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Posts Tagged ‘Studio’

Microsoft launches ARM-powered Studio Pro X, updates Surface Pro 7 with USB-C

03 Oct

Today, Microsoft released the details on its two new Surface Pro 2-in-1 PCs, the Surface Pro 7 and the Surface Pro X. The new devices might look similar on the outside, but take quite different approaches to mobile computing on the inside.

Surface Pro 7

The Surface Pro 7 remains largely unchanged from its predecessor on the, well, surface. Aside from the jump to USB-C (finally), the Surface Pro 7 is identical to the Surface Pro 6, including the 12.3-inch PixelSense touchscreen display (2,736 x 1,824, 267 ppi), Surface Type Keyboard and Surface Pen.

After years of Microsoft using its proprietary Surface Connector, the Surface Pro lineup now gets USB-C. It’s not Thunderbolt 3, but it’s a welcomed change nonetheless. Other ports include USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, Surface Connect and a Micro SD port.

More to love from the Pro you know. Meet the new Surface Pro 7. #MicrosoftEvent pic.twitter.com/UnldLXElIZ

— Microsoft Surface (@surface) October 2, 2019

Internally, the Surface Pro 7 is powered by Intel’s 10th generation processors with a number of options ranging from dual-core 1.2G GHz i3 processors to quad-core 1.3 GHz i7 processors. The Surface Pro 7 can max out with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, but the base model will include just 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

On the wireless side of things, the Surface Pro 7 will include 802.11ax Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. Microsoft claims a runtime of up to 10.5 hours on a single charge, although a specific Wh rating was not given for the battery.

The Surface Pro 7 starts at $ 749 for the base model—$ 150 less than the base level price for the Surface Pro 6. It’s available for pre-order today in black and silver and will ship starting October 22, 2019.

Surface Pro X

Microsoft is switching things up a bit with the Surface Pro X. Unlike the Surface Pro 7, which relies on Intel processors, the new Surface Pro X will use a custom ARM-based processor.

Microsoft says the processor is a co-developed version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx processor called the Surface SQ1. Microsoft says the 7-watt processor can get upwards of ‘three times more performance per watt than the [Intel-driven] Surface Pro 6.’ Microsoft says the GPU inside the Surface Pro X was also co-developed with Qualcomm.

Other benefits of using an ARM-based processor is that the Surface Pro X will support LTE connectivity, offer up to 13 hours of battery life and will offer fast charging (0-80 percent with just an hour charge).

Meet the new Surface ProX. #MicrosoftEvent @panos_panay pic.twitter.com/p4hpg0TZ0L

— Microsoft Surface (@surface) October 2, 2019

The device itself looks very similar to its Intel counterparts on the outside, with a few notable exceptions. Rather than a 12-inch PixelSense display, the Surface Pro X will offer a 13-inch display. The edges and corners of the Surface Pro X have also been rounded off compared to the Surface Pro 7.

The Surface Pro X is just 5.3mm at its thinnest point and weighs only 762g (1.68lbs). Microsoft says the Surface Pro X will run a full-fledged version of Windows 10, unlike the toned-down version the ARM-powered Surface RT used.

The Surface Pro X is available to pre-order today for $ 999 and will arrive at retailers on November 5th.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Compare leading 1″ sensor compacts with our studio scene comparison tool

27 Sep

The current crop of 1″ sensor compacts offer varied lens ranges and a suite of attractive features fit for an unobtrusive, carry-everywhere camera. We’ve just added the Canon G7 X Mark III to our studio test scene comparison, making possible to compare the likes of Sony’s latest RX100-series cameras against Canon’s latest entries in the advanced compact market. See for yourself how they stack up against each other.

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Note: As of September 26th 2019 the skintone targets in our test scene have been removed and replaced temporarily by fresh prints drawn from our archive. Of the four cameras in this widget, only the Canon G7 X Mark III was shot after this change. As such, these targets should provide an accurate way of assessing the G7 X III’s color response, but should not be used to compare it against previously-tested cameras. This is an interim measure, and we’re working on a permanent solution.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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High resolution Sony a7R IV pixel shift images added to studio scene, sample gallery updated

24 Sep

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One of the eye-catching features of the Sony a7R IV is its 16-image pixel-shift mode. This shoots four images centered around one position then shifts the sensor half a pixel sideways and takes another four, then another half pixel… until it’s taken 16 images. These 16 images can be turned into 240 megapixel images.

We’ve added pixel-shift images to our studio scene at several different ISO settings, along with a couple of real-world examples to our sample gallery showing both the 4-image demosaicing mode as well as the high-res 16-image mode. Just for good measure, we’ve added more standard images to the gallery as well.

Studio Scene

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Image Processing

We’ve processed the images in the studio scene using PixelShift2DNG, because it allows us to use our standard Adode Camera Raw processing to maximize comparability with other cameras in the scene.

It should be noted that Imaging Edge has a setting called ‘Px Shift Multi Shoot. Correction,’ adjustable in eleven steps between 0 and 1, that smooths some of the stair-stepping and chequerboard errors that can appear in the image. The shots in our test scene effectively have this set to 0.

Before making this decision, we compared this output with the results from Sony’s own Image Edge software. We’ve created a rollover that compares the PixelShift2DNG result to the Imaging Edge output with sharpening, noise reduction and Px Shift Correction minimized, and to the default Imaging Edge result.


