Having light is critical for photography, but what about the quality of light? Our resident mad scientist, Don Komarechka, explains how different light sources can impact your photos.
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
The Cooperative of Photography, better known as COOPH, has shared ‘Droneception,’ a quick tutorial video that breaks down how to create ‘mind-bending’ drone images using two-shot, three-shot and more advanced multi-shot methods.
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The video is three-and-a-half minutes long with only visuals and text overlays for instructions, but it’s succinct and manages to effectively convey the steps required to get the shots and make the final compositions. These methods should work with nearly any drone, so whether you’re using the newest DJI or a few year old no-name brand, the magic happens with the creative thinking ahead of time and the post-processing done afterwards.
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For more videos, head over and subscribe to COOPH’s YouTube Channel.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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| I like big optics. |
A fair number of you probably know me as the Roger who started Lensrentals.com, and some may know I used to be a physician before that. A few know I sold most of my share in Lensrentals.com years ago and since then I’ve hung out as their director of Quality Assurance, Lovely and Talented Spokesmodel, and a major contributor to the blog. Other than QA, I haven’t actually managed anything for years.
When I started Lensrentals I had a lot of conversations with service centers that went like this. Me: “That lens you repaired still sucks”. Person at service center: “No, it’s within specs”. Me: “What are the specs?” Service center: “We can’t tell you”. One day, after I raised hell with a factory service manager, he patted me on the head and said, “testing lenses is complicated; you don’t have the background to understand.”
Any of you who has ever seen a physician after someone says something like ‘you wouldn’t understand; it’s complicated’ knows what happened next. I had no option but to spend a couple of years buying testing equipment, offering internships to really smart optical engineering students, and developing a lens testing center and methodology that was as good as anything in the industry.
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| Pictured: A lens testing center and methodology that was as good as anything in the industry. This machine doesn’t give us numbers, it’s used to optically adjust lenses in real time. |
That probably sounds ridiculous, but the reality is that in 2010, everybody (manufacturers included) was still doing metrology (lens testing) the same way that they’d done it with film cameras in the 60s and 70s. In my previous life I’d done clinical research, and my first hobby was writing medical books for non-medical people; putting complex medical terms in plain words. When I started Lensrentals, I started writing again, blogging about the stuff we were doing.
I ended up doing testing and consulting for several major manufacturers, and a fair number of specialty manufacturers
So a few years later, when a service center told me “it’s within spec” I could send them their specs (because we’d tested enough lenses to know them) and the results from the lens in question and say, “NOPE, it’s not.” If you look back to my blog posts in those days, you’ll see I even posted some examples of what service centers claimed was ‘in spec’ versus what was really happening as well as posting actual MTF (as opposed to computer generated) data. As you might expect, this made me rather unpopular with manufacturers.
We then entered the traditional ‘exchange of threats and legal posturing’ period. I managed to convince most manufacturers that we were just reporting facts (emphasis on most). Eventually they started sending engineers to look at our testing methods. I ended up doing testing and consulting for several major manufacturers, and a fair number of specialty manufacturers. I don’t do that much anymore, since we gave our software and methodology to any that were interested, and most then started doing it themselves.
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| Test results for a lens that isn’t as sharp as it should be in the center, which actually is unusual. Usually the problems are away from center. |
I still have a lab in one of Lensrentals’ buildings, but I just do whatever interests me at the moment. They let me put stuff up on their blog but much of what I write only gets widely seen when DPReview reposts it. I’ve worked behind the scenes with the DPReview staff for years, so when Barney offered me the chance to write directly for DPR we sat down and negotiated. I think the terms are fair; they aren’t going to pay me anything, but they won’t tell me what to write about or to STFU [Editor’s note: we offered to pay Roger but he said ‘I already have enough money’ and I didn’t push the matter in case I misheard].
I expect you might see a disclaimer about ‘the opinions expressed in this article don’t necessarily reflect those of DPReview, anybody who works here, or anybody we even know’ every so often. But otherwise I’ll be writing op-ed pieces here when the mood strikes me and when DPReview has a slow news day.
Roger
The opinions expressed in this article don’t necessarily reflect those of DPReview, its parent company, affiliates, anybody who works here, or anybody we even know.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Over 49,000 images were submitted to the 56th annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, put on by the Natural History Museum in London. The Duchess of Cambridge and Patron of the museum, Kate Middleton, announced the Grand Title Winner during the live-streamed ceremony which aired on October 13th.
Sergey Gorshkov spent over 11 months on his overall winning image, ‘The Embrace,’ depicting the rare sighting of an Amur tigress hugging a Manchurian fir. ‘Hunted to the verge of extinction in the past century, the Amur population is still threatened by poaching and logging today. The remarkable sight of the tigress immersed in her natural environment offers us hope, as recent reports suggest numbers are growing from dedicated conservation efforts,’ says Dr. Tim Littlewood – Natural History Museum’s Executive Director of Science.
All winning images will be showcased in an exhibition at the Natural History Museum, starting October 16th. Entries for the next Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition are open on Tuesday, October 19th.
