Doug Armand - Images

I am moving…..

Doug — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 10:18:09 +0000

I am moving this blog over to Blogger – hopefully I’ll see you there

http://doug-armand-imagery.blogspot.co.uk/

Olympus 12mm f2.0

Doug — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 11:32:24 +0000

I recently acquired the Olympus 12mm F2.0 and this is my initial thoughts on this lens. First thought is oh my god it’s beautiful! Match it with a B+W Digi-Pro Chrome filter and it really looks the biz. Construction is excellent with an all metal feel that makes it looks a lot heavier than it really is – it is only 130 grams in weight.

Olympus12mm on EM-5 body

But I believe we should choose a lens for its ability to help us take superb photographs and less for its fashionable looks and in this department I have to admit to being a bit disappointed.

For landscape/Cityscape work this lens falls a bit short as it can be quite soft at the edges. In fact so soft that I returned the first one I got thinking that I had received a bad copy. The second copy did give a slight improvement, proving that there might be a quality control issue, but it still falls short for what could be considered by some as an expensive lens. Some examples will show what I mean. The close-ups aren’t even at the extreme corners. For this test I shot a full range from f2.0 to f16 – with diffraction starting to kick in by f9.0 with f5.6 being around the sweet spot.

River Thames in London with Olympus 12mm

Below are crops taken at f2.0 and f5.6 from the red marked areas in the main picture above. Click to open them at 100%

Click to open larger version

In the centre of an image this lens is extremely sharp but the edges for me fall a bit short of ideal. I’m not sure if I will be keeping this lens or maybe selling it and trying something else like the Panasonic 12-35mm. I really want to like it and further testing is revealing it to be in some ways a very nice lens and for land/cityscapes if you use a f-stop in the region of f5.6-8 then it can produce some very nice images.

I’m just not sure if its best is going to be good enough for me in the long-term. Maybe a more prolonged use will let me forget its foibles learn its sweet spots and truly fall in love with it. I hope so otherwise eBay beckons for it.

Some recent work

Doug — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 19:02:00 +0000

Haven’t posted much lately but that is because I’m keeping myself busy creating new imagery – like these

All of these images are available as stock at Getty Images.

Olympus OM-D EM-5 – some further impressions

Doug — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 11:11:22 +0000

Having now used the Olympus EM-5 for almost 2 months I thought it was maybe time to post few more observations. This time using the viewfinder.

Last time I said that I didn’t like using the eyepiece proximity sensor and that even I wasn’t so lazy that I couldn’t as easily use the button at the side of the viewfinder to switch between the EVF and the LCD back screen. Well I take that back but it’s not because I am too lazy. No its actually because of what appears to be an annoying design choice that Olympus forces you to make for no good reason.

The EVF allows you to have one of 3 display modes. You can either have the image full screen and have the information overlaid over it or you can have the image smaller with a black/blue border that has most of the information at the bottom (as in the picture below taken from the manual) . Personally I prefer this latter mode.

Unfortunately the only way to access this display mode is if you have the proximity sensor enabled. Why? I have no idea and there doesn’t seem to be any good logical reason for it. Because of this I have been giving the proximity sensor another go and I’m slowly coming round to liking it. Not that it doesn’t have its quirks. Sometimes when trying to use the back screen for composing it will think that you want to use the eyepiece instead and switch leaving you with a blacked out screen. It also has taken me a bit of time to get used to the slight delay in switching – a blacked out viewfinder isn’t what I’ve normally expect to see. I’m getting used to it though and it isn’t that bad. If I was doing the kind of photography that required split-second shooting I doubt I would use it though.

The viewfinder is a joy to use however. Bright and sharp and I love the way you can display the shadows and highlights that are going to be clipped in blue/orange. It makes getting the exposure just the way you want it very easy. It also makes using my version of the ETTR (Expose To The Right) method a piece of cake. I have set my display to show orange when highlights get to 253 or above and blue when shadows are at 2 or less. When used properly ETTR can produce images with less noise. To see more about ETTR and how to use it check out this blog post by Pekka Potka.

