Category Archives: Photography

Updated: New Nikon Mirrorless Camera Designs Appear

August 3, 2019 James O'Keefe 1 Comment

Nikon Rumors posted pictures from chizai-watch (translated) of a new Nikon mirrorless camera design, probably an APS-C camera. What is more interesting is that there are two other cameras registered on the same day: another APS-C camera without an EVF (translated) and a camera that looks much like the Z6/Z7 full frame camera (translated), but doesn’t indicate whether the sensor is full frame or APS-C.

The other APS-C camera (which I’ll call Za) is missing two dotted squares with curved front corners on either side of the shoe that are on the APS-C camera that Nikon Rumors mentioned (which I will call Zb). Update: Just noticed that camera Za is also missing the microphone next to the top dial in camera Zb.

Za Top View

Zb Top View (note the two dotted squares with curved front corners on either side of the shoe)

Za Front View

Zb Front View

Za Back View

Zb Back View

Not sure what the dotted squares are intended to be, though guesses are:

a small digital display as with the Z6/Z7
popup flash
popup EVF

Looking at the back view for both cameras, there is a port between the hot shoe and the top dial for both cameras that could be a port for an EVF that also hooks into the hot shoe. Just to the left of the hot shoe in the Zb is an rectangle with rounded corners. Could be a port of some kind.

Za Back View

Zb Back View

Both cameras have:

the same button layout
top dial
front grip dial
back grip dial
two function keys as in the Z6/7
tilt out screen which, without the EVF, could rotate upwards ala Sony-series cameras
one compartment for the memory card(s)

Both cameras seem to lack compartments for:

USB port
HDMI port
Audio in port
Headphone port

It is possible that the USB port is hidden in the memory card compartment.

Above the memory card compartment is a rectangular shape that could contain access to a USB port and/or audio in port:

It seems unlikely that one of the two dotted squares with curved front corners on either side of the shoe in camera Zb slides out to reveal such ports, but it is possible.

The third camera looks very much like the Z6/7 and might be just the Z6/Z7:

The design does not indicate what size sensor it uses. It could be anything from the Z6/7, the rumored high megapixel Z8, a lower end full frame Z5 or a high end APS-C Z4.

If it is a new camera and considering that the Z6/7 have the same body, it would make sense for Nikon to use the same body for the full frame/high end APS-C camera bodies. The Z8 might be a stretch if only because of the greater heat such a sensor generates. Keeping the number of distinct bodies to a minimum would help Nikon keep costs down especially with declining camera sales.

Music, Photography

Thinking Ahead

June 7, 2019 James O'Keefe 1 Comment

I am going to be at the Kristen Hersh Electric Trio concert at ONCE later in the month and I need to decide what lens to bring.

I have two square posters of the cover art from the Throwing Muses Hips & Makers album that I have framed and which I want to hang with the above picture of Tanya Donelly (I realize she isn’t on the album, we do with what we have) and a new picture of Kristen Hersh.

Kristin Hersh - Hips and Makers.jpg — By Source, Fair use, Link

I photographed the Tanya Donelly concert there back in 2016 and I looked at the focal length, f-stop, shutter speed and ISO setting of the photographs I shared:

Tanya Donelly 9/30/2016 ONCE Somerville Concert

I used my Nikon 55-300mm and tended to take pictures from the back or the front sides. Most of the pictures I shared had a focal length of between 55mm and 120 mm. Must suffered from slow shutter speeds and high ISO settings.

I need to use a faster lens to get the shutter speed up and ISO down for sharper pictures. I have two possibilities. One is a wide angle zoom lens outside of the range of focal lengths I used. The other is a telephoto prime within the range of focal lengths I used. Neither is ideal and having to swap between them would be a pain. Another possibility would be to rent a fast zoom lens.

I may go to another show at ONCE before and test our how my lenses work, as well as try some composition ideas, before deciding which option to choose.

Art, Fun, Photography

PAX East 2019 Cosplayers

June 5, 2019 James O'Keefe Leave a comment

I attended PAXEast 2019 on the last day with my family. The most interesting aspect of the convention were the cosplayers. I posted my best pictures.

There were multiple Portal cosplayers:

Harlequin and Poison Ivy:

Team Fortress:

And a booth zombie, which isn’t some I expected to say:

There are more pictures at my photo album.

Art, Photography

Frida Kahlo and Arte Popular Exhibit

June 1, 2019 James O'Keefe 2 Comments

Last weekend we visited the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, specifically to see the Gender Bending Fashion exhibit. We also visited the Frida Kahlo and Arte Popular exhibit which is at the MFA until June 19, 2019. The Gender Bending Fashion exhibit, which I will post pictures from later in the week, ends on August 25, 2019.

