Corephotonics, a provider of computational camera solutions based in Israel has launched a new dual-camera module for smartphones called Hawkeye. Hawkeye combines a standard 13MP camera module with a second 13MP module that uses proprietary folded optics. Read more
Category: Uncategorized
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Visual appetite: Eric Wolfinger’s food photography
Eric Wolfinger is a traveling food photographer who spent six years cooking and baking professionally before working behind the lens. An immersive photographer known for weaving practical instruction with powerful storytelling, the cookbooks he shoots go on to become the classics of their category. His first project, ‘Tartine Bread,’ was nominated for a James Beard Award and is now in its ninth printing. Twelve books later he is still hungry and on the move.
In this presentation from PIX 2015, Eric takes us on a journey that includes baking bread in San Francisco, scuba diving in Korea to photograph fishermen, and details the challenges of photographing an entire book within the confines of a restaurant kitchen in Manhattan. He also reminds us that no job is too small in pursuit of your dreams.
If you’re feeling hungry and want to see more mouthwatering food photos, visit Eric’s website for a visual feast.
See more videos from PIX 2015
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SD card 5.0 protocol supports up to 8K video recording but risks confusion
The SD Association (SDA) has introduced a Video Speed Class rating, designed to identify cards capable of 8K, 4K, 3D and 360° video capture. The speed class, which guarantees minimum sustained performance, comprises five ratings: V6 (6MB/sec), V10 (10MB/sec), V30 (30MB/sec), V60 (60MB/sec) and V90 (90MB/sec).
Part of the Secure Digital 5.0 standard, the Video Speed Class ratings not only make use of the latest (and future) NAND technologies but are also closely tied to them. As such, a V30 card is only guaranteed to give sustained 30MB/sec performance when paired with a device that can make use of the relevant data transfer methods. In older devices it may give lower performance.
The SD Association’s intention is that device makers will specify the Video Speed Class requirements (and hence compatibility) of their devices so that customers know to buy a card of that rating or higher.
It all looks fairly simple until you realize that a V30 card may only operate at Class 10/U1 speeds if the device can’t make use of its transfer behavior. This explains why the SDA hasn’t just expanded the UHS speed class system, but risks adding further confusion if device makers don’t communicate their devices’ requirements much more prominently. Another fine mess?
Unhelpfully, the latest speed classes will come in addition to the existing need to consider card type (SDHC or SDXC) and interface standard (UHS-I and UHS-II), and will run in parallel with the two current speed rating systems (Class 1-10 and U1/U3), which have confused consumers up until now. And, no doubt, card makers will complicate matters still further by quoting maximum read and write speeds, which do nothing to tell you whether a card will be fit for purpose (or any faster in real-world use).
To illustrate the current complexity: shooting XAVC S video on the latest Sony cameras requires an SDXC card (which can handle larger individual files), and one that’s rated U3 to capture 4K. So, in this instance, the cards pictured at the top of this story, for all their promises of 240MB/s write speeds, would fail on both counts.
The Video Speed Class rating system doesn’t appear to simplify this system, since an SDHC card still could not record 4K on current Sony cameras, no matter what V rating is printed on it. The new system appears to do a good job of ensuring SD cards are able to make the best use of the next generations of memory technology, but will require widespread cooperation and communication to avoid even more customer confusion.
Products supporting the new Video Speed Class are anticipated to arrive on the market ‘soon.’
Via: SD Association
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CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the Nikon D5/D500
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
Nikon is starting off the year strong with the announcement of the D5 and D500, the KeyMission 360, and the DL compacts announced for CP+ 2016. We got our hands on the D5 and D500 and have been very impressed by our initial, informal testing. AF is much improved, as are ergonomics. We’re working on a video to demonstrate what we consider to be ground-breaking AF performance, but in the meantime we thought we’d also put together a slideshow highlighting some new things we found while digging through the D5 and D500 menus, and give you an idea of the extensive customization options available.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
First off is the autofocus menu, where you’ll note a couple of new features. You can now turn face detection on and off during viewfinder AF-C shooting, with the ‘3D-tracking face-detection’ option. Helpfully, Nikon’s new 180k-pixel RGB metering sensor is more than capable of discerning a face – even the eye of a face.
3D-tracking gains a ‘3D-tracking watch area’ customization, with options for a ‘Normal’ or ‘Wide’ watch area. We believe this affects how wide of a search region the camera should look over when tracking a subject around the frame. Frankly, the default setting has always worked so remarkably well that we’re not sure what switching it from its default (‘Normal’) will do, but we’re curious to put it to the test soon.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
‘Focus tracking with lock-on’ gains some new customization. Previously, this option just had a setting of 1 to 5, with higher numbers biasing toward ‘sticking’ to a subject rather than being distracted by a different object that passes in front of it. Nikon has now broken this setting down to allow you to separately customize how long the camera should wait before refocusing to a subject that passes in front of your initially acquired subject, and how erratic the movement of your subject is.
It’s unclear if ‘Subject motion’ refers to how erratic an object switches between approaching and receding motion, vs. how erratic the subject is in terms of X-Y movement around the frame. We’ll investigate this once we have one in for testing, but the tailoring should help the user adapt the camera to a wider range of shooting scenarios.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
While this isn’t new, we though it worth pointing out that Nikon tends to offer four different settings for release vs. focus priority in AF-C (continuous).
