Quiet Leaf

Leica M6 TTL and first rangefinder experience

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 11:20:00 +0000

This is a small review on the Leica M6 TTL after 9 months of use, a general impression of a SLR user using a rangefinder intensively for the first time. Used as a personal camera, the overall impression is very positive and mechanical limitations disappear after several rolls (a ‘professional’ use hasn’t been made until now).

For non-intensive readers, the following lines resumes the whole post.

Dislikes

Patch flaring! Sometimes I’m seriously considering the viewfinder upgrade
The meter works only when the shutter is cocked (but then it’s a cocking indicator)
The sync speed intermediate step is annoying when turning the speed dial as it’s an intermediate step and “brakes the movement” (note: corrected on the M7)
Fragile rangefinder mechanism compared to SLR’s? (only time will tell)

Likes

Very small lenses (easily pocketable)
Precise focusing mechanism (low rate of OOF pictures)
Compact body
Quiet, unobtrusive
New friends (see further)

Framing and focusing

Being a “native”, long term SLR user as opposed to people using RF’s since their beginnings, the late transition to a rangefinder system is somewhat disturbing as it has several radically different characteristics:

a. With a rangefinder, you look always through the same finder, disregarding the used focal length as they are materialized only with the framelines. With a SLR, what you see is what you get. So when your mind is used to frame accordingly to what you see in the viewfinder, you’ll be destabilized with your first rolls with your RF in “action situations”: On my M6 I’ve a fixed field of view of a 28 mm focal length even if I’m using a 50 mm. However, I was entirely accustomed to the framelines after several months.

b. Focusing is only possible (and visible) within the patch area, the rest of what you see doesn’t reflect the actual focusing situation compared with a SLR where you see directly the FOV effect (when used wide open) and the focusing accuracy.

c. Depending on the used lens, the focusing physical “interface” changes: some have a focusing tab moved with only one finger which has to be correctly placed in it to easily rotate the focusing ring whereas other lenses have a traditional “circular” focusing ring like any other SLR lens. Making small corrections with the first mechanism at certain positions (e.g. at infinity with the Voigtlander 35 mm f/1.4) is sometimes difficult as your finger gets in an uncomfortable position.

d. From what I’ve seen on my first rolls, my overall focus accuracy was either spot on or really out of focus. Shooting at very large apertures with wide angles is much (much) easier than with a manual SLR as well as in low light situations. This is one major benefit of using a rangefinder, and especially a Leica where the base length is longer than a Voigtländer R for instance.

3 Action

Unless by working with hyperfocal settings (thus in bright situations) or in predictable situations where prefocusing is possible, action photography is quite hard with a fully manual rangefinder camera (also with manual SLR’s).Due to the limited film/money resources, you can’t “spray and pray” to get something well exposed and/or sufficiently well focused.

4 Speed

When I’m shooting, I’ve three steps: (1) guessing the exposure and setting the speed/aperture combination, (2) correcting it if needed with the light meter, (3) focusing (and of course framing’n shootin’).The presence of a light meter is a plus when you’re not confident enough to (correctly) guess the appropriate exposure but with time and practice, the light meter becomes unnecessary except for certain situations. After a half dozen of rolls, I was able to guess the exposure in any situation with approximately half a stop difference with the meter reading. Note that it’s a spot metering so it can be fooled depending on where you aim.

5 Fragility

Compared to a SLR, the rangefinder mechanism seems prone to misalignment and is sensible to shocks and general abuse. I often tend to “live” with the camera and my SLR’s were used to getting banged on everything when kept on my shoulder or in my bag, as I’ve purchased quite recently (several months), I’m not mentally prepared to take it in places where I would only take a worn out 5D with countless actuations. My M6 came with a vertical alignment shift though it was impossible to tell whether it was due to the transporter or already present before purchase (note: buying a camera like this in a physical store, even second hand, has its advantages).

6 Compared to a manual SLR, Nikkormat FT2

The Nikkormat has a more solid, confident feeling, more than a Leica in my opinion (but you feel that the inner mechanics are much better on Leica’s). It weighs more than the M6 and feels immune to shocks. It shows the selected speed and the light meter is represented by a needle oscillating between two points, active when the rewind lever is off its neutral position. This meter representation is more intuitive as you can somewhat evaluate directly if you’re strongly under/overexposed or quite near of the ideal value, compared to the Leica’s LEDs. I wouldn’t hesitate to let it take a few shocks in my bag. I’ve used paired with a 50mm f/1.4 and it’s very comfortable to use for a fully manual SLR. And speed values are shown in the viewfinder.

7 Compared to a digital SLR, Canon 5D mark II

For me, shooting film is 50% for the grainy look and colors, and 50% for the pre-scan excitation. Each film that I processed is like a Christmas/birthday present when it comes to discover the results!

My Leica is for fun, my Canon for the rest. I am a fervent zoom supporter for professional assignments (reportages, action) but for personal I work, I can’t lug a 5DII and a zoom around my neck all day. Since I have the M6, I’m used to compactness and lightweight bodies, even a 5D with a 35 mm f/2 is nearly too heavy (but very polyvalent and compact compared to other SLR combinations).

After fighting with manual film cameras, going back to a camera like the 5D that doesn’t empty your wallet each time you press the shutter release is always nice! If I’ve bought a Leica several months ago, it’s mainly because I’ve extensively used my 5D’s before and because I’ve haven’t as much professional assignments as before. I carry my M6 quite often at parties, dinners and events as it’s discrete (both in size and operation) and analog (anyone can’t see the pictures before the film hasn’t been processed). With a 5D, it’s not the same: it’s big, loud and intimidating!

Film and digital are for me complementary: if I’m going on holiday with my Leica, I’ve always my compact Canon S110 with me for snapshots.

The 5D is another world compared to a rangefinder camera; it’s big, robust and polyvalent. Shooting with a rangefinder involves some limitations but I don’t think I would take my 5D and my Leica togesther at the same time. It allows me to think and shoot only in a film rangefinder perspective and moreover, what I can do with my Leica I could do exactly the same with my 5D. So to avoid any (hefty) redundancy, as the 5D mark II is definitely heavier and especially bulkier, I take either one or the other with me when I’m travelling light. But weight is definitely noticed when I’ve a zoom attached, like the EF 16-35 L, so I quite always opt for the 35 mm f/2.

