Our first flowers of 2012 shot with a Zeiss Distagon 21mm lens

I admit that taking a close up of our first spring flowers is not quite the broad sweeping landscapes I usually like to shoot with my wide angle lens but it proves an important point. It proves that the extra $1,000 I spent on my new Carl Zeiss Distagon 21mm f/2.8 wide angle lens was worth the money. Why? Because it allows me capture higher quality original images that can be output at larger sizes without having to jump through flaming post-processing hoops. Although the issues I cover in today’s post are not likely to bother anyone that publishes web resolution images, they will rear their ugly heads when images are displayed at higher resolutions.

My stock wide angle lens is the Canon 17-40mm f/2.8L. At $779, it is a very capable lens that I have used to capture some very nice images. What’s more, it is relatively light and is built to last. So what is my beef with the lens? Well, I have become increasingly frustrated lately with  image quality when creating large format prints. In addition to minor vignetting and distortion issues, the chromatic aberration introduced by the lens is irritatingly problematic. What is chromatic aberration? In a nutshell, it is a type of distortion in which there is a failure of a lens to focus all colors to the same convergence point. Chromatic aberration makes itself evident in photographs as “fringes” of color along boundaries of dark and bright parts of an image. What does it look like and how do you control it? Read on.

The Zeiss Distagon 21mm f/2.8 and the Canon-17-40mm f/4.0L

To illustrate what I am trying to overcome in image quality, I took two photographs of the lovely crocuses in our garden. One photo was taken with the Carl Zeiss 21mm and the other with the Canon 17-40mm. The images were recorded with the white balance set to daylight and the f-stop at 8.0. Since the Canon is a zoom, I set it to 21mm to mimic the focal length of the Zeiss prime, which is fixed at 21mm.

Starting at the left, look at the first two image slices below. The slices represent the original images that were captured by my Canon 5D Mark II. As the labels indicate, the Zeiss image is on the left and the Canon image is in the center. Even without clicking on the image to see more detail, you can plainly see the problem. The Canon-based image has a garish purple fringe around the crocus petal that I can assure you does not exist in life. As shown in the image inset, at lower resolution you cannot see the fringe. But at a 400% magnification as shown below, or even 100%, the fringing is quite evident and would need to be addressed if the image is to be printed in a large format.

Chromatic aberration screaming on the Canon 17-40mm f/4.0L

The Zeiss-based image contained no chromatic aberration whatsoever. I also noticed that the overall image is “warmer” than the Canon image and contained a much richer spectrum of color and contrast. Frankly, this result should not be all that astonishing. The Zeiss lens is a prime lens. Primes are known to exhibit higher image quality than zooms. And, at over $1,000 more than the Canon, the Zeiss should be better!

So what if you don’t want to pop another grand for the Zeiss? Well there are options. If you shoot your images in RAW format, which I highly recommend, you can use Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) plugin to remove the Lion’s share of the chromatic aberration in images. ACR works in tandem with Adobe Photoshop and other image software programs like Adobe Lightroom to help you “develop” Camera RAW images.

ACR contains lens profiles that can be selected to correct for optical and chromatic distortion. As you can see in the image below, I was able to remove the chromatic aberration in the Canon-based image by simply selecting “Enable Lens Profile Correction” in the Lens Correction tab in ACR. ACR automatically picked the right lens and applied the profile correction!

Correcting chromatic aberration with Adobe Camera RAW

Despite the miracle of ACR, I still prefer shooting with the Zeiss lens to control chromatic aberration. Simply put, I would rather start my post-processing workflow with the cleanest image possible. Although ACR does a great job of correcting for chromatic aberration, the base image still suffers a loss in quality. If you look closely, the remnants of the purple fringing are still present in a desaturated form. There is a light grey outline around the petal. Now look at the petal in the Zeiss-based image. There is a much nicer and color-rich transition between the background and the petal. Plus, the overall color representation is much more pleasant in my opinion.

Ok, I know I am splitting hairs here but that is part of the fun for me. I am interested in the entire process of photography. Sure, making great photographs starts with the eye of the photographer, but it cannot be denied that the quality of the equipment and post processing techniques carry a fair amount of weight in the the final quality of the photograph being made.

Induro CM-34 Monopod with Really Right Stuff MH-01 Monopod Head

This post covers how well the Really Right Stuff MH-01 monopod head mounts to an induro CM-34 carbon fiber monopod. Sure, I could have  purchased the Really Right Stuff monopod for infallible design, quality and compatibility but I have heard good things about induro and decided to give one a try. At about $150, the induro CM-34 is a fair bit less expensive than the $330 Really Right Stuff MC-34 monopod. Although Really Right Stuff is my go to place for camera support, I wanted to keep an open mind to other brands and document my experience here on ADayNotWasted.com.

