360Photography

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  • Affinity Photo named Best iPad App of 2017, celebrates with 50% off sale

    When Affinity Photo for iPad first launched, it touted itself as a game changer: “the first full blown, truly professional photo editing tool to make its way onto the Apple tablet.” And ever since, people (DPReview included) have been confirming that this app is, indeed, a really impressive iPad image editor.

    Well, if you needed just a little more convincing, there’s one more data point to consider: Apple just named Affinity Photo for iPad its “Best iPad App of 2017.” That’s pretty great, and to celebrate the folks at Affinity Photo are hosting a 24-hour flash sale, knocking the price down 50% to just $ 10 bucks on the iTunes App Store.

    As of this writing, the flash sale will end in 17 hours and 35 minutes, so if you’ve been considering a solid iPad photo editor, check out our Affinity Photo for iPad review by clicking the big blue button below. Then head over to the Affinity Photo website to learn more or get a copy for yourself.

    Affinity Photo for iPad Review

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • VSCO reveals ‘Messages’ feature, takes on Instagram’s DMs

    VSCO X subscribers and free users alike will soon have access to a new direct messaging feature simply called Messages.

    VSCO announced the feature earlier this week, bringing its app up to speed with Instagram, which has allowed direct messaging for ages. Using VSCO Messages, users can share text, images, DSCOs, profiles, and journal entries directly with other users who follow them. Direct messages can only be sent between followers, and they’re joined by the ability to leave a conversation, block the user, and/or report them if necessary.

    VSCO X subscribers are getting access to the feature first, but free users will get Messages in the near future.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Meyer Optik Goerlitz launches P75II F1.9 lens with coverage for medium format

    German optical manufacturer Meyer Optik Goerlitz has launched an Indiegogo campaign to fund the construction of a new version of its Primolpan 75mm F1.9 portrait lens that will be designed for sensor sizes from Micro Four Thirds all the way up to medium format.

    The so-called P75II will have a much wider image circle, to enable it to be used with the smaller medium format sensors such as the Hasselblad X1D and Fujifilm’s GFX 50S. As a consequence of the larger covering circle, Meyer Optik claims smaller formats will enjoy added contrast across the frame.

    The lens is a redesigned version of a lens produced in the 1930s by Meyer Optik, but the war and the communist control of East Germany halted production of the original after only 2,000 had been made. The newest version has modern glass and coatings, and a new internal design to enable medium format compatibility. The closest focus has also been reduced to 55cm/1.8ft, and the company is introducing a Meyer Achromat accessory close up lens attachment that reduces that distance further to just 25cm/1ft.

    While the original lens used a Cooke triplet design, the new P75ll is constructed with five elements in four groups and a 14-bladed iris to produce the famous bubble-type out-of-focus highlights the company has become known for. Glass will come from Schott and Ohara, the aperture will run from f/1.9 to f/16, and the front filter thread will be a standard 52mm.

    At the time of writing, the lens has raised over $ 120,000 on a target of just $ 30k, with a full month left still to run. Lenses can be had for a pledge of $ 650 against an expected full asking price of $ 2,500, while a kit with the Achromat close-up lens is going for $ 800 against an expected retail price of $ 2,600. You get to choose between either a black or silver finish, and Meyer Optik Goerlitz expects the lenses to ship at the end of September 2018.

    For more information, visit the Meyer Optik Goerlitz P75ll Indiegogo campaign page.

    Mounts:

    • Leica M
    • Canon EF
    • Nikon F
    • M42
    • Sony-E
    • Fuji-X
    • Micro-Four Thirds
    • Pentax-K
    • Fuji’s GFX (if the campaign receives more than 25 supporters for this mount)

    Manufacturer Information

    Return the lost treasure: Create the P 75 II f1.9

    The P75 II is the advanced version of the rare vintage Primoplan 75. Along with its specially designed achromat lens the P75 II can go down to a minimum focal distance of just 25cm or less than 1 foot. Its enlarged frame size allows use on mid format cameras and increases contrast and resolution. It is a bokeh lover’s dream with a variety of possible bokehs build into one lens: from circular, melting rings to swirly and creamy backgrounds. Yet, its center sharpness is magnificent.

