In Quest of Warm Hands

Winter in Ottawa is either overcast and relatively warm (right now, it has been overcast for several days, and it's -4°C (25°F)), or it is sunny and cold (-18°C (0°F) or colder). Most winters, we have a period of time where an arctic high pressure comes down, and we get a week of extreme cold, ranging from -30°C (-22°F) at night, to a balmy -20°C (-4°F) during the day.

Trees on Bates Island, Ottawa

Photography under these conditions is extremely challenging, to say the least. When the temperature gets down to -18°C, you have to dress accordingly, and protect any exposed skin to avoid frostbite (and a lot of pain). I have the appropriate clothing – long underwear, ski pants, heavy winter coat, and warm hat. However, covering my hands is another matter. With proper cold-weather mitts or gloves, it's impossible to manipulate the controls of a camera. With lightweight gloves, you can manage a camera, but your hands freeze very quickly, and it is very painful, especially when they thaw out.

So the question is: how do you keep warm hands in very cold weather?

Snow on a Sumac tree

A number of years ago, I bought some “photographer” gloves that had dots of some material that allowed you to grip a camera. They were knit gloves and gave a bit of warmth, but they were not windproof by any means, and were only good at temperatures above about 5°C (about 40°F).

I have also used some cross-country ski gloves that were much warmer, but I still suffered badly when the temperatures were very cold. I could use these gloves down to about -10°C (14°F). Any colder than that, I had to use my cold-weather mitts, and switch to gloves only for short periods.

This year, I have tried out a number of newly designed gloves with modern materials, and some glove liners.

The first set of gloves were purchased from a local “outdoors” store. I bought a pair of Manzella Stretch Fit gloves, rated as “warm, for outdoor aerobic activities”, a pair of Manzella Woodsman gloves rated as “warmest, for outdoor activities in extreme conditions”, as well as some polypropylene glove liners.

A Farm outside Ottawa

The Manzella Stretch Fit gloves are light skin-tight gloves with a very good palm and finger surface for grip. I first used these gloves on a street-photography walk down a downtown Ottawa street, when it was about 3°C (37°F) and windy. I was using my new Canon S90 camera, which is very small and hard to handle with gloves. I found that the glove's grip was good enough for the camera, but some of the controls were difficult as you might expect with a small camera. The gloves were just barely warm enough at this temperature. After about an hour, my hands were cold, but not painfully so. However, these gloves are not windproof, and I think that 3°C is the limit for warmth for my photographic purposes. My walk down the street was not aerobic by any means, and I think the story would be different if I had hiked for a half hour to get there.

I tried the Manzella Woodsman gloves on a much colder day, when it was -16°C (3°F). These gloves were not designed for photography or activities that need a good grip, but I wanted to see how warm they are, and whether I could manipulate my DSLR with them. In the end, the Woodsman gloves are very comfortable, and reasonably warm, but not suited for photography. I tried them with glove liners to see if they would be good in colder temperatures, but I found the fit too tight. I probably should have gotten one size larger to use with liners. Nonetheless, I really like these gloves, and they have replace my cross-country ski gloves for driving, and most winter activities.

A golf course near where I work

After much web searching to find warm photographic gloves, I finally found “AquaTech Sensory Gloves” from Outdoor Photo Gear (www.outdoorphotogear.com). They are waterproof, breathable, and have a silicon dots on the palm and fingers. On top of that, there are neoprene sections on the thumb and index finger with holes that let you stick your thumb and finger out of the glove to control the camera. After some email exchanges with the people at Outdoor Photo Gear (who were very responsive), I decided to buy them and see what they were like.

I tried the AquaTech gloves out on a windy 16°C morning, along with the Manzella Stretch Fit gloves serving as glove liners. I stayed out in the cold and wind for over 30 minutes, and this combination of gloves and liners did very well. It was still difficult to manage the Canon S90, but I expected that. I used my Nikon D200 quite easily, and although my hands got cold at times, I never felt that I wanted to get out of the cold.

The small holes on the index finger and thumb worked quite well. I didn't pull my finger and thumb right through the holes, but I found that I had a better feel of camera controls.

Hoarfrost on trees, taken on an extremely cold day, with freezing cold hands

The Manzella Stretch Fit gloves are a bit bulky as liners. If I had gotten one size larger Aquatech gloves, I think the thickness would be fine. The polypropylene liners that I got from the outdoors store are thinner, and work well inside the AquaTech gloves.

The AquaTech gloves are certainly the best I have tried, and I'm quite happy with them. They are very good for modestly cold weather, and when it gets really cold, they work well with glove liners. I highly recommend them for winter photography.


