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Canon to “Soon” Announce Three New RF Lenses (Including the 14-35mm f/4L)

26 Jun

The post Canon to “Soon” Announce Three New RF Lenses (Including the 14-35mm f/4L) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Canon to announce 3 new RF lenses

Over the next handful of months, Canon will release at least three new RF-mount lenses, according to Canon Rumors. They are:

  • The Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM
  • The Canon RF 70-400mm IS USM (maximum aperture unknown, but potentially f/5.6-7.1)
  • The Canon RF 16mm f/2.8

While the new glass is unconfirmed by Canon, Canon Rumors shares a few details (as well as some helpful guesses). 

Let’s take a closer look at each item, starting with:

Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM

As explained by Canon Rumors, “expect to see a Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM as a little brother to the Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM.” 

On the wide end, the lens will offer a breathtaking perspective for landscapes, urban scenics, and architectural photos; on the long end, the lens will feature a conventional 35mm focal length, perfect for tighter landscapes and even the occasional portrait. Plus, you’ll get a respectable f/4 maximum aperture – not enough for easy ultra-shallow depth of field effects or astrophotography, but absolutely usable for standard landscape scenarios assuming you bring your tripod.

Note that the 14-35mm will feature Canon’s “L” lens designation, so you can expect top-notch image quality rivaling some of the best glass on the market. Add in the image stabilization, and you’ve got yourself a relatively versatile wide-angle zoom, perfect for landscape photographers, travel photographers, and more.

Canon RF 70-400mm (maybe f/5.6-7.1) IS USM

The RF 70-400mm will be Canon’s second super-telephoto zoom designed for the RF mount, following in the footsteps of the powerful RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1. 

But while the 100-500mm is an L lens – designed for professionals and with a price to match – the 70-400mm will likely be a more casual, portable option. According to Canon Rumors, there’s no “L” label on the 70-400mm, though you can expect image stabilization and a (consistently fast) USM autofocusing motor for wildlife and sports. 

While I can only speculate, I suspect the 70-400mm is designed for frequent travelers in need of a portable “do-anything” telephoto, as well as for enthusiast bird and wildlife photographers. Interestingly, Canon offers an EF-mount counterpart, the much-loved 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM. Yet the 100-400mm is an L lens, offers an f/5.6 maximum aperture at 400mm, and is very pricey, none of which is likely for the 70-400mm. It’ll be interesting to see how the two lenses stack up and whether Canon’s new lens will venture into the sub-$ 1000 “budget” superzoom range.

Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 

The RF 16mm f/2.8 “is a non-L prime lens,” explains Canon Rumors, and will be especially useful as “a nice and compact 25mm f/2.8…if an APS-C RF-mount camera is coming.”

Still, expect a lens compatible with Canon’s full-frame mirrorless stable. At 16mm, you’ll capture beautiful landscapes and architecture, as well as travel and street photos with an unusually wide perspective. And thanks to the f/2.8 aperture, the RF 16mm should be suitable for serious astrophotography. 

At the very least, you can expect a relatively inexpensive, compact lens for Canon’s up-and-coming mirrorless shooters.

Canon to announce three new lenses: final words

Assuming Canon can deliver on expectations discussed above, these three lenses should satisfy plenty of enthusiasts and even the occasional professional. 

If you’re a photographer seeking a nice wide-angle perspective for serious landscape work, keep an eye out for the RF 14-35mm, which will cover all but the widest of landscape focal lengths and offer top-notch image quality to boot. 

For enthusiasts in need of an all-purpose telephoto zoom, the 70-400mm will be the lens to beat, though I’d recommend you consider image quality reports before buying.

And if you’re in need of a compact, lightweight, ultra-wide prime, the 16mm f/2.8 should be worth a look.

