs of the camera. What about the results?

Impressive results from a 50-plus-year-old camera

After using the camera, I was actually shocked with how good the images turned out. Considering the quality of the lens, maybe I should not have been surprised. Even in difficult lighting conditions, the camera performed remarkably well despite the fact that exposure is set automatically with a 50-plus year old meter.

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In good lighting conditions, it performed exceptionally well considering the age and the fact that the camera was in control of both the aperture and shutter speeds.

These images were scanned with an Epson 500 flatbed film scanner and processed using Lightroom.

Most of the images required limited post processing. I do, however, enjoy working with digital images so some of the photographs received their share of tweaking including some images that required cropping. Despite some heavy cropping, the images held up well.

The details on the stone facade of this historic building can be easily seen as a result of the excellent lens on this rangefinder camera.

Conclusion: Konica C35 simply gets the job done

There is something about using an elegant rangefinder camera that is simple to use and gives great results.

Just ask Leica camera users why they love their cameras so much.

The Konica C35 may not be up to Leica standards, but then again they can be purchased for a “whole lot less,” and provide much of the same feeling that a Leica provides.

On my camera I used a step-up ring so that I can use 49mm filters, including a polarizing filter. With the light meter sensor on the lens, the camera is able to nail exposure.

Focussing the double image through the bright viewfinder is both elegant and extremely easy. These cameras make a great street shooter, travel camera and will hold their own in a garden setting.

Obviously, like any rangefinder, macro or even close-up photography is not ideal. However, if you are looking for a film camera to capture overall garden images, take on vacation or use in the streets, this is a good choice.

They may be available for under $100 dollars on camera resellers like KEH Cameras, EBAY and other on-line sites.

Take a moment to check out more images from the Konical C35 on my photo gallery pages.

Putting the Pentax Auto 110 film camera to the test vs the Pentax Q digital camera

The Pentax Auto 110 shown here with some of its exquisite manual focus lenses that can easily be adapted for the much more modern Pentax Q line of cameras.

Lomography color film and Turquoise test roles

It’s almost unfair to put up a 47-year-old (released in 1978) film camera the Pentax Auto 110 up against a more modern (2011) digital camera that’s as good as the diminutive Pentax Q line of mirrorless cameras.

But add a little modern technology in the form of scanners and excellent photo software, and the almost 50-year-old film camera and lenses loaded with Lomography color film stand up well when the original 110 lenses are also used on the Pentax Q cameras. Even the ability to use these tiny lenses on modern digital mirrorless cameras including M4/3 cameras is hard to believe.

I’m sure the original designers of the Auto 110 camera and lenses never dreamed their lenses would be used on a digital camera, but here we are.

Film size vs digital sensor

It’s easy to see that the 110 film of the Auto 110 camera compares in size to the Pentax Q sensor.

It’s important to note that the 110 film size is comparable to the size as the Q’s digital sensor. A frame from 110 film measures 13 mm × 17 mm (0.51 in × 0.67 in), while the digital sensor in the Pentax Q measures (6.17mm x 4.55 mm) 1/2.3 in.

For a look at what the Auto 110 and Pentax Q can do using the Pentax 110 manual lenses with Lomography’s B&W film, check out my earlier post here.

For a comparative look at the Pentax 110 vs the recently unveiled Pentax 17, check out my post here.

“If you are a Pentax 110 owner, you owe it to yourself to purchase a Pentax Q and an inexpensive adapter to use these exquisite lenses in a digital format. And, if you are a Pentax Q owner, you must get your hands on some of these 110 lenses to make magic with these 40-plus-year-old tiny lenses.”

All this being said, the convenience and the autofocus prowess of a Pentax Q teamed with one of the four exquisite autofocus lenses from the Q lineup, is both easier to use and more accurate than using the film camera with its manual focus lenses, especially when your eye sight isn’t quite up to snuff.

I found that images shot on the more modern autofocus Q lenses were considerably sharper than those shot with the 110 lenses. However, many of today’s photographers who are looking to add a more vintage style to their photographs may prefer the look of the older lenses and increased grain that comes with the 110 film.

Lomography’s Tiger color print film passes the test

Let’s first take a look at Lomography’s Tiger colour print film photographed with the Pentax 110 lenses. It’s important to note that I scanned this film manually by hand on two different scanners, both of which are not made for scanning the downsized 110 film.

Unlike the Orca B&W film that was scanned professionally by The Darkroom, I chose to go it alone with the colour film Tiger. The C-41, 200 ISO film results were mixed showing high grain typical of 110 film stock reducing sharpness as well as generally low contrast that made the images seem even softer.

Technical details of the film is limited because Lomography does not publish them. Tiger film is available only in the 110 format from the Lomography website. Whether Tiger is simply a repurposed film from another manufacturer is difficult to say at this point, but we can consider it as a standalone film for this review.

The grain is high as a baseline in this film and only amplified by the tiny format that 110 delivers upon magnification. All of the issues that this magnification creates such as grain, image softness and tonality are also amplified. As a result, the images do not show a lot of gradation in colours and tones.

The dynamic range of this film is decent by 110 standards with shadows and highlights can both be retained in even lighting conditions but not so much in high contrast situation say in full sunlight with deep shadows. Chances are you’ll either blow out the highlights or lose the shadows.

The size of these negatives amplifies the already limited tonality and tonal range in this film. The acutance of the film is low, but the contrast is high helping to give the film a more sharpened look.

Later in this article when the Pentax 110 lenses are used on the digital Pentax Q, it becomes obvious that the high quality Pentax lenses can easily outperform this film. It’s important to emphasize, however, that the very flaws of this film is what makes it interesting to those who are striving for the vintage look in their images.

It’s probably best to use this film in subdued light in open shade or during the blue and golden hours of the day. The images below provide examples of images shot in this more favourable lighting conditions.

Nevertheless, the scans still provide us with a good idea of how the film performs under different circumstances. The following are a number of images taken with the Pentax Auto 110, the 18mm, 24mm and 50mm lenses.

Lomography rates this color negative 110 film at ISO 200 and describes it as gorgeously grainy, especially when enlarged and add that it is “great for vibrant snapshots in the urban jungle.”

This image was taken on the Pentax Auto 110 with Lomography’s Tiger colour print film.

An overview of the city photographed with the Pentax Auto 110 using Lomography’s Tiger color film.

A local historical building photographed with the Auto 110 on Lomography Tiger. Detail is good but not as good as the digital image below.

The vintage look of this image works well with the historic building.

Color and detail is good in this garden image shot on Lomography Tiger film and the Pentax 110.

This garden image of milkweed illustrates the detail Lomography’s Tiger film stock is capable of producing.

Pentax Q test images for comparison

As you can see the images turned out satisfactory after modest editing in Lightroom. Most of the images are a little soft and grainy but, again, if a vintage look is what you are after, then Lomography’s Tiger film and the Pentax 110 system delivers with flying colours.

The lack of grain in the Pentax Q digital images makes for sharper images with increased contrast and colour.

Below, are a few of the same images using the Pentax Q and 110 lenses as well as a few using the Pentax Q with Q autofocus lenses. You can be the judge of what works best depending on your taste and the effect you are going after.

Image shot with Pentax Q and a 110 manual focus lens.

Image photographed with Pentax Q and the Pentax Q’s 06 autofocus telephoto lens. The lens is equivalent to a 70-200mm F2.8 lens in 35mm terms.

Pentax Q with 24mm manuL focus 110 lens.

This image was shot with the Pentax Q and 01 prime autofocus lens.

Image shot with Pentax Q and 110 manual focus lens.

Overview of the city taken with a manual focus 110 lens.

This garden pond image was taken with the 24mm manual focus 110 lens on the Pentax Q. The below image was taken with the digital autofocus 02 lens from the Pentax Q lineup.

This image was taken with the Pentax 02 lens from the Q lineup of lenses.

