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Two Reasons I’m Loving The Micro 4/3 Format

Posted by scottbourne on October 20, 2011
Posted in: Opinion, Technique & Tutorials. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Copyright Scott Bourne 2011 - All Rights Reserved - Olympus PEN E-P3 - Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Lens

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I still have too many cameras. No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to make any room in my gear closet. I get rid of one camera and I swear two more take its place. So with all these cameras laying around in my studio, why do I keep grabbing the micro 4/3-based Olympus E-P3?

Before I tell you why – I’ll tell you why not. It’s not because Olympus sponsors me – they don’t, and never have. It’s not because Olympus is an advertiser on this or any other project I am involved with – they are not and never have been. It’s not because they gave me the E-P3. They didn’t. I bought it from my friend Joel at Adorama with my own hard-earned cash. So now that you know why not – here’s why.

Copyright Scott Bourne 2011 - All Rights Reserved - Olympus PEN E-P3 - Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Lens

Number One

Size…

The E-P3 is the size of an old-fashioned rangefinder. It’s small, lightweight and easy to carry. It’s NOT a compact camera. It’s larger than almost any point-and-shoot, but it’s smaller than almost any DSLR. It doesn’t weigh me down like my DLSRs. It’s also less conspicuous. When I’m using the D3s or the 1D MK IV with a 70-200 lens, I get lots of people looking at my camera. They sometimes interrupt me with questions or just want to make small talk as gear heads are inclined to do. I understand that and if I’m just hanging around, I don’t mind. But since most of the time I have a camera in my hand I am working, it can be bothersome. When I use the micro 4/3 cameras, hardly anyone seems to notice.

Weight…

If you carry a bunch of camera gear everywhere you go as I have for literally decades, then at some point in time, your tired old bones begin to creak. As I get older, I appreciate more and more anything that is light weight. It’s just plain easier to carry, transport and use a light camera than a heavy camera. The micro 4/3 cameras are quite a bit lighter than their DSLR counterparts as are the micro 4/3 lenses. While image quality is important, if you’re too tired to carry or hold or operate the big heavy cameras, what good is all that extra image quality?

Copyright Scott Bourne 2011 - All Rights Reserved - Olympus PEN E-P3 - Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Lens

There are disadvantages to using a micro 4/3 camera system over a DSLR. For instance, the micro 4/3 cameras don’t perform as well in low – light and have smaller sensors. They are also not necessarily any cheaper than DSLRs even though they are smaller. But not every photograph requires a camera with good low-light sensitivity. And while micro 4/3 cameras won’t be producing too many billboard-sized photos, they have large enough sensors and back-end processing is good enough that standard 13×19″ enlargements (and even larger) look great. I’ve made and sold several images already that came from the Olympus PEN cameras. If the clients like it – I like it.

The micro 4/3 system isn’t for everyone, but if you’re looking for something that offers interchangeable lenses, in a small, lightweight design, check out a micro 4/3 camera.

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My Initial Thoughts On The Canon EOS-1D X Announcement

Posted by scottbourne on October 18, 2011
Posted in: News, Opinion, Tips. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

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Canon let everyone know this week that it really does have a new camera coming. Unfortunately, it’s not actually going to be available until spring of next year.

It’s probably a good thing because most photographers will have to pinch some pennies to be able to afford this new monster. With a predicted retail price of $6,800 it’s not for everyone.

The new flagship Canon is an 18.1 megapixel, full-frame DSLR that features a 61-point autofocus system, very high ISO range, 12 frames per second RAW capture and a new set of DIGIC 5+ processors. It appears to be more revolutionary than evolutionary since the camera offers many new features and functions. It’s got a heavy movie component and offers a little something for everyone at the pro level.

Let’s talk about megapixels -

Many of the initial comments I heard from fellow photographers included concerns that Canon was still playing in the megapixel wars by including an 18.1 MP sensor. The laws of physics dictate that the more pixels you cram onto a sensor, the more noise you’ll create in your image. There are ways around this if you have the right back-end, in-camera processing. Canon says that’s where their new DIGIC processors come in. They claim a full two-stop increase in low-light performance. It should be noted this is a SMALLER megapixel count than they used on the 1DS MK III and a LARGER sensor than they used on the 1D MK V. It’s a very interesting compromise and it just may work.

