Back in April, an award-winning National Geographic and New York Times photographer, George Steinmetz, had his DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone confiscated by the New York Police Department (NYPD) while documenting mass COVID-19 burials on Hart Island. Steinmetz was issued a desk ticket for violating NYC Administrative Code § 10–126, which prohibits the takeoff and landing of drones within New York City.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for early August. During that time, the NYPD held onto Steinmetz’ Phantom 4 Pro as ‘evidence.’ After an unsuccessful attempt to get it back, he went on to purchase two DJI Mavic 2 Pro drones. ‘I need to get back to work,’ Steinmetz explained. ‘The Mavic 2 Pro is in a real sweet spot for me. I prefer the optics and files from the big bird, the Inspire 2 with the X7 gimbal. But the Mav 2 flies really well, has a decent file…the compactness is quite revolutionary.’
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Preparing for burials of what appear to be more COVID-19 victims this morning on Hart Island, New York City. For over 150 years this island with no public access has been used to bury over a million souls who’s bodies were not claimed for private burial. With the morgues of NYC strained, the pace of burials on Hart Island has increased dramatically. I was cited by NYPD while taking this photo, and my drone was confiscated as evidence, for a court date tentatively scheduled for mid-August. #keepthememorycard
A post shared by George Steinmetz (@geosteinmetz) on
Steinmetz’ story has a happy ending, after all. ‘My case was spontaneously dismissed last week [the week of August 7th, 2020], so I went down to the Bronx Police HQ on Wednesday and recovered it. During the time it was confiscated I had to buy a replacement to keep working, and don’t know if I will pursue any further legal action,’ he tells DPReview.
We will keep you updated if any new developments come about.
Chinese smartphone manufacturers Xiaomi and Oppo first showcased new technology that allows for the front camera in smartphones to be installed under, and capture images through the display in the middle of last year. The main benefit of this new technology is the eradication of unsightly large display bezels, notches or punch holes for housing the front camera.
The technology eventually made it into prototype devices but in January 2020 Xiaomi VP Lu Weibing said it should not be expected to arrive in a production device any time soon, as there were still a number of challenges to overcome.
The principal reason given at the time was the high pixel-density of modern smartphone displays which blocked too much of the incoming light. In combination with the small image sensors of most front cameras, this meant severely limited light gathering capabilities and ultimately sub-par image quality, especially in low light conditions. In addition diffraction from the protective glass could lead to color issues.
However, it appears it’s taken less time than expected to solve this issue. According to reports in Chinese media, Visionox, a major OLED manufacturer, is ready to start mass production of displays with under-screen cameras.
Visionox claims it has been able to increase light transmittance and reduce diffraction by using different organic and non-organic film materials that offer higher transparency. On the software side of things, a new algorithm is capable of correcting brightness and color casts as well as viewing angle issues. It also removes the glare that could be seen in sample images from early prototypes.
The pixel density on the portion of the display covering the camera lens has also been modified to allow for better light transmission. On a Full-HD display, the resolution in the specific area where the camera is located could be reduced to HD or even SD levels. We’ll have to wait for the first production devices to see if the change in resolution will be noticeable on the display and if image quality is comparable to more conventional front camera implementations.
Visionox says hundreds of new technologies have been applied in order to get to the mass production stage. Even with the company in a position to manufacture the new type of displays now it’ll still be a while before we can expect devices equipped with the technology. The first models with under-display cameras are expected to see the light of day in Q1 2021.
A drone shot of the New York skyline. Hart Island is located east of Manhatten at the western end of Long Island Sound.
George Steinmetz is a regular contributor for National Geographicand The New York Times. Over the span of his 30-plus-year career, he has received numerous accolades for his aerial photography work including three World Press Photo Awards. Steinmetz started out by piloting a foot-launched motorized paraglider to capture his aerial perspectives. These days he uses a drone.
This past Tuesday, while documenting a burial ditch located on Hart Island, due to the alarming number of COVID-19 fatalities in New York City, Steinmetz’ drone was confiscated by the New York Police Department (NYPD) and he was issued a Desk Appearance Ticket. He was cited for violating NYC Administrative Code § 10–126, which prohibits the takeoff and landing of drones within New York City (NYC).
A screenshot of Hart Island, captured in Apple Maps.
