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Posts posted by Duncan_Andison

  1. 30 minutes ago, Jansos said:

    I've only been contributing for a few years but must admit that I am very disappointed in this draconian measure. A 20% cut is massive and will impact hugely (perhaps the logic was that it is better to do it all at once rather than 10% now and a further 10% in two years time? Get the pain over with in one go?).  However, I don't think it can reasonably be justified as purely a consequence of market/Brexit uncertainties.  It is a shame that it has been dressed-up as such! If it is, in part, due to market uncertainty over Brexit it should be explained that it is time limited and can be reversed if worse case scenarios do not materialise. The depressing logic behind the cut is that there will be further reductions in the future, if the economic situation demands. A very bleak prospect of a continuing downward spiral, and one that does nothing to maintain contributor loyalty to Alamy. If Alamy loses its contributor base then it shoots itself in the foot and further 'economies' are then more likely.


    I agree. If Alamy go ahead with this cut then it's obvious Alamy views our commission as their Rainy Day money. Nice easy money for them. And saying it shouldn't happen again means nothing given they said that the last time. The trust has gone and I'm not sure they can recover it.


    The prospect of further reductions from an untrustworthy agency, lower licence fees with low sales volume certainly means I will be looking to place work elsewhere now. T

    • Upvote 4
  2. 1 hour ago, andremichel said:

    The rather stagnant revenue growth figures point to a company just hanging on.


    Surely these figures point to a collapsing market for the average tog. You needed an unrealistic 1000% increase in your port just to make a tiny gain. 



    Not necessarily. Most agencies weight images by a number of factors when a client searches a particular search term and one of the main variables is image age. In other words, you are looking at a 10 years span but realistically, searches will give priority of images with within a 2-3 year age span then dropping off after that subject to how popular the image has been. You will get some images appearing from way back but this is also likely part of the search design. Libraries like to keep fresh content coming to the fore so, images with no views/sales are brought forward (in smaller numbers) for a 2nd chance.


    Anyway, the top and bottom of it is, when a client searches for an image, you images is not competing with the full 155m, it's competing with images of the same keyword and each image is then ranked based on a predetermined set of variables. The age variable often pushes a lot of these images of the back of the search leaving newer and more popular at the front with a mix of older stuff as well.


    At least, this is how I hope Alamy work it

  3. Both. Laptop while shooting in a studio, tethered, and for when I'm not in the office. In the office I use a Mac Pro with a 27 2k monitor and a 27 QHD Cintiq.


    The most important one for me is the 27 2k monitor as this gives the right pixel density to check image sharpness. The laptop (retina) is too high a pixel density to be able to tell if an image is sharp and the Cintiq is more about drawing than reviewing.

  4. 6 hours ago, geogphotos said:

    Going to all that trouble of finding ISBN and ISSN numbers ended up being time wasted.


    Only £11.28 from books

    Only £2.82 from mags


    We have been well and truly stitched up! :(


    Mine went up this year... due to go to the max on books etc but I nearly chocked at the $0.96 for magazines & $0 for the books I found and logged. They included quite a few text books etc. I just don't see it being worth the effort (the additional ISBN bit). I could spend that time taking more photos and make significantly more!

    • Upvote 1
  5. 39 minutes ago, hsessions said:


    So I am back with an update.  I now have the A7III with a Tamron 28-75mm f2.8.  I just got very lucky to get either or both we have a shortage here in Canada.  I decided on the Tamron for better low light shooting, and it has not disapointed.  I decided to go with the A7III because as some have said Sony has been at it longer than Nikon; not disrespecting Nikon in anyway but as hard as they try I am sure there will be something that might need to be fixed/improved as this is their first attempt, so did not want to risk it.  Also did not want to use adapters and use the same big heavy lenses I have on a small body.  


    wim, they didn't have any pink ones!


    Took some test shots in good light and very low light, just blown away; so happy with IQ just want to point it at everything and shoot anything all the time, just incredible.  There is a second lens I'll be adding but will report back later on that, when I actually have it.  Also at some point further along in the future I will be looking at adding a second body (maybe), another small one APSC sensor, to get the most out of the lenses I'll have.  I say maybe because for the first time I feel kind of freed from all that kit.  Sometimes more is not better, I was so tangled up in cameras and lenses, that I think it was just stifling any creativity I had.  Was too busy trying to decide which body lens combo to grab for a shot while enviously looking at tourists who were getting all the shots with their mobile phones and tiny point and shoots, and for a split second would think I bet he or she is going to get a better comp and shot of that, than I will.  I started to feel ridiculous with all that gear. 


    Thanks everyone who contributed to this thread, I hope to be shooting a lot more and better now.




