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Sony’s new a7S III brings 4K/120p video capture, extended shooting and improved AF

30 Jul

As expected, Sony has released the a7S III, its third-generation video-focused full-frame mirrorless camera. It includes a new 12MP BSI-CMOS sensor, the latest ‘Bionz XR’ processor, improved autofocus, an ultra-high resolution EVF and the ability to capture 4K/120p video.

In addition, Sony claims that the a7s III can also record up to ‘at least’ one hour of continuous 4K/60p footage. The company says that this was made possible be redesigning the heat dissipation system in the camera: no fan necessary.

The combination of the new sensor and processor allow for a native ISO range of 80-102400, which can expand to 40-409600, and the (claimed) ability to capture 15 stops of dynamic range. Sony says that the sensor reads out twice as fast as on the a7S II, which considerably reduces rolling shutter. The more-responsive autofocus system has 759 on-sensor PDAF points and offers person, eye and animal AF. Sony says that color reproduction has been noticeably improved, as well. The a7S III also have the distinction of being the first consumer camera to support the new CFexpress Type ‘A’ media.

The a7S III’s physical design is much like that of the a7R IV (including build quality and IBIS), with a few notable exceptions. The electronic viewfinder has the higher resolution we’ve seen yet, with 9.44 million dots. It’s also giant, with a magnification of 0.91x. This is Sony’s first Alpha-series camera with a fully articulating LCD, and nearly everything can be operated by touch (finally). The menu system has been refined and is easier to navigate. The camera has a full-size HDMI port along with headphone and mic sockets, dual-band Wi-Fi and support for USB Power Delivery. It has twin dual-format memory card slots, both of which can handle an SD or CFexpress Type A card.

There are too many video features to list here (our initial review has all the details), but the highlights include 10-bit 4:2:2 recording, your choice of H.264 or H.265 codecs, 16-bit Raw output at up to 60p, and support for S-Log2/3 and HLG. The a7S III does not support DCI or Super 35 capture.

The a7S III will be available in late September for $ 3499.

Read our initial review

Press Release

Highly Anticipated Sony Alpha 7S III Combines Supreme Imaging Performance with Classic “S” Series Sensitivity

New Alpha 7S III Empowers Creators with 4K 120P[i] Video, 10-bit 4:2:2 Recording, 15+ Stop Dynamic Range[ii], Improved AF Performance and More

Newly developed BIONZ XR™ image processing engine with eight times more processing power[iii] and a brand new 12.1-megapixel (, effective) back-illuminated full-frame Exmor R™ CMOS image sensor, significantly reduced rolling shutter effect[iv]
Ultra-high sensitivity with ISO range expandable from 40 – 409,600[v], and improved image quality by approximately 1 stop noise reduction[iv] in the middle and high sensitivity ranges
Video recording capabilities include 4K 120p[i], 10 bit 4:2:2 color depth, All-Intra recording, XAVC HS format with H.265 codec and more
15+ stop dynamic range for movies[ii]
4K 60p 16-bit RAW video HDMI output for the first time in the Alpha™ series
Fast Hybrid AF system with 759 point phase-detection[vi] AF sensors covering 92% of image sensor
Enhanced Real-time Eye AF for movie recording[vii] and still image recording
New heat dissipating mechanism and dual slot relay recording enables over one-hour long 4K 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 movie shooting[viii]??
5-axis optical in-body image stabilization supports handheld movie shooting, with added Active Mode [ix] to support especially difficult handheld movie shooting
World’s brightest[x] and largest[x] new 0.64-type 9.44 million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder
Side Opening variable angle LCD screen enhances shooting flexibility
Completely redesigned menu system with touch screen interface and touch operation
High-speed continuous still image shooting at up to 10fps[xi] for more than 1,000 consecutive uncompressed RAW images[xii] with full AF / AE tracking
Dual CFexpress Type A card slots that enable high speed data processing while keeping the compact size

SAN DIEGO – July 28, 2020 –Today, Sony Electronics Inc. announced the long-awaited addition to its acclaimed Alpha 7S full-frame mirrorless camera series? — the Alpha 7S III (model ILCE-7SM3).

Featuring a brand new 12.1MP (approx., effective) back-illuminated full-frame image sensor with ultra-high sensitivity and 15+ stop wide dynamic range[ii], a host of impressive video recording capabilities including 4K 120p[i] and 10-bit 4:2:2 color depth, a new heat dissipating mechanism, dual slot relay recording enabling over one-hour of 4K 60p movie shooting[viii], a new autofocus system, and touch screen interface and side flip LCD screen, the new Alpha 7S III will become the ultimate creative tool for video professionals and all types of hybrid still/video shooters.

