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Posts Tagged ‘very’

Fujifilm releases very minor firmware updates for six of its XF lenses

24 Apr

Fujifilm has released minor firmware updates for a number of its XF lenses, including five zooms and a single prime.

The firmware version numbers vary from lens to lens, but across the board, all five updates simply list ‘Fix of minor bugs’ as the only change in these updates. Below is a list of the lenses and a link to their respective firmware updates:

  • Fujifilm XF 200mm F2 R LM OIS WR — Firmware version 1.01 (up from 1.00)
  • Fujifilm XF 8–16mm F2.8 R LM WR — Firmware version 1.01 (up from 1.00)
  • Fujifilm XF 16–80mm F4 R OIS WR — Firmware version 1.04 (up from 1.03
  • Fujifilm 50–140mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR — Firmware version 1.31 (up from 1.30)
  • Fujifilm 55–200mm F3.5–4.8 R LM OIS — Firmware version 1.21 (up from 1.20)
  • Fujifilm 100–400mm F4.5–5.6 R LM OIS — Firmware version 1.21 (up from 1.20)

You can keep up with the latest firmware updates via Fujifilm’s comprehensive list of the latest updates for its lenses.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Interview: how a box of negatives offered a very personal glimpse into the past

22 Mar
Joan Ruppert’s father, Joe Tortorici, pictured in the late 1930s. This image, along with many others, was discovered in a trove of negatives and contact prints given to Joan by her mother.

When Joan Ruppert was handed a box of film negatives by her mother, she had no idea what to expect. What she found was a precious glimpse into pre-war Chicago, and a priceless insight into her father’s early life.

Thanks for speaking to us Joan. Tell us about the shoeboxnegs project.

Many years ago my mother handed me a shoebox – literally – a shoebox full of negatives and said ‘Your dad used to take a lot of photographs, he was an avid photographer’. Which I really didn’t know, and I was actually kind of flabbergasted by that. I’d just started taking a darkroom class, and seeing that I was getting interested in photography, my mom suddenly remembered about this box of negatives.

As the images were coming off the scanner, I was amazed. I had no idea what I had

Years later I pulled them out, and put them on my flatbed scanner and I realized that none of them were going to fit into the standard holders. They were odd sizes – either too big, or too small, or too bumpy, or too curled.

So then I decided to learn how other people had approached similar tasks, and I discovered wet scanning, and I started working on that. As the images were coming off the scanner, I was amazed. I had no idea what I had.

So I put a website together to showcase the images, and then I really got excited about sharing them with the world.

Street portraits, showing life in Chicago, dominate the collection.

How much did you know about your father’s early life before you started working on these images?

He died when I was very young. What I know is that he was a city kid, his parents were born in Sicily, so he was first-generation. His family came from modest means, so I knew he didn’t have a lot of expensive cameras, or access to a proper darkroom or anything like that, so that was another mystery: Whose camera was he using? Was it his? I have no idea.

Shortly after Pearl Harbor he went into the Navy, and saw a lot of action, and when he came home I don’t know if he ever picked up a camera again.

The world of today is very different to 1939 – how different is Chicago, and life in general, as seen in those pictures compared to now?

There are things that are different, and things that are very, very similar. When the bulk of these pictures were taken, my dad had just graduated from high school, and he had this posse of six to eight guys, and apparently they just hung out of together, and did the usual crazy stuff – climbed up on billboards, mugged for the camera, pretended like they were boxing – and they took pictures.

In that way, to me, it all seems very similar to what teenagers do now. They hang out in groups, they check out the girls, they stand around by cars, things like that. That all feels very familiar.

What is very different is the access to the tools to record that experience. Everybody now has a camera with them all the time in their phone. And everybody is documenting what they’re doing. But back then it wasn’t nearly as common.

This image was created from a negative in very poor physical shape. Joan used image processing software to bring a lot of the more damaged negatives back to life.

From a technical point of view, what were the challenges you faced in digitizing those photographs?

