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12 Days of Belvedere: A look back at puppyhood through sample photos

15 Dec

12 days of Belvedere

ISO 1400 | 1/250 sec | F1.8 | Nikon Z6 + Nikon Z 50mm F1.8 S

Belvedere officially joined the DPReview team last fall as a fourth-month-old pup and quickly became one of our favorite subjects to photograph. By the turn of 2019, he was a common sight in many-a sample gallery. Twelve months later and we have a complete and glorious timeline of his transformation from tiny puppy, to slightly larger puppy!

As Belvedere’s human and Photo Editor at DPReview, I tasked myself with going back through each month of 2019 to select the top pup photo to share with you, my dear reader, along with the gallery it’s from. We feel this is a nice way to not only look back at all the lovely gear we’ve tested, but also to fill the Internet with additional dog photos, because dogs are good and we love dogs.

We intend this slideshow to be enjoyed Advent calendar-style, meaning after today you are allowed to view one additional photo up until the 25th, when all can be enjoyed in consecutive order. Think of it as our holiday gift to you. We’re counting on you to not peek ahead!

And for those curious, Belvedere, a rescue pup, is a mix of Chihuahua, Miniature Pinscher and Miniature Short-haired Dachshund. He likes dehydrated squirrel carcasses, licking bald heads, sitting in laps for hours, turning squeaky toys inside-out and whenever anyone puts on a pair of socks. He weighs 18.4lbs and is a very good boy.

*All images by Dan Bracaglia except where noted

January 2019 – Belvedere at 7 months

ISO 2800 | 1/125 sec | F2.8 | Nikon Z6 + Nikon Z 50mm F1.8 S

We started off the year busy, publishing 11 sets of sample images in January 2019, including galleries for heavy hitting products like the Sony a6400, Sigma 28mm F1.4 Art and the Olympus E-M1X. But our top Belvedere pick in January comes from our Nikon Z 50mm F.8 S gallery. This one was a tough choice between two tempting pup picks, both from the same gallery. We opted for Belvedere enjoying a cheese stick, but Belvedere on the couch was a close second (we used it as the lead for the story).

January was also the month we tested the versatile, yet chunky Canon RF 28-70mm F2L as well as the beastly Nikon 500mm F5.6. We also got our hands on a Canon APS-C mirrorless favorite in the Canon EF-M 32mm F1.4 STM.

See our Nikon Z 50mm F1.8 S gallery

February 2019 – Belvedere at 8 months

ISO 12800 | 1/125 sec | F5.6 | Fujifilm GFX 50R + GF 45mm F2.8
Photo: Carey Rose

February was a busy months for new gear. We got our hands on pre-production models of the Panasonic S1R and Panasonic S1 (in Barcelona). We also took a pre-production Fujifilm X-T30 for a spin (in Seattle), and freelance contributor Damien Demolder put together a pre-production gallery with the Ricoh GR III (from London).

Additionally we published final production galleries from the Canon EOS RP, the Fujifilm XF 16mm F2.8 and the oh-so-sharp Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM. And yet somehow with all the launches and all the galleries shot, we didn’t publish a single Belvedere photo in February. Shame on us. Fortunately DPR’s Carey Rose captured the above image of our dear pup from a, well, not-terribly flattering angle for a Fujifilm GFX 50R gallery published March 1st. It was technically taken in February so we’ll count it.

See our GFX 50R sample gallery

March 2019 – Belvedere at 9 months

ISO 100 | 1/200 sec | F2.8 | Leica Q2

Things quieted down a little in March. We got our hands on final production versions of both the Panasonic S1 and Panasonic S1R and filled out those galleries with plenty of samples. We also got our hands on Sigma’s outstanding bang-for-the-buck 70-200mm F2.8 Sport as well as their latest long zoom in the 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 Sport.

Belvedere popped up in several of those galleries, but our favorite photos of him came from the Leica Q2, shot during a sunny afternoon walk. The weather was just starting to warm up in March and Belvedere’s fur was just beginning to go through a rapid and often comical shed and regrowth phase.

See our Leica Q2 sample gallery

April 2019 – Belvedere at 10 months

ISO 64 | 1/320 sec | F2.8 | Nikon Z7 + Z 24-70mm F2.8 @ 70mm

April was also a somewhat quiet month. We got a final production version of the Fujifilm X-T30 in for testing as well as a final version of the Ricoh GR III. We also shot with Pentax’s new 11-18mm F2.8 ultra-wide zoom and the slightly-less wide Nikon Z 14-30mm F4 S. But it was a different Nikon Z lens behind our favorite April Belvedere shot: the outstandingly sharp Z 24-70mm F2.8. Belvedere’s not even the only handsome pup in said gallery!

Also important: At 10 months Belvedere wasn’t quite fully grown. He no longer fits under the tight space he’s peeking out from in the image above, though he does try from time to time.

See our Nikon Z 24-70mm F2.8 S sample gallery

May 2019 – Belvedere at 11 months

ISO 125 | 1/200 sec | F4.4 | Ricoh WG-60

We shot with a wide array of products in May ranging from the image quality king, Fujifilm GFX 100 (pre-production), to the beginner-friendly Canon SL3, to the Panasonic FZ1000 II premium compact. We also called in and tested a number of rugged cameras for our Best Waterproof Camera Guide, including the Olympus TG-6.

But our favorite Belvedere photo comes from the comparably underpowered Ricoh WG-60, a rugged compact. Which just goes to show, it’s not the quality of the camera that makes the photo, it’s the cuteness of the dog. Here he is soaking up the sunlight from Seattle’s oh-so-long May days.