DNG -> ACR	Imaging Edge Modified	Imaging Edge Defaults

We’ve uploaded the Image Edge-combined ‘ARQ’ files to the studio scene, but you can download the combined DNGs here:

16-image files merged using PixelShift2DNG
ISO 100	ISO 6400	ISO 51200	ISO 102400

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Profoto launches C1, C1 Plus mini studio lights for smartphones

19 Sep

Profoto has unveiled a small studio light that was designed specifically for smartphone use. The Profoto C1 and C1 Plus are small enough to fit in a pocket, retaining the same portability of smartphones while offering more advanced lighting capabilities than what is offered by the average phone flash.

The Profoto C1 and C1 Plus both feature rounded designs, as well as automatic flash power and exposure alongside a manual control option. The lights are designed to wirelessly connect with the user’s smartphone using Bluetooth, after which point they work in tandem with the Profoto camera app.

Both models feature a Li-Polymer battery that recharges in two hours using USB-C. The fully charged battery can power up to 2,000 full-power flashes, also offering 30 minutes of continuous light for the C1 and 40 minutes of continuous light for the C1 Plus. Both models produce ‘close to daylight’ colors with a color rendering index >90.

The Profoto C1 model has a max 1600 lumens and 800 lux flash output, four warm and three cool LEDs for color temperatures ranging from 3000-6500K, and inner reflectors under the integrated dome diffuser for producing ‘natural shadows.’ When used as a modeling light, the model offers max 280 lumens / 140 lux and CRI 90-98.

The C1 Plus is more advanced, offering a max flash output of 4300 lumens and 1700 lux, a click-on magnetic mount for using light-shaping accessories, a 1/4″-20 thread for mounting the light, and compatibility with all of Profoto’s AirTTL remotes. When used as a modeling light, this model offers max 280 lumens / 140 lux and CRI 90-98. Both the C1 and C1 Plus feature manual capture buttons on the lights.

The Profoto C1 and C1 Plus lights are available to order from a number of retailers, including B&H Photo and Adorama, for $ 299 and $ 499, respectively.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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ACDSee Video Studio 4 Review – An Intuitive, Easy-to-Use Video Editing Software

16 Sep

The post ACDSee Video Studio 4 Review – An Intuitive, Easy-to-Use Video Editing Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.

In this review, we take a look at the new video-editing software – ACDSee Video Studio 4.

Video is something that, as photographers, we seem to be delving into more and more. Whether that be capturing behind the scenes of photoshoots to create marketing material or simply a video of your photo adventures with friends, video is something many of us are either doing or may want to do. However, it’s not always as easy as that.

Image: Video Studio 4 is great for editing short clips for social media or uploading to YouTube. It...

Video Studio 4 is great for editing short clips for social media or uploading to YouTube. It will not, however, enhance your skills in front of the camera, as you will see later in this review!

The main problem with video content isn’t necessarily shooting the video, but the editing process. I am sure some of you have lots of video footage that you always intend to make into a video (as I have), but it never gets made. You start with good intentions, but the editing always seems to be the sticking point. For those who don’t edit very often or are new to video, editing can be hard and so much software lacks user-friendliness.

Video software usually comes with a steep learning curve too. Those that many consider the standard, Premiere and Final Cut, aren’t particularly user-friendly to the novice user. You will end up spending hours of your time watching YouTube videos to simply understand the basics of how to create a simple edit for either of those pieces of software.

ACDSee has set out to change that. With their latest software, Video Studio 4, you get powerful video editing built into a software that is intuitive and simple to use.

Opening it up

When you launch the software, the layout you see may resemble others. However, with ACDSee Video Studio 4, this layout is streamlined, and the most useful stuff is there, ready and waiting.

On the left side, there are 10 different options for you to work with. They are laid out in a way that guides you through the process of editing from start to finish.

Let’s go through them to see how you can use each one.

The left panel

Media

Video Studio 4 accepts a wide variety of formats for audio, video, and images. These are:

Image formats: JPG, JPEG, GIF, BMP, PNG, HEIC
Audio formats: WMA, MP3, AAC, WAV, AC3, OGG, M4A
Video formats: AVI, MP4, WMV, FLV, MOV, TS, MTS, M2TS, ASF, M4V, MPG, MPEG

As you can see, the software can handle pretty much any format you want to use. It is great to see such a wide range of options available. It means you don’t need to worry about converting files before editing.

Image: Here is a variety of a png, JPEGs and HEVC iPhone footage. ACDSee Video Studio 4 handled them...

Here is a variety of a png, JPEGs and HEVC iPhone footage. ACDSee Video Studio 4 handled them flawlessly.

Captions

Adding in titles and captions is simple and easy. A wide variety of fonts and placement options means you can create a title for your videos quickly.

There are several different styles to work with when it comes to adding titles and captions.

Audio Recorder

If you make videos, sooner or later you will find yourself in a situation where you need to record a voiceover. With ACDSee Video Studio 4, you can record audio directly into the software, thus, keeping everything together. This means you don’t have to move between programs to record extra audio. A really fantastic little tool that you may not think is useful – until you need it.

Transitions

With 30 different transitions to choose from, you can easily apply transitions between video clips. Tweaking these to your desired length is simply a matter of dragging them onto the timeline. Some are cheesy, some are incredibly cheesy, but you have options. I am a simple “fade” guy, but if you want something different, you will definitely find it here.

Image: Whilst there are several to choose from, I rarely tend to look past a “fade” or...