You can also display a level gauge, for both vertical & horizontal axis, and a histogram in the viewfinder but you cannot display all these options at the same time. Why not? I have no idea except that it seems to be yet another annoying design quirk. These options are available for both the EVF and back screen displays and you can set them independently which is nice – that is as long as you have the proximity sensor active as well of course

Here is a brief look at some of the accessories I am using that aren’t essential but make using the camera a little easier and fun for me. Below is the EM-5 with the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 and attached to the left lug is a Gordy leather wrist strap. I am right handed/eyed person but I find carrying the camera in my left hand by the lens barrel much easier and quicker and the perfect way to ensure I don’t drop it by accident is by using a wrist strap. There are many different types out there but a Gordy’s is just simple, old-fashioned and tough and just does what I need it to do – easy.

With the excellent IBIS system of the EM-5 I use a tripod considerably less these days but when I do use one I still like to use a quick release system –maybe I really am a lazy person at heart – so what I’ve ended up using is this quick release plate, BPnS-S, from RRS (Really Right Stuff) that is really designed for a compact P&S camera. In fact its the one I used when I had the Panasonic LX5. But because the m43 system is so light I’m finding it works great for that as well and it is also compact like the rest of the gear. I use it conjunction with an RRS, B2-40 LR, Quick Release Clamp. As you can see from the last photo below it fits snugly right up to and under the bottom edge of the back screen. It couldn’t be a better fit.

Now there is nothing wrong with the Olympus shutter button it just so happens that I had one of these Gariz shutter buttons lying around and I just thought I would see how it worked – and its working pretty good. It really does improve the feel but it’s in no way a necessary addition. it doesn’t hurt that is also looks good.

And finally I replaced the eyecup that comes as standard with the Olympus EP-11 eyecup. Whilst there is nothing wrong with the supplied one in bright sunlight I prefer a deeper eyecup . It also doesn’t seem to affect proximity sensor in any bad way and the extra depth makes using the viewfinder more comfortable for me. Plus it helps to keep my nose from the back screen – a lot less smudging that way.

My latest print offering on Etsy – The Light at the end of – Fine Art Photographic 18×7.2 inch/45.72×18.29 cm Print

Doug — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 14:58:45 +0000

Taken with a Canon 5D and a 45mm TS-E lens on a tripod.

This is a vertical panoramic stitch of 3 images. I then stretched even more the image vertically in PShop and did my usual trick of grunging/texturing and playing with different blend modes.

Prints available for purchase at Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/109184374/the-light-at-the-end-of-fine-art

The Light at the end of

Selling a couple of Olympus OM lenses on ebay – and why

Doug — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 14:54:14 +0000

I am selling a couple of Olympus OM lenses on ebay and here’s why.

They are the 135mm F3.5 and 100mm F2.8 and when used with an adaptor fit on the Olympus EM-5 just fine. You have to use them in stopped down mode and with manual focus – and that is one of the main reasons why I am selling them.

Maybe it’s just me getting older or maybe I’ve just gotten lazy but there is no way I can focus as fast or as accurate as the camera can. Using these two lenses the number of images I was getting that were just ‘off’ in focus was amazing. Now I know its not the camera as the EM-5 has a pretty good EVF viewfinder and in fact I found it easier to focus with than the old OM-1 MD I recently played around with. I think its just that times have changed – not only me and my eyesight but the way that we take and examine our photos. When I last used the old Olympus OM gear it was mainly with slide film and I would check focus using a linen magnifier, originally intended to count the threads of linen, but now we look at images on a computer screen at 100%. I think we just examine the images much more closely now and maybe many of the old pix we took were just not as sharp as we thought they were.

Anyway I’ve simply acknowledged that modern Olympus lenses like the 45mm f1.8 are lighter, smaller and sharper – oh yes and they also autofocus faster than I can blink – and accurately too. Only downside is that they cost more!.

If anyone is interested in buying these two lenses – and assuming I haven’t put you off with the above comments – you can find them here:

UK buyers only I’m afraid.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200813236398?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Olympus 135mm F3.5

and here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200813640083?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Olympus 100 F2.8

Olympus OM-D EM-5 and my initial impressions

Doug — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:23:59 +0000

I have had the EM-5 for a couple of weeks now and here are some of my initial impressions. First was this thing looks and feels small but at the same time it has some heft and sturdiness. As a comparison I placed the body with the Olympus 45mm f1.8 next to an old OM-1 MD with a 100mm f2.8. Because of the format size differences wide open these two lenses would produce images that are very similar in terms of field of view and depth of field.

