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The Best Gear of 2021? TIPA Announces Its Winners

22 May

The post The Best Gear of 2021? TIPA Announces Its Winners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

2021 TIPA World Awards

The Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) has released its 2021 World Awards recipients, celebrating the best cameras, lenses, and other photography gear released over the past year.

Hailed as the “most coveted photo and imaging awards worldwide,” TIPA aims to “both recognize and honor [photography] industry companies and their products.” Winners are chosen by TIPA member magazine representatives, who vote for class-leading gear across dozens of categories, including Best APS-C Camera (Entry-Level, Advanced, and Expert), Best Tripod, Best Telephoto Zoom Lens, and much more. 

All the usual suspects took prizes, with Sony grabbing an impressive six awards (including Best Full Frame Professional Camera, Best Photo/Video Camera (Expert), and Best Photo Smartphone). Sigma snagged four awards, Canon and Nikon each snapped up three, while Fujifilm and Tamron took two. 

Olympus was notably absent for the second year running, but Pentax made the list – thanks to its K-3 Mark III – for the first time since 2015. 

While the TIPA awards can only reveal so much, this year’s awardees do seem representative of the broader camera world – where Sony, Canon, and Nikon dominate headlines, Olympus and Panasonic cater to a niche audience, and third-party manufacturers such as Tamron and Sigma offer highly respected alternatives to Canon, Sony, and Nikon glass. 

In fact, out of nine lens awards, six were handed to third-party lens manufacturers. And the trend is hardly new. Last year, six out of eleven lens awards went to third-party manufacturers, and the year prior saw six out of twelve. It highlights the outstanding products offered by “optics-first” companies such as Tamron, Sigma, and Laowa. 

Below, I’ve included the full list of awards and the corresponding winners. Give it a read – and once you’re done, leave a comment. Did any equipment deserve to be awarded that was skipped? What do you think of TIPA’s picks? Share your thoughts!

The TIPA World Awards 2021 winners

  • Best APS-C Camera (Entry-Level): Canon EOS M50 Mark II
  • Best APS-C Camera (Advanced): Fujifilm X-S10
  • Best APS-C Camera (Expert): Pentax K-3 Mark III
  • Best Full Frame Camera (Advanced): Nikon Z6 II
  • Best Full Frame Camera (Expert): Nikon Z7 II
  • Best Full Frame Professional Camera: Sony a1
  • Best Photo/Video Camera (Advanced): Sigma fp L
  • Best Photo/Video Camera (Expert): Sony a7S III
  • Best Medium Format Camera: Fujifilm GFX 100s
  • Best Prime Wide Angle Lens: Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Zero-D Shift
  • Best Prime Standard Lens: Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM
  • Best Prime Telephoto Lens: Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM
  • Best Wide Angle Zoom Lens: Nikon Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S
  • Best Standard Zoom Lens: Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
  • Best Telephoto Zoom Lens: Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD
  • Best Ultra-Telephoto Zoom Lens: Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary
  • Best Portrait Lens: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN | Art
  • Best Macro Lens: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro | Art
  • Best Vlogger Camera: Sony ZV-1
  • Best Professional Video Camera: Panasonic Lumix DC-BGH1
  • Best Fine Art Printing Solution: Hahnemühle Print – Protect – Authenticate Product Range
  • Best Photo Printer: Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300
  • Best Imaging Software Expert: Zoner Photo Studio X
  • Best Imaging Software Professional: DxO PhotoLab 4
  • Best Lighting Technology: Profoto AirX
  • Best Portable Flash: Godox Pocket Flash AD100Pro
  • Best Tripod: Vanguard VEO 3GO series
  • Best Tripod Head: Gitzo Ball Head Series 4
  • Best Gimbal System: Manfrotto Fast Gimboom and Gimbal series
  • Best Enthusiast Photo Monitor: ViewSonic VP2768a
  • Best Professional Photo Monitor: LG UltraWide Thunderbolt 4
  • Best Professional Video Monitor: LG UltraFine OLED Pro
  • Best Photo Smartphone: Sony Xperia 1 III
  • Best Power Accessory: NITECORE SCL10 2-in-1 Smart Camera Light & Power Bank
  • Best Video Accessory: RØDE Wireless GO II
  • Best Photo Accessory: Hoya PROND GRAD Circular Graduated ND Filters
  • Best Retail Finishing System: CEWE Photocenter
  • Best Photo Lab: WhiteWall Room View
  • Best Photo Service: CEWE Photo Calendar A2 Gold Edition
  • Best Imaging Computer: Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15

The post The Best Gear of 2021? TIPA Announces Its Winners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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10 Essential Pieces of Landscape Photography Gear

02 May

The post 10 Essential Pieces of Landscape Photography Gear appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeb Buchman.

10 essential pieces of landscape photography gear

What’s the best landscape photography gear? What gear do you need to take stunning landscape photos?

In this article, I share with you my 10 most essential gear items – items that I use all the time in my own landscape photography, and items that I highly recommend you purchase if you’re after the best landscape shots.

So read through this list. And ask yourself, “What am I missing?”

Then, if you can, take a trip to the (online) camera store!

Let’s get started.

1. The internet

Whenever I plan a landscape photography photoshoot, I usually begin by googling the area. If it’s a relatively well-known location, you will probably find some very interesting, comprehensive websites made by other photographers or adventurers/bloggers.

The problem is that if it’s a famous location, you will also get a ton of not-so-interesting (and even incorrect) information, as well. Going through Google results to separate the helpful and high-quality blogs or websites from the crummy ones is an art form. But with a little practice, reading a few sentences of a blog will clue you in as to whether or not the information you’ve found is worth considering.

If you can’t find two or three really good blogs about your location, head over to AllTrails. It has a sizeable database of locations that have been hiked, including user reviews of the location and the level of difficulty. If you’re planning to photograph a famous site, Tripadvisor has a good database of information, including nearby places to stay.

With blogs, AllTrails, and/or Tripadvisor, you’ll be off and running (probably with more information than you need). In most cases, the tricky part is searching through everything you find and turning it into an overall plan of action.

essential landscape photography gear

2. A strong backpack

When it comes to landscape photography gear, a backpack is absolutely essential – and it’s not a good place to go cheap. You get what you pay for, and it’s very important you use a strong, water-resistant bag, one with reinforced padding.

Do yourself a favor and invest in a high-quality bag, like the Lowepro Pro Trekker. It will take care of your camera and lenses, and it will last you many years.

essential landscape photography gear waterfall

3. A weather-sealed camera

Eventually, you’re going to drop a camera. It happens to the best of us (at least, that’s what everyone told me the first time I dropped a camera!), especially those of us who shoot in less-than-perfect weather conditions.

So make sure you purchase a camera made from durable materials – go for a metal alloy body instead of a plasticky, entry-level camera. My first full-frame DSLR was the Nikon D700, and that camera could survive being run over by a small truck. A perfect companion for the clumsy beginner that I was back then.

Also consider investing in a quality raincoat for your lens/camera. I don’t recommend getting one of the cheap, flimsy, clear plastic covers made from recycled sandwich bags; they will tear easily and won’t stay put in windy conditions. Instead, get a cover that is heavy duty because one good coat will last a long time, and they aren’t too pricey.

4. A sturdy tripod

A tripod is an item you don’t want to mess around with. In fact, this is the one item more than any other that I would recommend you consider really splurging on.

Why? A tripod is designed to keep your camera steady, to handle poor footing out in the muddy, rocky, sandy wilderness, and to protect your camera setup from sudden falls. This requires ultra-solid construction – which doesn’t come cheap.

Plus, a flimsy tripod could end up costing you a chunk of cash in repair bills. It only takes one good gust of wind to knock over an unstable tripod. If you buy a nice camera and lens but mount it on an entry-level tripod, it’s like putting old, worn tires on a Ferrari. The car won’t run properly, and it’s dangerous for the rest of the setup.

waterfall with long-exposure stream

A good tripod will outlive the rest of your kit, so it’s rare you’ll need to invest in more than one over the course of many years. Spending a few extra bucks goes a long way toward having a more stable, secure setup.

To find an excellent tripod, check out Really Right Stuff, Manfrotto, Gitzo, and Feisol. In my opinion, you should strongly consider carbon fiber tripods over aluminum; they’re lightweight, and they’re also ridiculously strong.

5. Lenses

Lenses are where the fun begins and your wallet ends.

See, lenses are the single most important piece of landscape photography equipment you can buy. You can have the finest camera, tripod, backpack, memory cards, and accessories available – but if you don’t have quality glass, you’ll seriously struggle to take a great photograph.

I typically prefer to shoot with prime lenses as opposed to zoom lenses. Why? Because I want to get as intimate with the scene as possible. With zoom lenses, I tend to get a bit lazy and shoot without adequately working the scene. There is no substitute for moving your feet and seeing the composition with your own eyes rather than through the viewfinder. This special perspective is lost if you zoom instead of walking around and considering the scene.

