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Posts Tagged ‘content’

Adobe shows off prototype version of its Content Authenticity tool and ecosystem

21 Oct

In addition to its Lightroom and Photoshop updates, adobe has also revealed a prototype of its Content Authenticity Prototype, a key new tool that will play a key role in Adobe’s Content Authenticity Initiative first unveiled a year ago at Adobe MAX 2019.

A screenshot from the video showing the ‘Content Credentials’ toolset in the beta version of Adobe Photoshop.

As the above video demonstrates, the new opt-in tool provides a way for photojournalists, artists and other creatives to cyptographically sign and embed editing and attribution information to images that have been adjusted or altered in Photoshop (and presumably other Adobe programs). Creators can choose to include as little or as much data as they would like and export that information with the image(s).

A screenshot from the header video showing what information will be embedded with the edited image upon export from Photoshop.

When the image(s) are uploaded to websites with CAI compatibility, viewers will be able to see exactly who captured the image, what edits were made, what assets were used and more. Adobe is even launching a dedicated site (verify.contentauthenticity.org) that will serve as an original database of sorts to see every detail of every change made and asset used.

The verify.contentauthenticity.org website will break down the signed metadata for each asset used.

Currently, the prototype will only be available to a select group of beta testers. Eventually, we can expect the tool to roll out to the masses, but even then, adoption will come to be the greatest barrier to Adobe’s efforts to keep authenticity at the forefront of digital content creation.

Adobe says it’s working with ‘The New York Times Company, Twitter, Inc., Microsoft, BBC, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Truepic, WITNESS, CBC and many others,’ but it’s honest about what it will take to get the masses to adopt such attribution technology as the norm:

‘We believe attribution will create a virtuous cycle. The more creators distribute content with proper attribution, the more consumers will expect and use that information to make judgement calls, thus minimizing the influence of bad actors and deceptive content. Ultimately, a holistic solution that includes attribution, detection and education to provide a common and shared understanding of objective facts is essential to help us make more thoughtful decisions when consuming media. Today is a huge leap forward for the CAI, but this is just the beginning.’

While the companies Adobe is already working with are certainly leaders in their respective spheres, there are plenty of other agencies and organizations that will need to hop onboard the CAI train to truly make this a ubiquitous standard that’s the rule instead of the exception. Media empire Gannett, for example, would be a great opportunity, as the company owns over 90 daily newspapers, nearly 1,000 weekly newspapers and almost two dozen television stations. Getty, AP and others are obvious candidates as well.

You can keep up with the latest CAI developments on the Adobe Blog and the Content Authenticity website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Introducing the New dPS Editor and Content Manager, Jaymes Dempsey

15 Oct

The post Introducing the New dPS Editor and Content Manager, Jaymes Dempsey appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Introducing the New dPS Editor and Content Manager, Jaymes Dempsey

We’ve had a quiet change of guard in the editorial role here at dPS. And the reason it’s been so smooth is that our new editor Jaymes Dempsey will be familiar to you as one of our current writing team members. He has been an understudy to Caz for a while now and has easily slipped into the editing role. Before I introduce you to Jaymes, a quick word from Caz

From Caz:

All the changes taking place on a worldwide scale have led me to do a lot of soul searching (as I’m sure it has for many). This exploration has made me realise I need to be focussing on my creative pursuits as they make my heart truly sing. While I have enjoyed being the Managing Editor of dPS and interacting with you all, I’m looking forward to continuing my traveling around Australia and creating as I go.

You are now in great hands with Jaymes Dempsey and the dPS team. I wish Jaymes all the best in his new role and I wish all of you the best on your photography journey!

A very big thanks to Caz for the energy she brought to the team and her role. We wish her all the best for her adventures around Australia and will always look forward to her latest updates.

About Jaymes Dempsey

Jaymes is a photographer and writer from Ann Arbor, Michigan. At 13, Jaymes decided he wanted to become a bird photographer; at 14, he decided that macro photography was the better option; now, over a decade later, he’s passionate about pretty much all photography, no matter the genre.

That said, Jaymes loves getting outdoors with his camera, and nature photography of all sorts (including bird, macro, and landscape photography) will always hold a special place in his heart. He also spends his evenings photographing downtown Ann Arbor, where you can often find him struggling to lug around an unreasonably large tripod and camera setup.

But Jaymes isn’t just passionate about photography; he also loves to help other photographers learn and grow. Jaymes believes that everyone is capable of being a great photographer, no matter their background or equipment, which is why he continues to do what he does!

Jaymes brings years of writing, editing, and content management experience to the table. He runs his own instructional photography blog, and his work has been published in popular photography magazines across the internet. In fact, it was Digital Photography School that first inspired Jaymes to starting writing about photography, and he has spent the last several years as a regular dPS contributor, which is one of the many reasons he is delighted to be coming aboard as Editor and Content Manager!

