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  • Behind the scenes: Trapped in a blizzard with the Fujifilm GFX 50s

    Photographer Josselin Cornou recently got his hands on a Kipon EF-GFX adapter and Tamron 15-30mm F2.8 lens, which he couldn’t wait to slap onto his Fujifilm GFX-50S. But what to shoot? So he hopped into a car and headed up to Thredbo in the Snowy Mountains of Australia… with a $ 6,500 camera… what the worst that could happen!?

    Cue Murphy’s law.

    As fate would have it, Josselin and his expensive new gear got caught in an extreme blizzard—an experience that seems to have both terrified and delighted him, if you go by his squeals of joy in the video. Fortunately for us, it gave him a chance to test out all three of his new toys (the Fuji GFX, Kipon Adaptor, and Tamron 15-30mm F2.8) in some of the harshest conditions you might ever dream of taking them.

    You can hear what he had to say in the video up top, but he was also kind enough to share some more thoughts with DPReview readers in writing. So, here goes. Take it away Josselin:

    About the Kipon Adaptor

    Pros: the adapter allows you to change the aperture of the lens from the GFX.

    Cons: there is no connection to the camera.

    Ultimately, I found this to be a great tool to use any EF lens on the Fujifilm GFX. There is no weather sealing on the current version, so I had to remove the adaptor when it was drying. Still, it did a really great job in incredibly tough conditions, and it’s still fully functional even after freezing solid!

    Having an adaptor with aperture control is a must if you want to use Canon glasses on the GFX.

    About the Tamron 15-30mm F2.8

    This is a great ultrawide angle for this system. The image fills the full circle of the GFX with limited vignetting from 18mm onward (equivalent to 14-15mm on Full Frame). It is actually really sharp in the center, sharper than many Mamyia lenses I’ve tried on the GFX. The corners are totally usable at 18mm F2.8, and provide even better result at 24mm (and lower apertures).

    Having tested the Tamron 15-30mm, Sigma 35mm Art, 50mm F1.4, and many other high resolution lenses on the Fujifilm GFX, my guess is that manufacturers are upscaling their design so they also fit (or almost fit) 44×33 sensors. That gives you up to 2/3 of a stop advantage (depending on the FF camera system), which means less noise at any given ISO.

    Anyway, I would definitely recommend getting a Tamron 15-30mm for the Fujifilm GFX, especially if you also have Sony system and Canon adapter, so you can adapt the lens on both systems. It’s also way cheaper than buying a medium format ultra wide angle lens.

    About the GFX

    We stayed out for over 40 minutes capturing really long exposures (multiple 15-minute shots) at -15°C with up to 110km/h winds in a blizzard… and this camera worked perfectly! While it did well, my tripod leg (MeFOTO RoadTrip) broke in those condition—a leg just… snapped off, something I didn’t mention in the video.

    I also only had to use one battery for the entire weekend, something that was really satisfying for me after coming from a Sony a7R II.

    As I said, the camera worked perfectly even in these conditions: no slowing down, no bugs, no crashing, and no issues with the frost. One feature I love to use with the GFX is being able to expose for up to 1 hour. In this case, I shot for 15 minutes without any major issues, artifacts, or hotspots.

    Admittedly, it was a very heavy system to carry along in the mountains (the Tamron alone weighs 1.3kg); however, it is definitely a kit I would happily bring again to cold or extreme environment.

    About the trip

    Finally, I definitely recommend that everybody reading this go and visit the Snowy Mountains in Australia—there are some really amazing landscapes up there. This is something I absolutely love doing: going to an unexpected environment in order to capture some unique shots. That includes finding snow in Australia.

    It’s worth noting that we had all the equipment and supplies we needed to stay overnight safely, as well as navigate (topographic map and compass) and administer first aid.

    If anybody tries to go into such weather conditions, please take it seriously: team up with somebody experienced, get some serious equipment (including a beacon), and let the rangers know you are going. This was an incredibly rewarding experience, but it had the potential to turn into a very scary experience very fast if we hadn’t been prepared.

    Here are Josselin’s final, edited photos from this trip. Not bad after dealing with 110km/h winds and temperatures well below freezing!

