DJI Crystal Sky

After months of waiting my DJI Crystal Sky, 7.5" Ultra Bright arrived.  In typical DJI fashion, nothing is ever easy, but after a week of effort, including having to purchase a separate power supply for a device that comes with rechargeable batteries, but no charger, I finally have things up and running.  As I mentioned, nothing is easy with DJI.

The display is definitely on the larger side, but having a dedicated device for all of my drones is worth the effort.  I purchased the Mavmount separately and must say, its construction is top notch.  One item that is difficult with this setup is putting on and removing the monitor from the mount.  To make things easier I will be adding a RRS quick release setup that will solve this problem.  

Once I get to warmer weather I will provide some further feedback on the device. My internal testing so far has been very positive.

Zeiss Loxia 21 Testing

I continue to thoroughly enjoy shooting with the little Loxia 21.  It is as close to a 'Leica' glass feel as I have experienced with the Sony A7rii.  I have a running set of images on my stories site with sample images so please jump over there for more imagery from the A7rii/Loxia 21 combination.

In a few words or less, this is a simply stunning lens.  The build quality is spectacular.  The aperture ring and focus ring are buttery smooth, which makes manual operation a dream.  Paired with the A7Rii peaking and zoom capability, focus is easy, quick and very precise.  

If I had one nit about the lens, it would be what others have already stated.  The mount is just a bit small for removing the lens.  If it were a tad bigger, with more separation from the aperture ring, removal of the lens would be just like any other lens.  However, due to its small size, removal is a tad difficult.  All in all, I would say that is purely a minor complaint and one that is easily overcome with practice.

I will continue to update my story site over the next several days with images and then I move on to testing out the Zeiss 25 Batis; the Sony-Zeiss 35/1.4 and the Sony 35/2.8.  

Garmin Fenix 3

I am and always have been a huge fan of Watches.  From the time I got my first Casio  or my first Tag Heuer to when I purchased my last Panerai and everything in between, there is just something soulful about the Watch. Like Anthony Bourdain and his Raw Craft series, I simply love what goes into the watch. I appreciate the simple to the complex, the inexpensive, to the astronomical.  Watches just speak to my soul.

Over the last year I have been on the quest for a sports watch. Something that was quasi smart, could track my rides or my runs and all at the same time provide me with something that I could wear in multiple environments and even dress up with simple band changes to meet my moods.

Leather and all Black compliment the Red. Garmin has a nice selection of bands for the Fenix 3

Enter the Garmin Fenix 3 with the crystal display.  It is definitely on the big side, which I like, and has a bit of character to it through band changes, but also provides me with exactly the functionality I was looking for in this type of watch.

With normal use I get 3-4 days of battery life out of it, something that is perfectly fine for me.  It tracks my runs and my rides, allowing me to skip the super expensive Bike GPS and go with something that follows me all the time. If need be, it pairs nicely with a Heart Rate monitor or other Bluetooth 'Ant' accessories.

There are tons of great reviews out there for this watch, so I will save that for others. I simply wanted to throw my .02 cents in to the ring and let you adventurous types that this is a really solid offering from Garmin.  Definitely a keeper in my books.

Next up to look at is the Casio G Shock Mudmaster, a beast of a watch and the Hanhart Primus Pilot (If I can find one).

Quick Q Update

After two weeks with the Q I can say without a doubt it is the real deal; all the reviews were correct; it is the best single lens compact camera I have ever shot.  Amazing build quality, stunning IQ and lightning fast AF all in a small compact body.  For the most part, I have put down my M240 and have only been shooting with either the Q or the Monochrom.  With the release and now readily available set of reviews on the SL, I am beginning to re-think my overall kit strategy.  More on that at another time.

I had previously mentioned that one of the only negative things I had to say about the Q was the way it was held in the hand.  Leica's little thumb indent helps, but the body still has just a bit too much heft to make that a stable platform for holding the camera.  There are a couple of options for remedying this including buying Leica's own grip; buying one of the JB Camera Design grips; and adding the new Thumbs Up adapter.  

I currently have these Thumbs Up adapters on my M240 and my Monochrom, so going that route was a natural first step.  The adapter arrived yesterday in the standard beautiful packaging. The adapter itself is meticulously machined and fits the Q like a glove, giving the hand a rock solid hold on the camera.  While I will still add a JB grip, this is a great first step and enhancing the feel and ergonomics of the mighty Q.  

The 'Beer' Slinger

I can't remember a piece of bikepacking kit that has had this much interest in quite some time.  So in the spirit of helping others out, I will not only showcase what kinds of camera gear the Slinger can hold, but also all of its other wonderful utility.  First up, Beer, in the form of a Growler.  As you can see, there is plenty of room for a full size growler.  Oh yea, this is gonna be killer.

