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12 Tips to Master the Clone Stamp Tool in Photoshop

09 Jul

The post 12 Tips to Master the Clone Stamp Tool in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jim Hamel.

The Clone Stamp tool is one of Photoshop’s most useful editing options. After all, it can get rid of all sorts of unwanted objects! Yet for beginners – and even more experienced photo editors – it can be intimidating, frustrating, and discouraging.

That’s why, in this article, I’m going to share everything you need to know about the Clone Stamp tool, including how it works, how to use it to remove unwanted items from your photos, and the simple tips and tricks that will make you a Clone Stamp master.

Let’s dive right in.

When should you use the Clone Stamp tool in Photoshop?

Photoshop offers several tools for making minor adjustments to your photos (e.g., the Healing Brush tool and the Spot Healing Brush tool). But while such tools are great for minor edits – such as removing spots and power lines – when it comes time for serious, intensive surgery on your photos, the Clone Stamp tool is the way to go.

You can use the Clone Stamp tool to:

Remove people standing in the background of a portrait
Remove people walking through your travel shots
Remove cars that are positioned in awkward places
Remove distracting street signs
Remove distracting shadows
Remove distracting reflections

And those are just a few of the many applications of the Clone Stamp tool.

Clone Stamp Tool example on the Palais Garnier interior — You will not often find the stairs of the Palais Garnier in Paris free of people, so you will need to put the Clone Stamp tool to work if you want a clean picture. This applies at many other tourist destinations, as well.

How to use the Clone Stamp tool: the basics

Getting started with the Clone Stamp tool is simple. You just tell Photoshop two things:

The area you want to target for removal (i.e., the target area).
The area Photoshop should use to supply replacement pixels (i.e., the source area).

So if you were removing a person from a staircase (as I did in the example above), you would set the source area as some nearby stairs, and you would set the target area as the person you wanted to remove.

Here’s the step-by-step process for using the tool:

Step 1: Select the Clone Stamp tool from the Tools panel

You’ll find the Tools panel on the left-hand side of your screen (the Clone Stamp tool looks like a rubber stamp):

Once you have the tool selected, click on the Brush menu dropdown:

And set both the Size and the Hardness.

Step 2: Select the source area

Remember, the source area refers to the portion of the image you will use to source replacement pixels.

So hover your cursor over the source area, hold the Alt/Option key (your cursor will now become a target), and do a single click.

Step 3: Paint over the target area

Release the Alt key and move your mouse over to the area you’d like to remove. Hold down the mouse button and carefully paint in the new pixels.

And that’s it. You’re done! But while the process sounds simple, there’s a lot to understand, especially if you want to become a Clone Stamp expert.

So let’s take a look at some tips and tricks to help you conquer this important Photoshop tool, starting with:

1. Work on a new layer

Before making changes with the Clone Stamp tool, always create a new layer. Then make sure your adjustments all happen on the layer (you can flatten the image when you’re done).

Why should you do this?

There are many reasons. First of all, Photoshop layers are nondestructive – so changes to the layer won’t change the underlying pixels of your image. In addition, if you don’t like where the changes are going, you can always delete the layer and start over.

And if you later decide there are portions of the Clone Stamp changes you don’t want, you can always use a layer mask to selectively delete those changes. Plus, you can apply adjustments specifically to cloned areas if they are on a new layer (as will be explored in more depth below).

Now, creating a new layer is easy. Simply press Ctrl/Cmd+J to create a duplicate of your current image layer, or press Shift+Ctrl/Cmd+N to create a new blank layer.

Working on a new layer with the Clone Stamp tool

Note: If you do create a new blank layer, make sure you have All Layers selected as your source in the Clone Stamp tool settings.

selecting All Layers for the Clone Stamp tool

I personally prefer working on a new layer (as opposed to a duplicate layer), but either way will work.

2. Zoom in (way in)

When working with the Clone Stamp tool, you should always zoom in – in fact, I recommend you zoom way in (potentially to 100% and beyond).

zoomed in image with Clone Stamp tool on the side — I tend to do my Clone Stamp work zoomed in to 100% or more.

Zooming in will help isolate the area you are working on, and it will allow you to work with far more detail and precision than would otherwise be possible. Make your changes look as good as you can with this higher level of detail, then when you zoom back out, the changes will blend in perfectly.

A shortcut for zooming quickly is to hold the Alt/Option key with your left hand while using the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in and out. You can also use Ctrl/Cmd and the + or – key on the keyboard. That way, you can zoom in and out with speed.

3. Set your brush size using shortcuts

When working with the Clone Stamp tool, you’ll need to change your brush size often.

Why? You should always make sure your brush size fits the changes you’re making. Big changes require a big brush, whereas small changes require a fine brush for detail work.

Unfortunately, changing the size through the Brush panel is cumbersome, but there are some easy keyboard shortcuts:

The left bracket key [ makes the brush smaller
The right bracket key ] makes the brush larger

Thanks to these shortcuts, you’ll be able to rapidly tailor the tool to your specific circumstances.

4. Set the proper brush hardness

The Clone Stamp tool can be set to whatever hardness you desire. Simply open the Brush panel, then adjust the Hardness slider:

Now, hardness determines the extent to which your cloning will blend in with the surrounding pixels. If you set the hardness toward 100%, the cloned edges will be hard and definite:

If you set the hardness toward 0%, the edges will blend in with the surroundings:

In general, keep the hardness at 0%. It will help you seamlessly blend in your effect. There will be times, however, where you are working near a defined edge, in which case you should increase the hardness. Even then, around 50% will usually do. Setting the hardness any higher creates harsh transitions, and these often look unnatural (they’ll also make it very clear you’ve used the Clone Stamp tool).

