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Understanding all the Different Image File Formats

12 Jan

The post Understanding all the Different Image File Formats appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.

image file formats photography

When you take a photograph, the camera is capturing data, which creates a digital image. But there are many different types of image file formats that can be retrieved and edited using post-processing software.

The most commonly-used formats are:

  • JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
  • TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)
  • RAW
  • DNG (Digital Negative Format)
  • PNG (Portable Network Graphics)
  • GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)
  • BMP (Bitmap Image File)
  • PSD (Photoshop Document)

Choosing the right file format is important and can even be critical, depending on the level of quality – and the level of post-processing – that you require.

Now, to help you better understand the different file formats, and to ensure that you pick the right format for your needs, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide. It covers the pros and cons of using each image file format – so that, by the time you’re finished, you’ll be able to select the perfect format with ease!

JPEG

JPEG is probably the best known of all image file formats, and it’s what many cameras use as the default output.

The thing you should remember is that JPEG files are compressed in-camera, and thus result in a loss of detail and quality. They are essentially set up to store as many images on the memory card as possible.

Some cameras will have options for different JPEG quality levels (e.g., low, medium, and high). The better the photo quality, the less compression the camera will perform on the original photograph.

Generally speaking, JPEGs should be used:

  • When the photos are for personal use, for social media, albums, and small prints, and are not intended for large prints
  • When you don’t intend to enhance or edit the photos much in post-production
  • For sharing images via email

JPEG benefits

  • The small file size means more images can be stored on a single memory card
  • Quicker file transfer times, due to the smaller file size

JPEG negatives

  • Loss of quality due to image compression
  • Less opportunity for image manipulation in photo-editing software

TIFF

TIFF is commonly used in the photography industry; it’s generally requested by publishers. Even if the end file format will be a JPEG, the initial file is often a TIFF.

TIFF files are usually uncompressed, so they offer the opportunity for extensive post-processing. And because TIFFs are uncompressed, they are much bigger files, and will take up a lot of space – both on your memory card and on your computer.

Some cameras offer TIFF as their highest-quality image format.

TIFF benefits

  • Ability to manipulate photos extensively in editing software
  • Option to print at the highest quality and at much larger sizes

TIFF negatives

  • Much bigger file sizes (so more storage is needed)
  • Longer transfer and loading times due to file size

RAW

RAW files are generally available on advanced compact cameras, DSLRs, and mirrorless cameras.

Simply put, RAW is the best option if you want to get the highest-quality files from your camera, and it’s the option preferred by professional photographers. If you don’t use RAW files, then your camera will make adjustments automatically to your images, and these will be permanently embedded into your photos.

RAW files are created using a process that retains all of the information originally captured. This means that adjustments such as white balance, exposure, contrast, saturation, and sharpness can all be altered in image-editing software after the photo has been taken.

Photographing in RAW format requires plenty of memory cards, not to mention considerable post-processing time. It also requires some basic knowledge of image-editing software such as Adobe Lightroom, because files will have to be edited and converted out of the RAW format before they can be used (i.e., before they can be shared online, printed, sent to friends, etc.).

RAW benefits

  • The highest-quality image is captured
  • Extensive options in post-processing

RAW negatives

  • Significant time is needed to convert and edit photos (you must edit RAW files)
  • Bigger file sizes require more storage and longer post-processing times

DNG (Digital Negative)

Just about every camera these days uses a different proprietary format to capture RAW files. Even cameras from the same manufacturer will often use different formats, which means image editing software must be able to read files from all of these different cameras.

As a result, editing software providers face a challenge: how to manage and continuously provide updates for their program so it can read all these different file formats.

Enter the DNG.

This file format, created by Adobe, is an attempt to provide a standard RAW file for all manufacturers and cameras.

The DNG is offered as a main RAW file format, or as an alternative to the manufacturer’s native RAW format. One of the problems with keeping images in the original RAW format is that, several years from now, you may be unable to access these files, because they are specific to cameras and manufacturers.

But using an Adobe DNG Converter means you can also store your RAW files as DNGs for maximum future-proofing.

This does add another step to the post-processing workflow, which takes extra time. However, editing software such as Lightroom can convert large batches of files to DNGs so that it doesn’t have to be done manually.

DNG benefits

  • Ability to use image-processing software such as Lightroom and Photoshop
  • Possibly the safer option long-term, because it guards against the inability to open or access files in the future

DNG negatives

  • Extra time needed to convert camera RAW files to DNGs (if your camera does not have the option to create files in this format)

PNG

Designed in the ’90s as an improvement on the GIF file format, PNG files are ideal for use on the internet.

PNGs are compressed in a lossless format, and therefore retain all detail. But unlike other file formats, PNG quality doesn’t mean big file sizes – and this is useful on the internet, because you need pages to load quickly.

The other benefit of PNG files is that they allow for partial and total transparency, which is ideal for overlays and logos.

PNG benefits

  • Lossless compression makes for good image quality, which isn’t compromised when editing
  • The ability to maintain transparency, which is important for graphics such as overlays and logos

PNG negatives

  • Quality is not good enough for printing at any size

GIF

Like PNGs, GIFs are ideal for use on the internet. Lossless compression means image quality is not sacrificed, and like PNGs, GIFs offer the ability to maintain transparency (though they don’t support partial transparency). GIFs also allow for animation.

However, the limitation of GIF files is that they can only contain a maximum of 256 colors. Therefore, GIFs are not the best choice for photos, but rather for images with a limited color palette.

GIF benefits

  • The small file size makes GIF files ideal for use on the web
  • Files can contain animation

GIF negatives

  • The limited colors make GIFs a poor choice for photos
  • GIFs don’t support partial transparency like drop shadows

BMP

Another lossless file format, the BMP was invented by Microsoft, initially for use on the Windows platform. However, BMPs are now recognized by programs on Macs, as well.

BMPs are large files, as color data is saved in each individual pixel without any compression. As a result, BMPs provide a high-quality digital file, which is great for use in print but not ideal for the web.

BMP benefits

  • Can be used for printing, as the images are high quality

BMP negatives

  • The large file size means a lot of storage is required

PSD

This file type is what Adobe Photoshop uses as a default to save data. The big advantage of the PSD is that it allows for manipulation on specific individual layers, rather than on the main image itself.

This makes PSDs absolutely essential for any sort of extensive manipulation of the original photograph, such as retouching. PSDs give far greater flexibility and the ability to fine-tune an image, because layers can be added, removed, or edited at any time without affecting the original photo.

But remember:

Once a layered PSD file is flattened (this essentially merges all of the layers), it can’t be undone. So make sure you save your file as a PSD before flattening if there’s a chance you might want to rework some of the layers later on.

PSD benefits

  • Ability to manipulate the image extensively on separate layers
  • Once the image is ready, it can be re-saved as any other file format

PSD negatives

  • Layered files can be incredibly large in size due to all of the additional data they store

Image file formats: Conclusion

Now that you’ve finished this article, you know all the common image file types.

Professional photographers generally capture in RAW format (even if the final file needed is a JPEG), convert those files to DNGs, then edit in software such as Photoshop or Lightroom.

But as you can see, choosing the right file format when capturing the original photo – then choosing the right file format when saving the photo later – is absolutely essential.

What’s your favorite image file format? Do you use any formats not mentioned in this article? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Understanding all the Different Image File Formats appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.


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Roger Cicala: Understanding field curvature for fun and profit

24 Dec
When deciding which 35mm lens to buy, what do you want to know? How sharp it is? How it handles? How much it costs? I want to know what its field curvature looks like. (Spoiler: the plot on the right is from the little guy.)

I’m not a fan of lens testing purely for the purpose of winning pissing contests. I am, however, a great fan of lens testing for learning how to best use a lens. There are a few tests I find particularly useful, and the single most important one is field curvature.

Field Curvature (in metrology speak MTF v Field v Focus) tells me a lot about how to use a lens. It is also the most complete way to test a lens because it’s three-dimensional. Shooting a brick wall or test chart the way most people do is 2-Dimensional. The 2-D chart test below says the lens is sharp in the center and soft at the edges. How nice.

This is a test image of a lens’ MTF, basically what you’d see shooting a test chart except with color representing sharpness. This one is sharp in the center, really soft at the edges, and a tiny bit softer on one side than the other. But what does that tell you about the lens? Not much.

I’ve spent over a decade developing fast, sensitive optical tests. My gold standard is a modified $ 250,000 optical bench that quickly analyzes field curvature. That test (the graph below) tells me that this lens is actually amazingly sharp at the edges, but that field curvature causes the area of maximum sharpness to be further forward at the edges than at the center. In a 2-D test, the edges look soft because they are out of focus when the center is in focus.

A 3-D (Field curvature) MTF graph. The center focus is along the black horizontal line. The Y axis represents focusing distance, the X axis edge-to-edge sharpness, and the MTF is the color (red is sharpest). So the edges of the lens are very sharp, but not at the same focusing distance as the center.

The 2-D test chart images, like the first graph, are taken right along the black line of best center focus. They show the center is sharp and the edges soft. The 3-D graph shows, the edges are very sharp, but not in the same plane of focus as the center. That’s very, very different than the edges are soft.

Think about that for a second. Photographer #1 gets that lens, knows how to frame with it, and posts about how awesomely sharp the edges are in his photographs, which are 3-D. Photographer #2 buys it, tests it on a 2-D chart and sees the edges suck so he sends it back because it’s supposed to have sharp edges. Again and again.

