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Square Photography: 6 Reasons the Square Format Is Amazing

28 Jul

The post Square Photography: 6 Reasons the Square Format Is Amazing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Andrew S. Gibson.

What’s so great about the square format in photography? And how can shooting square compositions help your photos?

In this article, I’m going to share 6 important reasons to use the square format. And by the time you’re done, you’ll fully appreciate the value of square photography!

Let’s get started.

Square versus rectangular photography

Every photo aspect ratio – square, 3:2, 4:3, 16:9, and more – features a slightly different view of the world.

And these different views lend themselves to different types of compositions.

Therefore, composition in the square (1:1) format is a different process than composition within a standard 3:2 or 4:3 rectangular frame.

Is the square format always better than a wider format? Absolutely not. There are times when you’ll want to shoot with a 3:2 format, for instance, or a 16:9 format (especially when you’re dealing with wider or longer scenes).

But the square format is very well-liked by photographers, and I highly recommend you keep it at the back of your mind when out shooting.

Let’s take a look at why the square format is so great, starting with:

1. Square compositions feature balance and flow

A square is a perfectly balanced shape. Each side is equal in length. Therefore, neither the vertical nor the horizontal direction is emphasized.

Why does this matter? Well, in a rectangular frame, the viewer’s eye is encouraged to move from side to side (in the landscape format) or up and down (in the portrait format).

But in a square frame, with every side equal in length, the viewer’s eye is encouraged to move, not from side to side or up and down, but in a circle. This creates visual flow, always a good thing in photography.

Of course, there are many factors that influence the way the eye moves around a photo, including the use of line, texture, color, selective focus, and negative space. But the shape of the frame is a major factor.

In the landscape below, composed with the 3:2 aspect ratio of my 35mm camera, the eye is encouraged to move from side to side, thanks to the shape of the frame (as well as the horizontal lines):

But in this square format photo, the eye is encouraged to move around the frame in a circle:

Useful, right? It’s especially important when you’re dealing with near-far compositions (as in the shot above) and you want to push the viewer from foreground to background and then to the foreground again.

2. The square format gives the perfect amount of negative space

Negative space is the term used to describe any empty space around a subject. For instance, if you photograph a barn surrounded by a snowy field, the field will often constitute negative space.

Now, it’s common knowledge that you can improve your compositions by getting close to your subject – that is, by eliminating negative space. But when used carefully, negative space can create a wonderful sense of atmosphere. And it can also help emphasize the shape of the subject (i.e., the positive space).

Unfortunately, negative space can be somewhat finicky. Including lots of space in a rectangular frame may not turn out so great, as you’ll end up with too much space and not enough focus on your subject. But negative space often works very well in the square format, as I demonstrate below.

Here is a photo of a lizard in the 3:2 aspect ratio:

And here is the same photo cropped to a square:

Which do you prefer? The square format offers a more balanced composition – featuring lots of negative space, yes, but also a powerful splash of positive space.

3. A square will force you to simplify your compositions

The square format lends itself to a simple approach. It pushes you to pare down your compositions and make every element count.

Why? Because there is less room in a square frame than in a rectangular one. So before you include another element in the frame, you’re forced to ask yourself: What is really necessary? And what can I do without?

Generally speaking, creating a simple composition is hard – but after a bit of time working with the square format, you’ll find it becoming easier and easier.

Remember: for your photos to have impact, you should eliminate as many distractions as possible. The focus should be on your subject. Other unnecessary elements within the frame will simply pull the viewer’s eye away from the subject and reduce the strength of the image.

This photo is about as simple as you can get:

And the square format forced me to keep the strong, simple, in-your-face composition.

4. The square format works great with shapes

Take a look at the images below. How many shapes can you see?

There are dozens – circles, squares, diamonds, rectangles, and more.

Now, shapes tend to look great in photographic compositions. They help stabilize and balance the frame, plus they can create powerful, eye-catching scenes.

And the square format really lends itself to shape-based compositions.

Why? I’m not completely sure, but I think it’s because the square is such a powerful shape that it emphasizes other shapes within it. This is linked to the ideas of balance and simplicity, as discussed above – simplifying the composition emphasizes shapes, which in turn makes shape-based compositions more powerful.

Whatever the reason, just know that geometry looks great in square photos. So if your plan is to shoot (or crop) square, the more shapes, the better!

5. You can create beautiful square centered compositions

Photographers tend to avoid positioning the main subject in the center of the frame. And in most cases, this is a good idea. As the rule of thirds points out, off-center compositions are the way to go.

But did you know that centered compositions actually work well with the square format?

It’s true! With square photography, you can often place the subject in the center of the frame for an effective composition. You can ignore the rule of thirds. And you can get some very unique photos.

Centered compositions work especially well when the image is simple. The fewer distractions present in the frame, the more effective a central composition becomes. If the subject has a strong shape, the balanced empty space around it emphasizes that shape. And the square format provides the perfect frame:

6. The square format works beautifully with black and white

Take away color and what do you get? An image that relies on tonal contrast for impact and that emphasizes visual elements such as lines, textures, and shapes.

In other words:

A composition that looks amazing in a square format.

Honestly, the square format and black and white seem made for each other, which perhaps explains the square format’s popularity with fine art photographers.

So the next time you’re shooting in a square format, consider switching to your camera’s monochrome mode. You’re bound to capture some stunning photos! Alternatively, you can shoot in color and convert to black and white in post-processing (it can be helpful to switch back and forth between color and black and white to see what works best for your shot).

Square photography: final words

Now you know all about the power of the square format – and why you should definitely try using the 1:1 aspect ratio in your photography.

It doesn’t matter whether you shoot with the intention of cropping to a square, or you go back over your old images with the aim of making some square compositions; the important thing is that you have fun with the process, and that you appreciate the usefulness of square photography!

Now over to you:

What do you think about the square aspect ratio? Do you use it frequently? When does it look best? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Square Photography: 6 Reasons the Square Format Is Amazing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Andrew S. Gibson.

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6 Reasons Why Photography Matters

27 Jan

The post 6 Reasons Why Photography Matters appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Guest Contributor.

Why does photography matter?

It’s a question that we all ask at one time or another. After all, why do we keep waking up at 4:00 AM to photograph the sunrise, when we could be warm and comfortable lying in bed? Why do we spend long hours tweaking our compositions and learning about photography fundamentals when we could be watching television or out with friends?

And some days, when we have no creativity at all and pressing the shutter button seems like the hardest thing in the world, we continue to persevere – but why? What is it about photography that’s so compelling?

What motivates us to keep going?

In this article, I’m going to share six reasons why I think photography matters. Hopefully, these ideas will help you find clarity and motivation – and will encourage you to capture images, even when it feels like everything is pointless and you should put down the camera forever.

Let’s get started.

1. Our photographs tell us what is important to us

When you ask people what possessions they would rescue from their burning house, one of the most frequent answers is a photograph album or a computer with all their digital images.

Interesting, isn’t it? We would grab photos over valuable jewelry, even in moments of panic.

This impulse to save our recorded memories is a powerful force, one that tells us much about the role of photography in our lives – and speaks to our constant desire to distill our most precious moments into images.

Why photography matters tree with spotlight

We preserve the important events and people in our lives. The ceremonies of birth and birthdays, marriages and anniversaries, holidays and new houses are all recorded because they matter.

Photographs are our personal story, a timeline of our lives filled with faces and places that we love. They are our story, which we can then share with others.

Ultimately, the thousands of images we take come together to form a narrative of our lives.

2. Photographs are part of our legacy

I remember sitting on a train as it passed a playground where children were standing at attention for the annual school photograph. In the front row sat the teachers, and behind them, hundreds of children were neatly preened and uniformed. For the briefest second, the entire assembly was motionless. We passed just as the photographer clicked the shutter.

Then, as if in slow motion, the huge group scattered as children escaped their enforced immobility. The neat rows dissolved and broke down into individuals who were kicking balls or huddled with friends.

None of those children realized that the photograph was probably going to outlive them. A couple of generations later, the school photo might resurface among old papers in an attic, and someone would search for their grandfather among the fresh, young faces.

Photographs matter because they freeze moments of our lives that pass unremarkably and which seem to have little importance to us at the time. The significance of a photo might not even be ours – instead, it might be for others who search for the person we once were or the places we once knew.

