360Photography

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  • Rhino Arc II 4-axis robotic camera system supports 15lb camera payloads

    Rhino has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its new Rhino Arc II, a “robotic camera assistant” designed to replace a fluid head. The Arc II features a 4-axis motorized head with support for both tripods and the Rhino Slider, as well as up to 6.8kg/15lbs of camera equipment. Users have both joystick and mobile control options.

    Rhino Arc II supports LightLapse, Interview, Keyframe, and Rack modes for smooth camera movements in a variety of filming scenarios. The robotic assistant supports Rhino Focus and the High Torque & High Speed Motor as optional tools for expanded capabilities.

    The system is also backwards compatible with the Rhino EVO Motor and Slider EVO. When used with an optional Rhino Power dummy battery, Arc II offers integrated power output for mirrorless and DSRL cameras. Other features include an integrated 501 plate receiver, an OLED screen, and a pan motor for motorized mounting.

    Rhino is offering the Arc II to Kickstarter backers who pledge at least $ 960 USD, a $ 240 discount over the anticipated retail price. The campaign also offers other rewards for backers, including the Rhino Slider Carbon, Slider Pro, and Rhino Arc II + Slider bundles. Shipping is expected to start in May 2019. To dine out more information and to make a pledge, head over to the Kickstarter campaign.

    Disclaimer: Remember to do your research with any crowdfunding project. DPReview does its best to share only the projects that look legitimate and come from reliable creators, but as with any crowdfunded campaign, there’s always the risk of the product or service never coming to fruition.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Nikon D3500 sample gallery

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    Nikon’s D3500 DSLR is one of the best camera bargains out there, with a list price of $ 500 including a lens (and it will be even less on Black Friday). While it doesn’t have Nikon’s latest and greatest technology, this compact DSLR has a reliable 24MP sensor that produces impressive-looking photos. See how it captured tropical Kauai and chilly Seattle in our sample gallery.

    See our Nikon D3500 sample gallery

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Skylum partners with EyeEm to launch global photography scholarship

    Software company Skylum and mobile image sharing community EyeEm have teamed up and launched a global photography scholarship that is open to anyone interested in photography. Skylum Software will be supporting 10 artists on the EyeEm platform with $ 10,000 to help them focus on their photography.

    In addition the selected photographers will be able to create editing presets for the Skylum Luminar software. The presets will be available to purchase on the Luminar marketplace as part of a special collection. Revenue from preset sales will be shared 1/3 with the artists.

    Skylum CEO Alex Tsepko said: “Our focus has always been to provide artists with the best photo enhancement tools, and collaborating with a creative community like EyeEm to empower next generation of creatives is just a natural fit”.

    If you want to apply for the scholarship you’ll need an EyeEm acccount, have an impressive portfolio, and convince the decision makers that your work is standing out. Submissions are open from now until December 2. You’ll find more information and the submission form on the EyeEm website.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • iPhone X bug lets hackers steal deleted photos

    If you have any particularly embarrassing or otherwise compromising photos on your iPhone you might want to think twice about how to keep them from being discovered by someone else. Simply deleting them might not be enough.

    A vulnerability allowing hackers to access deleted photos and other files on the iPhone X was discovered by two researchers this week at the Pwn2Own hacking contest for finding iOS and Android bugs.

    Richard Zhu and Amat Cama demoed the issue by connecting the iPhone X with iOS 12.1 to a malicious Wi-Fi network and exploiting a vulnerability in a so-called just-in-time (JIT) compiler which is designed to help iPhones to perform certain tasks faster.

    The couple could then retrieve a photo from the Photo app’s Recently Deleted album where images are stored for 30 days after you delete them from the camera roll. This feature allows users to recover deleted photos should they have a change of mind. Through the same method other files processed by the JIT compiler could be accessed as well.

    Zhu and Cama received a $ 50,000 reward for their findings and Apple has been informed of the bug. According to Forbes, the issue has yet to be fixed, though.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • 500px Home Feed redesigned to increase photographers’ exposure

    500px has launched a redesigned Home Feed that was inspired by photobooks, according to the company. The new 500px Home Feed is designed to increase photographers’ exposure and enable them to browse more images without navigating away from the feed. 500px says machine learning powers a new recommendation system to help surface content.

