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The Fragment 8 is a retro-inspired video camera that records to GIFs instead of film

21 Jan

Super 8 cameras were the consumer’s tool of choice for recording images before VHS and other video systems became affordable. The Fragment 8 from Loft Factory is a digital camera that aims to replicate the look, feel and image quality of 1960s and 70s Super 8 cameras using modern technologies.

It can record in either MP4 or GIF formats at 720p resolution on a 1/3 CCD sensor and is targeted of users of Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms that can process short video clips and animated GIFs. It produces the characteristic Super 8 shutter sound and the frame rate can be set to either 9 or 24 fps for authentic results. An optional filter attachment lets you use three effect filters: Kaleidoscope Six, Star Filter and Radial Filter.

Operation is deliberately kept simple, with a fixed-focus lens, no manual controls and a built-in viewfinder. The camera features a tripod mount on the bottom of the handle and weighs just 250g (8.8oz), which should make it fairly portable.

The team behind the Fragment 8 is currently looking to raise funds for large scale production on Kickstarter and pledge options are plentiful. You can pledge as little as $ 78 for the Fragment 8 camera and one basic lens, or up to $ 128 which includes the camera body with genuine leather trimming, the basic lens, one rotating lens plate and three filter lenses. Shipping is estimated for May 2020.

More information is available on Kickstarter or on the Lofty Factory website.

Disclaimer: Remember to do your research with any crowdfunding project. DPReview does its best to share only the projects that look legitimate and come from reliable creators, but as with any crowdfunded campaign, there’s always the risk of the product or service never coming to fruition.

New Kickstarter Project Revives the Super 8 Retro Camera with GIF Format

“Fragment 8,” the World’s First Camera to Directly Shoot GIF’s is a Perfect Replica of a Super 8 Camera, Including Shutter Sound, 2-Minute Time Limit and Vintage Image Look

Introduced in 1965, Super 8 cameras launched a home movie revolution by giving regular people the ability to instantly capture a moment of their lives using a small, affordable hand-held film camera. The nostalgic feel of Super 8 movies is instantly recognizable in their characteristic faded color tone, graininess, slightly jerky motion and the short lengths (typically 3 minutes max per Super 8 film cartridge) which made them feel so spontaneous. A new Kickstarter project called the “Fragment 8 Retro Camera” has launched for a new camera that not only duplicates the visual look of Super 8 movies – in MP4 or GIF output so they can be shared online in seconds – but faithfully recreates the actual act of using a Super 8 camera itself, complete with clacking shutter sound.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fragment8/slice-of-life-fragment-8-retro-camera

Produced in Hong Kong by the Lofty Factory, Ltd., the “Fragment 8” camera uses modern digital technology to faithfully recreate the authentic look of Super 8 home movies, but with the convenience of USB output in either MP4 or GIF formats at 720p resolution. The Fragment 8 can shoot in either 9 frames per second or 24 and options include three different add-on lenses – Kaleidoscope Six, Star Filter and Radial Filter – for specialized effects – as well as a standard 17mm lens mount. The camera is faithfully made with a simple built-in viewfinder and focus-free operation. The artfully crafted curves are accented with optional genuine leather and there’s a standard tripod mount on the bottom. The camera weighs only 250 grams – easy to carry anywhere, all day.

Kickstarter pledges begin at HK $ 600 (USD $ 78) for the “Dare to Try” level which will be rewarded with one of the first 100 pieces of production in the “Classic Package” which includes the Fragment 8 camera, one basic lens and beautiful gift packaging. Kickstarter Early Bird pledges are HK $ 700 (USD $ 90) for the Classic Package (USD $ 128 retail value). The third Kickstarter level is at HK $ 980 (USD $ 128) for the “Combo Pack” which includes the Fragment 8 body with genuine leather, the basic lens, one rotating lens plate and three different filter lenses (Kaleidoscope Six, Star Filter and Radial Filter) and beautiful gift packaging (USD $ 198 retail price).

Reward delivery is estimated for May 2020.

The Fragment 8 camera was developed by Hong Kong software artist Manhin, who completed the ID & MD design and software development, in cooperation with the graphic and film director Chun Yin.

There’s nothing quite as uniquely beautiful as a Super 8 movie,” said Fragment 8 camera co- creator Manhin. “And the short Super 8 format makes perfect sense with today’s popularity of GIF loops and TikTok videos. Inspired by natural aesthetics, your story can be shared with friends at a new level with romantic and retro effects. You don’t have to fiddle around with

aperture, IOS, or white balance. All you need do is experience the gorgeous vintage feel in your own videos.”

“The Fragment 8 Retro Camera embodies the bright and soft appearance of the mid-century classic analog film. With natural tones, subtle color changes and slight discoloration, it makes a video of even the most mundane subject look artistic, nostalgic and well- composed,” said Fragment 8 co-creator Chun Yin.

FRAGMENT 8 TECHNICAL DETAILS

1/3 inch CCD sensor
720p HD resolution
Built-in viewfinder
9 or 24 frames per second
MP4(H.264) or GIF output
F/2.5 with a 4-Element Lens
17mm mount compatible
Electronic shutter
Focus-free
Li-ion battery pack
Aluminium, metallic printed ABS and Leather
110 W x 90 H x 40 D mm (body)
250g (body)

For complete information, sample videos, tech specs and to pledge, visit the Fragment 8 Kickstarter page at – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fragment8/slice-of-life- fragment-8-retro-camera

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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7 clichéd photography gifts to avoid (and what to buy instead)

29 Nov

7 clichéd photography gifts to avoid this season

What follows is a list of seven of the most common cliched gifts likely to be received by photographers this holiday season, based on informal polling around the DPReview office.