Each photo can be a small piece of a jigsaw that completes the larger picture of our lives.

Images are much more than a simple record. Photography speaks to the best and most generous part of our human nature – the desire to share what we find beautiful and interesting with others.

You only have to look at the multitude of photo-sharing sites to see this impulse at work, where millions of people share their personal, passionate, and sometimes quirky take on the world around them.

In other words, our images can share our lives with strangers. How powerful is that?

4. Photography makes us artists

Photography allows us to express ourselves through an art form. We notice a beautiful landscape or an old man’s lined face and we want to capture it.

Each of us will have a different specific reason to take a photo, but we all want to create something.

However humdrum our nine-to-five lives may be, the creation of an image makes us an artist. It feels good.

5. Photography is a complex language

Our images can express joy and sorrow, wonder and sympathy. Every human emotion can find a place in photography.

For many years, I never valued my photographs of overcast landscapes, because I believed there was no beauty in a land with muted colors and a leaden sky. I wanted the land to be alive with color and vibrancy.

However, the lack of color in a landscape makes you search for other things that often go unnoticed in bright sunlight. This could be the symmetry of hills or a tree standing out from a forest of thousands.

To expand this further:

I have suffered from depression for most of my adult life, and photography gives me a language to express feelings for which I can find no words. We have a miserably poor vocabulary for mental illness, but photography has allowed me to develop a visual language for some of my most difficult emotions.

6. Photography has the power to move us

Photographs can grab our attention and speak directly to our emotions. There are plenty of powerful photos – such as Nick Ut’s photograph of a crying Vietnamese girl whose clothes have been burned away by napalm – that can make us feel things.

On a more subtle level, photography teaches us lessons about a whole range of emotions. Grief has the power to wash away the brightness and color of our lives. There is no magic way to restore these. We have to be patient. But while waiting, we can search for the shapes and patterns that are still present in the grayness. They will lead us back to color eventually. During moments of great sorrow in my life, I have used images to express that hope of returning color.

Why photography matters sunbeams in a forest

Photography, at its best, is a powerful language that speaks to our emotions. It allows us to tell our story and shows others our framing of the world around us.

Why photography matters: Conclusion

Hopefully, you now have a better sense of the different reasons people pursue photography – and why photography is important.

Now I’d love to know:

Why do you do photography? What motivates you to keep taking pictures? What is it about photography that inspires you?

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Declan O’Neill is a professional photographer who lives in the South Island, New Zealand. He travels extensively, capturing the beauty of New Zealand’s extraordinary landscape. The photographs that accompany this article are part of a series entitled “The Anatomy of Melancholy,” which is dedicated to the memory of his sister, Ann, who died from Multiple Systems Atrophy.

The post 6 Reasons Why Photography Matters appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Guest Contributor.

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5 Reasons to Get Photoshop Express on Your Phone

02 Sep

The post 5 Reasons to Get Photoshop Express on Your Phone appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Adobe has developed many Photoshop apps, but none are as popular as the desktop version (Photoshop CC). That said, maybe it’s time for this to change, at least for one of Adobe’s apps: Photoshop Express.

In this article, I’ll tell you five reasons why I recommend you give Photoshop Express a try.

Adobe decided to introduce three different apps to cover the full range of editing that Photoshop can offer: Photoshop Fix, Photoshop Mix, and Photoshop Express. In this article, I’m going to talk about Photoshop Express, and why I believe it’s worth downloading.

1. It’s free

Unlike the desktop version of Photoshop, you don’t need a Creative Cloud subscription in order to use Photoshop Express.

You can download the app for free, and you’ll get access to all the features and updates.

You do have to create an Adobe account, though (one that also allows you to use a limited version of Lightroom Mobile).

2. It’s social

A very important thing for a photo editing app is the social aspect. You want to snap and share photos with ease.

Adobe took this into account when designing the cropping tool. With Photoshop Express, you can crop your images using the array of predetermined sizes for Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Etsy, and most other major social networks.

For example: When cropping for Facebook, you can choose from the Page Cover, the Event Cover, the Profile Cover, the Profile, or the Ad.

Photoshop Express Social Media Crop Sizes

Of course, you can then share your photo directly from the app. From there, you can also add a watermark, send the image to Creative Cloud if you are a subscriber, send the image to a printer, and more.

3. You control size and compression

Unlike many other editing apps, Photoshop Express lets you choose the size and quality of your file before saving or sharing it.

You can set a default JPEG Quality and a default Image Size in the Preferences of the app. To set this up, tap on the menu (in the top-left corner). Then go to Preferences and then Save Options.

You can also change size and quality in the final stage of your saving or sharing process. Before you choose the destination of your image, click on the settings below the thumbnail (so you can modify them).

4. You can work with RAW files

A RAW file is like a digital negative. It saves the information from the shot prior to processing; that way, you have much more to work with when you’re editing, and the quality will be superior.

Of course, this means that the file size will be bigger, so keep an eye on your storage space. If you have a camera, you probably know that each brand has its own RAW files. For example, Canon uses CRW/CR2/CR3, while Nikon uses NEF/NRW. A standard and open-source RAW format is a DNG file, which is what you get if you shoot using Lightroom Mobile.

Post processing RAW Files in Photoshop Express — On the left, you can see how a RAW file is clearly marked in the gallery. That one was shot using the camera from Lightroom Mobile. On the right, you see the post-processed version of that file (edited using Photoshop Express).

5. You can do all your post-processing

Last but not least, the editing capabilities of Photoshop Express are top-notch. After all, the app was created by a company that has been leading the post-processing market for decades.

That said, Photoshop Express won’t reach the level of editing that you can do with the desktop version of Photoshop. That’s why there are three apps.

However, if you consider that Photoshop Express is free and won’t take up all your phone storage space, it’s actually very good.

Photoshop Express post production — Snapshot made with a Redmi Note 8, later post-processed in Photoshop Express.

Also, Photoshop Express includes many presets for looks, effects, stickers, frames, etc. That way, you can do some serious post-processing, or you can just create fun posts for your social media feed.

Conclusion

With so many editing apps on the market, it’s difficult to make a choice; sometimes you end up downloading a different app for each purpose.

However, Photoshop Express has proven to be an all-purpose and well-rounded app.

And if you have an iPhone, you’ll get some additional features.

Share in the comments if you decide to try Photoshop Express, and let me know what you think.

The post 5 Reasons to Get Photoshop Express on Your Phone appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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5 Quick Reasons to Use the Nifty Fifty for Landscape Photography

30 Aug

The post 5 Quick Reasons to Use the Nifty Fifty for Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tim Gilbreath.

The 50mm prime lens, commonly known as the Nifty Fifty, is a lens that even inexperienced photographers have likely heard of. Most of us know it for its outstanding qualities; it’s an inexpensive, high-quality, prime lens that is in plenty of photographers’ bags around the world and is one of the most popular lenses of all time.

What we might not think of a Nifty Fifty as, however, is a lens normally used for landscape photography. The field of view is tight, and the lens doesn’t possess a focal length wide enough to usually be considered proper for this sort of work.

But I have. For four years, the 50mm f/1.8 has been my workhorse for portfolio building (which is primarily nature and landscape), and even though I’m branching off with other lenses, I can’t stress the usefulness of the Nifty Fifty. And I’m not alone.

50mmLens

My primary reasoning for using the 50mm instead of going out and buying a proper wide-angle lens such as a 35mm or even wider?

Cost.

I was diving back into photography, and I was on an extremely tight budget. After buying my camera, spending $ 500 on a lens simply wasn’t an option. It didn’t take long for me to hear my fellow photographers sing the praises of this wonderful lens: cheap, fast, and sharp. Right up my alley.

There are no tricks or immaculate revelations here, and you won’t likely become famous for taking only landscape shots with 50mm lenses. But there are a few reasons why shooting landscapes with a 50mm lens can produce great results.

Giving it a try can only improve your photography and make you a better observer of the world around you.

Focus on what’s important

We think of landscapes as sprawling, wide shots that include many elements in one frame, but do they have to be that way? Can we not capture the beauty of the area around us in a tighter package? The rolling hills and an interesting tree in an outdoor scene are more than enough to create a photo that provokes thought.

The Nifty Fifty makes it easier to focus on whatever is most important in your photo, while still capturing enough around the subject to lend it scope.

The Nifty Fifty makes it easier to focus on whatever is most important in your photo, while still capturing enough around the subject to lend the shot scope.