See our waterproof camera buying guide

June 2019 – Belvedere on his birthday

ISO 200 | 1/40 sec | F2.4 | Samsung Galaxy S10+
Photo: Jeff Keller

Belvedere officially turned one year old in June (June 10th if you want to send a gift, he likes bones) and we had ample opportunity to photograph the birthday boy. June was a month in which we shot with a ton of high-end full-frame lenses including the Panasonic S 24-105mm F4, the Panasonic S Pro 50mm F1.4, the Sony FE 600mm F4 GM and the Rokinon SP 35mm F1.2. We also added a nice selection of images to our Fujifilm GFX 100 gallery (still not final firmware, womp).

But it was the Samsung Galaxy S10+ in the hands of DPR’s Jeff Keller that captured our favorite shot of the young man. A shot that shows him starting to come of age: He’s still got the doofy ‘I’m a puppy’ face, but his coat and body are filling out like a real dog. Nice work, Belvedere.

See our Samsung Galaxy S10+ sample gallery

July 2019 – Belvedere at 13 months

ISO 100 | 1/500 sec | F1.2 | Canon EOS R + RF 85mm F1.2L

July was a busy month for sample gallery shooting. With the Seattle rain finally dissipating for the season, we took full advantage of the long sunny days. The Sony a7R IV launched and we got ample shooting time with it in New York City. DPR’s Carey Rose also got his hands on several freshly-launched Sigma lenses in Japan, including the Sigma 45mm F2.8 Contemporary, the Sigma 14-24 F2.8 Art and Sigma 35mm F1.2 Art. We also spent time with Tamron’s wide, sharp 17-28mm F2.8 and took Sony’s excellent do-everything pocket camera, the RX100 VII for a spin.

Other notable galleries include the Canon EOS M100 (in Mexico), the Panasonic Leica 10-25mm F1.7, the Sony 35mm F1.8, the Fujfilm GF 50mm F3.5 and the Rokinon AF 85mm F1.4. Gosh that’s a lot of galleries. But our hands-down favorite Belvedere photo was shot with one of our favorite portrait lenses of the year, the Canon RF 85mm F1.2L. Just look at that happy boy! He knows the bokeh is creamy.

See our Canon RF 85mm F1.2L
sample gallery

August 2019 – Belvedere at 14 months

ISO 125 | 1/30 sec | F2.8 | Canon G5 X mark II

August saw major launches from two brands, Canon with its enthusiast APS-C siblings in the Canon EOS 90D and Canon EOS M6 Mark II and Sony with its APS-C siblings in the Sony a6100 and the Sony a6600. We also finally got our hands on a final production Fujifilm GFX 100 as well as a final production Panasonic G95.

Additionally we shot with the very sharp Nikon Z 35mm F1.8 S, the Canon RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 and the Tamron 35-150mm F2.8-4. Finally Canon’s two latest compacts, the Canon G7 X III and the Canon G5 X II also showed up at our office for sample shooting and testing. Our favorite Belvedere photo from the month was taken on the latter. Note: If Belvedere looks extra fluffy in this image it’s because he had just received a bath after his very first puppy swim.

See our Canon PowerShot G5 X II gallery

September 2019 – Belvedere at 15 months

ISO 64 | 1/2500 sec | F1.8 | Nikon Z7 + Z 85mm F1.8

September was a somewhat quiet month for sample galleries, yet Belvedere managed to sneak his charming face into two of them. These included the all around-excellent Tamron 35mm F1.4 gallery and the also-impressive Nikon 85mm F1.8 S gallery. We also shot with the iPhone 11, Sony 16-55mm F2.8 and Phase One IQ4.

Now I’ll be honest, my dear humble readers, I truly struggled with which Belvedere photos to pick as the winner for this month (OK, I shot them all). My decision ultimately came down to which image had the most likes in our gallery (10). Either way, September was a very good-looking month for our dear staff pup.

See our Nikon Z 85mm F1.8 S
sample gallery

October 2019 – Belvedere at 16 months

ISO 1000 | 1/100 sec | F2.8 | Canon M200 + EF-M 32mm F1.4
Photo: Carey Rose

October saw the launch of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 III, the Fujifilm X-Pro3 and the Nikon Z50 – cameras we were able to shoot galleries for, prior to announcement. We also got our hands on Canon’s impressive RF 24-70mm F2.8L lens and shot our very first test samples on the Nikon Z 58mm S Noct (under very controlled settings). Additionally, we were thoroughly impressed with the real world output of the Google Pixel 4.

But our favorite Belvedere sample of the month came from Carey Rose with the Canon EOS M200. I’m not sure if Carey set out to capture Belvedere working hard on the job, but he sure did. Warming laps takes a lot of practice and dedication!

See our Canon EOS M200 sample gallery

November 2019 – Belvedere at 17 months

ISO 100 | 1/800 sec | F2.8 | Leica SL2 + Sigma 45mm F2.8

We had the chance to shoot with some really nice telephoto glass in November, including with the Fujifilm XF 200mm F2 as well as the jaw-dropping Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L. We also took Sony’s 70-350 F4.5-6.3 for a spin and explored around the city with the super-compact Sigma fp full-framer.

But it was the beastly Leica SL2 behind November’s top Belvedere pic. And if you zoom into 100% you can even seem some dreamy bokeh from the Sigma 45mm F2.8 on my dear dog’s nose.

See our Leica SL2 sample gallery

December 2019 – Belvedere at 18… no wait, 6 months

ISO 1000 | 1/200 sec | F1.4 | Sony a6500 + Sigma 56mm F1.4
Photo: Carey Rose

December has been a busy (and dark month) and it’s not over yet! As such, we’ve only published a handful of galleries so far. These include our Panasonic S Pro 24-70 F2.8 gallery, our Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L gallery and our full-production Nikon Z50 gallery. But sadly, none of those galleries contain images of our fuzzy pal (what fools we are!).

But not to worry! DPR’s Richard Butler reminded me of a classic Belvedere photo shot by our very own Carey Rose with the delightful Sigma 56mm F1.4, this time last December (no, Belvedere isn’t Benjamin Button).

