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How to Use a Photography Ring Light in Unconventional Ways

03 Jun

The post How to Use a Photography Ring Light in Unconventional Ways appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.

With a ton of options on the market, adding a ring light to your kit has never been cheaper.

Continuous photography ring lights seem to be everywhere nowadays. There are dozens of offerings from dozens of companies that you can choose from, and they are popular with photographers, make-up artists, and videographers. The main use of a ring light is on-axis lighting for an even, somewhat flat exposure.

However, what do you do if you don’t like that effect or the distinctive ring-shaped catchlight for that matter? Because these lights are continuous, and because of their size, they have more uses than ring flashes of the past. If you don’t like the straight-on effect, you don’t have to use a ring light in that way.

In normal use, you would place the light directly in front of your subject and shoot through the aperture of the light.

This article demonstrates six uses of a continuous ring light that isn’t their intended use. It will also (hopefully) show you that these relatively cheap and effective lights are useful to have for any photographer in the studio.

Normal use

While not to the taste of many photographers, ring lights can be used to create bold and vibrant images.

If you’re unfamiliar, a ring light is a circular, ring-shaped light with a large aperture designed to be placed directly in front of a subject. You then take your images by positioning your camera through the aperture of the ring.

Traditional ring flashes had the light attached to the camera. This front (on-axis) lighting provides an evenly lit image. This is one of those things that you either love or hate, but photographers who love it tend to really love it.

Versatility

With the continuous versions of these lights, you have a wealth of options with how to use a ring light. Because the light is always on, you can position it anywhere you want. With a lot of the options on the market, this gives you a high-powered, lightweight and versatile continuous light for around $ 100.

Because of the brightness of a continuous ring light, your subject’s pupils will be constricted, allowing you to see more of the color in their eyes.

Here’s a bonus if you’ve never used continuous lights before. Because the output is constant, your portrait subject’s pupils get constricted. This means you will see more of the color of their eyes in your photos.

Options

Below are five examples of ways you can use a continuous ring light to great effect without ever using it as a ring light.

1. As a normal light

Placed at a 45-degree angle and angled downwards, these ring lights work well as normal light source.

Despite its circular shape, ring lights are great when used as a normal light. Raise the light and angle it towards your subject to distort the effect the shape of the light has, and you can use it as a small softbox. You’re not limited to how you can light your subject this way, but I’ve found that all of the basic lighting patterns work well.

You are not limited to the shape of the ring. Use flags to block off portions of the light to shape it however you want.

If you have more than one ring light, you can use them together to create just about any two-light setup that you can imagine. If the ones you have have an adjustable output, managing your key to fill ratios should be pretty easy.

2. As a prop

Having your subject pose with the light itself can create some interesting and fun portraits. It can also help to lighten the mood during a session.

If you have an LED ring light, they don’t get very hot. Feel free to have your subject pose with the light itself for some very different images. The results will vary with ring lights of different sizes, and you have to worry about the plug and the cables, but it’s still a fun technique. Though you probably won’t use it very often thanks to its tendency towards uplighting.

3. As ambient fill

Modern ring lights are getting quite powerful and it is more than possible to use them as fill lighting in conjunction with studio flash.

You can mix any continuous light with studio flashes for some interesting effects. By using a strobe as your key light, you can then bring a ring light in for some gentle fill.

A couple of things that you will want to keep in mind is that your strobes are probably way more powerful than your ring light, so set the power accordingly. Also, you will probably want to have a ring light with an adjustable color temperature if you are going to be mixing light sources.

You could also reverse this and use the ring light as key and flash as fill. As before, make sure the power on your strobes goes down that far before committing to this.

4. As a compositional device

Putting the light behind your subject creates an interesting tool for composition. Also, it may just be me, but I love that rim light that it is producing.

In its normal use, I am a fan of creating a composition with the actual ring light framing the subject. I just like it for whatever reason. However, you are not limited to that. You can place the ring light anywhere in your frame for some cool effects. Try placing one behind your subject for a halo effect, or placing one at an angle just inside your frame for a curved band of light running through the composition.

5. Dragging the shutter

When you’re mixing a ring light with studio flash, it opens the door to some interesting techniques like dragging the shutter. Here, flash is acting as fill and the shutter speed is set to 1/15th of a second.

This is similar to using the ring light as ambient fill, but if you use your strobe normally, you can expose for the high-powered strobe and the low-powered ring light by dragging the shutter.

