more on cameras

I am still thinking about this whole camera buying, and by extension testing and reviewing thing.  I also just re-visited an old favourite photoblog of mine, belonging to Sam Jarouvnah at the Daily Dose of Imagery.  He always impresses me, not least with his blogging stamina!  I really like his bold, wide angle record of city life, especially as Toronto gets proper seasons and doesn't just look the same all year round.  Anyhows, on scrolling back through the days I came across his note to a snow bound Christmas Eve shot:

I’m playing with the Canon 5D Mark II and so far it's been really great. The resolution and the detail is remarkable. And after shooting hundreds of frames for over an hour in snow storm it proved to be really weather resistant. The camera was completely wet and the wheel at the back was frozen so I had to break the ice to turn it but the camera came out unharmed and performed great. I'll post more impressions later.

Now that is what I call worthwhile camera testing.  None of those stupid test cards or set up shots in studios and endless specification disection.  Sam's review is of the kind that would have me outside Jessops on Monday morning, waiting for them to open.  Well, almost... 

Camera testing for me usually takes the form of trying to shoot in dingy artificial light and get a decent photograph.  Cat Power came for Christmas, should really watch that at some point...

MIR-1 37mm at f/2.8, 1/125th sec, 800 ISO

As a footnote to anyone in Hull.  Next time you're near the St Stephens shed, take a quick look at the massive photographs of the great Hull lifestyle that you all live, that have been blown up on the walls in there.  Check out the terrible chromatic aberation left totally uncorrected.  Now when the image is going to be 30' high, that might be the occasion on which a little pixel peeping might just be worthwhile...