The big question is simply – is it really ALL THAT? Unfortunately, we won’t know for at least six months. I plan to reserve judgment until I actually see production versions of the camera in action. I own both Canon and Nikon DSLRs. In my experience, Canon has always been a stop or two behind the Nikons when it comes to low-light performance because Nikon chooses to use bigger pixels. Their 12 MP cameras have served me well and I’m not sure I need 18 MP. We’ll find out.

Beyond the sensor, here are some of the other highlights…

* The new 61-point AF system – 41 of those being cross-type sensors
* 100% viewfinder coverage
* Newly improved RGB metering with its own DIGIC 4 processor
* New 3.2″ LCD screen
* Full HD mob quality with new auto creation of movie files once the 4GB limit has been reached – 29-minute 59 seconds movie clip length
* Timecode for HD movie recording
* Manual audio level control with live meters and adjustability during recording
* Touch sensitive controls for use during movie recording
* Dual CF card slots
* Improved internal cleaning system
* Built-in Gigabit Ethernet port
* New intelligent tracking and face recognition systems
* 400,000 cycle shutter
* New buttons and better ergonomics

I think the most important part of this announcement is the fact that Canon is replacing two cameras with this one. Canon says the new EOS-1D X replaces both the EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS-1D Mark IV models. This signals to me that Canon, and perhaps the industry sees that it’s time to merge the capabilities of the high-end sports, wedding and photo journalism cameras. They are taking a genuine multimedia approach here that is worth noting.

The other big takeaways here are that Canon sport shooters will no longer have the 1.3 crop factor to give them longer effective focal lengths with their big lenses. That will require new thinking on their part. The other thing to note is that this is JUST an announcement. It’s not shipping. A lot can happen in six months. Canon clearly is nervous about the fact that Nikon is coming out with a new high-end camera THIS YEAR. Canon doesn’t want loyal customers to get nervous and jump ship, so they are hoping (as I predicted last week) to hold them in place with this announcement. Will it work?

If Nikon announces a new high-end camera with similar capabilities, shipping before Christmas, with a lower price point, I don’t think Canon’s promise will hold 100% of their customers. If Nikon prices their camera similarly, most Canon shooters will wait. But if Canon doesn’t make good on the March 2012 ship date, they could be in real trouble. Some may be concerned that this is similar to “vaporware.” Canon claims to be building production facilities capable of churning out 7000 of these cameras a month. I think that’s optimistic. In fact, I think the whole thing is optimistic. But I am very hopeful it works out. This camera could – for professionals – be a really valuable tool, especially for those who shoot video or sports or who need large file sizes.

If the camera ships in March I will buy one – if for no other reason than to test. Oh – and yes – eventually I’ll buy one to give away!

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Soft Focus and Blur

Posted by scottbourne on October 16, 2011
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials, Tips. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

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Post & Photo by Joe Farace – Follow Joe on Twitter

You don’t always need or want tack sharp photographs. Blur and selective blur, when applied to an otherwise ordinary photograph, can create a mood or look that fits an impression of the image more than the reality of it. Sometimes the distinction between creative blur and soft focus get confused, so let’s take a look at their differences.

When all or part of a photograph lacks sharpness, it’s blurry. Blur can be caused by camera or subject motion and can be accidentally or deliberately created by an object moving while the camera’s shutter is open or simply by the photographer moving the camera. The classical in-camera zoom blur effect is created by setting the shutter speed as slow as possible (small apertures help) and zooming the lens during exposure. Digital blurring is accomplished through software averaging of pixel values to soften edge detail and the effect can be produced digitally using Photoshop’s different blur commands, such as Radial Blur.

A lens that’s not corrected for spherical aberrations produces soft focus and creates a diffused look by bending light away from the subject so parts of the photograph are defocused while the rest remains in focus. Highlights are dispersed onto adjacent areas and the image still looks focused but some of its components are just enough out-of-focus so they’re softened. In addition, sharp lines and edges are slightly fuzzy and small details seem to disappear. It’s possible to capture soft focus effects by using dedicated soft focus lenses, such as Canon’s EF 135 f/2.8 SF, a camera lens filter or by using digital techniques.