5. Clone before making other adjustments

Here’s a quick Clone Stamp tool tip:

Do your cloning before making adjustments (via adjustment layers) to contrast, color, etc. If you apply the Clone Stamp tool after creating those adjustment layers, you’ll bake the changes permanently into your picture when you clone – which can be a problem if you later decide you want to remove some of your earlier adjustments.

However, in some cases, you’ll need to clone, yet you will have already made changes on an adjustment layer. So what do you do? Photoshop actually lets you decide whether to include adjustment layer changes in your cloning, and I generally recommend you don’t include these changes.

Simply select the circle with a line through it in the Clone Stamp tool Options bar:

preventing the Clone Stamp tool from being affected by adjustment layers

And Photoshop will ignore adjustment layers when you clone.

6. Grab the low-hanging fruit

Most of the time, your pictures will have some easy items to clone out – along with some harder items.

Clone out the easy items first, such as small blemishes on a portrait subject, dirt in a landscape, trash in a street scene, etc.

For one, this will give you confidence in your Clone Stamp tool abilities (always a good thing!). Plus, removing unnecessary items will help when the time comes to make hard changes.

How will it help? When using the Clone Stamp tool, the cleaner the space you have from which you can draw pixels, the better. So by making the easy changes first, you’re cleaning up the areas that may feature in your more difficult clone jobs later.

Make sense?

7. Watch for patterns

Sometimes, it’s a good idea to include patterns in your cloning; for instance, if you’re removing a person from in front of a building, you’ll want to use a similar building as your cloning source.

However, there are often times when you don’t want discernible patterns in your cloned areas. For instance, if you get rid of a bird in the sky, you don’t want to replace it with an obvious set of repetitive clouds – that would look super unnatural and would immediately indicate to viewers that you used the Clone Stamp tool.

There is an easy way to avoid patterns: as you clone, frequently choose a new source point. Sample from one area and clone one part of your image, then sample from another area and clone another part, and so on. Keep it up until you’ve finished all the necessary cloning, and you’ll end up with an image featuring zero repetition and an invisible clone job.

removing distractions from a lighthouse photo without creating a pattern — The right side of this image was filled with distractions, and the Clone Stamp tool eliminated them. But I had to be careful not to create patterns in the rocks or in the trees/water!

8. Follow the lines

A key to the successful use of the Clone Stamp tool is making all the lines in your picture match. Even slight deviations from the correct lines will look fake and destroy the effect you are trying to achieve.

For example, if you’re cloning parts of a landscape, make sure the edges of the tree branches match up. In an urban context, follow lines on buildings such as roof edges, doorways, and brickwork.

When you’re using the Clone Stamp tool, I recommend you start with – and stay focused on! – the lines. Let the rest of the pixels fall where they may. Afterward, if you need to go back over other areas, you can do so.

removing a person from an interior shot — Here, I’ve zoomed in on a portion of an architectural shot. As you can see, I’ve used the patterns on the floor and door to recreate the space behind the distracting person.

9. Avoid selecting from adjacent areas

As previously mentioned, a dead giveaway of the Clone Stamp tool is repetition.

Of course, in a sense, the Clone Stamp tool is all about repetition – you’re repeating a part of your image to cover up a part you don’t like – but you need to do it in such a way that the viewer doesn’t notice. If you draw pixels from an immediately adjacent area, you risk the viewer noticing the repetition. So take the pixels from somewhere else in the image instead.

Inadvertently creating a pattern is an easy trap to fall into when using adjacent areas, but at the same time, using non-adjacent areas can be tricky. The immediately adjacent areas are usually the closest in color and tone to the area you want to replace, and as you move farther away, tones and colors change so the pixels get harder to match.

So work hard. Find a way to use pixels from somewhere else in your photo, especially when the adjacent pixels contain obvious patterns. It might take extra time, but it’ll be worth it in the end.

10. Muddle through (and accept the messiness)

Once you’ve made the “easy” changes to your photo, it’s time to tackle a bigger problem – a crowd of people, for instance, or a car that takes up a large portion of the scene. And I get it: it’s the scary part of using the Clone Stamp tool.

The key is to just dive in. Don’t try to figure it all out beforehand (you never will). You can use a couple of different approaches:

Go big first. Set your brush a little larger than is strictly necessary and just replace the entire area in one fell swoop. You should then go back and clean up with a smaller brush.
Go small and steady. Stick with the smaller brush and paint over the problem area gradually. Here, the key is to keep going. Remember that you can go over the area again if necessary. Whatever you do on your first pass, while probably not perfect, will undoubtedly look better than what you started with.

You’ve just got to do it. There is a tendency to freeze up and to try to map out the entire clone job, step by step, before actually doing anything. But this just causes you to stare at the computer screen for long periods of time and isn’t especially helpful.

Remember, you can always undo what you’ve done! In addition, because you hopefully followed the first tip in this article and are working on a new layer, you can always mask out certain areas or even delete them if you don’t get the result you want.

11. Mirror your source pixels

The Clone Source panel contains lots of adjustments you can make to your brush when cloning.