8 Costs

As for today, a HP4 Ilford B&W 36 frames film costs 6 euros. Film processing and scan costs 14 €. So 20 € for 36 frames equals to 0,55 € per shot.

Shooting film today is more an aesthetical choice rather than a purely functional decision. Shooting a Leica, with or without Leica lenses is another one. There have been many discussions regarding costs when it comes to compare the whole (same format) system of film versus digital where it was assumed that film cameras were cheaper than their digital counterpart:

Conclusion

The Leica M6 TTL has many advantages compared to a film SLR: there are many fast lenses which are very small, the shutter mechanism is quiet and focussing at very large apertures is much easier since the Leica has a long rangefinder base length. It's very well built, but just as my Nikkormat FT2.

The body is quite expensive, as are Leica lenses... what you can get for a 5D mark II and several L lenses is somewhat the same as a Leica M-whathever with several Leica lenses (assuming you buy them second hand). Or you can sell one of your kidneys, it's up to you, at the end you must be able te determine whether you really need Leica quality or if you can survive with third party lenses like Voigtländer or Zeiss, but that's a subject for another post I guess.

Bottom line, if you need a small camera, with small lenses, if you like shooting wide open, if you can justify the costs of a Leica by getting pictures you like and sharing them with your friends (assuming they like them also), and taking in account all the likes/dislikes I mentionned above, then you can be ready to try the Leica experience.

Don't be a pussy, ditch your Mamiya/Contax 645 with that ridiculous AF system and get a gentlemen's camera (and keep that Pentax 67).

To be followed by: Camera Porn, Voigtländer lens reviews (35mm f/1.4 and 21mm f/4) and the truth about Kennedy's death (what the government doesn't want you to know).

London, March 2014 - Ukrainian protesters

Belgium, May 2014 - Contax stealthiness

Brussels, May 2014 - random Contax users

Leica M6 TTL + Voigtländer 35mm f/1.4 + Ilford FP4

Random Pentax 67 user, "just keep it" #randomthought

Backpacking in Sweden - Kungsleden with a film SLR

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 23:17:00 +0000

A while ago I went to Vietnam with a DSLR with an ultra wide angle zoom and a standard 18 – 55 mm kit lens. This time, weight was an issue and I couldn’t justify the bulk of a 5D mark II plus a 16 – 35 and another prime... Moreover it’s just a pain having to be constantly careful not damaging it while dropping your rucksack on the ground, or any similar situation.

Beautiful light scenes in the valleys

With me

Minolta X-300
Roccor MC 58 mm f/1.4
Vivitar 28 mm f/2.8
2 x 36 Superia 200
Canon S110 (+ 2 batt)

What should have taken with me?

a 20 mm lens
a small tripod/Gorillapod-style

Why film?

As hiking isn’t in a fast changing environment like cities and as I’m shooting still more film, I decided to take a “cheap” film SLR with one or two lenses: a Minolta X-300, a 28 mm f/2.8, a 58 mm f/1.4 and two rolls of Superia 200 (36 exp). I bought a second-hand Canon S110 (the pocketable successor of my now-sold G12) to complement the SLR for times where the SLR doesn’t come handy and for movies. Unfortunately, the parcel arrived the moment when I stepped into the plane, too bad. Luckily, two of the three other persons hiking with me had their own so it wasn’t such an issue.

In mid september, rivers are at low levels enabling easy water crossings

Our trip was a fraction of the “King’s Trail” in Sweden, Northern Läpland or Kungsleden. It goes from Abisko to Nikkaluokta, North to South (this detail will have its importanceas I had the sun constantly in front of me when hiking - ideal for walking but quite challenging when having to take pictures).

“L” hiking boots vs GoreTex lenses

Just for those who are interested in doing the same trail, be sure you have the right equipment as Abisko is located above the Arctic circle and temperatures can drop rapidly with overcast days and/or when the sun is blocked by the surrounding mountains. Hikers will agree, walking with wet feet and being cold is the least ideal situation so don’t hesitate to invest in adequate gear: hiking boots, wind blocking vest, adapted fleece (drop the cash on Polartec fleece, it’s worth every penny), a rucksack with a harness capable of distributing heavy loads on your hips, … Sweden has a long history of designing adapted outdoor gear (Fjallräven is the most famous brand); you can find many shops in Stockholm, like Naturkompaniet, which are gold mines for every hiker looking for appropriate gear.

This part of Sweden is so isolated that you can encounter
many mooses and get very close without scaring them

As for photography equipment, you get what you pay for; with heavy use, an L-lens will take years of abuse and still be working while a cheap kit lens will just fall apart. So don’t rely on cheap, unreliable hiking equipment (unless proven otherwise) as your comfort, and sometimes your physical integrity depends on it. If your harness or one of your shoes breaks in the middle of nowhere with a 4-day bad weather forecast in uninhabited territory, you’ll be desperate trying to fix it (granted that it’s still possible of course).

Minolta X-300 with the described lenses,
28 mm f/2.8, 58 mm f/1.4 and a roll of Superia 20

The experience, the lessons

As the landscapes are beautiful in these regions, I should have taken a wider lens than 28 mm; I knew it but I just couldn’t get one in due time without having to pay an amount beyond my expectations. Twenty eight millimeters is just too short for these landscapes. I didn’t felt the need for a longer lens than the 58 mm. The second item that I should have taken was a small tripod as Northern lights can show up (and they did), even in mid September. I managed to make some “handheld-on-a-branch-without-breathing-during-30-seconds” shots but it remains quite challenging though. But hikers will also know that every 100 g saved is either more food that you can take or less weight to carry throughout the trip, so I ditched the tripod to lighten my backpack.

Northern lights are in fact less bright than depicted on this picture,
but the dynamic character isn't rendered at it's best

The cool fact with this analog setup is that 1) it’s ultra cheap and robust so I didn’t care when I threw them in my dusty backpack without lens caps (I had used the lenses quite a bit for several years before so I was confident about their resistance) and 2) it gives you superb (or equivalent) image quality (and rendition) compared to digital SLR’s. And-you’re-such-an-hipster-omg-omg-omg (smiley here).

Rohan?