Growler Details: 11 inches tall and 12 inches circumference at its widest point.

Porcelain Rocket Slinger

Scott Felter, the mastermind at Porcelain Rocket, has continued to push the boundaries of ultralight backpacking bags.  Scott has been helping me with my travels by bike for the last 4 years and I am extremely grateful not only for his support but for his creativity.

For quite some time I know that not only I, but other bike photographers have been looking for a solution to easily carry and protect our camera gear on our bikes.  We have all gone through a host of solutions, some elegant, and some not so much.  I am sure that most of us have tried making crap, using backpacks, repurposing other bits of kit, all in an attempt to come up with a solution that safely carries our cameras; keeps them close at hand; and most importantly, keeps them off of our backs.

I am happy to say, that after seeing the prototypes I am now the proud recipient of one of Scott's new 'Slinger' bags.  This is a super light bag that in similar fashion to 'Feed Bags', attaches to the handlebars, fork and stem to create a secure location for carrying a small DSLR, mirrorless camera or range finder.  I personally shoot primarily with a rangefinder, but there are definitely situations where I will use a DSLR like the Nikon D810 or even a small mirrorless camera like the Fuji X100T.

Scott's new Slinger fits the bill perfectly with more than enough space for a DSLR and small zoom or fixed lens.  For a rangefinder or mirrorless camera, there is enough space in there for a camera, lens and second lens. The pictures below who the bag mounted to the Salsa Mukluk.  The 3rd picture shows the bag with a D810/50 combination.  Plenty of room in there for a longer fixed lens or a moderate zoom.

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I head to Ireland for 3 weeks of photography and bikes starting next week and then am off to Alaska for 3 weeks of winter touring and photography.  I look forward to putting the Slinger through its paces and will provide a bit of running commentary on Instagram as to how it works.

Scott -- GREAT JOB!!

Fuji X-T1- A Winner

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Fuji X-T1, 23/1.4, ISO 640 shot on a mini tripod

More to come when I have a good internet connection, but my read on this camera is very positive.  Shooting it for 5 days, in a mixture of conditions has given me a good feel for what it is capable of doing.  I would certainly not hesitate to recommend it for an adventure based camera, especially with the 23/1.4, and the 56/1.2, both of which are spectacular.  Jason would add that the 35/1.4 is a must have as well.  Once I obtain a better internet connection I will post a full writeup as well as more shots.

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You can order the Fuji X-T1 and a full assortment of lenses at B&H Photo. As always, it costs you nothing extra to purchase using my links but it does help me to fund the site and the rentals of cameras for reviews.

Place your pre-order with a trusted affiliate now:

Fuji X-T1 available at B&H

Fuji 23/1.4 available at B&H

Fuji 35/1.4 available at B&H

Fuji 56/1.2 available at B&H

Go Fish

Madagascar was the plan, but things change... Now, where to take the Fish? 

Nikon AW1 - My Thoughts

Lets start the whole discussion off with why?  Why another camera? Why the 1 series? Why not just use a Waterproof Case? Why not just stay home, in the dry and not take pictures? Why?.... The list goes on and on, with each of us having our own unique take on the questions that are relevant to our own needs.

For me, the answer is simple and profound.  The AW1 represents nothing more than a tool that helps me to accomplish a goal. In my case, and that of the AW1, take the highest quality photographs possible in the types of crappy conditions I sometimes find myself shooting.  The worst offender of all is on the kayak where the environment, especially in salt water, is simply brutal.  To date I have tried just about every possible permutation known to anyone that takes pictures from a kayak, and not one of them has been successful nor a reasonable compromise.

I have used little waterproof point and shoots that either produced extremely low quality images or that actually were not that rugged and waterproof after all.  In the worst of all worlds, they did both, leaving me wanting for more, much more.  I have tried using wipes and dry cases to carry nicer cameras (NEX-7, NEX-5) that would be stored, delicately removed, images taken, wiped down and then placed back in there container.  Now I will admit, for some calm scenarios, this worked well, but it placed your gear at tremendous risk.  A bobble here, a drip there, one little mistake, and the saltwater would destroy your camera in an instant.

Just ask my Nikon D3 that I still can't bring myself to throw out after it got a little (and I mean a little) saltwater in the camera via the battery compartment (which is not sealed like the rest of the camera).  The note back from NPS telling me that after initial inspection they were optimistic, only to open it up all the way and discover the sea of corrosion... Yep, that was a real bummer to say the least, and yes, I still have the body!

I have tried baggies and all kinds of cases, which do an admirable job of protecting your camera, but place constraints on the optics or add significant bulk to the body and impede upon the entire shooting experience.  Short of spending $2k for a soft housing for a large camera, I have tried it all.  In the end, everything was a compromise and left me wanting and waiting for something else.  Thus, enter the Nikon 1 series AW1.

