I have a two part plea to make today. First, I would like for the city of Austin to try every possible workaround to prevent ever closing the Hike and Bike trail again. Fit people need a safety valve and with all the pools, gyms, basketball courts and such closed tighter than a clam's ass the hike and bike trail, for purposeful walking and running, is the last resort. I'll be happy to wear a face mask, practice good social distancing, even pay a fee, but for God's sake we can't expect people to sit in abject fear, staring into their TVs and monitors, watching Trump evolve fully into Emperor Palpatine before our very eyes (not being political here; you'll understand if you saw Monday's horrifying press briefing/campaign rally/psychotic ramble...) without a meager carrot of hope dangling in front of us. Which would be time on the trails.
The second part of that plea is to the runners and walkers. Please, please, please follow all the rules so we can keep this resource alive. Run far apart from each other. Practice good situational awareness at all times. Stop spitting when you run!!! And for the love of all that's rational and pure, please treat the f*cking trail like a two way street instead of spreading all the way across, or running straight down the middle.
We have to do our part or the authorities will start to channel the current federal government and try taking away all of our most basic rights. The most basic is the Hike and Bike Trail and our freedom to run.
And here's a personal request to all the type "A" business guy assholes using the trail for the first time: Hang up your stupid cell phone and stop making loud, obnoxious, arrogant 'business' phone calls in a very, very loud, braying voice as you trudge up and down the trail. I don't think the female runners are impressed. At all. And I know I'm not. Not having a phone in your face might help with your situational awareness and increase public safety. I don't want to hear about how your company is planning to game the system and take money intended for poor waiters, retail employees and health care workers out of the current stimulus bill. I don't care if you need it for the down payment on your next Escalade. I just want you to walk forward in a straight line instead of weaving all over the place as you bluster...
Okay. We're through with that rant.
I'm ramping up my marketing, it's something we do when we perceive that we're about 60 days away from a new seller's market. Come hell or high water the politicians are going to open up the economy on May 15 --- June 1st at the latest, no matter how many additional deaths that might cause. Something about shareholder value and using those new tax incentives... But whatever the reason it might be an opportunity to make some cash before the system crashes again with the next sloppy outbreak of contagion. (see today's news from China and Singapore).
Part of the new marketing is finding ways to make virus preparedness and virus workarounds into stories that allay client fears about doing video and photography work. We'll talk a lot about sanitizing things, using longer lenses to distance ourselves, we'll wear protective gear instead of those stupid photo/fishing vests and we'll have belts with a holster on either side to hold our spray bottles of hand sanitizer.
When it comes to actual production we'll turn our own fear of driving to jobs with assistants or crew crammed next to us in cars to pitch the benefits (both health/safety and economic) of having a solo person instead of a swollen team to interact with on location. What could possibly go wrong?
I wanted to write something here about travel and vacations but that would be too mean and may be impossible for a good long times as all the places I want to go are being too careful to welcome me from my home country.
Instead I'll write about how I was thinking it would be cool to shoot more video in a style similar to what we do with street photography and less as though we were trying to shoot big production movies. To that end I've been thinking about getting a smaller and less complicated video camera that could be used more nimbly than the typical interchangeable lens, hybrid solution. Full frame, 4K cameras are great for measured and carefully planned shoots but I started thinking how great it would be to have a camcorder or palm sized video solution. Something with built in neutral density and a long zoom range. Fast focusing and more depth of field...
Thinking about this for nearly a day seemed to work and I pulled out a Panasonic FZ2500 that somehow magically re-appeared. I'd forgotten what a great, little camcorder substitute this thing is. More to follow on that later. Extra batteries charging (uses the same battery as the Sigma fp and the Panasonic GX8. Happy days.)
In lighter and happier news we had a great anniversary. We ate scrumptious Chinese food and drank Moet Chandon Imperial Champagne. Belinda made a delicious chocolate cake with walnuts (my fave) sprinkled all the over the top, in the icing/frosting. We watched a fun movie on Netflix and generally said nice things to each other. We promised to hold it all together for at least one more year.