Now over to you:

What do you think of these rumored lenses from Canon? Do any interest you? Do you wish that Canon had prioritized different lenses? Which ones? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Canon to “Soon” Announce Three New RF Lenses (Including the 14-35mm f/4L) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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Samsung announces Galaxy S21 series, including 8K capable, 108MP Galaxy S21 Ultra

14 Jan

Samsung has announced its latest flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. The S21 and S21 Plus are essentially identical phones, save for their screen size and other minor differences. The S21 Ultra is designed to be not only the best phone in Samsung’s diverse lineup of Android smartphones, but Samsung believes it’s the best phone available.

Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus

The S21 and S21 Plus cost $ 800 and $ 1,000 respectively. This is $ 200 less than their predecessor’s launch prices last year. As The Verge points out, the 6.2″ S21 and 6.7″ S21 Plus have given something up in order to reach this lower price point. While both phones continue to deliver 120Hz refresh rates, something Apple’s latest iPhone 12 models don’t offer, the displays no longer have the subtle curved edges of the Galaxy S20. Further, resolution has decreased from 3,200 x 1,440 to 2,400 x 1,080. In terms of internal components, RAM has decreased from 12GB to 8GB.

Build quality has changed as well. Whereas the S20 had an aluminum back panel, the smaller S21 uses plastic on the back and doesn’t include an ultra-wideband radio. The larger S21 Plus does have this connectivity feature, allowing for relatively superior compatibility with Samsung’s new Galaxy SmartTag, the Korean company’s new Tile competitor.

Another cost-saving measure is that Samsung will no longer be including a charging brick or headphones in the box. Like Apple, the company says it’s for environmental reasons. It’s only been three months since Samsung poked fun at Apple for no longer including a charger with the new iPhone models.

In addition to making cuts to reduce the price of the S21 and S21 Plus, Samsung has made improvements as well. While the quality of the materials has changed, the design looks very nice. On the inside of the new models is the latest Snapdragon chipset, which promises improved performance. The fingerprint sensor has Qualcomm’s new 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2, resulting in improved speed. Both models feature 5G integration, supporting mmWave and sub-6GHz networks, so the new phones will be faster in that respect too, assuming you are in an area with support for 5G.

The two-tone design of the Galaxy S21/S21 Plus works around the camera protrusion. The camera system is basically the same on these models as it was last year. The S21 and S21 Plus each include a 12MP wide-angle camera, 12MP ultrawide camera and a 64MP telephoto lens. The front-facing camera is 10MP, although the S21 Plus has ditched the depth sensor.

While the hardware is unchanged, there have been some adjustments to software. There’s a 30x ‘Space Zoom’ mode, a ‘Director’s View’ mode for recording video allowing easier swapping between lenses, and additions to the ‘Single Take’ mode. Further, the default image processing no longer excessively smooths faces, although if that’s your style, it remains an option.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus models will be available starting January 29 and are available for preorder now. The S21 and S21 Plus include 128GB of internal storage. If you’d like 256GB of storage, it adds $ 50 to the price of each model. The S21 is available in Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet and Phantom Pink colorways, with the latter two having a rose gold two-tone design. The S21 Plus is available in violet, black, silver, gold and red, with the latter two colors being made to order and shipping in 3-4 weeks, as of writing.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the star of the show. Where the S21/S21 Plus are a mix of cost-cutting measures and improvements, the S21 Ultra is all about pushing hardware forward. The Ultra has a price to match, starting at $ 1,200.

For your money, you get a large 6.8″ OLED display with 120Hz refresh rates at full 3,200 x 1,440 resolution, something the S20 Ultra couldn’t do. The S21 Ultra includes 12GB of RAM, a 5,000mAh battery and offers storage capacity up to 512GB. The Ultra also includes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor. In terms of user experience, beyond promised speed improvements, the S21 Ultra is compatible with the Samsung S Pen, although it is an optional extra and many customers will likely want a compatible case with a holder for the pen as well.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra offers similar top-level camera specs as the S20 Ultra, including 100x zoom, a 108MP camera and 8K video recording, but there’s more to it than that and some important differences to consider. For example, the S21 Ultra includes more rear cameras than the S20 Ultra. The S21 Ultra has a 12MP ultrawide camera, 10MP camera with 3x zoom and a 10MP camera with 10x zoom. Previously, the 10x zoom was digital zoom, rather than optical.