Inexperienced photographers think a curved field is bad and a flat field good. But a designer may have chosen to let the field curve so the lens has other, wonderful attributes. Not to mention a curved field is a tool that can be useful. Many great portrait lenses are great portrait lenses because of their curved field, for example.

knowing your lens’s field curvature will help you take better pictures

I showed how to check field curvature with just a photo in a previous post. Today I’ll show a slightly different method using a test chart or brick wall. But field curvature isn’t really about better testing; knowing your lens’s field curvature will help you take better pictures.

Take the lens above as an example. I saw a group photo taken with that lens. The photographer positioned everyone in a slight crescent rather than a line because he knew the lens’ field curvature and placed his subjects so they were all in best focus. Someone else (someone without that information) would probably have said the lens was ‘too soft at the edges’ to use in a group shot.

Field Curvature graphs (clockwise from top left) showing overall curvature (this lens doesn’t have much); astigmatism, tangential field, and sagittal field.

A Quick Word About the Graphs

The shape of the field is different for sagittal and tangential rays (the two lower graphs above), which many people don’t realize. Where the fields don’t overlap, there is astigmatism (upper right graph above). The overall curvature (upper left) is what you see at home if you do my not-patented ‘field of grass’ test. Most of the time I’ll just show the sagittal and tangential fields; you can eyeball whether they overlap or not and what the overall curvature would be like.

Testing Field Curvature at Home

If you follow my grass-photo-with-find-edges-filter technique, you get a nice image showing the field curvature. You’ll also know if the field is tilted and if it is, how badly. Here’s the grass test for two copies of the Sigma 24mm f.14 Art, a lens with a bit of field curvature. One copy has tilt problems and it’s pretty easy to see which one.

One copy is good, one is pretty tilted. Can you tell which one is which? I thought that you could. This two-copy test took 60 seconds, was shot hand held, and required no home testing lab.

If you’ve already got a home testing setup and want to put some numbers to your lens, that’s easy, too. First, mount the lens on a tripod and manually focus on your 2-D target of choice: test target, brick wall, treeline, whatever. (If you don’t use a tripod and you don’t manually focus, you should be filled with shame and delete all your test posts because you did NOT test the lens. I never, ever, take a single AF image of a test chart. It’s a waste of time. But you can do the find-edges technique with a hand-held AF shot even if you don’t own a tripod and don’t know how to manually focus.)

Where was I before the rant? Oh, yeah. Take your first image past (distant) to best center focus, then take a series of 6-10 images while manually moving the focus back a bit after each shot until you’ve gone out of focus to the near side.

I never, ever, take a single image of a test chart – it’s a waste of time

Next, you take that set of six or 10 through-focused images, find the one with best center sharpness, the one with best right edge sharpness, and the one with best left edge sharpness. If they are all the same image (it happens sometimes), congratulations – you have a very good lens with a flat field. Most of the time, though, you will get one of three other possibilities:

  • Both edges are sharpest in the same image, and the center is sharpest in another. Which means: The field is curved but not tilted.
  • The edges are sharpest in different images: The field is tilted.
  • One edge never gets as sharp as the other: The lens is optically abnormal.

For example, let’s say you take six images. Images #1 and #6 from the sequence shown below were way out of focus, so I’m only showing you images #2-5. The center is sharpest in image #3, the right edge sharpest in #4, and the left in #5.

What this tells me is that I’ve got a lens with a field that is both curved towards the camera and tilted to the left.

Taking a series of images from far focus (2) through near focus (5) lets you evaluate field curvature and tilt.

Let’s all take just a moment to think about all those threads that started with someone posting just image #3 and asking “do you think this lens is OK??” You’ll see 57 or so responses with no definitive conclusion because the OP didn’t give enough information from which to draw a proper conclusion. If they had done a through-focus test, they probably wouldn’t need to ask the question; the answer would be obvious.

Why Should I Bother?

If the field is badly tilted (scroll back up to the first grass images) you’ll know to exchange it for another copy, or if a little tilted you’ll have that information for framing your shots. I had a favorite landscape lens which had a field that was slightly curved and slightly tilted. It gave me great images, usually with a subject of interest closer and on the left side in sharp focus. It was a great lens for me because I knew how to frame my shots with it and I liked the different look that gave.

If the field is markedly curved, you can use that knowledge to better frame your shots. Or perhaps you’ll decide that this lens isn’t for you. Personally, I often prefer a curved field because it’s a tool I can use, but some people want flat fields all the time. I might choose one lens over another for certain shots because of the field curvature. That lens I showed at the beginning is going to focus the edges closer than the center, for example. It might be great for isolating the subject for center-framed portraits. Or to frame shots so the center point of interest is further away than the edge points of interest. I would prefer a different lens with a flatter field for an architectural shot. You might prefer flat fields for all of your shots, for that matter. I find field curvature a fun tool, but some people are flat lensers.

As an alternative, if the field is really curved, focusing slightly away from center gives an overall sharper image. Here’s an example. The Zeiss 50mm T/1.5 has big-time curvature with the edges towards the camera as shown in the top-half of the image below.

Field curvature of the Zeiss 50mm T1.5 showing that if you place the focus point to the left or right of center you get maximum edge-to-edge sharpness. The calculations show the best off-axis point is 9mm from center (about halfway to the edge) but you could eyeball this pretty accurately.

I love a curved field for just this reason. Center focus can isolate my subject but off-axis focus brings good edge-to-edge sharpness. I get to choose. I love getting to choose.

I have some cool software (bottom half of the image) that tells me exactly where to focus to get the best edge-to-edge sharpness (the black line across the field curvature graph) but you can eyeball your homemade field curvature graph and know where it should go – about halfway to the edge in this case. This can serve as an alternative to stopping down for edge-to-edge sharpness, or let you get edge-to-edge sharpness when stopping down isn’t enough.

The big takeaway is you can often get excellent get excellent edge sharpness in lenses with field curvatures if you know how to use them. Many lenses with flatter fields sacrifice edge sharpness to get flat fields, and you can’t find edge sharpness that just isn’t there.

Do you know the focal length at which your zoom lens has the flattest field, or at which focal length the field curvature changes? That’s useful information, and I want to know this kind of thing for every zoom I carry (pro tip, the flattest field is rarely at the center of the zoom range; it’s often 1/3 of the way from one extreme). Some zooms have massive curve at an extreme, but if you zoom just a few mm away from the extreme the field is much flatter. That’s another useful thing to know.

Very often your 24-70mm is curved one way at 70, while your 70-200mm is curved the another (ditto at 24mm, etc.). Knowing that helps choose which lens best frames the shot. (I should also mention that one zoom is always sharper than the other at 70mm. Of course, I probably should also mention neither one is really 70mm. Most 24-70mm lenses are actually 26-67mm; most 70-200s are about 73mm to 190mm.)

Sagittal field of Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L III and24-70mm f/4 L IS, both set at 70mm.

The 70-200mm has a very slight curve back towards the camera and is pretty sharp (red) even at the edges at 70mm. The 24-70mm has a more significant curve and is not as sharp at the edges. Depending on what you are shooting, those differences could be important.

At least a few of you, I hope, have read this far and are now interested in field curvature. This article is already long enough, so I’ll stop here for today. For the next article though, I’ll show example field curvatures from various kinds of lenses. To be clear, I’m not going to put out 6,342 field curvature graphs for all the lenses at all the focal lengths. I’m showing you how to fish, not hosting a fish fry.

Since everyone tells me I should click-bait tease the next article, here you go: Next time I’ll show how field curvature explains ‘3-D pop’ and ‘microcontrast’. (Spoiler: No, no I won’t. Field curvature explains a lot of things and is a useful tool, but it’s not magic.)

Until Next Time…

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Your Quick Guide to Understanding Photoshop Adjustment Layers

09 Dec

The post Your Quick Guide to Understanding Photoshop Adjustment Layers appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

photoshop adjustment layers a quick guide

Adjustment layers are one of the most essential aspects of editing images in Photoshop. They let you apply rich, detailed edits to your photos that go well beyond what you can accomplish in other programs.

Now, adjustment layers can be a bit difficult to understand if you’re used to a more streamlined application like Lightroom, Apple Photos, or Luminar. But with a bit of practice, you can easily master Photoshop adjustment layers and take your photo editing to the next level!

Photoshop adjustment layers magnolia seed
Nikon D7100 | 50mm f/1.8G | 50mm | 1/500s | f/2.8 | ISO 250

What are Photoshop adjustment layers?

When you open a picture in Photoshop, you can’t just start dragging sliders to change its appearance. Before you can do much of anything, you need to start with layers, which serve as the bedrock of everything that makes Photoshop so powerful.

Photoshop adjustment layers leaf
Nikon D7100 | 50mm f/1.8G | 50mm | 1/250s | f/2.8 | ISO 450

To help visualize the concept of adjustment layers, think about a physical picture sitting on your desk. If you wanted to give the picture a green tint, you could simply drape a sheet of green cellophane over it.

That’s exactly how adjustment layers work in Photoshop: They let you change the visual properties of your image without destroying the underlying file. You can add as many adjustment layers as you want and use them to change things like white balance, exposure, hue/saturation, and over a dozen other properties.

In other words:

Photoshop adjustment layers are like stacking sheets of digital cellophane on top of your images. Each layer can be controlled individually and combined with layer masks to apply edits to specific parts of your images. All of this might seem needlessly complicated compared to the simplicity of other programs, but once you get the hang of Photoshop adjustment layers, you’ll never want to go back.

