360Photography

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  • Venus Optics unveils an 11mm F4.5 ultra-wide-angle lens for full-frame mirrorless systems

    Venus Optics has released its latest lens, the Laowa 11mm F4.5 FF RL lens for full-frame mirrorless camera systems.

    The ‘FF’ and ‘RL’ initialisms in the name of the lens refer to the lens’ full-frame (FF) and rectilinear (RL) design. The fully-manual lens is constructed of 14 elements in 10 groups, including two aspherical elements and three extra-low dispersion elements, which results in a 126-degree angle of view on full-frame cameras.

    Despite its compact size, the lens features a 62mm front filter thread, making it ‘the world’s widest rectilinear lens with a front filter thread for full-frame mirrorless cameras.’ Other features include an aperture range of F4.5-F22, a five-blade aperture diaphragm, a minimum focusing distance of 19cm (7.4”) and rangefinder coupling on Leica M-mount cameras.

    The lens measures in at just 63.5mm (2.5”) long, 58mm (2.3”) wide and weighs just 254g (8.9oz). Below is a gallery of sample images, provided by Venus Optics:

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    THe Laowa 11mm F4.5 FF RL lens is available to order now from Venus Optic’s website for Leica M, Leica L, Sony FE and Nikon Z mounts. The Leica M version costs $ 799, while the other mounts cost $ 699.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Video: What it’s like to photograph hockey games inside the NHL ‘bubble’

    Like many professional sports, the National Hockey League (NHL) is playing its playoff-only season in a containment bubble to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 amongst its ranks. In addition to the players, this bubble also requires all team personnel, photographers included, to quarantine and work inside empty arenas that would normally be filled with fans.

    To highlight how this looks for the photographers and editors inside their respective bubbles, the NHL has published a behind-the-scenes video showing what goes on before, during and after a game.

    Throughout the six-minute video, we hear from NHL Images Senior Manager, Kara Bradley, as well as NHL photographers Chase Agnello-Dean, Mark Blinch and Dave Sandford. Each of them share their experiences thus far, showing that while not much different than shooting a regular game from a capture standpoint, the sheer number of games played back-to-back makes it difficult to get images turned around and remote cameras set up.

    Here are a few fun stats from the video:

    • Photographers usually operate five cameras at once: two handheld (typically one wide-angle and one telephoto) and three remote cameras (usually one at center ice and one at each net)
    • The photographers average 15,000 steps a day, many of which are up and down stairs and rafters to set up remote cameras and strobes
    • Around 3,000 images are taken in low-scoring games while high-scoring games can see upwards of 7,000 images captured
    • So far most of the photographers have shot around 46 games in just 21 days

    Having shot plenty of hockey games myself, I know how challenging even a single game in a night can be. To be shooting two a day — in addition to auxiliary shots before and after the game — for nearly a month straight is absolutely absurd. In the words of Dave Sandford from the video, ‘it’s like groundhog day here.’

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Xiaomi introduces 3rd-gen under-display camera, promising unparalleled performance

    As consumers demand increasingly sleeker smaller smartphones, manufacturers have been grappling with how to convincingly hide front-facing cameras. Solutions have included Apple’s now-ubiquitous notch design, a punch hole design and even cameras hidden underneath the phone’s display. Xiaomi hopes its newly announced third-generation under-display camera will be the best version of the lattermost approach yet.

    Xiaomi’s first two generations of under-display camera tech never made their way into mass-produced devices. The latest generation, on the other hand, will be widely available in 2021.

    Underpinning the new tech is a revised pixel arrangement solution. The screen allows light to pass through the gap between the sub pixels in the display. This allows each individual pixel to retain a complete red, green and blue (RGB) pixel layout. By utilizing the gap between sub pixels, the display doesn’t need to compromise with respect to pixel density.

    The design of Xiaomi’s third generation under-display camera (left) shown against a typical display area (top right) and ‘normal’ under-display camera (bottom right). Image credit: Xiaomi

    Xiaomi states that ‘Compared with other common solutions on the market, Xiaomi has doubled the number of horizontal and vertical pixels, achieving the same pixel density above the camera as on the rest of the display area.’ Xiaomi continues, promising that the area above the camera will match the rest of the display in terms of brightness, color accuracy and color gamut.

    There’s no question that the more seamless a front display, the better. However, it’s a considerable engineering challenge to produce a display with a hidden camera without sacrificing the quality of either the display or the camera it conceals. Thus far, hidden camera technology has not completely convinced discerning viewers, as discussed by Engadget with respect to similar tech from Oppo.

    To showcase its latest generation, Xiaomi released an overview video, which you can view below.

