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Posts Tagged ‘2016’

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

31 Dec

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Michal Herrmann

The old man and the sea. Old and hard working, most elderly still need to work to make a living. You can look into his eyes and read his story.

FUJIFILM XT10 with 58MM Helios 44/2 at 58mm, 1/100 sec, ISO 640, F2

Picking your favorite image is never an easy task. Nevertheless, our readers were up to the challenge when we asked them to submit their best shots of 2016. We received a huge number of submissions, and it was no small job picking favorites. We didn’t need the reminder, but it underscored just how talented our readership is. Photos were divided into three categories and we settled on a small selection to feature in each.

For this category, ‘people,’ we looked for photos that tell a story about the human side of this world we inhabit. There were many beautiful and compelling images submitted – be sure to check out all of the submissions here and here.

A huge thanks to everyone that participated and gave us a chance to see your work!

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Pavel Matousek

From a photo essay on Kenya children AIDS care program.

Nikon D600 with 50mm at 50 mm, 1/250 sec, F4, ISO 200

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Ahnaf Akeef

The Weary Way Back Home. This was taken on a boat on our way back from a waterfall we went to see in Bandarban, Bangladesh.

Canon 6D with 24-70 2.8L II at 70mm, 1/1250 sec, F2.8, ISO 100

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Gabriel Jakab

Photo taken in a rainy day or, as I like to say, the Golden Hour for rugby.

Nikon D750 at 200mm, 1/1000 sec, F2.8, ISO 1250

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Michel Hébert

Here is a candid portrait shot I took in May 2016 during the Lag BaOmer celebration in the Mile-End neighborhood of Montreal, where there is a quite large Hasidic Jewish community. The contrast between the lighting of some faces (provided by the bonfire in the middle of the street) and the darkness of others reminds me of the clair-obscur/Chiaroscuro style of some dutch painters like Rembrandt. What do you think?

Olympus E-M5 Mark 2 with Olympus 75mm F1.8 at 75 mm, 1/10 sec, F2, ISO 1600

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Richard Caughey

Pat McManus live at the Corn Market Blues event at the Raven in Corby, UK. First time out with my Fuji XT2.

FUJIFILM X-T2 with 18-55mm F2.8-4 at 46.3mm, 1/250 sec, F4, ISO 4000

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Myrgjorf

Masai warrior – the lion killer, with a traditional hat from the lions fur. Masai village, Mara North Conservancy.

Canon 7D Mark II with 70-200mm F4 at 150 mm, 1/250 sec, F4, ISO 320

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Afzal Khan

The best cook.

Sony A99 with Minolta 50mm F1.7 at 50mm, 1/60 sec, F3.5, ISO 1000

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Al Downie

Storytime for sleepyheads

FUJIFILM X-Pro2 with 35mm F2 at 35mm, 1/125 sec, F2, ISO 400

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Rick Jacobi

Golden Eagle Festival in Western Mongolia Oct 1st as Kazakhs are entering the parade ground.

Sony A7R-II with 70-300mm at 300mm, 1/250 sec, F10, ISO 200

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Places

30 Dec

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Places

Photo by Fred Gunnerson

Every Spring people come from all over to view and photograph the orchards in bloom. It only lasts a few weeks so you have to be ready when the rain stops. The bottom half of the photo is Oregon and the top half is Washington. That’s Mt. Adams in the background.

Hood River, Oregon, USA

The category featured here is ‘Places’. We tried to include a variety of our favorite landscapes and cityscapes to feature. A huge thanks to everyone that participated and gave us a chance to see your work! You can find all of the submitted images here, here and here.

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Places

Photo by Michele Palazzo

New York City’s iconic Flatiron building emerges from the blizzard like the bow of a giant ship plowing through the wind and the snow. Taken during the historic coastal storm “Jonas” on January 23rd, 2016. Shot January 23rd, 2016 in New York City with a Ricoh GR.

New York City, NY, USA

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Places

Photo by Hans Kruse

Morning sun at the Quiraing on Isle of Skye shot during a photo workshop I was leading on Isle of Skye, Scotland in September 2016.

Isle of Skye, Scotland

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Places

Photo by George Fowler

This picture was taken a few weeks ago in Shiobara, an area about two and a half hours north of Tokyo in the countryside. The fall colors were at their peak and the footbridge across the small river was absent of any people.

Shiobara, Japan

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Places

Photo by Mike Sandman

Designed by the architect Frank Gehry, inspired perhaps by an Escher woodcut. Magnetically attractive to the eye, but the roof leaks.

Stata Center, MIT, Cambridge, Mass. USA

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Places

Photo by Derek Dammann

An early spring dawn breaks at the Dark Hedges in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

County Antrim, Northern Ireland

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Places

Photo by Morten Smedsrud

Sunrise over the Troll Wall from Store Trolltind, the highest peak in the Trolltindene mountain ridge, Romsdal Norway.

Romsdal, Norway

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Places

Photo by Peter Alessandria

Photo of Harvest Full Moon (Oct 2016) rising behind the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. This shot was planned weeks in advance to align the trajectory of the moon with Lady Liberty.

Statue of Liberty, New York, NY, USA

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Places

Photo by Maurice J Byatt

Crater Lake National Park, OR, USA

2016 DPReview Reader’s Best Shots: Places

Photo by Damjan Sirca

Taken on 28/10/16 in Yosemite valley – a bad weather forecast is not always bad news.

Yosemite Valley, CA, USA

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Happy Holidays 2016 from the dPS Team

28 Dec

happyholidays2016

Merry Christmas from the team at dPS! It’s Christmas day already in Australia where most of the team is based, and we’d like to wish you the happiest of days from all of us here at dPS.