One of the toughest things was actually culling the collection down. I came up with a method for culling, where on my computer I created a blank text document, which became my light table. And then I took my iPhone, and I put it in inverted colors mode. So with the negative pinned in front of the monitor, using my phone I was able to look at a positive image. So then I put them into categories: one star, two stars, and so on.

Once I had them categorized I started to do the wet scanning. I learned pretty quickly that some of the negatives were simply irredeemable. They were either badly underexposed, or overexposed, or too scratched. So that whittled it down even further.

Once I started to do the wet scanning, I used Photoshop and Capture One to get the most out of those negatives that weren’t optimal in terms of contrast, things like that, and pulled a lot out of them that I probably wouldn’t have been able to do in a traditional darkroom, or at least not as easily.

‘The Posse’, on the steps of Chicago’s Crane Tech High School: built in 1903 and still standing. The building’s exterior was the setting for many photos in the collection.

Looking at the pictures, it seems like you’re getting rid of some dust and scratches, but you’re leaving in things like drying marks, fingerprints on the negatives, and things like that. You’re not painting things out, or in?

Absolutely. My dad didn’t have an enlarger, so everything he printed was in the form of contact prints. I felt very married to that idea: of seeing the whole negative, in the same way as he did. The uneven edges, the thumbtack marks, things like that. I didn’t want to perfect them. That idea just didn’t appeal to me.

I felt that if I perfected them too much, there was a risk that some of their character, and some of the aspects of them that were thrilling to me, might be lost.

When you were doing the digital work, what kind of adjustments were you making?

A lot of it was dealing with contrast and mid-tones that had been lost, and trying to bring up as much detail as possible without over-sharpening. For example there’s one image, I call her ‘Sailor Girl’. She’s standing in front of a brick wall.

There’s no such thing as ‘batch’ on a project like this. Every one of them is a one-off

At first I didn’t see it, but after fiddling with the negative, I saw there was faint writing on the brick. I wanted to improve the negative enough that you can see there’s something there, but not sharpening to the point where you lose the feel of the photograph. I might have gone too far on some of the negatives, but it’s a judgement call.

And it was different for every negative. Every negative had its own personality, and every negative had its own needs and requirements. No two were the same. There’s no such thing as ‘batch’ on a project like this. Every one of them is a one-off.

‘Sailor girl’. The faint lettering on the brick wall was revealed during digital processing.

Aside from your father, how many of the people in these photographs are you able to identify?

Very few. My mom is in a couple of them, my uncle is in two, I’ve got a cousin who’s in one. The rest of the people, I have no idea who they are. I don’t know if the girls in the photographs are acquaintances, or old sweethearts, I have no idea. I don’t know anything about ‘the posse’ of his high-school friends, or what happened to them. I also don’t know who took the photos in which my father is pictured!

You want to fill in all these blanks, but the truth is I have no idea what he was feeling

Besides the technical challenges – which were actually kind of fun – the mental challenge for me was accepting the fact that there was a lot that I don’t know, and I won’t know. And resisting the temptation to fill in the blanks. It’s easy to start projecting, and thinking well, the pictures were taken in the really short time after high school, and before Pearl Harbor – did he feel a sense of freedom?

You want to fill in all these blanks, but the truth is I have no idea what he was feeling, and it’s not smart of me to try to make assumptions. I just have to let it be. I’ll never know.

When a project like this goes out into the world, there is a risk that people might start projecting their own feelings onto the images in a way that you may not recognize. Did you worry about that?

Yes, I did, and I do think about it. I thought a lot about contacting you, and other outlets about it because you do immediately lose control. I put a couple of the pictures up on my personal Facebook page, and some of what you mentioned – some of that started happening.

There was one image of the posse sitting in front of a billboard for a train route. And all these train people out there jumped on it, and they just wanted to talk about the train. Or they were saying how the kids in the pictures looked like a bunch of thugs, and because it was Chicago they must have been bad guys, or gangsters. Ascribing all of this stuff that had nothing to do with anything. You do lose control, and that’s concerning.

