Leica CL Review and Sample Photos / November 29, 2017 by Benjamin Traves

The brand new Leica CL has arrived!

I have been testing it and I will be posting my thoughts and more importantly, lots of sample photos very soon. Check back for more!

Leica CL - my first quick conversion to B&W from a raw file (DNG)

Quick unscientific test of dynamic range. Full sunlight to heavy shadow, and the CL did pretty well.

Below is a slideshow gallery of some of the test photos I took in a wide variety of light conditions. All were DNG processed in Lightroom and adjusted slightly to suit my preferences. Some of them have a film look which I added. The files look great to me so far and I'm looking forward to shooting more soon.

Leica X-U is here! Now you really can always have a Leica with you! / January 21, 2016 by Benjamin Traves

The Leica X-U (photo by Leica Camera AG)

The best camera is the one that's with you, unless you've ever owned an underwater compact camera. The Leica X-U is about to change all that. Nothing on the market has ever inspired much confidence in terms of image quality, even if the waterproofing and shock resistance were neat (often essential) features. Not since the Nikonos (film) series has anything compact been worthwhile for serious underwater photos. Not counting the pro standard of using a DSLR in an underwater housing, this is the best possible underwater / outdoor adventure camera.

Even if you do count housed DSLRs as an option (typically double the cost of your camera by itself), consider that this new Leica X-U has an APS-C sensor, the same as in most DSLRs on the market today. So, what are you giving up, really? Interchangeable lenses (I would have probably put a 35mm lens on mine anyway). An optical viewfinder (difficult to use underwater) and you'll still have Live View so that's roughly the same. AND, this has macro mode plus a built-in macro flash, so no dorky, bulky flash arms protruding from either side of your heavy, borderline unmanageable underwater housing rig. In short, this camera packs a lot in a small form factor.

A visit to either the Florida Keys or maybe even the Bahamas seems necessary now...

Fujifilm X100T Hands-On Preview Video / January 14, 2015 by Benjamin Traves

Here's a quick hands-on video of the Fuji X100T:

Be sure to follow me on Vimeo and YouTube!

My full review of the Fujifilm X100T is coming soon! If you already know you'd like to buy the camera right now, here's the link:

Fujifilm X100T 16 MP Digital Camera (Black) Buy on Amazon

Aerial / August 16, 2014 by Benjamin Traves

I've always enjoyed looking out the window on airplanes. I've missed good shots by having my camera in my bag so this time I left it out almost the entire flight over the deserts and mountains of the Southwest. I did a mini series of my favorite images from the set, just for fun and as something different in my personal work. These were all taken with the Sony RX1-R

This button links to the gallery on my site:

Aerial - Gallery