Lomography Tiger vs digital: pros and cons

If sharp images are your goal, the Pentax Q and the autofocus lenses are the clear winners. The Pentax Q digital comes out on top if you are looking for cleaner, less grainy images with more pop in colour. Although, with careful post-process editing, I’m sure it’s possible to get high quality results with the 110 film.

If a grainy, more vintage look is what you are trying to achieve, that vintage look is still certainly attainable on the digital Q system with some creative post processing. Of course, the vintage look is literally built into the results of the Auto 110 film camera loaded with Tiger’s colour Lomography film.

One final point that I think is important is the cost of shooting 110 film vs digital. Let’s not fool ourselves, this vintage look comes at a high cost. Not only is the film difficult to get (available only from Lomography) developing and scanning the film also gets expensive. It’s probably fair to say that any 110 film is the least cost effective method of shooting giving the lowest yield option for colour film shooters. In addition, the amount of plastic used in the cartridges is not very environmentally friendly.

Lomochrome Turquoise is out of this world

Lomography’s Lomochrome Turquoise might be out of this world, but I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.

Test results show the film is grainy and benefits from post processing in Lightroom to bring out its unique qualities.

That being said, the finished results are worth exploring further. I can’t help but think the film would perform better on a more forgiving film stock like 35mm and 120 film where the extensive grain is less noticeable.

To achieve these other worldly results, Lomochrome Turquoise is another color channel swapping film similar to Lomochrom Purple. With Turquoise, Lomography simply swaps the red and blue dies. The red layer releases a yellow die instead of its normal cyan, and the blue layer releases a cyan instead of its normal yellow die. The green layer is unaffected and creates the magenta die. This effect can more or less be achieved digitally in Photoshop by swapping the red and blue channels in post processing.

Lomography states this about its specialized C41 film introduced in 2021 and rated at a flexible 100-400 ISO. I shot mine at ISO 200.

Lomography says to “pick up this color negative film to explore a wonderland of tantalizing turquoise tones.”

The following are a few examples of Lomography Turquoise on the Pentax Auto 110 vs similar images on digital with the Pentax Q.

This image shows the colour shift in the sky that is a trait of Lomochrome Tourquoise.

This image shot with Lomography Turquoise illustrates the extreme colour shift of the film turning reds into blues. In other images, clear blue skies come out with a heavy orange tint.

The colour shift is evident in this picture of the barber shop. All the blue elements in the picture are actually red in real life.

The orange sky is typical with this film when there are bright blue skies.

Pentax Q digital examples for comparison

The following images are comparison shots taken with the Pentax Q series of cameras and lenses.

Pentax Q with 08 wide angle zoom lens.

Pentax Q with 01 prime lens. This image shows the original colours of the store in comparison to the colours displayed in the above image shot on Lomography Turquoise.

In conclusion: Lomochrome Turquoise on 110 film vs Pentax Q

There is no question the digital Pentax Q gives more pleasing realistic images with much better grain or digital noise. It’s also possible to attain the same effect as Turquoise in digital by swapping out the red and blue channels in photoshop. I suspect, however, that this would defeat the purpose of shooting these experimental films for those who still enjoy shooting with film stock and analog cameras.

It was a fun experiment shooting with both Tiger and Turquoise. Would I shoot them again? Probably not. The cost of developing and printing these films is just a little too high for the results I have been able to attain even using the high quality Pentax Auto 110 system.

I am very happy that I purchased the Auto 110 system to experiment with occasionally with analog film, but I am particularly pleased that the full line of 110 lenses can be used effectively on the Pentax Q digital cameras to give them renewed life well into the future.

If you are a Pentax 110 owner, you owe it to yourself to purchase a Pentax Q and an inexpensive adapter to use these exquisite lenses in a digital format. And, if you are a Pentax Q owner, you must get your hands on some of these 110 lenses to make magic with these 40-plus-year-old tiny lenses.

Living with Wild Turkeys in the garden

Attracting cardinals, blue jays, nuthatches and other garden birds to your yard is one thing, but wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) – that’s on a whole other level.

They are large. Massive, in fact, and their oversized feet capped with claws can make short work of a properly manicured garden bed. If you’ve got a layer of black landscape fabric under the mulch, plan to have most of the that ripped up and left in a dishevelled mess under the feeders.

An Eastern wild turkey routs through leaves in the backyard looking for insects.

But that’s a mild inconvenience. I’m more than happy to endure some inconvenience to see these magnificent birds strutting their stuff through the garden and bedding down in our fern garden.

I don’t want them sticking around forever, but for a few days in spring or fall, it’s just fine with me.

If you have never seen wild turkeys, you may not be looking in the right places. These massive birds are often seen walking in fields or on the edges of deciduous and mixed woodlands. They are well adapted to this environment, foraging for food during the day and roosting in trees during the night.

For more on wild turkeys, you may want to check out “The Wild Turkey, Biology and Management.”

A male wild turkey under our bird feeder filling up on white millet bird seed. 

What do wild turkeys eat?

Turkeys are omnivores, meaning they will eat seeds, nuts, berries, snails and a host of insects. Acorns are by far their favourite food. Oak trees, once again, come to the forefront of must-have trees to have in your yard.

For more on why oaks are so important in our landscapes go here.

Eastern wild turkeys will also readily eat small mammals such as mice and voles helping them to become a gardener’s friend.

They typically forage in the morning and evening, but can also, at times, be seen during the day. They especially like to go into corn and wheat fields after the harvest and feast on the remaining grains.

Identifying male and female wild turkeys

The distinctive gobble, beards and beautiful tail feathers of the male makes them easy to identify.

In North America primarily in the United States there are five native subspecies – the Rio Grande, the Merriam’s, the Osceola, the Eastern, and the Gould’s. But we are here to talk about the native eastern wild turkey.

Turkeys are wide spread across the United States up into Canada as far north as Quebec and down south into Mexico.

An immature wild turkey strolls through the garden. The trailing beard gives away the sex of the bird, although a small percentage of females also grow beards.

Why did wild turkeys become almost extinct?

Over hunting the clearing of its woodland habitat and the loss of its staple food to chestnut blight made this, the largest of North American game birds, one of the rarest. But the Wild Turkey has made and impressive comeback and is now found in every state except Alaska.

According to the Ontario government website: The eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) was reintroduced into the province in 1984 and is now a thriving population playing an important part of the biodiversity of Southern Ontario.

Today, it is estimated that more than 100,000 turkeys call Ontario home. All of these wild turkeys are descendants of the original 274 turkeys that were released around 1984.

“Unregulated hunting and clearing of native forests for agriculture caused the extirpation (regional extinction) of wild turkeys from Ontario in 1909,” the Ontario government website states. “Efforts to restore wild turkeys began in 1984 and were successful. Ontario experienced a rapid expansion of the number and range of the birds in the province. Because of forestry, agriculture and milder climatic conditions, the occupied range of wild turkeys in Ontario is now larger than the historical range.”

Reintroduction programs throughout the United States introduced wild turkeys in the early 1990s have also proved very successful and helped wild turkeys become a “species of least concern.”

Why have wild turkeys come to my yard?

And, it is this group of reintroduced wild turkeys that have decided to spend several days in our yard primarily gorging on our bird feed, but also systematically routing through our fallen leaves looking for insects. The fact that our fallen leaves are left on the ground – unlike most of our neighbours – is one of the reasons the wild turkeys have chosen our yard to feel at home.

For more on why it’s important to leave fallen leaves in the garden go here.

Raking up leaves and disposing of them not only kills so many insects and other wildlife that depend on them to overwinter, it discourages birds and other animals from coming to our yards in search of food.

One of the three wild turkeys spending a few days in our yard cleaning up the spilled bird feed and routing through leaves looking for insects.

Wild Turkeys in the garden

There is no mistaking a wild turkey in the yard. If a crow or even a raptor is the largest bird you’ve had in your yard, you better be prepared for what appears to be a prehistoric invasion of the avian kind.

