Category: Photography

Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip Review
The post Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.

In October 2016, Peak Design released the Everyday Backpack, a pack that has become iconic and ubiquitous among photographers and non-photographers alike. You might recognize this bag by the MagLatch and unique design that doesn’t scream, “I’m carrying tons of expensive camera gear!” Three years later, Peak Design updated its Everyday Bags to V2, and added brand new bags to the line including the Everyday Zip. In this Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip review, I’ll discuss some of the unique features of this bag and who this bag is for.

The all-new Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.

Everyday Zip 20L specs

Even though its formal name is the Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip V2, this is the very first iteration of this backpack design. Its design borrows heavily from the original Everyday Backpack, but there are a couple of key differences. First, the Everyday Zip is only available in 20-liter or 15-liter versions, while the Everyday Backpack can be either 20 liters or 30 liters. This review is of the 20-liter version of the Everyday Zip. Second, the Everyday Zip does not have the MagLatch and instead is secured via the wrap-around zippers.
- Weight: 2.91 lbs (1.3 kg) without dividers, or 3.42 lbs (1.55 kg) with dividers
- Maximum laptop carry: 38.1cm x 25.4cm x 2.5cm (15″x10″x1″) – Holds 15/16” Macbook Pro
- Maximum tablet carry: 30.6cm x 22.1cm x .7 cm (12″ x 8.69″ x 0.27″) – Holds 12.9″ iPad Pro
- External dimensions: 48cm x 31.5cm x 23.5cm (18.9” x 12.4″ x 9.3″)
- Internal dimensions: 45cm x 28.5cm x 20cm (17.7” x 11.2″ x 7.9″)
Peak Design Everyday Backpack V1 (left) and Everyday Backpack Zip (right). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.

What’s new?

If you’re familiar with the Everyday Bags V1, here are some of the V2 changes:
- More streamlined seams and rounder profiles.
- Softer, more comfortable bag straps.
- New UltraZips that are 20x stronger than standard zips.
- Sleeker and more ergonomic MagLatch (on applicable bags).
- New colors (navy and cream) and two new bags: Everday Backpack Zip and Tote.
Who is this bag for?

I originally purchased the Everyday Backpack V1 (20L) as a daypack for shooting and working in the city. The features that most appealed to me was the ability to carry my full-frame DSLR camera, 2 lenses, and flash, plus my 15-inch MacBook Pro in a low-profile bag to fit my 5’2″ frame.

Many other camera backpacks out there are either too big and bulky or have an outdoorsy design that doesn’t fit well in corporate photography settings, which is where I often find myself. I also appreciated the fact that the bag dividers are not specific to camera gear and you can even remove them if you want to use the backpack for non-photography purposes.

If you can relate to my situation above, then the Everyday Backpack might be right for you.

Contents that can fit inside of the Peak Design Everyday Backpack V1 and Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/280, f/4.5, ISO 2000.

Is the Everyday Zip better?

Throughout my 2 years of using the Everyday Backpack V1, the main thing that I disliked about it was also its main selling point: the MagLatch.

It gives the bag a unique look and makes it very easy to access the top portion of the bag, but it was not possible to lock or secure. In many of my photography settings (corporate events), I empty my camera bag of most of its contents and walk around to shoot, while leaving the bag in a semi-secure area. Oftentimes, my laptop and a spare lens are in the bag, and it is unnerving to leave the bag unlocked. While I haven’t had the bag or its contents stolen before, I am often pushing my luck.

My hope with the Everyday Zip was that all of the big compartments could be locked and secured. While it takes a little DIY work to secure the 5 zippers on this bag, it does indeed live up to this standard.

Top access on the Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.

Other positive points

Another great feature of the Everyday Backpacks is that you can access your camera gear (or chosen contents) via the side zippers. This means you don’t have to empty the entire contents of your bag to reach things sitting on the bottom.

Given the wrap-around zipper on the Everyday Zip, side access requires a bit more attention to detail to avoid accidentally opening your entire bag, but it is still a nice feature.

Side access on the Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.

The Everyday Zip also has side pockets for stowing things like a small tripod, monopod, water bottle, etc, and a back panel for easily attaching the bag to a rolling suitcase.

