LIFE-STYLE | TRAVEL | AERIAL
Photographer/Videographer specializing in Life Style, Travel, and Aerial Imagery. FAA 107 Certified for sUAS flight operations throughout the US. Fully insured. Videography work is limited to Aerial productions.
Based in Maine (May-December) and SWFL (Jan - April). Available for travel year round.
A quick grouping of shots, nothing special, enough to begin giving you a feel of what this little camera can do. There are definitely some nuances in how to shoot this thing, not too mention, the challenges of keeping the lens clear. To solve that issue, I opted for the 'Spit', 'Dunk', 'Shoot' philosophy...
Mixed light; NEF processed in Capture NX2 w/no adjustments. Pretty amazing detail from this new lens and body!!
Amazing Detail
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.
The new Nikon AW1 arrived today in time for the Gales. I was also able to acquire the external casing, so I will be able to put it through its paces this weekend. Shooting from a boat, the Kayak and on shore, I should get a very good feel for how the camera performs.
My initial build impressions are very high. The body seems well made and I like the locking switches for the battery and memory card compartment. They came up with a very creative way to mount the lens and create a seal which I will talk about later in detail.
My only negative so far is that Nikon went with a different battery. Now instead of the same tried and true battery that works in the D800 and the V1. Arghh, now I need a new set of batteries and one more stinking charger to carry!!
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.
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.
I have the new Nikon AW1 arriving tomorrow just in time to shoot the annual Autumn Gales kayak event in Stonington Ct this coming weekend. This is my 3rd year in a row attending and photographing the Gales. The event is hosted by Greg Paquin of Kayak Waveology, and marries together the holy trinity of kayak events -- great coaches; challenging waters; and great students. Last year the weather was perfect for some serious misadventures, and my images got the cover of the paddling magazine Ocean Paddler!
The Nikon AW1 is Nikon's modern day reincarnation of the venerable and legendary Nikonos underwater camera. Built around the 1 system, Nikon has put together a small interchangeable lens camera that is shock, freeze and water resistant. A perfect combination for a small and rugged adventure camera.
Shooting from Kayaks is incredibly challenging and I think this piece of kit will perform brilliantly. I have been shooting the small Nikon V1 and am getting fantastic results from the little camera, so my expectations for the AW1 are very high. I will be posting my thoughts, and image samples as the event rolls on so stay tuned.
Tucked away off the beaten path is one of my favorite little beach spots
One of the things I love most about the Salsa Mukluk is its ability to go anywhere at anytime. No other bike I have owned has offered me this kind of flexibility. On each of the long distance expeditions and tours where I have traveled by Mukluk, I have been able to cover an incredibly diverse set of terrain.
E and her purple Muk with Escalators ready to be studded
Locally, in Down East Maine, the story is no different. On any given ride, I can cover road, dirt trails, bogs, mud flats, beaches and whatever else mother nature throws my way. The fall weather has continued to be spectacular and yesterday was no different. Hopping on the bikes we did a spectacular 20 mile loop along the bold coast, choosing dirt where we could, some remote beaches and a finishing ride in the dark (and I mean dark...).
The beautiful fall blueberry barrens
An old abandoned smoke house sits back in a protected cove
As the high pressure system moved in, the rain passed us by and the winds continued to pick up. The setting sun this time of year is just spectacular giving you dramatic skylines and lighting up the rust colored blueberry barrens. We turned around as the light began to fade, stopped in to visit friends -- like all good guests, we arrived carrying with us two bottles of JK Scrumpy's, tucked neatly in my Porcelain Rocket Booster pack, to share with John and Lisa. The two are building a house right on the coast, on one of the most spectacular pieces of land I have ever seen.
What a spot for their new home
Bikes, friends, food and drink, agh life is good. With the dark rapidly approaching it was time to head off. My light had been destroyed by water, so with nothing more than flashing lights on the rear of my bike and a little camp headlamp, it was a race back to town. Heading out, while riding into a strong headwind, we were stoked that at least on the return leg, the wind would be at our back. Alas, as all good travelers know, the wind gods constantly conspire against you, and tonight would be no different. The front now passed, the winds had swung to the west and we had a full on slog at hand.