Thank you for being a regular reader and fan of dPS and for helping us to be able to continue to provide photography education for you and other photography enthusiasts. However you celebrate this holiday season, we hope you have a good one.

Cheers!

By Jake Vince

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The post Happy Holidays 2016 from the dPS Team by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Don’t Miss Out: These 12 Photography Deals Will Disappear With 2016

28 Dec

Over the last 12 days we’ve presented you with some amazing daily deals on photography training resources in our 7th annual 12 days of Christmas.

12 days

The savings this year were our biggest yet and we had a lot of really positive feedback from readers who picked up some fantastic deals.

As in previous years we did get a few sad messages from readers who missed deals along the way asking if there was any way to get them.

As a result – today we’re opening all 12 deals back up again for one last chance. You can find them all here or listed below.

So if there’s a deal you regret missing or you might have missed one of our emails – you’re in luck. Here they are!

Deal 1: Save 50% on this Trade Photography Guide (it’s just $ 5)
Deal 2: Save 76% on this Mega Portrait Photography Bundle (course, eBooks and more)
Deal 3: Save 70% on our Lightroom Mastery Course (hottest deal of the 12 days)
Deal 4: Save 67% on our Lightroom Presets (transform your images in a click)
Deal 5: Save 60% on these Professional Photoshop Actions and Lightroom Presets
Deal 6: Save 60% on these Landscape Photography Courses (from two of our favorite photographers)
Deal 7: Save 85% on this Drag and Drop Lightroom Collage Tool (includes bonus)
Deal 8: Save 65% on this Camera Skills and Light Skills Training (satisfaction guaranteed)
Deal 9: Save 77% on this Portrait Photography Training (includes 4 exclusive bonuses)
Deal 10: Save 85% on our Our Photo Nuts Courses (PERFECT for beginners)
Deal 11: Save 60% on Black and White Photo Artistry Course (this was very popular)
Deal 12: All dPS eBooks – just $ 9 (there’s 23 to choose from)

All these will be available until midnight US Eastern time on 31st of December, after that they will be gone for ever (just like 2016) – so get to it and grab yours today!

The post Don’t Miss Out: These 12 Photography Deals Will Disappear With 2016 by Darren Rowse appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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dPS 2016 Holiday Schedule

27 Dec

I hope you’re knee deep in festivities and good food by now. With the holiday season in full swing, I just wanted to send you a quick note about what to expect here at dPS over the next week. The dPS team is taking a little down time so we can give our writers a break and time with their families too. This is what will:

By Sean MacEntee

From the next week – the best of dPS 2016

It’s time again for me to go through last year’s articles and find the best, most popular ones, for you. Starting off tomorrow with the hottest landscape articles, we’ll have a new topic each day, with several articles for you to read or review on each one.

dps-2016-best-of-the-1

Starting off 2017

After all the parties are over, we’ll get back to our regular schedule of two articles a day on January 2nd (Australia time). For the first couple days you’ll see the wrap-up of the Best Of series, and just one post per day from us, then it’s back to business as usual.

So expect some good reading coming up. If you have some time you can catch up on a few articles you may have missed or focus on learning a new, specific technique.

Also remember to keep an eye out for our 12 Days of Christmas sale for some great photography deals.

The post dPS 2016 Holiday Schedule by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Our favorite gear, rewarded: DPReview Awards 2016

26 Dec

DPReview Awards 2016

Here at DPReview we handle a lot of gear. This year, plenty of amazing cameras, lenses, accessories and other products came through our doors, and we hope you’ve enjoyed reading about them as much as we’ve enjoyed writing about and testing them.

Last year, for the first time, we decided to get together as a team and discuss what we thought was the best gear of the year in multiple categories. This year we sat down again and made a list, checked it twice, then talked about it. And then talked about it some more, and then made a shortlist. And then we talked about it again, argued a bit, and finally voted, ranking our choices by first, second and third preference.

After all that, we’re pleased to announce the results. Click through the slides above to learn which products made our list of the best gear of 2016.

If you’d like to have your say, make sure to vote in this year’s Reader’s Poll for best product of 2016, which will be running through December 31st.

Best accessory

Shortlist:

DJI Osmo+
Domke Chronicle Bag
Fuji Instax Share SP-2
Western Digital MyPassport WD Wireless Pro

Runner up: Western Digital MyPassport WD Wireless Pro

There were a lot of new accessories released this year, but the Western Digital Wireless Pro in particular impressed us, which is why it’s the runner-up for this category. A great choice for photographers working in the field, it features its own Wi-Fi network, a built-in SD card slot, excellent battery life and dedicated Android and iOS apps.

Winner: Fuji Instax Share SP-2

It wasn’t even close, the second generation Fuji Instax Share SP-2 printer was our favorite accessory of 2016. Why? Because there’s just nothing quite like holding a physical image in your hands. Faster and sleeker than the original and with more printing options, the SP-2 can easily link up with Fujifilm cameras or print from a compatible phone or tablet.

Best mobile / VR Product

Shortlist:

Apple iPhone 7 Plus
DJI Osmo Mobile
Google Pixel XL
Panono 360 camera

Runner up: iPhone 7 Plus

This category includes a wide range of products, from smartphones to hand-held gimbals, all of which have one thing in common: they are non-traditional cameras. The Apple iPhone 7 Plus is this year’s runner-up with its innovative dual lens design. It offers photographers the choice between a 28mm F1.8 and a more portrait-appropriate 56mm F2.8 (35mm equiv.) lens.

Winner: Google Pixel XL

The Google Pixel XL won this category by a wide margin and for good reason: It has an outstanding camera – so good that it received the highest DxOMark score of any smartphone ever. And features like Raw capture, on-sensor phase detect AF and the HDR+ mode only add it to its appeal. Plus, it’s the first product compatible with Google Daydream VR headset.

