RERF

Rubbish Waterfall @ The Leeds RERF

Published on January 16, 2016August 15, 2016 by Richard2 Comments

Well not quite a rubbish waterfall, more litter-ally (get it?) a rubbish fall!

SDIM0711 — Leeds RERF | Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

After spending the past year or more following the construction of the Leeds Refuse Recycle & Energy Recover Facility (RERF for short) from the outside, I was invited inside by the French architects, S’PACE, to take some shots of its inner workings.

SDIM0746 — Leeds RERF | Sigma Merrill DP1 | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Whilst the rubbish fall might not be as picturesque as a Dales waterfall, the plant itself is a hugely impressive building, incinerating the citizens of Leeds’s waste and transforming it into electricity for 20,000 homes, but more to the point a perfect place to point a Sigma Merrill or Quattro camera.

SDIM0724 — Leeds RERF | Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Whilst I’m starting to prefer the Quattro DP0 for landscape work the Merrill’s eye for detail, and tonal range, is in its element for industrial subjects.

SDIM0731 — Leeds RERF | Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

I know the majority of you would prefer to point your camera at beach sunsets, cute seaside villages, and rolling hills and dales, but I could have spent a week roaming around the RERF looking for angles and perspectives; industrial subjects are cool too, and different test of your compositional skills.

SDIM0701a — Leeds RERF | Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

In February I go back to complete the job, and with the facility opening in March, it will probably be the end of my association with this fascinating building, and I can head back to mountains.

SDIM0750 — Leeds RERF | Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

I’ll post a final set of images of the RERF then, I bet you can’t wait!

http://www.richardjwalls.com

Shooting Notes

All shots taken using the Sigma DP1 Merrill at ISO100 using a tripod. Post processed in SPP and Lightroom.

The Leeds RERF Re-visited – Sigma DP1 Merrill

Published on October 23, 2015August 15, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

After a 3 month gap I headed back to the RERF, curious to see how it was taking shape. It’s now looking pretty complete; the innards are cloaked by the its outer shell, at night it glows on the horizon, and as I was passing the other day I was sure I saw smoke rising from the chimney. It’s not the same photographic subject that drew me to it originally to test out the Sigma Merrills and Quattros, but its shape and form still make an interesting subject to show off the Foveon sensor’s eye for detail and micro contrast.

Leeds RERF | Sigma DP1 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Leeds RERF | Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

http://www.richardjwalls.com

Cloudscapes (Leeds RERF Part 7) – Sigma Merrill

Published on June 22, 2015August 15, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

Ok, lets not kid ourselves, I’m bored with the RERF, you’re bored with the RERF, the people building it are probably sick to death of the place, so why the heck I’m writing yet another RERF related blog post I’ve no blinking idea, let alone why I went back in the first (or more like seventh) place.

So avoid looking at the RERF; pretend its not there; think of it as just a bit of foreground candy for the cloudscapes that hang over it; and marvel at how the Foveon sensor in the Sigma Merrill renders them.

Leeds RERF | Sigma Merrill DP1 | www.richardjwalls.com — Leeds RERF | Sigma Merrill DP1 | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Leeds RERF | Sigma Merrill DP3 | www.richardjwalls.com — Leeds RERF | Sigma Merrill DP3 | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Shooting Notes

Shots taken on using the DP1 and DP3 Merrills. ISO100. Hand held!!!. Post processed in SPP and Lightroom

The Build Continues – Leeds RERF Part 6

Published on May 16, 2015August 15, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

It was back in November when I first discovered the RERF and used it to review the Quattro DP1.

https://richardjwallsblog.wordpress.com/2014/11/16/sigma-quattro-dp1-comparison-1-the-rerf-cross-green-leeds/

Six months later my mission to chart the build continues; though with it’s innards mostly hidden behind plastic and metal, its fascination is diminishing and my enthusiasm is waning.

Still to me it’s unique shape and structure continues to bring to some mind pumped up airfix model, and to their credit and my shame, progress on the construction is faster than than my stalled attempt to glue together an Eduard Albatros DIII kit.

Leeds RERF | Sigma DP3 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Leeds RERF | Sigma DP3 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

An Evening Out with the Sigma Merrill – Leeds RERF Part 5

Published on March 17, 2015August 15, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

With the nights growing lighter and the RERF inner workings quickly being clad in wood and plastic, it was time take time out and capture it glowing the in the twilight, lit by street lamps and internal lights. I’d not used the Merrill’s before for night time shooting so was interested in their capability, and in general I’m happy with the results though I need to work out how better to control glare. Shots were taken with 2 – 5 second exposures @ ISO100. As always the Merrills were paired with a tripod. The photos at the end were taken earlier in the morning.

http://www.richardjwalls.com

Travels with the Sigma Merrill – Leeds RERF Part 4

Published on February 22, 2015August 15, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

The RERF, in Leeds, continues to take shape, and continues to be a great subject at which to point the DP3 Merrill. I’m not sure the clever chaps at Foveon and Sigma would have listed industrial landscapes on their design specification for the Merrill sensor but I’m hard pressed to think of a better subject to show off the detail and tones this magic bit of technology is able to capture.

The RERF is due to complete in June 2016, over the year away. I’m sure I’ll be drawn back for a few more visits between now and then!