Novoflex Leica R to L-mount adapter coming from a place called CameraWest on Friday. Can't wait to be able to use the 90mm Elmarit lens on one of the big S1R bodies. Should be fun.
Finally, I was reading Thom Hogan's blog today and he was writing about the market for cameras in the USA being down by 60% this March versus same time last year. I never thought about it until he mentioned it but both Canon and Nikon must be taking the global economic shut down especially hard. With no sports being played, or broadcast, or covered for ESPN, etc. and the postponement of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, those two camera makers must be getting endless cancellations of all orders of Nikon D6s and Canon 1DXmkxxxxx cameras. Why bother buying them if no one, NO ONE is paying you to use them? And as I was writing this it dawned on me that this would also adversely affect lenses sales...I foresee endless rebates on a forest of white and gray lenses. But even with rebates will mortals take the bait? And where will the extra cash come from?
And if no one is in the market for these cool cameras then is DP Review still going to write 20 or 30 different reviews for each one? And why? Amazon won't be selling anymore as a result. Oh, the trickle down is merciless...
Finally, as the ad revenue at the big site dries up have you noticed that new camera reviews have been largely replaced with soppy articles and videos about which camera the writers started out with as photo-children and how to shoot film with that old Konica you found in your parent's attic. Sexy writing for sure. Can't wait to read all over again about the Pentax K1000... Or the Nikon FM. Or to read the younger writers as they wax poetic over their bromance with their first Nikon D70. Canon Digital Rebel or Sony Photo Magic camera. If the market for cameras doesn't recover will we soon be reading quasi nostalgic articles about how to develop your first roll of film. I want to see some video of Barney trying to load a roll of 35mm onto a developing reel. That should be sweet. We'll tell them afterwards about how you have to turn out the lights first.
Go and buy a camera from your local camera store. Maybe they'll appreciate the gesture. Me? I'm still waiting for the next price drop on used Leica SLs. Do they read this on the west coast???
31 comments:
One of the most exciting bits of news for me was hearing Panasonic say that they were going to bring out a entry level FF camera at some stage. I've fallen in love with the Panny ergonomics etc but the S1 camera (and the new lenses) etc are just too big and bulky for the personal work I want to do.
I still think there is a market for a smaller camera with smaller lenses. Especially a few handy primes. A smaller FF camera and a near normal-sized 35mm and 50mm would suit me down to the ground..... As a workaround I now use an LX100 with the step-zoom setting activated it's a bit like going out with a set of primes! The "poor man's Leica M" ha ha ;-)
One of the reasons for the film nostalgia at DPReview is that they are fed up with the constant fanboy-style arguments on their forums. They have seen that the film photography side of the internet (most notably Negative Positives on Facebook, 35mmc.com and emulsive.org) have much more civilised and friendly discussions. So they asked Hamish Gill of 35mmc to run an analog forum on DPReview. I think the film articles have simply followed on from that.
All the thing you said in your rant are the reasons why here in Spain running and biking is forbidden, and you can see me every morning jump up and down in front of a YouTube fitness video like a caged squirrel... With the difference that the government here just assumed we would be all a**holes and didn't even try. Sigh.
One of the perks of this slow down is that I have set up a work out area in my studio and I am working out every day. This has been going on for nearly three weeks and I am getting into the kind of shape I haven't seen since I was in my 20s.
My wife just gave birth to our third child, another little boy we have named Theodore. So I will use some of the slower pace to enjoy his littleness.
On the business front, no later than may 1. The tone is changing so fast, mostly because every new study is showing this thing isn't very deadly and recently comparisons between countries that shut down and countries that didn't show little health benefit to the closed economies.
I was at our local hospital, and they had 2 cases, and the hospital is empty. Ask the nurses or doctors and they agree this virus is not as dangerous as it was first believed, by many magnitudes.