See our Sigma 56mm F1.4 sample gallery

12 days of Belvedere – The wrap

ISO 64 | 1/320 sec | F1.4 | Nikon Z7 + Tamron 35mm F1.4

And that’s a wrap on the year. There you have it, 12 months of Belvedere in 12 days. Thank you kind reader, for following along on this fun and important journey through puppyhood and gear reminiscing. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed each slide, one at a time and didn’t jump ahead. But even if you did, Belvedere forgives you. He’s just that kind of dog.

Until next year. Woof!

See our Tamron 35mm F1.4 sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Photography podcast ‘The Group Chat’ launches with critical look at the preset market

08 Dec

Editor’s note: There is strong language aplenty in this video that is NSFW. Proceed with caution.

A new photography podcast called ‘The Group Chat’ has published its first episode: ‘Presets and Why They Suck.’ The episode is free to watch on YouTube, where hosts Christian Gideon and Nick Goodwin discuss why presents ‘are so detrimental’ to the photography industry.

In a statement to PetaPixel, The Group Chat co-creator Gideon explains, ‘Our first episode is a hard-hitting look at why the industry of selling presets to photographers is mostly BS.’ As the comment indicates, the podcast episode contains adult language and may not be suitable for certain environments.

Additional information about the show, its creators, and their workshops can be found on The Group Chat website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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A closer look into the latest financial reports from Canon, Nikon and Sony

15 Nov

It’s no surprise the camera market is in a decline, earmarked by continuously-decreasing unit sales, revenue and operating income. It seems as though no company is safe from the impact of both smartphones and the general decline in demand for DSLRs, but while the numbers are indeed in a freefall, the reality is the actual macro-level outlook is far more nuanced than catchy headlines alone can tell.

To take a more overhead view of the camera industry, we’re dug into the industry-wide numbers from CIPA and broken down the most recent results from Canon, Nikon and Sony to compare them year-over-year (Y/Y) to see how things are shaping up.

CIPA

CIPA provides an overarching view of how the camera industry is doing through the participation of nearly a dozen camera companies that report their production and unit shipments to CIPA on a monthly basis. Since we’re only looking at the last two quarters from Canon, Nikon and Sony, we’re only going to dive into the numbers for the corresponding months of CIPA’s data.

CIPA’s September graph showing interchangeable lens camera unit sales over the past three years.

From April 2019 to September 2019 (the latest statistical data CIPA has made available), CIPA reports 8M total digital camera shipments: 4.4 million interchangeable lens cameras and 3.6 million cameras with built-in or fixed lenses. This is an overall decrease of 22-percent Y/Y with a 23-percent decrease for interchangeable lens cameras and a 20-percent decrease in cameras with built-in or fixed lenses.

CIPA’s September graph showing interchangeable lens unit sales over the past three years.

These decreases are concerning, but still less dramatic than the Y/Y change from 2017 to 2018. This change could be due to a few factors, but the most obvious one is that both Canon and Nikon introduced their full-frame mirrorless systems in late 2018, which likely helped to slow down the declining market as consumers hopped onboard the newer systems. However, it’s clear from the following numbers that neither Canon nor Nikon saw their full-frame mirrorless options replace the declining sales of DSLRs as both companies might ultimately be hoping.

Canon

For its FY2019 Q2 and Q3 numbers, Canon reported 2.06 million unit sales for interchangeable lens cameras and 1.36 million compact camera sales during its FY2019 second and third quarters, a decrease of 16-percent and 13-percent respectively Y/Y for the same time period.

A breakdown from Canon’s Q3 financial presentation that highlights the units sold in Q3 as well as the net sales and operating income of its Imaging Systems division.

This 16-percent decrease is less than the industry-wide 22% decrease as noted in CIPA’s data, but these two quarters last year were before Canon’s EOS R (and EOS RP) was announced and it’s possible that DSLR sales were depressed in expectation of the new cameras being around the corner. So, while the numbers are better than the market in general, with all of the development and marketing that went into making its new RF-series gear, it’s merely softened the blow rather than boost unit sales.

In regards to finances, Canon has reported ¥394B ($ 3.6M) in revenue and ¥23B in operating profit over the past two quarters, a decrease of 19-percent and 59-percent, respectively. It’s worth noting the drop also includes the loss of revenue and profit from the broadcasting and cinema gear that was included in last year’s numbers and has since been moved elsewhere within Canon’s business structure.

A breakdown of the net sales and operating income of Canon’s respective business divisions for its third quarter.

Throughout its presentation for investors, Canon specifically references the ‘deterioration of [the] macro-environment,’ which is more or less investor spin for the camera market is in decline—a fact backed up by CIPA numbers, as well as numbers from other camera manufacturers during the same time period. Canon also echos the sentiment that you’ll see in Nikon and Sony’s report below, saying there is ‘intensifying price competition.’ Interestingly though, Canon isn’t downgrading its forecast for the remainder of the year—something Nikon has done for two straight quarters now as you’ll see below.

Canon also notes that it’s working to lower inventory before the end of FY2019. Based on numbers provided, Canon has ¥157B worth of inventory as of the end of FY2019 Q3; less than it had this time last year (¥174B), but still higher than previous FY2019 quarters.

A breakdown from Canon’s Q3 financial presentation that discloses current inventory levels compared to previous quarters and last year.

Something always worth keeping in mind is that Canon’s Imaging Systems business accounts for a relatively small percentage of its overall income. Based on the numbers from FY2018, Canon’s Imaging Systems division represents 25-percent of its overall revenue and 37-percent of its operating profit.

Also, Canon’s FY2019 numbers are skewed when looked at Y/Y, as it moved its broadcasting equipment and cinema-use video cameras from its Imaging System division to its Industry & Others division.

