Lawrence Ripsher's Photo Journal

Federer vs Sampras

Last week I mentioned I took a trip up to KL to shoot the Federer - Sampras match so thought I'd share a few images. Shooting from the press box gave me an excellent vantage point and it's easy to say that the quality of the tennis on display was nothing short of spectacular. I think everyone in attendance, along with the 65 countries viewing live, were well aware that this was (in addition to the S.Korea and Macau exhibition matches) a once in a lifetime deal. To see the two greatest players of our generation on the same court really was a thrill for all tennis fans and it was great to be there.

I have dozens of images that I was pleased with from the evening. Here are a couple of those. Click on any image for a larger version. All photos are copyright of Lawrence Ripsher.

Malawati Stadium played host to the event.

Federer hitting a backhand

Federer serve

Sampras backhand

The victor

Canon G9 Review

I wasn't initially going to do this review but after a number of requests on the forums (and after having a lot of fun with the camera), I decided to put it together.

This is not the first to review the Canon G9. It’s already been covered extensively on many other sites including dpreview. Because all these other sites cover things like ISO / resolution comparisons, specs, dimensions, etc - it’s freed me up a little to talk about some of the areas which might not get addressed as much (like handling, real world image quality samples, etc). This review is broken into four parts:

   1. Part 1 - Introduction
   2. Part 2 - Handling and Controls
   3. Part 3 - Image Quality
   4. Part 4 - Conclusion

Hope you enjoy the review.

Canon G9 Review - Introduction (Part 1)

For most who have been interested in photography for some time, the Canon G series will be need little introduction. Canon launched the line many years back and the cameras that have been released have been extremely successful in gathering both a following and an impressive archive of images created with these cameras. However, given the falling prices, shrinking size and increased accessibility of DSLR’s, one had to wonder if an advanced compact had a place in our current market. Canon attempted to answer that question last year with the release of the G7 – a 10MP incarnation. It was met with mixed praise. There was lots to like but some were disappointed by a slower lens (traded for a greater zoom range) and lack of RAW. Canon addressed the latter issue with the G9, which was launched in August 2007 and threw in an extra 0.5” of screen space and 2 megapixels in the process. It is this latest version that I’ll be reviewing. Due to large overlap between the two cameras, you can take much of what I say below and apply it to the G7.

Features
The G9 hosts the following features:
-    12 MP sensor (the larger 1/1.7” CCD sensor)
-    6x zoom from 35 – 210mm with IS
-    Digic III processing engine, face detection, etc
-    Max aperture F/2.8 (wide end) to F/4.5 (long end)
-    RAW support (including RAW + JPG)
-    Full manual mode (Aperture, Shutter, Manual, etc)
-    ISO 50 to 800 in full resolution. Reduced size ISO 1600
-    Hot shoe support for external flash

There’s more features than the ones I’ve listed above but these are the ones I consider the most significant.

Design

There isn’t a huge difference in DSLR design these days… Some manufacturers break from the traditional mould (e.g. Olympus and the E-410 being a good example) but most follow the same basic model. Compact cameras however offer more in the way of creativity as far as aesthetics are concerned. The Canon G9 is a case in point. Offered in black and with great retro lines, on first glance its more classic rangefinder than digital camera. I’ve said before it’s hard for me to get excited about how camera gear looks, but this is a really cool looking camera. I think it’s the throwback design that I like so much. In terms of build quality, the G9 has frequently been referred to as a “tank”. This comes from the fact that the entire body is made of metal (save for a couple of small plastic panels) and is extremely well put together. It’s not waterproof / weather sealed but it definitely looks like it could withstand a lot of rough handling. To say it inspires confidence would definitely be true.

Looking at the camera from the front profile, you’re offered the viewfinder, flash and lens. The lens retracts into the body which makes a huge difference in portability. This is not a tiny compact camera but the fact that it’s fully rectangular with no major bulges means it can fit into a small bag or a large pocket.