Further, the primary image sensor is larger in the new model, although Samsung hasn’t stated by precisely how much. CNet writes that Samsung promises ‘more than three times the dynamic range of the S20 Ultra.’ Like the S21/S21 Plus, the S21 Ultra includes the same new software features for photo and video as well.

As mentioned, all these features come at a high price. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra starts at $ 1,200 with 128GB of storage. 256GB and 512GB models are also available at $ 1,250 and $ 1,380, respectively. The S21 Ultra is available in Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy and Phantom Brown, with the lattermost three color options being available as ‘made to order’ options, which currently adds 4-5 weeks to expected shipping time. The S21 Ultra in black and silver will ship by January 27. For those interested in the Phantom Black color, Samsung published a video specifically about designing this color.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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ON1 announces ON1 Professional Plugin Series, including new versions of 4 plugins

21 Nov

ON1 has announced its all-new ON1 Professional Plugin Series. The suite includes new versions of ON1 HDR, ON1 Effects, ON1 Resize and ON1 Portrait AI. ON1 states, ‘The ON1 Professional Plugin Series is a new product line focusing on bringing ON1’s editing technologies into existing professional photo workflows with a more integrated experience.’

The ON1 plugins work with an expanded set of host applications, including Adobe Lightroom Classic, Adobe Photoshop, Affinity Photo, Corel Paintshop Pro, Apple Photos and Capture One (coming soon). ON1 says, ‘We were founded on creating plugins for Adobe Photoshop and later the Lightroom workflow. Back then, it was all about saving photographers time by making things easier to do in our plugins, which would make their workflows much faster. Today, it’s about how ON1 software can tightly integrate our newest technologies from ON1 Photo Raw into more workflows to produce better results.’

ON1 HDR 2021 includes improved performance and control over your images. Image credit: ON1

ON1 HDR 2021 promises ‘natural HDR photos’ that combine highlight and shadow details from bracketed exposures. It includes de-ghosting controls for reducing movement in a scene, such as clouds in the sky or moving water, and promises fast previews. ON1 says the software is up to 7x faster than ‘leading HDR apps.’ You can also adjust tone and color while working with layers and applying special effects. ON1 HDR includes noise reduction and lens corrections as well.

ON1 Effects 2021 features filters and presets crafted by ON1’s team of experts. New features in the 2021 version include a replace color filter, non-destructive Spot Healing Brush and Color-Sensitive Gradient Masks. ON1 states that the new custom brush shapes ‘give customers a quantum-leap in new ways to add creative edits.’ Further, the latest version includes a new full-screen preview option.

ON1 Effects 2021 features filters and presets designed by ON1’s team of experts. The plugin includes a non-destructive spot healing brush, among other features. Image credit: ON1

When you need to enlarge your images, ON1 Resize 2021 delivers ‘industry-leading Genuine Fractals technology’ to make it simpler and quicker to enlarge image files without sacrificing sharpness and detail.

Finally, ON1 Portrait AI 2021 relies upon machine learning to automatically find and retouch each face in an image. The plugin analyzes the image, locates the faces and adds ‘just the right amount’ of retouching to each person’s skin, eyes and mouth. The plugin includes a spot healing brush, custom brush shapes and full-screen preview as well.

ON1 Portrait AI 2021 uses machine learning to automatically retouch each face in a portrait. Image credit: ON1

ON1 is looking forward as well, promising that the company is working hard to introduce better integration with each host application. Future updates will also include better options for non-destructive workflows between plugins and host applications, such that your photos will remain re-editable.

Dan Harlacher, VP of Product, says, ‘One of the biggest challenges plugins face today is the walled gardens created by host applications. It makes it very difficult to re-edit your adjustments. We have a powerful solution for this common complaint that will maintain flexibility and your creativity on both sides, and we can’t wait to unveil this in the coming months.’