Here are a number of Frida Kahlo‘s paintings the exhibit displayed such as Two Women (Salvadora and Herminia) – 1928:

Two Women (Salvadora and Herminia) - Frida Kahlo 1928

Self-Portrait with Hummingbird and Thorn Necklace – 1940

Self-Portrait with Hummingbird and Thorn Necklace - Frida Kahlo 1940

Still Life with Parrot and Fruit – 1951

Still Life with Parrot and Fruit - Frida Kahlo 1951

Girl with Death Mask (She Plays Alone) – 1938

Girl with a Death Mask (She Plays Alone) - Frida Kahlo 1938

The Suicide of Dorothy Hale – 1939

The Suicide of Dorothy Hale - Frida Kahlo 1939

The exhibit displayed works of her contemporaries as well such as this painting by María Izquierdo: Cupboard – 1947

Gabriel Fernández Ledesma: Girl – 1925

There were personal items of Frida Kahlo’s as well as articles of clothing that matched those she wore:

Photo of a photo of her pain medicine:

Finally, on the way out I came across this Picasso:

Or if you want it without the frame:

My whole photo album of the exhibit including a few pictures that are not displayed here:

I alternated f-stops between f/1.8 and f/5.6. In general, f/3.5 to f/4 is probably ideal considering the circumstances of limited time in front of each work of art and lighting conditions.

Photography, War

LBJ (DDG-1002) Christening

May 31, 2019 James O'Keefe Leave a comment

I attended the christening of the USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002) at Bath Iron Works in Maine. The LBJ is the third and final Zumwalt-class destroyer. It was christened by Johnson’s daughters, Lynda Bird Johnson Robb and Luci Baines Johnson and a variety of public officials, both civilian and military, spoke.

Manufacturing each ship costs over $4 billion. $12 billion dollars was spent on R&D for the class. Originally 30 were planned.

It has two specially designed 155mm cannons that were designed to attack land targets in support of amphibious landings. However, since the cost of each shell is $1 million, the Navy has decided not to procure this ammunition leaving the ships without any way to use their cannons. The Navy is looking for a new future for the three ships.

The bow uses a tumblehome design that adds to the stealthy quality of the ship…

…as does the shape of the superstructure.

They are still working on the LBJ and it is expected to be at Bath Iron Works for at least another year. At least four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers were in various stages of construction with the Daniel Inouye the furthest along. The production process is quite modular.

The ceremony was live streamed and is available on-line. You can also view larger versions of my photos.

Nature, Photography

MoS Butterflies

May 29, 2019 James O'Keefe Leave a comment

In early April, we went to the Museum of Science. There we visited the Butterfly Garden.

Here are the pictures I am most pleased with. Some were very patient, others weren’t. Focus on the patient ones and play with your f-stop and composition. A decent macro lens can really help, but oh how the depth of field can be thin if your f-stop is to small. A place like the Butterfly Garden, which has a decent amount of light, helps.

Photography

Several Random Photos

May 25, 2019 James O'Keefe Leave a comment

Usually when I am going to/from work, I don’t take my camera, but rely on my mobile phone to capture things I run into in my travels. I cannot say any of them are good, but the more times I get to play with composing photos, the better I’ll get hopefully. Enjoy!

Inspiring hope and fear

My aim was to capture the graffiti on the ground with the wall art. The people in the top left were a bonus. It would be a more compelling composition if I had captured the backs of the people closer to the graffiti on the ground.

Abandoned gloves

With Spring upon us, someone discarded their gloves in an office stairwell. I decided to play with the perspective.

Shadow within a shadow

The harsh morning light, seen in the top right, reflected off of the glass building behind me to cast me in shadow within the shadow of the building in front of me.

Reflections in Glass and Wood

Another photograph playing with reflected light. I liked the way the light reflected off the glass window as well as off the wooden counter and then off the glass window.

All rolled up with nowhere to go

A job left undone.

Music, Photography

Theater Thursday: Aladdin Jr

January 31, 2019 James O'Keefe Leave a comment

My youngest was in the Somerville Musical Theater production of Aladdin Jr. last summer. This production is organized by the Somerville Arts Council. Here are some of the better pictures I took of two performances.

Aladdin Jr Somerville Musical Theater Program 2018

You can view them all at this photo album:

Photography, War

Warship Wednesday: USS Manchester

January 30, 2019 James O'Keefe Leave a comment

Last May, my son and I traveled to Portsmouth New Hampshire to photograph the USS Manchester (LCS-14) which was being commissioned.

It was tied up at the New Hampshire State Port Authority on the Piscataqua River. Since it was a weekend, we were able to setup across the river on Badger Island.