“The Alpha 7S III is the ultimate representation of Sony’s passion to solve our customers’ pain points,”, said Neal Manowitz, deputy president for Imaging Products and Solutions Americas at Sony Electronics. “We are always listening to our customers’ feedback, pushing hard to deliver innovation that goes far beyond their expectations. There is no better example than this new camera. Combining classic S series sensitivity with a feature set, performance level and user experience that is simply unmatched in the market today — at any price level — the Alpha 7S III opens up a new world of possibilities for today’s creators.”

The system architecture for the new Alpha 7S III has been completely redesigned to deliver exceptional video and still shooting performance. The new 35mm full-frame 12.1MP (approx., effective) back-illuminated Exmor R™ CMOS image sensor reduces rolling shutter by up to three times[iv] and utilizes a variety of advanced light-gathering techniques to ensure high-sensitivity with low noise, allowing users to shoot in low-light situations without needing large-scale lighting setups. In addition to improved image quality, this new image sensor includes a focal plane phase-detection AF system for the first time in an S-series camera.

To compliment the new sensor, the Alpha 7S III also includes a new BIONZ XR™ image processing engine that provides up to eight times more processing power[iii], minimizes processing latency, and enables many of the hallmark still and imaging features of the camera. The new system also includes the world’s brightest[x] and largest[x] 9.44 million-dot (approx.) OLED electronic eye-level viewfinder and is the world’s first camera[x] with dual CFexpress Type A card slots, enabling high-speed data transfer in a compact size.

Professional Video Workflow Solutions

The Alpha 7S III offers in-camera 4K recording up to 120 frames per secondi, 10-bit depth and 4:2:2 color sampling, producing stunning video recording. The new camera offers a more flexible and efficient post-production workflow with a variety of advanced movie recording modes such as All-Intra[xiii] and MPEG-H HEVC/H.265 coding (XAVC HS™)[xiv]. The Alpha 7S III makes it easy to integrate video recordings with other professional camcorders by providing three color gamut settings S-Gamut, S-Gamut3, and S-Gamut3.Cine, allowing users to easily match footage shot on the Alpha 7S III with footage shot on the professional camcorders simplifying multi-camera post-production workflow. In addition to S-Log3 gamma curves, the Alpha 7S III supports an HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) picture profile with minimum post-production. The Alpha 7S III also allows up to 4K 60p 16-bit RAW output[xv] to an external recorder via HDMI Type-A[xvi] connector, offering additional post-production flexibility.

Improved Image Quality

The new CMOS image sensor and BIONZ XR™ image processing engine in the Alpha 7S III delivers legendary S-series sensitivity with significantly enhanced color reproduction and texture renderings for improved overall image quality. The base ISO has been lowered to 80, resulting in a normal range of 80-102,400 (expandable to 80-409,600 for video and 40-409,600 for stills) to provide more flexible ISO plus wide dynamic range with low noise at all settings. It offers improved image quality by approximately 1 stop of noise reduction[iv] in the middle and high sensitivity ranges.

The colors and textures of foliage, human skin, and more are ideally and consistently reproduced without dependence on light sources. Gradation rendering has also been refined for better looking skin tones and highlight roll-off in portraits. It also improves AWB (Auto White Balance) performance with a new “Visible light + IR Sensor” that helps to achieve more precise white balance under artificial lighting, including fluorescent and LED lights.

Versatile Operability

Advanced Autofocus Performance for Hybrid use

For the first time in an Alpha 7S series camera, the Alpha 7S III offers Fast Hybrid AF by combining phase-detection and contrast-detection AF, giving it the ability to track subjects over a wide area with outstanding speed, precision and smoothness, even when using a narrow depth of field. Fine focus expression is possible with Sony’s E-mount lenses.

For environments with a lot of movement, Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF are available to maintain constant focus on the intended subject. Sony’s advanced Real-time Eye AF improves detection performance by 30% over the previous system[iii], thanks to the new image processing engine. It ensures accurate, reliable detection, even when the subject’s face looks away. Real-time Tracking is initiated simply by touching the subject on the screen. Real-time Eye AF is automatically initiated when an eye is detected.

Flexible Autofocus Settings for Movie Shooting

Based on customer feedback, the camera includes several AF features for professional users including AF Transition Speed in seven settings, to easily create rack-focus transitions, and five AF Subject Shift Sensitivity settings, which allows the user to customize how easily AF will switch or stay with the locked-on subject. Touch Tracking allows user to not only initiate Real-time Tracking, but also compose and shoot while using a gimbal or while shooting solo. It’s now possible to Touch Focus during manual focus mode on the LCD screen or remotely from the Imaging Edge Mobile application[xvii].