RERF, Leeds | Sigma DP3 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — RERF, Leeds | Sigma DP3 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

http://www.richardjwalls.com

Travels with the Sigma Merrill – Leeds RERF Part 3

Published on February 3, 2015August 15, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

Ok, so now it’s becoming a worrying obsession. The RERF continues to take shape, and as I drive to the climbing wall, and look across the city towards East Leeds, I find myself compelled to extend my journey and record the construction. There’s something just a little bit fascinating about the mash up of materials – wood, metal, concrete and glass, and the way the Sigma captures the detail, that’s hard to resist. And this last point is the crux, I just don’t think another camera could capture the range of subtle tones and contrasts in quite the same way.

http://www.richardjwalls.com

RERF, Leeds |Sigma Merrill DP3 Stiched| www.richardjwalls.com — RERF, Leeds |Sigma Merrill DP3 Stiched| http://www.richardjwalls.com

RERF, Leeds |Sigma Merrill DP3| www.richardjwalls.com — RERF, Leeds |Sigma Merrill DP3| http://www.richardjwalls.com

Travels with the Sigma Merrill – Leeds RERF Revisited

Published on December 26, 2014August 15, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

In November, when trying out the Sigma DP1 Quattro, I headed to the construction site of Leeds new recycling and energy recovery facility (RERF) (original post @ https://richardjwallsblog.wordpress.com/2014/11/16/sigma-quattro-dp1-comparison-1-the-rerf-cross-green-leeds/).

RERF, Leeds |Sigma Merrill DP1| www.richardjwalls.com — RERF, Leeds |Sigma Merrill DP1| http://www.richardjwalls.com

Back in Leeds for Christmas Eve shopping I revisited the site to see how the construction was progressing armed with the Sigma DP1 and DP3. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a some sort of RERF obsessed junky, and these aren’t shots I’m going to put above the mantlepiece, but the tangle of metal, concrete, glass and wood is just a great subject at which to point a Sigma Merrill. Images of mountains and lakes are pretty cool but as Polly would say, there’s a lot more going on in these shots, and that detail really demonstrates the resolving power of the the Merrill foveon sensor and lens combination.

RERF, Leeds |Sigma Merrill DP 3 Stitched | www.richardjwalls.com — RERF, Leeds |Sigma Merrill DP 3 Stitched | http://www.richardjwalls.com

RERF, Leeds |Sigma Merrill DP1 Stiched| www.richardjwalls.com — RERF, Leeds |Sigma Merrill DP1 Stiched| http://www.richardjwalls.com

William Cook Steel Casting, Leeds |Sigma Merrill DP3 | www.richardjwalls.com — William Cook Steel Casting, Leeds |Sigma Merrill DP3 | http://www.richardjwalls.com

William Cook’s Leeds steels manufacturing plant is just across the road. It’s not bad subject either!

If your interested in the RERF more that the images more details can be found at the sites below.

http://www.clugston.co.uk/group/news/underneath-the-arches.php

http://veolia.co.uk/leeds/our-proposal/our-proposal/introducing-facility

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/Pages/Waste-strategy.aspx

http://www.richardjwalls.com

Sigma DP1 Quattro – Comparison 1 – The RERF, Cross Green, Leeds

Published on November 16, 2014August 19, 2016 by Richard2 Comments

The new recycling and energy recovery facility (RERF) under construction at Cross Green, Leeds, has the largest timber frame (@42 metres) of its type in the UK. It seemed like a good place to try out some first shots with the recently arrived Sigma DP1 Quattro so I headed over.

Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility, Leeds | Sigma DP1 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility, Leeds | Sigma DP1 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

It was a dull day and and I don’t believe this plays to the Sigma’s strengths.

Nevertheless the detail and IQ is still pretty special.

Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility, Leeds | Sony RX1 | www.richardjwalls.com — Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility, Leeds | Sony RX1 | http://www.richardjwalls.com

With a similar focal length (and not currently possessing a Merrill DP1) my Sony RX1 became the benchmark. At nearly three times the cost at time of writing (£2,249 against £775 on Amazon UK) it’s hardly a fair comparison, but to be honest, after my experience with the Merrills, my expectations of Sigma are high!

Never-the-less the Quattro held its ground pretty well in terms of the images it produced.

Detail, Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility, Leeds | Sigma - Sony | www.richardjwalls.com — Detail, Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility, Leeds | Sigma – Sony | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Finally, just for fun, some shots with my trusty, clunky, wonderful DP3 Merrill.

Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility, Leeds | Sigma DP3 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility, Leeds | Sigma DP3 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

I’m starting to thing the Merrill DP3 is the best image making machine on the planet!

It was a grey day in Leeds on Sunday and so I’ll reserve judgement on the Quattro DP1 until the shooting conditions are better.

Shooting & Post Processing Notes

All shots taken at ISO100 with a tripod and post processed using SPP 6.1 and Lightroom. Due to past experience of over aggressive noise reduction luminance noise reduction was knocked down to the minimum in SPP (however this seems to make the Quattro DP1 images more noisy when viewed at 100% as compared to the Merrill DP3 (or Sony) and I’ll check this out in another post).

http://www.richardjwalls.com