Shooting at this focal length forces us to focus on the most important parts of what we’re seeing around us. Trimming the fat, as they say. In doing this, we’re also training ourselves psychologically to do the same in all of our shots.

Quality

Landscapes usually require very good sharpness, and 50mm prime lenses excel at that. No extra moving parts normally required for zooms makes for a crisper, sharper result. As with most lenses, the Nifty Fifty sweet spot isn’t wide open, but more in the f/4 to f/5.6 range. And narrower apertures will still yield excellent results.

The 50mm prime allows you to capture very sharp images.

Take your time

Since the 50mm is a prime lens, you’ll get an added benefit (or detriment, depending on how much you care for walking): The single focal length means you can’t just shoot from anywhere. Instead, you’ll need to move around to find the best angle and distance. This automatically forces you to think about your shot a bit more, which is always a good thing.

The 50mm allows you to think differently about the landscape or subject you're framing, and to make more creative choices.

A 50mm lens allows you to think differently about the landscape or subject you’re framing and to make more creative choices.

With a zoom, you’d adjust focal length without even thinking until the scene is framed in a way that looks good. But what if that isn’t the best angle or distance? The Nifty Fifty will give you the incentive to take a chance and try something different, whether it be an angle, a distance, or a perspective.

No wide angle…or can there be?

Of course, there can! The 50mm gives you a gentle push into playing around with some panoramic shots. Three, four, five, or more shots can be stitched into a flattering wide-angle composite, sometimes with even more dramatic results than a single wide-angle shot.

By stitching together shots, we can create a panorama that gives us the wide field of view we’re looking for.

Lightweight is king

If you’re serious about landscape photography, you’re probably already lugging around a considerable amount of gear. Camera bodies, other lenses (you don’t go out with just one lens, do you?), tripods; the list goes on.

The last thing you need is more heavy lenses when you’re out and about, right? Do you know what the Canon 50mm f/1.8 weighs? 4.6 ounces (130 g). It’s short, sweet, and light to boot.

At the end of the day, all lenses and focal lengths have advantages and disadvantages, and the case can certainly be made for using wider glass. But, as a teaching tool, the 50mm prime lens is a great option for your landscape photography; it will make you think a bit differently about your photos and easily provide you with clear, sharp images.

The post 5 Quick Reasons to Use the Nifty Fifty for Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tim Gilbreath.

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3 Reasons to Introduce Motion Blur Into Your Photography

20 May

The post 3 Reasons to Introduce Motion Blur Into Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.

dps-reasons-to-introduce-motion-blur-in-photography

Making a still image come to life can be a difficult task, especially if you don’t know the full functionality of your camera. When you’re first learning photography, it quickly becomes second nature to keep everything perfectly in focus, so you don’t instantly know how, why, and when to introduce motion blur to your images. But before you introduce motion blur, first, let’s learn what it is and how to do it.

3 Reasons to Introduce Motion Blur Into Your Photography — f/6.3 – ISO 160 – 1/100 sec

What is motion blur?

First and foremost, motion blur is a lot different than a blurry image. If you shake the camera around or your subject starts to move right as you open the shutter, that creates a blurred image, but not necessarily motion blur.

Motion blur is when you purposely create an aspect of movement for your subject, but the rest of the photo is in focus. This is a really important element that makes the difference between motion blur and just a blurred image. Without some part of your photo being sharp, then your foreground and background are going to blend together and the photo won’t work.

Motion blur should also happen to something that the viewer would naturally assume is moving, like a car or a person running. Adding motion blur to something that is typically stationary, like a book or a salt shaker that is on a table, will seem awkward. Even though seeing a salt shaker move at the speed of light is an interesting idea, it won’t really make any sense to the viewer.

Now that we have the basics down, here are 3 reasons why you should introduce motion blur to your photography.

1. It tells a story

When done correctly, motion blur enhances the storytelling capability of a photo.

Imagine that you’re shooting at a horse racing track. You’re standing at an angle near the finish line, and when the two runners pass you, you compose your shot with them both in the frame and the finish line in the background.

If you introduce motion blur correctly in
your photo, then you’re going to have an awesome shot of the two runners in
motion, slightly blurred as if they are still running despite being frozen in
time. The finish line may even be in focus, along with the spectators.

This brings the viewer into the shot like they are standing right alongside you to see the race to completion. It tells the story of what you witnessed that day.

If done incorrectly, you’ll just get a blurred photo of two blobs running toward another blob. The elements in the photo will blend together and you’ll barely be able to understand what is happening in the first place.

2. It adds action to your photography

Another great reason for adding motion blur to your photos is to convey a sense of “action” or “movement.” This can make your photos seem much more dynamic.

For example, imagine a dirt bike that is roaring around the side of a mountain. Imagine seeing the blurred dirt bike racing along the path while the mountain itself is in perfect focus. It almost makes it look like the dirt bike is rocketing through the frozen image, or that you’re present to witness the moment yourself.

Or, for example, imagine a dancer. If you introduce motion blur, you can show the viewer the movement that is taking place. It could be that he or she is spinning, moving their arms, or even jumping. Having the right amount of motion blur can bring the dancer to life in your photo.

You’ll need to select a slower shutter speed than you would do normally to get this to work properly. The exact settings will depend on the speed that your subject is moving at. For the bike example above, you won’t need a shutter as slow as you would need for someone walking for example.

3. It can create a wonderful effect

If you set up your camera when the lighting conditions are dark, and set a slow shutter speed so that you have a longer exposure, you can create streaking lights that not only tell a story but also look fantastic.

First, you need to make sure that you have a steady tripod. Without it, you won’t get anything other than a completely blurred picture unless you raise your ISO ridiculously high. The problem with doing that is the amount of unwanted noise that you will end up with being in your photo. So if you want the best photo possible, use a tripod.

The long exposure will mean that any vehicles that drive past will create a streaked-light effect, or the stars above will streak across the frame as the Earth rotates.

Attempting this during the day won’t work unless you use a neutral density filter like a Lee little or big stopper. Without a filter, you will just end up with a completely blown out (white) image. Even if you do get it to work, it would not have the same impact as when it is darker.

Getting the hang of motion blur photography isn’t very difficult. But to do it well will require practice. So, experiment a little when you introduce motion blur to your photography and keep these reasons in mind to help push you along in your trials! With experience, you’ll get to learn how and when to best introduce motion blur to your photography.

The post 3 Reasons to Introduce Motion Blur Into Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.

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Canon EOS R5: Here’s why you probably don’t need 8K right now (and a few reasons why you might)

23 Mar

Here’s why you probably don’t need 8K right now (and why you might)

Canon’s recent announcement of the new EOS R5 wasn’t completely unexpected, but one of the camera’s key specifications, 8K video, did catch us a bit by surprise. 8K video has been in development for several years, but to date it’s mostly been limited to Hollywood-level cinema production and tech demos by Japanese broadcaster NHK.

With the R5 it looks like that may be about to change. In fact, we now know that the R5 will be able to capture 8K/30p using the full width of the sensor. Of course, there’s a lot more to video quality than just resolution, and we don’t expect the R5 to challenge a camera like the RED Helium 8K, but the fact that 8K is making its way into any consumer mirrorless camera suggests that this could be the tip of the iceberg.

With that in mind, let’s look at some reasons why you probably don’t need 8K video anytime soon – as well as a few reasons why you might.

Almost nobody is watching 8K

8K displays are absolutely incredible, and once you’ve seen one in person you can’t unsee it. It’s exciting to think that some day 8K displays will be everywhere.

But today, they’re not everywhere. In fact, they aren’t really anywhere except for niche locations like post-production environments or the living room of that guy down the street who always has the latest gizmo (and isn’t afraid to pay top dollar for it). Sure, 8K TVs are coming down in price, but they still run into the thousands of dollars and it will be a while before they’re commonplace.

8K TVs are coming down in price, but they still run into the thousands of dollars…

There’s also the question of whether most viewers will be able to see the difference between 4K and 8K. Even with good eyesight, human vision at typical viewing distances will be a limiting factor unless you’re using an exceptionally large display.

In short, there’s really no reason to get an 8K camera in order to deliver 8K content today.

You’ll probably need a new computer

Unless you’re in the high-end video production business, or possibly a really serious gamer, chances are pretty good that your current computer won’t be up to the task of editing 8K video.