Film vs digital

Well, it’s a personal choice. You don’t “pay” for digital shots, so you can take as much “useless” photos as you want (we all agree that every trip needs some them, dozens in fact)! Taking a film SLR was more for film color and rendition as well as the pleasure of taking the time to frame, adjust and shoot accordingly. I’m on holiday, so I relax.

A comfortable and appreciated location near Nikkaluokta

About UV filters construction quality and their utility (to me)

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:02:00 +0000

I use UV filters on nearly every lens I have, mostly for protection.

For those who think that their front element is indestructible, I want you to meet the Mohs scale (sorry, it's in French but you'll get the idea).

Mohs scale [Wikipedia]

As you can see at point 7, "Quartz, raye une vitre", even if glass is quite durable, it can still be scratched by quartz, aka sand! (and other metallic parts, like another UV filter for instance).

When you accidentally drop your camera in mud (= water + sand, as I did once), cleaning a filter is much easier than the front element as you can take the filter off and clean it under water so that you don’t have to wipe all that mud away and risking scratching your lovely front element. Plus, the outer part of the front element is serrated and it’s not so easy to remove the mud stuck in it (I spent quite some time to have it fully cleaned, and there's still some left). Plus, some lenses require one to be fully sealed (as my 16-35mm).

Now, there are filters and expensive filters. Without going through the whole debate about the impact on image quality, I just want to say that I have now a B+W "F-Pro" filter on my 70-200 and a Sigma UV (slim) on my 16-35. Well, construction-wise, the Sigma is… not so good. The glass part moves and bends when I put some pressure on it and I can see some debris between the metallic mount and the glass (yes I know that slim constructions are ment to be small so it’s normal that they aren’t as resistant as normal ones but you have to be aware of that). So, if you’re using your lenses in sandy/dusty/hard environments, don’t try to save 20€ and spend the cash on a durable filter even if itsn't slim. There's only 1mm difference between a regular construction and the slim profile. Vignetting is easily removable in PP. So don’t buy a 6th bag. Or another stupid accessory you don’t need. Or a new camera you won’t reall use. Or anything else that follows the same idea, and get some german über-hardened steel filters (just like the B+W).

B+W 77mm UV filter [Adorama]

4000

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 00:18:00 +0000

Well, not really 4000 but 3932 if I want to be really honest. That's how many prints were sold on a one week sale. And with 150 buyers, it's an average of 26 prints per person. The pictures were mostly taken by myself and I was quite pleased when I saw that the vast majority of prints ordered were the ones I took. The pictures were taken during 10 social events, but unfortunately it's not possible to post any of them here... sorry folks!

But it's always nice when you get the boxes containing all the prints at home before handing them to the clients.

3932 prints... yeah!

Keep it simple

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 23:12:00 +0000

Last saturday I had the opportunity to do a shoot during an university bal. The setup was quite simple, 3x 550EX's, two softboxes, an umbrella and a black backdrop. I sold the first picture of them today.

Here's one for the road.

Simple setup, great effects. One umbrella.

G12 does strobist with Cactus V4's

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 23:06:00 +0000

The purchase

I’ve bought beginning september a G12. One purpose: replacement of my DLSR's when I’m travelling light and “fun-pictures-I-don’t-care-of-my-settings-love-jpeg-camera”. There are numerous reviews on the net where you can read that it’s a well-thought camera, with everything there to help you taking pictures more quickly than any other compact.

Here are my fav’s:

- The EV dial

- The ISO dial

- The front wheel (the back one is just too small to be operated quickly)

- The superb, bright, 100% optical viewfinder (just kiddin’)

- THE HOTSHOE !

My "not-so-good":

- It’s big (but you knew it when you bought it)

- It's a slow lens compared to other compact cameras (you knew it also)

So I tried this little camera with my Cactus V4 triggers to see what’s possible to do with it. Well, it works, so I’m happy because it’s quite funny to do some studio with big flashes, umbrellas all that gear around with a “stupid” point-and-shoot camera in your hand. It’s light and completely non-pro-style (i.e. not the 1D + 28-70 2.8, 2kg). So until now I know that I can take my G12 with a 430ex in a small space, travelling light and still be able to take some strobist shots!


Canon G12 with a Cactus V4 transmitter

More to come after several informal, non-scientific and non-pro studio sessions.

Note: I haven’t fully tested it but I can’t go above 1/1000^th with the V4’s as it seems to be their sync limit… but it’s still plenty enough for action shots ! And you have to disconnect the 3,5" sync cable in order to use it.

Using the back button for focusing

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 23:09:00 +0000

This post is specially dedicated to Thomas B.

For low light shooters, nothing’s worse than having an autofocus lagging and unable to lock constantly on the same spot where you’re aiming. When shooting sports, you don’t want your AI Servo mode being disoriented by another player coming in front of the one who you were following. In both cases, it would end in a missed shot.

Why am I talking about it? Well, there’s a solution.

Deeply hidden in the custom functions, there’s an option allowing not having the autofocus command (aka a half press on the shutter release) and the shutter release itself. It means that if you lock once on your target, and if it doesn’t move (a speaker for instance), you can take as many pictures as you want by simply pressing the shutter release, without having to deal with the half-press thing. In most cases, you’ll lift your finger too much and you’ll have to lock again before being able to take the picture.


An EOS 1D mark II and its back buttons

Same situation with our football player; the AI Servo mode is constantly searching for any movement of your target but it’s not always perfect when the subject remains static. By searching back and forth, it will blur your picture at least for half a second… just when you’ll have to take the picture. With the back focus button, press only once, and when the player is in focus and stands still, you don’t risk losing your focus point. In other situations, when you work in “action” situations where you have to shoot at arm’s length, you know that by using a small aperture you’ll have what you need in focus, and everybody knows that focusing in that kind of situation is just impossible. So prefocus and then don’t worry, shoot, your camera won’t freeze by trying to lock on something constantly moving.

You may need a few hundred shots to get used to it but it’s totally worth it, especially for low light shooters. You’ll save dozens of shots and these are the ones that will make the difference at the end of the day (or night). So, try it, you won’t be disappointed. I've been using it for a year now and it's one of the first things I set when I'm working with another camera.

These CFn are available on all professional Canon cameras (1D and 5D, maybe others as well), so as on their Nikon equivalents (AF-ON buttons I think).