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Sergey Gorshkov/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: With an expression of sheer ecstasy, a tigress hugs an ancient Manchurian fir, rubbing her cheek against bark to leave secretions from her scent glands. She is an Amur, or Siberian, tiger, here in the Land of the Leopard National Park, in the Russian Far East. The race – now regarded as the same subspecies as the Bengal tiger – is found only in this region, with a small number surviving over the border in China and possibly a few in North Korea.
Hunted almost to extinction in the past century, the population is still threatened by poaching and logging, which also impacts their prey – mostly deer and wild boar, which are also hunted. But recent (unpublished) camera?trap surveys indicate that greater protection may have resulted in a population of possibly 500–600 – an increase that it is hoped a future formal census may confirm. Low prey densities mean that tiger territories are huge.
Sergey knew his chances were slim but was determined to take a picture of the totem animal of his Siberian homeland. Scouring the forest for signs, focusing on trees along regular routes where tigers might have left messages–scent, hairs, urine or scratch marks–he installed his first proper camera trap in January 2019, opposite this grand fir. But it was not until November that he achieved the picture he had planned for, of a magnificent tigress in her Siberian forest environment.
Gear and Settings: Nikon Z-7 + 50mm f1.8 lens; 1/200 sec at f6.3; ISO 250; Cognisys camera-trap system.
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Mogens Trolle/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: A young male proboscis monkey cocks his head slightly and closes his eyes. Unexpected pale blue eyelids now complement his immaculately groomed auburn hair. He poses for a few seconds as if in meditation. He is a wild visitor to the feeding station at Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary in Sabah, Borneo–‘the most laid-back character,’ says Mogens, who has been photographing primates worldwide for the past five years.
In some primate species, contrasting eyelids play a role in social communication, but their function in proboscis monkeys is uncertain. The most distinctive aspect of this young male –sitting apart from his bachelor group –is, of course, his nose. As he matures, it will signal his status and mood (female noses are much smaller) and be used as a resonator when calling. Indeed, it will grow so big that it will hang down over his mouth –he may even need to push it aside to eat.
Found only on the island of Borneo and nearby islands, proboscis monkeys are endangered. Eating mainly leaves (along with flowers, seeds and unripe fruit), they depend on threatened forests close to waterways or the coast and –being relatively lethargic –are easily hunted for food and bezoar stones (an intestinal secretion used in traditional Chinese medicine). Mogens’ unforgettable portrait, with the young male’s characteristic peaceful expression–‘quite unlike anything I’ve ever seen on another monkey’–connects us, he hopes, with a fellow primate.
Gear and Settings: Canon EOS-1D X + 500mm f4 lens; 1/1000 sec at f7.1; ISO1250; Manfrotto tripod + Benrogimbal head.
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Jaime Culebras/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: A Manduriacu glass frog snacks on a spider in the foothills of the Andes, northwestern Ecuador. As big consumers of invertebrates, glass frogs play a key part in maintaining balanced ecosystems. That night, Jaime’s determination to share his passion for them had driven him to walk for four hours, in heavy rain, through the forest to reach the frogs’ streams in Manduriacu Reserve. But the frogs were elusive and the downpour was growing heavier and heavier. Ashe turned back, he was thrilled to spot one small frog clinging to a branch, its eyes like shimmering mosaics.
Not only was it eating – he had photographed glass frogs eating only once before –but it was also a newly discovered species. Distinguished by the yellow spots on its back and lack of webbing between its fingers, the Manduriacu frog is found only in this small area. The reserve is private but seriously threatened by mining activities permitted by the government (open-pit mining for gold and copper), as well as illegal logging, and the new frog is considered critically endangered.
Serenaded by a frog chorus in torrential rain – he held his umbrella and flash in one hand and the camera in the other – Jaime captured the first ever picture of this species feeding.
Camera + Settings: Sony ILCE-7M3 + 90mm f2.8 lens; 1/100 sec at f16; ISO 320; Yongnuo flash + trigger; softbox.
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Jose Luis Ruiz Jiménez/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: After several hours up to his chest in water in a lagoon near Brozas, in the west of Spain, Jose Luis captured this intimate moment of a great crested grebe family. His camera floated on a U-shaped platform beneath the small camouflaged tent that also hid his head. The grebes are at their most elegant in the breeding season–ornate plumage, crests on their heads, neck feathers that they can fan into ruffs, striking red eyes and pink-tinged bills. They build a nest of aquatic plant material, often among reeds at the edge of shallow water.
To avoid predators, their chicks leave the nest within a few hours of hatching, hitching a snug ride on a parent’s back. Here the backlings will live for the next two to three weeks, being fed as fast as their parents can manage. Even when a youngster has grown enough to be able to swim properly, it will still be fed, for many more weeks, until it fledges.
This morning, the parent on breakfast duty – after chasing fish and invertebrates under water–emerged with damp feathers and a tasty meal, just when not a breath of wind rippled the water and the stripy-headed chick stretched out of its sanctuary, open?beaked, to claim the fish. In soft light and muted reflections, Jose Luis was able to reveal the fine detail of these graceful birds and their attentive parental care.
Camera + Settings: Nikon D4S + 600mm f4 lens + 1.4x teleconverter; 1/800 sec at f6.3; ISO 500; floating hide.
