22nd June 2009 - Best Digital Compact Ever?

The big day is finally coming. A day I have been waiting ages for. Finally, someone has produced a digital compact camera that a professional photographer will consider worth owning. The beautiful new Olympus E-P1 is part of a new breed of cameras based around the micro 4/3rds imaging sensor. Why is this so exciting? Read on...

Almost all digital compact cameras have puny sized imaging sensors (approximately the same size as a dried pea and not much better than a dried pea). Forget megapixels... megapixels relate to the amount of pixels on a sensor, not the actual size of the sensor. The new Olympus E-P1 is hugely different. It has a whopping great sensor like those in the Olympus DSLR range.

A puny pea sized sensor in a typical digital compact camera is capable of capturing reasonable photographs in bright light at ISO 100. But if you dim the lights and increase the ISO to 400 or above you may as well get out a notepad and draw the picture with a blunt pencil. Compact digital cameras produce notoriously noisy images in dim light. They're so bad that I rarely use one.

Cue the new Olympus... it's the first real attempt to produce a compact camera with the image quality of a DSLR. Not only that, it has interchangeable lenses like the old 70's rangefinders! The closest thing to this new camera is the hugely expensive Leica M8. Sure, there have been a few other contenders like the Sigma DP-1 and the Epson RD-1 but I really do think Olympus is going to have trouble keeping up with demand for this camera. At £700, it's certainly not cheap but that will change after a few months.

You may also have noticed the adverts on TV for the new Panasonic/Lumix DMC-G1 DSLR camera. It too is based on the micro 4/3rds technology. However, it still looks too big to fit in a jacket pocket. If it's too big to go in your pocket, you'll have to carry it over your shoulder or in a bag. If you have to carry it over your shoulder or in a bag then you may as well buy a full size DSLR which will give superior image quality for half the price. So what's the point?

So, sign me up for the new Olympus E-P1 complete with the super slim 17mm pancake lens and I'll be in heaven (and in debt!)

15th June 2009 - Memory Card Madness!

If you're shooting with a digital camera, you will already own at least one memory card. Have you bought, or have you been tempted to buy, an extra memory card? If so, you'll probably be aware that most cards have a speed rating e.g. 40x, 133x etc.

Does the speed of a memory card really matter? Yes, but not as much as the manufacturers would like us to believe. If you normally only take one shot at a time then card speed is usually irrelevant. By the time you’re ready to take the next photograph, the previous one has already been written to the card. If, however, you’re one of those machine gunners who likes to rattle off 10 or 15 frames in a row then card speed can sometimes make a difference, but not very often.

Card speed is measured in MB/sec (megabytes per second). So, for example, if a card has a write speed of 8MB/sec and each photograph you take is approximately 4MB in size then a maximum of 2 photographs can be written to the memory card every second. Using this example, one could wrongly assume that the camera would be limited to taking two photographs per second. That isn’t the case. There are two reasons why card speed isn’t as important as manufacturers imply:

Reason 1: Cameras have their own built in memory.

All digital cameras have their own built in high-speed memory (called a buffer). This varies in size depending on the camera. Even if you are using a slow memory card, your camera will still allow you to shoot at its maximum speed (which could be up to 10 frames per second, depending on your camera) until its buffer is full. Only when the camera’s buffer is full will the camera start to slow down. Today’s modern DSLR cameras usually allow you to fire off a good number of shots before you notice a drop in shooting speed (at least 10 frames and usually many more). In my opinion, if you keep your finger on the button to shoot off more than 10 frames in a row, you’re either trying to scare birds or you’re wasting your time.

Reason 2: Cameras can only write at a certain speed.

So, you’ve splashed out on a super duper expensive 30MB/sec memory card for your camera. But… can your camera actually write data to the card at a speed of 30MB/sec? Not many cameras can, so all that money has been wasted. You may as well have bought an 8MB/sec memory card.

Times are changing

Only now is memory card speed becoming something to seriously consider. Why? Some of the latest DSLR cameras have high quality video capability. Shooting full resolution high definition video creates huge files that will fill a small memory card quickly. If your memory card is too slow, your video will be cut short because the camera will not be able to write to the card fast enough.

