Brad Hill: Blog: Photography. Nature. Gear. Software. Conservation. Whatever.
Not so short-winded blatherings on whatever is currently occupying the part of my brain that deals with nature photography and related concerns. Updated sorta weekly.
On this page you'll find all my 2025 blog listings (immediately below). And, further down this page you'll also find some key (and very popular) gear-related blog entries from 2024 (jump to that section now).
And, finally, if you're looking for a directory to ALL my blog listings EVER - just follow this link.
I. 2025 Blog Entries...
22 July 2025: New Bigger Boat = Increased Photo Tour Capacity!
The vast majority of my photo tours take place on the northern BC coast. Which means that - by necessity - they are boat-based. I partner with two experienced coastal outfitters to produce my photo tours. Just recently one them (Outer Shores Expeditions) added a beautiful new boat to their fleet - a 70' fibreglass ketch dubbed the Ocean Wayfinder.
You can check out the Ocean Wayfinder right here:
• Introducing the Ocean Wayfinder
We'll be using the Ocean Wayfinder for two of my photo tours in 2026. One HUGE consequence of this is that I can now take ten (10!) keen photographers on selected photo tours (rather than just 6).
An immediate consequence of this is that I now have several available spots on my 2026 8-day Spring in the Southern Great Bear Instructional Photo Tour! Here's where to go to get ALL the critical details on this phenomenal photo tour, inckuding dates, pricing, subject matter, and more:
• 2026 Spring in the Southern Great Bear Instructional Photo Tour
Contact me at seminars@naturalart.ca to reserve your spot on our maiden voyage of the Ocean Wayfinder!
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
17 July 2025: For Mac Users: AI-based Image/Video Asset Management with Peakto.
About a month ago I added a new tool to my digital image workflow - Peakto from CYME (a French software company). Peakto is a powerful Mac-only AI-based digital asset management tool that acts as an image/video aggregator to help you organize your entire image and/or video collection. For me its ability to see "into" and across multiple catalogs and multiple catalog types (e.g., Capture One catalogs and sessions, Lightroom catalogs, Apple Photos catalogs, Apple Aperture catalogs, and even just folders containing images) was the primary motivator for me to add this tool to my workflow. I currently have 5 different Capture One catalogs and also use Apple Photos - plus I have a lot of photos (such as those prepped for the galleries of this website) sitting in folders OUTSIDE of any catalog. With Peakto I can bring ALL those images together and search through them using traditional tools (like keyword searches) OR using AI-tools. For example, if I want to search for ALL images of swimming grizzly bears that are on my system I can use Peakto do so with a keyword search (which is possible only because I'm a bit anal about keywording my images.) OR, if I don't have my images keyworded, I can simply select an image of a swimming grizzly and ask Peakto to find similar images (using AI based on image content). Very, very cool!
Of course, if you are into images of Homo sapiens (the species that interests me the least!) you can use Peakto's AI tools to recognize particular faces and cluster them together. Again, very cool.
Peakto has tons of other features (e.g., it can act as a server and give you access to your images remotely) that I won't get into here - if you're interested just check Peakto out here:
• https://cyme.io/products/peakto
At this point (one month after beginning with Peakto) my workflow is definitely faster because of it. I've gained back FAR more time than I invested in learning how to use Peakto. And, because of its AI-tools I have re-discovered hundreds and hundreds of forgotten images and seen new and interesting associations between images.
Finally, as always, I am NOT receiving any financial or other compensation for drawing your attention to this product. Moreover, because not all products are right for all users, I am not in any way saying Peakto will necessarily be right for you (i.e., I am not recommending you instantly go out and buy/subscribe to it). But, I AM using it - and it's working well for me.
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
16 July 2025: New Khutzeymateen Images Added...
I just added some new images from my Khutzeymateen Grizzlies photo tours to my Gallery of Latest Additions.
As always, the images include comprehensive commentaries about the content of the images and/or technical aspects of the image captures (and image processing). You can access the contextual information for any given image simply by clicking on the tabs below the main image window. These tabs are labelled "In the Field" "Behind the Camera", "At the Computer", et cetera.
Expect even more images soon!
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
15 July 2025: Postscript: May/June Khutzeymateen Photo Tours
OVERVIEW - The Tale of Two Photo Tours
In late May and early June I lead two consecutive photo tours in the amazing Khutzeymateen Grizzly Sanctuary on the northern British Columbia coast. The first of the two photo tours was my 5-day Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen Instructional Photo Tour which features two online instructional sessions prior to the trip. The second was a 4-day Grizzlies of the Khutzeymateen Photo Op Photo Tour which (quite obviously) was one day shorter - and had no formal photography instruction. My current plans are to repeat these two tours in the spring of 2027 (go here to join the "first right of refusal list" for my 2027 Khutzeymateen photo tours).
With these two trips being back-to-back you might think they would have offered similar shooting conditions and similar subject matter. And, there were some commonalties - both trips were unusually cold and unusually wet! In most years spring Khutzeymateen trips aren't what you'd call sun-tanning trips, and the weather is normally pretty unsettled and rapidly changing. But these were chilly trips (daily highs hovering around 10C) and they were wet trips, even for the northern BC coast! But, fortunately, the bears didn't mind!
But the biggest difference between the two trips involved the subject matter. On the first trip we encountered a LOT of bears - we saw and photographed a minimum of 22 different grizzlies over the 5 days (and some we saw virtually every day). As always the bears varied in their approachability and tolerance of humans, but most were very comfortable with our presence and they gave us a ton of great photo ops.
On the second trip we saw fewer bears - over the 4 days we saw a minimum of 12 different bears. But...those bears were interacting with one another WAY MORE than during the first trip - we had sparring bears, chasing bears, mating bears, moms with cubs, and even bears "barking" at one another!
Despite the differences in the types of photo ops on the two trips, I think it's safe to say a very good time was had by all.
HOW MY EVOLVING NIKON Z KIT PERFORMED IN THE KHUTZEYMATEEN
BUT BRAD - how did your Nikon Z wildlife kit perform in the Khutzeymateen? Ahhh...I thought you'd never ask! I have more than a few thoughts on that...😉
Even though Nikon's offering of Z-mount wildlife lenses has been fairly stable for awhile we now have more 3rd party lens options. This year I took two quite new lens offerings from Tamron into the Khutzeymateen. And because we utilize float planes to access the Khutzeymateen we have limitations in how much gear we can bring into the Khutzeymateen. So in adding in two "new" Tamron lenses to my kit two lenses had to come OUT of my kit - the Nikkor Z 24-120mm f4S and the Nikkor 120-300mm f2.8E.
So...here's the gear I chose to take into the Khutzeymateen. Note that I've been traveling to the Khutzeymateen since 2006 to photograph the grizzlies and have a good handle on what does - and what doesn't - work well for me in the Khutzeymateen. Note also that ALL wildlife photography in the Khutzeymateen takes place from a floating Zodiac inflatable boat and is, by necessity, all done via hand-holding your gear (i.e., forget about using tripods or monopods):
• Camera bodies: Nikon Z 9 x 2
• Lenses:
• Tamron Z 35-150mm f2-2.8
• Nikkor Z 135mm f1.8S Plena
• Tamron Z 150-500mm f5-6.7
• Nikkor Z 400mm f2.8 TC VR S
• Nikkor Z 600mm f6.3 VR S
• Other:
• Z TC-2.0x
• Assorted Think Tank and AquaTech rain covers.