New Heat-dissipating Structure

The Alpha 7S III’s design has been updated to ensure effective heat dissipation and minimizes overheating — even during extended continuous recording sessions at 4K 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 video lasting an hour or more[viii]. A newly developed unique heat dissipating structure keeps the image sensor and image processing engine temperatures within their normal operating ranges, preventing overheating while maintaining compact body dimensions. The new heat-dissipating structure requires no fan or cabinet vents allowing Alpha 7S III to maintain dust and moisture resistance[xviii].

Movie Assist Functions

For video on-the-go, the Alpha 7S III is the first Alpha series camera to include Active Modeix with 5-axis optical in-body image stabilization to support especially difficult handheld movie shooting. It is also the first Alpha series E-mount body to feature a side-opening vari-angle rear screen, perfect for gimbal-mounted shots, complicated angles, handheld operation and more. The screen rotates sideways, up and down, and features a 3.0 type 1.44 million-dot (approx.) touch panel LCD monitor, for optimal visibility even in bright outdoor environments.

In addition, the Alpha 7S III provides a selection of new Creative Look with 10 presets that can be used for both photo and video shoots, making it easy to create interesting moods right in the camera to be used as is or customized by the user.

A digital audio interface has been added to the camera’s Multi Interface (MI) Shoe for clearer audio recordings from a compatible Sony external microphone. Used with Sony’s XLR-K3M XLR Adaptor Kit, the Alpha 7S III provides 4-channel 24-bit digital audio recording capability in an Alpha series camera for the first time. Like other MI shoe accessories, no cables or batteries are required, providing unrestrained freedom for Alpha system moviemaking.

Additional movie assist functions include a redesigned monitor display with a bold, clearly visible red frame that makes it clear when recording is in progress even when mounted on a rig or gimbal, custom zoom settings, adjustable white balance while recording, display rotation, interval recording, still extraction from movies and more.

Outstanding Still Image Photography

The Alpha 7S III includes a fast Hybrid AF system with 759 phase-detection AF points covering 92% of the image sensor. The camera can also achieve high AF precision to accurately and reliably focus in light down to EV-6[xix], where subjects are difficult to see clearly even with the naked eye. Users can continuously shoot more than 1,000 uncompressed RAW[xii] images at up to 10fps, or up to 8fps in live view mode, with either the mechanical or electronic shutter.

The Alpha 7S III also includes the world’s first[x] 9.44 million-dot (approx.), 0.64 type Quad-XGA electronic viewfinder with a high-definition OLED display and refined. The Alpha 7S III viewfinder offers a 0.90x viewfinder magnification[xx], 41° diagonal field of view, 25mm high eyepoint for clear, low-distortion corner to corner viewing. It is also dust, fog and moisture resistant[xviii], extremely responsive, and has switchable modes for different subject types. Every aspect of the Alpha 7S III viewfinder has been designed and refined for a professional workflow.

For the first time in one of Sony’s digital cameras, the Alpha 7S III includes HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) allowing for smooth 10-bit gradations and advanced compression technology to maintain image quality while significantly reducing file size and saving storage space. HEIF stills shot in this mode can be played back on a compatible Sony HDR (HLG) TV via a direct HDMI Type-A connection from the Alpha 7S III, delivering true-to-life dynamic range[xxi].

Versatile Design Made for the Pros

CFexpress Type A for High-speed Data Transfer

In another world’s first^x, the Alpha 7S III features two CFexpress Type A compatible media slots which also support UHS-I and UHS-II SDXC/SDHC cards, enabling high write-and-read speeds while keeping the camera body compact in size. CFexpress Type A cards are ideally suited to high-speed continuous RAW still image shooting as well as 4K 120pⁱ movie recording at high bit rates[xxii], providing next-generation write speeds that can quickly clear the buffers of cameras that generate high volumes of still image and movie data. High-speed data transfer to a PC is possible at about 1.7 times faster[xxiii] than that of SD card. The dual slots can be set to relay mode for extended continuous recording of even the highest bit rate data as well as simultaneous recording and sort by format type recording.

Revised Menu System with Enhanced Touch Screen

The Alpha 7S III also features a revised menu structure for easier navigation and touch-responsive menu operation for faster, more intuitive control. For creators who shoot both stills and movies, separate settings can now be stored for stills and movie shooting for quick transition between the two.

High Reliability Gives Creators New Freedom

Professional users need more than just refined features and performance. They also need the reliability and durability demanded of any professional tool. The Alpha 7S III features a redesigned grip for greater comfort and a secure hold, an improved dust removal feature, plus dust and moisture resistance[xviii] that maximizes reliability in challenging environments. It includes a durable, reliable HDMI Type-A connector, and is the first Alpha series camera to support USB PD (Power Delivery), allowing higher power to be supplied from an external source so that users can continue to record for extended periods with minimal internal battery usage.