The same thing happened when 4K video came on the scene. It wasn’t uncommon to discover that video rigs designed to cut through 1080p footage like butter could get mired down when working in 4K. We needed faster processors, faster video cards, faster storage and, of course, new 4K displays to take advantage of all that resolution.

We can expect similar challenges in the early days of 8K video. Early adopters will pay a premium to upgrade their editing equipment, so unless you really need to shoot 8K today it might be better to wait a couple years for better, and more affordable, mainstream support.

The files will be huge

Remember when we first started shooting 4K video and discovered just how big the files could be compared to HD? We needed larger memory cards, more of them, and in may cases, faster cards to accommodate the increased bit rates required for high quality 4K. Check out our recent review of the Panasonic S1H for a real world example of how this impacted DPReview’s Richard Butler.

Remember when we first started shooting 4K video and discovered just how big the files could be compared to HD?

Larger files also resulted in workflow changes. Some videographers who were used to editing entire projects on a laptop’s internal hard drive had to start carrying around external hard drives, and later, portable SSDs. Even archiving projects required more storage.

High quality 8K video will, to some degree, begin this cycle over again. At least this time we’re starting out in a world in which SSDs are ubiquitous, but we’re still going to need larger SSDs and faster connections to effectively work with 8K files. The good news is that SSDs are gaining capacity as prices continue to fall, and USB 4 promises to deliver faster connections for consumers without the high cost of Thunderbolt, but early adopters will again pay a premium.

Your current video lenses might hit their limits

A single frame of 4K video delivers around 8.2MP of resolution, something that’s comfortably within the resolving range of almost any lens from the modern digital era (and many earlier ones). In contrast, 8K video delivers roughly 33MP frames.

That’s within the working range of quite a few still cameras, and many recent optics are certainly capable of resolving that level of detail. If you already have higher resolving lenses that’s great, but if you’ve been shooting video using older lenses – including some from the digital era – you may find that you need to upgrade your glass to get the most out of 8K video.

To capture still photos from video

We’ve talked about several reasons why you probably don’t need 8K video today, but let’s consider a few reasons why you might want it anyway.

One might be to capture high quality still images from video. Heck, even 4K video provides enough resolution for many purposes, and features like Panasonic’s 4K and 6K Photo modes have been useful to many photographers. Having the option to capture 33MP images from video takes this to a whole new level.

At a recent NAB Show, Canon displayed a gallery of stunning photos that were extracted from 8K video frames; the quality was so high that they could have been shot with a modern DSLR. Of course, extracting photos from video may not be the ideal workflow for all types of photography, but for some it can work very well. We may very well see 8K photo modes on some cameras. Maybe even the R5.

For video post-production

8K video will provide immediate advantages when shooting and editing 4K projects; the camera operator will be able to plan a shot knowing it will be possible to ‘punch in’ later, and the editor will have more creative flexibility when cutting the project together.

The resolution provided by 8K will facilitate 2x cropping to 4K in post with no apparent loss of resolution, making it possible to simulate longer lenses or edit out distracting elements at the edges of a scene. It will also enable editing tricks like virtual zooms and pans. These techniques are frequently employed when editing 4K footage for HD delivery, but now the entire process can be scaled up.

8K will also allow you to do better green screen work. Good chroma-keying depends on the ability to discern fine details around the edges of your subject, such as hair. The more resolution you have to play with, the better. Other factors, such as color sub-sampling, are also important to the quality of green screen work, but all else being equal more resolution is an advantage.

To create even better 4K video

4K video is impressively detailed, but oversampled 4K video is even more detailed. So, even if you don’t need to create virtual crops, zooms or pans in your video you’ll still benefit from the effects of oversampling.

We’ve already seen a number of mirrorless cameras that oversample 4K in-camera, typically from a 6K starting point. However, sampling theory says that 8K is the minimum resolution you need to correctly capture the maximum resolution that 4K can show. In effect, it’s perfect oversampling, similar to the way the original Sony a7S (above) captured 4K and downsampled it to 1080 with zero luma aliasing.

To future-proof equipment

This one is tricky because it requires us to predict the future a bit more. However, there are a couple useful data points we can look at: 1) As a consumer technology, 4K video experienced more rapid adoption than many expected, and 2) The trend among camera buyers is to upgrade their cameras less frequently than they did in the past.

This suggests that 8K technology could be widely available more quickly than we anticipate as well. In fact, it’s already showing up on some smartphones. As a result, if you plan to keep your next camera for a while and want to make sure it’s future-proof, then it may be a good idea to ensure your next purchase is 8K-ready.

To future-proof content

There was a time when widespread access to HD TVs and displays seemed a long way off, but savvy content creators, including a lot of small, independent videographers, were already producing content in HD instead of SD. Why? Because they knew that if they didn’t, once HD was more widely adopted their content would appear dated quickly (and possibly even be excluded from some platforms).

This was true during the transition from HD to 4K as well, and we’ll likely see a similar trend as we move to 8K. Whether the visual difference between 4K and 8K at standard viewing distances is as noticeable as the previous transitions is debatable: both have so much detail it might be difficult to tell them apart.

Whether the visual difference between 4K and 8K at standard viewing distances is as noticeable as the previous transitions is debatable…

However, screens keep getting larger over time: the 24″ TV that sat in a family’s living room in the 1980s became a 65″ TV by the 2010s. If screens get big enough, the difference between 4K and 8K might actually become noticeable. There’s a counter argument to this, of course, which is that many people watch more content on the tiny screen that fits in their pocket than on a TV, so it depends a lot on your target audience.

Ultimately, if future-proofing your content is important, it might make sense to begin working in 8K early.

8K is coming, but do you need it now?

The Canon EOS R5 is likely the first of many cameras we’ll see with 8K video. At a technical level, we should at least recognize that this is a pretty impressive accomplishment for any manufacturer. However, whether you truly need 8K video in the near future is debatable.

If you’re the type of person who mostly shoots video to capture your own life adventures, share movies with friends on social media, or does fairly minimal editing on the video you shoot then there’s little incentive to adopt 8K today. Chances are good that you won’t notice much difference.

If you’re the type of person who mostly shoots video to capture your own life adventures… chances are good that you won’t notice much difference.

On the other hand, if you’re serious about video and produce 4K content, 8K has the potential to benefit your workflow: cropping to 4K in post, digital pans and zooms, and downsampling to create better 4K video being just a few examples. 8K will appeal to some stills photographers as well. Do you enjoy using 4K and 6K photo modes on your camera to nail the perfect frame? If so, you’ll probably love 8K photos.

Not sure if 8K is in your future? You can watch this 8K video on YouTube while you decide. Of course, you’ll need an 8K monitor to properly watch it, which you can find here. We’ll wait while you try it out.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Five reasons why Fujifilm probably won’t make a full-frame X100

17 Mar

Introduction

The X100 series is one of Fujifilm’s most popular and important product lines. Over the course of almost ten years, the company has built the X100 series into an iconic line of cameras, which established Fujifilm as a serious brand with enthusiasts, and continue to be best-sellers.

Ever since its introduction, some photographers have been asking Fujifilm to develop a full-frame version of the X100. And on the face of it, that’s an appealing thought. Who doesn’t like the idea of greater depth of field control and a boost in potential image quality? But we strongly suspect that Fujifilm will never do it. Read on for the five main reasons why not, and why we doubt that a full-frame version is on the cards, either.

Size and weight

The Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II is a very small compact camera with a 35mm F2 lens, but in order to make it so compact, compromises were made on ergonomics and battery life.

The X100V is a little bigger than previous iterations of the X100 series, but it’s still a relatively small camera, considering everything that Fujifilm has packed into it. One of the reasons for that is its APS-C sensor. A larger sensor would mean a larger imaging circle (which means a larger lens to achieve the same F stop), a larger shutter mechanism, and probably a deeper body, to accommodate the additional circuitry hardware, and to keep it cool.

Genuinely small full-frame cameras exist (the Sigma fp and Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II spring to mind) but with both, their small size comes with compromises. The fp lacks a viewfinder and even a mechanical shutter. In fact, the fp is better thought of as a module inside a camera system rather than as a wholly complete camera in and of itself. Meanwhile the RX1R II has a fairly cramped control layout and a tiny battery, rated for a pitiable 220 shots, and not infrequently capable of rather less than that, depending on how you use it.