From the rear, as with all cameras with 3” screens, the camera is dominated by the LCD. The screen quality is very good. Although similar resolution to the 40D, I find it to offer a noticeably high quality review. The major benefit this high quality, large screen brings is in composing which is made very easy. The wide viewing angle it supports also partly makes up for the fact that it’s not an articulating display (another complaint from die hard G series fans of this generation’s G7 / G9).

The G9 also takes an external flash. Personally I’ve never really found the use of an external flash with compact cameras to appeal very much, my rationale being that if I can be bothered to carry this much kit, then I may as well bring a DSLR. However, I’ve softened my view on this lately (due to the fact my DSLR kit bag continues to grow unabated) and due to availability of small / pocketable flashes, it actually makes for a very powerful and cost effective package. Certainly, the impact to the overall image that an external flash can provide is undeniable. To illustrate the difference, take the following picture. The first image was shot by the G9 on board flash. The result is very typical for direct flash – washing out the foreground, losing light in the background and creating a horribly and unmistakable [bad] flash produced image. However, with a Canon EX580 Mk II mounted, I took the same picture (same exposure / aperture / iso) but this time bouncing the flash off the ceiling. As you can see, a much more naturally lit image is the result. It’s just a snapshot example here but even so, it shows the benefit compared to either direct or no flash in low light situations, allowing a low ISO but with a natural feel.

The downside to this? Well, take a look at the setup.

Overbalanced? To me, that’s the very definition of using a “hammer to crack a walnut”. Still, I’ll consider this as a travel package when space is really at a premium. For those starting out in photography by the way, it’s certainly a great (and slightly amusing) way to learn flash photography.

When an external flash isn’t mounted, the camera is comfortable to hold. Buttons / dials are littered all over the top and back. And this brings me to my next section – the controls.

Canon G9 Review - Handling and Controls (Part 2)

I’m going to cover this section more than I typically would when reviewing a camera. This is because the G9’s killer feature is not the specs that you see listed above – there are plenty of compacts out there with 12MP, 6x + zooms or RAW. Far more so, what sets the G9 apart is its ergonomics and the accessibility that its controls provide.

You see, what almost compact cameras lack is the handling that allows the gear to “get out of the way” and let the photographer concentrate on just taking great images. Many cameras feature manual controls but almost all require you to change aperture, ISO and exposure through a menu system on the LCD. To date, this ranks as one of my biggest weaknesses when comparing compact cameras to their larger DSLR cousins or making a recommendation to someone when I’m asked for advice on what to buy (dynamic range / high ISO and lens choices being the other two). The G9 however is an entirely different animal. Instead of having to rely on the menu system for everything, there are external, analogue controls which allow you to quickly change:

-    ISO (through a dedicated dial on the top)
-    Aperture (through a circular dial on the back)
-    Exposure compensation (through a single button press followed by the same circular dial)

This means that you can shoot freely in aperture mode (as 90% everyone should almost all of the time) with access to the three parameters that you will need to have access to the most frequently. The same controls are reusable for shutter priority and with this system even manual mode becomes usable. This benefit of having the flexibility to quickly change settings is huge. Even previous versions of the G line did not have this implemented this well.

The difference this makes in the real world is very significant and far more important than minor benefits of say, start up time. It’s somewhat ironic when I read extensive timing tests done with compact cameras which compare milliseconds of difference in AF speed or start up time between models or brands. To illustrate my point, lets take a common shooting scenario…

Lets say you’re walking through a beautiful town on vacation and have your camera in your hand. A strikingly beautiful street scene starts to unfold in front of you, one that summarises the entire location for you and you know you need to capture it. You turn on your camera and as is often the case, the settings on the camera aren’t exactly what you need so you have to make some modifications. With sample camera A (the rest of the compact camera market), the following might be required before you can capture your magic moment.