Advanced Connectivity for Professional Working Environments

The Alpha 7S III has been designed and configured to support photo and video journalists and sports shooters who need to deliver stills or movies as quickly as possible with several advanced connectivity options. The camera supports 5GHz[xxiv]/2.4GHz wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11ac) and offers MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output) to improve communication quality by using multiple antennas, doubling in speed when compared to the Alpha7R IV. It also carries new USB tethering support[xxv]. When connected to a 5G (5th generation technology standard for cellular networks) compatible device via USB cable, it is possible to use 5G network for fast and stable FTP file transfer[xxvi]. USB to high-speed wired LAN connectivity[xxvii] also offers stable and fast FTP transfer for both movies and stills. A USB Type-C™ connector that supports fast SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps (USB 3.2) data transfer is provided, enabling high-speed PC Remote (tethered) data transfer available for smooth handling of large image files.

Pricing and Availability

The new Alpha 7S III Full-frame Interchangeable Lens Camera will be available in September 2020 for approximately $ 3,499.99 USD and $ 4,799.99 CAD. It will be sold at a variety of Sony’s authorized dealers throughout North America.

Exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with the new camera and Sony’s other imaging products can be found at www.alphauniverse.com, a site created to educate and inspire all fans and customers of Sony ? – Alpha.

For detailed coverage on the new product on Alpha Universe, please visit this LINK.

The new content will also be posted directly at the Sony Photo Gallery.

For detailed product information, please visit:

(US) – ILCE-7SM3
(CA) – ILCE-7SM3

[i] 10% of view cropped

[ii] S-Log3 movies, Sony internal tests

[iii] When compared to the BIONZ X™ image processor

[iv] When compared to Alpha7S II

[v] 40 to 409,600 for stills and 80 to 409,600 for movies. Sony test conditions

[vi] When shooting full-frame still images. The number of AF points used depends on the shooting mode.

[vii] This function does not track animal eyes

[viii] Sony test conditions. XAVC S-I 10-bit 4:2:2, 25 deg C (ambient, camera when recording started), Auto Power Off Temperature: High. The value will vary depending on the shooting conditions. Movie shooting past an hour will continue until battery ends.

[ix] In active mode, the shooting angle of view is slightly narrowed. If the focal length is 200 mm or more, it is recommended to set to standard

[x] As of July 2020, Sony survey. Among full-frame mirrorless cameras

[xi] Up to 10fps in continuous “Hi+” mode, and up to 8fps in continuous “Hi” mode Maximum fps will depend on camera settings

[xii] Requires CFexpress Type A memory card

[xiii] When XAVC S-I 4K or HD is selected via the file format menu

[xiv] Requires compatible memory card

[xv] Atomos Ninja V HDR monitor-recorder support planned. As of July 2020

[xvi] Sony’s Premium High Speed HDMI Cable DLC-HX10 recommended

[xvii] Imaging Edge Mobile Ver. 7.4 or later required

[xviii] Not guaranteed to be 100% dust and moisture proof

[xix] ISO 100 equivalent, F2.0 lens, AF-S mode

[xx] 50mm lens, infinity, -1m^-1 diopter

[xxi] Desktop application “HEIF Converter” for displaying and editing HEIF format is planned to launch in September 2020

[xxii] 4:2:2 10-bit All-I, when recording slow motion

[xxiii] Sony test conditions.

[xxiv] 5 GHz communication may be restricted in some countries and regions

^[xxv] Power Delivery supported smartphone is required

^[xxvi] Does not guarantee connection with all smartphone. FTP file transfer by USB tethering that utilizes 4G network is also possible