There are also straps for attaching a tripod or large item to the outside of the bag, but I always find that a cumbersome and impractical way to carry a tripod.

Another selling point of the Everyday Backpacks is their ability to carry a 15″ or 16″ laptop, or so Peak Design claims. A lot of modern bags have sized down and only carry 13″ laptops or tablets. On the Everyday Zip, my 15″ MacBook Pro from 2015 fits, but it is very tight and leaves no room for adding anything else to that pocket, even though there are dividers for adding other items such as documents.

Modern laptops are getting thinner and will likely fit more easily, but be wary if you have an older computer.

Laptop compartment on the Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.

The final selling point of this bag and Peak Design products in general is the overall aesthetic and attention to detail. This is a really unique and modern-looking bag with tons of storage pockets throughout. Peak Design values not wasting any space and that rings true for the Everyday Backpack Zip. It’s easy to pack this bag full and not have any loose space anywhere.

However, the maximization of space comes at a cost, which echoes my original complaints about the Everyday Backpack V1.

When filled with heavy contents, this definitely is not the most comfortable backpack out there. Sure, the bag has sternum and waist straps to distribute the weight more ergonomically, and the shoulder straps are noticeably more padded.

But the comfort problem stems from the ultra-stiff back padding, which seems to be there to allow the bag to attach to rolling luggage. This is indeed helpful if you travel a lot, and is a feature lacking on my favorite large camera backpack. But in general, this bag still feels like a pair of stilettos – you sacrifice some comfort for the sake of fashion.

The all-new Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.

Let’s end this on a positive note by talking about the real reason why I’m sticking to Peak Design: there’s a lifetime warranty on all of their products.

My Everyday Backpack V1 was a trooper for 2 years, but the zipper came apart recently, rendering the bag useless. Upon realizing there was a lifetime warranty, I contacted Peak Design via their website, and within days organized for a replacement bag to be sent my way.

I could not arrange for a new style of bag as the replacement and paid for the Everyday Zip out of my pocket. I still have a brand new version of my old bag that I can give away or sell, and I know that my Everyday Zip is covered under a similar warranty.

The all-new Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a sleek, modern backpack to hold light camera gear and a laptop, this might be the camera bag for you. Because this bag is uniquely structured when compared to other camera backpacks on the market, it can take some time to get used to if you’re new to Peak Design backpacks.

Given its compact size, thorough utilization of space, and that lifetime warranty, this is a great bag to consider. It’s not perfect, but then again, what bag is?

The post Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.

Digital Photography School
May 14, 2020
Unsplash: The Perfect Source for Free Images?

Have you ever wanted to make your life simpler when it comes to finding stock photos, and by simpler I mean not dealing with confusing licenses, being afraid that one day an image you used may change its license, and not paying for subscriptions or collections of images? Well you are in luck as today I will be going into Continue Reading

The post Unsplash: The Perfect Source for Free Images? appeared first on Photodoto.

Photodoto

May 14, 2020
How to Arrange Your Photoshop Workspace for Faster Editing
The post How to Arrange Your Photoshop Workspace for Faster Editing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

The key to quick and painless retouching is creating a workflow that works for you. Photoshop has a highly customizable workspace that you can set up in a way that best suits your needs. Here are some tips on how to declutter your Photoshop workspace for a seamless and efficient workflow.

Photoshop workspace preferences

A workflow that’s effective for one photographer may not be as helpful for another.

Your Photoshop workflow has to be built around your preferences and your most-used tools and windows. For example, the tools that I use most for my food photography may not be as useful for wedding photography or street photography.

For this reason, you may want to have multiple workspaces set up for different applications, especially if you shoot in more than one genre.

You may want to have a workspace for black and white photography only, and another you use for color retouching. It’s up to you if you want to have multiple workspaces and how you organize them.

The important thing is that you arrange your workspace in a way that you’re best prepared for the type of retouching that you want to do. This will keep distractions to a minimum and make the process of retouching go faster.

Photoshop comes with some pre-configured workspaces, depending on what you use the program for. You’ll find these, as well as your various options to set your preferences, under the Window tab at the top of the Photoshop workspace. The panels that show up in your workspace are denoted with a checkmark. Click them on or off accordingly.

Choose the default Photography workspace as a base and customize it from there.