Nik Software’s Color Efex Pro 4 suite of filters, for example, contains a Classical Soft Focus filter that mimics various kinds of soft focus camera filters used in traditional film photography. This in-post filter can add diffusion to an image while preserving detail much like the Zeiss Softar camera filter. Just like a Softar, Classical Soft Focus creates a soft focus image but not a blurry one and sometimes the only way that you can tell it was used is compare it against the sharper original which is why wedding clients will love this effect that doesn’t look like an effect. The control panel’s Soft Focus Method pop-up menu lets you select the type of effect from a subtle soft focus effect to more pronounced diffusion. The Diffused Detail slider controls the amount of random detail to maintain the appearance of some sharpness and prevent banding.

Joe Farace is the author of “Studio Lighting Anywhere” the second book in a trilogy or glamour and portrait photography from Amherst Media. It’s available on Amazon.com.

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Photofocus Podcast Episode #90

Posted by scottbourne on October 15, 2011
Posted in: Audio Podcast. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

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PLEASE BE PATIENT – OUR SERVERS SEE LARGE LOADS ON PUBLISHING DAYS. THE DOWNLOADS MAY GO SLOWLY BUT THEY WILL FINISH.

Feed URL: http://bit.ly/ffwv9n

Direct Download: http://photofocus.podomatic.com/enclosure/2011-10-14T19_24_57-07_00.mp3

Photofocus Episode 90

Host: Scott Bourne (www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne)

Show notes by Bruce Clarke (www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke)

Welcome to Episode Number 90 of Photofocus with Scott Bourne. Photofocus is the show devoted to your questions about anything photography related including gear, technique, locations, etc. Your questions will shape the direction of this show so be sure to send your questions to photofocus@me.com. We will try to answer as many as we can but we get a lot of questions so we’ll try to take a collection of questions that represent a particular topic and present them together.

This week we kick things off with a question about red eye:

Question One – Red Eye

I know this is a basic question but I still have trouble with it. How do I stop or remove red eye? Ann Hillenbrand, London UK

Scott: Red eye is caused when the camera flash is close to the lens. The solution is to get the flash off the camera. Try bouncing the flash or use wireless or radio triggers to get the flash off the camera. The good news is that if you do have some images with red eye, many of the photo editing applications on the market have tools that let you quickly remove red-eye.

Question Two – Photomerge

I heard someone talking about “photomerge.” What is that exactly? David Spear, New York, NY

Scott: This term is normally used to describe a process in photo editing software such as Photoshop where you are merging two or more photographs together to build a panorama.

Continue Reading

You May Want To Hold Off On That Next High-End DSLR Camera Purchase

Posted by scottbourne on October 13, 2011
Posted in: News, Tips. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you should know that this Fall, we’re expecting major announcements from Canon and Nikon regarding future camera releases.

I very, very rarely report on rumors here, but I have some decent sources that lead me to believe both Nikon and Canon have new, higher-end DSLRs coming relatively soon.

I think both companies know their customers are getting antsy. Both risk losing customers to other brands and formats if they don’t at least announce new cameras very soon.

I suspect that neither company will be shipping new cameras at the time of their announcement. These announcements will be what I call place holders. They will be intended to let the faithful know what is coming – and issued in an attempt to hold people in line waiting for a new camera body. It appears Nikon will actually start shipping new product before Canon does. Nikon may still even get a new camera body in our hands before Christmas. It looks less likely that Canon will be able to match that date, but time will tell. I also have reason to believe Canon is going to stagger their announcements. So don’t be surprised if you see something VERY soon from Canon and then again in November.

In any event, if you go out and buy a new high-end camera body now, you may be disappointed to learn it’s being replaced by a newer model soon. On the other hand, you may look at the new camera announcements as a signal that it’s a great time to pick up a current body at a discounted price, since the new camera announcements tend to put downward pressure on the market for used cameras and existing inventory.

So you have been warned and I advise patience – for a little while anyway – until we see what is real and what is not.

By the way – even if I knew exact shipping dates, model numbers and prices I couldn’t share them with you so please don’t ask. But do be aware of the general situation. It could help you make the right decision later.