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    Check out the full video up top for footage from the trip. And if you’d like to see more of his work, follow Josselin on Instagram and Facebook, check out his YouTube channel for more adventures like this one, or read his Photo Story of the Week here on DPReview.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Hands-on: RAW Power for iOS

    If you’re a Mac-owning photographer, you probably used—or toyed with, or still stubbornly refuse to give up—Apple’s long-abandoned Aperture application for editing photos and managing your image library. The official replacement, Apple Photos, is targeted at a broader audience and lacks many of the Raw-editing features Aperture was built for.

    Now, former Aperture development lead Nik Bhatt, via his company Gentlemen Coders, has created RAW Power, a Raw image editor for Mac and iOS that digs deep into Raw editing and throws in some unique features, too. The just-released iOS version works on the iPhone and iPad, and pairs with the macOS version, which was released in 2016.

    On both platforms, RAW Power operates as both a stand-alone app and as an editing extension in Apple Photos. If you already use Photos to store your photo library, it can still be your hub.

    RAW Power reads your Photos library directly, including Photos-created special albums for Portrait images, Favorites, and Selfies.

    Raw Boost

    A Raw file is the fullest available expression of the output from the camera’s sensor, creating a file with a lot of image data to plumb. Aside from obvious adjustments such as exposure and color, a Raw editor can control aspects specific to the Raw format, such as sharpening and reducing digital noise.

    RAW Power leans on the Raw image support Apple builds into macOS and iOS. That includes reading Raw files from various cameras (because every model, maddeningly, has its own Raw variation, even by the same manufacturer), as well as how the data is interpreted.

    Sometimes that means manually circumventing some adjustments. Apple’s Raw converters apply a Boost setting to Raw photos to add color and punch to what would otherwise be a flat appearance. RAW Power can pull that back or turn it off for more control. A Black Boost slider gives you more latitude when adjusting dark portions of the image. Similarly, you can turn off the Gamut Map, which is a feature that reigns in tones to help prevent the values from going beyond the working color space (Adobe RGB or P3).

    Adjusting a washed-out Raw image using RAW Power on an iPad Pro. Here we’re viewing the “before” image by tapping the Show Original button.
    The same Raw image as above, with the Raw Processing settings applied.

    As for other Raw-specific options, RAW Power can also adjust the overall black point, compensate for luma and color noise, apply sharpening and protect detail, and adjust local contrast using a Raw Contrast control.

    For all images, RAW Power offers clipping indicators, both in the histogram and as temporary overlays to see where the brightest and darkest portions have exceeded the image’s tonal and color ranges.

    The Curves feature adjusts each channel (red, green, blue, and the three together), with a couple of options. Normally, curves are applied in Gamma mode: a gamma correction is made to the data before the curve adjustment is made, and then the correction is reversed after the adjustment. As with Boost and Gamut Map, Gamma mode is designed to present a well-rounded result. Switching from Gamma mode to Linear mode removes those guardrails to give more editing latitude. Curves can be applied equally to the combined RGB channels, or, in Luminance mode, using an equation that doesn’t push color casts out of whack.

    Curve adjustments in Gamma mode

    Curve adjustment using Linear mode.

    Applying a curve in Linear mode initially presents a less saturated version of this image, but it opens the possibility of more specific editing.

    Depth Effect

    The Portrait mode on the iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X uses the dual cameras on those devices to create a depth map of the scene, identifying objects in the foreground, such as a person’s head, and isolating it by artificially blurring the background. RAW Power can read the depth map and independently edit the shadows and highlights for foreground and background areas the iPhone identified. This works only for Portrait images captured under iOS 11, which saves the depth map with the original image. It can’t change the amount of blurring in the background, however.

    The depth overlay reveals the areas the iPhone cameras identified, with closer objects appearing brighter.
    The Depth Effect adjusts the highlights and shadows of foreground and background areas.

    Round Trip

    RAW Power saves all of its edits non-destructively. When you grant the app permission to modify the image stored in the Photos library, the edits themselves are saved as instructions; the pixels in the original image aren’t changed. The adjustments carry over to iCloud Photo Library to be updated on all your devices. The photo can be reverted to the untouched original at any time in Photos; if you re-open it in RAW Power, all of your adjustments are where you left them.

    RAW Power saves its edits back to the Photos library, with your permission.