The CFn menu of my 1D mark II

Thanks for reading.

Wshop special venue for the new Canon line

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:50:00 +0000

Guests are the Eos 1DX, 5D mark III, G1X, lenses, lenses, lenses

For the second time this month, I’ve been kindly invited by Wshop in Brussels for the official presentations of the news products issued by Nikon (February) and Canon (March). The first one, Nikon, took place at the Champagnothèque in the Galleries de la Reine, in the old city of Brussels. Presentation of the newcomer, the D4 and his little brother, the D800…As I’m not a Nikon specialist, I won’t be commenting on the ergonomics nor the controls (I hadn’t enough time to dig into the menus and find out the differences.


A fistfull of long lenses © Quiet Leaf

NIKON D4 and D800

Handling

D4: very light! Even if the body has a massive look, it’s doesn’t necessarily translate in a heavy load in your hand; I was expecting a similar feel compared to my eos 1D but it wasn’t that obvious. Nice look with all the controls glowing in the dark.

D800 with grip: a bit unbalanced (with the Nikon battery tray, not the AA one)

I never had the opportunity to try a professional Nikon body in the field so it was more a discovery than a real comparison.

CANON EOS 1DX, EOS 5D Mark III, G1X

New printers were also there, and we had the possibility to print some images taken with the new lenses; it was an excellent possibility to judge them with A4 prints. The only downside of being in a nice spot (we had a superb view on Brussels by day and night) was that I couldn’t try the lenses in a “sport” situation, only with static portraits. There are some, but no one from the new bodies !

New printers, new pictures
© Quiet Leaf

Eos 1DX

For the small tests I made, the AF was right there, even in very poor light (it had the new 24mm 2.8 mounted on). The biggest changes were with the AF system, with a special sub-menu only related to the customization of the AF settings. The major part of the presentation was also AF-related. The presentation itself lasted for 1h30 and a poor guy fell asleep just in front of the Canon representative. This remembers me to mention that the 1Dx has a great, bright viewfinder (100%), just so nice to look throught it.

The Eos 1DX with the new EF 24mm 2.8 II
© Quiet Leaf

Back of the Eos 1DX
© Quiet Leaf

Eos 5D mark III

The mark III was the most waited camera for me; just based on the specs sheet, I was already sold to this camera. It’s a slightly downscaled 1Dx: it’s weathersealed (albeit not as good as the 1Dx but the same level as the 7D), has the same AF system (again, behind the 1Dx in terms of tracking accuracy), a great resolution (22MP) and a redesigned body. It’s a bit bigger than the former 5D but feels just as good in the hand, without the weight of the 1D series. The feature that I liked most was the quiet mode. As it says, it’s quiet. So quiet. So quiet that I could even consider using it during classical music concerts. No need for rangefinders anymore! (well, not for that en tous cas). Note that the 1D’s quiet mode is not as quiet, it’s noticeably louder and can’t be used in special moments/places without being noticed.

The Eos 5D Mark III with the new 24-70mm 2.8 L II
© Quiet Leaf

To be honest, it’s the first time in years where I thought about upgrading from my current gear. It just fits every need I have: full frame, wheatersealing, good AF, high sensitivities, quietness, compactness (compared to 1D series), and even a dual memory slot. But at 3500€, you’ll have to save a bit. Note: at the end of the show, I was talking with a photographer who I just met before and he said without any remorse that he bought one of each model (“uh yeah you know I could have bought cash the 5DmIII anytime, it's not a nig deal”).

[I’ve to mention that as I’m writing this article, I can hear a man trying to convince his wife to let him buy one of the new bodies, it’s quite funny to listen as they don’t seem aware of me. Ha, there he goes to the shop’s owner and the lady stays there with a “gosh, why?” expression on her face].

Canon G1X

Nice camera, all the features are there. There has been some talks about slow AF speeds, but seriously it’s a compact, not a DSLR, so what do you want to expect? Coming from my other compacts I had no trouble focusing on objects under poor lighting conditions. The camera has its proeminent lens on its front side which makes it quite bulky. Don’t forget it’s ment to replace your DSLR when you’re tired lugging it when you’re on holiday. It’s a big compact with a big sensor plus an articulated screen and good IQ (as far as I could check it on the back screen), offering an all-in-one solution for people who want compactness without having to deal with interchangeable lenses as the other major systems offer (NEX, m43,…).

The G1X
© Quiet Leaf

Lenses

There were three lenses, the EF 300 2.8L IS II /400 2.8 and an EF 800 5.6 L... Sweet! I should have left with them. Sad enough we weren’t at a sport event so no “action” tests but I printed some portraits in A4’s from the duo 5D+400 2.8 and yes, it breathes detail and contrast…

Handheld portrait with a 400mm 2.8 L IS II
5D mkI - f/2.8 ISO 400, 1/1000
© Quiet Leaf

Using the 800mm convinced me not to buy it, at least because I couldn’t use it properly. It’s really ment for nature lovers and people who need the biggest reach possible (not like me checking what’s going on in the flats a hundred meters away…).

One of the guest nearly dropped the 400mm on the ground
© Quiet Leaf

The IS of the 300mm 2.8L IS II is phenomenal, I could go as low as 1/60th without any blur
© Quiet Leaf

They also spoke about the new radio triggering feature, but none of them (Canon’s official representatives) could say if the system was equal/better than the Pocket Wizards. I don’t see it replacing the PW system as the Canon’s can’t trigger studio flashes. So this was about the new Canon products.

A special thanks to the photographers who I met tonight and for the interesting conversations I had with them. A special mention for the Double You Shop and the team for the event, as far as I know it’s the first time in Brussels that a shop offers to its customers such events like this one (and the Nikon one also). Thumbs up for them.

Cheers!

The Atomium, Brussels
© Quiet Leaf

Avoriaz World Rookie Tour 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 21:20:00 +0000

It's been a long time since I haven't posted so here are the latest from the camera; I've been in Avoriaz, France during the World Rookie Tour event, a snowboard/ski competition for riders born from january 1st 1994 to December 31st 1996 (so-called Rookie) and riders born from January 1st 1997 and up (so called Grom), both guys and girls. All contests of the World Rookie Tour will generate valuable results for the new World Rookie Rank developed by WSF (World Snowboard Federation) in association with the TTR (Ticket To Ride association) (info from worldrookietour.com).