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Photographic Pre-visualization in Post

Posted by scottbourne on October 11, 2011
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials. Tagged: , , , , , .

Copyright Scott Bourne 2011 - All Rights Reserved - Before Post-Processing

As some of you may know, I am a big fan of pre-visualizing your shots. If you can see it in your mind’s eye before you capture the image, you have a better chance of making a significant photograph.

I’ve written about this a bit with my Cranes in the Fire Mist shot. I pre-visualized this shot in camera.

I am not a photo-journalist. Accordingly, the only thing that matters to me is the final image. So for you purists out there who think merely owning a copy of Photoshop is an offense worthy of beheading, read no further. There’s nothing for you to see here.

For the rest, I am of the opinion that ANYTHING you want to do to a photograph to get it where you want it is A-OK! As long as you are not a photo-journalist representing the image as fact, it doesn’t matter to me what you do or don’t do in post.

Sometimes, for me, the vision I have in my mind is either too difficult or simply impossible to get in camera. Sometimes it’s merely extremely inconvenient. Whatever the case, I have no problem pre-visualizing in the field, what I plan to shoot – knowing what I will do in post will “make” the picture.

Copyright Scott Bourne 2011 - All Rights Reserved - After Post-Processing

In the case of the images in this post, I used post-processing to achieve the image I saw in my mind before I even got in the car. I was out scouting the local dry lake bed for the next Vegas SMUG meeting. I didn’t want to waste time so I also decided to make a photograph while on the trip. Knowing generally what the dry lake bed looked like, I decided to take my car out there and place a model, holding a silver material above her head. I was hoping for some sort of etherial vision shot with her and the car. The problem was, I saw this image as being more dramatic, made at dusk, and I was at this place at 9:45 AM. So I made the shot, then took it home, converted the RAW file out of my Nikon D7000 in Aperture, sent the image to Nik Color Efex Pro 4.0 where I used the White Neutralizer filter. Then I moved the image to TOPAZ Adjust 4.0 and applied the “Dark Ghostly” filter. This gave me a final scene that closely matched my original vision.

Note – this is not about which picture here that YOU like better. It’s about having you a vision and being able to execute it either in camera – or in post.

So unless you are a photo-journalist, the next time you go somewhere and see a shot that you can’t make under existing conditions, shoot it anyway and try to work it out in post. You never know, it might come out better than you think.

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Photofocus Podcast Episode #89

Posted by scottbourne on October 5, 2011
Posted in: Audio Podcast, Tips. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

Make sure you don’t miss a single Photofocus post – point your feed reader to the free Photofocus RSS Feed here and subscribe.

PLEASE BE PATIENT – OUR SERVERS SEE LARGE LOADS ON PUBLISHING DAYS. THE DOWNLOADS MAY GO SLOWLY BUT THEY WILL FINISH.

The Audio on this show is sub-par – sorry – we’re still struggling with our mics. We will have a better mic next week.

Feed URL: http://bit.ly/ffwv9n

Direct Download: http://photofocus.podomatic.com/enclosure/2011-10-04T18_08_55-07_00.mp3

Photofocus Episode 89

Host: Scott Bourne (www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne)

Show notes by Bruce Clarke (www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke)

Welcome to Episode Number 89 of Photofocus with Scott Bourne. Photofocus is the show devoted to your questions about anything photography related including gear, technique, locations, etc. Your questions will shape the direction of this show so be sure to send your questions to photofocus@me.com. We will try to answer as many as we can but we get a lot of questions so we’ll try to take a collection of questions that represent a particular topic and present them together.

Sponsor – Adorama

This weeks show is sponsored by Adorama – everything you need in a camera store.

This week we kick things off with a question about pistol grip ball heads for video:

Question One – Pistol Grip Ballheads for Video

Did you ever experiment with a pistol grip ball head for video? I ask because I purchased a Samsung NX100 as a compact/portable option to my D300 and was looking at multi-use, compact photo/video tripod and head options. J. Steven Horn

Scott: I have used them and really like them for stills for smaller cameras but I don’t find them sufficient for big dSLRs. For video I prefer a fluid tripod head so you can get a nice smooth panning motion.

