Going All-In on Analog Photography with Monica K. Rose

The Noisecast is back with another interview with New York-based photographer, Monica K. Rose. Monica is part of a growing number of photographers that are going all in on analog photography – challenges and all – and allowing the character of film photography to shape her creative vision. Monica started out her creative career first by making portraits for social media and quickly discovered her passion for conceptual photography in large part due to her experimentation in analog photography.

Monica, spent some time with us talking about how she’s made personal pivots to becoming a working photographer in New York City and how her love of making art continues to be at the heart of her decision to forego digital in favor of analog photography. We also got a chance to geek out about film stocks and gear – so definitely stick around for that.

You can learn more about Monica’s work at the following:

⁠Website⁠

⁠YouTube⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

Be sure to follow and subscribe to TheNoisecast on your platform of ⁠choice⁠.

Fujifilm Shooters Rejoice – Sigma Announces New 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Lens for X Mount

Today, Sigma announced a new Contemporary Lens for Fuji X-mount cameras – the new 15-50mm F2.8 DC DN. The new lens joins the previously released X-mount fast primes: the 16mm F1.4, 30mm F1.4, and 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary lenses giving photographers a fast standard Zoom lens. Here’s how this lens stacks up.

A Huge Firmware Update is Coming to the Fujifilm X-H2S

We’re a little late to the party but this is one of those updates that need to be seen – earlier this week, Fujifilm and Adobe announced their intention to bring a camera to cloud (C2C) connection update that will leverage Adobe’s Frame.io collaborative workflow and tools with Fujifilm’s latest flagship camera.

No Micro Four-Thirds Is Not Dead

No, Micro Four-Thirds (MFT) is not dead! I feel like at least once a year I have to write this down. I’m often asked, “MFT cameras can’t keep up with a full-frame like Sony, why bother?” To be fair, 5 years ago that question had Canon instead of Sony in it so I guess Sony should’ve stopped making cameras then. In either case, it’s a really ill-informed question equating sensor size as the only determining factor in what makes a good camera or worse, a good image.

A Story About A Nice Film Club

Here’s another one from the archives as Alberto chats with the founder of Nice Film Club, Joshua Goldberg on the resurgence of film photography in a digital world. In this episode, they talk about their mutual passion for film and shooting film as well as how the concept of on-demand darkroom services -ahem- developed.

End of an Era at Olympus

Olympus Announces It’s Getting Out of the Camera Business

It’s been rumored for several months now, but it looks like these rumors were true. Today, Olympus announced that it will be getting out of the consumer camera business and focusing on their other (more profitable) product lines (specifically medical imaging).

Creative Escapes with Olympus Trailblazer Jamie MacDonald

As most of us are about a month deep into social distancings (whether by choice or mandate), but this episode’s guest – Olympus Trailblazer, Jamie MacDonald – shares some of his creative process and how he’s staying sharp as we’re all staying home.

Real Picture Printing, Mostly Portable – Epson PictureMate PM400

Today’s photography is often viewed as a disposable commodity. What else could explain the fact that editorial and commercial budget has been reduced to a pittance of what they once were? For hobbyists and amateurs, photography is but a fleeting moment on a tiny screen often lacking a lasting connection to its subject. Part of this lack of connection comes from the shift from analog photography to digital photograph; a gap that easy-to-use, digital to analog photography products like the Epson PictureMate PM400 hope to bridge.

Saal Digital Goes States-Side: Photo Book Review

While most people instantly think of Instagram or Facebook as the go-to places for showcasing their photography, there’s something magical about seeing your work in print. We’re all about bridging your digital world with the tangible so when we got a chance to try a new printing device we had to give it a go. Recently Saal Digital, a new photo printing service, reached out and invited us to try out their professional photo book service. Saal Digital promised an intuitive user experience with a spectacular finish that’s worthy of being a family heirloom; challenge accepted.

NoiseReview: The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III

I recently was loaned an Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and have been using it for a little over 2 weeks now. In that time, I was reminded about my love of the small, Micro Four-Thirds camera bodies (I’ve been shooting Medium Format film and a Fujifilm X-Pro 1 exclusively for about a year and a half). I’ve forgotten how great it is having a camera that’s easy to carry and doesn’t attract too much attention when shooting street or concerts.

While the E-M10’s small form factor is a nice plus, its flexibility to work well for snapshots and actual photographic work makes this one the more slept on cameras available now. The E-M10’s spec sheet puts it on par with most mid-range cameras like the Canon T7i, Sony a6000, Nikon D5600 or the Panasonic GX85. Unlike the APS-C cameras listed before, the E-M10 offers WiFi connectivity and 4K video at 24 and 30 frames per second. To sweeten the deal, the Micro Four-Thirds format boasts a wealth of lens options (trust me, you’ll want to get rid of the power zoom kit lens), many at very affordable price points.

Product Shots

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The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mk. III at a Glance

• 16-Megapixel Micro Four-Thirds CMOS sensor without Anti-Aliasing Filter

• TruePic VIII processor

• 121-point Contrast Detect Auto Focusing System

• In-body 5-axis image stabilization

• 8.6 fps high/ 4.8 fps low continuous shooting

• 2.36M dot Electronic Viewfinder

• 4k Video at 24 and 30 fps | Nighttime Live Composite | 15 Art Filters

Who is this for?

If you’re looking to get into photography, want something better than your phone’s camera, or are looking for a second, smaller camera for travel, the E-M10 III absolutely fits the bill. This camera offers beginners a guided tour into the world of photography thanks to its Advanced Photo options, Art Filters, while still allowing for full manual controls once you’ve gotten tired of shooting in Auto (or Program) and are ready to push the camera’s limits. Sadly, this isn’t the perfect camera for everyone; despite the 4K video option, the E-M10 III omits a mic-in jack which keeps this from being the perfect vlogging camera.

Still, if you’re primarily interested in stills, the E-M10 III offers a fine balance of ease of use and portability with a high enough ceiling for a budding creative like yourself.

Sample Images

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