Alphatracks

Sept. 16, 2009: A remote shutter release should be considered a necessary photographic accessory, particularly if of you are working with a tripod. A remote release allows you to trigger the shutter without jarring the camera, vastly increasing your chances of capturing crisp, sharp images.

In the old days, we used simple mechanical cable releases, but digital SLRs use electronic triggers. Electronic releases work great, but they cost a whole more than the old cable push buttons.

I have a excellent Minolta RC-1000S electronic shutter release that works just fine on the Sony Alpha. The nice thing about this release is that the cable is nearly sixteen feet long, so you don’t have to be standing near the camera to fire the shutter.

The bad thing about the Minolta release is that the cable is sixteen feet long. This leaves a puddle of cord coiled on the floor when you are working with the optical viewfinder. The cord wraps around tripod legs and light stands, as well as your feet. If you don’t trip and fall, there is a real possibility of knocking the tripod and camera over. For this reason, I want a second, shorter release for when I am working up close with the camera.

I considered buying a short release, but the idea of custom making my own remote cable release has caught my attention. I like DIY projects, and I could create just the length and style I want.

Sony Alpha shutter release on Instructables.com

I found a nice Instructable showing you how to create a wired remote shutter release for Sony Alpha cameras.

I may try to cobble up a short release using this idea. The only thing that bothers me is the rather skimpy wiring diagram includes a warning to the effect that you “cannot activate the shutter without auto-focus on.”

I’m not sure what that is all about, my Minolta release has no trouble triggering my Sony Alpha in the manual focus mode. It has a two position switch that acts just like the camera itself. You press the switch part way and it arms the camera and triggers AF. (If you have AF turned on.) Then you press the button all the way down to take the image.

I use manual focus quite often when shooting in the studio. It is almost mandatory for macro closeups. It is also a necessity when you are creating special effects like HDR images where you don’t want the camera to refocus between shots. If this release won’t allow you to use manual focus, it won’t be very useful.

Despite that, I may try to hack together one of these, and try to figure out just how to make it work with manual focus. If nothing else, I can toss it into my camera bag, so I’ll always have a release handy, while my 16 foot Minolta release is safety stored away in the studio.

Make a Wired SONY ALPHA DSLR Remote – More DIY How To Projects

Second Option: Photoblogs DIY Sony Alpha release

I found an second online design for a Sony Alpha wired remote. Check out the Photoblog DIY shutter release cable for Sony’s Alpha dSLRs. It is a similar concept to the Instructable above, but it the author doesn’t say anything about not being able to use manual focus. If I decide to go this route, I may use elements from both designs to create my own custom release.

Sony Alpha release: the wireless option

The ultimate option would be a wireless version. I like the idea of having no cable to get tangled and I can trigger the camera from anywhere without worrying about wires. You will find the details on how to build a Wireless camera remote for Minolta 5D. It is a little more involved, but it’s probably the superior way to go. I expect that the same device should work for any Sony Alpha, since the wired release Minolta sold for the Maxxum 5D will also trigger any Sony Alpha.

Hopefully this will “trigger” your own creative DIY impulses and give you some ideas on how to build the perfect Alpha remote release. If you do try to tackle one of these designs, why not take a photo and send it to me. I’ll start a gallery showing al the different ways Alphatracks readers approach building a hand made shutter release.

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This aluminum adapter converts a M42 screw mount lens into a A-mount lens.

May 4, 2009 A few weeks ago, I discussed using an M42 lens with the Sony Alpha. The way you pull this off is with a M42 to A-mount adapter.

The adapter is nothing more than a thin piece of metal with a Sony/Minolta A-mount bayonet fitting and a threaded opening for a M42 lens. The term M42 represents 42mm — the diameter of the threaded lens mount. There are other similar lenses, including M39 and M40 diameter lenses. The M42 mount is the most popular of the”M” mounts, especially when it comes to lenses designed to fit a 35mm SLR.

M42 adapter has an A-mount bayonet on one side and a threaded opening that accepts a 42mm screw in the center.