That said, lens choice is pretty subjective. I know plenty of photographers who prefer using zoom lenses; that’s great, and most of the time, the best gear for you is the gear you’re most comfortable with.

But here’s my suggestion: Before buying any lens, prime or zoom, rent it first. Because you can’t know how the lens will work for you until you use it in various situations.

field of sunflowers at sunset

6. A reliable remote trigger or shutter release

Remote triggers are often overlooked by landscape photographers. But I firmly believe that a remote trigger makes a big difference.

Without a remote, you have to physically press the shutter button on top of the camera, and no matter how careful you are, and no matter how securely fastened the camera is to the tripod, this will introduce some shake.

So if you want a tack-sharp image, don’t let anything touch the camera. Get your setup as steady as a concrete slab.

Instead of pressing the shutter button with your finger, invest in a reliable remote shutter release. They aren’t expensive, and they can go a long way toward keeping your photos sharp.

7. Filters

In landscape photography, some filters are almost as essential as good lenses. I’ll keep it brief here and stick with just a few basic filters I always travel with.

A circular polarizer

A polarizing filter helps mitigate the nasty, harsh reflections of the sun off shiny objects such as water and wet rocks. Using a circular polarizer is easy; you simply turn the filter until you see the glare disappear.

A polarizer will also help darken the sky and make it a deeper, richer blue. Some people like that look, and some don’t. I use a polarizer practically all the time when shooting in daylight.

A neutral density filter

An ND filter basically acts as sunglasses for your lens: it blocks some light from reaching the camera’s sensor, thereby slowing down the exposure.

For example, a 3-stop ND filter allows through three stops less light than you’d get without the filter attached. A 5-stop ND filter will allow five stops less light, and so on.

For the serious landscape photographer, I’d recommend carrying a 2-stop, 3-stop, and 10-stop ND filter. If you want to do some long exposure waterscape work, the 10-stop filter will help make the water silky smooth. You can also stretch out clouds or turn people into invisible ghosts with ND filters.

A graduated neutral density filter

GND filters are similar to ND filters, but only the upper portion of the filter is darkened. And the darkening effect is gradual, starting strong at the top and getting darker as you move toward the middle:

graduated neutral density filter

When would you need a GND filter?

Generally, in sunrise and sunset situations when the sky is brighter than your foreground. You can use a graduated neutral density filter to darken the horizon while keeping the foreground nice and bright.

In other words, a GND filter balances the light from the brighter horizon and the darker foreground.

A reverse graduated neutral density filter

A reverse GND filter is like a standard GND, except the tint gets darker as you move from the outer edge of the glass toward the middle.

reverse graduated neutral density filter

When would you use a reverse GND filter? They’re great for shooting sunrises and sunsets where the horizon line is the brightest area of the frame and the sky gets progressively darker as you move upward.

A UV or clear filter

I want to do everything I can to protect my lenses from wear and tear.

So I always have a clear or UV filter on the front of every lens I own.

This does nothing to help improve the photograph, but it does a great job protecting the front lens element from dirt and dust, or from me walking into a door lens-first, which has happened more times than I prefer to admit.

essential landscape photography gear waterfall with rainbow

8. Extra batteries and memory cards

Always, without exception, carry an extra battery for your camera, an extra memory card, and extra batteries for other battery-powered devices.

If you’re bringing along a flash that takes four batteries, take an extra set of four with you. Chances are you won’t need them – but there will always be the one time when you do want them and wish you had thought to pack them.

9. The Photographer’s Ephemeris

The Photographer’s Ephemeris is a clever app that accurately details when and where the sun and moon will rise and set.

If you’re out chasing sunsets and sunrises for photographs, this app is a must-have.

10. A good pair of shoes

No joke. For landscape photographers, having a comfortable pair of shoes is like having good vision. If your feet aren’t comfy, then nothing else matters; you will not be as good a photographer as you would be with comfy feet.

This especially holds true on longer hikes, so invest in a good pair of hiking boots. Make sure the boots strike a balance between breathing well and offering some water resistance.

long exposure farm

Essential landscape photography gear: conclusion

Now that you’ve finished this article, you know all about the best landscape photography gear – and you’re hopefully ready to take a few stunning landscape photos of your own!

So buy the gear you need. Then get out, have fun, and start shooting!

What do you view as essential landscape photography gear? What gear do you always take with you when shooting landscapes? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post 10 Essential Pieces of Landscape Photography Gear appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeb Buchman.


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Tips for Buying Used Camera Gear

05 Feb

The post Tips for Buying Used Camera Gear appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tom Mason.

tips for buying used camera gear

If you’re shopping on a budget, then buying used camera gear is a great idea.

Modern digital cameras are updated on a regular basis, so the used market is full of cameras looking for a new home. Used cameras are a great way to upgrade your gear without breaking the bank (and they often offer fantastic value for the money, too).

But when looking at secondhand gear, not all of it will be up to scratch. Not everyone cares for their gear, so you must exercise consideration and caution.

Below are some pointers to make sure you get the best bang for your buck when buying used gear. That way, you can update your cameras, lenses, and accessories for a fraction of the original price!

buying used camera gear tips

Buying used cameras

Cameras are complex machines, so there are a few key indicators to look for when shopping for a secondhand body.

Shutter count

The shutter count of a camera is simply the number of times the shutter has been fired in its lifetime.

(The shutter count is also known as the number of shutter actuations.)

Generally, the shutter count will give you a great indication of the amount of use a camera has seen, similar to checking the mileage on a car. Cameras are rated for shutter durability, with enthusiast models often rated around the 150,000-shot mark, and professional models rated at 300,000 shots or higher.

When browsing, low shutter counts often indicate less heavily-used items. Fewer than 10,000 shots on a camera that is 2-5 years old is very low, with the normal amount being around 30,000-50,000.

If a camera has a very high count of 100,000 or more, it’s probably best avoided, especially because this number will also give you a little insight into the owner’s use of the camera. Higher-count cameras may have seen professional use (and a harder life), while lower counts indicate casual consumer use.

So how do you find out a camera’s shutter count?

The number is often provided when cameras are being sold secondhand. But if you’re not sure, you can find it out a few ways, depending on the model. Check out this article for guidance: Finding Your Camera’s Current Shutter Actuations.

Camera checks

When looking at a used camera, there are a few things you can check to get a better understanding of its condition.

First, remove the body cap and inspect the inside of the camera around the mirror, focusing screen, and lens contacts. Look for any signs of damage, oil, or gunk that has collected in these areas.

Inspect inside of body used camera gear
Inspect inside the camera, paying special attention to the mirror and focusing screen; look for any sign of oil or residue.

Oil can indicate that the mechanisms of the internal parts are not functioning correctly, sometimes due to the camera being bumped or dropped. Look for any oil around the sides of the internal section. A small flashlight can be a big help here.

Remember to hold the camera face-down as much as possible to reduce the risk of contamination from dust and dirt.

Hold downward used camera gear
When inspecting a camera, try to hold it face down.

If you have a lens on hand, it’s worth taking a test shot to look for any issues with the sensor.

Set the camera to f/16 to f/22, point it at a bright subject (a white wall or the sky), and shoot a frame. Play the image back and zoom in on the LCD screen to look for any marks and scratches.

Dust spots are not a huge problem, as a simple sensor clean can take care of them. But lines can be evidence of a scratch on the sensor (which means that the camera is best avoided).

example of sensor test shot
What to look for in the test shot.

General wear and tear

Of course, it’s also important to look for any external signs of damage. Small scratches, scuffs, and marks should be expected, but heavy blemishes can indicate that the camera has been dropped. Rubber grips often start to come off with heavy use, but these can be replaced at a low cost.

Body outside used camera gear
Outside grips often become worn and unglued. As long as there are no signs of a drop, these are a simple and cheap fix.
Check LCD used camera gear
Remove any protective screens or filters to look at the true body and lens in order to assess the damage.
Inspect external body when buying used camera gear
Look externally for any signs of bumps and scrapes. Often, cameras will have a few marks, but major dents may be evidence that the camera has been dropped.

Buying used lenses

Camera lenses are expensive, so secondhand options are a great alternative to buying new.

Once again, however, there are a few things to look for when making a purchase.

Lens blemishes

When inspecting a lens, you’ll want to check both the external and internal optics.

Externally, look for any scratches or chips on the glass. Tilting the lens toward the light can help you make sure the optics are in great condition.

Note that, even if a lens has a front filter, it may not be optically perfect. So unscrew the filter and check the true front element to be sure.

Lens wear tear used camera gear

Often, lenses will show signs of wear on their focus or zoom ring and the external barrel. Simple rubbing is normal and isn’t usually a concern.

Moving on, inspect internally for dust and mold. Shine a small light inside the lens and look for any particles. Most lenses will have small dust spots, but look for any large patches or seemingly smeared areas, as these will indicate whether the lens has any fogging or other internal issues.