Jaymes is thrilled to take on a larger role within dPS, and he looks forward to interacting with the wonderful community that is Digital Photography School.

We hope you join us in welcoming Jaymes into his new role.

The post Introducing the New dPS Editor and Content Manager, Jaymes Dempsey appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.


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Adobe reveals how its CAI digital content attribution system will work

05 Aug

During its Adobe MAX 2019 event, Adobe announced its Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI), the first mission of which is to develop a new standard for content attribution. ‘We will provide a layer of robust, tamper-evident attribution and history data built upon XMP, Schema.org and other metadata standards that goes far beyond common uses today,’ the company explains in a new white paper about the initiative.

The idea behind Adobe’s CAI is that there’s no single, simple, and permanent way to attach attribution data to an image, making it hard for viewers to see who owns the image and the context surrounding its subject matter. This paves the way for image theft, as well as the spread of misinformation and disinformation, a growing problem on the modern Internet.

Adobe’s new industry standard for digital content attribution, which was announced in collaboration with Twitter and The New York Times, will potentially change this, adding a level of trust in content that may otherwise be modified or presented with an inauthentic context on social media and elsewhere.

Adobe said in November 2019 that it had a technical team:

…exploring a high-level framework architecture based on our vision of attribution, and we are inviting input and feedback from industry partners to help shape the final solution. The goal of the Initiative is for each member to bring its deep technical and business knowledge to the solution. Success will mean building a growing ecosystem of members who are contributing to a long-term solution, adoption of the framework and supporting consumers to understand who and what to trust.

The newly published white paper titled ‘The Content Authenticity Initiative: Setting the Standard for Digital Content Attribution‘ explains how this new digital content attribution system will work.

The team cites a number of ‘guiding principles’ in the initiative, including the ability for their specifications to fit in with existing workflows, interoperability for ‘various types of target users,’ respect for ‘common privacy concerns,’ an avoidance of unreasonable ‘technical complexity and cost’ and more. Adobe expects a variety of users will utilize its content attribution system, including content creators, publishers and consumers, the latter of which may include lawyers, fact-checkers and law enforcement.

The team provides examples of the potential uses for its authenticity system in various professions. For photojournalists, for example, the workflow may include capturing content at a press event using a ‘CAI-enabled capture device,’ then importing the files into a photo editing application that has ‘CAI functionality enabled.’

Having preserved those details during editing, the photojournalist can then pass on the images to their editor, triggering a series of content verifications and distribution to publications, social media managers and social platforms, all of which will, ideally, support displaying not only the CAI information but also any alterations made to the content (cropping, compression, etc).

The idea is that at all times during its distribution across the Internet, anyone will be able to view the details about the image’s origination, including who created it, what publication originally published the image, when the photo was captured, what modifications may have been made to the image and more.

The white paper goes on to detail other potential creation-to-distribution pipelines for creative professionals and human rights activists.

What about the system itself? The researchers explain that:

The proposed system is based on a simple structure for storing and accessing cryptographically verifiable metadata created by an entity we refer to as an actor. An actor can be a human or non-human (hardware or software) that is participating in the CAI ecosystem. For example: a camera (capture device), image editing software, or the person using such tools.

The CAI embraces existing standards. A core philosophy is to enable rapid, wide adoption by creating only the minimum required novel technology and relying on prior, proven techniques wherever possible. This includes standards for encoding, hashing, signing, compression and metadata.

Each process during the creator’s workflow, such as capturing the image and then editing, produce ‘assertions’ as part of the CAI system. Typically speaking, according to the white paper, these assertions are JSON-based data structures that reference declarations made by the actor, which can refer to both humans and machines, including hardware like cameras and software like Photoshop.

The researchers go on to explain that:

Assertions are cryptographically hashed and their hashes are gathered together into a claim. A claim is a digitally signed data structure that represents a set of assertions along with one or more cryptographic hashes on the data of an asset. The signature ensures the integrity of the claim and makes the system tamper-evident. A claim can be either directly or indirectly embedded into an asset as it moves through the life of the asset.

For every lifecycle milestone for the image, such as when it was created, published, etc., the authenticity system will create a new set of assertions and claim related to it, with each claim daisy-chaining off the previous claim to create something like a digital paper trail for the work.

Of course, there are potential issues with Adobe’s vision for content authentication, the most obvious being whether the industry is willing to adopt this system as a new standard. The CAI digital content attribution system will only succeed if major hardware and software companies implement the standard into their products. Beyond that, social media platforms would need to join the effort to ensure these permanent attribution and modification details are accessible to users.

