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What Is the Best Focal Length? 5 Important Focal Lengths to Try

07 Sep

The post What Is the Best Focal Length? 5 Important Focal Lengths to Try appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jason Checkla.

What is the best focal length in photography? What are the uses of different focal lengths? And – most important of all – what focal length should you use in your own photos?

In this article, I aim to address all of those questions and more. I’ll share several key focal lengths, and I’ll make sure to explain why they’re great, what you can do with them, and who should consider using them. I’ll also include plenty of examples, so you can see the different focal lengths in action.

Note that whether you shoot with zooms or primes is unimportant. All the focal lengths in this article are achievable through either lens type, so no need to fret if you prefer zooms over primes or vice versa. Instead, just focus on the focal lengths I mention – and how they can improve your images.

Let’s get started.

1. 24mm

The best genres for 24mm lenses: landscapes, astrophotography, group portraits, and event photography

24mm is a beautiful focal length, one that offers a wide-angle field of view without taking you into ultra-wide territory. It’s easy to experiment with, not only because there are many affordable 24mm prime options available, but also because you’ll find this focal length at the wide end of many zoom lenses, such as a 24-70mm f/4 or f/2.8. Also, many kit lenses feature a 24mm wide end once you account for the APS-C crop factor.

A 24mm prime lens will be sufficiently wide and remarkably sharp, making it an ideal candidate for landscape photography. Zooms are wonderful for landscape photography, too, but the locked-in field of view (on a 24mm prime lens) will force you to think carefully about your compositions.

The 24mm focal length also excels in low-light situations. That includes astrophotography, where 24mm lenses with wide maximum apertures (i.e., f/2.8) will facilitate shots of the Milky Way, as well as event photography, where you’ll have an ample field of view for environmental, contextual shots, plus the wider maximum aperture will facilitate sharp shots indoors and at night.

Additionally, the 24mm focal length is wide enough to capture group portraits with minimal perspective distortion. Just don’t get too close and be sure to watch the edges of your frame.

2. 35mm

The best genres for 35mm lenses: street photography, event photography, environmental portraits, and casual portrait photography

35mm is a classic focal length for many photojournalists and street photographers. Why? For one, the field of view requires you to get close to the action for a more immersive perspective, plus it provides plenty of useful context. On the other hand, 35mm isn’t too wide; you can use it to photograph natural-looking people, close-up details, and more.

This same philosophy applies to wedding or event photography, which is why these photographers love the 35mm focal length, especially when combined with a wide maximum aperture such as f/1.8 or even f/1.4. Note that 35mm prime lenses, like 24mm lenses, tend to be impressively cheap – so if you’re on a budget, 35mm is a great place to start.

Another nice thing about 35mm: it’s great for environmental portraits, especially those casual, spur-of-the-moment portrait opportunities that come up at family gatherings and dinner with friends. For instance, I often use 35mm to shoot portraits across the dinner table:

Any wider, and my subject’s face might suffer from feature-exaggerating perspective distortion; any narrower, and I’d have had to get out of my seat to back up for the shot.

3. 50mm

The best genres for 50mm lenses: street photography, full-body portrait photography, walk-around shooting

50mm primes are the lenses for the photography beginner for a whole host of reasons. In fact, if you don’t own a 50mm lens, I recommend purchasing one right now – they really are that useful.

So what makes 50mm primes so special? For one, they’re insanely cheap. You can purchase a brand-new 50mm lens for most camera systems for a little over $ 100. I’m not talking about shoddy, low-quality optics, either; the 50mm f/1.8 lenses that cost in the $ 100 USD to $ 200 USD range tend to offer surprisingly good performances, especially for the price.

Also, 50mm lenses produce an image that is normal (i.e., most like the image that we produce with our own eyes). Therefore, it’s often easy to “see” in 50mm.

The 50mm lens really is a classic, and a big part of it is that the area in the frame is often just right. It’s narrow enough to create balanced compositions with ease, but still wide enough to create interest beyond your subject. That is why you will find a 50mm lens in the bags of most street photographers (and indeed, most portrait and event photographers, as well).

4. 85mm

The best genres for 85mm lenses: portrait photography, event photography, and sports photography

You’ll find 85mm lenses in the bags of many wedding and portrait photographers, and for good reason: they create beautiful portraits that flatten one’s features (this is generally flattering!), plus they offer beautiful subject-background separation.

The field of view isn’t so tight that you’ll need to be outdoors to shoot with an 85mm lens, but you’ll still get a nice working distance that allows you to sneakily capture candids at weddings and family gatherings.

That working distance is great for full-body shots when you’re on the sidelines of a sporting event, too. And 85mm lenses also offer a nice distance for photographing your kids and pets.

Of course, every focal length has its drawbacks, and 85mm is no exception. Such lenses are expensive to get ahold of, and the tighter field of view isn’t ideal for street photography or contextual portraits.

However, for serious portrait and event photographers, 85mm is a must-have.

5. 135mm

The best genres for 135mm lenses: Headshots, portrait photography, and wedding photography

When you need to get in close or you just love bokeh, a 135mm lens is a great pick – especially a 135mm prime with a wide maximum aperture.

You can use a 135mm lens for details and headshots that bring your subject to life. Plus, the background separation is fantastic due to the increased telephoto compression. The flattering flattening effect (say that five times!) makes this lens great for head-and-shoulder shots, senior portraits, candids, and more. You’ll have fun shooting wide open to create magical separation between your subject and the surroundings.

Is there a drawback to the 135mm focal length? Of course.

You do need a lot of working room, and you also need a lot of light. Remember the 1/focal length rule for shutter speed (also known as the reciprocal rule)? Well, you wouldn’t want to shoot a 135mm lens any slower than 1/135s (without a very steady hand or a tripod). So when light or space becomes a problem, it’s nice to have an 85mm lens to fall back on.

The best focal length: final words

Chances are you will love some of these focal lengths and dislike others, but you’ll never know until you give them all a shot!

So think about your favorite options from this list. And see if you can get your hands on each of the focal lengths – by renting, buying, or borrowing lenses (from a friend).

Now over to you:

Which focal lengths do you like best? Are there any focal lengths you’d like to test? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post What Is the Best Focal Length? 5 Important Focal Lengths to Try appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jason Checkla.

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Huawei Mate 20 Pro triple cam offers focal lengths from 16 to 80mm

16 Oct

Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Huawei launched its latest flagship smartphone Mate 20 Pro at an event in London today. Like the P20 Pro, the new device comes with a triple-camera setup on the rear but replaces the P20 Pro’s monochrome camera with a super-wide-angle unit, offering the widest range of focal lengths of all current smartphones. Using a combination of optical and digital zoom the new Huawei offers a zoom range from 16 to 270mm equiv.

The 40MP main camera is the same as on the P20 Pro and comes with large 1/1.7″ sensor, F1.8 aperture and 27mm equivalent focal length. The 8MP tele-camera features a F2.4 aperture and 80mm equivalent focal length.

The new super-wide-angle offers a 16mm equivalent focal length and uses a 20MP sensor with F2.2 aperture lens. A minimum focus distance of 2.5cm allows for better macro performance.

Very high ISO values up to 51200 allow for photography in very dark conditions and a new Super HDR mode that fuses 10 frames at Raw level offers improved dynamic range. New AI features include a Portrait Color video mode that isolates human subjects by desaturating the colors around them in real-time. Spotlight Reel identifies clips with a shared theme and auto-generates a highlight montage.

The 24MP front camera support 3D Face Unlock and can also be used for the authorization of mobile payments.

In terms of non-camera specs and features the Huawei Mate 20 Pro offers everything you would expect from a high-end smartphone in 2018. Google’s Android Pie OS is powered by a Kirin 980 chipset and 6GB of RAM. 128GB of built-in memory can be expanded via a new memory card format: Huawei’s new Nano-SD is 45% smaller than a MicroSD card.

The body offers IP86 water and dust protection and houses a 6.39-inch curved OLED display with 3120 x 1440 resolution and very thin bezels. DCI-P3 HDR is supported as well.