This year I’ve counted as many as nine roaming through the yard scratching for insects and seeds buried just below the duff of the woodland floor. That was in the early summer when the babies were old enough to more or less have their adult feathers but still quite small to be mistaken for a very large group of crows.

There is no mistaking the trio of male wild turkeys we’ve been entertaining this week in the yard. These are three wild turkeys looking for food for the long winter ahead.

And what better place to find it than beneath our bird feeding station.

When I say large, I mean about three feet tall.

These wild turkeys are actually 1 of 5 sub-species and is the most common one found in Canada and the Eastern half of the United States. They also have the widest range of each of the five sub-species.

The eastern wild turkeys actually live in diverse habitats but can usually be found in a near hardwood forest and in agricultural fields.

They are the largest of the five sub-species. Adult males, also known as a gobbler, average just over three feet in height (91 centimeters) and can weigh up to 25 pounds (11.34 kg). Juvenile males, also known as jakes, will typically be 2.5 feet to 3-feet in height and average 16 pounds (7.25 kg). While female turkeys known as hens, are slightly smaller than jakes and weigh around 9 pounds (4.082 kg).

To keep warm during our cold winters, Adult wild turkeys typically grow 5-6,000 dark yet extremely colourful feathers. The feathers are actually beautiful and appear to change colour when light hits them at different angles.

Wild turkeys also have some of the best eyesight of any animal or bird. Their eyes are positioned on each side of their heads giving them an almost 360 degree field of vision. They also have excellent colour and depth perception, and don’t have to shift their focus to see other objects at different distances, meaning everything in their view is always in focus.

Wild turkeys generally roost or sleep high up in trees where they are safer from marauding coyotes and other predators. But when it comes to laying their eggs, hens prefer the ground. Eastern wild turkeys lay their eggs from late March to May, typically laying and average of eight to twelve eggs.

This process can take one to two weeks to complete as hen turkeys tend to only lay one egg a day.

The hens do not collect sticks or other material to build a nest, instead choosing to lay their eggs directly on the ground, often in a grassy areas protected by overgrown bushes. The incubation period lasts 26 to 28 days.

The baby wild turkeys are called poults and are able to fly and run shortly after hatching. Both Wild Turkey parents care of the poults teaching them how to find food and avoid predators. In addition the male will help to incubate the eggs.

The poults usually stay with their parents for several months learning how to find food and escape predators.

Wild turkeys live in groups called flocks. These flocks can have just a few birds up to several hundred birds.

The courting period of wild turkeys is certainly the most entertaining time of the year. This phase happens just before and during the nesting period when the gobblers strut their stuff much like a peacock showing their 18 tail feathers in an impressive show meant to catch the attention of a nearby hen. Although strutting is used to attract hens, it is also used to show dominance over other male turkeys. As a result, strutting can often be seen outside the typical courting season.

During the mating season, the top of the gobblers’ heads turn a pure white during this strut further showing off the spectacular colours in their face and neck ranging from bright blue, reds and whites caused by blood vessels in their heads and necks. The male turkeys can control these colours which helps to communicate to other turkeys what kind of mood they are in.

The more colourful the tail, the more attractive it is to female turkeys.

In addition, the fleshy, wormlike piece of skin on their foreheads just in front of their eyes just above the beak is referred to as the snoot. It also has the ability to change colours along with its shape ranging from short and stubby to long and colourful.

Wild winter of turkeys

Our wild turkeys decided to stay with us all winter allowing for some interesting winter images.

Male turkeys produce a loud and rather unique vocalization called gobbling. A gobble can be heard up to a mile away and is used for a variety of situations. Most of the time, however, turkeys are quite elusive birds that spend most of their time clucking and purring to one another. These much lower calls can be harder to hear unless you are very close to the bird. The variety of clucks can mean many things, from friendly and courting purrs, aggressive fighting purrs and even warning clucks to alert other turkeys that danger is near.

Turkeys are capable fliers and can run up to 25 miles per hour but usually only do this when they are trying to escape a predator.

Wild turkeys are an important part of our ecosystem. In the garden and in the wild, wild turkeys help control populations of insects and rodents,

It is the state bird of six states including Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri and Pennsylvania.

Climate change has played a role in Eastern wild turkeys’ success in Canada including Southern Ontario and into colder regions into Quebec. They are also found as far west as the Dakotas in the United States.

Differences between wild and domesticated turkeys

Domestic turkeys tend to gobble all year long rather than just in spring. It’s head and neck are covered with more parenthelated skin and its snoot, which hangs over its bill, is much longer. It is said to have a smaller brain and are unable to survive outside of captivity.

Domestic gobblers can also weigh up to 50 pounds.

A wild turkey in the snow looking for seeds and hidden insects. Turkeys will also eat mice if they can find and catch them.

Selective breeding has also created the domesticated white turkey.

The wild turkey is far more alert, its neck and legs are longer and its body is more streamlined. Adult males have a beard which grows four to five inches a year and can get up to a foot long on three-year-old gobblers. But because they only grow so long, they are not an accurate measure of age. Although the beards look like long hair, they are actually a tuft of modified feathers.

About one in twenty hens also have beards.

The gobblers and hens spend most of the year apart, using a variety of vocalizations to locate one another for mating season.

Every flock has a dominant gobbler. The spurs on his lower legs indicate his age more accurately than his beard, The spurs grow about half and inch per year and go from round the first year to blunt after two years to sharp three years to very hip at older than three years.

Nearly all turkeys live within a five mile radius but a foraging flock may wander widely.

Tips to create more living space by reducing lawn

A new area in the garden created around a fire pit, takes advantage of removing unused turf grass to create a more useful garden area.

Adding a fire pit, water bowls and a great place to relax

Reducing or even eliminating your lawn is one of the most freeing endeavours you can do for yourself. Not only does it free you from having to spend hours cutting, weeding and fertilizing turf, it opens up a wealth of opportunities to create more useable areas in a garden.

It doesn’t matter if your yard is an acre or a postage stamp, reducing or eliminating the lawn creates opportunity to add quiet sitting areas and secret gardens spots that become places you want to go to rather than another patch of grass that demands attention on a weekly basis.

The fire pit is the perfect place to relax during the cooler months. Built away from the house and trees, it creates a more useable space than the turf grass it replaced. More changes are to come including the inexpensive plastic adirondak chairs that are being replaced with green higher quality chairs.

Interested in creating more living spaces in your garden? Check out my other post here about creating a backyard that fulfills all your needs.

For the past 25 years I have been reducing our lawn to the point that it now covers only a tiny fraction of our property and requires only about 5-10 minutes of cutting on a weekly basis. That beats the up to two hours of cutting that was needed when we first moved into the home. In those days I often turned grass cutting into a two-day project.

Even back then, I new that spending that much time cutting grass was neither sustainable, nor something I wanted to do in my retirement years. Slowly, over the first few years the lawn in the front yard was removed and replaced with a large meadow/woodland garden with a separate Japanese-inspired garden.

In time, the backyard grass began to disappear as new gardens took shape. A massive fern garden planted with dogwoods, redbuds and serviceberries took care of a huge swath of useless turf grass and created a cool oasis for animals and birds to escape from the summer’s heat.

A larger view of the garden shows the fire pit area in the centre looking back at the house and gardens.

More recently, I decided I needed a separate area in the garden to finally make use of a long unused Weber fire pit to enjoy an open fire where I could relax and cook over an open flame during the approaching cooler months.

Time to get rid of more grass.

Whether it’s one of the newer and very impressive Solo smokeless units, or an older one you already own, a fire pit can be an outstanding addition to the garden.

First step: Decide on a design plan.

Since the remaining grass was contained in a circle with gardens all around, we decided to create a secondary circle that intersected the previous circle resulting in a circle that protruded into the original one and kept the circular theme.

The biggest mistake people make is to create a garden space that is too small resulting in an area that doesn’t sit comfortably in the landscape and restricts them from either giving plants the room they need or making the area appear too cramped. In this garden area, four people could easily sit around the fire pit with as many as six if necessary.

