Andrea Monti

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  • B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Stockholm,  Summer,  Technique,  Travels

    DSLR film scanning: episode three

    January 24, 2023 /

    This is, by far, the most pleasing result I have ever had from digitising a film negative with a DSLR.Contrary to many suggestions found on Youtube, I did not invert the negative RAW curve by tweaking the Master RGB option. I did it, instead, channel-bychannel minding each clipping point. This approach allowed for a better reproduction of the grey tones, and in the end a fair result.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Sales Force

    January 28, 2016

    The Elders’ Council

    June 29, 2013

    FUJIFILM X-T5 RAF have problems with Affinity Photo 2.1

    June 11, 2023
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Downtown,  Gear,  Stockholm,  Summer

    Another attempt at DLSR film scanning

    January 21, 2023 /

    Still trying.I digitised the negative with a Pentax K-1 and the FA 100 2.8 Macro lens using the JJC clone of Nikon ES-2. Postproduction is done in Pixelmator Pro. I used a Nikon 35TI and a Kodak BW400CN to take the original photo. Strangely enough, the JJC does not allow a 1:1 ratio with the Micro Nikkor 60 2.8.The instructions advise to mount the 62mm to 52mm step-down ring, the #2 52mm barrel-shaped tube and finally the film holder. These instructions are clearly wrong, as it is not possible to get 1:1 magnification with this setup.So I removed the tube and mounted the film carrier directly on the 62mm to…

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    Andrea Monti

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    YANE – Yet Another Nepal Exhibit

    March 23, 2015

    Hanging Bottle

    October 11, 2014

    Scarf’s Meeting

    March 5, 2014
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Gear,  People,  Seasons,  Summer,  Technique

    An attempt at DSLR-made film digitization

    January 14, 2023 /

    This is the first usable result of the attempt to DSLR-scan films. I tried several approaches, including the standard tripod holding the camera perpendicularly to a flat, LED-lighted surface. However, I finally went for a different solution: a horizontal rig with two moving plates, a micrometric head holding the film and three-axis and a panoramic head holding the camera.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Everything is ready for the service

    July 2, 2013

    An Off Duty Anchor

    September 21, 2014

    Selling Italian Ice in Boston

    March 11, 2025
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Gear,  Winter

    Pixelmator Pro Debanding and Electronic Shutter

    December 24, 2022 /

    Pixelmator Pro Deband feature does not work on banding caused by the well known electronic shutter lag. The Deband feature has not been advertised as working also with ES-induced banding, so the fact that it can not handle it is not a bug. However, this limit seriously reduces the appeal of the new feature. I have flagged the issue to Pixelmator Pro Support: currently, they are out of work, but eventually, they should get back to me with some news. Good news, hopefully.

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    Andrea Monti

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    The Prisoner’s View from the Sospiri’s Bridge

    September 25, 2017

    Rest on the Docks

    January 30, 2014

    The Death of Cio-Cio san

    October 15, 2022
  • Autumn,  Beach&Shores,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Photography

    Not AI-made…

    September 17, 2022 /

    The colour rendition of a photo taken with a Pentax (camera and lens) is unique. Taste is personal, and so is this opinion. One thing, however, is sure: the pictorial look of this photography is not made by an ‘AI’.

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    Andrea Monti

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    A Fishnet – 2

    October 29, 2014

    Workbench

    February 22, 2015

    Horizontal

    March 14, 2015
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Photography,  Thoughts

    Is AI-generated art actually killing ‘real’ Art?

    September 16, 2022 /

    This picture is how Dall-e 2 interpreted a prompt like Kodak Tri-X 400 black and white sketch in the style of Andy Warhol of a scientist facing a hajime sorayama-like cyborg in a 1940 mad scientist sci-fi lab. Does that mean that —as everybody and his cousin keep repeating— that AI killed Art(ists)? Not very. AI-generated imagery serves to specific purposes and whether is creation or not is utterly irrelevant.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Zebra Crossing in Oslo… With Red Light

    October 12, 2014

    Welcome in the Twilight Zone

    January 3, 2014

    A Grocery Store

    November 5, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Doors&Windows,  Gear,  Photography,  Thoughts