‘We have a powerful solution for this common complaint that will maintain flexibility and your creativity on both sides, and we can’t wait to unveil this in the coming months.’ -ON1’s Dan Harlacher

ON1 is also working ‘to improve on working with multiple photos between plugin and host application and quick access to features and functionality from ON1 within the host application itself.’ As part of the ongoing development, ON1 is investing in new AI technologies and solutions, with the goal of removing repetitive manual tasks. Improved AI-based solutions will result in faster culling of images, improved noise reduction and better batch image processing.

ON1 has also announced a partnership with photo and software educator, Matt Kloskowski. Matt K’s Corner is a new resource center for photographers using ON1 alongside Adobe products. Kloskowski will provide tutorial videos and articles each month and recommend workflows for users.

Click to enlarge

You can try each of the new plugins with a free 14-day trial. Each plugin is available for $ 59.99 USD each (regularly $ 69.99), or you can purchase the bundle of ON1 HDR 2021, ON1 Effects 2021, ON1 Resize 2021 and ON1 Portrait AI 2021 for $ 89.99 (regularly $ 99.99). For additional information and to download trials, visit On1’s website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Adobe releases Premiere Pro update, including scene detection and improved HDR

17 Sep

Adobe has announced an update for Adobe Premiere Pro and released a new beta for After Effects. In Premiere Pro, which is now at version 14.4, Adobe has added Scene Edit Detection, HDR for broadcasters, exporting with proxies and more. The beta update for After Effects includes a new 3D Gizmo and new camera navigation tools. Both the new Premiere Pro release and the beta update for After Effects include improved performance.

The new Scene Edit Detection feature, powered by Adobe Sensei artificial intelligence, allows you to add edit points in any footage as you import it into Premiere Pro. When using Scene Edit Detection is used, Premiere Pro analyzes imported video, detects original edit points and adds cuts or markets at edit points. You can learn more about the feature in the video below and by clicking here.

Premiere Pro 14.4 includes a new Rec.2100 color space, allowing broadcasters to work with more dynamic HDR content. Additional HDR features include fully color managed and GPU accelerated workflows for Apple ProRes and Sony XAVC-I formats, color space overrides and the ability to set scopes for Rec2100 HLG. Additional information about HDR for broadcasters can be found here.

The next new feature for Premiere Pro, exporting with proxies, allows users to select to use proxies while exporting, such as when you want a quick export that doesn’t require full-resolution media. There is also a new export feature, Quick Export, currently in a public beta. This feature allows easier access to popular and frequently used export settings from the menu bar in Premiere Pro. You can see a preview of this feature below.

Premiere Pro and After Effects (beta) have both received improvements to overall performance. Premiere Pro’s improved performance results in third-party audio plugins now scanning up to 10-15 times faster than before. ProRes multi-cam performance has been doubled as well. After Effects’s channel effects incorporate GPU acceleration, which results in performance improvements ranging from about 1.5 to 3 times.

After Effects’s new beta includes a new 3D Gizmo. This feature allows for faster motion graphics work and improved speed for scene navigation. There are also new camera navigation tools, including support for multiple virtual cameras.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Capture One teases upcoming Capture One 20 update, including new heal and clone brushes

06 May

Earlier today, Capture One showed off a trio of major new features coming via a free update to Capture One 20 later this month. The announcement came in a live stream, which you can watch the replay of below, hosted by Product Manager Alexander Flemming and Business Development Manager David Grover.

In the live demo below, the first major new feature coming to Capture One 20 later this month is a revised healing brush for retouching images and removing unwanted spots. In the current version of Capture One 20, the healing workflow comprises creating a new heal layer, select your brush and pick a source point. Further, you can only select a single source point per layer.

In the upcoming update, the software will be able to quickly and intelligently select a source point for each instance of using the heal brush on a single ‘Heal Layer’. Per Flemming, there will be no limit to how many different heal points you can have on a single layer nor has the team found any performance issues when utilizing many heal points.

