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Fujifilm X-T4 vs X-T3: Which should I buy – and is it worth upgrading?

20 Mar

X-T4 versus X-T3

Fujifilm says the X-T4 is intended as a sister model to the X-T3 rather than a direct replacement, but there are enough differences between the two that some users might wish to upgrade. And there may be people looking at the X series afresh, wanting to know which is the better choice.

The more I’ve used the X-T4, the more I believe some stills-only photographers will appreciate it

Initially I wrote that the majority of benefits would be experienced by video shooters but the more I’ve used it, the more I believe some stills-only photographers will appreciate the newer model.

But, of course, the X-T3 has been on the market long enough that its price has dropped, so anyone looking to buy for the first time might be tempted to save a fair chunk of money by going for the unstabilized camera. So what are the differences that matter?

Stabilization

Image stabilization will be the decisive factor for some photographers, but not all. Given Fujifilm’s lens lineup is primarily built around stabilized zooms and fast primes (the same approach that’s worked well for Nikon and Canon’s DSLR systems), many photographers are likely to conclude they don’t need a stabilized camera body.

Some kinds of photography, such as macro work, could benefit from it but for many stills shooters it’s likely to be a feature that’s nice to have, but not necessarily essential.

For many stills shooters IS is likely to be a feature that’s nice to have, but not necessarily essential

Stabilization is probably a feature that offers the most benefit to videographers. Unlike lens IS, in-body IS can correct for camera roll, and in our experience so far, it’s sufficiently effective to allow the X-T4 to be used without a tripod or gimbal. This pairs nicely with the excellent video spec shared by both cameras.

For really ambitious video work, the X-T3 mounted on a gimbal is arguably the more powerful combination (especially now Fujifilm has added the ability to control the camera from the gimbal), but for ad hoc video shooting, the X-T4’s stabilization is a major benefit.

Battery life

Battery life is another big differentiator between the two cameras. The X-T3 could already be charged and operated by connecting a power bank to its USB-C port, so it was easy enough to keep topped-up, such that its battery capacity wasn’t a major limitation for most users.

Video shooters, who need to know their battery won’t cut out mid-shot, and photographers who need to travel light and not carry an external battery, will be the main beneficiaries of the X-T4’s larger capacity W235 battery.

The X-T4 delivers a 600 shot rating if behaving like the X-T3’s default mode, or 500 with a better user experience

Interestingly, the X-T3 achieved its pretty respectable 390 shots-per-charge rating by dropping the brightness and refresh rate of its screen after 12 seconds of inactivity: a behavior the X-T4 calls ‘Economy’ mode. A like-for-like comparison would be that the X-T4 delivers a 600 shot rating if compared to the X-T3’s default mode, or 500 while providing a better user experience.

Improved autofocus

The X-T4’s autofocus improves over the X-T3’s in terms of both performance and usability.

The difference in performance is immediately apparent in tracking mode, with a single AF reticule sticking much more tenaciously than the ‘cloud’ of AF points did in the past. We’ve not been able to fully test this yet, as we’re told full production X-T4s won’t be available for a while, but it’s a very promising sign: Fujifilm’s autofocus has generally been very good at assessing subject distance, the main shortcoming has been the ability to stay locked onto the correct subject (hence us generally recommending using a focus zone, rather than tracking mode). Concerns about AF drive speed on some lenses persist, but we’re looking forward to testing an X-T4 with the likes of the 50-140mm F2.8 LM.

The X-T4’s autofocus improves over the X-T3’s in terms of both performance and usability

Meanwhile the X-T4’s face and eye detection systems have been improved, particularly in terms of how they’re operated. Like the X-Pro3, the X-T4’s face detection works pretty well and lets you drop out of face detection mode simply by operating the AF joystick. This means you can leave the camera in face detection mode most of the time, if you wish. The Face Selection mode is also pretty effective, letting you use the joystick to choose between faces or press it inwards to drop back to your underlying AF mode.

Sadly, like the X-Pro3, you can’t leave the camera in Face Selection mode: you can only access it by applying it to a custom button and the camera exits the mode every time you power it off.

Improved stills processing options

The X-T4 includes the additional processing options introduced with the X-Pro3, including Color Chrome Effect Blue, Classic Negative film simulation and the Clarity parameter. On top of this it adds the Eterna Bleach Bypass film sim and more fine-grained control of the camera’s response curves.

