I have been a pro portrait/wedding photographer owning 2 photo studios, but one thing I can say is photographers often seen themselves as artists and not business people so if you can partner with a business person to run your business and do all the business things so that you can stay focused on the creative part. Oh and as a wedding photographer you can't go away during the summer holidays.
Great point! This is an important factor in any business - the skills required to provide the service or create a product aren't the same skills you need to make the business successful.
I like “what have you been up to” as long as you’re life is more interesting than mine. That’s a very low bar by the way. I’d actually like to see it at the beginning and use it as a segway into whatever you’re talking about seriously.. The custom color Pentax, K-50 was great except ordering. It was a hassle. And of course, some of the best cinematography out of Jordan was using the Pentax K-01… I’m still waiting for K-02.
Love the Datsun 240z comment! Here is my question for next episode: I'm a hobbyist shooter. My main camera is the Sony A7m3 and I bought a Fujifilm X100V as a secondary camera. The Fujifilm became my daily camera and now I take out the a7 only when I know I will be spending significant time taking photos or video. The a6700 seems like it could be a logical upgrade to the X100V but the problem is, like you mentioned, it's not a sexy camera. When I take out the Fuji to shoot people or street, I get a different reaction than when I do the same thing with my Sony. People find the Fuji more friendly/less intimidating. My girlfriend likes the aesthetic of the X100V so much that she vetoes my every attempt to sell it. Have you noticed a similar change in how people react depending on what kind of camera you're holding? Would you let this effect your purchase decisions?
Feedback from me - I like the structure of the podcast. Keep it going guys. It's also always interesting what you say about OM Systems at the beginning, as I don't hear the brand mentioned in any of the other big photography channels and I've learned some interesting things here. They aren't flagship like Sony/Canon/Nikon/Fuji(/Panasonic), but looks like OM have some interesting stuff going on. Feedback to your sponsors - the guys at Petapixel have absolutely raised your profile from my viewer & buyer perspective, so great job!
I suppose it really depends on what you define as a "Pro Photographer." Are you considered pro if you make money with your craft? Are you only pro if its full time? I make a nice side income shooting family portraits and real estate photos/videos and It helps fund all my gear purchases (hello new Z8 sitting on my desk right now). I still enjoy it (even though editing real estate photos is boring as hell).
E-M1X and Df mention at the end? And there's a realistic discussion on photography as a primary career that happens to be ten minutes long too? Best episode ever. I'm actually kinda surprised the Pen-F didn't get mentioned, but the GM1/GM5 mention is good too. I do think having photography as a paid side gig would be fun. The business aspect of photography is something I could live with in some amount but not every day, I think.
Podcast structure is great, no need to change anything. Very enjoyable, you guys are all very personable, and it's nice to get the news stuff in as well as the personal stuff.
I just checked Smallrig and they have batteries like that for my XT4! This is a huge game changer since I long distance backpack with my camera. Carrying a wall charger has been the biggest point of anger for me when it comes to my load out. Than yall! Yall have just saved me 10 ounces of weight. Now I gotta go buy three of these suckers
I dabbled in getting paid for work for photography related work in the past (on the side, to dip my feet in and see how it is/how it goes), but I can say with 100% certainty that I'm much happier to keep this as a hobby only. It's much more freeing to be able to shoot what you want, when you want or not shoot at all, when you don't feel like it. I get paid well at my real job anyway, so I don't 'need' money from photography but I'm also happy that I don't feel like I MUST be only a photographer as a profession because it's my life-long dream or whatever. Long story short...if you just feel like you're not a 'real photographer' because you're not a 'pro', then please stop feeling that way. There's no shame in having it as a hobby. Besides, I've seen some people's professional work and can say for sure that I've seen other hobbyist's work that was a lot better. I think you'll do better (as a hobby or even as a pro) if you're simply passionate about it/take it seriously, but it certainly helps to have a good eye for composition and finding the right scene/light. Don't let anyone dismiss you just because 'you're not a pro'. I see that in discussion forums too often. "I'm a paid pro, you know...so keep quiet because I'm a working pro and my opinion means more than yours, you hobbyist." Fortunately, there's not a TON of that type of attitude, but there's too much. Anyway...feel free to be a hobbyist and enjoy yourself. Life is short. Don't let anyone discourage you.
Understanding the reasons, it's still soul crushing to be corrected while being creative. I'm sure some of us cheer for Chris' next dearing humors with improvisation elements in the flawlessly directed uplifting episodes on Petap.
Always been creative when I was young and I wanted to be a pro photographer when I was in college but it seemed like rough journey so I scratched that off right away. I've always been into video but I also didn't have money at the time to get the equipment since I was a broke art student. Decided to purpose Graphic Design which was still in my realm and minimal equipment needed compared to video (just needed a laptop and the adobe suite). Been a designer since and that career path, as well as youtube, opened up getting back into video and making that as my side hustle, and photography as something I just do for myself.
I definitely wouldn’t want to be a pro. I’m happy taking pictures of birds, insects and occasionally, most other things. But not for a job. I think people should follow the general rule of any type of hobby that ends up as a career. Just enjoy it and if you or other people realise you have a special talent for something then go for it. Let it happen organically rather than deciding out of nowhere that you’re going to try to make it happen. And even then, you might still decide you don’t want to risk taking the fun out of the thing that you might be using to relax for example.
I'm considering whether to try to do some freelance photography work besides my part time day job - more to fund a photography habit than anything else, plus giving me different opportunities to increase skills. Also Chris' Safeway story was tremendous
Great Safeway 'fly' story, Chris! Made me think of Mr. Miyagi trying to catch the fly with chopsticks, and Daniel-san capturing one!! 😂 Was my brother Ed working that day at Safeway too? Interesting & engaging podcast - gents!! Thanks very much.
On the subject of doing photography as a living / being a "pro photographer", someone actually asked me recently if I would ever consider photography as a career. I quickly responded with NO. I really enjoy live music photography, and sometimes I even get paid to do it, which is really great. But what is even better is not needing to market myself, dealing with delivery deadlines, and knowing that I have a good, steady paycheck twice a month. Also, as an aside, I feel like I've learned more about Chris as a person ever since Chris & Jordan moved from dpreview to PetaPixel. From pew pew, to gaming, to D&D, Warhammer, etc., I feel like we could be excellent friends.
