[texandrews]

I think people who compose their pictures consciously in place tend to do it according the native view finder aspect ratio mostly given by the sensor size. That’s simply the natural way. It’s much harder to imagine in place to go another aspect ratio cause you always have to think about which parts to omit in post.

In my opinion the given aspect ratio not always is the most fitting for every picture you want to make. Often you may realize in post that there are other very interesting crop / aspect ratio options and although the one you chose in place may be very good you could prefer another in post.

I’d say the sensor size and its aspect ratio is nothing else than a technical restriction. The picture and its impression counts - independently from the native aspect ratio of the camera sensor. Using cropping in post doesn't generally mean that a bad job was done in place of the capture IMO - sometimes I read posts that could imply this.

It’s nice if camera and its viewfinder support the idea of flexibility by offering different crop frames with darkening the outside and storing the image as a raw file.

Agree with every word. I come from a painting background where there are no fixed aspect ratios, except those imposed by the artist or the architecture. Thus, I have always found the sometimes heated discussions among photographers about aspect ratios, in-camera framing, etc., to be quaint, at best.

---------- Post added 04-18-16 at 08:36 AM ----------

A few handheld shots from over the weekend with the Z the DFA 90mm and FA 150mm

Great light in #2 and 3, well presented.

[dsmithhfx]

It’s nice if camera and its viewfinder support the idea of flexibility by offering different crop frames with darkening the outside and storing the image as a raw file.

Perhaps that would be helpful with the initial framing for some people. What I find though, is that the viewfinder gives at best a small, lo-res visual preview of the photograph, with dubious fidelity, typically in adverse lighting conditions, and all sorts of visual and other distractions. Later on, the capture can be evaluated at leisure in an optimal display environment where many more critical decisions may be made and applied, so that the original vision and potential of that image may be fully realized.

[mattb123]

One more from Saturday. I was going to go backcountry skiing Sunday but wound up with a stomach bug so I took the day off. I heard it was really good up high.
645D & FA 45-85

[acoufap]

... so I carry a Leinox directors viewfinder when I'm out and about.
Bob

Interesting. Never heard of such a tool. Think it would be too fiddly for me.

... is that the viewfinder gives at best a small, lo-res visual preview of the photograph, with dubious fidelity ...

I also think that cropping in post is much easier. But if you have the aspiration to do all in place, and want to use different aspect ratios a builtin "aspect ratio tool" would be nice. Another point: I don't think we can speak of lo-res preview when talking about DSLRs with pentaprism viewfinders. If the lighting conditions are sufficient a camera that has a high quality optical viewfinder delivers an unbeatable image IMO. And the bigger the viewfinder the easier you can compose your picture. Some years ago I looked through the viewfinder of a 645D (happy Matt ). I was extremely pleased. It was a huge difference compared to my K5's. I get a similar impression when I look through that of my ME Super. I'm curious what we get with the K-1.

[dadipentak]

I heard it was really good up high.

Real nice photo, though.

[sculptormic]

Yport, France

Pentax 645Z FA55

[mattb123]

Real nice photo, though.

Thank you. The weather was horrendous! Sleeting at about 33* at this elevation. I'd prefer colder so the moisture isn't as sticky!

[itshimitis]

Picked up the loaner 28 - 45 from my dealer today - Johnsons apparently sent my own lens a day after they sent the loaner, but that's not arrived with my dealer yet, so I took out the loaner:

Pentax 645Z DA 28 - 45

1.



2.



3.



4.

[2351HD]

Lovely Itshimitis!

Here is one from the beach a couple of weeks ago.

[itshimitis]

A few more from yesterday evening with the 645Z and FA 28 - 45

1.



2.



3.



I bought one of the new super stoppers yesterday and it arrived this morning - 15 stop from Lee. Will be interesting to give it a try out - 1/2000 becomes 4 seconds!

[mattb123]

With no other model handy I got in on the action myself last weekend.
645D & FA 45-85

[itshimitis]

About 30 miles further west from last night's location:

Pentax 645Z DA 28 - 45

[itshimitis]

This shot is less than an hour after the first of those last two shots. The tide moves in and out very quickly here

[lenticular]

Beautiful coastal wide shots ishimitis and one from Down Under 2351HD.
Matt - braving very nasty looking conditions there.

...the weather was more benign here today

A35 f3.5 on 645D

[bobbotron]

Busy street near Parliament hill in Ottawa. Portra 800.