Sadly enough I had to leave the day of the finals so these are the pictures from the training session, which was quite impressive given the age of the riders. I saw some pretty hard landings too, one of them nearly broke his shoulder. But for my first winter shooting, I got some pretty decent pictures! A 1D mk II + 70-200 2.8 was used, and I missed my 16-35 for the whole shoot (I-will-never-forget-it-home-I-will-never-forget-it-home). Note that all images here are subject to copyright.

Enjoy!

Airshow + 17-40mm = great results!

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 19:59:00 +0000

When I decided to go to the Coxyde Airshow, I was perfectly aware of my lack in long telephoto lenses. Well, I’ve my 70-200 on the 40d but even 200mm x 1.6 = 320mm isn’t enough at all!

The other setup was my 5d and the 17-40mm. I let you figure which camera took the best pictures...!

So if I couldn’t come very close to the aircrafts, I took a huge step backwards and went ultra wide. It gives you superb possibilities with all the white or colored trails, even if the weather isn’t on top.

The Red Arrows

I first took the wide angle for “landscape-event” pictures but I rapidly discovered a new use for my lens. So if you don’t have the standard EF 100-400mm (as 90% of the super serious airshow photographers that day), take the ultra wide way!

Also, I spent the day with the two cameras around my neck, switching continuously with my 5d when the 70-200mm on the 40d was too long as the aircrafts were rapidly approaching. And the pictures are a bit over-processed, but I think that it's still OK!

Happy shooting!

"It's too loud!" "...What?"
© Quiet Leaf

When vision meets satisfaction

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Sat, 07 May 2011 22:39:00 +0000

There's vision...

I’ve been still shooting film when I began to use digital. At the time I had so much pleasure discovering the pictures that I took sometimes one month before having the roll processed, and I was keeping practicing in order to achieve the mystical “100% keepers”.

Patience and vision were at the time the most important things for me, as I worked with what I called the “one – one” technique ; one roll for one project. Thirty six (or 24) images to summarize, to capture the spirit of a birthday, an unordinary event, a week-end with friends in the middle of nowhere, being on duty or free of anything. Identifying the key moments was a hard task. Sometimes you know that it will happen and you place yourself where you’ll be able to catch the scene as you want it. Swapping lenses, change your aperture, move, move, wait, pre-focus, focus, clac. And you know that it will be good. But you won’t be sure of that until you’ll have your pictures back from the shop. You open your folder and you make a quick overview: can somebody feel the action or the passion even if he wasn’t here? If yes, congratulations. If not, try again.

This was the relationship between me and my camera.

The camera was 30 years old and I had to carry at least two small screwdrivers because of frequent shutter jams in the middle of an event. That day I broke the shutter release mechanism of my trustworthy Minolta X-300 at the beginning of an important event where I had a dozen of precise pictures in my head to be shot throughout the day. I was disappointed, but these things happen.

I didn’t buy another one even if I knew that the cropped sensor of my Pentax k20d couldn’t give me the same image rendition which I was used to see with my fast primes.

So I took the decision to save for a full format DSLR. This was 3 years ago.

Today, after an endless search, it’s there. An old 5D classic. Now, fifties are fifties, 1.4’s are bokeh monsters, blur equals blur and viewfinders are bigger than ever. Photographic love is back. I've found the camera that I needed.


Rendition with a full frame camera is miles away from standard APS sized sensors © Quiet Leaf

...And satisfaction

Many Pentax users took the Nikon way so why did I took a Canon?

This is where everyone has his own “gear philosophy”.

For me, no matter which camera; as long as it meets my shooting style, it’s good. I'm an amateur, not a pro.

I replaced my 35mm film camera by a 35 digital camera because I knew that it would meet my needs.

I don’t expect a camera to be the best one, it has its own flaws and every photographer knows that he has to work with them, no matter what; go beyond your gear and focus on your pictures. I’ve been through this common problem of being more focused on cameras than my work, and it’s a real stopper. You’ll forget the reason why you’re here: you are a photographer.

My Minolta was my workhorse camera; I learned the most important part of my technical skills with it. Aperture, Speed and Focus. Patience and vision. Once these are mastered, you can move forward and begin to know your camera and your lenses, be aware of their flaws and their qualities, don’t expect them to take the shot for you.

This whole process had a significant impact on me: if one of my pictures was slightly out of focus or a little bit blurred, I didn’t really care, if it was overexposed, I would still be satisfied. Why? It wasn’t because of my gear, it was because of me. So it could be improved.

Find the tools that suit your needs. Use them. Look at your pictures and find how you could improve them. Share your work and let it know around you. Print a dozen of pictures and hand it to your friends. They’re part of your photographic life, their satisfaction is also yours.

If I had only one advice for everyone who wants to keep up with his passion, it would be this one. Ask yourself, when are happy with your work?

When your vision meets your satisfaction.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this.

Cheers.

Let's be honest , it's not so easy when it comes to find the real good ones

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 21:38:00 +0000

It’s been a while since these photos have been taken (and since I’ve posted something on my blog, you can say it), it was the first time I used my “sports duo” aka the Canon 40D and the 70-200 f/4.

My first experience with my K20D and the Fa* 300mm f/4.5 quickly revealed that I needed a flexible zoom and an autofocus that could hold up against the speed of the game.

I was lucky as I found the body and the zoom shortly after it but as winter came, no more outdoor games that I could shoot (other than skiing of course). So these pictures were the first ones with my Canon-branded-gear and I’m so far extremely pleased with its global performance. Accuracy was on par with my expectations and the USM mechanism never let me down. What’s the next step? Yes, the results! Big part, above all when I came back home, ready to select the good ones. Well, I had very few out of focus images but in the main time I raised the quality I wanted to pull out of this series.

Two major points to consider

The background is SO important.
I didn’t realized it before scrolling through my pictures. The best photo you made can be ruined by some distracting guy behind the players
Shooting with fast lenses helps you to “throw” the distracting background away.
If you’re shooting like me with a f/4 lens on a cropped body, don’t expect a perfect blur and some pictures will be lost because of the background

- So let's rob our banker and buy a bunch of 2.8's and 1Ds's ! -

Here’s for you a blog speaking about sports photography and field hockey.