Best prosumer camera drone

Shortlist:

Autel X-Star Premium
DJI Mavic Pro
DJI Phantom 4 Pro
DJI Phantom 4

Runner-up: DJI Phantom 4 Pro

The DJI Phantom 4 Pro is a tour de force of just how much modern technology can crammed into a small, prosumer drone. It stands out in its class thanks to a 20MP 1″-type sensor that captures 4K/60p video, support for h.265 recording, 20MP Raw stills, photographer-friendly features like 14fps burst shooting and exposure bracketing, and an impressive collision avoidance system.

Winner: DJI Mavic Pro

The DJI Mavic Pro sets a new standard for portability among prosumer camera drones; it’s hard to believe just how compact it is until you see it in person. In fact, you could easily fit it inside a camera pack (with plenty of room left for other gear), a purse, or even a large pocket in your cargo shorts (wearing cargo shorts is not endorsed by DPReview staff).

Don’t let the Mavic’s size fool you though – it has the same camera as the original Phantom 4, captures 4K/30p video, 12MP stills with DNG Raw support, and boasts a top speed that exceeds that of the Phantoms.

Best zoom lens

Shortlist:

Canon EF 16-35mm F2.8L III USM
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro
Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art
Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM Art

Runner-up: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro

Every year, more lenses are released than cameras, and this year the competition was especially tough. A lot of great zoom lenses were released in 2016 and of our shortlist of four, two belong to Sigma’s well-regarded ‘Art’ series. But the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro just pulled ahead of both of them to take the runner-up spot in this category.

Winner: Canon EF 16-35mm F2.8L III USM

Winner by a considerable margin of votes among the DPReview staff was the Canon EF 16-35mm F2.8L III USM. Canon is really on a roll with its high-end L-series, and the new version of the 16-35mm F2.8 is stunning. If you’re a Canon shooter looking for a high quality wide-angle zoom, the 16-35mm F2.8 III is as good as it gets.

Best prime lens

Shortlist:

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 105mm F1.4E ED
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm F1.2 Pro
Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art
Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN | C

Runner-up: Nikon AF-S Nikkor 105mm F1.4E ED

If competition was fierce among zoom lenses this year, if anything it was even fiercer in the prime lenses category. New releases from several manufacturers really raised the bar, and Nikon’s excellent new 105mm F1.4 portrait lens took the runner-up spot in a very tough field.

Winner: Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art

Realistically, as soon as we sat down to discuss which lens should win this category, there was only one serious contender. Winner by a convincing margin among DPReview staff was Sigma’s 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art. Its big, it’s heavy, and it makes gorgeous pictures. If you’re a fan of the 85mm focal length for portraiture, the Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art is worth serious consideration.

Best compact camera

Shortlist:

Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V
Sony Cyber-shot RX10 III

Runner up: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V

There was some tough competition in this category, thanks partly to Sony, which seems set on maintaining its breakneck pace of new product announcements. The latest compact camera in Sony’s RX100-series is the best yet. We argued a lot about which camera should win in this category, and offering incredible speed, hybrid AF and excellent 4K video, the RX100 V took the runner-up spot.

Winner: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10

The winning position is occupied by the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10, thanks to its combination of small size, excellent lens and overall image quality. As well as great-looking stills, the LX10 is also capable of excellent 4K video, and hits an attractive price-point compared to the best of its competition.

Best consumer stills/video camera of the year

Shortlist:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500
Sony a6500
Sony RX10 III

Runner up: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2500

In this category, we’re looking for the best products for stills and video shooters who need one camera to do it all. This category spans compact, fixed-lens cameras up to 4K-capable ILCs, but our shortlist contained only the latter type of camera – testament to the advances that have been made in this category.

Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-FZ2500 takes the runner-up spot in this category this year, thanks to its impressive 4K feature set and video-friendly ergonomics, coupled with excellent still image quality.

Winner: Sony Cyber-shot RX10 III

The Sony Cyber-shot RX10 III is one of the most impressive products to come through the doors of DPReview Towers in 2016. Although bulky and costly, this 1″ sensor compact can reach places that ILCs just can’t. A stunningly sharp 24-600mm lens, coupled with a class-leading 1″-type BSI-CMOS sensor and excellent 4K and HFR video features meant that DPReview staff were unanimous in voting the RX10 III the best consumer stills / video camera of 2016.

Best entry-level ILC

Shortlist:

Fujifilm X-A3
Nikon D3400
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF8
Yi M1

Runner-up: Nikon D3400

Although it might seem less interesting than other market segments, the entry-level ILC market is critical for manufacturers, who need to persuade new photographers to join their system, and get on the upgrade path. This year saw some excellent entry-level ILCs released, and the Nikon D3400 took the runner-up spot. Small, unflashy and easy to use, the D3400 is a great beginners’ camera and a good entry-point into the wider Nikon system.

Winner: Fujifilm X-A3

The winner of this category is the Fujifilm X-A3. While not as feature-laden as its higher-end X-series peers, the 24MP, WiFi-equipped X-A3 is a great camera for someone just starting out in photography. It offers plenty of scope for beginners to grow, without being confusing or intimidating to use.

Best mid-range ILC

Shortlist:

Canon EOS M5
Canon EOS 80D
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85
Sony a6300

Runner Up: Sony a6300

2016 was a pretty good year for enthusiast photographers, and there was stiff competition in the mid-range ILC category this year. In the end, half of our shortlist was made up of Canon EOS products, but both the EOS M5 and EOS 80D lost out to the Sony a6300, which took runner-up spot.

Winner: Panasonic Lumix DMC- G85

I guess we just gave it away, but the winner of this year’s title of best mid-range ILC is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85, which narrowly pipped the a6300 to take the winning spot. There’s not much that this compact Micro Four Thirds camera can’t do, and we love it for its versatility and excellent 4K video.