    I'm sure you'll enjoy it.


    Take a look at this guys website http://www.markgaler.com/camera-custom-settings there are a few interesting videos about  setting up a A7iii / A7riii / A9 cameras. A lot of the ones for the A7riii are just as relevant for the A7iii as the menu choices are very similar. There is a lot the camera can do and he's good at explaining it.

    • Upvote 1
  6. 1 hour ago, funkyworm said:

    Mine arrived on my account today.


    Down on previous years.


    But still welcome... about the same amount disappeared from my account today for my medical insurance own risk.


    I've just spoken to them as I hadn't received that email advising it was due soon. They've confirmed they're being issued and we should start seeing payments arriving over the next week.

    • Upvote 1
  7. 11 minutes ago, MDM said:

    But how much lighter :)? Half the weight, 1/10 of the weight. In other words is the difference significant when comparing equivalent lenses? 


    As you say, some lenses are very similar but there are some where there is a big difference. One that I use is the Sony 12-24 f/4 G....  Canon's equivalent is the 11-24 f/4 but that is a lot bigger in size, bit more money and is more than twice the weight.... Nikon, not sure they have an equivalent, closest being 14-24 f/2.8 which is about 400g heavier and not as wide, has an extra stop and is cheaper. I shoot a lot at 12 so I would miss that.


    Often wide angle lenses on mirrorless tend to be lighter than but once you get to mid/telephoto lenses etc, the weights are very similar. Canon have just followed Sony's lead with the design of their 400 f/2.8 and now matched the weight. 


    One of the big benefits for me in terms of mirrorless (any mirrorless) is the reduction in camera height/bulk. When carrying dual cameras with a clip system on backpack straps, the lower height means the centre of gravity is closer to your body and the cameras are more comfortable to carry and don't swing around. DSLRs are just not even a consideration. The Canon used to have a life of it's own, the height just took it too far away from the body and, also meant the lens was further away as well. Just no way I'd carry one let alone two. There are a load of other benefits that keep me away from returning to DSLRs but that one is significant.... picked a Canon up the other day and while I liked the OVF, I also missed having all the features of the EVF. For the way I work, DSLRs have no benefits for me anymore... could never go back.


    The Nikon 850 is an incredible camera though and if I was purely working in the studio all the time, it would be an option but not as a dual camera/lens walk around or out in the mountains camera... just too much extra weight and bulk for my type use. It is great to have these choices though!

  8. 20 minutes ago, Craig Joiner said:





    The Sony appears to be a fine camera (but no better than any of its peers), but the system (ergonomics, menu, button location etc.) is very different to the Nikon system (and arguably not as mature). Running two very different systems side by side seems counterproductive. I get that people have switched to Sony in the past because they wanted the advantages of full frame mirrorless, but with the Z6 and Z7 pretty much matching the two Sonys, unless you didn’t like the Nikon system, there is no need.






    If it were me, and given the OP's previous regretted switch to Sony, I would not do anything until the Z6 was out, fully tested and I’d handled both cameras.


    It's worth pointing out that with the shortest flange distance of any of the full frame mirrorless cameras, the Z mount promises some very high image quality from its lenses. Indeed, the MTF charts for the modest 24-70mm f4 Z-mount kit lens suggest it could have better image quality than the 24-70mm f2.8 F-mount lens with unheard of corner to corner sharpness for a zoom lens. If this proves to be the case in the real world then I could be tempted back to zoom lenses when I come to replace my current DSLR. Even if the Z6/Z7 fall slightly behind the Sonys in other areas in the real world, investment in the Z mount is likely to be worth it


    in the long run IMHO.




    That would be the best thing. You need to be able to test the camera and adapter to see how it works with existing lenses. If it works great and they feel like native lenses then this would be a excellent option. As you say, it's best to wait until non ambassador reviews are out and not just those who were paid to go to an event etc. Between the Canon and Nikon mirrorless options (discounting Sony for now), I like the look of the Nikon more. By the time they get to 2nd & 3rd versions they could offer great competition to the Sony Mirrorless systems. 

  9. 26 minutes ago, Colblimp said:


    By keeping the Nikon gear it shows you don't really want to change systems, you're doing it because 'it's cool'!  If you're going to change, go all in and buy two Sony bodies and change all the lenses.  Or just stay with Nikon and save a bunch of money, the sensible option!


    I'm not sure you can say why someone wants a camera or what they're thinking. That's like applying your own preferences/thoughts to someone else. To be fair, It seems to be a sensible approach. If they've never used this Sony mirrorless camera before, even if they do like all the features/specs on paper, they can never be 100% about whether it will suit them or not. The Nikon cameras as a second body is a safety net, just in case. After using the new camera for a while they can then sell the rest of the Nikon gear if they're happy with the new purchase.