Check lens optics when buying used camera gear
Look through the optics to ensure they are clear of dust and mold.
Dust lens used
Heavy dust and mold in a lens are to be avoided. The hundreds of particles inside this lens offer a perfect example of what not to buy.
Inspect the inside of the lens when buying used camera gear
Using a small flashlight, inspect inside the lens, paying particular attention to the aperture blades. Any evidence of oil may indicate the lens is functioning less than perfectly.

Aperture blades

On the rear of the lens, you’ll find a small lever that you can push to open the aperture blades. Do this, and check if the blades are snappy and without any stickiness that could be a sign of collected oil.

Check aperture
Using the lever, you can manually operate the aperture for a better sense of the lens’s functionality. Check that the aperture blades are snappy when they open and close.

Look through the lens with the iris fully open, once again checking for any particles or oil spots.

Open aperture of the lens
Open up the lens’s aperture to aid inspection.

Sharpness

Check the lens sharpness using a test chart. These patterned charts are easy to find online, and they can be stuck on a wall and used to quickly evaluate a lens.

Here’s how it works:

Mount the lens on a camera, then put the camera on a tripod. Focus on the test chart, then fire the camera using a remote release or the self-timer (to make sure you don’t create any camera shake).

Check the shots on your camera LCD (or, if you can, on the computer). Zoom into 100% to be sure of focus. Of course, some cameras and lenses will need fine in-camera adjustments for perfection, but any wildly unsharp tests may indicate a lens has been dropped or is out of alignment.

It’s also a good idea to test the full aperture range and look for sharpness from edge to edge. Even at f/2.8, the center of your test image should be relatively sharp.

Additionally, it’s a good idea to look for any external marks or blemishes when performing these tests, turning the focus and zoom rings to check for any stickiness or grating sounds.

With those checks done, you’ll have a good indication of whether the lens is up to scratch (and worth purchasing!).

lens test target
Here’s a lens sharpness target. You should use a large version of this type of chart to test a potential purchase.

Where to purchase used camera gear

If you’re struggling to find high-quality used camera gear, here are a few suggestions:

Camera shops

Lots of camera retailers offer some secondhand stock as well as new cameras. Buying from a dealer has its advantages, because items are often checked before being added to the inventory, plus they’re often serviced before they’re sold.

Also, most dealers will have a return policy, so if you find any faults, you can exchange the used gear for a full refund. Many of the better dealers offer warranties on used gear that range from three months to a year, which will give you excellent peace of mind when purchasing.

Of course, one of the downsides of buying from a dealer is the increased price. Used kit bought from outlets often costs more than gear bought from private sellers – so you must decide if it’s worth that added peace of mind!

Ebay and private sellers

Purchasing from private sellers directly offers the best chance to find a bargain. Some people sell their gear at far below the market value. If you know what to look for, and are confident about the quality and genuine nature of the sale, you can often get an excellent deal.

It pays to be wary when shopping for used camera gear, though. Be suspicious of any deal that looks too good to be true, or of buyers who will only accept cash in person. Using PayPal or PayPal alternatives offers an additional layer of protection (one that’s very important in online sales).

Of course, private sellers generally won’t offer a warranty, but that is a risk you take to get a bargain.

Buying used camera gear: Conclusion

Buying used camera gear is all about taking your time to search out a bargain. Carefully study the used gear you’re considering, whether it’s from a dealer or a private seller, and look out for the telltale signs of damage.

Assuming you use careful consideration and do a thorough inspection before buying, the used market is a fantastic way to trade up your gear at a fraction of the cost of buying new.

And this, in turn, gives you money to buy additional kit – or even better, a trip or two on which you can use it!

Now over to you:

Have you ever bought used camera gear? What was the experience like? Share your thoughts, as well as any tips or tricks for purchasing used gear, in the comments below!

The post Tips for Buying Used Camera Gear appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tom Mason.


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Lensrentals’ most popular gear: Canon once again dominates with Sony, Nikon far behind

01 Jan

It’s the end of the year and that means Lensrentals has once again rounded up a list of the most popular camera bodies, lenses and accessories rented from Lensrentals and LensProToGo customers in 2020. Although this year has been, shall we say, different than most, the macro-level look at the most popular rental gear hasn’t changed much. That said, there are a few interesting trends emerging based on the 2020 data.

As it has been since 2017, the Canon 24–70mm F2.8L II lens takes the top spot of the most popular item to fly off Lensrentals’ shelves. Following it is the Canon 5D Mark IV, Canon 70–200mm F2.8L IS II, Sony a7 III and Canon 70–200mm F2.8L IS III. It isn’t until sixth place that we see a change of places. Instead of the Ronin-S, Canon’s 35mm F1.4L II lens snatches up sixth place.

A list of the most popular individual pieces of gear for 2020. Click to enlarge.

As has been the case for a number of years now, Canon absolutely dominates the list of most-rented gear. Canon holds 7 of the top 10 (70%) items and 13 of the top 20 (65%). Lensrentals also note Canon easily took the top spot for new releases in 2020, suggesting people seem more comfortable renting newer Canon gear compared to new offerings from other brands. To that end, Lensrentals’ data also shows that RF mount lenses rent at eight times the rate of Nikon Z mount lenses—a rather staggering statistic considering the new mirrorless mounts were released at the same time and have roughly the same number of lenses available for both mounts.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but there’s been significant growth in mirrorless camera and lens rentals. This backs up essentially all other data showing the migration away from DSLRs is undoubtedly happening. Another interesting trend is third-party lenses, such as those offered by Sigma and Tamron, are on the rise.

An ordered list of the most popular brands by rental market share. Click to enlarge.

All in all, across the board, the top five rental brands are Canon, Sony, Nikon, Sigma and Blackmagic, respectively. The only change in the top five compared to 2019 is Blackmagic, which overtook Panasonic for the final spot.

The full blog post from Lensrentals is a great read, so be sure to visit via the link below to ingest all the data there is to offer.

The Top Rented Photo and Video Products of 2020

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Gear of the Year: Carey’s choice – Sony a9 II

31 Dec
Photo: Dan Bracaglia

We were being out-paced by a semi-truck on a dirt road off an Idaho interstate in a mad gambit to skip an hour’s worth of stop-and-go traffic. As the 18-wheeler rounded a corner far ahead of us, leaving our sight, I felt a bit of humility. Mostly relief. Though if we’d wanted, we could easily have kept up with the truck in the little Subaru we were bouncing around in.

It was nice to take comfort in the certainty that every photo I would take on this trip would be reasonably exposed and perfectly focused.

But earlier, we’d been tailing the truck a bit closer and all the dirt it kicked up made us feel like we were crash-landing on the Red Planet in a Martian storm. The subsequent realization that we’d left our cell phone reception back by the highway also encouraged a little more caution.

Visitors visit parts unknown in Craters of the Moon National Monument. Processed and cropped slightly in Adobe Camera Raw.
ISO 100 | 1/500 sec | F8 | Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM @ 141mm.

We were on our way back from Bozeman, Montana, from a DPReview video shoot on a farm. In normal times, road tripping to parts unknown is one of my favorite activities, and the ensuing uncertainty is honestly part of the appeal. But the additional uncertainty of the pandemic weighed on me a little bit. Every rest stop, every carefully vetted Airbnb stay was a risk, necessitating masks and buckets of hand sanitizer.

So it was nice to take a small bit of comfort in one thing – the certainty that every photo I would take on this trip would be reasonably exposed and perfectly focused. I had Sony’s a9 II with me, and free from worrying about whether or not the camera would do its job, I came away with some of my favorite photographs I was able to take this year.

Why it matters

It may not have bird detection, but the a9 II’s tracking is just solid.
ISO 100 | 1/1000 sec | F5.6 | Sony 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM @ 100mm

Back when I wrote our review of the a9 II, I said it had the best autofocus performance money could buy. Canon’s subsequent EOS R5 and R6 cameras have come close to closing the gap, and they have pretty awesome animal detection algorithms. But the a9 II’s tracking just works incredibly well, pretty much all the time; it’s tenaciously sticky and tracks anything I put the AF point over, and the camera can track human eyes that are absolutely tiny in the frame.

As a tool for the type of work I wanted to do, the Sony a9 II did the job.

It’s also easy to forget that there are plenty of cameras out there for which we don’t recommend using subject tracking all the time. Heck, even Sony’s a7R IV, which, on paper, features the same implementation, can struggle with fast action. (Admittedly, this could be the massive resolution, but if the AF can’t keep up, what’s the point of all those megapixels?).

The clouds roll into Mount Rainier National Park. Processed in Adobe Camera Raw.
ISO 125 | 1/160 sec | F8 | Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM @ 137mm

Shooting with a camera that has the most dependable subject tracking I’ve used really freed my mind to focus on composition and capturing a variety of moments. As the camera tracked my chosen subject and kept it in critical focus, I could easily experiment with my composition with my eye to the finder and end up with an image I was happy with.