If you’re thinking about giving that special photographer in your life one of these items, we implore you, consider our alternatives. No one needs another damn camera lens mug.

Camera lens mug or shot glass

There’s nothing worse than stumbling upon a Canon 70-200 F2.8 for a bargain price in a second-hand store only to discover it’s actually just a stupid mug. Damn you, lens mug. Damn you.

It’s a camera lens – wait, no. It’s a mug! How novel! But the thing is, every photographer on planet Earth already has one of these. And the truth is, most of them are pretty crappy when it coms to their primary function: transporting beverages and keeping them warm. And woe unto you if you leave it in your car cupholder, only to come back and find a brick through your window and your imitation 70-200mm F4L mug missing. It’s happened.

Rather then gift a piece of junk that’ll likely get pushed to the back of the cabinet or end up filled with pens, how about gifting that special photographer some nice coffee, or tea? We’re a hard-working bunch and will likely appreciate the caffeine. Better yet, throw in a decent-quality mug or vacuum thermos. We’ll think of you every time we sip.

Camera or photography-themed clothing

Do you love photography? Great, keep it to yourself! (or at least off your shirt). Also if you need a Pix 2015 Tee, just say the word. We’ve got loads.

I don’t know many photographers that feel a strong urge to walk around in clothing that advertises their profession or hobby. So kindly hold off on buying the cheesy T-shirt with the silhouette of a camera on it that says ‘I shoot people,’ or that other one that says ‘Everyone’s a photographer until…’ with an image of a mode dial set to ‘M.’ We’ll stick to dressing in all black or in geeky photo vests, thank you very much.

But seriously, rather than getting photographers cheesy apparel that’ll likely end up in the donation bin, get us a nice article of clothing, like a soft sweater, a thermal layer, or some camera-friendly gloves to keep warm this winter.

See also: Photography-themed cuff links, lapel pins, tie clips and watches.

Smartphone camera accessories

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather just reach for a Ricoh GR III than carry around the clunk-master above.

There’s a whole market for add-on accessories like lenses and grips, meant to improve the experience and/or output of your smartphone’s camera. The truth is, most photographers would rather reach for a dedicated camera than bulk out their phone. After all, the appeal of the smartphone camera is that it’s always on you because it’s pocketable.

So instead of gifting something that’ll likely get left behind, give that special photographer a smartphone accessory they’ll actually use: a decent USB power pack for charging on the go (and many can often top up the batteries in newer cameras as well). It may be the tube sock equivalent of tech gifts, but it’s an item anyone can genuinely appreciate.

Thrift store camera finds

Sure she looks pretty, but the electronics are fried, the focus ring won’t turn and there’s something strange growing in the viewfinder… not exactly the most useful gift.

Nothing beats unwrapping something like a Yashica Electro-35 and being told ‘I found this at Goodwill and thought of you’, only to find that it has a seized up focus ring and mold in the finder. Here’s the thing: When it comes to shopping for cameras on the second-hand market, knowledge is power and research is king.

While a classic fixed-lens rangefinder sure looks great, there’s a risk that it’s really just a moldy paperweight. Don’t be the person that gifts a moldy paperweight. If you’re serious about getting someone a second-hand camera, awesome! We’ve put together two lists of reliable and affordable film cameras that are easy to acquire used. Check them out here and here.

‘Inspirational’ photo books and/or how-to’s

Skip the lame photo how-to books and cheesy inspirational ones and instead opt for something that shows off a celebrated shooter’s work.

Inspiration is obviously a very important part of the creative process. However, there are a ton of lackluster supposedly inspirational photography books on the market. The same can be said for photography how-to books: there’s a lot of them out there, but many are out-of-date and / or dull.

So rather than pick any old photography-related book, I implore you to do a little research. Find out who that special someone looks up to photographically and purchase a photo book by that person. If you’re unsure who their favorite ‘tog is, put on you sleuth hat and check their Instagram ‘following’ list. Chances are they probably follow some of their favorite shooters. If you’re still unsure, go for a classic like ‘The Americans’ by the late Robert Frank or ‘Street Photographer’ a collection of images by the late Vivian Maier.

A stylish or overly-technical camera strap or camera bags

If you wouldn’t feel comfortable picking out a pair of underwear for the photographer in your life, don’t get them a bag or strap either.

Camera straps come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and materials. Some are woven, others are leather, rope or neoprene. Some offer quick-releases and / or neck-padding and/or length adjustments, others do not. So how do you choose the right strap this season? You don’t.

Photographers are very particular about their straps and trying to pick one out for that special someone is not unlike buying them a pair of pants – only they can tell whether the fit and feel are right. It’s worth noting camera bags and backpacks fall into a similar category of ‘definitely don’t buy unless you’re absolutely sure.’

But if you insist on purchasing a camera strap this holiday season, the Peak Design Slide offers a good balance of features, weight-capacity and price. We’re also fans of CAM-IN’s leather and rope straps.

The photographers’ work printed on something

OK, maybe we’d be happy with a Belvedere mug.