    The Mystique of Film

    August 24, 2022 /

    I have resisted for a long time before giving out my two cents about the neverending debate ‘film vs digital’. I gave up after the next self-delusion I read in a well-known ‘semi-pro’ (purposely not linked) online photography magazine. It featured the umpteenth column explaining how shooting film ‘gets the experience back’, going full-manual ‘forces you thinking’, having limited exposures ‘pushes you to become more selective’, and all the usual motives connected with the choice of travelling on a horse-powered chariot instead of using a regular car. There is no need to shoot film to experience all that. Set the camera on full manual, disable OIS and IBIS, use a…

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    Andrea Monti

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    The Businessman…

    February 9, 2013

    Hell behind the curtain

    March 19, 2013

    Bent

    July 13, 2014
  • Daily photo,  Gear,  Winter

    Bronine Volkit Camera Hub. Mixed feelings

    November 30, 2021 /

    The picture is self-eplaining. Patona batteries show odd parameters, while a Nikon original battery is more in line with the declared specs. This is by no way a reliable experiment, as the batteries’ state is not comparable. I will continue experimenting with different models because these results are pretty odd. However I can not blame Patona for the outcomes, for the bromine volkit itself might be defective and a fair comparison should be based upon batteries handled similarly.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Zebra Crossing in Oslo… With Red Light

    October 12, 2014

    An Old Boxing Gym

    February 22, 2016

    Stage Setting

    October 1, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Gear,  Summer

    Fujifilm X-T3 Video Cheat Sheet

    September 5, 2021 /

    Although the Internet (and Youtube) are full of information about using the Fujifilm X-T3’s video capabilities —kudos to Chris Lee’s Pal2Tech Youtube channel for his incredible work— having a ‘quick ‘n’ dirty’ cheat sheet works better when all you need is information and not entertainment. This cheatsheet is organised according to (my personal) logic rather than to the camera’s menu order. It starts from the outside and goes deep down the intricacies of the various features. It also highlights some techicanilities that, although written in the manual, have not so obvious implications. A final word: this is a work-in-progress. More information will be added as soon as they become available.…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Nagasaki Biker

    February 13, 2024

    Why You Should Only Shoot in Your Backyard (or ‘The Art of Belonging’)

    December 19, 2024

    National Security

    April 4, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Fountains,  Gear,  Spring,  Thoughts

    A Fountain’s Jet

    April 12, 2021 /

    I took this shot with a Viltrox AF 56/1,4 XF at full aperture. The focus reacted swiftly, and the colours’ rendition is pretty accurate. There is minimal colour fringing. However, it is more likely caused by air bubbles rather than by the lens itself. Like its bigger sibling, the AF 85/1,8 XF, this lens is excellent.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Caged?

    June 6, 2014

    Under The Rocks

    August 14, 2014

    A Ferrari 812 GTS

    July 14, 2023
  • Beach&Shores,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Gear,  People,  Technique

    Using a 1960 Leica Elmarit 90/2,8 on a Fuji X-T3

    April 5, 2021 /

    In short The Leica Elmarit 90/2,8 works flawlessly on a Fujifilm X-T3, also with third-party adapters having no electronic connection with the camera. It provides excellent results, notwithstanding its age. Using this lens for street photography requires using focus-peaking or zone focus. In this latter case, proper training is necessary to correctly assess the distance from the subject. Image quality On the X-T3 the lens preserves its unique identity. Its colour rendering gives pictures a distinctive ‘retro’ character. The Elmarit shows an excellent resolving power: thin lines are visible and well defined. Chromatic aberration is visible at F2,8. It disappears from F4 and ahead. Anyway, the lens profile is well…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Waiting Chairs

    May 21, 2015

    Late Afternoon Shopping

    March 1, 2014

    Next Time, Maybe…

    January 12, 2014
  • Beach&Shores,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Gear,  Technique

    In praise of ‘cheap’ lenses for ‘pro’ works

    April 4, 2021 /

    Full disclosure: I have no relationship with Viltrox. I purchased the lenses with my own money and did not receive any request to write this post. I have recently discovered Viltrox, a Chinese manufacturer of lenses for the Fujifilm X-system. I am using the AF 85/1,8 II XF and the AF 56/1,4 XF and I am very satisfied by their performance. They are very good for ‘professional’ sessions, however, there are many online reviews that snobbishly rate these lenses as ‘amateur’, ‘non-professional’ or ‘first time portrait photography enthusiasts’ grade. I think that these reviews are unfair and here is why: What does ‘better’ mean? It is a known fact that…

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    Andrea Monti

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    (Tokyo) Taxi Driver

    June 17, 2018

    A Dragon Trainer?