Whilst there are several to choose from, I rarely tend to look past a “fade” or “fade to black” transition. If you do, there are several options.

Audio Effects

Adding fade in and outs to your audio tracks is simple and easy too. You can do it manually, but by using the presets and then tweaking to get the desired effect, you can really save some time. You’ll also get your content created much quicker and easier than ever.

It is easy to add fade in and outs with audio in the program.

Animations

New in this version of ACDSee Video Studio 4 is the ability to use keyframes to make custom animations. This allows you to create bespoke animations for your clips, which is great when using a still image in your video.

There are also some great presets to use as starting points, which you can fine-tune to get your clips just how you want them.

You can start with one of the inbuilt animations or start from scratch.

Behavior

Behaviors are customizable entrance and exit effects. You can use these on a clip to really emphasize the clips’ start and end. Simply tweak each effect to customize it to your taste.

I really didn’t see where I would use this, and it feels a little gimmicky. This is a feature most people will not use too often, but in the right hands, I am sure you can do something cool with it.

Filters

ACDSee Video Studio 4 gives you many filter options to tweak the look of your clip. When applied, these filters tweak things like the clips color, and exposure. There are also several creative effects for quick and easy effects for your footage.

There are several options to explore here. Which ones you choose depends on your taste and preference, but there is something to please most people here. You will no doubt find your favorites when you have used the software a few times, and these will become your go-to filters.

You can add multiple filters should you need or want to. They stack on top of each other in the clip, and you can edit them individually.

Image: This shows the exposure filter in action. It worked well on a clip that was underexposed. The...

This shows the exposure filter in action. It worked well on a clip that was underexposed. There are many others – some good, some that you probably won’t use.

Overlays

Overlays are effects that sit on top of your clips. Some of these, such as the animated hearts and bubbles, are an acquired taste and most of you probably won’t touch them (but will no doubt serve a great purpose for the young generation). However, light leaks and film scratches can give a great effect, depending on the look you are going for with your project.

Image: You can add filters to give your footage a certain look. Some are a little cheesy IMHO, but t...

You can add filters to give your footage a certain look. Some are a little cheesy IMHO, but there are some really nice ones, such as old film, which I used here.

Advanced Effects

This is where the software gets seriously impressive. Here you will find some features most commonly found in high-end editing software, yet they come with the ease and simplicity of use that makes Video Studio 4 so user-friendly.

Starting with one of the new features in Video Studio 4 is Remove Color. This is most commonly used for green screen work. This allows you to shoot against a green screen (or other color backgrounds) and remove it from the clip. You can then add in a background of your choice. This is great for YouTube videos, where you can buy a cheap green screen (or even use a green sheet) and then add in a background you created in Photoshop or similar. It can give you a host of creative options, is incredibly simple to use, and really powerful.

A new cool feature is Color LUTS. These allow you to add a variety of different color grade options to your footage to enhance their look.

Another new addition allows you to adjust the speed of your footage. You can create time effects such as slow-motion, or speed up the timing of your clip.

The last new addition is Mosaic, which is great to blur out items in clips, such as car number plates. This can then be sized and tweaked to match your clip. Again this is one of those tools that you probably won’t use very often, but when you do need it, you will be glad the software includes this handy tool.

Image: You can add LUTS to color your footage. Start with a preset or upload your own. For the short...

You can add LUTS to color your footage. Start with a preset or upload your own. For the short video I created, I used Tinsel.

Using ACDSEE Video Studio 4

It’s one thing to list all the features of a software, but it is another thing entirely to put it in practice. With this in mind, I put a few things together in ACDSee Video Studio 4.

The first project involved taking a couple of clips from a photoshoot on my iPhone and making them into a quick clip for Instagram. I also wanted to try out the screen recording software that comes with Video Studio 4 so I used this to make a quick tutorial on creating custom animations in the software.

Lastly, I wanted to test one of the key new features, Remove Color.

Green screen test

As this was one of the new features of the software, I was keen to test it out. However, rather than test this with a perfectly lit green screen, I tested it in a more common situation. At first, I tried against a blue block wall, not expecting it to work at all.

Then I used a green screen I borrowed from a friend. Now, this is by no means a high-end green screen. In fact, one of the stands fell to pieces when we were putting it up and had to be held together with tape! I also didn’t iron the green material (as you can see in the clip). It was a very cheap eBay purchase, but it is the type of setup the most people will use when starting with a green screen, so I wanted to see the results.

I used no specialist lighting in the setup either. Again, with the right type of equipment, this is super easy, both for the editor and the software. But, I wanted to push it a little…

Here are the results:

As you can see, the software worked pretty well on the green screen (just a slight issue with the reflection in my glasses) and surprisingly well on the blue wall, even if it didn’t manage to get it quite perfect. I think that a simple, smooth painted wall, with decent natural light, would work perfectly well for this type of work. Moreover, with an ideal studio lighting setup, it would work great.

The tutorial video

ACDSee Video Studio 4 also comes with software that allows you to record your screen, which I wanted to test to create a simple instructional video. As I am reviewing the software, I decided to make a quick tutorial on creating a logo animation. I simply selected the inbuilt Mic and Webcam and hit the record button.

When you have finished recording your footage, it drops it directly into Video Studio 4 ready to edit. Editing is then simple.

Here is the result:

If you are looking to get into creating tutorial videos for your photography, or tutorials for any software, Video Studio 4 is great.