HOW I JUDGED WHAT WORKED WELL FOR ME (AND WHAT DIDN'T) IN THE KHUTZEYMATEEN
OK, during my 9-day stint in the Khutzeymateen I captured a total of 14,183 images (which averages out to 1576 images per day). Here's how this image capture total broke down by lens (from most used lens to least used lens):
• Nikkor Z 400mm f2.8S @ 560mm (TC engaged): 5,026 images
• Nikkor Z 400mm f2.8S @ 400mm: 3,663 images
• Tamron Z 150-500 f5-6.3: 1,866 images
• Nikkor Z 400mm f2.8S @ 800mm (with 2x TC): 1,755 images
• Nikkor Z 135mm f1.8S Plena: 1,233 images
• Tamron Z 35-150mm f2-2.8: 640 images
• Nikkor Z 600mm f6.3S: 0 images (lens brought as a spare if my Z 400mm f2.8S bit the dust)
Of course, the total number of images captured with a particular lens isn't much of an indicator of how well that lens performed during any "project". A huge number of variables beyond the quality of images produced the lens can affect how much you use a lens - in this case proximity to subject, ease of hand-holding a particular lens, the photographer's preferred "type" of image and the photographer's style, the quantity and quality of available light, and more. But a couple of other measures of - such as the "keeper rate" and the number and/or proportion of images good enough to justify processing (or possibly printing) - are likely slightly better indicators of how a particular lens performed for you (or in this case, me!).
So...following my two Khutzeymateen photo tours I decided to put in a big effort on my image culling and keep close tabs on the resulting numbers. I performed my first cull run through the images by lens, meaning I filtered the unculled images so that (for example) I was initially culling ONLY my Z 400mm f2.8S images shot at 400mm. Followed by my Z 400mm f2.8S images shot at 560mm. Et cetera. So during this first round of culling the images were competing only against other images shot with the same lens.
On my second (and final) run through the images I culled the images by scene/shooting scenario. So, for example, during a single session of shooting grizzlies that were sparring with one another I might use up to 3 lenses. So during this second culling run I compared/culled ALL the images shot during that particular session. So in this second culling run the images were now competing against images shot with ALL other lenses.
And along the way I kept track of things like the total number (and proportion) of images kept for each lens (both after the initial "cull by lens" and after the second "cull by shooting scenario"), the number (and proportion) of lens being awarded with a "green" label (which means "To be processed...sometime"), and the number of images good enough to justify immediate processing.
Before I get into the lens-by-lens breakdown, here's a few raw numbers that some may find interesting:
• Total images captured (all lenses): 14,183 images
• Total images retained (after both culling runs): 1,134 images (8.0%)
• Total "Green Labels" (justifying processing...sometime!): 209 images (1.4%)
• Total justifying immediate processing (various uses): 60 images (0.4%)
THE LENS-BY-LENS BREAKDOWN
And here's the lens-by-lens breakdown, including some sample images captured with each lens. A few points worth noting. First, I treated the 3 focal lengths I shot the Z 400mm f2.8S at (400mm, 560mm, and 800mm) as separate lenses, largely for my own edification (to help me understand how I could and should use this lens during future shooting sessions). Second, anyone looking at this results should realize that the "generalizability" of these results is close to zero - not only are they from ONE location during one 9-day period of time, but there are countless biases impacting on these results. These results are NOT scientific and say very little about the image quality of any of the lenses. And, what is shown below is only a small subset of my results...I'm only presenting the ones I think will interest folks the most. Finally, the sample images shown below (plus many additional ones) may work their way through my Gallery of Latest Additions (where you can read a LOT more about them).
1. Nikkor Z 400mm f2.8 @ 400mm:
• Total images captured: 3,663 images
• Total images retained (after both culling runs): 348 (9.5%)
• Total "Green Labels" (justifying processing...sometime!): 63 (1.7%)
• Total justifying immediate processing (various uses): 16 (0.4%)
COMMENTS: I've long considered the 400mm f2.8 as my most important lens for my wildlife photography, both during the DSLR era and now during the mirrorless era. Of course it's razor sharp (like most lenses these days). But the magic to the 400mm f2.8S is how the buttery smooth out-of-focus (OOF) zones visually interact with the in-focus zones, creating its signature "look". And I simply love the "look" the Z 400mm f2.8S can produce when the conditions are right, and especially when it's shot wide open (or very close to it).
SAMPLE IMAGES: Here's just a few sample images captured with the Z 400mm f2.8S (at 400mm) during my two Khutzeymateen photo tours.
• Sharing a Drink: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 3.8 MB)
• Any Sharks Back There? Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 4.0 MB)
• Hidden? Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 5.1 MB)
2. Nikkor Z 400mm f2.8 @ 560mm:
• Total images captured: 5,026 images
• Total images retained (after both culling runs): 381 (7.6%)
• Total "Green Labels" (justifying processing...sometime!): 68 (1.3%)
• Total justifying immediate processing (various uses): 17 (0.3%)
COMMENTS: During the 2025 Khutzeymateen photo tours I used my Z 400mm f2.8S more with the TC engaged (so at 560mm) than not. And I commonly shot it absolutely wide open at f4. And I captured a lot of action shots with it. And, overall its keeper or hit rate was only slightly lower than when I shot it without the TC-engaged. Probably most importantly, this lens produced the highest total number of images I deemed as "justifying immediate processing". I've systematically tested this lens (@ 560mm) against the excellent Nikkor Z 600mm f4 TC VR S and while I think the Z 600mm produces very slightly better image quality, I'm totally happy with how the Z 400mm f2.8S performs with its TC engaged.
SAMPLE IMAGES: Here's just a few sample images captured with the Z 400mm f2.8S (at 560mm) during my two Khutzeymateen photo tours.
• The Dive: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 4.3 MB)
• Poised & Posed: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 6.2 MB)
• Getting Down to Business: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 4.7 MB)
3. Nikkor Z 400mm f2.8 @ 800mm (with Z TC-2.0x):
• Total images captured: 1,755 images
• Total images retained (after both culling runs): 110 (6.6%)
• Total "Green Labels" (justifying processing...sometime!): 14 (1.3%)
• Total justifying immediate processing (various uses): 7 (0.4%)
COMMENTS: When you add the Z TC-2.0x to the Z 400mm f2.8S (producing a 800mm f5.6 lens) you DO have a slight fall-off in image quality and hit rate. And, the "missed shots" (e.g., slightly out-of-focus) DO miss by more than those shot with the 400mm f2.8S without a TC or with its internal 1.4x TC engaged. My best guess is the fall-off in hit rate originates with a slight decrease in AF performance - because when you DO hit the shots they are quite good! I own a copy of the Z 800mm f6.3S and I have tested it extensively against the Z 400mm f2.8S with the Z TC-2.0 and have found under very controlled conditions the two 800mm options produce almost identical image quality (especially if you run both of them through DxO PureRAW or PhotoLab using the appropriate lens correction modules). Under field conditions I HAVE noticed I get a better hit rate with the Z 800mm f6.3S. But, when I go to places where it's impractical to bring both my 400mm and my 800mm lenses the 400mm f2.8S plus the Z TC-2.0x is a very viable option. One final comment: I know there have been some reports online that the Z 400mm f2.8S with its internal TC engaged combined with the Z TC-1.4x produces better results than using the Z 400mm f2.8S with the Z TC-2.0x. However, I have repeatedly and extensively compared the two under systematic and controlled testing and I have found the exact opposite - that the Z 400mm f2.8S plus 2x TC is very slightly, but very consistently, sharper (at all apertures) than when you shoot the TC "stack". If you count up the number of optical elements light must travel through when using the TC stack versus using "just" the Z TC-2.0x this makes sense!
SAMPLE IMAGES: Here's just a few sample images captured with the Z 400mm f2.8S (at 800mm) during my two Khutzeymateen photo tours.
