The Viewfinder / Groundglass

I’m slowly getting accustomed to using a digital camera, but I’m having problems composing with the less than adequate viewfinder of my DSLR. I’m use to looking at a groundglass under a dark cloth. The image I see on my 10”x 8” groundglass is upside down and reversed, but it’s huge which aids composition. In contrast the view through my Sony viewfinder pales in comparison. Okay it’s not upside down or reversed, but its miniscule when compared to my view cameras. I’m also unable to see the full viewfinder when I put the camera to my eye. This is another negative aspect of the Sony.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwEAxrmBz64

The link above is to a youtube movie clip by Alec Soth who eulogises the benefits of using a 10x8 camera. I agree wholeheartedly with his comments.

Ginny

This is Virginia, or Ginny as she is known by her family & friends. She is the daughter of my friends Caroline and Fred.

Ginny is 5 going on 35, and had the same day I visited lost the first of her first milk teeth, as you can see in the picture above. It had been placed under her pillow, wrapped in tissue waiting for the Tooth Fairy to come, and replace it with either a 50p or £1 coin.

I took these photos with my new digital camera. It proved to be a frustrating shoot due to the poor focus capabilities of the camera. Autofocus cameras are a boon to somebody like me, with me aging eyes, and poor eyesight. I just wish it could track a rapidly moving child better. Perhaps I expect too much.

6 Months of Silence

Canon 24mm TSE

Good grief the best part of 6 months has passed since my last posting. So what has been happening during those months? Sorry to say nothing life changing.

Health wise I’m fine, though I keep getting niggling calf cramps, which is curtailing my running. This is annoying, as I love running during the hot summer months. Perhaps I should just hang up my trainers and accept I’m getting old, No way!

Work has been interesting following a joint raid by The Office of Fair Trading and the European Commission, a couple of months ago. At the same time our MD and Sales Director where arrested in Houston and charged with being part of a Cartel. We are currently being investigated by the two previously mentioned bodies along with the US Department of Justice.

This has taken me and my colleagues by total surprise and is having a huge impact on the business. If found guilty, people could end up receiving very long jail sentences and the company, or even our parent company a huge fine.

A neighbourhood renewal assessment is being carried out where my home is situated. The rumour is that my house along with the rest of my street could be demolished. I may well be looking at a Compulsory Purchase Order in the next couple of years.

My photography has been in hiatus but I have finally bought a digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR)

Canon 24mm TSE

Above is a photograph taken back in April when I visited with Pat and Colin in Hexham. Colin kindly let me use his Canon 5D digital camera, so that I could evaluate the Canon system. The photographs in this posting where taken with a Canon 24mm f3.5 T/S L lens, which is an exotic and versatile lens, which allows you to change the plane of focus, as can be seen in the accompanying photographs.

Canon 24mm TSE

In the end I chose not to go with the Canon system, but bought a stopgap Sony DSLR camera along with a couple of lenses off eBay. I will discuss how I’m adopting to digital and you will get to see my efforts in future postings.