    RAW Power is free to use, and includes most of the app’s editing features. The Advanced Adjustment Pack, a one-time $ 9.99 in-app purchase, unlocks the Curves, Depth Effect, and White Balance tools.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • 2017 Buying Guide: Best cameras for video

    Video features have become an important factor to many photographers when choosing a new camera. Read on to find out which cameras we think are best for the videophile.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Freefly unveils Movi iPhone stabilizer: A ‘portable, adaptable, and intuitive cinema robot’

    Freefly has unveiled their new Movi, a handheld gimbal stabilizer designed specifically for the iPhone. The stabilizer—which is lightweight at just 600 grams, and powered by a li-ion battery—offers half a dozen shooting modes: Orbit, Echo, Majestic, Timelapse, Smartpod, and “Movilapse.” The combination of these features and more make Movi “the world’s most portable, adaptable, and intuitive cinema robot,” according to Freefly.

    Movi features the same stabilization tech used in Freefly’s professional stabilization rigs—the same rigs used in the production of major Hollywood movies like Southpaw. And if its current functionality isn’t enough, Freefly plans to continue supporting the Movi with future updates that will add more capabilities.

    Movi is L-shaped, with thumb controls on the top of the handle and a bracket on the other end in which the phone is placed. These are joined by USB-C and a fast-charging battery, reinforced plastic components, tilt and pan motors, mode trigger, and a physical start/stop button—all of it controlled from a companion iOS app that is used to set up shots.

    Here’s an intro to the Movi, as well as ‘Vortex,’ a dizzying cinematic video shot in New York City over the course of 48 hours using the new gadget and an iPhone 8:

    The iPhone stabilizer is available to preorder now for $ 300, but shipping won’t start until early Q2 of 2018. To learn more or put in an order for yourself, head over to the Movi website by clicking here.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • 2017 Buying Guide: Best consumer drones

    Last year, the DJI Mavic Pro and the Phantom 4 Professional took top honors in our end of year buying guide. Read on to find out who it this year for beginners, consumers, prosumers, and professionals at a price tag less than $ 2,000.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Gear of the Year 2017 – Jeff’s choice: Olympus Tough TG-5

    I try to make it to the Hawaiian Islands every year and I have a pretty good success rate. When I go, usually to Maui, I make it a point to spend most of my mornings snorkeling. In the afternoons I’ll hop in an air conditioned car and explore the island which, even after many (many) trips, is still exciting.

    Hungry hungry honu, Kaanapali, Maui. Cropped out-of-camera JPEG.
    ISO 100 | F3.5 | 1/250 sec | 33mm equiv | Photo by Jeff Keller

    Since I want to memorialize any encounters with sea turtles or dolphins that may occur while I’m snorkeling, that really narrows down my camera choices. I’m not hardcore enough to bring a large camera in a big housing; rather, I want something I can slip into the pocket of my swimsuit while I’m struggling to put on my fins. I also need a camera that can capture the beautiful rainbows and sunsets that are almost a daily occurrence. The camera that covers both bases for me is the Olympus Tough TG-5.

    The TG-5 has a great macro mode, with a 1cm minimum focusing distance. It captures plenty of detail, as you can see from this photo of my lunch.
    ISO 100 | F2.8 | 1/160 sec | 24mm equiv | Photo by Jeff Keller

    To be honest, 2015’s TG-4 didn’t need a lot of improvements. It had solid image quality for a compact, a lens that’s fast at its wide end, Raw support, a GPS, manometer, thermometer, and compass, along with respectable battery life. It could take a beating and, unlike some underwater compacts I’ve tested, didn’t leak at all when it went diving. The main things that irked me about the TG-4 were its awkward zoom controller, limited aperture choices and too much noise reduction in JPEGs.

    I love having Raw on the TG-5, as it lets me get rid of the overly blue color cast that sometimes appears in underwater photos, even when using the u/w white balance setting. You can also customize the noise reduction, though don’t expect miracles from this 1/2.3″ sensor. The in-camera converter is clunky so I just used ACR in Photoshop.
    ISO 200 | F5 | 1/250 sec | 67mm equiv | Photo by Jeff Keller

    The TG-5 was exciting because of the drop in resolution (from 16MP to 12MP), which I hoped would improve pixel-level image quality, plus the addition of more tracking functions, 4K video and (yes!) an improved zoom controller. Olympus also finally switched to an actual micro-USB port instead of using the same proprietary connector that’s been used for 15 years. The burst rate has jumped to 20 fps, so you can just mash the button down and hope to get a decent shot of a fast-moving sea turtle or surfer. Unfortunately there are still just three apertures to choose from at any time (the camera uses an ND filter to “stop down” the lens,) but that rarely held me back.

