Photography equipment, gear and technical aspects
After returning from yet another fantastic photo tour in Alaska’s Arctic–which always produces interesting photo opportunities–I am reviewing a few test shots with Canon’s 200-400 f/4. I’ve been curious how the lens will perform using both the built in 1.4x and then adding another external 1.4x. This shot was taken while a very friendly red…
The summers always seem to fly by in Alaska, and it is August already. The sun is losing some of juice and soon the stars will be visible once again. And with dark nights comes the opportunity to photograph the aurora. Scientists report this year to be a big one, and the following little video…
It is that time of year, and many people are planning a trip to Alaska with hopes of capturing some of the State’s beauty with a camera. The green leaves are bursting open across interior Alaska, and the animals are busy in the process of raising their young. Moose calves have been born, Grizzly bears…
This is another photo from my recent trip into the Brooks Range to photograph the last show of aurora before summer. I was using a wireless remote to attempt some self portrait work, but the long time in the subzero temps caused some problems and it quite working. So I used a regular remote in…
Why the Zeiss 21mm Distagon T* lens Rocks for aurora photography I’ve always liked Don McLean’s song “Starry, starry night”, about Vincent van Gogh. This scene made me think of it, with the profusion of stars broadcast across the sky. I love the night sky and am so glad I live in a place that offers a…
2013 is reported to be a great year for aurora borealis photography because the sun is at a peak in the 11 year solar cycle. This has inspired many to make quests to destinations that offer high aurora viewing probabilities. In Alaska, Fairbanks becomes a landing point for many because of its northern latitude and…
Is the in-camera Long Exposure Noise Reduction necessary when using a camera in cold weather? This is a question I have wondered about for a long time so I finally did a more specific test. First of all, what is Long Exposure Noise Reduction? Here is the scoop: When LENR is turned on, the camera…
For those of you who own or care about cold weather battery performance in the Canon 5D Mark III, I further optimized on the recent cold snap in Fairbanks and did another battery test to see how well the LP-E6 performed in colder weather. At minus -31 degrees F, the camera and battery still held…
I’m often asked about how my camera functions in the cold. So far, in my practical experience, I’ve never really experienced camera failure from the cold with Canon’s 1D and 5D series cameras. I usually fail first. So, for the curious ones out there who own a Canon 5D III and wonder how it may perform in…
2012 camera lens use by percentage While the year is not over yet, it is shaping up to be one that measures among the least amount of pictures taken in a given year. While it was a very good year in many ways, I simply did not shoot as many frames. As one curious to some degree…