I’d like to see a woman participate regularly. And I’d like to see someone who is less of a gearhead and more of an artist. l shall now watch men complain why adding a single woman to a podcast with three guys is terrible.
Jordan's energy and vibe as he starts the podcast never fails to get a smile on my face as he tangents into awkward questions to his friends. Thank you all so much for making this!
It’s really important to remember that right to repair isn’t just about you doing your own repairs at home. It’s about being able to choose which professional you take it to for a repair.
Yes! It's very important to remember how useful these documents are for independent repair shops, which lowers the price to take something to a professional for repair.
About the "buy brand new or buy used?" thing, I just want to say that this is a complete no brainer when it comes to actual beginners looking for their first camera : buy used. I've been recommending cameras to people online and in shops for the better part of the last 5 years, and I am fortunate enough to be able to keep track of the progress of those people buying cameras : it turns out that a lot of people buy a camera as a temporary hobby thing, they get excited about a camera one day, get one, use it for a couple of weeks or months then it stays on a shelf. Some even sell it after less than 6 months to get some of their money back. Photography with a dedicated camera is just a much bigger personal investment than using a phone : not only do you need to spend the money to get a camera (when you already have one) but you also need to make the conscious effort of carrying that camera with you for the thiings that you want to photograph. A LOT of people end up giving up on photography because they are not ready to put that investment down. So my recommendation is always the same : get an older mid range to pro level camera and see if you like it. Higher end camera generally have better controls, are better built, have more buttons and dials leading to less menu diving and simpler operation most of the time. You can get some really good camera for pretty cheap, camera that will help you grow into a system without making you feel limited. Cameras like the Olympus E-M1ii or th Fujifilm X-T2 can be found for under 500 bucks, have a lot of cheaper lenses available (especially for MFT) and do not represent an investment of several thousand of dollars. If you end up not liking photography, you can sell the camera for about the same price that you paid. If you end up liking it, you already have a camera that is capable of doing more than you're actualy cappable of and will not feel compelled to upgrade you camera right away. And it allows for super tight budget as well, recently a firned of mine wanted to get into wildlife photography, but only had a budget of about 400€. He ended up with a Nikon D300 and a 70-300G lens and has been learning a ton, as well as getting decent results. He's not looking at upgrading anytime soon, but for a relatively low budget he has a rugged weather sealed camera with a decent burst rate (8fps) and reliable tracking AF. That's more than what a bridge super zoom would give him in that kind of price range. And if he ever wants to sell it, chances are he could sell the whole thing for the same amount of money that he paid.
Couple generations old prosumer for the win! My 70D ran only a bit over 200$ from japan (and could’ve probably gotten under that with more patience). Even pre 2020, B&H sold me my used SL1 for like 300$, and that’s above/on the higher end of market value since they test it and have to make money, unlike someone just offloading their gear. My 10-18 and 17-85 were 180$ as a pair off craigslist! Unfortunately as you pointed out, it’s a commitment to lug most ILCs around with you, so I don’t get out and shoot nearly as much as I’d like this past year with my job now. Perhaps my best deal that still has me interested in photography though is my fuji X30, only 50$ at a thrift shop. It’s a balance, even “official” used like B&H, Adorama, KEH, MBP get you easy savings, just not as much as putting in your own time and effort to find deals.
As someone with a backlog of CLAs I'm having to plough through, old cameras aren't cheap. Camera techs are getting rarer. Prices are going up, conditions are going down, and demand is increasing. My Pen FV is going to end up costing me more than the Pentax 17, and I'm keeping fingers crossed I don't have mirror corrosion. I love my old gear, but there's a place for the new. And the 17 is a great start.
14:14 Please don't take this as an insult, because it is not meant to be. But I do want to clarify - the repair manual and parts which are available are very, very shallow. It's still quite a task for anyone unfamiliar with lenses, but in the grand scheme of things, this repair manual is sort of scratching just below the surface. Having said that, it is still very nice, and I hope it comes to other regions. Being able to order the rubber zoom cover, filter ring, and so on, is very nice. As to Jaron's later question, how you'd know what is wrong? This does not contain, and is IMO not intended, for anything which requires actual troubleshooting. Except the contact block, it's all things which are externally visible and relatively obvious.
Not worth for thoseare speaking from a point of scarcity of time and an abundance of money. When I was a lot younger and had more time than money, I absolutely took the time to realign a lens assembly or a replace a fatigued ribbon cable (thanks Canon). More recently, I intentionally bought a lens with a $200 discount from a spec of dust right behind the front element. A 10 minute fix, which makes for a pretty great hourly rate of $1200 per hour paid for my efforts. Better disassembly manuals would absolutely help for such peripheral repairs.