In the livestream, Flemming and Grover shared a few interesting tidbits about how the new healing brush operates. The first time you use the brush on an image, the software caches the entire image, so that all subsequent uses of the heal brush are much faster. Further, the new healing technology is adept at adjusting the luminosity of your source point to match the area you wish to heal or touch up. For example, if an area in the image with the best match for texture is brighter or darker than the area you are trying to heal, the software can match the source area by brightening or darkening it.

In addition to the new healing brush, there’s also a new clone brush. The clone brush works similarly to the new heal brush, but it creates a ‘Clone Layer’ rather than a ‘Heal Layer’. The clone brush creates a pixel-for-pixel clone, rather than replacing a healing area via a source selection. Basically, the clone brush allows you to copy a selected set of pixels from one area of your image to another area.

In this screenshot from Capture One’s presentation, the new clone brush is being used. Image credit: Capture One

Another addition is the new before and after button, which can be found on the toolbar. In prior versions, seeing a before and after comparison was done via a convoluted process whereby you reset the image and then undid the reset. Now you will be able to simply press the before/after button, which creates a sliding before/after split view, showing before on the left and after on the right. This works at all zoom levels and can be used across multiple images. Users will even be able to edit in this view if they so desire. There’s also a secondary before/after mode where you can view the entire image in its before and after state, rather than using a slider.

The upcoming free update to Capture One 20 includes a new before/after view. You can use this view across multiple images at once as well, as can be seen here. Image credit: Capture One

As mentioned, the update is scheduled to arrive by the end of the month. The update will be free for all existing Capture One 20 users, including those who use Capture One Fujifilm and Capture One (for Sony). For more information on Capture One 20, including pricing information for both subscriptions and perpetual licenses, click here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Opinion: New rules proposed by the FAA are a threat to drone pilots – including photographers

15 Feb

The FAA is proposing new rules related to flying drones in the US, and if you fly drones – including for photography – these rules WILL affect you. In this article, I’ll look at the implications of the proposed rule changes and how you can comment on them before the FAA makes them final.

The day after Christmas, the drone industry was finally gifted the long-awaited Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for the Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (drones), and what the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) presented was a shock to many commercial and recreational remote pilots, alike. The government agency completely ignored recommendations from all 74 industry stakeholders that make up the Aviation Rulemaking Commitee (ARC), which is concerning.

The drone industry needs Remote ID, the concept that every drone should have a digital license plate, to move forward. Having a uniform system in place to identify unmanned aerial vehicles in national airspace is imperative for the safe operation of every aircraft sharing the skies. It will also enable more complex operations including flights at night, over people, and beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). Remote ID is a step in the right direction but, unfortunately, the FAA has proposed costly, privacy-violating rules that will at first stifle, and then eventually crush, the potential of a burgeoning industry.

The FAA is proposing new rules related to flying drones in the US, and if you fly drones – including for photography – these rules WILL affect you.

I’m not going to summarize every section of the 87-page (the original was 319) document in one article as it goes far beyond the scope of what most DPReview readers want to digest. Instead, I’ll cover some of the main points of concern and, finally, offer suggestions and resources for leaving an effective comment for the FAA if you’re one of the nearly 1.2 million registered drone users in the U.S. If you’re prepared to make your voice heard, comment HERE.

What will potentially change?

The NPRM proposes that both manufacturers and UAS (unmanned aerial system) operators will be responsible for meeting Remote ID requirements. The main purpose is to connect a UAS with its owner. Capabilities are divided into two categories – “Standard Remote ID” and “Limited Remote ID.”

  • Standard Remote ID ‘would be required to broadcast identification and location information directly from the unmanned aircraft and simultaneously transmit that same information to a Remote ID USS (UAS Service Supplier) through an internet connection.’ Most flights would be conducted under these terms.
  • Limited Remote ID ‘would be required to transmit information through the internet only, with no broadcast requirements; however, the unmanned aircraft would be designed to operate no more than 400 feet from the control station.’
New rules under consideration by the FAA would have wide implications for drone operators in the US, including a requirement to broadcast personally identifying information when flying.

