360Photography

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  • Sony Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA Sample Gallery

    Sony has just announced its Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens, a high quality normal for its E-mount Alpha line of cameras. At a shooting event in San Diego, we had a chance to go hands-on. It’s a formidable lens, smaller than the 85mm GM with its 72mm filter thread, but significantly larger than the FE 55mm F1.8 ZA already available for the system.

    So what does that extra heft and glass get you besides top notch build quality and ergonomics? Have a look at our gallery where we’ve posted a smattering of real-world portraits at fast apertures shot using Eye AF on the 42MP Alpha 7R II, some shallow focus shots at various apertures to get an idea of axial CA, as well as some infinity horizons at various apertures for the assessment of sharpness (day scene) and coma (night scene).

    We’re duly impressed by the lens’ sharpness across the field wide open, lack of axial CA (green/purple fringing just outside the focal plane), and pleasing bokeh, but to keep things objective, we’ll be following up soon with a brief comparison of these attributes against the already stellar FE 55/1.8 ZA. Look for updates to this gallery as well in the coming days.

    Sony Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA Real World Samples

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Interview: “The best image as fast as possible” – Motorola’s approach to smartphone imaging

    Modern smartphones are essentially pocket-sized mini-computers, capable of dealing with many tasks that not very long ago would have been processed on desktop or laptop computers. The camera module is just one component of many, but more and more consumers are carefully considering camera performance in their buying decision.

    Manufacturers have been well aware for quite some time and are investing heavily to make sure the cameras on their devices can compete with the best. The device division of mobile communication pioneer Motorola for example, which was taken over by Chinese PC makers Lenovo in 2014, first assembled a dedicated camera and imaging team in 2013 when it was still part of Google.

    Since then the brand has launched a number of new devices in its Moto range with a clear focus on imaging performance and features. Most recently the Moto G Plus and the Moto Z and Moto Z Force were the first new models to be officially launched under the Lenovo name. In our first impressions review we were pleasantly surprised by the image output of the mid-range Moto G Plus. Both high-end models, the Moto Z and its sister model Moto Z Force, come with advanced smartphone camera features such as optical image stabilization, on-sensor phase detection autofocus and manual control.

    Val Marchevsky and Kathy Mahoney in the Motorola image testing lab Peter Matsimanis

    We had a chance to speak to some key members of the Motorola imaging team – Kathy Mahoney, Senior Director of Imaging Experiences at Motorola, Val Marchevsky, Senior Director of Engineering – Head of Camera Team, and Peter Matsimanis, Senior Development Manager Imaging – to find out more about the company’s approach to imaging and camera development. Read on to find out what they had to tell us.

    How would you describe Motorola’s strengths and weaknesses in the area of smartphone imaging?

    One of our core strengths is our dedicated camera and imaging team. Motorola has rapidly enhanced our imaging expertise over the past few years thanks to our internal team which has grown to include software and hardware engineers with diverse backgrounds (color science, optics, computer vision and beyond), in addition to external camera/imaging veterans. This team has reimagined the company’s approach and attitude toward camera technologies, ultimately delivering some of Motorola’s best imaging solutions to date, including our very own intellectual property, like Temporal Frame Stacking and PDAF (phase detect autofocus), which continues to drive major improvements and stands out within the industry.

    As for a weakness, I’d say not forming this non-traditional team sooner! Since building our team in 2013, we’ve re-emerged as an industry leader and key player. A lot has changed – for the better – and we look forward to continuing to create industry leading technology that delivers on consumers’ demands for more affordable, thinner smartphones and faster, higher quality cameras. 

    Is there any knowledge exchange happening between the imaging team at Lenovo/Motorola and the manufacturers of “traditional” cameras?

    In recent years, we’ve added top imaging talent to our team from traditional camera manufacturers like Kodak and HP. We also work closely with suppliers that have great knowledge of traditional cameras, as well as being ODMs for those traditional camera manufacturers. We have also been able to transfer a significant number of top engineering talent from within Motorola to our imaging team, in order to capitalize on their system integration expertise and to also provide cutting edge solutions to enhance the user experience.

    Leveraging 80+ years of embedded systems development, we’ve designed cameras that are truly best-in-class. Our plan for the future is to create common imaging experiences across all our products that will universally delight consumers around the world.

    What are consumers most looking for in terms of image quality and how is Motorola currently meeting these needs and/or innovating behind them for the future?