Huawei also launched the Mate 20 which comes with a 6.53-inch LCD display and a 12MP main camera but otherwise very similar specs to its top-end cousin. The Huawei Mate 20 Pro will be available from October 16 for approximately $ 1200 (EUR 1049). The Mate 20 is slightly more affordable at approximately $ 1040 (EUR 899).

Huawei Mate 20

A Higher Intelligence: Huawei Unveils HUAWEI Mate 20 Series

LONDON, United Kingdom—October 16, 2018—Huawei Consumer Business Group (BG) today unveiled the HUAWEI Mate 20 Series, one of the most highly anticipated smartphone series of the year. Representing a momentous milestone in the history of the HUAWEI Mate Series, the HUAWEI Mate 20 Series embodies the pinnacle of innovation.

Designed with the industry’s most powerful and sophisticated process technology, the latest Huawei flagship devices set a new bar by which all 2018 smartphones will be measured.

The HUAWEI Mate 20 Series is powered by Huawei’s densest and highest performing system on chip (SoC) to date—the Kirin 980. Manufactured with the advanced 7nm process incorporating the powerful Cortex-A76-based CPU and Mali-G76 GPU, the SoC offers improved performance and an unprecedented smooth user experience. The new 40W HUAWEI SuperCharge, 15W HUAWEI Wireless Quick Charge and large batteries work in tandem to provide users with the best battery life. The Matrix Camera System includes Leica Ultra Wide Angle Lens that lets users not only see wider, but also closer with its new macro distance capability. The Hyper Optical Pattern on the glass back plays with light and shadows, producing an iridescent optical effect that is immediately captivating. The Matrix Camera System adopts the iconic Four-Point Design that exudes personality, giving the device a unique visual identity that is recognizable even at a distance. The HUAWEI Mate 20 Series is shipped with the highly customized Android P-based EMUI 9 operating system, on which consumers can enjoy all productivity and entertainment features easily and conveniently with a few simple taps and swipes.

Available in 6.53-inch, 6.39-inch and 7.2-inch sizes, the HUAWEI Mate 20 Series encompasses four devices: HUAWEI Mate 20, HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro, HUAWEI Mate 20 X and PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate 20 RS. “Smartphones are an important entrance to the digital world.

The HUAWEI Mate 20 Series is designed to be the best ‘mate’ of consumers, accompanying and empowering them to enjoy a richer, more fulfilled life with their higher intelligence, unparalleled battery lives and powerful camera performance,” said Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer BG

Ultimate Performance and Battery Life

The SoC at the core of smartphones has a determining factor in a device’s performance and efficiency. Manufactured with the cutting-edge 7nm technology process, the SoC fits 6.9 billion transistors within a die the size of a fingernail. Compared to Kirin 970, the latest chipset is equipped with CPU that is 75 percent more powerful, GPU that is 46 percent more powerful and NPU that is 226 percent more powerful. Furthermore, the efficiency of the components has also been elevated: the CPU is 58 percent more efficient, GPU is 178 percent more efficient, and the NPU is 182 percent more efficient. The Kirin 980 is the world’s first commercial SoC to use the Cortex-A76-based cores. Huawei has

innovatively designed a three-tier architecture that consists of two ultra-large cores, two large cores and four small cores. This grants the CPU the flexibility to allocate the optimal amount of resources to heavy, medium and light tasks for unprecedented levels of efficiency, simultaneously improving the performance of the SoC while enhancing the battery life.

The Kirin 980 is also the industry’s first SoC to be equipped with Dual-NPU, granting it higher On-Device AI processing capability to support any and all AI applications. HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro is the world’s first smartphone to support the 4.5G LTE Cat. 21 standard, allowing consumers to experience download speeds of up to 1.4Gbps. It also supports the world’s fastest WiFi connection speeds–2GB footage requires only 10 seconds to download. The top-end flagship also supports dual-band (L1+L5) GPS positioning technology.

The AI GPS Satellite Selection technology enhances the positioning accuracy across a wide range of scenarios. Besides superb performance, the HUAWEI Mate 20 Series also features groundbreaking improvement on battery life. The HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro houses a large, high-density 4200mAh battery, and supports 40W HUAWEI SuperCharge, which gives the device 70 percent charge in 30 minutes. The safety of the technology is certified by TÜV Rheinland.

Moreover, HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro supports 15W HUAWEI Wireless Quick Charge, the industry’s fastest wireless charging solution, and Wireless Reverse Charge, which enables the device to work as a power bank for selected electronic devices supporting wireless charging. The HUAWEI Mate 20 X supports an ultra-large 5000mAh battery, and is equipped with a revolutionary HUAWEI super cool system that uses a combination of graphene film and vapor chamber to deliver outstanding cooling performance. With the cooling system in place, the CPU and GPU embedded in HUAWEI Mate 20 X can remain at full throttle for an extended period of time and deliver the smoothest and most satisfying gaming experience to consumers. The HUAWEI super cool system also marks the first time graphene is utilized to cool smartphones.

Matrix Camera System

Building on the foundation of HUAWEI P20 Series’ camera system, Huawei augmented the HUAWEI Mate 20 with a powerful addition—16mm Leica Ultra Wide Angle Lens. This wider perspective creates a sense of spaciousness and a three dimensional effect to the images. The new camera system also supports macro distance, which produces crisp images of objects that are placed as close as 2.5cm from the lens.

The added ultra-wide angle lens and macro support completes the feature set of the camera system, elevating it to a truly all-round camera that is ready to capture any and all action. The HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro is equipped with a 40MP main camera, a 20MP ultra wideangle camera, and an 8MP telephoto camera.

Together, the trio of lenses supports a wide range of focal lengths (equivalent to the performance of a 16-270mm zoom lens), enabling it to mimic the results from professional cameras. The HUAWEI Mate 20 Series also features an AI Portrait Color video mode. Using AI, the HUAWEI Mate 20 Series can isolate human subjects and desaturate the colors around them to dramatically highlight the person.

AI Spotlight Reel identifies clips with a shared theme and auto-generates a montage, made entirely of highlights. HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro and PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate 20 RS both support 3D Face Unlock. The solution quickly and securely authenticates users within 0.6s at a false acceptance rate of below 1/1,000,000. Using the 3D Depth Sensing Camera System located at the front, the two devices can accurately read the facial features of a subject and recognize even small details. Besides user authentication, this suite of sensors also enables the portrait beautification effects to be realized in a more natural and effective way.

EMUI 9 Enables a Quality Life

The HUAWEI Mate 20 Series comes with EMUI 9.0, a smart operating system based on Android P. Through AI self-learning algorithms, an integrated and granular resource allocation system, and a highly optimized Android environment, EMUI 9 delivers an “evergreen” experience—it remains smooth even through extended use. EMUI 9.0 incorporates a unified, ergonomic design and a streamlined settings menu.

The new gesture navigation support allows users to effortlessly interact with their devices using just taps and swipes. It also introduces new AI features that enable the HUAWEI Mate 20 Series to perform or enhance a range of tasks from object identification to food calorie counting12 . Using 3D Live Object Modeling, consumers can even create a fun digital avatar to dance or interact with.

As a key pillar supporting Huawei’s all-connected, all-scenario ecosystem, HUAWEI Share 3.0 delivers a revolutionary improvement in device interconnection, allowing users to transfer files between smartphones and PC. This is an innovative, Huawei-proprietary solution that enables device interconnectivity. It revolutionizes the way people transfer images and videos: all it takes is one tap to establish a connection between a smartphone and PC for easy and fast file sharing3 .

Futuristic Design

As an expression of the HUAWEI Mate Series DNA, all devices carry a FullView display with a high screen-to-body ratio. Compactly engineered, every device from the 6.39-inch HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro to the 7.2-inch HUAWEI Mate 20 X can be comfortably used with a single hand. The grace of natural elements is captured on the design of the HUAWEI Mate 20 Series. In particular the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro’s chassis is curved on all eight sides—a marvel to behold, and a pleasure to hold in the hand. For the PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate 20 RS, Huawei and Porsche Design ingeniously combined race track elements with premium materials to create a device that exudes elegance and offers a firm, ergonomic grip.