To access the panel, go to Window, then click on Clone Source:

Once in the panel, you can change the angle of the replacement pixels, you can give the tool an offset, and more.

One of the most useful features in the Clone Source panel is the Flip Horizontal option:

using the Flip Horizontal setting in the Clone Source panel

Click on this, and the pixels will be replaced in the opposite horizontal direction to the source.

Confused? Don’t be. You’re basically just mirroring source pixels. For example, in the crop below, I selected the road line on the right as my source, then cloned it off to the left. You can see how the pixels are flipped horizontally:

While this may seem like a pointless trick, it can actually be very useful. Imagine you’re dealing with a symmetrical object; instead of sourcing pixels from above or below the clone target, you can simply use pixels from its opposite (reflective) side.

Here’s a typical example: A person is covering one side of a doorway, and you want to get rid of them. By clicking on Flip Horizontal, you can use the other side of the doorway as your source, and you don’t have to scramble for pixels all around the frame.

12. Change the cloned areas with adjustment layers

Sometimes, your cloned areas just won’t look exactly like the surroundings. Perhaps the source areas you used were too bright or too dark, or perhaps the colors were just a bit off.

But don’t worry; you can fix this without affecting the surrounding pixels. You just need the power of adjustment layers.

Simply create a new adjustment layer (e.g., Levels, Curves, or Hue/Saturation):

Make sure it’s positioned above your cloning layer. Then hold down the Alt/Option key and click on the spot between the two layers:

clipping an adjustment layer to the cloning layer below it

This will clip the adjustment layer to your cloning layer. Now any adjustments you apply will only change the layer below it, and you’re free to brighten, darken, add contrast, adjust colors, etc.

Mastering the Clone Stamp tool: final words

Remember: Using the Clone Stamp tool can be a messy process. So don’t worry if you find yourself having to redo changes or make things up as you go along. There is no magical “clean” method – instead, the Clone Stamp tool involves a lot of experimentation, a lot of problem-solving, and a dose of determination.

Take your time and just keep moving. You can always undo your changes (or, if you are working on a new layer, you can delete the changes without losing the rest of your work).

And have fun!

Now over to you:

Do you have any tips or tricks for using the Clone Stamp tool? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post 12 Tips to Master the Clone Stamp Tool in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jim Hamel.

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Master Lightroom in Under 20 Minutes With This Video

04 Apr

The post Master Lightroom in Under 20 Minutes With This Video appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Do you want to master Lightroom, but you never really have the time?

Then you’re going to love this video from photographer and editing-expert Sawyer Hartman. In just 18 minutes, Sawyer takes you through everything you need to know to start creating gorgeous Lightroom edits, from the absolute basics (such as importing and adjusting exposure) all the way down to Lightroom’s powerful Graduated Filter and Adjustment Brush.

He even includes a downloadable photo (the link is in the video description) so that you can follow along on your own computer.

Watch the video here:

And when you’re done, leave a comment letting us know your favorite Lightroom feature!

The post Master Lightroom in Under 20 Minutes With This Video appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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4 Yummy Tips On How To Master Food Photography

14 Jan

Can you recall the last time you saw an advertisement for what looked like the PERFECT burger? Remember that mouth-watering feeling you experienced? Sorry to say this, but that burger was far from being perfect, or real. And, while this may be a disappointing truth as a customer, as a food photographer, you can use it to your advantage. Food Continue Reading

The post 4 Yummy Tips On How To Master Food Photography appeared first on Photodoto.

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How to Master Lightroom in a Weekend!

18 Dec

The post How to Master Lightroom in a Weekend! appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Master Lightroom in a Weekend

Day 7 of dPS Holiday Deals is the gift of mastering Lightroom in a weekend with Adam Welch of Contrastly.

Save 63% now

It’s painful when you’ve paid good money for an editing program like Lightroom Classic, and in your heart you know you’re not using it to its fullest capacity.

Don’t waste hours and hours merely opening up Lightroom and then moving sliders around until you land on something that looks kind of ok …

One of our regular writers, Adam Welch, brings you “The Decoding Lightroom” video course to show you how to go from importing your images to editing them professionally and responsibly, as well as exporting them.

Decoding Lightroom

There are 20 video lessons that cover every module and panel in Lightroom Classic. With over 5 hours of video material, you could go over all the material in the course in a single weekend and start using Lightroom to its fullest potential.

Normally $ 129, Adam is offering his course to our readers for just $ 49 USD today.

Check it out and save $ 80 before the next deal arrives in just 24 hours, or just click through and watch Adam’s awesome video if you’ve ever wondered who the person behind his articles is!

PS – You can still grab yesterday’s deal – any of our dPS eBooks for just $ 9, save up to 80%. Check them out here.

The post How to Master Lightroom in a Weekend! appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

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Once 500PX “Photoshop Master” Now Facing Discipline for “Photomanipulation” from 500PX Moderators

26 Jun

The post Once 500PX “Photoshop Master” Now Facing Discipline for “Photomanipulation” from 500PX Moderators appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Michael Karcz is about to be banned from the 500PX community. His account will likely be deleted. All based on what the 500PX moderators deem to be “non-photographic content” on his page.

Michael Karcz is a well-respected photographer on 500PX. He is known for his fantasy-style images, which involved extensive use of Photoshop to create alternate realities. He has garnered thousands of followers and millions of views.