• Snack Time: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 5.9 MB)
• Estuary Life, Estuary Death: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 3.2 MB)
• Quadra-Paw Traction: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 4.8 MB)
A FINAL COMMENT - ON ALL 3 FLAVOURS OF THE Z 400MM f2.8S: My treatment of the Z 400mm f2.8S as 3 different lenses (a 400mm, a 560mm, and a 800mm) may, in some way, mask how important it was to me on these two photo tours. I noted above that I came away with 60 images that I thought justified immediate processing. If you add up the "justify immediate processing" images from all 3 focal lengths I used the Z 400mm f2.8S at you'll find that a full 40 of the 60 images were shot with my Z 400mm f2.8S. That's 67% - shot with just one lens.
4. Nikkor Z 135mm f1.8 Plena:
• Total images captured: 1,233 images
• Total images retained (after both culling runs): 81 (6.6%)
• Total "Green Labels" (justifying processing...sometime!): 23 (1.9%)
• Total justifying immediate processing (various uses): 4 (0.3%)
COMMENTS: Yeah, yeah...I know - the Plena isn't a wildlife lens. BUT...I end up in LOTS of situations when I'm photographing wildlife where I'm simply too close to the subject to use a super-telephoto lens, but I still want the subject to pop out from the background (you know...be super sharp and have beautiful out-of-focus zones). Yes, sometimes the excellent Z 70-200mm f2.8 will work. But at 135mm an image shot at f1.8 looks a whole lot different than an image shot at f2.8. And...there are lots of times when I opportunistically shoot landscape or animalscape images and I want to use a lens that is razor sharp edge-to-edge. If you look at the numbers above, I experienced far fewer "Plena" moments during my two Khutzeymateen photo tours than I did Z 400mm f2.8S moments. But I doubt you'll find me out doing serious wildlife work without my Plena nearby (looking for a Plena moment home run!).
SAMPLE IMAGES: Here's just a few sample images captured with the Z 135mm f1.8S Plena during my two Khutzeymateen photo tours.
• Lonely Bear: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 3.5 MB)
• Sample. Analyze. Respond: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 4.7 MB)
• Marital Strife: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 4.6 MB)
5. Tamron Z 35-150mm f2-2.8:
• Total images captured: 640 images
• Total images retained (after both culling runs): 54 (8.4%)
• Total "Green Labels" (justifying processing...sometime!): 15 (2.3%)
• Total justifying immediate processing (various uses): 7 (1.1%)
COMMENTS: I acquired a copy of this lens not too too long before going to the Khutzeymateen. As soon as I got it I tested it extensively and I have to say I was REALLY impressed with it. Personally, I find the focal range so much more useful than the traditional 70-200. And the image quality is just great. Compared to my other lenses I didn't pull it out that often in the Khutzeymateen, but when I did I got a high hit ratio and, overall, great results. I really like the Nikkor 24-120mm f4 lens (which is probably the closest direct competitor to the Tamron 35-150) and I was feeling a bit like I was taking a risk taking the Tamron 35-150 on the photo tours and leaving the 24-120mm at home. By the end of the trip that fear was gone! The Tamron Z 35-150mm f2-2.8 definitely earned a place in my kit in the Khutzeymateen. It's a top-notch lens - period.
SAMPLE IMAGES: Here's just a few sample images captured with the Tamron Z 35-150mm during my two Khutzeymateen photo tours.
• The Crossing: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 11.2 MB)
• Khutzeymateen Calm: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 5.4 MB)
• Anchored: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 3.2 MB)
6. Tamron Z 150-500mm f5-6.7:
• Total images captured: 1866 images
• Total images retained (after both culling runs): 160 (8.6%)
• Total "Green Labels" (justifying processing...sometime!): 25 (1.3%)
• Total justifying immediate processing (various uses): 7 (0.4%)
COMMENTS: Ahhhh...the obligatory "gap-filler" lens! Wide focal range super-telephoto zooms with variable aperture lenses (including this lens, the Nikkor Z 100-400mm f4.5-5.6, the Tamron 50-400 f4.5-6.3 and many others) are all about convenience! And most of them are quite sharp. I used to own a copy of the Nikkor Z 100-400mm but after Tamron sent me a copy of their 150-500mm for testing I ended up selling my 100-400 and getting a copy of the Tamron 150-500. Why? Primarily because I liked the additional 100mm of focal length (and because I found the Tamron to be considerably sharper at 400mm). How did the Tamron perform in the Khutzeymateen. Well...not so bad! It won't replace my Z 400mm f2.8S, but when you need a focal length not covered by your primes (or faster zooms) it can be really useful! Of course, it - like all variable aperture zooms - is quite "slow" (i.e., doesn't have a wide aperture at any focal length) and so can't isolate a subject like a fast prime or fast zoom can, but it's just so darned convenient! 😉
SAMPLE IMAGES: Here's just a few sample images captured with the Tamron Z 150-500mm during my two Khutzeymateen photo tours.
• Just Me & My Mussels: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 7.0 MB)
• Love Bites: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 5.2 MB)
• Sharing Some Downtime: Download 4800 pixel image (JPEG: 8.8 MB)
I won't be visiting the Khutzeymateen again next spring - instead I'll be off exploring the southern portion of the Great Bear Rainforest (details of that photo tour right here). Perhaps my next spring Khutzeymateen trip (in May of 2027) will see me with a shiny new Nikkor Z 100-300mm f2.8 TC VR S in my hands!
Cheers for now...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
07 April 2025: 2026 Photo Tour Details - And Registration Info!
I've just posted the details for two of my three 2026 photo tours on my >Photo Tour page (I'm still ironing out details for my third 2026 photo tour). I have begun accepting registrations for the two photo tours where all the critical details are known.
Here are the bare bones details (plus links for more information and/or about how to register):
1. 8-Day Spring in the Southern Great Bear Instructional Photo Tour.
•WHEN? May 28 to June 5, 2026, including arrival and departure dates.
•AVAILABLE SPOTS? 3.
•MORE INFO OR REGISTRATION INFO? Just go here!
2. 10-Day Summer in the Great Bear: Focused on WOLVES!
•WHEN? August 14-24, 2026, including arrival and departure dates.
•AVAILABLE SPOTS? 0 (SOLD OUT).
•MORE INFO? Just go here!
3. 9-Day Autumn in the Great Bear Rainforest.
•WHEN? Late September 2026 (exact dates still TBD).
•AVAILABLE SPOTS? 6.
•MORE INFO? Coming in Q2 2025.
•ADD YOURSELF TO PRIORITY BOOKING LIST? Just go here!
See you in 2026?
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
02 March 2025: And Then There Were...NONE!
Up until yesterday I still had ONE spot open on one of my 2025 photo tours. But, as of yesterday, now there are NONE - all my 2025 photo tours are fully sold out.
What about my 2026 photo tours? I haven't opened up registration for those photo tours quite yet (I'm still waiting for a little information before I can post confirmed dates and pricing), but that should happen soon (hopefully by the end of March?). BUT...if you are the type who likes to plan ahead and you want to improve your chances you can add your name to a PRIORITY BOOKING LIST for any of my 2026 photo tours.
What does going on this Priority Booking List give you? Basically...it's simply a "first right of refusal list" - which means YOU will be given first crack at the spots on your chosen photo tour BEFORE the spots are put up for grabs to the general public. And there is no commitment (no deposit) needed on your part to go on the Priority Booking Lists - all you need to do is email me at seminars@naturalart.ca - and please make sure you indicate which trip you're interested in within the body of the email (see list below). Please include your FULL contact info, including mailing address and best phone number to contact you. You will be contacted as soon as I have finalized details for the trip in question and have opened up registration for that trip.
Here's the trips you can currently go on the Priority Booking List for:
1. 8-Day Spring in the Southern Great Bear.
•WHEN? Late May 2026 (exact dates still TBD).
•AVAILABLE SPOTS? 6.
