Shooting dishes prepared by Michelin stared chef with a Pentax 645D

[nicolas claris]

We have just achieved some images of dishes realised by Nicolas Magie et Sébastien Bertin at the Relais & Châteaux Saint-James in Bouliac.
Once more the medium format camera Pentax 645D has produced marvelous file…

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More in the galery

As lucky guys, we could eat the decor ; )))
Don't ask me the recipes!

 

[Asher Kelman]

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More in the galery

We have just achieved some images of dishes realised by Nicolas Magie et Sébastien Bertin at the Relais & Châteaux Saint-James in Bouliac.
Once more the medium format camera Pentax 645D has produced marvelous files….................


As lucky guys, we could eat the decor ; )))

..

Well, Nicolas,


One hardly needs to think about the new CMOS sensor in the Pentax 645D 2014 coming in April! I'm left speechless!!


Asher

 

[nicolas claris]

Thanks Asher
Most of shots were done with the 80-160 mm at ƒ16 - 200 ISO, some others with the 55mm (delivered into the original combo)…
One has to be aware that we had only a few minutes to shoot each dish before they were not okay anymore for shooting.
No studio, just an indirect flashlight, tripod, dishes being on a corner of a table of the restaurant…

 

[Asher Kelman]

Thanks Asher
Most of shots were done with the 80-160 mm at ƒ16 - 200 ISO, some others with the 55mm (delivered into the original combo)…
One has to be aware that we had only a few minutes to shoot each dish before they were not okay anymore for shooting.
No studio, just an indirect flashlight, tripod, dishes being on a corner of a table of the restaurant…

Was it an LED flashlight? How big? The color is perfect. What did you do, use a Gretag Macbeth card or to profile the camera and a grey card for the shoot?

"I want what you have" or as the lady in the movie put it to the waiter, "I'll have what she's having!". In that famous Meg Ryan scene!

Asher

 

[nicolas claris]

A simple Canon 580 EX fixed on the top of the 645, directed to a "white"wall.
The lady will then use auto WB from the camera and will slightly adjust in LR5.
The grey card stayed well protected in the camera bag ; )

 

[Asher Kelman]

A simple Canon 580 EX fixed on the top of the 645, directed to a "white"wall.
The lady will then use auto WB from the camera and will slightly adjust in LR5.
The grey card stayed well protected in the camera bag ; )

Aha, the word "flashlight" in English has a unique meaning for a torch.

​

So I thought that's what you were using.

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

Thanks Asher
Most of shots were done with the 80-160 mm at ƒ16 - 200 ISO, some others with the 55mm (delivered into the original combo)…

Nicolas,

"delivered into the original combo" meaning that you stitched the images from two lenses? Or that's the two lens combo you had delivered from Pentax, France?

Asher

 

[nicolas claris]

Asher
In this case combo means that the 55 mm lens was delivered with the body from Pentax.
I almost never stitch… (although I did in the past)

 

[nicolas claris]

So I thought that's what you were using.

Asher

Ah! not really!

But this :

 

[Antonio Correia]

Fantastic images with a simple set-up

How big is the RAW file produced ?

 

[nicolas claris]

Fantastic images with a simple set-up

How big is the RAW file produced ?

Bonjour Antonio
Thanks!

RAW files are between 50 to 80 Mb (seems to depend of the amount of details).
16 bit tif files are 237 Mb : D

 

[Asher Kelman]

Ah! not really!

But this :

Nicolas,

How do you trigger this? Are you using a Pocket Wizard to have it fire with the Pentax?

Asher

 

[nicolas claris]

You don't read me!
Or my English is really bad ; )

It was attached thru the horseshoe on top of the body.
I just had to adjust the direction…

 

[Asher Kelman]

You don't read me!
Or my English is really bad ; )

It was attached thru the horseshoe on top of the body.
I just had to adjust the direction…

Nicolas,

Just my ignorance here!

