"Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties."

POTD

click for high-res

POTD

click for high-res

Oh my God -- there is a VII seminar in October. I'm totally going. I'm going to stare at James Nachtwey like a groupie.

Eric Ogden [flash] does good portraits.

"What we have here now is bars and college students vomiting on the streets," Mr. Patterson sighs. "Nothing will rise out of it. It's all vacuous and lacking substance. When I go out my door now, I don't see anyone I know. I see the loss of a community.

DP Review has published a hands-on preview of Canon's new 5D, 13MP full-frame body. A few interesting tidbits I forgot to mention in my last gushing post:

• The 5D can display both luminance and RGB histograms on the LCD. Unfortunately, you can't overlay the histogram over the full-screen image. The histogram is available in the "info" view, as it is with the 20D (and all other digital SLRs).
• ISO sensitivity can be changed in 1/3 stop increments.
• It uses the same batteries as the 10D / 20D (!).
• DP Review reports that there is 'no "nail file" effect on the side of the lens mount' -- I thought I was the only one who found this annoying!
• The camera displays remaining buffer space in the viewfinder.
• The exposure mode dial did away with the 20D's "scene" modes, like "stretching man" and "tulip," opting for the less patronizing set of manual, shutter and aperture priority, program, and bulb. I think it is a little odd, though, that canon put the "bulb" setting right on the mode dial, but mirror lock-up still requires that you dive into the custom functions. Are bulb and self-timer really that much more commonly used than mirror lock-up?
• Canon included a "direct print" button on the back of the camera. I'm hard-pressed to think of a situation where one might use this button.
• The 5D supports "picture style" settings. Basically contrast, saturation, sharpness, and tone presets. I kind of like this.

Again, looks like a great camera body.

"You said 'this is Beneficial/Household Finance calling.' I wasn't aware that entire corporations were able to make phone calls. Are you a gestalt being?"

Can someone tell me why I should care about Google Talk?

Overshadowed has been bouncing around Asia. He has been taking some fantastic photos. Take a look at him on the web, and on Flickr.

POTD

click for high-res

Sufjan Stevens played the Bowery Ballroom on Saturday. I didn't know that.

POTD

click for high-res

Abstract Monday!

Canon officially announced the 5D. I want one.

Some interesting tidbits:

• It is just-barely-not full frame: 35.8 x 23.9
• Its spot meter is a 3.5% circle
• It has a 2.5" rear LCD
• The RAW buffer should hold 17 shots (60 JPEG)

It looks like it might be based on the EOS 3 body, but I'm not sure. [Now that I'm looking at the 5D, it looks closer to a 1V than the EOS 3] I'm really curious to see how loud the shutter is. Did I mention that I want one?

Also very interesting, the rumors about the 24-105mm f/4L IS were true. This is an excellent street lens, with the image stabilization more than making up for the f/4 maximum aperture. I'd wait to see some lens tests before getting this one, though.

Canon's site lists September availablility for the lens, and October availability for the 5D.

Ah...I missed this yesterday: Robert Moog dies at 71. He was an original. His impact reached far beyond the creation of a synthsizer. His inventions drove countless others to their own creations; he was a true catalyst.

His passing makes me sad for another reason. He was an example of the fantastic public education system in New York City in the 40s and 50s, as well as someone who crossed between art and science. People like him are uncommon; I fear more so now than 50 years ago. New York's public schools are in ruin, and science has become more specialized. Where are today's Moogs? I'd like to meet them.

[Update: Salon has a nicer overview of what Moog did.]