Receiving a personalized gift is nice, but generally speaking, most photographers don’t want to be gifted framed prints of their own work to hang on the wall (we’ll do that ourselves, if there’s a picture we’re particularly proud of), nor do they want their photos printed on items like a throw pillow, a blanket or a coffee mug. It’s a little crass to so blatantly show off your own pictures.

Instead, most of us would much prefer a print of someone else’s work to hang on our walls and inspire us. Legendary photo agencies like Magnum and VII often do $ 100 signed, small-sized print sales. And other famous photographers’ work like the late Ansel Adams can be found for sale directly through their estate’s official website.

In conclusion

Honestly, if you can’t think of anything else, just get us a big roll of gaffer tape.

There you have it, seven clichéd photography-related gifts to avoid giving this year and what to give instead. We hope this list inspires you to better understand that special photographer in your life and their desires. And don’t worry if you’ve given some of these gifts in the past, we all make mistakes. Maybe this year you can make up for it.

To our fellow photographers: If you’ve been on the receiving end of another lackluster photo gift that we missed, let us know in the comments. We’ll add to this article as we see fit.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Fujifilm developing 50mm F1.0 instead of planned 33mm F1.0

21 Sep

Alongside the announcement of the X-Pro 3, Fujifilm has said it is developing a 50mm F1.0 lens for its X-mount mirrorless cameras and cancelling the promised 33mm F1.0.

As part of the presentation, Fujifilm’s Head of Product Planning, Takashi Ueno said that the 33mm F1.0 had become too big and heavy as it was being developed. The latest prototype weighed 1300g (45.8oz), included 15 elements and necessitated the addition of a tripod foot.

Instead the company has said it will build a 50mm F1.0, that can be under 900g (31.7oz).

The result is a very different lens: a 75mm equivalent, rather than 50mm equiv. people were expecting. The two sponsored ‘X Photographers’ at the event suggested it could be useful for wedding and portrait photographers. One of these professionals, Bert Stephani, expressed a the hope that the company will re-work its XF 35mm F1.4: one of the first lenses in the X system, whose autofocus isn’t up to the same standard as the company’s more recent designs.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

10 Jun

You probably know a few professional photographers, and you’ve undoubtedly found them to be an invaluable fount of information. However, there are a few questions that beginners commonly ask that they secretly despise. Let’s take a look at five of those questions, and what you can ask instead.

#1 – Which camera should I get?

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead - small Sony camera

You’re just starting out with photography. You’ve discovered your creative eye through your phone, and you’re looking to get serious. Photography sounds like a fun hobby – it gets you outside and allows you to share your unique view of the world with others.

Perhaps you have some friends who are also photographers, and you don’t want to be left out when they start getting excited about apertures and bokeh. So where do you begin? You ask which camera you should buy, right? Wrong!

Why pros hate this question

Pros hate this question because it’s too vague. There are so many cameras out there, and they’re all designed to cater to specific needs. A camera is a very personal thing – much like a car – so others may find it difficult to advise your purchase.

A pigeon judges the tourist with a camera in a city park.

Do you want to shoot stunning stars at night (which would benefit from a full-frame camera), or do you want to build your fashion Instagram account? Are you looking to photograph wildlife (where a cropped sensor might come in handy), or are you interested in portraiture? Will you be traveling a lot and need something small and portable (mirrorless)? What is your budget? These all come into play choosing a camera.

It also depends greatly on your experience. If you’ve never played with f-stops, ISO, and shutter speeds, then any entry-level camera that teaches you these things will serve you well. Practice with the fundamentals of photography, learn what you enjoy shooting, and get more familiar with what all the features actually mean. Then you can make a much more informed decision or ask more directed questions.

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead - photo of a bunch of cameras and lenses

What to ask instead

Do a little research first in order to understand your own needs. Narrow down the type of photography that interests you, and identify the features that are most important to you. Use Google! Armed with this knowledge, you can then confidently approach a pro (preferably one who does the kind of photography what you’d like to shoot, as they’ll be more knowledgeable and helpful to you) and ask specifics to help narrow your choices.

Here are some examples of good questions to ask:

I really want to shoot the Milky Way, but I can’t afford a full-frame camera. Do you know of a less-expensive model that does well in low light?
I want a super compact camera for my vacations that can take better snapshots than my phone. It would be great if it also has built-in wireless so I can upload photos on the go. What would you recommend?
I get a lot of beautiful birds in my backyard. I’d love a better camera to capture them and perhaps some of the flowers in my garden. Can you suggest a basic camera, hopefully, one with a flip-out LCD screen?

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead - red leaves

Bonus tip

Rent! Just like a test drive, you can easily rent cameras, lenses, and accessories from your local camera shop to try out equipment and find what you really like before you invest the big bucks. Many shops even have weekend deals (pick up on Friday, return on Monday) at very affordable prices ($ 20-100 range).

#2 – Which is better: Canon or Nikon?

So now you’ve narrowed down the type of photography you wish to pursue, and you even have a few ideas of camera models that might be good for that. As you continue to research, however, you see options from Canon and Nikon. But which is better?

Why pros hate this question

Pros hate this question because it’s a silly competition the really needn’t exist. Which is better, Toyota or Honda? Marvel or DC? Deep dish or thin crust?

“Better” is such a subjective term, and asking this question really won’t give you a good answer. If you ask this of several photographers, you’re likely to get divided opinions, and this won’t help you in your final decision. Many photographers started with one brand, and they’ve simply stuck with it as it’s too expensive to switch (most brands are also deliberately not cross-compatible).

