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What you need to know before buying your first lens

27 Jun

Updated June 2021

A camera is nothing without a lens, and while the bundled ‘kit’ lenses sold with many interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs) are good enough to get started, they’re quite limiting. If you want to explore the full potential of your camera – and your own creativity – you should consider adding another lens or two to your collection. But with a bewildering variety of lenses out there, how do you know which ones are right for you?

In this guide we’ll lead you step-by-step through the process of understanding the different kinds of lenses available, and choosing the right one for your needs.

Lenses and sensors

Lenses themselves know nothing of the sensor mounted behind them, but different sized sensors change the visual impact of the lens (specifically the focal length and aperture) on the final image.

Among interchangeable lens cameras today there are three commonly-used sensor sizes: Four Thirds, APS-C and full-frame. The examples given in the rest of this article are lenses designed for full-frame bodies but we’ll also discuss what impact sensor size will have.

How are lenses named?

Looking at the lens pages on manufacturers’ websites can be a little intimidating for a budding photographer. Lens names often include long lists of letters and numbers, which certainly sound impressive but can also be thoroughly confusing. Luckily you can safely ignore most of them to start off with, and concentrate mainly on just a few factors:

  • Focal length – this defines how wide or zoomed-in a view the lens provides
  • Aperture – expressed as ‘F’ or ‘f/’ this describes how much light the lens can gather and its ability to blur the image background
  • Image Stabilization – some lenses include optical stabilization units to counteract the blurring effects of hand shake
  • Format – describes the sensor size the lens is designed to work with
  • Lens mount – determines whether the lens will physically fit your camera

We’ll look into each of these in more detail below.

Focal length

The first number used to describe a lens is its focal length; in combination with the camera’s sensor size, this defines the angle of view covered by the lens, with smaller ‘mm’ numbers indicating a wider angle or more ‘zoomed out’ view. Zoom lenses are named using two numbers which indicate the extremes of the range, for example 24-70mm for a typical kit zoom lens. Fixed focal length lenses which don’t zoom (also known as ‘prime’ lenses) just have a single number (e.g. 50mm).

Here, we can see this lens’ key specifications expressed in terms of its focal length span (‘zoom range’) which is 18-35mm, and its minimum aperture range, which is F3.5 at 18mm, and F4.5 at 35mm.

The image below shows how the angle of view varies with focal length. In this instance it shows the effect of these lenses mounted on a full-frame camera. The same focal length lenses, mounted on a smaller, APS-C sensor would give a narrower, more cropped-in angle of view, and an even narrower coverage if mounted on a Micro Four Thirds format camera.

The effect is as is as though you’ve ‘zoomed’ the lens, but instead you’ve only magnified a smaller portion of its projected image. As a result, the focal lengths that are useful on one sensor format will differ from those that you’d use for the same purpose on another sensor.

Illustration showing the coverage given by a series of popular focal lengths. These are shown for a full-frame sensor; each would cover a smaller area if used with an APS-C or Four Thirds sensor.
Lens type
35mm ‘full-frame’
APS-C / DX Four Thirds
Ultra wide angle 24mm and wider 16mm and wider 12mm and wider
Wide angle 28mm 18mm 14mm
Standard (Normal) 50mm 30mm 25mm
Telephoto 80mm and longer 55mm and longer 42mm and longer

For the sake of convenient comparison, lenses are often referred to by their ’35mm equivalent’ focal length; for example a 18-55mm kit lens for APS-C may be described as a 28-90mm equivalent. This means simply that an 18-55mm lens on an APS-C format camera covers the same angle of view as a 28-90mm lens does on a full-frame camera.

Aperture

The aperture specification of a lens describes how much light it is capable of gathering. Aperture simply means ‘hole’; in this context, the hole that lets light pass through the lens and onto your camera’s sensor.

Lens apertures can be expressed in several different ways, with F4, f/4, 1:4 all meaning the same thing. Confusingly, a smaller number means the lens has a larger maximum aperture – a bigger hole – and therefore can gather more light; an F2.8 lens collects twice as much light as an F4, for example.

‘Whole stop’ Aperture values
F1.4 F2.0 F2.8 F4.0 F5.6 F8.0 F11 F16

This table lists the common aperture values that are one ‘stop’ apart: each value lets in twice as much light as the one to its right.

A lens with a larger maximum aperture allows you to shoot in lower light, and (for example) take pictures indoors without using flash. Wide apertures also give decreased depth of field (i.e. how much of the picture in front of and behind the focus point appears sharp), which is an important aspect of creative photography.

Longer lenses give less depth of field for the same aperture, when focused at the same distance. And, because you need a shorter focal length to get the same image framing on an APS-C or Micro Four Thirds camera, you’d need a larger aperture if you want to achieve the shallow depth of field you’d get on a full-frame camera.

A large aperture such as F1.4 gives a shallow depth of field, blurring backgrounds and foregrounds to isolate a subject in a picture. The 24mm F1.4 used to take this picture also allows you to shoot indoors in low light without having to resort to flash.

It’s worth noting that lenses are usually described by their maximum aperture value. When you see an aperture range written on the side of a lens (e.g. F3.5-5.6), those are the maximum aperture values at the wide and long ends of its zoom range, respectively. You can usually reduce the size of the aperture if you need more of your image to be in focus.

Image stabilization

Image stabilization increases the amount of sharp images you get by correcting vibration caused (usually) by natural hand-shake when shooting without a tripod.

In-body stabilization (where the camera’s sensor moves to counteract accidental movement) is increasingly common, but many lenses offer their own stabilization mechanisms to compensate for shake. In-lens stabilization is especially effective when using long telephoto lenses, where in-body stabilization is generally not as effective. Many cameras can use in-lens stabilization in conjunction with their in-body systems, to provide a greater degree of correction.