    Prototype Stage

    When the ingenious Paul Schaefter first constructed the Primoplan 75/f 1.9 in early 1930’s, his goal was to create the best lens of its kind. Even a century later, its ability to create the most striking and impressive bokeh-effects have stood the test of time. When we decided to recreate and modernize this lens, we knew we had an important legacy to uphold – and the results were beyond even our high expectations.

    With the modern Primoplan 75, the creative photographer has the perfect means in his hands to compose his images with the required background and dreamlike transition from sharpness to fuzziness. But see for yourself.

    But we wanted more so we carefully innovated and have developed a new version of the Primoplan 75, which we have named the P75 II. In the new P75 II, you’ll find that we’ve reduced the minimum focal distance by almost 30% to just 55cm or 1.8 ft. and we enlarged the image or frame size so that we can now also cover mirrorless medium format cameras like Fuji’s GFX 50s. Also, as a consequence, we improved the contrast of the images for 35 mm (full format and mirrorless) dramatically. The Meyer P75 II is just simply the perfect tool for portrait, nature photography and, through the enhanced contrast, black and white photography.

    Help us to put this legend back into your hands

    The region in Germany around Jena-Dresden-Goerlitz gave birth to so many famous camera and lens advancements in the early part of the 20th Century, you might call it the Silicon Valley of photography of its time.

    At this time, genius Paul Schäfter developed the Primoplan 75, whose design Meyer-Optik-Görlitz applied to protect on 17/06/1936. It soon became famous for its unique, dreamlike ability to create bokeh, along with a soft transition from fuzziness to sharpness which is still unmatched.

    Lights seem to magically, melt into each other. Yet, the P75 II maintains that special Primoplan center sharpness, dramatically stressing the core of the image.

    World War II abruptly put a halt to this success story. After the war, the company was more or less taken over by the new East German government. While some dedicated skilled workers restarted what was left of the company by 1949, barely two thousand Primoplans had been built.

    For a short time, it seemed as if the wonderful lenses could return to their original glory as photographers around the world hailed the return. But again, politics interfered and the communist central planning committee put an end to the Primoplan line in favor of other lenses. So, the Primoplan series can rightfully be called a lost treasure.

    No wonder vintage Primoplans are selling at extremely high prices. We knew from the beginning that bringing the Primoplan back would be a tough task. The glass of the time was no longer available, and the use of lead in optics is no longer acceptable. But after lengthy calculations, prototype building and tests, Dr. Wolf-Dieter Prenzel, leading development engineer of Meyer Optik, succeeded in adapting the historic lens construction to modern-day photography while keeping the characteristics of the lens alive.

    In 2017, the first new P75 lenses – at the beginning still called Primoplan 75 – hit the market and were soon sold out.

    But we wanted to take the saga further and following Paul Schaefter’s legacy, we went on and developed the Meyer P75 in a second version with even better features.
    Come and join us on our journey and help us to revive a literally historic lens.

    The Primoplan 1.9/75 is known for its fine progression from focus to blur, exceptional base sharpness and unique, dreamy, creamy bokeh, which lets the light magically flow together. The 75mm focal length creates a natural viewing angle and does not compress as much as longer focal lengths. Its 14 aperture blades enable the camera to create impressive blur patterns even when stopped down.

    “Bokeh Lover’s Dream Lens”

    There is much talk about bokeh. Different lenses have their strength and weaknesses. But the Meyer P75 II is a true king of bokeh because it offers the photographer a whole range of different bokehs in one lens. With the background at a closer distance, the 14 aperture blades display their merits and a wonderful circular, donut-type bokeh appears with the colors melting into each other. When the background is at about 9 feet/3m this becomes a more rotating composition of out of focus effects. But all the time these bokeh effects remain discreet and are not intrusive. You might call the P75 II bokeh effect noble or refined.

    The Primoplan 75 is perfect for portrait photography. It adds a creamy, background-melting bokeh, classic sharpness and exceptional color rendering that produces skin tones that are almost perfect straight out of the camera. While there is always a great debate when you ask photographers to name their favorite focal length for portraits, we think the 75mm hits a sweet spot that gives you a bit more compression than a 50mm but allows you to work in slightly tighter spaces than an 85mm or 105mm lens.

