Review | Carl Rytterfalk Fotografi

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Canon EOS 5D mark II as a video camera! :D

Published

on November 5, 2009

. 27 Comments

Alright, it looks like I’m more or less in panic mode here but that’s true. ;) I made so many edits, took scenes away and this and that – and after each time I processed the movie and was ready to upload – there was something that I wasn’t satisfied with. I have five different versions of the same movie with four different “pre talks” and finally I settled for this one. It has the worst beginning but hey, it’s me. :D – still it’s a bit long. It’s also supposed to be fun for my sister and her family to watch. :)

Download the original output from Final Cut – 1280×720 – less compressed than youtube version and more smooth in playback.

So how do I like the 5D Mark II compared to what I’m used too? Well, first of all – it’s a great tool! It’s easy to work with even if I’m missing some buttons – as a movie camera it’s great! After a day or two you feel that you have it all under more or less control and you can start to relax. It’s such a nice feeling to be able to go up to ISO6400 (or even higher) and still feel OK – and in really bad light too!

But, as a still camera even in good light I don’t like the output as much. I can’t get “that” from it – and I’m not that impressed with the 21mp resolution. Strange feeling zooming in to these large files and feel like like there should be more. Never feel perfectly satisfied. Oh well. The burden we three layer lovers have to bare.

But when light is bad, and ISO goes up then it leaves my Sigmas in the dust – you can take brilliant shots in ISO3200 (didn’t try much higher, only with video) and I always felt secure without extra light or the need of a flash. So would I like to own one myself? For sure! I can easily imagine myself doing weddings filming and taking pictures at the same time. At least try. :) Especially inside church where I today feel a bit bound by Sigmas bad light performance. But why is Canons shutter so loud?? aaaaa

Silkypix and skin tones.. Really something!

Published

Carl Rytterfalk

on October 7, 2009

in 30mm 1.4, Movie, Portraits, Review, Sigma SD14 and Silkypix

. 9 Comments

Before

After

And how this is done and some more, watch this movie in HD and full screen. :)

What do you think? :)

Silkypix First look and Mixed raw pack!

Published

Carl Rytterfalk

on October 7, 2009

in Flash, Full size, How to, Movie, Portraits, RAW, Review, Sigma DP1, Sigma DP2, Sigma SD14 and Silkypix

. 60 Comments

Updated! Now including the RAW from Flyingrooster and Biggydogs english fix.

Movie is now OK. ;)

I also baked a nice little raw pack for you so that if you don’t currently have a Sigma, you can at least play around with some files. It’s a small collection of recent pictures taken with SD14, DP1 and DP2.

The above movie is recorded as HD (1280×720) so view full screen with HD turned on for best experience. It’s currently processed and might be done when you watch. :)

Download the Silkypix Raw Pack.. 109MB ZIP file.

Get the Silkypix beta software, go here for info.
Get flyingroosters test RAW file (used in his comments below). Download.
Get BiggyDogs English menu fix (read comment for install help). Download

A Silkypix development..

Published

Carl Rytterfalk

on October 5, 2009

in 18-50, Flash, Full size, Review, Sigma SD14, Silkypix and Studio

. 4 Comments

Original, full quality.

Above shot is taken in a studio yesterday (the place I worked with jpegs only – this shot I took as RAW though). The shot came out underexposed and has been adjusted solely inside Silkypix (except for the white border). Even the copyright text is inserted inside Silkypix. (Really good control over watermarks btw).

So what do I think about Silkypix? I have found both greatness and the other way in the way Silkypix does its processing. The good thing about silkypix is that you can go back to the start, take away all noise reduction, all sharpening, all whatever they applied when you first open the shot – and slowly adjust to you liking. You have very nice control over colors and contrast – better than Lightroom (at least better for SD / DP shots) and also parts of it is better than SPP.

I’m now putting together a video showing the good and the bad. With some comparisons with SPP and RD. Perhaps LR and Darkroom too? If my RAM is big enough. hehe. Poor iMac.

