360Photography

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  • Photo of the week: The Shining

    This morning was the second of my stay in Torres Base camp (Torres Del Paine NP, Chilean Patagonia) with my Patagonia workshop group earlier this year. The day before we had shot an amazing sunrise from down at the lagoon, and our sights were fixed on something different for this morning.

    I asked Erik, our guide, to take us to the top of the Moraine surrounding the lagoon at the base of the Torres. After waking up at 4:30 a.m., we had a filling breakfast and started the 1 hour climb to the viewpoint. Getting up the moraine took about 20 additional minutes, some of them traversing loose rock, but we were in good hands and had plenty of time to arrive safely.

    Upon arrival, we took some night shots of the Torres and waited for sunrise. Conditions looked good, but I began worrying that a large mass of clouds to the northeast might block the first rays of sunlight from hitting the Torres. I was proven right, and I was beginning to think we came all this way for nothing until about half an hour into the sunrise, when a small crack between the clouds allowed a projector-like orange beam of light to hit these beautiful, iconic towers of rock.

    The color was incredible. The opening was so small, even the clouds above the Torres were left in the dark, which looked quite strange and made the mountains stand out even more.

    This image is almost untouched when it comes to post processing, but due to the large range of distances to the different components, I had to focus-stack it from 3 shots, one focused on the Torres, one on the foreground rock and one in-between.

    It was captured using my Canon 5D Mark IV and Canon 16-35mm F2.8L Mark III.

    Erez Marom is a professional nature photographer, photography guide and traveler based in Israel. You can follow Erez’s work on Instagram, Facebook and 500px, and subscribe to his mailing list for updates. Erez offers photo workshops worldwide.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • DIYer adds giant heat sink to overheating Lumix GF7 camera

    One industrious Lumix GF7 owner named Eric Strebel has solved his camera’s overheating issue with a pretty intense DIY hack. Namely, he added a massive heat sink to the back of the camera…. problem solved.

    The entire hacking process is detailed in a video that Strebel uploaded to YouTube, where he explains that his camera would, at times, warn him to let it cool down due to overheating while shooting video. The heat sink, which is attached to the camera using piano wire, is very effective at keeping the camera cool for long recording sessions.

    The GF7 features a hinged display that can be flipped up, leaving the back of the camera flat and exposed. It is on that portion of the camera that Strebel mounted the heat sink, which he harvested from an old PC. A drill press was used to machine the heat sink to size, while piano wire was bent and utilized as a removable attachment point for mounting the heat sink onto the camera.

    The entire project, explains Strebel, took about 4 hours to complete.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Pixel Peeper can now show you what Lightroom preset was used on a photo

    Last month, a website called Pixel Peeper launched with the ability to determine which Lightroom edits were made to an image. Thanks to a recent update, users can now also use Pixel Peeper to determine which Lightroom preset was applied to an image.

    The Preset Finder feature requires users to upload their previously-used Lightroom presets. Once uploaded, the system will identify which preset was applied to any image uploaded to Pixel Peeper. This feature only works with presets the user has already purchased and uploaded, however—it doesn’t identify presets that haven’t been uploaded to the system.

    The new feature is limited to 10 presets that expire after 30 minutes for free users, but it’s unlimited for premium users who pay the $ 25/year fee.

    In addition to finding presets, Pixel Peeper retains its original ability to figure out which Lightroom settings were used to edit an image, something it presents using a series of sliders for settings like exposure, tint, clarity, and more. The tool also displays EXIF data when possible, including the camera model and lens used to take the image, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and more.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • These Nikon videos break down the gear and settings you need to shoot the eclipse

    The total solar eclipse that’s about to take place next month presents an extremely rare photo opportunity. We have some pointers (and a little bit of opinion) coming at you from an expert in the coming days, but in the meantime, the folks at Nikon have put together a useful pair of tutorial videos that will help you nail that perfect eclipse shot when the time comes.

    To be clear: these videos were created by the Nikon USA YouTube channel. To that end, there are a few points in the gear video specifically where the branding is laid on pretty thick; however, if you can get past the PR, the information is very useful and, in fact, brand-agnostic. Photographer Lucas Gilman knows his stuff.

    Nikon broke down their tutorial into two 3-minute videos: Gear & Prep and Camera Settings. If you’re planning to shoot the eclipse, grab yourself a pen and pad, scroll down, and click play.

    Part 1: Gear and Preparation

    The first stop on the gear and prep train is safety—get proper eye protection and slap a solar filter onto your lens to prevent sensor damage. Then, Gilman touches on the kind of camera and lens you should choose.

