2008年，通过译言网站来到 Jim Radcliffe 的 Leica D-LUX3 作品相册。可以发现这位仁兄用卡片机拍摄的照片竟然如此出彩。构图简练，主题突出，色彩简单而凝重，从某种意义上来说 Jim 同学已经把卡片机的功能最大程度发挥出来了。今年再回头再去欣赏 Jim Radcliffe 的网站，发现那里有不少其他型号便携相机的，包括几年前的 Leica X1，以及最新发布的 Fuji X Pro 1、Fuji X10等。不管大感光芯片还是小DC，无论能否可换镜头，Jim Radcliffe 都能够把这些非单反的相机性能压榨到了极致。

Jim Radclifee: I am an amateur photographer with no asperations of ever being a “Pro”. My interest in photography began while I was in my teens and that was a long time ago.

都说摄影是用光的艺术，也就是先把钱用光的艺术。当然，剑宗和气宗到底哪个更强，网络上一直都有论战，而且永远不会有答案。倒是有一个笑话：人像摄影前辈陈冠希老师说“摄影界的境界，你们玩器材的永远不会懂”。这固然是网友们演绎的，但归根结底，要想拍出吸引人的照片，还需修炼内功，不要总怪罪于器材的优劣。让我们再次回到译言翻译的 DPreview 讨论：什么是真正的徕卡。

如果一个买的起M8与徕卡最好镜头的人但却没有掌握最基本的摄影知识，那我们又能从他那里学到什么？作为通常情况，任何人都可能拍出糟糕的照片，我们也大多如此，当然其中我也不例外。

到现在，我在任何时间，任何地点还没有看到一副作品，它只能通过徕卡相机拍摄。如果你给我一个这样的例子，画面是其它相机所无法完成的，我也许会相信在这里神一样地位的徕卡。我是一个徕卡的忠实拥护者，但它对我来说没有神秘的宗教意义，我所知道的只有它骄傲的历史与产品的优良品质，仅此而已。我为徕卡在过去的岁月中的历史与创新感到荣耀，但它仍然仅仅是一个工具。

所有的徕卡相机都有拍摄出精彩影像的潜力，相对的，制造出糟糕画面的几率也一样。对我来说，买一台M8抓拍出高品质的画面没什么问题。

摄影有很多层面：纪实的、商业的、生活的。对于大部分朋友们来说，如豆瓣“随身常带小相机小组”所说：“我们的终极目标只是要一台体积小巧画质不错的随身机，享受拍照带来的快乐。不一定要每一张都是好片，但是我们就是喜欢按快门这样一个简单的动作，喜欢咔咔的快门声音。 ”

究竟该买什么相机请看：买高端数码还是单反相机？
欣赏更多作品请移步：http://www.boxedlight.com/。

图片均为 Jim Radclifffe 先生拍摄，本文已得到作者对于图片转载和文字翻译的授权。
Para Sempre is already permitted by Mr. Jim Radcliffe to post his photo and translate the text.

 

———————————————————– 以下为：Leica D-Lux 3 ———————————————————–

 

至于Leica D-Lux 3 这款机子和松下 LX2 有什么差别，可以援引网上一些评论：

1、虽然都是日本制造，但 LX2 和 D-LUX3 的生产线不一样
2、D-LUX3 镜头组中的几个重要镜片是由德国空运过来的，由Leica原装制造。精度不同，据说 D-LUX3 装配公差在千分之一，LX2是千分之五。
3、机身内的影像（颜色）处理统统由Leica负责，每一部D-LUX3都要空运到德国Leica总部进行校对
4、镀膜不同，D-LUX3是绿色，LX2是蓝色

Jim Radcliffe （在2009年以前）虽然已经拥有了 Nikon D30 和 Canon 5D，但是还想有一台便携的、而且能够有完整够的手动控制和 Raw 格式输出能力的小相机。而 Leica D-Lux 3 除了满足这些需求以外，还能拍摄 16:9 的画幅，Jim Radcliffe 一直用这种画面尺寸拍摄照片。

The Leica D-Lux 3 is one of three compact cameras I own. I also own a Sigma DP1 and a Canon G9. I have been using DSLR’s since Canon introduced the D30 and I now use a Canon 5D but I wanted a camera I could carry with me all the time without having to carry a large camera bag, a bulky camera body and four or five lenses.

I chose the D-Lux 3 because I desired a small camera with full manual controls and RAW capability. I also really like the 16:9 aspect ratio and I choose to shoot in that format almost all the time with the D-Lux 3.

 

OOP074: Skylight. Leica D-Lux3. This was taken in the center court of a mall not far from my home. I liked the geometry and color.