When setting up your workspace, I recommend always showing your Layers and Histogram panels to keep you on track while retouching. I also like to sometimes have my History and Actions visible.

Rename your workspace in a way that will help you quickly differentiate it from other workspaces, if you have them. I personally only use one workspace because I mostly shoot in one genre – food photography.

Creating a new workspace

To create a new photoshop workspace:

go to > Window
navigate to > Workspace
choose > New Workspace
Give your workspace a name
Hit >Save

Toolbar and windows

The toolbar and various menus in the Photoshop workspace can be easily dragged to where you want them. In the default workspace, you can find the toolbar on the left-hand side. However, you can drag it to the right-hand side of your workspace, so you have all your tools and menus on one side. This can make the workspace cleaner and more effective because everything you need to access will be consolidated in one area, and your eyes won’t be bouncing around, looking for things.

Make sure that your most important windows are visible, and that you hide or collapse any that are unused, or rarely used.

Observe which windows and tools you use the most and make sure that they are prominent and easy to navigate to.

You can make your menus larger or smaller in relation to the rest of your workspace, depending on your preference. If you have a large screen, you might feel comfortable having several wide menus.

In my Photoshop workspace, I want to see my Histogram and Navigator panels at the top, where I’m used to seeing them in my RAW editor.

Below that, I have my Adjustments and Actions, which I access regularly.

I also always have my Layers panel open so I can see them all and know exactly which one I’m working on.

You can minimize a given window and have it noted by an icon. For example, I have minimized my History panel to a small icon because I want it accessible in case I need to step back in my retouching process, but it’s not a panel that I constantly use, therefore I don’t need to expand it.

History panel denoted with an icon.

When you move your panels around, note that they will be saved as such in the organization of the current workspace. If you go to another workspace and then come back, all your panels will be found in their most recent arrangement.

Floating menus

Any of the individual panels can be moved onto the screen. They can be moved outside the Photoshop window, or even onto other monitors, if you use a double or multiple monitor set-up.

Some photographers like to work this way, while others find floating panels annoying and intrusive.

Docking panels

You can dock panels with other panels to create panel groups.

To do this, you hover the pointer of the mouse over the boundary of another panel. A blue outline will show you where the panel will be docked.

Two panels docked together.

You can also dock several panels into columns, as I did with my History panel. Again, you probably want to do this with the panels that you need but use less often.

Shot at 38mm on a 24-70 f.2.8 zoom lens at ISO 100, shutter speed 1/160th.

Conclusion

An organized workspace is one of the most important factors in working effectively in Photoshop. Arrange your tools and panels in a way that makes sense for you.

This might mean:
- creating multiple workspaces with various preferences for different applications
- consolidating your toolbar and panels on one side of the screen
- hiding unused menus and collapsing those that are used less often
- docking floating panels and tools together or using floating panels on another monitor
- minimizing the number of panels in your workspace to avoid distractions
At the end of the day, your retouching process has to make sense for you. Hopefully these tips will help you declutter your Photoshop workspace for a faster and efficient retouching workflow.

If you have any other tips for decluttering your Photoshop workspace, let us know in the comments.

The post How to Arrange Your Photoshop Workspace for Faster Editing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

Digital Photography School
May 13, 2020
Non-Photographic Activities To Improve Your Photography Without Leaving Home

The post Non-Photographic Activities To Improve Your Photography Without Leaving Home appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

What makes a good photograph? Is it more about the form or the content? The great photographer Cartier Bresson once said, “to photograph: it is to put on the same line of sight the head, the eye, and the heart.” So, here are some suggested activities to improve your photography by exercising your mind.

There are lots of things you can do to improve your photography without leaving home – from getting inspiration and exercising your analytical perception to gaining introspection to focus your mind. In this article, you’ll find some ideas to get you going.

1/6 sec. f/8 ISO 200

Find inspiration online

Being stuck at home doesn’t mean you can’t visit a museum anywhere in the world. Using Google Arts & Culture, you can take virtual tours of some of the biggest museums. Also, you can zoom into the masterpieces; seeing details you could never appreciate in person.

If virtual museums aren’t enough for you, check out a library. They also hold valuable heritage and have much of it available online. One of the biggest ones is the World Digital Library from UNESCO. Here, you can get free access to thousands of books, documents, and photos from all over the world.

