Tom Bol Photo Blog

As much as I like to shoot on location, there are times when the location just won’t work.  Dull green walls, tacky wall paper, bright windows…the list is long.  To fix these issues, I have to either move or set up some backdrop to eliminate the nastiness.  Try setting up a seamless backdrop yourself on the 4th floor of a building.  First you carry the stand up, then another shuttle with the paper, then another load for sandbags, don’t want the stand knocking out your subject.  I’m convinced this is great training for my next ascent of Denali.

My friends at Manfrotto and Lastolite are always tempting me with new gear, and when I first saw the Lastolite Urban Collapsible Background, I knew I needed not just one but many!  These backgrounds are simply amazing.  First, they look realistic…as in 3D popping off the image realistic.  Take a look at these images.  It is hard to believe these backgrounds are flat.  Each background has two different patterns to use.  And here is the best part; they pop up like a collapsible reflector in mere seconds.  No more hauling stands, paper, sandbags; just pop open the urban background, lean it against a wall, and you are ready to go.  The backgrounds are 5′x7′, big enough for waist up shooting and more.  They have 4 different models, 8 different background patterns total. Price is $274.99.  In my book, worth every penny.

Of course it doesn’t hurt to have a nationally ranked Taekwondo fighter who is cut like a Spartan standing in front of the background.  Good luck Sir in your upcoming competitions!

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I have been waiting on this lens since I first saw the original version 10 years ago in Patagonia, and it has been worth the wait!  The new 80-400mm AF-S 4.5-5.6 uses all Nikon’s latest technology to make one really fine lens.  I have been shooting this lens now for over two weeks, landscapes and portraits, and I am impressed.  First, just how big is it?  This lens comes in a little larger than the 70-200mm F2.8; attached to a D4 it is quite the rig.  But you get a lot…a full 80-400mm range, with excellent VR for hand hold shooting.  Some photographers have wondered why get this lens, and if you have a 70-200 with a converter you can get the same reach.  But for my shooting I want this lens on a lot of trips.  Shooting wildlife on the run when you can’t get your big lens out quick, or don’t want to carry it.  Shooting wildlife from boats…try hand holding the 200-400mm in rough water.  Shooting landscapes when I want to zoom in on a feature and don’t have my big lens handy.  Quick tight portraits in markets when I want to get really close.  The list goes on and on…At $2700 this lens won’t be for everyone, but it is well worth it.

Is it sharp? Yes.  Does it have lots of vignetting? No.  I just got back from shooting in Arches and Canyonlands, lots of fine detail scenes and clean blue skies to really see how this lens performs.  The 80-400mm uses a Nano coating, ED elements and improved VR to produce sharp images with minimal vignetting.  The shot above was done to show the sharp detail and lack of vignetting.  I’ll admit I have been shooting mainly at F8 so far with this lens; I’ll have to wait and see how things look wide open or fully closed down, but initial reviews from others are good.

I couldn’t resist shooting a few portraits with this lens, although it is not what I plan to use it for.  Take a look at the detail in the eyes and face here, this lens is sharp!  One day shooting desert landscapes, the next red-haired models for upcoming projects…gotta love it!

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If you have read this blog you know how much I love the Lowepro Flipside 400 as a travel camera backback.  Just the right size, slim profile, great suspension and the ever-popular back opening.  But then a few months ago my friends at Lowepro said they had another version in the works, more sports oriented, and asked if I would be interested in trying it out.  Oh yeah, bring it on!

Enter the Lowepro Flipside Sport 20L AW.  To sum it up right at the beginning, this is my new favorite photo backpack.  Why?  There are many reasons.  One feature that I really needed was a pack that was a little bigger, and more importantly, deeper, to accommodate larger camera bodies and lenses.  The image above shows just how much you can pack into this pack.  One D4, D800, 70-200mm, 24-120mm, 24-70mm, 50mm, SB900, SU800…and room for more.  The deep volume design easily holds my D4 with 70-200mm attached, with no bulges pressing into my back.  The bag is big enough to hold a 300mm 2.8 as well.

I need a pack that not only carries larger cameras and lenses, but also carries them comfortably.  I have been shooting a lot of skiing using the Flipside, and it performs fantastic.  No matter how comfortable a pack feels sitting on your back standing around, the second you start skiing hitting bumps with a heavy load you get a new appreciation if the pack suspension is really comfortable.  The Flipside Sport was designed with this type of use in mind and carrying heavy loads comfortably.  In addition, the Flipside Sport has a hydration slot to load up a water pouch for easier hydration on the trail.