    The original Primoplan 75 / f1.9 is an enhancement of the Cooke triplet, in which a central dispersion lens is flanked by two groups of lenses, each acting as a converging lens. The rear group consists of a single biconvex converging lens. This exceptional design results in breathtaking images. The New P75 II (Primoplan type lens) will remain the basic construction but our lens designer Dr. Wolf Dieter Prenzel, has worked on major improvements in the optical scheme to make a perfect lens even better.

    We are using a completely new lens design and lens materials which also are upgraded with a special coating to make them as resistant to environmental influences as possible. Of course, it will maintain the classic sharpness and versatile bokeh that vintage enthusiasts love, while incorporating modern technological advances for today’s DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.

    The modern P75 II will come with mounts for:

    • Leica M
    • Canon EF
    • Nikon F
    • M42
    • Sony-E
    • Fuji-X
    • Micro-Four Thirds
    • Pentax-K
    • NEW: Fuji’s GFX (if we get more than 25 supporters we will create a native mount)

    The P75 II will be launched with a larger image circle which also covers mirrorless mid format camera sensors. As a result, the image look will be persistent from center to the corners to reduce down edge effects to a minimum.

    Paul Schäfter was the direct successor of Paul Ruolph at Meyer Optik. Rudolph died in 1935 and Paul Schäfter took over. He developed some of the most important Meyer lenses which were to be the backbone of the firms production for 25 yaers to come namely the Primoplan lenses and later also the so called Primotar 135mm and 180mm lenses. His colleague was Stephan Roeschlein who had designed the Trioplan lenses for Meyer. After the war Paul Schaefter left East Germany and Meyer optic and worked for a company by the name of ISCO in Braunschweig.

    Shipping

    The Meyer P75 II will be available worldwide. To minimize shipping costs, our rewards will either ship from the U.S. or from Germany, depending on your – our supporter’s – location. Since local regulations vary, please note that we cannot be held responsible for additional sales taxes or import/customs fees added by your country.

    Deliveries to the U.S.: Shipping costs of the lenses in the U.S. are $ 20 USD. For most deliveries inside the U.S., there is no additional fee besides shipping costs. Since we have a shipping hub in Nevada and an office in Atlanta, Georgia, for deliveries to these states, the local sales tax applies. Please note that sales tax is not included and must be added in line with local regulations.

    Deliveries to the European Union: Shipping costs within the European Union are $ 20 USD. For our supporters from the European Union, please note that VAT is not included. For supporters from the European Union 19% VAT (VAT Germany) need to be added seperately. If our project is successfully funded, we will get in contact with you in case of open VAT.

    Deliveries outside U.S. and the European Union: For deliveries to regions outside U.S. or the European Union the shipping costs are $ 50 USD.

    Please note there may be extra import costs/customs/taxes to pay upon delivery, depending on your location. Customs and taxes are subject to possible change and applicable law at the time of delivery will have to be taken into account. If you have a question about shipping or handling, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Chaos, color, and community: 10 days in India

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    Photographer and Resource Travel writer Brandon Cunningham recently embarked on a long-awaited photographic journey. After 36 hours of travel, he arrived in India for a soul-affirming 10-day trip with the non-profit The Giving Lens—an organization that empowers local communities and their youth by encouraging them to pursue their creative aspiration.

    Cunningham describes his experience in an article on Resource Travel, bringing us along on a travel photography trip that clearly left an indelible mark.

    India was everything and more than I imagined. I prepared for what seemed like forever, but all of the preparation in the world could have made me ready for the connections, love, and inspiration that I gained in this complicated and beautiful country.

    […]

    While reading, talking and watching motion pictures provide some insight to the visiting community, until you put your feet on the ground, breathe in the local aromas and watch life unfold in front of your camera, there is simply no preparation for the joy and overwhelming appreciation of being welcomed into homes, families and communities.

    We’ve included a small selection of the colorful and chaotic photos Cunningham returned with at the top of this post. To see more and read all of his thoughts on the journey, head over to Resource Travel where a full 45-photo gallery awaits.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Snapdragon 845 will bring 10-bit color, faster burst and more to next year’s smartphones

    With smartphones, image processing is as important—if not more important—than the camera hardware components themselves, which is why the chipset is a crucial element in the imaging pipeline. Most Android smartphones come equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipsets, and the company has just unveiled its latest top-end product, the Snapdragon 845.