The Matrix Camera array on the back of the HUAWEI Mate 20 Series features a four-point design with the three cameras and sensor encircled in a polished metal frame, producing an avant-garde look that is both bold and distinct. The flagship series comes in a new Emerald Green colorway, which is as brilliant as its namesake gemstone. The Hyper Optical Pattern on the glass back uses a complex hairline pattern to produce an iridescent effect that is not only highly durable, but also makes the device easy to grip and fingerprint resistant. The devices retain a clean look even when they have been used extensively.

The new HUAWEI Mate 20 Series, as well as HUAWEI WATCH GT, HUAWEI Band 3 Pro will go on sale in countries including the U.K., France, Italy and United Arab Emirates soon. The HUAWEI Mate 20 (4GB + 128GB configuration) will have a MSRP of EUR799 and the HUAWEI Mate 20 (6GB + 128GB configuration) will have a MSRP of EUR849 from 16th October, 2018.

The HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro (6GB + 128GB configuration) will have a MSRP of EUR1049 from 16th October, 2018. The HUAWEI Mate 20 X (6GB + 128GB configuration) will have a MSRP of EUR899 from 26th October, 2018. The PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate 20 RS (8GB + 256GB configuration) will have a MSRP of EUR1695, and the PORSCHE DESIGN HUAWEI Mate 20 RS (8GB + 512GB configuration) will have a MSRP of EUR2095 from 16th November, 2018.

Embodying exquisite design, powerful performance, extraordinary capturing capabilities and nextgeneration intelligence, the new HUAWEI Mate 20 Series is the partner of choice for professionals pursuing quality of life. For more information, please visit: http://consumer.huawei.com/en

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Working with Different Focal Lengths for Macro Photography

07 Mar

At some point in your photography journey you may be fascinated by pictures capturing living creatures in great detail, flowers close-up, and in general intimate vistas, which may go unnoticed in our daily viewing habits. Such shots are commonly described as macro photography.

Working with Different Focal Lengths for Macro Photography - red flower

The purpose of this article is to provide you with theoretical and practical insight, to help you select lenses for macro photography with focal lengths suitable for your style.

What is macro photography?

The Collins English Dictionary defines macrophotography as: extremely close-up photography in which the image on the film is as large as, or larger than, the object. Extending this definition into the world of digital, the word “film” can be replaced by “sensor”.

The terms magnification and reproduction ratio (RR) are two ways of quantifying this definition. They describe how big the capture on the sensor is as compared with the subject you are photographing.

“As large as” means that whatever object is captured it is the same size om the sensor as it is in real life (magnification of 1x or x1 and RR of 1:1).
“Larger than” means if the image on the sensor is N times the actual life size of the subject, the magnification is then Nx and the RR is N:1.

An important distinction has to be made between the image on the sensor and the printed image. 1cm of object captured on 1cm of sensor may appear on a typical 10x15cm print as much bigger than 1cm.

It is important to note that not all lenses are capable of reaching 1x (1:1) magnification, even if they contain macro in their name. So it is important during your gear selection to know what is a true macro versus a marketed as a “macro” lens. This does not mean that you cannot and will not make breathtaking close-up pictures with that lens, it just means that you will only able to reach lower magnifications and RRs (e.g. a 0.25x magnification = RR of 1:4)

Now that we have established the realm of macro photography, there are a couple of other terms that are essential in this article.

Other definitions

Minimum focusing distance (MFD). This is a lens’s construction characteristic. According to Nikon, MFD is the shortest distance at which a lens can focus. In the case of DSLR Cameras, the focus distance to the subject is measured from the focal plane mark on the camera body, not from the front of the lens. MFD is important because 1:1 or life size RR only happens at the MFD of any true macro lens.

2 focal plane mark - Working with Different Focal Lengths for Macro Photography

The focal plane mark on a D750 is shown below to the left of the strap handle.

Minimum working distance (MWD). This is the distance from the subject to the front of the lens barrel (excluding the lens cap if used), while the lens is set to its maximum magnification (i.e its MFD).

On the web, there are various tools to help calculate MWD. This is a lens and camera combination characteristic, as different cameras contribute differently to the MWD (even if minimally so). A simple graph illustrating MFD and MWD is shown below.

MFD MWD - Working with Different Focal Lengths for Macro Photography

The purpose of this article is to practically demonstrate the difference in Minimum Working Distance between two lenses of different focal lengths, as well as some implications that arise from this difference.

Gear and settings

For the examples used in this article, two macro lenses, the Tokina 35mm f2.8 and the Sigma 150mm f2.8 were mounted on a Nikon D750. This will demonstrate the MWD difference between two considerably different focal lengths (short versus long).

4 Tokina 35 Sigma150

5 D750 - Working with Different Focal Lengths for Macro Photography

The supporting platform (all-important for macro photography) consisted of a SIRUI T-025X carbon-fiber tripod, a Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Tripod Head and a Velbon Super Magnesium Slider Macro Rail. A Nikon ML-L3 remote was used to trigger the shutter to avoid adding additional vibrations.

6 Platform tripod - Working with Different Focal Lengths for Macro Photography

Quick comparison

Let’s start with a 1:1 macro shot of an everyday item like a coin. In the photographs below the coin was shot 1:1 with both the 35mm and 150mm lenses. Rulers were placed to show the sensor size of 35.9 x 24.0 mm. The difference of a few mm is probably ruler set-up error on my part.

35mm lens

Ruler in cm and mm showing the size of the image on the sensor. This is 1:1 which would be 24x36mm.

The distance needed to shoot the coin at 1:1 with the 35mm lens.

150mm lens

1:1 shot showing the images size on the sensor, 36mm which is fully 100% for a full frame sensor 24x36mm.

The distance needed to shoot the coin at 1:1 with the 150mm lens.

I measured an MWD of 19.5cm for the 150mm and only 1.8cm for the 35mm!

To see how this big difference affects a real-world shooting scenario, the owner of a close by flower shop allowed me to use his grounds and beautiful flowers. Continue reading for more info on this.

Doing macro photography of flowers with different focal lengths

To obtain the 1:1 photo shown below, the 35mm lens needs to actually be on top of the bulb as shown in the second shot.

A similar shot was done using the 150mm lens.

35mm lens in close to get a 1:1 shot.

While getting a similar photo with the 150mm lens is much more comfortable.

The settings for both flower macro shots were as seen here.

Focal length matters even more in macro photography

Macro photography is exciting. In the words of Roman Vishniac, “In nature every bit of life is lovely. And the more magnification we use, the more details are brought out, perfectly formed, like endless sets of boxes within boxes.”

However, in my experience, macro has more gear and technical considerations than other popular subjects (e.g., portrait or landscape), especially as magnification goes up. One primary point of concern is the Minimum Working Distance of the lens used (true macro or not). This will determine significantly, in my view, the ease of use of the lens and the subsequent willingness you may (or may not) show towards doing macro photography.

Working distance issues

Apart from static subjects, where you may be okay to handle a short MWD. But if at some point you want to shoot bees or other living critters, then most probably you will want a longer MWD. This will help you to not scare away your subject and also to avoid being bitten/stung by it.

Additionally and importantly, a longer working distance will allow access to more light (natural or flash). You can imagine the limitations trying to introduce extra light to the 35mm setup shown above. Things will get even more cramped if you introduce closeup lenses or do lens reversal to reach even higher magnifications.

A rough proposed working classification of focal lengths in macro photography could be as follows:

Focal lengths up to 60mm – Useful in product photography (e.g. jewelry) and small objects that can be approached and lit in a controlled environment.
60-150mm – Usable with caution for insects, flowers, and small objects from a greater distance.
Above 150mm – Ideal for critters where additional working distance and additional lighting options are preferred.

Finally, there are other considerations, such as perspective differences due to varying focal lengths. These are more aesthetic than technical and not in the scope of this article.

The post Working with Different Focal Lengths for Macro Photography by Konstantinos Skourtis appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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How to Use Still-life Subjects to Understand Focal Lengths

11 Dec

Do you think that using an 18mm lens or a 100mm one will only zoom in or out your scene? Why are camera lenses are measured in millimeters? Do you know what those measurements mean for your photo? If you’re not sure which lens to use and why I invite you to keep reading and learn about focal lengths and how to use them.