I picked up a Nikon V1 used a while ago and began shooting this much maligned camera almost immediately.  I was simply shocked to discover how much I enjoyed the little beast and how much I was loving the images, especially in B&W mode.  There was something very magical about those images that I just found incredibly compelling.  No, they were not the same quality as a D800E paired with a Zeiss lens, but dang, they were really good.  I was loving this little camera, and the more I used it the more I loved it. 

V1, crazy artificial light, ISO 1600

The optics were sharp and it had a near 'film like' quality to the images.  The files are  very pliable in LR and Capture, especially when shot below ISO 800.  Even ISO 1600 worked for me, although I can hear the pixel peepers complaining about the amount of noise they see when zoomed in 100% on a 27 inch monitor viewed 12 inches away... Don't get me started on the whole pixel peeping thing, because if that is you, you are not paying attention to making images.  You are stuck in the noise  of your gear (no pun intended).

So, with all of the love I was feeling for the little V1 and the fact that I was convinced that Nikon had produced a gem of a camera, I was super stoked when I saw that Nikon was taking the 1 series and building a rugged version of the camera and two of the lenses, sort of a Nikonos Lite model.  There are plenty of sites that will give you the technical details on the 1 series (V1,V2, J2, AW1), but suffice it to say, this little camera series rocks.  Why does this matter to us adventure folks?  Well, a couple of key specs that are worth pointing out. 

First, read any review and they will say that the 1 series has the best AF out there.  Coupled with Nikon's legendary metering system that is proven over and over, you have a fantastic one two combination.  Two things that no other little waterproof P&S camera can boast.  I mean this thing rocks from a focus and shutter perspective.  Put the camera in Electronic shutter mode and you can choose between 10|30|60 FPS.  Now, can you really achieve that, I don't know, but let me tell you, the camera will fire off a sequence of images in a second that make tracking the action absolutely a cinch.  That alone, from my perspective is a huge plus.

Second, the AW1 sports both complete waterproofing (down to 15m), is shockproof and freeze-proof.  These three features mean that all of a sudden, no more bags or dry cases or other forms of 'How do I keep my camera dry' protection.  Sea Kayaking -- no problem, just stick a paddle leash on the camera and slap it under your deck lines.  Time to shoot, well you can wipe off the lens if time permits or you can use the surf photographers technique of spit, wipe, dip, shoot.  Yes it works, but you gotta do it almost every time.  Out biking, well, just use a black rapid strap and hang the camera off of your back.  Who cares if it is raining, snowing, dusty, etc.  Just grab the camera and shoot!

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However, and too the point, none of these things matter if the image quality isn't there; if the camera doesn't produce images that are worthy of your needs.  Each of us has very different needs and requirements for what we expect from our images.  Are we printing them; submitting them to magazines; selling stock images; creating blog and web content; or just documenting our travels. 

While I have only had the camera for a week, I am comfortable in saying that I believe I can do all of the above.  Now, the one question is how large can I print before things begin to degrade, but I have seen some pretty amazing prints from sensors smaller than the 1 series, so I am not too worried. 

Some details about my first week of shooting in no particular order:

• The battery life is awesome.  I am more than a week in, 100% battery, first charge!!
• The camera offers an outdoor display mode which is awesome in bright light
• One handed operation is very nice, with some cool innovative ways to control the UI by tilting the camera.  I wish they had gone a bit farther with this, but it works really nice as is.
• Get the rubber casing, even though monetarily it is a rip off, it does make the camera much nicer to hold
• I miss EVFs and tilting screens, but again, I do understand why they did this
• Electronic shutter mode is silent, so it is impossible to know when you are actually snapping the shutter, which at 10,30,60FPS is a bit of a problem if you get my point

You can probably tell from everything above that I like the camera.  It is not perfect and in the end, it is still a tiny sensor, but compared to the other options for a waterproof and rugged camera, this is a rocking little device.  The images that I am getting are more than useable for my needs.  I still prefer B&W out of the 1 series over the color profile, but I just need to dedicate some time to tweaking my LR color profile.  The color rendering is just a bit vivid for me where as the B&W is so sharp and gritty.  I just love those B&W files.

The camera has a great feel to it with a very nice and balanced heft.  Yes, you have to shoot from the LCD, but it is big and bright, and on the bike or in the kayak, that is the way I would use it most of the time anyway. The detail rendered from the little sensor is pretty amazing.  I shot most of my images on auto ISO, 400-800 so as to maximize my shutter speed, and it worked brilliantly.  I have not done any real high ISO testing with the AW1 but based on what I am getting from the little V1, it should be fine.