Post processing in Aperture and Adobe Lightroom from kay in t Veen on Vimeo.

Travelling in Vietnam – What gear ?

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 22:45:00 +0000

Travelling through Vietnam for 4 weeks brings the difficult question of what (not) to take, keeping the weight/bulk/use ratio in focus. Visited places will include cities, countryside, jungle, seashore, airports (Hanoï, Sapa – Lao Kaï, Ninh Binh, Há Long bay, Húe, Da Nang, Saïgon/HCMV, Mekong delta). So quite diversified.

Travel mode is rucksack and small/light bagpack.

Vietnam

With me:

1 Pentax k20d (without grip)

1 sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6

1 Pentax 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 WR

24Go in sandisk cards (8 8 4 4)

Air blower, cleaning cloth

“camouflaged” neck strap (no brand name)

Small lowepro bag for one camera+lens

2 batteries + charger

What should I have taken with me?

P&S camera – like a Canon G12 or Samsung EX1, with tilt-swivel screen

Fast zoom lens – 17-50mm 2.8

Maybe a 70-200 f4

Lao Cai region
© Quiet Leaf

The story

Your gear will be divided in two categories: day / night.

1. DAY

When you’re visiting a country, you must know that a normal day is “separated” in several parts by the local people, just as everywhere. In an asian city like Hanoï or Ho Chi Mihn Ville (and more), you’ll rapidly notice a strong gap between the day and when the night falls. As the lighting will never or rarely be a problem, slow lenses can be used without restriction throughout the day; wide angles like the 10-20mm will be your best tools to capture the spirit of the small and narrow streets, and quite often I used to shoot when sitting as passenger on a motor bike; pictures are taken “sur le vif”, at arm’s length, and it’s impossible to compose them correctly, so wide angle + cropping is the way to go.

When going down to the countryside, the 10-20mm embraces all the landscapes and Vietnam has so many places where to use it that it will be your main workhorse lens. The Sigma was the landscape-city-speed lens because it captures so mutch without having to worry about focus as long as you’re using the hyperfocals... tip: always in Av-mode at f/8 !

I used this lens about 80% of the time.

There’s no point in taking a DSLR if you don’t have an ultra wide lens.

Ninh Bihn region
© Quiet Leaf

The DA 18-55 WR (weather resistant) comes in when rain is showing up. Why has it to be weathersealed? Because it rains hard, very quickly and the air remains with a high degree of moisture with the local temperatures (about 30°C), so a rainsleeve wasn’t enough as I used to walk with the camera in my hand, strapped to my wrist, ready to take the picture. Portrait and other snapshots were the other uses of this lens. An UWA alone isn’t enough, you’ll rapidly feel the need of a narrower angle of view to concentrate your pictures on some details.

Preparing food
© Quiet Leaf

What about a telephoto zoom lens?

Yes, it would have been handy at some moments. But it’s one lens more in the bag... and OK, I hate having to frequently switch lenses. I can let the 10-20 for the day, I won’t miss anything. So as the 18-55mm, it’s wide enough. But a good 70-200mm f/4 is just too big to handle when shooting on the move and the angle of view is too narrow to react quickly to an opportunity. If you really want a telephoto zoom lens, I’d rather suggest a cheap 50-200mm since weight is an issue.

2. NIGHT

The cities wake up, life fills the streets, motorbikes are everywhere, everyone eats on the streets, all places are crowded. Light is low and soft, your autofocus struggles, you can throw your slow lenses away, you won’t make any decent pictures (or at maximum ISO... et encore...!).

Damn, where is my M9 and my Noctilux?

So you switch your 10-20mm with your 17-50 2.8 (or a 24 f/1.4 equivalent), or whatever you want but A FAST LENS! At night, you’re less noticeable as a tourist and you can have a drink on the street and quietly take all the pictures you want; there are many top-bokeh-lighting situations, so don’t hesitate! It was my only regret with my gear, not having a single fast lens.

So, this leads me to the important point – what should I have taken with me?

Most important, a point and shoot. Yes, sometimes you want to leave your 4kg combo at the hotel and just walk with just a camera in your pocket for low profile pictures. I secretly consider getting a G12, because its swivel screen in this country would have been so practical. If you have to choose between your 50-200mm or your point and shoot, drop the lens, take the camera. You’ll enjoy taking different pictures with it than with your DSLR and you’ll see it back at home with the pictures you’ll have taken.

Second, the fast standard zoom lens. Night is 50% of this city’s life, be equipped for it.

How do local people react in front of a camera?

In the street, they do just as everyone, they’ll stare at you without too much expression.

Don’t forget, for them you’re the common tourist with a big camera (and a big wallet), nothing more!

Just ask them, a simple movement with your camera and an eye-contact. Can I? Yes? Cool. No? OK.

Most important tip for that: smile. It’s 99% of the job.

And don’t forget to get hydrated; I used to drink up to 3 liter per day. A fresh 50cl bottle costs 4 to 8000 Dôngs (15 to 30 eurocents)! And, Vietnamese beer (bia in Vietnamese) isn't bad at all (or maybe I was always so thirsty when I sat for a beer!). But I do recommend the Bia Há Noi!

Pimp My Lens – Keep them protected!

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 16:29:00 +0000

For those who use their equipment in dirty environments, we know that some parts of our lenses are dust-magnets or difficult to clean at the end of the day; rubber grips, rubber focus rings, etc. ...

Other parts are often in contact with abrasive surfaces; the bottom of the camera, the part of the lens that hits the table when layed down, the LCD screen,...

This can happen, too

A simple technique to prevent some unwanted mishaps or long cleaning nights is to tape the sensitive parts. It’s important not to use tape that leaves residues on the surface but tape used by electricians to seal contacts or tight up wires.

It can also be used to hide our big white Canikontax markings on the front of the camera or other signs revealing that you’re walking with your brand new Nikon D4 or 5d mark III. Or our white lenses.

Cheers!

Dilemma: Quality vs Speed

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 13:31:00 +0000

I’ve been shooting Pentax since 2007 and never disappointed by the overall image quality, from colour response to jpeg renderings. I had the opportunity to buy a 2^nd hand eos 40d three months ago and inevitably after several hundred shots some comparisons are made.