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead - a Canon camera

The truth is, these are competing camera makers. One will pull ahead with some fancy technology, and the other will jump up to match, adding its own new feature to gain an edge. And guess what? There are other brands, too – gasp!

Sony has been making amazing headway in its mirrorless department, and even Fuji has become popular with some photographers for their compact system. Just like camera models, they each offer different things, and it depends on the features most important to you.

Do you want to take low light pictures with little noise? Do you care about good dynamic range? Is superb multi-point autofocus important to you? Do you like using knobs and buttons over a digital menu? Brands are more about the specific features, and while pros can sometimes be polarized on which is “better,” they’ll generally agree that certain ones will perform better with regards to a given feature.

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

Shot with a Canon camera.

Shot with a Fuji camera.

What to ask instead

Just like the cameras above, figure out what you want most out of the camera you’re looking to buy, and ask about specifics. This will help you steer toward the camera that would be best for you, and it will be more than just an opportunity for the photographer you’re asking to sell you on their favorite brand.

I want to shoot landscapes at sunset, but I worry about the sky being too bright while the foreground is all in shadow. Which cameras perform better in these situations?
I find all of these menus far too complicated. Is there a camera that lets me adjust the settings more naturally?
Which brand generally has cleaner pictures at a high ISO?

Bonus tip

Be sure to ask your questions of multiple people (preferably using various brands) to get a balanced viewpoint. Even with more specific questions, “best” can still be subjective.

#3 – What settings/camera/lens are you using?

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

Okay, so now you have a good idea of what camera you want, and you’re excited to start shooting. You’re observing your pro photographer friends, and you want to emulate their setup.

But what camera settings are they using?

Why pros hate this question

Pros hate these questions mostly because of context. While these can certainly be legitimate questions under the right circumstances, most pros are asked these under less-than-flattering implications.

“Wow, that’s a great picture! What camera are you using?” This implies that the art of the photograph is completely removed from the photographer and can be accomplished through mere equipment alone. This will irritate a photographer faster than asking a chef if his food is so good because he uses expensive spoons and knives.

Asking about settings is arguably better, as this provides insight as to how a waterfall was blurred into silky smoothness, or how a hummingbird was completely frozen in the shot. When pros receive this question, though, they often get the impression that beginners are looking for a silver bullet for how to take good pictures.

Settings are very specific to the photograph. This question will only be useful to you if you’re looking to shoot the same kinds of things under the same conditions. And they are only helpful if you understand what the settings mean – and how to make adjustments for your specific situation.

As well, megapixels has become this magic number that consumers have come to equate with quality. 24-megapixels is worth the extra $ 300 because it’s so much better than the 20-megapixel model, right? While more megapixels does mean slightly better quality, this number really doesn’t matter to the average photographer. Many pros don’t even pay much attention to this number (unless they’re in the business of fine art prints).

Typical photographs are printed at 300 dpi (dots per inch). Even an 8×10 print (2400 x 3000 pixels = 7.2 million pixels) requires only 7.2 megapixels. 20+ megapixels don’t come into play until you’re talking poster prints. If you’re only looking to print a few images at home or share them on social media, you needn’t worry about spending more for a higher number; most modern cameras will easily have you covered.

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

What you can ask instead

The camera never makes the photographer. Incredible images can be produced from the most elementary equipment. Know that a camera is a tool that only allows you to perform your job more effectively, but the art is still created by your vision. Know what you want to create, and ask informed questions of the tools – without the implication that the art wouldn’t be possible without them.

Understand what the settings mean before asking about them so you know how best to apply them to your own work.

I admire your macro shots. I’ve been trying to accomplish something similar with my flowers, but I can’t seem to get mine as sharp as yours. What shutter speed are you using?
I know you do a lot of night photography. Which wide-angle lens do you prefer to use for those shots?
I’d like to start printing larger images for my wall at home. Your prints turn out really well. How many megapixels does your camera have?

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

Bonus tip

A wise person once told me to never buy any equipment until you feel limited by what you own. Before you go drooling over someone else’s camera or lenses, ask yourself if an upgrade would afford you shooting opportunities you cannot already do (and that you’d actually want to do – that’s the hard bit!).

And know that just because a pro has more megapixels than you (or a newer model camera, or a more expensive lens) they aren’t necessarily able to take pictures that you can’t. It’s your experience that separates you, not your equipment.

#4 – How can I make money with photography?

You have your camera. You more-or-less understand the settings, and you’ve gotten pretty good. Now, you want to see if you can turn these pixels into profit.

So you ask a professional photographer you know how you can make some money with your photography.

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

Why pros hate this question

Pros hate this question because many don’t know the answer themselves. Or they do, but they don’t want to disappoint you.

The truth is that photography is a very difficult industry to break into, and it is seldom lucrative. With better cameras being more affordable to the average user, anyone can fairly easily take high-quality photos. In short, few want to pay you for pictures they could take themselves.

It’s a troublesome question to answer because so many are struggling to find just the right path to that elusive pay check.

Additionally, much like the above topics, there is no single perfect answer. There are specific types of photography that are more successful at earning a living wage than others (hint: they directly involve people), but a new photographer will find it challenging to see money out of their photography without a lot of hard work, effective self-marketing, and a niche business model.

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

Most pros have several sources of income. It’s rare that a single tactic will prove sufficiently effective.