FlyingRooster has posted his findings as a comment in this thread. Including comparison images. Well worth reading.

Fun using Cokin filters..

Published

Carl Rytterfalk

on July 1, 2009

in 10-20, How to, ISO50, Movie, Polarizer / Filter, Review, Sigma Photo Pro and Sigma SD14

. 10 Comments

Wanted to share how to use a Cokin filter with this little movie. I’m currently making my DP2 video review and I’m more or less testing my gear to make it possible. We’re experimenting with a new microphone from Röre.. And I think my voice is pretty clear.

Here’s photos used in above review. They’re pretty quick and dirty so I don’t want you to see them at 100%. That thing we stood on was moving some etc.. :D Btw, when I developed them they looked fine but right now I think they’re bit dark and too saturated. Oh well. :) (I place them under a “more” thing so you don’t find them easily.. haha)

Continue reading ‘Fun using Cokin filters..’

MacWorld review..

Published

Carl Rytterfalk

on June 30, 2009

in Review and Sigma DP2

. 0 Comments

I normally don’t link to reviews like this, but in times like these when it’s sooo warm outside that I can’t really post anything useful I better post something and this is pretty nice reading and for those of you that don’t know about Sigmas three layer sensor concept it might be educational reading too. They like these cameras very much and write:

“The Sigma DP1 and DP2 produce the most outstanding low ISO (100 to 400) images of any compact camera I have ever used. Their image quality is truly on the same scale as entry-level SLRs. You get sharp, accurate colors, wonderful tonality, and the ability to isolate your subject with shallow depth of field—all in a package that resembles a rangefinder and slips into a jacket pocket when turned off.”

As I said, it’s good reading. :) Oh and btw – If you think ISO800 and above is too noisy (which often is the case in bad lit situations) then turning to monochrome white balance using RAW gives you so much more. Black and white IS cool!

Link to the Macworld article.

Elinchrom Ranger Quadra AS – Mine!

Published

Carl Rytterfalk

on June 16, 2009

in Review, Sigma Photo Pro and Sigma SD14

. 8 Comments

Ranger Quadra test

I bought myself a new toy yesterday – Always been a “natural” light fan and using reflectors if light wasn’t to my liking. Now I decided to become more pro and at least give a flash system a try. I waited for the “right” weight for quite some time and finally Elinchrom made what I needed. A battery packed – light weight – two guns – small – asymmetric (25 – 400W on one and 8 – 135W on the other with an impressive 1/6000s) and it also have this 20w LED help light that works well. It’s sooo tiny. The batt pack itself weight only about 3.4KG and it’s good for 150 full power flashes. Oh well.. I tried it yesterday and will use it on thursday for the first real assignment where I need it.

I’m thinking now that I might wanna get one of those light meters. I never became friend with one before, I tried several times but somethings missing in my way of handling it. My own method does take some time and it’s not very pro. Test, test, test, look at histogram, test, done.

Continue reading ‘Elinchrom Ranger Quadra AS – Mine!’

Canon 500D video clip

Published

Carl Rytterfalk

on June 5, 2009

in Movie and Review

. 6 Comments

Available in HD resolution.

DP2 in Camera Raw 5.4 vs Sigma Photo Pro 3.3

Published

Carl Rytterfalk

on June 3, 2009

in Adobe Camera Raw, All, Full size, How to, Movie, RAW, Review and Sigma DP2

. 18 Comments

Go to my youtube channel to play in HD (too big for my blog).

Here’s the RAW file used in the movie: Right click and select save as. This is a naked RAW and might be read as some text junk.

Alright, this is my very first public test of ACR 5.4 and as you will hear this is a test done in realtime! Which also means that whatever I say might have a different solution. I have never been a fan of how Adobe reads any of my Sigma raw files (with Lightroom or ACR) and I thought that perhaps this time would be different. I saw many comparisons made over at the dpreview Sigma forum but none of them really sticked (whatever that means).