‘Quintessential Chicago’, in Joan’s words. And a favorite photo from the collection among train enthusiasts, apparently.

There’s a lot of politicization of nostalgia going around, these days.

I worry about that to some degree. There’s part of me that wonders if my father was here, would he be thrilled by all this or horrified by it? And I really don’t know. I don’t expect people to look at these pictures in the same way that I do, because it’s not their father, it’s my father. I talked to my brother and sister about it too, to make sure that they were OK with me making the pictures public.

People are going to fill in the blanks, because that’s what people do.

I know you’re reluctant to read too much into these images yourself, but do you feel like you know your dad a bit better than you did?

Yes, I do. I had just turned eight years old when he died. He was 43, and his hair was almost snow white. So I thought he was an old man. Now when I look at him, I see a teenager. He’s having fun. I do feel like with the photographs, I’ve been able to see some things that were important enough to him, that he captured them. I don’t know why they were important, but they were.

So on that level, I think I do understand him a little better. But if anything, I feel like I have a fresh batch of questions I would love to ask him if we were to meet again. That alone makes the project worthwhile.

Joan Tortorici Ruppert is a writer and television producer, based in Illinois.

You can see more images from her project at her website:

shoeboxnegs.com

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Panasonic interview – ‘We are targeting the very highest level of durability in the industry’

03 Jan
Yosuke Yamane, President of Panasonic’s Imaging Network Business Division.

With the official launch of Panasonic’s new full-frame S1 and S1R getting close, we’re looking back to Photokina 2018, where we sat down with Yosuke Yamane, President of Panasonic’s Imaging Network Business Division. In our interview, Mr. Yamane discusses his hopes for the future, why Panasonic decided to go full-frame, and the challenges facing his industry.

Why did Panasonic make the decision to move into full-frame?

Five years ago, full-frame mirrorless cameras entered the market, and the trend [since then] has been moving towards full-frame mirrorless cameras. But at that time, we were not ready. Both in terms of technology, and also service and support, and so on. But now the time has come when our technology is ready to go.

As you know, since we joined the camera business, we have introduced several worlds first technologies. [Full-frame] is a new challenge for us as an innovator. We believe that we can provide value in the full-frame camera market.

You’ve said that the ’S’ stands for specialized – what are these cameras specialized for?

They’re specialized for professionals. That is a core target for us but we’re also targeting high-end amateurs and enthusiasts.

“Operability without compromise”

What is your strategy for attracting professionals?

Everything without compromise. Image quality, build quality, operability and performance. It takes all of our effort. As for image quality, we’re using newly developed 47 and 24MP full-frame sensors, and also a new processing engine, plus a high-quality lens lineup. And 4K 60p video. Fast, and very accurate autofocus, which is a combination of high-speed contrast detection autofocus and DFD technology. And this also includes deep learning Ai. Plus dual image stabilization and a high-precision, high-speed shutter.

Also a very high resolution viewfinder – the highest-precision finder in the industry. Dual card slots, SD and XQD, which is essential for professionals, and a 3-axis tilting LCD. Operability without compromise.

Our designers ran a lot of simulations and made a lot of prototypes of the grip, for example, to fit the needs of professional photographers. Also optimal button layout, for intuitive controls.

Four mockups of the S1/R’s grip, which went through several rounds of refinement based on feedback from professional photographers.

Is there a technical reason for the unusually large body size of the S1 and S1R?

DSLRs incorporate mirror boxes, but we have double card slots, an in-body stabilization system and high-quality movie features. So the body obviously gets bigger because of those features. We didn’t want to compromise on features for the sake of body size. Maybe some customers think that mirrorless cameras should be small, but we think that as a professional tool, this body size is appropriate.

The advice from professionals is that they place more importance on performance, not size

We have made this camera with our Lumix ambassadors. We got a lot of feedback from them and most of the professionals don’t feel that [these cameras are] ‘big’. They feel that they are a very appropriate size.