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Frank Deschandol/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: This remarkable simultaneous framing of a red-banded sand wasp (left) and a cuckoo wasp, about to enter next-door nest holes, is the result of painstaking preparation. The female Hedychrum cuckoo wasp –just 6 millimetres long (less than 1/4inch) – parasitizes the nests of certain solitary digger wasps, laying her eggs in her hosts’ burrows so that her larvae can feast on their eggs or larvae and then the food stores.
The much larger red-banded sand wasp lays her eggs in her own burrow, which she provisions with caterpillars, one for each of her young to eat when they emerge. Frank’s original aim was to photograph the vibrant cuckoo wasp, its colors created by the refraction of light from its cuticle (tough enough to withstand the attack of the wasps it parasitizes). In a sandy bank on a brownfield site near his home in Normandy, northern France, he located tiny digger wasp burrows suitable for a cuckoo wasp to use and out of full sun, which would have let too much light into the camera.
He then set up an infrared beam that, when broken by a wasp, would trigger the super fast shutter system he had built using an old hard drive and positioned in front of the lens (the camera’s own shutter would have been too slow). Despite the extremely narrow depth of field and tiny subjects, he captured not only the cuckoo wasp but also the sand wasp. Though these two species don’t regularly interact, Frank was gifted a perfectly balanced composition by the insects’ fortuitous flight paths to their nest holes.
Camera + Settings: Canon EOS 5D Mark II + 100mm f2.8 lens + close-up 250D lens + reverse-mounted lens; 5 sec at f13; ISO 160; customized high-speed shutter system; six wireless flashes + Fresnel lenses; Yongnuo wireless flash trigger; Keyence infrared sensor + Meder Reed relay +amplifier; Novoflex MagicBalance + home-made tripod.
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Songda Cai/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: A tiny diamondback squid paralarva flits below in the blackness, stops hunting for an instant when caught in the light beam, gilds itself in shimmering gold and then moves gracefully out of the light. The beam was Songda’s, on a night?dive over deep water, far off the coast of Anilao, in the Philippines. He never knows what he might encounter in this dark, silent world.
All sorts of larvae and other tiny animals –zooplankton–migrate up from the depths under cover of night to feed on surface-dwelling phytoplankton, and after them come other predators. Diamondback squid are widespread in tropical and subtropical oceans, preying on fish, other squid and crustaceans near the surface. In November, hundreds gather off Anilao to spawn.
A paralarva is the stage between hatchling and subadult, already recognizable as a squid, here 6–7 centimetres long (21/2inches). Transparent in all stages, a diamondback squid swims slowly, propelled by undulations of its triangular fins (the origin of their name), but by contracting its powerful mantles, it can spurt away from danger.
Chromatophores (organs just below the skin) contain elastic sacs of pigment that stretch rapidly into discs of color when the muscles around them contract; recent research suggests that they may also reflect light. Deeper in the skin, iridophores reflect and scatter light, adding an iridescent sheen. From above, Songda captured the fleeting moment when, hovering in perfect symmetry, the diamondback paralarva turned to gold.
Camera + Settings: Nikon D850 + 60mm f2.8 lens; 1/200 sec at f20; ISO 500; Seacam housing; Seaflash 150D strobes; Scubalamp lights.
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Luciano Gaudenzio/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: From a great gash on the southern flank of Mount Etna, lava flows within a huge lava tunnel, re-emerging further down the slope as an incandescent red river, veiled in volcanic gases. To witness the scene, Luciano and his colleagues had trekked for several hours up the north side of the volcano, through stinking steam and over ash-covered chaotic rocky masses –the residues of past eruptions. A wall of heat marked the limit of their approach.
Luciano describes the show that lay before him as hypnotic, the vent resembling ‘an open wound on the rough and wrinkled skin of a huge dinosaur’. It was 2017, and he had been on the nearby island of Stromboli to photograph eruptions there when he heard news of the new vent on what is Europe’s largest volcano. He took the very next ferry, hoping he would arrive in time to see the peak of the latest show.
Mount Etna, which lies on the boundary between the African and Eurasian continental plates, has been erupting continuously for almost 30 years, with shows that include lava flows and lava fountains – just the most recent phase in 15,000 years of volcanic activity, but a warning of its power.
What Luciano most wanted to capture was the drama of the lava river flowing into the horizon. The only way to do that was to wait until just after sunset–‘the blue hour’–when contrasting shadows would cover the side of the volcano and, with a long exposure, he could set the incandescent flow against the blue gaseous mist to capture ‘the perfect moment.’
Camera + Settings: Canon EOS 5D Mark III + 24mm f3.5 lens; 1 sec at f16; ISO 320; Leofoto tripod + ball head.
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Kirsten Luce/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: One hand raised signaling the bear to stand, the other holding a rod, the trainer directs the ice-rink show. A wire muzzle stops the polar bear biting back, and blue safety netting surrounds the circus ring. It’s a shocking sight–not because of the massive predator towering over the petite woman in her ice-skating outfit but because of the uneven power dynamic expressed by the posture of the bear and the knowledge that it is not performing by choice.