 

OOP075: Knife and Fork. Leica D-Lux3. What can I say? I just like the simplicity of this shot. The knife and fork lay on the table where the waitress placed them and the light from the window proved interesting.

 

OOP076: Sunrise. Leica D-Lux3. Through A Dandelion. More proof that Spring is on the way. The Dandelions are all over the place. This morning I decided to shoot the sunrise through one of them. It came out better than I expected. Can’t help myself. I love sunrise and try to watch it happen every day.

 

OOP077: No Picnic Today – Optical Illusion? Leica D-Lux3. Dallas rarely gets heavy fog, so when it happened I decided to go out and see what presented itself. This lonesome picnic shed on Lake Grapevine proved to be an interesting and solitary subject. Normally you would see the lake and the far shore behind the shed. I found this view much more appealling. Optical Illusion: A friend pointed out that if you stare at the top of the shed the lake appears and disappears. It worked for me. Your mileage may vary.

 

OOP078: Leica Dlux 3.

 

OOP079: Grapevine, Texas – Vintage Railroad. Leica D-Lux3. This is the old steam locomotive that runs between Grapevine and Fort Worth, Texas. This shot was taken on December 9, 2007. The weather was finally cold enough for the steam from the locomotive to be seen. This shot was taken with the sun behind the locomotive, further enhancing the steam as the train was being readied for The day’s run between Grapevine and Fort Worth.

 

———————————————————– 以下为：Leica D-Lux 4 ———————————————————–

 

Tsian：我自己用过一段时间的 Leica D-Lux 4，这是到目前为止唯一用有过的 Leica 相机。本来以为能够得到超群的画质，拿到手那刻就发现它也只不过是一台小 DC 而已，除了质感更好以外，画质和松下的相机没有本质区别。不过 Jim Radcliffe 在使用了一段时间的 Leica D-Lux4 以后认为自己很喜爱这款相机，虽然图片质量不能和 5D 以及 M8 媲美，但是从体积、便携性能、以及能够变焦和微距拍摄来说，Leica D-Lux 4 表现优异。如果能够有再大一点的感光芯片会更好，当然完美是不可能的，Leica D-Lux 4 是 Jim Radcliffe 最喜欢的便携相机之一。

After using the D-Lux 4 since October of 2008 I can say in all honesty that of all the cameras I own, it is my favorite.

It is compact, I can take it with me anywhere. It is quiet, even quieter than my M8. It produces wonderful images, not as good as the 5D or M8 but for its size the images are amazing. It is versatile, with zoom, macro, video and built in features to help photographers achieve the look they desire. It is not perfect, a larger sensor would be great, but perfection is not possible and for what it is, the Leica D-Lux 4 is one of the best compact cameras ever made.

These are my opinions. They carry as much weight as a grain of dust in the wind. – Jim Radcliffe

 

OOP080: Shades of Green. Leica D-Lux4. This little frog looked like he was eyeing the abyss before him trying to decide whether to jump or not. Taken with the D-Lux 4 in macro mode. Post work in Photoshop.

 

OOP081: Seed. Leica D-Lux4. I’ve shot these before but I like their architecture and color.

 

OOP082: Monterey Harbor. Leica D-Lux4. I’ve found a new place to retire. Pacific Grove, California. It’s just up the road a ways from where I shot this photo in the Monterey Harbor. It’s an absolutely beautiful little town at the tip of the Monterey Peninsula. The early morning fog in this shot made it almost pastel in nature.

 

———————————————————– 以下为：Leica X1 ———————————————————–

 

在微单刚刚流行的前几年，Leica X1 长期占据了便携相机画质之王。不过 Jim Radcliffe 不会买它，因为 Leica X1 不能更换镜头，不能算多才多艺；第二条就是因为 Leica 随心所欲定出的价格。这不能说他觉得相机不好，只是因为 X1 还不够灵活（应该是指镜头不可换）。

I enjoyed using the X1 very much. It produces great images and it will be the perfect camera for many. It’s not that I don’t like the X1, I do. It’s just not versatile enough for me.

If you decide the X1 is the camera for you I am sure you will enjoy it and the rich Leica heritage that will accompany it, including that special pride of ownership so many Leica owners feel.

