Hasselblad H5D-50C - CMOS sensor magic!

Hasselblad H5D-50C w/HC 35mm f/3.5 at f/11, ISO 800, 1 sec

UPDATE: I have now posted a second instalment to this comparison, with D800 versus H5D-50C screenshots, as well as a download link so you get three ISO 400 raw files to view yourself, one from the H5D-50C, one from the H5D-50 and one from the D800.

We recently had an intro event for the new CMOS sensor equipped Hasselblad H5D-50C and I had a chance to do some side by side tests with the previous CCD equipped model. The new CMOS 1.3x crop 645 medium format sensor used in the H5D-50C is actually made by Sony, and that's a good thing since they also make the best sensors for the DSLR world. The Nikon D7000, D800 / D800E and even the underlying silicon used in Fujifilm X-Trans sensors are made by Sony for example. What this means for medium format camera systems is that finally, there is a sensor capable of not only superb low ISO sharpness and tonality, but also excellent high ISO image quality with much less chroma noise in the shadows when those shadows need to be opened up in a high dynamic range scenario.

In addition, this new sensor seems to have slightly better highlight dynamic range as well and you can also do much longer time exposures with no need for long exposure noise-reduction, up to 12 minutes in length. This means after a 12 minute exposure, you don't need to wait an additional 12 minutes for the camera to do a "dark frame" - you can start another time exposure immediately.

HiRes Pro Workshop

Looking for some high-end production, shooting and retouching training? Look no further than this Hires Pro workshop! Click on the image for more information...

Event: Impossible Project Transfers & Metallic Inkjet Prints

Professional Photographers of Canada - B.C. Event - Monday, May 26th 6:30-9:30pm

Kathy Kinakin and Mike Mander of Beau Photo share the magic of the Impossible Project and the beauty of printing on Moab metallic inkjet paper paper.

You are invited to bring your own image using the Impossible film and do a transfer, or bring a digital file on a thumb drive and do a print on metallic paper.

The Impossible film lifts (above image) can even be done from images on your phone and printed in the instant lab. Beau Photo is also supplying some cameras for those that want to create images on the spot!

Here are two links with videos that show the process...

Emulsion lifts

The 8x10 workshop

If you'd like to see more lift samples, here is a link to Beau Photo’s flickr.

Your meeting registration includes:

2 "lift" images in colour or black & white
     or
Bring your favorite file for a 8.5” x 11” print on new Moab Slick Rock Metallic paper

The event is being held at Beau Photo Supplies on Monday, May 26th from 6:30-9:30pm


Register today as spots are limited to only 25 participants.

Here is a photo of a sample print on metallic paper, which of course looks nothing like it does in person since you cannot see the metallic sheen!

Directing Motion Tour with Vincent Laforet

We are very proud to be the local sponsor for "Directing Motion" Vincent Laforet's upcoming tour here in Vancouver, on May 31st at the Westin Wall Center in Richmond. This is not just another workshop flogging gear but a valuable learning opportunity for you. Vincent will share his insights and experiences in directing film to enlighten you about the reasons why you would use motion, and how to effectively use motion in film and video. This is a great opportunity to hear an amazing director and technician speak. Don't let this opportunity pass you by. Use discount code DMTBEAU to save when you register.

LENSBABY! Big Savings now to May 15th!

NOTE! It is almost May 15th, so don't delay if you want to take advantage of this promotion!

Now until May 15, 2014 we have a new promotion running where you SAVE $115 on the purchase of the Lensbaby Composer Pro with Edge 80 Optic. If you’d like the whole Pro Effects Kit including the Composer Pro with the Edge 80 Optic, the Sweet 35 Optic, and macro converters now is the time to buy and SAVE $115! Or if you are looking to add the Edge 80 Optic to your Lensbaby system you can now SAVE $57.

Inject creativity and uniqueness into your portfolio with the Pro Effects Kit. This versatile kit provides a selective focus system solution for whatever type of photography you're shooting. From portraits and weddings to landscape and commercial photography - this kit is the top choice. By incorporating the Lensbaby creative effects lenses and optics, you can add a new dimension to your shots in-camera. Includes the Lensbaby Composer Pro with Sweet 35 Optic, the Edge 80 Optic, Macro Converters, Extra Large Lens Cleaning Cloth and the Lensbaby System Bag. 

The Lensbaby Composer Pro with Edge 80 is an all-in-one tilt photography solution for Canon and  Nikon DSLR shooters. This 80mm f/2.8 lens is compact, lightweight and affordable. Tilting the lens in any direction results in a slice of focus through your image, similar to the tilt effect in a tilt-shift lens. Incredibly versatile, choosing not to tilt the lens will make spectacular ‘straight’ photos - just as you’d get shooting with a ‘normal’ 80mm lens.

The Edge 80 Optic is a 80mm, flat field of focus optic with a 12-blade adjustable aperture and is compatible with all Lensbaby lens bodies*. When tilted, the Edge 80 delivers a slice of tack sharp focus through the image, bordered by soft blur. When pointed straight ahead, the Edge 80 can be used just like a high-quality straight lens.  Don't already own a Lensbaby lens body? You'll need one to put your Edge 80 into - we recommend the Composer Pro with Double Glass or the Composer Pro with Sweet 35.