    As first pointed out by The Verge, if you look closely at the 0’29” mark of the above video, there appears to be a slight square shadow. In earlier portions of the video, you can see a very faint circle where the camera is located. Xiaomi assures that the camera will be invisible, so it’ll be interesting to see the final product when it ships next year.

    While we must wait until 2021 to see Xiaomi’s third-gen camera out in the wild, we won’t have to wait long for a new smartphone with an under-display camera. ZTE will launch its ZTE Axon 20 smartphone next month. It’s unclear if this device will be available outside of China. Nonetheless, as is often the case, a race between firms to develop better technology will benefit end-users.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • The two most-produced 35mm cameras of all time? You’ve probably never heard of them

    Photo: Stephen Dowling

    What were the most-produced 35mm cameras of all time, you ask? Perhaps the Kodak Brownie, or the Argus C3, the Olympus Trip 35, or maybe the Nikon F? Nope, those cameras didn’t even come close the the number of Soviet-era Smena-8’s and Smena 8M’s that rolled off the assembly line; a combined 21 million in total. The next closest of the cameras mentioned is the Olympus Trip 35 with 5.4 million units made.

    So what’s the deal with these apparently ubiquitous cameras, produced by Leningradskoye Optiko-Mekhanicheskoye Obyedinenie (Lomo), which many of us have probably never seen/heard of? Our good friends over at Kosmo Foto have the full scoop and more. Click the link and read on!

    Read: Kosmo Foto – These are the most produced 35mm cameras of all time

    About Film Fridays: We recently launched an analog forum and in a continuing effort to promote the fun of the medium, we’ll be sharing film-related content on Fridays, including articles from our friends at KosmoFoto and 35mmc.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Nikon Z5 sample gallery

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    Nikon’s entry-level Z-mount full-framer is proving to be a fun and capable companion for everyday stills photography. And we’ve been busy enjoying the last licks of summer with it by our side.

    Take a look at our Nikon Z5 sample gallery, and check back soon for Raw conversions; we’ll add them as soon as support becomes available.

    See our Nikon Z5 sample gallery

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Astronomers warn SpaceX Starlink satellites may hinder scientific observation and discovery

    SpaceX plans to launch thousands of satellites into space for the firm’s Starlink high-speed satellite internet network. While the Starlink service aims to bring high-speed internet to locations where it is otherwise unavailable or prohibitively expensive, Independent is reporting that hundreds of astronomers have expressed concerns that Starlink’s satellite array will have an impact on astronomy and slow down scientific discoveries.

    A report by the Satellite Constellations 1 (SATCON1) workshop stated that constellations of satellites in the night sky are problematic for ground-based observations, including those utilizing optical and infrared technologies. The research underpinning the workshop’s report included input from ‘more than 250 astronomers, satellite operators and dark-sky advocates.’

    SATCON1 co-chair Connie Walker from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) NOIRLab said of the report, ‘Recent technology developments for astronomical research – especially cameras with wide fields of view on large optical-infrared telescopes – are happening at the same time as the rapid deployment of many thousands of low-Earth-orbiting satellites (LEOsats) by companies rolling out new space-based communication technologies.’

    Not to scale. Illustration courtesy of NOIRLab / NSF / AURA / P. Marenfeld

    The report concludes that large satellite constellations will impact astronomical research and the general human experience of the night sky, although they find that the impact will range from ‘negligible’ to ‘extreme.’ When Starlink’s first 60 communication satellites launched in May 2019, the impact was felt immediately by astronomers and the satellites were ‘brighter than anyone expected.’ It is not fiscally or scientifically feasible to stop utilizing ground-based astronomy.

    While the impact of LEOsats may be negative for astronomers, the introduction of communication services to underserved areas is undoubtedly positive for potential users. The SATCON1 workshop is trying to work with satellite operators to find a solution. In the report, there are two main findings. One is that LEOsats ‘disproportionately affect science programs that require twilight observations, such as searches for Earth-threatening asteroids and comets, outer solar system objects, and visible-light counterparts of fleeting gravitational-wave sources.’ The second finding is that there are at least a half dozen ways to reduce the harm caused to astronomy by large satellite constellations.

    From the SATCON1 workshop report: ‘A wide-field image (2.3 degrees across) from the Dark Energy Camera on the Víctor M. Blanco 4-m telescope at the Cerro Tololo InterAmerican Observatory, on 18 November 2019. Several Starlink satellites crossed the field of view. Image credit DECam DELVE Survey/CTIO/AURA/NSF.’ For many more visual examples of the impact of Starlink satellites on astronomical observations, read the full SATCON1 technical report.

