The Z9 (and the Z system in general) works very well in terms of the sheer technicalities of image creation. The files are superb, noise and dynamic range handling are better than the D5 and D6. Processing an image in CaptureOne is a pleasure and while I did not create any images which required a lot of processing, the images literally popped out of the screen almost immediately. However not all is rose gold in the land of the mirrorless and there are some key takeaways from this first assignment every travel photographer should be aware of.
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Ladakh for the hapless travel photographer...
Ladakh has been a part of the world i’ve wanted to visit for years - after all, why wouldn’t I? There’s amazing monasteries perched on hilltops against dramatic background scenery, there are monks and novices, there are beautiful valleys and rivers small and large and there are, more importantly for me, tribespeople to meet and photograph. And all that in a small area - relatively - easily accessible from New Delhi and, from rumours, relatively inexpensive. So, this summer, I actually went - found a really good guide and fixer who claimed to be able to do everything I wanted to do and we were good to go.
Read MoreTravelling with light - gear talk!
This is serious - or should I say, practical - gear talk. It’s the result of multiple successful and failed efforts to take light on location (and I do not mean a city centre - I’m talking rocky outcrops in the middle of the savannah and underground rocky tunnels), what worked and what didn't and, more importantly, why. And, finally, the final kit I am currently using for everything.
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My first major switch in photography
These days, more and more, I read various “why I …” articles covering pretty much every single aspect of photography - from camera brand to lenses, bags, filters etc. In fact, before I made my change I think I actually went through almost everything that was ever written be people who had done something similar to what I was thinking of doing and, let me tell you, they were really helpful. What they were not was easy to find or written by someone who was not paid or otherwise sponsored by a company or other. So, the scepticism was still there and, truth be told, it took me a long time and a lot of effort to reach my decision (and even longer to implement).
This is why I thought I’d share this with you to possible give you yet another insight into what it means to leave the warm, comfortable (but insanely annoying) embrace of the industry standard which is Lightroom and jump into the arms of the strange, a bit quirky, niche player that is CaptureOne. True, for me it was a good switch - I have not regretted it for one moment (even though I do miss some of the features Lightroom offered) but it could have gone badly SO easily that is scares me when I look back.
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