This technique is not for everyone, but it can produce some interesting results.

A little warning: if you’re a technically-minded photographer, you’re probably going to hate this technique, as the results tend to be a little soft. However, it can be used for some striking results. If you do like it, you still have to be careful with controlling the movement of your camera.

You do have to manage any movement in your camera while using this technique. If in doubt, use a tripod.

Because the power output on your flash is not in any way controlled by shutter speed, you can set your shutter speed as slow as you need to make this work. However, you may want to use a tripod for really slow shutter speeds. This technique can provide some cool effects in its own right, but no two attempts are going to be the same.

That’s it

There you have it. That’s six ways that you can use a continuous ring light without ever having to use it as a ring light. Considering how cheap these things are, they are a very useful tool for any photographer who wants to get into off-camera lighting but for some reason is put off by flash.

Do you have other ways that you use a ring light? Please share with us in the comments below.

The post How to Use a Photography Ring Light in Unconventional Ways appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.

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Canon now offers a service to de-click the Control Ring on its RF lenses

23 May

In addition to a larger diameter mount and additional contacts, one of new features of Canon’s RF lenses—and one of its EF to RF adapters—is the Control Ring, a physical dial around the perimeter of the lens that can be customized to control various camera functions including aperture, ISO and shutter speed.

By default, the Control Ring is adjusted in predetermined steps, which click into place while rotating the ring. While this is beneficial when you need a tactile indication of how many steps you’ve adjusted various settings, it does cause a bit of movement and noise, which isn’t helpful if you’re filming video.

An illustration provided by Canon showing off the Control Ring on its RF 35mm F1.8 IS Macro lens.

Canon is addressing this problem by offering a de-clicking service for RF lenses. According to a pricing sheet, Canon will charge $ 79.99 to de-click any RF lens and $ 59.99 to de-click the Control Ring Mount Adapter EF-EOS R, not including the cost of taxes and shipping. Once de-clicked, the lens or adapter will be able to be switched between its default functionality and the de-clicked mode.

The service can be scheduled via Canon’s customer service phone number (1-800-652-2666) or its online support page.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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This rare 14 karat gold ring doubles as a spy camera

27 Apr

If you love unusual cameras and happen to have $ 20,000 burning a hole in your pocket, you’ll definitely want to pop over to eBay and check out this fascinating gold ring/spy camera. That’s right. The ornate 14-karat solid gold ring you see above is actually a camera in disguise.

Spotted on eBay by The Phoblographer, the ring is believed to be one of only two in existence, and stands out for the fact that it’s made of solid gold. The other known model, which was sold by Christie’s auctions in 1991 to a jewelry collector for $ 25,000, was merely gold-plated.

According to the seller, the previous owner of this subminiature spy camera was a gentleman who goes by the name Mr. Shibata—a Japanese camera collector. As for who actually made the ring, no one seems to know. Its origins remain a mystery. Here’s a closer look at this extremely unusual ring:

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The ring weighs approximately 44 grams and has a ‘585’ stamp on the inside, certifying it as a solid gold piece. The ornate hand-engraved details appear impressively sharp for its age and, aside from a few scuffs, it looks to be in good condition.

As for the camera tucked away inside, the seller notes that it still functions. It features a variable aperture, a guillotine shutter, clean optics, and uses 8mm film wrapped around a custom film holder as its medium. The ring includes the film holder and a matching 14-karat solid gold cover to help it blend in—although you’ll have to source your own film.

Screenshot of the eBay listing, with a Buy It Now price of just under $ 20,000 USD.

Considering the gold-plated version of this ring sold for roughly $ 5,000 more than this version is priced at, it could be considered a bargain. That said, the lack of history on who created it and where it came from might hurt its resale value if you were considering “flipping” it for a profit through an official auction house.

Regardless, if you find this piece fascinating and have money to spare, or even if you simply want to find out more information, head on over to the eBay listing.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Bikesphere: Car-Detecting Ring of Red Light Puts Cyclists in a Safety Bubble

09 Jun

[ By SA Rogers in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

There’s no missing cyclists – or the zone of space you need to safely pass them – when they’ve got a ring of red light encircling them as they ride down the road. Michelin’s new open-source project, Bikesphere, features a light sensor and proximity detecting sensor that work together to monitor the environment around a cyclist and react accordingly if a car gets too close, pointing a double laser spotlight on the ground to define a safety area.