Appreciate the comment on 24mp being more than sufficient. Also I saw the guy from Analogue Wonderland reviewing the Pentax 17. He printed out a few pictures in A3 size to demonstrate how half-frame is absolutely fine to print pretty large with. It’s the same with MFT in digital. You get this snobbery which is just divorced from reality.
Hi Guys, First, I want to say that enjoy listening and seeing you every week. One of your sponsors, OM, when it was known as Olympus offered in the 1990s a marvelous little point and shoot film camera that cost around $80 US. It had a good 35 mm 1/2.8 lens, autofocu and a flash. It set set the ISO using the code on the film cassette. I loaded it with 3200 ISO B/W film which it would overexpose by 1 stop to make sure that there was a useable exposure when the film was processed at a 1 hour lab. I used it to create several bodies of work, a couple of which were exhibited.
I think the thing to consider with the Pentax 17 is having modern components that are guaranteed to work. Nothing is more discouraging to a curious film shooter than all the things that can go wrong with a supposedly working old film camera -- everything from shutter speed drift to difficulty loading the film -- and this is where it is a win. I hope people get into film and maybe Fuji wakes up and stops blowing up all their stocks. 😢
Honestly, 24-30MP is fine for most people. I personally would rather have the extra room to crop in that a 30MP image has but I'm not going to complain with a 24MP sensor. That said it would be interesting to see a higher MP sensor but the photosites are tuned to get more dynamic range in-camera without post-processing (in camera or in software). Other than a global shutter which Sony is already pioneering, there''s not much technologically left speaking to do.
16:30 I think it's awesome that Nikon has started releasing detailed repair documents! Might not be super useful to a lot of people especially right now, but many years down the line it could be valuable. They should retroactively release information on their entire Nikon 1 system...
"Have you ever done a print, nailed it and one print comes out and nailed it and walked away?" No. Well that makes me feel a whole lot better about my printing experience. Thanks Ted. Printing is a snake.
I think what Ted, and a lot of people with similar perspective, are failing to realize or not care about is what the Pentax 17 represents for the future of film. Ted may have left film behind years ago but it is still relevant and fun and worthy of use. Ted did an excellent video about photographers snubbing their noses to 35mm and subsequently phones because of their “inferior” nature. Well hey there half-frame, welcome to the club.
I waited so much for "what have you been up to" segment for Chris to explain what does that point&shoot(?) doing on his table and he didn't! Also still craving for the great APS-C shootout. Please nod twice if you're waiting for new Nikon model
Regarding repairing gear, I actually swapped parts between two Pentax 16-50/2.8 lenses once. One had a defective AF motor, and the other was slightly less sharp. So I wanted to see if I could make a sharp focusing lens with working AF motor. It turned out that the optics were all inside a sub-assembly, and that the controls (which included the AF-motor) surrounded all that. So basically I could swap out the optics modules. The only thing is that there were shims inside the lenses, designed to counteract any manufacturing tolerances and have the elements be exactly as far from the sensor as they should be. I didn't know that at the time. So I asked a friend who knows quite a it about lenses if that was a potential problem. He advised me how to test it. Turns out both lenses had no issues. I used the lens for some time after that. Right until I found that, even with a working AF motor, Pentax cameras still couldn't autofocus. ;)
The Nikon self-service is amazing and I hope they flesh it out more. In many countries there is not even a single lens repair shop (I live in one of those countries) so I hope more manufactures copy this.
You can get truckloads of Minolta 7000 camera in mint conditions for 50$ and mops the floor with that Pentax. Ted is absolutely right. Take older cameras. I use a Minolta a7, it costs 100-250$... A mount lenses cost peanuts and are very good. Same applies to other makers.
I’ve gotten a Pentax p3n ($6.38) with a 50mm F/1.7 SMC M ($32.51) Nikon n2000 ($22.17) with a tamron 28-80 f3.5/5.6 ($22.72) for like under a $100 with shipping on keh before. I could buy a fuck ton of cameras and glass on keh or eBay for $500.
@@bigboichoi0073 that's the way I got those 7000. I looked for bundles with glass, camera came in for free. None of those 7000 has faulty AF or exposure meter problems. They look ugly to some, but for a starter camera to learn basic stuff, and the IQ is great. Rumming through crap lens boxes in some NY camera stores you can get basically anything for a budget photographer as they hate Minolta. 500bucks is too much. A beercan + 7000 is under 100€, you cannot simply top it price wise. Fun guaranteed.