As well, Adobe’s system will have to achieve its highest goal, which is to be tamper-proof, something that is yet to be demonstrated. Work under this initiative is still underway; interested consumers can find all of the technical details in the white paper linked above.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon image hosting platform, image.canon, temporarily shut down after loss of users content

03 Aug

Over the weekend, Canon’s cloud media hosting platform, image.canon, suffered an outage that left users unable to login and use the service. No specific information was provided over the weekend, but we now know what went wrong.

In a statement shared on the image.canon homepage, Canon confirmed there’s been an issue with its long-term storage on image.canon that’s resulted in the loss of original image and video uploads. The full notice reads as follows:

Important Notice
Thank you for using image.canon.
On the 30th of July, we identified an issue within the 10GB long term storage on image.canon. Some of the original photo and video data files have been lost. We have confirmed that the still image thumbnails of the affected files have not been affected.
In order to conduct further review, we have temporarily suspended both the mobile app and web browser service of image.canon.
Information regarding the resumption of service and contact information for customer support will be made available soon.
There has been no leak of image data.
We apologize for any inconvenience.

To prevent any further issues, Canon has temporarily shut down both the mobile and web app versions of image.canon. Per the notice, we should have further updates ‘soon.’ We will update this article when further updates are provided.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Helpful Tips for Creating Evergreen Content for your Photography Website

07 Jun

The post Helpful Tips for Creating Evergreen Content for your Photography Website appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

dps-tips-for-creating-evergreen-content

It’s always hard to know what to write on a photography blog, isn’t it? You start a blog on your photography website because you’ve been told it’s good for SEO, but then you get stuck on what content to create, and your blog gets neglected. So, I’m going to give you some ideas for creating evergreen content that you can put into practice right now to improve your website, help your readers, and start working on your SEO.

creating evergreen content
Writing blog posts is hard for many photographers because they don’t know where to start.

What is evergreen content?

In the same way that evergreen trees stay green all year round, evergreen blog posts stay relevant to readers for a long time. They should stay relevant to readers no matter the season, and, ideally, stay relevant for several years without any serious updating.

By creating evergreen content, you can create a website that pulls in visitors all year round and encourage search engines to rank you highly.

But what kind of evergreen content can photographers create? That really depends on the audience you’re looking to attract to your website! So once you’ve narrowed that down, you can start to come up with some ideas for evergreen content.

Articles to attract photographers

If you’re the kind of photographer who wants to attract other photographers to your website, then content about photography is the place to start. Just look around this site – Digital Photography Photography School is full of evergreen content that appeals to photographers all year round and for many years.

Helpful Tips for Creating Evergreen Content for your Photography Website
I write about photography techniques on my blog because I mostly want to attract photographers.

Every photographer knows something that they can teach others, even if they’re a beginner. So start by writing posts teaching other people what you know about taking photos.

You could also write reviews of all the photography equipment that you own. Most photographers love to spend hours researching what they’re buying and read lots of reviews before they spend their money.

By its very nature, evergreen content is often about the topics aimed at beginners to intermediates in the subject matter. It’s content that people will be searching for repeatedly, and that’s what makes beginner content a great place to start when you’re creating your first pieces of evergreen content.

And once you’ve created some engaging content that people are sharing, consider writing a second blog post on the same subject that your visitors might want to read next!

Articles to attract clients

Not everyone wants to attract photographers to their photography website. Some people want to attract more clients if they’re working as a photographer. By creating evergreen content, you can get potential clients to your website and looking at your portfolio.

Many photographers already blog about the shoots they do. It’s really common now for wedding photographers to blog about their client’s big day, or newborn photographers to blog about the cute baby they recently photographed. But those posts are not the ones most likely to get prospective new clients to your site.

creating evergreen content
Brainstorming a list of ideas for blog posts is always a good idea. Give yourself 15 minutes once a week and write down everything that comes to mind.

When writing a blog the best place to start is almost always with a problem that someone has. So if you are a wedding photographer, think about what your clients might be looking for. They could be asking questions like:

  • What are the best clothes to wear for an engagement session and how do you pick a color scheme?
  • What do weddings at (your local venue) look like?
  • Are veils coming back in fashion for brides, and what unique photo opportunities do they present?

You can answer all of those questions in blogs on your website while filling them with pictures you’ve taken. And the best thing about these kinds of posts is they’ll be shared by more than just your clients, meaning that your images get in front of many new people.

Moreover, you can apply this to all kinds of photography. You can even go beyond photography, which I’ve seen work particularly well in the newborn and maternity niches.

If you photograph newborns and have children yourself, you might use your blog as a way to talk about your own experiences of being a parent, with helpful advice for your readers. And if you’re creating evergreen content that’s useful, you can bet it’ll end up being shared around social media.