•MORE INFO? Coming in early 2025.
2. 10-Day Summer in the Great Bear: Focused on WOLVES!.
•WHEN? Late August 2026 (exact dates still TBD).
•AVAILABLE SPOTS? 6.
•MORE INFO? Coming in early 2025.
3. 9-Day Autumn in the Great Bear Rainforest.
•WHEN? Late September 2026 (exact dates still TBD).
•AVAILABLE SPOTS? 6.
•MORE INFO? Coming in early 2025.
Add yourself to one or more 2026 Priority Booking Lists.
See you in 2026?
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
27 February 2025: More Images Added to Gallery of Latest Additions
I just posted some new images to my Gallery of Latest Additions. The new image posts are from my late summer and early autumn 2024 Great Bear Rainforest photo tours.
As always, the images include comprehensive commentaries about the content of the images and/or technical aspects of the image captures (and image processing). You can access the contextual information for any given image simply by clicking on the tabs below the main image window. These tabs are labelled "In the Field" "Behind the Camera", "At the Computer", et cetera.
More images coming soon!
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
12 February 2025: What I've Been Up to (since 29 Dec 2024!)
Regular visitors to this blog will know that I just took a fairly long hiatus from updating this blog and website (my last post was on December 29, 2024). Bottom line is I had a lot of "non-website" work to do and, quite frankly, I wanted to steal the time to think about a lot of photographic issues and recent trends - without feeling a need to "post something". This "thinking" time ended up leading to a lot of new field testing of lenses and the re-examination and re-processing of test images I've captured over the last couple of years (the reason for this will become apparent before the end of this blog entry).
Here's a quick rundown of what I spent my time doing...
1. Doing a Whole Lot of Lens Testing
A. Tamron 50-400mm f4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD Testing
Like many traveling wildlife photographers (and for that matter, like almost any photographer who has to carry his/her equipment a considerable distance) I'm always looking for the best solution (think "light and compact") to cover a reasonably wide focal range (from +/- 100mm to +/- 400mm). I have come to accept that to cover this focal length range with a light and compact lens it will be a slow lens with a fairly wide maximum aperture - and it will thus have reduced subject-isolating power compared to a faster (but heavier and bigger) wider aperture lens. These "faster" lenses are often prime lenses.
Anyway...this search for a light, compact zoom with a decent focal length range lead me to test out the Tamron 50-400mm f4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD (Model A067). This lens has been available in the Sony E mount since September of 2022 and it wasn't until September of 2024 that it became available in the Nikon Z mount. Currently these are the only two mount options. Its notable that the Tamron 50-400 is considerably smaller and lighter than the Nikkor Z 100-400mm f4.5-5.6S (and it's also smaller and lighter than Nikkor Z 70-200mm f2.8S). For me (and I suspect a lot of other photographers) the savings in size and weight of the Tamron 50-400 have a major impact on its usability in the field, including the lens cases and holsters I can use it with.
Before I say anything about the performance (optical, autofocus, VR) of the Tamron 50-400mm I should say something else - when I was comparing images captured with the Tamron 50-400 against a whole slew of Nikkor Z lenses that overlap the 50-400mm focal range I looked both at "completely raw" (NEF) images and raw DNG images after they had been run through DxO PhotoLab (using the appropriate camera and lens modules). The end result? I'll go into details elsewhere (in a future blog entry and/or in the commentaries with images posted in my Gallery of Latest Additions) but suffice to say for now that the Tamron 50-400mm f4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD has become my new favourite "walkaround" lens and my primary "focal length gap filler" on expeditions and photo tours I run (complementing my "main" lenses like my Z 135mm f1.8S and my Z 400mm f2.8S, etc). The Tamron Z 50-400mm is a surprisingly good lens - and relative to the competition it is nicely compact and light.
B. Tamron 35-150mm f2-2.8 Di III VXD Testing
Over the last 6 weeks I also spent a bunch of time field-testing and shooting another Tamron zoom - the Tamron 35-150mm f2-2.8 Di III VXD (model A058). Like the Tamron 50-400mm this lens was first introduced in the Sony E mount but it was recently "ported over" to the Nikon Z mount. Unlike the Tamron 50-400mm this one isn't a super-wide ranging "slow" zoom - it's a fast top-notch lens covering (for many) a very useful focal length range. While not cheap and a LITTLE on the heavy side (but it still is appropriately smaller and lighter than the Nikkor Z 70-200mm f2.8S) this one is a really interesting lens. I still have more testing to do on it, but I have already convinced myself that this is going to be my "staple" shorter focal length option on my 2025 photo tours and own expeditions. On these occasions it will be replacing my Z 24-120mm f4S. In fact, this lens is so good that it will be replacing one or more of my Nikkor Z short primes (I have already made my Z 35mm f1.8S available for sale on my my Gear 4 Sale page).
2. Pondering the Changing Hardware vs. Software Contributions to Image Quality
This is something that deserves a long and deep discussion, and I do have a lengthy blog entry planned on this topic. But I'll reveal a little of where I've been going with this right now. I mentioned above that I spent a lot of time over the last 6 weeks re-examining and re-processing a lot of images (mostly those shot during lens-testing sessions). Why did I do this? Well... since I was "turned on" to the image quality enhancing power of DxO's PhotoLab and PureRAW software packages (when used in conjunction with their camera/lens modules) I have been pondering the relative contribution of hardware (think average vs. top-notch lenses) and software to final image quality. After re-examining and re-processing thousands of images I've concluded that in most cases image sharpness differences between lenses - including between lenses at very different price points and between zoom lenses and primes - can be negated with the use of modern software. Consequently, other lens atributes (lens size and weight, bokeh and subject-isolating ability) are now taking precedence over image sharpness in my own lens purchasing decisions. Anyway...I'll have a lot more to say about this soon.
3. Doing LOTS of Online Tutoring
As many know, I offer custom online tutoring sessions to folks from...well...anywhere (see my Online Tutoring page for more details). This aspect of my business has been growing continuously and I was particularly busy tutoring in December and January. At this time I can't take on any more tutoring participants until mid-March.
Anyway, that - in a nutshell - is what I've been up to (and why I haven't had time to update this site as often as in the past).
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
II. Selected and Popular 2024 Gear-related Blog Entries
21 November 2024: Wildlife Photography Guide to the BC Coast Updated for 2025!
I have just finished updating my guide to Wildlife Photography On The BC Coast for 2025 (now at Version 5). I produce/update this guide annually as a service to all my guests on photo tours I run on the BC coast. However, ANY wildlife photographer who visits British Columbia's amazing coast would likely benefit from downloading and reading it...and I see no reason why I shouldn't share it with all. So here it is (and, it's free!)...
• Wildlife Photography on the BC Coast 2025 - A Comprehensive Guide (PDF: 11.3 MB)
Enjoy - and cheers!
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
16 July 2024: My Nikon Z 6III "Coverage"
I'm sure no regular readers of this blog would be surprised to hear that I took delivery of a Z 6III as soon as it was available. I've been shooting and testing it for a few weeks now - both "naked" and with the MB-N14 battery grip.
I will not be doing a full review of the Z 6III, but I will be saying quite a bit about it in the coming weeks (with a lot more substantive info than many full blown reviews, especially YouTube "reviews" 😉). Expect at least one or two fairly lengthy "reports" about it here on my blog and I'll have a lot of comments about how it's working for me as a wildlife stills camera on image posts in my Gallery of Latest Additions.
In fact, I just posted an image (of a female Common Nighthawk) captured with the Z 6III in that gallery. The commentary on that image discusses why the Z 6III is fulfilling a similar performance niche for me as the D6 did - access that image by clicking right here (and you can view the commentary by clicking on the "In the Field" tab just below the main image window).