There is one other screw-mount lens you need to be aware of: the T-Mount. I’m not sure why there was a need for the T-mount, because the screw threads on the T-Mount are also 42mm in diameter. The difference is the thread pitch: the M42 lens uses 1 thread per mm, while the T-Mount uses a slightly coarser 0.75 thread per mm. This is important, because the M42 and T-mount look extremely similar. but they are not interchangeable. You can screw either lens into a M42 adapter, but only the M42 lens will thread fully home. If you try to thread a T-mount lens into an M42 adapter, it will seize up before the lens flange seats properly. The same is true if you try to install a M42 lens on a T-mount adapter.

I’m spending a lot of time on the M42 and T-mount lenses, because most lenses of this type do not have any markings indicating the mount type. You really need to use caution when buying a used screw mount lens. In many cases you will find T-mount lenses advertised as M42, and M42 lens sold as T-mount. There are both M42 and T-mount adapters available for the Sony Alpha, but it is important to know what type of 42mm diameter screw lens you are buying. If your screw mount lens doesn’t thread into the adapter smoothly, do not force it. Mixing lenses and adapters can result in damage to either the lens or the adapter.

Now that we’ve established what an M42 adapter is, lets look at why you would want to use an adapter in the first place.

You can see the 42mm thread on this Vivitar lens. Note the switch next to the red M. Not all M42 lens have this switch. This Vivitar can be switched into a auto mode when used on auto diaphragm cameras like the pre-bayonet Pentax film SLRs. To use the lens on a Sony Alpha adapter, it needs to be switched into the manual (M) mode.

The fact is there are millions of optically excellent M42 lenses available, many at ridiculously low prices. Carl Zeiss actually produced the first M42 lenses in 1938. The mount was used by Practica and became the standard Pentax 35mm lens mount until Pentax switched to a bayonet mount the mid ’70s. Today, Carl Zeiss continues to produce new M42 lenses under the ZS model name. These are manual focus lenses and other than Zeiss quality, have little in common with the AF Zeiss lenses sold by Sony.

The Russian Zenit line produced M42 lenses quite recently. They may or may not be still manufacturing M42 lenses and cameras. In addition, there are countless used M42 mount lens available on ebay, pawn shops, used camera dealers, garage sales and the like.

While M42 lenses are plentiful, there are good reasons you can buy them so inexpensively. As a universal style lens, initially designed over seventy years ago, these lenses are devoid of may of the innovations modern photographers take for granted.

Here is a partial list:

• No Autofocus
• No Automatic diaphragm
• You need to use manual exposure on the A200, A300 and A350
• Image stabilization does not work

M42 lenses don’t offer auto focus

The lack of auto focusing doesn’t bother me very much. After years of shooting action sports with manual focus cameras, I am somewhat uncomfortable turning over the focusing duties to a silicon chip. That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate auto focus; but its absence isn’t a deal beaker to me.

Adapters cannot provide automatic diaphragm connections

Not having an automatic diaphragm is more troubling. On the other hand, I am using my M42 lens when I want a fast telephoto. This means when I use this lens, I am nearly always shooting wide open. This negates any concern about the auto diaphragm, since the lens is usually open to the maximum aperture.

The result is the M42 lens becomes a special purpose lens to be used only in low light. If conditions are such that I can shoot at f/4 or higher, I switch to one of my A-mount, auto focus telephotos.

Manual exposure is required with M42 adapters on the A200, A300 and A350

The Alpha A200, A300 and A350 cannot use a lens adapter in the automatic mode. The camera will not not recognize that there is a lens attached, and will not fire the shutter in the auto mode. The only way to use an ordinary adapter on these cameras in the manual mode.

Most of the Minolta Maxxums and other models of the Sony Alpha can use adapters in the aperture priority mode. Different cameras use different methods to allow you to use an adapter in the auto mode. Consult the owners manual if you are unsure of the procedure for your camera.