It’s all about price for me on the Pentax 17. You can get an OM20 and 50mm for under £100 in good condition. Plus the warranty on the Pentax is only 1 year, so after that you’re on your own anyway. I really do love that they’ve gone back into film just feel the price point is more sub £250
@@owenrodgers8020 maybe. I thought Pentax might have gone for more of a Lomography route though and had it at an affordable price. Maybe somewhere between the two. Hell, I think it’d maybe still be good value at £300 but £500 is crazy for the actual components.
regarding minimum focus distance on zoom lenses, one example I am familiar with of a lens whose greatest reproduction ratio (roughly 1:3, I think) was in the middle of the range is the Canon EF-M 18-150 F3.5-6.3. That 1:3 reproduction on my copy of the lens is at 62mm focal length. (After typing this, I realize that MFD and greatest reproduction ratio are two different things, but both have relevance for macro work.
Most people are looking for the camera experience, but they also want something better or as good as their phone. That’s why the X100VI is selling so well. It’s a cool camera, yes, but it’s also a GOOD camera. Low quality images are cool and have their charm and appeal for some, but they don’t really resonate with the masses, especially when they want to upload to social media, etc.
Man the portland japanese garden is kind of a nightmare to shoot in, gotta try to set it up ahead of time. Last time I was there I was shaken down like 10 times for my tripod pass lol. I have it I swear! lol.
The problem with the Z6 III price is that in EU it's €3000, while both the A7IV and R6 II are €2500, when they aren't heavily discounted. Also €3000 is dangerously close to the Z8, that can be had for €3700-3800. So for not much more money, you get a lot more camera.
The guy who asked will probably never read this comment, but I have used a Nikon 70-200/4 on an X-T4 with a Fringer adapter, autofocus, and VR. It works fine - for an adapter, but nowhere near as fast and efficient as the same lens on a Nikon body, and I certainly hope a native Fujifilm tele zoom will lock focus faster. I would not for a moment consider buying a lens just for use on that adapter, but as I already have the lens and use it mostly for land- and cityscapes, not for wildlife or sports, it will suffice for quite a while. Especially as I still have the Nikon I bought it for.
Why nikon is not focusing on apsc lineup? Nikon z50 desperately need an update, lenses are very few, no native fast zoom or prime. If they didn't want to committed to apsc lineup they shouldn't launch it in first place. Z5 could be in a place of z50 that would make lot of sence.
You're correct that there are no fast DX zooms, but there _is_ a native DX prime: the 24mm f/1.7. I'll add that there is also no flagship DX mirrorless camera à la the D500. Lack of that plus native lens options (especially zooms) makes DX a bit of a dead end.
I'd be very surprised if Nikon don't release a new DX body soon. It is definitely the area the desperately needs addressing. People keep mentioning a Z9II, but I can't actually see what is wrong with the current Z9.
The way Nikon has been hitting it out of the park with their new cameras and their telephoto lens selection, an enthusiast level crop/DX camera would make me seriously consider switching over to Nikon.
44:20 Another factor for the Japan market is generally people here are quite wary of buying 'used' things. So the ability to buy a film camera as a new unused product is a selling point in itself.
I disagree with the panel about the Fringer adapter. Yes, it is slightly slower, but the one I have works just fine. I have a setup which is really like a Frankenstein's monster, but it works. I have a Sigma 150 to 600 Contemporary EF lens (yes a DSLR lens). This I normally use with Canon R7 through Canon EF to RF adapter. But, the actual monstrous setup is Nikon Z50, Fringer EF to Z adapter, and Sigma 150 to 600 I mentioned earlier. AF works just fine, slightly slower. My review of this adapter on Amazon has a few pictures I took with it.
Ted's "use your eye" comment about judging whether a lens-sensor combo is suitably high resolution is the most apt and perfect response to any question about that topic. Although I definitely understand the desire to approach photographic technology from a quantitative and technical point of view, I think a lot of photographers (especially hobbyists or amateurs who don't usually need the top of the line specs for their work) have forgotten that whether the image produced by the camera adequately represents what they saw and attempted to capture is still the most important aspect. I think Chris or Jordan have made the comment before that they stress test lenses because the job of a reviewer is to draw absolute comparisons, but so many of the users forget that ultimately whether one lens is 5% sharper than another doesn't matter if the photographer is getting the image they need.
LR 6 is my last big adobe app, as soon as the sub came in I started to replace Adobe apps in my life. Resolve has come a long way, for web there's now much better options for code and Krita is amazing. I just wish GIMP had a more clean UI. Pentax going half frame was a good move, for pros it may seem like a big loss of quality but for small prints and web it's fine & saves a lot of money.