Photoshop adjustment layers dandelion
Nikon D7100 | 50mm f/1.8G | 50mm | 1/2000s | f/2.8 | ISO 100

Another way to think about Photoshop adjustment layers is by comparing them to panels in the Develop module of Lightroom.

However, the Develop panels only offer a handful of adjustments that you can use. Photoshop lets you stack as many layers as you need – even multiple layers of the same type of adjustment – so you can tweak your images as much as you could possibly want. There is a bit of a learning curve, but the results are well worth the effort.

How to add an adjustment layer

The first step when working with adjustment layers is to load an image into Photoshop. Then click on the Adjustments panel, which is usually located above the Layers panel.

(If you don’t see the Adjustments panel, go to the Window menu and choose Adjustments.)

Photoshop adjustment layers
Load an image into Photoshop and then click the Adjustments panel.

The Adjustment panel offers sixteen adjustments to choose from, and sorting through all of these can be overwhelming (especially if you’re used to the simple, straightforward editing parameters available in Lightroom).

Photoshop adjustments
Each one of these icons is a specific type of adjustment. Hover your cursor over each one to see a brief description.

Some of these adjustments are similar to what you might find in Lightroom, such as Brightness/Contrast and Color Balance. But using the adjustments is much different from working in Lightroom and, in some ways, more complicated. Fortunately, that also means you can get much better results.

To see how this process works, I’ve included an image (below) that clearly needs some editing. Thankfully, Photoshop adjustment layers are here to help!

Photoshop adjustment layers Minnesota
Fujifilm X100F | 23mm | 1/4000s | f/8 | ISO 200

I’ll start by adding a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer, which is a simple matter of just clicking the Brightness/Contrast icon in the Adjustments panel. Immediately, two sliders appear, which you can use to make the picture brighter or darker and to add or remove contrast.

Brightness/Contrast editing parameters
After clicking an adjustment layer icon, the available editing parameters show up for you to start working with.

A few seconds later, my picture is much improved, thanks to a brightness boost. However, there is still a lot of work left to do.

Photoshop adjustment layers Minnesota
Brightness +75, Contrast -5

One other thing happens when you click an adjustment layer icon that you might not notice but is critically important:

The Layers panel will create a layer specifically for that adjustment.

adjustment layers
Clicking an adjustment icon automatically adds a new layer to your image with the selected adjustment as its title.

This new layer, along with all the icons associated with it, is what gives an adjustment so much flexibility. In Lightroom, you can enable and disable individual panels in the Develop module, but you don’t have this level of control over your adjustments.

masking icon

Note the different icons in the short screen capture above:

  • Indicates layer visibility: Click this to hide or show the adjustment.
  • Layer thumbnail: Double-click this to show the editing parameters (sliders, eyedroppers, etc.) for the adjustment layer.
  • Indicates layer mask is linked to layer: Click this to unlink the adjustment layer mask from the adjustment. If you’re new to adjustment layers, you can just ignore this altogether.
  • Layer mask thumbnail: This is a very tiny preview of the layer mask that is created by default when you click on a new adjustment layer icon. Click this to show the editing parameters of the mask.

While my picture of the Minnesota sign is better than when I started, it still needs a lot of improvement. The next thing I want to do is set the white balance, but this option is missing from the Adjustments panel.

Instead, you have to use the Curves adjustment, then click the gray point eyedropper. Next, click a neutral or slightly gray portion of your image to counteract any color casts. Note that this process essentially replicates the White Balance function of Lightroom.

curves adjustment
Select the gray point tool, then click a slightly gray or neutral area of your photo to set the white balance of the image.

One thing you might notice is that the Curves options in Photoshop are much more comprehensive than the Curves options in Lightroom. This should give you an indication of how much more flexibility you have with adjustment layers. You can use Curves to do everything you would do in Lightroom, along with much, much more.

The final operation to fix this image involves a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer. Click on the Hue/Saturation icon to bring up a panel that looks like this:

Photoshop adjustment layers
The Hue/Saturation adjustment layer parameters

The key to this panel is the hand icon in the top-left. Click it, then click on a part of your image that you would like to saturate or de-saturate.

In this case, I want to start with the grass below the sign. Clicking and dragging to the right makes it much greener, and gives a sense of vibrance that is sorely missing from the original.

Photoshop adjustment layers Minnesota
The grass and foreground elements really pop, thanks to a quick tweak with the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer.

This is a good start, but I need to fix the sky, and that is where a layer-based approach really starts to come in handy.

Instead of editing the sky with the adjustment layer I just created, I can add a new adjustment layer and use that for the sky. This allows me to control my Hue/Saturation edits for individual parts of the image, instead of having just one Hue/Saturation adjustment layer that affects the entire scene.

Minnesota statue with boosted sky colors
The sky colors are now improved. These edits are applied using a layer separate from the grass edits, and thus can be controlled independently.

While the resulting picture is much better than the original, there is still some tweaking that needs to be done for it to truly feel finished.

Adjustment layer masks, explained

Eagle-eyed observers might notice something amiss with the picture above:

The Minnesota sign now has a purple tint to it.

Never fear, adjustment layers are here! Click the white rectangle next to a layer name to edit its mask:

layer masks

You see, by painting black onto a layer’s mask, you prevent that area of the photo from being affected by the adjustment. So if you don’t want the sign to be affected by the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer, simply paint black over the portion of the mask that covers the sign!

Here’s how it works:

First, select the Brush tool (press B or click the Brush icon in the left-hand toolbar).

Make sure your foreground color is white and your background color is black (to do this quickly, just hit D).

Now it’s time to actually paint the mask. Press the X key to switch between white (revealing) and black (hiding), and the [ and ] keys to increase or decrease the size of the brush.

For tricky shapes like the sign, you can use the Magic Wand tool to select the shape. Then, with the shape still selected, use the Brush tool to mask (remove) the adjustment from that portion of the image.

Photoshop adjustment layers Minnesota

A closer inspection of the Layers panel now shows a black silhouette over the portion that has been masked out of the top Hue/Saturation adjustment layer. I have also renamed the top two layers so as to accurately describe the type of effect they have on the image.

(Double-click a layer name to rename it, and press Enter when you finish typing.)

Photoshop adjustment layers
The mask for the Hue/Saturation Sky adjustment layer shows a black patch where the adjustment has been concealed.

Nondestructive editing

One mistake some beginners make when editing images in Photoshop is applying adjustments directly to the original photo. This can be done using the Image>Adjustments menu, which gives you common editing options such as Brightness/Contrast, Hue/Saturation, and more. Unlike adjustment layers, these edits are not easy to work with, nor are they easy to alter once they have been implemented.

Photoshop adjustment layers, on the other hand, are nondestructive. You can tweak and change layers after they have been implemented, and you can easily delete them. That’s why layer adjustments are much more flexible than edits applied directly to an image.

Photoshop adjustment layers
Adjustment layers can be renamed, re-sorted, locked, disabled, and made transparent. And that’s just the beginning!

You can perform all manner of custom tweaks and changes to adjustment layers, such as:

  • Showing/hiding a layer by clicking the eye icon
  • Editing the adjustment by clicking the light/dark circle icon
  • Adjusting the opacity of a layer
  • Changing the blend mode, which adjusts how the layer interacts with layers below it
  • Adjusting the order of the layers by clicking and dragging
  • Locking a layer to prevent further changes by clicking the lock icon

Photoshop adjustment layers open up new editing possibilities that simply cannot be achieved in Lightroom. For example, the image of a leaf from the beginning of this article can be altered with a selective color adjustment in a matter of seconds. All I need to do is add a Black & White adjustment layer. I can then select the leaf with the Magic Wand tool and paint over the selection on the layer mask.

leaf in color with black and white background
Adding a selective color black and white effect took about four seconds.

Photoshop adjustment layers: conclusion

If you have a Creative Cloud Photography subscription, you can use Photoshop in addition to Lightroom at no extra charge. Now, if the sheer level of options and buttons in Photoshop makes you want to run to the comfort and safety of Lightroom, I get it. I have been there, too, and I still have that feeling from time to time.

However, learning to use Photoshop adjustment layers is one of the first steps in understanding how powerful and flexible Photoshop can be. If you have not yet tried working with layers, take a moment to test them out. See what layers can do for you.

You might be surprised at how easy it is!

The post Your Quick Guide to Understanding Photoshop Adjustment Layers appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.


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Understanding Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III and E-M1X High Res Shot modes

31 Aug

Olympus has introduced several groundbreaking technologies in its cameras over the years, including high-performance multi-axis stabilization, and high-resolution shot modes, which combined multiple exposures to create a single, much larger final image.

The technology is complex, but the idea behind the classic tripod high res shot mode (introduced in the OM-D E-M5 Mark II) is simple: the camera’s sensor is shifted in minute increments across multiple exposures, so that the scene is ‘covered’ by more pixels. Those images are then combined in-camera to create a single, higher resolution photograph.

The Olympus E-M1 Mark III and E-M1X offer two high-res shot modes, ‘Tripod’ and ‘Handheld’

Today’s flagship OM-D E-M1X and E-M1 Mark III include the latest iteration of this feature, alongside a new mode: ‘Handheld high Res Shot’. Handheld High Res Shot mode enables ultra high-resolution images to be captured without the need for a tripod.

In Handheld High Res Shot mode, blur from camera shake is avoided thanks to a powerful in-camera stabilization system, which compensates for any accidental camera movement during this process.

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III and E-M1X feature a powerful inbuilt stabilization system. This system is also used in the cameras High Res Shot modes.