The X-T4 also gains the option to re-process Raw files as 8 or 16-bit TIFF files, for situations in which you intend to post-process your images, but prefer the in-camera color and detail rendering to anything you can get from a Raw converter.

Your position may differ, but personally I tend to feel that once I’ve got Provia, Astia, Eterna and Acros I’ve got all the options I need. So, while these new options will add some value to the new camera, they wouldn’t sway my own buying decision.

Movie shooting differences

The X-T4’s base movie shooting spec is very similar to that of the X-T3. It’s a testament to how good the T3’s video capture was that it’s still one of the most video capable hybrid cameras on the market, so long after its launch. With internal 10-bit and 60p capture, it’s still probably the most powerful 4K shooter this side of Panasonic’s latest GH models.

The X-T4’s ‘Movie Optimized Control’ is an appreciable improvement that makes it quicker to adjust settings

There are improvements, though, even beyond the provision of a fully-articulated screen and in-body stabilization. For a start, the ‘Movie Silent Control’ function, that lets you use the touchscreen to change settings without interrupting your footage – and, crucially, lets you set distinct exposure settings for movie and stills shooting – has been improved. The X-T4’s ‘Movie Optimized Control’ mode lets you adjust exposure using the camera’s front and rear dials, in addition to the touchscreen. It’s an appreciable improvement that makes it quicker to adjust settings when shooting in changing light.

The other small change that makes a big difference is the Log Preview Assist mode. This doesn’t go as far as Panasonic’s mode, which lets you import LUTs onto your camera but, more like Sony’s implementation, gives a loosely graded preview, which makes it much easier to check your shots in both preview and playback modes.

Greater movie/stills separation

We’ve seen some posts decrying the removal of a dedicated metering switch from the X-T4, but we suspect many users will end up finding the stills/video switch that replaces it more valuable, even (perhaps especially) die-hard stills-only shooters.

While many stills shooters are likely to prefer the X-T3’s two-axis screen, since it stays in line with the camera’s optical axis for both landscape and portrait orientation shooting, travel photographers and the generally clumsy may appreciate the ability to fold the screen so that it faces in towards the camera, leaving it protected from scratches when thrown into a bag.

Users who don’t ever plan to shoot video need never encounter the pages of video setup options

The other benefit for all types of shooters is that distinct movie and stills modes allow the menus to be be more focused on the settings they need. Users who don’t ever plan to shoot video need never encounter the pages of video setup options, and movie shooters can more easily find the options they want, with audio and timecode options broken out into their own menu tabs.

What about the X-H1?

Of course the X-T4 isn’t the first Fujifilm camera to offer in-body stabilization. The X-H1 was a stabilized sister model to the X-T2 and, like the X-T4, appeared to offer most to video shooters. With the last of the X-H1s still available new at knock-down prices, how does it stack up?

Looking back (and it’s not really that far), it’s impressive how far the X-T4 brings us, compared with the X-H1. The underlying still image quality hasn’t changed radically, but just about everything else has continued to creep forward.

It’s impressive how far the X-T4 brings us, compared with the X-H1

The X-T4’s IS is rated as being significantly more effective (though we’re not able to formally test that, yet), and the autofocus is significantly better, not least in that the phase-detection capability extends across the whole sensor, rather than being confined to a central square.

On the video side, the X-T3 and 4 both offer full-width 4K video, which makes it easier to shoot wide-angle than the X-H1’s 1.18x cropped version. They also offer 10-bit internal capture, which is especially valuable for Log shooting. Both of the newer cameras also include the ability to shoot 4K/60p, either to represent fast action or to allow for 50% or 40% slow-mo playback, and both can continue recording for around twice the time the X-H1 can.

We tended to find the X-H1’s shutter button over-sensitive but this and the camera’s quiet shutter had their fans. For us the X-T4’s shutter is quiet enough, and now comes with the added reassurance of a 300,000 lifespan rating.

Upgrades to the X-T3

The question hanging over a much of this article is whether Fujifilm will implement any of the X-T4’s features in the X-T3.

Having established a reputation for providing feature additions and improvements (onto often already well-specced cameras with good performance), Fujifilm has now put itself in a position where its users have come to expect to continue to receive the benefits of its ongoing R&D in their cameras, for free.

