360Photography

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  • Metabones enables 10 fps shooting with AF for Canon glass on Sony a9

    If you were disappointed by reports that the Sony a9 struggles with long adapted Canon lenses, you might be able to take some comfort from Metabones’ latest firmware update. The update for EF-E Smart Adapter Mark IV/V and EF-E Speed Booster Ultra adds autofocus support for medium and high burst modes on the Sony a9. However, since adapted lens support maxes out at 10 fps with AF, high burst mode simply runs at medium speeds (10 fps electronic, 5 fps mechanical).

    We’ve have had a chance to give this update a go with a number of Canon mount lenses (including Sigma lenses), and are impressed with the results: with wider lenses (85mm and wider), you get phase-detect AF over most of the frame at 10 fps in Wide and Flexible Spot modes. With longer lenses (70-200/2.8, 100-400/4.5-5.6), focus starts to falter outside of the central region – something that doesn’t happen with native E-mount lenses. In L drive mode (3 fps), the camera opens up the aperture in between shots – both for adapted and E-mount lenses, allowing the camera to continue focusing beyond F11 (at frame rates higher than 3 fps, the camera reverts to manual focus at apertures smaller than F11 – with both adapted and native lenses).

    In manual focus mode, you can shoot up to 20 fps with adapted lenses. This is quite an impressive update for the Metabones adapter, and we’ve confirmed it to function significantly better with the a9 than the Sigma adapter (which has yet to issue a firmware update for the a9).

    The firmware is available for download now from Metabones.

    Firmware upgrade for EF-E Smart AdapterTM MARK IV/V and EF-E Speed BoosterTM ULTRA

    RELEVANT PRODUCTS

    This information is for the following models:

    • EF-E Smart AdapterTM MARK IV/V (model number MB_EF-E-BM4 / MB_EF-E-BT4 / MB_EF-E-BT5)
    • EF-E Speed BoosterTM ULTRA (model number MB_SPEF-E-BM2 / MB_SPEF-E-BT2 / MB_SPEF-E-BT3)

    ABOUT THIS DOWNLOAD

    • Name: Firmware update V0.57 for EF-E Smart AdapterTM MARK IV/V and EF-E Speed BoosterTM ULTRA
    • Release date: 26 Jun 2017
    • Benefits and improvements:
      – Added autofocus support during high speed and medium speed continuous drive (up to 10fps) on Sony A9 (“Green” mode only). Experiment with the “Priority Set in AF-C” setting for the best compromise between hit rate and frame rate for your shooting style. Overall performance depends on lens used. The camera does not use hunting while tracking is in operation. If subject movement exceeds the measurement range of the OSPDAF sensor, autofocus pauses. This is by design. The measurement range of the OSPDAF sensor decreases as the focal length increases. Except for the original Mark I Smart Adapter this feature is available for all subsequent Speed Boosters and Smart Adapters.
      – Enlarged PDAF area on supported cameras when adapter is in Advanced mode, with the advisory that AF performance may be unsatisfactory outside of the central portion of the frame.
      – Enabled AF illuminator (Advanced mode only).
      – There is an AF accuracy issue when using AF-S or DMF on Sony A9 and telephoto lenses with Metabones in “Advanced” mode, which affects this and all previous firmware versions. Green mode, which is set by default on Sony A9, is not affected (except for the original Smart Adapter Mark I, which does not support “Green” mode). A9 users are advised to not use “Advanced” mode but stick with the default “Green” mode. In addition, some telephoto lenses rarely exhibit this issue, such as EF 200/2.8L II USM, EF 400/5.6L USM and Tamron 150-600/5-6.3 VC USD A011. Investigation of this issue is still in progress.
      – Fixed AF issue with EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM and EF-S 18-135/3.5-5.6 IS Nano USM lenses.
      – Fixed smooth iris support for 40/2.8 STM, 50/1.8 STM and Sigma 50-100/1.8 DC HSM Art 016.
      – Fixed CN-E 18-80 T4.4 L IS KAS S servo zoom used by the camera’s zoom rocker and the lens’ rocker in alternation.
      – Fixed CN-E 18-80 T4.4 L IS KAS S auto iris when adapter is in Green mode, where extremely bright conditions no longer causes the iris to close completely.
      – Fixed aperture display with Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM lens and Kenko Pro 300 teleconvertter.
      – Corrected W-T zoom scale display in “Advanced” mode for Speed Booster and Kenko Pro 300 teleconverter (except Mark I/II/III and original Speed Booster).
      – Faster aperture diaphragm for still photography in Advanced mode when Live Vide mode is set to Setting Effect OFF.
      – LED (if available) now shows solid magenta when adapter is connected to USB waiting for Metabones App to run.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Sony announces new 20MP 1-inch sensor

    Sony’s sensor division has announced a new 1-inch type sensor with an effective pixel count of 20.48MP. The new CMOS sensor is backside-illuminated and offers an all-pixel global reset function which should drastically reduce rolling shutter effect when panning. The chip can also record 4K 2160p video at up to 60 frames per second and output 12-bit full-resolution images at readout speeds approaching 22 frames per second.