About the induro CM-34

Induro carbon 8X CM-Series monopods offer ultra-light support in tight spaces or for stability and mobility. I will be in a small photo blind at the Klamath Falls Wildlife refuge next week making pictures of eagles and I have decided that this monopod and head will be my primary support. As shown above, I am taking my Canon 5D Mark II mounted to my 300mm f/2.8 Canon lens, which has a combined weight of about 10 pounds.

The induro CM-Series monopods are made with magnesium alloy components and 8X layer Carbon Fiber tubing, which induro claims is 60% stronger overall than conventional carbon fiber tubing. As a result, CM-series monopods have up to twice the load capacity of earlier models. My CM-34 also came with a belt mount monopod holster. I feel quite confident putting several thousand dollars of camera gear on this monopod considering its build quality and stability under a significant load. The MH-01 head and the CM-34 weigh a very light 2.03 pounds. If you would like to see the CM-34 in more detail, hop on over to induro for close ups of the leg locks and other features.

Great fitment between the induro CM-34 and Really Right Stuff MH-01

As shown above, the Really Right Stuff MH-01 monopod head mounts quite nicely to the induro CM-34. This makes me happy. I did not want a setup that did not look like it belonged together. The CM-34 has an included 1/4- and 3/8-inch head mounting screw for the monopod head of your choice. The Really Right Stuff MH-01 required the 3/8 inch side of the mounting screw. Once test fitted to the CM-34, I used Loctite Blue to secure the head mounting screw to both the monopod and the head. The last thing I wanted was my heavy camera setup coming loose and spinning wildly in the field. For added security, the CM-34 has a set screw on the underside of the head mounting plate that can be tightened with an included allen wrench to lock the monopod head in place.

The Really Right Stuff MH-01 monopod head

Above is a closeup of the Really Right Stuff MH-01 monopod head. As with everything I have purchased from Really Right Stuff, the product is beautifully designed and functions flawlessly. Why did I not try an induro head on the CM-34? I have determined that mounting plate sizes vary ever so slightly by manufacturer. By sticking with Really Right Stuff quick release and camera plates, I do not have to worry about making minor adjustments in the field. Plus, I liked the design of this head and prefer it to the ball style head that induro sells.

Overall I am very pleased with the quality of the induro CM-34 and like that the MH-01 mounts perfectly on it. I am looking forward to using this setup in the field next week and reporting on the performance of this setup when I return.

Thanks as always for visiting ADNW,

Lee

PS: I received no compensation or free products in connection with this post.

Before and after white balancing with the Lastolite Ezybalance

How many times have you taken a picture with or without a flash and the colors in the photo just did not look right? Were they too yellow (warm) or too blue (cool)? Every source of light in your photos, be it from the sun, a flash, or a light bulb, has an absolute temperature that is expressed in Kelvin (K). Without getting too scientific, the important thing to remember is that the temperature of the sources of light within your shot can dramatically influence the captured color of the objects in our photo.

I was hired last week to shoot photos of a luxury apartment complex for use in print and web advertising. Knowing that the client would expect my pictures to represent the true colors within the apartment, I decided to use a grey card to help me out. What a grey card does is provide a reliable neutral color reference that the camera can use to remove the temperature influence of light sources, which will enable you capture true colors. Past experiences have wired our brains to expect objects to be certain colors. The objective of white balancing is to capture true colors so they just look “right” to the viewer of the photograph.

The grey card I use is a Lastolite Ezybalance. Like many of Lastolite’s products, the Ezybalance has a spring metal frame sewn in so it so it can be collapsed with a flick of a wrist. My Ezybalance is 12″ fully open but can be collapsed into a 4″ circle for easy storage in its included case when not in use.

The Lastolite Ezybalance collapsed and it its case

Take a look at the split photo at the very top of the post. The photo on the left is before white balancing with the Ezybalance and the the photo on the right is after white balancing. My handy assistant in the photo on the left is my son Matthew. The colors on the right look much more natural because the camera has used the 18% grey reference from the Ezybalance to compensate for the yellowing or warming effect of the incandescent lights in the apartment. Oh, you don’t have to use an Ezybalance to do this. Any card that approximates 18% grey will do.

How is this done you ask? Well it really is not that hard. All I need to white balance this scene is the Ezybalance or equivalent grey card and the custom white balance function in my camera.