‘I’m not trying to be an advocate, but my encounter with the NYPD [on Tuesday] was not about any safety or privacy considerations that I assume the law was designed for. The officers who cited me were not local, and appeared to be working in conjunction with city employees involved with Hart Island interments. It was a clear example of a law being used for petty press intimidation. It doesn’t look good to see the city’s poor treated like toxic waste,’ Steinmetz tells DPReview.
‘Preparing for burials of what appear to be more COVID-19 victims this morning on Hart Island, New York City. For over 150 years this island with no public access has been used to bury over a million souls (whose) bodies were not claimed for private burial. With the morgues of NYC strained, the pace of burials on Hart Island has increased dramatically. I was cited by NYPD while taking this photo, and my drone was confiscated as evidence, for a court date tentatively scheduled for mid-August,’ reads the quote from Steinmetz’ official Instagram account.
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Preparing for burials of what appear to be more COVID-19 victims this morning on Hart Island, New York City. For over 150 years this island with no public access has been used to bury over a million souls who’s bodies were not claimed for private burial. With the morgues of NYC strained, the pace of burials on Hart Island has increased dramatically. I was cited by NYPD while taking this photo, and my drone was confiscated as evidence, for a court date tentatively scheduled for mid-August. #keepthememorycard
A post shared by George Steinmetz (@geosteinmetz) on
The post, documenting the mass burial site, currently has over 30,000 likes and 813 comments as of publishing this article. It has also ignited an online debate over ethics in photojournalism and the need to overhaul existing drone laws in NYC. While some online commenters criticized Steinmetz for invading the privacy of those being buried, and others questioned the legality of his flight, many more are supportive of the image he was able to capture.
‘This one hits close to home – George Steinmetz does incredible work and this photo is important. I hope some photojournalist groups will step in to defend him. There is a rough NYC working group forming to revise the avigation law. But it got stalled with COVID from what I understand. NYPD is supposed to get first crack at the rewrite which was scheduled for May before this happened,’ states Scott Harrigan in a comment on the Commercial sUAS Remote Pilots Facebook Group.
When asked to elaborate, Harrigan shared the following information with DPReview:
‘As of today, NYC currently has the ‘avigation’ law still on the books. NYC has recently shown interest in overturning this law after an architect was tragically killed last December by falling debris from a facade that went un-inspected.
As a result, detailed in that article above, NYC council members outlined three goals:
1. That the 1948 avigation law would be revised to allow commercial drone use. 2. That a bill would be proposed requiring a facade inspection within 48 hours following any NYC 311 complaint of an unsafe facade 3. That a study would be performed determining the efficiency of using UAVs to inspect NYC owned buildings (performed by DOB)
An informal working group has been formed, to address this law – a coalition of local architects, real estate developers, drone pilots, and drone manufacturers. Mr. Steinmetz’ ticketing highlights how the avigation law is being used inconsistently by NYPD to penalize drone flights at the officer’s whim with no enforcement guidance, rather than in a standardized manner that takes into account public safety. This particular flight posed no threat to public safety, was conducted in compliance with existing federal UAV regulations and was an important act of newsgathering.
It is my hope that this event will spur NYC policymakers to create a consistent legal framework that allows drone operators to perform the many tasks that benefit the public, such as newsgathering, facade inspections, search and rescue, construction progress monitoring, etc.’
‘I could be misinformed but I don’t believe anyone flying a drone has actually been held to the 1940 statute. The prosecutor may not feel it is applicable. This is a reason to clarify and reform the provision so that there is actual accountability for things that matter in New York,’ adds Brendan Schulman, DJI’s Vice President of Policy & Legal Affairs, followed on the same comment thread as Harrigan.
New York City Mayer, Bill de Blasio, has confirmed unclaimed COVID-019 victims are being buried on Hart Island, but not en masse, saying ‘everything will be individual and every body will be treated with dignity.’ Below is the first of a thread of tweets wherein he addresses the subject:
The pictures of our fellow New Yorkers being buried on Hart Island are devastating for all of us.
I want to make sure everyone knows what they’re seeing and what is actually happening on Hart Island.
Remember, these are human beings. These are neighbors we’ve lost.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 10, 2020
This isn’t the first time a drone has been used to capture images on Hart Island, which hosts numerous gravesites and is accessible by appointment. Melinda Hunt, who founded the Hart Island Project, which documents the information of those buried on the small island located Northeast of the Bronx, insists that the burials aren’t disrespectful.
OPPO has been teasing its periscope-design smartphone tele lens for two years now, but those who expected a product launch at MWC 2019 were disappointed once again. That said, we now at least know when a production device with the company’s 10x zoom system will be commercially available.