    One of these six ways is to launch fewer or no LEOsats, which is of course an impractical and unlikely solution. More realistically, the workshop found that the impact of LEOsats can be reduced if they are deployed at orbital altitudes no higher than 600 km, satellites are darkened or include sunshades, or are carefully oriented in space to reduce reflections. There may also be ways to reduce the impact of satellite trails with improvements to processing techniques for astronomical images. Further, if satellite owners provide astronomers with accurate orbital information, observers may be able to avoid satellites with their telescopes.

    NOIRLab director Patrick McCarthy says of the report’s findings and recommendations that he hopes that they ‘will serve as guidelines for observatories and satellite operators alike as we work towards a more detailed understanding of the impacts and mitigations and we learn to share the sky, one of nature’s priceless treasures.’

    The next workshop, SATCON2, will aim to tackle the issues of policy and regulation when it meets in early to mid-2021.

    Image credit: SpaceX / Starlink

    SpaceX plans to launch more than 30,000 Starlink satellites. This represents approximately a doubling of space-based moving objects visible to the naked eye during twilight, according to the SATCON1 report.

    Despite there being only about 500 Starlink satellites currently in orbit, the program’s impact has already been felt during significant astronomical events. For example, the comet Neowise made an appearance this summer, something possible only once every 6,800 years, and Starlink satellites disrupted observation for many.

    Image credit: SpaceX / Starlink

    Thus far, SpaceX has taken steps to reduce the impact of its satellites. The space exploration firm has utilized a twisting technique to make the solar panels on the satellites less reflective. It has also explored painting reflective surfaces black and using sunshades. SpaceX has worked with the American Astronomical Society (AAS), National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NORAF) and the Green Bank Observatory (GBO) in pursuit of a solution to the issue of LEOsat visibility.

    SpaceX stated ‘We’ve taken an experimental and iterative approach to reduce the brightness of the Starlink satellites. Orbital brightness is an extremely difficult problem to tackle analytically.’

    For astronomers, the SATCON2 workshop cannot come soon enough. Professor Tony Tyson of the University of California, Davis, says that ‘…no combination of mitigations can completely avoid the impacts of satellite trails on the science programs of the coming generation of optical astronomy facilities.’

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Canon releases 1.2 firmware update for 1DX Mark III, bringing improved AF, connectivity and more

    In addition to the EOS R5 1.1 firmware update, Canon has also released firmware version 1.2 for the Canon 1D X Mark III. The new firmware improves a number of features and addresses a handful of bug fixes for Canon’s flagship DSLR.

    Specifically, Canon says firmware version 1.2 improves face and eye recognition autofocus (AF) at greater distances, improves FTP connectivity during transmission and improves Wi-Fi connectivity when using the Canon EFT-E9 Wireless File Transmitter.

    Canon has also improved the experience when using the Browser Remote and addressed a number of ‘phenomenons’ — AKA bugs — that can occur during viewfinder shooting when specific settings are selected. You can see a full list of the bug fixes in the changelog below.

    Firmware version 1.2.0 for the Canon 1DX Mark III is available to download from Canon’s product page.

    Changelog:

    Firmware Version 1.2.0 incorporates the following enhancements and fixes:

    • Enhancements when using Browser Remote:
      • The image list displayed will be refreshed automatically on the browser.
      • On the shooting screen of the browser, you can set the movie resolution and a high frame rate.
      • On the shooting screen of the browser, you can change the movie shooting mode.
      • On the shooting screen of the browser, Live View will be displayed as soon as you select the movie shooting button.
    • Enhances Auto Focus (AF) for improved face and eye recognition at greater distances.
    • Fixes a phenomenon that may occur during viewfinder shooting, in which the shutter may not be released or the camera may not operate in the following settings:
      • In One-Shot AF mode, when the AF Area Selection Mode is set as Zone AF, Large Zone AF or Automatic Selection AF.
      • In AI Servo AF, when direct AF point selection is made using the smart controller.
      • When the Register/Recall Shooting Function is assigned to the AE Lock button, in the Custom Controls.
    • Connectivity during FTP transmission has been improved.
    • Improves Wi-Fi connectivity when using the Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E9.
    • Fixes a phenomenon, in which the card access time may take longer when using certain CFexpress cards.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Leica announces 9 Portuguese-made lenses for the US market, bypassing import tariffs

    In retaliation for allegedly illegal subsidies from the European Union to Airbus, giving the European airplane manufacturer an unfair advantage over US-based Boeing, the United States levied about $ 7.5B USD in tariffs against the EU. These tariffs, beginning last fall, have been applied to certain EU goods, as approved by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

    Included in the new tariff regulations are selected imports from France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, including a 25-percent tariff on ‘agricultural and other products.’ Under the umbrella of ‘other products’ are camera lenses. Leica has long been known for making many of its cameras and lenses in Germany, resulting in US customers being forced to pay more for already expensive Leica lenses.