    500px explained in a blog post that its new recommendation system will help increase photographers’ visibility on the platform by more evenly distributing exposure. Users will see a greater variety of content on the new Home Feed, as well.

    Photo pages have been redesigned to make details, Pulse, views and other info readily accessible without being distracting. Photos are prominently displayed at the top of the page on a dark background for minimized distractions.

    The changes apply to both desktop and mobile, the latter of which now supports the ability to view and publish Galleries. The redesign also enables users to add images to existing Galleries and then share them with followers.

    Other changes revolve around the recommendation system and include suggested images in a grid format for desktop and carousel for mobile, as well as recommendations based on user activity. Recommendations will also draw from recently uploaded images to improve the discovery of new content.

    According to 500px, it will not provide NSFW content on its new mobile Home Feed in order to comply with Google’s and Apple’s respective app store restrictions. The NSFW images will still be accessible on desktop, however, assuming the user opts-in to the content in their account settings. The changes are rolling out now.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Nikon issues new firmware update for the Nikon Z7

    Nikon has issued a firmware update for the Nikon Z7. Firmware version 1.02 is now available and brings a couple of fixes for Nikon’s flagship full-frame mirrorless camera, including a flickering issue, an ISO selection problem, and an occasional crash that could occur when displaying certain Raw files.

    Below is the full changelog of changes made in firmware version 1.02 for the Nikon Z7:

    • Fixed an issue that caused the display to flicker if pictures were scrolled during playback zoom after the user had taken pictures using the viewfinder with Prioritize viewfinder selected for monitor mode and then removed his or her eye from the viewfinder before starting playback.
    • Fixed an issue that caused Capture NX-D or ViewNX-i to crash when displaying NEF (RAW) pictures taken with the following options selected for HDR (high dynamic range) in the PHOTO SHOOTING MENU:
      • HDR mode: On (series) or On (single photo)
      • Save individual images (NEF): On
    • Fixed an issue that allowed the camera to exceed the value chosen for ISO sensitivity settings > Maximum sensitivity in the MOVIE SHOOTING MENU if it was from ISO 200 to 20,000 and On was selected for MOVIE SHOOTING MENU > Electronic VR.
    • Updated some help displays.

    To see what firmware version is currently installed on a Nikon Z7 camera, turn on the camera, press the ‘Menu’ button, then go to ‘Firmware Version’ under the ‘Setup Menu.’

    If the camera needs an update, Nikon has provided a thorough guide and the accompanying download links on its Nikon Z7 firmware page. Nikon has also provided a detailed PDF explaining the firmware updating process.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Nikon Z6’s 4K video footage outshines Z7’s, is similar to Sony a7 III’s

    You can download our sample video right here.

    The Nikon Z6 is a supremely capable video camera that comes with a 24MP full-frame sensor and captures oversampled 4K footage with no crop. It can also shoot 1080/120p footage for slow motion clips. The above sample footage was all shot hand-held with in-body IS turned on using the Auto AF area mode and Fulltime autofocus (AF-F).

    Clips were recorded in-camera using Nikon’s Flat Picture profile. While not quite as workable as 10-bit N-log footage available over HDMI, a little time spent tweaking Flat Picture footage can lead to very nice results. This footage was edited in Final Cut 10.4.

    Video still

    Below please find our video still for comparing the Z6’s various video modes to those of its peers, including its most direct competitor, the Sony a7 III.

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    4K

    The Z6 and a7 III are taking different approaches to their oversampled 4K output with the Sony doing a better job capturing fine detail$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4310-731235669”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4310); }); }). The Z6 on the other hand looks to be using larger-radius sharpening$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4311–410966151”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4311); }); }) (by default) which results in a punchier look$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4312-553981737”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4312); }); }) out of camera. As expected, the Z6’s full-frame 4K looks better than the Z7’s full-frame 4K$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4309-910283880”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4309); }); }), which doesn’t use all its pixel rows, reducing both resolution and low-light performance.