Q: My new DSLR camera shoots HD video. Will I need a super duper 333x 30MB/sec memory card?

A: No, you won’t. These fast 30MB/sec cards are like formula 1 cars (very fast, but pointless on public roads with a 60mph limit). Check your user manual and you will probably find that a card with a write speed of around 8MB/sec will be fine.

To put things into perspective, my current camera (the Canon EOS 5D mkII) shoots full resolution 1080p HD video files. It also shoots massive 21-megapixel RAW images at around 4 frames per second. The card I use has a write speed of 8.8MB/sec, a capacity of 16GB and cost around £35. It does the job perfectly. It allows me to shoot quickly. I can rattle off a handful of frames whenever I choose and it handles the huge video files without complaint. By avoiding one of the newer UDMA 333x 30MB/sec mega memory cards, I saved over £100.

End of lecture.

9th June 2009 - Auto Sensor Cleaning

Automatic sensor cleaning. Good or bad?

Are you the owner of a modern DSLR camera that has an automatic sensor cleaning function? Do you have it set to ON? If so, have you thought of the consequences?

My Canon EOS 5D MkII is the first DSLR I have owned that has this relatively new function. At first this sounded like a great idea. When you switch the camera off, it automatically vibrates the sensor at high speed to shake off any dust particles that may have attached themselves. Sounds good, but does it work?

The first few weeks with my new camera were fine. Images were outstanding and not a single speck of dust was to be seen. However, after one shoot, I was inspecting my RAW files on the computer and on the latter half of a series of images was a dirty great splodge of muck. This splodge was present in exactly the same position across approximately 40 images. What made this even more annoying was that I had used the same lens for the entire shoot. If you are going to contaminate your sensor with dust, it will usually happen during lens changes when the shutter chamber is exposed to the elements. As the lens had not left my camera, how did this massive cow pat appear on the sensor?

The reason for this dust invasion was almost certainly the "Auto Sensor Clean" function. Like most DSLRs, my camera is set to switch itself off automatically after a short period (1 minute in my case). To awaken the camera I just need to lightly press the shutter button. What I didn't realise is that each time the camera goes into sleep mode, it operates the auto sensor cleaning function. So, in between taking photographs, my camera had been furiously cleaning itself to death every time it went to sleep. This could have happened 15 or 20 times during the afternoon. Logic dictates that you can't shake something vigorously all afteroon without disturbing something. My camera had shaken itself so much that it had thrown up a rogue particle which had managed to glue itself to the sensor.

This theory came to me as I was browsing my images on the computer. I grabbed my camera, removed the lens, opened the shutter and there she was... a great big chunk of debris staring at me from the surface of the sensor. I switched the camera on and off about 10 times so that the auto cleaning function operated continuously. This eventually shifted the particle and the sensor was now clean again.

Since that day, the auto cleaning function has been set permanently off on my camera.

What's the point of cleaning a sensor that is already clean? If you jump in the shower in the morning do you get out, dry yourself, get dressed and then jump straight back in the shower again? Of course not... you wait until you start to smell a bit and then have a shower. It's logical.

So, do yourself a favour... turn off the auto sensor cleaning function on your camera. You'll save battery power and you run less risk of contaminating an already clean sensor. If you notice a speck of dust, turn it back on again until the dust disappears.

3rd June 2009 - Brilliant new DVD range!

We are now an official UK retailer of Jumpstart products. Jumpstart make a range of excellent tuition DVDs for a wide range of popular digital SLR cameras, studio lighting advice and video production. Each DVD is split into simple chapters and cover all aspects of each subject in great detail. With helpful diagrams and clear video presentation they make getting to grips with your photographic equipment easier and more enjoyable than ever before.

26th May 2009 - More Reader's Photos

Apologies for not getting round to this sooner. Things have been mental here over the last few weeks. Business is brisk but it seems ages since I last managed to get out for a few hours with my own camera.

For the newbies out there, this is where I review a handful of photographs that readers have emailed us. The best of each bunch gets a 25% discount voucher for our website shop. Simple eh?

If you would like to contribute, please email your best shot to: 

OK, here goes...