The Insta edit

What I see as the biggest possible use of this software is for quick, simple edits for Instagram. This software is perfect for that purpose –one of those situations where you just want to put a few clips together and make an edit as quickly as possible.

In this example, I had three phone clips I wanted to use. I also had my logo and background I created in Photoshop. With all I needed ready to go, I jumped into Video Studio 4 for the first time.

It is super simple to use, and within minutes I had a completed video.

The first thing I wanted to do was to create a quick intro using my logo. I saved my logo as a .png file so that I could keep the background transparent so it would work with layers. Then I placed both the background and the logo into the software. To add some animation, I used the custom animation feature in Video Studio 4. By dragging and dropping this onto the logo, I was able to quickly add two 360-degree motions to the logo to add interest.

It was easier than I imagined. Within 20 seconds, I had my animated logo.

Then I added transitions to the start and end of the clip as well as adding an old film overlay. That was it. One minute and I had a finished animated logo. If I wanted to, I could export this clip and use it in all future videos as an intro. That saves even more time when creating clips like this.

Next, I needed to insert my clips. Again, it was simply a matter of drag and dropping them to get them onto the timeline. To trim the clips to the required length, you have two options:

drag the ends of the clip to where you want them, or
split the clip where you want the edit and delete the part that you want to trim.

I found this splitting quicker, and this is what I did for the rest of the clip.

With my clips trimmed, I also needed to remove the audio. There are two ways you can do this: Method one is to adjust the sound level of the clip by right-clicking on it and selecting Edit Audio. This is great when you want to adjust the sound levels of a clip. In this case, however, I didn’t need the audio at all, so split the clip into separate audio and video tracks. This way, I was able to delete the audio from the clip quite simply.

Image: You can either edit the audio level of clips or split the audio, which is what I did here. As...

You can either edit the audio level of clips or split the audio, which is what I did here. As I didn’t need sound, I simply deleted the audio from the clips.

I then added transitions between clips. While there are loads to choose from, you will probably find yourself going back to a select few. In my case, I have always tended to use Fade to Black or Cross Fade (called Fade in Video Studio 4).

For the last stage, I easily added a LUT to the footage. There are several LUTs in Video Studio 4, or you can upload them into the software. I decided to use the Tinsel LUT, which adds a color grade to the footage.

Adding music

When I watched the footage back, I decided I wanted to add some music. I used a track by A Himitsu, the details of which are as follows:

Adventures by A Himitsu, Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0

Music released by Argofox Music provided by Audio Library

Once I had the music in, I wanted to move my edits a little to match the music. Even though I had LUTs applied and fades in place, this was easy, and there was no lag when dragging clips around. The software felt speedy throughout using it, which was reassuring. With the music added, and clips altered, I just needed to add an audio transition to fade the music out, which I then tweaked until I was happy with it.

All complete, it was time to export my project. You can see the final edit below.

Export

Exporting is quick and easy and helped by Video Studio 4 holding your hand through the process. You can export and save to a file, or you can upload directly to YouTube or Vimeo. Just log in to YouTube and follow the instructions. In terms of time, the software exported quickly, and I didn’t notice a difference in export times compared to using other editing software.

You can also export to an animated gif, which is ideal for things like action sports clips.

As you can probably guess, the theme of simple and easy continues here. Video Studio 4 guides you through things in the beginning while allowing you the ability to be more creative as your confidence grows.

Image: Video Studio 4 guides you through the export process. You can export to file or upload direct...

Video Studio 4 guides you through the export process. You can export to file or upload directly to YouTube, which is what I did. It was simple and worked perfectly.

Support

ACDSee has some great training videos for their software on their website. For those of you new to video editing, these are well worth a watch to get you started with Video Studio 4. I am sure that more will be added over time, but they have everything you need to get started. There is also great technical support should you have any other issues.

Below is an example of their training videos with Director of Photography, Alex Watson. Before anyone says it in the comments, I know his delivery is a little better than mine.

Who is this software for?

If you use Premiere or Final Cut, you will have more than likely not even made it this far. It is not as fully featured as these programs and is in no way a replacement, but that is not the purpose of this software.

ACDSee Video Studio 4 is for those who are new to video editing or who just want to create quality content without having to spend large amounts of time learning to use software.

While Video Studio 4 is incredibly user-friendly for the beginner, it also contains many features for those wanting to delve deeper and use more advanced features such as the green screen.

In a nutshell, the aim of Video Studio 4 is to create professional videos quickly and easily for those new to video. It does this impressively well.
It is really competitively priced, and for those who are new to video and use PC, I can’t think of a better alternative.

Final thoughts

ACDSee Video Studio 4 is a simple to use, yet surprisingly powerful video editor. It is not a replacement for Premiere, nor is it intended to be. There are some really powerful features in here, but it also contains some stuff that I would personally never use. For example, some of the fades and overlays feel cheesy and overdone. Then again, as a teen starting out with video editing, these will more than likely be fun, and I am sure they will get used in creative ways. Maybe it’s more me being an old stick in the mud for the classics?

If you have been thinking about adding video to what you do, I would recommend you try Video Studio 4. This is simple to do as ACDSee have a free trial, allowing you to try before you buy. When it comes to purchasing, you also have options. You can purchase the software outright, or you can get it as part of the ACDSee 365 plan, which also includes ACDSee’s Photo Studio software for a simple monthly payment.

ACDSee is known for offering alternative software that is feature-packed, simple to use, with a great price tag. With Video Studio 4, ACDSee has definitely cemented that reputation.