Let’s pause for a moment and acknowledge that a drone will need a SIM card to operate under these new guidelines. Leading carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile charge between $ 10 and $ 20 per month to add a device like a tablet or smartwatch to your data plan, so we can probably expect similar costs for a drone. If you’re operating more than one UAS, like many small businesses and some hobbyists, this adds up quickly. Major carriers also have gaps in the data coverage they provide. Many rural areas don’t get any signal, which will effectively limit where drones can be operated.

Key data, including the control station’s latitude, longitude, and altitude can be accessed by anyone from takeoff to landing, not just law enforcement. This is concerning because the general public will know exactly where a remote pilot is operating. If someone gets angry or doesn’t understand the nature of drone operations, they could easily harass or even attack the pilot. What’s more, the FAA estimates the remote pilot will be paying an additional fee of $ 2.50 per month to be connected with a USS.

The general public will know exactly where a remote pilot is operating. If someone gets angry or doesn’t understand the nature of drone operations, they could easily harass or even attack the pilot.

Drones need to be equipped with Remote ID in order to comply with the above draconian restrictions. The FAA is confident that most commercial aircraft can easily be outfitted to meet new requirements. Where things get especially cost-prohibitive involves equipping hobbyist or ‘amateur-built’ unmanned aircraft with Remote ID capabilities. The FAA doesn’t provide a solution for an affordable Remote ID kit. This means any UAS that is at least 50% constructed by a person will either need an independent solution constructed by that builder (a process that could potentially cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars) or it will be restricted to an ‘FAA-approved identification area’ or FRIA.

Remote pilots have 12 months to suggest areas where drones can operate without Remote ID. The issue is many of these designated areas could be located tens to hundreds of miles away from your front door. There will likely be a charge similar to the Academy of Model Aeronautic’s (AMA) $ 75 current annual membership fee. Speaking of, the FAA also wants to overhaul the current registration process by requiring hobbyists individually register each drone instead of as a pilot. Some hobbyists own dozens of model aircraft. At $ 5 a piece, registration fees could potentially add up to hundreds of dollars.

What can you do?

The FAA is gathering comments from the public until March 2nd. The good news is, officials are required to read each and every one submitted by the deadline. However, if you take the AMA’s terrible advice, cut and paste one of their boilerplate comments into the form, and pass it off as your own, it will be disregarded. Unfortunately, I’ve already seen too many of the 12,000+, and counting, comments start off with ‘I am writing in response to the FAAs notice of proposed rulemaking on remote identification of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). I am deeply concerned…’ Please, do not do this. Take the time to craft an original response.

Image shared with permission from Ryan J. Latourette

As I mentioned earlier, I am basically summarizing some of the more pertinent concerns this NPRM brings up. If you’re looking to leave an impactful comment, I highly recommend checking out this in-depth resource from Pilot Institute. Skyward, a drone operations management platform, has a group of policy experts answering common questions in a webinar scheduled for Tuesday, February 18th. Joining drone-related Facebook Groups and forums and asking for guidance is another avenue to pursue, especially if reading and interpreting a lengthy legal document feels like a cure for insomnia.

It’s important to remember that this is a proposal. Nothing has been finalized. This is why every person that flies commercially, or for fun, must comment. It will still take the FAA several years to implement any changes. The more we, the public, can convince them that drones are beneficial, and provide viable alternatives to what has been suggested for Remote ID, the better chance we have of devising solutions that will work out for everyone.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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News: Inexpensive Canon RF Lenses are in the Works, Including a 50mm f/1.8

24 Jan

The post News: Inexpensive Canon RF Lenses are in the Works, Including a 50mm f/1.8 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

 

news-Inexpensive-Canon-RF-Lenses

Earlier this month, Canon announced its intention to produce RF lenses over EF lenses. A Canon Europe spokesperson indicated that the imaging giant would continue to support the EF mount, but that we can expect to see only new RF lenses for the foreseeable future.

For longtime Canon users who haven’t jumped on the mirrorless bandwagon, this is a blow. But for Canon’s mirrorless users, this is excellent news. One of the main reasons to switch to a company like Sony over Canon is the mirrorless lens lineup; Sony’s mirrorless lens development has had a big head start over Canon’s, and Sony now offers dozens of full-frame and APS-C mirrorless lenses.