The advice from professionals is that they place more importance on performance, not size. For example the shutter. Most competitive cameras are guaranteed to 200,000 actuations. Our camera will be tested for more. That’s the kind of thing that we prioritize, for professional use.

Is it your intention that the S1 and S1R will be the most durable cameras on the market, when they’re released?

Yes. We are targeting the very highest level of durability in the industry. [The S1/R] are 100% sealed against dust and water, and operate in very low temperatures – even exceeding the limits of the GH5. The GH5 actually went to the South Pole in minus 40 degrees C, and worked perfectly. Such kinds of ‘no compromise’ features are all incorporated [in the S1/R].

There are a lot of photographers taking landscapes, sports, and nature, and we’re gathering feedback from all of them. The cameras need to work in all kinds of conditions from very warm to very cold. So we focus on all of the requests from consumers with the intention of making [these cameras] without any compromise.

Panasonic claims that the S1 and S1R will offer the highest standard of durability in the industry, while offering professional-oriented feature sets and a very DSLR-like handling experience.

Do you think that over time, your L mount lineup will grow to include entry-level products, or do you see it purely as a high-end system?

The first generation will be specialized for professionals but in the future, of course we’re also aiming to attract entry-level users. In that eventually, we’ll study the question of performance versus size. But our image to professional users is very important. That’s why we’re attacking this segment [initially].

We decided that it was better to collaborate, than to create our own standalone mount

What is the strategic value of the L mount alliance, to Panasonic?

We’ve had a good relationship with Leica for a long time – 17 years. Four years ago we renewed our contract. That contract included a technical collaboration, with our digital technology and their optical technology. There will be a convergence. In that contract we discussed a lot of things relating to the shared mount.

Sigma produces very reliable high quality lenses, [and we knew that] in order to get into the new business, we needed a lineup of lenses. So we decided to collaborate with Sigma to make a big impact. I have a good relationship with Mr Yamaki, CEO of Sigma, I trust him and I respect his aggressiveness towards the market. This collaboration provides a lot of value for us, entering into a new market and becoming competitive in full-frame.

Considering value for customers, we decided that it was better to collaborate, than to create our own standalone mount. This way we can provide lots of choices for lenses, and Sigma already has a large fanbase. Obviously Leica with its 100 year history also has a good base of users.

The Leica L mount lineup includes APS-C products as well as full-frame. Is Panasonic interested in APS-C?

No. We have our own Micro Four Thirds system and we think that [because of the greater difference in size between full-frame and M43] this is the best balance. We have no plans to develop APS-C products.

In M43, we prioritize compactness. But in full-frame we set higher targets, to meet professional specifications

Is designing lenses for full-frame easier or more difficult than designing for Micro Four Thirds?

It’s more difficult. In the case of M43, we prioritize compactness. But in full-frame we set higher targets, to meet professional specifications. This camera [the S1R] incorporates a 47MP sensor, but to be futureproof, lenses should be capable of resolving more resolution than that. So we set very high specification targets for our full-frame lenses. We will develop our lenses without compromise. Other important factors are build-quality, and bokeh. These are both very important when it comes to creating photographs.

Do you think Panasonic’s L-mount lineup could evolve in future to include products like the GH5S, which are optimized for video?

One of our assets is our experience of professional video, over more than 40 years. This is one of the areas where we contribute to the market, so in the future it’s possible that [our L-mount lineup] will expand to include such products. But even the S1 has very good video capabilities. We cannot disclose the exact specification beyond saying that it will be capable of 4K/60p video but you can expect more. Even the S1 will be used, we believe, by professional videographers.

The 24MP and 47MP sensors inside the S1 and S1R will be capable of high-quality 4K video capture as well as stills shooting.

The sensors inside the S1 and S1R are described as ‘newly developed’. Are they fabricated by Panasonic?

We cannot disclose that. I would love to tell you but I can’t – you’ll just have to imagine! Obviously we have sensor-manufacturing experience, but I can’t disclose anything. Even if we outsourced [sensor fabrication] the design would still be to our specifications. Picture quality is not only determined by the sensor. There’s also lens design, and processing technology.