Just a quick shout out from BC. Love the videos.. Also quite enjoy this format. Just got back into photography this year... Revitalizing my grade ten photo class in 85 and getting back into photography... From my canon AE-1 to. Sony a6400.. absolutely love a6400.. and your videos have been immensely helpful . Thanks guys 👍
Re: non-Meta photo sharing, it would be very funny if you guys like spun up a Pixelfed instance. (Also, flickr is honestly a really nice platform except that most people won't use it lol)
I have tried other jobs but didn't find anything that I enjoyed doing, so now I may start to find a media job as a freelancer in 2024. Start after a short course on making a business plan. 20 years ago when I began photography, I wasn't good enough. Now I think I know how to become better by doing news photography. Nature photos hopefully remain as a hobby.
Hurtigruten also runs similar cruises out of Norway going to Svalbard and around the arctic. Their ships are electrified too so unlike most cruises aren't an environmental feelbad.
Automatic thumbs up for the purple background 😃! I like the favorite camera showdown. Can you guys do it again but for favorite lens, like saying 24-75mm, not necessarily brand, but it's up to you. Maybe even breaking it down to favorite prime and zoom lens? Or even if you were left on a dessert island and could only bring one lens, which lens would you bring and why? Thanks for another great episode!
Finally a something on a pentax camera, even though it was purple, it works for OM system so maybe if pentax was to sponsor PentaPixel they would get a wee bit more attention 🙏🙏🙏
A very interesting video that just stimulates many thoughts in a most positive way. I am a recently retired person that enjoys photography. I do not want to work for anyone but would appreciate others that just want to enjoy sharing photos. It would it be possible to talk about, which is probably the vast majority of photographers, that simply want to make good to great photos?
Tech support: how does depth field of compare between different sensor crop factors? How do equivalent focal lengths affect DOF? Do lenses made for smaller crop factors have different results than using lenses made for full frame? I’ve heard a lot of contradicting opinions.
I think what effect the overall DOF is your actual distance to the subject eg: background distortion. Example: While the 56mm lens gives you a focal images of 85mm Full Frame in APS-C , the background distortion you are seeing is still similar to 56mm FF lens.
Awesome entertainment to the morning coffee, i need a bigger mug though. Speaking of pro or not, having to take certain risks etc. i went a slightly different route. In the company i worked in, i slowly by showing my creative work and having ideas on marketing material shifted my actual work tasks to finally switching full time to media designer, working on brochures, web content and video. Still had to preform extra hours on company material for free before i convinced anybody but at least i had the safety of my regular job during the transition period. The company became the employer and client so to speak. The back side was that it was a grey zone on my free time client work since there are rules regulating what could be viewed as competing business. Since then i have switched to another role again for other reasons. I think that if you want to go fully independent pro the first question should be “do i want to be a business owner”.
The SmallRig battery seems very interesting. I checked the Sony version and turns out it charges in 2.5 hours which is sadly similar to the original battery. I love the idea of usb c batteries though!
A couple of points: Stampede sounds amazing. I almost got a job in Calgary and that was one of the things I was looking forward to, so thanks for completely ruining it for me. JK, sounds like the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo which I still love despite the pretend cowboys in $20,000 attire and the fried butter. We also bought a very old house that still had knob and tube, something I knew about because I studied electrical systems, but thought I would never encounter. An electrician we hired to replace it said “Nope.” Have fun with that, but on a positive note, old houses are made way better than newer ones.
If I could sell enough prints to pay for lenses I would be ecstatic. I'm already working on getting this up and running, but man is it hard to find places locally to display photos.
Great show! Tech Question. I love my photography (fuji system- xt1 and a few lenses ) but am now looking at video. I have an IPhone 13 and have just purchased a cage and cheap -ish mic plus the Cinema P3 app and plan to use Davinci . I want to start by making a short local ASMR movie then short films thereafter. Any tips and best advice ? Q. How do I make it less “sharp”,do I need ND filters, lens? … is an upgrade to a xt3 or xt4 a huge leap? Many thanks , Nick
@@niccollsvideo - How funny, I was just about to watch the X-S20 video and your message showed up. That's a cool coincidence about the car :D One day I'll get to see Calgary for real (in the summer). Thanks for everything!
I'm considering whether to do photography on the side (as a paid job) but on my terms, meaning on a per-shoot basis and hopefully not as stressful as, say, wedding photography. At least that way I can pick the jobs I want to do (again, would be on the side, so if I didn't do any shoots, it wouldn't hurt my lifestyle as it's just extra income). Also, as a bit of history, computers/IT used to be my hobby, then it became my profession, and after 10 years of doing IT, I don't want to mess with computers anymore, any more than I have to that is. But I used to like to do computer programming, PC repair/builds, and web design, and when that became my full time job, that was the last thing I wanted to do in my free time (in fact I turned down a lot of paid job because I was getting burnt out by it -- computers 18 hours a day). Now with photography as my hobby, I enjoy it so much that I really don't want to make it my full time job. I don't mind making a few bucks on the side, but I really don't want to make it a primary job, partially because I feel I might get burned out on a hobby I love so much.
"its a hubristic presumption to think you can be purely a musician and the rest of the world will pay you for the privilege of hearing your music" -Steve Albini I always think of this quote when it comes to anything hobby/art related. Fact is making money with your hobby especially something in the arts area is usually going to be soul sucking anyway like shooting a Wedding. You might as well make good money in a STEM field and do your art for yourself. Think about how many 'photographers' are really just making money running gear review tech channels.
Tech Question for PP professional.... I bought a used Panasonic Lumix DC-GX8 (range-finder type) with have great photographic results. In the movie section for 4K, not so much. Does the camera use auto-focus for that mode 4k30 and 4k60? I cannot find anything said about it in the manual. I thank you all in advance for the help...
What is better for editing: an iMacs integrated display or an external display? If it's the external display with high colour accuracy, how do I know in which colour mode it is at its most accurate?