ACDSee is a paid partner of dPS.

The post ACDSee Video Studio 4 Review – An Intuitive, Easy-to-Use Video Editing Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.

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X-Rite releases i1Display Studio and Pro Plus color calibration systems for professionals

13 Sep

Color management company X-Rite has introduced i1Display Studio and i1Display Pro Plus, two new display color calibration products for photographers and other imaging professionals. The products offer advanced display calibration, the Pro Plus building upon the Studio’s features to include capabilities for professionals who use ‘super-bright, HD, and HDR’ displays.

The i1Display Studio features the i1 colorimeter for use with the i1Studio software, offering display calibration to ensure a consistent color profile over time. The product features Flare Correct, Intelligent Iterative Profiling, and X-Rite Ambient Light Measurement.

In addition to support for NTSC, PAL, DCI-P3, SECAM, Rec. 709, and Rec. 2020 video standards support, i1Display Studio allows users to control the color adjustment, color match up to four displays, validate results, and get reminders when it is time to re-profile a display.

i1Display Pro Plus builds upon these features, offering the i1Display Pro Plus colorimeter and i1Profiler software. This product adds support for accurately measuring brightness and luminance levels up to 2,000 nits, BT.1886 default gamma curve, and a new Black Current Subtraction tech that X-Rite says is particularly useful for displays offering close to zero black point, including OLED. The company includes a USB-C to USB-A adapter for USB-C compatibility.

Both products can be used to calibrate monitors, projectors, and mobile devices like tablets. The i1Display Studio is available now for $ 179 USD and the https://xritephoto.com/ph_product_overview.aspx?id=2640&catid=156&utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_content=i1Display%20Pro%20Plus%2C&utm_campaign=xrite_i1DisplayPro_pressrelease is available now for $ 299 USD.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Sony a7R IV added to studio test scene comparison

11 Sep

The 61MP backside-illuminated CMOS sensor on board the Sony a7R IV is the first new chip in an R camera since 2015. Although it’s new to the series, Sony began preparing for its inclusion in a future camera when it released the a7R III, so the a7R IV is able to use the same front-end LSI and Bionz X processor. Now that it’s out in the wild we’ve been able to begin analyzing its performance – starting with our studio test scene. Check out how the a7R IV’s 61 Megapixels perform against its competitors, below.

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Capture One Studio launched to add automation for high volume studios

14 Jun

Phase One has launched a new version of its Capture One image editing software application that is designed to assist workflow processes in busy studio environments. Capture One Studio allows central control for operations that use multiple photographers shooting high volumes of images that need to be edited and catalogued as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The application is highly customizable, and allows certain tools to be locked off and others to be set up to be consistent across the whole studio. New automatic processes can color-correct, name images, store them and send them for back-up as they leave a tethered camera, while scripts can be created to determine processing paths and issues such as sizing, cropping and output destinations.

Businesses will be able to create on-screen guide lines and grid lines to ensure compositions suit specific layouts which can be shared to all photographers and which can be exported and used in Adobe’s Photoshop as well. Capture Pilot will also be able to display these custom guides and grids so composition can be checked remotely on a tablet or smartphone.

The company says that Capture One Studio can be tailored for individual businesses, and that its experts come as part of the service to help set up the software and to maintain it. For more information see the Capture One website.

Press release:

Capture One launches Capture One Studio

An all-new, customizable, and automation-ready solution for today’s high-volume photo environments; It is Capture One performance at scale

COPENHAGEN, June 13th, 2019: Capture One, the world’s premier name in image processing software, has announced a new product: Capture One Studio. With capabilities that focus on efficiency at scale, workflow management, and automation, Capture One Studio brings all the power, flexibility, and unbeatable quality of Capture One to an enterprise level production unlike anything else.

Capture One Studio adds new features backed by scriptable enhancements and advanced automation technologies, allowing anyone to build custom workflows. There is native barcode scanner support for error-free and expedited data entry; backup on capture for automatic data redundancy; workspace and tool locks to prevent errors; advanced guides for precision set-up of brand guidelines; Capture Pilot enhancements to aid collaborative workflow, and more.

“We’re excited to present the first ever photo editing and asset management solution specifically designed for high-powered workflows and multi-user teams.” said Jan Hyldebrandt-Larsen, VP Software Business at Phase One. “Developed together with leading e-commerce and high-end brands, Capture One Studio merges industry-leading photo editing tools with automation technology, accurate color profiling, and advanced asset management to meet the specific needs of fast-paced photo production, and eliminate the costly mistakes and time-consuming processes holding studios back.”

Building on Capture One’s industry-leading standards of precision and quality, Capture One Studio’s robust new offering allows brand and studio operations to be easily managed, offering greater efficiency across the board, and higher ROI. Saving time on arduous processes enable the team to focus on photography and deliver the best possible images.

The pressure to create more content is relentless, and it has to work across multiple channels, be on-brand, original, personalized, and timely. Studios must be incredibly efficient to manage that level of demand, rethinking processes, and implementing the best tools. The right software collaboration can be critical to ensuring brand consistency and performance. This level software is not only about the system capabilities that enable efficiency and reduce administrative burden, but also the end-to-end experience, which includes premium support and consultancy.

Capture One Studio is a strategic partner that allows services to accommodate the various people in the organization, from creatives to studio staff, management and business.