Can you explain how Panasonic and Leica work together in terms of lens design?

Mainly, optical technologies and manufacturing technologies come from Leica. We provide our digital technology and interface technology to them. For the full-frame lenses, we designed them by ourselves, but the DNA of Leica is incorporated – of course.

Is there any Panasonic DNA in Leica products?

I don’t know if they would admit that, but we do provide it! All of the Leica-branded lenses for our Micro Four Thirds system are checked according to Leica’s standards, and we have learned a lot through that process.

What are the biggest challenges facing Panasonic?

As you know, in the camera industry we don’t have a large market share compared to the likes of Canon and Nikon. They have much more history compared to ours – we’ve only been in the industry for 17 years. Our brand recognition is also not so high. However, a paradigm change has finally arrived. Canon and Nikon are creating new mirrorless systems, and we’re entering a new world thanks to the L mount alliance. This is a new start for the camera industry.

Our slogan is ‘changing photography’. We want to create a new photo culture for the digital generation. In the full-frame world, I think that customers will appreciate our contribution. Rather than competing with Canon and Nikon we’re focused on conveying that message to the customer.

We want to create a new photo culture for the digital generation

When it comes to product planning, we have to anticipate how customers behavior will change in the future. These models [the S1 and S1R] are focused on professionals. We have to anticipate how professional photography and videography will change, and we’re constantly looking at those trends, and anticipating how professional behavior will change. And as professionals change, customers at the entry and mid-levels will change, too. We have to watch this very carefully, and we always plan our products in line with changing customer trends.

What do you think are the biggest opportunities for Panasonic?

The Olympic Games in 2020 will be a very big opportunity to showcase Panasonic’s technologies. I was born in 1964, which was the year of the last Tokyo Olympics. We will use the 2020 games as an opportunity to enhance our video technologies and photo technologies. After the Olympics, we will create a new generation of 8K video cameras, which are currently in development.

Editors’ note: Barnaby Britton

Panasonic is one of the most interesting companies in the photo industry. Although it enjoys only a modest share of the market compared to ‘giants’ like Canon and Nikon, Panasonic has consistently surprised us with its energy and innovation – particularly in the high-end video/stills space. Arguably, Panasonic is the only company that could have created the powerful GH5, and it’s hard to imagine another company having the confidence to make the even more narrowly-specialized GH5S.

When it comes to high-end video capture in mirrorless cameras, Panasonic has been (along with Sony) a driving force in the industry, and that’s thanks to the company’s long experience in the video realm. While Lumix as a brand is less than 20 years old, Panasonic has been involved in video, in some way or another, for more than twice that long.

The fact that Panasonic’s forthcoming S1 and S1R mirrorless ILCs will both offer powerful 4K video feature sets is not a surprise. What’s interesting is that they’re built around full-frame sensors. I’m inclined to think that moving into full-frame is a good decision for Panasonic, but it’s risky. I agree with Mr. Yamate that moving forward in partnership with Leica and Sigma will add more value to the market for enthusiast and professional photographers than creating yet another new lens mount, while also mitigating the potential risks of going it alone.

Promising the highest level of durability in the industry and plenty of advanced features, the S-system has the potential to seriously challenge the ‘giants’

While there are plenty of full-frame mirrorless systems available in late 2018, there is a conspicuous gap in the market when it comes to full-frame video systems. It is doubtful whether Nikon will try (or even feel the need to try) to create a video-oriented ILC in the near future, and Sony seems to have (probably only temporarily) paused the development of its a7S lineup.

Panasonic, with its decades of experience making video cameras, must be keen to put a product into that gap. If the company’s intention is to lead the way in full frame video, similar to what it did with the GH series for Micro Four Thirds, it has the potential to disrupt the full frame market more than its current industry share might suggest. Joining the L-mount alliance is a great first step.