On the Canon 5D, select White Balance and then select Custom

First, I had Matt flip open the Ezybalance and hold it within the frame as I took a picture (top left). I then set the camera to use custom white balance using the “White Balance” menu and submenu above. I then told the camera to use a picture as the reference for the custom white balance by first selecting “Custom WB” in the menu (just below “White Balance”) and then selecting the picture, when prompted, of Matt with the Ezybalance in the shot. That is it! The settings took no more than five seconds and I now have perfectly white balanced shots for my clients. I did this routine for each photo setup within the apartment.

Select the picture and set camera to use it for the custom white balance

Some will remind me that when shooting in camera RAW format, you can set the white balance with RAW image processing software. True, but the method I described above prevents me from having to do it in post processing and eliminates the guess work associated with remembering what the actual color conditions were in the the scene at the time the shot was taken.

Below is what one of my final shots looked like from this setup.

Our white balanced sink

The Pelican 1510 will last a lifetime. The Pelican 1510 meets the FAA maximum carry-on size and comes complete with wheels and a retractable handle for easy transport. The case also has an o-ring seal to keep it weather tight and a relief valve to protect your contents from pressure changes. But what can you fit in it? Is it up to the challenge of holding all my essential gear in one tidy package?

Except for my tripod, The answer is yes. I am very happy with this solution now that I have the case loaded. Let’s look to see what is inside. Below is a photo of the case. As you can see it is very well constructed and will easily protect your gear from handling abuses and the elements. The interior dimensions are 19.75″ x 11.00″ x 7.60″ (50.1 x 27.9 x 19.3 cm). I purchased the case outfitted with padded dividers and the optional lid organizer. All in, I have about $165 invested in the case itself.

The Pelican 1510 loaded, locked and ready to go!

This case is FAA approved and comes complete with a retractable handle and sturdy rollers as well as a pressure relief valve and rock-solid latches. Fully loaded with everything you see in this post, the total weight is 32 pounds. This is well under the typical 40 pound limit for most airline overhead compartments.

A few close ups of the Pelican 1510

Now for the fun stuff. Below is a shot of how I positioned the soft dividers that came with the case. It was very easy to find a configuration that allowed everything to fit with minimal movement amongst the gear. Next I will show what fits in an exploded view and how it looks fully loaded in the case.

My chosen divider configuration for maximum fit and function

Click to expand the photo below to see what I was able to fit in the lower storage area of the Pelican 1510 Carry-On Case. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I was able to get in there. With a little thought you will figure out how to maximize your carrying potential while using the gear itself to secure the contents from shifting while being transported.

What I have fit comfortably in the Pelican 1510 Carry-On Case

Look below to see how the lower area of the case looks fully loaded with everything in the photo above. Pretty groovy huh? The ST-E2 IR Transmitter is right below the 50mm lens. It is the smallish lens cap to the right of the batteries. The tripod and plate wrenches are directly below the white 100-400mm lens underneath a secured divider that supports the bottom of the lens hood. You can see the divider laid flat in the empty photo two shots above. The wrenches slide underneath the padded divider, which protects the lens from scratches. Also note that the 16-35mm lens hood is slipped over the 24-105mm lens, which is mounted to the 5D on the right. This allows for maximum storage efficiency!

The Pelican 1510 lower storage fully stocked with my gear.

OK almost done. This case would not be nearly as functional without the lid organizer accessory. It only runs about $20 and it is well worth the money. Take a look below to see the lid organizer with my stuff loaded and also in an exploded view. As you can see, there is still room for more gear in the organizer. I am sure I will think of something else as time goes on.

Pelican lid organizer stocked with room to spare

Below is the exploded view of the contents of the lid organizer.

The contents of my lid organizer. More stuff to come!

As for full manuals for my gear, I don’t carry them in paper form. They would take up room and add weight. I have downloaded the PDF files for all of my gear and loaded them onto my iPhone. I always have my phone and I can even search the PDF files for the feature I am looking to reference in the manual.

I hope you have found this write-up helpful. I try to write articles that I could not find when I was looking for my gear. All I really wanted to know is if my stuff would fit in the case. Luckily it did and now I am sharing my discovery with you. If you think I am missing anything, please give me your opinion in the comments section. Thanks as always for visiting!

Lee@ADNW

The light and sturdy Gitzo GT1541T

You can see the rest of my camera gear here.