It’s impossible to know exactly what a full-frame X100 might end up looking like, but you can bet it would be larger and heavier than the cameras that we know and love.

Development cost of full-frame

The Sigma fp is even smaller than the RX1R II, and one of the ways in which Sigma ensured the smallest possible body is by eliminating both a viewfinder and a mechanical shutter. An X100-type camera without either of those things would probably be a non-starter.

And then there’s cost. The 26MP sensor in the X100V is used in multiple other Fujifilm cameras, which means that they can be purchased from Sony in bulk, keeping the per-unit cost down.

Economies of scale mean that it would probably be very expensive for Fujifilm to procure a relatively small number of totally different sensors for only a single product line, aimed at a relatively small group of customers.

On top of that, a new, larger sensor would probably mean developing a new shutter mechanism: either a conventional mechanical shutter in-camera, or a scaled-up in-lens shutter, of a type similar to the current X100 line. Either way, Fujfilm would need to make it from scratch, likely with associated development and production costs.

Bigger sensors also draw more power, and create more heat. One way or another, it all costs money.

Add all of these costs together, and developing a niche product like a full-frame X100 would probably be very expensive for Fujfilm. And what would that mean?

Literal cost to consumer

The Leica Q2 is a good example of a fantastic camera, with a built-in finder and a great lens, that makes the most out of its high-resolution full-frame sensor. But it’s priced beyond the reach of most of us.

You guessed right: it means that a hypothetical full-frame X100 would cost you more. One of the major reasons for the success of the X100 line over the past decade has been the cost of the cameras, at a sweet spot of around $ 1,200 at point of launch, usually dropping a little over their lifetime. Obviously, $ 1,200 is still a considerable chunk of change, but compared to the likes of the Sony RX1R II or the Leica Q2, it’s a relative bargain.

Imagine if Fujfilm had to double the cost of the X100 in a full-frame version. Would you buy one? Even if you’re one of those people who would answer “yes”, it’s only logical that you’d be counting yourself among a minority, compared to the potential audience for the traditional APS-C bodies.

Loss of brand identity, and customer trust

For customers who have made large investments in Fujifilm’s APS-C products, the announcement of a full-frame camera may look like a vote of no confidence in the smaller format.

Customers really like it when companies play to their strengths, talk frankly to them, and don’t try to fix something that isn’t broken. Fujifilm has said so often – and for so long – that it has no interest in developing full-frame cameras, that such an abrupt change of direction would risk damaging the brand in the eyes of some of its most loyal customers.

In short, Fujifilm is not a full-frame brand. It’s arguably the only company (R.I.P. Samsung) that has really made a full-throated case for the benefits of APS-C over full-frame, and has spent the past decade doubling-down on that approach, creating the most convincing dedicated APS-C lens lineup on the market.

If Fujifilm introduced a full-frame version of the X100 concept, there’s no doubt that the company would attract a certain number of new customers. But several other, much less positive things would happen: For starters, a lot of loyal X100 series fans would feel betrayed, and worried that such a move might spell the end for a range of cameras they’ve come to love.

Photographers with an investment in the APS-C interchangeable lens X-series would also get spooked. To a Fujifilm shooter who has spent thousands of dollars on XF lenses, the announcement of a full-frame camera – any full-frame camera– could look like a massive vote of no confidence in APS-C.

Finally it’s not hard to imagine the feelings of someone who has just dropped thousands on one of Fujifilm’s medium-format GFX cameras, if the company suddenly announced it was developing a compact full-frame camera. Which leads us on to…

Risk of cannibalization

How many GFX 50Rs would Fujifilm sell if a similarly-sized, fixed-lens alternative were available? Such a product would risk cannibalizing Fujifilm’s existing lineups.

I’ve explained the likely potential costs (both real and in terms of potential damage to the brand) to Fujifilm of adding a full-frame X100 lineup, but there are always costs associated with doing something new, and costs are acceptable if there’s a major long-term benefit.

There’s no doubt that by putting a full-frame sensor behind a fixed 35mm F2 lens, Fujifilm would be providing photographers with a more powerful tool than any of the previous X100 series models, but that might actually end up being a problem. Why? Because it would risk ‘cannibalization’.

In this context, ‘cannibalization’ describes a situation where sales of a new model come at the expense of sales lost in other parts in the lineup. Would Fujifilm want to risk a large number of sales of the (at this point presumably quite profitable) X100-series in favor of a new, costlier full-frame model? It seems unlikely, and it’s even less likely that the company would risk sales of the nascent GFX range by inserting a full-frame model into the lineup, aimed at the exact same type of users.

Summing up – arguments against

Every one of Fujifilm’s medium format cameras so far has used the same NP-T125 battery. It’s physically big, because it has to be. That means the cameras have to large enough to accommodate this kind of battery.

To sum up, it’s highly unlikely that Fujifilm will develop a full-frame X100 series camera for the following reasons:

A larger sensor would add size and weight, mitigating a major X100 selling point
Such a product would cost a lot to develop and manufacture
The result would be a very expensive camera – reducing its potential audience
A move to full-frame would annoy and worry existing loyal Fujifilm APS-C customers
The risk of cannibalization within existing lineups is too great

At a technical level, the imaging potential of full-frame is undeniably greater than APS-C, and only slightly less than medium-format. But the additional development cost, and the size and weight penalty involved in making full-frame work in a compact X100-type form factor, would be considerable. It’s lovely to imagine a full-frame X100 with a 35mm F1.4 lens, but less lovely to picture how much larger, heavier, and costlier that camera would have to be, compared to an X100V.

But what about medium format?

Fujifilm has a long track record of making fixed-lens medium format cameras, from the days of film. Could it repeat the trick with digital?

Fujifilm has said repeatedly that it has no interest in full-frame. Instead, it has developed a medium format lineup, offering far superior image quality potential and differentiated from both its own APS-C line, and the growing crop of full-frame mirrorless cameras now on the market.

The sensor in Fujifilm’s flagship $ 10,000 GFX 100 can be thought of essentially as four X-T3 sensors, in a single piece of silicon. With four times the surface area, and current-generation chip design, the GFX 100’s sensor is capable of astonishing resolution and dynamic range, putting it in a different league to even the best APS-C cameras.

So might Fujifilm build a medium-format X100? There’s an argument to be made that it makes sense in a way that full-frame just doesn’t. Medium format would offer an increase in potential image quality over full-frame (albeit relatively modest – about 2/3EV), a significant leap in image quality over APS-C, it’s a major part of Fujifilm’s brand identity, and the larger format is a key differentiator for Fujifilm compared to competitive manufacturers.

In conclusion

For all of the appeal to Fujifilm of burnishing the company’s credentials in the medium format marketplace, an MF X100-type camera still seems very unlikely, for all of the same reasons why a full-frame X100 is probably a non-starter.

The difference in image quality between full-frame and what Fujifilm calls medium format is relatively modest. In fact, in our testing we found that the 50MP sensors used in the GFX 50S and 50R don’t offer significantly better performance than the best current full-frame sensors. The more advanced 100MP sensor in the GFX 100 is a slightly different matter, but its cost (larger sensors are significantly harder to produce, and their ‘yield’ is much smaller) probably makes it impractical for use in such a different type of camera.

Meanwhile, remember how a full-frame X100 would have to be bigger and heavier? Well that’s even more true with a hypothetical medium format version.

The GFX 50R provides a convenient point of comparison here. It’s not huge, compared to (say) the GFX100, but it’s definitely not a camera you can slip into your pocket. Imagine a fixed version of the compact 50mm f3.5 on the front, and it might be possible to shave off a few mm here and there. But either way, you’re likely still looking at a very expensive product, which probably won’t deliver much better image quality than a current full-frame model from Nikon or Sony.

Of course, that doesn’t mean we don’t still want one.

What do you think? Let us know in the poll below.

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Have your say

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What do you think? Full-frame Fujifilm X100

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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5 Reasons You Should Use Mirrorless in 2020

10 Mar

The post 5 Reasons You Should Use Mirrorless in 2020 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Are you struggling to decide between DSLRs and mirrorless cameras? Do you want to know which is best for your needs? You’ve come to the right place. In this article, I’m going to give you the main reasons you may want to use mirrorless in 2020 over DSLRs.

And, if at the end of this article, some (or all) of those reasons speak to you, then mirrorless is probably the way to go.