It's pretty simple, in all creative professions, whether photography, music, acting, writing, etc. it's still a job. The artistic part is almost secondary, all it requires is a solid grounding in the craft. Someone who takes family photographs at the local shopping malls and takes yearbook photos at the local high school is a professional photographer, for example. As soneone who is both a photographer and a musician, I much prefer not being a professional. It's often said to not pursue a career in the arts unless you can't see yourself doing anything else.
I think you should discuss the topic of the size of the lens mount and how it affects image quality. For example I’ve heard rumors about that the Sony E mount is among the smallest mounts and according to rumors from the beginning made for APS-C. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts about the different lens mounts sizes (F, RF, EF, Z, L, X, GFX) and how it affects image quality. Is it something to consider when choosing camera system or not?
i tried writing so much thoughtful stuff here for over an hour and i keep deleting it all on accident right when im finished. i am crying i am so upset. im gonna give up and stop doing my best. i wanted to know how xtrans sensors actually work and how they improved video. i also said that if the answer for video is just better hardware making the de-mosaicing magic faster you should say something cooler and more interesting instead and that im also a girl and want to responded to that way because people on the internet seem to forget that women do photography alot i also wrote about how i am an artist and adamantly really dont want to have to do what a client wants, i dont wanna be railroaded. i wanna do what i want and what makes me happy. i said that i struggle escaping from the idea that professional photography is "just the natural progression path" from what i do, when in reality what i do and profressional photography are very different, in their goals and styles etc.. i wrote about how i got a my first interchangeable lens camera earlier this year (canon dslr) and hated it because it looked ugly and it felt like it was meant to be a worker's camera and something i had to specifically go out with the intention of using it instead of waiting until i got inspiration and just always having a camera with me. like it felt like it wanted me to have a workflow for photorgaphy and like it wanted me to do jobs with it, based on its extremely serious and boring physical design and also its horrible user interface. i wrote how i am so happy i got a fuji xt10 to replace that dslr a week ago and i was thinking also about getting a pentax q-s1. i considered these two cameras because i thought they looked the most like _friends_, while still fulfilling my desire to have an interchangeable lens camera. i clarified how i thought the fujifilm was pretty looking completely unrelated to film slrs; i had literally never thought about film slrs before seeing fujifilm cameras, because film photography has not been a real thing for any part of my lifetime. i made a joke calling you old and then also said but that's okay there's nothing wrong wiith being old and you shouldnt feel bad about it. i do really like the fujifilm, i get excited to use it and it has made me happy to do photography again. i absolutely dreaded the canon dslr and hated using it and felt like it had a completely different philosophy about photography from me. i also talked about how i heard someone theorise the reason canon kiss cameras are called rebels in america is because everything in the west (america) has to take on a way-too-serious, masculinised, aggressive form, because insecure masculinity dominates our culture more. i extended on this and suggested that maybe the reason the market for colourful cameras doesnt really exist as much outside of japan is because people here make fun of those kinds of cameras and write them off for being "cheap" or something else, just based on how they look. i honestly feel like people who genuinely prefer cameras being all matte black and very adverse to aesthetic customisation and accessorisation and not clashing horribly with ever outfit imagineable have never been invited to a party. i just dont get how you can prefer a camera that is boring and is trying all way too hard to be serious if you're not insecure and if you dont know what your style is. i personally really love being able to have camera be a part of my physical expression, photography is important to me and i want my personality to be reflected in my camera! ive spent hours of my time watching this podcast and writing heartfelt and fun response to it and it's all gone and it hurts so much i am so upset what i wrote was a lot nicer and more fun and energetic than this. pretend it is here cuz i would like that
So, darkroom question: what are gamma curves, for full frame mirrorless? How does changing the gamma curve affect the RAW output of the shot? And the gamma knee?
About "What have you been up to?" Sometimes it's about fishing. I don't watch Petapixel videos to find out about fishing. Purple Pentax camera with red lens is better.
Tech support: recently I've realized I don't know much about how light works in photography and video: stuff like stops, bits, gamma curves etc. How should I go about understanding it? Or maybe i don't need to? Would understanding it help me resolve some issues?
There is a reason OEMs don't do this, though, as adding a charge controller Inside the battery increases the amount of heat when charging, which increases the wear and tear on the battery. Obviously this is a manageable issue, but they're just not willing to tackle it.
Question from a relatively new photographer: I was looking into adapting a full frame lens to a micro four thirds camera, and I can’t seem to find legitimate information. I know the focal length changes, but I would like to know what happens to the magnification ratio. OM System themselves claim that MFT sensors also double magnification ratio, so their 90mm macro lens is equivalent to 4:1 magnification. But from what I can tell, the ratio describes the difference between the size of the subject in actuality and the size of the subject on the sensor. So, if an insect is 5mm, 1:1 magnification would mean that the image of the insect on the sensor is also 5mm; and 2:1 would mean the insect would be 10mm on the sensor. Unless I’m missing something, it seems as though the size of the sensor doesn’t matter in this case. Whether my sensor is 18mm or 35mm wide, 1:1 magnification would still mean that the insect is 5mm on the sensor. If you could give me a definitive answer, I would be grateful, since I’ve been getting conflicting answers from different sources.
Smallrig has announced the same battery with USB-C for Fuji. And the USB port is actually at the bottom where it should be and not on the side on that one
Tech question ahead... The new, yet to be released Theta abd Theta Max, any thoughts on this new "smart tripod" and the accessorys ? Optical Matrix Sensor Module-Standard Camera Control Module-Standard Auto-Leveling Feature 67% Off GoLive Module
Hello Chris snd Jordan. Another great review and i think im one step nearer to buying the xs20. My main reason for wanting to change from my Canon eos 80d is that i now have osteoarthritis in my hands and wrists so need something lighter but with decent landscape and wildlife credentials. Do you have any reservations about using maybe a 70-300 with a 2x converter for wildlife?
USB-C has been around on camera batteries for a long time now - first on some random Kickstarter campaign which I don't recall what happened to, and then on various Chinese battery brands.
But in case it wasn’t clear, I do really enjoy the show(s), no complaints there. I just hope PetaPixel can grow to be a robust place for photography without having to resort to the junk articles that don’t have anything interesting to say about photography.