    Consumers are looking for great image quality in all conditions – low light, bright light, landscapes, selfies, sporting events and more. At Motorola, we’re constantly evaluating imaging solutions to identify those that will deliver under all of these conditions and ultimately provide consumers with a higher quality experience that enhances the memories captured with their smartphone cameras. This includes improving image detail, color accuracy and white balance for all of our devices.

    What camera and imaging features are most important to consumers? And how is Motorola working to improve these features in future devices?

    We feel what consumers are looking for and what’s important to them go hand-in-hand. Ultimately, what most people really want – and deserve – is a camera that automatically delivers amazing photos and videos that capture the full essence of their experience. We’re focused on continuing to develop enhanced hardware and intelligent algorithms that deliver unbelievable quality and simplicity, but also enable creative freedom.

    In which areas can we expect smartphone cameras to make the biggest improvements in the short and long term?

    In the short term, we’ll see strides towards improved performance to deliver bright, detail-rich, noise-free photos and videos in low light environments. Many smartphones on the market take low light pictures that are bright, but lack detail due to over-cleaning. We know that to achieve high-quality low light performance, you need to capture more light with bigger pixels and faster apertures. We see this trend continuing. We also expect to see this capability across all price tiers, and we feel Moto G Plus is paving the way.

    In the longer term, at Motorola, we continue to address areas of concern for hardware with lasers, better lenses and lower megapixels with large pixels to enhance low light image quality. We also continue to hone in on smart camera experiences, utilizing computer vision and artificial intelligence to provide users the best image, as fast as possible.

    Intelligent software not only maximizes the capabilities of hardware, but also leverages the depth of information available from the device. By using device sensors to detect the environment (light, motion, location, etc.), the software is able to deliver better quality images and richer experiences. It turns your camera into an access point for instant information that can help quickly analyze and identify your surroundings.

    The Moto 4G offers impressive camera specs for a mid-range device, including a 1/2.4″ sensor and an AF system that uses both on-chip phase detection and a laser to measure subject distance.

    The Moto G Plus is, in most respects, a mid-range device, but comes with a high-end camera specification. What was the decision process behind this design and specification?

    Consumers depend on great imaging performance each and every day for all of their communication needs, and it was a priority for us when designing Moto G Plus to offer excellent camera systems. Moto G Plus has a 16MP camera, fast apertures, laser and PDAF focus technologies and a wide-angle front camera lens, rivaling some of the best premium smartphone cameras on the market. Putting this technology in the hands of a diverse global consumer audience is a unique opportunity, and we find it particularly rewarding to help them capture life’s most important moments.

    The Moto G Plus comes with three focus methods: contrast detect, phase detection and laser. How difficult is it to combine those and what are the benefits of this combination? 

    Moto G Plus has an extremely responsive focus system that delivers crystal-clear photography under all conditions; low light to bright light, subjects close-by and distant landscapes. To do this effectively requires multiple focus technologies and the real-time intelligence to know which is best for current conditions. Picking just one or two is simply not good enough. Our philosophy is to maximize output from each focus system and use modern computational methods to calculate the ideal lens position.

    Phase Detect Autofocus does a great job quickly finding focus in bright light settings and when the object of interest is farther away, like in landscapes and at sporting events. Laser focus, sometimes referred to as “time-of-flight,” picks up in low light environments and when subjects are close-by, like restaurants and nightclubs. Contrast focus augments each of these technologies to ensure precise focus across a range of light and subjects.

    Getting all three to work synergistically is not an easy task, which is why most competitors pick either PDAF or laser (not both), and then augment with contrast. We believe every picture can and should be the best it can, which is why we’ve included all three technologies in Moto G Plus. We’ve also invested in a tremendous amount of simulation tools, deep learning and advanced statistic engines to ensure Moto G Plus covers the endless range of photos and videos consumers want to capture. We will continue to drive advancements in these multi-focus technologies to advance the speed and accuracy of Moto smartphone cameras going forward.

    Are manual camera controls, like the Professional mode on Moto G Plus, a niche feature or something that more users will be expecting in a device in the future?