What advantages does this bring?

Beyond the pure sharing of posts and getting them in front of new potential clients, evergreen content can bring benefits for the SEO of your website (that’s search engine optimization).

Google, and other search engines, love to see people linking to your content and talking about it. One of the strongest ways that Google determines if you’re a useful and interesting site (and therefore how high you appear in their search listings) is how many backlinks you have to your website.

Helpful Tips for Creating Evergreen Content for your Photography Website
By creating evergreen content for your blog, your views will go up over time as more and more people link to your website.

By creating evergreen content that is interesting and useful, you’re giving people and businesses reasons to share it on their own social media, or include you in posts on their own blog.

A post about the best time to photograph a newborn baby, for example, is relevant content that lots of different people could share on their own page. It could be shared by other newborn photographers, by parenting websites, or even by small maternity clinics.

It doesn’t matter if these businesses aren’t in the same area as you either, because what’s important is the backlinks and the buzz around your content. But Google and other search engines don’t discriminate – if lots of people are sharing your site because it’s good content, then they’ll also show you higher in the search results when people look for your kind of photography locally.

Get started right now!

There’s no better time to start creating evergreen content for your blog than right now. Sit down and make a list of all the questions that people who you’d like to visit your blog might be asking. And then work out from that list the things that will stay relevant all year round, and that won’t go out of fashion.

creating evergreen content
The key is to just start somewhere! You can always edit your blog posts somewhere.

Don’t forget, after you’ve spent time creating evergreen content for your blog, you should promote it on social media now and then again in the future. If you’ve created some great and long-lasting evergreen content, you’ll be able to promote it many times over. This means that you’ll always have something to say on social media during quieter times without having to constantly be writing new blog posts or shooting new work.

Do you have any other tips for creating evergreen content you’d like to share with our community? Please do so in the comments section!

The post Helpful Tips for Creating Evergreen Content for your Photography Website appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.


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Sony ZV-1 ‘content creator camera’ focuses on making vlogging easy

27 May

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Sony has announced the ZV-1, which it calls a content creator camera. It’s built around a 1″-type 20MP stacked CMOS sensor and a 25.5-70mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens similar to the on in the RX100 III, IV, V and VA, but it uses a fully articulating touchscreen and reworked ergonomics to allow for selfie-style operation. In essence, the ZV-1 gives you the hardware of an RX100 VA redesigned to make vlogging and facing-the-camera shooting easier.

The ZV-1 includes a number of features and modes intended to make vlogging easier. These build on Sony’s very dependable Eye AF capabilities, to give confidence that your footage will be in focus while you concentrate on talking to your audience. There’s also a directional three-capsule mic setup built into the top of the camera to help isolate what’s being said from ambient noise.

There’s a ‘background defocus’ mode that automatically opens up the aperture to its maximum setting, accessed from a button on the top of the camera, and an AF mode that will prioritize nearby objects if that you hold up in front of the camera, rather than continuing to focus on your face. And there’s also a front-mounted tally light, to indicate when the camera is recording.

The specs are broadly consistent with recent RX100-series models, including 4K UHD video at up to 30p, 1080 capture at up to 120p and high-speed upscaled video at up to 960p. There’s no built-in viewfinder or headphone socket, but the ZV-1 does have a ‘multi-accessory’ hot shoe on which to mount an external mic.

The ZV-1 will be available from early June with a list price of $ 799 (CAD$ 999). In the US there will be a promotion that drops the price to $ 749 if you buy before June 28th. Sony is also discounting its VCT-SGR1 Bluetooth shooting grip if you buy it with the ZV-1, until June 28th in the US and June 25th in Canada. Pricing in the UK and Europe is set at £700 and €800.

Go hands-on with the Sony XV-1Press release

Sony Electronics Introduces the Digital Camera ZV-1, A Newly Designed Camera for Video Content Creators

New Video-Forward Design and Compact Body Packed with Advanced Imaging Technology and Easy-to-Use Functionality

SAN DIEGO – May 26, 2020 –Sony Electronics Inc. today has announced the new pocket-sized digital camera ZV-1 (hereafter referred as “ZV-1”) – a lightweight, compact “all-in-one” style solution. Designed from the ground up for content creators and vloggers, the ZV-1 combines easy-to-use features with uncompromising imaging technology, making this the perfect tool for any content creator at all skill levels.

“Sony’s new ZV-1 was purpose-built to meet the needs and demands of today’s video creators,” said Neal Manowitz, deputy president of Imaging Product and Solutions Americas at Sony Electronics. “We are always listening to our customers, and this camera is the result of direct feedback from our extended community. Featuring an innovative design plus many new technologies, settings and modes, it will allow creators to make content in ways they have never been able to before.”