OPPO announced it has started mass production of the system and will launch a device with the 10x zoom camera in the second quarter of this year. There’s a slight caveat though: unlike most manufacturers, OPPO bases the zoom factor on the 16mm equivalent super-wide-angle. The tele lens comes with a 160mm equivalent focal length, hence a 10x zoom.
A rendered illustration from the above video showing the construction of the optical elements and sensor inside the periscope-style zoom lens.
Most other manufacturers don’t include the super-wide-angle in the zoom factor and instead use the primary camera, which on the OPPO model comes with a 48MP sensor and likely a 28mm focal length, as a reference.
The periscope design features a prism that reflects incoming light by 90 degrees and makes it possible to include such a ‘long’ lens in a thin smartphone body. The prism is also used for image stabilization. The primary comes with OIS as well and OPPO says the system is 73 percent more efficient than the previous iteration.
In addition the engineers have been able to maintain the dimensions of the older 5x prototype system, despite adding a super-wide-angle and using larger sensors.
In 2016, Samsung launched a 4TB SSD with a prohibitively expensive $ 1499 price tag. In a statement this week, Samsung revealed that it has started mass producing a less expensive variant, ushering in the industry’s first 4-bit quad-level cell (QLC) 4TB SATA SSDs. The 4TB model will be part of a consumer QLC SSD lineup released later this year alongside 1TB and 2TB capacities.
…its new 1-terabit V-NAND chip enables it to efficiently produce 128GB cards for mobile devices
The three new consumer-tier QLC SSDs will utilize a 2.5″ form factor, making them compatible with a variety of PCs and external enclosures. According to Samsung, these SSDs have a sequential read speed of 540MB/s and write speed of 520MB/s, offering the same performance as 3-bit drives via the use of TurboWrite tech and a 3-bit SSD controller.
In a press release, Samsung executive VP of memory sales and marketing Jaesoo Han said, “Samsung’s new 4-bit SATA SSD will herald a massive move to terabyte-SSDs for consumers.” In addition, the company says its new 1-terabit V-NAND chip enables it to efficiently produce 128GB cards for mobile devices, paving the way for high-performance mobile storage.
Prices and release dates haven’t been revealed yet.
Leica has released new firmware for five of its camera models, making significant changes to the way existing features operate while also adding totally new functions in some cases. The updates effect the M10 rangefinder, the Q compact and the new CL, as well as the TL2 and the T/TL.
The highlights of the update include allowing four minute exposure times in the M10 at base ISO, and the addition of aperture value recording in the camera’s EXIF data – even though it will be an estimate. Q users get a favourites menu that can hold up to 15 items for especially quick access, and the ability to determine that the electronic shutter should be constantly on. They will also welcome faster processing of the camera’s DNG Raw files.
The CL now offers users the option to transfer the functions of the two main dials between each other, and for those who find themselves accidentally pressing buttons on the small body a new lock feature deactivates access points to keep them from being unintentionally altered.
Control over the shutter mode comes to the TL so users can choose when to shoot with the electronic or mechanical shutter, and the firmware brings focus peaking to users of the M adapter and to those using R lenses on this little camera. The T and TL bodies get better chromatic aberration correction and support for the Elmarit-TL 18mm F2.8 ASPH lens.
The firmware is available to download now, or you can take your camera to a Leica store and have someone do the job for you. For more detail see the listing from Leica below, or visit the Leica website.
Press Information
Extensive updates for Leica Cameras: New firmware releases with numerous improvements and entirely new functions.
Leica Camera AG has released a series of extensive firmware updates for the Leica M10, Leica Q, Leica CL, Leica TL2 and Leica T/TL camera models. Alongside further improvements of existing features, these updates also introduce a considerable number of new camera functions.
Leica M10 (v2.4.5.0)
Optimisation of the delete menu: The graphic user interface for the deletion of pictures has been revised.
Longer exposure times: Exposure times of up to four minutes are now possible at base ISO.
New continuous shooting mode with lower frame rate: An additional continuous shooting mode is now available (Continuous Low Speed, three frames per second).
‘Load profile’ is now available in the favourites menu.
Aperture value in EXIF data: The camera compares the brightness measured through the lens with the measured ambient brightness to estimate the aperture used. This value is then written to the EXIF data. In some cases, the interpretation of the subject or scene may lead to incorrect estimation of the aperture value, for instance when shooting subjects or scenes with high contrast and black or white objects.