    We will probably see the Snapdragon 845 in many of 2018’s high-end devices, and that’s a very good thing for the camera system.

    As you’d expect from any new chipset, it’s faster than the predecessor Snapdragon 835, comes with more integrated AI processing power and supports higher data speeds. However, the Snapdragon 845 also offers a range of important improvements in the imaging department.

    Images can now be captured in 10-bit color with a Rec. 2020 gamut, offering a wider range of tones and hues than the previous 8-bit color. While that’s impressive, the 845’s capability to shoot 60 frames per second at 16MP is even more important when you consider image stacking applications, such as HDR modes or low-light modes that combine several frames to average out noise and improve overall quality.

    Another area of improvement is slow-motion video. Next year’s Android flagships will be able to record an impressive 480fps slow motion at 720p in HDR—unfortunately, 1080p resolution will still be limited to 120 fps, lagging behind the current iPhones’ 240 fps capability. Qualcomm is catching up with Apple in terms of video frame rates, though. Like the iPhones 8, 8Plus and X, Snapdragon 845-equipped phones will be able to record 4K footage at 60 fps.

    The Xaomi Mi 7 will be the first 2018 model to come with the new chipset, but it’s also expected to be installed on the Samsung Galaxy S9 (which may also come with a variable aperture…). Other brands will likely follow soon after, giving mobile photographers a lot to look forward to in 2018.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Interview: Sofi Lee is a pro shooting with vintage digital compacts

    Portrait of the photographer

    Film nostalgia in photography might be all the rage today – it seems a lot of people are hungry for that ‘organic, analog look’ – but for Seattle photographer Sofi Lee, nostalgia for vintage digital compacts is a lot more fun. And it’s the limitations of these cameras that help to set Sofi’s professional work apart from the crowd.

    Lee only graduated college two years ago, but in that short time has amassed quite a few clients in the Pacific Northwest by shooting beautiful images that, yes, feature blown highlights, chromatic aberration, rudimentary noise reduction, coma and more.

    Tell me about your professional work as a photographer.

    I do photography and animated GIFs, mostly for journalistic purposes. My Seattle clients include Seattle Weekly, The Stranger, City Arts and the Weekly Volcano in Tacoma. Nationally I’ve worked for Vice.

    Sofi shoots a lot of portrait work for publication in the Pacific Northwest. This image, of the band Pleather, was shot on a Fujifilm FinePix E900. Photo: Sofi Lee

    I know you spend a lot of time shooting with digital cameras from the early and mid- 2000’s. Tell me a little bit about your interest in these cameras.

    I first got into older point and shoots back in 2014. At the time, the analog revival was really taking off. I was in a commercial photography trade school and watched many of my peers either straight up shooting film or trying to recreate the aesthetics of film in editing. There were definitely a lot of talks in class about photographs looking ‘too digital’ as well as instructions on how to add more of an ‘organic, analog’ feel to your images.

    There were definitely a lot of talks in class about photographs looking too ‘digital’ as well as instructions on how to add more of an ‘organic, analog’ feel to your images.

    At the time, I observed to myself that the re-emergent fascination with film was probably ephemeral, specific to the current zeitgeist and highly rooted in nostalgia. So I asked myself, ‘What will be the thing people look back to next, after film?’ I started digging through Flickr archives of photos taken on older point and shoot digital cameras, or ‘digicams’ as some people called them, and felt there was something different about them.

    They stood out in a way apart from modern digital files: The dynamic range is narrower and the shadows have a character that looks different from those of modern CMOS cameras [due to the lower pixel count and simplistic noise reduction]. That really interested me, so I started spending hours poring over DPReview [laughs] looking for cameras. I made a list of qualities I looked for: cameras with CCD sensors that shot Raw and, initially, were released around 2001.

    The Canon PowersShot G2, in hand.

    So what was the first camera you settled on?