Question Two – Recommended Strobes for Group Portraits

What power do I need for individual/small group portraits? I see lower cost kits with ratings of 100, 200, 400 Watt Seconds and pro kits up to 2400 Watt Seconds and more. What do I need for a starter kit? Nelson Wilkinson Milton, Georgia

Scott: The answer will depend on what you consider to be a small group. How much ambient light will you have where you are shooting? My general thought is that lighting kits that come in less than 500 watt seconds aren’t good for groups. The more powerful the head is, the faster it will recycle. Save up and buy the most powerful kit you can as you’ll never say you have too much power.

Question Three – Backup Drives

What drives do you use for backup now? I know a while ago it was the WD Caviar Black and know you switched but cant find what you switched to. Jim Clark

Scott: I did not switch, I use the WD Caviar Black drives and they go in the Wibetech drive bays. I will probably be switching to Promise Thunderbolt drives. Make sure you are backing up at least someplace.

Sponsor – Animoto

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Question Four – Color Profiling by Switching to sRGB

I was wondering, short of using a Spyder or Huey system as it is out of my budget presently, would switching my MacBook’s display profile to sRGB give me more accurate colors when opening an image taken in sRGB from my Canon T2i? Andrew Pantaleon

Scott: It might help a little bit but if you want to work on a color managed system, working on a MacBook won’t be the best because lighting will look different based on the viewing angle. I would recommend using a traditional monitor with a colorimeter.

Question Five – Software Purchase Recommendations

This is my dilemma! With my piggy bank stores up I am looking at spending my money on software. Is it better to spend on the whole suite and get the best deal or should I pick and choose? Is the integration of a suite (and the Topaz and onOne integration options) more important than more expensive ones and twos? I think all of the software makers will work this direction eventually. Eric Wojtkun of Burke, Virginia.

Scott: Often you can get very good deals if you get the suite. The Topaz products are very affordable, even if you buy it A La Carte. Most will also let you download and try their products for 30 days so I would suggest downloading them and trying them for yourself. Visit www.joefarace.com for a list of many obscure plug-ins.

Question Six – Shooting Silently on Film Set

A friend asked me to shoot stills on an upcoming short film. I’ve worked other jobs on set so I think I’ll be fine at staying out of everyone else’s way, but I’ve never shot using a blimp before. Any tips? And do you think my Nikon D300s and some fast lenses will be able to handle the night scenes, or do I need to rent a body that performs better at high ISO? Mike McPhaden Toronto, Canada

Scott: A blimp is a device that goes around your camera to help deaden sound. It will be bigger and bulkier so try to shoot some with the blimp off-set to get familiar with it. As for working in low-light, I would rent a D3, a D3s, or a D7000. Make sure you rent it a few days beforehand.

Sponsor – Tenba Bag

The Tenba Pro Messanger bag is a great bag for photographers. Check out www.tenba.com.

Question Seven – Thoughts on Extended Warranties

I’m going to be purchasing a Nikon D7000 in the near future. Do you recommend purchasing an extended warranty? I know that Nikon offers one, as well as a number of third-parties. Some simply “extend” the manufacturers warranty and offer similar coverage. Others offer additional “protection” against accidental damage, etc. As someone who worked in a camera shop 20 years ago, I know a single repair can cost hundreds of dollars. Extending the warranty seems like a good idea. Andrew Peckens Cleveland, OH

Scott: Sounds like you’ve made up your mind already. My opinion is that it will depend on how long you plan to keep your camera. If you buy the latest and greatest, I wouldn’t bother. Think about the cost to repair these cameras vs. the cost of the camera. Compare the cost of the warranty vs the cost of the repair and then decide. I would also recommend that if you do get a warranty that you get it from the manufacturer.

Question Eight – RAW + JPEG & Buffer Speeds

Does adding RAW plus JPEG compared to shooting RAW or just shooting JPEG impact the speed of the buffer? Gary Harris Alasaka

Scott: Yes, it will take more time to write to the card so the buffer will fill faster but I don’t think it will impact you.