    The new sensor has similar specifications to the chips used in Sony’s RX100 line of high-end compact cameras and RX10 superzoom models but appears to be designed specifically for industrial and surveillance applications. Full specifications are available on the Sony Semiconductor website.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Shoulderpod goes modular

    Shoulderpod, the Spanish makers of the S1 smartphone camera grip and other high-quality mobile camera accessories, which are particularly popular with mobile journalists and videographers, has converted its offerings into a lego-like modular system by from now on offering all individual parts of existing products separately, allowing users to build exactly the rig they need for a specific project or simply replace a damaged part.

    On top of the 4 existing products (G1 Grip, S2 Handle Grip, R2 Pocket Rig and X1 Pro Rig) there are now 9 new parts available for order individually, allowing for attachment of lights, microphones and other accessories:

    • P1 – The Long Plate
    • P2 – The Short Plate
    • H1 – The Handle
    • K1 – The Knob
    • Z1 – The Cold Shoe
    • W1 – The Wrist Strap
    • G1RP – Rubber Pad replacements for G1
    • H1RP – Rubber Pad replacements for H1 and K1
    • U1 – S2 to R2 Upgrade Kit

    “Don´t get tied to a fixed solution” – says Enrique Frisancho, Co-Founder at Shoulderpod – “Start small with one of our basic configurations and grow from there with additional accessories. You can use the advantages of modularity also when travelling. Select only the parts you need before every trip and avoid carrying that heavy backpack full of unnecessary gear.” More information and pricing is available on the Shoulderpod website.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Never before seen photos of Mount St. Helens eruption found in thrift shop camera

    Photographer Kati Dimoff found this camera at a Goodwill in Portland, OR. The undeveloped roll of film inside contained never-before-seen photos of the Mount St. Helens eruption in 1980.

    Photographer Kati Dimoff has developed a curious habit. Whenever she enters a thrift shop, she makes a B-line for the used camera section and checks each and every 35mm camera for exposed but undeveloped rolls of film. Recently, this habit yielded an incredible discovery.

    On May 26th, Dimoff found herself in southeast Portland, OR. And as is her habit, she stopped by the Goodwill on Grand Ave to have a look at their film cameras. This time, she struck pay dirt.

    “I found an Argus C2—which would have been produced around 1938—and it had a damaged roll of kodachrome slide film in it,” she tells DPReview over email. Naturally, she bought it and took it to the folks at Blue Moon Camera and Machine in the St. Johns neighborhood to have it developed.

    When I picked up the prints on Monday, June 12th, there was a note on the package that said ‘Is this from the Mount St. Helens eruption?’

    Kati tells us Blue Moon Camera is one of the last, best places to get old, expired, and out-of-production film processed, and though they couldn’t breathe color back into the iconic Kodachrome film—the developing chemicals were discontinued years ago—they were able to develop the roll in black and white. What awaited her when she picked up the prints was a short note.

    “Blue Moon developed it for me,” she tells us, “and when I picked up the prints on Monday, June 12th, there was a note on the package that said, ‘Is this from the Mount St. Helens eruption?’”

    It was. Three of the photos on the roll were taken on or around that fateful day in 1980 when Mount St. Helens erupted violently—considered by many to be the most disastrous volcanic eruption the United States has ever seen.

    There were three photos in all. The first, which Dimoff says was likely taken from Highway 30, shows St. Helens in the distance with just a puff of ash coming out from the top. That photo may have been taken during the two months prior to the eruption, when the volcano was occasionally causing earthquakes and venting steam.

    The other two photos are more striking. Captured from in front of John Gumm elementary school in St. Helens, Oregon, they show a massive ash cloud—mushroom-like and dramatic.

    But this story doesn’t end with three never-before-seen photos of a historic event captured in 1980 and re-discovered in a thrift shop in 2017 (even though that would be enough for us). There was another photograph on the roll: a family portrait.

    This photo actually helped Dimoff to identify the owner of the camera. Pictured are Mel Purvis, his wife Karen, his grandmother Faye, and his son Tristan. Mel saw the portrait in The Oregonian and reached out to the paper, who put him in touch with Dimoff.