    The camera I ended up settling on was the Canon PowerShot G2. It turned out that Raw was very uncommon for cameras at the time apart from pretty much Canon cameras. I also picked it out because its maximum aperture is F2.0. The body also has a classic look to it, something ineffably iconic of its era. When I saw it, I said to myself, ‘That’s the one.’

    The Canon G2 ended up coming with me everywhere I went. I think a lot of photographers find freedom when they shoot film, but I found it here instead.

    So I started taking photos and made a Tumblr [blog] album called Summer of G2 to host it. With this gallery, I did street photography, still life and portraits and kind of let loose, departing from the more restrained work I had to do in my commercial photography studies. The G2 ended up coming with me everywhere I went. I think a lot of photographers find freedom when they shoot film, but I found it here instead.

    Another portrait shot on the Fujifilm FinePix E900. Photo: Sofi Lee

    You mentioned that you appreciate the limited dynamic range and blown highlights that come with these older digicams, specifically ones with CCD sensors. What else do you consider to be part of the vintage digicam look?

    This is by no means specific to CCD sensors, but one thing that really stood out to me was chromatic aberration. Obviously, this is something that’s been around as long as glass has, but because of the of the tiny sensors and lenses, CA really stands out. A lot of people hate this, but I think it’s gorgeous. I feel like people look like they’re glowing when they’re surrounded by CA.

    Another thing is, well, I basically have a grudge against shallow depth of field and bokeh. It’s something which has a stranglehold on the photo-aesthetic world right now. I get why people like it and why it emerged as ‘looking professional’ when everyone shot with digicams. But on the other hand, I like a deep depth of field a lot. I think there’s a lot of challenges when having to account for everything in the frame being in focus. I have to really stop and think about what I’m shooting before I shoot it.

    The Canon S40.

    So you started with the Powershot G2 (2001) – did you eventually move on to more modern cameras? if so, tell me a little bit about that journey.

    When I first picked up the G2, I also started going to thrift stores almost every day to hunt for interesting cameras. I lived really close to a Goodwill [thrift store] so I’d stop by every time I happened to pass it, say on the way to get groceries. On my free days, I’d travel to the suburbs and hit up every thrift store there.

    Soon enough, I amassed a pretty sizable collection. No one was really looking for these cameras at the time, so they were cheap and plentiful. Since then, actually, I’ve seen a lot fewer. I’m curious if other people are starting to get into them as well. That or Goodwill is catching on and just putting them on their online store.

    Anyway, the first cameras I started using after the G2 were the PowerShot S series. I got the Canon S40 first and then I came across an S30, brand new in the box with manual and cable and stickers and all.

    What did you pay for it, do you remember?

    Five bucks, I think. Originally it was a $ 200-300 camera.

    Just a small part of Sofi’s ‘digicam’ collection.

    Wow.

    I honestly picked up so many cameras. Anytime I saw something interesting, I would look it up, see if it had a CCD sensor and if it did and was old enough, I would grab it. Eventually I accumulated too many and had to become more selective.

    ‘My sweet spot now is between 2008-2011. Cameras from this era have a good resolution for print but still have the digicam look.’

    I started keeping a Google Sheets document of every camera that shot Raw on my smartphone. There’s a Wikipedia page that helped a lot. And one by one, I ticked a lot of those cameras off. Actually, a few months ago, my assistant was looking through my collection and was just like, ‘Wow, you have pretty much everything on this list.’

    The S30 was $ 5, what was the average price you were spending, and was there a cut off in terms of how high you would go for a camera?

    It was all dirt-cheap. I remember one time I picked up a PowerShot G6 for 12 bucks. Some of the higher-end looking ones, like the Olympus E-20, would go for $ 25. Those would be a little out of my range: it depended on how nice it was. I’ve definitely walked away from cameras that were too expensive.

    A portrait shot on the Panasonic LX5. Photo: Sofi Lee

    CCD sensors were eventually replaced by CMOS sensors in a lot of these premium point and shoots. What year do you consider your cut off when shopping for used compacts?

    My sweet spot now is between 2008-2011. I get asked to do professional/commercial work with these cameras and there was a while I’d have art directors telling me, ‘this stuff is great, but can you give it to us in higher resolution?’ [laughs] And I’d have to say, ‘Sorry, this is the highest I have.’ Because of this, I started narrowing down the cameras I was using and stuck with ones that shot higher resolution.