But that’s the future. For now, Mr. Yamane’s company is dedicated to making the S1 and S1R as attractive as possible to professional photographers.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Fujifilm X-T3 image quality: very competitive at low ISO

08 Oct

The Fujifilm X-T3 exhibits very good image quality overall, with excellent detail and color at low ISOs. Further analysis of the high ISO performance confirms it falls behind its predecessor, though.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon’s PowerShot SX730 HS travel zoom offers 40x lens in a very small package

06 Apr

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Canon has announced its PowerShot SX730 HS, the follow-up to the SX720. The SX730 has a 20.3MP BSI CMOS sensor, stabilized 24-960mm equivalent lens, a 3″ (non-touch) LCD that flips upward 180 degrees, as well as Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth.

The SX730 HS comes in silver and black and will ship in June for $ 399.

Press Release

Capture high-quality memories with the new Canon PowerShot SX730 HS digital camera

Latest PowerShot Digital Camera Provides Impressive Image Quality, Zoom Range and Tilting LCD screen in a Compact Size

MELVILLE, N.Y., April 6, 2017 – Ideal for families on vacation or parents at their kids’ sporting event looking for a convenient, easy-to- carry compact digital camera capable of producing high quality photos and videos at long distances, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, introduced today the new PowerShot SX730 HS digital camera. This new digital camera boasts a 20.3 Megapixel* CMOS imaging sensor and a powerful 40x Optical Zoom lens (equivalent to 24-960mm) in a form factor that easily fits in a pocket, making it an outstanding camera for budding photographers to capture gorgeous imagery no matter where they are.

With new features such as a convenient Self-Portrait and Smooth Skin mode, 3.0-inch LCD screen that rotates up 180 degrees and built-in connectivity capabilities like Wi-Fi®1, NFC2 and Bluetooth®3 technology, it’s now easier and more convenient than ever to use Canon digital cameras to share images and videos on the go, making the PowerShot SX730 HS digital camera a great transitional camera for those looking to use something other or move from a smartphone. 

“We live in a very connected world and want to give people the power to zoom in from far away to capture amazing scenes from a distance, while also being able to share those images in real time,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The new Canon PowerShot SX730 HS digital camera will help photographers effortlessly capture memories, even from great distances and conveniently share their fun with friends and family.”

As the successor to Canon’s PowerShot SX720 HS digital compact camera, the PowerShot SX730 HS digital camera also features: 

  • Powerful 40x Optical Zoom with Zoom Framing Assist
  • Sleek, Lightweight and Pocket-size Design
  • Built-in Wi-Fi®1, NFC2 and Bluetooth®3 technology
  • 3 Megapixel* CMOS sensor
  • DIGIC 6 Image Processor
  • 0-inch Tilt-type (180° up) LCD
  • 1080p Full HD Video at 60p
  • Self Portrait Mode
  • Story Highlights
  • Geotag4 & Date Stamp Options

Canon’s PowerShot SX730 HS digital camera is scheduled to be available in June 2017 for an estimated retail price of $ 399.99.