As it stands, riding a bike in an urban area can be a risky proposition, with more than 5,000 avoidable accidents happening every year due to cars passing cyclists at an unsafe distance.

During the day, the Bikesphere works like a normal light-detecting bike lamp, turning on when you go through dark areas as needed. By night, it’s ready to defend you, projecting a single-lined sphere for the entirety of your ride. When it can tell a car is coming, the light turns into a double line and starts to spin faster to alert both the cyclist and the driver.

Bikesphere is the first crowd-sourced idea to come to fruition through Michelin’s #TrendyDrivers movement, which aims to change the habits of drivers to make the roads safer. When an idea is approved, they fund the project to get it off the ground. Ultimately, the Bikesphere will be made public, so anyone who wants one can purchase the common components and download the plans to print the rest using standard 3D printers.

[ By SA Rogers in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

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Review of the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light INT812

20 May

What is a ring light?

Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

Even if you don’t know what a ring light is, it is probable that you have seen photos made using them. As the name suggest, they are a light source in the shape of a ring, often, your camera is mounted on the light so the lens points through it. This on-axis lighting provides even, shadowless illumination on the front of your subject. It is a very distinct style most often seen in fashion photography.

In the past, ring lights were expensive or required a solid set of DIY skills to build your own.

The effect is not to everyone’s taste, and that’s fair enough. Sometimes, the light can appear flat and lifeless, which puts some people off. Also, a lot of photographers don’t like the distinctive ring-shaped catch-lights. That is also fair. If, however, you do like what can be achieved with a ring light, but you’ve been put off by price in the past, then the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light may just be for you.

Pros of the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

There are a lot of things to love about the Interfit Flourescent Ring Light. In no particular order, they are:

Cost

At $ 100, the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light is cheap. No, it’s not a strobe, but when you compare it to, say, Bowens’ dedicated Ringflash Pro (listed for $ 2021 on B&H), the Interfit is close to $ 2000 cheaper. This makes ring lights accessible to almost every photographer who wants to use one.

Weight

The unit itself is quite large, but at 1.3 kg it’s light enough to carry anywhere without much trouble. If you often shoot in a studio or space that isn’t your own, throwing the Interfit ring light in the back of your car is not going to be a logistical issue.

Size

Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

The ring light itself is rather large. But because you are not attaching the lens to the light, it gives you a lot of space to move around with the camera while still being able to see your subject through the light’s aperture. It also means that you can use a longer lens, such as 200mm while keeping the light really close to your subject.

Continuous

Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

With the Interfit INT812 being a continuous light source, you gain a few advantages. The first of these being that replacement bulbs are cheap, despite the size, they are only around $ 14 each.

Another is that after being on for about an hour, the bulb never gets particularly hot. This is great if you’re photographing people as you don’t have to worry about that aspect of your subject’s comfort.

Finally, there’s the matter of your subject’s pupils. With strobe lighting, you are usually in dark environments with periodic bursts of bright light. As we all know, our eyes adjust to the dark and our pupils dilate to allow us to see. In bright light, such as this ring light offers, it’s the reverse and your subject’s pupils contract, revealing more of the color in their eyes.

Bendable arm

Thanks to a bendable arm, the Interfit INT812 is able to be put in almost any position, making it a very versatile light.

The real beauty of this light is the bendable arm that it is mounted on. This arm, combined with the fact that the light is not mounted to your camera, means that you are not limited to using it as a traditional ring light. You can use and position it as you would any other light source. It’s also possible to point it straight down, a feat usually reserved for boom arms.

At one point I found myself using it as a hair light, alongside a softbox fitted to a strobe as my key light. The versatility all of this provides is more than worth the price tag, even if you never use it on-axis as a traditional ring light.

Placed at a 45-degree angle, the narrow edge creates interestingly shaped highlight and shadow areas.

Positioned straight down and a few inches above, the Interfit Ringlight provided some much-needed fill on an all black subject.

Cons of the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

As much as I like this light, it does have a few problems as outlined below.

Build quality

As I’ve mentioned already, the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light is not an expensive piece of equipment. In terms of build quality, it’s reasonable to not expect too much from it. The entire casing is made out of lightweight plastic and does feel a bit flimsy at the best of times. That said, both the bulb and the bendable arm seem to be of good quality. So far, I’ve used it about a dozen times and I have yet to have an issue.