    Cameras from this era [2008-2011] have a good resolution for print but still have the digicam look – great optics and Raws that allow me to do what I want. That’s not to say the cameras before that time weren’t any good, but the Raws can be challenging to work with.

    You mentioned resolution and I guess in the simplest terms, to what extent does image quality matter to you? And does it matter to you personally, or is it more just the requirements of being a working professional?

    I would say it’s mostly requirements. I’m even fine with 5MP cameras – that’s the lower end of what I’ll accept – but as long as it takes a good photo I’m generally happy. I think there’s too much emphasis on megapixels. Maybe that’s just because people like cropping their 42MP images. I don’t like cropping though, I try to get it all in camera if I can.

    The Olympus XZ-1.

    So what cameras are you currently shooting with? If you were headed out on a shoot after this interview, what would be in your bag?

    I always have the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150 (2008) on me. It literally lives in my bag and I never leave home without it. I use it more than I use my cell phone camera, actually. I love this one because it’s an ultracompact with a 15MP CCD sensor and also shoots Raw. It keeps a low profile: everyone just thinks you’re an anachronistic tourist when you use it. It’s quite a marvel of engineering; there really isn’t anything else like it. I use it in about 90% of my photos. It also has the unique honor of being DxOMark’s worst camera [laughs].

    I always have the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150 (2008) on me. It literally lives in my bag and I never leave home without it.

    But if I need to do a portrait or something involving a strobe then I have a few different options. I’ll use either the Olympus XZ-1 or the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5, which I really like for the aspect ratio options. I also shoot with the Fujifilm E550, an older model – from 2004 I think – that manages to shoot 12MP Raws, higher than most DSLRs at the time. It has the best flash metering I’ve ever seen. It’s also nice and compact, with great ergonomics. I’ve done a number of shoots with it, including band portraits.

    A portrait shot on the Olympus X-Z1. Photo: Sofi Lee

    Do you run into any issues sourcing batteries or cables for these old cameras?

    A lot of that is available through eBay and Amazon stores, actually! So that hasn’t been that big of an issue. The biggest issue is sourcing accessories. I like collecting the original optional accessories as well, such as flash units or cases, and that’s really the more challenging part. This is stuff I really have to hunt for and a lot of the times I only find them if I look up obscure reviews or old manufacturer’s websites in Japanese.

    The bigger issue, really, is memory cards. Most of the cameras take CF or SD cards but there are some like the Fujifilm E550 that take XD cards. Those are somewhat uncommon, tend to be expensive for their capacity and a pain to get files off onto my computer. I also have a Fuji that only takes PCMCIA cards. Yeah, that’s no fun.

    Sofi’s cable drawer.

    So do you have a favorite camera in your collection?

    I find myself always coming back to the FX150 and the LX5, but I’ve talked enough about those I think. I have a sentimental connection to the G2. But right now I’m really excited by the Ricoh Caplio GX100 and the Panasonic LX2.

    I picked up the GX100 at a thrift store for $ 6: it was in pristine condition and looked just like the GR series. It’s very basic yet basically anything you could want in a camera of that size. The LX2, though, is fun because of the widescreen 16:9 sensor. It’s the same aspect ratio as APS film in APSH mode, so it reminds me of that when I’m shooting with it.

    How many digital cameras do you think you own?

    Maybe like 50.

    Getting back to this current wave of film nostalgia, do you think we will look back at this era, 10, 20 years from now and laugh at ourselves?

    Trends always change: I definitely don’t see photography aesthetics being static. If you look at the history of photography we can see how a lot of styles came and went. The obsession with shallow depth of field and bokeh is another thing that will probably go at some point. I’m personally getting tired of seeing one eyelash in focus.

    The Panasonic LX2, in hand.

    What’s the deal with pixel peepers?

    I think there are a lot of different reasons people are into pixels, but I think pixel-peeping as a phenomenon has a lot to do with consumerism. People want the ‘best of the best’ and back it up through a variety of ‘scientific tests.’ Personally, I’m not into technical perfection and feel that falling into pixel-peeping strips photography from a lot of its character. In fact, high-end cameras, once you’re pretty good at shooting, make it too easy to produce an acceptable image. Where’s the fun in that?