[xxvii] A compatible USB-Ethernet adapter is required

Sony a7S III specifications

Price
MSRP	$ 3499 (body only)
Body type
Body type	SLR-style mirrorless
Body material	Magnesium alloy
Sensor
Max resolution	4240 x 2832
Image ratio w:h	1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels	12 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	13 megapixels
Sensor size	Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm)
Sensor type	BSI-CMOS
Processor	Bionz XR
Color space	sRGB, Adobe RGB, BT.2020
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
ISO	Auto, 80-102400 (expands to 40-409600)
Boosted ISO (minimum)	40
Boosted ISO (maximum)	409600
White balance presets	7
Custom white balance	Yes
Image stabilization	Sensor-shift
Image stabilization notes	5-axis
CIPA image stabilization rating	5.5 stop(s)
Uncompressed format	RAW
JPEG quality levels	Extra fine, fine, normal
File format	JPEG (Exif v2.32) HEIF Raw (ARW 4.0)
Optics & Focus
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi-area Center Selective single-point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection Live View
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Manual focus	Yes
Number of focus points	759
Lens mount	Sony E
Focal length multiplier	1×
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated
Screen size	3″
Screen dots	1,440,000
Touch screen	Yes
Screen type	TFT LCD
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic
Viewfinder coverage	100%
Viewfinder magnification	0.91×
Viewfinder resolution	9,440,000
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	30 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/8000 sec
Exposure modes	Program Aperture priority Shutter priority Manual
Built-in flash	No
External flash	Yes (Multi-interface shoe)
Flash X sync speed	1/250 sec
Drive modes	Single Continuous Self-timer Bracketing (AE/WB/DRO)
Continuous drive	10.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center-weighted Highlight-weighted Average Spot
Exposure compensation	±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
AE Bracketing	±5 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)
WB Bracketing	Yes
Videography features
Format	MPEG-4, XAVC S, XAVC HS, XAVC S-1, H.264, H.265
Modes	3840 x 2160 @ 120p / 280 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.265, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 100p / 280 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.265, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 60p / 200 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.265, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 50p / 200 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.265, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 140 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.265, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 140 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.265, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.265, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 100p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	Dual SD/CFexpress Type A slots
Connectivity
USB	USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec)
USB charging	Yes (USB PD supported)
HDMI	Yes (Standard)
Microphone port	Yes
Headphone port	Yes
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	802.11ac (dual band) + Bluetooth
Remote control	Yes (wireless or smartphone)
Physical
Environmentally sealed	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	NP-FZ100 lithium-ion battery charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	600
Weight (inc. batteries)	699 g (1.54 lb / 24.66 oz)
Dimensions	129 x 97 x 81 mm (5.08 x 3.82 x 3.19″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
GPS	None

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Sony PRO Support is being extended 6 months for members, free of charge

13 May

Sony has informed DPReview that it will be extending its Sony Imaging PRO Support platform for all members for an additional six months due to the ‘current global situation.’

No press release was issued, but in an email shared with DPReview (embedded below) via a spokesperson, Sony says PRO Support members will have an extra six months of service added free of charge, immediately and automatically. These services include dedicated U.S. Phone support, expedited repair turnaround time, repair loaners, evaluation loaners, camera maintenance and more.

Sony says its PRO Support members ‘are among [its] most loyal customers [and it wants] you to know how much [it] values you being a part of Sony’s Imaging family.’

Email:

Sony PRO Support extended by six months for customers due to global conditions

As a PRO Support member, you are among our most loyal customers and we want you to know how much we value you being part of Sony’s Imaging family.

With the current global situation, we are taking steps to ensure we are supporting all of our customers during these difficult times. For all Pro Support members like yourself, we are automatically extending membership for an additional 6 months, free of charge.

As a refresher, your ProSupport membership includes:

– Dedicate US Phone Support Experts

– Expedited Repair Turnaround Time

– Repair Loaners

– Evaluation Loaner

– Camera Maintenance

– Terms & Conditions for the program applies to

o US members

o Canada members

We are here to support you via phone or email:

M-F 7AM PST to 5PM PST. Saturday 7AM PST to 2PM PST.

Phone: 866-470-7669

Email: ImagingProSupport@sony.com.

Thank you again for your loyalty and support.

All the best,

Sony Imaging PRO Support

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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New extended UK airport no-fly zones will take effect on March 13

13 Mar

Last month, UK officials announced plans to extend the no-fly zone around airports from the current radius of 1km / 0.6mi to 5km / 3mi. The change is in response to the Christmas 2018 Gatwick airport drone incident, during which time more than 140,000 passengers were impacted and more than 1,000 flights were disrupted. The change will go into effect tomorrow, March 13, 2019.

Though the precise threat small drones present to large aircraft remains unknown, a growing body of evidence suggests a mid-air collision between the two could potentially be catastrophic. No-fly zones aim to prevent these close calls, but many drone operators have been caught ignoring regulations.

Gatwick airport no-fly zone via NoFlyDrones.co.uk

In February 2018, a video was published showing a small UAV flying within close proximity of a passenger jet near the McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, for example. From February 2014 to April 2018, the US FAA had received 6,117 reports of drones being operated within an unsafe distance of manned aircraft, and Bloomberg reported in February 2018 that a small drone had struck a helicopter mid-flight, ultimately resulting in a crash.

Increasing the no-fly zone around airports will make it possible to use anti-drone technology to take down unwanted UAVs before they get too close to the facilities and runways. According to a report from BBC in January, the UK’s Heathrow Airport had been testing anti-drone systems before the Gatwick incident, but it’s unclear whether a permanent solution has been installed at either airport.

UK drone owners can view no-fly zones in the nation using the NoFlyDrones.co.uk website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Readers’ Choice Awards: voting extended

05 Jan

If you’ve been sleeping on your chance to weigh in on the best photographic product of 2018, we’ve got great news: you have a little extra time. Voting in our final poll – the winner-takes-all – has been extended through Sunday, January 6th. Currently, the Sony a7 III is in the lead by 5 percent of the vote – a healthy but not insurmountable lead over the Fujifilm X-T3. Don’t miss the chance to have your say in the results!

