John Henshall's Chip Shop

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Electronic Photo-Imaging at the EPIcentreThe Art & Science of Digital Imaging
CHIP SHOP COMPLETE

A CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING OF
EVERY CHIP SHOP ARTICLE

>>> THIS SECTION IS CURRENTLY BEING REVISED & UPDATED <<<

John Henshall's Chip Shop appeared in The Photographer magazine monthly from January 1993 to December 2006 inclusive. This makes it the longest running series in the world on digital imaging - though John was writing about digital imaging long before this. Each month Chip Shop dealt authoritatively with all aspects of digital imaging and over the years it has had many "scoops".

A Chip Shop is a purveyor of the original British fast food - Fish 'n' Chips.
These days a Chip Shop could also be a supplier of Silicon Chips - get it?

Articles shown in magenta are not yet available on the Internet
PDF versions of 2000-2004 inclusive are in preparation.


CHIP SHOP 2006

December

Military Spec Protection
Kata bags for professional photographers are now available in the UK.

Professionally Compact
The continuing search for a professional-quality compact camera: the Panasonic DMCLX2 and the Leica D-Lux 3.

November

The Eyes Have It
At Photokina, Cologne, and Photo Plus Expo, New York, 2006 John Henshall finds that medium format digital is not only alive and kicking but flourishing in the maturing digital marketplace.
Hasselblad H3D camera, SanDisk Extreme IV CompactFlash, SanDisk Extreme Firewire 800 Reader, Leaf Aptus 75, Sinar eMotion 75, Phase One P45+.
Photographers Martin Parr, Shelley Lake, Laurel De George, Shelia Bernard and Elliott Erwitt.
Lenses for Nikon from Zeiss

October

Photokina 2006
John Henshall has been walking miles of aisles at the world's largest photographic trade show. Cameraphones and video cameras from Nokia. Cameras: Canon 400D, Nikon D80, Panasonic Lumix L1, Pentax K10D, Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro, Sigma SD-14 amd DP-1. Medium format from European manufacturers European manufacturers Hasselblad, Jenoptik, Leaf, Phase One and Sinar and Japanese manufacturers Pentax (645D) and Mamiya ZD. From Hewlett-Packard -- the new Designjet Z2100 and Z3100 wide-format printers with print longevity which means that if William Henry Fox Talbot had had one of these new printers in the mid nineteenth century, his prints would still be as fresh today as the day they were printed.

September

Eat Dust
More ways to get rid of the bits we don't want. Just Ltd's Professional Digital Camera Cleaning Kit and CameraBivvy.

Creative Maskerade
The Publimaster suite of new time-saving professional masks for use with Photoshop

Getting your Backup
Various methods of backing up your camera cards. Avoid tears after the shoot.

August

Photography at the Flick of a Switch
A new lighting angle in Jay Myrdal's Oxfordshire studio -- digital light switches to order.

More Meetings in Arles
Has Magnum's Elliott Erwitt gone digital? 'I still use film -- but sometimes I forget to put it in the camera.' Meetings with Harald Johnson, Jack Dugann, Elliott Erwitt, Stephen Johnson, Douglas Kirkland, Joel Mayerowitz and Eli Reed.

July

No More Dirty Pictures
A look at the most time wasting aspect of digital imaging -- dirt on the sensor -- and how to brush the problem away using CleanSkies Sensor Cleaning Brushes and a phenomenon known as the triboelectric effect.

Les Rencontres d'Arles
In discovering that 'rencontres' means 'meetings' John Henshall meets some great photographers - including Mark Alberhasky, Stephen Johnson, Bruce Fraser, Elliott Erwitt, Douglas Kirkland, Don McCullin, Joel Meyerowitz, Stephen Johnson, Peter Marlow, Eli Reed and Joshua Greene -- the son of Milton H Greene.

June

Ansmann in Total Charge
The most important aspect of digital imaging -- battery power

Canon EOS 30D to China
John Henshall went up the Wall in China with the new Canon EOS 30D on a recent trip to Beijing and found it to be a gentle but worthwhile upgrade to an established classic.

May

Panasonic's Little Gem
A compact digital camera which can produce truly professional quality images -- the Panasonic DMC-LX1.

April

Sigma 10-20mm
An ultra-wide-angle zoom lens for half-frame DSLR cameras.