• Once we had the design concept, it was as simple as digging in a plastic edging in the circular form.

• Rather than removing the grass, we simply set the battery-powered mower to its lowest setting and scalped the grass to within an inch of its life. That made laying black landscaping cloth over the grassy area much simpler.

• With the black landscaping fabric down, ensuring the grass would be killed off over a period of time, all that was left was to put down a Thick layer of shredded cedar mulch. A word of warning, spreading a thin layer of cedar mulch will only lead to problems down the road when the black landscaping is exposed allowing grass and weeds to grow up.

• A solid two- to three-inch layer of mulch is a good start. The thick layer will not only hold the landscape fabric in place, it will also further reduce any chance of light getting through to prevent grass and weeds from growing up. It should be topped up over the years. (At some point, the black landscape fabric can be removed leaving a thick layer of mulch to keep weeds at bay.)

• It took about 36 bags of mulch to cover the large area. Thankfully, the mulch was on at firesale prices and although I thought 26 bags was more than enough we had to add more. Unfortunately, the store ran out of natural cedar mulch so an edge of black cedar mulch was added. Although I would not have originally used the black mulch to edge the project, I have grown to like it over time.

• A fire pit, a few water bowls, some comfortable seating and fresh firewood and we have turned a useless patch of weedy grass into a useful and interesting part of the garden that uses the garden as a backdrop for enjoying the garden with friends as the cooling days of autumn approach.

Another idea that would work in this space

• If a real fire pit is not allowed in your area (you could use a propane fire pit), or its something that does not interest you, the area would be perfect for a quiet sitting area that provides a new view of your garden. Add a nice birdbath, a small tree a side table for a glass of wine and a couple of comfortable chairs. A bird feeder – maybe a hummingbird feeder – with a couple of large containers filled with some of their favourite plants would be a great place to relax with your children, grandchildren or friends.

• The area could also be the focus of a bubbling rock feature with a sitting area. Don’t have electricity? Today’s higher quality solar pumps are capable of moving enough water to create a lovely sound and enough water to attract birds and wildlife.

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Author Profile: Vic MacBournie is a former journalist and author/owner of the award-winning website and newsletter Ferns & Feathers. He writes about his woodland wildlife garden that he has created over the past 25 years and enjoys sharing his garden photography with readers.

Pentax 17 has taken analog photography to new heights

The new Pentax 17 is taking film photography to new heights.

Does the Pentax 17 signal a return to film photography?

The recent introduction of the Pentax 17 half-frame film camera has taken analog photography to new heights, reminding long-time photographers about the joys of past times and introducing a newer generation to the art of film photography.

For those still sitting on the fence about analog photography, there’s probably a film camera in a drawer somewhere just waiting for you to pull it out and relive the joys of cocking that film winder, hearing the clunk of a shutter and waiting with anticipation for your film to be returned.

An overhead view of the new Pentax 17.

For those who might only occasionally wander into the garden or take snapshots of the kids or grandkids, shooting film is not only still viable, it may be the easiest way to get actual pictures in your hand. Travellers and occasional snapshooters can take advantage of existing equipment to relive the joys of film photography or, if they are really serious, take a close look at the Pentax 17.

There has already been plenty written about Pentax’s new offering aimed primarily at the younger Instagram crowd who want to experience film and look cool doing it. An old camera around their necks – unless it’s a Leica – just might not cut it in the same way as having the handsome Pentax 17 in their hand. Add a vertical format and double the frames of a vintage 35mm camera and the New Pentax is looking pretty sweet.

Even for us “vintage” photographers, the nostalgia factor might be enough to give serious consideration to the well-built, and quite frankly sexy Pentax 17.

But there are options to get into this new analog trend, dare I say phenomenon.

I chose the other Pentax trend setter from years past – the Pentax Auto 110 – to hop on the trend.

Pentax’s other ground breaking film camera was released more than 40 years ago with an array of lenses, a winder and add on flash.

Pentax’s other innovative film camera the Auto 110

I recently took up the challenge with the Pentax Auto 110 system and a roll of B&W “Orca” film from Lomography. (For more on Lomography, check out their website at Lomography.com.)

In its time, the Pentax Auto 110 system was as innovative as the Pentax 17 is today. The miniaturized camera system complete with six interchangeable lenses, its own electronic winder and a flash, made this the talk of the town.

The Pentax Auto 110.

But, unlike so many digital cameras whose sensors and other critical electronics begin to fail, the Pentax Auto 110 still shoots the same 110 film it always has, but with modern scanners and software the results can be stunningly better than they were more than 20 years ago when the camera system was launched and grainy film was the norm.

(Of course in the true nature of film photography, real grain is a highly desirable addition to your images.)

Pentax Auto 110 vs Pentax 17

So how does the Pentax Auto 110 system compare to the newest film camera on the market, the Pentax 17.

I have yet to get my hands on a Pentax 17, but we can still make comparisons to provide some answers into the new world of analog photography. (An interesting aside is that the thumb winder on the Pentax 17 is actually based on the exquisite winder on the original Auto 110.)

A word of note: the Pentax 17 half-frame camera gives you 72 images on a 36 roll of 35mm film.

Negative size compared

Let’s start with the negative size. The 110 negative is 13mm x 17mm and the new half-frame Pentax 17 is 17mm x 24mm.

Advantage the new Pentax 17.

But wait, the significant advancements in scanning and photography software makes this advantage a little less important when it comes to the finished product whether that is a digital file or a print.

When it comes to lenses, the Pentax 17 boasts a modern 37mm equivalent lens that is said to create sharp, contrasty images with great colour. It does, however, depend on zone focus rather than manually focussing the lens.

The Auto 110 system, on the other hand, boasts a total of six lenses with the 18mm, 24mm, 50mm and exquisite 70mm being the showcase lenses for the system. Focusing these lenses is easy with the pentaprism and split screen focus technology. And all the lenses are excellent, highly rated f2.8 fast lenses that can even be used on more modern digital cameras with the proper adaptors. (For more on using Auto 110 lenses on the Pentax Q and Micro 4/3 lenses.)

Advantage Auto 110 system.

Garden statue at our local public garden.

Then there is the separate flash and winder for the 110 system which probably gives it a slight advantage over the new Pentax 17.

But, the Pentax 17’s outstanding looks, greater ability to control the final image with its exquisite over-under exposure dial on the top of the camera, its ability to set ISO on a separate dial and its modern functions enabling the user to set a wider f-stop to better control bokeh, are difficult to compete against.

These factors, along with other modern conveniences probably gives the new Pentax 17 the overall edge by what some would say is a healthy margin.

Exactly what you would expect from a comparison of 40-year-old technology vs modern technology.

But that does not mean the Auto 110 system is not still a viable option if you are looking to dive into the world of analog photography. And, of course, there are a myriad of used full-frame 35mm cameras in drawers, at on-line auctions, and on camera store shelves that are still viable options.

What can you get out of a Pentax Auto 110 together with modern scanners and advanced photography post-processing software? Let’s take a look at the first roll of film through the camera.

I am currently putting a role of color film through the Pentax 110 which will be followed by a Lomography specialized film. Stay tuned here for more reports on film results with the Pentax 110.

This image of backlit bullrushes shows the possibilities of pulling out detail even with the small negative size of the 110 film.

The Pentax Auto 110 and a roll of Orca B&W film

All of these Auto 110 images and those above in the post have been developed and scanned by The Darkroom and then processed with Lightroom Classic.

Let’s start with a few of my favourites from the roll of 24 images.

The above image of one of our historical buildings in town takes advantage of the vintage grainy look of the 110 film and the B&W captures that feel even further.

A public garden with its impressive weeping willow surrounded by spring bulbs takes centre stage in this Auto 110 B&W image.

A garden scene turns its focus on the curves and textures in this B&W image photographed with the original 18 or 24mm Pentax 110 lens.

A farm field and trees works in this B&W image taken on the Auto 110 with Orca film.

Trees in a cornfield stand out against the sky showing a significant amount of grain.