    A select from a 20 fps burst taken while floating next to Black Rock. Unfortunately, some water droplets didn’t roll off the lens like they’re supposed to. Cropped out-of-camera JPEG.
    ISO 100 | F2.8 | 1/800 sec | 24mm equiv | Photo by Jeff Keller

    As mentioned above, the main reason I brought the TG-5 to Maui was for underwater photos, and it rarely disappointed, as long as you remember that it’s a compact camera. It literally takes no effort to transition from ‘regular’ to underwater shooting, as there’s a dedicated spot on the mode dial for that purpose. Generally I left it at the default setting: Underwater Snapshot, since it uses natural light and the flash is fired only when necessary. There’s an a multi-shot underwater HDR mode, though given the motion of myself, the camera and the fish, the chance of getting a sharp photo is near zero.

    The TG-5 isn’t just waterproof to 50 feet / 15 meters (and more if you buy the optional housing). It’s also shockproof from 7ft/2.1m, freezeproof to -10°C/+14°F and crushproof to 220lbs/100kg. On this trip I dropped and nearly crushed my glasses on the slopes of Haleakal?, heavily scratching the lenses on rough lava sand. I’m pretty sure the TG-5 would’ve fared better.

    The addition of 4K (UHD) support is a welcome one, though for some reason you have to enter the dedicated movie mode to use it, rather than just selecting it like any other resolution. If you’re underwater that means that you have to re-select underwater white balance if you want things to look good. While not mind-blowing, video quality is good for the sensor size. Something worth pointing out is that if you zoom the lens, the microphone will pick up the sound, especially underwater.

    I’m a big fan of the colors in Olympus’ JPEGs. Black Rock, Kaanapali, Maui.
    ISO 100 | F8 | 1/250 sec | 24mm equiv | Photo by Jeff Keller.

    Pictures I took ‘on land’ were very nice, though keep your expectations in check on this compact camera: there is a lot of noise reduction and the lens is somewhat soft. Maui is a colorful place and the TG-5 does a great job of capturing it.

    Something that Olympus brought over from its TG-Tracker is the ability to compile all of the data the GPS, manometer and compass are capturing and display it in a graph in the OI.Track app. (This is a separate app that OI.Share, which is used to download photos and remotely control the camera.)

    My route from the summit of Haleakala (around 10,000 feet) back to sea level in Kaanapali. Here’s the change in elevation during my drive, with the dots illustrating where I took photos, which you can view in the app.

    Even if it’s sort of a novelty, I still think it’s cool being able to see where in your journey you took photos, and what the conditions were. One more thing that I appreciate is the ability to check all of that sensor data at any time, even when the camera is off, by pressing the Info button. You also turn on the camera’s very bright LED illuminator by holding the same button down for several seconds.

    Yet another sunset photo.
    ISO 100 | F5.6 | 1/200 sec | 72mm equiv | Photo by Jeff Keller.

    While I wouldn’t bring it on a once-in-a-lifetime trip where I want top-notch photo quality, for cruises, tropical vacations, hiking or climbing, the TG-5 would be the camera I pack in my bag due to its compactness, feature set and ruggedness.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III added to studio test scene comparison

    Testing of the Canon G1 X Mark III is well underway, inside of the studio and out. We’ve just added it to our test scene comparison tool, where you can take a look at its performance side-by-side against peers like the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V.

    See the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III in our studio scene comparison tool

    See our Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III sample gallery

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • These are the 15 most popular Flickr photos of 2017

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    Yesterday, Flickr revealed the Top 25 Photos on Flickr in 2017, simultaneously wowing photography fans and reminding people that Flickr is still an active community of millions of photographers from across the globe. That’s right Instagram… you haven’t stolen everybody yet.

    The top 25 includes dreamy childhood portraits by Iwona Podlasinska and Elena Shumilova, a spectacular eruption photo by Albert Dros, a perfectly-timed wildlife photo by Salah Baazizi, and much much more.