1. Turn on the camera. Start up time. Lets say its fast and give it 1s.
2. We’ll assume you’re already in Aperture mode but it’s late afternoon and a little darker than normal and you need the extra shutter speed. So you increase the ISO. You do this by clicking MENU, scrolling to ISO, selecting and then changing from 100 to 200 and accept. You’re quick and nimble at this so it only takes 3 seconds
3. You’re familiar with cameras and you know that you have plenty of depth of field to work with. However, you were taking a landscape shot 5 mins ago so now need to change from f/8 to f/2.8 to get the fastest shutter speed possible. You go back to the shortcut menu, and start cycling through apertures. Again, you’re quick and don’t delay. so it only takes 2s this time
4. Finally, you’ve got a well trained eye and you know this scene needs a little exposure compensation as the all the shadows in the shot are going to fool the meter and cause it to overexpose. So you go back to the shortcut menu and modify exposure compensation to -0.7. Again, another 2s.
5. Finally, you’re ready to take your shot. Your camera AF’s. Fortunately its best in its class and this takes 0.4s.
6. Then you hit fully depress the shutter button and you take your picture. Shutter lag is present but again, your best in class camera ensures that its only a fraction of a second you’re losing here.

Did you get your shot in time? Who knows – but what I can say is that in the 10 seconds it took to take the above picture, about 80% of the time would have been the camera waiting for you rather than the other way around. This is a consequence of using digital / menu controls for the most important functions and is the reason for compact photographers missing countless would-be great shots every day. I know that in many cases, people actually stop changing the manual controls because they end up losing too much time and just go with a standard setting they hope covers all.

So, still continuing with the above example, how would the G9 have done?

While it has a decent startup time, lag and so on, it’s not class leading. However, as we can see here – only 20% of the time was spent on these areas. Where the G9 makes a difference is on the time consuming steps 2 – 4; the camera settings. Because of the analogue controls, you can now change ISO, aperture and exposure compensation in easily less than half the time it would take on a regular compact camera using a menu system. That’s a huge difference, even if you only even change one and even then only every now and then. And because it’s easy, you’re more likely to do it more often. And this means better pictures more often.

Two examples of photos that fell into that category for me in the past few days are below. Add a few seconds to the setting up of the camera and I would have definitely have missed these (or I would have had the wrong settings resulting in an image with less impact). The first is of a mosque in Arab Street in Singapore. A break in the clouds appeared directly behind the mosque for a few seconds when I happened to be looking upwards. Knowing I need to keep the clouds well exposed and that a silhouetted building would work, I set to underexpose. The second image is just a snapshot but at full zoom, I needed a good enough shutter speed to keep the lens stable and that means changing the ISO rapidly while the cat was still hissing away.

Challengers of this analysis may argue that the above only applies to supposedly “advanced” photographers. Personally I’d argue that shooting in aperture mode and modifying ISO to get faster shutter speed is something anyone with a camera should be capable of doing but that’s not the issue anyway – the point here is that the G9 is marketed as an advanced compact camera. It is in this capacity, with its analogue controls, that it lives up to its promise and it does it in a way that no empirical test or spec sheet will ever show. It instead delivers it in the only truly important way – with real world images.

Performance and Timings

I’ll skim through this section as it’s been covered very well in other reviews.

Anyway, overall the camera is medium / fast for a compact. It’s definitely not the fastest in its class but it’s decent. Start up time is OK, AF speed is above average and certainly very accurate. I didn’t have a very difficult time locking on moving subjects so long as the contrast was sufficient. Detecting static objects in low light was very good. However,  like all compact cameras you will obviously be able to surpass the capabilities of the AF system if you put it in very challenging environments. That’s a fact of life unfortunately and I instead encourage people to develop their own technique (some pointers here) than worry about this too much.

Shot to shot speed was average. Again, timings for those inclined to read more about this are available in many other places.

Canon G9 Review - Image Quality (Part 3)

Given that the G9 has been reviewed so extensively on other sites, I’m going to approach this section slightly differently.