Our town hall seen through the Frame of a garden structure.

Another historical building is captured in B&W within the frame of a garden structure.

A fence line takes on the vintage look with the 110 film.

Film photography is not going away any time soon

Whether you think film photography is nothing more than a trend, or a movement that is not going away any time soon, most photographers will admit a certain love affair with the vintage look film can give to their images.

Sure, with a little work in Photoshop or Lightroom a quasi film-look is possible to obtain with digital images. But, it’s not the same as capturing the film look on film possibly with a vintage camera, or maybe even the new Pentax 17.

Shooting with the original Auto 110 with its excellent lenses is great fun. Developing 110 film is not so much fun because it can be expensive. The Pentax 17 solves the expense problem by using 35mm film.

If you already own an Auto 110 system, by all means get out and shoot with it. That fun experience might just lead you to the newest Pentax 17.

And that’s a good thing.

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Author Profile: Vic MacBournie is a former journalist and author/owner of the award-winning website and newsletter Ferns & Feathers. He writes about his woodland wildlife garden that he has created over the past 25 years and enjoys sharing his garden photography with readers.

Pentax Auto 110 vs The Pentax Q: A study in B&W

Film vs digital in the garden

I’ve always admired the Pentax Auto 110 camera system. Back in 1978, Pentax released the tiny 110 camera along with three lenses – 18mm, 24mm and 50mm. It was followed in 1981 by the Auto 110 Super and three more lenses including a zoom and an all-metal 70mm telephoto. They are fast f2.8 lenses.

Fast forward to 2011, when Pentax drew from its rich history of tiny, high-quality cameras and lenses and released the incredible Pentax Q digital camera. Little did the Pentax engineers and designers know back in 1978 that their tiny 110 camera lenses would make a comeback 30-40 years later on a miniaturized digital camera.

A simple, inexpensive adaptor is all that is needed to fit the tiny 110 lenses onto the Pentax Q. And theses tiny, manual focus lenses work beautifully on the 110-comparable-sensor size of the Pentax Q line of cameras.

The miniature Pentax Auto 110 film camera, left, compared to the tiny Pentax Q. Notice how the film size is similar to the digital sensor making a comparison totally appropriate.

I purchased an almost complete 110 system with four lenses, a camera and flash, with no intention of ever using the camera to shoot film. But, after some thought, decided to at least run a few roles of film through the camera to compare the miniature Auto 110 with the tiny Pentax Q.

The decision led me down the road to Lomography, which is the company behind the resurgence of shooting film with vintage cameras. I purchased three rolls of film from Lomography – a B&W stock, a roll of colour print film, and a roll of Lomography’s specialty film that I’ll unveil in the final of this three-part series. The Lomography Orca 110 Film can also be purchased through Amazon.

The Pentax Q fitted with the adaptor and a 110 lens together with the remaining Pentax 110 lenses and the Pentax Q 50mm for size comparison.

Garden showdown with 110 lenses

Using 40-plus-year-old lenses on a digital camera is great fun, but how do they compare in a shootout between the digital Pentax Q and the original Pentax 110 film camera?

In a three-part feature, I’m comparing the two cameras using the original 110 lenses – the Auto 110 using film and the Q series taking digital images.

And, what better way to start than with a comparison between black and white images – digital vs 110 film.

Be sure to read to the end for a special comparison involving a third tiny Pentax camera.

A word of note: Although both cameras used the original 110 lenses, different crop factors created by using the lenses on both cameras resulted in different images. As a result, I used primarily the 18mm on the Pentax Q digital camera and the 24mm on the Auto 110 film camera. No metadata is available with the film camera images and, because the camera decides the f-stop and the shutter without revealing that information to the photographer, there is no way of knowing the data.

Mounted to the Auto 110, the 18mm wide-angle lens has the equivalent angle of view to a 35 mm lens on a 135 mm format, the 24 mm (50 mm equivalent), the 50 mm (100 mm equivalent) and the 70 mm (150 mm equivalent).

If you are wondering how these lenses translate in the world of traditional 35mm on the Pentax Q series, consider the 5.35 times crop factor of the original Pentax Q and you are left with the following: 18mm = 96mm, 24mm = 128mm, 50mm = 267mm and finally the 70mm = 374mm. The same lenses on the Q7 or Q-S1 – with a larger sensor and a crop factor of 4.65 – results in the following: 18mm = 83mm, 24mm = 111mm, 50mm = 232mm, and finally 70mm = 325mm. These numbers are rounded off, but you get the idea.

Lomography’s Orca, 200 iso, B&W print film can be expensive to process.

I used Lomography’s 200 ISO Orca film stock in the Pentax Auto 110, and set the ISO to 200 on the Pentax Q. On the Q, a fixed F-stop was used with the introduction of a home-made rubber washer inserted into the adaptor. (See earlier post here for more information.)

First impressions: Not the best results?

My first impression of the film images was not favourable. I felt the amount of grain overpowered the image and made them almost unusable. That, of course, was simply an over reaction on my part after having used digital cameras for so long. The scanned film’s grainy images soon grew on me and, with a little tweaking in Lightroom, I began to appreciate the scanned images more and more.

The small size of 110 film has never been a favourate film for photographers looking for a fine-grain image. And, of course, the more it is enlarged the larger the grain becomes.

(To see all of my Orca B&W images, check out my photo gallery HERE.)

In this post, we’ll explore both the “straight out of camera (SOOC)” images, as well as some that have been developed further in Lightroom and Photoshop.

Let’s take a look at a few images, shall we?

A garden bridge (SOOC) leads to a magnolia tree just beginning to open in a local public rock garden. This scanned film image shows high grain compared to a similar digital image below photographed with the Pentax Q and 18mm 110 lens.

The same garden bridge photographed with the Pentax Q and 18mm 110 lens.

The same film image with a little de noise added in Lightroom results in a slightly more pleasant image.

Local historic building photographed with Pentax Auto 110 on Lomography’s Orca film stock. The heavy grain seems appropriate with the subject matter.

A digital image of the same historic building photographed with the Pentax Q. Notice that the image’s grain or noise structure is much softer in this image compared to the one above.

The shooting experience: Pentax 110 vs Pentax Q

The shooting experience between the film and digital camera was really quite different and definitely favoured the much older and simpler Auto 110 film camera.

The combination of the very bright built-in viewfinder on the film camera, together with the split-image focussing screen, made the experience of shooting with the vintage film camera a real joy, not to mention the ease of getting sharp images. (Of the roll of 24 B&W images, about 22 were useable.)

On the other hand, trying to manually focus using the LCD screen on the back of the digital Pentax Q was difficult at times, especially in bright daylight. Although the camera features magnification to assist in focussing, the ability to get perfectly sharp images was often challenging. This is where the Q’s fine assortment of autofocus lenses would have come in handy.

That’s not to say that shooting the 110 lenses on the digital Q was not enjoyable, it was. But, compared to the original film camera that the lenses were made for, it presented some challenges.

A garden scene with the Pentax Auto 110 film camera.

A similar scene shot with the Pentax Q.

The film image above after some tweaking in Lightroom.

Here are more images taken with the film and digital cameras that illustrate the difference in grain and noise between the two formats.

I’m not going to go into too much detail at this point, preferring to leave more details for part-two and -three of the series comparing the cameras and lenses.

This image shows one of our town’s historic buildings. It is a straight scan out of the camera with no tweaking done in post processing.

A similar image taken with the digital Pentax Q and 18mm lens.

Cherry tree scans straight out of camera.

A similar image photographed with the Pentax Q and 18mm, 110 lens.

Adding the Pentax I-10 to the group

Earlier in this post, I mentioned that I was going to add a third camera to this comparison. The Pentax I-10 is another miniaturized, vintage digital camera produced by Pentax just before the introduction of the Pentax Q, and one that fits into this comparison nicely.

A tiny threesome used in this comparison. From left: the Pentax Q digital camera, the I-10 digital and the Auto 110 film camera.