Sigma 18-200mm
Tony Briselden goes out to the far frozen south with this eleven-to-one ratio half-frame zoom lens.

To Infinity and Beyond
The easy way to photograph items for articles and picture libraries. The Tre-D Still-Life Table model 7373.

And the winner is ... ... FotoNation
The 2006 John Henshall's Chip Shop Award goes to a multi-national team of imaging boffins headquartered in Silicon Valley with engineers in Galway, Ireland, and Bucharest, Romania.
"FotoNation richly deserves this award for its innovative technology of benefit to the whole digital photographic industry."

March

Photo-Industry in Meltdown
Report from PMA Las Vegas 2006.
Although we have seen huge changes in photography, the biggest changes are undoubtedly still to come. The photo-industry we have known is indeed very close to meltdown.

February 2006

Nikon's Beautiful D200
Near-perfection in Nikon's new bargain-priced DSLR

How to Survive and Thrive in the worst High Street in Britain
Creative marketing brings success and local prestige to a photographer in Leatherhead, Surrey.

January 2006

Fujifilm FinePix S9500
Fuji's new 9 megapixel 'bridge' camera makes you two feet taller -- and also keeps your knees clean.

Imaging the Changes
George Orwell got the message right but the date wrong. His nightmare vision of 1984 was more than twenty years out. But his fiction is turning out to be fact in 2006 -- and in ways which are nothing less than scary. A look at some of the many changes which photography has faced and is about to face.
Other changes: Farnk Hatton of PMA, Carl Koch of Sinar, Lord Patrick Lichfield, Contax, Agfa, Ilford and Dan Carp of Kodak.

Are the labs committing suicide?
Peter Matthews hasn't been one to go for this newfangled digital photography but when he used some of the new 35mm Fuji Velvia 100 film recently he was dismayed to find that his regular laboratory had closed down. So he sent his films to the lab in Warwick which operates under the Fuji banner, believing that this would ensure the best quality results from this state-of-the-art new film. What were the results?


CHIP SHOP 2005

December

Hot on the Press
Kata bags for professional photographers are now available in the UK.

Phase One delivers P45
John Henshall was a little apprehensive when Phase One's Eric Joakim said he had a P45 for him. (Note for non-UK readers: there's a pun here. In the UK a 'P45' is the government form you receive when your employment is terminated.)

November

Phase One Winner
Kevin Wilson is the delighted winner of the highest value prize ever in our recent competition to win a PhaseOne P20 digital camera back.

October

Delights of Passage -- the Lowepro CompuTrekker Plus AW backpack
With seven digital cameras, their lenses, a multitude of accessories and a large laptop
to take, John Henshall wonders if there’s any alternative to driving to Glasgow?

September -- November

Which DSLR? [complete] [14 pages] (PDF size 5.2MB)
A major fourteen-page comparison of nine of leading Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras -- and film. The Canon EOS-350D, Canon EOS-20D, Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II, Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro, Kodak DCS ProSLR/c, Nikon D50, Nikon D70s, Nikon D2x -- and Nikon F6 loaded with Fujichrome Velvia Professional 100 film.

Which DSLR? [part 1] [6 pages]
The first part, published in September 2005.

Which DSLR? [part 2] [4 pages]
October's continuation and conclusion of the major camera and film comparison.

Which DSLR? [part 3] [4 pages]
Just when it seemed safe to conclude this comparison, two new cameras are announced: the Canon EOS 5D and the Nikon D200. This November 2005 update includes new conclusions.

August

Canon EOS5D -- Full Frame & 12.8 Megapixels
Scouring the darkest corners of cyberspace for fact -- and fiction -- about this new DSLR from Canon which we may -- or may not -- see in October 2005. Rumoursbefore the 5D was officially announced.

Fujifilm's little wonders: FinePix F10 and FinePix Z1
Although we always want to carry a camera -- ready to capture that special moment -- we don't always want to be weighed down by the full pro kit. With these new cameras from Fujifilm, John Henshall is now spoilt for choice for a camera to carry with him at all times.

July

Sigma 300-800mm 1:5.6 APO EX DG HSM zoom
This versatile long-range zoom is put through its paces at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, UK,

Kodak Professional 1400 Digital Photo Printer -- a License to print Money?
Could Kodak’s new thermal dye diffusion printer pay for itself in just one evening?