    July 8, 2014

    @ Mediterranean Beach Games 2015 – Italian Beach Volley Female Team – Laura Giombini, Giulia Toti

    October 17, 2015
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Gear

    Viltrox AF85/1,8 II XF. Reflexless?

    April 2, 2021 /

    This is an Out-of-Camera Jpeg, shot at F8 and ISO 160, unprocessed but for the size. The Viltrox AF85/1,8 II XF shows no visible reflexes. Incredible for a lens that costs so little…

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    Andrea Monti

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    The Expired Film Series – Episode 5 – Kodak Tri X 400 – September 2015 shot in Sept. 2023

    May 8, 2024

    Bent

    July 13, 2014

    Time Runs Fast

    May 21, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Streets&Squares,  Technique,  Winter

    A Skater

    February 23, 2021 /

    Framing the whole statue would have made this photo better. The mistake was caused by the necessity to shoot fast, the lens’ field of view and the distance between the subject and the focal plane.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Blowin in the Wind

    February 8, 2014

    Boat Under The Bridge

    September 18, 2016

    Oh…MG!

    July 23, 2015
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Gear,  Winter

    A Rudder

    February 19, 2021 /

    Pentax K-1/smc Pentax-A 135/2,8

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    Andrea Monti

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    The audience

    September 23, 2013

    Nico Cilli Band@Chiostro Comunale – Città S.Angelo

    September 9, 2013

    Late Afternoon Shopping

    March 1, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Gear,  Summer,  Thoughts

    Pentax SMC-A 50/1,7 – Nikkor 50/1,4 – Summicron 50/2

    February 9, 2021 /

    The left slice is taken with a Pentax K-1 and SMC-A 50/1,7, the centre with a Nikon D750 and a Nikkor 50/1,4, the right with a Fujifilm X-T3 and a Summicron 50/2. All the cameras were at their base ISO (100 for the Pentax and Nikon, 160 with the Fujifilm), at F2 and aperture priority. The K-1 and the X-T3 photos were shot in manual focus. Only the K-1 has IBIS stabilization. The jpg is taken in Affinity by slicing each OOC RAW file without post-processing.

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    Andrea Monti

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    The Expired Film Series – Episode 1 – Kodak BW400CN – Dec. 2014 shot in June 2023

    July 21, 2023

    Uncertainity

    August 11, 2013

    Labcoats

    December 28, 2015
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Kite Surf,  Seasons,  Sport,  Technique,  Winter

    Kite Surfer Under Duress

    January 29, 2021 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    The Compelling Power of Photography

    September 22, 2022

    The audience

    September 23, 2013

    Writer Inspiration’s Tools

    April 17, 2015
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Gear,  Thoughts

    Galaxy S21 Ultra 5g. The difference between Marketing and Reality in Image Quality

    January 24, 2021 /

    To put it short, this is what you get by purchasing a Galaxy S21 Ultra 5g using the standard camera app: access to all four lenses is limited to jpg, 108megapixel resolution is limited to one lens (the one Samsung calls ‘wide’ or ‘1x’), RAW format is only availble in ‘PRO’ mode, limited to ‘ultrawide’ (0,6x) and ‘wide’ (1x), with no access to 108megpixel resolution. Samsung advertises the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5g by spinning its 108 megapixel camera. However, it does not make clear that the 108 megapixel resolution is not available in “PRO” mode, the only that records in raw. By contrast, this super resolution is available in normal…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Where to?

    October 21, 2023

    Early Leave at Bruxelles-Midi

    March 23, 2014

    Brain vs Camera

    April 19, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Photography

    A Fix for the Wikipedia Photos’ Copyright Scams?