    Consumer needs are extremely diverse, especially on a global scale. Most people simply want a great camera – just point and shoot in any condition, but there are others who are more avid photographers and want more out of their mobile imaging experience. We’ve heard from this particular group of photographic aficionados through blogs, the Google Play store, and even directly, that they want features like the professional mode on Moto G Plus that provides greater control and options to create a specific look without a point-and-shoot or DSLR. We’re making great progress towards addressing even more of these needs, and are providing a wider variety of options for more amateur photographers as well to capture every moment exactly how they want to capture it.

    The latest generation of Moto devices, including the Moto Z pictured above and the Moto G Plus, all feature manual control over essential shooting parameters, such as shutter speed, ISO and white balance.

    Kathy, you have many years of experience at digital imaging pioneers Kodak. How have you leveraged your past experience in your current role at Motorola?

    Kathy: I was fortunate enough to be a part of the start of digital imaging with Kodak, working alongside many talented and intelligent imaging engineers. That experience gave me a solid foundation of understanding around what it takes to deliver truly high-quality imaging systems.

    Fundamentally, delivering great imaging is so much more than ‘counting megapixels.’ Cameras are complex and require many technologies to deliver great photography. For example, strong low-light performance demands systems that can capture more light, including big pixels and fast apertures, while attaining fast accurate focus requires multiple focus technologies and the smarts to know which one to use under the current conditions.

    My past experiences also helped me realize how important photography really is to consumers’ daily lives, as well as the impact (and consequences) of poor quality. Imaging is how we communicate, relive and memorize our life experiences. I am passionate about ensuring Motorola’s camera technology continues to deliver amazing experiences that consumers can count on to be there when they need it.

    What lessons have you learned throughout your career in imaging and photography? What words of wisdom would you give to someone just starting in the field?

    Kathy: Throughout my career I have learned how important it is to follow your dreams and choose opportunities that you are passionate about. With passion, you’ll always achieve incredible results. Having worked on some of the first commercial digital cameras, the first photo kiosk, digital minilabs, thermal printers, retail printing systems and online photo services, I have spent my career helping people capture, share and relive their lives.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Put a stamp on it: The astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    The Astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    Star trails and aurora over Mount Rainier from Reflection Lakes. This photograph was selected by the United States Postal Service for a new ‘Forever Stamp’ celebrating the National Park Service 2016 centennial.

    The year 2016 is the centennial anniversary of the U.S. National Park Service, which manages over 400 parks, monuments, and historical places across the United States. To observe this anniversary, the U.S. Postal Service recently issued a special series of stamps celebrating the National Parks, featuring images from 16 parks across the country.

    One of those images was taken by astrophotographer Matt Dieterich of Morgantown, WV, whose image of star trails over Mt. Rainier was selected by the Postal Service for this historic series of stamps. The opportunity couldn’t have happened to a better person: not only is Matt an accomplished photographer, he’s an enthusiastic supporter of the National Parks, and even spent a summer working at Mt. Rainier National Park in Washington state. On the following pages, Matt gives us some insight into his photography, how his image ended up on a postage stamp, and why the National Parks are such an important resource.

    If you would like to own a part of history, Matt is offering a limited-edition series of prints featuring the image of Mt. Rainier that appears on the stamp. Head over to his website for more information.

    The Astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    This large Milky Way panorama was created from 14 individual images.

    How did you discover astronomy, and at what point did your interest in astronomy translate into astrophotography?

    “When I was about 10 years old my godparents gave me a telescope. Then, when I was about 16 I got another one for Christmas. It was just a little one, but it had a computer on it and you could tell it where to go. I could have it point to Jupiter, the Orion Nebula, or anything I wanted. It was really cool, but I wanted to show people what I was seeing, because being outside by the telescope all by yourself wasn’t as much fun. The only way I could do that was to connect a camera to the telescope.”

    “I originally bought a film SLR, but the images turned out horrible. Later that year my parents helped me buy a DSLR, and from then on it was history because I could get instant results from the digital camera. That’s what I needed to learn quickly with astrophotography – it’s trial and error and experimentation. Going through high school it helped spur my interest in science; there’s an experimental thought process and you never give up on trying to figure out what’s wrong when you take a photo, and how to improve it.”

    The Astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    The Milky Way, with light pollution from Portland, Oregon, captured from Mt. Rainier National Park.

    Was your experience in astronomy, and astrophotography in particular, part of what inspired you to study sciences in college and graduate school?