It has a similar-sized sensor but has a built-in autofocus lens that gives it an advantage over the other two cameras, especially if age makes getting proper focus more and more difficult.

Below, are a few comparison images adding the Pentax I-10 to the group.

Image taken with the Pentax I-10 digital camera with its built-in autofocus lens. You can see the fine detail that has been brought out in this image photographed at at 160 of a sec at f5.3 and ISO 80.

The Pentax I-10 creates a beautiful, smooth image with little to no grain (noise) in this image of a bridge in the garden.

Garden bridge photographed with B&W film SOOC with the Pentax Auto 110.

The same image as above after a little de noise added to the photograph in Lightroom. I also removed some distracting elements in the scene.

The Darkroom tackles processing and scanning the 110 film

The Darkroom was the lab I chose to turn my B&W 110 film into digital scans and negatives. I can say the process and the results were excellent, but the final price tag was not.

I’m not sure of the final cost, but between purchasing the film from Lomography, paying for the mailing costs from the Toronto area to California and then adding the cost of developing, scanning and mailing the negatives back to me, it was not inexpensive. In fact, the cost I’m estimating to be over $60 Canadian, made the whole endeavour something that only the most dedicated film photographers would want to turn into a weekly or even monthly habit.

A few times a year might be something to consider, but digital cameras have certainly turned me into a penny pincher when it comes to paying for images.

I know, however, that there is a growing number of photographers who don’t like or want to be bothered with the whole digital process preferring to have prints in hand rather than digital images to deal with on their computers. And, if you already own the 110 or a 35mm film camera, than the costs may not be too exorbitant.

I’m sure if you live in the U.S. and scan your own 110 film, the final price can be brought down considerably, but the high cost is certainly something that would make me think twice about shooting another roll of B&W, 110 film.

I’m told my next roll – colour print film – is much cheaper. Stay tuned.

Flower photography: Exploring Lensbaby’s creative effects

First impressions of the original Lensbaby Composer and close-up lenses

A Flowering Dogwood bloom photographed with a Lensbaby Composer and close up lens.

If you enjoy creative, interpretive flower photography and have yet to explore the Lensbaby series of lenses, you owe it to yourself to get your hands on one or more of these specialized lenses.

These “babies” are made for flower photography.

Of course, the Lensbabies lens’s unique characteristics can bring new life to portraiture, landscapes, still lifes and street images, but they truly shine in the garden where the goal is to capture delicate, romanticized images where overall sharp focus is not the end game.

It didn’t take much for the Lensbaby Composer to win my heart when it comes to creative flower photography

The enjoyment from the first time I tried out the lens opened a new world of creative flower photography for me. In the past, I have used selective focus (check out an earlier post) to create soft, delicate images of flowers in the garden.

The Lensbaby Composer allows me to take this creative approach to a whole new level.

Rocky Mtn. Columbine photographed with Lensbaby Composer and close-up lens at f2.8.

These babies are made for creative flower photography

It takes some practise to get confident with the lens and learn how to use it effectively. The key is to experiment and don’t be afraid to fail at first. Keep experimenting and exploring the lenses to find their sweet spots at various apertures.

These are not typical photographic lenses. In fact, the Composer double glass 50mm lens is probably one of the most unique lenses you’ll ever use.

My copy was actually made for a Canon full-frame camera, but a simple inexpensive adapter makes it perfectly useable on any micro 4/3 mirrorless camera. (Lensbaby lenses are available is most photographic camera mounts)

The well-built, 50mm lens, first introduced back in 2008, becomes a sweet 100mm equivalent on a micro 4/3 camera and the two close-up filters (4X and 10X) turns the camera into a magnificently creative 100mm macro or close-up lens.

There are also supplementary wide angle and telephoto attachments that offer more possibilities when used with the macro filters.

A word of caution – everything is manual on this lens from focusing to adjusting the f-stop.

Speaking of f-stops. On the original composer, different magnetic metal discs (see image below) are actually dropped into the front of the double glass lens to give you your chosen f-stops.

While the system works brilliantly, it can be a little clunky changing f-stops in the field. More modern versions of the lenses include the ability to choose the f-stop on the front of some of the add-on lenses.

But wait. The good folks at Lensbaby filled me in on some details that make the original Composer even better.

Let me explain: The Lensbaby optic swap system (in this case the Composer and the Double Glass) is a multi-element system. In order to be able to use the lens and take a photo you need two elements: the optic swap body, which acts like the lens barrel (in the case the Composer) and the optic or Double Glass element. So, it is actually not the Composer that dictates how you change the aperture but the optic. I am told by Lensbaby that my double Glass element can be swapped out for other optics, both current and discounted including (for example) The Double Glass ll which has built in aperture blades.

That makes the system even better, but I don’t mind dropping in the f-stop discs. It’s a minor inconvenience that can even add to the fun of this unique system.

In fact, since the creation of the original Composer back in 2008, Lensbaby has released a number of outstanding lens designs that enable photographers to create different creative effects from the Composer Pro with its multiple drop-in lenses (Amazon.com link to Lensbaby lenses), to its impressive Velvet line of more traditional “soft focus” lenses. This American company, based in Portland, Oregon, has continued to push the creative boundaries in photographic lenses and has developed a cult-like following among dedicated flower, portrait and creatively minded photographers.

For a closer look at Lensbaby offerings, including lenses and special effects filters, check out their website here.

The secret to the Lensbaby Composer and more recent Composer Pro lenses success is their ability to rotate on a ball socket creating its selective-focus effects.

By moving the lens around the ball joint, the main focus or “sweet spot” of the image changes position in the scene. Depending on the size of the aperture, the sweet spot is large (f8 to f16) or small (f2.8-f4).

By keeping the lens pointed straight ahead, the middle of the image is sharp while the outer edges are progressively soft depending on the aperture disc used.

In other words, if the lens is held straight, the middle is sharp. If the lens is tilted, that focus point shifts in the frame according to the amount of lens tilt. It takes very little movement along the ball and socket to create different focus effects, so it’s best to take it slow at first to get a feel for what works best.

It all sounds complicated, but in reality it’s not complicated at all.

And, once you begin to get the hang of it, your creativity and fun factor can take off.

After just a few uses here are some of my results.

Bee on cherry blossoms photographed with the Lensbaby composer and double glass 50mm.

A native bee checks out a cherry blossom in early spring. In this image, I used the Lensbaby Composer and 4x close-up lens with a slight tilt toward the been to ensure it was sharp while the remaining parts of the image were left to go into a dreamy, out-of-focus effect. Notice how the bee is very sharp, showing the capability of the lens at higher apertures. This image was shot at f5.6 or f8, hand held on a Lumix GF1.

Here is an example of how the middle of the Lensbaby remains sharp if the lens is straight and a small aperture is used.

Another image of cherry blossoms taken the same day most likely with the same settings. By setting the lens straight ahead without any tilt, it is possible to get a very sharp image in the centre of the image, with sharpness falling off in the corners. higher F-stops increases sharpness and reduces the amount of blur in the corner of the lens. It’s important to note that even subjects on the same focal plane will be blurred the closer they are to the corners of the frame or simply away from the area of focus.

This Canada Anemone was shot with the Lensbaby Composer at f2.8.

In this image of a Canada Anemone in bloom in our garden, a very large aperture (F2.8) combined with the X10 close-up filter created a very dreamy image where very little is in sharp focus. That’s okay because the qualities of the lens creates the delicate, soft-focus image I was trying to achieve.

Bleeding Hearts shot on Lensbaby Composer.

Similar to the image above, these Bleeding Hearts in our garden were photographed to create a dreamy, delicate image. The 10x close-up filter and f2.8 setting, created the delicate image I was trying to achieve.

This image of bleeding hearts was taken with the same settings from a different perspective. By placing a flower in front and behind the main subject, I was able to experiment with using a little selective focus in combination with the Lensbaby’s already creative approach.

Bleeding hearts photographed with Lensbaby Composer 50mm double glass lens.