I have learned my lesson and I am passing it on. When it comes to buying support for your camera, don’t be cheap. If you are, you will probably end up relegating it to the pile of other things in the closet you wish you hadn’t bought. I make this mistake from time to time and always ask myself, “why did I do that.” It probably has something to do with the fact that this hobby is not for the faint of heart when it comes to budget. When I add up the money I have spent on camera gear, it makes me shutter. So much, in fact, that I have a valuable goods policy to insure it from others that may want to help themselves to it.

First off, let’s just say it and get it out of the way. Great photographs start with great photography skills. This post is about gear, however, so let’s focus on that at the moment. We will focus on artistry in another series of posts.

It’s not that you can’t take nice photographs with less expensive and perfectly capable cameras and accessories. It’s just that there is always something out there that promises to move you closer to visual magic in your images. If you are perfectionist like me, you will constantly question whether you should have bought the better piece of gear. Besides that, good gear is easier to use and allows you to concentrate on your art and not the stuff you use to create it.

A quality camera support system is one of those things that can either be your best photography friend or worst enemy. Your choice in support should be as stable as possible within your specific size and weight constraints. I am not trying to be elitist here, but buy a cheap setup and you will constantly be fussing with your gear and compromising the quality of your images.

Reverse folding the GT1541T saves precious inches

If you want tack sharp images, especially if you plan to shoot HDR, you need tripod legs and a head. Camera support is so important that you may end up spending as much on it as you do on the body of your camera. Sound nuts, I know, but it’s true. When I bought my tripod, I looked for the strongest but lightest pair of legs that would support the weight of my typical camera/lens combination. I then matched the ballhead to the tripod not only in design but also in strength and weight. If you are in the studio, you don’t have to worry much about weight. When you travel as much as I do with your gear, weight becomes critically important. The problem is, strength and light weight don’t really go together. This is why carbon fiber was invented. Carbon fiber won’t get you completely there though. It has to be combined with a quality design and lightweight fittings.

For my purposes, the Gitzo GT1541T fits the bill. The GT1541T reverse folds to a remarkable 16.14 inches and weighs a mere 2.14 pounds. I love this tripod. The three segment legs rapidly extend with a quick flick of the wrist and tighten down easily with amazing stability. The 6x carbon fiber tubes are incredibly strong, and when combined with precisely built fittings and connections, the entire unit becomes one.

The Markins Q3T mounted on the Gitzo GT1541T

Tripod legs are not much good if you don’t but an equally impressive ballhead. The ballhead, when combined with a quick release and compatible camera plate, allow you to mount your camera on the tripod legs. There are scores of these to pick from. I initially tried an inexpensive ball head in the $115 dollar range and it lasted about four months before I replaced it with a higher quality brand and model. I really struggled to pick between the Really Right Stuff BH40 and the Markins Q3T they both are highly recommended but in the end, I went with the Markins. Compared to my first ball head, the Q3T is a dream to use. First, the Markins Q3T is made to fit the GT1541T. Made to fit in that when you reverse fold the tripod legs as designed for maximum compactness, the legs won’t hit the adjustment knobs on the ball head. Other heads are not made this way, which will cause one of the three legs to stick out a bit when folded. Not good when you are trying to maximize your packing efficiency for trips.

The Markins Q3T knobs ideally positioned for the GT1541T

When mounting the head on the tripod, I recommend using a dose of Loctite Blue thread adhesive to keep the head from coming loose while in the field. You can always unlock the adhesive and it will make using the head fuss free. Nothing much worse than having the head try to spin on the tripod when you don’t want it to.

The knobs on the Markins control the pan rotation and ball position. The large ball knob is butter smooth and controls the friction on the ball brilliantly. Once you get used to it, you can dial in he right amount of friction to make the most subtle of adjustments to achieve your desired framing. The quick release lever is also just as smooth and can be adjusted to a variety of plates including those not made by Markins.

Because I like to shoot both in landscape and portrait orientation, I bought a Really Right Stuff L plate that precisely fits my Canon 5D body. It is made of CNC machined aluminum, is lightweight, looks good, and works beautifully on the camera. All side ports on the camera remain available as well. Although the L plate adds a little bulk to the camera, it allows you to quickly switch shooting orientations in the field. Just unlatch the plate, flip the camera on it’s side, and relock!

Really Right Stuff L Body Plate

At about $1,100, this is not a cheap setup. But trust me, there is nothing more gratifying that getting amazingly sharp images and this combination of tripod legs, ballhead and plate go a long way toward helping me reach my photography goals.

The GT1541T and Markins Q3T ready for travel

See the rest of my camera gear here.