Choosing the right High Res Shot mode

The E-M1 Mark III’s high-res shot modes are available for those times when you want more than the camera’s normal resolution of 20MP. Which of the two modes you choose will depend on the kind of subject you want to capture.

With both the OM-D E-M1 Mark III and E-M1X, the maximum output resolution of 80MP is available in ‘Tripod’ mode, while in ‘Handheld’ it is possible to capture images of up to 50MP.

Tripod mode (max 80MP)
  • Download Tripod High res shot mode (80MP) sample
  • Download conventional (20MP) sample

This is a great mode for architecture, interiors and still life or reproduction work – basically, any scene where nothing in your subject is moving. With your camera steady on a tripod, and a stationary scene, you’ll be able to get the maximum resolution out of the system.

In ‘Tripod’ High Res Shot mode, the E-M1 Mark III and E-M1X’s sensor is shifted in tiny increments across multiple exposures. These exposures are automatically combined in-camera to create an 80MP file.

In this mode, your camera shifts the sensor eight times, in increments of one micron, capturing one exposure per adjustment. These images are then combined automatically to create a single 80MP photograph in either JPEG and / or Raw file format.

Use for:

  • Architecture
  • Landscape (on a still day)
  • Interiors
  • Still life
  • Macro
  • Night sky

Handheld mode (max 50MP)
  • Download Handheld High res shot mode (50MP) sample
  • Download conventional (20MP) sample

Handheld mode is great for situations where you want more resolution, but you either don’t have a tripod handy, or you want to shoot something where slight movement in your image is unavoidable, like a posed portrait, or landscapes.

In ‘Handheld’ High Res Shot mode, the E-M1 Mark III and E-M1X capture 16 images in quick succession, and combine them to create a 50MP file. The cameras’ powerful inbuilt stabilization system is employed to reduce the risk of shake.

In this mode, the E-M1 Mark III captures 16 exposures very rapidly, totaling 320MP of data, and combines them to create a single 50MP image. The sensor-based stabilization system does double-duty, turning on and off throughout the sequence of exposures, helping to prevent excessive movement due to motion blur, and analyzing the amount of camera movement that occurs during the sequence. The camera uses this information to automatically align the images for the final image and clone out any blurred areas.

If too much motion is detected, the camera will flash a warning to let you know.

Use for:

  • Landscapes
  • Portraits (static)
  • General photography at wide / medium focal lengths
  • Any situation where a tripod isn’t practical / allowed

Tips for using High Res Shot modes

  • With the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III and E-M1X it is possible to hand-hold exposures down to four seconds*. Used in combination with Handheld High Res Shot mode, this makes it possible to capture long exposure nighttime photographs.
  • For best results with Handheld High Res Shot mode, shoot at wide and medium focal lengths, where the image stabilization system of the OM-D E-M1 Mark III and E-M1X is most effective.
  • Because it combines 16 exposures, Handheld High Res Shot mode also cancels out a lot of noise. Try switching to handheld High Res mode in low light situations for better image quality at high ISO settings.
  • When shooting in High Res Shot mode, avoid shooting at very wide apertures, especially for scenes with out of focus objects in the foreground. You’ll get best results at smaller apertures, where more of your scene is in focus.

* Exact performance is dependent on lens and focal length

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Understanding Depth of Field for Beginners

28 Jul

The post Understanding Depth of Field for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Bruce Wunderlich.

Depth of Field for Beginners

You may have heard the term depth of field (DoF), but if you are new to photography you may not yet be taking advantage of how DoF can enhance your photos.

A basic definition of depth of field is: the zone of acceptable sharpness within a photo that will appear in focus. In every picture there is a certain area of your image in front of, and behind the subject that will appear in focus.

Understanding depth of field in photography.

This zone will vary from photo to photo. Some images may have very small zones of focus which is called shallow depth of field.

Here’s a series of images with very shallow depth of field.

Others may have a very large zone of focus which is called deep depth of field.

Here’s a collection of images with much deeper depths of field.

Three main factors that will affect how you control the depth of field of your images are: aperture (f-stop), distance from the subject to the camera, and focal length of the lens on your camera. Here are some explanations and answers to other common questions concerning depth of field.

How does aperture control depth of field?

Aperture refers to the access given to light from the lens to the camera sensors. The size of your aperture (the diameter of the hole through which light enters the camera) controls the amount of light entering your lens. Using the aperture (f-stop) of your lens is the simplest way to control your depth of field as you set up your shot.

Large aperture = Small f-number = Shallow (small) depth of field
Small aperture = Larger f-number = Deeper (larger) depth of field

It may be easier to remember this simple concept: The lower your f-number, the smaller your depth of field. Likewise, the higher your f-number, the larger your depth of field. For example, using a setting of f/2.8 will produce a very shallow depth of field while f/11 will produce a deeper DoF.

The image on the left was captured at 250th of a second at F5.0 which resulted in a very shallow depth of field,

The image on the left was captured at 250th of a second at f/5.0 which resulted in a very shallow depth of field.  Because of this the background is out of focus allowing the subject to stand out. The image on the right was captured at 1/5th of a second at f/32 which created a deep depth of field and a sharper background.

How does distance control depth of field?

The closer your subject is to the camera, the shallower your depth of field becomes. Therefore, moving further away from your subject will deepen your depth of field.

How does the focal length of a lens control depth of field?

Focal Length refers to the capability of a lens to magnify the image of a distant subject. This can get complicated, but the simple answer is that the longer you set your focal length the shallower the depth of field. Example: Your subject is 10 meters (33 feet) away, using a focal length of 50mm at f/4; your depth of field range would be from 7.5 -14.7 meters (24.6-48 feet) for a total DOF of 7.2 meters (23.6 feet). If you zoom into 100mm from the same spot, the depth of field changes to 9.2-10.9m (30.1-35.8′) for a total of 1.7m (5.7′) of depth of field. But if you move to 20m (66′) away from your subject using the 100mm lens, your depth of field is almost the same as it would be at 10 meters using a 50mm lens.

Image of a swan hiding in the tall grass captured from about 5 meters with 300 mm focal length created a DOF only about 5cm.

This image of a swan hiding in the tall foliage was captured from about 5m (16′)  with a 300mm focal length lens. This combination of focal length and distance created a depth of field of approximately 5cm (2″).

What if I just have a point and shoot camera, or don’t know how to change those settings?

Even with a point and shoot camera, there are ways to control your depth of field. In the Scene Modes menu, look for a symbol of a human head, which is the setting for portraits. This will give you a narrow depth of field. In the same menu there is also a mountain symbol, which is a setting for landscapes, which will give you a deeper depth of field.

If you are a beginner with a DSLR there are some simple ways you can control depth of field and still use and automatic shooting mode. By choosing Aperture Priority mode you can set your aperture to get the depth of field that you want, and the camera will automatically set the shutter speed.

Can I set the depth of field exactly for each situation?

Yes, but because changing your aperture affects your shutter speed, the result may not meet the needs of your image. For instance, if you are trying to increase your depth of field by reducing aperture size you will also need to increase (slow down) your shutter speed which could make your image blurry. Understanding how all these settings work together can increase your control over depth of field.

Is depth of field equally distributed in front and back of my focus point?

No, it’s usually about one third in front and two thirds behind your focal point, but as your focal length increases it becomes more equal.

How will understanding depth of field improve my images?

Managing depth of field is one of the most important tools at your disposal, because having tack sharp images is one of the most important factors to getting that great shot. Knowing how to make the parts of your image you want sharp and the parts you want to be out of focus, is a great artistic tool to create great images.

Getting the right DOF for your shot can make the difference

Getting the right depth of field for your shot can make all the difference.

When should I use a shallow depth of field?

Using a shallow depth of field is a good way to make your subject stand out from its background and is great for portrait photography. Shallow DoF can also be useful in wildlife photography, where you want the subject to stand out from its surroundings. This is also useful because many wildlife photo opportunities are low light situations, and increasing your aperture size will give you more light. Shallow depth of field is also effective for sports photography where many times you want to separate the athlete from the background to bring attention to them. The result of this should also help give you a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action.

This image captured at 300mm focal length and F/ produced a very shallow DOF. Because of this very shallow DOF it is important to set your focal point on the eye. Notice how the bird appears to pop out from the background.

This image captured at 300mm focal length and f/5.6 produced a very shallow depth of field. Because of this, it is important to set your focal point on the subject’s eye. Notice how the bird pops out from the background.

When should I use deeper depth of field?

In landscape photography it is important to get as much of your scene in focus as possible. By using a wide angle lens and a small aperture you will be able maximize your depth of field to get your scene in focus.

In this landscape captured at 50mm at F/16 Focus point was set at 8 meters which made everything from 4 meters to infinity in focus

This landscape was captured with a 50mm focal length at f/16. The focus point was set at 8 meters, which made everything from 4 meters to infinity in focus.

How can you determine depth of field?

There are several on-line sites that will provide depth of field charts for your camera and lenses. Also, there are a number of apps available for smart phone users that can calculate it for you while you’re in the field. Most cameras have a DoF preview button which will give you a preview as you look through the eye piece. (This is probably the easiest and most under-utilized method.) Using this button may cause your image to appear darker as you view it through the eye piece, but not to worry. Your image will be properly exposed as long as you have the correct exposure settings.

Can depth of field be adjusted to get everything in focus?

Yes, using what is called the hyperfocal distance. When you are focused at the hyperfocal distance, your depth of field will extend from half the distance to your focal point to infinity. Use a DOF calculator to find your hyperfocal distance. If you don’t have a DoF calculator, a good rule of thumb is to focus a third of the way into the scene. Using an aperture of about f/11 or higher with a wide angle lens will maximize your depth of field.