There’s an argument to be made that Fujifilm has already provided X-T3 users with an reasonable level of post-launch support

The X-T3 is now 18 months old, so is probably getting towards the end of its life cycle, yet its feature set remains competitive. It’s received a series of updates improving its performance and making small feature additions throughout its life so far. At which point, there’s an argument to be made that Fujifilm has already provided users with an appropriate level of post-launch support. Obviously it would be nice if the company decided to make add some of the additional features it’s developed for the X-T4. But whether it’s a reasonable expectation is another matter.

It’s likely to hinge on whether Fujifilm really does plan to maintain the X-T3 and X-T4 concurrently. Sony clearly believes there’s room for both its a6400 and a6600 models which, aside from battery size and image stabilization, have feature parity, but Fujifilm may decide not to upgrade the X-T3 up to X-T4 level in order to make the X-T4 more attractive.

Should I upgrade?

Ultimately, the choice of whether to upgrade from the X-T3 to the X-T4 depends on your specific needs. Given how competitive the X-T3 is, we believe both could happily co-exist – it’s still an excellent camera, offering tremendous capability for both stills and video shooters. Paired with a $ 500 DJI Ronin SC, it’s still one of the best video cameras under $ 2000. For those reasons many users might quite legitimately follow Dan’s advice, and settle for a bit.

But the X-T4 does have a lot going for it. Image stabilization, a bigger battery, improved autofocus and a host of performance and handling tweaks that will really add up for some photographers. I’m certainly looking forward to getting a change to test a full production version.

Until we get a chance to test the fine detail, we hope this article helps you assess whether it’s an upgrade you need to make, or whether it’s better to save your money for an extra lens or perhaps even the conjectured X-H2.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Pros and Cons of Upgrading from a Phone to a Real Camera

26 Sep

You may have guessed from my use of the phrase real camera in the title that this article may contain some bias. Everything I write does to some degree, that’s normal. Hopefully, though my experience is helpful to you when you come to think about upgrading.

I want to present some of the pros and cons of upgrading to a real camera from a photographer’s perspective. This article is for you if enjoy using your phone to take photos but feel limited by it. It is also for you if you have a real camera to help answer questions from phone photographers who ask why you use a camera.

My intention here is to share information from my perspective. I am a long-time professional photographer and photography teacher. But I have also recently started taking phone photography more seriously.

Phone and Camera - Pros and Cons of Upgrading from a Phone to a Real Camera

Size Matters

Almost all cameras are bigger than a mobile phone. Phones have the advantage of portability, but this is about the only advantage size has. Let me explain.

Lenses

DSLR Lenses - Pros and Cons of Upgrading from a Phone to a Real Camera

A good camera lens is essential to being able to make good clear photos. If the lens is small and low-quality, you are not going to get the best results.

Lenses on phones are tiny and most often made of plastic or sapphire crystal. Lenses for real cameras are larger and most often made of multiple glass elements.

Light is essential for creating a photograph. Light must first pass through lens, which bends it and focuses it so an image can be captured by the sensor. If there is any distortion in the lens the image quality will be compromised. Good quality larger lenses are more capable of producing sharper, more accurate images.

The range of lenses for cameras is enormous. Even small compact cameras have the capacity to zoom from wide-angle to telephoto optically. When the lens does the work of manipulating the light and sending it to the sensor, the quality is far better. On a phone when you zoom in, the image is just enlarged digitally and the quality suffers dramatically.

Image Sensors

Smart Phone Photo selfie - Pros and Cons of Upgrading from a Phone to a Real Camera

Sensor size is the other main factor in the image quality difference between phones and cameras. By sensor size, I do not mean the megapixel count. Often phones can now have more megapixels than cameras. The actual physical dimensions of the sensor are what make the biggest difference.

A phone sensor is tiny and measures approximately 4.8 x 3.6 mm. There’s no room in a camera to put a larger sensor further away from the lens. Sensor size in cameras varies a lot, but suffice to say they are a lot larger than the ones in phones. Compact cameras have the smallest sensors in cameras which measure approximately 6.2 x 4.6 mm. Currently, the largest sensors in mirrorless and DSLR cameras are 36 x 24 mm (full frame).

Some phones boast huge megapixel counts, similar or larger than some cameras. I would prefer fewer megapixels on a sensor with a larger physical dimension. Squeezing more pixels into a tiny sensor may seem impressive, but it’s not in reality.

If you have the same number of megapixels on a sensor which is physically larger you will have technically higher quality images. To learn more about sensor size and why it’s important, please read this article.