No camera is perfect, but this one is pretty darn good

I have to admit, one of the great frustrations of my job is that in over five years of living, breathing and testing cameras, there isn’t one camera that does everything exactly the way I want. Yes, I know that might be the most #firstworldproblem ever. Maybe I’m just too picky.

Great eye detection means the a9 II didn’t get tripped up at all by the foreground elements in this Montana farm photo. Processed in Adobe Camera Raw.
ISO 100 | 1/160 sec | F2.8 | Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM @ 70mm

The Sony a9 II, for all its impressiveness, still has some interface lag, convoluted menus and a handful of other quirks. It’s overkill for many people, while others would value more megapixels or slightly greater dynamic range over the a9 II’s speed and AF tracking. Oh, and the touchscreen kind of stinks.

You’ll also notice that the images presented here are processed through Adobe Camera Raw (original JPEGs in the gallery below). Sony’s JPEG engine has some of the best detail retention and noise reduction on the market, but I just felt like some images needed a more personal touch to really replicate what I saw in front of me as I hit the shutter button. That would admittedly be an issue were I a full-time sports shooter on a tight deadline.

The road ahead will always be windy and more than a little uncertain. Processed in Adobe Camera Raw.
ISO 100 | 1/500 sec | F8 | Sony FE 24-70mm GM @ 24mm

But as a tool for the type of work I wanted to do, it did the job. It may not be a camera that I fully enjoy the experience of using, but the confidence it inspires is hard to overstate. And that made all the difference on an uncertain road trip in these uncertain times.

And lastly, happy new year to everyone reading (and thanks for reading this far). Here’s to hoping for some slightly more certain times ahead, and thank you for being a part of DPReview.

Read our full Sony a9 II review here

Sample gallery

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dPS Top Photography Gear Tips of 2020

28 Dec

The post dPS Top Photography Gear Tips of 2020 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

As a photographer, you can love gear or hate gear – but you can’t live without it!

top photography gear tips of 2020

So if you’re looking to level up your gear knowledge, check out our top photography gear tips of 2020:

1. 5 Reasons You Should Still Use a DSLR in 2020

5 Reasons You Should Still Use a DSLR in 2020

2. Tamron Announces First Mirrorless All-In-One f/2.8 Zoom

Tamron Announces First Mirrorless All-In-One f/2.8 Zoom

3. Your Guide to the Fujifilm JPG Film Simulations (with Sample Images)

Your Guide to the Fujifilm JPG Film Simulations (with Sample Images)

4. 4 Tips to Choose the Right Lens for your Photography

4 Tips to Choose the Right Lens for your Photography

5. Synology NAS – Transforming Your Workspace to be More Productive

Synology NAS – Transforming Your Workspace to be More Productive

6. Godox TT685 Thinklite TTL Flash Real-World Review

Godox TT685 Thinklite TTL Flash Real-World Review

7. 10 Tips for Using a Graphics Tablet for Easier Photo Editing

10 Tips for Using a Graphics Tablet for Easier Photo Editing

8. 9 Solutions for Common Camera Mistakes Beginners Make

9 Solutions for Common Camera Mistakes Beginners Make

9. Nikon Z8 60 MP Mirrorless Camera Rumored, Along With D850 Successor

Nikon Z8 60 MP Mirrorless Camera Rumored, Along With D850 Successor

10. Two Nikon DSLRs Will Ship Next Year (Plus New F-Mount Lenses)

Two Nikon DSLRs Will Ship Next Year (Plus New F-Mount Lenses)

11. How to Conserve your DSLR Battery When You are Running Low on Power

How to Conserve your DSLR Battery When You are Running Low on Power

12. How to Use Photography Filters for Amazing Long Exposure Landscapes

How to Use Photography Filters for Amazing Long Exposure Landscapes

13. How to Use Old Lenses with New Digital Cameras (with Bonus Video)

How to Use Old Lenses with New Digital Cameras (with Bonus Video)

14. How To Find Your Lens’ Sweet Spot: A Beginner’s Guide to Sharper Images

How To Find Your Lens’ Sweet Spot: A Beginner’s Guide to Sharper Images

15. 5 Benefits of Using Photography Filters when Taking Photos

5 Benefits of Using Photography Filters when Taking Photos

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed our top photography gear tips from 2020.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s article, where we reveal our top overall photography tips of the year!

The post dPS Top Photography Gear Tips of 2020 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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Gear of the Year: Dale’s choice – Fujifilm X-Pro3

20 Dec
Photo: Dan Bracaglia

I think we can all agree that 2020 has been an unpredictable year, so it seems appropriate that my gear of the year is a camera I wouldn’t have predicted a few months ago: the Fujifilm X-Pro3.

But first, a bit of context.

Some of my earliest photography was done with a hand-me-down rangefinder camera, a Kodak Retina IIc. I loved the experience of shooting it and still remember exactly how it felt in my hands. I even remember how it smelled, no doubt the result of the grease used to lubricate gears, something you don’t get from digital cameras today.

However, as much as I love rangefinders, I’ve never had a natural knack for focusing them. I can do it, but it’s not my superpower. To this day, I have tremendous respect for photographers who can quickly and accurately focus a rangefinder.

Mt. Jefferson in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. Velvia film profile, processed in-camera.

ISO 160 | 1/250 sec | F2.0 | XF 18mm F2 R

That’s a roundabout way of explaining why I mostly shot with SLRs for so many years and never lusted after a Leica.

This is where Fujifilm comes into the story, but maybe not in the way you’d expect. You see, I was never so much a fan of the X-Pro series, which always seemed big and chunky, but rather of the fixed-lens X100. I didn’t need one, but from the day I first used an X100 in person, I wanted one. Badly. It was sexy, compact, and provided a shooting experience similar to a rangefinder, but with autofocus. Eventually, I broke down and bought the X100T, and it remains my most-used camera to this day.

With that in mind, I suppose it seems odd that I picked the X-Pro3 as my gear of the year instead of the X100V, so I should probably get around to explaining that.

Pre-pandemic family gatherings. Acros film profile, processed in-camera.

ISO 5000 | 1/80 sec | F2.8 | XF 23mm F2 R WR

It turns out the thing that made me enjoy the X-Pro3 most was the exact thing I expected to dislike about it: the inverted rear screen, which is undoubtedly the most polarizing feature of the camera. Unlike most cameras, the X-Pro3’s screen folds inward and remains hidden until deliberately folded out. There’s an extra step required to access menus or, more importantly, to chimp images.

I trained myself years ago not to ‘chimp’ images on the back of a camera when doing work for clients; I didn’t think it conveyed professionalism or confidence. When shooting for fun, however, I’m like most people. I like to see my photos right away. Because instant gratification.

With the X-Pro3, I shoot differently. Nothing actually prevents me from flipping open the screen to look at my images, but a glance at the back of the camera reminds me that that’s not what this camera is about. The thought of flipping open that screen feels like cheating, so I don’t.

Cowboy country. Astia film profile, processed in-camera.

ISO 320 | 1/170 sec | F6.4 | XF 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS

It’s a subtle shift in mindset, but one that I’m really enjoying. I find myself having more of those zen moments where it’s just me, the camera and my subject. By removing the temptation even to look, I’m spending more time taking in what’s around me, looking through the viewfinder, and just enjoying the journey. I can look at the photos later.

I’m starting to fully realize how the presence of a screen impacts the way I shoot a digital camera, and I’m beginning to appreciate why someone might spring for a model like the Leica M10-D, which has no screen at all.

The only area where I feel let down by the X-Pro3 is its hybrid optical viewfinder, which is a core part of the camera’s experience. Viewfinders on previous X-Pro models had a magnifier that would engage depending on the attached lens’s focal length, allowing the user to view frame lines for a pretty wide variety of lenses.

Home on the range. Astia film profile, processed in-camera.

ISO 640 | 1/3200 sec | F4.0 | XF 18mm F2 R

That’s missing on the X-Pro3. You can’t see frame lines for lenses wider than 23mm (equivalent to 35mm), which I notice when shooting Fujifilm’s 18mm F2, though fortunately, that lens’s field of view pretty closely matches the viewfinder itself. The EVF is very usable, and I’ll switch over to it at times, but it takes away some of the magic.

Many people pigeon-hole the X-Pro3 as a camera for street photography only, which is unfortunate because it’s really quite versatile. I’m definitely not a street photographer, yet to my delight, I found it to be an incredibly satisfying camera.

A lot of unexpected things happened this year, and not all of them were bad. I got to know my family better, even over FaceTime, I spent more time with my pets, and I caught up on projects that have languished for years. I also discovered a camera that brings me joy and reminds me of why I started taking pictures in the first place. That feels like a pretty good way to start 2021.

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Gear of the Year: Barney’s choice (part 2) – Reflex-Nikkor 1000mm F11

30 Nov
Dan Bracaglia

In Part 1 of my Gear of the Year for 2020 I mentioned that the Fujifilm X100V has been in my hands almost all of this year. This article is about a very different piece of photographic equipment in my collection, which has also seen heavy usage this year. And an item which – while much less practical for the kind of day-to-day documentation to which the X100V is so well-suited – is no less enjoyable (in its own way) to use.

