Camera Mishaps, Tech Disasters, and Lens Deep Dives

Overview

This episode of the Petapixel Podcast features hosts Jordan Drake and Chris Nichols, joined by Jaren, as they discuss their recent successes, various camera mishaps, and tackle listener questions. The team recounts humorous and harrowing stories of professional disasters and "humble themselves" after a highly successful week.

Key Topics

The Nikon Plena 135mm f/1.8

• The hosts discuss the new optic, praising its optical quality, beautiful bokeh, and transition rendering.
• They compare it to the Nikon Noct 58mm f/0.95, noting that while both are showcases of engineering, the Plena is significantly more practical for portrait and commercial photography.
• They jokingly establish a new gear measurement system based on lens weights: the "Noct" and the "Plena."

Camera Disasters and Mishaps

• Jordan's Miami Vice moment: A mix-up at an edgy hotel led to internal panic during a high-stress shoot.
• Jaren’s Japan bathroom adventure: A challenging encounter with traditional sanitary facilities in a bamboo forest.
• Storage and Rental Failures: Stories including a lost set of car keys at Apple Park and a frozen night in Canada during an astrophotography outing.
• Equipment Damage: The hosts reflect on the expensive mistake of shearing off a camera mount on top of the Tokyo SkyTree.

Tech Corner

• Storage Standards: Jaren discusses the benefits of the new CFexpress 4.0 specification and using new card readers to achieve faster performance with existing gear.
• Budget Glass: The team reviews the TT Artisan 500mm f/6.3, identifying it as an intriguing budget option for static subjects.
• Production Value: The hosts discuss the importance of having professional assistance on set to manage lighting, reducing the need to rely on improvised techniques and avoiding on-site disasters like accidental fire alarm triggers.

"I feel like the Plena is basically an old-school optical lens... it reminded me a lot of a Zeiss Otis where they are just like, let's just engineer this optically."

Listener Engagement

• The hosts address questions about migrating from Premiere to DaVinci Resolve.
• They discuss their audio setup, often using vampire clips or under-shirt stickies to maintain clean dialogue in windy, outdoor environments.