The most common consideration when choosing your lens is whether or not you need to zoom in or zoom out. Therefore logic dictates that you would use a wide-angle lens for landscape photography and a telephoto for a detail of that landscape. Another well-known factor is the distortion of wide-angle lenses, so for example, if you want to do a portrait you would instead use a normal or a telephoto lens.

But how about shooting objects or photographing still life subjects? Which lens is better? I’ll use this subject to illustrate the characteristics of different focal lengths that normally get less attention.

What is focal length?

When light comes in through the lens, it passes through a small hole called a nodal point. The distance from that point to the sensor when your lens is set to infinity is called the focal length and this is measured in millimeters. A smaller distance gives you a wider angle of view and that’s why it’s called a wide-angle lens. Therefore a bigger distance gives you a narrower angle of view which is called a telephoto lens.

What is normal?

When you say a normal lens, it means that it will see more or less the same angle of view as the human eye. Anything longer than the normal focal length is a telephoto and everything shorter is a wide-angle lens. This measurement depends on the size of your sensor because the measure of its diagonal is what determines “normal” for that camera.

For example, in analog photography, it was a very standard measure because there were only so many negative film formats. A 35mm film had a normal lens of 50mm, this can be translated into digital cameras that have a full frame sensor because it’s about the same size as 35mm film. If you have a cropped sensor camera, that “normal” lens becomes a telephoto.

Left – longer lens more zoomed in. Right – wider lens more zoomed out.

Why is this important?

As I mentioned before, zooming in or out is the most obvious impact of the focal length. But what happens when you are shooting something where you can achieve that by getting closer or further from your subject? How do you choose your lens? Well, that’s where the other characteristics of the focal length come into play.

Compression

A photograph is a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional world. By changing the focal length you can compress or extend the distance between two objects, or between the subject and the background. Let me show you with a series of images taken of the same scene but with different focal lengths.

I put a measuring tape next to the objects so that you have a reference and see that they were separated by the same distance even if it doesn’t look like it in the various images.

18mm lens.

35mm lens.

55mm lens.

Notice how the distance between the shells seems to change. With wide-angle lenses, things will seem further apart from each other, compared to how they look with a telephoto lens. Now, you probably also perceived another difference between the images, and that is the focus. Which brings me to the second characteristic.

Depth of field

As you probably know, the depth of field (area in focus) depends on the aperture. A small aperture gives you a greater depth of field than a big one. But there is another factor involved and that is the focal length.

A wide-angle lens appears to have a greater depth of field than a telephoto at the same aperture. It is a common misconception that wide-angles have more depth of field than longer lenses. The reason it appears so has to do with the subject to camera distance, not focal length.

This effect is intensified by the fact that you will be physically closer or further away with each lens to achieve the same framing. Allow me to illustrate with this photos in which I maintained the same aperture but changed the focal length.

180mm - Using still-life to understand focal length

1800mm

160mm

100mm

70mm

55mm

35mm

18mm

See how the photo taken with a 180mm lens has such a shallow depth of field that the blurry background even creates a halo that comes over the sharp focus subject. After that, each image got greater and greater depth of field by using smaller focal lengths.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is no such thing as the best lens for the type of photography you are doing. It really depends on the results you want to get.

The post How to Use Still-life Subjects to Understand Focal Lengths by Ana Mireles appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Lomography plans convertible lens system with three focal lengths

07 May

Alternative photography brand Lomography has set out plans to produce a system that allows users to achieve three different focal lengths by switching the elements in the front half of a lens. The Neptune Convertible Art Lens System comprises a four-element barrel unit that remains attached to the camera, and three interchangeable front sections that can be switched to deliver 35mm, 50mm or 80mm focal lengths.

A click-less aperture is positioned in the rear section of the Neptune that provides a maximum F-stop setting of F2.8 when used with the 50mm front end. The same iris offers a maximum F number of F3.5 with the 35mm section and F4 with the 80mm section, according to Lomography. Each of the four-element front sections has been given a name – the 35mm F3.5 is called Thalassa, the 50mm F2.8 is called Despina and Proteus is the 80mm F4.

In addition to interchangeable front element groups the system has a collection of six shaped stops that can be inserted to interrupt the passage of light through the lens. The idea is that the shapes cut into the stops, or Special Aperture Plates, influence the characteristic of out-of-focus highlights in the image.

Lomography is using a Kickstarter campaign to fund the project, and at the time of writing had already succeeded in raising three times its target figure for production to go ahead. The manual-focus Neptune system will be available in black or silver and in Nikon F, Canon EF and Pentax K mounts. The system will also work with most compact system models via an adapter.

The company says it intends to begin shipping a limited number of Neptune systems in November this year, with the main production being available from February 2018. The full retail price is expected to be around $ 980, but early bird offers are in place from $ 690. The kit comprises a base lens unit, the three converters and the six aperture plates.

For more information see the Lomography website and the company’s Neptune Kickstarter page.

Manufacturer information

The Neptune Convertible Art Lens System

The Neptune Convertible Art Lens System is everything you need on any photography venture. A reimagination of the world’s first convertible lens system created by Charles Chevalier in the late 1830s, this unique system opens up a world of possibilities for beginners and professionals alike.

The Neptune Convertible Art Lens System consists of a lens base that’s mounted to your camera and several convertible lens components. By interchanging the front components, you can shoot photos or videos at three different fixed focal lengths — 35mm, 50mm and 80mm. An Art Lens System unlike any other; it offers you all the freedom of a zoom lens without compromising on prime lens quality, and it’s the only convertible Art Lens out there to work with a range of modern-day analogue and digital cameras. Each component is assembled by using the finest multi-coated glass and crafted to produce exceptionally sharp focus and strong, saturated colors for stunning high-definition images — even when you’re shooting close-ups at 0.25m/9.8” with Thalassa (35mm), 0.4/15.7” with Despina (50mm) or 0.8m/31.5” with Proteus (80mm). This is an Art Lens System that lets you take beautifully intimate shots, allowing you to get near enough to capture every last detail of your subject. And because it’s so small and lightweight design, you can take it with you everywhere.

And that’s not all — the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System also features two aperture mechanisms to give you all the creative freedom you need. The stopless iris diaphragm aperture mechanism in the lens base features a wide range of optimal Fstops for each focal length, but with the 35mm and 80mm lenses you’ve got the freedom to go beyond that range and experiment. You can also soften your style by inserting the special aperture plates in front of the iris diaphragm to edge your frame with delicate bokeh.

By reviving and reinventing Chevalier’s convertible lens design for modern-day cameras, we’ve created an Art Lens System that will revolutionize the way you approach photography and videography. There’s no limit to the amount of new front lenses we can produce, and we’re already designing new lens components with unique effects and possible focal lengths ranging from an ultra-wide-angle 15mm to a 400mm monocular.

Each new front lens will be just like the ones you can see on this page — small, handcrafted and compatible with the same lens base, meaning that you won’t have to break the bank by buying a whole new system every time you want to shoot with a new prime lens.

Photographers and videographers all over the world have tested the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System to make sure that we’ve created a system that performs exceptionally in any and every shooting situation. Lightweight and compact, it’s everything you need in your bag — no matter where your adventures take you.

Thalassa: 3.5/35
When attached to the base, the Thalassa lens shoots at a wide-angle fixed focal length of 35mm, making it perfect for architecture, street photography and reportage. As this is a focal length very close to that of the human eye, you can approach your subjects intimately, fill the frame, and immerse yourself in the shot. And as Thalassa has a closest focusing distance of 0.25m/9.8” and delivers exceptional sharpness, you’ll be able to capture all the gritty details that make this beautiful planet we live on so captivating. Sleek and compact, the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System is discreet enough to capture bustling street scenes off guard. Combine Thalassa with the special aperture plates to turn busy urban backgrounds into colorful bokeh frames for stunning environmental portraits, and try bypassing the optimal maximum aperture of F3.5 to add unique effects to your imagery.