The story of how I ended up with a Reflex-Nikkor 1000mm F11 is a bit complicated, and starts with a very different kind of product: the Coolpix P950, which I reviewed earlier this year, at the height of the Washington state quarantine. Those several weeks of shooting with the P950 turned me on to the potential for a proper super-telephoto photography project, once non-essential travel restrictions were lifted.

And I knew exactly where to start – by the sea.

Re-reading WG.S Sebald’s book The Rings of Saturn this summer (yes, sorry, this is going to one of those kinds of articles), one line really resonated with me. It’s a description of fishermen on the Norfolk coast, in England. Wondering about their motivation at a time when it is ‘almost impossible to catch anything from the beach’ Sebald concludes that they ‘just want to be in a place where they have the world behind them, and before them nothing but emptiness’.

I’ve always found it calming to look out at the ocean, and amid the seemingly never-ending chaos of this year, I’ve been bolting down to the Washington coast whenever time and local regulations allow, to put the world at my back for a little while.

The long telephoto project I originally had in mind was to be centered on the fishing boats that ply up and down the Washington coast. Unfortunately, it turned out that even with its excellent image stabilization, accurate framing with the Coolpix P950 was too difficult with such distant, bobbing targets, and the 16MP resolution was too unforgiving when it came to cropping. That’s where the Reflex-Nikkor 1000mm F11 came in.

The vignetting in this shot, and the others in this article, is optical. I don’t mind it (and haven’t corrected it) in images like these, but it’s one more thing that limits the usefulness of long mirror lenses for more conventional work.

1/2000sec|F11|ISO 800

The Reflex-Nikkor 1000mm F11 is a catadioptric lens, which works by ‘folding’ the light that comes into it using mirrors. This provides a long focal length without the need for a physically long lens barrel. The light travels the same distance inside a mirror lens as it would in a conventional telephoto, it just moves in a zigzag.

The biggest downside to mirror lenses in general is manual focus (in almost all cases – more on that in a minute) and a fixed, slow aperture, usually F8 or F11. This severely reduces the range of conditions in which they can be used. Typically, mirror lenses are also less sharp than conventional lenses, as well as being an absolute pain to focus through an optical viewfinder. They have a tendency to throw off AWB too, and let’s not forget the highly distracting ‘donut’ bokeh, created by the annular mirror.

In a world of high-resolution electronic viewfinders, magnified focus modes and fully electronic shutters, mirror lenses are more practical now than they’ve ever been

For all that, mirror lenses have a dedicated fanbase (and if you’re looking for an inexpensive way to get into lunar photography, look no further). But there are a lot of good reasons why this lens costs $ 3,200 and this one can be found on the second-hand market for less than $ 500. And that’s an unusually expensive example of the type – most bog-standard 500mm F8 mirror lenses can be picked up used for around $ 100-200.

This image is a combination of two exposures taken from the same position, moments apart: one exposed for the moon, and one for the wispy clouds.

F11| ISO 1600 (multi-exposure)

Catadioptric lens technology hasn’t evolved significantly in decades (with the honorable exception of the Minolta AF Reflex 500mm F8, which remains unique among mirror lenses for offering autofocus) but camera technology over those decades has come on in leaps and bounds. And it turns out that in a world of high-resolution electronic viewfinders, magnified focus modes and fully electronic shutters, mirror lenses are more practical now than they’ve ever been. Which is why when a ‘Like New -‘ condition example of the Reflex-Nikkor 1000mm F11 popped up on KEH earlier this year I jumped on it immediately.

The British are famous for our sentimental attachment to the coast, maybe just because of its constant proximity – nowhere in the UK are you more than 70 miles from the sea. In the time it takes for me to get to Long Beach Washington from Seattle, I could drive almost the entire length of England.

1/3000sec|F11|ISO 1000

That last paragraph, by the way, was going to form the basis of an opinion article I was planning over the summer. Provisionally entitled ‘Thanks to Mirrorless Technology, There’s Still a Place For Slow Telephoto Lenses’, the air was taken out of the idea by Canon’s surprise release of the RF 600mm and 800mm F11 STM. But hey – I was right. It turns out that there is a market for lenses like that.

Earlier in this article I implied that the Reflex-Nikkor 1000mm F11 is ‘enjoyable’ to use. That needs some qualification: I enjoy using it in the same way as I enjoy hiking up really steep hills. It makes me feel good afterwards, but often, when I’m actually engaged in the task, it’s a bloody nightmare. Oh, let me count the ways…

The Reflex-Nikkor 1000mm F11 lets me get a perspective that would be impossible with any of my other lenses

First, the massive 108mm filter thread is non-standard, which means that there’s no simple replacement option for the fiddly threaded metal (!) cap, which takes ages to get on and off. Then there’s the enormously long focus ring. This is both a blessing and a curse.

On the one hand, depth of field is so shallow at 1000mm you really do need a good, positive manual focus ring with fine-grained control. On the other hand, if you nudge the barrel of the lens (or the massive integral hood, which rotates with the focusing ring) or breath on it, or look at it wrong, you’ll throw off critical focus. And because the focusing ring makes up 70% of the length of the entire barrel (even more when the hood is extended) it’s almost impossible not to nudge it when handling or repositioning the lens. Finally, although smaller than a conventional 1000mm F11 would be, it’s still a big, fat lump of glass and metal that doesn’t fit into a camera bag alongside my other gear.

Ultimately though I don’t really care about any of those issues, because the Reflex-Nikkor 1000mm F11 lets me get a perspective that would be impossible with any of my other lenses and, yes, it’s a lot of fun.

From my favorite spot near Long Beach, looking out over the Pacific, the horizon line is roughly 10-12 miles away. Twelve miles is the official limit of territorial and international waters.

1/1000sec|F11|ISO 3200

I shoot my 1000mm F11 lens adapted on a Nikon Z7, with electronic shutter and a cable release, and always clamped to a sturdy tripod with a 10lb weight slung under it. I tried mechanical shutter and electronic first-curtain, but after a lot of experimentation I found that the former can create vibration issues at such a long focal length, and the latter can lead to uneven exposures at the shortest exposures.

With the setup I just described, I can get away with shutter speeds of around 1/200sec in still conditions. If it’s breezy, I’ll increase the ISO and decrease the exposure time accordingly. If the fully-electronic shutter introduces any distortion, I can’t tell. The subject matter would render it unnoticeable anyway.

Water spouts, created by whales breaching in the Pacific close to sunset. These little puffs of water were invisibly small to my naked eye.

1/500sec|F11|ISO 4000

The project I’m currently working on with my 1000mm is a little different to the one I’d originally planned, and a lot more abstract. it’s shot mostly from a single overlook about 100 feet up over the Pacific coast near Long Beach WA, looking out roughly 10-12 miles to the clouds and patches of light which line the horizon, approximately at the boundary of International waters. Since I started working on this project I’ve added a Tamron SP 500mm F8 and a second tripod to my collection for those times when 1000mm is just slightly too long.

Maybe I’ll look back at the whole effort in a couple of years and think ‘well that was a waste of time’ (maybe you think so already – and I’m sure you’ll let me know) but if nothing else, turning my back on the world and concentrating on 1.3 degrees of distant, hazy somewhere else for a few days here and there has provided a much-needed exercise in creative meditation.

Next year’s post-vaccine project: A closeup look at crowds, all shot on a 14mm lens.

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Gear of the Year: Richard’s choice – Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM

27 Nov
Dan Bracaglia

I wouldn’t usually consider myself a fan of long lenses, perhaps as the result of my early digital experiences coming on disappointing superzooms. Once I’d got over the novelty of being able to take pictures of something a long way away, I usually found I could take a better photo by simply getting closer. I’ve used long telephotos for sports shooting, of course, but in recent years my lenses of choice have been 35 and 85mm equivalents.

The Canon 800mm F11 seemed too interesting to not try, though. And that meant adapting my photography to suit the equipment. This may sound back-to-front: I spend much of my working life looking for cameras that require the least adaptation on the part of the photographer, the ones that just work.

But, restricting yourself to single focal lengths or shooting a mono-only camera can help provide inspiration, so you can push yourself to try something new. And I needed to find something that I could shoot with it.

My first thought was to play around with the compression effects you get from the greater shooting distances encouraged by long lenses. Shooting through the open patio doors, with me at the back of the common room and my subject on the far end of the roof deck, I was able to exaggerate the size of the Space Needle in my photo. Unfortunately, with a fixed F11 aperture, I didn’t have the option to stop down further to make it less diffuse.

What’s the big deal?

We’ve seen impressive things done with diffractive/fresnel optics before: Nikon’s 300mm F4 PF is an excellent lens, that I’m hoping will be re-created in the Z mount, but the Canon F11 pair is something a little different.

