Davide Caniatti

There are things in life that are rarely done, and graduating is for sure one of them. A few weeks ago, the inevitable happened to me too, thus concluding my academic career. Just in those days, my trusted dealer listed a 16mm Hologon, the widest lens ever made for Contax G. Like most 16mm, it is not something one ever really needs. At the same time, it seemed like a curious coincidence, and I was looking for a small gift to buy myself: in other words, I could not resist.

In recent days I had the opportunity to participate in a photographic trip in a wood. The theme was “the place of ancestral fears”, and in the absence of better ideas I decided to experiment with the Sigma SD Quattro without an IR-cut filter, but with a 720nm filter mounted on the lens. The results are, in my opinion, good on a technical level and attributable to the film with which they show remarkable similarities.

The 90s were undoubtedly the golden age of point & shoots. Innovations in the optical field, as the introduction of AF and the help of electronics, have helped to create iconic camera bodies even today. Among them, there is certainly the Contax TVS. The German-Japanese brand took full advantage of this trend, producing many popular models such as the T2 and, indeed, the TVS. With the advent of digital, these camera bodies were among the first to disappear, as they were intended for those rich amateurs, who went digital before professionals.

There are some lenses that, since the analog reappeared, have acquired a real cult status. One of the most popular of them is certainly the Helios 44. This piece of Soviet scrap metal produced by KMZ for 40 years is one of those lenses that never go out of style. Its unique circular bokeh that is always recognizable contributed to the popularity that never ended, so much so that it is still produced today.

Digital cameras have significantly improved in dynamic range, and they can now rival the latest films in many situations. Unfortunately, one of the intrinsic limitations of the Foveon means that it suffers particularly in high contrast situations. Despite this, from this small inconvenience, I have drawn some lessons that can be useful with all digital cameras. Putting these small steps to good use will make it very easy to “squeeze” the sensor to its maximum.