I expected this weekend to be sort of hard and boring. I rented a camera, to see if I liked it. Instead, I fell in love with the camera, and found a part of myself that I dind’t realize was missing. This is my review of the Nikon D750. It goes like this: I’ve spent over half my life at this point looking through a camera of one kind or another. The camera has always been my way of understanding the world. So, when I said on instagram that “It’s like I’d lost half my vocabulary and now I’ve got it back,” I meant exactly that. It’s that feeling of walking into a room and turning a light on, or putting on glasses and suddenly remembering that trees have leaves again. Except, of course, all of the cognitive processes are thing that don’t have words, so it’s hard to even know that they’re gone. Anyway, definitely getting one of these as soon as possible. I’m suddenly bullish on SLRs again. I shot all of these photos on the way home. Every time I see a picture, I can get it with this camera. The weak link in the equation is once again me. Am I too slow? Is the camera set weird? Otherwise, it’s bang on. So, where before I would see a picture and not be able to get to the camera in time, with this, I can get the shot. Realizing this, I see a lot more. The world moves, and I move with it, dancing. The camera isn’t perfect. The shutter button is a hair trigger, so a half press doesn’t feel much different than a full press, but that is probably a matter of getting used to it. The focus modes aren’t super clear, but again, that’s probably a learning experience. There’s noting else to complain about. ISOs up to 8000 are really quite good. The photos here have been pushed another three stops in post. I’d use 12800 without hesitation. The AF is AMAZING. That picture with the birds? I could barely see them, but it nailed it. That’s all, except to say that I’m super stoked to buy one of these, so much so that I’m not going to bother renting the D810 to try. It’s heavier and a touch slower. Not that I’d notice the difference in real shooting, but I’ve found the right machine. Why fuck around? <div class=”center”> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/got_my_words_back/392/0001.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/got_my_words_back/392/0002.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/got_my_words_back/392/0003.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/got_my_words_back/392/0004.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/got_my_words_back/392/0005.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/got_my_words_back/392/0006.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/got_my_words_back/392/0007.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/got_my_words_back/392/0008.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/got_my_words_back/392/0009.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/got_my_words_back/392/0010.jpg’ /> </div>
Posted by matt on 2015-01-12T04:25:41Z GMT
I am again two months behind. Oh well. This was a fine evening in very dim lighting. As someone who sometimes shoots under just starlight, I shouldn’t have been deterred, but I kept stumbling with the autofocus, and it’s very frustrating. The first two photos were all I could manage. The third is from a walk the night before, to get to some restaurant (of which I can only remember the good company of our friend Otto and amazing fried chicken). <div class=”center”> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/mels_birthday/393/0001.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/mels_birthday/393/0002.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/mels_birthday/393/0003.jpg’ /> </div>
Posted by matt on 2015-01-05T05:57:18Z GMT
Haven’t blogged in a while. I meant to over the holiday, and didn’t get around to it. Resting, thinking really hard. Not a lot else going on. The watch project is going really well. I’ve nothing to show for it yet, but the next version is going to be really interesting. Totally new design. On the photo front, I’ve once again gogtten myself a backlog of several months. I’ve had a couple ideas for projects floating around, but I’m waiting to get a new camera. The fuji has been great for the last several years, but it’s gotten a little slow. Either that or the kind of photos I’m taking need a bit more. I miss a good fast camera. <div class=”center”> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/finally_blogging_again/394/0001.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/finally_blogging_again/394/0002.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/finally_blogging_again/394/0003.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/finally_blogging_again/394/0004.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/finally_blogging_again/394/0005.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/finally_blogging_again/394/0006.jpg’ /> </div>
Posted by matt on 2015-01-04T02:53:44Z GMT
For these photos, I did my best to white balance, but with all the mixed lighting, there’s no way to get it perfect. I still like the result. This was just a walk to meet Sophia, one day after work. The city is just fascinating after dark. <div class=”center”> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/let_the_color_be_crazy/395/0001.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/let_the_color_be_crazy/395/0002.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/let_the_color_be_crazy/395/0003.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/let_the_color_be_crazy/395/0004.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/let_the_color_be_crazy/395/0005.jpg’ /> </div>
Posted by matt on 2014-12-08T08:00:26Z GMT
The California coast is one of the most amazing places. I’m glad I was there, for at least a bit. I said to someone on twitter today (“@monicabyrne13”:https://twitter.com/monicabyrne13, “who’s book”:http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Road-Monica-Byrne-ebook/dp/B00GVZZL7A/ you should read, and who is awesome) that I’m almost always jealous of people that are somewhere else, as long as somewhere else isn’t somewhere I’ve been long enough to be disenchanted by. It’s really hard to hold still, with so much wonder in the world. Larry Ellison, of Oracle, has a house somewhere on this coast, probably one of the most expensive houses in the world. I’m not interested in a house on these hills, nor in amassing the fortune required to buy one. I’m happy to move through them, and see them, and move on. I’ve got a lot going on here in the next year or so, but after that, I may have to hit the road again. There is too much to see. <div class=”center”> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/views_from_the_1,_moving_up_the_coast/396/0001.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/views_from_the_1,_moving_up_the_coast/396/0002.jpg’ /> <img src=’https://images.matt.pictures/views_from_the_1,_moving_up_the_coast/396/0003.jpg’ /> </div>
Posted by matt on 2014-12-08T07:21:36Z GMT