Nikon

Moving onto Nikon, the numbers don’t get any prettier. In its most recent financial statements covering the past two quarters, Nikon says it sold 800K interchangeable lens cameras, 1.3M interchangeable lenses and 500K compact cameras. These numbers are down 25-percent, 21-percent and 41-percent Y/Y, respectively.

Revenue, Operating income and unit sales broken down in Nikon’s Q2 financial presentation.

In its financial presentation for investors, Nikon has updated its forecast for how many units it expects to ship this coming fiscal year, as well as the number of units it expects the digital camera market as a whole to bear. Nikon believes it will sell 1.5M interchangeable lens cameras, 2.5 million interchangeable lenses and 900K compact cameras, down 100K units across the board compared to its previous forecast from August 2019 and down 28-percent Y/Y.

Comparing Nikon’s numbers to Canon show the situation is more dire for Nikon. Canon’s EOS R and EOS RP haven’t done as well as Canon expected, but Canon is forecasting unit sales to drop 17-percent Y/Y whereas Nikon’s forecasting nearly double that at 28-percent. This means Canon is expecting a decline less than the market as a whole according to CIPA’s numbers whereas Nikon is six percentage points worse than what CIPA is reporting.

A chart from Nikon’s Q2 financial presentation that breaks down the sales of its ILCs, interchangeable lenses and compact camera unit sales.

In addition to unit sales, Nikon’s revenue and operating income aren’t cheery either. Over the first half of its FY2020, Nikon reported 119B yen in revenue and an operating profit of just 2B yen. Compared to the first half of its FY2019, those numbers are a 21-percent and 85-percent decrease, respectively.

Much like Canon with its RF-series, the cost Nikon has sunk into its Z-mount system and accompanying lenses has likely contributed to the massive decrease in operating profit. It’s not cheap to develop new systems and lenses, especially considering the amount of capital required to get new factories and fabrication up and running at full scale.

A chart from Nikon’s Q2 financial presentation showing revenue, operating income and unit sales figures compared to last year, as well as the forecast for the remainder of this fiscal year.

Nikon specifically calls out its Imaging Products Business in the presentation, saying it was the only division that wasn’t ‘mostly in line’ with its estimates. The materials specifically say the camera market ‘has deteriorated further as market shrinkage accelerates and competition intensifies.’ It also cites the increased cost of its Z-mount system lineup expansion as ‘a burden’ to its operating profit and notes it overestimated the sales forecast of its Z-series cameras.

For a company that’s stated in the past that its Z-series is more or less the future of the company, continually low numbers isn’t the best look, especially considering how much Nikon relies on its camera division compared to the likes of Canon and Sony. Nikon goes so far as to say it hopes to ‘fundamentally transform’ its Imaging Products Business to ‘generate enough profits to justify [the Imaging Products Business] existence as a business unit.’

Sony

Of all the financial results we look at, Sony’s has consistently been one of the most challenging to gain details insights on. Due to how they structure their business segments, we can’t really delve into the figures in detail as we can with Canon and Nikon. However, Sony didn’t specifically mention anything too positive or negative about its camera division, which hints that there wasn’t anything too notable about its latest quarters.

A breakdown of sales and operating income for Sony’s Electronics Products & Solutions division. This division includes Sony’s camera sales, as well as mobile devices, televisions and other electronics.

According to Sony’s current Q2 and Q3 reports, its Electronics Products & Solutions EP&S segment — which includes digital cameras amongst other electronic products — pulled in 977.4B yen in revenue and 66.5B yen in operating profit. This is a decrease of 13-percent and an increase of 35-percent Y/Y, respectively. Sony doesn’t elaborate much on the sales of camera gear, aside from saying that overall unit sales have decreased year over year.

A breakdown in sales and operating income for Sony’s Imaging & Sensing Solutions division, which is responsible for the manufacturing of its imaging sensors.

Moving onto Sony’s Imaging & Sensing Solutions (I&SS) segment, which is a separate — but related — business responsible for making its image sensors, the latest reports put its cumulative Q2 and Q3 earnings at 541B yen and 126B yen. This is an increase of 18-percent and 64-percent, respectively. Sony says a ‘significance increase in sales of image sensors for mobile products,’ mostly due to smartphone manufacturers now putting multiple camera units in their devices, as the main reason for such dramatic growth Y/Y in both revenue and operating profit

Conclusion

All in all, there’s plenty to take away from the latest numbers and results. The digital camera market continues to shrink and although full-frame mirrorless cameras from Canon and Nikon are somewhat picking up the slack in sales, they’re not entirely mitigating the decrease in DSLR shipments—especially for Nikon.

Furthermore, the cost of research and development (not to mention marketing and promotional material) that goes into launching cameras and lenses with new mounts has dramatically impacted the operating profits of the imaging divisions. As Canon and Nikon continue to pump money into their newer systems, operating profit will likely stay low until economy of scales kicks in and the new fabrication components are paid off. But declining DSLR and compact sales without corresponding growth in the mirrorless market isn’t going to make the transitions any easier to get through.

The market appears to be dropping at a slower rate than it has in past years, but it’s still not great news. At what point it will stabilize remains to be seen, but with an Olympic year next year and more mirrorless developments in the works across the entire industry, it’ll likely be a while until we find out.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Take a look inside Sigma’s Aizu factory where the fp is assembled

01 Oct

Sigma factory tour

Back in July of this year, we were in Japan for the launch of three new Sigma lenses, and the smallest full-frame camera we’ve yet seen, the Sigma fp. After all of the hustle and bustle of the product releases, we were granted an opportunity to tour Sigma’s factory in Aizu, a couple of hours and a couple of trains away from Tokyo.

Sigma is unique in the digital photography industry in that it’s still a family-owned business, and it controls most of its production line from start to finish, in one location, for both cameras and lenses. In fact, many workers at the Sigma facilities are 2nd-or-3rd generation employees, and the jobs that Sigma maintains in the Aizu region help sustain the surrounding communities.