Before digging in the systems, the two contenders are completely different cameras by their use, so comparing them isn’t really adequate. The k20d is a robust landscape-traveller’s camera, has a strong resolution of 14,6mp (10mp with Canon) and high quality jpegs settings that allows you to drop the raw format without too much loss.

The weathersealing of Pentax is a blessing in rough climates
Vietnam, Mekong Delta in 2010

It may sound quite amateur-ish when I say “art filters are a real advantage” when nearly everyone has lightroom or aperture to do all the post processing when back home. But here’s all the problem, “when you’re back home”! It’s not impossible for some travellers to go away for weeks or months in places with little or no electricity or where computers are completely unknown. So when you come back at home with thousands of pictures and you have to select the good ones or view them in B&W or any other post processing, the amount of work takes days and days to be achieved. When I was in such situations, at the end of the day or between two flights, I frequently used the in-camera processing to preview some effects on the pictures that I liked and it considerably helped me sorting out these huge folders when I had to work out all the memory cards. As I said, it may sound a little bit odd but it spared me so much time that it was a small regret when I saw that the 40d didn’t have all these elements. But nevertheless, it wasn’t a deal breaker at all.

The eos 40d is more a sports-lifestyle camera; 6.5 fps with a silent and quick autofocus. The USM alone is a real advantage against the Pentax counterparts: it’s a mature technology that comes with nearly all types of lenses, the “cheap” ones just as the latest telephoto, and combined with the fast autofocus, it’s a real pleasure to work with such an efficient tool.

The excellent autofocus of the eos 40d helps a lot

In normal conditions, the autofocus is precise 80% of the time and the rest is slightly out of focus BUT the picture is there and that’s THE huge advantage opposed to Pentax. The 40d searches focus quickly, doesn’t find it but releases the shutter even if it’s not perfectly in focus; the k20d hunts, hunts, ... and locks way too late, when the subject/moment is gone. So on one side we’ve got an OOF picture and on the other side... nothing!

Metering with canon is “spot-on”, you know that the object that you want to be shown will be well exposed, even at the cost of burned skies or blown highlights. Pentax will almost always have an underexposed image. But it turns to be a real advantage for Pentax. And it’s so important for people who post process their images, the Pentax JPEGs can be reworked afterwards so well and handles exposure/colour changes with a greater magnitude than the Canon ones (ok, there’s RAW for that, but for long hi speed sequences it’s not ideal). What you win on one side you lose it on the other side!

In-body stabilisation is a huge plus for Pentax, EVERY lens is stabilized; primes, old lenses, cheap lenses,... but it’s not as effective with longer focal lengths than the IS system. For shorter focal lengths (UWA, 50mm’s,...) it’s PERFECT. IS is a real step over Pentax for long range shooting.

Now the ultimate point, image quality. To be fair, I’m not a great fan of Canon’s IQ. Or at least with the 40d. Colours are good but not always correct and noise suppression is quite heavy. Pentax’s IQ is a real step forward Canon’s, especially with colour fidelity. But as said before, we’re speaking of two different sensors, the landscape one and the “fast” one. Newer models as the eos 7d and the k5 will have certainly changed this situation.

For a software point of view, the k20d is filled with so many bonuses (built-in intervallometer, micro-adjust, in-body shake reduction system,...) that the 40d seems with nothing more than the customizable “quick menu” that the k20d doesn’t have. But it's so handy and saves you some precious seconds...!

Il’ll achieve here with some rapid thoughts about the overall handling. The grip of the 40d is deep enough and higher than the k20d, and using it with gloves doesn’t make it difficult; I didn’t feel the need of a additional grip to hold firmly the camera. The k20d is smaller but needs a grip when you shoot with gloves otherwise it slips too easily out of your hands.

The top LCD screen of the Pentax is easier to read/check rapidly. Even if it’s smaller than the Canon, shutter speed and aperture are impossible to miss at a distance of 40cm. The Canon one is overcharged with too many information (even if they’re useful, e.g. WB and remaining shots) and difficult to read. The rear screen of the Pentax is far more accurate than the Canon one (resolution and color rendition)

Pentax k20d

EOS 40d

So, speed or quality?

Go Pentax if you travel and if you'll face tough weather conditions, if you have time to compose and to make good use of its 14,6mp. Go Canon if you need a excellent, quiet and reactive camera.

It’s just the beginning with Canon, I’m discovering it, and my judgment will surely change over time but here are the first impressions with the two systems. To be continued!

Pentax FA* 300mm f/4.5 review

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 11:45:00 +0000

Build quality / Handling


Pentax Fa* 300mm f/4.5 © Quiet Leaf

From the professional grade lenses of Pentax back in the 90’s, this lens is built like a tank. It’s solid, heavy (935g) and seems ready to take years of abuse. The front element is recessed for 1cm into the lens body and doesn’t protrude at all, keeping it safe from any direct hit when the lens hood isn’t on.

The aperture ring is made of plastic and goes from f/4.5 to f/32, the focus ring has a push/pull mechanism to control the focus. Note that if you want to set it on manual, you must change it from the lens, the switch on the body isn’t enough on its own.

The lens came without lens hood, and I was a little bit worried by the lack of a proper flare protection but after several hundred shots under bright and direct light right into the lens, the need of one rapidly vanished as the lens doesn’t suffer at all from ghosting or flaring. I used to screw a rubber shade on it but it was more in order to protect the lens when I had to put it on a rough surface.

Be careful, even if it’s a FA*, the lens IS NOT weathersealed!

But fortunately it can be easily taped (albeit you lose the manual focus option).

Pentax FA* 300mm f/4.5 and Canon EF 70-200 L f/4

The lens is sufficiently small to be carried around without too much last; it has a filter thread of 67mm (compared to the DA* 300mm f/4 which is 77mm) and measures 16 cm long. It can be put in a regular shoulder bag when mounted on a camera + grip, and taken in and out without too much hassle. Since it’s so small for a 300mm and with a silver coating, it doesn’t attract attention compared to the grayish Canon 300mm L counterpart (16 cm vs 21,3 cm).

Autofocus

As usual, the autofocus mechanism is on the noisy side, you don’t have the speed nor the quietness of a SDM / USM motor. But you can be sure that it will never let you down – screwdrives lasts forever!