Best high-end ILC

Shortlist:

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Fujifilm X-T2
Nikon D500
Olympus OM-D E-M1 II

Runner up: Fujifilm X-T2

It was a two-horse race in this category, with two products way out in front of the rest of the pack (do horses run in packs?). The Fujifilm X-T2 came a close second place to take the runner-up spot in this category. DPReview staff praised its portability, ergonomics and image quality.

Winner: Nikon D500

With a convincing number of votes among DPReview staff, the Nikon D500 took the winning spot in our best high-end ILC category this year, as a near unanimous first choice. The D500 is one of our favorite ever DSLRs, and in a very competitive market segment it stands as a stunningly capable all-rounder.

DPReview innovation award

Shortlist:

Olympus OM-D E-M1 II
Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V
Sony Cyber-shot RX10 III

Runner-up: Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V

We created this category last year to recognize products that we feel raised the bar for innovation in their product class. We narrowed down our selection to a shortlist of products, all of which are either cameras or lenses. Runner-up in this category is the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V, in recognition of the incredible amount of technology that Sony has packed into this tiny camera.

Winner: Olympus OM-D E-M1 II

Just pipping the RX100 V to the post is the Olympus OM-D E-M1 II. We’re still not entirely sure how Olympus packed as much technology into the E-M1 II as it did, but the end result is an incredibly powerful stills and video hybrid camera. As well as ultra-fast capture rates and effective in-body stabilization, the E-M1 II is also built for use in the harshest of conditions.

DPReview product of the year, 2016

Shortlist:

Nikon D500
Olympus OM-D E-M1 II
Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art
Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V

Runner-up: Olympus OM-D E-M1 II

In our discussions about overall best product of 2016, four products kept coming up. In different ways, we were highly impressed by all of the four products in our shortlist, all of which arguably represent the state of the art in their particular market segments, and any one of which could easily have won. In the end, we had to make a final decision. You’ll be able to find out the winner in the next slide, but our runner up for this year’s DPReview Award for product of the year is the Olympus OM-D E-M1 II.

Winner: Nikon D500

What the E-M1 II is for mirrorless ILCs, the D500 is for DSLRs. Although it lacks a really credible 4K video mode, the D500 is nevertheless an impressive all-rounder, combining some of the best elements of the flagship Nikon D5 with a (relatively) compact APS-C form factor, and a 1.5X focal length increase which is extremely handy for sports and wildlife photography. If you’re looking for a versatile, pro-grade DSLR which will still be current in years to come, the Nikon D500 is about as good as it gets. The Nikon D500 is our product of the year, 2016.

As we approach the end of the year, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support, and your feedback. For a chance to vote for your own favorite product of 2016, our final Reader’s Poll is still open, and can be found here. Voting closes at midnight on Jan 31st (PT).

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Gear of the Year 2016: Dan’s Choice – the DJI Mavic Pro (which he stinks at flying)

24 Dec

The Mavic Pro inspired me creatively and challenged me as a photographer more than any other product this year. Even if I still stink at flying it. Photo by Dan Bracaglia

I first flew the original DJI Phantom in 2013 as part of an article for Popular Science and have had drones on my mind ever since. However, my obsession with the idea of flight goes back to childhood, when I would launch into the sky anything I could get my hands on: kites, rockets, model planes, RC helicopters etc.

When DJI announced the Mavic Pro at the end of September, I knew my years of patiently telling myself to ‘wait one more generation,’ had paid off: the Mavic Pro was the one for me. The reason? DJI is easily the most reputable maker of consumer drones and with the Mavic Pro, users get an easy-to-fly product (with years of R & D incorporated into it), good image quality, and an impressively-compact/portable package. It truly is the every-man’s drone.

This is one of the few watchable clips I’ve shot so far.

Two months after pre-ordering, the box finally arrived at our office. And the first thing I learned upon firing it up is that despite the name, owning one certainly does not make you a ‘pro.’ The first thing I did with it was smash it into a wall in my apartment (I know, flying it inside the first time was a bad idea).

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been flying RC aircraft since childhood, and I like to think I’m pretty skilled behind the sticks. After all I can maneuver one of those $ 20 RC helicopters you get from Radio Shack (they do still exist, right?) like a champion. But crashing a $ 20 RC copter into a kitchen cabinet is one thing, crashing a $ 1000 drone into a kitchen cabinet is another thing entirely (video below). Note: this was the second crash.

Photography is all about finesse and control, whether over one’s settings, light, subjects or all three. However being a good photographer does not make one a good drone operator. Despite the Mavic Pro being incredibly easy to get off the ground and fly safely (thank obstacle avoidance), there is a substantial learning curve in using it in an effective manner.

Outside of my childhood passion for controlling things as they soar through the sky, the DJI Mavic Pro is my gear of the year because it is the one piece of kit that challenges my understanding of both photography and video as mediums. Moreover, it challenges me to learn new skills that can be used to get new shots and perspectives as a content creator.

And knowing it’s in my bag and can be launched in under 10 minutes make me all the more eager to use it. Suddenly I can shoots stills and videos of friends skateboarding, or snowboarding or an outdoor concert, from both the ground and the air with relative ease.

A sample image edited to taste in Adobe Lightroom. Photo by Dan Bracaglia

The drone industry is no longer in its infancy, in fact it’s growing up fast. And I think the Mavic Pro is a sure sign of this. High end consumer units are coming down in price, shrinking in size and offering increasingly impressive stills and video. At the same time, accident avoidance systems and other safety measure are also getting better.