And in an article published four years back, 500PX heaped praise on Karcz, referring to him as a “Photoshop master” with “formidable Photoshop skills.”

What changed?

On Karcz’s end, nothing. His account has been business-as-usual in recent months. He never attempted to hide the process behind his images. Karcz writes on Facebook: “I marked each work as photo-montage and placed in a category that most closely matches content – fine art.”

Karcz’s gallery on 500PX.

Instead, the reversal is due entirely to 500PX’s new orientation, which rejects anything seen as non-photographic content. And this includes Karcz’s work, which relies heavily on Photoshop.

Here’s the initial message that Karcz received from a 500PX representative:

This email is to notify you that our Moderators have found non-photographic content posted on your account. 500px is a photography community, and we do not currently allow non-photographic content to be uploaded to the site. This includes screenshots, graphic designs, drawings/illustrations, video game screen captures, and other non-photographic content that we deem to be in violation of our Terms of Service. If our Moderators continue to find non-photographic material posted to your account, it may result in your account being banned. Thank you for your cooperation, 500px.

And when Karcz asked for further explanation, this was the reply from 500PX:

Hi there, Unfortunately photomanipulations based on photography is not photography and our website in the current iteration is evolving into a purely photography website. Not only that, our terms of service require you to be the copyright owner of the images you upload so if you’re editing bits and pieces of other peoples imagery then you’re in violation of that. I personally am a fan of your artwork but unfortunately it doesn’t fit within the conditions of our site at the moment.

Karcz is understandably frustrated by this about-face. For years, 500PX was a platform to share his work. And now, without warning, he’s been turned away, despite investing time and energy into building a 500PX following.

Karcz writes: “I never concealed how my work is created, and evidence of hypocrisy is an interview with me in 500px, which was later also found in the Huffington Post. What I use are photographs, and the photomontage is the starting medium.”

He goes on to argue that his photomontage technique has been “used almost from the beginning of photography, by those who wanted to show something more [than] realism.”

What are your thoughts? Should Karcz’s work be allowed on 500PX?

And if not, how should 500PX deal with once-accepted photographers who have been dedicated members of the community?

The post Once 500PX “Photoshop Master” Now Facing Discipline for “Photomanipulation” from 500PX Moderators appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Think Tank Photo’s Stash Master 13L is a modular travel cube for your camera gear

03 May

Think Tank Photo has announced the release of the Stash Master 13L, a travel cube designed to safely store camera equipment in a package that can be used on its own or added to any large backpack to instantly turn it into a camera bag.

Think Tank Photo specifically designed the Stash Master 13L so it was large enough to fit the ‘holy trinity’ of lenses — a 70-200mm F2.8, a 24-70mm F2.8 and a 16-35mm F2.8 (or equivalents — alongside a gripped camera body. While the internal baffles can be customized, it should be good to go out of the box to fit all three lenses, a camera body and a decent selection of accessories.

The travel cube is constructed of a 100D rip-stop nylon and features DWR coating to keep moisture away from camera gear. It features YKK RC-Fuse zippers a tuck away front flap with foam panel that can be removed in the event you want to keep the gear more accessible when the cube is stored inside a backpack.

On both the top and bottom of the camera bag are a pair of carrying straps and the side features webbing loops so a shoulder strap can be attached, making for a modular sling-style bag. Think Tank Photo also notes the bag is a perfect match for its recently-released BackLight Elite 45L backpack, where it can be stored inside for back-panel access.

Below are a few gear setup examples Think Tank Photo has provided for what can fit inside:

• One gripped DSLR with lenses attached up to a 70-200mm f/2.8 plus, 2–3 standard zoom lenses and a flash.
• Two ungripped DSLRs with lenses attached up to a 70–200mm f/2.8 and 1–2 standard zoom lenses.
• Two gripped mirrorless bodies with lenses attached up to a 70–200mm f/2.8 plus 3–5 additional lenses.

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The external dimensions of the travel cube are 31cm x 31cm x 19cm (12.2in x 12.2in x 7.5in), its internal dimensions are 30cm x 30cm x 18cm (11.8in x 11.8in x 7.1in) and it weighs just 400g (0.9lbs). The Stash Master 13L is currently listed on Think Tank Photo’s website for $ 59.99, but is labeled as ‘Out of Stock’ at the time of posting this article.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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3 Simple Tips to Help You Master Photography Composition [video]

23 Mar

The post 3 Simple Tips to Help You Master Photography Composition appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

In this video, Nigel Danson shares three simple photography tips to help you master photography composition. He uses seascape photography to illustrate his tips.

Here are the Three simple tips to help you master photography composition that Nigel covers in his video:

1. Tell the story

You are trying to portray the story of the place you are photographing in your image. Look for things that might make a difference to your shot. With seascape photography, look for things like rocks, and waves, and where the light is coming from. Is it windy? How can you show that? Do you want to capture the isolation, or busyness of the location? Is there a significant landmark you want to capture?

2. Be mindful of the foreground

One of the most important things in landscape composition can be getting the foreground right. Something that is really simple, perhaps with repeating patterns can work really well.

Use leading lines to draw the viewer into your image. A beach or seaside location is a great place to do that. Use the shoreline as your leading lines towards rocks or other parts of the landscape that may be significant.

Danson says four things are important in achieving a good photograph: Timing, subject, composition, and light.