Since the last time we visited back in 2015, Sigma has made some additions to its factory space. Let’s take a closer look at how Sigma’s lenses – and cameras – are made.

A history

Sigma was founded in 1961 by Michihiro Yamaki, and has been manufacturing in Aizu since the 1970s. The company is proud of both its history, and of its founder. That’s Mr Yamaki in the photograph behind the product display table in this image – in his white suit, dancing on his wedding night.

Michihiro’s son, Kazuto Yamaki, took over the company after his father passed away in 2012.

Magnesium work

Even before Sigma had decided to build the fp in-house, it purchased machines to finish the magnesium alloy components for its lenses and cameras. Previously, this was done by outside suppliers, but with ever tighter requirements for tolerances, Sigma decided it was best to do the finishing in-house, where it could take greater control.

In this image, an employee monitors a machine which is busy milling a portion of a Sigma fp’s body shell.

Magnesium Cutouts

Here’s a section of the fp’s magnesium alloy chassis, before finishing (left) and after (right).

Magnesium, continued

But, as noted earlier, it’s not just the new fp camera that Sigma is working on using its new magnesium alloy processing machines – on the right is a ‘blank’ – the basic shape of what will become a tripod ring for a lens. This is what Sigma receives from its external supplier, and on the left is what it looks like after additional precision machining using Sigma’s own equipment.

Other magnesium alloy parts

These metal pieces are destined to be included in one of Sigma’s many lenses, and are likewise precision-machined using the company’s new magnesium-processing machines.

Stock on-hand

Sigma’s entire supply line is domestic – in other words, everything that ends up inside a Sigma camera or lens comes from a supplier within Japan. In this stock room you can see various crates full of parts, including (in the foreground) mount assemblies for the new fp camera, ready to be attached to the camera bodies.

Sigma fp

Here, you can see the Sigma fp camera body begin to take shape, with near-final versions of the uncoated magnesium alloy front-panels awaiting the next step in the process.

Sigma fp

While the Sigma fp was still far from production when we visited Aizu earlier this year, we got a chance to see early models being assembled, and in this case, painted.

Sigma fp

The forthcoming fp is marketed by Sigma as ‘pocketable full frame,’ and here a Sigma representative holds a painted fp body and accompanying flash bracket, to demonstrate its small size.

Inside the fp

Sigma doesn’t manufacture absolutely everything in their factory in Aizu. Here’s a full-frame sensor that will eventually end up inside an fp, along with the rest of the necessary circuitry and control boards (below).

Unlike previous Sigma cameras, the sensor in the fp will use a conventional Bayer-pattern design, with a Foveon L-mount camera promised at a later date.

Quality control

Of course, Sigma doesn’t just manufacture the fp. We also got to observe the manufacturing lines for the company’s wide range of lenses. Here, workers do final quality control inspections on lenses before they’re boxed up and ready for shipment.

The L mount

But this is where every lens starts – with the mount. This is the mount of an L lens – one of many that the company has committed to make following its entry into the L-mount Alliance with Leica and Panasonic, announced at Photokina last year. This mount is made of brass, which has the advantage of being easy to machine, but tough and corrosion resistant. Before being integrated into a lens, this mount will be plated with chromium.

Chrome plating

And here’s what that looks like. Many of the components inside Sigma’s products are chrome plated, and while this is conventionally a highly toxic procedure, Sigma uses a trivalent chromium plating process which. This is more complicated in some respects, but is less energy intensive, less polluting and intrinsically less toxic than traditional hexavalent coating.

Lens construction

Here, a Sigma representative shows off the single biggest piece of metal the company manufactures in-house – appropriately enough, it belongs to the ‘Bigma.’

But sometimes it’s not the big parts that matter most

Sigma buys off-the-shelf parts when necessary and convenient, but often, the company prefers to build its own components because it streamlines the production process. These components even include the tiny metal nuts and bolts shown in the image above.

Dies

Sigma also produces the plastic components for its lenses in-house. The company even makes its own molds and dies. Much of this work is still done by hand, as seen above.

What do you mean, plastic?

This isn’t just any old plastic – it’s a special blend (Sigma calls it ‘Thermally Stable Composite’) formulated for both toughness and thermal stability. According to Sigma, it can be machined to tolerances of within +/- 1 micron.

Here, a laser confirms that the robot arm is indeed holding a fresh plastic component before it deposits it into an adjacent bin.

Lasers

A lot of the text on Sigma lenses is printed onto the barrels, but some is laser engraved, like this aperture scale.

Glass grinding and polishing

Much of the glass processing that goes on in Aizu is automated. Here, glass elements are being ground by machines before polishing, coating and final assembly.

Lots of glass

Here, glass elements await their turn in the vacuum evaporation machines in which the coating process takes place. The coating machines (not pictured) are huge, and among the most costly in the entire facility.

The coatings inside modern optics play a huge part in image quality, but if you’re curious about what lenses used to look like in the good old days, Sigma now has a ‘Classic’ lineup of cine primes that you might be interested in.

Quality assurance

Here, an employee inspects finished elements before they’re installed into a lens and shipped to customers.

Last, but not least

These are the engineers chiefly responsible for the planning, design and creation of Sigma’s fp full-frame mirrorless camera. Click here for an interview with them, courtesy of a friend of DPR, Johnnie Behiri at Cinema5D.

Did you enjoy this article? Take a look at our other factory tours

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Godox’s new R1 and RF1 lights are compact LED discs that look a little familiar

20 Sep

Godox has unveiled the R1 and RF1, a pair of LED-powered lights designed to be compact and portable for photographers and videographers on the go.

Before we dive into the good stuff though, let’s go ahead and address the elephant in the room—yes, theses lights and their accompanying dome accessory bear a striking resemblance to Profoto’s new C1 and C1 Plus lights.

The functionality is slightly different and Godox doesn’t consider its R1 and RF1 units ’studio’ quality, but it’s difficult to overlook the uncanny similarities between the four units.