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
27 March 2024: Some Expectations About the New Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR
Earlier today Nikon announced a new "all-in-one superzoom" lens - the Nikkor Z 28-400mm f4-8 VR. The lens is priced quite aggressively at $1699 CAD and is scheduled to begin shipping in mid-April. The published specs of the lens also reveal that it is very compact - it weighs only 725 gm (or 1.6 lb) and is 14.15 cm (or 5.6") long when "zoomed" back to 28mm. Between its very wide focal length range, compact nature, and price it is bound to be very popular as a walk-around lens for a lot of Nikon shooters. Nikon's tag-line for the lens does seem quite appropriate - "Capture near and far"!
I try to avoid commenting on lenses (or cameras) until I have tried and tested them myself, and I certainly won't make any firm statements about its performance until I use it myself. That said, based on years of experience testing and using a wide variety of Nikkor lenses, I do have a number of expectations about this lens. Here's some of them...
• I expect the lens will sell extremely well...like hotcakes!
• I expect the demand for the lens will surprise Nikon, leading to an announcement in a month or two from now telling us all to expect delays in shipping the lens.
• I expect the lens will be acceptably sharp (i.e., acceptable for the majority of owners of it) in its central region for MOST of its focal range. But, I further expect that (like almost all Nikkor zoom lenses) its sharpness will fall-off near the long end of its focal range. In the case of this lens I expect it to start "softening up" at about 350mm and continue to soften up to 400mm. Which means it won't compete well in sharpness at 400mm to any of Nikon's 400mm prime lenses and likely not well against the Z 180-600mm (which has surprising central region sharpness at 400mm). I expect (but certainly could be wrong here) the Z 28-400mm to be at least slightly less sharp in the central region (@ 400mm) than the Z 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 VR S.
• I expect the lens will be much less sharp (i.e., quite soft) on its edges for most of its focal range (and especially on the long end of its focal range). And I expect this edge softness will be present at all apertures. BUT, I expect most users of the lens won't care. Note that this expectation is consistent with the published MTF curves for the lens, but keep in mind that Nikon's published MTF curves are "predicted" MTF curves (not observed/measured curves) and that they are based on the lens when shot wide open (not when stopped down)...so the published MTF curves tell us very little about how the lens performs in the field (even though they form the basis for endless internet chatter).
• I expect the quality of the out-of-focus (OOF) zones to be "not bad" BUT much less smooth and "buttery looking" than what you would see with either any of Nikkor Z prime lenses that overlap the 28-400mm focal range OR any of the fixed-aperture "premium" zooms that overlap its focal range (including lenses like the Z 24-120mm f4S, the Z 70-200mm f2.8S, and the 120-300mm f2.8 among several others). This is partly owing to the relatively small maximum apertures available on this lens at all focal lengths and partly owing to the optical limitations of any superzoom lens. I further expect that the bulk of the users of the Z 28-400mm won't care too much about this.
• I expect the ability of the lens to effectively "isolate" one's subject from the background will be quite diminished (at all focal lengths) compared to any of the Nikkor Z prime lenses that overlap the 28-400mm focal range OR any of the fixed-aperture "premium" zooms that overlap its focal range. But (again) I don't expect this will be particularly troubling to many users of this lens.
At the end of the day the Z 28-400mm f4-8 is really all about convenience and versatility - and there is no doubting that for many amateur...AND professional...photographers the convenience and versatility of this lens will outshine/over-shadow the optical compromises inherent in this and ANY superzoom.
Will I be acquiring and testing the Z 28-400mm f4.8 superzoom myself? Well...never say never, but at this point I have no plans to get or test a copy of it. Not only do I already have the focal range of this new lens covered very well, but I do tend to shoot more in low light scenarios than the average Joe (or Jane)...so I have no choice but to put up with the inconvenience and cost of faster (and bigger and heavier) primes and fixed aperture "premium" zoom lenses. And, I am particularly anal about how well a lens can isolate a subject and how well it renders OOF zones.
But..overall...nicely done Nikon. Now...where's the Z replacement for the Nikkor 120-300mm f2.8E (preferably with a built-in 1.4x)? 😉
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
18 March 2024: Catching Up...A Little!
My apologies to the regular visitors to this blog regarding my lack of entries since late January. To be honest, I was simply too busy with revenue-generating activities (mostly a combination of photo tour admin work and a whole lot of online tutoring) to have time for my pro bono work (and the time/effort spent developing and maintaining this blog and website ARE pro bono efforts). I've also been doing a fair amount of shooting and gear testing, including some relevant to my comments of the Z 8 Firmware 2.00 update discussed below. Last but not least, I've spent a lot of time recently behind a chainsaw while thinning the forest (and reducing the forest fire fuel load) surrounding our home in BC's East Kootenays! Hey...real life happens! 😉
Anyway...time for a little catching up...
1. I HAVE been updating my Gallery of Latest Additions...and the last few posts may include images or commentaries that interest some. My image post discussing Photoshop's new AI content-generation tools (look for the thumbnail of the young grizzly) are fairly timely, especially following the kerfuffle created when Kate Middleton was caught engaging in a little image manipulation of herself and her kids. Check 'em out...
2. Some Thoughts on Z 8 Firmware 2.00
While it's been awhile now since Nikon released firmware 2.00 for the Z 8, I wanted to wait until I had a good chance to really test some of the new features (especially pixel-shift) before saying anything about it. Of course, we've now had the release of Z 9 firmware update 5.00 where some of the key updates in Z 8 firmware 2.00 have been added to the Z 9. Interestingly, before Z 9 firmware update 5.00 we seemed to be in an almost perfect firmware leap-frog game where anything significant added to the Z 8 would show up in the Z 9 (and vice versa), but the lack of pixel shift in Z 9 firmware update 5.00 has broken the leap-frog pattern (which seems to have caused some Z 9 users a lot of grief...but personally I'm not bothered at all by the Z 9 NOT getting pixel shift...more on that below).
Anyway...here's a few of my thoughts on the key features of Z 8 firmware 2.00. Of course, my comments carry the bias of a wildlife photographer who shoots still photos - so you should expect no comments below on any video "improvements" in Z 8 firmware 2.00. While I am only discussing what I (as one wildlife still photographer) see as the five most "consequential" updates in Z 8 firmware 2.00 I am aware that photographers from other genres (or indeed even other wildlife photographers) may find other new additions in firmware 2.00 to be more significant than I do.
A. Pixel Shift Shooting
Pixel shift gives the user the ability to create higher resolution photos than the native resolution of their camera's image sensor. It also can be used to reduce image noise (in images of identical resolution to their camera's sensor OR at a higher resolution). I suspect most users are drawn to it for its ability to shoot higher resolution images and not for noise reduction. Anyway...with the Z 8 pixel shift gives you the option of doubling the height and width of your image, resulting in a quadrupling of the total number of pixels. So your Z 8's 45.4 MP native resolution jumps to 181.8 MP (I'm counting actual image pixels here). It's not worth getting into details here, but the process of using pixel shift involves shooting multiple images of a single scene and then merging those images using software (in this case NX Studio).
Anyway...the only thing that matters to me about pixel shift is if it works well. Specifically, I want to know if it can produce 181.8 MP images that are of higher quality than I can produce via upsizing (AKA up-sampling) 45.4 MP Z 8 images. SO...I did a bunch of testing of pixel shift captures (vs. up-sampling native resolution images) with various scenes, including landscapes and of objects at close range, In this testing I used a variety of different high-end and very sharp lenses, like the Plena and the Z 400mm f2.8 VR S. And, I captured the images over a fairly wide ISO range - from ISO 64 to ISO 3200. Of course, all images were shot under very controlled conditions on a firm tripod and using a cable release, VR OFF, et cetera.