Image stabilization systems reduce the blur caused by camera shake, allowing sharp pictures to be taken even in low light, at long focal lengths or at high magnifications.

If you own a camera that doesn’t have stabilization built into the body, you’ll probably want to consider buying stabilized lenses, especially when it comes to telephotos.

The various lens manufacturers all call lens-based optical image stabilization by different names, with corresponding initials in the lens names, so here’s what you need to look out for when buying:

  • Canon – Image Stabilization (IS)
  • Fujifilm and PanasonicOptical Image Stabilization (OIS)
  • Nikon – Vibration Reduction (VR)
  • Sony – Optical Steady Shot (OSS)
  • Sigma – Optical Stabilization (OS)
  • Tamron – Vibration Control (VC)

Format coverage

Having said that sensor format has a significant impact on the way lenses behave, it’s also worth considering that some lenses only work on certain sensor formats. In several instances, camera makers use the same mount for their APS-C and full-frame cameras. In most of these situations, full-frame lenses will work on the smaller APS-C models, but APS-C lenses end up restricting full-frame cameras to a cropped APS-C mode.

Some photographers start with an APS-C camera and then buy full-frame compatible lenses for it, to lower the amount of money they have to spend if they later buy a full-frame camera that uses the same mount. In general, we’d advise buying lenses that suit your needs now, rather than ones that may better suit a camera you don’t yet own.

Lens mounts

Each camera maker uses its own proprietary lens mount, meaning that lenses can’t be swapped across brands; a Canon lens won’t fit on a Nikon body, for example, and you’ll cause damage to both lens and camera if you try. The two exceptions are Micro Four Thirds, which was developed jointly by Panasonic and Olympus, and L-mount, a full-frame collaboration between Leica, Panasonic and Sigma.

Most companies are now focusing their efforts on their Mirrorless camera mounts, so this is where the newest and most advanced lenses are emerging. Many DSLR-mount lenses can be adapted to work on the mirrorless cameras made by the same brand (older designs are less likely to offer a full range of functions) but lenses for mirrorless cameras cannot be used on DSLRs.

Mount Mount type Sensor formats Notes
Canon EF DSLR

• Full-frame

EF-S DSLR

• APS-C

Canon EF-S lenses cannot be mounted on full-frame DSLRs but other brands’ EF-mount APS-C lenses can.
EF-M Mirrorless

• APS-C

EF and EF-S lenses can be adapted to work on EF-M cameras
RF Mirrorless

• Full-frame

Most EF-mount lenses work well on RF mount via an EF/RF adapter.
Four Thirds
• Olympus
• Panasonic
Micro Four Thirds Mirrorless • Four Thirds
Fujifilm X Mirrorless • APS-C
L-Mount Alliance
• Leica
• Panasonic
• Sigma
L Mirrorless

• Full-frame
• APS-C (TL)

Only Leica has made TL-mount (APS-C) cameras and lenses.
Nikon F DSLR

• Full-frame
• APS-C (DX)

F-mount was modernized over many decades but only relatively modern ‘AF-S’ designs offer AF when adapted onto Z-mount cameras
Z Mirrorless

• Full-frame
• APS-C (DX)

Pentax K DSLR

• Full-frame (FA)
• APS-C (DA)

As with Nikon, there are variants of the K mount, but most lenses work with the latest DSLRs
Sony E Mirrorless

• Full-frame (FE)
• APS-C (E)

Other lens makers use ‘E’ for both APS-C and full-frame lenses, so it’s worth checking which format they cover

A number of third party manufacturers, including Tamron, Tokina and Sigma make lenses for other makers’ lens mounts, with the older DSLR mounts benefiting from the widest support. Sony allows some third-parties to make lenses for its mirrorless E-mount system but Nikon and Canon have, so far, been protective of their new Z and RF mounts, meaning there are fewer third-party options available.

Zoom vs. Prime

Zoom lenses have become almost ubiquitous over the past few years, and at first sight buying a lens which is restricted to a single angle of view might seem pointless. But prime lenses still have some very real advantages; compared to zooms they tend to be smaller and lighter, have faster maximum apertures, and give sharper, cleaner images. These factors make them extremely useful for specific purposes, for example low light shooting or blurred-background portraiture where a large maximum aperture is advantageous.

Almost counterintuitively, the restrictive nature of using a single focal length can encourage creativity by forcing you to visualize your composition before you shoot. Shooting with primes forces you to think more about what you want to include and exclude from your photo and also makes you consider where you’re standing, and the impact this has on perspective in your image. For instance, a long focal length, shot from a distance can compress your subject and the background, whereas a wide-angle lens placed near your subject will exaggerate the distance between it and the surroundings.

Fixed focal length ‘prime’ lenses are often much smaller and lighter than zooms covering the same angle of view. This is Nikon’s Z-mount 35mm F1.8 lens alongside its standard 24-70mm F2.8 zoom – the size advantage is obvious.

Some popular lens types

Standard zoom

A standard zoom is a general-purpose lens that covers a range of focal lengths from wide-angle to moderate telephoto. The most obvious example is the kit lens that came with your camera (generally something like an 18-50mm for APS-C or a 24-70mm for full-frame). It offers versatility but can become limiting when you find yourself wanting to get more creative. The kit lens can be upgraded to an optic with more range or a faster F2.8 maximum aperture, with better optical performance, like the Canon RF 24-70mm shown F2.8 below.

Most manufacturers offer general-purpose upgrades to their kit lenses with expanded zoom ranges suitable for a wide range of subjects, such as this Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8.

Telephoto zoom

Often the second lens that photographers buy, a telephoto zoom effectively allows you to ‘get closer’ to your subject by enlarging it within the frame. It’s therefore useful for photographing such things as sports, wildlife, distant nature scenes, or children running around playing. By narrowing your field of view, a long lens can have the effect of compressing your subject and background, often making it appear as though the background is magnified and closer to your subject.