What about depth of field in macro photography?

Because most macro images are produced in low light and with a longer focal length, the depth of field is often very shallow. Adjust your lens to the smallest aperture that the light will allow. It may also be necessary to increase your ISO to allow you to properly expose the image and to maximize your depth of field. Still, in many macro images your DoF may be very minute. With this very narrow focus it becomes necessary to use a tripod, because even the slightest movement of the camera will move your macro subject outside your depth of field.

120 mm Marco at F8 still is a very shallow DOF with the lens only 15 cm from the focal point on the front flower.

This 120 mm macro even at f/8 still has a very shallow depth of field.

What is bokeh?

Bokeh (boh-ke) comes from the Japanese word meaning blur. This effect is produced by the out-of-focus areas in your image that are beyond the depth of field. Bokeh commonly refers to the pleasing circle shapes caused by the shape of the lens aperture. Usually created when shooting with your aperture wide open, such as f/2.8, bokeh can also be created with smaller apertures if the background is distant enough.

Learn more about how to get beautiful bokeh in your images here.

Bokeh in this image caused by the distance from the subject to the background which fell well beyond the DOF

Bokeh in this image was created by the distance of the subject to the background, which fell well beyond the depth of field.

To summarize controlling depth of field:

Increase depth of field

  • Narrow your aperture (larger f-number)
  • Move farther from the subject
  • Shorten focal length

Decrease depth of field

  • Widen your aperture (smaller f-number)
  • Move closer to the subject
  • Lengthen your focal length

Take control of your depth of field. Understanding how these adjustments control your it will greatly improve your photography. What questions do you have about depth of field? Please share your photos and comments.

Recommended Reading for Beginner to Intermediate Photographers

If you enjoyed reading this tutorial we’ve put together a series of comprehensive advice for photographers:

  • Ultimate Guide to Photography for Beginners
  • Ultimate Guide to Landscape Photography
  • Ultimate Guide to Taking Portraits and Photographing People
  • Ultimate Guide to Nature and Outdoor Photography
  • Ultimate Guide to Street Photography
  • Ultimate Guide to Getting Started in Lightroom for Beginners
  • Ultimate Guide to Fine Art Photography
  • Ultimate Guide to Photography Terms and Common Words

The post Understanding Depth of Field for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Bruce Wunderlich.


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Back to Basics: Understanding the “Sunny 16 Rule” in Photography

12 Sep

The post Back to Basics: Understanding the “Sunny 16 Rule” in Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.

sunny-16-rule-in-photography

In life, we are sometimes met with certain inalienable truths; water will always flow downhill, there will always be an unhappy baby on your flight, and the milkshake machine at your favorite fast food place will always be broken when you need it the most. There are also some self-evident truths that we must accept when it comes to photography; one being, one day, you will need to set your own exposure manually. If you’ve been shooting exclusively in Auto Mode or Aperture and Shutter Priority Modes, this can be an enormous challenge.

Take heart! I’m about to show you one of the easiest and most long-standing methods for calculating exposures. Using it will help you almost always get a usable baseline exposure when shooting your camera in full manual mode. Yes, really.

It’s called the Sunny 16 Rule, and it’s going to be your best friend.

Back to Basics: Understanding the "Sunny 16 Rule" in Photography

You may very well have heard of it before but never fully understood how simple it truly is to implement (and modify) this handy little formula to fit the situation in which you find yourself shooting.

Getting to know the Sunny 16 Rule

Understanding the Sunny 16 Rule couldn’t be more simple. It’s all based around the relationships between our three key elements of exposure: ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.

Sunny 16 had its roots in film photography when it was used to help photographers figure out their exposure when a light meter wasn’t available. However, it works perfectly well with digital photography too. In fact, since we have the added convenience of on-the-fly ISO adjustments with our digital cameras, the Sunny 16 Rule becomes even more universally useful.

sunny-16-rule-in-photography

As you might have guessed, the concept of the Sunny 16 Rule begins with bright sunlight and setting our aperture to…*drum roll*…f/16. Bright sunlight refers to unobstructed sunlight on a cloudless day; think noon with a clear sky, and its brightness is virtually constant.

After we’ve got our aperture set to f/16, we can now dial in our shutter speed based on the ISO we happen to be shooting. To calculate your shutter speed based on Sunny 16, all we have to do is put “1” over our ISO. This will be your shutter speed.

Keep in mind that some cameras measure exposure in full, half or third stops and your shutter speed might not be exactly the same as your ISO. For example, in half-stop increments, if you are shooting ISO 400 then your exposure would be (for slight underexposure) f/16 at 1/500th of a second. At ISO 100 your settings would be f/16 at 1/125th of a second. For ISO 800 it would be 1/1000th of a second and so forth.

As far as ISO settings are concerned, it is a good practice to “set it and forget it.” There’s not much need to adjust the ISO as we can vary our exposure using our aperture settings – unless the scene dictates otherwise…more on this in just a bit.

Back to Basics: Understanding the "Sunny 16 Rule" in Photography

Why the Sunny 16 Rule is so useful

The reason the Sunny 16 Rule is such a fantastic concept is due to the fact it gives us a usable exposure setting based on what will likely be the brightest light you will encounter – the sun. 

Once you know what your shutter speed will be at a given ISO and f/16 in bright sunlight, you can essentially estimate any exposures for darker environments. The reason for this is that ISO, aperture, and shutter speed are all connected. You can adjust each relative to the another so that you can control your exposures based on the needs of a particular scene. If you’d like to learn a little more about how ISO, aperture and shutter speed relate to one another, have a look at this great article on understanding the exposure triangle.

Perhaps one of the best things about working with the Sunny 16 rule is that it’s a great way to teach yourself to read light and adjust your exposure based around the creative requirements for your photo. Let’s look at some considerations to take into account when you need a little more control over your photographs when basing your exposures around the Sunny 16 concept.

sunny-16-rule-in-photography

How to modify the Sunny 16 Rule

Years ago, when I first heard of the Sunny 16 Rule, my first thought was “That’s great, but what if I don’t want to shoot at f/16?”

Indeed, a great question.

What happens when you need a more shallow depth of field than f/16 can produce? Alternatively, what if the indicated ISO-based shutter speed just isn’t fast enough or slow enough for your subject? Furthermore, you definitely won’t always photograph in blazingly bright sunlight (ironically not ideal for most photography).

The good news is that the Sunny 16 Rule is incredibly flexible.

Remember, the Sunny 16 Rule does nothing more than eliminate variables in your exposure to produce a baseline camera setting which you can then manipulate given your particular needs.

sunny-16-rule-in-photography

Virtually identical exposures in direct sunlight based on the Sunny 16 Rule with constant f/16 apertures and ISO-dependent shutter speeds.

For example, let’s say you’re shooting a subject that requires a more shallow depth of field, like a portrait or still life that is in bright sunlight. At ISO 100, your resulting Sunny 16 exposure would be f/16 at 1/125. For reference, here’s a sample photo I shot at those settings in direct afternoon sunlight.

Back to Basics: Understanding the "Sunny 16 Rule" in Photography

Needless to say that if I open up my aperture to f/2.8 (five full stops wider) in order to better blur the background, the resulting image will be completely overexposed, and looks something like this:

Image: Yes…there is a photo there.

Yes…there is a photo there.

So, how to remedy this problem? Since we are working from the Sunny 16 Rule, all we have to do is apply some basic photographic principles (remember the exposure triangle?) to normalize our exposure based on our new, wider aperture.

Seeing as we opened up our aperture by five stops, we simply need to increase our shutter speed by five stops to compensate.

So if my initial shutter speed were 1/125th at f/16, my new adjusted shutter speed setting at f/2.8 would be 1/4000th. Here is the resulting exposure:

Image: Blurred background and a normalized exposure based on the Sunny 16 Rule.

Blurred background and a normalized exposure based on the Sunny 16 Rule.

The same is true in the case of fast-moving subjects. If you’re experiencing unwanted subject motion at, say, 1/125th of a second at f/16, and you want to try a faster shutter speed of 1/500th of a second to help arrest the motion, you need to compensate for the faster shutter speed with a corresponding wider aperture setting to allow more light to come into the camera. In this case, 1/500th of a second – two full stops faster than 1/125th – so we would open our aperture by two stops from f/16 to f/8.

Some adjusted Sunny 16 baseline exposures

If you’re wondering about lighting situations other than bright sun, here’s a quick (but by no means definitive) list of baseline aperture adjustments derived from the Sunny 16 Rule. I’ve listed Sunny 16 at the top as a baseline exposure at ISO 100 and 1/125th of a second. To adjust your exposures for varying degrees of brightness, all you need to do is change your aperture.

  • Direct bright sunlight with harsh shadows: f/16 at 1/125th of a second and ISO 100
  • Indirect bright sun with soft shadows (shade/cloudy): f/11 at 1/125th and ISO 100
  • Overcast skies with little to no shadows: f/8 at 1/125th and ISO 100
  • Dusk/morning light: f/4 at 1/125 and ISO 100

I also want to point out the elephant in the room which is holding a big neon-yellow sign that reads, “Why not just bump up the ISO?”

In short, you can adjust your ISO settings to compensate for more or less light in the scene. Modern cameras are becoming better and better at reducing high ISO digital noise. The Sunny 16 Rule was based on the fact that most film cameras are limited to the ISO of the film used. In these cases, the ability to read and understand light becomes paramount.

The concept of Sunny 16 gives us digital shooters a way to nail exposures (or come close) every time in-camera without constantly checking our images after each shot.