It’s possible that before long we will live in a world where drones are as ubiquitous as smartphone. That’s somewhat of a terrifying thought, but all the more reason, if you are operating a drone, to try and be as safe and respectful to those around you as possible. Set a positive example for other drone fliers. Don’t ruin the fun for everyone else.

I’ve only flown the drone on four occasions, but I can already see (modest) improvements in my skills, which is pretty exciting. With traditional photography, improvements can often only be seen retrospectively. Of course, accidents do happen and I’ll probably break the Mavic Pro in due time (perhaps even before this piece goes live). Fortunately, DJI offers one year of insurance for $ 100. That will cover you for up to two drone replacements in that time. I would certainly recommend this coverage to any first time fliers.

In conclusion, please enjoy the above scenic out-of-focus clip I shot last weekend In Seattle on one of the only clear days we’ve had this winter. Some day I hope to go back and try again. Maybe I should practice a bit more first, and not in my kitchen.

Or instead you can watch the below clip of excellent 4K footage from the Mavic Pro, shot by Youtube user Digital Tech Reviews & Tips. #DroneGoals

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Rangefinder magazine announces 30 rising stars of wedding photography for 2016

20 Dec

30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography

Rangefinder magazine has announced selections for its fifth annual 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography for 2016, based on submissions by photographers from over 200 countries. Rangefinder is the official publication of the annual Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) conference, and honorees will be featured in the December issue of Rangefinder, as well as on display at the WPPI Conference+Expo from Feb. 5-9 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

We’ve highlighted a few of our favorite photos from this year’s selections, and you can find a complete online gallery here.

Above: Lato Photography/Laura&Tommy (Italy) “One of our favorite weddings of the last season. We were dealing with very difficult and shiny light, and we had to get the best from that situation so we captured this moment using a 45mm tilt-shift lens to create a softer background. The strength of this image comes from their hand positions creating a harmonious line, the delicate colors of their clothing matching with the background and, of course, the bride’s look.”

Lukas Piatek (Germany)

“During a wedding day, I often try to take photos of small children. They are not disturbed by the camera at all and just do whatever they would do if I was not around. This little boy was basically running around the dance floor the entire evening, and at one point, I literally waited for him to do something special. I did not expect, however, that he would jump so perfectly, raising his arms in the air, looking into the light and being perfectly centered and framed on the dance floor. The shot was made two years ago and it was my favorite photo from that year.”

Jacob Loafman (USA)

“So, this couple’s ceremony and reception were held at their church. However, their church had recently built a brand new building, but they informed me they still had access to the old church. They wanted to know if I would like to do the main wedding party and bride/groom portraits there. I excitedly agreed and we headed that way. As soon as we walked in, I almost fell over from how amazing the building was inside. It was vacant. Completely vacant. This vacant space still featured the remnants of where the previously used cross hung on the wall. It was just beautiful.”

“I noticed there was still access to the balcony and wanted to do a full wedding party portrait from up there. My idea was to just have them arrange themselves randomly. I provided very little direction, as that’s what I wanted. My desire was to create a group portrait that felt more like an album cover, where the entire group was the focal point, but the vacancy and tattered old floors added an element of interest to the shot. After I released the shutter button a few times, I knew I had accomplished what I was going for.”

People Truelove Tellers (Spain)

“This was a very lucky one. We didn’t actually want to shoot it because we were running out of time and were on our way to another spot for portrait pictures. We were driving in a tiny, narrow and lonely road in the middle of nowhere outside of Madrid, and suddenly a full flock of sheep crossed the road. That was perfect because they ran away to the hill in the perfect direction of the sunset. I asked for the couple to follow them and the photo came!”

Tim and Laura Sullivan (USA)

“Chip and Karyn had a lot they wanted to do for their wedding (ranging from Prince impersonators to multiple live bands), but in the end, they chose an in-town elopement with just their two kiddos and us. Tim officiated, Laura took the ceremony photos, and we spent the day gallivanting around some of the most gorgeous spots in Seattle (we even organized a private chef in an industrial loft for them, because going above and beyond for our clients is our favorite thing). This shot is from the deck of their unfinished condo during their ceremony. Our florist came in and covered the construction dust with the most gorgeous arrangements, almost like their own little Wonderland. Their daughters were crying, we were crying—oh man, was it all memorable.”

Marko Marinkovic (Croatia)

“My editing process aims to resemble the colors of the visual artists from the 16th and 17th century as they, among others, struck a foundation for all of us. Each of the paintings I visit for inspiration gives me insight on the thought process a painter must go through in order to recreate 3D light on a two-dimensional surface. From framing the scene on the square canvas to choosing the color palette, it stays pretty much the same in photography today. Spoiled by the digital era we often overshoot and undermine the thought process behind the images we create.”

The Hendrys (Scotland)

“This was one of the most heartfelt weddings we’ve captured to date. The sun was out—when it was forecasted to rain heavily—emotions were running high and the couple and their guests exuded happiness throughout the whole day. At that moment, we thought to ourselves, is this really our job?! And from then on, we knew it was what we wanted to continue doing for as long as we possibly could.”

Lucy Spartalis (Australia)

“Working with Paul and his groomsmen was like spending a day on the set of Monty Python. LOOK at those mustaches; socks; sexual poses. My partner Alastair and I were wiping tears away between every shot. At one point, someone did a handstand and someone else started posing provocatively on the floor. I could’ve just shot them as they already were, but with a little zhuzhing (I checked that spelling, by the way—what a word)—positioning Paul between the spread legs of the groomsman behind him, asking another gent to kneel on one knee to create a mid-level point of interest, etc—we created a more balanced and dynamic composition. I don’t like to pose people too heavily in most cases, but when you’re onto a good thing, a little directorial tweaking can really take things to the next level.”