But for the visitors to the traveling Russian circus –here in the city of Kazan, Tatarstan – it is entertainment. They are ignorant of how the polar bear has been trained and what it might endure behind the scenes – including the fact that, when not performing, it probably spends most of its time in a transportation cage. The polar bear is one of four females, reportedly captured in Russia’s Franz Josef Land when two years old (‘abandoned’, according to the trainer) and still performing 18 years later – valuable property for the Circus on Ice, the only circus known to own polar bears.
For the photographer, who has spent a couple of years reporting on animal exploitation and abuse, this was the most symbolically shocking of all the scenes of exploitation she has shot, featuring as it does such an Arctic icon of wildness.
Camera + Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + 70–200mm f2.8 lens; 1/500 sec at f4; ISO 2000.
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Paul Hilton/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: A young pig-tailed macaque is put on show chained to a wooden cage in Bali’s bird market, Indonesia. Its mother and the mothers of the other youngsters on show, would have been killed. Pig?tailed macaques are energetic, social primates living in large troops in forests throughout Southeast Asia. As the forests are destroyed, they increasingly raid agricultural crops and are shot as pests. The babies are then sold into a life of solitary confinement as a pet, to a zoo or for biomedical research.
Having convinced the trader that he was interested in buying the monkey, Paul photographed it in the dark backroom using a slow exposure. Much of the illegal wildlife in the open?air bird market is traded in the backroom areas. Macaques can be legally sold; banned species such as baby orangutans are kept boxed out of sight. Such animal markets facilitate the international illegal trade, supplying on demand what isn’t in stock. So many animals stacked so close together also facilitates the spread of disease.
Camera + Gear: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II + 16–35mm lens at 16mm; 1/10sec at f3.2; ISO 1600.
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Alberto Fantoni/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: On the steep cliffs of a Sardinian island, a male Eleonora’s falcon brings his mate food – a small migrant, probably a lark, snatched from the sky as it flew over the Mediterranean. These falcons – medium-sized hawks – choose to breed on cliffs and small islands along the Mediterranean coast in late summer, specifically to coincide with the mass autumn migration of small birds as they cross the sea on their way to Africa.
The males hunt at high altitudes, often far offshore, and take a wide range of small migrants on the wing, including various warblers, shrikes, nightingales and swifts. Outside the breeding season, and on windless days when passing migrants are scarce, they feed on large insects. When the chicks are fledged, they all head south to overwinter in Africa, mainly on Madagascar.
Alberto was watching from a hide on San Pietro Island, from where he could photograph the adults on their cliff-top perch. He couldn’t see the nest, which was a little way down the cliff in a crevice in the rocks, but he could watch the male (much smaller and with yellow around his nostrils) pass on his prey, observing that he always seemed reluctant to give up his catch without a struggle.
Camera + Gear: Canon EOS 7D Mark II + 500mm f4.5 lens; 1/2000 sec at f7.1 (+1 e/v); ISO 800; hide.
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Ripan Biswas/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: These two ferocious predators don’t often meet. The giant riverine tiger beetle pursues prey on the ground, while weaver ants stay mostly in the trees–but if they do meet, both need to be wary. When an ant colony went hunting small insects on a dry riverbed in Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India, a tiger beetle began to pick off some of the ants. In the heat of the midday sun, Ripan lay on the sand and edged closer.
The beetle’s bulging eyes excel at spotting invertebrate prey, which it sprints towards so fast that it has to hold its antennae out in front to avoid obstacles. Its bright orange spots – structural color produced by multiple transparent reflecting layers–may be a warning to predators that it uses poison (cyanide) for protection. At more than 12 millimetres long (half an inch), it dwarfed the weaver ants. In defence, one bit into the beetle’s slender hind leg. The beetle swiftly turned and, with its large, curved mandibles, snipped the ant in two, but the ant’s head and upper body remained firmly attached.
‘The beetle kept pulling at the ant’s leg,’ says Ripan, ‘trying to rid itself of the ant’s grip, but it couldn’t quite reach its head.’ He used flash to illuminate the lower part of the beetle, balancing this against the harsh sunlight, as he got his dramatic, eye-level shot.
Camera + Gear: Nikon D5200 + Tamron 90mm f2.8 lens; 1/160 sec at f8; ISO 160; Viltrox ring flash.
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Andrés Luis Dominguez Blanco/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: In Spring, the meadows near Andrés’ home in Ubrique, in Andalucia, Spain, are bright with flowers, such as these sweet-scented sulla vetches. Andrés had walked there a few days earlier and seen European stonechats hunting for insects, but they were on the far side of the meadow. He regularly sees and hears stonechats, their calls like two stones tapping together.
They are widespread throughout central and southern Europe, some – such as those around Andrés’ home–resident year round, others overwintering in northern Africa. Andrés asked his dad to drive to the meadow and park so he could use the car as a hide, kneel on the back seat and, with his lens on the window sill, shoot through the open windows. He was delighted to see stonechats flying close by, alighting on any stem or stalk as a vantage point to look for worms, spiders and insects.
It was already late in the day, and the sun had gone down, but it seemed that the low light intensified the birds’ colors. He watched this male closely. It often landed on branches or the top of small bushes, but this time it perched on a flower stem, which began to bend under its delicate weight. The stonechat kept perfect balance and Andrés framed his perfect composition.