    “It was. The reason I went into geology and environmental science was because I love being outside. I like understanding why the earth looks the way it does. Why am I seeing what I’m seeing? To me, it’s motivation to learn more about what’s around us as humans. The night sky is something that we don’t all get to experience a lot. Everyone’s usually asleep, and many people don’t fully understand what’s above our heads because of the city lights.”

    “My background and interest in photography definitely pushed me towards a career that would give me the time and opportunity to take photographs.”

    The Astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    The Milky Way as seen from Zion National Park in Utah. Matt took this photo from his campground and remembers how much it inspired the other campers to look at his photos of the night sky.

    Your portfolio has amazing images from lots of places, but something that really jumps out are all the photos of the night sky in National Parks. What’s special about the National Parks that makes them such a great place for your photography?

    “The National Parks serve as islands – islands of protected resources. Just like the meadows and the trees and the animals, the parks serve to protect the night sky. That’s the purpose of National Parks in general. They’re regions that are to remain unchanged by man, and the night skies across National Parks are phenomenal, especially out west where the elevation is high and where climates are dry. Southern Utah, Death Valley, and other regions like that are pretty inhospitable to humans, and as a result you’re going to get some pretty amazing landscapes and night skies.”

    The Astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    Matt decided to have a little fun with this image captured in Badlands National Park in South Dakota, and pointed his flashlight toward the galactic arm stretching across the sky.

    Are you hoping to inspire other people to discover astronomy, or to go to the National Parks and have their own park experiences?

    “Oh, without a doubt. The goal of my photography is to get everyone, but especially kids, involved in astronomy. All it took for me was a photograph, looking at an astronomy magazine, or a book about space, when I was a kid. It gets the hamster wheel in your head turning and your imagination going. It really gets you thinking. You never know what a kid will dream about just from a simple photograph of say, the Milky Way, or Earth from space. Also, I want to inspire people to get out and enjoy the National Parks that we have, because they belong to all of us. They’re amazing to experience in person and they can really humble you.”

    The Astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    Matt Dieterich, appearing at an event to support Washington’s National Park Fund, posing with the photo that now appears on a special-issue postage stamp honoring the U.S. National Park Service.

    It’s often said that luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity; it seems that this was true in your case. Can you share the story of how your photo of Mt. Rainier was selected for a postage stamp?

    “It’s a fun story. A year ago I was working at Mt. Rainier. I had finished grad school and wanted to work as a night sky ranger. I’ve always dreamed about going on a road trip and just taking photos. I drove 3,500 miles form Pittsburg to Mt. Rainier and stopped at parks along the way. When I was working there I used every free chance to go outside at night, to roam the park and capture the night sky. By August, I had a handful of great photos taken in the park.”

    “One day my boss emailed me and said that someone in Washington, DC, was looking for photos of people looking through a telescope. I sent them what I had, but they couldn’t use it because I didn’t have a model release. So I just sent them the rest of my gallery of Mt. Rainier, and within an hour or two they responded in all caps, just loving the photo of Mt. Rainier with the star trails and aurora. Within a day they got back to me and said ‘Hey, this is going to be a stamp. But you can’t say anything about it until it gets released.’”

    “The person at the Postal Service told me they had been working on this for years, and all of a sudden – rush, rush, rush – they needed a photo of the night sky. It’s kind of amazing when I think about it, but I’m just very humbled by the fact that they liked my photograph so much.”

    The Astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    The Milky Way with green airglow over Glacier National Park in Montana.

    Having your image on a postage stamp is a rare, and likely once-in-a-lifetime, opportunity. What is it like knowing that one of your photos is part of this history? Does it have special meaning given your relationship with the National Parks?

    “It’s very humbling. I’m kind of at a loss for words. It’s an honor to be able to represent the Park Service and also promote the night skies. As a person trying to get my name out there for my photography… I never expected it to happen in this manner. The irony is that when I started working at Mt. Rainier they went around the room of interpretive rangers asking what our goal was for the summer. I’ll never forget; I said that if I could take one good photograph, I would be happy. Looking back now, it hits me hard knowing that this is something people are going to enjoy for the rest of time. It’s pretty remarkable.”

    The Astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    Matt captured this Milky Way photo over a muddy pond in Arches National Park, in Utah, after hiking up to Delicate Arch. He liked the mud in the foreground, and the standing water made for a great Milky Way reflection.