Try to include secondary compositions within your main composition to better tell the story.

Shutter speed is also important – do you want soft water and movement in the clouds? Or do you want them sharp and crisp?

3. Try different focal lengths

Explore different focal lengths. Try macro, go super-wide, or use long-lenses to bring backgrounds closer in an image.

You may also want to try intentional camera movement (ICM) for interesting effects.

You may also find the following articles helpful:

Composition Tips for Drawing the Viewer’s Eye Through Your Photographs

4 of the Most Common Composition Mistakes In Photography

Divine Composition With Fibonacci’s Ratio (The Rule of Thirds on Steroids)

Four Rules of Photographic Composition

Composition Checklist for Beginners

The post 3 Simple Tips to Help You Master Photography Composition appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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Sony announces FE 135mm F1.8 G Master lens

26 Feb

Sony has announced its FE 135mm F1.8 G Master telephoto prime lens. Sony says that this (relatively) lightweight and portable lens is well-suited for portrait, wedding and sports photographers.

The 135mm F1.8 has 13 elements in total, which include XA (extreme aspherical), Super ED and ED. The XA and Super ED elements in the front group replace traditional large and heavy negative elements to ‘effectively suppress all common telephoto lens aberrations,’ according to Sony. Sony claims that the combination of a Super ED and ED element ‘compensate for axial CA, minimize color fringing and maximize overall resolution,’ while the large XA elements mitigate spherical aberration.

Producing large XA elements that don’t negatively affect bokeh is difficult, but Sony claims its 10nm mold precision and other improvements ensure that onion ring bokeh is non-existent. Furthermore, each lens is individually inspected for smooth bokeh. An 11-blade aperture ensures circular out-of-focus highlights even at F4 and beyond. Sony’s Nano AR coating is used to reduce flare and ghosting, while a fluorine element repels fingerprints and water.

There are four XD linear motors on the lens – two for each of the focus groups – that promise responsive, accurate and quiet focusing. Sony states this is its first lens to offer two direct-drive SSM motors to move two separate XA elements for fast focus. Moving large XA elements was only possible by switching from piezoelectric actuation to linear induction motors. The 135mm F1.8 is weather-sealed and features an aperture ring, focus ring with linear response (important for videographers), two customizable focus hold buttons and a focus range limiter with three settings. The latter allows you to fine tune the lens for your shooting situation and is particularly important given the lens’ close focus distance. If you are shooting distant subjects, limiting focus allows for nearly instantaneous focus without the risk of hunting to extremely nearby distances.

The FE 135mm F1.8 GM will ship in late April for $ 1900. Click on any of the images below to launch our sample gallery from our brief time with the lens at a local shooting event.

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Press Release

Sony Electronics Inc. Announces New Full-frame 135mm F1.8 G Master™ Prime Lens with Stunning Resolution and Bokeh, Excellent AF Performance

SAN DIEGO — Feb. 26, 2019 — Sony Electronics Inc today introduced a highly anticipated addition to their acclaimed G Master series of full-frame E-mount interchangeable lenses – a 135mm F1.8 full-frame, large-aperture telephoto prime lens (model SEL135F18GM).

Equipped with Sony’s most advanced optical technologies, the new lens is built to meet the extremely high standards of Sony’s G Master series. The new FE 135mm F1.8 GM offers exceptionally high resolution and exquisite bokeh, two qualities that are signature attributes of Sony’s flagship G Master brand. The new lens combines rapid autofocus (AF) acquisition with a lightweight, portable design and a variety of professional functions, making it a versatile, high-performance tool for professional portrait photographers, wedding photographers, sports photographers and a wide variety of imaging enthusiasts.

“Sony’s commitment to growing our lens lineup remains stronger than ever,” said Neal Manowitz, vice president of imaging solutions at Sony Electronics. “Our 31^st native full-frame FE lens and 49^th overall E-mount lens, the highly anticipated 135mm prime brings the acclaimed G Master quality to another popular focal length for both professionals and enthusiasts to enjoy. We will continue to drive market-leading innovation in all aspects of our imaging business, giving our customers the opportunity to capture and create like they never have before.”

Realizing consistently high resolution across the entire frame, even at F1.8, the FE 135mm F1.8 GM boasts an innovative optical design that places XA (extreme aspherical) and Super ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements in the front group to effectively suppress all common telephoto lens aberrations. Additionally, the Super ED element plus one ED glass element are strategically positioned to compensate for axial chromatic aberration, minimize color fringing and maximize overall resolution, ensuring outstanding image quality. For impressive clarity, Sony’s unique Nano AR Coating is applied to reduce flare and ghosting that can occur when shooting backlit portraits.

The new telephoto prime lens utilizes its XA element, refined with Sony’s latest bokeh simulation technologies during the design and manufacturing stages, to control spherical aberration and achieve exquisite bokeh. In addition, an 11-bladed circular aperture mechanism contributes towards achieving extremely natural and beautiful background defocus. The exciting new model also features dual-autofocus groups in a floating focus arrangement for improved close-up capability, allowing a minimum focus distance of just 0.7 meters and a maximum magnification of 0.25x.

To ensure that this lens can keep up with fast-moving portrait or sports subjects, the FE 135mm F1.8 GM has been equipped with a total of four of Sony’s proprietary XD linear motors—two for each group—that achieve rapid, reliable and speedy AF tracking and performance. There is also a control algorithm that helps to maximize control response and ensure quiet, low-vibration AF. All of this exceptional performance is packaged in a compact, lightweight body weighing in at 33.6 oz.