Camera + Gear: Fujifilm X-H1 + XF 100–400mm f4.5–5.6 lens; 1/50 sec at f5.6; ISO 800.
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Sam Sloss/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: On a diving holiday in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Sam stopped to watch the behavior of a group of clownfishes as they swam with hectic and repeated patterns in and out and around their home, a magnificent anemone. He was intrigued by the expression of one individual, the result of its mouth being constantly open, holding something.
Clownfish are highly territorial, living in small groups within an anemone. The anemone’s stinging tentacles protect the clownfish and their eggs from predators – a clownfish itself develops a special layer of mucus to avoid being stung. In return, the tenants feed on debris and parasites within the tentacles and aerate the water around them and may also deter anemone?eating fish.
Rather than following the moving fish in his viewfinder, Sam positioned himself where he knew it would come back into the frame. It was only when he downloaded the photos that he saw tiny eyes peeping out of its mouth. It was a ‘tongue-eating louse’, a parasitic isopod that swims in through the gills as a male, changes sex, grows legs and attaches itself to the base of the tongue, sucking blood. When the tongue withers and drops off, the isopod takes its place. Its presence may weaken its host, but the clownfish can continue to feed.
Sam’s image, the reward for his curiosity, captures the three very different life forms, their lives intertwined.
Camera + Gear: Nikon D300 + 105mm f2.8 lens; 1/250 sec at f18; ISO 200; Nauticam Housing + two INON Z-240 strobes.
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Liina Heikkinen/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Artist Statement: It was on a summer holiday in Helsinki that Liina, then aged 13, heard about a large fox family living in the city suburbs on the island of Lehtisaari. The island has both wooded areas and fox-friendly citizens, and the foxes are relatively unafraid of humans. So Liina and her father spent one long July day, without a hide, watching the two adults and their six large cubs, which were almost the size of their parents, though slimmer and lankier.
In another month, the cubs would be able to fend for themselves, but in July they were only catching insects and earthworms and a few rodents, and the parents were still bringing food for them –larger prey than the more normal voles and mice. It was 7pm when the excitement began, with the vixen’s arrival with a barnacle goose.
Feathers flew as the cubs began fighting over it. One finally gained ownership–urinating on it in its excitement. Dragging the goose into a crevice, the cub attempted to eat its prize while blocking access to the others. Lying just metres away, Liina was able to frame the scene and capture the expression of the youngster as it attempted to keep its hungry siblings at bay.
Camera + Gear: Nikon D4 + 28–300mm f3.5–5.6 lens; 1/125 sec at f5.6 (-0.3 e/v); ISO 1600.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Our team at DPReview TV just finished their review of the Fujifilm X-S10, capturing a lot of images along the way. Take a look at their sample photos from the Canadian Rockies.
View the Fujifilm X-S10 pre-production sample gallery
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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DJI has revealed a new pair of gimbals that are successors to the company’s popular Ronin-S and Ronin-SC stabilization systems. The new DJI RS 2 and RSC 2 are ‘redesigned and reimagined’ three-axis handheld gimbals for filmmakers of all types.
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The DJI RS 2 is the successor to the Ronin-S and is made to be used with DSLR and compact cinema camera setups up to 4.5kg (10lbs). Despite the heavy payload, DJI claims the new RS 2 features up to 12 hours of battery life, as well as a new quick-charge function built into the handle for quickly adding two hours of use with just 15 minutes of charging.
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DJI is using its ‘newly optimized’ Titan Stabilization Algorithm for driving the onboard brushless motors, which it claims ‘reduces the need for manual user input while compensating for user movement and optimizing the gimbal tilt and angle.’ Also new is a SuperSmooth mode that’s specifically tuned to compensate for movement when using longer focal lengths up to 100mm.
Like its predecessor, the RS 2 features axis locks for secure transport and a new dual-layer mounting plate that’s compatible with both Arca-Swiss and Manfrotto standards.
A new 1.4” color touchscreen on the rear of the RS 2 serves as a way to cycle through settings, camera data or even a live feed from the camera. Two onboard RSA ports can double as NATO ports, enabling the RS 2 to be used in conjunction with other DJI and third-party accessories, including jibs, car attachments, sliders, grips and remote controllers.
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Just as the the DJI RS 2 is a successor to the Ronin-S, the RSC 2 is a successor to DJI’s Ronin-SC. The updated gimbal is constructed of steel and aluminum, which work to increase rigidity while reducing the overall weight of the unit compared to the Ronin-SC by 35%. It also has a smaller physical footprint with a folded size of 180mm x 190mm (7” x 7.5”) — roughly the size of an A5 sheet of paper.
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Despite the reduction in both size and weight, the RSC 2 features an increased maximum payload of 3kg (6.6lbs) over the Ronin-SC. DJI notes this makes it more than strong enough to carry a combination such as the Panasonic S1H with a 24–70mm lens attached.
It too features DJI’s improved Titan Stabilization Algorithm, dual-plate mount system and OLED screen, albeit slightly smaller at just 1”.
