Technical Camera Images

[danlindberg]

I am in love with my Alpa. It is inspiring me to hunt light and compositions. In fact, it is what I have been missing for more than 10 years shooting 35mm. Photography has been my bread and butter for 20 years, but for a few years I must admit that I have been lacking inspiration and have only produced all incoming assignments because it's a job, but no dedication to go the extra mile for the client.
That has changed overnight with the purchase of the Alpa SWA. It's fun again. It's back to basics. It's back to "think" before you shoot. I simply love it.

Now, I would love to see a dedicated thread with Alpa images, I believe we are still a minority so I do not think there will be any change with the great thread "Fun with....." this would just be a complement for Alpa users.

Yes, yes, I know that it is the lens and the back that actually makes the image. The "thingy inbetween" is just holding the other two pieces together. But I don't care! I call it Alpa images anyway

I start off with two images, where you could say - "what a difference a day make".... This first one I shot yesterday evening in a lovely light:

Around 20 hours later I am back in this area, less than 100 metres away and today the air was damp with a heavy fog and considerably colder than yesterday. So I felt very black & white and made this today, almost at the same spot as yesterday.

Would be very nice to see your Alpa images too

 

[KeithL]

Re: ALPA images

Yes, yes, I know that it is the lens and the back that actually makes the image. The "thingy inbetween" is just holding the other two pieces together. But I don't care! I call it Alpa images anyway

The first of your images is particularly beautiful. What actually made it so wasn't the "thingy inbetween" or "the other two pieces", it was you.

 

[ptomsu]

Re: ALPA images

Absolutely stunning!

May I ask why you choose a Leaf versus a Phase back?

Peter

 

[Jaladhi]

Re: ALPA images

Beautiful images!

 

[PeterA]

Re: ALPA images

the first one is especially lovely - enjoy your Alpa.

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

Re: ALPA images

That first one is just....moving, Dan.
Bil

 

[danlindberg]

Re: ALPA images

Thank you so much everyone. Most kind words

Ptomsu, why I chose a Leaf back?
Well, after reading just about everything I could on the net about all possibilities I reasoned that the entrylevel Aptus II 5 was probably the best buy for me.
1. I gives very clean files even with extreme shifts (I have yet to try a LCC).
2. I was worried about focusing blindly and thought the 9 micron chip would give me some relief in tolerence.
3. Moneywise it is outright cheap compared to anything else on the market, which ofcourse means that I am "more" free to go in any direction from here. Meaning I can upgrade without loosing so much or if I concluded that this isn't for me, then again, I would not loose a lot.
4. Resolutionwise it is ofcourse tiny compared to the big guns, but enough for paying clients. Hell, most of my fellow professionals are working with 5D2's...
In summery, a perfect, forgiving start

Feel free to post Alpa images

 

[GrahamWelland]

Re: ALPA images

For an Alpa or indeed any technical camera the Leaf also has the advantage of only needing a synch cable and no wakeup contraptions. You need either a wakeup release or battery burning zero latency mode on a Phase One back for example.

Dan - nice shots!

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Re: ALPA images

Dan, the elegant simplicity of your images is georgous.

 

[Jack]

Re: ALPA images

You need either a wakeup release or battery burning zero latency mode on a Phase One back for example.

Dan - nice shots!

Actually Graham, you do NOT need a wake-up cable on the later Phase backs -- that is what the "zero latency" setting is for -- just in case you weren't aware of that

Dan, agree with all the above, EXCELLENT images! Welcome to MF!

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Re: ALPA images

Folks post what lenses you are using. It would be nice to know that for folks that are trying to decide.

 

[danlindberg]

Re: ALPA images

Thank you very much

Todays keeper is this one...

Lens is SK 35XL, no shift.

Remember, the thread is open for anyone with Alpa images to share....

 

[dchew]

Re: ALPA images

Dan,
Awesome tree! Nobody is posting because your images are too intimidating.

Here's one I found while "re-mining" my PODAS images from Death Valley. I've got to do some more work on this because the colors in the dunes are whacky in places.

STC, SK43xl, P65+

Dave

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Re: ALPA images

Don't touch it Dave. It works and I wish I ran out with you that morning to shoot. You nailed it

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Re: ALPA images

Actually been thinking of next workshop in January back in Death Valley but head more North. Good storms in the winter.

 

[danlindberg]

Re: ALPA images

Totally agree with Guy, don't touch it, it is fab!! The variations of colourtones in the dunes enhances the sky. Great capture!

Excellent, now the ice is broken Let them Alpa images be seen....

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Re: ALPA images

The only thing I would do with the image is the highlight on the dune itself is about 1/3 of stop more exposure. Let your eye go right into that. That image is a wall trophy

Could not resist

 

[dchew]

Re: ALPA images

Thanks Guy; Nice version. I'm going to spend some more time playing with this. One of those images I glossed over initially then came back to months later...

Dave

 

[Jack]

Re: ALPA images

Agree with the above, it is pretty nice as is! I'll agree with Guy and say I like the lighting on the dune pumped a little -- etherial but still believable.

To get picky, I see the magenta and green shifts in the dune too Dave. It looks like a lens cast issue to me, but it tends to work with this image instead of against it, looking like reflection off the sky in the dune -- very cool and perhaps just a tad strong for my tastes, but I would rather see it there than not have any color in the dune at all.

If you have the LCC, you might try applying it to clean up the dune a little, then depending on how much it takes from the sky and reflection, blend it back with this version. Or maybe even easier, just select the dune area and desaturate a little, but not so much you remove all of the effect.

Either way, definitely print worthy!

:thumbs:

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Re: ALPA images

My adjustments where quick and dirty but I do like that type of version to it. Agree with Jack yea you have some color issues but they actually do work for the image, so maybe just some slight adjustments to that.

As always if it looks good to your eye than its perfect, but things don't always need to be technically correct either. Like they say learn the rules than forget them. LOL