What you can ask instead

Take a look at your local market to see what’s popular and where a need exists. Spend some time identifying what sets you apart from everyone else and build a portfolio with which to market yourself. Then you can approach those pros with specifics to help you develop your business plan.

I love photographing people at conventions in all of their colorful costumes. What do you typically charge for a single session?
I’d like to upload some of my photos to a stock photography site. Which ones give the best payouts to photographers?
How much do you charge for travel to wedding locations? Do you think I should offer free engagement sessions?

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

Bonus tip

This day and age, the money is with people. If you have a fear of working with people, you’re unlikely to make a living at photography. Portraits, events, and weddings are far more likely to see income streams than landscapes, abstracts, and macro images.

That doesn’t mean the latter isn’t possible, it’s just more difficult. And even those areas require marketing yourself to galleries, travel and tourism companies, and individuals. So get used to interacting with people!

#5 – Thoughts?

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

You have some experience under your belt now, and maybe you’re even making a few bucks on the side. You have a general understanding of what makes a good photograph, but you want to take it to the next level.

How can you improve?

Why pros hate this question

Pros hate this question because it’s also vague. You post an image on a photography forum with just the single word, “Thoughts?” While it’s great to request feedback on your images, this question puts a lot of work on the responder to generate a viable conversation about your photograph.

This is also likely to garner some less-than-helpful (and possibly less than desired) responses, as it’s so open-ended. What type of feedback are you looking for, exactly? Are you displeased with the composition and you’re looking for pointers? Do you want some tips on ways you can make a person’s eyes stand out more? Gain more sharpness to that mountain landscape?

In many instances, this is not actually an invitation for critique but rather praise. Therefore, you might receive criticism you’re unprepared to receive. Being clearer with your request can spare you and others some angst.

What you can ask instead

When seeking feedback, figure out what you actually want to know about your photo and direct your questions in that manner. Specifics help guide people answering you, and you’re more likely to get more and better responses.

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

It’s also perfectly acceptable if you just want to share your pictures without constructive criticism. Just make that clear so you don’t get any undesired feedback.

I really don’t like how this picture seems a bit fuzzy. Is there anything I can do to sharpen it, or should I do something different when taking the picture?
This was my first time shooting waterfalls. I’m not looking for criticisms at this time, I just wanted to share.
I tried doing an HDR with this sunset, but it looks a little fake. How can I make it look more natural?

Bonus tip

Feedback is a wonderful way to improve. However, be prepared to hear it if you put the request out there. Even the most thick-skinned of photographers can find criticism difficult to take. Listen to the feedback you receive, take each with a grain of salt (in the end, it’s your art), and try to not be defensive (it’s a natural reaction).

It will doubtless be painful at first, but you will be a better photographer for it.

Conclusion

Questions pros hate 15

Those more experienced in your field are generally happy to help, and they welcome your questions. But they want to make sure you’ve done a little research on your own first so you understand what you’re asking. Assess what you enjoy shooting, experiment a bit, and possibly check out renting some gear.

In the right context, and with the proper information on what your needs are, pros can be an excellent resource for improving your own skills in photography.

The post 5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Confirmed: ProGrade Digital will NOT make XQD cards, is betting on CFexpress instead

06 Mar

When new, high-end memory card manufacturer ProGrade Digital made its debut last month, one of the most common questions we saw in the comments was “will you make XQD cards?” The answer seemed to be “no,” but it was based on support email screenshots and other unofficial sources.

To clear up any confusion, DPReview reached out to ProGrade Digital directly and asked if the company could confirm or deny these reports, and/or share its plans (or lack thereof) in regards to the XQD format.

ProGrade Digital CEO Wes Brewer sent us the following statement in response (emphasis added):

ProGrade Digital is not planning to manufacture XQD cards at this time. We are however strongly promoting the future standard of CFexpress through our efforts in the Compact Flash Association. The CFexpress Type B form factor of this new standard is the successor to XQD, and allows existing cameras that utilize XQD cards to be upgraded to operate with the new CFexpress Type B cards if the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) chooses to update firmware in those devices. In addition to the option of backward compatibility to XQD cameras, the new CFexpress cards utilize two lanes of PCIe (vs. one lane on XQD) and supports the NVMe (Non Volatile Memory express) protocol, which provides more than twice the interface speed of XQD. Look for ProGrade Digital to make announcements in this area throughout 2018.

There you have it. The future, as far as ProGrade Digital is concerned, is the CFexpress Type B form factor, which is backwards compatible with XQD memory card slots anyway. Given this fact, it makes sense that ProGrade would steer clear of the “licensing arrangements that Sony requires” (H/T Nikon Rumors) to manufacture XQD cards in the meantime.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Video: Four common composition mistakes and what to do instead

19 Sep

When you’re first starting out, the great big world of photography composition can seem like a long list of rules and a bunch of videos where photographers paste grids on top of iconic photos. It’s all a bit abstract. So if you’re looking for concrete advice, this video by photographer Evan Ranft is a much better place to start.

In the video, Evan discusses four common composition mistakes many photographers make, and then shows you how to fix them. Each tip is accompanied by a very useful “do this not that” before and after, and the advice is genuinely a lot more helpful than slapping a bunch of grids and golden ratio spirals on top of famous photos.