By combining the very best software and support solutions, Capture One Studio makes for an unbeatable imaging solution for your organization, whether a 10-person studio or 100-person team. Capture One Studio is built to scale and deliver new workflow opportunities for your business, and the endless possibilities for bespoke solutions make Capture One Studio both time and cost saving.

Capture One Studio – Feature Set

Automation Technology
A powerful scripting language allows you to customize actions, streamline data entry and build intuitive workflows that align perfectly with your team’s needs. (Mac only)

A single license key
Easily add and remove users with a centralized license system and eliminate extra costs due to staff turnaround. Accurately forecast expenses with a pay-as-you-go subscription model.

Advanced Guides and Grid
Create Guides as presets for faster work. Transfer guides in the processed files for quality assurance approval or include them as Photoshop guides when exporting to PSD, so retouchers and other users stay compliant with the master specification.

Create guides and grids as presets for faster work and utilize them in Photoshop. Streamline multi-user workflows and minimize composition mistakes when multiple team members work on the same image.

Sync Grids, Guides, and Overlays with the Capture Pilot app
Capture Pilot integration for Grids, Guides, and Overlays allow multiple team members to remotely, review composition, and sizing specifications during shoots, while clients can pick their favorite shots off-set.

Native Barcode Scanner support
Save endless man hours and redefine your workflow as a hands-free experience by connecting a barcode scanner to automatically name captures as you shoot. Mac users can script actions to further enhance the scanning workflow.

Next Capture Metadata and Next Capture Keywords
Accelerate workflows and reduce data entry with new tools for applying metadata ahead of the shot during tethered shooting. Combine the tools with barcode scanners and spreadsheets to instantly scan metadata. (Mac only)

Backup on capture
Reduce risk, save on back-up software costs and protect your assets as you shoot with automatic back-up from a tethered camera to a chosen destination.

Studio workspaces
Our dedicated team of experts delivers customizable workspaces and craft the ultimate workflows to match your organization’s productivity needs.

Workspace and Tool locks
Prevent users from altering the interface with Workspace and Tool locks and an admin pin lock for extra security. Eliminate costly interruptions and ensure compliance across multi-user workflows.

Color reproduction and color profiling (Canon and Nikon Only)
Reduce editing time and save on retoucher costs with fine-tuned color profiling for the most popular e-commerce cameras. Minimize color discrepancies and meet the demands of specialist product photography with more accurate colors out of the box.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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DJI Studio quietly releases new STORM drone

11 Jun

When it comes to new releases, DJI isn’t exactly known for being quiet. Unplanned leaks typically surface in various online communities a few days ahead of every official announcement. Even with speculation leading up to an event in the form of photos and product descriptions, the world’s top drone manufacturer hosts glitzy, high-end affairs for media and industry insiders to introduce its new products. The Osmo Pocket, for example, launched last December at ‘Good Morning America’s’ New York-based television studio in front of a live audience.

This is why it’s surprising that DJI chose to officially introduce a new professional-grade drone, through a provider, at Cine Gear Expo in Los Angeles. The four-day event, which took place from May 30th to June 2nd, attracted top-tier creators in the technology, entertainment, and media industries. What’s even more perplexing is that the video announcing the release of the STORM was uploaded to DJI’s YouTube channel back in January and remained under the radar until DroneDJ first discovered it.

Why has DJI been relatively silent about STORM, along with its DJI Pro service which was released last December after being available in Asia for close to two years? To start, the STORM is not for sale. The Verge recently confirmed that one company outside of China, Helinet Aviation, based in the U.S., claims to own one and is testing it out.

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On display in the Helinet booth at Cine Gear will be the DJI STORM – the X8 drone made by DJI to seamlessly carry the industry standard DJI RONIN 2 gimbal. This drone is the only one in America. Cine Gear will be your chance to see this beast in person and grab some photos! @djiglobal @djipro BOOTH B106 in the B-Tank ?: @robgluckman_photography Helinet Aviation is the worldwide leader in aerial camera movement with solutions including Helicopter, Cinejet, Learjet, Moviehawk and Drone platforms led by world renowned Aerial Coordinator Kevin LaRosa II @k2_larosa Helinet Production Group: @k2_larosa @chad_daring @broby_thimpson @jfburton2 @aexandraalejandro @michaelfitzmaurice @fad2blk @dronepilotmike @cameronfitzmaurice @jaredslater @scherbas @bruno_04cl7 @airborneimages @bentonward @joe.kocsis @paddymoynahan @robgluckman_photography @jip_01 @steve_koster @insdangraming @tj.millard @mrsteelefpv @stingersswarm @helinetaviation @helinetmoviehawk @cinejet #philpastuhov #jasonlafargo

A post shared by @ helinetdrones on May 25, 2019 at 10:38am PDT

How does a production company obtain access to this new-and-improved rig that can carry the heaviest, most advanced payload yet? It appears that DJI may be planning to offer the STORM for rent, packaged with the DJI Studio Custom Aerial Cinematography Service that includes a van and and professional crew. Comparable heavy-lift drones in its class, such as the xFold Dragon X12 start at $ 30,000.

Some STORM specs:

Comes equipped with eight propellers
Max speed: 49.7 mph (Sport mode) / 37.2 mph (GPS mode)
Operating temp: -10°C/14°F to 40°C/104°F
Flight time: 8-15 minutes
Max Payload: 40.8 pounds

Compared with DJI’s professional-grade Matrice 600, which starts at $ 5,000 and can carry a payload of around 5.9kg (13lbs), the STORM can handle up to 18.5kg (40.8lbs). This allows cinematographers to place and easily maneuver more sophisticated cameras on its DJI Ronin 2 PTZ gimbal including Arri and RED models.