But with Canon focusing on its RF lenses, we might get to see it close the mirrorless gap.

In fact, it looks as if Canon is already making good on its commitment to the RF mount, especially in the budget lens category. Up until now, Canon has offered very few cheap RF lens options.

Over the twelve months, we might see that change.

According to Canon Rumors, we can expect to see several new low-priced RF lenses announced in the near future, including “at least one…this year.”

This should include some type of pancake lens with an f/2.8 maximum aperture, as well as the possibility of an RF 50mm f/1.8.

While it’s unlikely that Canon’s 50mm f/1.8 could rival the price of the current EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, its good to know that we might have some strong options for consumers.

Thus far, anyone looking for a 50mm lens option (which is great for shooting portraits, street images, and more) would have to settle for the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L, which currently costs over $ 2000 USD.

But with a cheaper 50mm option, the Canon RF lens lineup should feel much more accessible, even for beginners.

And with some luck, we should see both these new RF lenses before the year is out.

The post News: Inexpensive Canon RF Lenses are in the Works, Including a 50mm f/1.8 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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The Autel Evo II will come in three modular models, including two with 8K video

15 Jan

Early last month, a forthcoming EVO II from Autel Robotics was revealed through an FCC filing. The portable follow up to the EVO officially launched at last week’s CES 2020 show. Drone and tech pundit OriginaldoBo made a prediction a week before the conference that this year, industry-dominating company DJI was not going to be the star of CES. Now we know why. Autel has introduced the very first 8K folding drone. The EVO II comes in 3 variants offering up 3 separate camera modules.

  • The standard Autel EVO II has an 8K, 48MP camera with a 1/2″ CMOS sensor. It can capture content at resolutions up to 8,000×6,000 pixels for photos, meaning you could print an image as large as 100 inches wide. Video resolution will max out at 7720×4320 pixels. It also features lossless, in-camera zoom up to 4x. Its weight at takeoff is 1,127 grams (about 2.5 pounds).
  • The EVO II Pro features a 20MP camera with a 1″ CMOS sensor, an adjustable aperture (ranging from f/2.8 to f/11), HDR, an ISO range of 100-12,800, and the ability to capture 6K video. The weight of EVO II Pro at takeoff is 1,174 grams (about 2.6 pounds).
  • The EVO II Dual boasts both a FLIR Boson sensor, with a thermal resolution up to 640×512, plus the same 8K camera that comes with the standard model. Takeoff weight for the EVO II Dual 320 is 1,157 grams (2.55 pounds) and 1,192 grams (2.62 pounds) for the EVO II Dual 640.

All 3 cameras have a maximum bitrate of 120Mbps. They will also feature 10-bit color depth. Autel’s states on its official site that it will continue to update specs, as they become available, but they have not specified whether there is an H.264 or H.265 codec. Information on frame rates is also notably absent at the time of this writing. Each variant of the EVO II is modular. You can upgrade, downgrade, and switch out camera systems without having to purchase a new drone.

The EVO II has a maximum flight time of 40 minutes and a transmission range of 9 km (5.6 miles). While most users will not need to fly this far, Autel states that a longer range ‘also means a stronger signal.’ It can operate at a maximum speed of 45 miles per hour (20.1 m/s). 12 AI-powered computer vision sensors give it omnidirectional obstacle avoidance that can also be disabled if the user wants full, uninterrupted control. 8GB of onboard storage is available with the option of adding an external microSD card up to 256GB.

What drone enthusiasts and professionals, especially, will appreciate is that Autel does not equip its drones with geofencing. While the feature, found in all contemporary DJI models, prevents drones from flying into restricted areas, including controlled airspace, it can also create a major inconvenience if a pilot secures permission to fly in a designated area and is unable to unlock the zone as planned.