You can check out the video up top for a full rundown with before and after images, but the tips (in short) are:

Double Subject – Don’t place your main subject side-by-side with an interesting background feature, it will split your viewer’s focus. Emphasize a single subject instead.
The Look Out – If your subject is on one side of your photograph, have them look into, not out of, the frame. A subject looking out of the frame divides your photo in half, leaving a bunch of confusing negative space. If they’re looking into the frame, their gaze will balance out your composition.
Tangent Lines – Avoid having anything in your background draw lines through your subject and scene. Use the lines of your photo to lead your viewer’s eye TO your subject instead.
Being Lazy – Not the most obvious composition tip, but it counts: don’t be lazy. Once you’ve picked a subject, find an interesting composition. Don’t just take the easiest, most convenient photo in that moment

There you go: a few simple but effective tips that help create photos that emphasize your subject and lead your viewer where you want them to go. As Ranft says in the video, these are easy mistakes to correct, you just have to be aware you’re doing them.

To see more tips and how-tos from Evan, head over to his YouTube channel. And if you have your own simple composition tip (or common mistake) to share, drop it in the comments!

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Don’t buy another lens, buy a flash instead

21 Aug

Introduction

A bounced, on-camera flash was a quick way for me to take some photo booth snaps in a very dark room without having to set anything up off-camera.

When people really get into photography and start saving their pennies for new gear, one of the first things they buy tends to be a lens, like a telephoto or a fast prime. However, if you’ve already got a lens or two and you’re thinking you’d want another, let me suggest that you pick up an external flash instead.

Why, you ask? What’s wrong with natural light? After all, those insert-name-brand-here flashes are just way too expensive.

With the abundance of cheap flashes pouring out of China these days, you should be able to get a TTL, or ‘through the lens’ metering flash for around $ 50 US. If it’s your first flash, a cheapie one will do just fine, and TTL metering will help you get out and get shooting with it in no time.

If you’re ‘into photography’ enough to have a couple of lenses, then it’s time to consider one of these as well.

Even a ‘natural light’ shooter can benefit immensely from a better understanding of how light works, and what better way to experiment with light than controlling your own? You may even find that, using artificial lights, you can spend less time looking for shade or big bay windows, and sometimes, you can get away with shooting at the ‘wrong’ time of day.

‘Even a ‘natural light’ shooter can benefit immensely from a better understanding of how light works, and what better way to experiment with light than controlling your own?’

Lastly, having a flash simply provides you with another tool with which to create images. It’s just another option you didn’t have before. It can open up new possibilities, and perhaps lead you in a creative direction you never expected. And as you grow, you may find there are some situations that you’d simply never get away with not using strobes.

Getting started using TTL

Even if you tend to use your camera in ‘Auto’ or ‘P’ modes, you can gain instant benefits from a small, inexpensive flash. As stated earlier, it’ll be important to get TTL capability, which is kind of like ‘Auto’ or ‘P’ for flash.

Room a bit dim? A ceiling-bounced flash is one of the easiest ways to brighten it up without looking too unnatural.

So how does TTL work? Before taking the photo, the flash fires a quick burst that reflects off your subject and travels through the lens to the imaging or metering sensor in the camera, which then takes a reading and tells the flash what power it should use. And because this is all happening at the speed of light, there is no perceptible lag in this process.

The best part is that if you’re finding your flash is looking too bright or too dim, you can dial in exposure compensation on the flash itself, just like you can on your camera. These are two separate exposure compensations; the flash exposure compensation value will only affect the flash output.

And TTL isn’t just to be pooh-pooh’d as the ‘amateur’ option either, as it can work incredibly well. Many of Joe McNally’s excellent shoots with both speedlights and bigger strobes are controlled using TTL and biasing them up or down with exposure compensation.


On-camera flash	Bounce flash

Taken on a Nikon D3400 in full auto.

One of the best ways to get instantly better pictures as a result of your new flash is to mount it to the top of you camera, point it up at the ceiling, and photograph some friends indoors. Instead of producing portraits with very bright faces and an almost black background, which built-in flashes tend to do, you’re bouncing the light off the ceiling, where it cascades down and lights everything a little more softly.

It’s like the difference between shooting in direct sunlight versus shooting on a cloudy day. In direct sunlight (like with direct flash pointed at your subject), you get pretty harsh shadows and more contrast between those shadows and the highlights. With the flash pointed at the ceiling, it’s spread out more, similar to how clouds will diffuse sunlight, and shadows are much softer as a result.

A practical case for TTL, or ‘How I Shoot Dimly Lit Events’

One of my favorite aspects of TTL metering actually involves keeping my camera in full manual, with the flash doing all of the ‘automatic’ work for me. This is particularly useful at dimly lit events and wedding receptions, where I’m moving around quickly and almost always using bounce flash, as described just above.

Ambient lighting only.

This first shot is a good example of an approximate base exposure for the ambient lighting in the room. By that I mean that the ambient lights aren’t totally blown out, and the background is a little dark but still provides a bit of context. This is important as I mostly want the flash to bring out my main subject without the entire rest of the frame looking horribly under-or-overexposed.

In this particular case, I actually like this dark, moody look for the sax player. But these sorts of ambient, ‘moody’ shots won’t work for everyone all the time. So let’s see what difference a flash can make, and how I like to incorporate it in these situations.

Added bounce-flash with TTL.

This second image has some exposure adjustments to bring up the ambient a little more, but I’ve added a flash mounted to the top of the camera. It was bounced at the ceiling in TTL mode and the flash exposure compensation was adjusted to underexpose slightly.