See the winning products from the first round of voting and cast your ballot now

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Extended Spring Roll Camera Jacket launches for mirrorless cameras

02 Jun

Japanese company Extended has launched a new protective case for select cameras, the Extended Spring Roll Camera Jacket. This case is compatible with the Leica M series, Leica Q, Fuji X-Pro series, and other similarly-sized cameras. As the product’s name suggests, the Spring Roll protects cameras by wrapping around them; two small snap clasps are used to keep the case closed.

According to the company’s website, Spring Roll measures 155mm x 290mm when open; the lens cover has a 70mm diameter and a 55mm length. Extended Photographic recently launched the Spring Roll Camera Jacket on its website, where it is priced at ¥12,800 / $ 110 USD with shipping to the US being an additional ¥2,000 / $ 18.

Via: LeicaRumors

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Tips for Taking the Torture out of Extended Family Portrait Sessions

04 Oct

I have yet to meet someone who loves getting their picture taken with the whole extended family. The thought of getting all the dramatic aunts, crazy uncles, wild kids, and tired grandparents together and smiling all at the same time seems nearly impossible, and not at all fun. I know of many photographers who refuse to do big family portraits because they can be so unpleasant. I have grown to love big extended family portrait sessions throughout the years. You can too, whether you’re the photographer, or one of the silly cousins getting her photo taken.

Extended Family Portrait Session

Think of big groups as your own family

The first thing that helped me love extended family sessions was the way that I thought of them. Instead of a difficult crazy session, I try to think of them as my own family, and take the photos with love. Let me share a story that may change your mind about extended family sessions too.

A while ago I was asked to add a missing brother to an extended family photo. The entire family had been there when they had the photo taken, except for this one brother who couldn’t get off work. Months later, one of the other brothers tragically passed away. Their most recent family portrait wasn’t complete, and they’d never be able to get a new one.

So, I took this working brother to the same location, took a photo of him, worked him into the photo through the magic of Photoshop. I matched everything the best that I could, so they could have the last most complete family portrait. It made me realize how fragile life is, and how fragile families are. If I have an opportunity to capture a family right now, today, as they are, I’m happy to do it. You never know when or why that portrait may become priceless to them.

Not only are these photos precious and invaluable, but they can be a lot of fun, and not too difficult to pull off. Let me give you some tips to help.

Extended Family Portrait Session

Take charge, be bold, move fast

When you’re working with a big group of people, someone has to be in charge. That person is you, the photographer. This is not a time to be timid and quiet, hoping things will fall into place. As soon as you’re ready to start, get everyone’s attention. Taking charge right away will let them know that you are confident, that you know what you are doing, and that they can trust you. Smile a lot, and if it works for you, throw in some humor. Tell your group that if they will listen to you closely, and do everything you say, that it will be quick, painless, and even fun. Everyone there likes to hear “quick, painless, and fun”, so you’ll have their attention right away.

Don’t take a long time getting everything situated. Have everything scoped out beforehand, and have a firm idea of where and how you will place everyone. Know what order you will be photographing each group, and if you have any stragglers, kindly, but firmly move them toward the picture location. If there are a lot of small children, this is especially imperative. You will lose their interest and patience so quickly, so you need to take advantage of any time when they are even remotely cooperative. You won’t get any good photos when everyone is exhausted and sick of you, so you have to be done before that happens.

Extended Family Portrait Session

Add some personality

With a big group, it seems like you might only have one option – get everyone to look at you, and hope they are smiling. Many clients do want a more traditional family photo, very posed, with everyone looking and smiling. But try giving them a few photos with a little bit of their family’s personality. When you are working with so many people it’s really hard to get a perfect traditional photo anyway. Most of my clients know that isn’t really my style, so they are happy with the more fun, casual photos.

My favorite thing is to ask everyone to hug in to Grandpa and Grandma, or hug someone next to them. Set everyone up for the more formal photo, and once you’ve captured that, just ask them all to hug. Usually it feels silly enough that they start to laugh, and you get genuine laughs and connection.

Extended Family Portrait Session

Try different poses and positions

It can be a challenge to know how to arrange a really big family group. You could easily have four generations in one photo, which can add even more challenges with arrangements. Some families like family photos where they are all squished in together, in one big family group. I’ve had some that want them completely mixed up, where nobody is grouped into separate families. This is okay, but I find that most families like to at least be able to tell which small families within the group belong together. You can do this by just having each family stand next to each other, or you can even put gaps in between each family. I usually do both, so they have options to choose from later.