    In order to bypass the US-issued tariff, Leica began work on establishing an alternative production line elsewhere in Europe. Building upon an existing presence in Portugal, Leica will now offer US-based customers nine different M-mount ‘Made in Portugal’ lenses for a reduced cost relative to their tariff-inflated ‘Made in Germany’ equivalents. Customers can still choose to pay extra for the same lenses made in Germany.

    The nine lenses Leica is currently manufacturing in Portugal for the US market include the following, with Made in Portugal prices listed first and Made in Germany prices listed second:

    • Summicron-M 28mm F2 ASPH (Black) – $ 4,395 (Portugal) – $ 4,895 (Germany)

    • Elmarit-M 28mm F2.8 ASPH (Black) – $ 2,295 – $ 2,595

    • Summaron-M 28mm F5.6 (Silver) – $ 2,595 – $ 2,895

    • Summicron-M 35mm F2 ASPH (Black) – $ 3,295 – $ 3,695

    • Summicron-M 35mm F2 ASPH (Silver) – $ 3,495 – $ 3,895

    • Summilux-M 50mm F1.4 ASPH (Black) – $ 3,995 – $ 4,395

    • Summilux-M 50mm F1.4 ASPH (Silver) – $ 4,195 – $ 4,695

    • Summilux-M 50mm F1.4 ASPH (Black-Chrome) – $ 4,595 – $ 5,095

    • Summicron-M 50mm F2 (Black) – $ 2,395 – $ 2,695

    As you can see, the Made in Portugal lenses do not fully capture the 25 percent tariff levied against the imported German versions, but the relocated production does provide some relief to customers in the US. Presumably Leica incurred considerable cost to their business setting up a new production line. Of this, Leica says, ‘Leica Camera has made a large investment to establish a second production line in reaction to these global economic developments and market requirements.’

    Image credit: Leica Store Miami

    Leica continues, assuaging the fears of customers that Made in Portugal lenses will be inferior products, ‘With this new production line at Leica Camera’s state-of-the-art facility in Portugal, Leica has decided to offer USA consumers a choice to buy a selection of some of the most popular and essential Leica M-Lenses, stringent to the same quality and standards expected from Leica as our German-made products, Made in Portugal, at a much lower price than their Made in Germany counterparts. The price differential is a direct result of tariffs, and in no way indicative of quality standards.’

    If you’d like to learn more about the Leica facility in Portugal, Film and Digital Times published a great tour in 2017.

    The nine lenses Made in Portugal lenses Leica has announced will be released in staggered groups. The trio of Leica Summilux-M 50mm F1.4 ASPH lenses will be available this month. In September, the Leica Summicron-M 35mm F2 primes and the Summaron-M 28mm F5.6 will begin shipping. Finally, this December, the final three lenses, the Summicron-M 28mm F2, Summicron-M 50mm F2 and Elmarit-M 28mm F2.8, will become available.

    Prospective customers can order any of the nine Portuguese-built lenses from US-based Leica stores, including Leica Store Miami.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • You can now upload images directly to Google Photos with select Canon cameras

    Google has teamed up with Canon to release a new integration for Google Photos that makes it possible to automatically back up your photos over Wi-Fi.

    The integration works through Canon’s image.canon app for Android and iOS. Inside the app, you can connect your Google account and have images automatically upload to Google Photos when they’re transferred from your compatible Canon DSLR or mirrorless camera.

    A full list of the cameras supported by image.canon

    Unfortunately, this integration doesn’t come free. In order to wirelessly upload images to Google Photos, you must have a Google One subscription, which starts at $ 20/year ($ 2/month) for the 100GB plan and goes up to $ 100/year ($ 10/month) for the 2TB plan. Google is offering a free month to Canon users interested in testing out the new feature.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Olympus releases its OM-D Webcam Beta for macOS computers

    Olympus has announced the macOS version of its OM-D Webcam Beta utility is now available. Like the Windows version, released back in June, the macOS version enables select OM-D cameras to be used as webcams with compatible videoconferencing and streaming software over USB.

    The utility is free to download from Olympus’ website. Once installed, the process is as simple as plugging one of the compatible Olympus cameras and selecting the OM-D Webcam Beta as an input in the conferencing or streaming program of your choosing. Below is the limited list of compatible cameras:

    • OM-D E-M1X
    • OM-D E-M1 Mark III
    • OM-D E-M1 Mark II
    • OM-D E-M1
    • OM-D E-M5 Mark II

    Olympus notes the utility won’t capture audio from your camera, so plan on having another microphone nearby (or just use your computer’s built-in microphone). Olympus also says streaming quality will be lower if there isn’t a memory card inside the camera.

    We have contacted Olympus to see if any other cameras will be compatible in the future. You can find out more information and download the utility on Olympus’ website.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)