*Macro Converters are required to use Edge 80 with Composer with Tilt Transformer (for mirrorless cameras).

Call for more details and availability!

Hasselblad H5D-50c Hands-On Tour (Vancouver)

HASSELBLAD H5D-50c HANDS-ON TOUR *

Please join Hasselblad and Beau Photo Supplies for a hands-on experience with the latest Hasselblad H5D-50c integrated medium-format digital SLR system.

The brand new and superbly engineered Hasselblad H5D-50c is the world’s first integrated 50MP medium format camera to use CMOS sensor technology. Join us for this exciting and informative hands-on event. You will be able to test drive the new H5D-50c and experience the benefits of the CMOS interface with Hasselblad representatives.

The event will be at Beau Photo Supplies on Thursday, May 15th from 11:00am - 5:00pm.

*To register for this event, click here. Click on the Contact Info page for a map & address.

For questions about the event, please contact: gking@hasselbladbron.com

Colour Impossible Project negatives

Last night I decided to try my hand at bleaching Impossible Project negatives. Earlier that morning I took some Impossible Project photos of me with coloured paint on my face and mouth. I chose to take them in the morning after work they'd be completely finished processing. Then after work, I decided I would make lifts with the emulsion side of the image so that nothing from the photo went to waste, making sure to save the opposite negative side after I'd peeled the photo apart.

After the lifts were done I got together a few things for the bleaching: the black/white 'negative' side that had been left over from making the lifts, a tall container for holding the bleach dilution, tweezers for holding the negative as you dip it in the bleach water, a sable hair paint brush, a rinsing tray, latex gloves and paper towel. Also make sure you do this in a ventilated area as bleach fumes are toxic.

I used a little toilet bowl gel cleaner (that has bleach in it) diluted with water. Others have suggested using liquid bleach diluted with water or Mr. Clean magic erasers and water. The first time I mixed this I used fairly warm almost hot water, the second time I used luke warm water. The negative bleached and rinsed faster when I used the hotter water.

First I rinsed away the white layer using warm water. Then I took the corner of the negative with tweezers and vertically dunked it in the bleach. I did notice that my sharp tweezers scratched up the corner a bit. I wasn't bothered, but if you are, perhaps just use your gloved fingers to swish the photo around in the bleach. After about half a minute I took the negative from the bleach and put it in my rinse tray, gently brushing the surface layer away the bleach had eaten through, to leave a dark green layer. I repeated this twice. The next layer was a lighter green, the one after that was more of a cyan green. After I was done bleaching and rinsing the negatives, I let them dry over night and brought them to work for scanning.

Negative image. 

Positive image after using curves in Photoshop. I noticed the coloured paint doesn't show up here. Perhaps with more editing the orange and green would be clearer.

If you'd like to see another example please view Beau's flickr site,
 https://www.flickr.com/photos/beauphotostore/

My First Worldwide Pinhole Day

April 27^th, 2014 was Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, and since I had never taken a pinhole photograph before Nicole and Kathy convinced me to give it a try! So with the Holga 120 wide pinhole camera and a roll of Lomo 400 film in hand, I set out with my dog, Hudson, on a walk through the park.

It was a pretty sunny day, but spring has sprung and the trees with their full leaves provided quite a bit of coverage on the pathway through the park. So for most of the exposures my shutter speed ranged between 1-2 seconds with the exception of one image that was closer to 3 seconds, in a particularly dark area of the park. I tried using a mini Gorilla Pod for a tripod but found it to be still a bit bouncy, so at times I also just held the camera as close to my body as possible for stability and shot away. This worked with mixed results, but I managed to get some reasonably sharp images, which I was quite excited by! I also tried to shoot a mix of close up images of flowers and further away photos of the whole pathway.

The one thing I didn’t realize about the camera, or take into account while I was shooting anyway, was that it was a WIDE format. Never having done this before or having used the camera at all, I just happily advanced away on the film, lining the numbers up in the back window as you usually would. Somewhere near the end of the roll I started to think, I don’t think I’m supposed to get this many exposures with a roll of 120 film or on a wide format camera…and I wasn’t. This resulted in basically one continuous photo, with no spacing between frames at all and many of them overlapping. I didn’t necessarily mind this at all though! Because it was all the same sort of subject matter, the overlaps seem to work out quite well. The green foliage nicely just runs together, with a few surprise vertical images showing up in the middle. I think my favorite images, if I could pick out a section of this giant long negative, would be the close up shot of the flowers and there’s a nice spot where a shot of the pathway turned out quite sharp. The only part I was a bit disappointed with the overlap was where I had taken a shot of the creek and accidentally overlapped with a vertical image of the trees. I really was hoping for a bit of water motion.  All in all, I had a lot of fun shooting with the pinhole and was pleasantly surprised with my results! I will definitely give it another try and see if I can get some water motion on my little creek.

If you took a pinhole photo on April 27^th, make sure you go to http://www.pinholeday.org/ and upload your images!

Here’s one of my favourite shots!

To see more check out our Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/beauphotostore/