Here's a question: The 24-70mm f2.8 zoom lens dates back to film days. Panasonic released a 20-60mm f3.5-5.6 zoom lens (as a kit), Olympus an 8-25mm f4 zoom lens, Sony a 20-70mm f4 lens. Is the 24-70mm f2.8 obsolete now? Are lenses getting wider and slower/more compact?
there are a few amazon alternatives to thet SmallRig battery. I've used some for Sony Alpha cameras. Its nothing new, but i dont hope there is more and more and of them because they are usefull since you can charge them anywhere from anything
Per Chris's request: I shot some 120 Ilford XP2 Super @EI=200 and developed normally. What paper should I use for enlargement? First time enlarging BW. Thx.
I'll answer it for you right now. So many of the C41 black and white films where specifically intended to be printed on Colour paper. XP2 however was touted as also being easy to use with standard black and white papers. It takes a bit of extra work to get the contrast dialed in, but you can happily use a black and white printing process.
@@niccollsvideo Thx. My Q was mainly to answer Chris's call. XP2's datasheet says start with Ilford Multigrade RC. Internet says it's meant to be printed on color paper but I am guessing it was more designed to tolerate high volume C-41 labs (none left in my part of the world). Just got a set of 7 Ilford filters at a thrift store for $20.
I just want enough money to pay for the gear I have and upgrade in the future. I don't want photography to be my full time job unless I was a sports photographer. I make great money as a nurse and have medical and stuff and job security. I love taking sports pictures for families but would love to have a 400mm prime . It's not a need but it be nice for my d5 :). Yall do a great job here. Props to all those photographers out there. For now I guess I'll take shots for free :)
@ Jaron : friendly opinion, it would look much better if you'd read your texts on a prompter screen, cause seeing you read sideways doesn't look so good, imho 😉
As a professional Photographer for 28 years.... Only if you hate yourself.... you'll be stuck shooting portraits of horrible customers who complain and have no idea what they want and think you overcharge even though you barely charge anything and horrible wedding that will make you want to kill yourself.... People always think they'll be the next Annie Leibovitz... you won't... you'll probably do it for a year hate it and yourself so much that you stop and never photograph again... if Photography is your hobby and you like doing it... don't turn it into a job.... it'll make you hate it
Question - Display calibration is confusing, I try my best but relay I dont know if I am doing it right or not. I use displayCal with a colormonki display on windows with the target of sRGB, I dont set any calibration settings in software (LR6/Reslove etc). My displays can display more than sRGB but I dont know if ill hit more problems than gains if I target a bigger colour space or if I need profiles for both photos and video to switch between.
Trying to decide what darkroom question to ask Chris. And I looked up how old he is ;-). So let’s do the math. The DCS system and other digital photos systems were getting prevalent by the mid to late 90s. Chris was 16. I’m having a hard time seeing him spending a ton of time in a darkroom ;-).
No teenager could afford a DCS system back then. They were ridiculous. My first camera is a Nikon FE. Still have it. I had my own darkroom in my bathroom. Did it until my mid twenties. My first digital serious camera was the D600.
@@niccollsvideo They were ridiculous, no regular person could afford one. We had a bunch (couple of dozen) of the monochrome versions. An FE and a home darkroom (even B&W which I am assuming it was) is pretty damn good for a teenager. Back in the day I used a B&W darkroom at school with a 120 twin lens reflex (and not a rolleiflex, a Japanese knock off). I was just looking back at this the 420m was very close in sensor size to m43, and the 460 was pretty much APSC. We went with the 420m because we wanted more crop/reach and the m was better for the type of images we were producing.
I have white Pentax K30 body. Sadly I recently noticed it has developed a type fault and can't take photos with it anymore. White version reminds me of Star Wars stormtroopers.
Misc. comments: one hour plus pod is too long for most viewers; as an underwater macro photographer, I find these underwater model pics too contrived ( and it’s air not oxygen in the tank ); pancake breakfasts at downtown office plazas are the best feature of stampede!
Sony is cool in design, however, a true statement of this was the dsc w80/w90/w200, it screams function over form and still had that industrial sony look. I however would not like them to go all fuji, that is just not sony.
I have been a pro portrait/wedding photographer owning 2 photo studios, but one thing I can say is photographers often seen themselves as artists and not business people so if you can partner with a business person to run your business and do all the business things so that you can stay focused on the creative part. Oh and as a wedding photographer you can't go away during the summer holidays.
Great point! This is an important factor in any business - the skills required to provide the service or create a product aren't the same skills you need to make the business successful.
Yeah they should've mentionned the business managing part of it. It's so important to know how (and to be willing) to run a business.
I’d prefer the what are you doing before the news. Imo, it makes the video flow better between stories. Especially with Chris’s segues
I like “what have you been up to” as long as you’re life is more interesting than mine. That’s a very low bar by the way. I’d actually like to see it at the beginning and use it as a segway into whatever you’re talking about seriously..
The custom color Pentax, K-50 was great except ordering. It was a hassle. And of course, some of the best cinematography out of Jordan was using the Pentax K-01… I’m still waiting for K-02.
Love the Datsun 240z comment! Here is my question for next episode:
I'm a hobbyist shooter. My main camera is the Sony A7m3 and I bought a Fujifilm X100V as a secondary camera. The Fujifilm became my daily camera and now I take out the a7 only when I know I will be spending significant time taking photos or video. The a6700 seems like it could be a logical upgrade to the X100V but the problem is, like you mentioned, it's not a sexy camera.
When I take out the Fuji to shoot people or street, I get a different reaction than when I do the same thing with my Sony. People find the Fuji more friendly/less intimidating. My girlfriend likes the aesthetic of the X100V so much that she vetoes my every attempt to sell it.
Have you noticed a similar change in how people react depending on what kind of camera you're holding? Would you let this effect your purchase decisions?
I like the format of: News, Supporter Questions, Comments
I listen to Digital Foundry every week and I love the structure.
Feedback from me - I like the structure of the podcast. Keep it going guys. It's also always interesting what you say about OM Systems at the beginning, as I don't hear the brand mentioned in any of the other big photography channels and I've learned some interesting things here. They aren't flagship like Sony/Canon/Nikon/Fuji(/Panasonic), but looks like OM have some interesting stuff going on. Feedback to your sponsors - the guys at Petapixel have absolutely raised your profile from my viewer & buyer perspective, so great job!