If not, then I recommend you stick with DSLRs, because they really can produce amazing images.

Make sense?

Let’s get started.

1. Mirrorless cameras offer a live exposure preview

For me, this is the absolute best thing about mirrorless photography and the main reason why I bought my first mirrorless body.

You see, on a DSLR, when you look through the viewfinder, you see the actual scene before you (through your camera’s lens).

But if you look through the electronic viewfinder of mirrorless cameras, then you don’t see the scene in real life. Instead, you get a feed from the camera’s sensor, which incorporates exposure information.

See the area where you look through on the camera below? There’s a small OLED or LCD screen, which allows you to see a preview of the shot.

The feed isn’t perfect. It doesn’t always show you an accurate representation of the final image, especially if you’re shooting long exposure with changing light.

But it’s really, really good. And it’s extremely useful for those situations where you need to capture shots on the fly, because you have an immediate understanding of where your camera’s exposure is and where it needs to be. Just a few twists of your camera’s dial and – voila! – you’ve got a good exposure.

Note that there are also downsides to using these electronic viewfinders. They vary a lot in terms of quality, and even the best EVFs are nowhere near optical (DSLR) viewfinders in terms of clarity.

Plus, there will be some situations where you’ll want to work without exposure simulation, and this often means diving into your camera’s menu in order to figure out how to turn the feature off.

But if you’re the type of person who wants to know the resulting exposure before you hit the shutter button, then mirrorless is a great choice.

2. You can fit a mirrorless body in your pocket

I’m serious.

With some of the smaller mirrorless cameras, you can mount the lens on the body and stick it in your pocket, no problem.

You do need to use a small lens, but it’s still pretty impressive, and it’s another reason to use mirrorless in 2020.

In other words:

Mirrorless cameras tend to be much smaller than their DSLR counterparts.

In fact, the small size was considered the original groundbreaking advantage of mirrorless, and is still pretty great, even though DSLRs like the Canon SL3 and Nikon D3500 are really quite small.

That’s why mirrorless cameras are great for travel and casual shooting. Plus, you can take them into events without anybody noticing you’ve got a high-powered camera. This is also key for street photography, where you generally want to avoid attention.

Oh, and if you really want to take the small form factor to the next level, check out Micro Four Thirds cameras and lenses. Their compact size will blow you away.

Here’s an example of the size variation you can find with mirrorless bodies, from the large Olympus OM-D E-M1X, all the way down to the compact E-M10 Mark III:

3. You can see in black and white as you shoot

Another reason to use mirrorless in 2020 is black and white photography. If you’ve ever wanted to shoot in black and white, but you felt it’d be too hard a medium to master…

…get a mirrorless camera.

Because if you use a mirrorless body with a viewfinder, you’ll be able to program it to display in black and white.

And, as long as you’ve got the viewfinder to your eye, you’ll see in black and white.

This means that you have an immediate boost in your black and white potential. Instead of struggling to see in black and white (which is half the battle of the b&w genre), you’ll be able to understand the black and white medium straight out of the gate.

You’ll see how different colors are rendered in black and white. You’ll see how black and white photos change as the light changes.

And you’ll become a much better black and white photographer.

In fact, even if you switch back to a DSLR, you’ll retain your black and white skills. Because your understanding of black and white will exist on a much deeper level.

Cool, right?

4. Mirrorless cameras offer true silent shooting modes

If you’re a street photographer or an event photographer, then I’m guessing that you’d love the opportunity to shoot without making a sound.

It prevents you from disturbing the silence in a wedding ceremony. And it prevents people from noticing that you’re photographing them on the streets.

Now, DSLRs often offer silent shooting modes.

But if you’ve ever tried one of these, they’re just…bad.

Sure, they make things quieter than the “thunk, thunk, thunk” you get from normal shooting. But they still leave the shutter quite audible, and I certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable using them in a quiet room.

Enter mirrorless silent modes.

See, mirrorless cameras generally offer two broad types of shooting:

Shooting with the mechanical shutter (which is what causes the loud noise you get from a DSLR).
And shooting with the electronic shutter.

Fortunately, shooting with an electronic shutter is literally silent. You can hit the shutter button and no one (probably not even you) will hear it.

It’s perfect for street photography, and it’s amazing for event photography.

So that once you’ve used a true silent shutter, you’ll struggle to ever go back to a DSLR!

5. Mirrorless cameras come with all sorts of cool bonus features

When I got my first mirrorless camera, here’s one of the things I was most excited about:

The extra features that came with it. This is another reason to use mirrorless in 2020.

Sure, I was happy with the smaller size and the live preview, and those were the main reasons that I bought it in the first place.

But the extra features…

…well, I couldn’t wait to try them out.

I’m talking about things like focus peaking, which allows you to see, in advance, which areas of your shot are going to be in focus. It’s not perfect, but it gives you an approximation of the necessary depth of field, plus it’s just really cool.

I’m also talking about the manual focusing guide, which lets you select an autofocus point, then tells you when you’ve nailed it with manual focus.

This last feature has been a huge help for ensuring I get my point of focus right; it acts as a check on my manual focusing in landscape, architectural, and macro photography.

Now, not all mirrorless cameras offer these features. And there are some bonuses, such as Olympus’s Pro Capture option, that you’ll only find in a select few mirrorless bodies.

(Pro Capture, by the way, causes the camera to start firing at up to 60 frames per second when you press the shutter button halfway down, but then saves around a dozen shots from before you finally hit the shutter button, as well as dozens of frames after you hit the shutter.)

So before you buy a DSLR, check out the features hidden in different mirrorless camera menus. I bet there are some awesome ones that are worth a look.

5 Reasons You Should Use a Mirrorless in 2020: Conclusion

Now that you’ve finished this article, you should know all about mirrorless cameras, and whether you should think about purchasing one.

Because here’s the thing:

Mirrorless systems aren’t for everyone. There are reasons to use mirrorless in 2020, and there are reasons to shoot with DSLRs (and there are even reasons to shoot film!).

Now I’d like to know your opinion:

Why do you shoot mirrorless? Are there any reasons for shooting mirrorless that I missed? And if you shoot with a DSLR, why? Let us know in the comments!

The post 5 Reasons You Should Use Mirrorless in 2020 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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6 Reasons Why Dedicated Cameras are Better than Smartphones for Photography

09 Mar

The post 6 Reasons Why Dedicated Cameras are Better than Smartphones for Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

Modern smartphone cameras are amazing! They have facilitated an explosion in photography that shows no signs of stopping. Mobile phone cameras, apps, editing, and sharing have given people access to creative outlets that were unthinkable a mere 15 years ago. If the best camera is the one you have with you, then 9 times out of 10, the best camera is right in your pocket! Despite the advances in smartphone cameras, there are still few things smartphone cameras lack. So, in this article, we’ll explore why dedicated cameras are better than smartphones for photography. In other words, there are some photos you just can’t get with a smartphone.

Reasons why dedicated cameras are better than smartphones for photography

why dedicated cameras are better than smartphones-butterfly — Nikon D7100, 85mm, f/2.8, 1/1000 second, ISO 100

1. Software vs. Physics

The first of the 5 reasons why dedicated cameras are better than smartphones for photography, is software vs physics.

I don’t want to sound like an old man yelling at clouds, decrying all modern technologies that might make my life better. Smartphone cameras and computational photography are incredible! They can use software and artificial intelligence to capture incredible images of night skies and portrait-style images with blurry backgrounds.

But digital trickery and software manipulations are no match for a mastery of light and physics, and this is where dedicated cameras still have an edge.

Most smartphones have lenses that approximate roughly a 28mm field of view on a full-frame camera. Some have second lenses that go a bit wider, usually about 15mm. It’s also not uncommon for higher-end phones to have a telephoto lens as well, which is roughly equivalent to a 50mm lens.

Nearly all smartphone cameras are stuck at a single aperture value as well, which gives you limited control over a key element of exposure. While there is much that can be done in software to overcome the inherent limitations of these lenses and focal lengths, sometimes you just need a separate camera to get the shot.

2. Foreground Blur

why dedicated cameras are better than smartphones-flower-bokeh — Nikon D7100, 50mm, f/1.8, 1/2000 second, ISO 100

Any smartphone can take pictures of flowers. This particular image shows a backlit flower whose petals are glowing with sunlight streaking in from above and behind, and a mobile phone could capture that just fine. However, there is one key element of this image that’s impossible on a smartphone – the foreground blur.