    That said, I think flipping the complete opposite direction – analogue worship, basically – isn’t good either. This comes from a false dichotomy that film is all character. There’s more than one way to be ‘pro-character’ or ‘against pixel peeping’.

    A lot of interviews I read on photography sites end with a sort of adage about the best camera being the one you have with you or how film inspires you to just think and shoot rather than pixel peep. I think photography is more than just capturing an image though; it’s also about imposing your vision on it. The best camera is the one that’s right for the vision, with the right noise profile, lens distortions, etc. Anyway, I’m sort of rambling [laughs].

    Check out more of Sofi Lee’s photography and animated GIF work at Sofi.pics, and in the gallery below:

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    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Kodak’s new Mini Shot 10MP camera prints tiny instant photos

    Kodak expanded its instant product lineup today with the launch of the new Kodak Mini Shot Instant 10MP camera: a point-and-shoot digital model that produces credit card-sized color prints on 4Pass Photo Paper. The Mini Shot Instant—which is offered in black, yellow and white colors—also features Bluetooth connectivity for transferring images to an iOS or Android device running the Kodak MINI Shot companion app.

    With the Kodak MINI Shot App, users can make minor edits to their images before printing them, including applying filters and stickers, cropping, and using card templates. Image previews are possible in-camera, as well, via the Mini Shot Instant’s 1.7-inch LCD viewfinder. The camera offers gamma color control, auto focus, white balance, and exposure control.

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    Users have two photo paper sizes to choose from: rectangular 2.1 x 3.4-inch and square 2.1 x 2.1-inch with adhesive backing. The 4Pass Photo Paper is available in packs of up to 50 (for $ 35), and the camera is sold with an 8-pack all-in-one print cartridge. The Kodak Mini Shot Instant is available from Amazon now for $ 100 USD.

    Press Release

    Kodak Expands Its Instant Print Camera Offerings with New KODAK Mini Shot Instant Camera

    High-quality, instant print photo gratification meets Android and iOS compatibility plus Bluetooth connectivity.

    SUWON, South Korea & EDISON, N.J. – Today, Prinics Co., Ltd announced the availability of the new KODAK Mini Shot Instant Print Camera through its North American distributor C+A Global. Expanding upon its instant print product line, the new KODAK Mini Shot point-and-shoot camera combines high-quality, instant-print color photos with digital conveniences such as color controls, filter effects and Bluetooth connectivity, making it the ideal all-in-one solution for picture taking and photo editing.

    Furthermore, not only can these photographs be instantly shared with family and friends in that same high print quality expected from Kodak, these photographs can likewise be digitally shared instantly across social media platforms.

    “There is a resurgence for ‘instant-print’ photography, and the demand for affordable and versatile products is massive,” states Jeff Clarke, CEO, Kodak. “The release of the KODAK Mini Shot and recent launch of the KODAK PRINTOMATIC Cameras are a continuation of Kodak’s commitment to instant printing and represent just the beginning of the Instant Print Solutions Kodak plans to bring to market. We are fully committed to growing a diverse product portfolio and investing in the instant photography business.”

    Real Ink. In an instant.

    High-quality image processing and printing is at the core of Kodak’s DNA and remains to be the key differentiator in its expanding Instant Print photography product portfolio, which includes the KODAK Mini Shot Instant Print Camera, KODAK PRINTOMATIC Instant Print Camera, and KODAK Photo Printer Dock and Photo Printer Mini Wi-Fi connected printers.

    The KODAK Mini Shot Instant Print Camera leverages 4Pass printing technology, also known as dye-sublimation, resulting in beautiful, high-quality prints. It features the world’s smallest 4Pass all-in-one cartridge for carrying convenience.

    Snap, Connect, Enhance, Print, Share

    The KODAK Mini Shot Instant Print Camera is a must-have accessory for anyone looking to make memories that last, whether it’s by sharing printed photos immediately or posting them to an Instagram feed. It’s the fun of snapping photos on an instant print camera combined with the ability to digitally edit and enhance images, then share from one person to another or with the entire world – or all of the above. With Bluetooth connectivity, users can save and transfer images to a smart device for further editing with the complimentary KODAK Mini Shot App, which features a variety of filters, cropping options, stickers, card templates and more. Through the App, anyone’s smartphone can now be used as a remote shutter for those must-have group shots, or as an extended library of photos that can be sent to the KODAK Mini Shot for instant printing.

