Get a Grip, Mike

Thanks to the cooperation of B&H Photo in New York, I will soon be receiving all of the available new grip options for the Sigma fp. Although this is estimated to be directly relevant to the shopping needs of .0001 of you, it might be entertaining to watch me try to choose. (My fp did arrive, but the LVF-11 is backordered, and I haven't sent the camera in for conversion yet. I feel like I should try it as a "colors camera" first. Small problem: I don't want to.)

(If you don't want to follow the link, here's what "colors camera" refers to:

"My little boy startled me at age five when he offered his first critique of Daddy's artwork. He had asked me to take a picture of how small his watermelon hard candy had gotten in his mouth, opening his mouth wide and presenting the remarkably diminished candy on his tongue. Never one to refuse a proffered photo opportunity, I took the picture. Later, though, when I showed the print to him, he launched into a tirade that I still think is wonderful: 'Daddy, you need a new camera. Your camera is a grays camera. You need a colors camera. When you buy another camera next time you should make sure it has colors in it.' And so forth. It was a pure critique, succinct and pointed—art criticism direct from a five-year-old heart.")

In case you're wondering why there have been no new photos in the Sigma fp-M test shot file, we have been under the gray blanket for three days here—flat, leaden skies, intermittent rain. Damp and dark. And dull. We do need the moisture, but, for pictures, it's gray, bleak, grim, and depressing. (Cue the eight guys who will tell me they like all kinds of weather and I should get out and photograph.)

Also, I'm sick. Fortunately, COVID tests are negative so far. Another one today.

Mike

RubyT: "When my grandson was a similar age he stayed with me for a few days while his mother went out of state for a (successful) job interview. While we were shopping I got him a single-use film camera. He immediately asked if his camera would have colorful pictures or just gray ones. I have made it a point ever since to create color versions for the photobooks I send him. Rarely has anyone been so delighted by a single-use camera. Thanks for sparking this memory."

Comments

[Daniel]

Bad weather makes good pictures.

[Grant]

Try that "colors camera" before you have it surgically altered. The pixel peepers among us need before and after pictures.

A more practical reason to put some miles on it, is to make sure that it is fully functioning. I doubt that Sigma will honour the warranty after the modification.

[David Bateman]

I hope you feel better soon. I too feel a little under today.
I was hoping for a comparison. Are you afraid you will be able to save $1200 on the conversion?
Just set it up in monochrome and forget what camera your holding. Just look at serial numbers latter.

[Peter Williams]

It's now nine guys :-)

[Andrew Chalsma]

I think sending it out for conversion before taking a color image is the only way to go. Punk rock commitment.

[V.I. Voltz]

Stay well Mike and don’t overdo it. This austral winter has been brutal for all sorts of viral diseases, with people finally moving freely after 2 years of lockdowns, mask wearing, and other mitigating factors.

Voltz

[Bob G.]

Rain intensifies colors and adds more depth via reflections. There’s a reason why many directors spray water on the set and/or film in wet, especially urban environments.

[Peter Croft]

Mike, I cannot for the life of me understand why you would wilfully damage a good camera just to take the colour out. You can't put it back, you know.

You could take the colour out in a photo editor. I know, you think the result is slightly worse than a mono only sensor, but I'll never believe it, sorry.

https://bullsroar.me/2022/09/08/near-mono/

I want at least some colour in my shots. My taste, sure.

[David Aiken]

I don't like flat skies and blue, cloudless skies are the flattest skies around but at least they have a bit more colour than flat cloudy skies. Grey leaden skies make colours "pop" much more than they do against blue skies and detail in clouds, whatever their colour, make for some interest in the sky. I like shooting landscape type photos, whether natural or urban landscapes, on cloudy days. On the other hand I don't like shooting in the rain, even though wet surfaces are always interesting. My camera and lenses may be weather resistant but i'm not as indifferent to wet weather as my gear is.

I second the suggestions about using the camera in its "colour mode" for a while before getting it converted. Apart from Grant's suggestion about making sure it's functioning because of warranty considerations, I think it's a good idea to get a feel for the camera in its "natural state" before conversion, especially if you want to be able to comment on the changes that conversion makes when it comes to things like exposure calculation, image editing, and the quality of results before and after conversion and I think many of us would like to hear your thoughts about those things.

[Luke]

"gray, bleak, grim, and depressing".

You said it, I didn't. The kid was right: you need a colors camera.

[Richard Parkin]

Converting it before using it seems exceptionally risky to me. Electronic stuff usually fails early if it’s going to in my experience.

You should probably test it set to B&W only to maintain the ‘fiction’ that it can’t take colours. I suspect most here would like you to compare the pre and post conversion B&W too.

[Weekes James]

A warning about the LVF-11. You cannot use it and the bigger Sigma grip at the same time. Go for the smaller grip.

[Sigma tells me I can. But I'll see when they get here. --Mike]

[Greg Heins]

10 guys. But I'll be VERY interested in the grip comparisons.

[xf mj]

I think you're saying that your strong sensitivity to color means that most color reproductions are just too inaccurate for you. They get in the way of the image.

I have had friends with perfect musical ears that can't enjoy a lot of music as a result. Everything sounds off to them. But then also they might enjoy something like punk rock, or certain artists, where musicality is simply thrown out the window. And either the emotion, or the songwriting, comes through loud and clear.

[JoeB]

Flat gray clouds. Sunny cloudless blue. Out here in California I'd take the gray clouds and the hope of rain. And a photo or two.

[robert e]

I dunno if it's so irrelevant. I kinda think we might see more of these modular rigs in the future. Cinema shooters already expect significant modularity, while high-end stills-only-shooters have dwindled as a market. But the right modules would give the latter bunch access to pro-quality sensors even if the camera maker can't justify the risk of developing, producing and marketing a separate body/system for stills.

Of course, no guarantee the future'll make any sense.