June

Farewell to the Kodak DCS DSLRs
When Kodak introduced the the world's first totally portable Digital Camera System -- the DCS -- in 1991 it established Eastman Kodak as the world leader of professional digital image capture. Fourteen years later, Kodak announced that it was ending production of Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras. John Henshall looks at Kodak’s legacy as the end of its DSLR production is announced.

May

Scantastic -- a high quality scanning service from FreelanceImages.co.uk
Do you have a lifetime of transparencies sitting in drawers or cabinets doing nothing? Have you ever dreamt of submitting them to a picture library, where they can supplement your earnings and be part of your pension fund? But maybe you don’t have a high enough quality scanner, or can't spare the time to scan them? If so, read this article.

Nikon D50 and D70
Nikon's lowest-priced ever DSLR will be stiff competition for the other major DSLR brand.

The first ever Chip Shop Award
The Chip Shop Award joins this year’s Photo Industry Awards from 'The Photographer' magazine and goes to The Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro digital camera and the S1--S2--S3 range.

April

Shooting with the big Canons -- the state-of-the-art EOS-1Ds MarkII and the EOS-20D
John Henshall reports on his extended use of both these cameras.

New Films Debut at PMA
Report from the PMA Convention at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida, USA, 20-23 February 2005.

March

Nikon D2x
A first look at this state of the art DSLR from Nikon.

February

Evolution of the Species -- the Fuji DSLRs
John Henshall takes a look at the latest FujiFilm FinePix S3 Pro DSLR and puts it in perspective in the series which changed photography.

More Tricks and Tips for your BIPP web pages
John Henshall gives some further advice to help BIPP members to customise the personal 'home' page on the BIPP website -- and gives a warning about copyright theft with examples from his own online experience with images stolen from this website.

January

Will Film Die this Year?
Filmless by 2005? was one of the headlines for Chip Shop in the December 1996/January 1997 issue. No, this prediction did not come from John Henshall, the Filmless by 2005 prediction was the result of a two year study by Keith Norman of Jessops, the UK's largest high street photo retailer, who were already seeing their business contract. The report of the death of film was not an exaggeration. Film is dead. Long live photography! said John Henshall in this article -- a statement which did not please some readers (who have of course themselves since gone digital).


CHIP SHOP 2004

December

Phase One P25 -- Medium format digital is unshackled
Phase One's completely self-contained 22 megapixel medium format digital back compared with 5x4 (US: 4x5) and 10x8 (US: 8x10) film. The test everyone has been wondering about!

New PDF versions of 2000-2004 inclusive are in preparation.

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

  • November 2000
    FUJI FINEPIX S1 PRO
    IN PREPARATION: Review of Fuji's professional digital SLR. (200011cs)
  • October 2000
    NEW AT PHOTOKINA
    New professional digital cameras at the world's biggest imaging fair. (200010bcs) SEYBOLD DIGITAL IMAGING DAY
    Kodak Presdent and CEO Dan Carp's Keynote and new products at Seybold San Francisco. (200010acs)
  • September 2000
    LEAF CANTARE XY
    Review of Leaf's multi-shot version of its Cantare digital camera back. (200009cs)
  • August 2000
    DIGITAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY
    Award-winning wedding photographer Keith Thompson's first digital wedding using a Kodak DCS520 digital camera. (200008cs)
  • June 2000
    ON THE ALAMY.COM
    A new online picture library for twenty first century photographers and buyers of photography. (200006cs)
  • May 2000
    KODAK PALMPIX CAMERA
    One small step for Digital Cameras is a giant leap for Personal Digital Assistants. (200005cs)
  • April 2000
    SINAR MACROSCAN
    Even higher resolution from Sinar using an imaginitive approach. (200004cs)
  • March 2000
    FUJI FINEPIX S1 PRO AND NIKON D1 COMPARED
    The first comparison of these digital SLRs. (200003cs)
  • February 2000
    SINAR'S SINARCAM AND SINARBACK WITH HARDWARE ANTI-MOIRÉ
    Sinar's Hardware Anti-Moiré system tested. (200002cs)
  • January 2000
    SAY GOODBYE TO THE WORLD WIDE WAIT
    A look at the latest telecommunications services of interest to digital photo studios. (200001cs)