With that out of the way, let’s get down to the details. Both the R1 and RF1 are compact lights that feature integrated magnets for Godox’s AK-R1 round head accessories (sold separately) and securing to surfaces for easy mounting. The units are charged via the onboard USB-C port and settings are controlled via the Godox app over Bluetooth.

The R1 is the entry-level version that features RGB LED lights with variable color temperature (2500K-8500K) and a Television Lighting Consistency Index (TLCI) of >95. The R1 is designed for continuous use with variable power output and a features battery life rating of one hour when used at full power.

Godox says the R1 features 14 different RGB lighting modes—including ‘music,’ ‘lightning,’ ‘screen,’ ‘candlelight’ and more—as well as 8 other modes that change the color temperature.

The RF1 is identical to the R1 with the expiation that unlike the R1, which is limited to continuous mode, the RF1 features Godox’s 2.4Ghz Wireless X System, which turns it into a flash when used with computable Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Panasonic, Olympus and Pentax camera systems.

Godox doesn’t offer any information on output power, recycling time or even pricing and availability information. We have contacted Godox regarding these details and will update the article accordingly when we hear back. Until then, we’ll just have to wait and see. That said, it’s probably a safe bet that both of these units will come in much cheaper than the $ 299 and $ 499 price tag Profoto is asking for its C1 and C1 Plus units, respectively.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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An In-Depth Look at Kenko DG Auto Extension Tubes

02 Sep

The post An In-Depth Look at Kenko DG Auto Extension Tubes appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

Extension tubes are neat little photographic accessories that allow you to create macro-like images without a macro lens. Are you considering getting into macro photography but don’t have the funds for a dedicated macro? Extension tubes could be the way to go.

There are plenty of different makes and models of extension tubes. The variety we’ll be looking at here are by a Japanese company called Kenko, which produces some of the most popular extension accessories available, the DG Auto series.

kenko extension tubes

What are extension tubes?

An extension tube is essentially a hollow spacer that locks between a lens and camera body. An extension tube adjusts the minimum focusing distance (the closest point a subject can be from the camera’s sensor while still being able to focus) by moving the lens further from the camera sensor.

You can stack extension tubes for greater magnification. The thicker the stack of tubes, the closer you’re able to get to a subject and still achieve focus.

A comparison reveals the different capabilities of the Kenko DG Auto extension tubes. Taken with a Canon 50mm f/1.8 II.

Why use extension tubes?

There are numerous benefits that extension tubes have over a conventional macro lens.

Generally, extension tubes are much cheaper than a dedicated macro lens, making macro photography a lot more accessible.

Another benefit is the lack of additional glass between the lens and the sensor. You won’t have to sweat about the quality of extra glass degrading your image. The lack of glass also means extension tubes are quite durable.

Finally, extension tubes are light and easy to carry. So if you don’t want to lug around heavy lenses, extension tubes can be a great option.

extension tubes on camera

What are the drawbacks of extension tubes?

Extension tubes are suited to lenses with small or medium focal lengths and generally work best with prime lenses.

Extending the amount of space between the sensor and the front lens element results in a reduction of light reaching the sensor. This requires an adjustment in shutter speed, ISO, or aperture to compensate. But when aperture controls the fine depth of field balance in a macro image, your only real options are a longer exposure, more noise, or a combination of both.

Also, because extension tubes increase the magnification of the lens, they magnify any flaws in a lens’s design.

In addition, extension tubes require you to remove your lens from the camera body each time you want to adjust the lens extension. This increases the chance of dust settling on the camera sensor.

While some extension tubes (like the Kenko DG Autos) offer autofocus compatibility, the results are generally mixed. Switching to manual focus is your best bet, and this isn’t entirely a bad thing, but it can slow you down in the field.

Not all macro photography has to be razor-sharp. For a softer effect, try adjusting your focus to just in front of your subject.

How do the Kenko DG Auto extension tubes perform?

Construction

Available for Canon, Sony, and Nikon makes, Kenko DG Auto extension tubes usually come in a set of three: one 12mm tube, one 20mm tube, and one 36mm tube. These can be used individually or in a stack.

extension tubes together

Each tube has a diameter of approximately 62mm with clear alignment markings to show where you should connect the tube to the camera body and lens. Unlike some cheaper plastic varieties of extension tubes, the Kenko DG Autos all have metal mounting mechanisms.

The 36mm Kenko DG Auto extension tube has a grip running around the outside of the tube.

Out in the field

For my close-up photography, I’ve been pairing my Kenko DG Auto extension tubes with my trusty Canon 50mm f/1.8 II. Without the added complications and weight of a zoom lens, the setup is simple and easy to assemble. The wide maximum aperture of the 50mm also helps compensate for the reduction in light that reaches the sensor as a consequence of the extension tubes.

One thing I look out for with the Kenko DG Autos: I ensure each tube has clicked firmly into place. While I haven’t had any accidents (thankfully), the mounts can be a bit soft sometimes. The potential amount of switching between extension tubes during a single shoot makes the chance of a misalignment higher, so make sure you fully lock each component.

A beautiful and rather patient bottle fly. This image required my 12mm, 20mm, and 36mm extension tubes attached.

Kenko DG Autos are designed with all the circuitry and mechanical coupling to maintain autofocus and TTL auto-exposure (provided there is enough light). However, as I mentioned before, the autofocus can still be a bit iffy. Plus, when taking an extreme close-up, there is such a small area of sharpness that any extra control over the focus of your composition is crucial. I still switch to manual focus 90% of the time for that degree of control.

As with all close-up photography, I use a tripod in a lot of cases to reduce camera shake. In addition, because of the reduction in light reaching the sensor, I often have to compensate with a longer exposure – which makes the tripod a valuable piece of equipment to have on hand.