Telephoto zooms such as this Nikon Z 70-200mm F2.8 S allow you to zoom in on your subjects and compress them against the background.

Superzoom

Superzooms are all-in-one lenses which cover a full range of focal lengths from a moderate wide-angle to long telephoto. In one package they combine the range of the kit zoom that came with the camera, plus that of a telephoto zoom, and therefore make perfect general purpose travel lenses. The technical image quality is often not quite as good as two separate lenses, and the maximum aperture tends to be small (a higher F-number), meaning worse low light performance and less ability to achieve shallow depth of field. However, for many users this is more than made up for by their convenience.

Superzoom lenses such as the Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD encompass a wide range focal lengths from wide-angle to telephoto, in a relatively compact single lens.

Wide-angle zoom

A wide-angle zoom extends the angle of view out beyond that captured with the standard zoom, allowing you to capture broad sweeping vistas or architectural wonders. It’s therefore a popular choice for landscapes, cityscapes, architecture, interior shots, and night- and astro-photography.

Wide zooms such as the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 pictured here let you fit more in the frame.

Macro lens

‘Macro’ is used to describe a lens with extreme close-focusing ability, which allows you to take photographs of small objects such as insects or flowers. Some zoom lenses use ‘macro’ in their name to indicate closer-than-usual focusing ability, but true macro lenses tend to have fixed focal lengths. In general, the longer the focal length, the further away you can be from your subject. (Nikon calls these lenses ‘Micro’ or ‘MC’ lenses instead, which is technically more accurate.)

Macro lenses like the Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG DN Macro allow you to shoot closeups in fine detail.

Fast prime lens

Fast prime lenses come in all focal lengths, from wide angle to ultra-telephoto, but what they share in common is the ability to capture a lot of light, blur backgrounds and offer high optical quality.

We’ve traditionally found 35mm (or the equivalent 23mm or 17mm on APS-C or Four Third sensors) to be a pretty good do-everything focal length, in terms of not being too wide or too zoomed-in. An F1.8 maximum aperture can give shallow depth of field and lets you work in low light without the need for flash, while remaining compact and lightweight. Wider-angle and longer focal length primes are also available, as are lenses with even faster maximum apertures (F1.4 and brighter) that typically offer higher quality optics, let you work in lower light and give even shallower depth-of-field to help isolate your subject.

A ‘fast’ prime, such as this Canon 35mm F1.8, can let you shoot in low light without flash, while isolating your subject against a blurred background. They are also typically smaller than zoom lenses.

Other lens features

There are a few other aspects of build and operation which you may wish to consider when buying a lens:

Autofocus

Autofocus performance can vary significantly between lenses, and autofocus performance can make a huge difference between capturing the perfect moment at a sports event or social occasion and having a frustrating photographic experience.

Mirrorless camera systems are still relatively new, and there’s a subtle interplay of optical design and focus motor that effects performance. For instance the ring-type ultrasonic motors that were great for focusing on DSLRs aren’t as well suited to focusing on mirrorless cameras, particularly for the smooth, subtle movements required for video autofocus. As such, it’s difficult to make generalizations, so it’s worth checking reviews of the lens you’re planning to buy.

Electronic manual focus (‘focus by wire’)

Many modern lenses have no physical connection between the focus ring and the focusing lens elements, as was the case in older SLR and DSLR lenses. Many cameras use this to provide speed-sensitive manual focus, where a quick turn of the focus ring results in a bigger focus jump than a slow movement. This lets you jump quickly to the part of the focus range you want, but can be awkward if you’re trying to manual focus while shooting video.

To get round this, some cameras offer a ‘linear’ focus response mode, where the focus always moves by the same amount in response to how much you turn the focus ring: letting you practice and anticipate the amount by which you need to turn the ring.

Manual focus lenses

Although modern autofocus is excellent, there is still a huge number of manual focus lenses on the market. These include designs optimized for shooting video and traditional, high-quality designs, through to unusual, specialist lenses that would be near-impossible to make autofocus along with the creations of small companies without the experience (or access to lens mount protocols) to manufacture AF lenses.

Ultra-wide angle lenses, tilt-shift lenses and some very expensive lenses designed to be mechanically simple but optically excellent are out there, and are worth considering.

Build quality and weather sealing

Premium lenses often include weather sealing. This can extend from an o-ring around the mount through to a series of seals at every joint, as with this Panasonic lens.

As a general rule, the more expensive a lens is, the better built it is likely to be. The kit lenses that come with cameras tend to rather lightweight and plastic in construction. If you spend a bit more, you can get something more durable. Some lenses incorporate environmental seals against dust and water; in general this tends to be towards the top end of the price spectrum, but Pentax and Olympus in particular offer a decent range of mid-priced sealed lenses.

System addict…

One last word. When choosing a camera system to invest in, it’s important to appreciate that the lens has just as great an impact on the image quality as the camera. Lenses tend to last longer than cameras too, becoming obsolete less quickly than bodies, so it can be worth spending a little bit extra to get the quality or flexibility you really want. But, while DSLR systems are much more extensive, most new lens development is focused on Mirrorless cameras, so these may prove more future-proof.

Bear in mind that most mirrorless lens systems are still only a few years old, so they may be missing the type of lens you want, for now. That said, the system with most options isn’t inherently any better than a smaller system that includes all the lenses you need.

Even if you don’t have a very specific application that needs specialized lenses (or other accessories) in mind, it’s worth doing some research before committing to one system or another. Oh, and once bitten by the lens buying bug, many enthusiasts find it hard to stop; you have been warned…

Glossary

Angle of view – Describe the view offered by a lens, measured as the angle between the furthest extremes of the lens’s coverage. If this is confusing, imagine the view in front of you as a semicircle of 180 degrees: a ‘wide-angle’ lens can see a bigger segment of the semicircle than a ‘long’ (telephoto) one.

