Gearing Up For 2024

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Infrared suits urban subjects especially when there’s a blue sky complete with fluffy clouds adding interest. Shot on a Fujifilm X-T1 and XF 14mm f/2.8 lens with an exposure of 1/60sec at f/10.

I like to work in projects for my photography. These can last ten minutes, a couple of hours, a few months or several years, but working on themes or sets of pictures like this suits my mentality and keeps me motivated. It is probably a consequence of my inability to specialise in any specific subject so I appreciate it is not a methodology that will have universal appeal. All that matters is you find your own way to stay enthused and motivated.

My projects are usually subject-led, but sometimes I combine them with a specific technique or a particular lens or camera. For example, I did a project on the London Underground using a 15mm full-frame fisheye which was great fun, but the only reason for picking that lens was that it was gathering dust in the cupboard. In the event, the pictures worked out very well, but as the lens wasn’t used much, I have since sold it to MPB.

I have a couple of long-standing projects, one which is close coming to a close. I am shooting the surviving piers of the UK (as defined by the National Piers Society) and have just five left to do, although they will take a bit of time because four of them are in Scotland.

Anyway, I was thinking about photo ideas for 2024 and I have decided that one is going to be hardware-led. 

Dark skies and luminous foliage are obvious signs of infrared photography. Shot on a converted Canon EOS 10D with 11-18mm wide zoom at 11mm. Exposure was 1/80sec at f/8 and ISO 100.

I used to be a keen infrared film photographer and loved shooting on Kodak High Speed Infrared film, a contrasty, grainy mono film that looked great when printed on high-contrast papers.

Digital is much easier, although it’s actually not as much fun. However, being able to use an infrared-converted camera without any need for any filter is a huge benefit and I have been getting digital IR images reminiscent of the Kodak film. I have been using a converted Fujifilm X-T1 almost exclusively with the 14mm f/2.8, which doesn’t have any hot-spot issues.

That’s a fine combination but it is APS-C format and as I now mostly shoot with a Canon EOS R5 full-frame it makes sense to get another camera that has the same lens mount, and that’s where MPB comes in. 

Getting a camera converted to IR is an expensive one-way trip so it demands serious thought. Furthermore, I know commercially that I won’t earn anything back from upgrading my IR camera so this is pure self-indulgence, but once done it’ll keep me content for years. That’s the downside; the upside is that I have a bit of time to save for the camera and conversion with spring my favourite time for infrared shooting.

Plain blue skies go almost black in infrared and the look is stark so having some clouds to give relief helps compositions such as this. Shot on a Fujifilm X-T1 and XF 14mm f/2.8 lens with an exposure of 1/60sec at f/8 and ISO 200.

The first step is to acquire a camera body and then to get it IR converted. Having already decided to go full-frame that narrows down options, and there aren’t too many EOS R models to choose from on a limited budget, so essentially the choice was between the EOS R or the EOS RP. I have reviewed both cameras and I wasn’t over-impressed by the EOS R so the 26-megapixel EOS RP seemed the way to go, even though it lacks IBIS and it accepts different, lower-capacity batteries from the EOS R5. 

I wasn’t totally sure whether it could be the EOS R or the EOS RP until I searched on MPB’s website. At the time, I found a used EOS R body for £789 while there were over ten samples of the EOS RP priced at £654-709. With the EOS RP option being both cheaper and the camera I preferred, the decision was easy, so by the time you read this, step one will be completed and the camera will be on its way for IR conversion. 

I can look forward to 2024 with at least one plan, but shooting infrared is very specific so I’ll need a few more projects to keep me snapping.

All the best for your photography in 2024 and I hope you’ve got ideas to get you shooting.

MPB News

Mirrorless cameras overtake DSLRs

Mirrorless cameras have only been around since 2008 when Panasonic announced its Micro Four Thirds format Lumix G1. The Epson R-D1 and Leica M8 came out a few years earlier and while these were also mirrorless cameras, they were optical rangefinders and didn’t provide a live digital image, a defining mirrorless characteristic.

The demand for mirrorless cameras grew quickly with users appreciating the advantages of live image previews, quiet/silent shutters, smaller size, more advanced AF and video.

Fujifilm, Olympus, Panasonic and, notably, Sony made hay with their mirrorless models while the demand for DSLRs fell away. 

It wasn’t until 2018 that the two ‘big guns’ in the DSLR arena, Canon and Nikon, finally entered the mirrorless fraternity. The last new DSLRs from these brands came out in 2020 leaving Pentax as the only currently active DSLR brand. Of course, Canon and Nikon continue to sell DSLRs and the direct connection they give with the subject and their satisfying ‘click’ still appeal to camera users. Also, with the vast numbers of used DSLRs and legacy lenses available, there’s plenty of value to be had

That said, the force is with mirrorless, and for more on the rise and rise of this camera type click here.

MPB Explained

You need kit to take photographs and produce videos, and taking the used route is a cost-effective way of making the most of your budget and keeping up with the latest developments in imaging technology.

MPB is one of the biggest used retailers with bases in the UK, Germany and the USA.

Trading with MPB the process is fair, safe, painless and incredibly easy.

Whether you have kit to sell, want to make a purchase or part exchange, start by going to the MPB website which is intuitive and straightforward to use.

If you have kit to trade, just start typing the name in and a list of suggestions from MPB’s huge database will appear. If a name on that list matches your product click on it and add its condition; if not, continue typing in the whole name and condition.

It’s worth bearing in mind that MPB’s database covers much more than cameras and lenses so if you have, for example, a photo backpack, tripod or filters to sell these can be shown as you type in their name too.

With all your kit listed, add contact details and a quote will appear in your inbox soon afterwards, although manually entered items will take one working day.

If you are happy with the quote, accept it and follow the instructions to get the kit ready for courier collection on a day to suit you. For higher-value deals, an MPB account manager will also be in touch, so you have a personal point of contact if you have any queries.

Once received by MPB, you will get a notification and after checking by its product specialists you will receive a final quote. This can vary from the original quote if there is a missing item – like a battery not being supplied – or your assessed condition differs from the actual condition.

A quote can go down, but it can also increase if the kit’s condition is better than your assessment.

The whole process doesn’t take long and MPB are in touch by e-mail at every step so you’re never in the dark, and only when you are totally happy with the deal, pass on your payment details or pay the balance in the case of part-exchange. Either way, the money or your new kit will be with you soon after.

Get A Quote From MPB Today

About MPB

• MPB is the largest global platform to buy, sell and trade used photo and video kit.
• MPB are the simple, safe and circular way to trade, upgrade and get paid.
• MPB is not a marketplace, instead buying directly from visual storytellers and evaluating all items before reselling MPB-approved kit.
• MPB’s dynamic pricing engine provides the right price upfront for all items.
• Circularity is at the centre of MPB, promoting sustainability, diversity and inclusion in everything they do.
• MPB prioritises inclusive recruitment and supports employees with extensive training and development. They promote inclusive visual storytelling and an inclusive circular economy.
• MPB’s business model is 100% circular. All packaging is 100% plastic-free. Their cloud-based platform uses 100% renewable electricity.
• MPB has served over 625,000 visual storytellers while recirculating more than 400,000 products annually
• MPB provides first-class customer service. Customers can receive support through their Help Centre or by speaking directly with a kit expert.
• MPB’s product specialists are trusted by thousands of visual storytellers in the UK.
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