Your English is perfect! I just didn't know that the Canon could be happy sitting on the Pentax! I guess you have an adapter.........................or perhaps not. I'm ignorant here. I thought that the electronics were specific for each brand.

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

Nicolas,

This thread and the pictures posted in LULA have made think that the new CMOS will not likely give better images. Perhaps there'll be an increase in DR or better focus system, automatic correction of lenses or the like, in the new body. But the standard of imaging you show here with these food shots, is so spectacular that I can hardly imagine it being improved on. Going from 40 to 50MP is hardly enough to be shown as a difference even in large prints.

So are your images likely to be improved with the new CMOS sensor? What's your thinking on where you'd get benefit, besides low light?

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

Nicolas,

A technical trivia concerns my scientific brain. You seem to use f16 a lot. The pixel pitch of the 645D, is I believe ~ 6 microns, about that of the Canon 6D. With the Canon DSLR, I avoid apertures smaller than f 8.0 and usually I'm at f2-5.6 because of concern about the small pixel pitch detecting smearing caused by overlapping spreading waves from each expected pinpoint of focussed light, IOW, I'm worried about diffraction effects by the small metal aperture.

Perhaps I worry too much about such unimportant "theoreticals", but at f16 shouldn't there be expected to be some image degradation because of diffraction at such a small aperture, given the small size of the sensels.

Or are you so good at post processing, that you reconstruct that sharp image that the lens projects as if there was no degradation by photons/waves scraping against the aperture blades?

Again, the quality of your images supercedes what I'd expect!

Perhaps one needs to print the images at its limits to actually see any degradation that these smaller derivatives obscure?

Asher

 

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Nicolas,

A technical trivia concerns my scientific brain. You seem to use f16 a lot. The pixel pitch of the 645D, is I believe ~ 6 microns, about that of the Canon 6D. With the Canon DSLR, I avoid apertures smaller than f 8.0 and usually I'm at f2-5.6 because of concern about the small pixel pitch detecting smearing caused by overlapping spreading waves from each expected pinpoint of focussed light, IOW, I'm worried about diffraction effects by the small metal aperture.

Perhaps I worry too much about such unimportant "theoreticals", but at f16 shouldn't there be expected to be some image degradation because of diffraction at such a small aperture, given the small size of the sensels.

Hi Asher,

Yes, at f/16 diffraction will take it's toll, but the lack of an AA-filter will still leave some micro-contrast at the pixel level (assuming good lens quality) in the focus plane. I'm not sure how large the output will be, so anything less than 29 x 19 inches, or 63 x 47 centimetres, will look even a bit sharper.

Or are you so good at post processing, that you reconstruct that sharp image that the lens projects as if there was no degradation by photons/waves scraping against the aperture blades?

Again, the quality of your images supercedes what I'd expect!

Diffraction can be somewhat compensated for by deconvolution sharpening, but I'm not sure if Nicolas used FocusMagic (64-bit Photoshop plugin) for that. Also a plug-in like 'Topaz Labs Detail' can specifically target several detail size levels, and it also offers a deconvolution 'deblur' which may also be useful for output sharpening after up-sampling to native printer resolution. Also, the application of a bit of 'Topaz Labs Clarity' can add a lot of definition by adding local contrast without halos (it can also significantly help a simple lighting setup like Nicolas used).

Perhaps one needs to print the images at its limits to actually see any degradation that these smaller derivatives obscure?

Pushing the limits of resolution, may indeed require quite a large format output to surpass the acuity limits of the human eye. There will also be some DOF sharpness fall-off, but it will be very gradual at these narrow apertures.

Cheers,
Bart

 

[nicolas claris]

Thanks Asher and Bart for commenting

As you know I'm a self taught guy and theory is not my cup of tea, when I read Bart I suddenly feel more clever!
However on day to day experience, I get what I wished…
For this shoot, I wanted to use the 80-160 for its zooming capacity (thinking that shooting time is very short). This lens is pretty good (as you can see) provided that you close shutter on minimum of ƒ8. The other point is that this lens is not really designed for that kind of work and I wanted more DOF that what I can get with it at ƒ11 or 13.
Finally, for the set you're viewing, the sharpening comes from LR5, these images haven't seen Photoshop.
For the files I delivered this morning to the client, I pre sharpened a little less in LR5 and finalized sharpening in CS6 with my own built action. Even better results !