Smartphones have come a long way with so-called portrait-style photography. Portrait mode involves software combined with depth data that allows a smartphone to blur the background.

But not the foreground.

This is one of the things smartphone cameras lack. Try it for yourself!

Take a portrait-style photo with your smartphone but include objects in the foreground that you would like to blur. The background will get blurry, but the foreground will remain in focus.

Blurring both the foreground and background is a time-honored technique to add a sense of depth and perspective to your photos. Perhaps one day the software and AI techniques used on mobile phones will be able to replicate this. But, for now, if you’re using a smartphone, you’re stuck with just background blur.

3. Telephoto Zoom

While smartphone cameras have had pinch-to-zoom capabilities for over a decade, it amounts to little more than just cropping your pictures. Modern smartphones do a better job of interpolating data between pixels and adjusting exposure values on the fly, but at the end of the day, you’re still just cropping.

In the process, you lose a lot of detail. And even then, you just can’t zoom in very far. It’s definitely one of the things smartphone cameras lack, despite some recent advances.

One classic example of this is a picture of the moon.

Smartphone lenses, and the laws of physics, make pictures like this impossible. You have probably noticed if you have ever tried to do a pinch-and-zoom photo of our nearest celestial neighbor.

You’ll need a dedicated camera if you want to get crisp, detailed photos of faraway objects. And this is just another reason dedicated cameras are better than smartphones.

why dedicated cameras are better than smartphones-horse — Nikon D500, 200mm, f/2.8, 1/3000 second, ISO 100

Smartphones aren’t great for most long-distance shooting scenarios, such as this picture of a horse in the pasture.

While pinch-and-zoom can make it seem like you’re getting closer, you won’t get a tack-sharp, high-resolution image suitable for printing and framing.

Like everything tech-related, this is getting better and will improve with time. Some phones now are using stacked periscope-style lenses combined with software and AI processing to mimic 10x or even 100x zoom lenses. Right now, these make interesting tech demos, but the results don’t have the same level of clarity, color, and fidelity as you would get from a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a zoom lens attached.

4. Background compression

why dedicated cameras are better than smartphones-walking — Nikon D7100, 200mm, f/2.8, 1/1500 second, ISO 100

Another reason dedicated cameras are better than smartphones is background compression.

Something interesting happens when you shoot photos with a telephoto zoom: the background appears to move closer to your subject.

It’s called background compression and is a time-honored compositional technique to make your subjects stand out and take your images up to another level. It’s also impossible to do on a smartphone.

In the picture above, the building is very far away from the woman walking in the foreground. Shooting with a telephoto lens compresses the background and makes it seem much closer.

-family-forest — Nikon D750, 200mm, f/4, 1/400 second, ISO 3200

In this family photo, you can see the trees and leaves in the background, which are very far away. However, they appear closer as a result of background compression.

While some smartphone cameras do have some limited zoom capability, their smaller lenses and image sensors simply do not allow for these types of pictures.

5. Fast action

Before I get too far in this section, I want to point out that smartphones are good at capturing some types of fast action. These conditions are fairly limited, though.

You have to be close to your subject, which isn’t possible in a lot of action situations. It also helps if you can lock focus on a specific area where you know the subject will be, or else have a smartphone with amazing autofocus capabilities. And if you can meet those challenges, then your phone could produce some good results.

For a lot of fast action, though, you need a DSLR or mirrorless camera. It helps to have a good lens attached too.

This will let you stand on the sidelines while getting up close and personal with your subjects. It helps to shoot with a wide aperture too, which will let you get a fast shutter speed and freeze the action.

action photo — Nikon D750, 185mm, f/4, 1/500 second, ISO 100

These types of action shots are impossible on smartphones because pinch-to-zoom just can’t get the job done. You’ll get pictures that are pixellated, blurry, or out of focus because smartphones are not able to match the speed and capability of a dedicated camera.

In the picture below, I was sitting in the stern of a boat zoomed in to 200mm. I had to use tracking autofocus to keep the picture sharp. My brother was also in the boat with his smartphone, and he didn’t like any of the shots he got.

why dedicated cameras are better than smartphones- action photo of tubing — Nikon D7100, 200mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 second, ISO 100

6. Portraits

The last of my reasons that dedicated cameras are better than smartphones relates to portrait photography.

This one might ruffle some feathers because phones have gotten so much better at portraits in recent years. In fact, some people can’t even tell the difference between portrait-style images shot on mobile phones and actual portraits taken with a dedicated camera. I have trouble sometimes too. In the coming years, mobile phones are going to keep getting better and better.

For now, and into the foreseeable future, dedicated cameras still have a significant advantage.

Software and AI, and computational horsepower can do a lot, but they can’t keep up with a good lens and physics.

In the picture below, the girl’s eyes are tack sharp but there is a subtle falloff as you look towards the edge of her face. Her hair goes from sharp to blurry in a smooth, even fashion.

The background isn’t just blurry – it’s obliterated. Mobile phones can’t do that.

girl-red-shirt — Nikon D750, 170mm, f/2.8, 1/180 second, ISO 100

You don’t need expensive gear to take great portraits either.

In fact, you can spend far less on a used DSLR or Mirrorless camera than you would on a mobile phone with portrait mode.

The shot below was taken on a Nikon D200, which came out in 2006, and can be found today for about $ 150.

The lens is a cheap 50mm f/1.8. And the results blow away anything you can get from a mobile phone.

All the subtle details, like the way her eye is in focus but her ears are slightly blurry, to her hair slowly fading away, to the bokeh in the background, make this image a cut above what you could get from a smartphone. Just another reason that dedicated cameras are better than smartphones for photography.

why dedicated cameras are better than smartphones-girl-park — Nikon D200, 50mm, f/1.8, 1/250 second, ISO 400

Conclusion

Before anyone gets out a bucket of tar and some feathers, please understand that I think smartphone cameras are amazing!

Despite the things smartphone cameras lack, they can take incredible pictures and technology will only make them better with time. I just think it’s important to understand their limitations and have a sense of some of the pictures they can’t yet achieve.

What about you?

I’m curious what your experience has been with smartphone pictures. Does your smartphone take the kinds of shots you want, or have you found that it can’t yet replace your DSLR or mirrorless camera?

I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to share your thoughts and example images in the comments below.

The post 6 Reasons Why Dedicated Cameras are Better than Smartphones for Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

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5 Reasons You Should Still Use a DSLR in 2020

06 Mar

The post 5 Reasons You Should Still Use a DSLR in 2020 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

5 Reasons You Should Still Use a DSLR in 2020 Feature Graphic

In recent years, mirrorless cameras have come to dominate much of the photography market. So much so that, if you’re a DSLR shooter, you may feel like you’re lagging behind. You may feel like you’re using old, antiquated equipment. You may start saving up for that brand-new mirrorless kit. But should you still use a DSLR in 2020?

Here’s the thing:

While mirrorless cameras may be all the rage these days, there’s a lot to be said for DSLRs.

5 Reasons You Should Still Use a DSLR in 2020 – Nikon D6

And while there are a lot of benefits to going mirrorless, for some photographers, mirrorless bodies and lenses would be an unnecessary step sideways.

Or, even worse, a step backward.

That’s what this article is all about. I’m going to give you five reasons why you might want to still use a DSLR in 2020.

And you’ll come away knowing whether a DSLR still makes sense for your shooting needs, even in this increasingly mirrorless age.

1. DSLRs are much easier to work with in low light

If you’ve spent some time reading about DSLRs versus mirrorless cameras, then you’ll be familiar with the optical viewfinder and electronic viewfinder comparisons.

On the one hand, optical viewfinders are much clearer than electronic viewfinders, and they feel more real.

5 Reasons You Should Still Use a DSLR in 2020 — This Nikon DSLR features an optical viewfinder, which gives you a crisp and lifelike view through the lens.

On the other hand, electronic viewfinders give you a live preview of your image before you even take it, one that allows you to assess exposure from the moment you put the camera up to your eye. You also get other cool benefits, such as focus peaking (where you can see in-focus areas through the viewfinder), as well as the ability to “see” in black and white.

But there’s another key optical viewfinder benefit:

They look way better in low light.

When you’re shooting in darker situations, looking through an optical viewfinder is very similar to looking with your naked eye.