    Does an image on a postage stamp have the power to connect people you’ve never met to the National Parks? Can it inspire them to visit one?

    “Sure. I definitely think so. When I gave my thank-you speech in New York City [at the official unveiling of the stamp series] I had this gentleman come up to me afterward. He was crying, saying how much it was a remarkable photo. He had some emotional connection to it, because I don’t think I gave an amazing speech that would bring someone to tears. But there was something about this photo… He had some emotional experience with the mountain and that photo was really meaningful.”

    “It’s not the experience I expected when I went out to take the photo, but if that photo gets people to go outside, to look up, then that’s all I wanted to do. I want them to experience it. To me, the night sky is very emotional. It’s a human connection that I want everyone to experience. Maybe some people won’t feel it, but for many people it could really be life changing. What I’ve seen through my work, shooting the night sky, is that people are blown away because it’s not what they’re able to see every day. It’s very powerful, and the fact that a photograph could do that is astonishing.”

    The Astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    Matt shot this Milky Way panorama with northern lights from Mt. Rainier National Park in Washington.

    What type of equipment do you use for your work?

    “Oh, I just use a disposable camera. No – I’m kidding. I use a Nikon D750. It’s a great full frame, low-noise camera for night sky photography, and is great for capturing wide views of the sky. I also use a Rokinon 24mm F1.4 lens, an Induro tripod with a ball head, and a shutter release intervolameter cable.”

    “The Rokinon is great, but it definitely has a lot of coma, because I shoot wide open. I shoot F1.4 because my goal is to collect as much light as I can. When I’m doing a time-lapse I need to take as many frames as I can, and it takes 30 images to make a one second time-lapse video. I also have the Nikon 14-24mm F2.8 which is amazing as well, and it has practically no coma wide open. It’s pretty amazing, but you get what you pay for at $ 2,000. I have a D800 as well. I’ll use the D750 for a time-lapse while roaming around taking other photos with my D800.”

    The Astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    Milky Way over Haystack Rock on Cannon Beach in Oregon.

    How much post-processing is involved in your work? Is it a matter of just exposing correctly, or are there techniques that are important?

    “After doing this for many years I’ve gone through different periods, and I guess, as an artist, that’s the way you change. In the beginning, I would process things very heavily because you have do do that when shooting through a telescope. You stretch the data. You physically stretch the histogram, but you have to make sure that everything is in that window of available dynamic range to avoid blowing the highlights or clipping the blacks. Working through the telescope you have to take calibration frames. You have to take not just one photo of the Orion Nebula, you’re taking a hundred. The more photos, the better, because you’re going to stack them like a sandwich, and it reduces the long exposure noise that cameras produce.”

    “Then I transitioned to night sky work with just a camera and tripod. You see a lot of artistic images now and it’s possible to change the way an image looks, but I try to keep it natural. However, by stretching the data you’re already taking it beyond anything you’re physically going to see with the naked eye.”

    “It’s tough to replicate exactly what you’re seeing, but I try to be natural and be gentle with the images. It’s what I want to do more of now. For example, in my Cannon Beach shot, I’m standing there on the beach with the Milky Way. I tried to process that very gingerly, bringing up the Milky Way just a little bit, and darkening the sides of the sky to make the Milky Way stand out just a little bit more. Folks fell in love with that. That’s my most liked Instagram photo and I think it’s because it looks real.”

    The Astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    The Milky Way and Perseid meteor shower over Mt. Rainier.

    A lot of photographers use apps that help see what’s in the night sky, or to plan their shoot. Are there any particular apps that you recommend?

    “I know a lot of photographers, including night sky photographers, who swear by some of these apps on their phone. But when I was living at Mt. Rainier I was under the night sky every night, so I learned where things were going to be and how to frame and set things up. My general rule of thumb was ‘Okay, the sun rises in the East and sets in the West,’ and knowing the constellations as well. If folks just get a star map or star chart to learn the constellations, that’s important during meteor showers to know where the meteors are coming from.”

    “Once you can point out a few objects in the night sky then you know them. You’ll know them for the rest of your life. No matter where you go – as long as you stay in the same hemisphere – the sky is going to be the same. It might change a little as you move from Mt. Rainier to Big Bend in Texas, where you get closer to the southern horizon, but other than that it’s a matter of learning some basics and getting out there. I haven’t used any apps for planning shoots, but I know a lot of people swear by them, and maybe one day I’ll try to find a benefit for using them.”