This final image of Bleeding Hearts shows a cluster of the flowers taken without any close-up filters. Notice how the main flower in the centre of the frame is sharp while flowers on each side progressively become less sharp as they move to the edges of the image. This softness is evident even though the blooms are more or less on the same focal plane.

The following are a few more of my favourite images taken this spring with the Lensbaby Composer 50mm double glass lens.

A flowering Dogwood blooms in our garden photographed with the Lensbaby Composer and close-up filter.

A Canada Anemone focusing on the yellow stamens while the remaining parts of the image create a dreamy look to the image.

Yellow Columbine shot with lensbaby and 4X close-up filter.

Blue Columbine photographed with Lensbaby and 4X close-up filter.

An extreme close-up image of a Blue Columbine shot with the 10x close up filter at f2.8.

This image of an allium growing in the fern garden shows how the Lensbaby Composer with double glass element is capable of delivering extremely sharp images. This was photographed at F8 with the lens set straight ahead.

Not every flower image has to be a closeup. Here, dogwood flowers form the backdrop in a tranquil scene with ferns and a bird bath.

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Author Profile: Vic MacBournie is a former journalist and author/owner of the award-winning website and newsletter Ferns & Feathers. He writes about his woodland wildlife garden that he has created over the past 25 years and enjoys sharing his garden photography with readers.

The art of capturing Cherry trees in bloom

These Cherry trees in blossom at a nearby public garden were taken in soft, overcast morning light with my Fujifim X10. I thought including the empty bench was an important element of the scene and helped to ground the image.

Five tips to photograph the essence of these beautiful trees

It’s early spring and the Cherry tree blossoms are emerging along with tourists looking to capture the ultimate selfie. I’m here in our local botanical garden with my tripod and a couple of cameras looking to document the cherry trees in all their beauty.

The early morning light is at its best and most of the “tourists” are still at home just getting out of bed. That’s a good time to begin shooting. Not only is the early morning light at most locations at its best, but this is the only possibility of capturing the trees alone in the landscape.

Tip one: Get out early to beat the tourists and capture the trees in their best light. Getting up early is always a good idea whether you are photographing the trees in your own garden or at a public garden. Light is the key here and soft morning light on these trees in bloom helps to capture the soft petals in a delicate light.

Also, since the flowers on the trees are white or pink, consider over exposing the image 1/3 of a stop to “hold the whites” and not end up with a muddy, underexposed images that fall short of what you are seeing. The camera is going to want to turn those lovely white/pink flowers middle grey. By overexposing the images slightly, the whites are kept clean. Use the over exposure button available on most modern cameras.

Don’t forget to move in close to capture the unique characteristics of the flowers. This image was taken with the Lensbaby Composer together with closeup filters. For more on the Lensbaby, see below.

Cherry Tree bloom: A worldwide attraction worth capturing

The cherry tree blossom is a phenomenon that sweeps across the world as spring arrives creating a spectacle from Japan’s incredible displays to the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington where tourists and residents even turn to websites to help them find the ultimate location to capture a photograph.

Whether it’s Japan’s incredible sakura cherry blossom show, the Washington display, a local cherry tree festival or a beautiful tree blooming in your backyard, the secret to capturing these delicate blooms is a combination of an ideal scene and good timing.

For the blossoms, that time is during peak bloom, which is defined as when at least 70 per cent of the cherry trees have fully opened. This year, peak bloom for the Yoshino cherry trees in Washington hit around March 17. In Toronto, Canada, peak bloom was around the week of April 21-26th. In Japan the sakura bloom lasts from late March through May.

The best viewing of the cherry blossom trees typically lasts four to seven days after peak bloom begins.

This image uses a more photojournalist or “street photography” approach by capturing a young child collecting fallen blossom petals from the trees.

Tip two: Try to get out a few times during peak bloom.

Capturing good images of the cherry trees in bloom is best achieved by visiting the trees several times during peak bloom. By making multiple visits to the cherry trees at different times of day, your opportunity to capture the potential of different scenes and changing light increases dramatically. It’s also an opportunity to explore different approaches from macro photography to a more journalistic approach of documenting the tourists.

Capturing cherry blossoms should include moving in close to individual blooms. Here, I used the 50mm Lensbaby composer to capture a lovely group of blooms with selective out-of-focus elements that creates a delicate look to the image. By finding a branch that hangs down, I was able to obtain a soft green background.

Image shows a lovely cherry blossom cluster in soft or selective focus.

Tip three: Be creative. Try to go beyond just documenting the trees in bloom.

It’s also a great opportunity to try different lenses, and cameras in an ideal environment. Pull out your cell phone to capture images that can instantly go on to social media, but use your cameras and specialty lenses to capture the more atistic and intimate images.

Experiment with different cameras and lenses when you have such a perfect subject. Here, I used a vintage lens 18mm 110 manual focus lens on my tiny Pentax Q to capture this image.

In the above image, I used a vintage lens meant for vintage 110 lenses on my tiny Pentax Q to capture the image. It’s not only fun, but again it provides you with an opportunity to give your lenses a real work out to create more unique images from different perspectives.

Use a macro lens to capture up-close images of the individual blooms at life size. Open the lens up to its maximum aperture and include out-of-focus cherry blooms in front of the lens while focussing on a more distant bloom to create a beautiful “selective focus” image.

On a recent visit to photograph cherry blossoms at our public gardens, I focussed on a more artistic approach using a 50mm Lensbaby on my Olympus micro 4/3rds system. By working with a Lensbaby lens, photographers can create interesting out-of-focus elements in their images.

The combination of finding a native bee on the cherry blossom while photographing with the Lensbaby was too much to resist. The combination added a natural element to a creating approach.

Tip four: Look for special situations that add a surprising element to your images. While I was working with the Lensbaby, I noticed a native bee sitting on one of the blossoms. It created the perfect opportunity to add a natural element in a creative way.

Don’t wait for blue skies to get out with the camera. While blue skies can make for dramatic pictorial images, overcast days are ideal for capturing soft light. But don’t stop there. Rain can add further drama to the scene whether you are shooting close-up images or taking a more pictorial approach.

This extreme wide angle image shows the intricacy of the branching together with the profusion of flowers. The blue sky works as an ideal background to the pink flowers.

Tip five: Get right under the canopy of the tree and shoot up with a wide angle to capture the intricate branching of the tree. If there is a blue sky, consider using a polarizer to deepen the blue and show off the flowers. Lay on the ground and look up. Also, this is the ideal time to experiment with many of the built-in filters incorporated in many digital cameras. Try the soft focus filter for a delicate look. Although many photographers use them for portraits, they can work well with flower photography.

Black and white images might be something you want to experiment with while you are photographing the trees.

If you are looking up at a white sky, try shooting with the high-key filter to create a very light and airy image. In addition, consider shooting in black and white for dramatic results.

Try experimenting with ICM or intentional camera movement. This is a technique where the photographer uses a long exposure and moves the camera during the exposure. Results are varied, but interesting images with a creative flair are possible using ICM. In the photograph below, two images of the cherry tree were sandwiched together in photoshop to create a single image. The first image is the traditional one while the second is a very abstract image of the trees during significant camera movement. Included is a smaller photo showing the ICM image.

Finally, don’t be afraid to incorporate the cityscape in the background whenever possible to help give the image a sense of place. If you are shooting in Washington, be sure to include elements in the scene that gives readers an idea of where you photographed the image. Consider shooting a panorama of the scene or pull out your extreme wide angle for a unique feel.

In this image, I combined to photographs. One is the traditional image and a second image, using intentional camera movement, was placed over the original to create a soft pink veil.

This is an ICM image of the cherry trees that was used to create a double exposure in the above image by sandwiching it with a more traditional image.

In conclusion, take advantage of an ideal situation

Whether it’s a sea of cherry trees blooming in a public garden, or a single tree in your own garden, consider it an opportunity to go to town. Focus on capturing that iconic image but don’t be afraid to stretch your creative vision to the max. Bring out your widest lens, a fisheye or extreme wide angle. Pull out a macro lens, use built-in filters or add them to the front of your lens.