Creative Control

Woman Photographer at the Shopping Mall- Pros and Cons of Upgrading from a Phone to a Real Camera

Cameras are generally easier to have creative control over the outcome of the photograph. Phones are designed to be easy to use to get a quick snapshot. This is how most people use them. There are many good apps available to enable more manual control of the camera settings on your phone. Some are easier to use than others.

Entry-level cameras are not often any easier to control manually than phone cameras. Higher-end cameras of any type are more user-friendly for photographers who want a higher degree of control.

On cheaper cameras, it’s often necessary to dig into the camera’s menu system to adjust things like exposure and white balance. Higher-end cameras have more external controls so they are easier and quicker to set manually.

Creative Intention

Photographer at an Outdoor Event - Pros and Cons of Upgrading from a Phone to a Real Camera

One of the most significant differences between a phone camera and a real one has nothing to do with the technology. When most people pull out their phone to take a photo it’s for a quick snapshot. The picture may be posted to social media and quickly forgotten about.

Using a real camera requires more focused and creative intention. You are more likely to take time and think creatively when you are taking photos with a camera. This increases the likelihood of producing better photos. For me, taking the time to concentrate on photography is more important than the hardware I use to make the image.

Image Processing and Sharing

Photographer at an Outdoor Event taking a selfie - Pros and Cons of Upgrading from a Phone to a Real Camera

Processing and sharing photos from your phone is much easier than from a real camera. Phones are built for connectivity. The internal image manipulation, either native or in any number of apps, is impressive.

The biggest drawback when post-processing images on your phone, is that they are prone to lose quality. Often this is difficult to detect until the image is viewed on a monitor or you want to have it printed. It is very easy to over sharpen or saturate a photo using an app. It might look good on the screen on your phone, but not printed or on a larger monitor.

With a real camera there’s a certain amount you can tweak an image and share it, but it is not nearly as extensive as it is on a phone. Some cameras have built-in wifi and there are also memory cards with wifi available.

The Best Camera is the One You Have With You

Photographer n the Street taking a shot - Pros and Cons of Upgrading from a Phone to a Real Camera

This is true. You cannot take a photo if your camera is in a bag in the cupboard at home. But you don’t often forget your phone. This makes it a very good camera, because it is right there with you.

Learning to use your phone to do more than taking snapshots will improve the quality of all your photos. Spending money on a real camera that you don’t learn to use properly and leave at home is not going to make you a better photographer.

The biggest downside to phone cameras is the lower quality images they produce. Most of the time this is not relevant as most photos are shared and viewed on mobile devises these days.

bike on a path with a shadow - Pros and Cons of Upgrading from a Phone to a Real Camera

I processed this image with the Snapseed app on my phone. It looked okay on my phone.

Pros and Cons of Upgrading from a Phone to a Real Camera - close up of image above

At 100% on my computer monitor, the deterioration of the image quality caused by processing is obvious.

The things that will keep you from relying too much on your phone for taking pictures are:

Lower quality images.
Less control over exposure settings.
Little ability to effectively zoom.
The possibility of getting a stunning image that cannot be enlarged and hang on the wall.

These things do not stop me taking photos with my phone. Currently, I am using it more than ever, but I need to understand my phone camera better so I can teach people to take better photos with theirs. I am particularly interested in experimenting with the panorama mode.

Poi Sang Long Festival Photographer- Pros and Cons of Upgrading from a Phone to a Real Camera

I believe there are still many years left when real cameras will hold their own against phone cameras. How quickly the technology evolves will determine just how long.

If you are a phone photographer I hope this article will tempt you to pick up a real camera. When you learn to use it you will discover the real joy of photography. If you already use a real camera I hope this information will help you better answer questions when people ask why you don’t just use your phone.

The post Pros and Cons of Upgrading from a Phone to a Real Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Upgrading Your Camera – New Camera Body or a New Lens?

07 Apr

A point of contention amongst photographers everywhere who are budgeting for their new gear is one question, “What should I invest most in when upgrading my photography equipment, the camera body or the lens?” This can be a rather complicated answer, as it does depend on the type of photography that you’re interested in doing.

However, for the sake of a thoughtful article, we will be speaking in generalizations. To break it down, the image quality and ease comes from the lens but the capability comes from the camera body. Here is why.

Upgrading Your Camera - New Camera Body or a New Lens? featured image

dogs 2 - Upgrading Your Camera - New Camera Body or a New Lens?