    For his needs, he’s picked a D500 APS-C body for a bit of extra reach, and a Nikkor 200-500mm lens attached to a Nikon 1.4x teleconverter.

    Finally, Gilman outlines some of the accessories you’ll want to bring along. Namely: a stable tripod, extra memory cards, a few fully charged batteries, and a cable release.

    Camera Settings

    Now that you have the proper gear, it’s time to set up your camera. In the second video, Gilman discusses how to determine the proper exposure for two key eclipse shots: a closeup of the sun at totality and photographing the crescent.

    While your settings will obviously vary depending on the conditions on the day you’re out there shooting, the tips in the video above will get you most of the way there.

    Photos courtesy of Nikon USA

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • This is the first ever permanent photography exhibition in space

    Duggal Visual Solutions has teamed with its client, Dubai-based photographer Dr. Hersh Chadha, to create what they say is the first-ever permanent photography exhibition in space.

    The exhibition consists of five photographs of flowers that Dr. Chadha donated to three astronauts aboard the International Space Station, where the photos are currently zooming around the Earth at 4.76 miles per second.

    You can see two of them below:

    Col. Valery Korzun of Star City, Moscow made the arrangements to have Dr. Chadha’s photographs on-board the ISS Expedition 49-50, which took place last year. In addition to donating these photos, Dr. Chadha donated a hard drive containing 500 of his photos, as well as his ‘Visions of Nature’ book, to the Yuri A. Gagarin State Scientific Research-and-Testing Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City.

    Talking about his donation, Dr. Chadha explained, “Photography is a great medium of expression, and my purpose of doing this was to let the human beings who live on the Space Station for so many months still be connected to Mother Earth.”

    You can hear more from Dr. Chadha and watch the photographs’ journey into space in the video below:

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Panono buyer saves the brand, will continue making its 360° ball camera

    Panono’s high-res 360° camera lives to shoot another day.

    That didn’t take long. Just a few days after announcing that the company would be bought, ending an ‘amazing but also exhausting journey,’ the Panono brand has been well and truly saved. In fact, the Swiss private equity investor who bought the company intends to continue ‘all services […] without any disruption.’

    All of this happened with the last few days, marking (hopefully) the end of a tumultuous journey that began with a successful Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign and seemingly ended when Panono declared bankruptcy after delivering only about 400 cameras to backers, leaving many supporters angry and out of luck. Until Wednesday of this week, that is.

    Enter Swiss-based private equity investor Bryanston Group AG, the new owner of all Panono’s assets, trademarks, patents and employees.

    In a press release published Wednesday, July 5th and sent to DPReview yesterday, the investor announced that Panono GmbH will restart its business operations as Professional360 GmbH in Berlin. The company will continue all of Panono’s current services ‘without disruption,’ and is even planning to release new products and software services.

    If all goes according to plan, Professional360 will establish itself as, ‘a global leader in the professional 360-degree camera market.’

    Which, of course, leaves us with one very pressing question: what about all of those Panono backers left in the lurch by the company’s bankruptcy? According to a company spokesperson, Bryanston Group is actively working on a solution to that pesky problem.

    “While all legal liabilities remain with the old Panono GmbH and its management,” reads the statement. “We as Professional360 GmbH feel morally obliged to find a solution that all early supporters of the Panono technology will be able to enjoy the camera as soon as possible after so many years of waiting. We are working on this and will release new information on this topic shortly.”

    So it would seem Panono has been saved, and all of the backers who first supported the ‘world’s highest resolution 360° camera’ may still get a chance to vent their frustration by throwing their very own ball camera at a wall.

    Press Release

    Swiss private equity investor saves Panono brand, platform and product by taking over all assets and employees – all services continue without any disruption

    Panono’s high-resolution 360-degree camera and services will be provided by Professional360 GmbH in the future

    BERLIN, JULY 05, 2017. The Berlin-based technology company Panono GmbH, the manufacturer of 360-degree cameras and software, is insolvent as of 1 July 2017. All legal and commercial matters, obligation and disputes will be managed by Prof. Dr Torsten Martini of Leonhardt Rattunde who has been appointed as the company’s Insolvency Administrator.

    Bryanston Group AG, a Swiss-based private equity investor has acquired the assets, trademarks and patents of Panono GmbH and will restart its business operations under the new holding company Professional360 GmbH in Berlin.

    Professional360 GmbH will continue Panono’s technological leadership by offering the world’s highest resolution 360-degree camera under the Panono brand.