    The Astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    The Milky Way appearing to erupt out of the summit of Mt. Rainier, a dormant volcano.

    What other National Parks are high on your list of places to shoot?

    “Oh, goodness… Let’s see… I was only at Yellowstone for one night and I didn’t get to pull out my camera because the clouds came in. So I think Yellowstone, because the night skies are amazing there. Big Bend National Park is on my list too because they have some of the darkest skies in the U.S., and I haven’t been there yet. I’d go back to one of the parks in Utah again, probably Bryce Canyon. I haven’t been to the Grand Canyon, either, but I’ve seen photos from there and the skies are remarkable. So there’s a lot. There’s a long list, but those are a few that I’d try to go to.”

    The Astrophotography of Matt Dieterich

    Matt created this panorama from 16 frames and shows the Milky Way right before dawn in Glacier National Park in Montana. He was able to use the soft light of dawn to illuminate the foreground stream.

    What are your long term goals as a photographer? What do you hope to accomplish?

    “I want to use my images to keep advocating, to use those images to inspire people, as well as doing public speaking and writing. People can relate to an image. It grabs them, and it’s another way we can connect them to protecting natural resources like the night sky. It’s something we can reclaim, but it’s something we’ve lost touch with, especially from city lights.”

    “We’re at a point in time that we can really have an impact and can improve the night sky, but it’s only going to come through educating people and bringing them out into the night sky, bringing them to the resource. Photography does that. You can bring it right to their desk, but my goal is to get them outside because that way we can get them emotionally connected to it.”

    “If we don’t get people emotionally connected to a resource, what’s the likelihood they will want to protect it? Whether it’s bison in Yellowstone, or elk in Rocky Mountain National Park, it’s the emotional connection that drives people wanting to do something, and that’s the real goal of my photography.”

    For more information on Matt’s photography, or to purchase a print of the photo that appears on the postage stamp, you can visit his website. You can also follow him on Instagram.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Dodging, burning… microwaving? A look inside Ansel Adams’ darkroom

    In a recent interview with Marc Silber of Advancing Your Photography, Ansel Adams’ son Michael gives a tour of his father’s darkroom.

    The basics are all there, but by and large, they were designed by Adams for the space he was in. Sure, the dodge-and-burn stick is literally a stick with some cardboard taped to it, but the enlarger and wall mount are both on a custom-built track, and can be moved independently toward or away from each other depending on Adams’ needs. The light source in the enlarger is actually 30 individual light sources, each with its own switch for the utmost control over a negative’s illumination.

    My favorite part? When Michael details how his father tested exposures with a new image. It’s pretty standard up until the end, when he says that Adams would routinely microwave the test print – it would dry faster that way, and the best way to ascertain the correct exposure is with a dry print. The more you know!

    It’s a fascinating look back into the world of film and physical prints, and a reminder that creativity and control don’t necessarily require the fanciest equipment money can buy. 

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • 3rd annual International Drone Photography Contest winners announced

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    Dronestagram has announced the winners of its third annual International Drone Photography Contest. Three winners were selected in each of the following categories: ‘Travel,’ ‘Sports Adventure,’ and ‘Nature Wildlife.’ According to National Geographic, which was one of the contest’s sponsors, Dronestagram received 5900 entries from photographers across 28 countries.

    The Dronestagram contest seeks out the best photographs taken with a drone, and deliberately looks for images that couldn’t have been taken any other way. According to Dronestagram marketing and development head Guillaume Jarret who spoke with Nat Geo, ‘A great drone picture is a picture that you immediately identify as a drone photo. It is taken at a low altitude, near the target of the picture.’

    The winners are:

    Travel category: 

    • 1st place: Francesco Cattuto’s “Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Umbria, Italy”
    • 2nd place: Todd Kennedy’s “Cable Beach”
    • 3rd place: Karolis Janulis’ “Summer camp of Gran Canaria”

    Sports Adventure category:

    • 1st place: maxseigal’s “Moab Rock Climbing”
    • 2nd place: losmanesdeldrone’s “Complejo Acuático Norte de Santander”
    • 3rd place: High Angle Shot’s “Chugach Mountain Range, Alaska”

    Nature Wildlife category:

    • 1st place: mbernholdt’s “Kalbyris forest Denmark”
    • 2nd place: Szabolcs Ignacz’s “Swarm of sheep”
    • 3rd place: Jonathan Payet’s “Piton de la fournaise, Volcano”

    Via: Dronestagram

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Samsung launches first removable UFS memory cards

    Samsung has announced that it intends to produce the first removable versions of a new format of memory cards designed, it says, to replace the microSD card in portable electronic devices such as cameras, drones and phones.