The Camera Body

The body of the camera contains all of the controls necessary to record digital pictures. The camera is basically a container to house the sensor and the lens along with the electronics and controls. Camera bodies come in all shapes, sizes, and weights. The sensor can be a full-frame or a crop which affects how your images are sized and cropped.

Upgrading Your Camera - New Camera Body or a New Lens? - photo of a dog

The camera body you use will affect the dynamic range of your images, amount of noise in low light, a significant part of the autofocus, the frames-per-second, and the megapixel count (among many other things, but the aforementioned are the most commonly referenced). The camera body is what influences the number of pixels in a photograph and how fast you can shoot. It is also an integral part of the autofocus system.

From a physical standpoint, the camera body is what you’ll hold most in your hands and its comfort is very important when shooting for long hours. Higher end cameras also have better weather sealing than lower end cameras. From a logistics perspective, different camera bodies allow you to control more or fewer aspects of the picture taking process.

people in dark clothes - Upgrading Your Camera - New Camera Body or a New Lens?

The Lens

In laymen’s terms, lenses gather and focus light. Light strikes the front surface of the lens and passes through the glass element. Keeping this in mind, the difference between a good lens and a bad lens is that the former does a much better job at producing properly illuminated and sharp images. Lenses vary in focal length, aperture, type of glass, and so much more.

Upgrading Your Camera - New Camera Body or a New Lens? - portrait of a guy

The lens will make the biggest impact on the final outcome of an image. In regards to the artistic look of a shot, the lens will be in far more control than the camera body. This is because aperture, focal length (the perspective achieved due to the focal length), and sharpness are all dictated by the lens.

Lenses with a wide aperture are considered “fast” lenses because they can achieve the same exposure with a faster shutter speed.

Bonus question: What influences the autofocus, the camera or the lens? The electronic autofocus system is basically a motor. The motor housed inside of the lens will generally provide the greatest performance and highest accuracy. However, the focus motor in the lens is only one part of the process.

The camera body is what drives the motor. In addition to the mechanical components, the firmware in the camera body is what operates the autofocus system. The reason the lens is still the go-to even for autofocus is that it controls the accuracy, and the accuracy tends to be more important!

dog running - Upgrading Your Camera - New Camera Body or a New Lens?

Which Will Last You Longer?

Everyone will outgrow their equipment eventually, whether it be due to an improvement in skill, a desire for something better, or equipment dating itself too much. Essentially, interest in upgrading equipment comes from someone’s image-quality criteria.

Keeping this in mind, on the grand scale most camera bodies won’t differ in overall image quality unless you are shooting in difficult situations such as low light (in which case higher-end cameras have lower noise levels than others, as an example). The lens will make a significant impact on the final image result.

A good example of this is pairing a high-end lens with a low-end body and a high-end body with a kit lens. You will find that the audience will gravitate towards the photograph produced with the high-end lens / low-end body combination versus the opposite because the lens will impact the shot that significantly.

You’ll likely never be able to figure out what body is used in a shot, but you can often pick out the quality of the lens.

Which is the Better Investment When Upgrading - a New Camera Body or a New Lens?

A good lens will withstand the test of time as you try many different camera bodies (so long as it is compatible). The lens will travel with you from camera to camera. The lens will also help you create your specific style of shooting, as the aperture and perspective will mold to your personal preference.

Are you someone that prefers a shallow depth of field? Wide-angle fisheye? What about epic action shots with a tight zoom? All of the aforementioned are thanks to the lens, not the body.

Which is the Better Investment When Upgrading - a New Camera Body or a New Lens?

The Lens is a Better Investment

In my opinion, in regard to financial investment, a good lens is the better choice because it’ll last you much longer than the body (as you’ll generally be changing camera bodies faster than lenses). The lens also opens the door for you to create the images you dream of making.

That being said, the camera does determine if you’re capable of photographing what you want to photograph – but you can work around many limitations with an excellent lens. Cheap, low-quality lenses will affect both your shooting experience and the final product far more than the camera body will. This is because cheaper lenses tend to be slow, which results in a harder time capturing low-light scenes or achieving a super shallow depth of field.

Which is the Better Investment When Upgrading - a New Camera Body or a New Lens?

The lens will also retain more of its value (both from a monetary and photography standpoint) than the camera body when talking about resale value. This is because camera bodies are upgrading and advancing at a far faster rate, thusly, older bodies become obsolete quickly.

The same lenses, on the other hand, will likely still be used five to 10 years from now (if not even longer).