Douglas Hill - Twickenham, UK (Nikon D80, 1/90sec @ f4.8, ISO 100, 31mm)

Douglas actually sent in two different photos but in the interests of fairness I chose the best of the two pictures to show on the blog. This is a nice detail shot of what I assume is a war monument and almost certainly to do with the Royal Air Force. Douglas has done well to avoid the usual cliché photo. Most happy snappers would have taken a shot of the whole monument with their partner or friend standing grinning to one side. By concentrating on a part of the structure, Douglas has succeeded in creating an interesting photograph that at first appears to be monochrome. Only after a few seconds do you realise it is in fact a colour photograph. Sharpness and exposure are good and I can't really find a way to criticise it. Well done Douglas!

Simon Moody - Warwickshire, UK (Canon EOS 20D, 5secs @ f5.6, ISO 100, 28mm)

This is a great shot. A very nicely composed shot of somewhere in Alcester. Simon rightly resisted the temptation to increase the ISO on his camera to compensate for the low light levels. Instead he has obviously used a tripod (or borrowed the roof of someone's car) and kept the ISO at 100. This has ensured a lovely noise-free image of optimum quality. In light levels like this, a tripod should really be treated as essential unless you're one of those arty farty types who think noisy and blurred images look great. The curve of the street and the light from those posh pavement lights make it a tasty shot. *sigh* Pavement lights? What's the world coming to? You won't see those here in Cumbria... there was an old gas street light behind my house until just last year!

Michelle Jones - Ludlow, UK (Nikon D200)

This is an absolutely beautiful shot taken at a local May fair. A tripod, long shutter speed and excellent composition have helped create a finely detailed photograph that is bursting with colour and visual interest. Michelle has captured the movement of the wheel, the buzz of the crowd and the atmosphere of the evening in a single photo. I can't criticise this shot and I would be proud if I had taken it.

Jack's Conclusion 

First of all, well done everyone this time around. All your photos were good and I enjoyed looking for criticisms! Michelle Jones gets the 25% discount voucher this time. Her photo is impossible to criticise and I find it interesting and artistic. It's a photo I would have on the wall in my home without hesitation. Well done Michelle! Keep shooting!

20th May 2009 - New Gallery & New Products

Before I start... No, I haven't forgotten about reviewing some more of your photos. It's been a really busy week for me but keep an eye on the blog over the next few days and I'll get some posted on here.

Some of our more observant visitors may have noticed that we have a new section on this site called "Customer's Pics". This will be a portfolio of photographs that were taken using any product bought from Jack the Hat Photographic. So, if you've taken a great looking photo using anything you have bought from us, send it to us at: . It doesn't matter what item you used. Perhaps you used one of our effects filters, a flash diffuser, one of our backdrops or even a tripod. All good quality shots will be gladly accepted. We'll post your details underneath along with a link to your own website or Flickr gallery (if you have one). You always retain copyright on every image you email us.

Before I sign off, we have just taken stock of some brand new products. We now have the brand new Lumiquest Quik Bounce unit along with metallic inserts for other Lumiquest products. We also have some new grey cards, tone cards and focus calibration cards from Perfect-Pixs. Please take a look.

15th May 2009 - Life Magazine

A quick blog update to let you know about one of the world's most famous magazines.

Life Magazine and picture agency Getty have "joined forces to provide you instant access to millions of breathtaking photographs - for free.”  … “When you find a photo you like, you’ll be able to share it, print it, and sometimes even buy it.”

This is fabulous news and quite a surprise. The collection of photographs owned by Life Magazine is highly regarded and many of them have long been forgotten about and were hidden away from the public gaze. Now we can all browse through their archives at our leisure completely free of charge. There are some stunning photographs, some of which are so famous that they have literally changed the world by influencing public opinion at the time of their release.

As a photographer, I can now rummage through their archives and gain inspiration from some of the greatest photographers of all time.

So, why not try it? Visit Life Magazine here.

10th May 2009 - New Lumiquest Videos

This is not really a sales pitch, but Lumiquest's Quest C. Couch has released a series of good informative videos explaining the benefits and drawbacks of using a flashgun. He explains how a smaller light source introduces harsher shadows and how using some of the Lumiquest products softens the light to create the now famous softbox effect. There are a series of videos which we have now embedded into our website on the relevant product pages. Please see our range of Lumiquest flashgun accessories to see each video.

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