Final thoughts on the Sunny 16 Rule

Of course, as with most things, the Sunny 16 Rule isn’t a true “rule” in the sense that you must follow it to the letter. Instead, it is a rule in the way that gives something to relate one thing to another; in our case it allows us to relate the luminance of available light to our camera settings to achieve predictable and reproducible results.

Sunny 16 is also a great learning tool to help us understand the nature and measurement of light. Going further, it is a guide that is extremely versatile once you understand just a few basic principles of exposure. I, for one, feel as if I don’t use Sunny 16 enough in my work. I think that is about to change.

Do you practice the Sunny 16 Rule? How has it affected your shooting? Let us know in the comments below!

 

sunny-16-rule-in-photography

The post Back to Basics: Understanding the “Sunny 16 Rule” in Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.


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Understanding Exposure Metering Modes

23 Jul

The post Understanding Exposure Metering Modes appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Your camera’s metering modes vary the way it measures the light. This affects the way exposure information is provided. Every modern camera has a built-in exposure meter. Sometimes it’s also referred to as a light meter.

Understanding Exposure Metering Modes Woman Photographer at the Shopping Mall

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Understanding how to control the exposure metering modes on your camera allows you to take better photos. If what you are photographing contains very little contrast, your camera will make a good exposure in the default mode. When you compose an image with contrast, your camera may not make the exposure you want it to.

Selecting the best metering mode allows you to take more pleasing photographs.

There are three basic exposure metering modes on most cameras. These are:

  1. Averaged
  2. Spot
  3. Center-Weighted

Choosing the most appropriate mode is a matter of choosing your main subject and making the right settings accordingly.

Understanding Exposure Metering Modes Thai Model and Elephant

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

How do different exposure metering modes work?

1. Averaged

This mode is named differently depending on the brand of camera you use. Nikon calls it Matrix Metering. On Canon cameras, it’s called Evaluative Metering. Sony and Pentax use the term Multi-Segment Metering. Olympus calls it Digital ESP Metering. Each manufacturer has different algorithms to determine the outcome. Essentially they all do the same thing.

The camera partitions the viewfinder into zones and measures the light in each. It compares these light readings. Then it averages all the information to provide what it decides is the best exposure setting.

Most cameras have this mode as the default. This is how my camera is set most of the time. Using this mode will give you an overall idea of what your exposure settings need to be. When the light is fairly even, using this exposure meter mode works well.

Understanding Exposure Metering Modes Buddha Statue Even Lighting

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

2. Spot

Using this mode, your exposure meter will measure the light from a small area – usually about 3.5% of the frame. You need to place the spot exactly where you want to take your reading from. This will most often be your main subject.

The position of the spot within your frame varies from camera to camera. In some cameras, the spot moves with the point of focus. On other cameras, it remains fixed in the center of the frame. It’s important you know where your spot is, otherwise your exposure can be incorrect. Consult your camera manual or do an online search to find how your camera’s spot meter is positioned.

3. Center-Weighted

This mode reads the light from an area in the center of your frame. The percentage of the area varies from camera to camera. It is typically around 60%. Some camera models allow you to vary the area it covers. This mode is good if you compose with your subject in the center. I rarely compose that way, so never use this mode.

Understanding Exposure Metering Modes Iron Bridge at Night, Chiang Mai, Thailand

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

How to use the Exposure Meter

Half-pressing the shutter release button activates the exposure meter. It will turn off automatically after a time. So if you are not seeing the information it provides, it may have switched itself off.

In your viewfinder or on the monitor you’ll see the information displayed like this on most cameras.

Understanding Exposure Metering Modes Exposure Meter Graphic

Sony cameras use numbers and the + and – symbols to display the exposure information.

If you set your camera to manual exposure, you will see the information displayed when the meter is on. When in an auto mode this information may not be displayed. This is because the camera determines the exposure.

Using manual mode a ‘0’ in the display indicates when the exposure is correct. When the display shows a row of dots stretching towards the – symbol, your image will be underexposed. When the display shows a row of dots stretching towards the + symbol, your image will be overexposed.

Using this information, you can make the required adjustments to your aperture, shutter speed, and/or ISO.

Karen Woman Cooking

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Why are there different Exposure Meter Modes?

Photographs are captured by digital cameras recording reflected light. Light and the tone of your subjects is variable. You need to set your exposure according to how bright or dark your subject appears.

Making a composition with very little tonal variation when the light is flat, your camera will easily make a correct exposure. When there’s high contrast, particularly when the light is harsh, it can be more difficult to get a correct exposure.

In high contrast situations, it’s important to manage your exposure meter. You must read the light from the most important area of your composition. Choosing Averaged or Center-Weighted Metering can often result in poorly-exposed photographs.

Spot metering is most useful when you’re photographing a composition where there’s a lot of contrast. Taking a spot meter reading from the main part of your composition will allow you to expose it well.

Portrait photography is one example of when it’s helpful to switch your metering mode to spot. The face of the person is normally the most important part of your composition. You want the person’s skin tone to be exposed well.

By placing the spot meter on your subject’s face and taking a meter reading, you can adjust the exposure accordingly. If you are using an Auto Mode, your camera will make the setting adjustments for you.

Understanding Exposure Metering Modes Buddhist Monk Candle Lighting Ceremony in Chiang Mai, Thailand

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Using spot metering on a camera when the spot is fixed in the center of the frame, you need to point it where you want to take the reading from. Using an Auto Mode when you recompose to frame your subject, you’ll need to hold the exposure lock button.  If you don’t lock the exposure, your camera will readjust the settings. In Manual Mode, the settings remain constant until you change them again.

Illustrative examples

Photographing a person against a dark or light background requires careful metering so their skin tone looks natural.

Understanding Exposure Metering Modes Masu Dark Background

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Here’s a portrait of Masu. She is a Kayan woman living with her family in Thailand. I positioned my spot meter to take a reading from her face. In this case, my exposure setting was 1/640th of a second at f/4 and my ISO was set to 400.

If I had used Averaged or Center-Weighted metering, my exposure would have been incorrect. The camera would have accounted for a large portion of the black background.

Placing the spot meter on her face was important. If I’d left the spot in the center of the frame my reading would have been incorrect. It would have read the light reflecting off the black. This would give a reading which would have led to an overexposed skin tone.

Masu Light Background

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

With Masu standing against the white background, I made my exposure metering the same way. The settings are identical to the settings I used for the black background. This is because the light had not changed, only the background.

Conclusion

Choosing the right exposure metering mode helps you better control your exposures. It’s important to look at the light and tone in your composition. Then determine the most important area to expose for. The more contrast there is, the more important it is to meter well.

 

exposure-metering-modes

 

The post Understanding Exposure Metering Modes appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.


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Understanding the Basics of Color

26 Jun

The post Understanding the Basics of Color appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.

You will never realize your full potential as a photographer…until you understand the basic elements of color and luminosity (tonality). I know this sounds scary, a bit geeky and just plain over-the-top – but hear me out.

Color photography is built on the structure of B/W photography.

How is it that some photographers seem to consistently produce great pictures?

Most likely because they understand how to control the primary element in photography – light! You can certainly take great pictures without knowing color theory, and you can get good results by learning to operate your camera, but if you wish to consistently produce powerful and visually-moving images, you’ll need to get a handle on the basic issues of color and light. Capturing light, like capturing anything else in the wild, requires an understanding of habits and behavior.

Pictures versus photographs

There is a difference between documenting an occurrence (shooting a picture) and capturing the emotion of a scene (taking a photograph). Shooting a picture requires little more than pushing a button on a camera, but taking a photograph involves a working knowledge of how light behaves and how illumination builds emotion.

Your camera doesn’t take pictures; it merely captures light. You, the photographer, take the pictures.

There are a variety of unique psychological emotions that can be triggered in the viewer’s mind by learning to master how to use light correctly. The issues of color, light intensity, angle of view, depth of field, internal contrast, highlight, shadow, and mid-tone placement all empower photographers to control emotions and portray stories with great impact. This is why one good picture can be more powerful than a thousand words.

The contrasting colors of green and magenta are opposed on the color wheel, which is why this image delivers subliminal psychological impact.

The color wheel is the most elementary form of color science and demonstrates the basis for all color correction. When a photograph displays a color cast, that cast can be removed by adding an additional amount of the color located directly across the color wheel. The additive primary colors that our eyes and cameras see are all based on red, green, and blue (RGB) light. The three colors directly opposite these RGB colors on the wheel are called subtractive primaries and form the basis for all printed pictures. These colors are cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMY).

In today’s world, we are so immersed in saturated colors that we sometimes forget the important part that light plays in the process. Dull color is not colorful at all. Color without the proper balance of light has no life…it just lays there on the page.

There are three basic components of color – hue, saturation, and brightness (HSB). The brightness element is the life and sparkle element of good color. In essence, good color is all about the quality of the light. Poorly lit subjects don’t hold the viewer’s interest. This doesn’t mean that all pictures must be bright and cheery, but all pictures must be purposely illuminated to deliver the desired reaction.

Moods are set by shaping light

It’s hard to convey good color in poor or insufficient light. Low-key lighting is ideal for creating somber moods just as high-key lighting tends to convey positive and uplifting thoughts. Learn to capture scenes that deliver a specific emotional message. Make it a point to walk around your subject and observe the light striking it from different angles, especially when shooting nature.

The warmth of the orange skies delivers the beauty, calm, and warm stillness of the ocean at the close of the day.