Still we should all continue to practice good hygiene and protect the vulnerable... But this was sensible before the pandemic.
I guess things are very different in Canada, but it looks pretty deadly here in the USA, especially in the multiple hot spots. I guess the message is that we need to "suck it up" and get on with the business of business. Perhaps if it had been handled more efficaciously we might be closer to that.
Stay well,
Rick
Local municipalities here in Ontario, Canada have shut down most trails and all public parks. People weren't listening so everything got barricaded. We haven't gone to a complete shelter in place and curfews yet but we might if people continue to be ignorant. This generation of humanity is not built for hardship and sacrifice. As a culture we've become entitled and self-centred, unable to see anything beyond what affects us personally. Look at the hardships previous generations of people have had to endure-multiple wars, economic depressions, civil unrest and violence. Now? We can't go to Starbucks or our favorite restaurant for a little while and we can't handle it.
I doubt camera sales will bounce back after this, not for a very long time. In fact, it may take another major leap in technology to bring people back to the camera market, whatever that development may be. There are an awful lot of people facing financial ruin right now and the road ahead, even when things begin to return to normal, will be a very painful one for many. No one cares about cameras right now, nor should they. Everyone with a newer phone already has a camera good enough to serve their needs. You and I might be financially solvent Kirk but many people are not.
Lovely photo of Belinda (as always), Kirk. The green of the rosemary bunch echoing her face, just wonderful.
Huw
Kirk,
I wholeheartedly agree with your thoughts regarding running. It is very important to me as a daily exercise and mental health outlet, but in my current location it can be torture, to the point that my wife has stopped running from the stress it was causing her. Groups of 3-5 or more walking side-by-side spanning the entire path. Single folks walking right down the middle of the path and oblivious to anything except their phone. My favorite are the folks who give you the stink-eye when you announce your approach and ask them to please make some space. I don't understand, because they should want to stay away from me just as much as I want to stay away from them. I don't want to draw any conclusions, but I am in a state led by folks who have continued to downplay the risks, so maybe the people I'm encountering don't know any better. Luckily, there's much less traffic so I am generally able to run in the street against traffic so that I can move over when a car approaches. Yes, running in the street is currently a better choice than running on the path.
In response to "ODL Designs," congratulations on your new child and for being fortunate to live in an area that is not yet being affected by Covid-19. I would respectfully suggest that your hospital may not be representative of the broader situation, but I hope it stays that way for you and your neighbors. I would not bet my health on it. I'm not sure where you are reading that there are no differences in health outcomes between countries that do/do not shut down, but your source is incorrect. I would direct you to comparisons between places like South Korea and Taiwan vs the US/UK or Norway and Finland vs Sweden. I do agree that recent studies are showing that undetected infections (and thus total infections) are greater than previously suspected, bringing down the absolute mortality rate, but please note that there is also growing evidence of significant undercounting of Covid-19 deaths in many countries. Regardless of the absolute mortality rate, loud voices wanting to restart the economy can't change the fact that getting Covid-19 is still a risky proposition, especially for anyone with a variety of (common) pre-existing conditions. Dead is dead, and getting dead via respiratory failure while isolated from your loved ones is about the worst way I can think of going out.
Everyone please stay safe, and to the far right or left (depending on your country) side of the path...
"business guy assholes using the trail for the first time: Hang up your stupid cell phone and stop making loud, obnoxious, arrogant 'business' phone calls in a very, very loud, braying voice as you trudge up and down the trail."
Hear hear. May we also add non business types (usually younger man that think everyone with in earshot wants to listen to their meaningless conversations.
(PS according to the Grammarist Hear hear is the correct spelling for the use above not here here. It's original intent was to say "listen up"
As much as I have little use for our Canadian Prime Minister he acted in a much quicker and decisive manner than what happened in the US. Hence our overall Covid-19 impact is minimal compared to the US. We in Calgary have been hit relatively hard and there have been a significant number of deaths. Anyone who thinks this decease is not deadly is delusional. Our federal and provincial governments began a concerted Covid-19 campaign close to a month before any action was taken in the US. That saved a lot of lives and continues to do so. To take the foot off the gas at this point is inviting a catastrophe.
