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Friday, 22 July 2022

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If philosophy deals with how people ought to think, psychology deals with how people actually think.

"The contrast effect is a cognitive bias that distorts our perception of something when we compare it to something else, by enhancing the differences between them."
https://effectiviology.com/contrast-effect/

The focusing illusion:
“Nothing in life is as important as you think it is, while you are thinking about it”
― Daniel Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow

My current Goldilocks camera is not quite a Goldilocks camera, because cameras come with systems, and most of the lenses in this system are slightly chunky for Goldilocks. I have a used Nikon Z6. Great in the hand, good viewfinder, good focus, enough resolution, good dynamic range, good sensor stabilization, and relatively cheap. My favorite system lens to actually walk around with is the little Z 40 f2, sharp enough, but with bokeh that some have described as "making you physically ill." I shoot mostly f8 or so, so no problem. But most of the other lenses are on the large size, even the gorgeous 50 1.8. I would like Nikon to get together with Fuji and Pentax and figure out how to make something with the contrast of the Pentax 43 limited, in a small package too. The Goldilocks lens.

Not sure why you’re so hung-up about the special-edition M10. I bought a standard silver M10 used from a Leica dealer for the equivalent of about $3700 and a Summicron 50 for about $1600 and guess what - it works exactly the same as the ridiculously-priced, dressed-up version that you’ve been comparing to other cameras for the last couple months.

I also have an iPhone 12, and I doubt the 13 is that much of a leap that it even comes remotely close to the M10.

[Um...what? I suspect you read what you thought I said, rather than what I said. When did I suggest or imply that the iPhone 13 comes close to the M10? It certainly doesn't. --Mike]

"After she'd eaten the three bears' breakfasts..."

No bears were mentioned before in this story; maybe it is to be assumed that a house in the woods where breakfast is porridge can only belong to bears?!
I'm not anglo saxon myself, so i might miss something; or maybe it is a too short or too poor of a version?

On the other hand, even being familiar with the story, i will spend the weekend wondering about the deeper meanings of it i can find. Thanks!

From Mike It seems to me that, for an enthusiast, advanced amateur, semi-pro, or art photographer, the iPhone is both highly quirky and, in the end, not quite enough camera.

It'll come as no surprise that I'll respectfully disagree with ya on that one, Mike. My view is it's fully capable for a range of enthusiast, commercial, or artistic applications.

Just as an example...some interior Real Estate shots. The standard practice is to use lights during mid-day with all the interior lights turned one, and blending the "ambient" frames with the "flash frames", and then, doing a specialized technique called a "window pull" (which involves yet more layers) to pull in the detail out the window into the photo. This requires camera, tripods, daytime ambient light, flashes and a buncha layers in PS.

Well, here's some interior RE shots, with me, just moving through the house turning on the interior lights in preparation for an exterior twilight shot, shooting handheld with the iPhone 13. No lights, no tripod, no frame for the "window pull" and...no layers in post in PS. One frame...handheld. Bing! Job done.

Check this out....look at the detail and color of the foliage out the windows in the next two shots...this is straight out of camera, no window pull.

Kitchen, 1-point shot.

Dining room, no window pull here, either.

Are these photos at the level of Joe Flectcher who does amazing architectural photography with a MF Fuji? No. Are they suitable for viewing online as JPEGs on the MLS? Absolutely.

Key business best practice: don't spend unecessary time and money creating more "engineering specification" than is required for the job-at-hand. This is the premise of "fit-for-purpose".

Using an automobile analogy, you don't need a Porsche GT2 RS to get to commute to work and back. A Honda Accord or Acura ILX is fit-for-purpose.

And then, there's how capable it is for professional videography work, which, from what I've seen, first-hand, is very impressive.

Cheers, Stephen, your friendly devil's advocate. ;-)


“Someone’s been sitting with my Reporter”

Nikon Z5, with a 35mm f/1.8S, or the little 40mm f/2? Forgive my indecision over the lens choice.

Well, it really seems like there was no place for Goldilocks anywhere in bear family structure, though I don't know what we're supposed to conclude, except maybe start questioning bear society norms. I guess that makes me sympathetic to Bettelheim's take that it's time for Goldy to move to the city.

I seem to recall identifying with Baby bear, but probably because I had a younger sister. But in the end, as with many cultural touchstones, I think Looney Tunes ruined the story for me, or perhaps saved it, I'm not sure, though not nearly as well as they jazzed up Little Red Riding Hood.

Anyway, it seems pretty clear that Goldilocks would be happier with something more capable than an iPhone.