Shooting with manual exposure outdoors can be a pain, especially if the light is shifty. Since I am using the M42 lens to shoot under fairly constant indoor lighting conditions, this isn’t a real problem either. I shoot a couple of frames and use the LCD to make sure the exposure looks good. Since I’m shooting in a sports arena, the light is not likely to change during a game. So once I have a good exposure on the LCD, I can shoot the rest of the day without changing anything.

Hey I thought in-body stabilization works with all lenses…

Some of you might be wondering about the lack of image stabilization. The whole premise of the Sony in-camera anti-shake system is that it works with any lens right? Well not exactly.

Because the system is built into the camera, technically it should work on any lens you attach to the camera. However, in order to maximize effectiveness, the Steady Shot system needs to know the focal length of the lens. Without this knowledge, the camera doesn’t know how much IS to apply. This isn’t a problem with Sony, Minolta and aftermarket A-mount lenses. These lenses have electrical contacts that let the camera know the focal length of the lens.

There is no way for the Sony Alpha to “read” the focal length of a M42 lens. Since the camera cannot identify the focal length of a M42 lens, SSS can’t operate.

Upgrade to a chipped adapter for SSS and aperture priority exposure

If you are willing to spend a little more money, you can have IS and aperture priority auto exposure. There are M42 adapters that include a “focus confirmation” chip. These adapters attempt to fool the camera into thinking there is a real Sony A-mount AF lens installed.

M42 lens (top) pictured with a T-Mount lens. You can see the threaded portions look very similar, but they are not the same. Make sure you know what type of mount your screw mount lens actually has.

Naturally, you won’t actually have AF, and you still won’t have an automatic diaphragm. Your camera will let you use Aperture Priority automatic exposure, so you can select the aperture and the camera will select an appropriate shutter speed. You cannot use shutter priority, since the Alpha series has no communication with a M42 lens, so it cannot adjust the aperture.

A focus confirmation chip will also return Super Steady Shot functionality, because the camera now knows the focal length of the lens…at least it thinks it does.

The confirmation chip works by convincing the camera that there is a real Sony lens attached. The camera reads the information from the chip and uses that data to determine how to react.

This means you can’t use just any chipped adapter with any particular lens. If the chip in the adapter tells the camera there is a 50mm f/1.7 lens attached and you actually are using a 400mm f/8 lens, Image Stabilization will be less then optimal. In short, you have to match the chipped adapter to the focal length and f/stop of the lens. You can use a plain, non-chipped adapter with any M42 lens, but if you want IS, you will need an adapter matched to your lens.

There are a couple of other things to watch out for. Although a well made Sony M42 adapter should be capable of focusing to infinity, some of the cheaper models are slightly too thick. Even a few thousands of an inch of extra thickness will move the lens too far away from the focal plane, so you cannot achieve infinity focus. I haven’t encountered that problem, but over on the Flickr forums Arkku has set up a nice demonstration of the problem. Arkku solved the thickness problem by sanding the adapter until it brought the lens close enough to the sensor to focus at infinity.

Here a T-Mount lens is threaded as far as it will go into a M42 adapter. Note how much space there is between the lens flange and the adapter. Attempting to thread the lens further onto the adapter would likely result in damage to the lens, the adapter or both. Because the lens doesn’t meet the adapter, this setup will not focus properly.

The second problem involves some poorly made adapters that can jam onto the camera’s lens mount. David Kilpatrick of Photoclub Alpha encountered this problem on an A700 and had to resort to a pipe wrench (gulp!) to remove the adapter. In one of the Sony Alpha foruns on Flickr, another reader reported his adapter had become jammed.

I have had no problem with my no-name aluminum adapter, which I originally bought from a Singapore vendor off ebay. I would use care using the adapter for the first time, until you are confident it won’t jam. If the adapter doesn’t attach the camera easily and smoothly, I wouldn’t use it. The older Amount dSLRs (Sony A100, Minolta 5d, 7D have slightly different lens mount. Sony beefed the mount up on the A700, A200 A300, A350 and the A900, so even if you have an adapter that works OK on the A100, you still need to ensure it works on later Sony dSLRs.

There are a world of inexpensive, high quality M42 optics available if you are willing to forgo auto-focus, auto diaphragm and other niceties.