I have a very unpopular opinion about the F3 just like I have with 35mm lenses. I found them to be blocky and the mechanical shutter speed backup was a wierd one. Mostly though I just never gelled with one when using it. I far prefer the FE-FM series as well as the F4, which again is a somewhat unpopular opinion.
Topaz is so insanely capable I upscaled a 12MP image my mom took on an old Nikon d3100 to 21k pixel width for fun… the zebras had sensible texture to them zoomed in. Anyway if we are talking about just 2x 4x resolution on a sharp image. Absolutely. You can create so much detail and texture… clean up noise etc…
The only way to use subscriptions is to use virtual credit cards or manual payments. Then you can control the subscription beyond the BS of the service providers.
Ted hit it right on the head with Adobe changing to capture subscribers with tools that cut out the creative they would have otherwise hired - without ticking off current creative’s subscribers. Kodak was in that position in the photofinishing era when they decided to sell directly to the consumer and pair up with large retailers to install their own labs, compete with their own traditional distributors in effect sinking many of them, I have to think they lost that balancing act and then digital came along and big yellow was late to embrace it.
As someone who as a 3 year old was more interested in tearing apart toys to Frankenstein something else together with them, i fully stand behind the right to repair movement. Enough so that I'm now interested in the new nikon. I don't expect free repair manuals or warranty coverage, but having access to by parts that are still produced would be greatly appreciated. For instance i have an rx10iv that i left in a puddle of rain water on a camping chair overnight.. took it apart and cleaned it up and everything works perfect except for the external lcd. The terminals on the ribbon cable that connects it are corroded away. A relatively easy $5 fix if i could just order the cable.
I think the Nikon repair thing is important for people far from any good repair stores, not necessarily doing it themselves, but taking to a handy repair person who would have to go in blind doing it. Repair manuals should be more common, even if it voids warranty.
I think a lot of the people who say 24 megapixels is fine are missing the point that in a lot of use cases especially for wildlife photography where you are distance limited, more megapixels are absolutely required to be able to crop in. If you're a pro at a sporting event on the sidelines with a giant lens, sure it's not as important, but if you're out shooting wildlife and our distance limited in lens limited every megapixel matters and the more the better. And frankly for these use cases, printing is almost never the concern. A large chunk of them are viewed almost exclusively digitally, but still need to be heavily cropped and retain high levels of detail.
Loved this podcast as much as I love all of them, just wish Ted could have used an actual microphone and didn't sound so horrible! Come on Ted get your microphone! Stop using your earbuds!
I was a bit surprised that evidently no one had done any research before the podcast, regarding Pentax’s film camera project. They stated their objectives what, two years ago? (Point and shoot, then SLR, if things go according to plan.) And Ted’s statements on used film camera costs versus the Pentax 17 have been incorrect for over five - perhaps seven years. The used market is expensive now, and there’s inherent risk in it. (I use and purchase film cameras, as well as digital.) Hopefully things go well for Pentax and we see that SLR in a couple of years.
I own a Pen and it's thoroughly charming camera. The final image is more akin to the vibe of instant film, it's a lovely abstraction, call it the expression of a place rather than a rendering and I fell there is poetry there. It's more like a slighted faded memory or a glimpse of something and the random mash up of two images together produced some great happy accidents. You want lovely rich details pick up MF or 4x5, you want a fun camera to go out and play with, one that you don't really feel in your bag then half frame is an option ; )
Shooting an episode on 8 mm sounds awesome. I also appreciated the "full retro" Tropic Thunder reference. I know that that scece was in very poor taste and offensive to many, but I also thought that both it and the Downey character's "skin pigmentation procedure" driven character art did a beautiful job of skewering the way Hollywood treats these topics.
I like Jordan’s question of the week! Jaron and Chris: what’s the point of being mean and disrespectful? Especially you, Chris. Jordan makes you look good every week - definitely better than you deserve. Jordan, you’re wonderful - don’t change for anyone!
@@niccollsvideo Hey, Chris - I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. I really am. I know you guys have had a stressful season and I do appreciate your hard work. Go back and watch Jordan's eyes in the opening and tell me you didn't see him die inside just a little. Jordan is kind to you. He defers to you as an expert photographer and presenter and he rarely, if ever, throws shade at you in a way that tears you down. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm way off. That's fine. I'm just a nobody here on your channel. But why not ask Jordan if it feels good to have your friends publicly call your icebreaker question a "fever dream" and say they're "taking control to bring us back to something that makes sense?" In every aspect of your production, Jordan keeps you looking professional. That's one way he keeps you looking good, and that should count for something.