    Camera gear is a personal journey, a path in which most walk before finding the right solution for them. There are a lot of people who have to much emotion about the brand they use.... like it's their local football team. Keeping an open mind to all manufacturers and trying different systems is a great experience and means you find out first hand whether something is right or wrong for you. Yes it costs money to buy and sell gear but ultimately, it's a small price to pay to find the system that truly works best for you and not just that it got XYorZ in which ever review.


    For me, I started with Canon 5dmkii, then Sony Nex, then Fuji X-Pro, X-T1 and X-E1 before moving back to Sony A7rii. I paired this up with an Olympus OMD EM1 mk2 for a while but just preferred the ergonomics and performance of the Sony cameras so I sold the Olympus and now have 2 A7riii's with a selection of G and GM lenses. I spent a bit of money over the years but as this is my full time job it was worth the time and effort. Now, for the last 12 months I've never thought of changing as I know I have the right system for me.


  10. 25 minutes ago, John Mitchell said:


    Could have been a reporting problem. My zooms have picked up this week, and my CTR graph is back to where it usually is (slightly above the Alamy average) after several weeks of being down in the dumps. A decent sale actually showed up today as well.


    Sales etc have been popping up but so far this month 1 zoom ..... normally would have a rolling count of 30-50. 

  11. 6 hours ago, Allan Bell said:


    Many thanks for your very explanatory guide and video link Duncan. I have copied it to a file on my desktop so I can keep on reading it to get the best out of your explanation of your methods.





    No problem. I may take a pic to show how it looks the next time I'm out. This has sort of been perfected over years and driven by laziness.... errr.... desire to not stop each time I want the camera/s :D and of course, it has the added benefit of keeping the better half happy as I no longer keep stopping B)

  12. 15 hours ago, Allan Bell said:




    Hi Duncan if you are still about could you answer an off topic question for me please, and hoping hsessions won't mind.


    I know you do at lot of hiking in the mountainous regions and wondered which backpack you use to carry your gear please?


    I am looking for something to carry all my Sony gear in with out breaking my shoulders but lightweight and not bulky.






    No worries.... I use a Osprey Stratos 36.... 2013 model. I'm not sure if the newer versions have exactly the same pockets. Here's a youtube review of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pfMDe8_yDo 


    I use 2 Peak Designs capture clips, one each strap to carry a a7riii 24-105 and a 2nd A7riii with either the 12-24 or the 100-400. This works well as it balances the weight in the backpack and makes it very comfortable to carry. Two cameras also balance the side to side weight. The straps are strong/wide enough to easy support the clip system. You can buy small water proof covers to go with the clip system so everything can be left in place, even if it is chucking it down. I prefer to have cameras to hand and never have them inside the pack. It can look a little OTT but it's comfortable and easy to use. I regularly do 12-15 mile walks with both cameras and 100-400 and never have neck ache etc.


    There is a large pocket on the back of the backpack, separate from the main compartment which is excellent for additional lenses. there are 2-3 netted pockets inside and plenty of space to add an additional top (that also acts as protection for lenses). The main compartment is used purely for waterproofs and drinks etc. The two hipped pockets comfortably take mobile phones, batteries and keys etc. Side netted pockets are great for mini tripods/filters. On the left strap there is an elasticated strap that is supposed to be used for walking sticks. However, it's the perfect size and position to hold long lenses in position while the camera is attached to a capture clip. It means when you lean forward, even with the 100-400, the lens stays in place and doesn't swing out from the body. 


    Of course, there are a load of other pockets as well but these are the key things from a photographic point of view. I never use a bag designed for cameras in the mountains because... well, they're designed with cameras in mind and don't excel in carrying weight comfortably in the mountains.... or providing the space needed for all your outdoor gear. I've lost count how many bags I've tried before settling on Osprey.... also use a 70L pack of theirs when wild camping on the summits... still with the same camera gear etc. The Osprey bags tend to be a little heavier, not much, than others but their weight distribution system is excellent and it is this that lets you carry more without feeling it as much.


    The best thing is to go in to a shop and check them out for size and fit. Hope this helps :-)


  13. 1 hour ago, Steve F said:


    Hi, I've been using the A7iii for a couple of months now. I am very pleased with it. Very compact and unobtrusive. Silent shooting. I have the Sony F2.8 35mm (really small, great for street photography), Sony 90mm F2.8 macro and the Sony 24-105mm F4 as a general walkaround lens. The image quality is excellent with all of the lenses - I haven't noticed any of the image quality issues you mention above. Autofocus is very fast. Dual memory card slots. You don't need to get fast lenses (e.g. F1.8) with this camera either because the dynamic range and ISO quality of the sensor is so good. This can save a lot of weight and size with your lenses (although the lenses are often not too much smaller than DSLR lenses I have to admit). You get in-body stabilisation with the Sony and a lot of the lenses are also stabilised meaning it is great for handheld shooting.