Low intensity

Because this is a continuous light at the cheaper end of the market, the intensity of the light isn’t exactly the brightest. Because of this, you will be limited to working with large apertures and high ISO settings. Depth of field is unforgiving at apertures like f/1.8, so I would encourage using a tripod and taking your time focusing.

At the other end of the scale, it is very bright to look directly into from less than a foot away. This may be uncomfortable for your subjects if you have them in front of it for a long period of time.

If you’re used to using high powered strobes, you need to keep an eye out for other light sources that may affect your images. As the ring light isn’t very high powered, any ambient light around will add unwanted color casts to your images.

Chromatic aberration

When used on axis, chromatic aberration appears around the catch-lights in almost every photo. This isn’t much of a problem as Lightroom will make short work of the aberrations, but it is important to know about.

Chromatic aberration appears around the catchlight from the Interfit INT812; however, this easily fixed in Lightroom.

Color temperature

In terms of mixing multiple light sources, The Interfit INT812 does pose a few problems. It is not daylight balanced, nor does it match the fluorescent light balance preset in camera or in Lightroom. If this is the only light source present, you can eyeball the sliders in Lightroom or use a simple grey card to solve the problem.

The Interfit Right Light works well as a fill/hair light, although it does take some time to fix the resulting color casts.

However, when you’re mixing light sources, for example, if you use the ring light in combination with studio strobes, you will have to overcome unwelcome color casts. With the white balance set to flash, the color from the ring light is an unpleasant green. It’s an easy fix with all of the color correction tools in Photoshop and Lightroom, but it’s a problem easily avoided if you’d rather not spend the time correcting it. Of course, you could just use this as an excuse to shoot in black and white.

Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

Extra equipment

So far, I have only come across one real problem while using the Interfit ring light. Because it is so light, I was happy to put it on one of my cheaper light stands. When I started using the bendable arm to put the light at weird angles, it became top-heavy and off balance and started to fall over. Putting it on a heavy duty light stand solved the problem. However, watching one of your lights start on its way to the floor is not an experience that I recommend anyone replicating.

The problem here is that good quality, heavy-duty light stands can start at around half the price of the ring light. If you don’t already have a good light stand before you consider purchasing the Interfit INT812, please be sure to include that into your pricing considerations.

Overall Impressions

Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light

For $ 100, I love this thing. No, it isn’t perfect, but it does add an awful lot of versatility to my toolkit. I like it so much, that as long as there’s a place to plug it in, I will be going out of my way to take it with me from now on.

It might be obvious, but I do like the ring light effect a lot. However, even if you hate ring lights, the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light INT812 brings a lot to the table and does so in a price range that doesn’t make it cost prohibitive to give it a try.

The post Review of the Interfit Fluorescent Ring Light INT812 by John McIntire appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Canon introduces EF-S 35mm F2.8 macro lens with built-in ring light

06 Apr

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Canon has introduced a compact 35mm F2.8 IS STM macro lens for crop-sensor DSLRs. Similar to the EF-M 28mm F3.5 Macro lens introduced a year ago, the 35mm F2.8 has a built-in LED ring light.

The lens, which is equivalent to 56mm when mounted on crop body, has a minimum focus distance of just 3 cm (1.2 in.). It uses Canon’s ‘Hybrid’ IS system, with up to four stops of shake reduction. Canon says that the lead-screw-type STM motor allows for quiet AF operation, which is ideal for video capture. The lens has seven rounded aperture blades as well as a glass-molded aspherical element.

The EF-S 35mm F2.8 IS STM lens will ship this June with an MSRP of $ 349.

Press Release

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL: CANON ANNOUNCES NEW EF-S 35MM F/2.8 MACRO IS STM LENS TO HELP EXPLORE THE BEAUTY OF MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY

New Compact and Lightweight EF-S Macro Lens Opens Up a World of Photographic Possibilities and Helps Capture Close Subjects with Incredible Detail

MELVILLE, N.Y., April 6, 2017 – Compact and lightweight, the new Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM, announced today by Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is the widest-angle Macro offering in Canon’s popular EF-S lens series. The new lens is designed to help both entry-level and advanced amateur DSLR photographers discover the incredible possibilities of macro photography. Capable of capturing close-up subjects with incredible detail, Canon’s new EF-S macro lens is also the first in the series to feature built-in Macro Lites that allow users to control lighting with ease.