The best investment is the lens that lets you capture all of the pictures you want. You’ll find ways to work around body limitations, I guarantee it! Though when you do upgrade that camera body, you’ll appreciate the ease even more as you’ll no longer have to work around previous limits.

Which is the Better Investment When Upgrading - a New Camera Body or a New Lens?

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Bookmark this HEIC to JPEG converter if you’re upgrading to iOS 11 tomorrow

19 Sep

iOS 11 will launch officially tomorrow—it’s been in beta for months—and one of the most relevant photo-centric features coming to Apple’s new mobile OS is the introduction of a high efficiency image file format (HEIF) called HEIC. This format should, in theory, make images smaller without sacrificing quality, in addition to a bunch of other useful features.

There’s just one problem: Windows users can’t natively view HEIC files on their computers. Enter JPEGmini creator Beamr and their new HEIC to JPEG converter.

Beamr says they created the Web tool in response to user feedback—ever since the new format was announced people have been asking for a way to convert HEIC to JPEG. Well, now they can by simply following this link and uploading up to 30 photos at a time. And since this is made by the same folks behind JPEGmini, HEIC images converted using the tool are then further optimized using the JPEGmini technology to spit out more manageable JPEGs.

We’re not sure for how long this tool will be needed. There are a lot of advantages to the HEIC format—the ability to store single images or sequences, the ability to store audio/text alongside the image, the ability to store image editing operations, and both lossy and lossless compression, to name a few—so it would make sense for the format to gain wide-spread integration quickly.

But until then, if you’re upgrading to iOS 11 tomorrow and need/want a way to convert those images to JPEGs, there’s on option waiting for you.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Review and Field Tests of the new Canon 5D Mark IV – Is it Worth Upgrading?

28 Nov

Canon recently announced the new incarnation of its 5D lineup, the Canon 5D Mark IV. I myself have owned the 5D Classic (Mark I), and I currently own the Mark III. Personally, I don’t have any plans to upgrade as I went another way instead, choosing to shift to the Fuji X-series as they are smaller and lighter for traveling. However, I am eyeing the new X-T2!

For those of you considering an upgrade on your Canon camera body, here are some reviews and field tests I found for the 5D Mark IV. Whether you’re going from an APS-C camera up to full frame, or just looking to upgrade from an older 5D model, do your own testing and decide if it’s the right move for you.

The Camera Store Guys

This store is in Calgary, AB, Canada – a mere four hours drive from my city. Not the place you’d expect world class camera reviews to come from – but these guys really do some great tests, in real-world situations and they produce some great videos that are totally impartial. If they find a flaw or sticky bit, they will tell you about it. I like that.

Let’s see what they had to say about the Canon 5D Mark IV:

Hmmm, interesting! Watch to the end where Chris sums up his thoughts on the 5D Mark IV they may surprise you. He’s very honest about it.

PhotoRec TV – Comparison of three cameras

The Canon 5D Mark IV, 5D Mark III and the Sony A7RII

Toby from PhotoRec TV has some notes for you comparing three different cameras including the 5D Mark IV’s predecessor, and the Sony A7RII full frame camera. He talks about what’s new and improved from the Mark III and how it compares to the Sony.

Dphog discusses the new dual-pixel RAW capability

This is a new introduction by Canon, dual-pixel RAW format. What does that mean? Quoted from Canon’s UK site:

Using the Dual Pixel RAW Optimizer in Digital Photo Professional software, users can make use of the Dual Pixel data recorded with the Dual Pixel RAW image for micro-adjustments of the position of maximum sharpness using the depth information contained within the file.

Is it worth it? Would you use this feature?

Pye from SLR Lounge shot a wedding with the Mark IV

Pye has done quite a few articles for us here on dPS, so you may be familiar with him. He took this camera to a wedding shoot and put it to work. He pushed the limits on it in many areas and tested ISO, dynamic range, the new dual-pixel RAW and some of the great new focus features.

Conclusion

So are you considering buying the Canon 5D Mark IV? If so you can price them out here:

On Amazon.com
On B&H Photo’s site

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention there have been some reported issues with the 5D Mark IV. So do some research and due diligence if you are thinking about buying this camera.

Have you tried one of these cameras out yet? Give us your thoughts in the comments below.