Negatives, well, I don't have a lot of them right now... Their are currently only two lenses out that are rugged, the 10/2,8 and the little 11-27.5 zoom, which I have.  I will acquire the 10/2,8 as soon as it is available.  The AW1 will support the use of all Nikon 1 lenses, but it does not work the other way.  This means that you cant use the rugged AW1 lenses on a regular 1 series camera.  This is a function of the way Nikon chose to waterproof the lenses.  A reasonable compromise in my opinion.

Nikon AW1 with kit zoom.  Nikon V1 in background with Nikon 70-200/4 mounted via the FT1 adapter (a whole different conversation).

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The camera is not going to replace any of my other photographic tools.  However, what it does do is open up shooting in environments where previously I had really crappy camera choices.  Heck, I even think with the little 10/2,8 lens, this thing could be a bit of a GoPro killer for me.  Yep, you heard it here.  Now, I am not mounting one on my head or my chest or at the end of a ski, but on my kayak or bike or car?  Heck yes and I get so much more functionality and such better image quality that it is a no brainer.  Yep, I already ordered a few mounts with an eye towards using this on the bike and kayak in some killer ways.  Oh, and HD video, which I have not even addressed...

Time to go shoot.

Below are a few more from the AW1 -- More to follow

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Mixed light, great detail in the fabric and good vibrant colors in the magazines

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Nice B&W capabilities - converted in Silver Effects Pro

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Nice real world use capturing the setting sun

Additional Info and/or answers to questions:

Q: How did I carry the camera on the Kayak

A: Basically I used a Black Rapids toggle that screws into the tripod adapter.  I attached one end of the paddle leash to that and the other end to my deck lines. I stored the camera everywhere, under the deck bungy, in my lap, even over the side.  Now remember (I know you know), the camera does NOT float!!  When I wanted to hop in the water, I just unscrewed the adapter and then used the Jobo wrist strap (which is really cool on its own).

AW1 Review Coming

I am  diligently working on the review of the Nikon AW1.  Hopefully I can finish by Monday.  In the meantime, here is one of the nice on-water captures.

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AW1 - Impressive Detail

Mixed light; NEF processed in Capture NX2 w/no adjustments.  Pretty amazing detail from this new lens and body!! 

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Amazing Detail

Nikon AW1

Not much time to play with the little guy.  Lots to like, a few things to dislike.  For instance, I love the motion control of certain menu items.  One handed navigation is awesome.  However, they stopped a bit short with it, and did not do it everywhere.  It is sort of a 'Modal' type control.  None the less, very innovative.   Focus is snappy, metering is great, and what isn't to like about 60 FPS!!!

The camera feels solid and with the Rubber Housing in place their is a bit of extra grip over the shiny metal surface. I think even though it is priced silly, it is a worthwile addition. I am annoyed with Nikon for changing the battery and now, attempting to look at some images, I learn they have changed the NEF format so LR does not recognize the images. 

The good news is the JPEGS look really nice out of the camera.  They have clearly done something to the JPEG engine since the V1 because these are very nice and useable.  Here are just a couple of quick grabs. 

Nikon V1 + FT1 + Nikon 70-200/4

I have rented the 70-200/4 for the Gales event where I plan to mix shooting it on the V1, the AW1 and the D800.  Having just unpacked it and taken a few shots on the V1 I am very excited.  Reading Thom Hogan's lessons learned report, I am convinced that I am going to get some really nice shots with this combination.  Combined with the light weight, 60FPS and wonderful Nikon AF Tracking, well, here is hoping for a successful event. 

Details to come as the gear gets put to the test along with a follow up post on how I see all of this kit coming together to create a flexible and robust 'System' for the Adventure Traveler.

Nikon V1 + FT1 + Zeiss 50/2

I am very much enjoying the little Nikon V1, a camera that I think is highly under rated.  It is small, light, fast, and flexible.  The images that come out of the little beast have a character to them that I just love.  This is especially true of the Jpeg B&W that the camera renders.   

Having just received the FT1 adapter in time for the Gales event and the Nikon 70-200/4, I am playing with the FT1/Zeiss combination to see what types of images I can make.  There are definitely some issues, such as a bit of chromatic abberation and some color fringing, but in general, I love what I am seeing. While the B&Ws that come out of the camera are very nice, taking a moment to process the raw files through Nik is producing images that I am extremely pleased with. 

Currently I have the camera set to shoot Raw + Jpeg in B&W mode.  Since LR does not recognize Nikon Raw profiles, you get the Jpegs in B&W and the Raw files in Color.  This results in not only a way to 'pre-visualize' in B&W but the flexibility to just grab the small Jpeg files in the field and use them w/o any editing.

Dont let winter stop you from RIDING