The timing of getting this pack from Lowepro couldn’t have been better. Over the last two months I have traveled through SE Asia in blistering heat and humidity, high mountain slopes at subzero temps, and gritty slickrock of the Colorado Plateau.  The pack ventilates well while on your back, and has a rain cover for wet conditions.  The zipper system  and back flap opening are also highlights.  I can simply flip this pack around to my frontside, lean it down and unzip the pack to access my gear.  No need to put it down in the muddy jungle or on powder snow.

Another feature that is very handy for travel is the padded pouch to carry your tablet or small laptop.  I carry an 11″ Macbook Air when I travel on shoots and workshops, and it fits nicely in the paddled slot of the Flipside Sport.  You can also put iPads and devices there as well.

A feature that was new to me but I am quickly learning to love is the removable padded insert.  You can pull out the paddled camera case inside the pack, quickly transforming this pack into a standard backpack.  The other day my family wanted to go on a quick hike, not a photo excursion.  I just removed the camera insert (loaded with my camera gear) and used the Flipside Sport as a standard backpack for the hike.

I often get asked on photo workshops what backpack I prefer.  The answer is the Flipside Sport 20L AW.  The pack is light, loaded with useful features, has plenty of space, and I can open it without every putting it on the ground.  The pack comes in blue and orange, and retails for $179.99.

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I have been shooting a D4 for a few months now after finally parting with my D3.  I have gone through every D single digit camera Nikon has made…they only get better.  But the D3 was a landmark camera in terms of noise performance and speed.  Could the D4 really be better.  Yes!

I shoot a lot of fast moving sports and wildlife, so I always need a speed shooting machine.  Take a look at the sequence above.  16 frames captured in one sequence; the D4 is practically on fire cranking out RAW files at 10 FPS.  Focusing is instantaneous, and like previous versions this camera is a tank.  I really like the improved grip for vertical shooting, and the larger files size is just right for my publishing needs.

I have shot the D4 at ISO 3200 and 6400, and the files are better than the D3.  Did I mention built for punishment?  I have been shooting in snowstorms a lot lately, and I never worry about the D4 performance.  I also have been shooting skiing at 10 below and bouncing the camera around in my pack all day; the D4 just keeps on ticking.  And kudos to Dave, the amazing skier in this image.  I can only imagine the view he gets that high in the sky!

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Okay, I’m going let it out of the bag right now.  The new Nikon 70-200mm F4 is fantastic!  I have now been shooting this lens for a few weeks, shot everything from indoor basketball games in low light to stomping bison in Yellowstone, and I have been very impressed.

I base my evaluation on field use.  There are a number of reviews out there that test the lens using resolution and color charts, and these for the most part support what I found out.  This lens is tack sharp, has minimal vignette issues, and uses Nikon lastest (the only lens to do so) VR technology.  Why would I ever want to use this lens instead of my trusty 70-200mm 2.8?  Two reasons, size and weight.

As you can see from this picture, the lens is significantly smaller and weighs 1.8 pounds, a pound and half less than the 2.8 version.  This is my new travel and landscape 70-200mm, and a great buy for those who don’t need 2.8 glass….the lens costs a thousand dollars less, around $1400.One point reviewers have made is this lens won’t focus as fast as the 2.8 version.  I tried out my D4 and 70-200mm F4 shooting my son’s basketball team yesterday, think low light gymnasium.  The lens focused quickly without a hitch.  It makes sense the 2.8 version will focus better in a very low light situation, and this might be a concern for some shooters.  In terms of sharpness, other reviewers have noted that this lens is almost as sharp as the 2.8 version.  I have found it to be razor sharp.  The top Teton shot was done with a D800 and this lens, and at 100 percent on the big screen I can see amazing detail in the tiny trees on the mountain.  Sharpness…check!  This lens has 67mm front, which will require a smaller polarizer than my standard 77mm front on my other lenses.

If you are in the market for a tack sharp 70-200mm Nikon lens, and don’t need the extra 2.8 glass, consider this lens.  It is a lightweight, tack sharp option that will be in my pack on many photo shoots and workshops.

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