Removing the photographer and subject from the equation, the important thing to understand with compact cameras is that their image quality is really a factor of three things:

-    The lens / glass
-    The processing engine (particularly when shooting JPG)
-    The sensor

These days, there isn’t a great deal of difference in the quality of the glass / lenses. Some manufactures go out of their way to provide slightly better (or worse) but it’s not like the DSLR market where there is a huge difference between a low quality zoom and a high end prime. The Canon G9 includes a 35-210mm lens which is expectedly good and has the usual challenges of CA in extreme situations. There exists some debate over whether Canon should have left a shorter zoom on the camera with a wider aperture instead of this lens, and it’s a close call. Ultimately, on a compact where there is little flexibility to quickly extend the range, I think the greater zoom range will benefit more people but it’s a close call. A more clear cut preference would have been for the zoom range to start at 28mm. It’s a shame it doesn’t have that as the difference between 28mm and 35mm is much greater than the 7mm difference suggests.

As for the processing engine, some differences are starting to show on the market. Panasonic makes fantastic compact cameras but I’ve never liked their approach to noise reduction which I feel is too heavy handed in JPG mode although it comes down to taste in the end. The Canon G9 employs Canon’s Digic III engine. I would summarise its performance by saying that it strikes an excellent balance between noise reduction and detail at the lower ISO ranges. At ISO 800 and above, there’s not much it can do as image quality is not great anyway (garbage in = garbage out).

This brings me to the third aspect which is the sensor. In the DSLR world there are significant differences in the performance of sensors for image quality (CCD vs CMOS, FF vs DX, DX vs 4/3rds, etc). At the compact camera level, the differences narrow. At this size and also price range, you’re dealing which such small pieces of silicon there is only so much that can be done currently. As such, pixel density is typically the most significant factor in determining the quality that comes off the sensor (number of megapixels divided by the sensor size). If this density gets too great (i.e. too many megapixels on too small a sensor) you get issues with noise at much lower ISO’s and other problems. On the positive side with the G9, it offers the slightly larger 1/1.7” sensor but this is offset somewhat by cramming a class leading 12 megapixels into it. This is about the same pixel density as 7 or 8 megapixles on a slightly smaller sensor.

So, where does all of this leave us? Well, it basically means that save for a few exceptions, image quality on all compact cameras is surprisingly similar these days. You see, with all the camera manufacturers deeply committed to the “megapixel race” and therefore similar pixel densities, there is little difference in image quality other than the processing engines (which Canon implements well on the G9).

Now, before people start mailing me with 100% crops showing minor differences between model X and model Y, I’m not saying that everything is equal all the time. There are exceptions (both good and bad) and I’m not introducing an unbreakable rule. What I’m saying is that if a compact camera has been manufactured according to today’s standards and goals, it will turn out very predicable results with regards to noise and resolution.

The same goes for dynamic range. Highlight clipping is noticeable on almost all compact cameras. There is no magic formula or RAW format that will save a badly exposed image or high contrast scene – it’s a limitation of today’s technology and it applies to all the manufacturers. It’s also why I emphasize earlier the importance of good ergonomics on the G9 to be able to adjust exposure compensation.

And so finally, following this rant, we get to the G9. What we have on this camera is image quality that is, for lack of a better description, very predicable. It is predictably excellent at ISO 80 – 100 with very sharp images with little to no noise. It is predictably acceptable at ISO 200 for prints. It is predictably noisy at ISO 400, offering usable images but only to a point. And it’s predictably bad at ISO 800. It is just like many other sensors at 12 MP. Depending on your point of view, this is either great news or disappointing news. For me, given I’ve already accepted this industry trend, it’s a good thing as I know image quality under the right conditions can be very good. Of course, like always it’s a bit frustrating.

Until someone starts doing what Fuji did with the F10 / F11 / F30 / F31, offering fewer megapixels and therefore really genuinely good image quality at higher ISO’s, then don’t expect this trend to change unless a there is a technology breakthrough or unless larger sensors start shipping. Even Fuji it seems have made the departure from their old ways (their latest incarnation is now toeing the 12MP line) although we’ll see how this develops over time.

For this reason, I’m not going to bother posting 100% crops. You can find these in many places – if you're interested, I recommend starting here.