Heather Liddell (New Zealand)

“Spring weddings are something special. Julia was greeted by an ecstatic Graham and a sun shower when she reached the top of the aisle. The beads of water caught the light and created the most amazing effect. I crouched low so I could create an angle to get in a little sun flare and to make sure that the rain drops would be highlighted against the dark hedge.”

Pablo Beglez (Spain)

“A few minutes after Paula got out of her room to go directly to the altar, she had a problem with the dress. The designer was there with us and had to take a needle and thread and sew the dress right there. Those were some minutes of stress, but it finally was great.”

Jacob Murphy (USA)

“It was toward the end of the night and the dance party was reaching a crescendo, but I couldn’t help but notice this perfect vignette of everyone’s shoes. I love when details can tell a strong story too. I used an indirect tunnel flash technique to make this photo more interesting.”

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Have Your Say: Best Gear of 2016

20 Dec

Have Your Say: Best Gear of 2016

For the past few weeks we’ve been running a series of polls to find out what you – our readers – think of the major product releases of 2016. For the first round of voting we made initial five polls covering lenses, compact cameras and interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs). Now that those polls have closed, we’re pleased to announce the winners.

In this slideshow we’re announcing the winners and runners-up in each category, and kicking off a final poll, to determine which of the ten individual poll winners from the first round should be crowned as your choice for overall best gear of 2016.

Best Prime lens – Runner-up: Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art

We’ve been waiting and hoping for Sigma to create an 85mm lens in its highly-regarded ‘Art’ lineup for some time, and 2016 saw that dream come true. Like all of the Art primes, the 85mm F1.4 is a stunning performer. We’ve heard Sigma representatives say that the Art series is the company’s ‘no compromise’ line, and the company certainly didn’t compromise with the new 85mm – it’s as big as a flower pot.

It might be a bit of a lump, but it’s beautifully constructed, and optical quality really is gorgeous. We love this 85mm for its sharpness, and the quality of its bokeh. Clearly it has impressed you, too. You voted this lens runner-up in our poll for best prime lens of 2016.

Best prime lens – winner: Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 105mm F1.4E

Winner of our readers’ poll for best prime lens of 2016 is another fast portrait lens, the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 105mm F1.4E. Like Sigma’s 85mm F1.4 Art, the Nikon 105mm F1.4 is a big, heavy lens, and it comes with a big, heavy pricetag. Optically though, we think it’s worth every penny. While armchair engineers, xenophobes, and those ignorant of modern lens design might balk at the polycarbonate exterior and ‘made in china’ label, as our friend Roger Cicala has proved, the 105mm F1.4 is a tough, well-built lens.

As far as its optics are concerned, the 105mm F1.4 represents the state of the art for fast short telephoto lens design. There’s no doubt that this lens is a relatively niche product, but with such stunning central sharpness between F2-4 and such beautiful bokeh, it’s among the best portrait lenses on the market. You voted the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 105mm F1.4E best prime lens of 2016.

Best zoom lens – runner-up: Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 Art

Sigma’s 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM Art provides a 75-150mm focal length range on the APS-C format DSLRs for which it’s designed, and – crucially – replicates the classic F2.8 (equivalent) continuous aperture that has been a traditional feature of high-end full-frame zooms.

Offering a fast maximum aperture and standard ‘Art’-series construction quality the 50-100mm is solid, heavy and luxuriously engineered. An ideal companion to high-end DSLRs like Canon’s EOS 7D Mark II and Nikon D500, you voted the Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 Art runner-up in our poll for best zoom lens of 2016.

Best zoom lens – winner: Olympus M.Zuiko 12?100mm F4 PRO

Olympus is ending 2016 with a bang, thanks to two major new releases. The OM-D E-M1 Mark II is an extraordinarily powerful, pro-grade mirrorless camera, and a new kit lens, the 12-100mm F4 has also impressed us – and you – greatly.

The M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro is a powerful carry-everywhere zoom lens. Combined with Olympus’ 5-axis IBIS in the new OM-D E-M1 II, it can offer up to 6.5 stops of image stabilization, which greatly expands the camera’s usefulness in marginal light, for both stills and video. As we’d expect for a lens in Olympus’s ‘PRO’ lineup, the 12-100mm is also splash-proof, dust-proof, and freeze-proof. We’ve been impressed by its versatility since we got our hands on a sample after Photokina, and clearly you agree.

Best high-end compact camera – Runner-up: Sony Cyber-shot RX10 III

The Sony Cyber-shot RX10 III is an expensive camera, no doubt about it, and one of the largest ‘compact’ cameras on the market. But it’s also one of the best performers. Despite boasting a fast 24-600mm (equivalent) zoom lens and a 1 inch sensor, the RX10 III produces images that beat or rival its competitors even at the very furthest ends of its zoom reach. Within a few days of shooting with it, DPReview’s staff were already talking about the RX10 III’s lens as ‘magic’, and however they managed it, Sony’s engineers should be congratulated on a significant optical achievement.

Of course it’s not all about the lens. The RX10 III also offers class-leading image quality in terms of resolution and high ISO image quality, and an impressive 4K video specification, plus the option to capture HD-quality high frame-rate footage. The RX10 might rival some DSLRs for size, but it beats them when it comes to a lot of other things.

Best high-end compact camera – Winner: Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V

As we’ve come to expect, Sony released a lot of cameras this year, and the Cyber-shot RX100 V clearly caught your attention. Although it’s not a major upgrade to the RX100 Mark IV, the new Mark V improves on its predecessor with a revamped autofocus system, which features 315 phase-detection AF points covering 65% of the frame. The other major addition is a significantly increased buffer, allowing for full-resolution 20MP capture at 24fps, with full AE and AF. This is effectively equal to shooting 5K 24p video footage, made up of up to 150 JPEGs, or ~60 Raw + JPEGs in a burst. Impressive stuff.