I suppose it really depends on what you define as a "Pro Photographer." Are you considered pro if you make money with your craft? Are you only pro if its full time?
I make a nice side income shooting family portraits and real estate photos/videos and It helps fund all my gear purchases (hello new Z8 sitting on my desk right now). I still enjoy it (even though editing real estate photos is boring as hell).
E-M1X and Df mention at the end? And there's a realistic discussion on photography as a primary career that happens to be ten minutes long too? Best episode ever. I'm actually kinda surprised the Pen-F didn't get mentioned, but the GM1/GM5 mention is good too. I do think having photography as a paid side gig would be fun. The business aspect of photography is something I could live with in some amount but not every day, I think.
A wonderful way to get more Chris and Jordan - between camera reviews!
Podcast structure is great, no need to change anything. Very enjoyable, you guys are all very personable, and it's nice to get the news stuff in as well as the personal stuff.
I just checked Smallrig and they have batteries like that for my XT4! This is a huge game changer since I long distance backpack with my camera. Carrying a wall charger has been the biggest point of anger for me when it comes to my load out. Than yall! Yall have just saved me 10 ounces of weight. Now I gotta go buy three of these suckers
I dabbled in getting paid for work for photography related work in the past (on the side, to dip my feet in and see how it is/how it goes), but I can say with 100% certainty that I'm much happier to keep this as a hobby only. It's much more freeing to be able to shoot what you want, when you want or not shoot at all, when you don't feel like it. I get paid well at my real job anyway, so I don't 'need' money from photography but I'm also happy that I don't feel like I MUST be only a photographer as a profession because it's my life-long dream or whatever. Long story short...if you just feel like you're not a 'real photographer' because you're not a 'pro', then please stop feeling that way. There's no shame in having it as a hobby. Besides, I've seen some people's professional work and can say for sure that I've seen other hobbyist's work that was a lot better. I think you'll do better (as a hobby or even as a pro) if you're simply passionate about it/take it seriously, but it certainly helps to have a good eye for composition and finding the right scene/light. Don't let anyone dismiss you just because 'you're not a pro'. I see that in discussion forums too often. "I'm a paid pro, you know...so keep quiet because I'm a working pro and my opinion means more than yours, you hobbyist." Fortunately, there's not a TON of that type of attitude, but there's too much. Anyway...feel free to be a hobbyist and enjoy yourself. Life is short. Don't let anyone discourage you.
Understanding the reasons, it's still soul crushing to be corrected while being creative. I'm sure some of us cheer for Chris' next dearing humors with improvisation elements in the flawlessly directed uplifting episodes on Petap.
You guys are hilarious. A pleasure to watch.
Yeah, one of the better talking-head podcasts period-chemistry and content.
A petapixel podcast with a pink Pentax! Peachy.
Always been creative when I was young and I wanted to be a pro photographer when I was in college but it seemed like rough journey so I scratched that off right away. I've always been into video but I also didn't have money at the time to get the equipment since I was a broke art student. Decided to purpose Graphic Design which was still in my realm and minimal equipment needed compared to video (just needed a laptop and the adobe suite). Been a designer since and that career path, as well as youtube, opened up getting back into video and making that as my side hustle, and photography as something I just do for myself.
I definitely wouldn’t want to be a pro. I’m happy taking pictures of birds, insects and occasionally, most other things. But not for a job. I think people should follow the general rule of any type of hobby that ends up as a career. Just enjoy it and if you or other people realise you have a special talent for something then go for it. Let it happen organically rather than deciding out of nowhere that you’re going to try to make it happen. And even then, you might still decide you don’t want to risk taking the fun out of the thing that you might be using to relax for example.
Yes! Fly Fishing must be a part of every episode!
I'm considering whether to try to do some freelance photography work besides my part time day job - more to fund a photography habit than anything else, plus giving me different opportunities to increase skills.
Also Chris' Safeway story was tremendous
Great Safeway 'fly' story, Chris! Made me think of Mr. Miyagi trying to catch the fly with chopsticks, and Daniel-san capturing one!! 😂
Was my brother Ed working that day at Safeway too?
Interesting & engaging podcast - gents!! Thanks very much.
Ed was probably there but he didn't witness my greatness.
Chris is going to look like Max Headroom once Jordan’s finished deleting all the p-puns
I had the Manfrotto National Geographic green tripod. Loved it, not sure why I sold it, but I miss it.
Pretty cool episode, especially the Pro Photographer chat part 👌🏻Good feedback!
Love the current set up! Will Jordan’s evil alter make an appearance ?
Jaron you gotta tell us more about your Pathfinder character and campaign next week!
Alright, deal. -Jaron
On the subject of doing photography as a living / being a "pro photographer", someone actually asked me recently if I would ever consider photography as a career. I quickly responded with NO. I really enjoy live music photography, and sometimes I even get paid to do it, which is really great. But what is even better is not needing to market myself, dealing with delivery deadlines, and knowing that I have a good, steady paycheck twice a month.
Also, as an aside, I feel like I've learned more about Chris as a person ever since Chris & Jordan moved from dpreview to PetaPixel. From pew pew, to gaming, to D&D, Warhammer, etc., I feel like we could be excellent friends.
"Chris can be pleasant given the right circumstances and environment" 🤣 Loved it.
Just a quick shout out from BC. Love the videos.. Also quite enjoy this format. Just got back into photography this year... Revitalizing my grade ten photo class in 85 and getting back into photography... From my canon AE-1 to. Sony a6400.. absolutely love a6400.. and your videos have been immensely helpful . Thanks guys 👍
Re: non-Meta photo sharing, it would be very funny if you guys like spun up a Pixelfed instance. (Also, flickr is honestly a really nice platform except that most people won't use it lol)
This was a very fun podcast. I loved all the off topic conversations haha.
I have tried other jobs but didn't find anything that I enjoyed doing, so now I may start to find a media job as a freelancer in 2024. Start after a short course on making a business plan. 20 years ago when I began photography, I wasn't good enough. Now I think I know how to become better by doing news photography. Nature photos hopefully remain as a hobby.