I usually place Grandpa and Grandma in the center then evenly distribute their children’s families on either side.

Extended Family Portrait Session

My style doesn’t involve a lot of props, so you won’t notice a lot of chairs and stools in my family photos. They are an option if you’d like to create different levels, but it usually takes a lot of time to get that set up, and your subjects lose patience fast. I prefer a more casual, natural look to something that looks very precise and contrived. Sometimes worrying about those extra things can cause a lot of stress for you, and for your families, and make the whole process more of a chore. But feel free to use them if it’s your style and preference.

Extended Family Portrait Session

Find suitable locations

If you want to have some seated photos, look for locations that have places to sit built in. I love rocks, logs, or even park benches. You can also have some people sit on the ground, some kneel, some stand, but again, be careful not to take so long over-posing that you lose their patience.

It can be difficult to find a place that will work for such a large group. Try to find locations with simple backgrounds that don’t detract from the faces. If possible, schedule the session during the early morning or evening, to take advantage of better lighting. Look for places that have large trees or buildings to filter the light. It’s much harder to make difficult lighting situations work with 30 people than it is when you’re just photographing one.

Don’t move around a lot with a large family once you’ve found a good spot. Find one or two good backgrounds, three if they’re really close to each other, and stick with them. This will keep their photo groupings more consistent with each other, and will make the session go much faster and smoother. Try getting 30 people to move quickly over to a different rock, and you’ll see what I mean.

Extended Family Portrait Session

Get all the break-off groupings

Once you’ve photographed the big huge family, it’s time to get all of the little groups. Keep this moving quickly, and be efficient moving from one group to the next. Here’s a list of the different groupings that I do:

Entire extended family
Grandpa and Grandma (Dad and Mom) alone
Dad and Mom with their children (siblings)
Dad and Mom with their children and children’s spouses
All the siblings
The siblings and their spouses
Grandpa and Grandma with the grandchildren
All the grandchildren
The sisters together
The brothers together
Each separate family

I don’t do every one of these every time. It depends on what the family wants. Also, I know every family is different, and there may not be Mom and Dad, or any grandchildren, etc. This is just to give an idea of how you might break the groupings up.

I try to do the whole family first, and then the smaller groupings. Because it’s hardest to get everyone paying attention and happy for the whole group, you want to get that in when everyone’s fresh. However, sometimes some of the families arrive before others. It’s a great use of time to take the photos of those families while you’re waiting for the entire group to get there. They’ll be happy that they’re finished early, and that they don’t have to sit around doing nothing while they’re waiting for the latecomers.

Extended Family Portrait Session

A few more tips

Remember when you’re working with big families, that letting go of perfection can save you, and them, from a miserable experience. Kids often don’t cooperate, and sometimes some of the family is really grumpy about being there for photos. Do the best you can, and let the rest go. If there are little ones not looking at the camera, or even crying, you are still capturing that family at this moment in time, and giving them a gift. They may end up treasuring the silly faces, and loving the memories of when one grandchild was going through his never-sit-still phase.

Direct the adults

Tell the parents and grandparents to do their best to continue looking at you and smiling, even if you are trying to get their kids’ attention. Many a good photo is ruined by a parent looking down and lecturing their child right at the moment when the child finally does look up and smile. If the adults are picture-ready at all times, then you will have a chance at catching the split second that their kid smiles, and they’ll be smiling too.

Extended Family Portrait Session

Shoot lots of the big group

Take LOTS of photos in a row with the big group. You may think that you have what you need, but then later when you look at the photos full size, you’ll realize that Uncle Bob blinked in every single one. If you take a lot of photos, one right after the other, you can do head swaps later if you need to open some eyes. If they’re taken at approximately the same time, it will be really easy to change the faces, because they’ll be in the same place in every photo.

Love your families

Lastly, remember to love the families you are photographing. They love each other, even through their faults and imperfections, enough to want to preserve a moment in their lives. This photo is so important to at least one person there. Important enough to go through all the hassle of gathering their entire family together in one place at one time. They are trusting you to give them this cherished gift. Consider yourself one of the family for that hour or so, and let your lens capture the love.

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The post Tips for Taking the Torture out of Extended Family Portrait Sessions by Melinda Smith appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Lights on! White theme extended to forums, now default for new visitors

25 Jun

You may have already noticed that following a few weeks of tweaking and bug squashing we’ve extended the new ‘light’ theme to the forums and deployed a new unified header that is shared between both dark and light versions of the site. The beta pop-up has been banished from the site and a new permanent ‘Reading Mode’ switch placed at the top right corner of the site.

Use the ‘Reading mode’ switch (top right of every page) to switch between black and white themes. Your choice is remembered.

White is the new black

As of the today the ‘light’ reading mode will be the default. If you want to switch to black and forget this ever happened, go ahead – your choice will be remembered.