In addition to new hardware, both the RS 2 and RSC 2 have received a new pre-programmed movement mode — Time Tunnel. This new option is an inception-esque mode that performs a 360º roll while capturing a hyperlapse. This mode is in addition to other pre-programmed modes such as Flashlight, One-Tap Portrait Mode, Panorama, Roll 360, Timelapse and more.
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| Ronin RSC 2 |
The two gimbals also include an array of accessories for building out the gimbals to fit your needs. Optional accessories include a cheese plate, Focus Wheel, 3D Focus System, Twist Grip Dual Handle, RavenEye Image Transmission System, Tethered Control Handle, counterweight systems and more.
The DJI RS 2 is available starting today for $ 849 USD as a standalone unit and $ 999 in its Pro Combo configuration. The DJI RSC 2 is available starting today for $ 499 USD as a standalone unit and $ 739 in its Pro Combo configuration. Units are available through DJI’s online store and authorized DJI retailers.
Press release:
Two Stabilization Systems Offer Reworked Designs and New Creative Functions to Become Workhorses for Filmmakers and Content Creators
October 14, 2020 – DJI, the global leader in civilian drones and creative camera technology, today expands the legacy of the highly popular and prestigious DJI Ronin series, by introducing the rebranded DJI RS 2 and DJI RSC 2. Redesigned and reimagined, both systems offer the filmmaking and content creation community an extremely robust, versatile, and professional 3-axis camera gimbal for their various needs. DJI RS 2 brings added strength and agility to creators using heavier camera systems such as DSLR and compact cinema cameras. At the same time, DJI RSC 2 was created to be more portable, meeting the needs of mirrorless and more compact camera operators.
“DJI’s first Ronin-S and the original Ronin-SC created so much excitement when they launched that we immediately went back to the drawing board to figure out how to make our products even better,” said Paul Pan, Senior Product Line Manager. “Just like with the first version, we took time to research how our professional customers use their Ronin products and what new features they wanted in the next generation of a handheld gimbal. Yet again, the result is the culmination of user feedback, years of design and development, and significant advancements in stabilization technology. Now we are excited to showcase two new filmmaking tools designed to meet the needs of a wide array of filmmakers. From cinema cameras to mirrorless systems, we have a solution for you.”
DJI RS 2: Masterfully Crafted
Considering a tremendous amount of feedback from professional operators, DJI RS 2 incorporates carbon fiber in vital structural components, reducing weight down to 1.3 kg (2.86 lbs) while remaining highly durable. Pushing the innovation of single-handed gimbal technology even further, DJI RS 2 now supports a tested dynamic payload of 4.5 kg (10 lbs) for creators to use heavier camera and lens combinations while still achieving up to 12 hours of battery life. A new quick-charge function directly to the battery handle has been added for urgent situations, providing an extra two hours of battery life with just a 15-minute charge.
DJI RS 2 continues pushing gimbal technology forward with the ability to support heavier payloads while capturing ultra-smooth cinematic footage. Based on years of experience developing predictive technology, a newly optimized Titan Stabilization Algorithm reduces the need for manual user input while compensating for user movement and optimizing the gimbal tilt and angle. Additionally, a new SuperSmooth mode provides another level of camera stability, especially for compensating longer focal length lenses of up to 100mm.
Simple to set up, easy to operate, and highly customizable, DJI RS 2 was created to allow filmmakers to adapt their system to their filming needs while feeling confident it will easily integrate into their workflow. Axis locks enable easier transportation and balancing, while a dual-layer camera mounting plate is compatible with both the Arca-Swiss and Manfrotto standard. A fine-tune balancing knob allows for even more precise balancing of the camera payload. The built-in 1.4” color touchscreen can display camera data, gimbal settings, or a live feed from the camera. Supporting 11 different languages, the ultra-bright screen can also initiate key functions such as ActiveTrack and intelligent shooting modes. The built-in front dial above the trigger allows for precise focus control and complements a DJI Focus Wheel mounted on the RSA port to create two-channel focus and zoom.[] DJI RS 2 also turns into a versatile tool that can be attached and used with other systems such as jibs, car attachments, and sliders. Two RSA ports double as NATO ports so that users can mount accessories and attachments such as grips and a remote controller.
DJI RSC 2: Filmmaking Unfolds
A completely new and portable folding design makes DJI RSC 2 easy for creators to carry everywhere without adding additional weight to the gear list. Additionally, the folding design provides creative ways to use the gimbal such as vertical filming without additional accessories, as well as a new Briefcase mode, where the main gimbal arm can be loosened and slung forward to provide unique shooting angles. Durable materials like steel are used on vital and frequently used components, while lightweight materials such as aluminum reduce overall weight. DJI RSC 2 weighs in at 1.2 kg (2.65 lbs), nearly 35% less than the original Ronin-S, and has a folding footprint of 180×190 mm, the same size as a sheet of A5 paper. The built-in battery offers an impressive 12 hours of battery life and – like DJI RS 2 – the new quick-charge function directly to the battery handle has been added for urgent situations.