U.S. representatives for DJI have not confirmed if more STORM models will be made available in the near future, stating they will have to check with Shenzen, China-based headquarters.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Your Guide to Studio Lighting Equipment

07 Jun

The post Your Guide to Studio Lighting Equipment appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.

There’s a lot of studio equipment to get familiar with and with it, a lot of terms to learn.

If you’re new to studio lighting, it is easy to get intimidated by the amount of stuff you have to learn. The jargon alone is enough to make your head spin. Fortunately, none of the things you need to be successful in the studio are particularly complicated, there is just a lot of it. The purpose of this article is to serve as a primer to introduce you to some of the most basic studio lighting equipment, and terms you will need to navigate a photography studio.

This is not a comprehensive list, and with new tools and techniques being invented all the time, it could never be.

A little warning: Some of these terms are used differently by different photographers. Others get interchanged with one another. While it can be confusing at times, it’s not necessarily wrong. However, it is useful to know about when you hear someone refer to a flag as a gobo or refer to ambient light as continuous light.

Types of light

Strobe – A studio strobe is a dedicated flash unit. They can sometimes be referred to as a monobloc or monolight. Usually mains powered, more battery-powered offerings are being brought onto the market all the time. Power output between models can vary greatly, with cheaper strobes offering as much power as a cheap third-party flashgun.

Strobes are powerful flash units that pretty much dominate studio photography.

Continuous light/Hotlight – Continuous lights serve the same lighting functions as strobes, but they don’t flash. Instead, they are high-powered lamps that can usually be fitted with modifiers in the same way as strobes. While mostly associated with video, continuous lights still have their place in stills photography. There are a lot of LED lights coming onto the market at the moment, and many of them are viable options.

The hotlight moniker comes from the fact that they tend to get very hot. Be careful with modifiers that sit close to the bulb as they present a fire hazard. This does not apply to LED lights.

Flashgun/speedlight – Flashguns are any small light with a hot shoe mount for placing on top of your camera. They are highly portable, and some come with reasonably high power outputs. Although their versatility is ultimately limited to their size and power output, they are still an extremely useful tool for any photographer interested in off-camera lighting.

Flashguns are small but competent light sources that are invaluable for portable studios.

Light functions

Key light – Your key light is the main light with which you are shaping your subject. This will usually be the brightest and most prominent light in your scene.

Fill Light – A fill light reduces the intensity of shadows created by your key light, thereby decreasing the overall contrast in your scene.

Rim light/backlight – Rim lights light your subject from behind to help separate them from the background. Often, rim lights are positioned so that only a sliver of light is visible on the sides of your subject.

Background light – As it says on the tin: background lights light the background.

Hair light – Hair lights are used to add emphasis to your subject’s hair. They can also be used to help bring up the exposure of your subject’s head if it is blending into the background.

Ambient light – This is any light that is present before the addition of any other lighting sources. This could be from lights in the room or daylight from a window or outside.

Modifiers

Umbrellas – Umbrellas usually come in silver or white and can be attached to your strobe via a mount. By firing the strobe into the umbrella (which reflects the light back to your subject), you are creating a much larger light source which creates a softer light. Although mostly directional, umbrellas can have a lot of spill, and they aren’t the easiest modifier to control.

Umbrellas are your most basic modifier. They are good for soft, diffused light, but they are hard to control.

Translucent Umbrellas/Shoot-thru Umbrellas – Translucent umbrellas don’t reflect light, but are instead made of diffusion material which you aim the light through. This softens the light, much in the way of other modifiers, but without the benefit of directionality.

Translucent umbrellas also provide soft light, but they aren’t as directional as softboxes.

Softboxes – Softboxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Once attached to your light, a softbox acts to shape and soften the light so that it is more flattering. Softboxes also tend to be quite directional, and they are easy to control and further modify.

Softboxes are the workhorse of the photographic studio, and they come in all shapes and sizes.

Strip boxes – Strip boxes are softboxes, but they are long narrow rectangles that produce a much narrower beam of light. These are great for lighting a subject from behind for a rim lighting effect.

Striplights are a useful type of softbox that offer very directional light.

Octaboxes – Also a type of softbox, an octabox is octagonal in shape. The rounder light source is useful for shaping the light for portraits. Octaboxes also tend to be quite large, making them an ideal modifier for portraits.

Reflectors (the modifier kind) – The reflector is a modifier that goes directly on your strobe. They channel the light in a specific angle for very directional light. They are also a very hard light source. Most are designed to take a variety of grids.

Reflectors, like this 110-degree reflector, provide a very directional and very hard light source.

Snoots – Snoots are modifiers that are designed to focus your light in a very narrow beam. They are great for both hair lights and background lights.

Snoots direct your light into a very tight and controlled beam.

Barn doors – Barn doors are fitted with two to four flaps for you to manually adjust the aperture the light is let through. These flaps can help you narrow the focus of your light on a specific aspect of your subject (such as their hair), or they can be used to flag the light from hitting a spot that you don’t want it to.

Beauty dish – Beauty dishes are directional modifiers that are somewhere in between soft and hard light. They are great for beauty photography (hence the name) as well as fashion and portraiture altogether. They often come with grids and diffusion socks to give you even more options in how to use them.