Bottom line: I won't be using pixel shift on my Z 8 or, if it ever shows up on it, on my Z 9. With very careful post-processing (and following a very specific routine) I was able to produce higher quality images (here meaning sharper but with equal contrast and dynamic range...and less noise) via upsampling standard Z 8 images than I could with pixel shift.
That said, there are a couple of important points that I have to make. First, the difference in quality between the high resolution Z 8 images produced via pixel shift and by my up-sampling of native resolution Z 8 images wasn't huge. But it was consistent, noticeable, and...for me...significant. So...because the images produced by my up-sampling of native Z 8 images were consistently better than those produced by pixel shift, I see no reason for me to use it (or, for that matter, want it as a new feature for my Z 9's). Second, it is VERY POSSIBLE to up-sample Z 8 images and get a pretty horrible result (far worse than using pixel shift) if one choses the wrong "routine" (e.g., the wrong up-sampling algorithm in Photoshop). It did take some experimentation on my part (with a decent amount of time spent tweaking settings and variables) before I came up with the "secret-sauce" for producing up-sampled images that were consistently better in quality than the pixel-shift images. I recognize and accept that others may not have the interest in image post-processing (or have the requisite software) needed to obtain optimal results when up-sampling there own images and thus may prefer or need to use pixel shift. Finally, and this should go without saying, regardless of how you quadruple the resolution of your Z 8 (via pixel shift or careful up-sampling) don't expect those images to be nearly as sharp when viewed at 100% magnification on a quality display as Z 8 files captured at its native resolution.
B. "Birds" AF Subject Detection Option
Simply put - this update in subject detection options is great! Expect your Z 8 to more quickly grab a bird's eye, track the bird more reliably, and do better with detecting birds that are small in your viewfinder than "Animal" mode does. As far as I can tell, the "Birds" algorithm in the Z 8 works as well as that in the Z 9. So if you're a bird photographer your Z 8 is now a better bird photography camera.
But what if you primarily photograph mammals - does "Birds" subject detection mode offer YOU any advantages? Actually (and probably surprisingly to some), it does. Even though Nikon is sloppy with their biological nomenclature - birds ARE animals and the terms "animal" and "mammal" are NOT synonymous - it's easy to assume that "Animal" mode would be the best subject detection mode to use on mammals (and that it would outperform "Birds" mode when shooting mammals). Turns out that this isn't always the case. I have found that "Birds" AF subject detection mode works far better than "Animal" mode when shooting most species of marine mammals, including seals, sea lions, and multiple whale species (to date I've tested it on Killer Whales, Humpback Whales, and Fin Whales). With terrestrial mammals it tends to be more of a crap shoot and varies by species (and even coloration of individuals) - sometimes "Animal" mode works better; sometimes "Birds" mode works better. On dogs I have found that which mode works best varies with head colouration, and especially the colour (and tonal) contrast between eye colour and the rest of the head. And, I have found that with almost ALL terrestrial mammals I have found that "Birds" mode works better (than "Animal" mode) if the subject occupies only a small proportion of the FOV (or of the viewfinder).
So...here's the rule of thumb I apply to my own use of "Birds" vs. "Animal" AF subjection detection modes: If I'm shooting birds, I use "Birds" mode. If I'm shooting marine mammals, I use "Birds" mode. If I'm shooting terrestrial mammals that are "small" in my viewfinder (i.e., occupy only a small proportion of the viewfinder) - I start with "Birds" mode and switch to "Animal" mode only if "Birds" mode isn't working for me. And (finally!) if I'm working closer to a terrestrial mammal and it's filling a larger proportion of the frame I freely experiment with both "Birds" mode and "Animal" mode. What should be obvious from this is that for shooting wildlife in general my default subject detection mode is "Birds". Note that if you feel you absolutely need to be able to switch between "Birds" mode and "Animal" mode (or vice versa) with the simple push of a button it is possible to set up Recall Shooting Functions (RSF) to do this. Me? I just put "AF subject detection options" in "My Menu" (and I use RSF for something else, namely switching my camera to my preferred landscape shooting settings).
C. Auto Capture
In my books Auto Capture is pretty cool and I've used it to good success on my Z 9's. In a nutshell, it permits remote/unattended capture of images or bursts of images when one or more "pre-defined conditions" (such as subject detection, movement, or distance) are met. So, as an example, you could use it to photograph a squirrel or bird (or lion or tiger!) when it moves into a pre-defined zone and the camera recognizes it as a subject. You could refine the portion of the image the auto capture is "sensitive to" by using a custom Wide Area AF mode with the appropriate subject detection turned on. Anyway...now Z 8 shooters have what Z 9 shooters have had for quite some time (tho' with Z 9 firmware 5.00 auto capture has been refined and improved and currently offers capabilities [like "reserve" mode] that the Z 8 now lacks!). Here's an example of an image (JPEG: 5.6 MB) - a nuanced image of a Red Squirrel captured with my Z 9 and Plena lens - made possible with auto capture (while I COULD have captured this image without auto capture, given how close the camera was to the subject it would have been more challenging and certainly more intrusive on the subject).
A couple of important things to know about auto capture. First, if anyone is looking for a "formulaic" or "step-by-step and foolproof" approach to using auto capture...well...you're going to be disappointed. Bottom line is that it's a "tinkerer's" dream - what works best in its setup in one scenario or use case may be extremely different from what works best in the next use case. As an example, in the situation where I was using auto capture to nab squirrel images I initially thought using Auto-area AF paired with "Animal" subject detection would be perfect. In reality, that AF combination sucked in this case - the AF was slow and the camera-triggering was highly unreliable. I switched the AF mode to a custom Wide-area mode (with "Animal" subject detection) and AF and camera triggering worked great. But, I have talked to others who have used auto capture in similar but slightly different use cases and they found Auto-area AF area mode worked great. Bottom line is that your auto capture setup and configuration may need tweaking/tinkering before you get it working optimally.
Second, auto capture does draw a lot of power and draws down your batteries quite quickly (depending on a handful of factors). With my Z 9 and shooting in temperatures slightly below 0C (32F for that 3% or so of the world's population that doesn't do celsius) I got between 4 and 6 hours of battery life on my Z 9. With the smaller and less powerful battery of the Z 8 expect to have significantly shorter auto capture bouts on a single battery. So if one is going to use auto capture regularly you might want to consider using an additional power source for your camera (like a decent powerbank, etc.). Note that the addition of the "Reserve" feature added to auto capture in the Z 9 firmware update 5.00 (which allows you to turn auto capture on at a specific time in the future and for selected durations) can be used to extend the battery life (and usefulness) of auto capture on the Z 9. I have no insight into whether or not this Reserve function will be added to auto capture in the Z 8 (presumably so, but...).
D. Custom Controls (Shooting) - Cycle AF-area mode
Y'know...some may consider this little custom control addition to be a minor thing, but I personally consider this to be the most consequential new addition to my day-to-day shooting in the entire Z 8 firmware update (and it certainly had the biggest impact on the setup and customization of my Z 8). For those that don't know, this new feature allows you to cycle through (or toggle through) various AF-area modes as you repeatedly press a single button. And, best of all, you can limit the number of AF-area modes the button will cycle through. For instance, I never use Auto-area AF...so I have excluded it from the list of AF-area modes I toggle through.
Why do I consider this addition so significant? Well, while ALL of the various AF-area modes of the Z 8 (and Z 9) work very well, they certainly differ in what they "excel" at. And, there are users (including myself) who often want to switch between modes on the fly (i.e., switch AF-area modes during a single shooting burst). While it was possible to switch AF-area modes "on the fly" before, if you used several different modes you had to dedicate several of your camera's buttons to different AF-area modes. This wasn't a huge deal on the Z 9, but it can be a big deal on the Z 8 (simply because the Z 9 has a lot more customizable buttons on it). But if you use "Cycle AF-area mode" you don't need to dedicate as many buttons to AF-area modes. Note that this new custom function WAS added to the Z 9 in firmware 5.00 (and I am very glad it was).