The ZV-1 features a 1.0-type stacked Exmor RS® CMOS image sensor with DRAM chip and 24-70mm[i] F1.8-2.8 ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* large-aperture lens creating beautiful background bokeh (background blur), allowing the subject to stand out from the background. The camera locks on to and tracks subjects with high accuracy and speed using Sony’s leading-edge autofocus system. The ZV-1 also includes the latest-generation BIONZ X™ image processor with front-end LSI delivering high resolution as well as low noise for superior image quality. It also combines this exceptional imaging technology with high-quality and versatile audio options. The ZV-1 is Sony’s first compact camera with a side-opening Vari-angle LCD screen, making it easier to compose your shots in selfie mode while connecting external audio accessories. To meet any video need, the ZV-1 contains advanced video features including 4K movie recording[ii] and in-body image stabilization.

Meeting the Needs of Today’s Content Creators

Quickly Switch Between two modes of Background Bokeh
The ZV-1 offers a simple solution to easily switch between two levels of background bokeh while recording. Using the new Background Defocus function, users can rapidly adjust the optical aperture between more and less background defocusing blur without losing focus on the subject. Located on top of the camera, this Bokeh button is easily accessible and makes selfie shooting operation a breeze.

Focus on the Subject You Want

The ZV-1 makes it easier than ever to shoot product reviews and similar video content. Gone are the days of placing a hand behind an object to prompt the camera to bring it into focus thanks to a new Product Showcase Setting, which allows for quick and smooth focus transitions between the subject’s face and the object placed in front of the lens.

Building on the leading-edge technology developed for ?™ (Alpha brand) and RX series cameras, this new compact camera includes advanced autofocus (AF) allowing it to lock on and track subjects with high accuracy and speed while recording. For maintaining focus on the intended subject or subjects in busy environments, Real-time Eye AF[iii] and Real-time Tracking AF for video allows the ZV-1 to seamlessly switch focus between multiple subjects while controlling the AF speed and tracking sensitivity.

Prioritize Your Face

Extreme changes in lighting, like walking outside on a sunny day and suddenly moving from a bright location into shade, are no problem for the ZV-1 thanks to the new Face Priority autoexposure (AE) function. It detects and prioritizes the subject’s face and adjusts the exposure to ensure the face is depicted at an ideal brightness in any environment. This AE technology also suppresses an abrupt change in exposure if the subject quickly turns away from the frame to eliminate unexpected blown-out or extremely dark shots. In addition, the camera features a new advanced color science that has been re-engineered to optimize skin tones for any subject in both still and video modes.

Crystal Clear Audio

High quality content requires clear, excellent audio quality, and the ZV-1 is well-equipped to produce just that with reliable and versatile audio options. The ZV-1’s onboard mic features Sony’s latest Directional 3-capsule Mic which was designed for forward-directional audio capture, allowing for clear capture of the subject’s voice while minimizing background noise, especially when operating in selfie mode. For added flexibility, the ZV-1 also features an industry standard mic jack (3.5mm) and Multi Interface Shoe™ (MI shoe) making it easy to connect a wide range of external microphones. The ZV-1 is also supplied with a wind screen[iv] accessory that fits on the MI shoe to minimize wind interference.

Design and Functionality Optimized for Vlogging

The ZV-1 was designed with content creators and vloggers in mind. This compact, lightweight (approx. 294g / 105.5mm x 60.0mm x 43.5mm) camera is the first Sony compact camera with a flip-out, tiltable LCD Screen, allowing creators to simplify their setup by utilizing the MI shoe for optional external mics without the need of an additional mounting bracket.

Comfortably operate the ZV-1 with one hand thanks to the easy-to-hold comfortable grip and a large movie REC button located on the top of the camera for quick access to video recording, as well as a recording lamp on the front of the camera that indicates if the camera is actively recording.

The ZV-1 also includes advances in image stabilization, ensuring steady video even when shooting hand-held while walking. When recording in HD (Active mode), optical and electronic stabilization methods are combined to reduce shaking up to 11 times[v] that of standard SteadyShot™ image stabilization. When shooting 4K video using Optical SteadyShot (Active mode), there is improvement in stabilization effect of up to 8 times[vi] that of standard SteadyShot. The ZV-1 is also compatible with the GP-VPT2BT Shooting Grip with Wireless Remote Commander, offering additional stability and comfort combined with cable-free Bluetooth® connectivity.