Beauty dishes offer a contrasty light somewhere between hard and soft.

Grids/Honeycombs – Grids are modifiers for your modifiers. Placed on a reflector, or softbox, or beauty dish, they narrow the beam of light further and help to ensure that the light is only falling on your subject (or where you want it to).

Grids help you to further modify the directionality of your light.

Gobo – A gobo is placed in front of a light source to change the shape of the light. This can be as simple as narrowing the beam and be as complicated as creating complex patterns. The easiest way to explain this is to imagine a Venetian blind with light streaming through. Now imagine the pattern on the wall. The blind is acting as an effective gobo and shaping the light.

CTO Gels – Color correction gels are used when you need to correct the color temperature of a given light. For example, if you have a gridded beauty dish that is particularly warm (like mine), and you want to use another light as a hair light, that second light might be very cool compared to your key light. By placing an orange CTO gel on your hair light, you can match and balance the color output of both lights.

Color Gels – You can also use gels towards a creative end. You can gel your lights to produce just about any color that you want to.

Reflectors (the reflective kind) – Reflectors are an important part of any studio kit. These allow you to reflect light from your key light back onto your subject. They are a means of creating a fill light without using a second dedicated light source. Reflectors come in many shapes and sizes, from the ubiquitous 5-in-1 reflectors to fancy tri-flectors sometimes used in beauty portraits.

Reflectors and diffusers are two vital tools when it comes to shaping and controlling your light in the studio. Also shown here is a reflector stand.

Diffuser/Scrim – A diffuser is a piece of translucent material that you place in front of a light source to alter the shape of the light or to reduce the intensity of the light. Some diffusers do both.

Flags – Flags are used to block (or flag) light from falling in your scene where you don’t want it to. You can use them to stop excess light falling on your background, or you can use them to reduce the exposure on the parts of your subject that aren’t the focal point. For example, sometimes, I like to use flags to help underexpose everything from the neck down in close portraits. This helps to ensure that the face is the main focus of the image.

Studio accessories

Light stands – Simply a stand to hold your light source. Ensure you have one that can hold the weight of your light. A high-powered, dedicated strobe requires a lot more support than a speedlight.

This image shows a boom arm attached to a lighting stand on a dolly. It’s a fantastic and versatile bit of kit.

Dolly – A light stand with wheels. Most useful.

Boom arm – A boom arm is a light stand that you can position at any angle between completely vertical and completely horizontal. These are useful to get your lights high up and also to place your light at angles a traditional light stand wouldn’t be able to manage. You can mount different varieties of boom arms to other light stands as well as permanent fixtures like walls.

Reflector Stand – A dedicated stand designed to hold a reflector in place.

Background/backdrop – A backdrop is any surface that you place your subject in front of. These range from paper and vinyl rolls to bare or decorated walls to pieces of painted canvas.

This image shows a painted canvas background. At the top of the frame, you can just see grey and white vinyl rolls on a motorized support system.

Background stand/support – Any support system designed to hold a backdrop in place. These can be free standing or wall mounted.

Clamps – Clamps and other fastening devices come in all shapes. You can (and should) use these to hold all manner of things in place. Backgrounds, flags, reflectors, gels, and many, many other things need to be held in place. For example, bulldog clips are indispensable for holding canvas backdrops up, whilst double-headed clamps can affix to a table and hold a flag or reflector.

This image shows a selection of clamps and clips that will you always find a use for in the studio. The double-headed clamp is holding up a piece of black foam core for use as a flag.

Rails – In bigger studios, you might see lights fixed to fittings on the walls and ceiling. These rails allow you to move your light relatively freely around a space without the hassle of a light stand.

They also help to keep cords out of the way of you and your subjects.

Other

Quality of Light – Quality in this instance refers to the physical characteristics of light. These include shape, intensity, and color.

Lighting pattern – A lighting pattern is a specific technique in which a light is placed in a prescribed manner for predictable and established results. Examples of these include butterfly lighting, Rembrandt lighting, and split lighting.

PC Sync Socket/Cable – The PC sync is a means to connect your camera to a flash with a cable. You can use this option in lieu of triggers.

Triggers – Triggers are devices that allow a camera to communicate with your lights and ensure that your flashes fire while the shutter is open. These range from very basic models with just one function, to complex devices that allow for full control over the settings of multiple lights.

Triggers allow your camera to communicate with your flash so that they work in sync with one another.

Slave mode – In slave mode, a flash will detect the light from another flash via a sensor and fire. This is great in situations where you have multiple lights, but only one basic trigger.

Mount – A mount is the means in which a modifier is attached to a strobe. A lot of lighting manufacturers have their own proprietary mounts associated with their systems (Bowens, Profoto, Elinchrom, etc.) So you will need to ensure that any modifier that you buy will fit the system that you own.

This is the shape of the commonplace Bowens S-mount.

Modeling light – Many strobes come fitted with two bulbs. One is a flashbulb, where your strobe light comes from, and the other is a modeling bulb that is on whenever the strobe is not flashing. This makes it easy for you to see what the light is doing to your subject. As a bonus, if you’ve cut out all ambient light (like you should in a studio environment), modeling lights give you the ability to see.

That’s a start

While this list is not, and can never be, a complete list of studio lighting equipment, it should serve as a decent primer to get you started in the world of studio photography. If you feel that I’ve missed something important, please add it in the comments below.

The post Your Guide to Studio Lighting Equipment appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.

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