Canon Fodder

A few posts ago, I warned you that I would soon post something about a Canon DSLR. Well, I got rather lucky on ebay a few weeks ago and picked up a Canon 1000D from someone in Michigan. If you are in the USA, you are probably wondering "What the heck is the 1000D?" For some reason Nikon and Canon have often labeled non-pro SLRs differently in the USA from the rest of the world. For Nikon, they'd label a camera the F-301 elsewhere, while in the USA it would be called the N2000, or the F80 vs the N80. In this case, the Canon 1000D is the Rebel XS. Maybe Canon thought the name "Rebel" sells better in the USA? In any case, the 1000D/Digital Rebel XS is a 10.1 MP APS-C sized DSLR. It would classify as the low-end of Canon's current camera line-up. New outfits with the 18-55mm EFS IS lens generally sell for around $550 or less. I picked my mint-condition outfit up for $355, including an 8-gig SDHC card. Not bad.

As a long-time Nikon user, and owner of a Nikon D70s and a D40, and at one time having owned a FinePix S2, I am pretty used to the way that Nikon DSLRs work. The Canon isn't too different, overall. Some controls are placed differently, but nothing that could not be figured out pretty quickly by an experienced user. The camera has automatic sensor-cleaning, a variety of shooting modes, 2.5 in LCD monitor, diopter control, and many features that one would expect. Oh yes, it also has Live View -- a feature mostly suited for macro photography, in my opinion.
The lens, an 18-55 EFS with Image Stablization, has been rated as a very good lens elsewhere on the web, and I have no problems with it. The camera will also meter with non-Canon lenses on adapters. So, I actually put a Nikon lens on this, and though I had to focus and set aperture manually, the camera worked in Av mode, which is something my low-end Nikons cannot do.

The 1000D handles very nicely, with the controls pretty logically laid out. The body feels more plasticky than my Nikon D40, more like the Rebel film cameras. But, all that aside, what are the photos like?

I really love b&w, and having had a taste of shooting in b&w with my now-gone Fuji Finepix S2, I was curious how the 1000D/XS handled b&w. I have been shooting B&W with the Nikon D40 (the D70s does not do this), and really liked the results, but they could be more contrasty. The 1000D renders scenes in B&W beautifully.

A little vignetting done on the computer.

It's probably on a par with a Nikon D60 in many respects, but better due to the ability to meter with other lenses. If you are in the market for a "beginning DSLR" -- give the Rebel XS a try. I think it combines excellent features at a low price, and the all-black body looks sharper than the silvery bodies of the older low-end Rebels.

More photos...

A Canola field off Pleasant lake Road.



Some stools at Espresso Royale. I like the way the highlight and shadow detail work with this camera.

Pop on a Canon 50mm 1.8 EF lens (as in the photo of the guys with the press cameras), and you have a nice portrait outfit. I need to shoot more with the XS to get a better feel for its capabilities, but so far, it has been a breeze to use, and the image quality has been wonderful. Canon or Nikon? It doesn't matter, really. Edward Weston or Alfred Stieglitz? Now there's a choice one can debate over!

Senior Show, Senior Daughter

Adrienne and I arrived in Marquette Friday morning for a 24-hr visit to see our daughter Marjorie's work at the DeVos Art Museum at NMU. It was the closing of the Senior Show, marking 4 years of college for our daughter. One great thing about art is that there are so many creative people out there, and the Art and Design students at NMU really shine at this event. Photography, mixed media, ceramics, sculpture, video, painting, illustration, and so much more. It's not necessarily a statement of what the student has been working on all the time, but what has been prepared especially for the show.


In Marjorie's case, she became quite interested in photographing dead animals and her "Useless Creatures" project is open-ended. You can read more about her project here. One of the things I like about her work is that she challenges the viewer. Death isn't pretty, but her images DO have an aesthetic about them that demonstrates that dead wildlife are part of the natural scheme of things, and that we should respect them as well. It was interesting watching some of the attendees viewing her work at the VERY packed event. I wish she had left a pad for people to record their feelings. That could have been interesting.

My other thoughts revolve around her graduating as a photography and art major from NMU. Hopefully, she'll be able to apply some of what she learned at NMU in a future job. She's a very talented writer (and knows how to spell), photographer, artist, musician, and knows how to work with databases and library and museum specimens. I have no idea what she will end up doing in the next few months, as she and her partner Stephanie (also a very talented artist!) will be coming to Ann Arbor in August to live. Job offers entertained...