@@WayneReichit’s just that your statement doesn’t take into account our relationship that we’ve had over a decade or the fact that our show is successful because of both of us, not one of us making the other look professional. There are plenty of times where Jordan has stated that my podcast rants are going “off the rails”and yet I understand the context of where those statements are coming from. It’s the dynamic that we portray not only on the podcast but also the show.
@@niccollsvideo Sincerest apologies to you, Chris. I thought I was just sticking up for Jordan, but didn’t realize it would be so personal. My “better than you deserve” comment was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, but I can see that didn’t land well. Obviously, we don’t know you guys like you know each other. I’ve watched your videos since the early days at the Camera Store, but that’s not the same thing as having real in-person experience. I shouldn’t have confused the two. Have a lovely evening and I hope you can enjoy some rest. I’ll be looking forward to Jordan’s question of the week and whatever you guys do next.
I recently unsubscribed from Adobe. It wasn't too difficult, but they did hit me with an early termination fee. I was already feeling negative about the company because of their business practices and shoving AI down our throats, by adding a pop-up or button all over their products, and using paying customer data to feel their AI. The termination fee was like adding salt to a wound. I really don't want to support that kind of BS and I hope Adobe sees a huge drop in subscribers.
I have a broken lock on my 200-500 f/5.6. I don't want to send it in for an expensive repair. So this is great, and I have no issue with doing it myself
I think it’s a nice brave move of Pentax. But I still shoot with my lenses that I used 40 years ago, it’s still working on my Pentax K1 markII. And the combination still gives me the satisfaction of manual focus but not the hassle with the films
Before I shot my first role of film in Olympus mju 2 I was always asking myself if this old camera really works. In my head I know that film works but still I had to fear of losing the money from the film stock and the development and scanning because the camera was just not working right or something of the lines. now with a new camera, I can see that people look at it as something less risky, even though shooting with an old camera isn’t even that risky. But maybe that was just me overthinking the process but then. I really hope for full frame 35 mm camera , the community that kept the film stock and cameras and repair communities alive really deserves that my opinion.
Fuji 40 Mp. For most people the Tamron 17-70 f2.8 and the Fuji 70-300 f/4-5.6 will cover almost all their needs. Sure a longer lens for wildlife or something shorter for Astro etc. Those two will cover most of the bases.
I would suggest to Pentax to charge $1200.00 for the 17, and include a roll of B&W film, and a small batch of chemicals with an instruction book to develop the film. A complete starter kit in other words.
RE: the pentax 17, as someone that bought my first film SLR recently I get the appeal. It is absolutely more expensive than the multitude of film cameras already other there, however I found shopping for old film cameras anxiety inducing. With a digital camera I can just ask for a shot of the rear lcd showing an image and a pic of the sensor to see if its clean. Film its really difficult to tell "does this thing work?" online or even in a store. An ebay listing might say the camera works great but theres no way for me to know until I take it out and shoot a whole roll and have it scanned and developed. Does the light meter work? is the shutter performing properly? are there light leaks? Luckily the om-2n I got worked great but that was a very anxious first roll to shoot. If I can just hop on b&h and grab a film camera i know works right out of the box with warranty I kinda get it, even if its more expensive. A roll coming back totally bunk from a bad camera is a whole day or even week of memories lost.
Hey peta peeps, for a bit I’ve been considering getting a lumix camera because there’s tons of talk on RU-vid about how great they are for video. Everytime one comes out there’s dozens of videos about how they are the best video cameras in their price points, but aside from those individual reviews, it seems like most people use Sony. For example: Gerald Undone with A7IV, Caleb Pike with FX3, Patrick Tomasso with fx30, or Mark Bone with FX6. Lot of examples but I’m just trying to show I’m not cherry picking (too much). Most of these creators have lauded cameras like the S5iix and the gh7, but continue to use Sony. Why is this so?
I don’t think €549 is such a strange price-point for a newly built filmcamera with mechanical parts in 2024. Maybe people sometimes forget that ‘professional/prosumer’ film cameras used to cost a fortune back in the day too. We’ve just been disillusioned by the availability of a cheap secondhand market.
What about Adobe using our photos to build their AI system. Shouldn’t we get credit for that! Also while I understand the cost associated with the servers, if their model returns unsatisfactory results (not validating them), should we get charged?
Yes so if you are on the 19$ a month adobe plan and you try to cancel they wack your card 50$ instantly, so before you cancel go to your bank and get a different card so your old card is not working because for them to even charge you the 50$ termination fee is illegal anyway..