I agree with your opinion of the alpha male business cellphone users. They have always been this way but now need to find new venues to posture and bluster since the offices are shut down. All part of the small penis syndrome imho.
I haven't touched a digital camera since all this Covid-19 crap started. I have however shot 11 rolls of 36 Kodak TX400 in various cameras. It's all part of my Covid -19 documentary work. Something to keep me busy and out of the house (employing social distancing of course) plus having fun in my darkroom.
Love the photo of Belinda, as always.
Take care,
Eric
Add to your observations the groups of teens I see passing me in cars their parents bought for them (the only car ever handed down to me was a dilapidated Datsun 500 that only occasionally ran) while I'm heading to Kroger to wait patiently for my groceries to be magically loaded into the trunk. I cannot fathom the reasoning behind letting your teenager socialize in a confined space with her peers.
And, while I probably won't wax poetic about it, I did love my Nikon D50. It was my gateway into DSLRs and "proper" photography.
I'm most certainly looking for an opportunity to buy from our great local camera retailer, Robert's Camera (and their UsedPhotoPro ebusiness). I do fear that my local Carmel, IN branch won't survive this whole thing, they were clinging to existence BC-19.
I would like to hear more about your thoughts of the Panny FZ-2500 as a replacement for a normal camcorder. But it brings with it the threat of nostalgia for my FZ-1 :)
Love the rant! I walk, don't run. I guess there are assholes, of all types, just about everywhere.
Raymond, I'm pretty sure we don't have a monopoly here in Austin...
A friend is gonna use all of his newfound free time to film his daily cooks on his grill/smoker. He told me bought an old Canon camcorder but I recommended he send it back and get a FZ2500. It's a wonderful tool for shooting video and if you look hard enough, you can get a good used copy for a little over $, which is an absolute steal for all that in can do.
I've never understood why it hasn't gotten more love as an all-in-one solution for those who just want to shoot gorgeous video with as little fuss as possible.
Long term reader, first time commenter.
Hear hear! Love the rant, you nailed it so we don't have to.
Not going to comment on the current unpleasantness, others have done so, and done so well.
I do want to say after a year of camera searching, I finally went up to my attic about four months ago and broke out both my Nikon FM2n and my Pentax K1000 SE. I then ordered a brick of Tri-X, and it's been pretty fun. It seems real.
How did I get there? Nikon Df to Z7 to OMD M-5 to Pen F to OMD M1 II to Sony A7II to Sony A7R4 to Nikon Z50 with two kit lenses. The Z50 is appliance for me, it works and it's "good enough," so I use it for documentation. What started all of this? I bought an iPhone 11 Pro Plus right before I went on vacation in the Caribbean...and realized I never had to carry a big heavy bag again while walking around the DR or Columbia.
There's more to it than that, but I just wanted to duck my head in and say hi, and thanks for your blog.
Good times.
Thanks Bob. Welcome.
That rosemary makes me want steak with a rosemary and red wine sauce. Or maybe I can make some rosemary focaccia. Plenty survived on the windowsill this winter and has now been happy being outside even in the 40 degree weather. Got sourdough starter in the fridge and up here in northern NY State it's still cool enough to bake. Snow flurries today. Which keep the mutton-heads inside so perhaps my wife and I can enjoy an unmolested walk on the old railroad bike-trail. But we're pretty small town so not many people anyway. For once, it's a blessing to be a photog in a small town.
Now that Nikon FM ... my first camera (before the FM2's). Immediately sold the 50 it came with and bought a 35 and 85 F2. Felt like I could rule the world and at least in my mind I did. Well, my own little slice of the photography-for-money world anyway. Wonder when we finally flip the big old Frankenstein knife-switch on the economy, all sparking and crackling with the electricity of commerce, if I can again rule my own little slice of the photography-for-money world with just a fast 35 and 85.