    December 19, 2020 /

    As reported by Petapixel, a new form of copyright (better, ‘moral rights of author) scam hits photographer: the credit stealing on Wikipedia. In a nutshell, as everything on Wikipedia is editable, somebody started changing the photos’ ownership information from the original author to somebody else who, as Petapixel writes, get a series of ‘benefit’. As bad as it sounds, copyright protection on the Internet is a lost battle for an individual. Some services like Unsplash “turned the problem into an opportunity”. However it did not solve the issue in general terms. I’m seriously considering if just going back to a print-only sharing is a better way to handle pictures’ copyright,…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Having Sax

    February 6, 2015

    A ‘Trabocco’ on the Adriatic Sea

    April 20, 2021

    Forgotten

    October 15, 2013
  • Actors,  B&W,  Daily photo,  Gear,  PhotoCritics,  Portraits,  Technique,  Winter

    Easy To Shoot?

    December 12, 2020 /

    This picture might look “ordinary” but for the fact that I shot it with a rangefinder film camera (guess which?) during the scene change between to acts of a theatre play. Scene assistants were placing the furnitures, actors were trying to focus on their parts, there was no time (and place) to design a proper composition and set the camera. No autofocus, no real-time exposure and white-balance setting. Maybe I have been lucky capturing the match flame close to the cigar, maybe it was because of “muscle memory”, but I did it nonetheless. Problem is that I could not be sure if I succeeded until, one week later, I saw…

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    Andrea Monti

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    @Rome Maker Faire – 3. Stare Of The Mechanical Man

    October 13, 2014

    Just a soccer field… Part 2

    February 4, 2014

    Boat Maintenance At Genova’s Porto Antico

    July 30, 2014
  • Daily photo,  Gear

    Fuji X-T2 records audio at 16bit/48Khz

    October 11, 2020 /

    Neither the user manual, nor the Youtube ‘experts’ tell this open secret: the X-T2 samples audio at 16bit. Although the sample rate is 48khz (a standard in video production) 16bit may not be enough to record (a minimum) professional grade audio. This is not a big deal for the rest of the humans, but If you want to ‘go pro’ or need to unleash your Gear Addiction Syndrome be advised that to have 24bit/48Khz audio you must switch to the X-T3.

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    Andrea Monti

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    A Couple of Windows

    January 5, 2018

    Outside the Nobel Museum

    June 30, 2016

    Abruzzo’s made Coke??

    March 26, 2013
  • Actors,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  PhotoCritics

    Meaning in Photography

    March 4, 2020 /

    In this picture, taken during the reportage I did for the Teatro Marrucino’s I Miserabili, an old and exhausted fighter rests while a young citoyen waves the French flag defying the fire of the royalists. The strength of the picture is in the dialectics created by the two protagonists, hinting at a “relay” between an old man that “gave all”, resting while a young man steps in.

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    Andrea Monti

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    In Hoc Signo

    August 20, 2015

    The Hacker and the Photographer

    August 22, 2016

    The Doorman

    September 1, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  PhotoCritics,  Reportage,  Winter

    Denegata Justitia

    March 2, 2020 /

    Sometimes a picture acquires a meaning that goes beyond the original intent of the photographer. In this case, taken from a reportage I did for Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables featured at Teatro Marrrucino, in Chieti, the photography becomes the archetype of the denegata Justitia. The defendant asks to speak, the justice stares elsewhere.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Love is like a flower

    May 18, 2013

    The Racers

    December 7, 2014

    Histoire d’O

    November 11, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  PhotoCritics,  Technique,  Winter

    Breaking the Fourth Wall

    February 17, 2020 /

    Shooting a play is challenging because you must be ready to seize ‘the moment’ and, at the very same time, think of unusual compositions to avoid the boring ‘frontal’ perspective. Shooting part of the reportage from the backstage of Hamlet, with Giorgio Pasotti and Mariangela D’Abbraccio directed by Francesco Tavassi I had the possibility to experiment the breaking of the fourth wall. This picture is one of the results.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Halt!

    December 28, 2017

    A Seagull

    May 10, 2021

    Claws of Fire

    September 27, 2017
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