The FE 135mm F1.8 GM includes a number of professional controls that enhance ease of operation for both stills and movie shooting. These include an aperture ring that allows direct, intuitive aperture control and a focus ring that features Linear Response MF for fine, responsive manual focus control. There is also a focus range limiter switch, two customizable focus hold buttons, and a focus-mode switch that makes it possible to quickly select auto or manual focus to match changing shooting conditions.

New Circular Polarizing Filters

In addition to the new FE 135mm F1.8 GM Lens, Sony has also announced a new lineup of Circular Polarizing Filters. The new filters, including models for lens diameters 49mm, 55mm, 62mm, 67mm, 72mm, 77mm and 82mm, preserve image quality and resolution about twice[i] as effectively as Sony’s existing circular PL filter lineup, making them a perfect partner for Sony’s flagship G Master series lens. They also feature a ZEISS® T* Coating to minimize flare and a slim filter design to prevent image vignetting and maximize overall performance.

Pricing and Availability

The FE 135mm F1.8 GM will ship in late April 2019 for approximately $ 1,900 US and $ 2,600 CA. The lens will be sold at a variety of Sony authorized dealers throughout North America.

The new circular polarizer filters will ship in May 2019, with approximate pricing outlined below:

49mm (model VF49CPAM2) – $ 100 US / $ 130 CA
55mm (model VF55CPAM2) – $ 110 US / $ 150 CA
62mm (model VF62CPAM2) – $ 140 US / $ 190 CA
67mm (model VF67CPAM2) – $ 155 US / $ 200 CA
72mm (model VF72CPAM2) – $ 165 US / $ 220 CA
77mm (model VF77CPAM2) – $ 180 US / $ 240 CA
82mm (model VF82CPAM2) – $ 230 US / $ 300 CA

A variety of exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with the new lens and Sony ‘s Alpha products can be found at www.alphauniverse.com, a site created to educate and inspire all fans and customers of Sony’s Alpha brand.

The new content will also be posted directly at the Sony Photo Gallery and the Sony Camera Channel on YouTube. Detailed information pages within Sony.com for the new lens can be found at:

SEL135F18GM (US)
SEL135F18GM (CA)

[i] Depends on model and focal length of lens attached

Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM specifications

Principal specifications
Lens type	Prime lens
Max Format size	35mm FF
Focal length	135 mm
Image stabilization	No
Lens mount	Sony FE
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F1.8
Minimum aperture	F22
Aperture ring	Yes
Number of diaphragm blades	11
Optics
Elements	13
Groups	10
Special elements / coatings	XD, Super ED and ED elements; Nano AR and fluorine coatings
Focus
Minimum focus	0.70 m (27.56″)
Maximum magnification	0.25×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Linear Motor
Full time manual	Yes
Focus method	Internal
Distance scale	No
DoF scale	No
Focus distance limiter	Yes
Physical
Weight	950 g (2.09 lb)
Materials	Magnesium alloy
Sealing	Yes
Filter thread	82 mm
Hood supplied	Yes
Tripod collar	No

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Hands-on with the Sony 24mm F1.4 G Master

21 Sep

Hands-on with the Sony 24mm F1.4 G Master

The Sony 24mm F1.4 is the latest lens to join the company’s premium G Master lineup. It’s impressively compact given its size, and at 445g (0.98lb), it’s 200g – or almost half a pound – lighter than the Sigma 24mm F1.4 Art for DSLR cameras. It’s even lighter compared to the E-mount Sigma 24mm Art lens – 335g lighter – or about half the weight.

The 24mm F1.4 balances really nicely on a Sony a7R III, with the center of gravity very close to the body. Sony claims that the short flange distance as well as the inclusion of two XA (extreme aspherical) elements help keep the lens’ size down.

Hands-on with the Sony 24mm F1.4 G Master

The optical formula comprises 13 elements in 10 groups. Sony claims that the two XA elements combine with three ED (extra dispersion) elements to provide great resolution and coma suppression even at F1.4. The XA elements also help to combat field curvature and astigmatism, which are aberrations common to wide-angle lenses.

Hands-on with the Sony 24mm F1.4 G Master

The XA elements are claimed to contribute to the quality of the bokeh rendition, which our initial shooting shows to be very smooth. Sony says that these elements are manufactured to a precision of 0.01 microns, which should help prevent busy ‘onion ring’ patterns in your out-of-focus highlights, and generally yield smoother bokeh.

The 24mm F1.4 G Master features a 67mm filter thread, compared with the 77mm threads found on comparable offerings from Sigma, Canon and Nikon.

Hands-on with the Sony 24mm F1.4 G Master

The 24mm F1.4’s 11-blade aperture (seen here wide-open) also contributes to smooth bokeh, remaining circular down to F2.8. Continue closing the aperture down and you’ll be treated to some lovely 22-point sunstars.

Hands-on with the Sony 24mm F1.4 G Master

In terms of controls, the 24mm F1.4 comes with a physical aperture ring that allows you to select F1.4 – F16 in 1/3 stop increments. You can also click it to ‘A,’ which allows you to use the command dials on the camera to control aperture instead.