Price

The Kenko DG Auto set is markedly cheaper than offerings from Canon. While a Canon EF 25 II extension tube is about $ 150 USD on Amazon, the Kenko DG Auto set (the 12mm, 20mm, and 36mm) is priced at just over $ 100 USD. Given that the tubes contain no glass, they have no optical difference and are very similar in construction. The largest difference between the two brands online is the release levers. The Canon tube release lever is reportedly smoother to that of the levers on the Kenko tubes.

A flower head photographed with a 36mm Kenko DG Auto extension tube

Conclusion

Extension tubes have made macro photography much more accessible. If you’re interested in macro photography, it may well be worth investing in the set offered by Kenko. For their price and utility, the Kenko DG Auto extension tubes are a definite staple in my photography kit.

The post An In-Depth Look at Kenko DG Auto Extension Tubes appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

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DPReview TV: Canon EOS M6 II and EOS 90D first look

28 Aug

DPReview TV brings you our first-day impressions of Canon’s new EOS M6 Mark II and EOS 90D, straight from Canon’s launch event.

Get new episodes of DPReview TV every week by subscribing to our YouTube channel!

EOS M6 Mark II sample gallery from this episode

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Canon 90D sample gallery from this episode

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_7051572497″,”galleryId”:”7051572497″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Zaha Hadid Architects Make Flood Protection Look Elegant in Hamburg

28 Aug

As urban planners grapple with the need for creative flood management systems in cities around the world, Zaha Hadid Architects provides an interesting example in Hamburg.

Located along the Elbe River, the new Niederhafen River Promenade offers two functions in one: a flood wall and a riverfront promenade. Set in a popular tourist area alongside one of the city’s most important public spaces, the new promenade offers views of the Elbe, links to adjacent neighborhoods and lots of room for pedestrians, food stalls, cafes and street performers, with shops and public utilities set into the structure at street level on the side that faces the city.

The barrier at Niederhafen was first built in the 1960s in the aftermath of severe storm surge floods that caused 315 fatalities and destroyed the homes of 60,000 residents, but according to modern calculations, it was no longer high enough to be effective. In addition to raising the total height of the barrier by .8 meters, the overburdened supporting elements of the structure needed to be replaced. The city announced a competition to design a redevelopment, awarding the project to Zaha Hadid Architects.

Standing 8.6 meters (28 feet) high on the eastern side and 8.9 meters (29 feet) high on the western side, the barrier is now tall enough to protect the city from maximum winter storm surges and extreme high tides. The architects carved sculptural staircases into the sides at various points, creating angular amphitheaters that encourage people to linger and enjoy the views and “generating an oscillating sequence in the river promenade as it repeatedly widens and narrows.”

“Dedicated cycle lanes at street level run the length of the flood protection barrier. Wide ramps at Baumwell and Langdungsbrücken connect the river promenade with street level and provide accessibility for all. A third central ramp enables service vehicles to access the promenade and Überseebrücke.”

“The river promenade is divided into two sections with different spatial qualities. The zone to the west is at a larger scale, offering wide views downstream of all shipping activity on the river. To the east, the port’s marina creates amore intimate atmosphere with a long ramp alongside the amphitheater leading visitors down to the water’s edge.”

Of course, concrete flood walls aren’t right for every city, especially those where aquatic wildlife habitats have been destroyed and need to be restored. Some cities are working on plans to do just that, like Chicago’s “Wild Mile.” Read more about how “urban rewinding” can help make cities more flood resistant.

Photos by Piet Niemann via Zaha Hadid Architects

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DPReview TV: Panasonic S1H first look

28 Aug

Jordan takes a first look at the new Panasonic S1H while wrestling with the moral struggle of cheating on his beloved GH5.

Editor’s note: Instead of a sample gallery, we’re providing several ungraded clips from the S1H for download so that you can try grading it yourself. (See the links below the chapter markers.) If you have difficulty playing the clips try using the VLC media player.

Get new episodes of DPReview TV every week by subscribing to our YouTube channel!

Jordan's moral struggle
Introduction
Camera body
Clever features
The sensor
6K shooting
Rolling shutter
Dual-native ISO
High ISO performance
Compression
Audio features
The fan
Slow motion
Assist tools
Photo capability
6K interview with cinematographer Nick Thomas
Drawbacks
Conclusion

Panasonic S1H video sample download links

6K shot at 3:2 aspect ratio in rec.709
6K detailed crop shot in 709-like profile
4K V-Log (high contrast scene)
4K at ISO 3200 shot in 709-like profile
4K at ISO 6400 shot in 709-like profile
4K at ISO 12,800 shot in 709-like profile
Indoor V-Log shot at ISO 640

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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4 Necessary Reasons to Look Through Your Old Photos

27 Aug

The post 4 Necessary Reasons to Look Through Your Old Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

As photographers, we mustn’t live with our heads stuck in the past. If we’re not trying new ideas, exploring new techniques, or finding ways to push ourselves to be better, we might quickly find ourselves drowning in a sea of irrelevance and mediocrity. However, there is a time and a place to look in the rear-view mirror. Looking back at some of your old photos can have incredible benefits, aside from just happy feelings of nostalgia. Sometimes the best way forward is to look at the path we have taken. Even though to look through your old photos can be embarrassing, there are some clear benefits to doing so.

Reasons-to-Look-Through-Your-Old-Photos

1. It helps you realize you weren’t that bad

I’m a pretty self-conscious guy, and as such, I don’t like looking at pictures of myself. I always find something to criticize, even if they are things that no one else would ever notice! Looking back at some of the earlier pictures in my photography portfolio is the same way. Sometimes seeing the pictures I shot is enough to make me cringe. So I want to throw my old albums out the window!

This is precisely why it’s good to dust off your old photo albums or look through the image folders on your computer you’ve been neglecting for years. Looking through the images you shot when you were new to photography, can more often than not, let you see how you really weren’t as bad and probably much more talented than you realize.