    The Universal Flash Storage cards are as small as microSD cards but boast enhanced read/write speeds, with the company claiming that 5GB can be read in just 10 seconds at a rate of 530MB/s. The write speeds a less impressive however, with a quoted maximum of 170MB/s, but Samsung says that is still almost twice the speed of a top end microSD card. The company says its cards will write at 170MB/s, which compares well to the 100MB/s rate quoted by SanDisk for its Extreme Pro UHS-II cards. The same SanDisk card reads at 275MB/s.

    Although the format was announced in a white paper (pdf) in 2013, and Samsung announced its plans in February, this is the first time the cards appeared to become a reality with compliance with the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) standards.

    The company expects to introduce capacities of 32, 64,128 and 256GB, but hasn’t said when or whether there will be devices to take them.

    Press release:

    Samsung Introduces World’s First Universal Flash Storage (UFS) Removable Memory Card Line-up, Offering up to 256-Gigabyte (GB) Capacity

    Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today unveiled the industry’s first removable memory cards based on the JEDEC Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 1.0 Card Extension Standard*, for use in high-resolution mobile shooting devices such as DSLRs, 3D VR cameras, action cams and drones. Coming in a wide range of storage capacities including 256, 128, 64 and 32 gigabyte (GB), Samsung’s UFS cards are expected to bring a significant performance boost to the external memory storage market, allowing much more satisfying multimedia experiences.

    “Our new 256GB UFS card will provide an ideal user experience for digitally-minded consumers and lead the industry in establishing the most competitive memory card solution,” said Jung-bae Lee, senior vice president, Memory Product Planning & Application Engineering, Samsung Electronics “By launching our new high-capacity, high-performance UFS card line-up, we are changing the growth paradigm of the memory card market to prioritize performance and user convenience above all.”

    Samsung’s new 256GB UFS removable memory card ? simply referred to as the UFS card will provide greatly improved user experiences, especially in high-resolution 3D gaming and high-resolution movie playback. It provides more than five times faster sequential read performance compared to that of a typical microSD card, reading sequentially at 530 megabytes per second (MB/s) which is similar to the sequential read speed of the most widely used SATA SSDs. With this UFS card, consumers have the ability to read a 5GB, Full-HD movie in approximately 10 seconds, compared to a typical UHS-1 microSD card, which would take over 50 seconds with 95MB/s of sequential reading speed. Also, at a random read rate of 40,000 IOPS, the 256GB card delivers more than 20 times higher random read performance compared to a typical microSD, which offers approximately 1,800 IOPS.

    When it comes to writing, the new 256GB UFS card processes 35,000 random IOPS, which is 350 times higher than the 100 IOPs of a typical microSD card, and attains a 170MB/s sequential write speed, almost doubling the top-end microSD card speed. With these substantial performance improvements, the new 256GB UFS card significantly reduces multimedia data downloading time, photo thumbnail loading time and buffer clearing time in burst shooting mode, which, collectively, can be particularly beneficial to DSLR camera users. To shoot 24 large/extra fine JPEG photographs (1,120 megabyte (MB)-equivalent) continuously with a high-end DSLR camera, the 256GB UFS card takes less than seven seconds, compared to a UHS-1 microSD card which typically takes about 32 seconds, at 35MB/s.

    To achieve the highest performance and most power-efficient data transport, the UFS card supports multiple commands with command queuing features and enables simultaneous reading and writing through the use of separately dedicated paths, doubling throughput.