Of course, these images are extremely different in terms of ‘mood,’ but I’ve found that this method of adding ‘pops’ of bounce flash to subjects at events can allow me to more effectively freeze motion without raising my shutter speed, as well as shoot my lenses a little more stopped down to give me some leeway for focus errors.

What about you?

Image taken with a single off-camera flash through an umbrella.

Are you a flash shooter, or a natural light purist? TTL or all manual, all the time? Let us know in the comments if you’ve got any strobe tips or tricks that have made a difference to the types of photography you enjoy.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Can’t afford a Hasselblad? Win one instead in the 2018 Masters contest

26 Jan

Natalia Evelyn Bencicova
Hasselblad Masters 2016
Winner of the Portrait category

Hasselblad is giving away 11 medium-format cameras in what it’s describing as the biggest Masters competition it has ever held. The 2018 contest introduces a new category for aerial photography in tribute, Hasselblad says, to the company’s roots in aerial work – its first camera was an aerial camera. The inclusion may also have something to do with drone-manufacturing share-holder DJI.

Entrants need to be working professionals, with a specification that you should have been professional for three years, and any brand of film or digital camera can be used. The Project/21 category though is open to all photographers who have yet to reach the age of 22. Submissions should consist of three images which don’t have to be a set or related in any way so long as they fit the brief of the category.

Each category winner will receive a Hasselblad digital medium camera as a prize, but will also be loaned Hasselblad equipment to produce a set of images for the Hasselblad Masters commemorative book.

2018 Categories include:

Aerial (New for 2018)
Architecture
Fine Art
Fashion/Beauty
Landscape
Portrait
Product
Project/21 (Under 21)
Street/Urban
Wedding
Wildlife

The competition is open now and will close on June 10th 2017, and entry is free. For more information see the Hasselblad website.

Press release

Hasselblad’s Prestigious Masters 2018 Competition Opens for Entries

Hasselblad is proud to officially open its renowned Masters competition for 2018. Photographers across the globe are invited to submit three images that best demonstrate their photographic ability for the chance to be named a Hasselblad Master. The Hasselblad Masters is one of the world’s most prestigious professional photographic competitions and gives acclaimed professionals, as well as aspiring newcomers, the chance to make their mark in the world of high-end photography.

Winners will not only receive the coveted accolade but will take home a state of the art medium format Hasselblad camera and have their work published in the Hasselblad Masters commemorative book, to be launched in 2018.

This year’s competition is bigger than ever with 11 categories, including the brand new ‘Aerial’ sector that pays tribute to Hasselblad’s history of aerial photography, with its technology used on several space missions including the first landing on the moon.
The 2016 Masters competition proved to be the most popular to date, with over 10,000 entries. The quality of entries was extremely high and the ten crowned Masters encompassed ambition, imagination and photographic skill. Each created truly outstanding work for Hasselblad Masters Volume 5 book, drawing on the theme of ‘Inspire’. Their images were displayed at photokina 2016 and across galleries and media publications around the world.

Previous Hasselblad Masters are some of the biggest names in photography; including Anton Corbijn (2001), Rodney Smith (2002), Charlie Waite (2002), Patrick Demarchelier (2003), Albert Watson (2004), Marco Grob (2007), Kevin Then (2008), and Hans Strand (2008).

Hasselblad Masters are judged on their photographic ability, creativity, compositional skills, conceptual strength and technique – and are acknowledged to have made a compelling contribution to the art of photography. Each entrant must submit three images per category, with the jury voting on the images rather than the photographer.

Entrants will first face an Internal Jury of Hasselblad staff, experts in the field of photography and supremely knowledgeable about Hasselblad cameras. The Internal Jury will select ten finalists in each category that showcase a high level of technical skill and creative flair. These finalists will then reach the professional Masters Jury, compiled of 24 of the best names in photography. Together with the public vote, which acts as a 25th jury member, the Hasselblad Masters are chosen.

The 2018 main Masters jury will be unveiled later in the year; past jury members have included world renowned photographers such as Marco Grob, Steve McCurry, and Tim Flach.

Hasselblad CMO, Johan Åhlen said “After the overwhelming response we received to the 2016 Hasselblad Masters, we’re excited to see what’s in store this year. The quality of entries in previous years has been simply outstanding and we’re immensely proud to continue to inspire and empower talented photographers across the globe. Our Masters become part of the Hasselblad family and we want to equip them with everything they need to make their mark on high-end photography.”

Open for entries 24th January – 10th June 2017. Entries are submitted via www.hasselblad.com. Winners will be announced in January 2018.
For full details on competition download Masters 2018 Rules & Regulations
Previous edition of Hasselblad Masters 2016 published in “Hasselblad Masters Vol. 5 – Inspire”: http://teneues-books.com/hasselblad-masters-vol-5-9815

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Don’t Delete Your Failed Images – Instead Learn from Your Mistakes with These Tips

28 Jul

I know you’ve done it. It’s okay to admit it. I’ve done it too! We all have! You’ve shot some terrible photographs.

Perhaps you shot the whole time in the wrong white balance, or you didn’t pay attention to shutter speed and everything is blurry. When this happens it’s incredibly disappointing. Frustrated and angry with yourself, you consider the experience a write-off, and delete the images. Then you head for the snack cupboard searching for some kind of solace.

But, everyone makes mistakes when they shoot, even professionals. There are times when we get excited and forget to check our settings, or make sure we are using the right lens for the right moment. It happens.

We were canoeing and in my rush to get an image of a small bird I underexposed the shot.