Class-Leading AV Features

Despite the small form factor there are a multitude of pro-level movie making capabilities, including:

4K movie recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning in high bit rate XAVC S™ codec. [vii]

  • Industry standard 3.5mm microphone input
  • Hybrid Log-Gamma (HDR) [viii] / S-Gamut3.Cine / S-Log3, S-Gamut3 / S-Log3
  • Interval Shooting[ix] for stunning time-lapse videos[x]
  • Super Slow Motion[xi] recording at up to 960fps[xii]
  • Compatibility with ‘Movie Edit add-on[xiii]’ from the “Imaging Edge™” mobile application for image stabilization while editing[xiv] Highlight ability to edit aspect ratios for IG etc.

Live Streaming with the ZV-1

Transform the ZV-1 into a webcam by connecting it to a PC[xv] via USB, which allows content creators to interact with their followers in real-time while also utilizing the advanced imaging technology and unique features of the ZV-1. Sony’s new PC software will be available in July 2020.

New Vlogger Accessories Kit

Sony will also be introducing a Vlogger Kit (ACCVC1), which includes a GP-VPT2BT Shooting Grip with Wireless Remote Commander and 64GB Ultra High Speed Media Card. The grip is compatible with a variety of Sony cameras[xvi].

Pair this kit with an external microphone (sold separately), such as Sony’s Stereo Microphone (ECM-XYST1M), for a convenient and simple vlogging setup.

Pricing and Availability

The Digital Camera ZV-1 will be available in June 2020 for a special introductory price of approximately $ 749 USD through June 28, 2020. After that, the price will increase to approximately $ 799 USD. The ZV-1 will be available in Canada for approximately $ 999 CAD.

The ACCVC1 Vlogger Kit will be available in June 2020 with a special introductory offer of $ 50 off when purchased together with ZV-1 (at participating retailers) through June 28, 2020 in U.S. and June 25, 2020 in Canada, and can be purchased separately for approximately $ 149 USD and $ 199 CAD.

[i]Angle of view (35mm format equivalent)

[ii] 4K (QFHD: 3840×2160) Extended continuous video recording is available when setting Auto Power OFF Temp. function to High

[iii] Real-time Eye AF for animals is not available movie shooting

[iv] Audio input itself is via the camera’s internal mic but attaching the wind screen to the mic suppresses wind noise

[v] Image stabilization angle at the wide-angle end of the zoom range. When active mode is on. Relative to angle of view with optical image stabilization on standard mode.

[vi] Image stabilization angle at the wide-angle end of the zoom range. When active mode is on. Relative to angle of view with optical image stabilization on standard mode.

[vii] A Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC memory card is required to record movies in the XAVC S format. UHS-I (U3) SDHC/SDXC card is required for 100Mbps

[viii] Connect this product to an HDR (HLG) compatible Sony TV via a USB cable to display HDR (HLG) movies

[ix] Wi-Fi is not operational during interval shooting

[x] Time-lapse movie creation is possible on a PC

[xi] Audio recording is not available. A Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC memory card is required

[xii] In NTSC mode. Menu allows switching between NTSC and PAL modes

[xiii] Please use the latest version

[xiv] Availability of video transfer and playback varies depending on smartphone in use. Membership to Imaging Edge account and app on smartphone required with connection to Wi-Fi. See Imaging Edge terms and conditions/privacy policy for details.

[xv] Windows® 10

[xvi] Compatible with RX100 VII, Alpha 6100, Alpha 6400, Alpha 6600, Alpha 7 III, Alpha 7R III, Alpha 7R IV, Alpha 9, Alpha 9 II. Firmware must be updated on camera to ensure compatibility.