I shot this in 2013. While I had a lot to learn about lighting and editing, it’s actually a pretty decent image.

If the thought of looking at your old pictures makes your skin crawl, there’s a good chance you might have been a lot better than you thought. While your early images were probably not perfect, they can be a source of encouragement. You see that you clearly did have some skills – even if they had a little way to go before maturing.

2. You can learn from your mistakes

Even though your older pictures might not be as bad as you think, you can learn a lot from going through your earlier work. Over the years, you have almost certainly improved your techniques in terms of lighting, composition, framing, or even just posing your clients.

I shot this in 2014 when I didn’t know how to use a reflector but brought one with me to the session anyway. The colors on his face just don’t look right.

I know how it can be painful or embarrassing to scroll through your photos from five or ten years ago. It’s almost like looking through your high school yearbook and cringing at the silly hairstyles and weird fashion choices from days gone by. If you do this with your images, instead of turning away from your mistakes, learn from them. Realize what not to do now and in the future.

The image below is a good example of this. While my clients were happy, and so was I at the time, when I look at this picture now all I see are errors to fix. I shot it with a 50mm lens at f/2.8 and focused on the man in the back, which meant everyone else is out of focus. I didn’t have a sense of how to pose, nor was I really paying attention to lighting. The list goes on.

However, rather than pretend this session didn’t exist, I use it as a learning opportunity.

One of my first portrait sessions, shot in early 2013.

Here’s another illustration of how much I have learned since my early days, especially when it comes to formal sessions. Why is there an orange shoe in the middle of the picture? Also, why is there a giant tree growing out of the head of the child on the left? Why did I use a 1/80th shutter speed?

The world may never know the answers, and I certainly don’t. However, when I see this old picture, it helps me also see what I can do differently today.

Image: Another family portrait session from 2013. Don’t judge me…I was new and didn...

Another family portrait session from 2013. Don’t judge me…I was new and didn’t know what I was doing. My clients liked it though!

3. It helps you refine your editing style

In addition to photography style and techniques, searching through your old pictures can give you a great deal of insight into your editing process.

It’s not easy to see slow, incremental changes over time. However, when you compare your current editing style to that of when you first started, you might be surprised. You may even be shocked at the difference. This can be a learning opportunity and help give you insight into how you might continue to refine and hone your edits.

I took the following picture in the summer of 2013, and I clearly remember spending a long time working with it in Photoshop. The result is what you see here: over-saturated sky, poor dynamic range, and a weird color balance that seems unnatural and icky.

4 Necessary Reasons to Look Through Your Old Photos

When I edited this RAW file, I was way, way over-thinking the process and ended up with kind of a mess. I can still see myself hunched over an old iMac, refining my selections, creating new layers, and fiddling with color edits ad nauseam. Now I’d just pull this into Lightroom, tweak a few sliders, and end up with a much cleaner and more pleasing image.

Here’s another picture that, upon first look, makes me want to chuck my computer out the window and never look at my cameras again.

Shot in the fall of 2014, when I still had an awful lot to learn.

This picture is practically a textbook example of what not to do when shooting or editing a picture. Aside from all the issues in the image itself (soles of shoes, people sitting on an old canvas, awkward posing and hand placements, an disregard for background objects), the editing was atrocious.

My subjects are underexposed. The white balance is all wrong, and there’s no sense of contrast. Moreover, I didn’t bother using any noise reduction, so their faces are kind of patchy if you zoom in to 100%.

I’m a much better editor now than I was back when I shot this seven years ago. When I look at this picture and others like it, I can immediately see how I have changed my editing process over the years. It gives me a few ideas of what I should continue refining in the future.

When I edited this picture in 2013, I didn’t know what I was doing. But looking back at it helps me remember what to do, what not to do, and what I can change in my current style.

4. Early photos can inspire you!

There’s a lot I wish I could take back about my early photography. However, I feel some of my work now lacks something: a spark of life and a sense of abandon. When I first picked up a camera, I would see photo opportunities everywhere; inside my home, walking around the neighborhood, even my office at work.

With clients, I had a much more carefree attitude, shooting whatever I wanted, whether I thought it would look good or not. It was a carefree time when I didn’t worry about (or even know about) proper technique, good lighting, high ISO values, rolling shutter, or any of that. Like a kid in a candy store, I remember latching on to anything and everything around me.

I even set my alarm early so I could take pictures of my kids’ toys in the living room before the sun came up.

I took my camera to a sporting event back in 2014 and shot everything I could see, even if I didn’t know what I was doing. Including these bocce balls sitting on astroturf. I kind of miss that approach, and looking at photos like this helps rekindle it.

When I started taking pictures more seriously, I saw the world differently. Every tree, building, or animal was a fun and exciting photographic opportunity. I’ve lost that over the years. Now I think I over-analyze situations – trying to find the perfect moment, subject, or lighting condition.

Going back through old photos takes me back to a time when I didn’t care about any of that. I just took pictures of what I thought was fun and interesting. It has inspired me to be a little more creative and a little less analytical with my photography now.

Image: I spent half an hour trying to capture this image with my brother in the summer of 2014. We h...

I spent half an hour trying to capture this image with my brother in the summer of 2014. We had such a fun time doing it! I need to do more shots like this…

Looking at your old pictures can bring up some strange emotions, and it can certainly be awkward or feel silly. But buried in your images from days gone by is a treasure trove of education just waiting to be unlocked.

This image of a tree borer I took in 2013 remains one of my favorite insect pictures I have ever taken.

Conclusion

The next time you pull up your photo library on your computer or scroll through images in your photo app, go back to your earliest pictures and see what you can learn from them. You might be surprised at how enjoyable and educational your trip down memory lane can be!

Do you ever look through your old photos? What have you learned from them? Share with us in the comments!

The post 4 Necessary Reasons to Look Through Your Old Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

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