    Some negatives - the screen doesn't flip out to the side or top to allow you to do selfie type shots or so you can see the screen from the front of the camera. Apparently the body is not too waterproof although the lenses are dust and weather sealed. I was shooting 4k video recently and the camera overheated and briefly switched off every 20mins to half an hour, although it was quite warm outside. Other than these things, I can highly recommend it.


    Nikon had just announced (and released?) two mirrorless cameras. One has specs similar to the A7iii although I haven't looked too much into it. I would assume they wouldn't have got everything right with their first generation mirrorless camera - Sony mirrorless are now 3rd generation. Also, the mirrorless lens selection for the Nikon is a lot smaller than for the Sony, although you could get an adapter for your existing lenses. I wouldn't want to use an adaptor though, it kind of defeats the purposes of going mirrorless for the compact size.


    I hope this helps.



    I would imagine the A7iii is similar to the A7riii that I use. The weather sealing is actually quite good.... except, the issue it does have is poor protection on the battery door. Seems a little crazy given the sealing in the rest of the camera is very good... a bit of a Duh, moment! Avoid standing the camera  in puddles or allowing water to settle around this area and you should be ok. That said, no matter how well sealed a camera is, it's best to place cover of some sort over them if sitting out in heavy rain for any period of time. No warranty will cover for water damage and I've had cameras that are supposed to have excellent sealing and they did let in moisture which damaged lenses.


    Never had any issues with overheating in 4k with the A7riii.... might be set up a little different to the A7iii.... or, you've been unlucky. If it overheats quite quickly, it may be worth getting in touch with Sony for a checkup while it's under warranty.... just in case. The A7rii I used to shoot with was fine in 30c sunshine for shooting off and on for a good hour. 

  14. 17 hours ago, losdemas said:



    One would hope so, but HMRC rules prevent them from 'endorsing' any one supplier over another.  There's a list on Gov.uk here, most of which charge £5 - £10 per month for a basic service, though SimpleTax offer plans from £15 - £36 per tax year, which doesn't seem too bad at all.  I have always used my own spreadsheets, but probably best to begin investigations into appropriate and affordable software OR - should licensing fees continue to fall - bow out completely. :huh:

    I've seen a few that are £24 per annual submission. I don't mind that, tax deductible of course. That said, we have a min of two years and during that time I'd imagine there will be a load more software options appearing.... after they've Beta tested it on people with £85k+  :D

  15. At the moment it seems it only refers to companies with turnover of £85k. They'll not extend it to incomes below that until the system has proven itself to work with April 2020 being set as the earliest point it would be introduced. 


    Looking at the software requirements, it seems like a good money generation scheme for accountants / software developers to charge clients regular fees for something they would otherwise be perfectly capable of managing themselves. 


    "The government will not widen the scope of Making Tax Digital beyond VAT before the system has been shown to work, and not before April 2020 at the earliest. This will ensure that there is time to test the system fully and for digital record keeping to become more widespread. The changes mean that the smallest businesses and landlords will be able to move to keeping digital records for tax at a pace that is right for them."





  16. Full time stock shooter. I had the opportunity to take a nice redundancy package from working as a Risk Analyst for a bank back in Feb 2013 aged 42. Decided to give it a go shooting stock full time, less stress and more freedom.  Never looked back. Naturally there are days that make you curse but, when I walk the dog first thing in the morning and see people getting on the bus to go to work.... yeah, wouldn't swap it!



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  17. On 10/06/2018 at 17:38, Phil Robinson said:

    I always carry two cameras. It saves time (and dust) changing lenses and yes, if one fails, you can use the other.

    The only time I go out with only one camera is if I'm going for a walk looking for birds (and usually find insects, and wish I had brought a second) or going shopping or doing something non-photographic, when I take a single body with a 18-200 zoom, just in case.

    If travelling, I take a third body (a very small, light D3200) but haven't needed it yet.

    Many years ago, in the days of film, I was traveling around Europe with a single Mamiya 645 - and it jammed in Bratislava. I had to buy a second-hand body in Munich.


    Same here, I always carry two cameras when I'm out, especially in the mountains etc. One with the 12-24 and the other with 24-105. I also use identical cameras as different ones tend to irritate me when the settings, buttons or functions are different :D

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