Think of it more like a modern alternative to the mirror lens: restrictive, in that it has a fixed aperture as well as a fixed focal length, but freeing in the sense that you can lift it and, to a much greater extent, afford it. And, unlike mirror lenses, the resultant images aren’t marred by strange doughnut-hole bokeh, which I personally find distracting (/revolting).

Add in the retractable design and light weight and the convenience of the package becomes clear. It’s not the most solid-feeling lens, by any means, but those weight savings are appreciated if you’re carrying it for more than a few hours. Ultimately, though, it’s the price of the 800mm that stands out most, to me. At F11 it lets in 1/4 as much light as the EF 800mm F5.6 IS L can, but its list price of $ 899 is less than 1/14th of the cost.

A (socially distanced) hike around the city suggested a better option. Our walk took us through the Union Bay Natural Area. At first it looked like a piece of low-lying scrubland overshadowed by a college football stadium: a messy adjunct to its gameday parking. But the more I stopped and looked around, the more interesting fauna I saw, and the more photographic opportunities.

So I went back, armed with the Canon 800mm F11, an EOS R5, took my time, wandered around, looking for things to shoot. I make no claims to being a nature photographer, and my first efforts were patchy, at best. But like all the best photography experiences, every half-decent shot I took convinced me that my next one could be better.

I tried to take photos of variety of subjects, but there were some kingfishers who would return to a number of vantage points, before diving for prey. Their speed made them a challenging subject, but one that would give me multiple opportunities, if I watched closely and waited long enough.

The need to get a diverse gallery of images in a short space of time is somewhat at odds with the patience required for good nature photos. Similarly, the diktat that we should keep ISO as low as possible for lens galleries probably left me skirting the line of motion blur, but even with imperfect results, I found myself wanting to go back and have another go. Which is the thing that I enjoyed most about the 800mm: finding myself able to try something new.

I’m not going to claim any of my shots were great, partly as a result of inexperience, partly due to basic moral failure. But I enjoyed myself and the 800mm had helped encourage me to do something I might not otherwise think to try.

You might well argue that the thing I enjoyed was being pushed to try something new, and I’d completely agree. But I think the Canon RF 800mm F11 puts that opportunity to try something new into more people’s hands. Hence it’s my pick for this year.

Yes, I should have got up earlier in the day, used faster shutter speeds, but it was an enjoyable experience. Thank you, Mr. Predictable Kingfisher.

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Our favorite gear, rewarded: DPReview Awards 2020

25 Nov

DPReview Awards 2020

How is it nearly the end of the year already? Not that any of us are keen for 2020 to last much longer. To say the least, this has been a strange and difficult few months for people all over the globe, and one that we can’t wait to put behind us. The photo industry (like most industries) was impacted by the COVID-19 epidemic this year, but a lot of great products were released nevertheless, even if launch schedules were a little more erratic (and access to samples a lot more disrupted) than normal.

At the end of every year we get together as a team to recognize the standout products of the past 12 months in our annual DPReview Awards. Normally we do that in a room, but hey – contentious multi-participant discussions about which products a bunch of very opinionated professional reviewers like best are what video calls were invented for!

Without further ado, take a look through this article to find out which products made our list of the best gear of 2020.

Best accessory

Shortlist:

  • Apple iPad Air (2020 version)
  • DJI Mavic Air 2
  • DJI Pocket 2
  • GoPro HERO9 Black

Runner up: GoPro HERO9 Black

‘Go big or come home,’ is a phrase we can only assume is often spoken (or shouted?) at GoPro HQ. And with the new flagship HERO9 Black, GoPro really did go big.

The HERO9 Black offers up to 5K/30p or 4K/60p video from a new 23.6MP sensor; the former gives room to crop-in in post, assuming you’re outputting in 4K. It also features GoPro’s impressive HyperSmooth 3.0 video stabilization, which is easily the best in the action camera class.

Still images are captured at 20MP, up from 12MP on the HERO8 Black. And a new accessory wide angle attachment (sold separately) adds increased versatility to the unit. Long gone are days of confusing button combinations: The HERO9 Black offers a rear touchscreen as well as a front-facing ‘live’ screen. It’s also waterproof, without the need for a case and provides 30% improved battery life over its predecessor. That’s good enough to make it our runner-up for best accessory of the year.

Read more about the GoPro Hero9 Black

Winner: DJI Mavic Air 2

The DJI Mavic series has likely done more to popularize drone photography than any other product, but in 2020 DJI really hit the sweet spot with the Mavic Air 2. It’s a true Goldilocks product that’s not too little or too much – it’s just right. In our review we called it ‘The best all-round drone for most people’.

While not the smallest drone on the market, the Mavic Air 2 still fits in the palm of your hand. Despite its compact size, it features a camera with a 1/2″ CMOS sensor to deliver better image quality than models with smartphone-style sensors. It captures impressive 4K/60p video and photos in JPEG or Raw, includes HDR and panorama modes, and packs useful features like an obstacle avoidance system and impressive subject tracking. Most important, it’s fun to fly and makes it easy to capture great photos and videos, earning it our photo accessory of the year award.

Read more about the DJI Mavic Air 2

Best smartphone camera

Shortlist:

  • Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
  • Google Pixel 5
  • Huawei Mate 40 Pro
  • Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G

Runner up: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G

Sitting at the top of Samsung’s Galaxy S20 lineup, the Ultra earns its name in multiple respects, starting with its massive 6.9” OLED screen. But what stands out most to us is its impressive camera hardware. It offers a large 1/1.33″ 108MP sensor in its main camera module, complemented by a 12MP ultrawide and depth-sensing time-of-flight sensors. An additional 48MP telephoto camera features a 103mm periscope configuration with an f/3.5 aperture, making it a native 4x optical zoom. A 10x “hybrid optic zoom” mode is offered that combines data from both the 108MP wide and 48 MP telephoto modules, and you can go up to 30x with some software upscaling wizardry. All but the ultrawide module offer phase-detect autofocus.

This phone was announced in February of this year and at the end of 2020 it’s still unrivaled in terms of raw camera specs. It’s large main sensor, 8K video, and its Nonacell and Tetracell technologies in the main and tele- modules that allow for higher quality images in low light thanks to hardware binning, to name a few.

In recent history, smartphone camera advancements have largely come from more sophisticated software. To be sure, the S20 Ultra has plenty of software tricks up its sleeves, but Samsung also went big on hardware in this device. For this unique combination of cutting-edge software and hardware, it earns our Best Smartphone runner up.

Read more about the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

Winner: Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

Apple reserved its most impressive imaging specifications for the iPhone 12 Pro lineup, with telephoto lenses, LiDAR scanners that enable night portrait mode images, and up to 4K/60p Dolby Vision video. In fact, iPhone 12 phones are the only devices in existence that allow you to capture, edit and display video in the 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR format all on the smartphone itself.

But the iPhone 12 Pro Max takes things a step further, introducing a 47% larger sensor with bigger pixels to the device’s main camera, which in conjunction with the F1.6 main lens aperture allows the Pro Max to capture nearly twice as much light as the previous generation phones. Sensor-shift stabilization has also been added to the main camera for the first time in an iPhone, allowing for better night mode photographs.

While this may not sound like a big deal considering the 1/1.33″ sensors we’ve seen in competitors, it’s the total package that makes the 12 Pro Max our winner. It’s the only smartphone not just capturing but displaying HDR in both stills and video, in more hands than ever before. Yet also doing so also with a large sensor, sensor-shift stabilization and the image processing many have come to know and love of Apple. And seeing HDR photos and videos is believing – it’s one of the next big steps forward in image capture and display, and the 12 Pro Max is going to turn a lot of people into believers. Especially if you set your screen brightness to max!

Read more about Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

Best zoom lens

Shortlist:

  • Nikon Nikkor Z 14-24mm F2.8 S
  • Nikon Nikkor Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S
  • Olympus 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x
  • Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM

Runner-up: Nikon Nikkor Z 14-24mm F2.8 S

The third and final member of Nikon’s Z-mount ‘Holy Trinity’ is an impressive lens – the Z 14-24mm F2.8 S. This one had a hard act to follow, vying to replace the very well-liked AF-S 14-24mm F2.8 in the kitbags of Nikon mirrorless upgraders.

Instead of simply adapting and re-housing the older optical design for the new Z-mount, Nikon’s engineers went back to the drawing board, creating a fast wideangle zoom that manages to be smaller, lighter and more practical than its F-mount predecessor, without sacrificing optical quality and, actually, improving on it. This is a wonderfully sharp lens, and very practical too, weighing in at less than 1.5 lbs, with the option of screw-in filter compatibility via an included hood adapter. This is a lens which – like one of its main competitors this year, Sony’s FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM – really shows what optical designers can do with a short flange-back distance.

Read more about the Nikkor Z 14-24mm F2.8 S

Joint-winner: Nikon Nikkor Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S

A good 70-200mm F2.8 equivalent seems to be essential in any system which wants to be taken seriously. Nikon announced the Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S way back in January (which feels like years ago) but disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that even now, it’s hard to get hold of.