Hi Kirk,
I go to your blog every morning hoping there is at least oneness entry. I then devour it, accompanied with my cup of double espresso, and laugh, learn and enjoy. I don't comment very often but it is not because I do not appreciate the time you devote to this great blog.
You sure hit the nail on the head with your most recent rant. I too hate loudmouths, usually males, on phones sharing their important words with us. I find it is even more prevalent now than ever.
I have been staying sane working at home by getting on my bicycle, either in the basement or on the road when weather permits, for 60-90 minutes a day. What a great respite.
I have barely taken a photo since the beginning of the pandemic so my Nikon z7 andLeica Q2 sit quietly resting also. Like others, I worry about local camera retailers. Here in Rochester, we basically have one left, Rowe Photo. They do a great job with a knowledgeable staff but I think, from conversations with a few of them, that it will not be easy for them to recover.
In any event Kirk, keep entertaining and enlightening us during these dark days. Now if only Panasonic were to issue an L mount camera of regular size, like the Leica Q2 or Leica M's; what fun that would be to use with the little sigma l-mount primes!!
Best, Ed
Thanks Ed. It would just be nice if people were more aware of their surroundings. Perhaps a bit more courteous about "sound pollution." When I run for dictator of the world the first thing I will do is to banish cellphones in public areas. Just as one goes into a private stall in a restroom to empty one's bowels I would require the same discretion for making phone calls. People just can't concentrate on being nice people with a computer stuck to their face.
And did I mention that we never take a cellphone along when we go for walks?
Camera West is the best. Has been my singular dealer for all photo equipment for years.
Here's a thought - Treat this like your living on another planet - one that may be toxic if you venture outside. While the scientists figure out ways to make the atmosphere more habitable, activities are restricted. You have space in the studio - buy a treadmill as you don't need a new camera right now, but can gain a whole lotta benefit from the exercise and avoid the a*#$holes that are too stupid to follow rules and end up ruining being outside for everyone. Put a screen in front of it (iPad works well) - choose something of interest to watch and then run while enjoying the show.This is a world war with us against aliens and the aliens are still wining.
no.
With all due disrespect to the male idiots talking loudly on their phones while in shared spaces, I see more women doing this while walking on the bike path where I am. Apparently it's not a gender-specific weakness.
It's about equal here. The men just talk much, much louder and absolutely ignore everyone around them.
More serious female runners than male runners though so it make the total percentage of male idiots statistically higher...
Re: Camera Sales ... This too shall pass. Companies will need high quality images and videos for marketing. Eventually. I won't worry unless I see people turning their screens off in favor of books.
Re: Running/Walking paths ... My bipedal exercise has been on suburban sidewalks for decades. Never crowded. Lots of friendly smiles and waves. No inconsiderate morons.
Stay well.
Same rant on the trails here in Georgia. People social distancing by walking abreast of each other rather than single file. How many times do I have to run past them 6+ feet off the trail?
Apparently the deeper or harder one is breathing, the more virus one exhales and the farther it can be expelled. There was that cluster of infections from a singing practice group in Seattle that were distancing, but singing apparently requires farther distancing than talking.
Running must require some extremely far distances to avoid any potential viral load. Coughing may still be the worst though.
Just don’t overdo the exercise:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/exercise-immunity-coronavirus/2020/04/14/a4dcb5f4-7e82-11ea-8013-1b6da0e4a2b7_story.html?cv-campaign=4fda08e2fbca0387b958bb44bf5cc2b6&utm_campaign=wp_to_your_health&utm_content=2020_04_15&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_tyh
Scott, When I run at dawn I see one or two people PER MILE on the trail. It's only after the sun is up and people have had their first coffee that they come out in droves and bunch up...
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