. . . Rob Williams
http://www.robertwilliamsphotography.ca

Canon S90 Raw format distortion

As I wrote in the last post, Raw format is a very important feature of the S90. One of the first things you will notice is that the S90's raw captures have a significant amount of barrel distortion. Here is the raw capture of a photograph of some bricks, taken at the shortest focal length, 28mm (actually 6mm):

Brick wall, raw format before correction

The amount of distortion declines as the focal length increases, until there is almost no distortion at 105mm (22.5mm actual). The good thing is that it is quite easy to fix, although it is an extra step in post-processing that adds time.

With Photoshop Elements, use the Correct Camera Distortion tool (Filter -> Correct Camera Distortion...).

Here are the settings I use to fix distortion at various focal lengths, using the "correct distortion" slider:

• 28mm (6mm actual): +25


• 35mm (7.49mm actual): +14


• 50mm (10.7mm actual): +7


• 85mm (18.189 actual): +5


• 105mm(22.5mm actual): +1
  

Bear in mind that you may also want to correct for virtical and horozontal perspective as well. Here is the result of the correction, before being cropped:

Brick wall, corrected for distortion, before cropping

The jpeg version of this image is processed inside the camera. The camera corrects distortion, but I have found it is not corrected fully. Here is the camera-processed jpeg, with a slight barrel distortion:

Brick wall, corrected in-camera for jpeg

. . . Rob Williams
http://www.robertwilliamsphotography.ca

Photography with the Canon S90

I have been watching the evolution of the Canon G series for a couple of years now, and with the G10 last year, and G11 this year, it seemed like this camera has reached a state where it is a very useful camera, capable of producing excellent images. I wanted to own a camera that I could take with me almost all of the time, so it has to be small and light, and I wanted a camera where I have raw format, to give me more control over the processing of the image. The G10 and G11 have most of the properties that I want, but both cameras are heavy and thick -- so much so that I would not want it in my pocket for very long.

With the introduction of the S90 using the same sensor as the G11, the size and weight issue has been removed, and if the online reviews are accurate, the S90 promised to be a very capable small camera. I ordered the camera, and I've been using it for about two months so far. My conclusion so far is that this camera is all it's cracked-up to be, with a couple of design flaws that can be corrected with some accessories and post-processing.

Heritage Carrots at the Byward Market, Ottawa

Image quality

The image quality from the S90 is superb for a camera this small. While downtown in the Byward Market, I took a photograph of a totem pole with the S90 at ISO 100, and with my Nikon D200 with an 18-200mm zoom at ISO 200, both hand-held. When I examined the photographs at home, both looked good at 100% zoom. with the D200 image a bit sharper. The only real difference between them was that the D200 image had a much finer depth of field. This can be an advantage or a flaw, depending on the situation.

Totem pole detail, using the S90

The other noticeable difference was some chromatic aberration on the edges of the S90 photo. This is a pain, but it can be fixed during post-processing.

I made a 12x18" print of the S90 photograph, and it looks fantastic. Nobody would guess that it came from a point-and-shoot camera. I am very impressed with the quality of the images from this camera.

Low light/high ISO performance

The quality of the image at high ISOs (400 and up) is actually quite good, but not something that competes with a DSLR (mind you, my D200 isn't too good either). As well, the camera has an f/2.0 lens at 28mm, which is quite good. I used the S90 recently at a family gathering, using ISO 800 to 1600, and the results are quite acceptable for family photos. There is definitely noise present, but sized for a print, it's hardly noticeable, and it can be removed with my normal noise reduction software. I wouldn't see one of these images as an art print, but it's very respectable for everyday use.

Boxing Poster, taken at ISO 800

Cool features

The S90 has some very nice features that help make it a very easy camera to use. It has a very large 3-inch screen on the back, the same size as on most high-end cameras. It is very clear and bright -- I can still use it in bright sun. The screens on newly designed cameras have come a long way since I bought my first DSLR (a Nikon D100, way back in 2003).

There are also two programmable controls -- a front ring (positioned around the lens), and a back programmable button. Both can control a variety of functions. The front ring can be set to control focus, ISO, +/- exposure, white balance, and focal length in fixed steps. I use the latter function. It allows me to set the focal length to various 35mm equivalents: 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 105mm. The only problem I have is that I am always turning the ring the wrong way -- it's the opposite from my Nikon lenses. Maybe it's a Canon/Nikon thing.

The back programmable button can be set to a different, wider set of functions, ISO, white balance, custom white balance, AE or AF lock, face detection, red-eye correction, display off, and more. I have it set to ISO because I shift ISO quite often. AF lock would also be quite useful for me.

The Provincial Courthouse, Ottawa

Design Problems

Other reviewers have described various problem areas of this camera, but none are show-stoppers for me. These are the problems that I have personally experienced:

The first problem I noticed was that there is no grip on the front of the camera. This made me hold onto the camera by squeezing my hand on the front and back, where the back controls are located. As you might expect, this led to inadvertent button presses, and movement of the dial on the back. Fortunately, there is a terrific low cost solution -- a grip manufactured by Richard Franiec. The grip costs US$32.95, and got to me in about a week, shipping from the US into Canada. It makes a big difference in how you hold the camera, and I highly recommend it.