Sony ZV-1 specifications

Price
MSRP $ 800/£700/€800
Body type
Body type Compact
Body material Aluminum/composite
Sensor
Max resolution 5472 x 3648
Image ratio w:h 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels 20 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors 21 megapixels
Sensor size 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm)
Sensor type BSI-CMOS
Processor Bionz X
Color space sRGB, AdobeRGB
Color filter array Primary color filter
Image
ISO Auto, 125-12800
Boosted ISO (minimum) 80
Boosted ISO (maximum) 25600
White balance presets 9
Custom white balance Yes
Image stabilization Optical
Uncompressed format RAW
JPEG quality levels Extra fine, fine, standard
File format
  • JPEG (Exif v2.3, DCF v2.0)
  • Raw (Sony ARW v2.3)
Optics & Focus
Focal length (equiv.) 24–70 mm
Optical zoom 2.9×
Maximum aperture F1.8–2.8
Autofocus
  • Contrast Detect (sensor)
  • Phase Detect
  • Multi-area
  • Center
  • Selective single-point
  • Tracking
  • Single
  • Continuous
  • Touch
  • Face Detection
  • Live View
Autofocus assist lamp Yes
Digital zoom Yes (3.8x)
Manual focus Yes
Normal focus range 5 cm (1.97″)
Macro focus range 5 cm (1.97″)
Number of focus points 315
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD Fully articulated
Screen size 3″
Screen dots 921,600
Touch screen Yes
Screen type TFT LCD
Live view Yes
Viewfinder type None
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed 30 sec
Maximum shutter speed 1/2000 sec
Maximum shutter speed (electronic) 1/32000 sec
Exposure modes
  • Auto
  • Program Auto
  • Aperture Priority
  • Shutter Priority
  • Manual Exposure
Scene modes
  • Portrait
  • Sports Action
  • Macro
  • Landscape
  • Sunset
  • Night Scene
  • Handheld Twilight
  • Night Portrait
  • Anti Motion Blur
  • Pet Mode
  • Gourmet
  • Fireworks
  • High Sensitivity
Built-in flash No
External flash No
Flash modes Auto, Flash On, Slow Synchro, Rear Sync, Flash Off
Continuous drive 24.0 fps
Self-timer Yes
Metering modes
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Highlight-weighted
  • Average
  • Spot
Exposure compensation ±3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
AE Bracketing ±3 (3 frames at 1/3 EV steps)
WB Bracketing Yes
Videography features
Format MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Modes
  • 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 100p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 100p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 28 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 28 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 60i / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 60i / 17 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 28 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 16 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 16 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 17 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital
  • 1280 x 720 @ 30p / 6 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
  • 1280 x 720 @ 25p / 6 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
Microphone Stereo
Speaker Mono
Storage
Storage types SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Connectivity
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
USB charging Yes
HDMI Yes (micro-HDMI)
Microphone port Yes
Headphone port No
Wireless Built-In
Wireless notes 802.11ac + Bluetooth
Remote control Yes (wired or smartphone)
Physical
Environmentally sealed No
Battery Battery Pack
Battery description NP-BX1 lithium-ion battery & USB charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 260
Weight (inc. batteries) 294 g (0.65 lb / 10.37 oz)
Dimensions 105 x 60 x 44 mm (4.13 x 2.36 x 1.73″)
Other features
Orientation sensor Yes
Timelapse recording Yes
GPS None

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The Associated Press criticized over social media rights requests for free content

20 May

Lawyer and self-professed ‘copyright geek’ Mike Dunford recently drew attention to the Associated Press’s controversial requests to use content posted on social media. He shares a copy of the social media release form the AP asks social media users to agree to, breaking down each part with an explanation and issues related to them. Though some of the AP’s presumed concerns are legitimate, according to Dunford, he ultimately claims that the release terms are ‘abusive across the board.’

The controversy started when lawyer Jay Mashall Wolman shared a tweet from Associated Press editor R.J. Rico, which has since been deleted, bringing attention to the AP’s social media release form. Wolman then shared several other similar content requests made by the Associated Press and its employees, each asking different social media users whether they took the content that caught the AP’s attention, as well as whether the AP could use it for free.

The requests are joined by an image of the AP’s social media release form, which asks the person who captured the content to read the message, then to respond to the message containing the form with an agreement to the terms. The AP’s social media release form claims for itself:

…world-wide, non-exclusive right to (and all consents to) use, reproduce, prepare derivative works of, edit, translate, distribute, publicly perform, and publicly display the content throughout the world in perpetuity by any and all means now known or hereafter created in all media now known or hereafter created; an AP shall further have the right to license these right to others…

In addition, the social media release form includes a section that requires the user to agree to be responsible for any copyright matters that may result from the use of the content by AP or any entity it licenses the content to, stating:

[The social media user agrees that] you are the copyright owner or the copyright owner’s authorized agent and that you are fully entitled to grant these rights in favor of AP and that there is no agreement or other restriction preventing this grant of rights. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the AP and its licensees from and against any claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses arising from any breach or alleged breach of these representations and warranties.

Wolman tagged multiple people in his tweets, including Dunford, who gave a long commentary on the release form in a tweet thread of his own.

Dunford points out that though Twitter’s terms may allow the Associated Press to embed these tweets in its online articles without getting prior permission, he ‘wouldn’t want to rely entirely on that.’ There have been examples of controversy over publications embedding tweeted content without getting explicit permission to do so. Dunford also points out that embedding isn’t useful for the AP when it comes to video and printed content.

Requesting that a social media user allow a major news company to use the content for free is problematic when it comes to paying content creators for their works. However, Dunford zeroes in on the social media release form terms, claiming that they are ‘MUCH more of an issue’ than simply asking to use content without paying for it.

Dunford points out that the AP and its lawyers are at ‘a substantial advantage’ over the unrepresented social media user when it comes to securing content rights. Digging into the actual terms, Dunford points out multiple concerns, including that the AP’s release form gives it the right to license the social media user’s content and it gets the non-exclusive right to forever use the image as if it owns it. ‘It’s abusive,’ Dunford says.