Someone needs to get you guys set up with Warhammer 40K again. A Tau army for Chris, a Drukhari army for Jordan and a Tyranid army for Jaron
I don't know what any of that means but I'm intrigued. -Jaron
I'm almost with you but I play blood angels.
@@PetaPixel Tyranid = Zerg, Tau = Mecha meets Trek, Drukhari = Sadistic piratical space raiders in spiky longboats
Hurtigruten also runs similar cruises out of Norway going to Svalbard and around the arctic. Their ships are electrified too so unlike most cruises aren't an environmental feelbad.
Automatic thumbs up for the purple background 😃! I like the favorite camera showdown. Can you guys do it again but for favorite lens, like saying 24-75mm, not necessarily brand, but it's up to you. Maybe even breaking it down to favorite prime and zoom lens? Or even if you were left on a dessert island and could only bring one lens, which lens would you bring and why? Thanks for another great episode!
Best podcast so far. Chris sounds like all my friends from high school - except for this fishing nonsense.
40:48 Whoa, Jaron is from the Monterey/Salinas area? Also, props for pronouncing "rodeo" correctly! Haha
Finally a something on a pentax camera, even though it was purple, it works for OM system so maybe if pentax was to sponsor PentaPixel they would get a wee bit more attention 🙏🙏🙏
A very interesting video that just stimulates many thoughts in a most positive way.
I am a recently retired person that enjoys photography. I do not want to work for anyone but would appreciate others that just want to enjoy sharing photos. It would it be possible to talk about, which is probably the vast majority of photographers, that simply want to make good to great photos?
Tech support: how does depth field of compare between different sensor crop factors? How do equivalent focal lengths affect DOF? Do lenses made for smaller crop factors have different results than using lenses made for full frame? I’ve heard a lot of contradicting opinions.
I think what effect the overall DOF is your actual distance to the subject eg: background distortion.
Example:
While the 56mm lens gives you a focal images of 85mm Full Frame in APS-C , the background distortion you are seeing is still similar to 56mm FF lens.
Awesome entertainment to the morning coffee, i need a bigger mug though.
Speaking of pro or not, having to take certain risks etc. i went a slightly different route. In the company i worked in, i slowly by showing my creative work and having ideas on marketing material shifted my actual work tasks to finally switching full time to media designer, working on brochures, web content and video. Still had to preform extra hours on company material for free before i convinced anybody but at least i had the safety of my regular job during the transition period. The company became the employer and client so to speak.
The back side was that it was a grey zone on my free time client work since there are rules regulating what could be viewed as competing business.
Since then i have switched to another role again for other reasons.
I think that if you want to go fully independent pro the first question should be “do i want to be a business owner”.
How about a segment from time to time about a great photo or a great movie or tv scene that was well lit or shot?
The SmallRig battery seems very interesting. I checked the Sony version and turns out it charges in 2.5 hours which is sadly similar to the original battery. I love the idea of usb c batteries though!
A couple of points:
Stampede sounds amazing. I almost got a job in Calgary and that was one of the things I was looking forward to, so thanks for completely ruining it for me. JK, sounds like the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo which I still love despite the pretend cowboys in $20,000 attire and the fried butter.
We also bought a very old house that still had knob and tube, something I knew about because I studied electrical systems, but thought I would never encounter. An electrician we hired to replace it said “Nope.” Have fun with that, but on a positive note, old houses are made way better than newer ones.
You should open the episodes with "what have we been up to?" if it's short. If it's a longer segment then it's ok to keep it where its at.
Question for tech support or just in general: What should a person do if they want to write or otherwise work with PetaPixel?
Love these!
If I could sell enough prints to pay for lenses I would be ecstatic. I'm already working on getting this up and running, but man is it hard to find places locally to display photos.
btw, I love the way this podcast has room to digress, even if it is mostly fishing and Runequest… ;) 🇬🇧
Great show!
Tech Question.
I love my photography (fuji system- xt1 and a few lenses ) but am now looking at video. I have an IPhone 13 and have just purchased a cage and cheap -ish mic plus the Cinema P3 app and plan to use Davinci . I want to start by making a short local ASMR movie then short films thereafter. Any tips and best advice ? Q. How do I make it less “sharp”,do I need ND filters, lens? … is an upgrade to a xt3 or xt4 a huge leap? Many thanks , Nick
I grew up in the 90s watching wrestling, so when I hear Calgary Stampede all I can think is Stu Hart and fighting bears 😂
The car that I photographed in the Fujifilm XS20 review is advertised as belonging to the late Stu Hart, and is for sale.
@@niccollsvideo - How funny, I was just about to watch the X-S20 video and your message showed up. That's a cool coincidence about the car :D One day I'll get to see Calgary for real (in the summer). Thanks for everything!
I'm considering whether to do photography on the side (as a paid job) but on my terms, meaning on a per-shoot basis and hopefully not as stressful as, say, wedding photography. At least that way I can pick the jobs I want to do (again, would be on the side, so if I didn't do any shoots, it wouldn't hurt my lifestyle as it's just extra income).
Also, as a bit of history, computers/IT used to be my hobby, then it became my profession, and after 10 years of doing IT, I don't want to mess with computers anymore, any more than I have to that is. But I used to like to do computer programming, PC repair/builds, and web design, and when that became my full time job, that was the last thing I wanted to do in my free time (in fact I turned down a lot of paid job because I was getting burnt out by it -- computers 18 hours a day). Now with photography as my hobby, I enjoy it so much that I really don't want to make it my full time job. I don't mind making a few bucks on the side, but I really don't want to make it a primary job, partially because I feel I might get burned out on a hobby I love so much.
"its a hubristic presumption to think you can be purely a musician and the rest of the world will pay you for the privilege of hearing your music" -Steve Albini
I always think of this quote when it comes to anything hobby/art related. Fact is making money with your hobby especially something in the arts area is usually going to be soul sucking anyway like shooting a Wedding. You might as well make good money in a STEM field and do your art for yourself. Think about how many 'photographers' are really just making money running gear review tech channels.
What have you been up to: keep it if it's focused on recent personal experiences related to photography/equipment - thanks
Love how this podcast shifted heavily into nerd culture towards the end.