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1999

  • November 1999
    HOW KODAK MAKE CCDs AND DIGITAL CAMERAS
    A unique insight into the manufacturing processes for the Kodak DCS camera range in Rochester, NY. (9911cs)
  • October 1999
    NIKON D1 - FIRST IMPRESSIONS
    In his capacity as Digital Imaging Day Organizer for the Seybold Seminars in San Francisco, John henshall is the first to use the Nikon D1 digital SLR. (9910cs)
  • September 1999
    KODAK DCS620 AND NIKON COOLPIX950
    What are the differences between cameras which have virtually the same digital image size. (9909cs)
  • July/August 1999
    NIKON D1
    The new Nikon Professional SLR
    (9907cs)
  • June 1999
    THE LEAF VOLARE AND CANTARE DIGITAL CAMERA BACKS (9906cs)
  • May 1999
    MEGAVISION S3
  • April 1999
    PMA Las Vegas 1999
  • March 1999
    SINAR, SINARCAM AND SINARBACK
    The first complete professional digital camera system
    (9903cs)
  • February 1999
    PHASE ONE LIGHTPHASE
    A new digital camera back for 'live' subjects
    (9902cs)

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1998

1997

1996

1995
Articles shown in brown are not available on the Internet

  • December 1995 Imaging Delights - Some neat ideas to round off the year.
  • November 1995 APS - The Advanced Photo System. Film fights back.
  • October 1995 The Original Electronic Imaging System - Forty years of British Independent television. Plus Fargo PhotoFun - A breakthrough in low-cost digital printing.
  • September 1995 High Capacity Digital Storage - Time to burn a WORM.
  • August 1995 Fujix DS-515 Digital Camera - Fuji goes Green!
  • July 1995 Chips With Everything. A miscellany, printed in John's digital hanwriting font from Signature Software Inc.
  • June 1995 Digital Images are Best. Dicomed scan back and a first mention of the BigShot.
  • May 1995 Seybold in Only 26,641 Words. Seybold Boston, 1995.
  • April 1995 Where the Earth Moves. National Press Photographers' Association conference, San Francisco.
  • March 1995 Kodak DCS 460 Digital Camera - The BIG picture.
  • February 1995 Super Highways and Secluded Byways. The Internet and Compuserve.
  • January 1995 A Studio Portrait from a Family Snap - Clever stuff using Adobe Photoshop.

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1994

  • December 1994 Agfa Technology Exposition, Boston USA.
  • November 1994 Photokina '94.
  • October 1994 QUANTEL - A British force in digital imaging.
  • September 1994 Scanners. Nikon ScanTouch AX-1200, Agfa StudioScan II and Arcus II.
  • August 1994 Kodak DCS420 Digital Camera - First look at Kodak's third generation digital camera.
  • July 1994 Back to Basics II in Digital Imaging.
  • June 1994 Back to Basics in Digital Imaging.
  • May 1994 Colortron - Colour control on a low budget.
  • April 1994 Dicomed Digital Camera Back - Digital replacement for 5 x 4 darkslides. Plus; Photophase FC70 - Phase One's 5 x 4 view camera digital scan back.
  • March 1994 Into the Light!
  • February 1994 Off to a Grand Start. A digital imaging system for around £1,000.
  • January 1994 New Year's High Resolution. First reports of Kodak's 'M6' (later DCS460).

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1993

  • December 1993 What Price Entry to the Digital Dream? Starting in DI.
  • November 1993 Wither Photo CD? - The direction taken by Photo CD is changing. Will it flourish?
  • October 1993 Digital Printing - The Agfa Chromapress and Indigo E-Print 1000.
  • September 1993 Cross-Fertilization in Imaging. Avid, Sony and the new EPIcentre.
  • August 1993 Digital Imaging gets a New Definition. Sony HDVS from Montreux, Switzerland.
  • June 1993 Kodak Digital Cameras. - The Kodak DCS100 and DCS200.
  • May 1993 Gold Plated Contacts/Getting my Back Up. Kodak Gold Circle/Jack Duganne (Nash Editions)/Labs of the future.
  • April 1993 Leaf DCB Digital Camera Back - Turning over a new leaf!
  • March 1993 Stamping out those Signs of the Times. Corrective capabilities of Adobe Photoshop.
  • February 1993 Classe of '93. A series for BBC/student digital imaging.
  • January 1993 Logitech Fotoman Digital Camera - An extract from the very first edition of "Chip Shop"

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