There is one other thing to consider if you decide to go the M42 route. If you make a real effort to master using M42 glass on a dSLR, you will undoubtedly become a much better photographer. If you can wring out the best from a screw mount lens, you will find you are a better shooter no matter which lens is on your camera. Since you cannot simply put the camera on full automatic when dealing with a M42 lens, you are forced to think carefully about how to use the lens. The result is that you will be far more comfortable and knowledgeable about your camera and all your lenses

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Last week, reader Tony Bombardo contacted me regarding Sony’s high-end electronic flash unit, the HVL-F56AM. Or should I say former high-end flash unit…as of this writing the HVL-F56AM is missing in action at the Sony Style website. Under flashes and lights, you find the HVL-F36AM and the new HVL-F42AM units, but the F56AM is no where to be found.

So what’s happening with the HVL-F56AM? I know it was listed on Sony Style a couple of days before, because I was ordering some accessories and it was there as big as life. Now it’s gone.

Well, almost gone.. I found that if your order a dSLR, the HVL-F56AM still shows up as an available accessory. I’m not sure if you can actually order the unit, but as of yesterday, if you were buying a camera it was still listed. I also found that if you click on the specs for the F42AM, you can find a sidebar link to the F56AM. That link indicates it is in stock for shipment. The HVL-56AM does not appear in the list under the flashes and lights category.

Sony hasn’t said the HVL-F56AM has been discontinued. So what happened to it? The brand new HVL-F42AM offers most of the features of the HVL-F56AM, and is priced at $299. The HVL-F56AM’s most recent list price was $449.

I don’t have any hard information from Sony, but if I had to guess there are two things going on here. First, the HVL-F42AM offers almost the same features at $150 less. Admittedly, the HVL-F56AM has a guide number of 56, while the HVL-F42AM has a lower guide number of 46. The HVL-F42AM is more or less equal to the HVL-F56AM in most other respects. I suppose that 14 guide units might be worth $150 is some cases, but for most people the HVL-F42AM will appear to a be a better value.

Is the just released HVL-42AM Sony’s current high-end electronic flash?.

The second aspect is that Sony has indicated that there will be a flagship flash unit to accompany the new flagship dSLR. I don’t have specs on the yet to be announced Alpha flagship flash, but I have to believe a electronic flash unit billed s the flagship will have to be superior to all current Sony and Minolta electronic flash units.

At the same time, how much higher could Sony price the flagship flash? It would have to be considerably higher than the HVL-F56AM at $449, otherwise who would buy the HVL-F56AM at the expense of the flagship? On the other hand, if they reduced the ticket on the HVL-F56AM, it would cut into sales of the HVL-F42AM and the HVL-F36AM.

So Sony (apparently) chose to axe the HVL-F56AM. Maybe sales of the more expensive unit were flat. Or maybe Sony needed the production facilities to start building the flagship flash.

Does this mean the flagship will be coming sooner than this fall? Or will the new flash unit be released before flagship dSLR? Since the the upcoming dSLR will be full frame, its possible the new flash will cover a wider angle, since one of the reasons for shooting with a full frame dSLR is the opportunity to shoot with a full complement of wide angle lenses,

Of course, this could be a simple mix-up. Someone at Sony redesigned the web page and happened to leave the F56AM off the main flashes and lights order page. Maybe Sony just had a temporary shortage of HVL-F56AM units and the F56AM will appear on Sony Style in the future.

On the other hand, if I really wanted a HVL-F56AM, I mean I really wanted one, I would start looking around to find a merchant that still has a new HVL-F56AM in stock.

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Sony has just announced a 24.8MP full frame 35mm sensor targeted at digital SLRS. The new CMOS sensor is said to use advanced circuitry to overcome the limitations inherent in creating a full frame sensor.

The answer to a hard drive maker’s prayers: the Sony 24.81mp sensor.

The following is from the Sony press release:

This sounds pretty incredible. We’ve all heard the “too good to be true” rumors, now we have Sony’s announcement that they will offer a full frame, nearly 25mp sensor.