 

OOP083: Farmers Market Color. Leica X1. Colors are faithful to what I saw. Ambient daylight/shade and tungsten light mix. 1/30s, ISO 200, f/2.8

 

OOP084: More Blacksmith Tools. Leica X1. The lens on the X1 is very sharp and resolves detail about as good as it gets. 1/125s, ISO 320, f/2.8

 

OOP085: Bamboo. Leica X1. Taken at the Fort Worth Zoo. 1/250s, ISO 1250, f/2.8

 

———————————————————– 以下为：FuJi X Pro 1 ———————————————————–

 

Tsian：曾经有一段时间为 Fuji X Pro 1 的上市而痴迷，甚至在 BHPhotoVideo 上已经下了订单。直到今年3月份在杭州参加了试拍活动，X Pro 1 操作的繁琐程度和并非鹤立鸡群的画质让我失望不已，加上 Fuji 的品质和售后是有名得不靠谱，最终决定退订。请看《Fuji X-pro 1 动手体验》。

有在网上看到说 X Pro 1 的高感是用机内处理出来的，解开 Raw 文件图片是惨不忍睹的。Dpreview 上的评价也是 X Pro 1 的 JPEG 输出不错，但是 Raw 格式输人一截。

当然，Jim Radcliffe 还是用 X Pro 1 拍出了好片。他自己买下了这个相机，首先是因为迷人的混合取景器，第二是足够小，第三是高光能力不错，第四是他想帮助这家聆听用户心声的公司，最后是 X Pro 1 手感不错。Jim Radcliffe 认为这是近10年里第一台让他感到惊奇的相机。JPEG 画质非常之优秀，镜头和感光芯片也不错。当然，他也觉得 X Pro 1 的自动对焦可以再快一些。

I have owned a lot of cameras but I don’t believe I was ever in love with any of them. I enjoyed most of them but never felt love for any of them, until now. I can say it now: I love the Fuji X-Pro1. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed using manual controls and using an aperture ring. The X-Pro1 is the first camera I have owned in the last 10 years that truly has amazed me. I am amazed by the quality of the JPGs, I am amazed by the lenses and the sensor but most of all it is the enjoyment I receive from using the camera that amazes me the most.

The Fuji X-Pro1 is not perfect. I wish the auto-focus were faster but that is a small thing compared to everything that is so right about the camera. I simply enjoy using it more than any camera I have owned and that says a lot.

 

OOP086: Pigeon Point Light – Central Coast – California. FUJI X Pro1. It is the tallest lighhouse on the Pacific Coast of the United States. It was built in 1871. Fuji X-Pro1 – 35mm 1/400s f/9.0 ISO 400.

 

OOP087: Long Exposure Using a Variable Neutral Density Filter. FUJI X Pro1. I’ve been wanting to try this for some time but never got around to buying a VND filter until now. That little orange spot on the rock in the center is a starfish. Fuji X-Pro1 – 35mm 5 second exposure f/16 ISO 200 with a 10 stop VND filter.

 

OOP088: Golden Gate Bridge – San Francisco, California. FUJI X Pro1. Yeah, it’s been shot millions of times but I never tire of climbing to the top of that hill overlooking the bridge and taking in the beauty of the bridge and San Francisco. Fuji X-Pro1 – 18mm 1/400s f/5.6 ISO 400.

 

OOP089: Lunch – My Water & Iced Tea. FUJI X Pro1. 35mm f/1.4 ISO 400 1/1300s.

 

OOP090: Nion Pacific Railroad Tracks Leading Into Dallas. Fuji X-Pro1. 18mm 1/4000s f/11 ISO 250. This shot is a a compsit in which I exposed for the tracks and the sunrise. Post work in Photoshop CS5.

 

OOP091: Bottles. Fuji X-Pro1. 35mm f/1.4 ISO 250 1/52s.

 

OOP092: Shooting Trains. FUJI X Pro1. Using the 35mm & 18mm.

 

———————————————————– 以下为：Sigma DP2 ———————————————————–

 

Tsian: 适马的相机一直以采用 X3 的感光芯片标榜。可惜适马的做工毁灭了一切。DP 系列相机虽然理论上能够产生丰富的色彩，可是实际使用过程中还是会很出现偏色。尤其是还容易坏。

Jim Radcliffe 觉得为了随拍拍是没有必要买 Sigma DP2 的，专业人士才更加适合拥有它。

The DP2 is not a Point and Shoot camera for the masses. To get the most from it you must understand the basics of photography. It is improved over the DP1 and the images seem to look better to me even though it is the same sensor used in the DP1. It can only be the new lens and True II working together that causes me to feel this way.

 

OOP093: Farmers Market. Sigma DP2. Taken at the Farmers Market in Dallas with the DP2.

 

OOP094: See How They Glow. Sigma DP2. Bottles for sale.

 

———————————————————– 以下为：Sigma DP1 ———————————————————–

 

Tsian：同 Sigma DP2 一样，Jim Radcliffe 认为 DP1 也不是为入门者设计的，它的画质、动态范围都是能和单反相媲美的。

Is the DP1 perfect? No, it’s not, but it is ground breaking and at the moment, one of a kind. I am very impressed. I would not consider this an entry level camera. I do not believe it was designed for beginners and it should NOT be considered a consumer grade point and shoot. It’s in a class by itself. The images are wonderful. The dynamic range is great and the quality you get out of the DP1 is probably matched only by a DSLR.