    A spokesperson for the company said, “As the new management, we place great confidence in Panono’s groundbreaking technology. Our vision is to be a global leader in the professional 360- degree camera market. We will continue creating and innovating the best 360-degree cameras together with a state-of-the-art platform for our users.

    In fact, we are planning to release new products and software services within the next months already. The transition from Panono GmbH to Professional360 GmbH will not be affecting the current users, as the brand and the website will not change, and we will continue to operate the existing platform. Finally, while all legal liabilities remain with the old Panono GmbH and its management, we as Professional360 GmbH feel morally obliged to find a solution that all early supporters of the Panono technology will be able to enjoy the camera as soon as possible after so many years of waiting. We are working on this and will release new information on this topic shortly.”

    About Professional360 GmbH

    Professional360 GmbH was founded in 2017 and is a holding company for the Panono brand, web shop, assets and employees, headquartered in Berlin. For further information please visit https://www.panono.com/en or send an email to info@panono.com.

    About Panono GmbH

    Panono GmbH was founded in 2012 and gained public attention in its early years, especially through its successful crowdfunding campaigns and the eye-catching spherical design of its cameras. The core business of the company was the development and distribution of high-resolution 360-degree cameras, which produce a high-resolution panorama of their surroundings using their own software solutions.

    About Leonhardt Rattunde

    Leonhardt Rattunde is one of the leading law firms specialised in Insolvency law in Germany. Besides its services in Insolvency Proceedings, the firm also offers turnaround management, court services, contract law and Notary Public services Berlin, Erfurt, Kiel and Cologne. Leonhardt Rattunde employs around 30 lawyers in Germany, 10 of which are Insolvency Administrators and 5 are Public Notaries.

    About Bryanston Group AG

    Bryanston Group is a Swiss-based global management consulting, technology and investment company. The firm’s investment angle combines an active approach with specific sector focuses where they are able to add value. Bryanston deploys its capital mainly along three verticals, which are Industrial Technology, Clean-tech and Emerging Markets middle-class. For further information please visit http://www.bryanston.ch

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • C.P. Goerz launches ‘always-in-focus’ Citograph 35mm lens on Kickstarter

    German startup C.P. Goerz has launched its new ‘always-in-focus’ Citograph 35mm f/8 lens on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter. The Citograph is designed to shoot photos ‘instantly’ by removing the need to manually focus and adjust the lens, with C.P. Goerz claiming that its product ‘may very well revolutionize street photography.’

    The lens features a disc aperture equal to f/8 alongside a 35mm focal length and super-compact design—the Citograph does not have any moving parts.

    “The Citograph 35 was designed specifically for capturing those fleeting, decisive moments that are gone in the flash of an eye,” the company says, explaining that anything located at least 9ft / 2.8m from the camera ranging to infinity will be in focus. Despite its capabilities—or because of them—the lens is described as being among the thinnest in the world.

    Here are a few sample images C.P. Goerz published on Kickstarter:

    C.P. Goerz plans to offer the Citograph 35mm lens in Sony E, Fuji, Nikon, Canon, Pentax, MFT and Leica M mounts.

    Those interested in acquiring this strange WYSIWYG lens can claim a unit by pledging at least $ 220 USD on the Kickstarter campaign (early bird offer). Shipping to backers is estimated to start in March of 2018, with the company planning to launch the product on the retail photography marketing in the Spring of 2018 at an expected retail price of $ 550 USD.

    Technical specs per Kickstarter page:

    • Magnification ratio 1:8
    • Optical construction 4 elements in 3 groups
    • Field of view +/- 31°
    • Distortion ? 1% Light loss max. 27 %
    • Focussing 3m bis ?
    • Filter thread M 37 x 0,75
    • Dimensions Ø 58 mm x 23 mm
    • Weight ±. 120g

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • CIPA figures for May show more good news for camera makers

    The number of cameras made and shipped by manufacturers continues to grow, spelling some positive news for the photo industry. Although the total number of digital still cameras produced in May by members of the Camera and Imaging Products Association was only up by 4.1% in April, the difference over May 2016 was an impressive 42.2%—and by value 38.9%.

    Compact camera and interchangeable lens camera shipments grew by much the same amount, but within the interchangeable lens sector almost two and a half times more mirrorless cameras were produced than last May, while DSLRs grew by only 12.1%.

    By value, production of DSLRs was flat on last year and mirrorless up by 160%, but the number of DSLRs produced is still well ahead of compact system cameras—628,336 units as compared to just 387,287.