Depth of field – This describes how much of the scene in front and behind the point of focus appears acceptably sharp. An image with shallow depth of field leaves the background (and foreground) appearing blurry and out-of-focus. An image with deep depth of field contains a greater amount (depth) of sharp detail.

Fast / slow lens – An informal way of describing a lens’ aperture in terms of its relation to exposure time. ‘Fast’ lenses have large maximum apertures (low F-numbers), which allow the use of shorter, ‘faster’ shutter speeds. ‘Slow’ lenses have smaller maximum apertures, and typically require longer, ‘slower’ shutter speeds.

Focal length – Expressed in millimeters, focal length describes the angle of view of a lens. Telephoto lenses have a long focal length, and wide-angle lenses have a short focal length. The longer the focal length, the narrower the angle of view and the more zoomed-in it appears.

Long / wide lens – A way of describing the field of view offered by a lens. Long lenses are more zoomed-in, while wide lenses are zoomed-out and capture a wider angle of view.

Micro Four Thirds – A mirrorless system founded by Panasonic and Olympus, based around a 17.3 x 13mm sensor (224 sqmm) format known as Four Thirds. The system allows some very compact camera/lens packages, particularly for very long telephoto lenses. This system includes some high-end video cameras.

APS-C – A common sensor format used by interchangeable lens camera manufacturers. APS-C format sensors measure around 24 x 15mm (~360 sqmm), and this format offers a balance of image quality, size and price in between Four Thirds and ‘full-frame.’

Full-frame – A sensor format the same size as a frame of 35mm film – the dominant film format of the 20th and early 21st Centuries. Measures 36 x 24mm (864 sqmm), giving a significant image quality benefit compared to smaller formats, but resulting in larger, more expensive camera/lens combinations. Despite the name, sensor larger formats do exist, in sizes known collectively as ‘medium format’.

Prime lens – A lens with a fixed focal length, which cannot zoom in or out. A technical term not to be confused with Amazon Prime.

Zoom lens – A lens whose field of view (described in terms of focal length) can be adjusted, allowing you to zoom-in or out on a subject, to achieve a different composition without changing your position.

35mm / full-frame equivalent – A way of understanding the characteristics of a lens when used on a non-full-frame camera by relating it to the 35mm film format that’s familiar to many photographers. Most commonly used in reference to focal length: e.g a 28mm lens on an APS-C camera is equivalent to a 42mm lens on a full-frame camera.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The Sony a6900 Will Debut Before the Month Is Out: Here’s What We Know

15 May

The post The Sony a6900 Will Debut Before the Month Is Out: Here’s What We Know appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Sony a6900 to debut before the month is out

For weeks, SonyAlphaRumors has been dropping information regarding the so-called Sony a6900, which will debut in “late May” as an a6600 successor. 

While the “a6900” moniker is not yet confirmed, a “trusted” SonyAlphaRumors source has said that the new camera “will not be named ‘a6700,’” with another SAR source offering the a6900 label.

So what do we know about this new a6900?

SonyAlphaRumors confidently states that the a6900 will replace the a6600, but will feature an APS-C sensor and a body similar to the full-frame a7C. It will “be branded as [a] ‘vlogger’ camera,” which suggests several blogging-friendly specs: a fully articulating screen, for one, but also impressive video capabilities (at least 4K/30p plus mic/headphone jacks) and a compact design.

Sony a6900 release
The Sony a6900 will look much like the compact a7C.

Indeed, various rumors suggest that the a6900 will feature 4K/60p video, a notable upgrade over the 4K/30p offered by the a6600. Interestingly, rumors also point to a new high-resolution sensor – several SonyAlphaRumors sources have suggested 32 MP – in a surprising break from Sony’s string of 24 MP APS-C models. 

Here are additional specs suggested by (unconfirmed) SAR sources:

  • Improved rolling shutter performance
  • 20 frames-per-second continuous shooting
  • 2.36M-dot EVF
  • The “same tilt screen” as the a7C
  • Upgraded in-body image stabilization (compared to the a7C)
  • A7C-like price ($ 1798 USD)

Most of these items seem pretty standard and don’t offer any major improvements over the a6600. The exception is the 20 fps continuous shooting rate, and I’ll admit that I’m skeptical; after all, it’s a feature matched only by Sony’s highest-level full-frame models and is wholly unnecessary for vloggers.

Of course, you can also expect Sony’s standard autofocusing capabilities, including its vaunted Real-time Eye AF, plus outstanding subject tracking and generally speedy focusing, all of which will appeal to vloggers and still shooters alike.

So be sure to keep an eye out for further Sony a6900 news, especially if you’re interested in a compact, vlogging-focused camera; we should get an official release before the month is out.

Now over to you:

What do you think of the Sony a6900? If the rumored specifications are right, would you be interested? Are there any key features that the camera is missing? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post The Sony a6900 Will Debut Before the Month Is Out: Here’s What We Know appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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Is it Time to go Full Frame? Weigh These Pros and Cons Before You Decide

08 Feb

The post Is it Time to go Full Frame? Weigh These Pros and Cons Before You Decide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Bruce Wunderlich.

Is it time to go full frame?

Has anyone ever said to you, “That’s a nice photo; you must have an expensive camera”?

According to photography legend Ansel Adams, “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!”

Your camera is simply a tool, one that you use to create your vision of the scene in front of you. A camera can only do what you tell it to, so it’s not going to capture that “nice photo” all by itself.

But what if a camera doesn’t perform up to your expectations? Then it may be time for an upgrade – from APS-C to full frame.

Full frame photo of a forest at sunset
Captured at ISO 6400 on a full-frame Nikon D750, this image shows great tonal range with acceptable noise levels.