 

OOP095: The Fortune Teller. Sigma DP1. I just like the way these colors mingled. And the absence of people was also pleasing.

 

OOP096: Sigma DP1.

 

OOP097: Grapevine, Texas – Vintage Railroad.Sigma DP1.

 

OOP098: Sigma DP1.

 

OOP099: Sigma DP1.

 

———————————————————– 以下为：Panasonic GF1 ———————————————————–

 

Tsian：且不论和 Panasonic GF1 一起发布的那颗 20/1.7 现在依旧是微单的饼干镜王，就论 GF1 作为微单的开山鼻祖就已经能够名垂千古了。Jim Radcliffe 原本期待 GF2 能够在 GF1 的基础上有所提升，可惜 GF2 看起来更像是 GF1 的降级版。

All in all the GF1 has proven itself to be a great camera and allowed me much enjoyment and captured some great photos. I had hoped the GF2 would be a much improved model of the GF1 but instead it seems to be a dumbed down version of the GF1 aimed primarily at the home market of point and shooters.

 

OOP100: The Last Sunrise of 2009 Panasonic GF1. (45mm Version).

 

OOP101: Dr. Pepper Sign – Van Alstyne, Texas. Panasonic GF1. Taken in the small Texas town of Van Alstyne. GF1 and the 7-14mm.

 

OOP102: End of the Line for The Point Reyes. Panasonic GF1. Abandoned and bearing the name Point Reyes. I thought I would pay homage with a photo. She must have been a fine boat at some point in time.

 

OOP103: Hot Stuff! Panasonic GF1. The blacksmith had just taken the horshoe out of the fire and was putting a kid’s name on it. Note the blurred background here. 20mm f/1.7 wide open.

 

OOP104: The Firetruck. Panasonic GF1. One of the few old vehicles that is somewhat protected from the elements. GF1 7-14mm.

 

OOP105: Isolated Cattail. Panasonic GF1. I really like the bokeh of the 45-200. This is perfect isolation of the subject from a rather cluttered background.

 

OOP106: Mardi Gras – New Orleans 2010. Panasonic GF1 45-200mm.

 

———————————————————– 以下为：FuJi X10 ———————————————————–

 

Tsian：Jim Radcliffe 在对 Panasonic GX1 彻底失望以后购买了 Fuji X10。Fuji 和 Panasonic 不一样，这是一家能够和消费者沟通的企业。X10 是一台体积不大的、类似于测距仪式的相机，而非微单，它的镜头对焦速度很快，而且还有光学取景器、手动控制等功能。

I was so disappointed by Panasonic’s GX1 that buying the Fuji X10 was somewhat of a no-brainer. It’s quite obvious that Fuji, unlike Panasonic, has been listening to their customers and produced a compact camera a that ticks a lot of check boxes for those who want a “rangefinder style” compact camera rather than a Mini-DSLR type camera. They gave it a fast lens, an optical viewfinder, manual controls and a retro look that is sure to appeal to many.

 

OOP107: Steering Wheel – What’s Left Of It. Fuji X10. Post work in Photoshop CS5.

 

OOP108: Slow Night at the Carnival. Fuji X10. The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is underway and while the performances are going on the carnival midway is pretty much a ghost town. Not many people around except me and the people manning the booths. Taken with the X10 ISO 1600 f/2.5 1/320s. Shot as a JPG.

 

OOP109: Neches, Texas. Fuji X10 f/4.0 ISO 200 1/680s.

 

OOP110: Let There Be Light. Fuji X10. Every now and then I find intereting things to shoot while wandering through stores. This is not an old light but a new, retro light bulb I spied in a store in the Dallas Galleria. I really liked the filaments and the glow of this light. I was happy the X10 was able to capture the things I liked about it. X10 ISO 125 f/2.8 at 1/640s – standard (NON-EXR) shot at 12MP.

 

OOP111: Rust Bucket – Chevy Truck. Fuji X10. When I can get a shot like this from a small sensor camera like the X10, I’ve just got to love it. Post work in Photoshop CS5.

 

OOP112: Eating Out – Chinese. Fuji X10. Love the colors in this Chinese restaurant. I had the Honey Seared Chicken with Sticky Rice. Fuji X10 Handheld at 1/26s, f/2.5, ISO 1000, 53mm

 

OOP113: Field Grass & Wind – Golden Hour. Fuji X10. The title pretty much says it all. Later afternoon sun with the wind blowing through grass and plants in a field. Post work in Photoshop CS5.

__________________________________________
本文完，所有图片和英文文字版权归原作者 Jim Radcliffe 所有，转载本文请注明 Para Sempre。