DJI RSC 2 remains lightweight and portable, featuring stronger motors to support a tested payload of up to 3 kg (6.6 lbs). This increased dynamic payload supports popular mirrorless cameras along with heavier combinations like the Panasonic S1H and a 24-70mm lens. Using the same advanced technology as DJI RS 2, the newly optimized Titan Stabilization Algorithm generates a new level of stability – smoothing out fine details in conjunction with the motorized gimbal for some of the most advanced stabilization on the market. DJI RSC 2 is compatible with a wide array of camera models so users can get the most out of the system. Axis locks enable easier transportation and balancing, while a dual-layer camera mounting plate is compatible with both the Arca-Swiss and Manfrotto standard. A 1” built-in OLED screen displays camera data with the ability to adjust settings directly.
Multifaceted Gimbals Supported by an Advanced App and Accessories
DJI RS 2 and RSC 2 were designed to expand beyond single-handed stabilization into tools that can be customized with additional accessories to achieve the desired shot. These accessories include a cheese plate, Focus Wheel, 3D Focus System, Twist Grip Dual Handle, RavenEye Image Transmission System, Tethered Control Handle, counterweight systems, and more.[] For remote operation, both DJI RS 2 and DJI RSC 2 can use ActiveTrack 3.0 when the RavenEye Image Transmission System is connected, sending a 1080p/30fps low-latency feed to a mobile device using the Ronin app from up to 200 meters away.
Vital features and functions can now be controlled and adjusted over long distances with the Ronin app such as gimbal movement using the virtual joystick and Force Mobile, where the gimbal mimics the mobile device’s movement. For solo operators using manual-focus lenses, the 3D Focus System uses state-of-the-art TOF sensors mounted above the camera to provide autofocus. This enables a single shooter to capture smooth and cinematic footage using a manual lens, without relying on a second camera operator or focus puller.
Pre-Programmed Movements and Features That Make Stories Come to Life
DJI RS 2 and RSC 2 expand on their predecessors’ suite of creative modes, movements, and features with tools to help capture content that stands out, including:
DJI Care Refresh
DJI Care Refresh is now available for both DJI RSC 2 and RS 2. For an additional charge, DJI Care Refresh offers comprehensive coverage as well as up to two replacement units within one year. Receive your replacement even sooner with DJI Care Refresh Express. DJI Care Refresh also includes VIP after-sales support and free two-way shipping. For a full list of details, please visit https://www.dji.com/service/djicare-refresh.
Price and Availability
DJI RS 2 and DJI RS 2 are available for purchase today from authorized retailers and on www.store.dji.com. Each product offers purchase options for a standalone gimbal and a combination pack that includes additional accessories. The standalone DJI RS 2 is available for the retail price of $ 849 USD, and the standalone DJI RSC 2 is available at the retail price of $ 499 USD. The Pro Combo includes additional accessories such as a phone holder, Focus Motor, RavenEye Image Transmitter, dedicated carrying case, and more. The DJI RS 2 Pro Combo is priced at $ 999 USD, and the DJI RSC 2 Pro Combo is priced at $ 739 USD. Full details on this can be found below.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Fujifilm has updated its roadmap of lenses for the APS-C X-mount system. The latest version adds the XF18mm F1.4 wide-angle prime, along with a fairly long, moderately fast 70-300mm F4-5.6 OIS telezoom. Both lenses are shown as being due for launch in 2021.
The 18mm will be equivalent to a 27mm lens, in full-frame terms, while the 70-300mm will offer a focal length range equivalent to that of a 105-450mm lens on a full-frame camera.
The lineup of current lenses now extends to 18 prime lenses and 12 photographic zooms, along with three teleconverters and two high-end video zooms. The additional prime and telezoom will take the total to 34 lenses overall, by the end of 2021.
The latest version of the roadmap can be seen on Fujifilm’s website.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Fujifilm has announced the Fujinon XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR. Updating the older XF 10-24mm, the new lens keeps the optics unchanged, but adds weather-resistance, improved optical image stabilization and a physical aperture ring.
Covering an equivalent focal length range of 15-36mm in full-frame terms, the XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR is a high-quality wide-angle option for Fujifilm X-series shooters. Now featuring weather-resistance, the new lens should be a better companion for the similarly tough X-T4 and X-T3.
Despite the sealing, the new lens is very slightly lighter than its predecessor (by 25g / 0.9oz) and optical image stabilization has been improved by one stop, bringing the total stabilizing effect to a rated 3.5EV (CIPA). When combined with the in-camera IBIS system of the X-T4, total stabilization increases to 6.5EV.
The new lens will be available next month, for an MSRP of $ 999.95 USD.
Press release:
Newly updated, ultra-wide angle zoom lens features weather-resistance and more
Valhalla, N.Y., October 15, 2020 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation is pleased to announce the launch of the FUJINON XF10-24mmF4 R OIS WR Lens, the 36th interchangeable lens designed for Fujifilm’s X Series digital camera system. The lens, an update to the current FUJINON XF10-24mmF4 R OIS Lens, also features significant design and usability updates.
The new XF10-24mmF4 R OIS WR Lens is an ultra-wide zoom lens covering focal lengths from 10mm to 24mm (equivalent to 15mm – 36mm in the 35mm format). “XF10-24mmF4 R OIS WR packs many updated features including an f-stop scale on its aperture ring, an Auto-position lock, and a new weather-resistant design,” said Victor Ha, senior director of marketing and product development for FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “We’re confident that this lens will be a top choice among landscape and nature photographers who need an ultra-wide angle zoom lens designed to withstand the elements.”