    Now, his grandma’s camera, negatives, and prints are on their way back to their rightful owner.

    All photos courtesy of Kati Dimoff, and used with permission.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Finishing the line: Nikon 28mm F1.4E ED sample gallery

    The Nikon 28mm F1.4E ED has come to the market more than twenty years after the rare and expensive 28mm F1.4D was released in the early ’90s. It’s the latest lens to join the company’s F1.4 professional prime lens lineup, which now has 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 58mm, 85mm and 105mm options – it looks pretty complete to us.

    The 28mm F1.4E adopts an electromagnetic diaphragm mechanism, meaning aperture control is fully electronic, as opposed to Nikon’s older G and D lenses, which feature a mechanical lever on the mount for this purpose. In the real world, this should result in greater exposure accuracy when shooting at high continuous burst speeds.

    The lens is very well-built, features dust and weather-sealing, and the minimum focus distance is less than a foot from the sensor or focal plane.

    We’ve had ours around town, to the beach, a car show and a wedding to suss out what its capable of – find out for yourself.

    See our Nikon 28mm F1.4E ED samples

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Rare Nikon D500 ‘Rex Edition’ still works despite run-in with German Shepherd

    Just a day after purchasing the camera new, a customer of Belgian camera shop PCH brought his Nikon D500 back in with some, uh, unique cosmetic modifications. His German Shepherd ‘Rex’ got ahold of the camera and gave it a bit of a makeover, chewing through most of the lens hood and memory card port cover.

    As highlighted in the video above, the D500’s magnesium-alloy build prevented Rex from doing any real structural damage. And amazingly, the camera seems to be in perfect working condition, aside from a lingering dog-chew-toy-smell noted by PCH. If nothing else, it’s a testament to the D500’s toughness, and reminder to dog owners to keep new cameras out of reach from curious pets.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • OnePlus 5 updated to Oxygen 4.5.2 with camera optimizations and more

    The newly launched OnePlus 5 has been updated to Oxygen OS version 4.5.2, gaining a variety of bug fixes and optimizations, including to the camera. The update is being delivered to handset owners who got their hands on a device early over-the-air. Anyone purchasing a phone starting tomorrow will find the latest OS already installed. Though OnePlus details the phone elements that are improved by the update, it doesn’t go into any details about how they’re optimized.

    The OnePlus 5, like some other recent flagship smartphones, features a dual-camera comprising one 16MP and one 20MP camera. According to the Oxygen OS 4.5.2 changelog, the camera has been ‘optimized’, though no details are provided. The update also brings improved network, Bluetooth, and system stability, as well as better compatibility with third-party apps. The update also fixes the app installation issue that some users experienced and the system update failure bug.

    Via: Android Central

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Pete Souza talks about life as a presidential photographer

    Photojournalist Pete Souza served as the presidential photographer for both Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. In an interview with Pulitzer Prize-winner Marcia Nighswander at Ohio University, he tells the story behind several of his most noteworthy images from the Obama presidency. Some of his most memorable photos of Obama were taken at the Christ the Reedemer statue in Rio and while crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.

    Souza has a popular Instagram account and will be publishing a book with 300 photos from the eight years he spent in the Obama White House.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Google Pixel owners can compete to have their images shown as Chromecast backgrounds

    Who hasn’t spent a few minutes watching Chromecast’s rotation of bliss-inducing, long exposure landscape photography? What better buffer is there between the end of a 30 Rock Netflix marathon and a return to reality than a never-ending loop of HDR cityscapes and peaceful beach sunsets? None better, and now regular folk like us can have our photos considered for inclusion in Chromecast’s screen saver repertoire, provided you own a Google Pixel or Pixel XL.

    If you’re interested in that kind of fame and glory, you can submit photos taken with your Pixel phone to Google’s attention by posting them to Twitter, Instagram or Google+ and tagging it #teampixel. The company is looking for images that fit the established Chromecast background aesthetic, so landscape orientation is recommended, as are landscapes, architecture, wildlife and abstract subjects. Portraits and images with logos are discouraged, extreme HDR treatment optional.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Italian Nikon distributor sets world record for largest human camera

    Nikon is keeping the 100th anniversary party going with a new one-of-a-kind feat: assembling the world’s largest ‘human camera’. Italian distributor Nital and Media Italia put on the event, and over a thousand volunteers answered the call to don black, grey, white and red t-shirts. On June 17th, the human camera components were assembled into the unmistakable shape of a Nikon DSLR.

    In case there was any doubt, a judge from the Guinness World Records was on hand to declare that it was indeed the largest human camera ever created. In any case, it seems like about a thousand people had a decent time and got a free t-shirt and hat out of the deal.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)