    The Z6’s cropped 4K$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4319-1546915030”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4319); }); }) also appears to use larger-radius sharpening than the Sony’s and looks similar (but still slightly better) when compared to the Z7’s$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4313–2140375960”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4313); }); }). Interestingly the Z6’s 4K full-frame footage looks very similar$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4314–395951683”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4314); }); }) to its 4K APS-C cropped footage. There may be a bit of a noise penalty $ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4315-911523642”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4315); }); }) using the later, but detail is broadly similar.

    1080p

    The Z6’s full-frame 1080/24p looks better both than the Z7’s full-frame 1080/24p$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4316–282793192”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4316); }); }) and than the a7 III’s 1080/24p$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4317–2139838496”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4317); }); }). As a whole, the Z6’s HD footage has much more sharpening applied than the a7 III’s, but it doesn’t necessarily show much more tangible detail. This is also the case when comparing the Z6’s 1080/120p$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4318–805046091”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4318); }); }) to the a7 III’s.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • DxO updates Nik Collection 2018 with better macOS, Adobe compatibility and fewer bugs

    DxO has announced a new update to Nik Collection, the plugin suite it acquired from Google back in October 2017. Nik Collection version 1.1 is the second major update since DxO relaunched it back in June 2018 and puts an emphasis on adding more compatibility for the latest operating systems and Adobe applications.

    DxO says Nik Collection has been optimized for full compatibility with macOS Mojave as well as the 2019 versions of Adobe Lightroom Classic CC, Photoshop CC, and Photoshop Elements. DxO has also fixed a few bugs hidden from the days Nik Collection was in the hands of Google, ‘including problems with freezing when installing the macOS version of the software, block effects along the edges of the image, and compatibility issues with certain color profiles.’

    Nik Collection on macOS has also been updated to work with the Adobe Photoshop competitor Serif Affinity Photo.

    Nik Collection by DxO 2018 version 1.1 is available on the DxO website for €69/£59/$ 69. Users who purchased Nik Collection by DxO after the June 2018 update can update their software for free.

    Press release:

    Nik Collection by DxO 2018 v1.1: promises kept!

    DxO is offering the latest versions of the plugin suite relaunched in June 2018 with an update that offers improved stability and compatibility with the latest operating systems and Adobe host apps.

    PARIS — November 14, 2018 — DxO, one of the most innovative companies that offers imaging solutions for the general public, has announced the immediate release of Nik Collection by DxO 2018 v1.1, DxO’s second update to the creative plugin suite designed for photographers and graphic artists. This version is completely compatible with macOS Mojave and the 2019 versions of Adobe Lightroom Classic CC, Photoshop CC, and Photoshop Elements. It also corrects a certain number of interface and compatibility issues with other host applications.

    Compatibility with macOS Mojave and the 2019 versions of Adobe software

    To ensure the best possible user experience, the Nik Collection was optimized so it could be fully compatible with macOS Mojave as well as the 2019 versions of Adobe Lightroom Classic CC, Photoshop CC, and Photoshop Elements. DxO’s development teams have also resolved issues that were left over from the Google version of the plugin suite, including problems with freezing when installing the macOS version of the software, block effects along the edges of the image, and compatibility issues with certain color profiles. In addition, the compatibility problems between Nik Collection by DxO 2018 and Serif Affinity Photo with macOS have also been resolved.

    “When we launched Nik Collection by DxO last June, we agreed to deliver the best possible user experience and to provide our customers with assistance and support. We also promised to organize the community and ask for feedback through regular surveys,” said Jean-Marc Alexia, VP Product Strategy and Marketing at DxO. “We made progress in each of these areas. Now, we are taking one step further towards our goals by concentrating all the latest product updates in this new version.”

    About Nik Collection by DxO

    Nik Collection by DxO includes seven plugins that offer a full range of creative effects and filters:

    • Analog Efex Pro, a classic lens, camera, and analog film simulator.
    • Color Efex Pro, for color corrections, retouching, and creative effects.
    • Dfine, which reduces noise in digital images.
    • HDR Efex Pro, for editing HDR images.
    • Sharpener Pro, for increasing the precision and detail of digital images.
    • Silver Efex Pro, a black-and-white converter inspired by dark room techniques.
    • Viveza, for locally adjusting color and the tonality of specific areas within the image.