This kind of performance, plus an impressive 4K video specification make the RX100 V a real powerhouse. It’s one of our favorite compact cameras of 2016, and clearly a hit among our readers, too. You voted it your high-end compact camera of the year.

Best midrange ILC – Runner-up: Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85

The Panasonic G85 (G80 outside the US) has proven to be something of a sleeper hit, this year. Although not as flashy as Olympus’s 2016 M43 offerings, the G85 is one of the most powerful and capable cameras of its type on the market. The G85 uses the same sensor as its predecessor the G7, but without an AA filter. The 2.36M dot OLED electronic viewfinder is all new, and boasts increased magnification compared to the G7.

The camera also gains in-body 5-axis image stabilization and Dual I.S. 2 as well as weather and dust-sealing. It now uses an electromagnetic shutter and features a new in-camera focus-stacking mode. Like its predecessor it is 4K-capable, has built-in Wi-Fi and utilizes Panasonic’s Depth from Defocus AF.

The G85 has become one of our go-to cameras for tradeshows and press events thanks to its small size, reliably focus and high-quality 4K video mode. Clearly it has impressed you, too, taking the runner up spot in our readers’ poll for best midrange ILC.

Best midrange ILC – Winner: Sony a6300

The G85 had tough competition this year in the shape of the Sony a6300. With an APS-C sensor and compact form factor, the a6300 is one of the most powerful cameras of its type on the market. As far as image quality is concerned the a6300 (literally) punches above its weight, offering class-leading resolution and high ISO noise performance and superb 4K video footage. Fast continuous shooting performance and an advanced hybrid AF system round out an impressive feature set.

Since it was released, we’ve reached for the a6300 more and more, for ‘run and gun’ video, especially. And the a6300 impressed you enough to beat stiff competition and win our poll for best midrange ILC.

Best high-end / professional ILC – Runner-up: Fujifilm X-T2

The Fujifilm X-T2 is one of the most likable ILCs on the market. While the X-T1 was a lot of fun to use, it was in some respects (resolution, video and autofocus being the most obvious) a little behind its competition. The X-T2 fixes all that, without messing with the formula that made its predecessor such a great camera.

Fujifilm’s current 24MP APS-C sensor is capable of excellent still image quality, and while not class-leading, a revamped AF system makes the X-T2 more versatile than its predecessor. The X-T2 is Fujifilm’s first camera to offer 4K video capture, and footage compares very well to other 4K-enabled competitors, not to mention older X-series models, which were notoriously weak when it came to video. We weren’t surprised to see that you think highly of the X-T2, voting it runner-up in our readers’ poll for best high-end / professional ILC.

Best high-end / professional ILC – Winner: Nikon D500

It was a tight race in the high-end / professional ILC poll this year, but the Nikon D500 just pipped the X-T2 to the top position, by a whisker. The long-awaited successor to the D300S, the D500 is a stunning camera, and easily the most advanced APS-C DSLR that we’ve ever reviewed. Essentially the best bits of the flagship Nikon D5 but in a smaller, APS-C format body, the D500 is a powerhouse.

Capable of 10fps capture with an almost infinite buffer (when using an XQD card) the D500 is a superbly capable tool for wildlife and action photography, but is equally useful for travel, landscape work and portraiture. The D500’s 153-point autofocus system is almost uncanny in its ability to accurately track moving subjects, and the camera’s tough and weather-sealed body is designed to stand up to hard professional use.

Aside from its somewhat half-baked 4K video mode, the D500 is practically peerless in the APS market, and also compares very favorably against the best of its full-frame competitors. It topped your list of 2016’s high-end / professional ILCs, and a very worthy winner it is, too.

Have Your Say

You’ve seen the results from our five polls, so now’s the time to pick an overall winner. You can vote for up to three of the products in this poll, and voting closes at midnight (PT) on December 31st. We’ll announce the overall winner, and runner-up early in the new year.

Thanks for voting, and for contributing to DPReview over the past year. We couldn’t do any of this without you.

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Have your say

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Have Your Say: Best Product of 2016

Fujifilm X-T2

Nikon D500

Nikon AF-S 105mm F1.4E

Olympus M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85

Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art

Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 Art

Sony a6300

Sony Cyber-shot RX10 III

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V

Voting is easy – you pick your favorite products by dragging and dropping. You can pick up to three, and rank them in order of priority.

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Gear of the Year 2016 – Barney’s choice: Nikon D500

19 Dec

From almost the minute it was announced, somewhat incongruously, at the Consumer Electronics Show in January (well, it does have a touchscreen, I suppose), the Nikon D500 looked like it was going to be a hit with DPReview’s readers. After so many years we had almost lost hope that Nikon would replace the D300S, which soldiered on well into its dotage, and well beyond the point where it was able to keep up with the likes of Canon’s EOS 7D II.

But replace it Nikon did, and in impressive fashion. I won’t waste your time listing specifications (you can find all of that here) in this article, but suffice to say it’s unlikely that the D500 will look outdated any time soon.

The D500 boasts a 153-point AF system, of which 55 can be manually selected. But it doesn’t just boast a lot of autofocus points, it also offers them across most of the width of the frame.

Despite its obvious appeal, I was a little hesitant to make the D500 my choice for Gear of the Year because of all the people on the DPReview team, I’ve probably used it for the least amount of time. But my experience of shooting with it for our September Field Test, with National Geographic photographer, friend to the wolves and all-round man-crush Ronan Donovan was a definite highlight of 2016.

Most of our video shoots are organized far in advance, and planned almost down to the last detail. Camera features are carefully aligned with shooting situations, locations are scouted ahead of time, and the shoot proceeds predictably, and more or less according to plan.