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Upgrading a classic: Canon 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM Mark II review

02 Mar

Canon 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS USM Mark II Review

The king is dead, long live the Mark II. After 15 long years, Canon finally upgraded one of the biggest-selling telezooms of all time – the 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM. The Mk II version has the same headline specifications but with enhanced features and improved performance all-round. While the new model is better for sure, when comparing the Mk I and Mk II side by side it quickly becomes clear just why it took Canon so long: the MkI version was, and still is, a decent lens. It’s always been very popular too, and known for holding its value well on the used market, so Canon was in no rush to change a winning formula.

The 100-400mm Mk II retains the same focal length and F4.5-5.6 overall maximum apertures as the original model. Both lenses change up to F5 at around the 125mm mark, and the Mk I then goes to F5.6 at 250mm while the Mk II holds on slightly longer, making the final switch at just over 300mm. Apart from a little extra weight, the physical dimensions are basically unchanged, but everything else is new and upgraded. There’s a totally new state-of-the-art optical design with more elements, a much-improved image stabilization system, a minimum focusing distance that’s been cut in half and faster autofocus drive. Build quality has been taken up a notch, now with a full set of weather seals, and the push-pull zoom control (unloved by some) is swapped for a more conventional twist-ring. It’s finished in Canon’s newer light gray L-color, as opposed to the old creamy-white.

Headline features

Improved optical design with 21 elements in 16 groups (versus 17 in 14 for Mk I)
Upgraded image stabilization with 4-stops benefit (vs. 2-stops)
Twist-ring zoom control (vs. push-pull)
Extensive weather-resistant seals (vs. partly sealed)
Faster USM autofocus drive
Close focusing down to 98cm, 0.31x magnification at max focal length (vs. 180cm, 0.2x)
Same size as Mk I, though slightly heavier at 1570g (vs. 1380g)

Canon now offers the broadest selection of telezooms of any brand, at a variety of price points. In the premium sector, there are four 70-200mm L-grade zooms, with a choice of F2.8 or F4 maximum apertures, with and without image stabilization. The 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM Mk II is relevant here as it works well with 1.4x or 2x extenders, as an alternative to something longer.

More recently, Canon added a third lens to its options in the versatile 70-300mm category, with the 70-300mm F4-5.6L IS USM being an excellent zoom that is essentially a scaled-down version of the 100-400mm Mk II (and considerably cheaper, too). There is also the Canon 200-400mm F4L IS USM with its unique built-in 1.4x extender, though the stratospheric price puts it in a rather different class, and Canon has a couple of excellent prime telephotos in this focal length range, too. The image-stabilized 300mm F4L IS USM and 400mm F5.6L USM both hail from the same era as the original 100-400mm Mk I, and have also stood the test of time well.

Looking at other brands, the Nikon AF-S 80-400mm F4.5-5.6G ED VR is a close rival to the Canon 100-400 II in terms of specification, design and high performance. Likewise, the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II for A-mount is another proven performer. Both lenses feature a slightly wider angle of view at the short end, but have notably longer minimum focusing distances than the Canon 100-400 Mk II. Compare Nikon vs Sony performance data here.

Surprisingly, no third-party manufacturer currently offers anything similar, though anyone in the market for an extra-long lens should be sure to check out the trio of 150-600mm F5-6.3 superzooms from Sigma (which has two versions) and Tamron that have caused quite a stir, bringing new standards of performance to this market segment at an affordable cost. But while they might appear to cover much the same ground as the Canon 100-400mm Mk II on paper, they’re very different in the hand – much bigger, much heavier, and arguably, harder to get the most from. The new Nikon AF-S 200-500mm F5.6 E ED VR and as yet unproven Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW also fall into the larger/heavier category, and with longer minimum focusing distances compared to the Canon Mk II.

Angle of View

100mm F4.5, full-frame (Canon 5DS R)

400mm F5.6, full-frame (Canon 5DS R)

Shire Hall, Cambridge, UK, is one of my favorite subjects for comparisons (also used for the Tamron 16-300mm VC review) though unfortunately it was partly obscured by scaffolding on this occasion. Sharpness is very high, and unusually consistent – throughout the zoom range, at all apertures, and across the frame. It’s at larger apertures where the Mk II shows most sharpness improvement over the MkI. The images above are both at maximum aperture, F4.5 at 100mm and F5.6 at 400mm, using a Canon 5DS R (full-frame), and are shown without any software corrections applied for chromatic aberration, distortion or vignetting.