The EVO II is currently in production. The EVO II is $ 1,495 and the EVO II Pro is $ 1,795. Those interested in purchasing an EVO II Dual will need to contact Autel for pricing. Availability and shipping dates will be announced soon, according to Autel’s official site.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Apple’s new 16-inch MacBook Pro can power two 6K displays, including Pro Display XDRs

20 Nov

Apple’s new 16-inch MacBook Pro is a major step up in terms of specifications and performance compared to its smaller predecessors. While we already know many of the specifications fo the computer, Apple has posted the support document for the new computer unveiling a nice surprise for photographers and videographers who want to make the most of the new hardware.

In the support document for the new 16-inch MacBook Pro Apple has revealed that its new laptop can be used to power up to two 6K displays, including Apple’s own Pro Display XDR. According to the support document, the new 16-inch MacBook Pro can be used in the following configurations:

  • Two 6K displays with resolutions of 6016 x 3384 at 60Hz
  • Two 5K displays with resolutions of 5120 x 2880 at 60Hz
  • Four 4K displays with resolutions of 4096 x 2304 at 60Hz
  • One 5K display at 5120 x 2880 at 60Hz and up to three 4K displays at 4096 x 2304 at 60Hz

So, in addition to more robust 4K and 5K display options, the new 6K support means two of Apple’s Pro Display XDR can be used at full resolution with the new 16-inch MacBook Pro. If it sounds like an intense operation, Apple assures users it is, clarifying that in order to maximize display performance with multiple monitors, users should plug a single monitor into each side of the laptop, as there’s only one bus for each set of Thunderbolt 3 on the side of the laptop. This will spread out the workload and result in better performance. Below is an excerpt from the support document:

Your MacBook Pro has two busses for its four Thunderbolt 3 ports. Each pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports (on the left and right sides of your Mac) are different busses. Whenever possible, connect your displays to different busses to maximize performance. Don’t connect more than two displays to either bus. If you connect a 6K, 5K, or multi-cable 4K display, use a different bus for each of the displays.

Using some back-of-the-napkin math, such a setup with the new 16-inch MacBook Pro and two Apple Pro Display XDR units would cost at least $ 12,795, if we are to assume the base 16-inch MacBook Pro computer and the base Pro Display XDR units with the first-party VESA mounts.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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LaCie’s announces new Rugged SSDs, including one with a built-in SD card reader

12 Sep

Storage company LaCie has introduced three new portable, rugged SSDs that it says are designed specifically for creative, media, and entertainment pros who need ample storage while working remotely. The company’s new lineup consists of the LaCie Rugged SSD, Pro, and BOSS SSD models, each offering high durability alongside features targeted at different user needs.

The most notable of the three new models is the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro, a device featuring Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1, a Seagate FireCuda NVMe SSD with speeds up to 2800MB/s, and an IP67 resistance rating against dust and water. This device is designed for digital imaging technicians and filmmakers dealing with up to 8K footage.

Joining the Pro model is LaCie’s new Rugged SSD, an alternative for media professionals who have less demanding needs. This model features USB 3.1 Gen2 and a Seagate FireCuda NVMe SSD with speeds up to 950MB/s. According to the company, that’s fast enough for handling up to 4K video. As with the Pro model, this drive is secured in a durable housing with an IP67 rating, plus crush resistance and drop tolerance.

Finally, LaCie’s new Rugged BOSS SSD is designed for photographers and filmmakers, offering a 1TB SSD with speeds up to 430MB/s. As well, this drive is unique due to the housing’s built-in SD card slot alongside the USB port, as well as its built-in display for seeing the real-time status on data transfers, battery life, and available capacity. The housing is dust, splash, and drop-resistant and the drive works with a companion mobile app for managing content.

The LaCie Rugged SSD lineup will be available at the following prices:

  • LaCie Rugged SSD: 500GB ($ 179.99), 1TB ($ 299.99), and 2TB ($ 499.99).
  • LaCie Rugged SSD Pro: 1TB ($ 399.99) and 2TB ($ 699.99)
  • LaCie Rugged BOSS SSD: 1TB ($ 449.99)

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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