Question Nine – Motion Shots of Cars

I have an exciting upcoming shoot with an 2011 Aston Martin. I know how to capture the small details of the car but want to do some creative “motion” shots, maybe on a leaf covered road this fall, any tips/ideas for these kind of shots? Garen Johnson Hawthorn Woods, IL

Scott: For shooting motion shots, you’re going to need a driver to drive the car for you. Pick up one of those inexpensive walkie talkies so you can communicate with the driver a little better. Set yourself up on a windy road and shoot. Also, try and have a moving vehicle with a back end that you ride in (e.g. a pickup truck if it’s allowed) and then have the Aston Martin trail you. You could also look into buying some camera rigs that will allow you to mount the camera on the vehicle. These can be home made or things you can buy online. Experiment with panning to get some motion.

Question Ten – Protecting Gear from Cold Weather

I am in Montana for a couple days every week and spend at least an hour walking with my camera at the end of the day, regardless of the weather. I have already seen temp dip into the mid-30′s and soon the sub-zero weather will be arriving. What precautions, if any, should I take to protect my gear from this weather? John Russell Kenmore, WA

Scott: Outside you should be fine but when you come back to where you are staying, be careful of condensation building up on the camera. I would bring an airtight plastic bag that you can put your camera into after you’re done shooting and before you bring it back inside. That will ensure that the condensation will form on the inside of the bag and not on the camera.

Question Eleven – Determining Whether It’s an FX or DX Lenses

How can I tell by looking at a Nikon lens whether it is an FX or DX lens? Rob Palumbo

Scott: The less expensive lenses tend to be the crop sensor lenses and it’s also printed on the box.

Sponsor – Smug Mug

SmugMug is a great place to store your images and videos online. Check out www.smugmug.com.

Question Twelve – Determining a Person’s Best Side

When shooting portraits do you ever try to figure out what your subjects best side is to improve their look? If so, what do you look for or is it just an overall feeling? Bryan Decker Salem, Oregon

Scott: Everybody’s face is bigger on one side than it is on the other. I look for things like scars, prominent features, hair parts, etc. It’s generally an opinion but facial recognition used to be widely talked about in photography but you don’t hear much about these days. The guy who wrote the book on this stuff is Monty Zucker who was a master portrait photographer.

Question Thirteen – Handling Requests for Photos from the Cutting Room Floor

Every once in a while I get a client who asks for a photo that did not make it through my quality control check. It could be that it was slightly out of focus or their eyes were closed… What is the most professional and PC way to explain to these clients that it just didn’t make the cut? Miles Vandewalle San Antonio, Texas

Scott: If somebody wants to buy a photograph, I’d sell it to them. We tend to have standards that are much higher than what our clients will have. They are more likely to buy a photo for an expression or a smile. Expression over perfection.

Question Fourteen – FX vs. DX Lenses

Am I a fool to buy an FX lens for my DX Nikon D7000? For example, I’d really like the Nikkor 28-300 and the pricey Nikkor 14-24. Is this a waste of money to pay for all that edge-to-edge clarity for a DX DSLR? If ever I get a D3 I want to own some good FX lenses, and so would like to hear your thoughts about this. David Rabenau Webster Groves, MO

Scott: If you think there is any chance you are going to upgrade to a full frame body, then buy the full-frame glass. It will be the highest quality glass and will generally give you the best image.

Sponsor – Borrowlenses

If you are looking to rent just about any piece of camera equipment, check out Borrowlenses.com. I’ve sold off a lot of my gear and I now rent the gear that I need for a job from them.

Question Fifteen – Shutter Count and Image Quality

My question is more out of curiosity, does the image quality from digital slr sensor start degrading as the image count goes up? Do the pixels have the same rendering ability @ 100 shutter count or at 90,000 actuation? Angel Cortina from Colchester, VT.

Scott: No. If it works then it works. Pixels are either on or off. You can have pixels expire and we refer to those as dead pixels.

Wrap Up

We want themes and questions from you. Be sure to visit the blog at PhotoFocus.com for articles, how-to’s, videos and more. E-mail us at photofocus@me.com follow us on Twitter. Don’t just take pictures – make pictures.

Scott Bourne is at www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne or www.3exposure.com or http://www.carloves.com

Show notes by Edmonton Wedding Photographers Bruce Clarke at www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke

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This Post Sponsored by:
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