    May 2017 figures still fell short of 2015 (the dotted purple line), but far outpaced May of 2016 (the solid black line).

    The association’s figures show that the value of cameras shipped in May was up by 54.5% on the same month last year, with the compact system sector growing by over 200%. While the number of units shipped has also grown, these figures demonstrate a (predictable) movement towards higher priced cameras across the whole industry, and particularly in the mirrorless category.

    The mirrorless bug seems to be quickly catching on in the USA, with the region showing value growth of 390%, but the actual number of models shipped still lags behind Europe and Asia. America seems to have a taste for the more expensive mirrorless models though, with a mean pre-tax price of around $ 720 per camera compared to $ 480 in Europe, $ 500 in Japan and $ 470 in Asia.

    For more information see the CIPA website and our report on April 2017 figures.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • OnePlus 5 performs well in DxOMark Mobile test, misses top spot by three points

    The engineers at DxO Labs have put the brand new OnePlus 5 through the DxOMark Mobile testing process, and the phone did not disappoint.

    With an overall score of 87 points, the Chinese manufacturer’s flagship device has delivered a respectable performance on par with well-liked phones like Huawei’s Leica-branded P10 and Sony’s Xperia XZ. This also puts it only three points behind the top-ranked HTC U11, and one point better than Apple’s ever-popular iPhone 7.

    DxOMark only tested the OnePlus 5 16MP main camera with F1.7 aperture, not the 20MP/F2.6 secondary 2x tele-module. The camera achieves a photo sub-score of 87 points, delivering good results in both bright and low-light situations. The testers were particularly impressed with the vivid color rendition, accurate white balance, good detail and the fast and smooth autofocus system.

    Moving on to video, In the default 1080p/30fps video mode, the OnePlus offers accurate exposure and white balance in all conditions. The testers also liked the quick transition in changing light conditions, the accurate autofocus and the effective stabilization system. This earned the OnePlus a video sub-score of 86 points.

    We are currently working on our own review of the OnePlus 5. Until then, you can read DxOMark’s full test report here.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Dronestagram and Nat Geo crown the best drone photos of 2017

    Winning images from Dronestagram’s fourth annual drone photography contest. Some of the best drone photos in the world.

    Dronestagram just wrapped up its fourth annual drone photography contest. Organized in partnership with National Geographic, the point of the contest is to surface the best drone photos from around the world. Now that the winners have been announced, we’ll let you be the judge of that.

    The aerial photography social network awards prizes in three categories: Nature, Urban and People. They also name three ‘most creative’ photos in no particular order.

    Scroll down to see them all for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments down below:

    Nature

    1st Place: Provence, summer trim by jcourtial

    Lavender harvest in Provence. Photo © jcourtial

    2nd Place: Infinite Road to Transylvania by Calin Stan

    Aerial view of a winding mountain road in Transylvania, Romania. Photo © Calin Stan

    3rd Place: Ice formation by Florian

    Sea ice off the eastern coast of Greenland. Photo © Florian

    People

    1st Place: End of line by Martin Sanchez

    An abstract photo captured one weekend while driving down the New Jersey coast. Photo © Martin Sanchez

    2nd Place: Waterlilu by helios1412

    A woman harvests water lilies in a pond in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. Photo © helios1412

    3rd Place: La Vijanera by feelingmovie

    An aerial photo of La Vijanera, a winter masquerade that takes place in the town of Silió, in Cantabria (Spain), the first Sunday of each year. Photo © feelingmovie

    Urban

    1st Place: Concrete Jungle by bachirm

    Aerial view of the Dubai Marina at sunset. Photo © bachrim

    2nd Place: Dawn on Mercury Tower by alexeygo

    Window washers on the ‘Mercury’ tower in Moscow City. Photo © alexeygo

    3rd Place: Peace by luckydron

    Aerial photo captured in Madrid, Spain. Photo © luckydron

    Most Creative

    Two Moo by LukeMaximoBell

    Two cows take their morning drink in Paarl, South Africa. Photo © LukeMaximoBell

    Next Level by macareuxprod

    A funny and original, video game-inspired pregnancy announcement. Photo © macareuxprod

    Ugo le marin by rga

    A little bit of fun with sand art. Photo © rga

    So, what do you think? Best drone photos in the world? There’s definitely room for debate, but if you want to see more great drone shots like these, the Dronestagram website is a great place to start.

    All photos courtesy of Dronestagram.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)