If traditional searches aren’t giving you what you need, look for some innovative thinking. Thanks to current technology, you can get inspired using an unusual starting point. For example, with “Color Palette” you can look for artworks that share the same colors.

Another favorite of mine is “From a picture to a thousand stories.” It helps you find books through words or concepts.

If you prefer the behind-the-scenes to the artwork itself, follow podcasts with artist talks. For example, Dialogues where “Each episode pairs two exceptional makers and thinkers.”

Also, look for the different initiatives museums around the globe have launched during this time, like #StayAtHomeStedelijk, that features mini-documentaries.

Learn how to draw

Artistic disciplines often complement each other because of the different skills you develop by practicing them. One of the most direct links is between drawing and photography.

Learning to draw is an activity that improves your photography because it teaches you to actually see what’s in front of you. It also allows you to analyze how light interacts with objects of different shapes and materials.

For example, this will come in handy when you’re setting up studio lighting.

1/5 sec. f/8 ISO 200

Understanding shadows also helps you when you’re making photo-composites. That is because you need coherent shadows to fully integrate the subject into the background. You also need to consider how it will affect the other subjects to get a realistic result. Drawing can help you understand all of this.

Meditate

There are many techniques and traditions for meditation. There’s no right or wrong way to do it in this case. Just choose the one that works for you.

Some of the benefits of meditation include self-awareness, a decrease of anxiety, and therefore increased perception.

All of these are good things for you to focus on your photographic practice and unleash creativity.

1 sec. f/22 ISO 200

Sometimes you can’t even think of a good idea for your next project; other times you can’t find the right angle for a certain topic. This is often the result of a busy life that won’t give you time to reflect because it requires action.

If you work at uncluttering your mind, you may find it easier to overcome these blocks. A related activity that covers both mind and body is yoga, so you can consider doing that as well.

Join a virtual ‘Salon’

Artistic and intellectual gatherings have taken place to fuel some of the greatest movements throughout history. So, why wouldn’t it be a good activity to improve your photography? The idea is, that through conversation, you can exchange knowledge and refine ideas.

Thanks to current technology, you don’t have to leave your house to meet like-minded people or receive feedback on your projects.

Even reflecting on current events with other artists may influence your work.

Look for Facebook groups, discussion blogs, or even host your own salons with your colleagues via video conferences. The possibilities are endless.

Conclusion

There’s a number of activities to improve your photography that don’t necessarily imply making a photograph. If you find yourself without the possibility of leaving the house or picking up your camera, use this time to exercise your mind. You’ll notice the difference the next time you go out to shoot.

Share in the comments section any other activities to improve your photography that you find useful.

The post Non-Photographic Activities To Improve Your Photography Without Leaving Home appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Digital Photography School

May 12, 2020
Nikon Launching Two New Mirrorless Cameras in 2020

The post Nikon Launching Two New Mirrorless Cameras in 2020 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

While Canon’s soon-to-debut mirrorless offerings have dominated the news, we have a new Nikon rumor to report:

The imaging company will release two mirrorless cameras before the year is out.

While the details of these cameras are uncertain, previous rumors have indicated that a Nikon Z8 is currently under development; this will be a “pro” body à la the Nikon D850 series, one that features a 60 MP sensor, a rugged build, and dual card slots.

And given that the Z8 has been given a suggested “late 2020” or “early 2021” release date, such a camera would certainly fit the bill.

As for the second model, Nikon Rumors suggests several possibilities. These include a Z30, which would be an APS-C mirrorless body with no viewfinder, and would sit under Nikon’s only current APS-C mirrorless offering, the Z50.

Additional options include a Nikon Z6 successor, which would fit with a standard two-year launch cycle (the Z6 launched back in fall of 2018), or a Nikon Z5, a lower-level alternative to the Z6.

Given that Nikon’s current mirrorless lineup only consists of a Z50, a Z6, and a Z7, Nikon fans will appreciate any additional options. A Z30 model would make a lot of sense, given Nikon’s complete lack of a true budget mirrorless model. But the Z lineup is also missing a lower-end full-frame camera to compete with the Canon EOS RP or even the upcoming Canon EOS R6, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see the so-called Z5, either.

