Canon EOS 1D Mark IV Review 2021 (Part 1)

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV Review 2021 (Part 1)

November 2021, Carl Garrard

  

My review of the 1D Mark IV is a culmination of over two years of proud ownership and experience. Before I dive in though, I must say that it doesn't seem appropriate to write a review about the Canon 1D Mark IV without having first given a nod of  respect to the important heritage of the 1D series digital cameras. All of them have a nearly impeccable reputation amongst the most demanding photographers in their (relatively) short 21 year history. Mostly, this is due to the fact that these same photographers have worked in the most demanding of all situations and climates. Sometimes even life and death situations. And when the reliability of your gear is that important, photographers have consistently reached out for Canon's 1D DSLR's to get the job done. My own personal photography experience has never been as important as life and death, yet the expectations I have of my gear, like many other photographers, are still very high. And when I need a camera to perform better, more consistently, and with the greatest of fluidity, I find that it's nearly impossible to find better cameras than the 1D series for those demands.  Therefore it's my assessment that the numero uno in Canon's naming convention isn't just mere coincidence. It stands for something. They truly are amongst the best cameras that you will ever use.

Pentax K-01: A Marc Newson Sequel?

Pentax K-01: A Marc Newson Sequel?

October 2021, Carl Garrard

 

Of all the digital cameras that have come out in the last two decades or so, Pentax's K-01 is amongst a small and distinguished fraternity of cameras that received the most criticism upon announcement. Yup, it's right up there with the Hassleblad Lunar and HV, which take the top spots as the most repulsive camera offerings of all. But does the K-01 deserve as much criticism as it received? The short answer is equally yes and no. For every faceplant reaction and "wtf?"criticism armchair quarterbacks gave this camera, there are equally as many staunch and loyal supporters of its somewhat radical design. What I'm attempting to do with this article is to find common ground between the two extremes, because often enough the truth can usually be found somewhere in the middle. I will also go out on a limb and propose that Ricoh make a sequel to the K-01 because it had so much potential!

Pentax K3 Mk III Review Series 3

Pentax K3 Mk III Review Series 3

May 2021, Carl Garrard

 

Part III  in the K3 Mk III series, I'll go over build quality, ergonomics, and features. And I just have to take a moment to say that I'm really pleased to be doing a comprehensive review series on this camera. Ricoh's Pentax K3 Mk III is entirely new from the ground up, with every aspect of its design having been redesigned and improved compared to it's K3 predecessors (and previous Pentax DSLRs), one short review would not cut it. Quite honestly there's been more of a learning curve with the K3 Mk III than I expected. Sure it's still mostly familiar like most Pentax DSLRs, but there's a lot of new stuff here. So when I decided to do an in depth review like this, I realized that I really needed to dig into it, report its fine points, and test everything from the ground up. I think that's the only way you're really going to get to know a camera from the outside in. So far, and to my surprise, there haven't been any stick-out-like-a-sore-thumb moments with the K3 Mk III. There have been  no disappointments that reside in my personal deal breaker category.

Pentax K3 Mk III Review Series 2

Pentax K3 Mk III Review Series 2

May 2021, Carl Garrard

 

 

Ricoh's Pentax K3 Mk III is an impressive, gargantuan effort. Especially so considering that the world has been in crazy lock down mode for well over a year now. Despite that, Ricoh has been hard at work behind the scenes. From its engineers to the I.T department, to its marketing department and i's production facilities, Ricoh was on a mission to bring the K3 Mk III to the world. The depth of the effort that went into this camera's release is more apparent the more I spend time reading about it. I don't recall ever seeing so many pro photographers chiming in about a Pentax camera so soon after its release, whether that's the photographers on Ricoh's special website, or all of the others I'm seeing on the net. I'm quickly getting the impression here that the K3 Mk III represents more than just a new DSLR release, it also represents photographers who appreciate a DSLR's unique capabilities and heritage. Ricoh pushed back, and said no to conformity, and I for one, and all for it. I decided that with as much effort that Ricoh made to bring this camera to us, so too will be the effort that I make to review it properly. Feel free to skip past the Open Mic section if you don't want to hear my thoughts on the market reception of the K3 Mk III thus far.

Pentax K3 Mk III Review Series 1

Pentax K3 Mk III Review Series 1

April 2021, Carl Garrard

Pentax (Ricoh) stuck to their guns. Instead of making yet another "me too" mirrorless camera, Ricoh have decided to stick to doing what they do best- make an excellent DSLR. With this iteration of the K3, the wait was definitely worth it. True steps forward in design are under its amazingly tough and weatherproof magnesium shell. Oh you're going to love that grip and rock solid construction. It's a masterpiece. As you know, I have a full suite of Nikon and Canon DSLRS, as well as Pentax. I use whatever camera is suited best. Comparatively Pentax are the best built and most weather proof in their class compared to the other brands. It's just their brand strength, along with being backwards compatible to very old lenses (like Nikon). Pentax's weakness has always been autofocusing speed and tracking when comparing to Canon and Nikon, how will it fair?

Fujifilm's New GFX 100S

Fujifilm's New GFX 100S

February 2021, Carl Garrard 

I've been sort of out of the camera news loop lately, so I didn't see the press release of the new GFX 100S until the day it was announced. Life has been busy, in a good way. In a way I'm kind of glad I didn't catch all the "rumors" or sneak peaks of this camera before it was announced. I'm probably in the minority when I say that I prefer a good surprise to all the leaks and rumors that are so prevalent today. My reaction to the GFX 100S announcement thus was pure excitement and wonder. This wasn't the typical reaction to cameras news, I was genuinely excited and very, very curious. After reading up on the GFX 100S, going over its design with a fine tooth comb, I have to say that this camera is a very special one. I think it has true potential to radically alter the course of professional camera products in the future. In a way, it already has.

Fujifilm X-H1: Hybrid GFX/XT Inspired Excellence

Fujifilm X-H1: Hybrid GFX/XT Inspired Excellence

February 2021, Carl Garrard

When I returned my loaner X-H1 to Fujifilm back in February 2019, it didn't occur to me then that I just sent back my favorite X mount camera ever. And I certainly had no intention to wait two years to write a review about it either. For reasons I still can't explain, the timing to complete a review just didn't feel right. I guess I just wasn't ready to decide what to think about the X-H1 at that time. I knew it's design was a blend of stills and video of sorts, and I knew how Fujifilm were marketing it. Nearly two years on from the day I originally sent the X-H1 back, I know exactly what I want to say about it.