Despina: 2.8/50
To shoot at a versatile fixed focal length of 50mm, attach Despina to the base. Nicknamed the Nifty Fifty for good reason, 50mm is one of the pillars of photography — a great focal length for learning, but also for constantly improving your craft. Ideal for everyday, fashion and studio photography, it comfortably captures everything from full-length portraits to editorial spreads in stunning high definition. 50mm also produces delicate bokeh — particularly when fired at the largest aperture of F2.8 and especially when paired with the special aperture plates. With a closest focusing distance of 0.4m/15.7”, Despina captures stand-out features of couture, and allows you to experiment with framing and composition.

Proteus: 4.0/80
Proteus is perfect for portraits, sports and action photography. It has a closest focusing distance of 0.8m/31.5”, and when attached to the base it shoots at a fixed focal length of 80mm. This means that the depth of field is very shallow, and as such Proteus produces beautiful, soft bokeh perfect for framing a subject and guiding your viewer to the focus of your shot. Not only is this ideal for placing your subject against a busy background to create a mesmerising headshot, but it’s also great for isolating the background to make subjects in the foreground appear closer, which makes it a popular focal length for capturing sports stars in action. And because the bokeh also turns crisp foliage into textured backdrops for snapshots of fauna, Proteus is a fantastic lens for nature photography. Add delicate effects to your background using the special aperture plates, and bypass the optimal largest aperture of F4.0 to experiment with the blurred areas in your shot even more.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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5 Important Focal Lengths to Know and the Benefits of Each

05 Apr

5 Focal Lengths and Why You Should Use Them 1

Please note: all focal lengths mentioned in this article are in reference to 35mm full frame sensors.

There are photographers that favor the convenience and flexibility of zoom lenses, and those that favor their sharper, lighter and cheaper counterpart, the prime lens. Note: some modern zooms do have prime-like optics. Often, it’s your line of work that will make that decision for you. Whichever variant you favor, you owe it to yourself to experiment with different focal lengths to learn where they each excel, and which ones mesh best with your style. You can achieve this with primes, or zooms if you can commit yourself to not touching that handy zoom barrel. Among the many options, five focal lengths you want to use are the: 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 135mm.

Let’s look at each one at a time.

#1 – 24mm wide angle

Areas it excels in: landscapes, astrophotography, group portraits, and event photography.

This one is easy to experiment with because not only are there many affordable prime options available, but you’ll find this focal length at the wide end of many full frame zoom lenses. The 24mm prime lens is sufficiently wide and remarkably sharp, making it an ideal candidate for landscape photography. Zooms are wonderful for landscape photography too, but the locked-in field of view (or a prime lens) will force you to think carefully about your compositions.

5 Focal Lengths and Why You Should Use Them 2

The 24mm focal length also excels in situations that don’t offer a lot of light. That includes astrophotography, where 24mm lenses with wide apertures (f/.8 or wider) will facilitate shots of the milky way, and in event photography, where you’ll have an ample field-of-view to shoot indoors and add context to your photographs. Additionally, the 24mm focal length is sufficiently wide to capture group portraits with minimal perspective distortion. Just don’t get too close, and watch the edges of your frame.

5 Focal Lengths and Why You Should Use Them 3

#3 – 35mm focal length

Areas it excels in: street photography, events, environmental portraits, and shooting-across-the-dinner-table photography.

35mm is a classic focal length for many photojournalists. Part of that reason is that the field-of-view requires you to be close to the action, but still maintains enough of the environment surrounding your subject to give an image context. This same philosophy applies well to wedding or event photography, and makes the 35mm focal length a great fit.

5 Focal Lengths and Why You Should Use Them 4

Another great thing about the 35mm prime lens is that it just so happens to be the perfect focal length for shooting a portrait from across the dinner table. Any wider and your subjects face will suffer from perspective distortion (exaggerating their facial features) and any narrower and you’d have to get out of your seat for the shot.

5 Focal Lengths and Why You Should Use Them 5

#3 – 50mm (normal) lens

Areas it excels in: street photography, full-body portraits, walk-around shooting.

There are so many reasons to try shooting with a 50mm prime lens. Perhaps the best one is that they’re cheap. You can purchase a brand new 50mm lens for most DSLR systems for a little over $ 100. Also, they produce an image that is normal, or most-like the image that we see with our own eyes. There is a common misconception about this concept. The normal perspective that a 50mm lens offers refers to the perspective distortion (or lack thereof), not the field-of-view. For this reason, the 50mm lens is great for full-body portraits and walk-around or street photography.

5 Focal Lengths and Why You Should Use Them 6

5 Focal Lengths and Why You Should Use Them 7

The 50mm lens is another classic, and a large part of that reason is that often, the area in frame is just right. It’s narrow enough to create balanced compositions with ease, but still wide enough to create interest beyond your subject. That is why you will find a 50mm lens in the bags of most street photographers.

#4 – 85mm slight telephoto lens

Areas it excels in: portrait, events, and sports photography.

The 85mm focal length is one that you will find in the bag of many wedding and portrait photographers. It creates beautiful portraits with the ability to flatten one’s features, which is generally flattering, and brilliant background separation. The field of view is not so tight that you’ll feel like you need to be outdoors to use one, but it gives you a nice working distance that allows this focal length to sneakily capture candids at a wedding or family gathering.

5 Focal Lengths and Why You Should Use Them 8

That working distance is great for full body shots when you’re on the sidelines of a sporting event, too. The 85mm prime is also a great working distance for photographing your kids or pets.

5 Focal Lengths and Why You Should Use Them 9

#5 – 135mm telephoto

Areas it excels in: head-shots, portraits, and wedding photography.

When you need to get in close, or if you just love bokeh, the 135mm lens is a great pick. For details and head-shots that bring your subject to life, grab this focal length. The background separation is fantastic, due to the increased compression of the image. The flattering flattening effect (say that five times) from the compression, makes this lens great for shoulder shots, senior portraits, candids, and more. You’ll have fun shooting wide open to create magical separation between your subject(s) and their surroundings.

5 Focal Lengths and Why You Should Use Them 10

5 Focal Lengths and Why You Should Use Them 11

The drawback to this focal length is that you do need a lot of working room, and a lot of light. Remember the 1/focal length rule for shutter speed? In other words, you wouldn’t want to shoot a 135mm lens any slower than 1/135th of a second, without a very steady hand or a tripod. When light or space become a problem, it’s nice to have an 85mm lens to fall back on.

5 Focal Lengths and Why You Should Use Them 12

Chances are you will love some of these focal lengths and dislike others, but you’ll never know until you give them all a shot. Modern zoom lenses are remarkable in their optical-quality, but you do lose the connection you feel when you are truly in sync with your focal length. The more you shoot with a 50mm lens, the more you will start to see with a 50mm perspective. Good luck and happy shooting!

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The post 5 Important Focal Lengths to Know and the Benefits of Each by Jason Checkla appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Nikon covers all focal lengths with three ‘DL’ enthusiast compacts with 1″-type sensors

26 Feb

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Nikon is entering the 1″-type premium compact market in a big way, introducing three new models: the Nikon DL18-50, DL24-85 and DL-24-500. Between them, they cover pretty much every focal length. The ‘guts’ of all three ‘DL’ models are the same, in that they share a sensor, image processor, autofocus system and support for 4K video (with clean HDMI output, no less). Parts of the design, especially the control layout and font, strongly resemble that of Nikon’s 1-series mirrorless cameras.

Sensor-wise, the DLs use what is possibly the same 20.8MP 1″-type BSI CMOS sensor as Nikon’s J5 mirrorless camera. It’s paired with the company’s new EXPEED 6A image processor, which allows for a top ISO of 12800 and 4K/UHD video recording at 30p. All three cameras have ‘Dual Detect VR’, which combines data from the cameras’ angular velocity sensors and the scene itself to reduce shake. They also have fluorine coatings on their lenses to keep moisture and oil away. Each has a manual focus ring around the lens, as well.

They also have 3″ touch-enabled OLED displays, tilting on the 18-50 and 24-85 and fully articulating on the 24-500. Naturally, they all have Wi-Fi with NFC, plus Nikon’s ‘SnapBridge’ technology, which uses Bluetooth to maintain a connection between camera and phone, so there’s no need to re-pair. Battery life on all three DL models is rated at 290 shots/charge (per the CIPA standard).