This lens handles very nicely for video shooters, as well. The aperture ring can be de-clicked for smooth, silent control during video shooting, and the manual focus ring comes with excellent feel and a linear (as opposed to speed-sensitive) response for those who like to manually pull focus. Sony claims minimal focus breathing thanks to a precision internal focus mechanism. Lastly, the light weight makes it easier to mount and use on a gimbal.

Hands-on with the Sony 24mm F1.4 G Master

On the other side of the lens is a customizable function button as well as the AF / MF switch. In terms of autofocus, a high-power direct drive SSM provides fast and silent autofocus, and Sony claims the new motor provides a higher level of positioning accuracy.

Sony also claims that this new motor provides three times greater thrust than the previous model, which we presume is the motor in the FE 35mm F1.4. In our preliminary shooting, we found the 24mm F1.4 GM focused slightly faster than the Sigma 24mm F1.4 Art, which itself is already quick for an F1.4 lens. The Sony had no problem keeping up with the newest member of the DPReview team, an excitable pup named Belvedere.

Hands-on with the Sony 24mm F1.4 G Master

As with all of Sony’s G Master lenses, the 24mm F1.4 is built to a high standard. Despite its light weight it feels quite solid, it’s dust and moisture-sealed and comes with a gasket on the mount. All focusing is taken care of internally, providing an additional measure against dust incursion.

Hands-on with the Sony 24mm F1.4 G Master

Until now, the most comparable option for Sony users wanting a fast 24mm was to adapt Sigma’s 24mm F1.4 Art (or Canon’s EF 24mm F1.4L II), or by the newly available E-mount version of the 24mm Art. The Sigma is a truly lovely lens, but even aside from the weight, the adapter pushes the center of gravity further out and it’s just not as comfortable to handle as the new G Master. The same holds true for the E-mount Sigma 24/1.4, which is essentially the same length as the DSLR version with the adapter.

Remove the adapter and the two lenses are more comparable, with the G Master actually measuring 2mm longer. But the G Master’s weight savings alone will make a significant difference for frequent travelers and users on all-day shoots.

Hands-on with the Sony 24mm F1.4 G Master

Though we’ve yet to fully test the 24mm F1.4 G Master, our initial impressions of its optics are positive. The contrast is high even at F1.4 (like the Sigma Art), and is noticeably better than the more ‘veiled’ look of the Nikon and Canon equivalents wide-open.

Wide-open sharpness is great, though as you’d expect, stopping down to F2 or F2.8 gets you even sharper results thanks to the elimination of purple fringing visible around high contrast edges at F1.4. Bokeh is smooth, with no onion ring artifacts. As with all fast, wide-angle primes, you’ll notice some longitudinal CA (purple/green fringing), but it’s reasonably well-controlled. There’s some lateral CA near the edges, but it’s easily removed in post-processing. Distortion and coma also look to be well-controlled. Vignetting is noticeable, but it’s mostly gone by F2.8. If you shoot directly into the sun you’ll get some ghosting flare artifacts, particularly at smaller apertures, but the Sony fares very well in this regard compared to the Sigma Art. There’s not much veiling flare wide open even with the sun just out of the frame.

We think the 24mm F1.4 G Master fills a useful gap in the Sony ecosystem, with a focal length and aperture combination that make it useful for reportage and event shooting. The lens will ship in October for a retail price of $ 1400 USD.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Sony announces lightweight FE 24mm F1.4 G Master prime

21 Sep

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Sony has taken the wraps off of its new full-frame 24mm F1.4 G Master prime lens. Despite that fast maximum aperture, Sony has created a remarkably small and light lens compared to its peers, with a weight of just 445 grams (15.7 ounces). Compare that to the Sigma 24mm F1.4 Art shown below, which is 50% heavier and considerably more bulky, albeit cheaper.

It’s a departure from traditional GM lenses, which tend to be large so as to not sacrifice optimal performance. This lens bucks the trend by prioritizing both optical performance and size and weight.

Sony’s new 24mm F1.4 GM is significantly smaller than the Sigma equivalent to its left. In hand on a Sony body, it feels more like a F1.8 prime, which is really quite an achievement for a F1.4 lens, particularly one with the optical performance of the 24mm GM.

The 24mm F1.4 GM has a total of 13 elements, including two XA (extreme aspherical) which significantly reduce coma, and three ED elements. Sony’s Nano AR coating reduces flare and ghosting, and so far, we’re impressed by the lack of distracting flare artifacts and high contrast images even when shooting into the sun. 11 aperture blades yield smooth bokeh and circular out-of-focus highlights even when you stop down to F2.8, as well as 22-blade sharp sunbursts if you stop down further with bright, pinpoint light sources.

Focus is is driven by a new, evolved Direct Drive SSM motor that deliveries ‘approximately three times greater thrust’ than the previous system, but with high positional accuracy, according to Sony. In our initial tests, it’s faster to focus than the Sigma 24mm F1.4 Art, so we’re impressed by the speed of focus considering its F1.4 maximum aperture.

Its manual focus ring offers a linear response: a rarity on mirrorless lenses and useful when shooting video. It almost feels like a mechanically coupled focus ring. An aperture ring (with a ‘de-click’ feature), customizable focus hold button and AF/MF switch are also available. As with all G Master lenses, the 24mm F1.4 is weather-sealed.

Focus is silent, and there’s minimal focus breathing. That combined with the linear focusing behavior and small lightweight design makes this lens very suitable for video.

The Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM will ship in October for $ 1400. Stay tuned for in-depth analyses of the optical characteristics of this lens, but in the meantime you can judge the performance yourself from our sample images, linked below. And if you’re itching to assess sharpness, have a look at our aperture progression of a cityscape at the end of our sample gallery.

View our Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM sample gallery

Watch DPReview TV’s first impressions

Press Release

Sony Expands Full-Frame Lens Lineup with Launch of 24mm F1.4 G Master™ Prime

New Large Aperture Wide-Angle Prime Lens is the most compact and lightest in its class[i] , with superb sharpness even at F1.4

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 20, 2018 – Sony Electronics, Inc. – a global leader in digital imaging and the world’s largest image sensor manufacturer – has today introduced an exciting new addition to their acclaimed G Master series of full-frame E-mount lenses, a 24mm F1.4 prime lens.

Expertly engineered to deliver best in class performance across all aperture settings, the new FE 24mm F1.4 GM (model SEL24F14GM) utilizes Sony’s most advanced optical technologies to satisfy the needs of the most demanding photographers. The new lens is the most compact and lightweight in its classⁱ, measuring approx. 3.0 inches x 3.64 inches and weighing only 15.7 ounces, with a filter diameter of 67mm. Built to meet the strict standards of Sony’s flagship G Master series, the FE 24mm F1.4 GM offers exceptionally high resolution and beautiful bokeh, two qualities that are signature attributes of the G Master brand.

“We are continuing to evolve our lens lineup to maximize the power of our innovative ? camera lineup, ” said Neal Manowitz, vice president of imaging solutions at Sony Electronics. “The new 24mm prime brings an exciting new perspective to our flagship lens series. With its incredibly lightweight design and signature G Master quality, our 30^th native full-frame mirrorless lens opens up a new world of creative opportunities for today’s photographers, videographers and multi-media creators.”

Realizing consistently high resolution across the entire frame, even at F1.4, the FE 24mm F1.4 GM boasts a new optical design comprised of 10 groups with 13 elements, including two XA (extreme aspherical) and three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements. The incorporation of two XA elements effectively suppresses sagittal flare[ii] to ensure that point light sources like distant stars can be accurately reproduced, making the FE 24mm F1.4 GM a compelling proposition for astrophotography. For impressive clarity, Sony’s unique Nano AR Coating is applied to reduce lens flare and ghosting, even in landscape shots where the position of the sun can be problematic with a normal lens.

This outstanding performance is packaged in an extremely compact and lightweight body weighing it at only 15.7 ounces, a welcome relief for landscape or adventure photographers that are hiking, climbing or traveling over long distances. This advantage is further compounded when the FE 24mm F1.4 GM is paired with one of Sony’s award winning ?7 / ?9 cameras. The lightweight lens design has been realized in part by the development of a new high power DDSSM (Direct Drive SSM) that delivers approximately three times greater thrust than the previous focus system, enabling fast response, high positioning accuracy and quiet operation for both stills and movie shooting.

This incredible lens is also a perfect complement to Sony’s APS-C sensor mirrorless cameras such as ?6500 and ?6300, and brings the total number of native Sony ? E-mount lenses to 48[iii].

In addition to its landscape and starscape shooting abilities, the FE 24mm F1.4 GM also has excellent close up performance of 0.24 meters (0.79ft.) and delivers soft and natural bokeh, a feature that is common across Sony’s entire G Master series of lenses. This is achieved by extreme control over factors like spherical aberration, and axial and lateral chromatic aberration, at the design and manufacturing stages, as each lens is individually tested and adjusted to achieve maximum performance.

The FE 24mm F1.4 GM also includes a number of professional controls that aide ease of operation for both stills and movie shooting. These include an aperture ring that allows direct, intuitive aperture control, and a focus ring that features Linear Response MF for fine, responsive manual focus control. There is also a customizable focus hold button, and a focus-mode switch that makes it possible to quickly select auto or manual focus to match changing shooting conditions.

Pricing and Availability

The FE 24mm F1.4 GM will ship in October 2018 for approximately $ 1,400 US and $ 1,900 CA. The lens will be sold at a variety of Sony authorized dealers throughout North America.

[i] Compared to other full-frame 24mm F1.4 auto-focus prime lenses. As of September 2018 press release, based on Sony research

[ii] A phenomenon that results in an unnatural spreading of point light sources that appears somewhat like a bird spreading its wings and becomes more pronounced towards the image periphery. It is most common in large-aperture lenses

[iii] Including converters, excluding discontinued models

Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM specifications

Principal specifications
Lens type	Prime lens
Max Format size	35mm FF
Focal length	24 mm
Image stabilization	No
Lens mount	Sony FE
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F1.4
Minimum aperture	F16
Aperture ring	Yes
Number of diaphragm blades	11
Optics
Elements	13
Groups	10
Special elements / coatings	XA (extreme aspherical) + ED elements, Nano AR coating
Focus
Minimum focus	0.24 m (9.45″)
Maximum magnification	0.17×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Linear Motor
Full time manual	Yes
Focus method	Internal
Distance scale	No
DoF scale	No
Physical
Weight	445 g (0.98 lb)
Diameter	75 mm (2.95″)
Length	92 mm (3.62″)
Sealing	Yes
Colour	Black
Filter thread	67 mm
Hood supplied	Yes
Hood product code	ALC-SH154

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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