I'm very proud of her, of course.

No, I am not Ken Rockwell

Last week, I bought a Nikon D40 refurb from Cameta Camera on ebay. It cost me $242. I've paid more for film SLRs, to be honest about it. Why would a someone that's a fairly adept photographer buy the low-hanging Nikon fruit? I mean, shouldn't I be buying a D300 or at least a D90? I already have a well-used D70s that I bought new back in 2005, so why would I want yet another 6 MP DSLR? Well, my daughter Marjorie leaves for 3 weeks in Japan on May 9. She has a D50 that I bought for her in 2006. The D50 was giving her the odd problem, which might be caused by some dirty AF contacts...or not. So, it's basically insurance should she need another camera body before she leaves. In the time I have had the D40 (which I originally poo-poohed as a beginner's DSLR when it came out), I have to say that I have enjoyed shooting with it. For one, it's small and lightweight - meaning it's also a great travel camera. Two, the rear LCD is really nice for chimping, and the control layout is pretty easy to deal with. Three, it can take even old non-AI manual lenses (although anything NOT AF requires manual exposure, which isn't a big deal)--so I have been shooting with my 180mm 2.8 AIS lens...and it's fun. What about only 6 megapixels? I'm not printing murals, and 6 MP is just fine for almost anything I'd use this camera for. The only drawback with the D40 and its siblings, is that it requires AF-S lenses for autofocus. If you are in the market that the camera was intended for, that's not usually a problem. But if you are like me, with quite a few older AF-D lenses, having those autofocus would be a nice feature..but not a deal killer. But that's typical Nikon -- leaving some features out that probably won't matter to many, but irritating to others. That said, look for another low-hanging fruit review of the Canon 1000D in the near future.

So, yes, the D40 is a nice lightweight camera that I would recommend for travel, vacations, and just carrying around. I like the color saturation options, including the option of shooting in B&W. It's considerably lighter and more compact than my D70. It takes a new battery, the ENL-9. Photos? Yes, here are a few...

Taken with the 180mm 2.8 ED AIS manual lens. Damn, what a fine lens!!

With the 35mm 1.8 G AF-S DX lens.

Taken in b&w mode, 35mm 1.8 DX lens.

As I said, it's a fun camera.

Vintage Canon - The AL-1

As you may have noted over the past four months, I have been acquiring and using a number of vintage (and some not vintage) Canon SLRs. Back in February I purchased a Canon AL-1 QF camera. The QF refers to the "Quick Focus" system on the camera. No, not auto-focus, but a green LED indicator to tell the photographer when the subject at the center of the viewfinder is in focus. Not really as gimmicky as it sounds, since that is what modern AF cameras do. Useful? I believe so, especially for someone that wears glasses. The AL-1 appeared in 1981, and is one of the A-series of Canons that take modern batteries and the FD lens mount.

The battery door was loose, so I used gaffer tape to keep it closed.

The AL-1 features:
focus confirmation
Aperture-priority and manual modes
Self-timer
Takes 2 AAA batteries
1/60th sec flash sync
ability to use a power winder

Overall, a fairly compact and basic SLR with standard features that make it a competent amateur-level camera. I found it a delight to use, and while not a Canon A-1, it would make a good backup camera. Also, for street shooting, it's a winner. You want simplicity and A-P exposure is what I like.

A few images:
Somebody's cousin...

early March

Main Street

with 50mm macro

With 50mm 1.4 lens --

Classy, to the end. Peter Gowland, 1916-2010.

I read in today's New York Times that Peter Gowland, the famous glamour photographer, died at the age of 93 on March 17. According the the obituary, it was from complications from a fall. Mr. Gowland published over two dozen books on pin-up and glamour photography, and his images were always well-done. Not only was he an accomplished photographer and author, but he also designed and sold the twin-lens Gowlandflex. This was a giant twin-lens reflex that was available in 4x5 and 5x7 sheet film sizes. Gowland was actively photographing and making cameras until shortly before his death.

To say that Peter Gowland was an institution would be a fair assessment. There's nothing wrong with liking beautiful women, but it takes some real talent and great technique to make a titillating, but not tawdry photograph. He was a master of pin-up and as much an icon as the many Hollywood starlets he captured on film. A long life lived fully. Classy until the very end. You can check out the Gowland website and get a lot more information about his work and tips for shooting glamour, too.