Canon PowerShot SX730 HS specifications

Price
MSRP $ 399
Body type
Body type Ultracompact
Sensor
Max resolution 5184 x 3888
Image ratio w:h 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels 21 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors 20 megapixels
Sensor size 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm)
Sensor type BSI-CMOS
Processor Digic 6
Color space sRGB
Color filter array Primary color filter
Image
ISO Auto, ISO 80-1600
White balance presets 5
Custom white balance Yes
Image stabilization Optical
Uncompressed format No
JPEG quality levels Super fine, fine
File format
  • JPEG (Exif v2.3)
Optics & Focus
Focal length (equiv.) 24–960 mm
Optical zoom 40×
Maximum aperture F3.3–6.9
Autofocus
  • Contrast Detect (sensor)
  • Multi-area
  • Center
  • Tracking
  • Single
  • Continuous
  • Face Detection
  • Live View
Autofocus assist lamp Yes
Digital zoom Yes
Manual focus Yes
Normal focus range 2 cm (0.79″)
Macro focus range 1 cm (0.39″)
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD Tilting
Screen size 3″
Screen dots 922,000
Touch screen No
Screen type TFT LCD
Live view Yes
Viewfinder type None
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed 15 sec
Maximum shutter speed 1/3200 sec
Exposure modes
  • Program
  • Hybrid Auto
  • Auto
Scene modes
  • Creative Shot
  • Portrait
  • Smile
  • Wink Self-timer
  • Face Self-timer
  • High-speed Burst
  • Handheld Night Scene
  • Low Light
  • Fireworks
  • Long Shutter
Built-in flash Yes
Flash range 4.00 m (with Auto ISO)
External flash No
Flash modes Auto, on, slow synchro, off
Drive modes
  • Single
  • Continuous
Continuous drive 5.9 fps
Self-timer Yes (2 or 10 secs, self-timer)
Metering modes
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Spot
Exposure compensation ±2 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features
Format MPEG-4, H.264
Modes
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 35 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 24 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
  • 1280 x 720 @ 30p / 8 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
Microphone Stereo
Speaker Mono
Storage
Storage types SD/SDHC/SDXC card
Connectivity
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMI Yes (micro HDMI)
Microphone port No
Headphone port No
Wireless Built-In
Wireless notes 802.11b/g/n + NFC + Bluetooth
Remote control Yes (via smartphone)
Physical
Environmentally sealed No
Battery Battery Pack
Battery description NB-13L lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 250
Weight (inc. batteries) 300 g (0.66 lb / 10.58 oz)
Dimensions 110 x 64 x 40 mm (4.33 x 2.52 x 1.57″)
Other features
Orientation sensor Yes
GPS None

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Improve Your Photos with the Very Best Photo Editing Apps

12 Jan

We snap photos so fine, we don’t need editing apps … but every now and then a photo needs a touch of sharpening, or a cooling filter, or a clip art robot, just to spruce it up.

Who are we kidding? We’re obsessed with editing apps. And so are you – we asked!

Read along to see our favorite editing apps, and the favorites of all of our followers.

You’ll be a pro editor in no time, whether you snap perfect pics or not.

(…)
Read the rest of Improve Your Photos with the Very Best Photo Editing Apps (638 words)

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The Sony a99 ll will be available on time – but in very short supply

27 Oct

Sony has announced that its a99 ll full-frame SLT camera will go on sale on November 25th as expected, but it will not be able to supply nearly enough to meet demand straight away. The company has issued a statement saying that domestic demand has ‘significantly’ exceeded the Japanese company’s sales plans and that customers should expect some delay in the delivery of ordered cameras.

The 42MP camera offers a top shooting rate of 12 fps and features a combined phase detection and contrast detection AF system that the company says provides speed, accuracy and improved tracking. The camera was the surprise launch of Photokina this year, as many assumed Sony had abandoned its SLT cameras in favor of the more popular mirrorless models.

It seems even Sony has been caught off-guard by the demand of the a99 ll, and if there are to be delays in the Japanese market there will almost certainly be delays in the rest of the world. The a99 ll is due to be priced at ¥388,880/$ 3200/£3000/€3500. For more information see the Sony website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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KitSplit: Shoot with Super Fancy Gear for Very Little Moola

12 Sep

We’re ‘bout to get you all geared up for photo-snapping funmazement.

We’ve teamed up with KitSplit for a great giveaway! (We’re kinda mad we can’t win ourselves).

Win $ 100 in Photojojo gizmos and $ 100 in gear rental from KitSplit.

What’s a KitSplit? We’re glad you asked. Read along for complete giveaway rules and a formal introduction to our pals, the KitSplitters.

(…)
Read the rest of KitSplit: Shoot with Super Fancy Gear for Very Little Moola (833 words)

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Lee announces very hard neutral density grads for seascapes

08 Apr
Before and after with the Lee Filters Very Hard ND graduated filter

Lee Filters has announced a new range of neutral density graduated filters that have an extra hard transition from dark to clear, making them suitable for shooting seascapes and scenes in which the horizon is very flat. Along with these new ‘very hard’ graduates, the company has launched another range that has a ‘medium’ strength transition that sits between the traditional ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ grades.