DPR has had the same basic ‘look’ since it launched in 1998, and there’s no doubt that the white-on-black design has always been an instantly recognizable part of our identity – our brand. And we know – because you’ve told us through polls and comments – that many of our regular visitors and forum pros are very happy with the current design and have no appetite for change, hence the decision to offer this as an option, forever.

If you want to switch to black and forget this ever happened, go ahead – your choice will be remembered.

But we also know that a large number of our visitors found the old design visually off-putting and hard to read, and a switch to a more conventional ‘black on white’ design has been the single most requested change seen via our feedback system for at least ten years. So we decided to see if we could, in relatively short order, knock together a quick alternative with the emphasis on readability for those that struggle with white text on a black background. What you see today is the outcome of that experiment. Not a lot has changed – we flipped the colors and made the body font a little larger, but this is a new coat of paint, not a foundation-up rebuild.


White theme forum index	White theme post view

We asked, you answered…

For those of you that managed to get this far down the page before scrolling straight to the comment section, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the thousands of visitors who took the time to give us feedback on the new theme during the beta. I personally read every single feedback email, all the comments on the original news story announcing the beta, and as many forum posts as I could find.

The feedback (after filtering out all the complaints about the pop-up asking for feedback and those that took the time to tell us they had no opinion) pretty much all fell into one of four buckets: those that loved the new design (most common words: ‘thanks!!’ and ‘finally!!’), those that prefer the old design (most common phrase ‘don’t fix what ain’t broke’), those that didn’t like either and had their own suggestions for background colors, and a few who hadn’t read the story or the pop up and were under the impression that we were going to replace the old design with the new one, which made them angry. Like, really angry.

I’m not complaining – we were really appreciative of ALL the feedback, and it informed many of the decisions we made and will make in future design changes.

..and the results are in

Overall the feedback was split 63:37 in favor of the lighter theme, though in the last two weeks the gap widened to about 70:30 as we finessed the design and annoyed more people into giving us feedback (thanks Mr Pop-up!).

The most common themes we saw in favor of the darker theme were

The original color scheme sets DPR apart from most sites on the internet and is a fundamental part of our identity.
The new theme is too bright and is hard to read (quite a few people claimed it ‘burns my eyes’)
Photos look better on black and photo apps such as Lightroom have a similar theme.

We agree that generally color images look better on a dark background, so we didn’t re-skin galleries, challenges, slideshows or the expanded image view in forums.

Just to reiterate…we may be defaulting to the white theme… but the dark theme is not going away. Ever.

It’s probably worth mentioning too, that in the month or so that we ran the beta we saw a significant difference between those using the white and black versions of the site, with those opting for the lighter theme spending almost twice as long and reading almost twice as many pages as those who stayed with the black theme. This is not conclusive proof (for reasons too longwinded to go into here), but it did confirm our long-held belief that the old theme was actually putting people off reading our content.

I hope you give the new ‘Reading mode’ a try – especially the forums, which we just launched. Please share your opinion of how we might make it better below.


Desktop users wondering where the switch for the ‘classic’ (yellow on gray) forum skin went – it’s at the bottom of every forum page (below the index of threads).	Again, this setting is remembered between sessions (as long as you retain our cookies).

Just to reiterate, we may – for now – be defaulting to the white theme (because based on the feedback and the data it’s the right choice), but the dark theme is not going away. Ever*.

That’s all, folks.

*OK, it’s been pointed out to me that saying the black theme won’t ‘ever’ go away is quite a commitment, and maybe I should say ‘until no one is using it, or until the dying Sun consumes our planet, whichever comes sooner’.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Deal Extended! Get $20,048 Worth of Top-Quality Resources – From $49

11 Jul

Do you remember the awesome design bundles from InkyDeals? We told you before that InkyDeals is one of the leading deals websites in the design community, with a devoted community of more than 300,000 design enthusiasts. Whenever an awesome deal appears on Inky Deals, we share it with the Photodoto audience, so that you never miss interesting and useful stuff. Continue Reading

The post Deal Extended! Get $ 20,048 Worth of Top-Quality Resources – From $ 49 appeared first on Photodoto.

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Fuji adds grips, grip strap, and extended eye-cup accessories for X-T1

16 Apr

Fujifilm UK has announced a host of accessories for its X-T1 mirrorless cameras. These include two extra accessory grips for the X-T1, which build on the features offered by the MHG-style grips already available for the X-series cameras. The MHG-XT Small and Large offer a choice grip sizes and include integrated Arca-Swiss compatible flanges, as well as full-time access to the battery port. Other accessories include a deeper viewfinder eye-cup and a handgrip-style strap that’s compatible across the X-mount range. Pricing and availability dates have not yet been announced.

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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