July 2007

Change: Just before our 2 weeks vacation in Ireland ( my 5th time there ) I decided to try out something new. After using Nikon cameras ( F801, F100, D1, D2H and D200 ) for almost 18 years I bought a Canon 5D. Beside the 24-105 IS ( this was the kit lens ) I got myself a 70-200/4 IS and a 50/1.4. Almost all my Nikon gear got stolen in June and that´s why I had a close look to the "other side" or like they used to say in the dpreview Nikon forum the "dark side" before I purchased new gear. It´s not that dark at all actually. Canon makes some very nice lenses and the 5D is no bad camera either.

Together with the Canon I also bought a Panasonic FX100. A 12MP compact camera! The last time I was in Ireland I took pictures with a 2.7MP DSLR. Over 5 years ago I bought my first DSLR. It was a used Nikon D1 and it made me switch to digital in a second. In my POM January 2002 comment I wrote that I think that digital cameras will become standard within the next years. But what I couldn´t imagine back than was that even compact cameras would have a resolution of 12MP and even more impressive that a little over 500.-EURO will buy you a starter DSLR including a lens. Wonder how cameras will be in 5 years from now.

I have to admit that I struggeled I little with my new camera. I got it just 2 days before we left for Ireland and therefore I wasn´t able to get used to it before the trip and I´m still not able to operate it "blind" like my Nikons. I think that is partly because I simple need time to learn the controls but it is also very clear to me that the Nikon D200 and D2 series have by far better ergonomics that the Canon 5D. I also struggle a little to get the output I´m used to. Sometimes I think the images lack punch but shooting RAW leaves all options in post processing. The image above where shot somewhere in the Connemara on a beautiful and warm morning. It looks absolutely stunning on full screen size. The level of detail is amazing and the colors are great. I used Lightroom to process the shot and I used the color slide setting which usually is too strong but worked great for this shot.

Meanwhile I also got the 17-40L because I really missed a super wide angle lens especially for the costal landscape shots and also the 100mm Macro lens.

Here is another one taken on Keem beach on Achill Island. The reason why the strand is so busy is because the shot was taken on a Sunday afternoon. Normally less people are there. ;-)