I recently made the jump from a crop sensor camera to a full-frame body (a Nikon D750, used in all the images below). For this article, I am not going to get into a technical discussion about the differences between a crop sensor camera and a full-frame camera.

Instead, I want to talk about if and when upgrading to a full-frame camera is desirable, especially if you’re on the fence about purchasing a full-frame body.

Now let’s discuss some important full-frame pros and cons:

Advantages of full frame

  • Enhanced low-light performance: The larger sensor of a full-frame camera has bigger pixels, which create less digital noise at higher ISOs. In most cases, you will get a one- or two-stop improvement in high-ISO noise over crop sensor cameras, which allows you to shoot with faster shutter speeds in low light.
  • More control over depth of field: This is a commonly misunderstood benefit of full-frame cameras, because the larger sensor does not really affect the depth of field of an image. However, with the larger sensor of a full-frame camera, you can move closer to the subject while using an equivalent focal length, and this causes the depth of field to become narrower. Ultimately, you get smoother background bokeh.
  • Improved dynamic range and color depth: A full-frame sensor can record more tonal range within shadows and highlights. Detail and color are much improved at both ends of the spectrum.

Disadvantages of full frame

Great Blue Heron in flight
This heron in flight was captured at a high ISO to achieve the fast shutter speed needed to get a sharp wildlife image.
  • Expense: Not only is the cost of a full-frame DSLR or mirrorless camera higher than crop sensor alternatives, but you may also need to invest in full-frame lenses.
  • Size and weight: The overall size and weight of full-frame cameras is greater than their crop sensor counterparts. Full-frame lenses are also larger and heavier. This may not matter to many photographers, but if you frequently carry gear for long distances, it could be a factor to consider.
  • No crop factor: The telephoto reach of a full-frame camera is lessened by not having a crop sensor. A 200mm lens on a full-frame camera reaches to 200mm; a 200mm lens on a 1.5x crop sensor camera reaches to 300mm.

If you’ve made it this far and you still like the sound of a full-frame camera, it’s time to ask yourself a few key questions:

How much will it cost?

As mentioned above, the cost of buying a full-frame camera is significantly more expensive than a crop sensor one, plus you’ll likely need to purchase new lenses. There isn’t much use in changing to full frame if you are not going to use high-quality lenses designed for full-frame cameras. So if you plan to make the jump to full frame, you may want to begin by upgrading your lenses to those compatible with full-frame cameras.

What type of photography do you enjoy shooting?

Boys sitting by a waterfall
Choosing a smaller aperture of f/22 produced enough depth of field to keep both the boys and the waterfalls in focus when using my full-frame Nikon D750.

Full-frame sensors offer advantages and disadvantages for different types of photography.

  • Landscape: Enhanced low-light performance and more detail are both key advantages of full-frame cameras for landscape photography. The only possible drawback here is the effectively shallower depth of field, but this can be compensated for by using a smaller f-stop.
  • Portraits: The larger size of a full-frame sensor will result in a shallower depth of field. For portraiture, this means the backgrounds can feature more blur and make the subjects stand out better.
  • Wildlife: A full-frame camera loses the telephoto reach that a crop sensor camera offers. Nevertheless, a lot of wildlife photography is shot in low-light situations, where a full-frame sensor gives a significant advantage.
  • Sports: As with wildlife photography, high-ISO capabilities are helpful for sports photography. However, the loss of increased reach may be a problem.

To summarize:

If you are a portrait or landscape shooter, there are many reasons to switch to full frame. But if you’re a sports or wildlife shooter, you’ll need to consider more carefully.

Architecture at sunset
This scene was captured at 24mm on a full-frame Nikon D750. The white line shows how much of this image would be captured on a crop sensor camera from the same shooting location.
Bald Eagles in a nest
This image was captured at 600mm with a full-frame camera. The white line shows the reach advantage that a crop sensor camera would provide. Still, capturing this image in low-light conditions with an ISO of 2000 is possible thanks to my full-frame sensor.

Is your current camera holding you back?

Every camera has a limited number of shutter releases, so if your camera is nearing the end of its life cycle, it might be time to consider an upgrade. If your older crop sensor model is limiting your results in low light, and you are constantly frustrated by high levels of noise, you might benefit from an upgrade to full frame.

However, keep in mind that it’s convenient to blame a camera for taking poor images, but it may not be the camera that’s holding you back.

Many times, photographers don’t get the results they expect from high-end equipment simply because they struggle with more fundamental techniques. No matter what type of camera you shoot with, get to know it and how all of its features work before moving on to a different one.

Cityscape at sunset
This cityscape was captured with a full-frame camera in low light by increasing the ISO.

What is your level of photography experience?

A full-frame camera is probably not the best option for beginners.

So if you are a beginner, I’d recommend starting with an entry-level camera and working up to a full-frame model. In fact, if you are looking for a camera to take photos of family and friends, a crop-sensor model is a great choice.

Having a good handle on the exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) and how its key components work together is essential if you’re going to take advantage of a full-frame sensor. You must also be comfortable shooting in Manual mode.

Do you make large prints?

A full-frame sensor has larger pixels, which will capture more light – and this results in high-quality large prints. If you never make any prints larger than 8×10″, then a full-frame model won’t help you much here.

Bare trees at sunrise
Captured with a full-frame Nikon D750, this sunrise image reveals a nice range of tones, without any of the digital noise in the shadows that is likely to be present with some crop-sensor cameras.

Will purchasing a full-frame camera make you a better photographer?

You may have heard this quote, “Skill in photography is acquired by practice, not by purchase.”

Do you need a full-frame camera to capture great images? No, of course not! Most new crop sensor cameras on the market today are engineered to take beautiful images!

But if you’re an experienced photographer, you may benefit from switching to full frame.

