Old-ish Foveon analysis by Russell Cottrell

[xpatUSA2]

Found while reading about Zones ...

https://www.russellcottrell.com/photo/BTDZS/Foveon.htm

 

[Scottelly]

He didn't have much to say. Too bad he didn't post some extra sample photos, and maybe make a few more comments about the camera. It seems he didn't try SPP either, so it really isn't much of a post.

 

[Roger]

Found while reading about Zones ...

https://www.russellcottrell.com/photo/BTDZS/Foveon.htm

What year was this article done?

Roger J.

 

[Roger]

Found while reading about Zones ...

https://www.russellcottrell.com/photo/BTDZS/Foveon.htm

The Foveon was years ahead of the bayer and still is, but it is hard to shoot and 99.5% of the the so called photographers are to lazy or do not know how to shoot it or both. In order to shoot the Foveon your have to have experience shooting positive film. Here's the problem most photographers, if that's what you want to call them. They suffer from not knowing about lighting. With the Foveon you have to know how light and at times use flash as needed. How many people know the art of flash photography these days?

Roger J.

 

[Scottelly]

Found while reading about Zones ...

https://www.russellcottrell.com/photo/BTDZS/Foveon.htm

The Foveon was years ahead of the bayer and still is, but it is hard to shoot and 99.5% of the the so called photographers are to lazy or do not know how to shoot it or both. In order to shoot the Foveon your have to have experience shooting positive film. Here's the problem most photographers, if that's what you want to call them. They suffer from not knowing about lighting. With the Foveon you have to know how light and at times use flash as needed. How many people know the art of flash photography these days?

Roger J.

I have to disagree with you again Roger. The other day I was shooting at the Albequerqe International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, and since it starts really early in the morning, before sunrise, it was very dark. My SD Quattro H would not focus, but I was able to shoot with my Nikon at ISO 6400, and I got some interesting photos and video (and since my Sigma can't make videos I couldn't do that with my Sigma). Today a modern Sigma, like an fp L, might do just fine, but that would only be because it has that 60 MP Bayer pattern CFA sensor. If it had a traditional style full-frame Foveon sensor in it I would expect to have the same limitations that my SD Quattro H had. Luckily I had a Nikon D810 with me too. Horses for courses. I love my Sigma, but sometimes it just doesn't cut it.

Here's a photo I shot with it later, when it got light:



--
Scott Barton Kennelly
https://www.bigprintphotos.com
https://www.sigmaphotopro.com
https://www.sigmacamerapro.com

 

[Roger]

Found while reading about Zones ...

https://www.russellcottrell.com/photo/BTDZS/Foveon.htm

The Foveon was years ahead of the bayer and still is, but it is hard to shoot and 99.5% of the the so called photographers are to lazy or do not know how to shoot it or both. In order to shoot the Foveon your have to have experience shooting positive film. Here's the problem most photographers, if that's what you want to call them. They suffer from not knowing about lighting. With the Foveon you have to know how light and at times use flash as needed. How many people know the art of flash photography these days?

Roger J.

Hi Scott

I have to disagree with you again Roger.

Really? hahahaha

The other day I was shooting at the Albequerqe International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta,

I totally forgot that was going on,...............I shot that event back in 1988 for Minolta with their new 9000 AF and AF lenses That was the year that over a million people showed up and so did the Minolta Hot Air Balloon.

and since it starts really early in the morning, before sunrise

Ya, for me it started at 0330. Back then I had Press passes and press parking pass so I sleep in my VW Camper Van in the press lot. Got up at 0300 and had coffee at the press tent.

it was very dark.

That it is. Didn't they have the fire/burn going?

My SD Quattro H would not focus,

No surprise there so why not manual focus with the the focusing color and aid of the H?

but I was able to shoot with my Nikon at ISO 6400, and I got some interesting photos and video (and since my Sigma can't make videos I couldn't do that with my Sigma).

Yes I get the video part but you can shoot 6400 with the H shoot it like positive film.

Today a modern Sigma, like an fp L, might do just fine,

Yes the FP or the FP-L would have a great job both video and still, but from what I understand you can get a still out of the DNG in the FP.

but that would only be because it has that 60 MP Bayer pattern CFA sensor.

yep.