Tech Question for PP professional.... I bought a used Panasonic Lumix DC-GX8 (range-finder type) with have great photographic results. In the movie section for 4K, not so much. Does the camera use auto-focus for that mode 4k30 and 4k60? I cannot find anything said about it in the manual.
I thank you all in advance for the help...
What is better for editing: an iMacs integrated display or an external display? If it's the external display with high colour accuracy, how do I know in which colour mode it is at its most accurate?
It's pretty simple, in all creative professions, whether photography, music, acting, writing, etc. it's still a job. The artistic part is almost secondary, all it requires is a solid grounding in the craft. Someone who takes family photographs at the local shopping malls and takes yearbook photos at the local high school is a professional photographer, for example. As soneone who is both a photographer and a musician, I much prefer not being a professional. It's often said to not pursue a career in the arts unless you can't see yourself doing anything else.
#LetJordanSpeak
darkroom question for chris - what's your favorite developer/filmstock combo and matte vs glossy prints?
I think you should discuss the topic of the size of the lens mount and how it affects image quality. For example I’ve heard rumors about that the Sony E mount is among the smallest mounts and according to rumors from the beginning made for APS-C. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts about the different lens mounts sizes (F, RF, EF, Z, L, X, GFX) and how it affects image quality. Is it something to consider when choosing camera system or not?
i tried writing so much thoughtful stuff here for over an hour and i keep deleting it all on accident right when im finished. i am crying i am so upset.
im gonna give up and stop doing my best. i wanted to know how xtrans sensors actually work and how they improved video. i also said that if the answer for video is just better hardware making the de-mosaicing magic faster you should say something cooler and more interesting instead and that im also a girl and want to responded to that way because people on the internet seem to forget that women do photography alot
i also wrote about how i am an artist and adamantly really dont want to have to do what a client wants, i dont wanna be railroaded. i wanna do what i want and what makes me happy. i said that i struggle escaping from the idea that professional photography is "just the natural progression path" from what i do, when in reality what i do and profressional photography are very different, in their goals and styles etc..
i wrote about how i got a my first interchangeable lens camera earlier this year (canon dslr) and hated it because it looked ugly and it felt like it was meant to be a worker's camera and something i had to specifically go out with the intention of using it instead of waiting until i got inspiration and just always having a camera with me. like it felt like it wanted me to have a workflow for photorgaphy and like it wanted me to do jobs with it, based on its extremely serious and boring physical design and also its horrible user interface. i wrote how i am so happy i got a fuji xt10 to replace that dslr a week ago and i was thinking also about getting a pentax q-s1. i considered these two cameras because i thought they looked the most like _friends_, while still fulfilling my desire to have an interchangeable lens camera. i clarified how i thought the fujifilm was pretty looking completely unrelated to film slrs; i had literally never thought about film slrs before seeing fujifilm cameras, because film photography has not been a real thing for any part of my lifetime. i made a joke calling you old and then also said but that's okay there's nothing wrong wiith being old and you shouldnt feel bad about it.
i do really like the fujifilm, i get excited to use it and it has made me happy to do photography again. i absolutely dreaded the canon dslr and hated using it and felt like it had a completely different philosophy about photography from me.
i also talked about how i heard someone theorise the reason canon kiss cameras are called rebels in america is because everything in the west (america) has to take on a way-too-serious, masculinised, aggressive form, because insecure masculinity dominates our culture more. i extended on this and suggested that maybe the reason the market for colourful cameras doesnt really exist as much outside of japan is because people here make fun of those kinds of cameras and write them off for being "cheap" or something else, just based on how they look. i honestly feel like people who genuinely prefer cameras being all matte black and very adverse to aesthetic customisation and accessorisation and not clashing horribly with ever outfit imagineable have never been invited to a party. i just dont get how you can prefer a camera that is boring and is trying all way too hard to be serious if you're not insecure and if you dont know what your style is. i personally really love being able to have camera be a part of my physical expression, photography is important to me and i want my personality to be reflected in my camera!
ive spent hours of my time watching this podcast and writing heartfelt and fun response to it and it's all gone and it hurts so much i am so upset
what i wrote was a lot nicer and more fun and energetic than this. pretend it is here cuz i would like that
Question for Tech Support:
How does global shutter work on sensor level vs rolling shutter?
So, darkroom question: what are gamma curves, for full frame mirrorless? How does changing the gamma curve affect the RAW output of the shot? And the gamma knee?
About "What have you been up to?" Sometimes it's about fishing. I don't watch Petapixel videos to find out about fishing. Purple Pentax camera with red lens is better.
Tech support: recently I've realized I don't know much about how light works in photography and video: stuff like stops, bits, gamma curves etc. How should I go about understanding it? Or maybe i don't need to? Would understanding it help me resolve some issues?
Chris is a pteam player!
There is a reason OEMs don't do this, though, as adding a charge controller Inside the battery increases the amount of heat when charging, which increases the wear and tear on the battery. Obviously this is a manageable issue, but they're just not willing to tackle it.
Jupio released batteries with type c port a few months ago, chance is the smallrig one is only a rabranded version of that
Question from a relatively new photographer: I was looking into adapting a full frame lens to a micro four thirds camera, and I can’t seem to find legitimate information. I know the focal length changes, but I would like to know what happens to the magnification ratio. OM System themselves claim that MFT sensors also double magnification ratio, so their 90mm macro lens is equivalent to 4:1 magnification. But from what I can tell, the ratio describes the difference between the size of the subject in actuality and the size of the subject on the sensor. So, if an insect is 5mm, 1:1 magnification would mean that the image of the insect on the sensor is also 5mm; and 2:1 would mean the insect would be 10mm on the sensor. Unless I’m missing something, it seems as though the size of the sensor doesn’t matter in this case. Whether my sensor is 18mm or 35mm wide, 1:1 magnification would still mean that the insect is 5mm on the sensor. If you could give me a definitive answer, I would be grateful, since I’ve been getting conflicting answers from different sources.
Smallrig has announced the same battery with USB-C for Fuji. And the USB port is actually at the bottom where it should be and not on the side on that one
The angry drunk photographer in me says “Hell no,” but my artsy side says “Follow your dreams,” so it’s a tossup.