“Macro lenses are an amazing way to explore the worlds that exist all around us, and the new Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM lens is the ideal starting point for amateur photographers eager to capture incredible, up-close details on the go,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “Whether capturing a delectable dessert or the subtleties of a backyard flower, users will be challenged to find new colors and shapes that turn everyday moments into art.”

The new Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM captures stunning images and is a terrific companion lens for entry-level users eager to expand beyond their existing Canon EOS DSLR kit lens. Capable of shooting as close as 30mm from the end of the lens to the subject, aspiring photographers can get up close to a fruit or flower for an entirely new perspective, while capturing high-quality images with beautiful background blur. Additional technologies built into the new Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM lens include:

Popular 35mm focal length (56mm equivalent) and wide f/2.8 aperture
Hybrid IS system offers up to four stops* of shake correction
Smooth Movie Servo AF with Lead Screw-type STM ensures quiet AF operation
Full-time Manual Focus

In a first for the EF-S lens series, the new Canon EF-S 35mm lens sports built-in Macro Lites that allow photographers to carefully arrange macro lighting without using special equipment. With built-in LED lights on each side of the lens, users can create compelling shadows on either side of a subject or adjust intensity to give images a sense of dimension. Once the scene is set, the lens uses superb rendering performance to capture high contrast, sharp images.

While specialized for high magnification photography, the Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM is still a versatile option for day-to-day use, easily capable of capturing portraits, landscapes or snapshots. As the latest addition to the lineup of EF-S lenses, Canon continues its commitment to providing a wide-range of affordable lens options for photographers of all levels.

The Canon EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM lens is scheduled to be available in June 2017 for an estimated retail price of $ 349.99.

Canon EF-S 35mm F2.8 Macro IS STM specifications

Principal specifications
Lens type	Prime lens
Max Format size	APS-C / DX
Focal length	35 mm
Image stabilization	Yes (4 stops)
Lens mount	Canon EF-S
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F2.8
Aperture ring	No
Number of diaphragm blades	7
Optics
Elements	10
Groups	6
Special elements / coatings	Glass-molded aspheric element
Focus
Minimum focus	0.03 m (1.18″)
Maximum magnification	1×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Stepper motor
Full time manual	Yes
Focus method	Internal
Distance scale	No
DoF scale	No
Focus distance limiter	No
Physical
Weight	190 g (0.42 lb)
Diameter	69 mm (2.72″)
Length	56 mm (2.2″)
Sealing	No
Colour	Black
Filter thread	49.0 mm
Hood supplied	Yes
Tripod collar	No

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Meizu Pro 6 Plus features 12MP Sony sensor and LED ring flash

01 Dec

Chinese smartphone maker Meizu has today unveiled the Pro 6 Plus, a high-end model with metal housing and large 5.7″ pressure-sensitive AMOLED screen with Quad-HD resolution. The Sony Exmor IMX386 sensor in the camera module has been deployed in some previous Meizu models but at 1/2.9″ and a pixel-pitch of 1.25µm it is a touch smaller than the 12MP Sony chips used in some of the other current high-end devices.

The camera also features optical image stabilization, a lens with F2.0 aperture and laser-assisted autofocus. The front-facing camera is surrounded by 10 dual-tone LEDs forming a ring flash, and comes with a 5MP sensor and F2.0 lens.

The Android OS is powered by the same Exynos 8890 chipset that can be found in the Samsung Galaxy S7 and 4GB of RAM. Buyers can choose between 64 and 128GB storage versions. The Pro 6 Plus also features a fingerprint reader that doubles as a heart-rate monitor and a dedicated audio chip. Power is supplied by a 3,400mAh battery that is charged via a USB Type-C port with fast charging.

The new model will be available in Champagne Gold, Deep Ash and Moonlight Silver. The 64GB version will set you back approximately $ 435 while the 128GB requires an investment of $ 480. No detail on availability outside China has been provided yet.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Photokina 2016: Hands-on with Phase One 45mm F3.5 and 150mm F2.8 ‘Blue Ring’ lenses

20 Sep

Hands-on with Phase One 45mm F3.5 and 150mm F2.8

Phase One is showing off two new ‘Blue Ring’ lenses at this year’s Photokina tradeshow in Cologne, Germany. We visited the Phase One booth earlier and got our hands on them.