LED deactivation: The red LED on the back of the camera can now be deactivated in the control elements menu.
Auto-ISO setting: Auto-ISO for base ISO is set to the default value of ISO 200 to optimise dynamic range.
Leica Q (v3.0)
Favourites Menu: Users can now enter and save up to 15 settings for faster access in a Favourites Menu.
Power Saving Mode: If required, the camera can now be set to switch to Stand-By Mode after 10 seconds.
Extended functions for the Fn button: Even more options can now be selected for programming the multi-function button.
User Profiles: Profiles can now be imported from and exported to a memory card.
OIS – optional ‘Auto’ setting: This setting enables automatic activation of optical image stabilisation at shutter speeds of 1/60 s and slower.
EVF/LCD setting options: This menu item can now be assigned to the Fn button.
Settings for the electronic shutter: The electronic shutter can now be set to permanently active.
DNG files: The processing speed of DNG files in the camera has been increased.
Autofocus fields: The last AF field used is now memorised and recalled when switching the camera off and on again.
Self-timer: The setting is now memorised and recalled when switching the camera off and on again.
Exposure preview deactivation option: Exposure preview can now be deactivated in manual mode (especially useful when shooting in the studio with flash systems, underexposed settings or in dark environments).
Image review: Automatic image review remains active as long as the shutter release button is pressed.
Leica CL (v2.0)
Programming of setting dial functions: The programming of the two setting dials can now be swapped from one to the other.
Button lock: Pressing and holding the left-hand setting dial activates button lock (this does not lock the on/off switch, the shutter release or the left-hand setting dial).
Power Saving Mode: If required, the camera can now be set to switch to Stand-By Mode after 10 seconds.
Touchscreen autofocus: The AF metering points can now also be shifted with the joystick control in Touch AF mode when using the electronic viewfinder.
Leica TL2 (v1.4)
Selection of LCD / viewfinder settings: It is now possible to select when and where the content is displayed (up until now, display was simultaneous).
Customisable left function menu: The items of the left function menu can now be customised by the assignment of up to six of a total of thirteen functions.
Extended functions for the Fn button: Now, one of a total of six different functions can be assigned to the Fn button.
Settings for the electronic shutter: The electronic shutter can be deactivated, permanently activated or set to complement the mechanical shutter.
Focus Peaking in AF Mode: Manual focus corrections can now be applied in AF Mode with the MF-ring. In the meantime, Focus Peaking is available from FW 1.4.
Focus Peaking with M-/R-Lenses: Focus Peaking is now also available when using M- R-Lenses with the M-Adapter L.
Exposure correction during video recording: The left-hand setting dial can now be used to apply exposure correction during video recording.
Zoom-in when reviewing images in the EVF: The right-hand setting dial allows users to zoom in while viewing images in the EVF.
Leica T/TL (v1.8/v2.3)
Simpler connection between the camera and a smartphone by app
Reduction of chromatic aberration for all TL-Lenses
Support and auto-update for the Elmarit-TL 18 mm f/2.8 ASPH.
The firmware updates are available from the Leica website (https://www.leica-camera.com). Users can either download and install the update themselves or have it installed within the scope of the free update service offered in all Leica Stores.
Epson has announced its latest electronic viewfinder panel: a 4.41m dot SXGA+ display, a spec that may sound familiar to anyone who’s been reading about Leica’s SL full-frame mirrorless camera. Epson had shown a mockup of the panel at CP+ back in February 2015, and says the unit is now in mass production.
The 4.41m dot unit offers an SXGA+ display: 1,400 x 1,050 pixels. This equates to 1.87x as many pixels as the existing XGA viewfinders used in most high-end mirrorless cameras: a 36% increase in linear resolution. Everyone who’s used it at DPReview has been very impressed by the level of detail shown by the SL’s 4.41m dot viewfinder.
Leica has previously offered Epson-based EVFs as accessory finders for its X1 and X2 models, but these were likely to have been brought in from Olympus, given the similar styling and cross-compatibility with Olympus units. Considering the dot count and panel size (0.66″), it seems very probable that this is the LCD panel in the SL.
The Leica SL, as seen from behind
At present, most high-end EVFs we’ve seen are XGA 2.36m dot displays, using either LCD or OLED technologies. Olympus used LCD panels in its earlier OM-D cameras but has shifted towards OLED in its latest generation. Likewise, Fujfilm used LCDs in its X-Pro1 and X100 series models, only to embrace OLED across the rest of its range. Despite this shift, we’d be surprised if we didn’t start seeing this LCD panel in some of the higher-end mirrorless cameras over the coming year or so, especially given the greater longevity of LCD panels that Leica mentioned as its reason for choosing the technology.