Make it your purpose to set the tenor (or meaning) with each photo, not to simply take a pretty picture. Look at each scene for a theme or message that will address or elicit a human response.

Colors appeal to each of us not only because they are pretty or because they blend, but because each color has a subtle psychological overtone that affects how we perceive the scene. Bright, cheery colors convey lighthearted and positive thoughts, while darker hues can evoke melancholy and even sad thoughts. “Shooting” is a process that involves aiming a weapon at a target while creating a photograph involves conveying a thought and expressing a purpose. Every time you pick up your camera, you have a choice; you can either document an event or convey an emotion.

Chrominance and Luminance

Color is an emotional impression that is comprised of both chrominance (hue and saturation) and luminance. It is luminance that provides the structure to a photograph. Together, chrominance and luminance deliver the full emotional message.

The two elemental building blocks of color photography involve the hue, or color value and the saturation, or purity of that color. These two aspects are the chrominance portion of an image. The third building block of a photographic image is luminance, or tonality, which is perhaps the most critical aspect of all. This is because it is the very structural framework on which the colors (chroma) are built. Hue and saturation offer no form whatsoever. Only luminance provides the framework or form to a photograph. Balancing these three aspects of HSL (hue, saturation, and luminance) is absolutely essential to achieving success in color photography.

The Visible Spectrum

All color is light energy and white is the combined result of all other colors in the visible spectrum.

The visible spectrum is the color portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that human eyes can see. It is visual energy. The light receivers in our eyes (rods and cones) can only observe a limited subset of this energy. These same lightwaves are captured by your digital camera’s image sensor. The colors of the visible spectrum cascade in a particular order, and for a logical reason. ROYGBIV is the acronym given to this order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. All visible colors of light are perceptible because they travel through space at unique frequencies. All colors are basically vibrations or wavelengths of energy; the only energy visible with human eyesight. The highest (or fastest) frequencies of these colors are “observed” as warm colors while the lowest (or slowest) wavelengths are cool colors. These colors are in this order because of the decreasing frequency of the light waves they represent.

The Electromagnetic Spectrum includes both ultraviolet and infrared frequencies, which are technically not colors simply because they are not visible to the human eye. Each individual color in the visible spectrum is energy that oscillates at a specific frequency. The eye receives these frequencies, and the visual cortex in the brain interprets each as a particular color.

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

The electromagnetic spectrum is the known span of energy that exists in the world as we know it. It includes all energy measurements on both sides of the visible spectrum. These same colors appear in every rainbow and refracted white light. Occasionally you’ll see a beveled glass edge in a window or table that catches a strong beam of white light, reflecting it onto another flat surface. That beveled glass acts as a prism that splits the white light into its component parts; always in the same order of ROYGBIV. When all these component colors are viewed at full strength, you see pure white light. As you must realize, all color is just individual expressions of white light. Without color, there is no light, and without light, there is no color. All colors have their origin in pure white light.

Hue is the Color of Color. It is what differs red from green or blue.

Red is the bookend on one end of the visible spectrum just inside the infrared frequency. Violet is the other, located just inside the ultraviolet frequency. Both infrared and ultraviolet are frequencies just beyond and outside the visible portion of the energy spectrum. Both of these wavelengths can be read by instruments but are beyond the scope of the human eye.

Saturation is the strength of color expressed as a range between pure color and no color. The opposite of saturated is colorless or gray.

The warmer side of the spectrum (reds, oranges, and yellows) contains the longest wavelengths in the spectrum and present a particular challenge to photography when the balance between saturation and luminance is not carefully monitored.

Warm colors are easy to oversaturate, and when oversaturated, the luminance values are seriously challenged.

This is a critical issue because it is the luminance aspect that delivers the detail in a photo. The cooler colors (blue, indigo {purplish}, and violet {toward magenta}), are much easier to control in both saturation and tonality. These shorter wavelength “denser” colors can handle the rigors of color editing more robustly than the warmer colors.

Luminance is expressed as brightness, ranging from dark to light.

Color balance

When you think of color balance, you must get beyond the elementary issue of white/gray balance; the neutralizing of colors to eliminate any tints or color shifts.

Color balance embraces a much wider issue that is largely governed by tonality or luminance. Balancing color is as easy as using the eyedropper tool in editing software to identify neutral gray. Tonality shapes the entire framework of the photo and clarifies detail throughout the entire range between highlights and shadows. It is quite possible to produce a technically-correct, temperature-balanced picture that loses detail in the shadow areas and softens the snap in the highlights. Tonality and chroma are equally critical in the accurate reproduction of color photos.

Color pictures are a combination of form, color, and luminance. Digital color images rely on all three of these elements to deliver the illusion of what we call photography.

Conclusion

A clear understanding of the basics of color will open up a world of expression for you. Yeah, color science is a little geeky, but it certainly delivers results.

If you want to show your uniqueness as a photographer, invest a little time with color science. Anybody with a camera can publish their pictures across the planet in an instant, but if you want your pictures (and your reputation) to outlast your friends and likes on Facebook…grow your knowledge of color as much as you grow your camera and editing skills!

The post Understanding the Basics of Color appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.


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Understanding Broad and Short Lighting in Photography

24 May

The post Understanding Broad and Short Lighting in Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.

There are a lot of lighting patterns for you to use in your portrait photography. Some of these are covered quite well. Rembrandt and butterfly lighting are two that are both easy to set up and yield great results a lot of the time. Of course, you can use just one lighting pattern all of the time and build a fantastic portfolio; however, if you want to have a full skillset with a variety of techniques to use in your portraits at any time, you will want to learn and understand as many of these lighting patterns as possible.

Broad and short lighting are often clumped together because of the similarities in how they are implemented and described, but they couldn’t be more different in how they affect your images.

This article will introduce you to the broad and short lighting patterns and explain when and why you might want to use them and what you can expect to achieve while using them. These are two very easy lighting patterns that can seem confusing at first, but once you get your head around them, they give you powerful tools to help shape the light and your subjects in your photos.

What is a lighting pattern?

First, let’s start with the very basics. A lighting pattern is any named lighting setup that gives you specific results. There is a fair list of these established lighting patterns for you to learn outside of the broad and short patterns discussed here. These include Rembrandt, Butterfly, split, cross, clamshell and more. Learning and understanding these lighting patterns can act as a shortcut to helping you get great results in your portraits. These lighting patterns apply to both natural light and artificial light, so it does not matter which you prefer.

Broad and short

The names of the broad and short lighting patterns refer to which side of the subject’s face is being lit first.

Sometimes, understanding what broad and short mean in terms of lighting can be confusing. To make it as simple as possible, imagine a face turned slightly away from you. That face now has two sides divided by the nose. The side of the face that is closest to you is the broad side because you see more of it than the other. The other side, the one that’s furthest from you, is the short side.

With broad lighting, your light is going to hit the broad side (or the side that’s closest to you) of the face first.

With short lighting, your light is going to hit the short side (or the side that’s furthest from you) of the face first.

Broad lighting

Broad lighting can be used to great effect to help widen faces or give you more contrast than some other lighting patterns.

When you choose to light the broad side of the face, it has several effects on your image. These include:

  • Broad lighting widens the face.
  • Broad lighting usually throws the short side of the face in shadow (dependent on light placement).
  • Broad lighting provides more contrast than some lighting patterns like butterfly lighting.

When you want to use it

Because broad lighting tends to broaden (go figure) the face, you’ll want to use broad lighting when you’re photographing subjects with a narrow face. Using it on subjects with a wider face can exaggerate that shape and you’ll want to avoid it there.

If there’s a feature on one side of your subjects face that you want to take the emphasis away from, you can pose your subject so that feature is on the short side of their face and use broad lighting to ensure that it’s in shadow, taking the emphasis away.

How to set it up

Setting up for broad lighting couldn’t be easier. Just have your subject turn away from the key light until you have the desired effect.

While there is no one way to set up broad lighting, here is a basic method to get you started.

As in the diagram above, place your light forty-five degrees from your subject. Ensure that you have your subject’s face posed away from the light source.

It really is as easy as that. Just remember that you can control the transition from highlight to shadow by changing the distance of the light from your subject and by using different modifiers.

Next steps

Adding fill to your broad lighting can help with extreme contrast while still retaining shadows for depth.

Lighting patterns are a starting point. This isn’t a zero-sum game. To take your broad lighting setups further, feel free to experiment with fill light. You can use reflectors or a second light to lift up the shadows and reduce the contrast in your images for more flattering portraits. Conversely, you can also choose to emphasize the shadows and the contrast for darker, bolder portraits. The best advice here is to know what result you are after before you start.

With a reflector as fill, you can now control the overall contrast in the image.

Short Lighting

Short lighting (depending on variables like your modifiers) tends to lend itself to dark, shadow-heavy imagery. This makes it the perfect lighting pattern when creating low-key images.

When you choose to light the short side of the face first, it also has several effects on your portraits:

  • Short lighting narrows the face.
  • Short lighting will throw the broad side of the face in shadow.
  • Short lighting provides heavy contrast and is ideal for low-key images. It is also useful when you are trying to create images with a lot of depth.
  • Short lighting can be used to hide imperfections.

How to set it up

Again, there is no one way to go about a short lighting setup.

Short lighting is trickier to set up than broad, but take your time and be deliberate in where the light is hitting your subject.

For this example, start with your light source forty-five degrees to your subject just like you did for the broad lighting setup. This time, have your subject face towards the light. If you have a modeling light, or you’re using natural light, watch the highlights on your subjects face carefully. Either move the light or your subject until the brightest part of your subject’s face is the short side.

