Shooting the P65+ at slow shutter speeds

f/5.6 2.0 ISO100

f/5.6 21.0 ISO100

I wanted to test a theory about capturing rushing water using a neutral density filter (3-stop) attached to a Cambo WRS with a P65+ and 72mm Schneider lens.  I packed everything up to return to Granite Creek this morning to see just how well this combination would work.

f/5.6 20.0 ISO100

f/5.6 15.0 ISO100

The majority of the f/stop was set at 5.6; however when looking more directly towards the sun I stop the Schneider 72mm down to f/32 and sometimes just f/16.  I kept the ISO at 100 for all image captures.  Then there's the shutter; the fastest time used was 2-seconds and the longest 32-seconds.

f/5.6 5.0 ISO100

f/5.6 32.0 ISO100

f/5.6 16.0 ISO100

So what did I learn?  The P65+ is more than capable of producing long shutter activations; and, using the equipment described above I was able to get what I refer to as smokey water.

Anyone else see a shark?

f/16 21.0 ISO100

f/32 16.0 ISO100

Let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Don

Wyoming Buffalo

We're now entering the time where buffalo and elk are heading into the Jackson Hole area.  We've been noticing the buffalo herds near Moran Junction slowly growing in numbers with many new born calves.  

Don went out with a WY State Trooper Sunday afternoon showing him our Ford Raptor and went by Moran Junction where they saw what looked like the convergence of at least 2-herds of buffalo.  We returned Monday afternoon to see that they're still there.

The majority of the images included here were taken with the Canon 1DsIII and the EF 70-200 lens.  While we had the new Canon 1.4 and 2 extenders we found they weren't needed as most of the buffalo were very close to the road. 

We've included a few of the images attempted with the Leica M9 and 135mm just to give an example of its capability.

We've had great success the first part of the week shooting sunrise to sunset and frankly we're tired so today is a catch-up day with reviewing and initial processing of images as well as equipment cleaning.

We don't want to close this without sharing images of a Bald Eagle we stumbled upon yesterday while exploring the Granite Creek area.

Once again, thank you for allowing us to share and remember your comments, thoughts, and suggestions are always welcome.

 

Sandy & Don

Shooting the Leica M9 and Voigtlander 50mm f/1.1

We've been having a busy week going into our 3rd week in the Jackson Hole area.  This issue of our blog will center on a great find of ours this morning as we were driving south towards Pinedale WY.  Approximately 24 miles south of Jackson we past a small sign directing us towards Granite Creek Hot Springs and we decided to turn off the road to visit the area.

The images included here were all taken using the Leica M9 with a Voigtlander 50mm f/1.1 and a Hoya neutral density (4-stop) filter attached.  The lens was closed down f/16, the ISO pushed to 80 and shutter speeds from .5 to a full second. 

The images were all taken this morning along Granite Creek.

Once again the Leica M9 has shown me it can be used to capture landscape images rather well.

Thanks for visiting and let me know your comments or questions.

Don

By the way - we never made it to Pinedale....

Jackson Hole WY Week Two (Hand holding the Cambo WRS)

Old farm house, Squirrel ID

Cambo WRS1000 P65+ Schneider 72mm Handheld

We're at the end of our second week of shooting in the Jackson Hole WY area.  This post is the 4th part of recent posts showing sample images taken with the Leica M9, Canon 1DsIII and a Cambo WRS 1000 technical camera coupled with a Phase One P65+ medium format digital back.

Old farm house, Squirrel ID

Cambo WRS1000 P65+ Schneider 35mm Handheld

I won't bore you with how much I like shooting landscape with the Cambo as I've already done that in other posts.  I'll add as a bit of reference/history that I chose to shoot landscape with the Cambo WRS1000 3-years ago as a means of getting better images with a combination of cleaner-larger files.  I was fortunate to try the WRS shortly after its release and have been pleased.

Snake River

Cambo WRS1000 P65+ Schneider 72mm Handheld

Cambo designed the WRS1000 for the digital shooter; the body is slightly smaller while positioning the movement controls on the rear of the body.  The one small downside for me was the handles - they just seemed a little to too small.  I shoot a lot in various types of weather and conditions.  I've shot in some areas where while it was warm I still required some sort of gloves to get from place to place.  Likewise I shot in the dead of winter with very cold temps and snow and need to wear heavier gloves just to feel my fingers.  I found the original grips to be worrisome in providing a firm grip while handling the body and often times removed my gloves to set the camera on the tripod.  Handholding to me was just not an option as I just didn't feel I had a firm grip with or without gloves.

100% crop of below

The Cambo offered wooden grips and everything changed.  I wrote about replacing the grips earlier this year so I won't go into that here.  What I will say is that the wooden grips not only makes the WRS1000 great looking they are also extremely functional.  We've had some cool enough temps here that required wearing gloves and I've found the handling of the WRS vastly improved from taking it from the pelican case to placing it on the tripod. 

Along the Snake River, WY

Cambo WRS1000 P65+ Schneider 72mm Handheld

 

Then there's the ability to use the WRS as a handheld camera.  I've talked to Ken Doo about the general feel of handholding the camera and the best I can describe it is it's like holding and shooting an old press camera.  It is easy to do.  I've tried it using all 3-lens and in general find no real difference between shooting a 35mm to a 72mm or the 120mm.  I do use the viewfinder which helps and also use the 35mm mask with the 35mm and 72mm mask with both the 72mm and 120mm lens.

Test shot for location setup

Cambo WRS1000 P65+ Schneider 120mm Handheld

In short, while the majority of my landscape images are shot on tripod I have found myself much more open to using it off tripod.  

This was cropped for more of a panorama look

This is the last post from our second week in the Jackson Hole area; stay tuned for more as we begin our 3rd week.

Field of Buffalo, Moran WY

Cambo WRS1000 P65+ Schneider 72mm Handheld

100% crop

100% crop

Thanks for visiting and remember, your thoughts, suggestions and comments are always welcome.

 

Don

Jackson Hole WY Week Two (Cambo WRS)

Cambo WRS1000 P65+ Schneider 35mm

Cambo WRS 1000 P65+ Schneider 35mm

We spent close to 30 days in the Jackson Hole area last year and decided to return almost as soon as we left.  This is the end of our second week with at least 6- more to come.

Cambo WRS 1000 P65+ Schneider 72mm

Cambo WRS 1000 P65+ Schneider 120mm

I've had a love affair with the Cambo WRS1000 since I first held it and 3-years later the feeling hasn't changed.  I've added new wooden grips to the Cambo which has made it easier to handle in setting it up as well as shooting it handheld.

2-shot pano

Cambo WRS 1000 P65+ Schneider 72mm

The biggest difference from last year is the upgrade from the 39 megapixel near full frame P45+ to a 60 megapixel full frame P65+.  I've written about the difference between the P45 and P65 which include a change from the Kodak sensor to that of a Dalsa not to mention of the huge jump in resolution.  Needless to say, I've seen a vast improvement in images this year from last.

Multiple shot images for focus

Cambo WRS 1000 P65+ Schneider 72mm

We've shared images in week one from Oxbow Bend and will include more here as well as Flagg Ranch Road, Teton National Park, and Polecat Creek which is very near Yellowstone National Park.

2-shot pano (cropped)

Cambo WRS 1000 P65+ Schneider 120mm

I've separated images from those taken on tripod from those handheld and will share the handheld later on.

Cropped vertical 2-shot

Cambo WRS 1000 P65+ Schneider 120mm

Once again thanks for visiting and remember your comments and questions are always welcome.

Next up handholding the Cambo WRS1000.

 

Don