PS regarding Canon flash, it works in ETTL with the Pentax but it underexposed too much, I used manual mode instead.

 

[nicolas claris]

Coming soon, the video!

 

[nicolas claris]

Coming soon, the video!

Here it is !
And don't forget, as usual with Romain's video, to pump up the sound…

 

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Here it is !
And don't forget, as usual with Romain's video, to pump up the sound…

YUMMY!

I like the movements, in addition to zooms, that Romain added to his repertoire. It generates a 3D experience. Now to add smells and taste, that's a different challenge ...

Cheers,
Bart

 

[Asher Kelman]

So, after all, it's the combination of the right photographer using the right light.

I am so impressed at this work, Nicolas, as food photography is as specific a challenge as architecture or weddings. Folk might think it's a matter of just snapping an image. In fact, some food pictures we see in magazines are totally fabricated, and not even edible, LOL! So even for an accomplished photographer of ambitious showpiece creations, this result deserves a special applause.

I'm wondering whether you would have produced anything less with my own Canon 6D? I am so jealous to also get the 645D, but frankly, given the rushed circumstances of the shoot with real "ready-to-eat" food, I'm re thinking this entire set of images. It's you, not just the sensor! What can I say, but, "Kudos!" and "Bravo!"

....but now I'd love to see you do a shoot out of such a plate with a few cameras to see where the differences might be.

Asher

 

[nicolas claris]

Thanks Bart!

@Asher
Frankly it is easier to shoot than a speed boat at full speed from an helicopter!
I would love to shoot that with a Sinar back or a Phase, but I don't see any on the horizon ; )

I don't think I would like to try with a smaller sensor camera.

I love -really- all y get from MF. Softness but contrasts, soft skins but details, capacity to preserve all lights and shadows… I don't think I could get all this with a smaller sensor…

 

[Asher Kelman]

Thanks Bart!

@Asher
Frankly it is easier to shoot than a speed boat at full speed from an helicopter!
I would love to shoot that with a Sinar back or a Phase, but I don't see any on the horizon ; )

I don't think I would like to try with a smaller sensor camera.

I love -really- all y get from MF. Softness but contrasts, soft skins but details, capacity to preserve all lights and shadows… I don't think I could get all this with a smaller sensor…

Of course, I could argue for pages, on using the same focal length. I'll have to send you some pictures I've taken with my more modest 6D and the Ricoh GR of some calla lilies and have you sharpen them with your charms to see if you can bring magic to them!

Asher

 

[nicolas claris]

Why not ! let's try, send me some raws…

 

[fahim mohammed]

Nicolas, a truly mouth watering series of images.

Beautifully and proficiently done indeed.

Kindest regards.

 

[Theodoros Fotometria]

Nicolas,

Just my ignorance here!

Your English is perfect! I just didn't know that the Canon could be happy sitting on the Pentax! I guess you have an adapter.........................or perhaps not. I'm ignorant here. I thought that the electronics were specific for each brand.

Asher

Asher... Any flashgun will work with any camera no matter the maker if you set it on "Manual" or "Auto" but not on TTL, the later only works with dedicated cameras... You can even "fool" your flashgun if set on "Auto" mode, by providing with false information of the aperture used or the ISO sensitivity...

 

[nicolas claris]

Nicolas, a truly mouth watering series of images.

Beautifully and proficiently done indeed.

Kindest regards.

Thank you Fahim
And it was so good to taste!
We were far from all the technique spoken here… : D

The "only" brief from the Chef (Thank you to him BTW, for his trust, he knew I never shot food before) was:

"Keep the product in mind. No special effect, the product only"

A brief that I had no difficulty to keep in mind…