Most Field Tests are like that, but some are not. The D500 shoot was not.

A combination of factors including limited availability of D500 bodies, limited availability of Ronan, an already packed pre-Photokina schedule, the vicissitudes of rural Montana’s postal system some inconveniently-positioned wildfires meant that we weren’t able to plan the shoot quite as carefully as we might have liked.

A Tight Timeframe

In fact, we ended up with a mere 24-hour window of time in which to work with Ronan, filming at a remote wildlife reserve in Montana, more than 10 hours’ drive away from DPReview’s home base of Seattle. The cameras only showed up a couple of days before we were due to head to the reserve, so it was essential that D500s didn’t fail or present any major surprises on location. If that had happened, there wouldn’t have been enough time to troubleshoot.

The broad width of the D500’s autofocus coverage, and its impressive 3D AF Tracking mode combine to offer unparalleled accuracy when it comes to tracking subjects around the frame. Even flying against a similarly-colored, cluttered background, the D500 had no trouble accurately tracking birds of prey on the Montana video shoot.

For instance, had the D500 been susceptible to dust or high temperatures, or had it simply presented too steep a learning curve for Ronan and me to pick up and use more or less straight out of the box, we would have been in trouble. Similarly, if it had been incapable of focusing on the fast-moving birds we were pinning our hopes on capturing, or if its autofocus system gave out in low light, we might have been forced to scrub the shoot for lack of coverage.

That’s the gear, but the concept itself also presented some risk. When you center a video shoot around wildlife photography, it’s a good idea to build some extra time into the schedule as insurance against the unexpected. With such a tight window, multiple extra shoot days weren’t an option. Things were further complicated by wildfire haze and a 30mph wind on the day of our shoot, which threatened to reduce both air quality and audio quality, as well as keep the birds we were hoping to photograph on the ground or tucked away in the branches of trees.

Ominously, a frequent visitor to the reserve told me when we arrived that he had seen fewer birds during his vacation this year than any previous year he could remember. Gulp.

This image is one of a sequence taken after dark. Even in such low light, the D500 accurately tracked these swans landing on a lake, and at ISO 258,032 the images are grainy, but after careful processing they still contain plenty of detail and natural color.

Fortunately despite the wind and the haze, we did find some birds, and although the wind blew out a lot of our audio, we still managed to record plenty of usable sound. Ronan was great on camera and quickly got to grips with the D500, and the D500 itself shrugged off the dust and heat and did everything that we asked of it. And we asked a lot.

In a 24-hour shoot we baked our three D500s in the sun, froze them overnight taking time-lapse shots of the stars, covered them in dust, and repeatedly asked them to focus track small, distant birds at long focal lengths. Even more challenging was shooting after dark, when we attempted 10 fps AF tracking bursts of trumpeter swans flying at night, and grabbed unplanned images of an owl, lit only by the headlamps of our truck.

Sharp Focus

The reason we were able to get all of those images with relatively little trial and error is that the D500’s autofocus system seems to have been sent from the future by benevolent aliens, whose mission – apparently – is to help us take better photographs.

In 3D AF tracking mode, the camera managed to accurately follow our small, erratic subjects around the frame, even in very low light. When 3D AF tracking didn’t work so well, one of the several other autofocus modes invariably delivered the results we needed. Group Area AF, for instance, proved especially useful for the smaller birds.

The D500’s 1.5X crop turns a 500mm lens into an effective 750mm. This is very handy when shooting skittish birds like this hawk.

Once we’d wrapped the shoot and Ronan had left, I spent a couple of hours the next day on my own, getting some additional images in the bag before we left the wildlife reserve. With the film crew otherwise occupied, I posted up near a fence where we’d seen hawks the previous day, and waited to see if they’d come back. They did, and I spent a pleasant couple of hours shooting them wheeling around the sky, with the D500 accurately tracking them around the frame even as they moved in front and behind of low trees and bushes.

If you make the mistake of getting too close to one of these birds of prey, you might end up regretting it. This image is one of a sequence of shots which show a juvenile hawk diving at me, at a closing speed of roughly 100mph. This image shows the bird starting to open his wings to pull out of the dive a few feet above my head.

Less pleasant was a diving attack from one of the juveniles, which dropped on me from a hundred feet or so, folding its wings and coming straight for the camera, like a beaked dart. I fired off a few shots before losing my nerve but remarkably, despite the incredible closing speed of the bird and my shaking hands, the D500 nailed several sharp images of the hawk before it pulled out of the dive at close to 100mph, a few feet about my head. I took the hint and moved on.

I headed to a small lake and shot an unbroken sequence of images of a pelican taking off and circling around the lake. With an XQD card installed, the D500 can maintain its 10 fps continuous shooting rate almost indefinitely, while maintaining accurate focus the entire time. I like pelicans. They’re very sedate. Less… attacky.

Although there are higher-resolution cameras on the market, 20MP is enough resolution for high-quality landscape imaging. Raw files from the D500 also offer a wide latitude for post-capture adjustment.

With these sequences, plus Ronan’s shots from the previous day, we knew we had enough images to really show the D500 at its best. Despite the challenging shooting conditions, the D500 did everything we asked of it, and more. After more than ten years writing about digital cameras, I’m not easily seduced by impressive-sounding specifications or fancy new features. I knew the D500 was good before the Montana video shoot, but I didn’t know how good. That experience impressed me enough to make the Nikon D500 my pick for Gear of the Year 2016.

Nikon D500 real-world samples

Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter / magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review), we do so in good faith, please don’t abuse it.

Unless otherwise noted images taken with no particular settings at full resolution. Because our review images are now hosted on the ‘galleries’ section of dpreview.com, you can enjoy all of the new galleries functionality when browsing these samples.

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