One of the features that may set the DLs apart from the other 1″-type cameras is its Hybrid AF system, which combines 105 phase-detect with 171 contrast-detect points. This allows the camera to shoot at 20 fps with continuous autofocus, which is, by far, best-in-class (spec-wise). If you can live with single AF, then the DLs can shoot even faster: 60 fps.

Nikon DL18-50

The first camera is perhaps the most interesting, as it has the widest lens of any enthusiast compact on the market. That lens has an equivalent focal length of 18-50mm and a fast maximum aperture range of F1.8-2.8. The lens has a 3-stop ND filter and is Nikon’s first compact to have a Nano Crystal Coating, which reduces flare and ghosting. The lens has seven aperture blades and has a top shutter speed of 1/1600 sec (an electronic shutter, found on all three models, maxes out at 1/16000 sec). There is also built-in perspective correction, which is especially useful when shooting architecture.

The camera has full manual exposure control, Raw support, tilting touch OLED display and aforementioned 4K/30p support. The DL18-50 also supports an optional tilting OLED electronic viewfinder with 2.36M dots. The 18-50 is the only one of the camera cameras to lack a built-in flash, though like its siblings it does have a hot shoe.

Nikon DL24-85

The DL24-85 is very similar to its wider sibling, both inside and out. The main difference is its lens, which is a 24-85mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 model, though it lacks the Nano Crystal Coating. Its standout feature is the ability to take life-size, 1:1 macro photos, with a minimum focus distance of 3cm. Macro shooters can also take advantage of focus peaking and bracketing as well as manual priority AF. Again it includes a built-in ND filter.

Nikon DL24-500

For those seeking a long zoom model, there’s the DL24-500. As its name implies, it has a 24-500mm equiv. lens, with a max aperture range of F2.8-5.6. Unlike the other two models, the 24-500 has a fully articulating display and a built-in OLED viewfinder. It’s also the only of the DL models with a mic input jack, with support for Nikon’s ME-1 shotgun mic.

All three cameras will be available in early summer with suggested retail prices of $ 649 (24-85), $ 849 (18-50), and $ 999 (24-500).

Press Release:

THE NIKON DL PREMIUM COMPACT SERIES: PUTTING POCKETABLE POWER AND LEGENDARY NIKKOR LENS PRECISION INTO THE HANDS OF PASSIONATE PHOTOGRAPHERS

Pairing a Large 1-Inch Sensor with Superior NIKKOR Lens Technology, Nikon’s New Compact DL24-85, DL18-50 and DL24-500 Will Help Capture Stunning Images and 4K UHD Video

MELVILLE, NY (Monday, February 22, 2016 at 11:01 P.M. EST) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the new DL Series of premium compact cameras. These pocketable yet powerful imaging tools offer an elite level of imaging prowess that fits easily in one’s palm. Equipped with a variety of focal lengths optimized for different types of shooters, the DL24-85, DL18-50 and DL24-500 combine powerful NIKKOR optics with a large 20.8-megapixel (CX-format) 1-inch BSI CMOS sensor to produce stunning image quality and amazingly detailed images, even when shooting in low-light. Cameras in the new DL line will also feature powerful performance, with high-speed Autofocus (AF) and 20 frames-per-second (60 fps with fixed AF) continuous shooting capability for fast action moments, as well as 4K UHD video recording for users to tell their stories in new ways. Ergonomically designed and familiar for advanced users, all three cameras will utilize the new Nikon SnapBridge connectivity to make it easier than ever to shoot and share with ease.

“We recognize consumers’ desire for smaller cameras capable of outstanding image quality,” said Masahiro Horie, Director of Marketing and Planning, Nikon Inc. “With the new DL line, Nikon is proud to fuse legendary NIKKOR optics with the latest innovations in imaging to provide advanced photographers amazingly compact tools capable of capturing photos and video that even the most discerned professional would be proud of.”

The Nikon DL Series: Powerful Performance, Superior Optics

The new DL line of premium compact cameras packs innovative and powerful imaging technology into elegantly designed yet remarkably compact camera bodies, making it easier than ever to carry pure imaging prowess in the palm of one’s hand. All of these new cameras are designed with a 20.8-megapixel CX-format (1-inch) BSI CMOS sensor, which when combined with fast, high quality NIKKOR glass, help to create stunning image quality for stills or 4K UHD video. Working alongside the new sensor is the new EXPEED 6A image processor that allows for impressive noise reduction and powerful, fast performance, making it possible to capture stunning low-light street photography, beautiful portraits or spectacular landscapes with ease.

For fleeting moments and fast-action, the DL line incorporates a high-speed hybrid autofocus (AF) system featuring 105 phase detect focus areas (with 171 focus points in contrast detect AF mode), as well as continuous shooting up to an incredible 20 fps, with capability to capture up to a blazing fast 60 fps with focus locked on the first frame. The DL series also features Dual Detect Optical VR technology to compensate for camera shake while handheld or at slower shutter speeds.

Continuing the impressive legacy of NIKKOR glass, each new DL camera features a unique lens design capable of amazing resolution and beautiful background blur (bokeh), with impressively fast apertures. The lens barrel also includes a manual focus ring, giving users enhanced control over focus on any subject.

Each NIKKOR lens is also equipped with a fluorine coating that helps repel dirt, water and oil, and also facilitates easy cleaning. For the first time in a Nikon compact camera, the DL18-50’s NIKKOR lens will utilize Nano Crystal Coat to help reduce ghost and flare, particularly useful when shooting at a wide-angle. With the best NIKKOR technologies now integrated into compact camera models, users will be able to capture phenomenal images with amazing detail time and time again.

Control and Versatility

The DL24-85, DL18-50 and DL24-500 put creative control in the hands of each photographer and are all operated using the familiar Nikon DSLR menu design and an assortment of physical controls. The series also supports RAW (NEF) image capture, full PSAM manual controls and over 20 preset creative options, for use in both still and video shooting (including Picture Control, Creative mode, Multiple Exposure Lighten) to help challenge each user to expand their photographic horizons.

The DL line provides the tools to frame nearly every shot, with all three cameras sporting high-resolution 1,037k-dot OLED Touch displays. While the DL24-85 and DL18-50 allow for tilting, the DL24-500’s display provides full Vari-angle capability, vitally important when shooting from unique perspectives. Even further customization and control is possible utilizing the hot shoe/accessory shoe available on DL24-85 and DL18-50 models that allows for complete system expandability with the DF-E1 optional electronic viewfinder. The DL24-500 also sports a hot shoe and a stereo microphone input jack, while all three models are compatible with Nikon i-TTL Speedlights.

Seamlessly Shoot and Share

Nikon SnapBridge makes it easier than ever to shoot and share amazing images with friends and family. Available throughout Nikon’s newest line of premium compacts, SnapBridge utilizes Bluetooth®¹ low energy technology (BLE) to provide an “always on” connection to a compatible² smart device. Users can now seamlessly send images from their camera to a smart device (utilizing the new SnapBridge app) for easy sharing via social networks or to the cloud for instant storage. An unlimited number of thumbnails and 20 GB of storage will also be available for registered Nikon owners and SnapBridge users on Nikon Image Space, Nikon’s free image storing service. Additionally, built-in Wi-Fi3 and NFC remain available to help facilitate easy connection and sharing.

Through Nikon SnapBridge, users can also operate their cameras remotely using the app, automatically synchronize time and location information to any image utilizing the camera’s constant connection to a compatible smart device, as well as embed information on any image, including copyright or photographers’ names. Lastly, firmware updates have never been easier, as Nikon will send registered users firmware information via the new SnapBridge application, directly to their smart device.

4K Video Capability

The DL series will be among Nikon’s first compact offerings to support 4K UHD video capability [3840×2160] at 30p, affording users the ability to capture incredibly beautiful video with remarkable detail, all with a compact camera. Multimedia photographers will have free reign over their creative vision with the ability to utilize PSAM selectable exposure modes while recording, alongside popular movie features like HDMI output to an external recorder, slow motion to 1200 fps and the ability to grab stills from video. Other creative video functions available include: Full HD movie, HD movie, Motion Snapshot, Slow motion, 4-second movie, Time-lapse movie, Superlapse movie and Jump cut.