Both of the new grades are available in half-stop incremental strengths from one to four stops, and in sizes compatible with the Seven5, 100mm and SW150 systems.
For more information visit the Lee Filters website.

Pricing

Seven5 medium grad (single filter 0.3ND to 0.9ND) RRP £51.88 (excl VAT)
Seven5 medium grad (single filter 1.2 ND) RRP £77.82 (excl VAT)
Seven5 medium grad set (0.3ND, 0.6ND & 0.9ND) RRP £138.35 (excl VAT)
100mm very hard & medium grad (single filter 0.3ND to 0.9ND) RRP £71.86 (excl VAT)
100mm very hard & medium grad (single filter 1.2 ND) RRP £108.86 (excl VAT)
100mm very hard and medium grad sets (0.3ND, 0.6ND & 0.9ND) RRP £179.66 (excl VAT)
SW150 very hard & medium grad (single filter 0.3ND to 0.9ND) RRP £79.70 (excl VAT)
SW150 very hard & medium grad (single filter 1.2 ND) RRP £119.55 (excl VAT)
SW150 very hard & medium grad sets (0.3ND, 0.6ND & 0.9ND) RRP £215.00 (excl VAT)

Press release:

LEE Filters introduces very hard and medium neutral-density graduated filters to its systems

Traditionally, neutral-density graduated filters have been available exclusively in hard and soft versions. However, because all neutral-density grads in the LEE Filters range are made by hand, it is possible to be extremely precise with the depth of the transition between the coated and clear sections of the filter. As a result, LEE Filters has the capabilities to manufacture ND grads in medium and very hard versions. In the past, these were available exclusively as custom-made filters for professional photographers. Now, however, they have been made available to all those who use the Seven5, 100mm and SW150 systems.

The medium and very hard grads not only expand a photographer’s creative options, they also allow for even more exact control when balancing lighter and darker areas of the frame. The very hard grad (available for the 100mm & SW150 systems) is perfect for seascapes that feature a completely flat horizon line, while the medium grad (available for the Seven5, 100mm and SW150 systems) is that perfect ‘in-between’ strength that is ideal for any scene in which an element of the composition – a mountain or a building, for example – protrudes into the sky.

Both ND grads are available in 0.3ND (1 stop), 0.45ND (1½ stops), 0.6ND (2 stops), 0.75ND (2½ stops), 0.9ND (3 stops) and 1.2ND (4 stops) strengths.

For further information, contact LEE Filters on 01264 366245; sales@leefilters.com; www.leefilters.com

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Scaffolding Skyscraper: Very Public Urban Artist-in-Residence

17 Apr

[ By Steph in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

scaffolding skyscraper 1

The scaffolding used by a street artist to complete large murals becomes a tiny, less-than-private home away from home in a literal sense with ’24/7,’ an installation at the Memorie Urbane Street Art Festival in Gaeta, Italy. Playing on the concept of an artist-in-residence, the project by Milan-based Fra.Biancoshock highlights the stark difference in the working environments of street artists versus studio artists, and makes a statement on the living conditions of artists in general.

scaffolding skyscraper 2

scaffolding skyscraper 3

Street artists work in public by necessity, every stage of their work on display for passersby. Privacy isn’t really an option when you’re painting urban surfaces. Some artists spend so much time on scaffolding, it can start to feel like a second home.

scaffolding skyscraper 5

scaffolding skyscraper 6

Fra.Biancoshock decided to run with that idea and create his own four-story residence including a small studio, dining area, bedroom and rooftop terrace within just a few square meters.

scaffolding skyscraper 3

livable billboard

Open to the elements and to prying eyes, this temporary artist residence makes the livable billboard created by the paper company Scribe in Mexico City look luxurious by comparison. That project offered an elevated living space for artists mounted to the back of the billboard they were painting as an ad for the company.

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[ By Steph in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

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