Fading light and the race back to town
This region of Maine is simply spectacular and difficult to describe with words alone. The coastal roads offer up a visual feast for the eyes and an endless array of paths to explore. While you could drive it in a car and get some sense of the beauty and complexity of the area, it really must be experienced on two wheels. The ability to stop, detour, explore, smell, see, and breathe in the majesty of the region is the only way to truly immerse yourself in Down East Maine.
Surprise surprise, but today, the new and cool Nutter tool arrived in the mail. I saw this little guy about a week ago and thought it would be a great addition to my tool chest. Having once again been incredibly frustrated with the use of a small 'multi tool' in the field, I came back from the Lost Coast trip committed to finding something else that is more practical.
While the 'Fix It' sticks look nice, I believe their T design is flawed, especially for getting into tight places. Willing to sacrifice a bit of weight, I decided to give the Nutter tool a try. It is built around a robust handle that doubles as a tire lever, tool bit holder,bottle opener, spoke key, box spanner and tool lever. The tool uses removable bits that either attach directly to the tool or to an extender. Stay tuned for thoughts and an in depth review.
If you own Zeiss glass then you have to shoot wide. The magic of these lenses really shines when used this way.
I really have enjoyed my month with this camera. It did a great job for me on the Lost Coast tour and I have spent a good deal of time with it as a walk about camera. The decision to let it go is based purely on how I shoot and how I see a camera of this stature fitting into my image making arsenal. The Fuji, for me, just does not make the cut. So, my loss is your gain. The kit is in mint condition and includes the following:
Everything is in MINT condition. I installed a screen protector on day one, so there are no marks or blemishes on it. Essentially you are getting a brand new X100s for a great price. You can do the math on all the bits. Asking price for everything is $1000, OBO. Essentially, for the price of the camera you are getting everything else for free!! Email me for info and more pics.
SOLD - Pending completion of transaction 11/4/13
Fall is rapidly coming to an end. The last day before the docks are pulled for the winter. Fuji x100s
You know fall is coming to an end and winter is rapidly approaching when they begin to pull the docks up here in the Maritimes. The winter winds blow relentlessly from the north, right down the bay and would completely destroy the docks if left out. So, E and I took an opportunity to sit with a glass of wine, enjoy the sun, and reflect back on what was one of the craziest summers of our lives...
Geek Note - The x100s is definitely and interesting little camera. I do love the feel and ergonomics (mostly) of the little guy. It is nice to have a camera that you feel can handle the rigors of just being thrown in your bag or being dragged everywhere on a day to day basis. With that said, I am not sure that it is for me, but I am committed to keeping it around until I can evaluate the Sony A7r. Keep an eye out for my thoughts, and if the Sony proves worthy, their will be a great deal on a x100S. Just in time for the holidays :-)
I have a couple of items from my recent build that just did not work. Everything is in either excellent or mint condition. If you are interested, please just drop me a note. Best offer gets each piece as I would rather it go to good use instead of sitting around in the gear bin.
Middleburn 100mm cranks with Woof Tooth 30t ring. Brand new, never used. X-Type bb
Middleburn DM Woolftooth 30t ring - Yes, I have a second ring
I absolutely love when I can take an old piece of gear, one that still works, but has been relegated to the gear shed, and find a new use for it instead of buying something new. This past winter, on my trip through Alaska, I was able to modify an old Arc'teryx fanny pack into a handlebar bag for my camera gear.
While I have a number of old packs lying around, I chose this bag because it is very, very water resistant; has water resistant zippers and has plastic stablizer bars in the back that helped to keep everything in place. The bag worked perfectly, carrying my D800E and a Zeiss lens or two through sun, rain, sleet, and snow, along with temps down to a whopping -36f!!!
The great thing about buying awesome gear from Arc'teryx is that it just lasts and lasts and lasts. You can't say that about too many brands these days, but you can take that to the bank!
Got a favorite piece of kit that you have re-purposed? If so, leave a comment and let me know what it is.