E. Custom Function a11 (Focus point display) - Focus point border width
This new option allows you to control the width (and visibility) of your primary focus box. You now have 3 settings to choose from: 1 (thinnest), 2 (medium thickness), and 3 (thickest). I'm finding I'm liking setting 2 - thick enough to increase visibility but not so thick that the focus box is intrusive.
There are, of course, many other things that were updated or changed with Z 8 firmware update 2.00. And, there were some very vaguely worded "improvements" that may be quite consequential but hard to evaluate or quantify. As examples, Nikon states that in firmware 2.00 other changes include "Improved the accuracy of [3D-tracking] for small, fast-moving subjects when [Auto], [People], [Animal], or [Vehicle] is chosen for [AF subject detection options] and no subject of the selected type is detected" and that they "Made other improvements to the autofocus operation and its reliability". These two statements by Nikon may cover updates that ARE quite significant, but they are next-to-impossible to evaluate.
As a final note, this will be my last blog post focused specifically on Z 8 firmware updates. In recent days I sold my Z 8 and have no plans on replacing it. I know I will be asked why I sold it so here's an explanation: I already own two Z 9's which are better suited to my needs as a wildlife photographer than the Z 8 is. Primary reasons for me preferring the Z 9 include the better battery, it's dedicated vertical controls, and it's increased number of customizable buttons. And, because of the different number of buttons (and button configuration) on the Z 8 and Z 9 I found it challenging to set up my Z 8 to be similar enough to my two Z 9's to be able to use them efficiently side-by-side in the field.
Gotta run...more soon (really!). 😉
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
24 Jan 2024: DxO Modules Make Nikon's Latest Lenses BETTER!
About a week ago DxO released new optics modules for 3 Nikkor lenses - the Nikkor 120-300mm f2.8E, the Nikkor Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3, and the Nikkor Z 600mm f6.3S. For those that don't know, these modules work within DxO's various software packages and come in camera/lens combinations - so there is a separate module for the Z 8 + 180-600mm vs. the Z 9 + 180-600mm, et cetera! And, these lens modules go a LONG way to improving the optical quality of the lens they are built for.
Because I own two of the three lenses that these new modules support (the 120-300mm and the 600mm f6.3S) and have oodles of test files for the third lens (the 180-600mm), I was keen to try out these modules to see what effect they'd have. Here's a quick summary of what I found:
1. Impact of the Z 9 + Nikkor 120-300mm f2.8E module:
This is a "super-premium" lens that is biting sharp all by itself (i.e., when processed from raw without the "help" of a DxO module). It also pairs up especially well with the TC-14EIII (1.4x) teleconverter, making it a formidable 420mm f4 lens. But...add in initial post-processing with DxO PhotoLab or PureRAW with the new lens module and the images are even sharper. Like as sharp as with virtually any prime lens that overlaps the same focal range. Moving forward I will run all images shot with the 120-300mm f2.8E through DxO using the new lens profile (regardless of the ISO the image was shot with) as the first step in my post-processing.
Note that before the release of this new lens profile DxO software "suggested" using the profile of a similar lens (the Sigma 120-300mm 2.8 Sport) when processing the Nikkor 120-300mm files. I've had the opportunity to compare final image results using both DxO profiles (the one for the Sigma 120-300 and the one for the Nikkor 120-300) and have to say that - at least so far - both profiles seem to spit out virtually identical output. Note that this statement is based on only a few comparisons and it may well be the case that in the future I'll find instances where the results of the two modules differ.
2. Impact of the Z 9 + Nikkor Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 module:
Very good news here for owners of the still quite new and "very solid" Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 - the DxO module pretty much "fixes" this lens's only real weak spots! Those weak spots? In my own testing I found this to be a VERY sharp lens (from center to edge) over almost ALL its focal length range...but it did soften noticeably near the long end. By this I mean in the 550-600mm focal length range. BUT...run the files shot with the 180-600mm through DxO using the new module and "presto" the images in that same focal length range (550-600mm) are VERY nicely sharpened up. And sharpened up to the point where they can go head-to-head (in sharpness) with images from the Z 600mm f6.3S (if you are looking at Z 600mm f6.3S images that have NOT been run through DxO using the new profile for this lens).
AND...there is a module for the Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 plus the Z TC-1.4x. In my own testing I found this combination (when images shot at the maximum focal length of 840mm were examined) were quite soft - to the point where I would never use this combination in the field. BUT...run these images through DxO software with the 180-600mm plus 1.4x TC module and - again - the images sharpen up very, very nicely...to the point where they are definitely very usable. Yep, you still have a maximum aperture of f9 when you shoot the 180-600mm with its 1.4x TC (which can be very limiting in a field setting), but at least optically the resulting images are now quite acceptable!
3. Impact of the Z 9 + Nikkor Z 600mm f6.3S module:
Again, the lens in question here is already quite strong optically (not far off the image quality of the amazing Z 600mm f4S TC when you compare images shot at the same aperture). BUT...if you compare images shot with the Z 600mm f6.3S that have been processed with the new DxO module against those of the Z 600mm f4S TC (processed WITHOUT using DxO) you'll find that any sharpness difference between them is gone. Of course, if you run the Z 600mm f4S TC images through DxO (using the Z 600mm f4S TC module) those images also jump up noticeably in sharpness (as impossible as it may seem for those already crazy-sharp images).
What about the Z 9 + Nikkor 600mm f6.3S + Z TC-1.4x module? Same result - it makes a major difference to the sharpness of the Z 600mm f6.3S plus 1.4x TC images (again to the point where if you compare the results to the Z 600mm f4S TC shot with its TC engaged you'll see virtually no difference in image sharpness). Yep, you still have the "maximum aperture of f9 issue" to deal with when shooting the Z 600mm f6.3S with the 1.4x TC. Consequently you WON'T find me saying that this combination is as "useful" in a field setting as the Z 600mm f4S TC VR with its TC-engaged, but now it's a much more viable option! And, it's still a whole lot lighter, shorter, and WAY less expensive than the Z 600mm f4S TC!
Nicely done DxO. Now please release the Z 9 + Z 135mm f1.8S Plena module ASAP! 😉
Cheers...
Brad
Feedback to: feedback@naturalart.ca
4 Jan 2024: My Favourite "Photographic Things" of 2023
While I've personally grown a bit bored of end of year (or beginning of year) "Top 10" lists, when I look back at my own photography from 2023 I do see a small number of products that had a disproportionally large impact on my photography. And by "disproportionally large impact" I mean that they had either had a very noticeable impact on the quality of my images OR on my workflow. And, please note that I am receiving no inducements, favours, financial gain or anything else for listing these "photographic things" here (and nor do I get a affiliate fee if you choose to add anything mentioned below to your collection of "photographic things").
With no further ado here are those 4 "things" that most impacted my photography in 2023:
• Thing #1: DxO's DeepPRIME XD Noise Reduction Algorithm and DxO's Camera/Lens Profiles
I find it pretty rare these days that we run into a product that is a true breakthrough or, if you will, a game-changer. Well...here's one: the DeepPRIME XD noise reduction algorithm found in two of DxO's products: PhotoLab Elite and PureRAW. I'm pretty "into" post-processing software and I'm very familiar with the noise reduction capabilities of Capture One, Lightroom, and various plugs-ins, including Topaz DeNoise AI. But DeepPRIME and DeepPRIME XD are in a different category altogether. Simply incredible noise reduction power for your raw files. Period.