So I selected a random shot from yesterday, a 6s exposure done in evening just before sunset, you will see how I develop in SPP (might give you a few clues to how things are done my way) and you will see what I do in ACR in order to really make a mess. ;)

This movie is uploaded with a very very carefully compressed x264 codec (open source) so that gamma info is correct and uploaded with 1280×720 to youtube – I’m corny as usual but you can live with that!

DP2 ISO50 revisited

Published

Carl Rytterfalk

on April 27, 2009

in Full size, ISO50, Review, Sigma DP2 and Sigma Photo Pro

. 11 Comments

[Update! Links fixed!]

Original

ISO50 can do wonders! If you can live with a blown sky and concentrate on the subject then ISO50 will make you a very happy shooter. These shots are all done hand held yesterday afternoon using ISO50. (except last one)

Original

I must say it was difficult to find correct WB, I’m not sure I did always – some seams a bit warm etc but well, hope you like them anyways. The original version is like WOOOAAA I’m sooo impressed with the smoothness of ISO50 – it really adds another dimension.

To make sure I got the exposure right (which can be tricky in nature) I took three different exposures for each picture. (Auto bracketing +1). It’s fast and easy to do and gives you the choice of selecting later (I’m NOT making an HDR, that’s very tricky do with hand held shots such as these. I’m simply giving myself more options). Today when memory cards are cheap it’s a good idea to use. Also note that these shots hasn’t been altered in photoshop, some could perhaps use a little bit off added sharpness but I think el naturale is nice too.

Here’s a ISO200 shot too with the often not used mode, Vivid color mode.

Original

Sigma DP2 speed using timer. [updated]

Published

Carl Rytterfalk

on April 26, 2009

in Review and Sigma DP2

. 9 Comments

[EDIT, auto focus off and LCD with preview on] Result using a Extreme III SDHC 4GB card and hammering the trigger for about a minute aiming at my phones timer and you get the above result. Not sure if this a correct scientific way to approach this but I’m pretty sure you understand how this works.. 23 frames including the one over the edge but that’s fair coz I could feel that I didn’t get them as fast as humanly possible. Or maybe I did.

This is using RAW.

Considering the huge amount of information from three layers with 4.6MP x3, then this is quite impressive! – And this has NOTHING to do with shutter lag. Shutter lag is when you press the trigger to the moment the picture is being taken. And that time using manual focus is more or less instant. Very very short “real” shutter lag. The above info has to do with the SECOND shot taken after the first. So NO shutter lag, but that was true with the DP1 as well.

Also don’t forget you can still take three continues RAW within one second! Very useful!

DP2 high ISO short review.

Published

Carl Rytterfalk

on April 25, 2009

in Full size, High ISO/ASA (400+), Review, Sigma DP2 and Sigma Photo Pro

. 23 Comments

[EDIT, just to clarify. All images in this post was shot last night some time after sunset. ISO800 or more was a good idea to use, all hand held and often using three continues shots in order to make sure sharpness. Three continues is done in less then one second using RAW]. Lots of emails and questions (here and on other forums) about what the DP2 can do with higher ISO in color. Well, it’s a dual sided coin. On one hand, they look very nice and impressive. Pretty noise free (using color) and much thanks to the great lens it’s perfectly ok to shoot wide open.

The other side of the coin is maybe more a questions about taste. I don’t like colors being smeared and showing up a little beside it’s “real” pixel and that’s what happens sometimes when using too much noise reduction. I can see when opening these files that the embedded shot has less noise reduction applied and therefore looks better. So, I’m hoping Sigma to add some sort of option so that I can get MORE noise of I want. :D

Local store shot without any alterations at ISO800 and F4.

This biker shot has been exposed twice to save the sky a bit (fast and dirty). Also a bit of warmth is added in photoshop. Also all above shots are taken using auto focus, I needed to see if I could trust it, and it seams to work very nice. And I must add that even if I feel that the DP2 is faster than the DP1 – it’s not a huge step forward. I would like it to be much faster still.