The bottom line

If you are thinking of upgrading from a crop sensor camera, be sure to consider the price, lens compatibility, and type of photography you do before you make the change to full frame. Jumping to a larger sensor can be intense – but if you’re ready for that big step, the results are often rewarding.

Now tell me:

Are you ready to go full frame? Please leave your answer in the comments below!

The post Is it Time to go Full Frame? Weigh These Pros and Cons Before You Decide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Bruce Wunderlich.


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Nikon Will Offer 27 Z Mount Lenses Before 2022 Is Out

23 Nov

The post Nikon Will Offer 27 Z Mount Lenses Before 2022 Is Out appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Nikon Z mount lenses

Nikon’s Z lens roadmap has expanded substantially over the past two years – and the company’s most recent roadmap update promises a total of 27 Z-mount lenses before the close of 2022.

It’s a clear sign that Nikon is devoted to their mirrorless system, which debuted just over two years ago with the Nikon Z7 but has remained limited in both camera and lens selection. But while a complete set of lenses is a long way off, it’s nice to know that Nikon is willing to dig in and create a mirrorless lineup that will eventually compete with the current heavy hitters.

So what lenses can you expect from Nikon over the next couple of years?

The existing set of Z mount lenses already offers a lot of the basics (note that this includes lenses coming out over the next couple of months):

  • A handful of fast primes and zooms for professional and amateur portrait shooters, including the 50mm f/1.2, the 35mm f/1.8, and the 24-70mm f/2.8
  • A few cheaper zooms, such as the 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3, the 24-200mm f/4-6.3, and the 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3
  • Some excellent glass for landscape photographers, including a 24-70mm f/4, a 70-200mm f/2.8, and a 14-24mm f/2.8

However, despite a core set of strong Z mount options, Nikon has failed to offer a few “standards,” including a faster 85mm lens (e.g., an 85mm f/1.4), as well as a 70-200mm f/4 (for hobbyist landscape photographers, among others). The Z-mount lineup continues to lack lenses for specialized shooters, as well – such as super-telephoto primes and zooms, plus a macro lens or two.

Which is where the Nikon Z mount roundmap comes in.

While the roadmap doesn’t address all of these gaps, it does promise a number of powerful lenses, including:

  • A 24-105mm lens
  • An 85mm lens (likely an f/1.4 version!)
  • Both a 50mm and a 105mm macro lens
  • Four super-telephoto lenses, including a 200-600mm zoom, a 100-400mm zoom, a 400mm prime, and a 600mm prime

If you’re a bird, wildlife, or even sports photographer, then Nikon’s Z system is going to become a lot more appealing over the next couple of years, as Nikon fills in its super-telephoto gap (with a 200-600mm and a 100-400mm option, no less!).

The same is true for macro photographers, who will pounce on Nikon’s 105mm micro lens (though I do wish Nikon would offer a 180mm or 200mm Z mount macro lens; maybe it’ll be added to a future roadmap).

Regardless, Nikon’s Z system is becoming more and more well-rounded – and the addition of these lenses will simply broaden its appeal.

Now over to you:

What upcoming Z mount lenses are you interested in? And what lenses do you wish Nikon would make? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Nikon Will Offer 27 Z Mount Lenses Before 2022 Is Out appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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The World’s First Completely AI-Powered Photo Editor Will Debut Before the Year Is Out

26 Oct

The post The World’s First Completely AI-Powered Photo Editor Will Debut Before the Year Is Out appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Skylum’s Luminar AI, billed as “the first image editor fully powered by artificial intelligence,” will come available before the year is out.

Luminar AI is the world's first completely AI-powered photo editor

Already, the image editor has created controversy among photographers thanks to its automated, AI-based approach to image editing, with some claiming that Luminar AI’s easy, no-experience-necessary approach is problematic – or even cheating.

And while we don’t know exactly how the program works, Skylum has released several videos showing off some of Luminar AI’s standout features.

world's first AI-powered photo editor

Highlights include:

  • Composition AI, which automatically straightens your images and suggests cropping based on compositional guidelines and feedback from professional photographers
  • Face AI and Skin AI, which automatically retouch your subjects’ faces for improved teeth, lips, skin, and much more
  • Sky AI, which allows you to instantly swap skies while automatically adjusting for changes in lighting and color
  • Atmosphere AI, which lets you enhance your images with weather effects (such as haze, steam, drizzle, fog, and mist)

To see some of these AI effects in action, check out Skylum’s latest video:

While Luminar AI will be offered as a standalone editing program, Skylum’s most up-to-date software, Luminar 4, already packs some AI-based features (including a popular sky-replacement option). But Luminar AI promises to take AI editing to the next level, opening up advanced post-processing effects to a much larger audience.

Will Luminar AI do everything for you?

It doesn’t seem like it. As Skylum explains, you have to make creative choices; Luminar AI will do a lot of editing work for you, but you’ll remain at the helm.

world's first AI-powered photo editor

As for the Luminar AI release:

The date is currently unknown, but Skylum promises a “holiday season” release. I’d expect an early December debut, though mid-December or late November certainly isn’t out of the question.

In terms of price, you can currently preorder Luminar AI for a discounted rate:

$ 74 USD for a standard copy of Luminar AI, or $ 139 USD to download both Luminar AI and Luminar 4.

So if Luminar AI’s simple approach to editing appeals to you, make sure you take a look while the discount still lasts! You can view the software here.

Now over to you:

What do you think about Luminar AI? Do you like the idea of AI-based editing? Or does it feel like cheating? And will you purchase the program? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post The World’s First Completely AI-Powered Photo Editor Will Debut Before the Year Is Out appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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Canon to Release 16 New RF Lenses Before the End of 2021

12 Oct

The post Canon to Release 16 New RF Lenses Before the End of 2021 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Canon new RF lenses

Canon’s full-frame mirrorless lineup has seen the addition of two incredible camera bodies this year, but Canon is determined to keep shooting for the stars. 