The biggest concerns start with the second paragraph, however, with Dunford stating in his tweets:

National Press Photographers Association (NPAA) General Counsel Mickey Osterreicher weighed in on the matter with a tweet of his own, encouraging content creators to refrain from agreeing to terms like this:

Wolman found examples of AP employees tweeting the social media release form dating back to 2015.

For social media users who fail to see the potential harm in accepting terms like this, an anonymous legal Twitter account allegedly belonging to an Australian lawyer detailed some of the problems users may encounter, including the fact that owning the copyright to the content doesn’t protect the user against potentially being sued over it in the future.

Wolf points out, among many other things:

You’ve heard of bots that do automated DMCA takedowns. Imagine that there’s an automated DMCA takedown of your video. Imagine that results in legal action over who has the rights to the video. You don’t have to imagine too hard, it happens all the time.

Now imagine that you’ve agreed to indemnify the AP for the costs of bringing/defending those proceedings.

Wolf concludes his commentary with a solid point, stating, ‘Can’t afford a lawyer? Then you definitely can’t afford to grant indemnity.’ The Associated Press has not commented on the criticism and concerns.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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JOBY launches new lineup of accessories for mobile content creators

03 Mar

JOBY has launched a new line of accessories for mobile content creators, including products for the latest Pixel and iPhone smartphones. The lineup features six new products, including variants for different mobile phone models, with prices ranging from $ 40 to $ 200.

The most notable of the new products is the GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Kit, a bundle that includes three products: the Beamo Mini LED with Bluetooth control, GorillaPod Mobile Rig and Wavo Mobile microphone. The kit includes a GripTight PRO 2 smartphone mount for shooting in portrait and landscape modes. The bundle is available now for $ 200.

The Beamo Mini LED, a compact and portable 1,000 lumens LED light, is available as a standalone accessory for $ 69.95; it includes double cold shoe mounts, plus it is rugged and waterproof. Joining this is the Beamo LED, which is brighter with 1,500 lumens and more expensive at $ 89.95.

Likewise, creators can order the Wavo Mobile, a portable, lightweight microphone designed for use with mirrorless cameras and smartphones. This model features a cold shoe mount, Rycote shock mount and included TRS and TRRS cables. The model is available now for $ 39.95. Joining the Wavo Mobile is the Wavo, a model with a wider frequency response, larger size and more durable construction. This model is available now for $ 79.95.

Finally, JOBY’s new lineup features StandPoint, a smartphone case with three built-in tripod legs connected with a hinge. When not in use, these legs can be folded into the case; when needed, the user can unfold them to prop up the phone for filming or quickly capturing shots. The model is available for the Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro for $ 39.95 each.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Twitter will start labeling manipulated and deepfaked content

06 Feb

Twitter plans to crack down on ‘deceptively edited’ and deepfaked media content by labeling tweets that contain these images and videos. According to Reuters, the company also plans to remove edited or computer-generated content in cases where it may put someone’s privacy or safety at risk, suppress voters or cause ‘widespread civil unrest.’

Twitter’s decision comes ahead of the contentious 2020 presidential election season, which is expected to include huge quantities of manipulated and deepfaked content intended to shape the outcome of the election. Other major online platforms have enacted similar rules about deepfaked content, though some critics say they aren’t taking a hard enough stance against such content.

Facebook, for example, likewise labels fake or otherwise altered images as ‘false,’ but won’t remove this type of content unless it is a video generated using AI to make it appear that someone is saying something they never said. According to Reuters, Twitter will take into account the text in a tweet and ‘other contextual signals’ to decide whether a post will be labeled as false or removed entirely.

It remains unclear how Twitter’s platform will detect manipulated and deepfaked content.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Video: How Photoshop’s ‘Color Adaptation’ setting can improve Content Aware Fill accuracy

09 Dec

Photoshop’s Content Aware Fill tool seems fairly straightforward, but a recent tutorial shared by Adobe shows a clever little trick that could result in more accurate edits.

Shared on its Photoshop YouTube channel, the one-minute tutorial shows how changing the default ‘Color Adaptation’ setting within the Content Aware Fill workspace can result much more accurate fills working with images with gradients in them.

As Adobe’s Meredith Stotznere explains, this setting controls the brightness and contrast of the filled area to better match the surroundings when the default setting is too rough an edit. By default, the setting is on, but not at its highest strength. To improve the feature, Photoshop offers a ‘High’ and ‘Very High’ setting for smoother transitions, as well as an ‘None’ setting for when you’re working with hard edges with overlapping colors.

It’s a small change, but could result in much more pleasing edits when you need to remove objects from an image. You can find more 60-second tutorials on the Photoshop Magic Minute playlist.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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