Additionally, the internal structure has been redesigned to make the focus and zoom rings slimmer, giving the XF10-24mmF4 R OIS WR lens a lower overall weight than its predecessor by 25g (.88 oz). Also, Optical Image Stabilization has been extended in the new version by 1 stop, bringing the total stabilization effect of the new lens to 3.5 stops.
The new lens utilizes the same optical design from the original XF10-24mm OIS Lens to provide similar image-resolving performance and also has a maximum aperture of F4.0 across the zoom lens’ entire focal length range.
A new, weather-resistant design and usability updates
Optical design that delivers advanced image resolving performance
Fast and near-silent autofocus (AF)
Pricing and Availability
The new FUJINON XF10-24mmF4 R OIS Lens is expected to be available in the U.S. and Canada markets commencing November 2020. Pricing for the lens will be at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $ 999.95 USD and $ 1,349.99 CAD.
For more information, please visit https://fujifilm-x.com/en-us/products/lenses/xf10-24mmf4-r- ois-wr/.
| Principal specifications | |
|---|---|
| Lens type | Zoom lens |
| Max Format size | APS-C / DX |
| Focal length | 10–24 mm |
| Image stabilization | Yes |
| CIPA Image stabilization rating | 3.5 stop(s) |
| Lens mount | Fujifilm X |
| Aperture | |
| Maximum aperture | F4 |
| Minimum aperture | F22 |
| Aperture ring | Yes |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 7 |
| Aperture notes | Rounded |
| Optics | |
| Elements | 14 |
| Groups | 10 |
| Special elements / coatings | 4 aspherical elements, 3 extra low dispersion glass elements |
| Focus | |
| Minimum focus | 0.24 m (9.45″) |
| Maximum magnification | 0.16× |
| Autofocus | Yes |
| Motor type | Stepper motor |
| Full time manual | Yes |
| Focus method | Internal |
| Distance scale | No |
| DoF scale | No |
| Physical | |
| Weight | 385 g (0.85 lb) |
| Materials | Metal barrel, metal mount |
| Sealing | Yes |
| Zoom method | Rotary (internal) |
| Filter thread | 72 mm |
| Filter notes | Does not rotate on focusing |
| Hood supplied | Yes |
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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The cameras haven’t even his the shelves of retailers yet and already Atomos has announced its Ninja V monitor/recorder will support ProRes RAW recording over HDMI on Nikon’s forthcoming Z6 II and Z7 II camera systems.
While both the Z6 II and Z7 II have respectable internal recording capabilities in their own right — 4K/60p for the Z7 II out of the box and with the Z6 II via a future firmware update — the addition of ProRes RAW recording further adds to the creative capabilities of Nikon’s latest mirrorless cameras.
Atomos says both the Z6 II and Z7 II will be able to output up to 4K/30p 12-bit ProRes RAW video over HDMI to the Atomos Ninja V recorder when it receives an AtomOS firmware update later this year. Atomos also notes that Nikon’s N-Log profile is fully supported in its AtomHDR monitoring pipeline ‘with the ability to add built in 709 preview, custom 3D LUTs and LOG to HDR conversion for both monitoring and output.’
You can keep up to date with the latest AtomOS firmware updates on Atomos’ support page.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Canadian photographer Eric Paré has built a bullet-time rig using 15 Raspberry Pi cameras synchronised to record pictures at exactly the same moment from different angles. The cameras then create a series of images that show the subject, usually someone jumping in the air it seems, from multiple viewpoints. These images can then be put together as a video to show the person frozen in mid-air as the camera appears to pan around them. The technique, made popular by the fight scenes in the movie The Matrix, requires that the cameras used are all pointing at exactly the same spot and that the shutters are tripped either at the same moment or in sequence.
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Eric usually uses a collection of EOS DSLRs for his bullet-time videos but thought it would be interesting to use the tiny Raspberry Pi cameras as the lenses can be placed much closer together to create smoother motion in the final video. To do this he mounted 15 cameras on an aluminium rail and synchronised them using a single dashboard that could also control the settings of each camera.
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Problems arose due to the wide angle lens of the Raspberry Pi camera and because the cameras are mounted on their PCB using a gum glue that doesn’t hold them in a specific position. This meant that while the boards were all facing the right way the cameras were not, and the footage produced was jerky. Eric solved this issue by remounting all the camera units directly to the boards using a thin adhesive.
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Each camera in the rig was connected to the laptop via an Ethernet cable to a switch and Eric triggered the set-up using a Bluetooth presenter controller. He says he didn’t need to make any custom electronics for the rig when shooting with continuous lighting, but he did make a new control board to fit in the rig when he wanted to use flash.
For this experiment Eric used the Pi 3B+ with version 2 of the Raspberry Pi camera module. He says the same set-up would also work with the newer High Quality Pi camera with its 12MP sensor and interchangeable C-Mount lens system.
See Eric’s website for more of his work.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)