If it had a traditional style full-frame Foveon sensor in it I would expect to have the same limitations that my SD Quattro H had. Luckily I had a Nikon D810 with me too. Horses for courses. I love my Sigma, but sometimes it just doesn't cut it.

But it fun to try, and who knows you maybe pleasantly surprised.

Here's a photo I shot with it later, when it got light:

A little light but good.

So here's the rest of the story. I got paid by Minolta after shooting this event for them, got my gear for free, I still have my 9000 and some G lenses. My 9000 has a split image screen for focusing as I didn't trust AF back then, and got a article written about me in the Minolta magazine.

Hopefully next year I'll get back.............................for Sigma or Leica.............

Enjoy

Roger J.

 

[danski0224]

"No surprise there so why not manual focus with the the focusing color and aid of the H?"

The zebra patterns don't work so well if the lighting is poor. Doesn't matter if I am using a sdQ/H or fp-l. I'm guessing it is because the "edge" is not defined enough.

I don't know if a different camera works any better. My newest non-Sigma is a Canon 5DSR, and it doesn't have zebra patterns IIRC.

 

[D Cox]

"No surprise there so why not manual focus with the the focusing color and aid of the H?"

The zebra patterns don't work so well if the lighting is poor. Doesn't matter if I am using a sdQ/H or fp-l. I'm guessing it is because the "edge" is not defined enough.

I don't know if a different camera works any better. My newest non-Sigma is a Canon 5DSR, and it doesn't have zebra patterns IIRC.

No depth of field scale on the lens ?

Even without a DOF scale, shooting at f/11 and estimating the distance works well. Unless you have a lens that doesn't allow manual focus at all ?

 

[danski0224]

No depth of field scale on the lens ?

Even without a DOF scale, shooting at f/11 and estimating the distance works well. Unless you have a lens that doesn't allow manual focus at all ?

I find it difficult to judge focus with a viewfinder or EVF in dim lighting conditions.

 

[Scottelly]

"No surprise there so why not manual focus with the the focusing color and aid of the H?"

The zebra patterns don't work so well if the lighting is poor. Doesn't matter if I am using a sdQ/H or fp-l. I'm guessing it is because the "edge" is not defined enough.

I don't know if a different camera works any better. My newest non-Sigma is a Canon 5DSR, and it doesn't have zebra patterns IIRC.

No depth of field scale on the lens ?

Even without a DOF scale, shooting at f/11 and estimating the distance works well. Unless you have a lens that doesn't allow manual focus at all ?

Ummm . . . f11?!? Have you ever shot in the dark at f11? LOL

I was shooting at f6.3 with my Nikon, if I remember correctly, and the shutter speed was like 1/30 second at ISO 6400 I think. I don't think I could have shot at f11 with my Sigma SD Quattro H at ISO 1600 even at 1/8 sec. (I would never go above ISO 1600 with my SD Quattro H, and even shooting at that high ISO setting would make me cringe every time I pressed the shutter button.)


OOC jpeg (from Nikon D810 with Tokina 10-17mm fisheye set to f6.3)

Here's a video:


Just a screen capture. Go to https://www.bigprintphotos.com/10-17 to watch this video.



--

Scott Barton Kennelly
https://www.bigprintphotos.com
https://www.sigmaphotopro.com
https://www.sigmacamerapro.com

 

[danski0224]

Ummm . . . f11?!? Have you ever shot in the dark at f11? LOL

This.

Last time I tried, I was over 30 seconds at f/8.

 

[xpatUSA2]

"No surprise there so why not manual focus with the the focusing color and aid of the H?"

The zebra patterns don't work so well if the lighting is poor. Doesn't matter if I am using a sdQ/H or fp-l. I'm guessing it is because the "edge" is not defined enough.

I don't know if a different camera works any better. My newest non-Sigma is a Canon 5DSR, and it doesn't have zebra patterns IIRC.

No depth of field scale on the lens ?

Even without a DOF scale, shooting at f/11 and estimating the distance works well. Unless you have a lens that doesn't allow manual focus at all ?

Ummm . . . f11?!? Have you ever shot in the dark at f11? LOL

Don didn't mention lighting, Scott.