First up is the new 150mm LS F2.8 IF, which offers a focal length equivalent to 64mm on full-frame, making it a useful portrait prime. At first glance this is an enormous lens, but a lot of its apparent size is actually the detachable hood.

Hands-on with Phase One 45mm F3.5 and 150mm F2.8

F2.8 is fast for a medium-format lens, which should ensure nice shallow depth of field when used wide-open for portraits. Here’s a view straight down the front of the lens. See what we mean about that big hood?

Hands-on with Phase One 45mm F3.5 and 150mm F2.8

With the hood removed, the 150mm becomes a good deal smaller. The new lens can synchronize with flash at shutter speeds of up to 1/1000sec and can focus as close as 100cm/3.2ft. It uses 8 elements in 7 groups and accepts 105mm screw-in filters. It could be yours for only $ 6990/€5990.

Hands-on with Phase One 45mm F3.5 and 150mm F2.8

Next up is the 45mm LS F3.5, which Phase One tells us will offer extremely good edge-to-edge sharpness, even wide-open. Aimed at landscape photographers, the 45mm (and indeed the 150mm) offers a simple auto/manual focus clutch switch. Shifting to manual focus is as easy as pulling the focus ring towards the camera.

Hands-on with Phase One 45mm F3.5 and 150mm F2.8

Like the 150mm, the 45mm features a leaf shutter inside the lens itself, and it can synchronize with flash at shutter speeds of up to 1/1600sec. Construction comprises 10 elements in 7 groups.

Hands-on with Phase One 45mm F3.5 and 150mm F2.8

Equivalent to a 28mm field of view on full-frame, the new 45mm F3.5 has a closest focusing distance of 55cm/1.8ft. It is available now for $ 5990/€5290.

Hands-on with Phase One 45mm F3.5 and 150mm F2.8

This is Lau Norgaard, VP of R&D at Phase One. He’s pretty pleased with his new lenses – what do you think? Let us know in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Phase One introduces first Schneider Kreuznach ‘Blue Ring’ zooms

19 Jul

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Phase One has announced two Schneider Kreuznach ‘Blue Ring’ lenses designed with the XF system in mind, the first zooms in the series. The Schneider Kreuznach 40-80mm LS F4.0-5.6 and the Schneider Kreuznach 75-150mm LS F4.0-5.6 are optimized for the company’s full frame (53.7 x 40.4mm) medium-format system.

The new Blue Ring lenses join the recently announced Schneider Kreuznach 110mm LS F2.8 and 240mm LS F4.5. Both feature the ability to sync flash at shutter speeds up to 1/1600sec and built-in electronics that allow autofocus to be individually calibrated. Phase One claims this series of lenses is built to its highest quality assurance standards

Phase One Announces First Schneider Kreuznach Blue Ring Zoom Lenses

Prime Lens Quality Featuring Full Frame Sensor Coverage, Improved Precision, and Advanced Electronics

COPENHAGEN, July 18, 2016 – Phase One, creator of the world’s finest open-platform high-end camera systems and professional imaging software, today added two new Schneider Kreuznach lenses to its comprehensive family of lenses. These two Blue Ring zoom lenses feature impressive front glass elements, with front lens diameters of 63mm and 65mm respectively, delivering edge-to-edge coverage of full frame 645 format. Used on a Phase One XF 100MP system, the lenses are able to take full advantage of the sensor’s resolution; a 100MP capture renders a 100MP image with breathtaking fidelity.

— The Schneider Kreuznach 40-80mm LS f/4.0-5.6 Zoom lens renders ultra sharp resolution on all zoom distances from wide to normal focal length;

— The Schneider Kreuznach 75-150mm LS f/4.0-5.6 Zoom lens delivers great versatility. It’s preferred for on-location fashion shoots, with a range from normal to telephoto.

Together, these two lenses comprise an effective zoom range from 40mm to 150mm. Each lens is equipped with a zoom lock function on its barrel and is designed to maintain focus position while zooming. They each support flash synchronization up to 1/1600s. The new built-in electronics permit individual focus calibration when used with the Phase One XF Camera System.

“Creating optics this large with such tight tolerances is quite an achievement, “said Espen Beck, Phase One Senior Product Manager. “A Phase One full frame 100MP medium format sensor is 1.5 times larger than the cropped size 50MP medium format and 2.5 times larger than sensors found in high-end 35mm DSLRs. Capturing the full resolution of a square sensor this size with a round lens and avoiding crop means that the entire lens must be larger, which requires larger movements of individual lens elements while meeting the requisite standards for speed and precision.