Assuming you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one, you’ll find a lot to like about the Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S. Perhaps the sharpest of the current (all very sharp) range of similar lenses for competitive mirrorless systems, this powerful telezoom features a very good minimum focus distance, excellent customization, and the ability to accept teleconverters. While it doesn’t have quite the same magic bokeh as the AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR, the cross-frame sharpness and flare-resistance of this native mirrorless lens is superb, making it a very capable companion for users of Nikon’s Z-mount, and the joint-winner in this year’s DPReview Awards for best zoom lens.

Read more about the Nikkor Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S

Joint-winner: Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM

In the end we couldn’t choose between the Nikon Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S and this one. The Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM is a very different kind of lens, but equally excellent in its way. Aimed at landscape and astrophotographers alike, it’s a lens that can replace a handful of primes thanks to its optical performance. It’s tack sharp wide open, and three extreme aspherical (XA), two Super ED and three ED (extra low dispersion) elements help the lens achieve little to no lateral or longitudinal chromatic aberration. Stars and city lights are faithfully rendered thanks to minimal coma, and the precision of XA element grinding ensures smooth bokeh with no onion-rings.

The Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM is impressively lightweight at 847g, only 6.5% heavier than the compact Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN Art lens. It accepts rear-mount gel filters, and is fast to focus thanks to four extreme dynamic (XD) linear motors that allow it to keep up with the 20 fps frame rate of the Sony a9 cameras. A newer Nano anti-reflective coating allows for lower flare and ghosting. Video shooters will be pleased by the linear focus response, lack of focus breathing, focus shift, and axial shift while zooming.

Read more about the Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM

Best prime lens

Shortlist:

  • Nikon Z 20mm F1.8 S
  • Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG DN Macro
  • Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art
  • Sony FE 20mm F1.8G

Runner-up: Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG DN Macro

Another in a line of excellent ‘DN’ (Digital Native) lenses from Sigma, the 105mm F2.8 was designed specifically for full-frame mirrorless cameras, and delivers excellent results on the latest Sony E-mount and Panasonic/Leica/Sigma L-mount bodies.

Medium-telephoto macro lenses like this one are excellent for closeup work of smaller animals and plants, where you want to be able to maintain a reasonable camera-subject distance. They’re also handy as portrait lenses, where the longer focal length and sharpness wide-open help compensate for the relatively slow maximum aperture compared to a conventional portrait prime. As one of (still) very few native macro options for full-frame mirrorless shooters, the Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG DN Macro earns its runner-up spot in this year’s DPReview Award for best prime lens.

Read more about the Sigma 105mm F2.8 DG DN Macro

Winner: Sony FE 20mm F1.8G

The Sony 20mm F1.8G takes the top spot in our awards for prime lens of the year thanks to the fact that it’s nearly optically flawless. It’s sharp enough wide open to pair with the high-resolution 60MP a7R IV, with nearly no lateral or longitudinal chromatic aberration to speak of – particularly impressive for a lens of this type. Bokeh is smooth with no onion rings or bright edges. Nine aperture blades ensure smooth out-of-focus highlights even as you stop down, and for astrophotographers, there’s minimal sagittal flare or coma.

Autofocus is extremely speedy thanks to XD (extreme dynamic) linear focus actuators. Distortion and vignetting are also well-controlled and easily fixed in post-processing. The only flaw we can find really is a tendency to flare and ghost, but that’s excusable for a lens of this type and considering its lack of other optical aberrations.

As the most well-corrected lenses of this type that we’ve ever seen, the Sony 20mm F1.8G easily wins our prime lens of the year.

Read more about the Sony FE 20mm F1.8G

Best compact/fixed lens camera

Shortlist:

  • Fujifilm X100V
  • Nikon Coolpix P950
  • Sony ZV1
  • Zeiss ZX1

Runner-up: Nikon Coolpix P950

In a year with few highlights, testing the Nikon Coolpix P950 was definitely among them. Maybe the perfect camera for shooting during quarantine, if you can’t find some interesting photographic perspectives with a 24-2000mm zoom range, it’s time to find another hobby.

It’s all too easy to sneer at ‘big lens, small sensor’ cameras like this, but do so at your peril. The Coolpix P900 sold like hotcakes, and the P950 is a better camera, and nicer to use, too (thanks to Raw mode and a better EVF, respectively). If you respect its limits, the P950 will reward you with images that would be near-impossible to get with any other comparably-priced setup. A good camera removes obstacles to creativity, and for that reason the Nikon Coolpix P950 earns its runner-up spot in our category for compact / fixed-lens camera this year.

Read more about the Nikon Coolpix P950

Winner: Fujifilm X100V

And the Nikon Coolpix P950 would probably have won outright, were it not for this pesky kid. The Fujifilm X100V is the fifth camera in the company’s perennially-popular X100 range, and brings far more substantial changes compared to previous iterations. Featuring a new 26MP BSI-CMOS sensor, flip-out, touch-sensitive rear-screen and redesigned lens, the X100V is a significantly better camera than its forebears.

We’ve always loved the X100-series, and it was very good to see Fujifilm’s engineers really grasp the nettle this year and make some bolder updates to the concept. And while some photographers might still consider the X100V’s fixed 35mm equivalent lens to be limiting, it’s worth noting that the redesigned lens makes the company’s wide and tele-converters perform a lot better than they did on some previous X100-series models. For everyday photography the X100V is a reliable and enjoyable companion, and as such it takes the top spot in our 2020 DPReview Award for best compact/fixed-lens camera.

Read more about the Fujifilm X100V

Best stills / video camera

Shortlist:

  • Canon EOS R6
  • Fujifilm X-T4
  • Panasonic Lumix DC-S5
  • Sony a7S III

Runner up: Canon EOS R6

The EOS R6 risks being overshadowed by the 8K-capable R5 (and the initial concerns about how it recovers from overheating), but its a hugely capable stills / video camera.

The ability to record in 10-bit, either as Log or PQ HDR footage, is impressive, as is the option to shoot 4K/60p, but its appeal goes beyond that. Its stabilization is excellent, its autofocus is reliable and the video and stills settings are kept separate to a good degree, making it easy to switch back and forth. A firmware update that improves recovery times means it’s primarily its rolling shutter that counts against it. But even with this taken into account, there are few cameras at the price that make it easier to shoot genuinely excellent video.

Read more about the Canon EOS R6

Winner: Sony a7S III

Instead of chasing headline specs, Sony told us its priorities for the a7S III centered around reliability. In that spirit, it stuck with a 12MP sensor to capture native 4K, but its an all-new BSI sensor with dual gain architecture and fast rolling shutter performance. As a result, the camera can capture 4K/60p using the full width of its sensor, and up to 4K/120p with a slight (1.1x) crop, all in 4:2:2 10-bit color.

The a7S III also benefits from updated codecs, including a new All-I ‘intra-frame’ option, 16-bit Raw video output over HDMI, and dual-twin card slots that support both SD and CFexpress Type A. It’s also the first a7-series camera to feature a fully articulating screen in addition to Sony’s class-leading AF system, and it can record 4-channel audio with a new XLR adapter. the a7S III’s biggest drawback is that it’s stuck at 12MP for stills. Native 4K may result in slightly less detail than the oversampled video found on competitors, but it’s still the most impressive stills/video hybrid we’ve seen this year unless you really need more than 4K resolution.

Read more about the Sony a7S III

Best entry-level ILC

Shortlist:

  • Canon EOS Rebel T8i
  • Fujifilm X-S10
  • Fujifilm X-T200
  • Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV

Runner-up: Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV is one of the dark horses of the current photography market. Introduced this year without much fanfare, on the surface the E-M10 IV might look like an iterative update to the venerable E-M10-series, and in some ways of course it is. But iteration is good! With the Mark IV, Olympus has created arguably its most competitive consumer ILC yet.

With a 20MP Micro Four Thirds sensor (an upgrade from the rather long-in-the-tooth 16MP sensor used in the last generation) and built-in IBIS effective for ~4.5EV, the OM-D E-M10 IV is a more powerful tool than its predecessors. It’s fairly fast (max shooting with AF is possible up to 4.5fps) and offers a decent electronic viewfinder, a flip-down touchscreen on the back, and 4K video. While its menu system and GUI can be overwhelming at first, the amount of features and technology that Olympus has packed into the E-M10 IV make it an excellent option for a keen beginner.

Read more about the Olympus
OM-D E-M10 IV

Winner: Fujifilm X-S10

The Fujifilm X-S10 is one of our favorite cameras of the year (spoiler alert). It uses the same sensor, processor and AF system as the flagship X-T4, and is only the third Fujifilm X-series camera to offer built-in stabilization, using a newly-developed compact IBIS mechanism. Meanwhile the deep handgrip recalls the popular X-H1.

