Welcome to my website. Since I was 15 years old, I am interested in photography as an intensive hobby. It all started with an Olympus OM-2n, for which I had painstakingly saved up every penny as a schoolboy and which finally lay under the Christmas tree. At first I had to be content with the standard 50mm f/1.8 lens. For almost 30 years I remained loyal to the OM System. Over the time, several bodies and lenses were added. Later on I added a medium format Mamiya 645 system with two bodies and several lenses. At last I had accumulated an extensive system with 5 SLR camera bodies and more than twenty lenses and many accessories. Photography alone was no longer enough for me, so I started to process films and prints myself - that meant developing in the darkroom. In the beginning only in black and white, later I owned a complete color lab with run-through developer (for experts: Durst RCP-20) and spent hours over hours with my pictures in the dark.
Then, in 2003, the digital revolution in the form of the first affordable digital SLR camera (a Canon EOS 300D with kit zoom 18-55mm) hit me. At first only planned for the photos on the sideline, it quickly replaced my Olympus 35mm system due to the good image quality of the 6 megapixel body. Not much later came the EOS 20D and again a huge leap with the full frame EOS 5D. Finally, I got my familiar large and bright viewfinder again. The results were in direct comparison at least on par with medium format film, so I finally sold the medium format system completely.
The Canon 1Ds Mk II, 5D Mk II, 5D Mk III DSLR followed and recently I worked with a 7D Mk II and since January 2016 also with the 5DS R. In the meantime I got 13 lenses in the range from 14 to 600mm. Within 13 years the resolution of my camera sensors has increased from 6 to 50 Megapixel!
In addition to the Canon DSLR bodies, I wanted to use a mirrorless system with an electronic viewfinder, because I see the future in it. Since Canon had slept through this trend for a long time, I had an intermezzo with system cameras from Sony, which could be equipped with adapters (Metabones and Sigma MC-11) and use my Canon EF lenses. My excursion to Sony began in 2014 with the purchase of a Sony Alpha 7R with Metabones IV-Adapter, which offered the then (at the time of the 5D Mk III) sensationally high resolution of 36 megapixels. Over the years, it was replaced by a7R-Versions II and III, and finally two lenses for the Sony FE mount were added.
Even though the quality of the lens adapters became better and better due to firmware updates, working with Canon lenses on the Sony bodies was always just a compromise. Then, on July 9th 2020, Canon finally introduced a state-of-the-art mirrorless system camera that I a long time was waiting for, the Canon EOS R5. In terms of specifications, it was at least equal to the current Sony cameras, and in many points even clearly superior to them. I didn’t hesitate to order the camera on the day of the presentation, a month later I held it in my hands and I am thrilled. Many of my experience reports about the Canon EOS R5 can be found here on my website. I have already sold all my Sony equipment completely.
The EOS R5 has a fantastic high-resolution electronic viewfinder, and for the first time, I don’t miss the optical viewfinder of DSLR cameras. In addition, it has a high sensor resolution of 45 megapixels and excellent high-ISO capabilities, which rivals the Sony sensors in terms of performance. The eye autofocus works perfectly with people and animals (even birds). Portraits taken with my Canon EF 85mm f1.2L USM II are much sharper than before. The TS-E 17mm f/4L also works great with the electronic viewfinder and now even with image stabilizer! My proven 5DS R was degraded to a second body.
Then, in 2003, the digital revolution in the form of the first affordable digital SLR camera (a Canon EOS 300D with kit zoom 18-55mm) hit me. At first only planned for the photos on the sideline, it quickly replaced my Olympus 35mm system due to the good image quality of the 6 megapixel body. Not much later came the EOS 20D and again a huge leap with the full frame EOS 5D. Finally, I got my familiar large and bright viewfinder again. The results were in direct comparison at least on par with medium format film, so I finally sold the medium format system completely.
The Canon 1Ds Mk II, 5D Mk II, 5D Mk III DSLR followed and recently I worked with a 7D Mk II and since January 2016 also with the 5DS R. In the meantime I got 13 lenses in the range from 14 to 600mm. Within 13 years the resolution of my camera sensors has increased from 6 to 50 Megapixel!
With the release of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, I have expanded my equipment once again. It now degrades my trusty EOS R5 to a second body and, despite having the same sensor size, offers significantly improved autofocus and even more speed. A detailed first review of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II can be found on my website.
The post-processing of the photos is now done digitally in daylight with Adobe Lightroom Classic, which is much more convenient than back then in the dark basement lab.
Here on my website I would like to show you some of my photos from recent times. I have also prepared detailed reports of our long-distance travels, which might be useful, if you are planning similar trips. In addition, you will find current tips and field reports about photographic equipment and software in my blog. I would be happy to receive your comments and suggestions.
Willich in September 2024,
Dr. Gerd-Uwe Neukamp