Here’s the bottom line:

If you’re a professional looking for a true “pro” mirrorless camera from Nikon, you’ll probably be seeing it before the year is out. And if you don’t get a Z8 in 2020, it’ll almost certainly drop in the first half of 2021.

Also, if you’re a hobbyist DSLR shooter waiting for a budget mirrorless option from Nikon, you may be in luck; the Z5 will probably be a nice upgrade from several current Nikon DSLRs, while the Z30 will make for a cheap way to break into the mirrorless world.

Now over to you:

Which Nikon mirrorless models are you hoping for in 2020? And which do you think is more likely: a Nikon Z5, a Nikon Z30, or a Nikon Z6 replacement? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Nikon Launching Two New Mirrorless Cameras in 2020 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Digital Photography School

May 12, 2020
Lightroom Preset Compatibility: XMP or LRTemplate Confusion?
The post Lightroom Preset Compatibility: XMP or LRTemplate Confusion? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.

Over the last couple of years, Adobe has made some enormous changes to its flagship post-processing software. In short, some of these changes can be slightly…confusing. As someone who uses Adobe Lightroom a lot (and I do mean A LOT), perhaps one of the most confusing changes to Lightroom to come down the pike was Adobe’s choice to change the format of its develop presets from .lrtemplate to .xmp. This has led to quite a bit of head-scratching from hobbyists and professional photogs alike over Lightroom preset compatibility.

Today, once and for all (until Adobe changes things), we’re going to speak plainly about what you need to know when it comes to your development presets in Lightroom. You’re going to learn which presets work with which versions of Lightroom. You’ll learn which ones don’t work, and in the process, gain a better understanding of how presets function in all realms of Lightroom.

Making the jump to XMP

In April 2018, Adobe released Lightroom Classic v7.3.

With Lightroom v7.3, we discovered for the first time that the file designation for develop presets changed from ‘.lrtemplate’ to ‘.xmp’. This brought along some awesome benefits, with the most brilliant being that our Lightroom develop presets could now be used with Adobe Camera RAW (ACR).

Unfortunately, this switch gave birth to a whole litter of questions over how the older .lrtemplate presets would function after the switch to the .xmp format.

For people like me that engineers develop presets as part of their living, tiny beads of sweat congregated on our foreheads once the announcement dropped from Adobe.

Adding to the anguish, around the same time, Adobe experienced somewhat of an identity crisis with the naming of their Lightroom platforms. Lightroom Classic CC? Lightroom CC? Lightroom Desktop? It was difficult to keep track.

This left many users (myself included) questioning what version of Lightroom we were running. This, in part, compounded the confusion over what develop presets would function with what versions of Lightroom.

By Alex Knight/Unsplash

Why XMP?

Many users wondered why Adobe would change the file format of the develop presets in Lightroom. The reason stems from another one of the big changes to come along with Lightroom v7.3, which was the introduction of Adobe’s ‘Creative Profiles’.

Creative Profiles are a way for Lightroom users to add base-line adjustments (think in-camera profiles) that do not interfere with their other edits in Lightroom and ACR.

Yep, you guessed it, these Creative Profiles are in .xmp format.

So really, the general reasoning behind Adobe’s switch from .lrtemplate to .xmp file format was aimed at accomplishing universal Lightroom preset compatibility, sync ability, and Creative Profile functionality across Lightroom Classic, Lightroom CC, Lightroom Mobile, and ACR.

A question of compatibility

With the Lightroom v7.3 build, all of the users presets that were in the old .lrtemplate format automatically converted to the fresh .xmp format upon updating Lightroom (Lightroom Classic that is). This meant all of the Lightroom presets in the preset library were now usable in ACR and could be synced for use with Lightroom CC and Lightroom Mobile.

It also meant virtually all of us were completely befuddled as to what to do next with our presets.

Would our .lrtemplate presets still work with the newest version of Lightroom? Are .xmp presets compatible with previous Lightroom builds? What if I’m still running the pre-cloud versions of Lightroom?

Yes, it can all be extremely frustrating.

To help out, I’ve broken down which versions of Lightroom and ACR are compatible with which develop preset file formats.

We’ll also have a look at how each handles your development presets.