These failures don’t have to be a complete waste though. There’s nothing negative about making mistakes. Willie Nelson once said, “Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.”

So with that in mind, start looking at every photograph you take, as a step forward. Don’t delete those mistakes right away. You can learn a lot about taking good photographs from the missteps you make. I’ve met some photographers who have created a special file for all of their failures. Then when they have a little bit of time, they peruse through the collection and reflect upon them. This type of exercise can help you grow as a photographer.

There are lots of ways to reflect on your images. Some people make mental notes about their images. Others like to use a written journal format. I know of a few photographers who use the keyword section in Lightroom to make notes. I’ve even seen a detailed scrapbook in which the photographer printed out his failures and scribbled notes beside each. Just be sure to pick a format that works for you. Regularly reflecting on your work is important.

To start you down the path here’s a list of questions that you can use to help you reflect on your images.

Reflection Tips

In the first few seconds of viewing the photograph, what was the first emotion you experienced? Why? Now let it go. Detach from the emotion and be critical.
Why do you consider this image a failure? Don’t analyze too much just scribble down the first thought that comes to your mind. Try to make this part of the analysis a stream of consciousness.
What were your goals or intentions when you shot this image? Why were you unable to meet those goals?
If you could turn back time and reshoot the image what would you do differently?
Think carefully about the image and come up with one key piece of learning that you can take away from this experience.

Now let’s practice your reflection skills. It’s not easy to analyze your own photographs; it can take some time to perfect. Let’s analyze some of my failures, and some successes.

View each image, and really look at it in a critical sense. You can use the guiding questions from above to help you. After you’ve finished your reflection, scroll down and take a look at my notes, see if you agree with my thoughts. Perhaps you noticed something different then I did.

What did you come up with? Keep in mind there’s no right or wrong to this whole process. Some people might argue the image isn’t a failure. I personally, hate it.

Notes about the image

I cut off the hockey stick, it’s bad framing.
She’s looking down at the puck, there is no eye contact.
Loss of impact or connection with the viewer.
The edge vignette makes it too dark.

Ways to improve

Mark out the ice and give players a guideline for where to stop.
Remind players to look at the camera at all times.
Remove one complication by having kids skate without the puck (Photoshop the puck into the image in post-processing).

Compare the shot above, with the previous image. It was taken in the same arena a few months later. Do you think there’s a difference? The framing is certainly better and he makes eye contact with the camera. Have I improved over the first shot?

Let’s consider another mistake. This image was shot for a magazine article. Can you tell why it’s a fail?

Notes about the image

Her face is slightly out of focus.
The client wanted a unique angle for the shot but the focus is on the ball.
The houses behind in the background don’t suggest or support that we are on a soccer field.

Ways to improve

Ensure the focus is on the correct part of the scene by using back button focus.
Always take the time to set up the scene. Remember that the background is as important as the foreground.
Direct the player more to remain in a certain area.

Here’s the image the magazine chose to use for the article. You can see how the background gives this image more context than the previous shot.

The more you reflect upon your images, the more you will grow as a photographer. If you find you are stuck in a rut, this kind of activity may just be a way to move forward. Coming back to images after a few days, or weeks, is always a good idea. By separating yourself from the image it will help you to analyze it more carefully.

I’ve posted a few more images here for you to reflect upon below. Once you’ve finished analyzing my work, try it on some of your own shots. Leave some examples in the comments below, and include your reflections.

This is an opportunity to grow and become a stronger photographer. I expect that everyone who shares will be heartened by the fact that they are not the only ones to have taken a bad photograph. If you choose to reply to other people’s posts, please be kind and be constructive. This is all in the name of learning, we are not here to criticize each other.

Keep in mind, even geniuses have some failures!

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison

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Brain Food: Vending Machines Offer Books Instead of Snacks

23 Jun

[ By SA Rogers in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

book vending machine 1

You can buy all kinds of weird things from vending machines these days – from live crabs to blue jeans to gold bars – but this new iteration is more entertaining than most, and it’ll certainly keep you busy longer than a bag of Skittles. Peruse the covers of a curated selection of books through the glass of these BooksActually vending machines in Singapore for a new distraction on demand. If only this idea caught on everywhere, maybe we’d spend a bit less time standing around staring at our phones.

book vending machine 6

Two of the machines are now ready for reading enthusiasts in high-traffic areas, including the National Museum of Singapore and the Singapore Visitor Center. Fittingly for these locations, the selections appear to be Singapore-centric, including books by local authors as well as helpful guides for tourists. Each machine contains about 150 books with up to 22 titles, and the outsides of the machines are painted by local artists to indicate what’s inside.

book vending machine 3

“The whole idea is about accessibility and eyeballs,” says Kenny Leck, owner of BooksActually. “There are not enough bookstores in Singapore… these vending machines could be a visual touchpoint. You may not buy [a book] but we’ll let you know these exist. And from there, there could be more possibilities. We start with visual awareness: books where you see a local author’s name. The ultimate place we want to put them are at train stations.”

book vending machine 5

Of course, book vending machines aren’t entirely new, though they’re far more popular in Asia than they are stateside. The first book-dispensing machine, called the Penguincubator, was installed in London way back in 1937. An Irish company called ‘A Novel Idea’ installed a machine at London’s Heathrow airport, but went out of business. It’s kind of hard to pick out a book when you can’t even read the back cover, but the concept could work with highly recognizable beach-read-type titles that are about the equivalent of junk food for your brain, anyway.