The second problem is that there is no way to attach a filter to the lens. Since I am a landscape photographer, I really want to use a polarizing filter. The G11 has a filter thread, but the S90 does not support a filter. I'm guessing that the lack of a filter thread reduces the profile of the camera. There is a third-party accessory to solve this problem as well. Lensmate offers a 37mm adapter for the S90 for US$24.95 that glues onto the front of the lens. A device is provided to center the adapter when you install it, and another gadget is included to allow you to remove the adapter if needed. I got this adapter just before Christmas, and it was very easy to attach. Now, I have a polarizing filter for the S90, and I'm very happy with the results.

Courtyard on Elgin Street, Ottawa

The third problem does not yet have a remedy. The circular control on the back is used for exposure compensation during normal operation. This is a very useful feature, but the ring is too easy to move. Many times I have accidentally changed exposure compensation without realizing it. The addition of the grip on the front has helped quite a bit, but I still find that the ring gets moved accidentally.

It is important to recognize that this is still a point-and-shoot camera. The image quality is superb, but the camera still behaves like a point-and-shoot in some respects. The camera is still slow to focus and shoot compared to DSLRs as are most compact cameras. This means that it is not great for action photography. As a camera for family photographs, as well as everyday use for street and landscape photography, it's a very useful tool.


. . . Rob Williams
http://www.robertwilliamsphotography.ca

Full Disclosure: I receive no support whatsoever from any equipment or software manufacturer. I own all equipment reviewed, and I either purchase or use freely available downloads of any software reviewed. These are strictly my opinions, and you are free to disagree if you want!

Roadside Memorials

When I was growing up, I don't recall ever seeing a roadside memorial around Ottawa.  The first time I remember seeing any roadside memorial was on a trip to India in 1986.  On the roads around Delhi, there were quite a few shrines beside the road, most of which were likely remembering people who had died on the road.  The traffic in and out of Delhi was unbelievably wild, and bad accidents were common.

In the past few years, I have been noticing roadside memorials in Ottawa, in various places around town and outside of the city.  I can think of seven right now from the center of town westwards.  I'm in the process of looking for more memorials -- I'm sure they are more out there.

The latest is a memorial for a bicycle commuter who was killed in September on a busy road in downtown Ottawa; the photographs in this posting are from that memorial.  This happened only two days after a horrible incident where five cyclists riding in formation were hit by a single vehicle in Kanata, a community in the far western end of Ottawa. There was a considerable level of shock felt by Ottawans, and the cycling community in particular over these two incidents, and in at least one other cycling death in the area.

I find these memorials quite touching.  They are all hand-made by people who obviously care a lot about the people who are being remembered, and the sites can be very moving.   Some have hand-written signs and notes that give a very personal feeling.  Most are frequently maintained with new flowers (usually plastic, but very colourful when you drive past) and new designs from one season to the next.

I am building a portfolio of photographs from roadside memorials which I will show on my website as soon as I have enough photographs.  If anyone in the Ottawa area knows of a roadside memorial site, I would appreciate an email with the location.

. . . Rob Williams
http://www.robertwilliamsphotography.ca

More on November and December photography

Since my last posting, I have been challenging myself to get outside and do some more photography in November, and now in December.  We have not yet had a significant snowfall, so the landscape is still dull, filled with greys and browns.  Not only that, but sunny days have been rare these days.

Roadside Memorial

Despite that, there are some subjects that can be photographed with these light and landscape conditions.  I have found three themes that seem to offer some photographic opportunities: architecture, cityscapes, and a series of photographs of roadside memorials that I have been working on for a while now.

Detail of the Totem Pole in the Byward Market, Ottawa

It's not a coincidence that all of these subject areas can benefit from even light, or a dead-looking landscape.  I will have some further comments on cityscapes and roadside memorials in the near future.

Patio along Elgin Street, Ottawa

. . . Rob Williams
http://www.robwilliams.ca

November photography: good, bad or ugly?

After the brilliant colours of October, November gives us a different palate: browns and greys. All the leaves have fallen, and a succession of grey skies, rain, drizzle, and fog leaves the landscape dull and lifeless.

I took a look at my photographs over the past couple of years, and discovered that I have virtually no photographs taken in November. I guess that the flurry of photographs in the fall use up all of my energy, and the dullness of November gives me no inspiration.

One thing I do enjoy is the vast number of shades of brown that are in the fields and forests. With rain and fog, the browns are more intense than when it's dry. Even so, the colours are very subtle, just the opposite of the brilliance of the previous few weeks.

Since I enjoy hiking anyway, I went out this morning after a night of rain. As is often the case, I usually find out it's worth the effort, even if all I get out of it is a good walk. I've included a couple of photographs from this morning's outing.

. . . Rob Williams
http://www.robwilliams.ca