DL24-85: The Premium Compact Camera Ready for Anything

Great for travel, portraits and general photography, the DL24-85 offers pocket-sized imaging power with a fast and versatile 24-85mm focal range. Compatible with 40.5mm threaded filters, the newly designed NIKKOR lens (11 elements in 9 groups) features a 3.6x zoom range (7x with Dynamic Fine Zoom4) and a wide f/1.8-2.8 aperture, empowering users to capture a wide variety of subjects with incredible detail and natural bokeh, even in low-light. The 24-85mm offering also features Dual Detect Optical VR, AF bracketing and a tilting Touch OLED display to make composing from creative angles easier than ever.

Exclusive to this DL model is a new Super Macro Mode (1:1) that helps capture even small subjects in life-size detail. Setting manual zoom on the camera to super macro position allows the user close-up shooting at a 35mm equivalent magnification, providing amazing detail whether shooting flowers in bloom or a wandering ladybug. Macro photographers can utilize a variety of camera functions within the mode, including focus bracketing, manual priority AF (M/A) mode and peaking indication, to truly customize the look and feel of every image.

DL18-50: A Premium Pocket Camera That Can Capture It All

For landscape and architecture shooters looking for compact, ultra-wide angle DL option, the DL18-50 provides a solution that fits easily into any photographer’s pocket. Starting at a wide 18mm and expanding to 50mm (2.8x zoom, 5.5x with Dynamic Fine Zoom) the camera sports a powerful NIKKOR lens with a wide f/1.8-2.8 aperture that makes it easier than ever to produce natural bokeh in any image, while capturing tack-sharp stills and video. This lens is compatible with 46mm filters and features Nikon’s Nano Crystal Coat to help reduce ghosting and flare.

Those who choose the wide-angle DL premium compact can also take advantage of perspective controls to help compensate for image distortion, particularly for shooting tall objects from the ground like landmarks and skyscrapers. Tailored for architecture shooters, this feature helps to capture the correct perspective with ease.

For use with the DL24-85 and DL18-50, a newly designed optional DF-E1 electronic viewfinder (EVF) will be available for discerning photographers who desire for a traditional eye-level viewfinder to frame their photos. The compact DF-E1 features a 2,359k-dot resolution with eye sensor, alongside a tilting mechanism, diopter adjustment and anti-reflection coating, helping provide further clarity and versatility for DL shooters.

DL24-500: Get Close and Connect

The DL24-500 offers the longest zoom capability of any DL premium compact, reaching an incredible 500mm focal length and 21x optical zoom (42x with Dynamic Fine Zoom). Combining Nikon’s new 1-inch sensor with this impressive super-zoom NIKKOR lens, the DL24-500 is an ideal choice for users eager to photograph and share anything from concerts to wildlife. Featuring an f/2.8-5.6 aperture, this lens (compatible with 55mm filters) integrates the newest NIKKOR technologies to help render amazing images and background blur, even from afar.

The DL24-500 also features Dual Detect Optical VR, particularly useful when shooting at extremely long focal lengths or without a tripod, a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 2,359k-dot OLED display and an eye-sensor and a Vari-angle 1,037k-dot OLED screen.

Price and Availability

The new DL24-85, DL18-50 and DL24-500 will be available in early summer 2016 for suggested retail prices (SRP) of $ 649.95*, $ 849.95*, and $ 999.95*, respectively. Pricing and availability for the optional DF-E1 electronic viewfinder, compatible with both the DL24-85 and DL18-50, is TBD. For more information on these new Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

1 The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Nikon Corporation and its affiliates is under license.

2. WI-FI COMPATIBILITY This camera’s built-in Wi-Fi® capability can only be used with a compatible iPhone®, iPad®, and/or iPod touch® or smart devices running on the Android™ operating system. The Nikon SnapBridge application must be installed on the device before it can be used with this camera. The SnapBridge app is not yet available (coming soon in spring 2016) Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

3. Wi-Fi and the Wi-Fi logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance. N-Mark is a trademark or registered trademark of NFC Forum, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries.

4. Dynamic Fine Zoom magnification is calculated from the full-wide end of optical zoom

* SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

Nikon DL18-50 / DL24-85 specifications

	Nikon DL18-50	Nikon DL24-85
Price
MSRP	$ 849	$ 649
Body type
Body type	Large sensor compact
Sensor
Max resolution	5584 x 3712
Image ratio w:h	3:2
Effective pixels	21 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	23 megapixels
Sensor size	1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm)
Sensor type	BSI-CMOS
Processor	Expeed 6A
Color space	sRGB
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
ISO	Auto, 100-12800
White balance presets	7
Custom white balance	Yes
Image stabilization	Optical
Uncompressed format	RAW
File format	JPEG (Exif v2.3) Raw (NEF)
Optics & Focus
Focal length (equiv.)	18–50 mm	24–85 mm
Optical zoom	2.8×	3.5×
Maximum aperture	F1.8 – F2.8
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi-area Center Selective single-point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection Live View
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Digital zoom	Yes (4x)
Manual focus	Yes
Normal focus range	15 cm (5.91″)	30 cm (11.81″)
Macro focus range	3 cm (1.18″)
Number of focus points	171
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Tilting
Screen size	3″
Screen dots	1,037,000
Touch screen	Yes
Screen type	OLED
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic (optional)
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	30 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/2000 sec	1/1600 sec
Maximum shutter speed (electronic)	1/16000 sec
Exposure modes	Program AE Shutter priority Aperture priority Manual
Scene modes	Bird Watching Close-up Food HDR Landscape Multiple Exposure Lighten Night Landscape Night Portrait Portrait Selective Color Sports
Built-in flash	No	Yes
Flash range		5.00 m (at ISO 100)
External flash	Yes (via hot shoe)
Continuous drive	60.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Metering modes	Multi Center-weighted Spot
Exposure compensation	±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1 EV steps)
Videography features
Resolutions	3840 x 2160 (30p, 25p), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p)
Format	MPEG-4, H.264
Videography notes	Slow motion: 1080/120p, 720/240p, 800 x 296 (400p), 400 x 144 (1200p)
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Connectivity
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMI	Yes (micro-HDMI)
Microphone port	No
Headphone port	No
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	Wi-Fi with NFC and constant connection via Bluetooth
Remote control	Yes (via smartphone)
Physical
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	EN-EL24 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	290
Weight (inc. batteries)	365 g (0.80 lb / 12.87 oz)	350 g (0.77 lb / 12.35 oz)
Dimensions	106 x 63 x 58 mm (4.17 x 2.48 x 2.28″)	105 x 61 x 50 mm (4.13 x 2.4 x 1.97″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	Yes (video)
GPS	None

Nikon DL24-500 specifications

Price
MSRP	$ 999
Body type
Body type	Large sensor compact
Sensor
Max resolution	5584 x 3712
Image ratio w:h	3:2
Effective pixels	21 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	23 megapixels
Sensor size	1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm)
Sensor type	BSI-CMOS
Processor	Expeed 6A
Color space	sRGB
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
ISO	Auto, 100-12800
White balance presets	7
Custom white balance	Yes
Image stabilization	Optical
Uncompressed format	RAW
File format	JPEG (Exif v2.3) Raw (NEF)
Optics & Focus
Focal length (equiv.)	24–500 mm
Optical zoom	20.8×
Maximum aperture	F2.8 – F5.6
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi-area Center Selective single-point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection Live View
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Digital zoom	Yes (4x)
Manual focus	Yes
Normal focus range	30 cm (11.81″)
Macro focus range	1 cm (0.39″)
Number of focus points	171
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated
Screen size	3″
Screen dots	1,037,000
Touch screen	Yes
Screen type	OLED
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic (optional)
Viewfinder coverage	97%
Viewfinder resolution	2,359,000
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	30 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/2000 sec
Maximum shutter speed (electronic)	1/16000 sec
Exposure modes	Program AE Shutter priority Aperture priority Manual
Scene modes	Bird Watching Close-up Food HDR Landscape Multiple Exposure Lighten Night Landscape Night Portrait Portrait Selective Color Sports
Built-in flash	Yes
Flash range	10.00 m (at ISO 100)
External flash	Yes (via hot shoe)
Continuous drive	60.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Metering modes	Multi Center-weighted Spot
Exposure compensation	±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1 EV steps)
Videography features
Resolutions	3840 x 2160 (30p, 25p), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p)
Format	MPEG-4, H.264
Videography notes	Slow motion: 1080/120p, 720/240p, 800 x 296 (400p), 400 x 144 (1200p)
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Connectivity
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMI	Yes (micro-HDMI)
Microphone port	Yes
Headphone port	No
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	Wi-Fi with NFC and constant connection via Bluetooth
Remote control	Yes (via smartphone)
Physical
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	EN-EL20A lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	290
Weight (inc. batteries)	780 g (1.72 lb / 27.51 oz)
Dimensions	123 x 90 x 139 mm (4.84 x 3.54 x 5.47″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	Yes (video)
GPS	None