Instead, perhaps the easiest way for me to summarise real world image quality is to say what ISO’s I’m comfortable using for different purposes. These are not set in stone and are both guidelines and personal preferences only:

• ISO 80 – 100. Excellent detail and low amounts of noise. Noise can be visible in blue skies at 100% but it’s not an issue. Well exposed images are printable up to 13 x 19” with interpolation for regular viewing distances
• ISO 200. Noise definitely noticeable at 100%. Not noticeable in web prints. 6" x 8" and for well exposed images, 10 x 12” is OK here.
• ISO 400. For well lit scenes (e.g daylight), ISO 400 is acceptable. For low light scenes, I won’t show images at ISO 400 any larger than web resolution (e.g. 800 x 600). Prints at 6 x 4" is OK for well lit scenes.
• ISO 800. For well lit scenes (e.g. daylight), ISO 800 is acceptable for web resolution. For low light scenes it’s not usable for web. Not usable for prints in either case.
• ISO 1600. Not usable for anything except maybe your MSN avatar.

I’ll get to sample shots later.

I’ll now cover some other points of note around the imaging prowess of the Canon G9 which stuck out from my usage with the camera…

The first was auto white balance. I found this to be particularly accurate under tungsten lighting which was a surprise, and welcome.

For RAW, there are some resolution benefits but as I’ve commented before, the real benefit of RAW in the real world is more limited than people expect (or hope). It has definite benefits in being able to adjust white balance after the fact, and in producing non destructable files. On a DSLR, I use RAW all the time as the ability to pull details out of shadows / highlights is much greater due to the superior dynamic range of larger sensors. However, on the G9 I usually shoot in JPG and mark the files as read-only as soon as I copy them. RAW on a compact is something I typically like having, but not necessarily something I need. It does get some use however and I’m glad it’s there.

One nice extra feature is the ND (Neutral Density) option in the menu settings. This gives the opportunity to reduce shutter speed in well lit locations. An example of its real world usage is in the following image (click for larger version).

Again, a snapshot only but illustrates a point. This was on a bright day, but using the ND filter I was able to get the shutter speed down to around a second which caused blurring of the water. ND filters are very useful for creativity photography in the DSLR world and the same applies here.

IS worked fine – as it does on most implementations these days.

Finally coming back to hot shoe capability, here’s an example of a setup image which had the G9 stretched to its photographic capabilities (click for larger version).

Note there is some additional post processing on this image, which is described here.

Sample Shots
I’m wrapping up the image review section and thought I’d finish with a few sample shots. Each of these images has been post processed. I use photoshop, around a max of 1 – 2 minutes per image, rarely more. As with all my reviews, I offer my samples as evidence of my ability to use a camera effectively. I have only had this camera for a week resulting in a few mornings to shoot (and sandwiched either side of my major event last week which was covering the Federer – Sampras match), so the fact that I’m able to share a dozen and a half decent shots that in some cases are indistinguishable from entry level DSLR & kit lens quality, is quite promising.

 

Canon G9 Review - Conclusion (Part 4)

I’ve said before that it’s a great time to be in the market for buying a camera – technology has advanced to the point that bad choices are starting to get harder when it comes to equipment (although they’re certainly still there). The G9 is a good example of that, but this time it’s not its technology / internals that set it apart, it’s the design of the camera itself. Offering controls that put DSLR style / analogue controls into a compact body, my week of use with the G9 has allowed me to take better pictures more regularly (or more easily) than any compact camera I’ve used thus far.

The G9 doesn’t offer the same zoom range as the ultra-zooms so it’s not possible to compare like for like across the entire range of compact cameras, but if we rate cameras against the things that make DSLR’s so capable as photographic tools, I believe this is the most advanced compact camera on the market today. Minus a few exceptions, the image quality is as good as exists in the current high megapixel / small sensor market, the handling is far better than almost anything out there, and the build quality and number of options are excellent. Couple that with good quality glass and a sensible zoom range that is more useful than some of its 3x zoom rivals and you have a package that quite honestly, would have been able to sell well at a higher price than it currently does on today’s market.