Pre-v.7.3 Lightroom builds

After Adobe launched the inclusive Creative Cloud ecosystem for its image processing applications in 2017, all standalone versions of Lightroom ended production. This meant that after Lightroom 6, the program was re-birthed as the Cloud-centric Lightroom Classic CC, now known simply as Lightroom Classic.

In short, you can no longer buy Lightroom, only rent it for a monthly subscription fee.

For these builds, there is no backward compatibility for .xmp format presets. This means all presets that aren’t in the new format, will not work with this version of Lightroom.

Lightroom v7.3, ACR 10.3 and later

No matter your opinion on the switch from .lrtemplate to .xmp format for Lightroom develop presets, there’s no denying that the cross-platform functionality is quite convenient. Being able to use your Lightroom presets in ACR is awesome. What’s even better is that Adobe will automatically update all of your .lrtemplate formatted presets to the new .xmp format once you have updated your build of Lightroom Classic to v7.3 or later.

This allows you to continue to enjoy your presets in all their glory after updating to the new format.

Unfortunately, once your presets are updated to .xmp format…there is no going back.

Consider the .lrtemplate to .xmp conversion process as the “point of no return” for your presets.

In the face of this finality, it is strongly recommended that you save all of your presets that are in .lrtemplate format in a separate location (preferably an external drive) other than the native Lightroom Develop Presets folder. This will allow you to maintain the fullest Lightroom preset compatibility just in case you should ever wish to revert to a pre-v7.3 build of Lightroom.

What’s the endgame?

Even now, some long-time users of Lightroom still feel a bit frustrated when it comes to the compatibility of develop presets with older versions of Lightroom. With the enormous changes to their favorite image processing software, the confusion (and at times overt contempt) over what works and what doesn’t is completely understandable.

It’s obvious by now that the new .xmp format for presets is here to stay. It is also equally obvious that the trepidation of Lightroom preset compatibility still lingers for many users.

Looking to the bright side, with each new development feature introduced to Lightroom Classic, the processing power available in our develop presets grows exponentially. As time passes, hopefully, the long-term benefits of all these changes will far outweigh any initial challenges we may have encountered in the beginning.

I hope this has eased your Lightroom preset compatibility. If you have any other thoughts, or ideas around this, please share them with us in the comments section.

Interested in Lightroom Presets? Try some of our great sets available:
- 101 LANDSCAPE LIGHTROOM PRESETS
- 101 LIGHTROOM PORTRAIT PRESETS
- 101 LIGHTROOM PRESETS PACK
The post Lightroom Preset Compatibility: XMP or LRTemplate Confusion? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.

Digital Photography School
May 11, 2020
How to Setup For Doing Live Streaming and YouTube Videos at Home
The post How to Setup For Doing Live Streaming and YouTube Videos at Home appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Since many of us are spending most of our time at home at the moment, I thought I’d share this great video from the dPS founder, Darren Rowse, on how to do live streaming and YouTube videos from your own home as a way to reach your audience and promote your photography.

He shares his complete live streaming setup, which I have listed below so that you can see if you have some of this gear already. Of course, you can replace some of this gear with the equipment you already have too. Most DSLR and mirrorless cameras do video nowadays.

The great thing about this video is that Darren shows us how this equipment all works together too, which is perfect to see what parts may or may not suit your needs.

Want to do some photography videos for youtube, or post-processing videos? This could be an ideal setup for you too.

Livestreaming gear setup:
- Sony A7 III – https://geni.us/BM6gBHA
- Sony 28mm f/2 lens – https://geni.us/sony282
- Sony 55mm f/1.8 Lens – https://geni.us/sony5018
- Sony A6400 – https://geni.us/udaP
- Sony 16mm f1.4mm – https://geni.us/qLanFq
- Rode PodMic – https://geni.us/rodepodmic
- Rode Podcaster (USB) – https://geni.us/rodepodcasterusb
- RodeCaster Pro – https://geni.us/rodecasterpropb
- Shure SM58 – https://geni.us/shuresm58mic
- Neewer 480 LED Lights – https://geni.us/neewer480led
- Softbox for Neewer 480 – https://geni.us/neewersoftbox
- LEDGO LG-B150 – https://geni.us/ledgo
- Manfrotto magic arm – https://geni.us/mfmagic
- Manfrotto superclamp – https://geni.us/mfsc
- Ecamm Live – https://geni.us/ecamm
- Elgato Camlink – https://geni.us/camlinkpb
Do you have a setup that you use already and would like to share with us? Please do so in the comments section!