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Zeiss introduces high-resolution Milvus SLR lens family with six focal lengths for Canon and Nikon cameras

11 Sep

German optics manufacturer Zeiss has announced it has created a new range of lenses specifically for high-resolution DSLRs. The Zeiss Milvus family will comprise six lenses fitted for Canon EF and Nikon F cameras. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Get Your Creative Juices Flowing with Different Focal Lengths

22 Dec

Get Your Creative Juices Flowing with Different Focal Lengths

14mm lens

I’ve gone through periods of low creativity in my photographic journey. Times when I don’t have compelling ideas or nothing seems new. When the excuses why not to go takes pictures (“It’s too cold, it’s too hot, the light isn’t right, it’s too cloudy, it’s not cloud enough”) manage to outweigh my need to photograph, and I go into an unproductive slump. It can be hard to break out of these slumps, but there are lots of ways to get the spark back including everything from: getting on dPS to read articles; to looking at galleries of other photographers’ images online for inspiration; to choosing a slightly different route or time to work, in order to see the world in a different way.

In this article I’m going to touch on just one of those “creativity sparks”, specifically, getting creative with focal length, even the point of breaking the “rules.”

Before I get to the meat of the article, please note I’m not saying you have to go spend thousands of dollars on new lenses. If you can afford to, want to, and need to, then by all means do so – new gear is one more method of lighting the creativity fire in your soul again. Instead, however, I’m suggesting you work on finding new ways to shoot with the gear – the lenses – you already have.

100mm lens

The “Rules”

When it comes to lenses, most new photographers learn the typical applications of different focal lengths pretty quickly. Here are a few examples of what I learned, when I was first teaching myself this complicated art, about how different focal lengths *should* be used (Note: all focal lengths list here refer to 35mm full-frame format):

10-14mm: distorted fisheye, not really for ‘serious’ photography
14-24mm: landscapes, seascapes, waterfalls, starlight and astrophotography
24-35mm: street and architecture photography
35mm-58mm: “normal” and most closely approximates our natural view of the world, useful for portraits and still life photography, etc.
85mm: the classic, flattering portrait length lens
90-105mm: the province of macro lenses (close ups)
135mm: the other classic portrait length
200mm: the other, other classic portrait length also getting useful for nature and sports telephoto shots
200-500mm: sports, wildlife and birds
500-800mm: for wealthy and/or partially crazy Antarctic nature photographers who want close-ups of polar bears

Are there problems with the above gross simplifications? Sure, tons! Even novice photographers will understand the above list is just a shorthand, a way of reducing a radically complicated subject into more easily digestible chunks. More experienced photographers will be able to name a dozen exceptions to the list above. But, that’s also where the fun – the creativity spark – can begin: in the exceptions, in shattering of rules.

14mm lens

Breaking the “Rules”

I’m going to re-write the list from above, presenting just a few alternative ideas. This is also hardly a comprehensive list; instead, I’m trying to get your creative juices flowing with regard to what you can do with those different focal lengths, how you can go about breaking the rules and producing something new, unusual and outside the expectations.

10-14mm: still life, product shots, cityscapes, purposefully distorted architecture, sports, hiking
14-24mm: pet portraits, street shots, extreme close-ups (thanks to the design of many ultra-wide angle lenses you can actually get really close to the subject, and, thanks to the wide angle, still show a lot of the surroundings), flowing architecture, cloudscapes
24-35mm: babies, landscapes, cityscapes, portraits
35-58mm: anything anti-“normal” with these “normal” lenses – get close, get far, turn the camera, close down to f/16 even with your expensive 50mm f/1.4 because it’s different, because it makes you think
85mm: landscapes (start to pick out specific areas to focus the viewer’s attention), cityscapes (ditto), architecture (same again), still life, street scenes
90-105mm: more of what I offered for the 85mm; just because you have a macro doesn’t mean it won’t happen to make a great landscape lens (e.g. the Zeiss 100mm f/2 Makro Planar) or a great portrait lens (e.g. Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR)
135mm: street scenes where you really separate a subject or object from the crowd; detail shots of antique or expensive cars; clouds (picking out the special parts to focus on), light trails, long-exposure shots of the sea (at 135mm? Crazy talk! But that’s the idea!)
200mm: waterfalls, mountains, sunsets and sunrises, fog in the trees, autumn leaves on the long roadway, the shadows cast by that old oak tree on the fence in the neighbour’s yard
200-500mm: rolling plains and wide open vistas; sections of the Grand Canyon at sunset; night life in the city, your pets
500-800mm: polar bears

Just kidding on that last one. I think you get the general idea, though: take the stereotypical, “classic” uses of any given focal length, and turn those ideas on their head. Have a go at something you’d never thought would work for that lens. You might be shocked by what you come up with, and if nothing else it will get your conscious and subconscious mind churning and that creative flame burning.

35mm lens

The “You Should Never” Rules

These are one step beyond the regular rules. You’ll find these on Flickr sometimes, as well as other online photo communities, where someone will passionately argue that a given photo (or set of photos) is utter garbage because the photographers in question “misused” their lenses and “you should never do” whatever it is that they did.

For example: “You should never take a portrait with a fisheye lens.”

This might even seem reasonable at first glance – after all, fisheye lenses are defined by their hefty distortion that is not generally considered a good look by most models. But here’s the thing: as long as you are using your lens on your camera to take a photo, you aren’t “misusing” it. Especially if you are experimenting and learning new ways of seeing the world, and stoking that creative fire a bit.

You can take a portrait with a fisheye lens. I guarantee it. And a good portrait, no less. It might be harder, more challenging than firing away with that 85mm, but that’s the point: it’s new, it’s different, it’s outside the norm and it’s outside of the rut in which you can sometimes find yourself.

17mm lens – Image by Darlene Hildebrandt

So, if you are in that creative rut, search out the “You should never rules” online, and then do whatever it is “they” say you should never do. Within the bounds of the law, of course!

One Last Idea

I’ll end here with one last idea to make creative sparks out of focal length – check out some popular or famous photographs, consider what focal length the photographer used and why, and then think about – and experiment with – how that photograph would have turned out differently with another focal length.

I’m sure there are many other ideas to spark creativity, please post your thoughts in the comments below, and help us all spark our creative fires.

105mm lens

500px can be a great site for inspiration. Check out the “Popular” or “Editor’s Choice” streams for the latest and greatest to find some photographs you love, and then investigate. Often the focal length is included in the photo’s information so you don’t even have to guess what they used. Think: why did the photographer pick that focal length? Ask yourself; “What if I used the extreme opposite in that exact situation?”.

Then, of course, go out and take some pictures!

Remember, it’s the experimentation and thought process behind it that is worth the effort, even if none of your photos that break the focal-length “rules” end up working out. It will get the creative juices flowing and that’s the goal.

14mm lens

The post Get Your Creative Juices Flowing with Different Focal Lengths by Joseph Eckert appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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The Effects Of Different Digital Camera Lenses And Focal Lengths

05 Sep

Newcomers to digital photography have many questions about the equipment and processes associated with it.

Not surprisingly the topic of lenses comes up all the time; as well it should, right after digital cameras in fact.

It's obvious that people are aware of the fact that a camera's lens is probably the most important part of a camera.

Some digital camera fans are too concerned only with numbers when it comes to lenses, usually the zoom ratio. With DSLRs it's a different …

Digital Shot

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Posted in Equipment