SPONSORED BY SPONSORED BY TECHNIQUE All images © Chris Routledge THE BIG PICTURE The SIGMA SD Quattro is a truly versatile camera that can deliver exceptional black & white pictures. But it also offers a superb widescreen option, as Chris Routledge explains. or the past two northern England. government’s Flood Information differently, not only because the collection, but when I had the Hasselblad X-Pan film camera years I have been I have heard passing tourists Service says flooding is possible. scene itself changes, but also opportunity to visit the Rothay ‘Actually being able to compose the frame and close to the modern 64 photographing a compare this stretch of the I began by documenting the because you see it differently with Sigma’s SD Quattro H and widescreen cinema and classic 65 B+W in the aspect ratio you want, while on B+W short section of the Rothay in summer to a Cotswold strange effects of the flood: over time. While working on my 18-35mm f/1.8 lens, I wondered Cinemascope formats. Being river Rothay in the stream. But on 5 December, fences tightly woven with grass Rothay project I’ve used both whether an unfamiliar camera location, is very liberating.’ able to look through the Lake District, roughly 2015, the Rothay transformed and leaves, large stones flung film and digital cameras to might help me find a new viewfinder and see the Fbetween the eastern end of into a raging giant 50m wide, across sheep pasture and turf document the changing perspective on familiar territory. In theory, this should give a square viewfinder of my widescreen sweep of river I was Rydal Water, and the historic carrying branches and debris rolled up like a carpet by the landscape, to capture the In particular, I wanted to explore similar look, regardless of the Yashica, because of the way hoping to capture, or framing Ambleside stepping stones. from miles upstream, smashing force of the current. Since then strangeness and unfamiliarity of whether it might complement significant differences in sensor it forces you to look at a scene a candid portrait with acres The project began in the bridges and sweeping away it has been the Rothay’s quieter the aftermath of the flood, and my medium format film images. size. Of course, changing light, in a particular way. of moody dead space, is a aftermath of Storm Desmond, many of the stepping stones moods that have held my the slow return to normality. The answer rather surprised me. different characteristics of film Because the Sigma is a wonderful thing. And because of an Atlantic storm that delivered themselves. It peaked at a attention. Over the course of a After almost two years I am and digital imaging, and lenses mirrorless camera, something the high resolution of the Foveon unprecedented rainfall to the record 3.71m, a whopping 2m long project it is necessary to now beginning to edit my n an early morning experiment made 40 years apart, make similar is achievable in its sensor, even a cropped image mountains of Cumbria and above the level at which the UK look at the same scene images into a coherent I pitted the SD Quattro H direct comparisons pointless. electronic viewfinder. The like this has a potential size of against my Yashica MAT 124G But while the results from the camera still records the whole 6192 x 2648 pixels: more than and a roll of Fujifilm Acros 100. Sigma are pleasing, it was while sensor, so you can change your enough for large scale prints. IAllowing for the different sizes of trying to frame to match the mind later if you like, but this way Many film cameras made imaging sensors, the Sigma at square aspect ratio of the you are making the decision at changing aspect ratios possible, 35mm and f/1.8 (and cropped venerable Yashica that I the point of creating the image, using masks to expose different square) comes in roughly – very stumbled on a feature on the rather than reframing after the areas of the film to give different roughly – equivalent to the Sigma that changed the way I event. And unlike many other aspect ratios. But as in so many Yashica’s 80mm at f/3.5 in terms used the camera from then on. mirrorless cameras, the Sigma other areas, digital cameras of field of view and depth of field. In the Sigma’s well laid-out doesn’t have to record the open up possibilities for creative main shooting menu – probably cropped frame as a Jpeg, but in freedom without the need to Top left This square format image, the best menu system I have the Raw data, so no data is lost wait until you’ve used a whole taken at dawn in the woods used – is an option to change and the full range of adjustment roll of film. As I came to realise near Rydal Water, shows velvety the format of the frame you are is possible. Actually being able during the time I spent on the black and white tones and gentle shooting. There is a range of to compose the frame in the river Rothay, the ability to shoot transition to out of focus areas. options, from 3:2 and 4:3, aspect ratio you want, while on in different aspect ratios, and to Top right Positioned down low, through square, 16:9 and finally location, is very liberating. compose for them in the field the 21:9 format is ideal for 21:9 widescreen. Obviously While the square format was rather than after the event, is a emphasising the sweeping these are crop modes, and of useful, what really caught my compelling creative opportunity. bend of the river. course cropping can be done in imagination was being able to Left The 21:9 format gives a post-production, but I’ve shoot in 21:9 aspect ratio, mottersheadandhayes.co.uk cinematic look to portraits. always liked the immersive, similar to the legendary sigma-imaging-uk.com.