The 100-400mm zoom range, with a generous 4:1 ratio, provides a 24.4° to 6.2° angle of view on full-frame, measured across the diagonal from corner to corner. It’s very versatile and well suited to a wide range of popular subjects, including all kinds of field sports, and wildlife from safaris to zoos. At a motor race or air display, the spectator fences are often lined with Canon 100-400mm zooms. Compared to a fixed focal length lens, when photographing sports or anything where the shooting distance varies, you can zoom to pull in subjects from a distance, then zoom back when the action gets closer. Longer focal length settings are also perfect for sniping candid portraits, say at a wedding or other social occasion. At the shorter end, while it may not be the obvious choice for portraiture, at around 100-135mm it’s just about perfect on full-frame.

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ABOVE: With a broad 4:1 zoom range, unusually close focusing, and excellent image-stabilization, the Canon 100-400mm Mk II can turn its hand to more than just sports and wildlife. It’s sharp at all focal lengths and apertures. Check the fly on the flamingo’s beak – the fine veins on its wings are barely more than 1-pixel wide (Canon 5DS R, monopod, 400mm F5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO 400).

The Canon 100-400mm Mk II goes very well on APS-C cameras like the Canon 7D Mk II, with its excellent AF and fast frame rate. The 1.6x crop factor gives more effective reach and creates a megazoom 160-640mm equivalent angle-of-view. The Canon 100-400mm Mk II is also compatible with the Canon 1.4x extender, though it will only autofocus on higher-end Canon DSLRs that retain AF up to F8 (currently 7D Mk II, 5D Mk III, 5DS/R, 1DX/II). The 2x extender will physically fit, but all AF functions are disabled.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Upgrading? Here are Some Good Cameras Under $1000

21 Nov

Thinking of upgrading to a newer camera but don’t want to spend a fortune? Here are two videos that will give you some options for both DSLR and Mirrorless in the under $ 1000 USD price range.

Best Mirrorless Camera Under $ 1000

The one they recommend in the video about is the Fuji X-T10 which comes in at $ 999 with the 18-55mm kit lens.

Other Cameras Under $ 1000

The guys at Digital Rev TV do a humorous comparison between the Canon 700D (T5i) at $ 649 with the 18-55mm lens, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5 at $ 669 USD with the 12-32mm kit lens.

An alternative choice

Or you could take the approach in the video below (he’s talking about doing video but the same applies to sill photography). You could save your money, and work on your photography education instead. This is a great place to start right here on dPS – do a search for topics you’re interested in, invest in some ebooks or a video course.

The post Upgrading? Here are Some Good Cameras Under $ 1000 by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

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11 September, 2014 – Upgrading To The Leaf Credo 80

11 Sep

This is date I hope many of us take a moment to reflect on as it is the anniversary of 9/11. This was a most tragic day and one I’ll never forget. Please remember those that have fallen and those that serve. I have two sons in the military (Navy and Army) as well as a daughter in law serving in the Army. Like all their brothers in arms they serve with dedication so we can live the lives we do. I am very proud of them. Also, don’t forget all of those victims of that day, and those that served and have not come home. Let’s hope we can get through the challenges ahead. As the FDNY says "Never Forget"

Continuing with our articles on Medium Format we share a story by Robb Williamson today, Upgrading To The Leaf Credo 80. Not only is Robb a great photographer, but he is a detailed writer. He shares with us his decision and process of making an upgrade to the Leaf Credo 80. He also gives good insight into using technical cameras with medium format digital backs.

Michael and Kevin leave for Cologne, Germany on Sunday and they will be covering Photokina. This is the largest photo show in the world and happens only every other year. Unlike in the past when most manufacturers actually announced products at the show, mostly everything that is new has already been announced. As usual though, there will be surprises. Michael and Kevin have a number of interviews set-up with some of the big wigs of the industry. They will be making regular and daily reports on what they see and hear. So, check in regularly next week to keep up on the latest.

LuLa also has a number of soon to be released videos as well as a large number of interesting articles and reviews. We’ll be working hard during the next few months to give you more content and informative articles as well as announcing some new workshops for the next two years. Plus we’ll have a few surprises too.

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The Luminous Landscape – What’s New

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Upgrading and its role in the art of mobile photography

28 Nov

Mobile photography has often made a virtue out of the comparative technological restrictions of phones’ relatively primitive cameras, but that doesn’t mean its practitioners are immune from the lure (and benefits) of upgrading. Over on Connect mobile photographer Star Rush talks about how her photography changed, and how it didn’t, when she upgraded her handset and found herself with an upgraded shooting experience.

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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