Tip: If you’re having trouble seeing the contrast with your eyes, you can squint. I can’t even begin to tell you why this works, but it does. Squinting makes it far easier to see the contrast in a scene with your eyes.

That’s it. While short lighting is slightly trickier than broad lighting, it is still easy to accomplish. Once you have it figured out, it will become second nature.

Next steps

Because short lighting tends to be heavy on the shadows, you can use as much fill as you want to control them. Use a reflector for a gentle lift, or a second light to bring them close to the other tones in your images.

Since short lighting is so shadow-centric, you will almost certainly want to use fill light to control the contrast in normal situations. You can use a reflector, but if your shadows are quite deep, you may want to opt for fill light. Try exposing your fill light three stops less than your key (your main light) to retain your shadows while ensuring that all of the details are still there.

Using a reflector lifts the shadows in this example, but retains enough contrast for depth.

End matter

There you have it; two basic, but powerful lighting patterns that you can use to create bold dynamic portraits. I encourage you to go out and practice with each of these set-ups. Experiment liberally with your distances between your light and subject and try as many different fill lighting techniques that you can come up with. Once you have the basics down; if you want a real challenge: use the short lighting pattern to create a high key image.

 

The post Understanding Broad and Short Lighting in Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.


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Interview: Understanding RF, DS and DO – we talk to Canon about its latest lenses

03 Apr
Left to right: Yoichi Sato, Manabu Kato and Shogo Yamaguchi

At the launch of the Canon EOS RP in February we had the chance to sit down with a selection of senior engineers and planners to discuss the R series and its lenses. They talked to us about the RP and the six lenses whose development was announced alongside it, but also gave some insight into where the R series is heading.

  • Manabu Kato – Head of EF + RF mount R&D
  • Yoichi Sato – EOS camera electronics R&D
  • Shogo Yamaguchi – Optical planning specialist

What’s the biggest challenge for Canon over the coming years?

One of the challenges from the lens side is that, obviously we switched mount: we added the RF mount. We’ve kept the same mount for over 30 years, that was really big, and we kept lens compatibility for a long time. But when we started the new mount had to start from scratch and prepare a lot of new lenses, so that’s been a big challenge for us. Of course, it’s very exciting that the new mount opens up whole new possibilities in lens design and expand the boundary of image capture.

How do you prioritize which lenses to develop?

So the idea for the initial four lenses was we wanted to deliver the surprise factor, so we decided to deliver the 28-70mm, as well as the 50mm F1.2, with stunning resolution. That was the concept behind these two lenses.

With 24-105mm we thought it would be the best match as a standard zoom lens to the EOS R camera, and the 35mm F1.8 was supposed to be an affordable and compact travel companion. Those were the concepts behind the four initial lenses.

With the six additional lenses that we introduced as development announcements this time, we believe we will be able to deliver more surprise factors, for some models compactness. These two concepts with the addition of these models.

How have you made the 70-200mm so small?

Canon’s RF 70-200mm F2.8 L mockup, alongside the EF version. Although it’s not clear from this mockup, we expect the RF version to extend on zooming.

We were actually surprised as we started developing this particular product. The idea is that, with the introduction of the large diameter mount with the shorter back-focus distance, we were expecting it to be more suitable for designing wider-angle lenses, but it turned out to be very effective for designing this telephoto lens.

So this is largely due to the fact we have this new mount: it has become a really big contribution to designing this really compact telephoto zoom lens. So we hope we were able to give more of a ‘wow’ factor with the introduction of this telephoto zoom lens.

I apologize that this is all we can talk about, as of now, but we hope to talk more about it as we make an official announcement of this product.

It doesn’t use a Diffractive Optics design, then?

We decided not to use Diffractive Optics with this lens, this time, but we are working on this particular technology and we are experimenting with different designs and so forth, to see how we can use this DO technology in future.

Can you give any insight into the DS technology?

With lens such as the 85mm F1.2 bokeh is a really important factor, because it’s a portrait lens. We really wanted to deliver something that was not possible with the conventional lenses, so we decided to develop this technology of defocus smoothing.

There will be two versions of the RF 85mm F1.2L USM: a ‘DS’ variant will feature ‘defocus smoothing’ technology.

The fact with our DS technology is that it’s a coating technology, so it’s relatively easy to apply this technology to a range of different lenses. This is all we can say at this moment.

There are going to be two versions, does this imply the DS technology is quite expensive?

There’s a price factor but, with the DS element it’s not the case that it’s superior in every way. There’s some differences: some challenge in maintaining the illuminance. With transmittance, we lose some light as it goes through the DS element, so that is one difference of having the DS technology. So it’s not like one version is obviously better than the other.

That sounds like an apodization effect.

Yes

Some lenses designed to match the EOS R and others designed to impress and surprise, what lenses do you imagine EOS RP users buying?

At this moment, the best match would be the 35mm F1.8 and we believe the 24-240mm lens that we announced will be a good companion to the EOS RP body.

We were able to mount the 24-240mm mockup on an EOS RP body, to give some idea of the size.

One thing that’s important about our system is that you can adapt a lot of lenses. Truly a variety of lenses: you can adapt some of the really compact EF lenses, that’s an option too.

Obviously we’re working on a lot of really compact lenses in the future, so I hope you’ll stay tuned to hearing from us.

The pro-level ‘L’ series lineup looking impressive: how far into the future are you planning?

I’m sorry, the roadmap is all we can say for now. We have a full lineup of what there should be: a full lineup of the RF lenses. And what we do among those lenses we choose which to prioritize, that’s the concept of how we decide what to work on next.

With this many professional lenses being announced in 2019, does that mean a body isn’t far behind?

All we can say is that we’re working on a lot of different types of cameras. I can’t pinpoint when a specific camera will come. We understand that expectations are really high.

What are the advantages of the faster communication between lens and body that the RF mount allows?

A good example is that we are working on a combination of optical and body stabilization, working together to give enhanced IS. That would be a good example of being high speed communication system in RF.

We are working on a combination of optical and body stabilization, working together to give enhanced IS

There are numerous things that we will be able to deliver, through the introduction of the new communication system. The combination of RF lens and body, the Dynamic Lens Optimizer (DLO) data can be transferred automatically to the body. So users will be able to use in-camera DLO for new lenses without needing to download an update from their computer.

We’ve previously talked about how we’re looking another 30 years into the future. We have to think about what might be possible with another 30 year in mind, we have to think that far into the future. So at first glance this communication system might be too much for what’s been made possible, as of now. But we have to look so far into the future that this system has to have a lot of potential.

I think most people now understand how forward-thinking the EF mount was for 1987

Looking back after 30 years of EF lens and mount, we can’t help but thank our predecessors for being so forward-thinking: delivering a fully electronic mount at that time in history. We hope we were able to deliver the type of communication system that our future generations of designers, thirty years down the road will be thankful us for being so forward-thinking.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell our readers?

So in terms of the six lenses, once we’ve launched these we’ll have ten RF lens models. I hope we can convince our users we’re serious about this mount, serious about this system.

We hope your readers will understand each of these designs are unique, and are impressive in every way, in terms of the specifications, in terms of the size. I hope your readers understand the potential of the system.

Please don’t forget the pro-level camera that you’re expecting is on the way

We hope that with the introduction of the RP, the main purpose is we hope we’re making full frame more accessible to more people. That’s what we’re trying to do with this camera. We hope that a lot of beginners in photography will be able to enjoy what is possible with the full frame sensor and we hope to expand the market of full-frame camera, overall.

Please don’t forget the pro-level camera that you’re expecting is on the way.

Also important, we see people speculating that we’re terminating the DSLR or the M-series development. What we can say is that we’re developing, simultaneously, multiple DSLR, M-series and R-series models. Our approach is to leverage our lineup strategy but at the same time, we’d like to listen to our customers’ feedback and make decisions based on this.

Should we expect to see more lenses like the EF-M 32mm then?

The Canon EF-M 32mm F1.4 is one of the few photographically ambitious lenses available for the EOS-M system.

The reason we launched the 32mm for EF-M came from closely listening to users and what the market was asking for. So we were really happy that we were able to deliver something that a lot of users will be able to enjoy and we’re really confident about the performance of this lens.

One of the goals of the EOS RP was meant to be a good step-up for current APS-C users. We hope it’s possible for APS-C users to step up to the FF camera market.

Editor’s note: Richard Butler

We conducted this interview a few hours after Canon revealed the six RF-mount lenses it plans to launch in 2019 and, although they wouldn’t be drawn on specifics, we did uncover a few interesting details.

The confirmation that the 70-200mm F2.8 won’t use diffractive optics was interesting (a Canon patent for an extending 70-200 has subsequently come to light), as was the confirmation that the 85mm DS will use an apodization filter effect to smooth the edges of its bokeh.

Canon has only released a mid-level and entry-level R-series camera so far, but its lineup is awash with pro-focused ‘L’ lenses.

On the cameras side of things, the interview confirmed what we believed about the RP: that it’s a concerted attempt to expand the market to reach a new type of user that wouldn’t have previously considered a full-frame camera (and, as a result, a different type of user than the one Sony has already been targeting with its a7 models).

It was interesting to hear Canon confirm that there will be a pro-level camera: something that can be easily deduced from the company’s lens lineup, but still good to have confirmed. But it was the statement that Canon is working on a combined in-body and in-lens image stabilization system that most stood out.

Many of these are themes that we took up with Canon when we met them at CP+ in Yokohama. There’ll be further insights coming in that interview, tomorrow.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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