According to Canon Rumors, we’ll likely see the addition of a whopping 16 new lenses to the RF lineup before 2021 is out. These will round out Canon’s existing set of RF lenses and fill in key gaps, while doubling the native options for Canon’s full-frame mirrorless shooters. 

While the 2021 lens roadmap isn’t confirmed, Canon Rumors claims  that it “comes from a great source” and that “most, if not all [is] accurate.”

So what are these 16 lenses we’ll be getting over the next year?

First, we should see the Canon RF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM, which is supposedly “about the size of a coke can;” if this is accurate, then Canon shooters are in for a treat. A compact 70-200mm f/4 lens that you can carry everywhere is a dream come true for plenty of photographers, including landscape photographers after intimate nature shots, as well as some portrait photographers and potentially even street snappers.

We’ll also get the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM. This is the RF version of the ultra-popular Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, and Canon Rumors claims that it will be “better optically and in build quality than the EF version.” Expect that it’ll be relatively affordable, giving hobbyist shooters a clear-cut entry point into the Canon mirrorless world and giving more serious photographers a lightweight prime to keep on the camera when shooting casually. 

Honestly, these two lenses are alone worth the hype, but add to it 14 additional lenses and you’ve got yourself a truly robust lens lineup. 

Here are the other Canon RF lenses you can expect to see before 2021 is out:

  • Canon TS-R (tilt-shift) 14mm f/4L
  • Canon TS-R (tilt-shift) 24mm f/3.5L
  • Canon RF 10-24mm f/4L
  • Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM
  • Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 IS STM Macro
  • Canon RF 35mm f/1.2L USM
  • Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
  • Canon RF 135mm f/1.4L USM
  • Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-7.1 USM
  • Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM
  • Canon RF 500mm f/4L IS USM
  • Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM
  • Canon RF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM
  • Canon RF 1200mm f/8L IS USM

Key among these new lenses are a slew of super-telephoto primes, including a 400mm f/2.8, a 500mm f/4, and a 600mm f/4, all of which will serve wildlife and bird photographers well. And the ultra-wide zooms (the 10-24mm f/4 and the 14-35mm f/4) should certainly be compelling for landscape photographers of all stripes, especially if Canon can keep the price down to a reasonable level.

For Canon shooters, this has been a good year. 

And next year is shaping up to be even more exciting. It’s clear that Canon is now all-in with regard to their full-frame mirrorless lens lineup. 

So if you’ve been thinking about grabbing a Canon mirrorless body, now’s a great time! 

Now over to you:

What do you think of these 16 new RF lenses? Which lenses interest you the most? Are you impressed by Canon’s dedication to its RF-mount? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Canon to Release 16 New RF Lenses Before the End of 2021 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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Report: Nikon firmware for using CFexpress Type B cards with D5, D850 and D500 will arrive ‘before the end of 2020’

12 Oct

Back in February 2019, Nikon announced it was working to develop a firmware update for its D5, D850 and D500 DSLR cameras that would bring support for using CFExpress Type B memory cards. Since then, we haven’t heard a word about these development from Nikon, but Nikon Rumors says it ‘can confirm’ the much-anticipated firmware update will arrive before the end of the year.

According to Nikon Rumors’ report, the firmware update will arrive ‘before the end of 2020.’ Nikon Rumors says Nikon ‘may say something about [these updates]’ this coming week when it launches its Z6 II and Z7 II mirrorless cameras.

Image credit: B&H Photo

Despite promising a firmware update, Nikon never confirmed the details of what kind of performance we can expect from CFExpress Type B cards when used with its D5, D850 and D500 DSLR cameras. While CFExpress Type B support will make it easier to use the open and more popular format — not to mentioned larger maximum capacities, since XQD cards top out at 240GB compared to the current 1TB maximum capacity of CFExpress cards — it doesn’t necessarily we’ll expect improved speeds over using XQD cards when using them inside the camera. However, you will see improved speeds over XQD cards when importing the cards to your computer if you’re using a CFExpress Type B memory card reader.

We contacted Nikon for a comment on the updates on Friday October 9, but haven’t received a response. We will update this article if we get any further information from Nikon.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Two New Canon EOS M Cameras Will Debut Before the Year is Out

17 Apr

The post Two New Canon EOS M Cameras Will Debut Before the Year is Out appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Gear News - New Canon EOS M Cameras

While the camera industry has slowed in recent months, Canon continues to push forward.

New rumors indicate that Canon will be releasing two EOS M cameras by the end of 2020. While the details of these cameras are uncertain, they come as a welcome promise for a (hopefully) post-coronavirus world.

Prior to coronavirus concerns, discussion of two full-frame mirrorless models dominated the internet:

The Canon EOS R5, poised as a mirrorless-style 5D and packing true 8K video, along with in-body image stabilization and 20 frames-per-second continuous shooting.

And the Canon EOS R6, a camera that Canon has been fairly quiet about (but is rumored to have 20 MP sensor, 20 fps shooting, and 4K/60p video).

While coronavirus will potentially delay the release of these two bodies, the original plan was for them to both debut this summer, leaving the fall open for other Canon announcements.

Now we have an idea of what those announcements might be.

Note that we haven’t heard much about Canon EOS M models since the fall of 2019, when the Canon EOS M6 Mark II and the Canon EOS M200 debuted.

The EOS M line offers mirrorless APS-C bodies geared toward entry-level shooters. While some of these bodies offer advanced features such as electronic viewfinders, EOS M cameras are more compact than their full-frame counterparts and come at significantly lower prices.