Thank you for the Canadian content. Any advice for Canadians wanting to sell used equipment?
Tobermory really is in the Isle of Mull in Scotland 🙂
Tech question ahead...
The new, yet to be released Theta abd Theta Max, any thoughts on this new "smart tripod" and the accessorys ?
Optical Matrix Sensor Module-Standard
Camera Control Module-Standard
Auto-Leveling Feature 67% Off
GoLive Module
ok good shots :)
Hello Chris snd Jordan. Another great review and i think im one step nearer to buying the xs20.
My main reason for wanting to change from my Canon eos 80d is that i now have osteoarthritis in my hands and wrists so need something lighter but with decent landscape and wildlife credentials. Do you have any reservations about using maybe a 70-300 with a 2x converter for wildlife?
USB-C has been around on camera batteries for a long time now - first on some random Kickstarter campaign which I don't recall what happened to, and then on various Chinese battery brands.
Cockasian? is Jordan from the Cockasus?
But in case it wasn’t clear, I do really enjoy the show(s), no complaints there. I just hope PetaPixel can grow to be a robust place for photography without having to resort to the junk articles that don’t have anything interesting to say about photography.
Here's a question: The 24-70mm f2.8 zoom lens dates back to film days. Panasonic released a 20-60mm f3.5-5.6 zoom lens (as a kit), Olympus an 8-25mm f4 zoom lens, Sony a 20-70mm f4 lens. Is the 24-70mm f2.8 obsolete now? Are lenses getting wider and slower/more compact?
there are a few amazon alternatives to thet SmallRig battery. I've used some for Sony Alpha cameras. Its nothing new, but i dont hope there is more and more and of them because they are usefull since you can charge them anywhere from anything
Per Chris's request: I shot some 120 Ilford XP2 Super @EI=200 and developed normally. What paper should I use for enlargement? First time enlarging BW. Thx.
I'll answer it for you right now. So many of the C41 black and white films where specifically intended to be printed on Colour paper. XP2 however was touted as also being easy to use with standard black and white papers. It takes a bit of extra work to get the contrast dialed in, but you can happily use a black and white printing process.
@@niccollsvideo Thx. My Q was mainly to answer Chris's call. XP2's datasheet says start with Ilford Multigrade RC. Internet says it's meant to be printed on color paper but I am guessing it was more designed to tolerate high volume C-41 labs (none left in my part of the world). Just got a set of 7 Ilford filters at a thrift store for $20.
I did actually laugh at loud at "hey, I'm Caucasian Jordan"
I just want enough money to pay for the gear I have and upgrade in the future. I don't want photography to be my full time job unless I was a sports photographer. I make great money as a nurse and have medical and stuff and job security. I love taking sports pictures for families but would love to have a 400mm prime . It's not a need but it be nice for my d5 :). Yall do a great job here. Props to all those photographers out there. For now I guess I'll take shots for free :)
@ Jaron : friendly opinion, it would look much better if you'd read your texts on a prompter screen, cause seeing you read sideways doesn't look so good, imho 😉
I'm about to move studios in the next couple of months, so we will see if I can get my camera/screen arrangement more... appealing. -Jaron
As a professional Photographer for 28 years.... Only if you hate yourself.... you'll be stuck shooting portraits of horrible customers who complain and have no idea what they want and think you overcharge even though you barely charge anything and horrible wedding that will make you want to kill yourself.... People always think they'll be the next Annie Leibovitz... you won't... you'll probably do it for a year hate it and yourself so much that you stop and never photograph again... if Photography is your hobby and you like doing it... don't turn it into a job.... it'll make you hate it
Nitecore came out with these USB C batteries quite some time ago.
Yay!!
With that opening I thought I was watching Steven crowder
Question - Display calibration is confusing, I try my best but relay I dont know if I am doing it right or not.
I use displayCal with a colormonki display on windows with the target of sRGB, I dont set any calibration settings in software (LR6/Reslove etc). My displays can display more than sRGB but I dont know if ill hit more problems than gains if I target a bigger colour space or if I need profiles for both photos and video to switch between.
Guinness World Records work because you pay them for the Record. Not because you are best or First.
#TechSupport Any of you three know how to reassemble a Sony SELP 16-55 kit lens? I fitted a new lens base ring but now can’t get it back together… 🇬🇧
Trying to decide what darkroom question to ask Chris. And I looked up how old he is ;-). So let’s do the math. The DCS system and other digital photos systems were getting prevalent by the mid to late 90s. Chris was 16. I’m having a hard time seeing him spending a ton of time in a darkroom ;-).
No teenager could afford a DCS system back then. They were ridiculous. My first camera is a Nikon FE. Still have it. I had my own darkroom in my bathroom. Did it until my mid twenties. My first digital serious camera was the D600.
@@niccollsvideo They were ridiculous, no regular person could afford one. We had a bunch (couple of dozen) of the monochrome versions. An FE and a home darkroom (even B&W which I am assuming it was) is pretty damn good for a teenager. Back in the day I used a B&W darkroom at school with a 120 twin lens reflex (and not a rolleiflex, a Japanese knock off). I was just looking back at this the 420m was very close in sensor size to m43, and the 460 was pretty much APSC. We went with the 420m because we wanted more crop/reach and the m was better for the type of images we were producing.
Sony should let naughty dog design their cameras. I'd be buying a "last of us / uncharted" camera no matter the sensor.
I have white Pentax K30 body. Sadly I recently noticed it has developed a type fault and can't take photos with it anymore. White version reminds me of Star Wars stormtroopers.
1: "what you've been up to" is cool
2: what elon did to you?
Is Chris's background a blow up of Affinity Photo?
Misc. comments: one hour plus pod is too long for most viewers; as an underwater macro photographer, I find these underwater model pics too contrived ( and it’s air not oxygen in the tank ); pancake breakfasts at downtown office plazas are the best feature of stampede!
Ulanzi already sells those batteries
I still dig "Petaphile"
Sony is cool in design, however, a true statement of this was the dsc w80/w90/w200, it screams function over form and still had that industrial sony look. I however would not like them to go all fuji, that is just not sony.