Ones more we have double exposed one RAW. Started out with a ISO800 raw that I saved +0.7 and another with -1 (for the sky). So the final image ending up as a ISO1250 shot with a ISO400 sky. :D

I do find banding in darker areas, in some pictures more and some less. I hope this is something that can be fixed in future firm wares or gone with the “real” cameras. Btw, the guy in the above shot is a friend of mine that currently suffers from col, he’s not feeling well tonight.

Ending this serie with a ISO3200 shot tweaked with a strong curve in Photoshop. (i think it’s more ISO4000) :) I’m still a HUGE fan of the monochrome mode! Last note, all above shots has been taken using triple exposures. (in order to be safe about one sharp exposure – too much coffee)

All above shots are availible as full size at this DP2 flickr set.

Initial DP2 review with full size shots..

Published

Carl Rytterfalk

on April 20, 2009

in All, High ISO/ASA (400+), ISO50, Review, Sigma DP2 and Sigma Photo Pro

. 58 Comments

Hi all, you probably wondered where I’ve been hiding – some of you know about me moving and trying to build a new home (repairing that is) and it’s taken more energy than I hoped for. Now – one bright light lately have been the Dp2. I will be making this very short and let pictures speak loud – as the camera that I used isn’t the final production unit.

Click on picture for “large” flickr size.
Click “original” for full resolution version.

Original. Not sure how Sigma makes this possible but this insane 24,5mm F2.8 lens wants to be used wide open. And working in monochrome white balance in Sigma Photo pro is just a joy! Look at these tones! (and yes, that’s my grand mother!)

Original. Another shot wide open. Not sure you understand how useful and cool this is. Look at rendition of the fabric and her skin. And how sweet isn’t the bokeh? and and and..

Original. Strong spring sunlight ISO100, wide open. :)

Original. The blue “sky” is water – and this is a good example of the new color modes within the DP2. To get the very best color dynamics Sigma created different color modes that really brings life into every shot. Of course these color modes can be changed later in Sigma Photo Pro if RAW is used. This particular picture is slightly overexposed but I think it managed this bright sunlight well. Oh, and slight hand shake included! :)

Original. Please take a closer look. admit it’s a really insane lens!

Original. 15 second exposure. Trying those color modes. I do have a “real” looking shot with correct white balance and another color mode but I liked the look of this one. It came out way dark and that’s why 100-200 ISO (was shot at ISo50) – Also my only picture with tripod used.

Original. Bokeh / close up test. And this is F5.6 and ISO50 which does burn highlights if not careful. Amazing detail even at lens corners. Here’s a recent post with more DP2 ISO50 shots and comments.

Original. The Dp2 now has a ISO1600 and 3200 mode – which I think should be considered monochrome modes as they don’t really look good in color. But as soon monochrome white balance is selected in Sigma Photo Pro they really come to life!

Original. Just processed. ISO200 and F2.8. And NO, no saturation added, only the magic Landscape mode. ;)

Ok, main pointers.

Faster operation! Now very useful in studio as shot to shot is much improved! Also for 360 panoramic photography. Wait is now over. :)
Color Modes! For color maniacs such as myself I really like this. Will get back to this in more detail later.
Lens. 24,5 (41mm) at F2.8. One word! Wow! There is a slight distortion but none has been taken care off in the above shots – it’s really no issue.Just look at that Bokeh and how well it handles tough light etc. jaij!
TIME LAPS function! From 30s to 24h (and options in between) – Will make something fun using this. :D
Sigma Photo Pro 3.3 is now speedier on Mac. :)
ADDED! ISO1600 and ISO3200! Not perfect for color but very very nice for the unique monochrome setting available in Sigma Photo Pro.
ISO50 looks fantastic!

And negatives? Well, I’ll get to those later as well. First I need to get my hands on a “real” production unit so I don’t give you rubbish. UPDATE! But a little something is now made with both good and bad. Link to High ISO.