"Little Red Riding Rabbit" (one of the best classic Bugs Bunny cartoons): https://youtu.be/0TwubBMMAQQ

And then there’s the Leica Q (and Q2) with a 28mm focal length (w/ lowlight friendly f1.7 lens) w/48MP & IBIS. it’s all an iPhone user could ever imagine. Oh, and it fits very nicely in the hand with a great EVF, or touch LCD if you’re committed to cell phone ergonomics (+ it has filter threads!). Feels just right.

Coke and Pepsi are not the same thing. What a shocking statement.

What if the moral of the story is that contentment is short-lived? You only get the briefest of bliss before dissatisfaction returns and chases you back into the woods, from where your quest renews?

That would be such a GAS!

OK, so I've got three bears living in a ravine near my house; a Momma bear and her cub, also, a rather large Papa bear, but not seen as frequently. And, I have been keeping three trash containers in my back yard right now: 1) a big dumpster for construction debris (we are renovating our old historic home at the moment). 2) a trash container for household waste that gets picked up weekly, and 3) a recycle container that also gets picked up weekly. My three bears have concluded a) the big dumpster is a waste of their time, b) the recycle container isn't worth tipping over because it never contains food scraps, and c). The regular weekly trash container is just right!.. in turn forcing me to adapt and put the household trash container inside a storage shed otherwise it gets tipped over and contents spilled every day!. Moral of my story... The Goldilocks principle applies to bears as well, LOL!

While I can agree with the basic premise that the Apple is one end and the special edition M10 is on the other, I'd call my M 240 a Goldilocks moment especially with the old school lenses I buy. While, sure, an APO-Summicron 50/2 would be nice, heck I'd hardly say no to a Portugal made plain Summicron, but the reality is my Elmar 50/2.8, Nikon 50/2 or Canon 50/1.4 are all fine lenses that cost far less and give me what I want rather than what that APO can do so clinically.

As you mention about Nikon vs Canon, just grab something and enjoy it.

My middle ground camera is the one I've been using exclusively for the last ten years. Its just right. Its got a whopping 11 autofocus points, shoots at 4.5 fps and can run on 6 AA batteries. :-)

Digital Photography Review chose it as one of the 20 most important cameras of the 2010's and it was the most commonly used camera in images to be short listed in the RMG Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition in both 2019 and 2020. (Wikipedia)

Roll on Sunday...

glad we are back with photography. was beginning to think that that was the ot these days!

british very mild tongue in cheek filter on please.

actually enjoy the variety and good humor (in its truest sense) shown here on this blog) among us all.

Goldilocks was interested in a single specification -- temperature. Camera owners and users are presented with a plethora (a word I don't use often) of specifications which they must compare and contrast and list from important to not important. And then there are a few "must haves" or "no ways" which may simplify or complexify the selection process.

I used to have and use two cameras -- an APS-C as a carry-around point and shoot, and a full frame for serious work. I now have three cameras and use just two -- a full frame and a phone.

I miss my APS-C but even though compact, it isn't compact enough.

(My phone tells me that it currently holds more than 25,000 images -- 38 added today and the day isn't half over. Practice. Practice. Practice.)

If the three bears had a Ring Doorbell they would have had some protein with their porridge and we would be out a favorite fairy tale.
Just sayin...

Governments should read this….. And I’ll reveal my Goldilocks camera tomorrow.

I'm really impressed with Stephen Scharf's interior shots, taken with the iPhone 13, which he handles masterfully,- and this compliment doesn't come easily to me as a traditional photographer, but, "credit where credit is due."

Yes, very pleasing real estate shots, and probably excellent for online viewing. How would they score as large window display images, though?

Thing is, I’d still require a tripod, and one of those images clearly demonstrates how important a rising/falling front to good composition. I don’t imagine Mike’s blog “rules” permit this, but it would be interesting to hear what has been found to be a truly excellent device/brand for fixing an iPhone to a tripod. It might encourage me to give my cellphone another chance as camera… or not.

for Rob (Campbell)

Yep, your point is well-taken. However, these don't have to "score" as large window display images, they only have to be fit-for-purpose when viewed as JPEGs at 1500 pixels in the long dimension on the MLS (which for RE, is always the Landscape orientation).

With respect to shooting with my iPhone on a tripod, I use this iPhone tripod mount from Ulanzi. 16 bucks at B&H...

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1487524-REG/ulanzi_0595_st_03_metal_phone_holder.html

Here's a 'studio' shot I took using it...this was taken using the Profoto app and the Profoto C1 smartphone light through a modifier. Not "perfect", but fit-for-purpose dinkin' around for fun on a Sunday, seeing what the iP13 PM can do. ;-)

Cheers.

For Stephen Scharf:

Thank you for the information regarding the device for attaching an iPhone to a tripod; it looks like a solidly constructed piece of equipment that might open a new vista for me. Thanks again for your trouble!

Rob Campbell

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