That said, the 0.66″ panel size could limit its usage, since this is considerably larger than the 0.48″ LCD and 0.5″ OLEDs currently in use.
In previous articles I wrote about the concept of balance in relation to the colours orange and blue, and in relation to composition in the square format. Today I think it will be interesting to explore the concept of balance in relation to photographic composition in more depth.
Central composition
This is a portrait that I created with a central composition. There are a couple of interesting things going on here. One is that the composition is virtually symmetrical. One half of the image is a mirror image of the other, with a few variations. In this case, that reinforces the sense of balance created by the central composition.
What happens if we crop the image to move the girl’s face off-centre, closer to a third? Let’s take a look. Here I’ve cropped it to the 4:3 aspect ratio:
Do you see the difference? In this example the eye is encouraged to move around the frame more by the off-centre composition. Placing the girl’s face off-centre has created a more dynamic composition.
The first version is about balance, the second is about being off balance and adding a kind of tension to the image. The subject is the same, but one simple variation in composition creates two different effects.
Tonal contrast
The portrait is also an interesting study in tonal contrast. The light tones of the face and scarf contrast with each other. Roughly one-third of the image is made up of light tones, and the rest dark tones. What we’re looking at here is an example of what some photographers refer to as visual mass. Light tones pull the eye more than dark tones. Therefore, to create a balanced image, there needs to be more dark tones than light tones. If the ratio was around equal, the image wouldn’t feel so balanced.
This is what happens if we crop the portrait to a square. The ratio of light to dark tones is about even. But the sense of balance between dark and light tones in the original has been lost:
Here’s another example of balancing the visual mass between light and dark tones:
Now, here’s another example to illustrate the same concept:
The photo is split into three bands. The strips of dark tones at the top and the bottom are balanced by the band of light tone in the middle.
There are other ways this image is balanced too. The mountains occupy the bottom part of the frame, and are balanced by a large expanse of stormy sky. The mountains have more visual mass than the sky, therefore the photo benefits from having more sky in it.
The telegraph pole in the bottom right third is the focal point of the image. It has a lot of visual mass, assisted by its placement on the thirds. The visual mass of the telegraph pole is so strong that even at this small size it is balanced by the rest of the image.
Finally, an image with a composition that at first glance seems to be at odds with what I said earlier about tonal balance:
In this image, the light tones of the salt flats are balanced by the brooding dark tones of the mountains and sky in the distance.
The thing about visual mass and balance is that they are difficult concepts to condense down into rules like the rule-of-thirds. Every scene is different and the best composition may depend as much upon your intent (ie. would you like a balanced image, or a less balanced one with more dynamic tension?) as it does upon the subject.
One of the best ways to improve the composition of your images is to read as much about these concepts as you can, absorb them, and then compose according to ‘feel’. Does the image feel right when you look through the viewfinder? As your understanding of composition improves, so will your photos.
Mastering Photography
My latest ebook, Mastering Photography: A Beginner’s Guide to Using Digital Cameras introduces you to digital photography and helps you make the most out of your digital cameras. It covers concepts such as lighting and composition as well as the camera settings you need to master to take photos like the ones in this article.
Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.
Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.
Epson has said it is starting full production of its high-resolution SVGA LCD panel for use in electronic viewfinder cameras. The 1024 x 768 pixel screen sits alongside the company’s existing 800 x 600 pixel display, as used in the Olympus OM-D and, we suspect, in Fujifilm’s X100 and X-Pro1. The latest panel, unveiled at Photokina, offers the same 2.36m dot resolution as announced in the Fujifilm X100S. It’ll be interesting to see how it compares to the Sony OLED display of the same resolution used in various Sony models and Fujifilm’s X-E1.
This is the first half of the Mass Effect 3 Demo in stereoscopic 3d at 1080p. Video Rating: 4 / 5
3D wreck diving movie made with GoPro 3D Hero System. Shot by Ian Watson at HMAS Adelaide – Scuttled to make an artificial reef at Avoca NSW. Featuring Shamus Baker & Greg Bellis Please choose 3D viewing method from 3D Icon located bottom right of player window. subscribe or visit my channel “NeilSurry” for many more 3D videos. Video Rating: 5 / 5
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