    As the leading memory storage provider, Samsung has been aggressive in preparing UFS solutions for the marketplace, while contributing to JEDEC standardization of the Universal Flash Storage 2.0 specification in September 2013 and the Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 1.0 Card Extension standard in March 2016. Following its introduction of the industry-first 128GB embedded UFS chip in January 2015, the company successfully launched a 256GB embedded UFS memory for high-end mobile devices in February of this year. As of earlier this month, Samsung also completed the Universal Flash Storage Association** (UFSA)’s certification program that evaluates electrical and functional specifications for compatibility of a UFS card, and Samsung’s new UFS card products were approved as UFSA-certified UFS cards with the right to use the official UFS logo for the first time in the industry.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Phottix launches Spartan multi-purpose beauty dish/softbox

    Lighting and accessories manufacturer Phottix has launched a new light modifier for studio heads and hotshoe guns that can be used as a beauty dish as well as an octa softbox. The Spartan is collapsible, uses flexible rods for its assembly and comes in 20″ and 28″ sizes. The central metal diffuser of the beauty dish configuration can be removed and users just have to attach the front diffuser panel to switch it to a softbox. A set of clasps along the rod housings allow a second diffuser to be attached directly in front of the light source, to create an extra diffused effect.

    To make the light from the softbox more directional Phottix supplies its standard egg-crate grid that attaches to the inner circumference of the dish just in front of the forward diffuser.

    The Spartan comes with a Bowens S-Type mount which fits the Phottix Indra heads, but speed rings are available for most other studio heads. The company’s Cerberus hotshoe flash mount is also compatible with the Spartan, so standard hotshoe speedlights can be mounted to the back of the modifier.

    The Phottix Spartan is available now and costs $ 120 for the 20in model and $ 145 for the 28in model. For more information visit the Phottix website.

    Manufacturer information:

    Meet the Phottix Spartan Beauty Dish

    Introducing the Phottix Spartan Beauty Dish. The perfect on-location light modifier, the Phottix Spartan assembles easily using flexible rods, a huge benefit over the time-consuming setup of traditional octa softboxes.

    The Phottix Spartan collapsible beauty dish is made from high-grade materials. The white interior produces softer, more even light. Included in the kit are a metal beauty dish “disk”, baffle, front diffuser and fabric grid.

    The Phottix Spartan is more than just a beauty dish—it quickly transforms into a traditional octa softbox by replacing the metal diffuser with the internal baffle. Add the outer diffuser for even more softness and the grid to make the light directional. All with the speed and ease that will make Phottix Spartan your first choice in light modifiers.

    The Phottix Spartan comes in two popular sizes – 50cm / 20 inches and 70cm / 28 inches – perfect for single subjects and couples. Use with the award-winning Phottix Indra series of studio lights or mount to the Phottix Cerberus Hot Shoe Flash Mount.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Under pressure: Canon vs. Nikon in a hydraulic press

    It’s a question photographers have been asking since time immemorial – or since the 1970s, at any rate: which is best? Canon or Nikon? The brave souls over at the Hydraulic Press Channel are committed to finding out. And they’re going to do so in the only way they know how – by using a hydraulic press. In the yellow corner: a Nikon FA. In the red corner: a Canon AE-1. 

    We don’t want to ruin the outcome of this unconventional two-way test before you’ve watched the video (apart from anything else, we’re far from clear on the criteria of the contest) but we dare you to only watch it once.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • FLM CP-Travel tripod aims for ultimate in portability and versatility

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    German photo accessory manufacturer FLM is launching a new travel tripod on indiegogo. The CP-Travel will be made of ten layers of carbon fiber and will be able to support up to 10kg/22lb of gear. When fully collapsed, the tripod will fit in a carry-on suitcase, with a maximum height of 142cm/55.9in when completely extended.

    The CP-Travel offers interchangeable rubber and spiked feet, using a revamped changing system that the company calls more secure and better able to dampen vibrations. Seeking funding to send the CP-Travel tripod into production, FLM is offering early bird discounts to its first backers. The company anticipates a final $ 635 MSRP when it becomes available in October.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Light raises $30M and provides update on L16 multi-lens camera

    Light, the startup that is developing the L16 multi-lens computational camera, has raised $ 30M in venture capital in a series C round of funding led by GV (formerly Google Ventures). The company says it will use the additional funds to scale its global supply chain in order to deal with customer demand.

    The company has also announced some changes to the L16’s specification after listening to feedback from its pre-order customers. Many voiced a preference for a wider angle of view at the short end of the zoom range, and the L16 will now provide a 28-150mm optical zoom equivalent instead of the initially announced 35-150mm.

    Additionally, the camera will ship with 256GB of built-in memory instead of the 128GB listed in the original specifications. You can see the fully updated L16 specifications here and watch the video below to see how the prototype cameras are being manufactured.

     

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)