EOS M cameras are designed to work with Canon’s EF-M lenses. But an optional adapter will allow you to combine EOS M bodies with Canon EF and EF-S lenses, making Canon EOS M cameras an excellent option for Canon DSLR users seeking a switch to mirrorless.

Rumors also suggest that we’ll see several new EF-M lenses debut before the year is out, which is a welcome development given the relative scantiness of the EOS M lens lineup.

So if you’re a Canon shooter looking to switch to mirrorless, or you’re planning to upgrade an existing EOS M body, keep an eye out for further news!

Now over to you:

Are you excited about new EOS M cameras? Which models do you think Canon will announce? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Two New Canon EOS M Cameras Will Debut Before the Year is Out appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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PSA: Download your photos from Canon’s Irista platform by the end of the day before they disappear forever

31 Jan

Back in October, Canon announced it was shutting down its cloud-based photo platform, Irista. Today is the final day the platform will be live, so if you have any photographs still on the platform that you would like to download, you will need to do so by the end of the day, as the platform will no longer be accessible after today.

As noted in our original coverage, all of your photos can be downloaded as a ZIP folder using the ‘Download Your Photos’ link on the Irista homepage. It’s worth reiterating too that none of the tags, photo ratings, titles or albums you have assigned to the images will be downloaded alongside the images.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Why You Should Prioritize Spending on Experience Before Gear

22 Nov

The post Why You Should Prioritize Spending on Experience Before Gear appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.

Why-You-Should-Prioritize-Spending-on-Experience-Before-Gear

So, why should you prioritize spending on experience before gear? Yearning for new equipment is something that almost all of us, as photographers, go through. For some of us, that desire for the newest and shiniest camera body or lens is near-constant. By now, you should know that new equipment will have little effect on improving your photography. This is, after all, one of the most talked-about subjects in photography circles. Most of that talk, however, tends to suggest that you shouldn’t spend any more money on your photography. I disagree with that.

You should spend money on your photography. I would even go as far as to say that you should spend every penny you can afford. With a few exceptions (what’s a macro photographer without a macro lens?), your money is better spent elsewhere than it is on new equipment.

Fancy equipment

Why-You-Should-Prioritize-Spending-on-Experience-Before-Gear

New toys with lots of features are fun, but they are not the be-all, end-all; nor should they be the goal.

I’m not one to say that new and shiny equipment should be out of the question. Sometimes it’s a must.

That new and wonderful camera body, lens or light might:

  • Give you more options in how and what you can shoot.
  • Make certain techniques easier, or open up some techniques altogether.
  • Give you certain technical gains such as sharpness, low light performance and dynamic range.
  • Give you a temporary boost in motivation and excitement for your photography
  • Impress people that don’t know any better.

What new equipment will not do is:

  • Make you a better photographer.

The only way to get better

Why-You-Should-Prioritize-Spending-on-Experience-Before-Gear

Experience. The act of getting out and putting your skills to use over and over again is far more valuable than any new piece of kit.

The only tried and true way to become a better photographer is to get experience in being a photographer. It’s really as simple as that. Go out, boots on the ground, batteries charged, memory card loaded, and take photos. Evaluate, go out, and take some more. Rinse, lather, and repeat ad infinitum.

Sure, along the way, you will need to take on new information and learn new skills that you will then add to your repertoire through (you guessed it) experience.

Spending money

This is where my thought process diverges from those who tell you that you don’t need to spend money at all. If the only way to get better at photography is through experience, then where do you reckon I would suggest that you put the money you might have spent on that new lens that you don’t really need? Experience. It’s always experience.

Do you want to get good at landscapes? Pick a location and go on an extended camping trip and design the experience so you can do little else but concentrate on your photography.

Image: For landscapes, sometimes just a trip a couple of hours away is all you need and it won...

For landscapes, sometimes just a trip a couple of hours away is all you need and it won’t cost you much.

Do you want to get good in a studio environment? Go out and hire a studio.

I can’t speak for all areas, but in my area, most photographers who hire out their studio are more than happy to lend a hand to beginners who hire their space.

Image: Studio photography requires a lot of practice. To get better, you need to be practicing as mu...

Studio photography requires a lot of practice. To get better, you need to be practicing as much as possible. When you’re renting/hiring a space, you often don’t have to have the equipment yourself.

Do you want to be a travel photographer? Use the gear you have and spend as much as you can on traveling to the places you need.

Why You Should Prioritize Spending on Experience Before Gear

Do you want to be a fashion photographer? Spend as much as you can on hiring  stylists, makeup artists and models.

Repeat that formula for any genre of photography that you’re interested in.

If you want to fast track the process, you always have the option of workshops or one-to-one tuitions. Do you need to do this? No, absolutely not, but sometimes it is a lot more effective to get the first-hand experience with someone who is already able to get the results that you are after.

But, things cost too much

Why-You-Should-Prioritize-Spending-on-Experience-Before-Gear

Careful planning meant that I was able to spend eight days on a camping trip to work on landscapes for around $ 100.

Sure, some things that you may want to photograph will cost a lot more than that $ 3000 camera body that you desperately want.

For example, travel can be expensive. As long as we’re not talking African safaris though, you can still do a lot of travel with that kind of money.

I once flew from Reykjavik to Baltimore for $ 90. As long as you hedge your expectations and plan meticulously, you might be surprised by what you can achieve within a limited budget.

Do you want to be a better photographer?

Yes? Good. Close/put down the spec sheet for the new offering from Canon/Sony/Nikon/Fuji, book a studio, book a trip or just go outside and start taking photos.

They’re probably going to be bad.

Good. Figure out why, then start the process from the beginning, over and over again. Maybe, eventually, you’ll find yourself in a situation where you absolutely have to have that fancy lens that costs more than a good used car, but probably not. So prioritize experience before gear!

The post Why You Should Prioritize Spending on Experience Before Gear appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.


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