Far from being a ‘parts bin’ camera, the X-S10 brings something genuinely new to Fujifilm’s lineup, offering a more conventional (less dial-driven) interface with a PASM exposure mode control which will be familiar to anyone who has used an entry-level camera from another manufacturer. Its performance, both in terms of autofocus and speed, is excellent, as is image quality in stills and video modes. While just on the cusp of ‘midrange’ considering its price, if you have the money, the Fujifilm X-S10 is one of the best entry-level ILCs on the market, and takes first place this year in our DPReview Awards.

Read more about the Fujifilm X-S10

Best midrange ILC

Shortlist:

  • Canon EOS R6
  • Fujifilm X-T4
  • Nikon Z5
  • Nikon Z6 II

Runner-up: Fujifilm X-T4

Fujifilm’s flagship APS-C format camera, the X-T4 is a model that we find ourselves recommending to friends and family quite often. There was apparently some debate within Fujifilm about whether to call this the ‘X-T3S’ but it was decided that enough had been changed to justify an entirely new model name.

We tend to agree. While the X-T4 looks a lot like the X-T3 (and the X-T2… and the X-T1…) it’s a better and more competitive camera. Now featuring a powerful in-body stabilization system (effective up to an impressive ~6.5EV) and 4K/60p video, the X-T4 is a highly versatile tool. We’ve seen the 26MP BSI-CMOS sensor before in the X-T3 and X100V, but it’s still among the best (if not the best) of its type on the market. Pound for pound and dollar-for-dollar, the Fujifilm X-T4 offers fantastic value, and it’s a lot of fun to shoot with, too.

Read more about the Fujifilm X-T4

Winner: Canon EOS R6

Now that full-frame mirrorless cameras have joined APS-C models in all market segments, it’s harder than ever to divide products up into categories. As you’d expect, the full-frame Canon EOS R6 costs a lot more than the APS-C Fujifilm X-T4, but it’s aimed at essentially the same kind of customers: advanced amateurs and enthusiast photographers, and perhaps professional photographers looking for a second, video-capable body.

It’s hard to imagine a camera better suited to this constituency of users than the Canon EOS R6. It’s fast, powerful and offers excellent autofocus. It’s a great stills camera, which produces very nice JPEGs and offers good (while not class-leading) dynamic range in Raw mode. The R6 also provides one of the sharpest and most responsive electronic viewfinders on the market, and offers an impressive video feature-set, in addition to stills. As a ‘do everything’ camera for enthusiast photographers the Canon EOS R6 is very hard to beat and is likely to remain competitive for a long time. As such, it’s a worthy winner of our 2020 DPReview Award for best midrange ILC.

Read more about Canon’s EOS R6

Best high-end ILC

Shortlist:

  • Canon EOS R5
  • Canon EOS-1D X Mark III
  • Nikon D6
  • Nikon Z7 II

Runner-up: Canon EOS-1D X Mark III

Announced in early January this year, the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III was meant to be Canon’s ‘Olympics’ camera, for the games originally planned in Tokyo this summer. We all know how well that worked out of course, but sports isn’t the only thing that the EOS-1D X Mark III is good for. Despite being a ‘Mark’ update, the Mark III brings a lot of new and impressive technology to Canon’s pro market segment. Blazing speed and extreme durability are a given, but in the Mark III, Canon created the nearest thing to a true ‘hybrid’ camera we’ve seen to date.

In DSLR mode the EOS-1D X Mark III is a conventional pro camera, albeit an extremely good one. But with the mirror locked up in live view mode, it offers many of the advantages of a high-end mirrorless ILC. These include near full-frame autofocus coverage, sophisticated AF tracking courtesy of an advanced Dual-pixel CMOS autofocus system and silent shooting with a maximum frame-rate of 20fps. Oh, and up to 5.5K/60p Raw video. The vast majority of photographers won’t need many of this camera’s features, but for those that do, the EOS-1D X Mark III is up there with the best of the pro bodies currently available.

Read more about the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III

Winner: Canon EOS R5

The R5 is a more costly and pro-focused camera than the R6, and at the time of its announcement, the big news was its unique ability (among cameras of this type) to shoot 8K video. Arguably, though, 8K video is the least of the reasons to be interested in the EOS R5. Much more useful to most photographers is its excellent resolution, highly effective autofocus system (closing the gap substantially with Sony’s best-in-class implementation in the a9/II) and photographer-friendly ergonomics. As a stills and video tool for serious professional photography, the EOS R5 has a lot to offer, even if overheating concerns did take the shine off some of its headline video features (something which, to Canon’s credit, has been improved via firmware since its release).

It seems strange to talk about any company having ‘a good year’ given the unmitigated chaos of 2020, but for Canon it’s actually kind of true. Alongside the EOS-1D X Mark III and several excellent lenses, this was this year that Canon made its most convincing entry into serious full-frame mirrorless imaging with the winner of our 2020 DPReview Award for best high-end ILC – the EOS R5.

Read more about the Canon EOS R5

DPReview innovation award

Shortlist:

  • Canon EOS R5
  • Canon RF 600 & 800mm F11 IS STM
  • DJI Mavic Air 2
  • iPhone 12 Lineup

Runner-up: Canon RF 600/800mm F11 IS STM

While neither of these lenses will challenge more conventional, brighter-aperture telephoto primes for ultimate image quality, they’re unique in that they bring true, practical telephoto shooting into range for amateur and enthusiast photographers. Considering their reach, both lenses are relatively small and lightweight, and while F11 can be limiting, autofocus support (including even using the RF 2X converter on the EOS R5 and R6) and built-in image stabilization make them surprisingly versatile.

We’ve seen collapsing mechanisms in lenses before, and we’ve seen diffractive optics used to reduce the weight and complexity of telephoto lens designs. It’s the combination of the two technologies which makes the Canon RF 600mm and 800mm F11 IS STM so innovative, and so special.

Read more about the Canon RF 600mm and 800mm F11 IS STM

Winner: iPhone 12 Lineup

This year we’re awarding the entire Apple iPhone 12 lineup for our Innovation of the Year award, because it brings HDR to the masses. No, not the overly tone-mapped, flat HDR you’re thinking of. We’re talking about high dynamic range (HDR) display of both images and video. Like the previous two generations of iPhones, the iPhone 12 captures a wide dynamic range and tonemaps this large range into the final image. Under SDR viewing conditions (like your web browser) this can lead to high dynamic range images appearing somewhat flat. However, these very images viewed directly on iPhones with OLED displays appear quite the opposite of flat, with very bright brights (skies, clouds, lights) and dark shadows, thanks to HDR playback. HDR playback (like Dolby Vision/HDR10/HLG for video) tries to preserve the contrast between brights and darks to produce more realistic results, so that sunlit grass actually looks radiant compared to grass in the shadows, for example.

This year, down to its cheapest iPhone 12 Mini, Apple has included an HDR OLED display and Dolby Vision video. Apple has been displaying HDR stills since the iPhone X, but this is the first time it’s doing so across its entire lineup, and for video as well with Dolby Vision, a format that optimizes scene dynamic range on a frame-by-frame basis. Add to that the wide P3 color space used for both stills and video, and you have some of the nicest looking imagery from any device. Not to mention one you can carry in your pocket.

Read more about the Apple iPhone 12 line

DPReview product of the year 2020

Shortlist:

  • Canon EOS R6
  • Fujifilm X100V
  • Fujifilm X-S10
  • Sony 12-24mm F2.8 GM

Runner-up: Fujifilm X-S10

The Fujifilm X-S10 might not bring much to the X-series lineup that’s genuinely ‘new’, but the way that its various features are packaged is extremely impressive – and very appealing. Built around a newly-designed compact IBIS system, the X-S10 breaks with Fujifilm’s traditional ‘traditional‘ control layout, offering a slightly more streamlined experience, more in line with competitive models.

These tweaks – plus a large, comfortable grip and a very attractive stills and video feature-set – make the X-S10 a seriously compelling camera for its price. The competition for our ‘Product of the Year’ award is always very tough, but the Fujifilm X-S10 beats out stiff competition to take the runner-up spot thanks to its uncommonly attractive suite of features, coupled with a great handling experience that make it a pleasure to shoot with.

Read more about the Fujifilm X-S10

Winner: Canon EOS R6

The Canon EOS R6 is one of relatively few cameras we’ve seen over the years which can genuinely be described as ‘multi-purpose’. While not class-leading in terms of resolution, 20MP is enough for most applications, especially when paired with such a powerful autofocus system, which rivals or outclasses the best of the R6’s competition at this price-point.

Designed as a ‘do-everything’ camera for both stills and occasional video shooters, the R6 offers a suite of advanced features in both modes. But arguably none of this would matter so much if it weren’t such a nice camera to use. The Canon EOS R6 is one of the most photographer (and videographer)-friendly cameras of its type, with performance that means it’s equally comfortable shooting sports and wildlife as it is covering weddings and events. It’s this combination of features, performance and excellent handling which make the Canon EOS R6 such a compelling camera, and the winner of this year’s DPReview Award for product of the year.

Read more about the Canon EOS R6

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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