The post How to Setup For Doing Live Streaming and YouTube Videos at Home appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Digital Photography School
May 10, 2020
Weekly Photography Challenge – Everyday Objects

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Everyday Objects appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Since many of us are still limited to where we can go, this week’s photography challenge topic is the EVERYDAY OBJECTS!

Image © Simon Ringsmuth

Everyday objects can be anything from a cup filled with coffee, TV remote, shoes, pens, computer mouse to a guitar pick. You get the picture!

Image © Rick Ohnsman

Image © Simon Ringsmuth

Get creative with them, either with the photography style or with post-processing.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Check out some of the articles below that give you tips on this week’s challenge.

Tips for photographing EVERDAY OBJECTS

Photographing a Still Life Series for Exhibition or a Portfolio

Stuck at Home? – Ways Still Life Photography Can Keep Your Skills Sharp

How to Apply Compositional Theory to Still Life Photography

Reverse Lens Macro – How to Make Macro Photos with “Backward Thinking”

Five Common Macro Photography Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Exploring Your Home with Close-Up Filters

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see. Or, if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites – tag them as #DPSeverydayObjects to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Everyday Objects appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Digital Photography School

May 9, 2020
How (And Where) To Mount an Action Camera (On Anything!)

Pictures and video from an action camera can be awesome. But how do you get the best shots? It’s all about the mounting of the camera and we’re going to tell you how to do it. How and where do you mount an action camera? The most popular place to mount an action camera is on a helmet using a Continue Reading

The post How (And Where) To Mount an Action Camera (On Anything!) appeared first on Photodoto.

Photodoto

May 9, 2020
The Sony a7S III May Be Announced in Late June

The post The Sony a7S III May Be Announced in Late June appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Over the past several weeks, rumors of a new Sony full-frame camera have been on the rise.

And, taken together, it looks like we may have a Sony a7S II successor before the summer is out.

One rumor, originally reported by Sony Alpha Rumors, suggests that a Sony full-frame camera (and a full-frame lens) will debut at the end of June.

Another rumor, also revealed by Sony Alpha Rumors, tells of a Sony a7S II successor in “late June.”

According to this second report, the a7S III should be launched toward the end of next month, with the camera “scheduled to be on the market by late Summer,” assuming that coronavirus doesn’t cause further, unexpected issues.

Put these two reports together, and an a7S III seems very likely, though it is possible that we’ll be surprised with an a7 IV.

An a7S II successor is long overdue; the a7S II launched way back in 2015, and since then much has changed in the camera industry. Note that the a7S III would be part of Sony’s video-centric stills lineup, which focuses on high-quality video over features such as huge megapixel counts and insanely good autofocus tracking.

So what can we expect from this new Sony snapper?

First, the a7S III should feature at least 4K/60p (the old a7S II offers 4K/30p), but there’s also a possibility for a jump in resolution to 6K or even 8K.

A June-announced 8K camera would be poised to compete with the upcoming Canon EOS R5, which will leapfrog over other mirrorless bodies to offer 8K/30p recording. Personally, I’m doubtful as to whether Sony could pull this off; it’s far more likely that we’ll get 4K/60p, or maybe 6K.

We should also see some standard Sony features: touchscreen capabilities, IBIS, faster AF, and a relatively compact body. The a7S II was (and is) a powerful low-light shooter, so the a7S III may take that even further, offering top-of-the-line high-ISO performance.

As for the price:

The Sony a7S II is currently available for around $ 2000 USD, but it debuted with an MSRP of $ 3000 USD; we can expect that the a7S III will start at this mark, though it’s possible we’ll see a higher price if the camera offers some unexpected features (such as 8K video).

So if you’re a hybrid shooter looking for your next camera, keep an eye out for updates over the next couple of months!

Now over to you:

Are you excited about the potential release of the a7S III? What do you think the camera will offer in terms of video and stills capability? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post The Sony a7S III May Be Announced in Late June appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Digital Photography School

May 8, 2020