    Thanks to exclusive U Point technology, the Nik Collection by DxO plugins can be used to apply local adjustments to specific areas in the image with seamless precision.

    Nik Collection by DxO can also be opened with other host programs, including DxO PhotoLab 2, Serif Affinity Photo, Skylum Luminar, and other image processing software that features an export menu to a third-party program or is compatible with Photoshop plugins.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Nikon Z6 to ship this Friday for $1999

    Nikon USA has announced that its Z6 full-frame mirrorless camera will begin shipping this Friday, November 16th. The body-only kit will retail for $ 1999.95, while the body plus Nikon Z 24-70 F4 S lens will set you back $ 2599.95. Adding the FTZ Mount Adapter is only $ 200 more, which is $ 100 less than if the adapter is purchased separately.

    You can find all of our Z6 content here, and don’t miss our sample gallery, either.

    Z6 samples by Brandon Woelful for Nikon:

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    Press Release

    The New Nikon Z 6 to Hit Shelves Right In Time for the Holiday Season

    Nikon Will Also Offer an Array of Special Promotions, Instant Savings and Discount Programs for their Latest Products this Holiday Season

    MELVILLE, NY (NOVEMBER 14, 2018 AT 11:00 A.M. EST) – With the holiday season just around the corner, Nikon Inc. is pleased to announce the retail availability of the new Nikon Z 6 camera, which was announced alongside the Nikon Z 7, Mount Adapter FTZ, and the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S, 35mm f/1.8 S, and 50mm f/1.8 S lenses in late August of this year. In addition to announcing retail availability for this product, Nikon will be offering an array of holiday promotions, instant savings programs and special discounts for a variety of Nikon products.

    Nikon Z 6 Availability

    The Nikon Z 6 offers an incredible value for photographers and content creators, striking the perfect balance of speed, optical performance and powerfully cinematic video features while maintaining the advantages of a lightweight mirrorless design, all at an incredibly compelling price point. The versatile Nikon Z 6 includes a 24.5-megapixel-BSI CMOS sensor, wide ISO sensitivity range of 100–51,200, 12fps continuous shooting at full resolution, 5-axis in-camera vibration reduction technology, crystal clear 3.6m-Dot Quad VGA viewfinder and full-frame 4K UHD video capture with full pixel readout.

    The Nikon Z 6 will be available nationwide starting this Friday, November 16 for the suggested retail price (SRP) of $ 2,599.95 with the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S lens and $ 1,999.95 for the body only configuration.

    Nikon Holiday Promotions

    Nikon Inc. is also unveiling several new holiday promotions to encourage consumers to share the gift of photography with their friends and loved ones.

    For consumers in the market for a new mirrorless camera, the Nikon Z system is an ideal entry-point. Now, for a limited time, Nikon Inc. will be offering $ 100-savings on the Mount Adapter FTZ when purchased alongside the new Nikon Z 7 or Nikon Z 6.

    Additionally, Nikon will be offering numerous special promotions on the extensive lineup of Nikon DSLR cameras, camera kits and NIKKOR lenses, which are great gift options for those looking to take their photography and video capture to the next level this holiday season.

    The list below outlines the instant savings available starting on November 22, 2018

    Entry-Level DSLR Savings:

    – Nikon D3500 Double Zoom Lens Kit: $ 499.95 (after $ 350 instant savings)
    – Nikon D3500 18-55mm VR Kit: $ 399.95 (after $ 100 instant savings)
    – Nikon D5600 Double Zoom Lens Kit: $ 699.95 (after $ 450 instant savings)
    – Nikon D5600 18-55mm VR Kit: $ 649.95 (after $ 150 instant savings)

    Enthusiast and Professional-Level DSLR Savings:

    – Nikon D7500 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Kit: $ 1,449.95 (after $ 300 instant savings)
    – Nikon D7500 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR Kit: $ 1,749.95 (after $ 570 instant savings)
    – Nikon D7200 Body Only: $ 799.95 (after $ 300 instant savings)
    – Nikon D7200 Dual Zoom Lens Kit: $ 999.95 (after $ 550 instant savings)
    – Nikon D750 Body Only with MB-D16 Multi-Battery Power Pack: $ 1,399.95 (after $ 939.95 instant savings)
    – Nikon D750 24-120mm f/4G ED VR Lens Kit with MB-D16 Multi-Battery Power Pack: $ 1,899.95 (after $ 1,539.95 instant savings)
    – Nikon D500 Body Only with MB-D17 Multi-Battery Power Pack: $ 1,799.95 (after $ 469.95 instant savings)
    – Nikon D500 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR Lens Kit with MB-D17 Multi-Battery Power Pack: $ 2,399.95 (after $ 939.95 instant savings)
    – Nikon D810 Body Only with MB-D12 Multi-Battery Power Pack: $ 2,799.95 (after $ 629.95 instant savings)
    – Nikon D810 24-120mm f/4G ED VR Lens Kit with MB-D12 Multi-Battery Power Pack: $ 3,299.95 (after $ 1,229.95 instant savings)
    – Select legendary NIKKOR lenses also available at up to $ 200 in instant savings

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Fujifilm announces new firmware for GFX 50S, X-T3, and X-H1

    Fujifilm has announced the impending arrival of new firmware updates for its GFX 50S, X-T3, and X-H1 mirrorless cameras. The updates bring improved in-body image stabilization on the X-H1, 4K HDR and F-Log video for the X-T3, and a new 35mm format mode for the GFX 50S.

    GFX 50S

    The new firmware for the Fujifilm GFX 50S, version 3.30, is due out by the end of November 2018. Fujifilm says the update adds support for a new 35mm Format Mode when using GF- and H-mount adapters, which crops the center of the sensor to a size of 36mm x 24mm, a makes for a 30.5-megapixel image. The update also improves upon the eye-sensor responsiveness, adds simultaneous deletion of Raw and JPEG files, and supports color adjustments for the EVF and LCD displays.

    X-T3

    The new firmware for the Fujifilm X-T3 is version 2.00. Set to be released in December 2018, the firmware update brings 4K HDR recording in Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG). HLG footage should simplify the capture of HDR content and should improve post-production capabilities. Fujifilm notes it’s only compatible with the camera’s 10-bit H.265 (HEVC) mode, and works best when viewed on displays and TVs with HLG format support.

    Firmware version 2.00 for the X-T3 also brings simultaneous output of Film Simulation and F-Log footage, meaning it’s possible to record in F-Log while viewing the Film Simulation image on an external monitor. Fujifilm says this capability isn’t compatible with ‘59.94P/50P, FHD high speed recording, 4K interframe NR, and HDMI output info display mode.’

    Continuing on, the X-T3 will now be compatible with All-Intra and maximum bitrate recording with H.264, up to the maximum bitrate of 400Mbps. Also, movie files will no longer be split when the file reaches 4GB so long as it’s being stored to an SD card with at least 64GB of storage. It’s also now possible to display color temperature on the EVF and LCD displays in Kelvin.

    Newsshooter has shared a video showing off some of the new features of firmware version 2.00 for the Fujifilm X-T3.

    X-H1

    Last up is the Fujifilm X-H1, which is set to receive firmware version 2.00 in December 2018. The defining feature of this firmware update is the improved image stabilization. Fujifilm says in-body image stabilization will now work better with optical image stabilization in lenses to improve overall stability.

    ‘With an XF or XC optical image stabilized lens, in-body image stabilization worked with 3 axis (up and down / optical axis rotation). The remaining 2 axis (right and left pitch, yaw angle) was controlled by optical image stabilization in the lens,” says Fujifilm in its press release. “[Firmware version 2.00] has a new image stabilization algorithm to allow the in-body image stabilization to work in all 5 axis and to achieve more than five-stops (up to the equivalent of 5.5 stops) image stabilization by cooperative control according to the types of frequency and blur amount.”

    Fujifilm notes lenses must also be updated to their latest firmware to get this compatibility. You can find a full list of up-to-date lens firmware on Fujifilm’s website.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)