This picture is a bit deceptive as both camera looks similar in size. In reality the EM-5 has a similar height but in every other way is smaller. The OM-1 is also heavier with the above setup weighing just over 750 grams while the new OM-D setup weighs around 615 grams. Not bad when you consider that with the advancement of technology we also get a built-in 9fps motor drive, auto-focus, Image stabilisation, LCD screen, etc. Truly amazing.

Even though at the time it was considered a relatively quiet and civilised shutter comparing them now the old OM sounds quite harsh and loud. They both feel great to hold in the hand with solid metal feeling bodies and both have an almost watch-like fine build quality to them. The wind lever on the old OM is smooth and beautiful to use and in a strange way I miss having to do that – ahh nostalgia..

Is there any area that I feel the old OM is better ? Well maybe one and that is the sheer size of the viewfinder image that the old OM has. Comparing them side by side the view through the old OM seems huge. Not better quality or brighter just much larger magnification. I guess the reason for this is that has a magnification of 0.92x while the EM-5 is 1.15x. The new EVF in the EM-5 is one of the better ones out there and gives you 100% while the OM-1 gives about 97% view . Using the EVF has many benefits however that far outweigh the old OVF’s in my opinion like the ability to display shadow/highlight warnings overlaid on the image, real-time display of exposure changes and the ability to use the viewfinder much easier in low light situations.

The camera has quite a complex and detailed menu structure and it does take a while to understand and set things up the way one likes to shoot. I guess that’s the downside of having a very configurable camera. The effort taken to learn and understand it though is well worth it. I am finding now after just 2 weeks that using the camera is becoming second nature.

The EVF also has a proximity sensor to automatically switch between it and the LCD back screen depending on what it thinks you want to use. It works reasonably fast but after trying to get used to it I have switched it off. Its an easy enough task to press the small button at the side of viewfinder when I want to switch between the EVF and LCD – even I’m not that lazy.

I hope some of you have found this useful and I will continue with these impressions in future blog posts as I get more familiar with the camera

Boy Racer – new CGI image for stock

Doug — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 10:05:26 +0000

As a brief change from real photographs here is a simple breakdown of my latest RM, rights managed, image destined for Getty Images. It is wholly CGI, Computer Generated Image, and was Modelled, textured and rendered in Blender 2.6x.

The rendered result looked like this in Photoshop. A bit plain and lacking some drama and reality.

And after some tweaking the end result is this

The tweaking involved general colour and tone grading and adding a vignette as well as adding/tweaking the textures for the the walls, garage door, etc.

And to end here is a close-up of the go cart.

A revised version is now available as a RM stock image on the Getty Images website: http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/illustration/go-cart-and-racing-car-stock-graphic/150483754

I’m back where I began – with Olympus – OM-D EM-5

Doug — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 16:19:23 +0000

I’ve always been a huge fan of the Olympus OM system. I had a very extensive system back in the day and it was always one of my favourite camera systems to use. Well when Olympus announced the OM-D EM-5 I just got all teary eyed and nostalgic and I just had to get one for myself.

And so I did – got it a few days ago and have been trying it out and working on setting it up in the way that I like to shoot. Not as easy as you might think as there are an awful lot of customisation options.

I’ll be posting a more detailed blog or two about how I find the camera but I thought I would post some quick test shots that I took to try to get an idea of what this little baby is capable of – all are handheld – check out the water ones – and yes the full-res versions are sharp – the IBIS stabilisation system really does seem to work!

Olympus 45mm f1.8@f2.0 1/160s

Olympus 45mm f1.8@f1.8 1/320s

Olympus 45mm f1.8@f7.1 1/20 sec – handheld!

Panasonic 14mm f2.5@f6.3 1/2000s ISO 200

Olympus 45mm f1.8@f2.2 1/500s

Olympus 45mm f1.8@f2.2 1/600s

Olympus 45mm f1.8@f11 1/15 sec – handheld!

All of these images are from RAW and have passed through Lightroom

Another new print on Etsy – British Flags Flying High

Doug — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 15:48:59 +0000

Taken in June this year the flags were put up along Regent Street to help celebrate the Queens Jubilee. Taken using the Panasonic G3 and Olympus 45mm F1.8. This was handheld at f2.5 1/4000 at ISO 160. The weather was grey and cloudy which has been the norm for London this summer so heavily grunged and hand-coloured in Lightroom/Photoshop

British Flags Flying High