Two things are evident. This has to be the sensor Sony will use in the flagship/A900 dSLR. It has to be. Sony will undoubtedly offer to sell this sensor to other manufactures including Nikon and Pentax. But they can’t call their top-of-the-line camera the flagship unless it utilizes the best technology Sony has to offer. So unless Sony is developing something even more incredible, this has to be the heart of the flagship.

The other point is the press release says the sensor will be mass produced within this year. That tells me the flagship won’t be on sale any time soon. This year, maybe, but those hoping for a PMA announcement with the camera shipping soon afterwards are going to be disappointed. It is possible Sony could announce the flagship at the PMA show, but from the tone of the press release the top of the line Alpha won’t be on dealer shelves for some time.

Don’t worry too much about the A900. It seems that Sony has a whole box of new toys they are ready to announce at PMA. We are sure to see some new Sony dSLR hardware before the week is up.

If you still have your heart set on the flagship, look at it this way…you’ll have several months to stock up on terabyte hard drives to store all those images from that huge sensor

Watch this space for more Sony dSLR news in the coming days.

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A few weeks ago, wrote about my rapidly failing film and negatives from Cord Industries. At the end of that post I alluded to the fact that neither hard drives or CD disks are considered safe bets for long term image storage.

Now ZNet blogger Robin Harris is posting about something called “silent corruption” on hard disks. If, like me, you store thousands of images on disk, it’s’s enough to keep you awake at night.

Harris links to a study by CERN, the world’s largest particle physics lab. The study suggests that data stored on hard disks isn’t as safe as we might like. While CERN is concerned with raw data, it would appear that our disk-stored photos are equally at risk.

Your backup is only as good as your storage media

The term data corruption doesn’t sound all that terrible. You might think that minor corruption would only affect a few pixels here and there. If that were the case, someone with good Photoshop skills could restore the corrupted image. Such is not the case.

A couple of years ago I had a nearly full Compact Flash card go corrupt on me. It worked fine while I was shooting, but when I inserted the CF card into my reader, I was greeted with a “Card Unreadable” error message.

Fortunately, I was able to recover most of the images using data recovery software. However, several images were truly and totally corrupt.

The recovery program was able to copy the bad images off the card. but there wasn’t much hope for the data they contained. The images were super-imposed over one another, in much the same way as if you made a double exposure on a piece of film. In addition, there were weird bands of color passing all through the corrupt images. I consider myself something of a Photoshop expert and I can tell you there was no hope of restoring those images. They were well past salvage.

Now imagine the same scenario on a huge hard drive with several terrabytes of stored images. if the drive becomes corrupt, how many images could you stand to lose? Sure you can back your images up, and you should. If both the primary and backup sources fail at the same rate, however, where does that leave you?

Recently I started a project that involved digitizing some Kodak 126 negatives from the early sixties. The negatives were over forty years old, but still perfectly useable. I have some my parents’ film negatives that are more than seven decades old. You still could get decent prints off them. Will we be able to say that about digital?

Can digital survive as long as film?

I’m not advocating a return to film and I’m not going to be Chicken Little and start waiting for the sky to fall. On the other hand, I don’t want to be complacent and sit idly by while my collection of digital originals becomes so much silicon dust. Even with a rigorous backup plan, however, there is a chance that silent corruption could trash valuable, irreplaceable images.

On the other hand, i have been involved with computers and hard drives since the early ’80s. I have only had one one hard disk fail so badly that I couldn’t recover the data off it. That drive suffered a power failure during the start up procedure, and the heads actually slammed against the platter, making 1.6GB of information unreadable. Sad, but not a disaster. What if it had been 1.6TB of information? And what if the back-up had quietly become riddled by errors while in storage?

There is a chance that I still may be around in another forty years. If I am, I beleive that most of my film negatives will still be usable. You have to wonder, however. How many of the digital images I shoot today will I be able to access in 2047?

Are you concerned about the life of your images stored on hard drives and CDs? What steps are you taking to ensure that your digital images survive? Let us know what you think.

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