Jim Marks Photography

Ant & Dec for The Sun

jim — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:32:20 +0000

Glasses Direct

jim — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:50:25 +0000

Fuji X100

admin — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:10:45 +0000

In truth, the Fuji X100 is the first affordable romantic camera of the digital age. Styled to look like a Leica with a still revolutionary electronic EVF viewing system this was a breakthrough camera for Fuji and appears to be the key to their whole new range from the X10 compact to the new interchangeable lens X Pro 1 system. Its the one camera that countless working photographers have bought, I got mine at Focus last year and its generated more comments than any other. It has dreadful manual focus and a back scroll button that was designed in the pub on a Friday. However all this is forgiven with a cracking sensor, great lens, high flash sync and brilliant low light performance. Top tip is to put it in manual focus mode with the AEL button under your right thumb for selecting focus – much easier !

Canon C300

admin — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 23:52:25 +0000

Finally got a hands on with the Canon C300 before Christmas and it shows how dangerous it is to compare specs without actually trying the product. This was a genuine surprise, as all the prior press had negatively focused on its projected price of $20,000 and 8bit colour space. It’s very natural to hold and passes the “can I use it without a manual test ” with ease. This is combined with built in ND filters, the ability to see in the dark and cheap media and batteries. It also supports IS in all Canon lenses, another plus for low light. Unlike the Sony F3, it’s also deemed fit for broadcast (BBC) straight from the box. It’s still expensive (just below £10K) and the lack of 10bit colour and slow-mo in 1080p seems daft but this is going to be a popular camera.

Elinchrom Quadra

admin — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 23:48:20 +0000

This is what I use the whole time, day in, day out. The Elinchrom Quadra really is a stand out flash product, small and yet punchy as hell. It just hits that sweet spot of being portable enough to make speed lights redundant and yet with enough power so that you leave the mono blocks at home. The flash head itself is tiny (unlike ProFoto) meaning you can sling them in your carry on luggage or on a bike. They do a very slick mini soft box and Octa and Lastolite now do an adaptor ring to fit their range. For the future it would be great to get a more advanced battery which would shrink the unit even further and maybe even a constant light LED option running off the same power source…you can but dream.