    Flickr was kind enough to share the top 15 with DPReview, so you can scroll through those in the gallery above. And if you want to see numbers 16-25, or check out Flickr’s Top Genre Galleries, Top Country Galleries, and more, head over to the Flickr Top 25 blog post.

    All photos used courtesy of Flickr.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Edelkrone beefs up its slider range with new models and a better app

    German video accessories manufacturer Edelkrone has introduced a range of new and updated products to its collection of portable camera sliders. It has upgraded its SliderOne with a SliderOne Pro and introduced a new generation of Wing and Wing Pro models, while the App that controls the SliderOne Pro and the new SurfaceOne has been improved with enhanced timelapse features.

    The SliderOne Pro is 2 inches (~5cm) longer than the original model, and now has a more powerful and accurate motor that can take more weight as well as control its movements more precisely.

    The power of the motor means it can lift more kit at steeper angles, with the company claiming 8lb/3.6kg can be worked at a 45° angle and 4.4lb/2kg can be moved on a vertical incline. The slider itself is lighter than before but can still move kit weighing up to 20lb/9kg on the flat.

    The new app offers greater control over timelapse sequences so that the period between shots can be slowed or quickened during a sequence, and the speed at which the camera is moved can also be varied to create zoom and slowed-time effects.

    The same app is used to control the new SurfaceOne, a motorized camera support that drives across flat surfaces that was released a couple of months ago.

    It is designed to shoot in an arc around a subject and requires only two laser-positioned references for it to circle a subject at a constant distance. The SurfaceOne can work with small or large subjects, and can also be programed to drive the camera in a linear path or to pan outwards to create a panoramic view.

    For those wishing to shift their camera manually, Edelkrone has also introduced a second generation of the Wing and the Wing Pro.

    These elbow-jointed arms allow users to shift the camera in a straight line from side to side or in a zooming motion, just by pushing it. These models use what Edelkrone calls ‘SteadyMove’—a form of adjustable resistance that irons out uneven pushing pressure to create smooth motion in the footage.

    The Wing is the smaller model and can handle up to 16lb/7.2kg, while the Wing Pro can manage 48lb/21.7kg. They both provide 1.3ft/40cm of motion.

    The final new product is the StandOne, which is an all-terrain camera stand with four tensioned adjustable legs that can hold the camera level on uneven ground. The stand folds to a compact size for transporting and can hold 15lb/6.8kg of equipment.

    For more information on any of the new and improved products, visit the Edelkrone website.

    Prices:
    StandOne €170 + VAT
    SliderOne Pro €590 + VAT
    SurfaceOne €1,000 + VAT
    StandOne €170 + VAT
    Wing/Wing Pro €400/700 + VAT

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Artist caught using stolen photos for $20,000 Calgary art installation

    Image by Derek Besant via Avenue Calgary

    A public art installation in Calgary has been removed after it came to light that the artist behind it, Derek Michael Besant, used copyrighted photos as part of the project without permission.

    Besant was commissioned by the city of Calgary a couple years ago to create the $ 20,000 CAD / $ 15,500 USD art exhibit as part of the city’s 4th Street S.W. Underpass Enhancement Project. The resulting exhibit, which was located in the 4th St. S.W. underpass, featured large Polaroid-esque images showing blurred individuals with brief quotes overlaid onto them.

    The individuals in the images were allegedly travelers with whom Besant had interacted in the underpass. Local publication Avenue Calgary reported in 2015 that Besant had spent a couple days in the underpass with “a camera, notepad and recorder” to get images and quotes from people who passed through. However, that lie fell apart after a Calgary traveler noticed that one of the project’s images resembled UK comedian Bisha Ali.

    He sent Ali a note about it, at which point she began deconstructing the lie publicly online, pointing out that at least a few of the other images were also portraits of comedians. Ali detailed the entire saga in a long Twitter thread accessible here.

    Late last month, Canadian publication MacLean’s unraveled the rest of the story, reporting that the images were swiped from the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and that the artist had recommended to Calgary Head of Community Services Kurt Hanson that the city take down the exhibition.

    In a tweet on the matter dated November 29th, Ali reported that Calgary was taking down the art installation:

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)