“Schneider Kreuznach lenses are designed to deliver the ultimate analogue input to be shaped and refined with the Phase One XF 100MP Camera System and Capture One software. This design also benefits the Phase One XF 50MP system, which can exploit the ‘sweet spot’ of the lens, producing impeccable results.”

Designed by Schneider Kreuznach and produced by Phase One Japan, Schneider Kreuznach “Blue Ring” zoom lenses are refined with robust, aerial-grade mechanics and manufactured to meet Phase One’s highest quality assurance standards. Their enhanced precision, mechanical build, and look and feel complement the Phase One XF Camera System design.

For more information, including specifications for the two new “Blue Ring” lenses, please go to: https://www.phaseone.com/en/Products/Camera-Systems/Lenses

There will be a hands-on Webinar demonstration of the lenses on Tuesday, July 19.

For more information, times and to register, please go to:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/2633991530877302018

Availability and Pricing

The two new Blue Ring Zoom lenses are available to order now. They are compatible with the Phase One XF, Phase One 645DF+ and Mamiya 645DF+ or DF camera systems.

The Schneider Kreuznach 75-150mm LS f/4.0–5.6 Zoom is shipping now. Manufacturer suggested retail price: 5.490 EUR / 5,990 USD

The Schneider Kreuznach 40-80mmLS f/4.0–5.6 Zoom is expected to ship by August 1, 2016. Manufacturer suggested retail price: 7.990 EUR / 8,990 USD

Phase One Camera Systems and all accessories are available through Phase One photography partners worldwide: www.phaseone.com/partners.

For a demo of a Phase One Camera System, please sign up here: www.phaseone.com/demo

About Phase One

Phase One A/S is the world-leading provider of medium format digital photography systems and imaging solutions for professional photographers and industrial applications. Established in the early 1990s, Phase One is a true digital photography pioneer with a passionate commitment to image quality excellence and creative freedom. Phase One’s engineering and design expertise has produced imaging breakthroughs from high- resolution camera systems to advanced software for better photographic workflows and raw file editing. Phase One’s understanding and ability to optimize hardware and software integration underscores their award winning Capture One Pro software – widely preferred by professional photographers.

Phase One’s industrial division focuses on imaging accuracy for industrial applications ranging from aerial image acquisition to cultural heritage preservation – from mapping the globe, to protecting priceless works of art and documents.

Today, with control over all aspects of the medium format camera system supply chain, Phase One is uniquely positioned to help photographers and imaging experts everywhere stand out above the competition and realize their creative visions without compromise.

Based in Copenhagen Denmark and embracing the high demand of Scandinavian design excellence, Phase One is dedicated to delivering the best image quality and user experience. With offices in New York, London, Tokyo, Cologne, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tel Aviv, and with its expert teams of global partners, Phase One is committed to serving and supporting its customers worldwide.

Phase One and Capture One are registered trademarks of Phase One A/S. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Learn more here:

Phase One at: http://www.phaseone.com

Twitter at: http://www.twitter/PhaseOnePhoto

Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/PhaseOnePhoto

Google+ at: http://plus.google.com/+phaseone/posts

LinkedIn at: http://www.linkedin.com/company/16665

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Meike iPhone lens adapter case takes ring light and Sony QX1

18 Jun

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Hong Kong accessory manufacturer Meike has introduced a new case for the Apple iPhone 6/6s that accepts three accessory lenses and offers a mount for a ring light and Sony’s ILCE-QX1 E-mount ‘lens-style camera’. The MK-H6S PRO comes with a hand grip that has a Bluetooth-enabled shutter release button to deliver a more camera-like experience for mobile phone photographers.

The kit includes three lenses – a 0.65x wide-angle adapter, a 180° fisheye and a 2.5x macro lens – that screw into a mount over the device’s built-in camera. A larger mounting ring in the middle of the case accepts an optional ring light with built-in mirror for selfies. The same ring is also compatible with Sony’s 20MP APS-C QX1 adapter so users will be able to fit Sony E lenses to the device, preview the image on the phone’s screen and control capture via the grip’s shutter release.

The Meike MK-H6S PRO will cost £45/$ 65. For more information visit the Meike website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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