But wait...there's more. If all I got out of DxO's PhotoLab was noise reduction, it wouldn't make this list. BUT...when you combine DeepPRIME (or DeepPRIME XD) with the level of capture sharpening you get IF the camera and lens combination you shot it with is "covered" by a DxO profile...well...now we're talking a different stratosphere of image quality. So not only are your out-of-focus zones (which tend to show noise more than the in-focus areas) more appealing, but your image is very noticeably sharper. And, in my books, the key to image quality is how the in-focus and out-of-focus zones of an image combine to produce an eye-catching result.
One thing I should be clear about - I still am very happily using a workflow based on Capture One. However, before I begin making any adjustments to an image, I run the raw file through PhotoLab to produce a noise-reduced and sharpened DNG file, which I then proceed to edit in Capture One. And I do this with almost all my raw images, regardless of the ISO it was shot at (because even if the original raw file is visually noise-free it will be sharper if I run it through PhotoLab).
Neither DxO PhotoLab or PureRAW are perfect. I have found with some camera/lens profiles (e.g., a Z 9 with Z 800mm f6.3S) their sharpening is - by default - far too aggressive. To the point of producing "crunchy" images. Fortunately you can tweak the default sharpening quite significantly (and tame the sharpening!). And, unless you have quite "hot" computer, running the DeepPRIME XD algorithm can take a LONG time (on my M1 Ultra Mac Studio and my M2 MacBook Air running a Z 8 or Z 9 file through DeepPRIME XD takes about 23 seconds...but it might take 23 minutes on a 5 year old computer).
Anyway...if you care about image quality...you owe it to yourself (and your images!) to at least try out DxO's PhotoLab Elite or PureRAW. You might find yourself addicted - and shooting your current camera at ISO's WAY BEYOND what you limited yourself to in the BD (Before DxO) era!
Major, major kudos to DxO.
• Thing #2: Capture One's AI Selection and Masking Tools
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning are having a huge impact on our photography. Companies that produce image-editing software have a choice to make - they can use AI to dramatically alter the creative content of a photographer's images or they can use AI to dramatically cut the time a photographer needs to get to their final result (but NOT monkey with the creative content of the image). Capture One has taken a stance where they are NOT taking the creative control away from the photographer - instead they are using AI to cut your image culling and image-editing time WAY, WAY down. Adobe appears to be going down a different (and more controversial) path...
Anyway...in Capture One 23.3 we saw the introduction of their exceptional AI-based selection and masking tools that, for anyone who does selective editing of their images, saves the user a HUGE amount of time. Moreover, the new AI selection/masking tools dovetail extremely well with Capture One's previous - and already excellent - masking tools. So...for instance...you can now build a complex gradient mask, constrain the brightness range that gradient mask impacts on (using the Luma Range tool), and then accurately cut your subject out of the mask...all in seconds (rather than in tens of minutes or even hours). SO fast! SO powerful! SO appreciated!
Another round of major, major kudos - this time to Capture One.
• Thing #3: The Nikkor Z 135mm f1.8 S Plena
OK...this one will probably surprise many (or have them scratching their heads wondering why a wildlife photographer is more excited about a 135mm lens than the Z 180-600mm). Well...I'm forever in the hunt for lenses that can help me create unique images, and to me the Plena is a just a wonderful tool for doing just that!
The Plena is a lens that provides the two primary things I look for in a lens - exceptional sharpness with absolutely dreamy out-of-focus zones. So...with the Plena I can capture an image with that coveted 600mm f4 look but with a much, much closer subject...and still have a very manageable depth of field. Curious about what I mean? Over the holiday season I spent a considerable amount of time experimenting with the Auto Capture function of the Z 9 (once you suss it out it's just great - expect a commentary on this feature soon). A lot of this Auto Capture experimention was done with the Plena mounted on my Z 9 - and a lot of it was with "convenient" subjects (including squirrels). While I largely had horrendous lighting conditions, I still came away with some interesting images...check out this squirrel image (JPEG: 5.6 MB) to see what I mean by "getting a 600mm f4 look with a lot closer subject". If you're one of those few people on the earth not into squirrels (😉), you can check out some of my "experiments" with the Plena using my young Portuguese Water Dog...like this action shot of Joe (JPEG: 2.7 MB) or this one of Joe low in the snow (JPEG: 4.2 MB). Yes, Joe has great eyes!
And, of course, I can use the lens for capturing incredibly sharp landscape and animalscape shots as well.
It goes without saying that the focal length of the Plena is too short for the vast majority of wildlife photography. But when you find yourself extremely close to your subjects, why not create a wildlife portrait using a lens that's designed from the ground up to produce unmatched portraits? And, if you're in that "moderately close to your subject zone", the Plena allows you to produce stunningly sharp shots with very, very pleasing backgrounds.
Anyway...I'm just loving the Plena and am very excited about using it during my photo tours in the Khutzeymateen and Great Bear Rainforest in 2024.
Kudos to Nikon for producing this exceptional and unique lens.
• Thing #4: Nikon's Collection of Z-mount Wildlife Lenses
As we know, it's often easy to miss seeing the forest when the trees keep getting in the way. In the case of Nikon's filling out of their Z lens lineup, it's easy to focus on one or two lenses that are coveted by you and miss "the big picture" of what's going on. Over the last few months I've been fortunate enough to have EVERY Z-mount lens suitable for wildlife photography (including some - like the Plena - that many wouldn't think of as a wildlife lens) in my possession. Most were my own, but Nikon also loaned the missing pieces (e.g., the Z 600mm f4 TC VR S) for testing purposes. But the point is that the selection and versatility I had at my disposal was very, very complete, with literally a lens for every wildlife scenario I could dream up. To be honest, I don't closely follow what Canon and Sony are doing, but it does appear to me that Nikon's collection of "wildlife-photography-suitable" lenses is second to none (and probably the most complete).
If I was asked what was most unique about Nikon's Z-lens lineup of wildife lenses I would say it's the existence of the three relatively very light and more affordable super-telephoto primes - the Z 400mm f4.5S, the Z 600mm f6.3S, and the Z 800mm f6.3S. These lenses offer a huge jump up in portability with virtually no sacrifice in image quality. Yes, they ARE a stop (or slightly more) slower than their much larger and heavier (and dramatically more expensive) "super-premium" counterparts (the Z 400mm f2.8 TC VR S and the Z 600mm f4 TC VR S), but if you compare image quality at the overlapping apertures there is very little difference between the mid-range primes and the super-premium primes.
Are there any real holes left in the Z wildlife lens lineup? For most shooters - probably not. SOME might argue there should be a 500mm prime in the lineup (I'm not among those wanting a 500mm). Personally I would LOVE to see a Z-mount replacement for the Nikkor 120-300mm f2.8E (and I would love it even more if it came with a built-in 1.4x TC), but I acknowledge that many think of this lens as primarily a sports photographer's lens. In reality - and owing largely to its focal range and cost - not too many wildlife photographers own the current 120-300mm f2.8 or would be lining up to buy a Z-mount version of it.
One of the things I like about leading photo tours is I am exposed to lots of real-world (non-virtual!!) wildlife photographers from around the world (and of all ability levels). The vast majority of the guests on my photo tours are Nikon shooters. And...in 2023 the overall "vibe" among them was "Wow...just LOVING the wildlife Z-lens lineup!"
Major kudos to Nikon for how they planned and implemented the filling out of the Z wildlife lens lineup - well done!
There are a few other "photographic things" that came close to making this list. Right now I am really enjoying using the Z 600mm f6.3S, but I haven't had enough time using it yet to fully assess how much of an impact it will make on my photography. My Z 85mm f1.2S would likely have made this list as well - if I hadn't got my hands on the Plena!
All for now - more soon. Hoping your 2024 has started out well.
Cheers...
Brad
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