Find unique angles… shoot the scene like a photojournalist would and include people in the scene. Look up, look down. Return to the scene at different times of the day, during bright sunny days, overcast days and even rainy days.

Use the opportunity as a learning experience and most of all have fun.

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Author Profile: Vic MacBournie is a former journalist and author/owner of the award-winning website and newsletter Ferns & Feathers. He writes about his woodland wildlife garden that he has created over the past 25 years and enjoys sharing his garden photography with readers.

Pentax I-10 Digital is forgotten gem with vintage style

A CCD, feature-rich point and shoot that captures beautiful garden images

The Pentax I-10 might be a tiny camera, but its classical vintage styling and feature-packed offerings make it the perfect carry-around camera for beginner photographers looking for a capable camera while sporting a very real cool factor.

Available in classic black and stylish white, the 14-year-old digital point-and-shoot camera from Pentax’s Optio line, boasts a built-in 5X, 28-140mm lens, along with a long list of shooting modes and interesting filter effects including a BW setting, toy camera, several portrait and macro modes, a soft focus effect filter and a variety of picture frames.

And, while it’s simplicity makes it ideal for beginners, even seasoned photographers wouldn’t mind carrying this stylish, yet pocketable little gem around with them at all times.

The tiny Pentax I-10 is a point-and-shoot camera with a 28-140mm equivalent lens.

There’s plenty of capability here for the average photographer looking to simply capture their gardens, flower and insect photography, kids, pets, vacation and about-town images.

Add to the already impressive feature list a total of 12 megapixels and sensor-shake image stabilization.

Oh, and did I mention that it features a CCD sensor? Yes, that same sensor that photo enthusiasts all over the internet are craving for to create a vintage look straight out of camera.

Not bad for a camera released in 2010.

It’s long out of production, but if you look on eBay and other on-line photo retailers these sweet little cameras come up for sale, often in mint condition for a very good price. I picked up mine on the day of this shoot from a lovely woman on Kijiji for $60 Canadian in mint condition complete with the original box a 6 Gig SD card and even a great little carrying case.

This tiny trio of Pentax cameras illustrates how the company perfected tiny but high quality cameras. The Pentax Q (left), the Pentax I-10 Digital (centre) and the Pentax Auto 110 film camera (right).

Vintage styling based on the classic Pentax 110 camera

If the Pentax I-10 reminds you of a camera you’ve seen before, you are probably right. The I-10 released in January 2010, was based on the vintage Pentax 110 Auto camera, released on June 23, 2011, and was the camera released just before the more modern miniaturized Pentax Q series of tiny Pentax gems.

One look at all three cameras and it’s not hard to see that Pentax builds beautiful tiny classic cameras. In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say “no one does it better than Pentax.”

The Pentax I-10's rear view shows the 2.7-inch screen.

The Pentax I-10 point and shoot is no exception. Behind its seriously good looks is a 14-year-old point and shoot camera with extremely high build quality right down to the leatherette covering the front of the camera.

When you consider this is a point and shoot from the Optio line the Build quality is even more impressive. I’ve never cared for Pentax’s Optio line of consumer cameras until I saw this one.

“To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. Actually, I was shocked with how well it performed.”

— Author

I took all three cameras – the digital I-10, the 110 film camera and the original Pentax Q – along for a walk through a rock garden on a rainy morning as part of a website post I am working on comparing the three cameras.

It was only the first time I used the Pentax I-10 but, after only a few minutes running through the menu system, I was ready to explore what this vintage-looking camera could do and compare it to my much-loved Pentax Q and eventually the Pentax Auto 110.

To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. Actually, I was shocked with how well it performed.

A weeping willow stands guard over the public garden.

Pentax I-10 goes to work in the garden

Behind the cute, retro styling 12MP sensor, 2.7" LCD with 720p HD movie shooting and a 5x zoom covering a 28-140mm equivalent range, is an impressive little point and shoot performer. Mind you it’s not going to give you poster sized prints. Because of the small sensor, its dynamic range isn’t going to blow you away, and severely cropping images might be a little risky. But if you are looking for eye-popping colour from the jpegs right out of the camera, you’ll be impressed. Especially since this camera fits into your pocket or purse with lots of room to spare.

In the garden, I set the camera to landscape mode, set the ISO to no more than 200 and went to work. The landscape mode boosts greens and blue skies and worked well for the subject in hand. I switched to macro mode for a shot I stumbled upon and was surprised with the result, but more on that later.

I’ve been a Pentax fan all my life and the results from the morning shoot gave me no reason to think otherwise. Pentax lenses have always been a selling point and this little lens punched above its class, but especially in the wide-angle range. Telephoto shots were a little soft, but nothing post processing can’t fix in a flash.

Colors were exceptional. This may have had as much to do with the shooting conditions as the lens, but I was truly impressed.

The ease of use is certainly a selling factor for me. Set it on landscape mode and let the camera do the work. I traditionally would not want the camera to make most of the choices, but the choices the camera made suited me just fine in this instance.

Being a point and shoot camera means there is little to no control over shutter speed and f-stops. The camera also shoots only jpegs, leaving RAW to more seasoned photographers. If you can live with these limitations, then this is a camera that might interest you.

For a more complete breakdown of the camera’s features, check out Photography blog’s review here .

I stumbled upon this lovely little image of a pine cone in grasses and used the camera’s macro mode to capture it. Later, I turned it into a lovely black and white image in camera. (inset)

Two macro functions and fun filters on the Pentax I-10

I was particularly impressed with the macro functions on this camera. The first macro setting, easily accessed on the back control button, gets you close-up photography that allows you to focus on a subject that is 8cm away from the camera. The super macro mode gets you even closer to true macro, mind you the camera has to be very close to the subject.

Using the in-camera filter, I was easily able to convert the coloured jpeg into B&W.

I stumbled across a lovely little image along the path of a pine cone in some grasses. The resulting hand-held image was stunningly sharp thanks to the camera’s anti-shake feature, and rendered the colors beautifully thanks in part to the CCD sensor and rainy, overcast conditions.

Once again, the toy-like Pentax came through delivering images that would please most casual photographers.

I wanted to turn the closeup image of the pine cone into a black and white but for the life of me could not find the filter settings in the menu system. It wasn’t until later that I discovered that the filters for this camera could only be used after the image was taken.

By hitting the image review button, photographers have access to a number of very impressive filters including black and white. Once you make the conversation, you can choose to save it separately, make a copy or overwrite the existing image.

This is a great way to reconsider any photograph you took on your outing. By adding a filter, or even a digital picture frame, you can create new images while still having the original.

Not only did I convert the close-up shot to black and white, I also added a frame that gives the image a more of a lomography look. There are lots of silly frames for use with family images as well.

Another image turned into a B&W, but in this image I added one of many frames available in camera.

While flipping through the available filters, I noticed the camera included colour extract filters.

I enjoy looking for images that work with colour extract filters because they can be very effective. The image below shows how effective the “extract” filter can be if used successfully. One of my final images during the shoot was of two bright red Adirondack chairs beside a massive rock overlooking the garden. It was the perfect opportunity to use the color extract filter set to red. The camera turns the image into B&W and then “extracts” only the color the photographer stipulates in the image.

When faced with a situation like the one below, the extract filter is exquisite.

The image, a perfect ending to an overcast day in the rock garden.

For more images from the same outing, check out my post on three garden design tips from a public garden outing.

The Pentax point and shoot includes an extract filter that allows the photographers to choose a color that is extracted from the scene before it is turned into a B&W image. When used successfully, the resulting image can be extremely effective.

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Author Profile: Vic MacBournie is a former journalist and author/owner of the award-winning website and newsletter Ferns & Feathers. He writes about his woodland wildlife garden that he has created over the past 25 years and enjoys sharing his garden photography with readers.