But looking through an electronic viewfinder is like looking through an old, poor-quality display. There’s noise everywhere, and this makes it tough to tell whether you’ve nailed focus and exposure.

Of course, it’s possible to look past these flaws, and you can still shoot mirrorless in low light. But it’s frustrating to look through a viewfinder and see a poor-quality image, so if you’re a frequent low-light shooter, you might want to consider sticking with a DSLR instead.

Now, EVFs are improving all the time, and there may reach a point in the future where the quality in low light comes close to that of OVFs. But right now, OVFs are dominating EVFs in the low-light arena.

2. You can shoot all day with a DSLR on a single battery

Another reason to still use a DSLR in 2020 is that DSLRs have much longer-lasting batteries compared to mirrorless cameras.

And if you’re the type of photographer who likes to shoot all day without stopping, or someone who goes into areas without access to electricity for days on end, you’re going to struggle with a mirrorless body.

Most mirrorless bodies are rated at around 250-400 shots, though you can get a substantial amount of additional life out of them if you make an effort to conserve battery. Even so, mirrorless battery life pales in comparison to DSLRs, which frequently feature capabilities from around 800 shots to 1500 shots and beyond.

5 Reasons You Should Still Use a DSLR in 2020 – Nikon D850 — This Nikon D850 has a battery life of 1840 high-resolution shots, which is much more than that of mirrorless competitors.

When I got my first mirrorless camera, I thought I was ready to handle the limited battery life. In a sense, I was: I had three original batteries, plus two chargers.

But even if you have the batteries to last a day or two, it’s frustrating to have to remember to charge them after every shoot. It’s also frustrating to change batteries during shoots, especially when working in the freezing cold or in bad weather.

So if battery life is a big deal to you, then you may want to stick with your DSLR.

3. DSLRs feel much better in your hand

I’ve used a number of mirrorless cameras, and I’ve also used a number of DSLRs.

And the DSLRs are far, far better when it comes to ergonomics.

You see, mirrorless cameras are much more compact than DSLRs on average. But in order to achieve the smaller form-factor, manufacturers have flattened body grips.

Sure, there are some mirrorless cameras that retain a DSLR-like feel, but many of the mid-level options from Sony and Fujifilm, not to mention the entry-level, no-viewfinder cameras from most manufacturers, have very limited grips.

And this makes them very tough to use for street photographers (who often shoot one-handed), as well as casual walkaround photographers. Plus, anyone who holds a camera for hours on end wants it to feel comfortable, not just usable.

In a lot of cases, mirrorless bodies just…aren’t.

Check out this DSLR, which shows the extent to which a deep body grip defines its shape:

So before you grab a new mirrorless body, make sure to head into your local camera shop and actually try it out. Hold it in your hand.

And ask yourself:

How would I feel after hours in the field?

If the answer is something along the lines of “Not good,” then you may want to still use your DSLR in 2020.

4. DSLRs allow you to comfortably view the scene with both eyes open

I’ve already talked about the difference between electronic viewfinders and optical viewfinders.

But there’s a practical consequence that comes with using an electronic viewfinder that I haven’t mentioned:

It’s tough to shoot with both eyes open.

Now, if you’re a landscape or portrait photographer, you may think this is silly. Why would you ever need to use both eyes while shooting?

But if you’re an action photographer, someone who shoots sports or even street photos, then you may like to shoot with both eyes open. This allows you to anticipate movement. It allows you to see what’s going to move into the frame before it happens.

And it can really take your images to the next level.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to use both eyes when shooting mirrorless. This is because there’s a feeling of disconnect between the electronic viewfinder and the optical viewfinder. Plus, even the best EVFs have some kind of lag; while this may be irrelevant if using one eye to shoot, it creates a level of disjointedness when working with both eyes.

This is one of the reasons why, by the way, plenty of sports photographers are still opting for a camera like the Nikon D5/6 or the Canon 1D X Mark II/III over mirrorless options like the Sony a9 II or the Olympus OM-D E-M1X. While the latter two cameras offer incredible specs, it’s just too difficult to use them with both eyes open.

5 Reasons You Should Still Use a DSLR in 2020 - Canon EOS 1D X Mark III — The Canon 1D X Mark III is a sought-after sports camera by professionals.

5. DSLRs offer a better lens selection

Here’s your final reason to still use a DSLR in 2020 over mirrorless:

The lens selection.

Now, there are plenty of great lenses for mirrorless systems. But the range just isn’t as expansive as the DSLR lens lineup that’s offered by Canon or Nikon.

Fortunately, there are adapters that allow you to use DSLR lenses on mirrorless bodies. But these can cost a substantial amount of money, and for some lineups, they’re just not ideal.

Some shooters won’t care about the limited lens offerings; if you’re a portrait photographer, for instance, you’ll probably be just fine with the lens lineup offered by any of the major mirrorless manufacturers. This is because portrait-type lenses are often developed first, as part of a “standard” prime and zoom series.

But if you photograph with more specialized equipment – a set of super-telephoto lenses, for instance, or a long macro lens – you’ll struggle to get the glass you need to really capture your images.

Note, also that switching from a Canon DSLR to a mirrorless system like Fujifilm, will cost a significant sum of money. You’ll need to buy a mirrorless camera, yes, but you’ll also need to replace your entire lens lineup. And while you can sell your DSLR lenses on the used market, they likely won’t get you close to the cash you need for a well-rounded Fuji system.

So make sure you keep this in mind before switching to mirrorless.

5 Reasons you should still use a DSLR in 2020: Conclusion

Now that you’ve finished this article, you know all about the five key reasons you should still use a DSLR in 2020 over a mirrorless camera.

And you should have a sense of whether a DSLR makes sense for your needs.

5 Reasons You Should Still Use a DSLR in 2020 - Canon Rebel T7i

Now I’d like to know:

Do you shoot mirrorless or with a DSLR? And why? Share your reasons in the comments below!

The post 5 Reasons You Should Still Use a DSLR in 2020 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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	I would love a full-frame X100!
	I'm happy with my APS-C X100, don't change a thing.
	Don't stop at full-frame, I want medium format!

Posts Tagged ‘Reasons’

Square versus rectangular photography

1. Square compositions feature balance and flow

2. The square format gives the perfect amount of negative space

3. A square will force you to simplify your compositions

4. The square format works great with shapes

5. You can create beautiful square centered compositions

6. The square format works beautifully with black and white

Square photography: final words

1. Our photographs tell us what is important to us

2. Photographs are part of our legacy

3. Photographs allow us to share and to communicate

4. Photography makes us artists

5. Photography is a complex language

6. Photography has the power to move us

Why photography matters: Conclusion

1. It’s free

2. It’s social

3. You control size and compression

4. You can work with RAW files

5. You can do all your post-processing

Conclusion

Focus on what’s important

Quality

Take your time

No wide angle…or can there be?

Lightweight is king

What is motion blur?

1. It tells a story

2. It adds action to your photography

3. It can create a wonderful effect

Here’s why you probably don’t need 8K right now (and why you might)

Almost nobody is watching 8K

You’ll probably need a new computer

The files will be huge

Your current video lenses might hit their limits

To capture still photos from video

For video post-production

To create even better 4K video

To future-proof equipment

To future-proof content

8K is coming, but do you need it now?

Introduction

Size and weight

Development cost of full-frame

Literal cost to consumer

Loss of brand identity, and customer trust

Risk of cannibalization

Summing up – arguments against

But what about medium format?

In conclusion

.

Have your say

1. Mirrorless cameras offer a live exposure preview

2. You can fit a mirrorless body in your pocket

3. You can see in black and white as you shoot

4. Mirrorless cameras offer true silent shooting modes

5. Mirrorless cameras come with all sorts of cool bonus features

5 Reasons You Should Use a Mirrorless in 2020: Conclusion

Reasons why dedicated cameras are better than smartphones for photography

1. Software vs. Physics

2. Foreground Blur

3. Telephoto Zoom

4. Background compression

5. Fast action

6. Portraits

Conclusion

1. DSLRs are much easier to work with in low light

2. You can shoot all day with a DSLR on a single battery

3. DSLRs feel much better in your hand

4. DSLRs allow you to comfortably view the scene with both eyes open

5. DSLRs offer a better lens selection

5 Reasons you should still use a DSLR in 2020: Conclusion