And that’s perhaps my own real gripe – that Canon came so close to something extraordinary here and didn’t go the final mile. Even if it meant letting the price drift upwards I still wish they had added a 28mm wide starting point for the lens. I also wish that someone would find a way to market the other features that actually make a difference in images allowing them to settle on fewer megapixels and therefore better high ISO images. If Canon had done these things then they would have one of the best compact cameras ever made (and a good case for the top spot). Instead, we’ll just have to be satisfied for now with what is an excellent, highly recommended camera that excels at being what it should be – a photographic tool.

Portraits with a compact camera

Initially, I was just going to post this image but decided to describe a little about how it came about instead as I thought it might be of interest.

Currently, I'm experimenting and photograhing with a Canon G9 this week in order to gather enough information and samples to use in a review, which I'll post after this weekend. One of the fun parts of using the camera has been challenging myslef to see what I've been able to produce in the area of portraits - an area which is one of the greatest weaknesses of compact cameras.

The issue with using a compact camera to take portraits is typically threefold:

- Poor performance at high ISO (compared to DSLR's), meaning available light has to be very good
- Lack of good choices of flash
- Smaller sensor resulting in little or no shallow depth of field. It's a generalisation, but wide apertures / shallow depth of fields are typically much better than making everything sharp in portraiture

With 12 megapixels squeezed into a 1/1.7" sensor, the G9 doesn't break the mould for high ISO performance, but interestingly it does take a professional flash.

So, in an impromptu 5 minute shoot last night with Akuri (my wife and resident model), I mounted a Canon EX580 MKII flash. Side note - this setup creates a ridiculous looking piece of kit (I'll definitely include a picture in my review). It was late at night and we weren't in a studio so were working with the gear I just described, regular overhead tungsten lighting, a white wall as a background and another wall to bounce the flash off. With a little exposure adjustment, the camera / flash metered well and after a few shots, I felt I had a good portrait to work with for post processing (coverting to black and white, etc).

However, I like my portraits with a shallow depth of field and the 1/1.7" sensor of the G9 can't do anything about that. However, fortunately Photoshop can. Using the gradient tool and lens blur (similar to a technique I describe here), I was able to get an effect that looked similar to a natural lens bokeh / out of focus. It's not perfect (if you study the different planes of focus you can probably see some discrepencies) but this was a 2 minute fix and I wanted something that looked good, not necessarily super realistic.

Anyway, the result? Actually very good I thought. I've taken countless numbers of peoples' portraits with top of the range equipment and while this particular image is not groundbreaking, the fact that it can pass as something that I shot on high end gear is kinda cool. I am definitely very pleased with it. Perhaps more importantly, the final judge - the subject - was very happy too :).

For me, this is a picture I'll look back on to remind myself of the well known adage that that while gear is important, it's how you use it that really counts.

The image follows below. Click on it for a larger version.

Down

Continuing in my series of Muay Thai images... This was one of the last undercard matches at The Contender Asia. I was both pleased and fortunate to capture this shot as it was the last one thrown in the match... Click on the image for a larger version. Neither of the fighters pictured are contestants in the show.

Canon G9 Review Coming Soon

My love / hate relationship with compact cameras continues... I sold a couple of pieces of old kit and used what was left to buy a Canon G9 - touted as the most advanced compact camera on the market. I was on the fence about whether it needed another review, given that most major sites have covered it already, but after some convincing have decided to write up my thoughts. Expect that in about a week or so.

Federer vs Sampras

My press pass has been confirmed...

Next week I'll be driving up to Malaysia for 24 hours to shoot the Malaysia Independence Tennis - Clash of the Times - which will feature a once only match between Roger Federer and Pete Sampras.

Sampras, holder of a record 14 grand slams, retired several years ago but will be coming back to perform in this exhibition match. Federer should also need no introduction. He has been the best player in the world for four years running and will likely beat Sampras' Grand Slam count within the next 12 - 24 months. Many call him the greatest to have ever played, an unofficial title he'll almost certainly secure if he ever wins the French.

I've heard that Sampras has been training hard again as of late and apparently is still performing at a top flight level. Should be an entertaining match but irrespective of that, it'll be a great opportunity to see and capture the two greatest players of our generation.