    KODAK Mini Shot Camera Highlights and Benefits:

    • Maximum resolution 10-megapixel camera
    • 1.7” LCD Viewfinder for viewing photos before they’re printed
    • Auto Focus, Exposure, White Balance, Gamma Color Control
    • Bluetooth connectivity
    • Compatible with iOS and Android devices
    • Complimentary KODAK Mini Shot App for adding filters and effects
    • Normal and photo border printing
    • Print credit card-sized (2.1”x3.4”) or square (2.1”x2.1”) adhesive-backed photos
    • Extra protective layer preserves image quality and color integrity
    • High-quality waterproof, fingerprint-proof photo prints
    • All-in-one ink and paper cartridge
    • Available in black, white or yellow

    Pricing and Availability

    The KODAK Mini Shot Instant Print Camera is available today for $ 99.99 USD on Amazon. The camera includes a Micro USB cable, a Quick Start Guide, and an 8-pack all-in-one 4Pass photo print cartridge.

    The 4Pass Photo Paper comes in 20 (2.1”x3.4”), 30 (2.1”x3.4”) and 50 (2.1”x3.4”) packs or as an adhesive-backed 20 (2.1”x2.1”) pack, and is sold separately. More information is available at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077BF7KG7.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • 2017 Buying Guide: Best fixed prime lens cameras

    The fixed prime lens camera market may be a bit niche, but it’s here that you’ll find some of the best cameras you can buy. Sensors ranging from APS-C to full-frame are designed to match their lenses, which cover ranges from 28-75mm equivalent, so image quality is top-notch.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Instagram starts warning users about wildlife abuse when they search certain hashtags

    Instagram has announced a new wildlife protection measure following a New York Times report on how some traffickers are using the platform as part of the illicit animal trade. In a blog post published earlier this week, Instagram said that it will start presenting a content advisory screen to users who search for hashtags that are, “associated with harmful behavior to animals or the environment.”

    This advisory, shown below, links to both the posts and a page where additional information on the matter is provided. That page, which discusses both environmental considerations and wild animal interactions, further links to TRAFFIC, the World Wildlife Fund, and World Animal Protection agencies.

    In addition to encouraging its users not to damage the environment in order to get the perfect shot, Instagram says:

    We also encourage you to be mindful of your interactions with wild animals, and consider whether an animal has been smuggled, poached or abused for the sake of tourism. For example, be wary when paying for photo opportunities with exotic animals, as these photos and videos may put endangered animals at risk.

    Users who come across a video or photo they believe to be violating Instagram’s guidelines on this matter are urged to report it. The company explicitly states that it does not allow endangered animals to be sold via its platform, nor does it allow content featuring animal abuse.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Photographer Dad creates epic Star Wars Christmas card for his family

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    Photographer Josh Rossi is no stranger to creating epic photography for and of his family. His portraits of his daughter as Wonder Woman swept across the Internet like wildfire, and he’s continued doing amazing work, including this touching series where he transformed disabled kids into Justice League superheroes.

    So why did he let some run-of-the-mill “family photographer” take last year’s Christmas pictures for him!?

    He didn’t know either. In fact, he felt deeply ashamed by this lapse in judgement, and so he set to work creating something amazing to redeem himself this Holiday season. Cue Star Wars theme.

    “I’m a huge Star Wars fan, and my wife has been asking me to do some pictures of us so I went all out this year for our family photos,” Rossi tells DPReview. And by all-out, he means he recreated the Star Wars: The Last Jedi posters featuring himself, his wife, and their two children instead of the lead actors.

    “I had such a fun time doing this with my family,” he told us, “especially with my 1 year old.”

    Rossi sent over a few behind the scenes images for us (below) and you can see the final shots in the gallery at the top.

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    To see more of Rossi’s work, or if you just want to say hello and kudos for another really creative and well-executed project, head over to his website or give him a follow on Instagram and Facebook.

    All photographs by Josh Rossi and used with permission.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)