For static and slow moving objects under good light conditions, the autofocus is quick and precise; but when it comes to fast actions e.g. football players or rally cars, it tends to be a tad too slow to catch the right speed in order to freeze in focus the spot that you want. In 60% of the situations, the picture will have a slight blur due to this delay (estimated number after lots of open air sports shooting)... But we’re talking about fast and unpredictable movements, so for most users it won’t be an issue here. Wildlife and lifestyle photographers will be overly satisfied with this lens but sports shooters must look to other options (with SDM / HSM equivalents – or a faster autofocus system, but that’s another debate).

NOTE

The lens was tested on a k20d, but results may vary with the new k5 since it has a new in-body motor and a new autofocus type.

Image quality

Wide open and with the long focal length, it delivers a decent bokeh (8-bladed diaphragm, but remember that we’re talking about an f/4.5 lens on APS-C, so it’s more like an f/5.6 bokeh) and an excellent level of detail and contrast. It’s tack sharp when stopped to f/5.6.

The 8-bladed diaphragm

It’s one of the few lenses which I had the “wow” surprise when pixel peeping pictures at 100%. The amount of detail was absolutely stunning, on par with the FA 50mm 1.4 at f/4. With the FA* and the 14.6 mp of the k20d, I kept going deeper and deeper in the picture, I was still able to crop it and stay with an excellent picture.

Working with JPEG’s and AWB, colours were naturally saturated and contrast was very high. All in all, it’s a lens that has an excellent piqué... I was seeing here the benefits of Pentax’ Super Multi Coating, one of the company’s best strengths. No flare, no CA. A real gift for every photographer.

In the field

Mounted on a k20d with the battery grip, the lens is very well balanced for shooting handheld but lacks the tripod collar when it has to be mounted on a mono or a tripod. Several owners use the tripod collar of the Canon 70-200mm f/4 (or equivalent) without any trouble, there’s just enough space between the aperture ring and the scale window to attach it there. On its own, when the camera and not the lens is mounted on the tripod, the camera can’t handle the 935g without trouble and suffers from disturbing vibrations. You can use it handheld (but I would consider a handstrap) and at the end of the day you won’t suffer so much from the wheight (but not if you’re shooting continuously for 1 hour).


The FA* mounted here on the k20d © Quiet Leaf

Pentax k20d and FA* 300mm side by side

Conclusion

When I found it in a second hand shop, I didn’t realized at first how lucky I was; for the price I paid (around 600€ - used - but with the autofocus mechanism cleaned and calibrated, no other problems) this lens is a must-have for light and tough travellers. The metallic outer shell inspires so much confidence that you know that you can use the beast everywhere, it’s small enough to be carried around – we’re talking about a 300mm! – and comes with a screwdrive mechanism that will never fail, and image quality on the bests levels.

All in all, this lens is hard to find (in France/Benelux, I see sometimes one once a year on the 2^nd hand market, no more) but if you can grab it, you won’t regret it.

Nearly 1kg of metal and glass, this lens is nearly indesctructible

WPP 2010 exposes in Brussels, Belgium

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:51:00 +0000

ABOVE Joe Petersburger (Hungary) won the first prize in the Nature Singles category of the World Press Photo contest

What? The World Press Photo 2010 exhibition

Where? in Brussels, in the "Musée du Cinquantenaire"

When? From November 12 to 28.

How many? 167 pictures made by 62 photographers from 22 different countries. More than 101.900 pictures were sent by 5.800 photographers, as a single image or part of a illustrated story. The gallery will be inaugurated on November 9th.

World Press Photo

Adrenalin goes up

noreply@blogger.com (Quiet Leaf) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 18:53:00 +0000

I never shot sports until last weekend, where I had an opportunity to shoot a hockey match in Belgium. Some friends were playing in the team so I could follow them during the day; it was completely free and just for fun, as I didn't know how the shoot would happen.

I was equipped with my Pentax k20d and two lenses, no more, no less: a 10-20mm and a 300mm f/4. Afterwards, I rapidly felt the need for a second body with a 50-200mm or equivalent to be able to react quickly when the 300mm began to be too long.

As the match began, I felt directly the adrenalin coming just if I were also playing with the players on the field; you know that you're part of the game by capturing the key moments of it. I was the only photographer on the field so I had to collect the best samples of all moments: goals, altercations with the referee, the cheerings of the supporters,... . If I hadn't played hockey before I would have been completely lost in the match as the players move very quickly and the succession of actions can be very disrupting when you try to build your sequences.

I sat with the public along the middle of the field but it proved to be a bad position as I shot mostly backs, some sideways and a handfull of "good" pictures. So next time, I'll be in the corners and changing when needed. Another big problem was that I had only a 300mm (... 450mm on APS) which was way too long for 60% of my shots but also because it was extremly difficult to follow the players with such a narrow angle of view; at that moment I would have said that a 200mm would have been more adequate and easier for interesting croppings. But a fast tele (e.g. a 70-200 f/2.8) will be even more better as the players can come really close to you.

Shutter speed always above 1/800, and at least f/5,6 if there is more than one player in the viewfinder, otherwise one of them will always be out of focus (thanks to Pentax for his very usefull TAv mode).

At the end of the game, the 10-20 is THE lens to have as the supporters invade the field to greet their players so that it rapidly becomes overcrowded and distances are so tight that only an ultra wide lens can capture the spirit of the team (that's the word; the team!)

To conclude, it was really fun to shoot it and gives you more than "just shooting"!

So, at the end of the day and after reviewing all the images, some tips had to be pointed out.

What gear?

two bodies minimun to avoid changing lenses and losing actions
three types of lenses; an ultra wide angle (10-20mm), a fast tele (70-200 f/2.8) and a fast fixed focal (300 f/2.8 or f/4)
fast cards with enough space (8Gb min)
a monopod (especially with heavy lenses)

Where to place yourself?

at the corners during the game (never in the center)
in the center at the end (when players are shaking hands with the other team)

And also

protect your gear with tape; when moving rapidly or laying gear down, it can be quickly scratched
if you look at the game as a spectator, you'll miss the shots!

This list of tips is incomplete, so don't hesitate to share yours!