Release prioritizes ‘taking the shot’ over focus, while ‘focus’ prioritizes acquiring focus before releasing the shutter. Focus+release prioritizes focus for the 1st shot, prioritizing release for later frames, while release+focus prioritizes firing the shutter for the 1st shot, but requiring focus before release for subsequent shots.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
The D500 can illuminate the focus screen red, but you can turn this off if you so desire. Unfortunately, the camera can only flash the point(s) red when either selecting them, activating an AF point, or when focus is acquired. It cannot keep focus points lit red as you track a subject or fire a burst. That’s reserved for Nikon’s flagship…
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
… the D5 (and its recent predecessors). Unlike the D500, the D5 can continuously keep AF points lit red, which helps you see the active point as the camera follows a subject around the frame in, say, 3D-tracking mode.
You can even adjust the level of bright red they glow, in 4 steps. Seeing one red AF point stick to your subject like glue even as it moves around in your composition is, frankly, somewhat magical. Stay tuned for a video of it in action.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
With all the complex AF modes and customizable buttons on the D5, it’s helpful that Nikon has finally adopted a visual way to assign button function. And the number of customizable functions per button is impressive. The D5 allows you to customize the Pv, Fn1, and Fn2 buttons on the front of the camera where your right hand fingers rest, an additional vertical Fn button right behind the shutter button on the vertical grip, and finally a Fn3 button to the left of the LCD screen.
The Pv, Fn1, Fn2, and Fn3 buttons are highly customizable in that they can be assigned to any one of 24 or so different functions, or any of a number of functions (6, if we counted correctly) that have different levels of granularity that you can adjust by holding the custom button while turning a dial. The Fn3 button is a bit more limited, and the AF-ON button is reserved for AF and AE functions. We’ll spell out all the assignable options for these buttons in the D500 slides to follow, as they’re largely the same (save for features unique to the D5, like LAN, or 14 fps lockup). One significant difference, though, is that the joystick on the D5 is not customizable, while on the D500 you can assign exactly what pressing this joystick (called the ‘sub-selector’) down does.
Helpfully, you can change the behavior of these buttons during movie recording by customizing their functions specifically for movie shooting.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
The D500’s custom control assignment is a bit less complex than the D5’s, because it has fewer customizable buttons. On the other hand, unlike the D5, its ‘sub-selector’ AF joystick is customizable (we’ve set it to change image area in conjunction with a dial, as you see highlighted in yellow above), so it’s no slouch when it comes to customizability.
The Pv and Fn1 buttons are on the front of the camera, for easy access with your right hand as it grips the camera. The Pv button is up top and can generally be activated easily by your middle finger, with the Fn1 button accessible by your ring or pinky finger. Given their ease of access, and ability to be used in conjunction with the rear thumb dial, these two buttons are highly customizable. The new sub-selector retains all customization options of the Pv and Fn1 buttons as well, while adding two more. The Fn2 button, to the left of the LCD screen, is less customizable, likely because it’s less used during shooting. The AF-ON button is reserved for AF/AE functions.
Before we dive deep into all the customization options available for these buttons, for those prone to accidentally or inadvertently changing settings, you always have the option to assign a button to ‘None’, essentially deactivating it.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
With all this button customization, you’re probably wondering what you can or cannot assign to various buttons. Let’s start off with the AF-ON button, because it has a particular feature that might just be game-changing if you love Nikon’s ‘3D tracking’ as much as we do.
AF-ON can be assigned to any of the options shown above, as well as ‘AE lock (Hold)’ and ‘AF lock only’ (on the 2nd page of this menu, not shown). But here’s what we’re most excited about: the ability to assign the AF-ON button to ‘AF-area mode’ or ‘AF-area mode + AF-ON’. It’s a quick way to instantaneously switch between your selected AF-area mode (Single, d25, d72, d153, Group-area, Auto-area, 3D) by momentarily holding down the AF-ON button.
The option to couple the AF-area switch with AF-ON means the following: a half-depress of the shutter engages AF with your typical AF-area mode, say 3D-tracking. But let’s say you’re now faced with a situation where things are happening so fast that you don’t even have the time to place your selected AF point over your intended subject to start tracking it. Instead, you just want the camera to find, say, the nearest bird or human face by itself and track it. What do you do? Click next…
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
Assign the AF-ON button to ‘AF-area mode + AF-ON’ and select ‘Auto-area AF’ within this sub-menu. That way, when you hold down the AF-ON button, the camera will switch to ‘Auto-area’ as long as you have it held down, focusing on the nearest object or detected face and tracking it. This makes for versatile switching between your two most-used AF-area modes.
I actually found it most useful to assign AF-ON to ‘AF-area mode + AF-ON’ with Single-point AF, highlighted above. That way, I keep 3D-tracking engaged as the default AF mode (in AF-C), always defining my subject by initiating AF on it. The camera then tracks it as it moves or as I recompose, but if I ever want the camera to stop moving AF points automatically to track, and instead just freeze the AF point while still continuously focusing on the subject if it approaches or recedes, I just hold down the AF-ON button (while keeping the shutter button half-depressed). Want the camera to continue tracking the subject exactly where it left off? Just let go of the AF-ON button while keeping the shutter half-depressed, and the camera starts tracking the subject around the frame again.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
The camera remembers your subject, such as this gentleman’s eye at the Nikon booth at CP+ (please excuse the low, through-the-viewfinder, iPhone video screenshot). The camera tracked his eye until I wanted it to stop moving the AF point – but only momentarily – re-engaging the tracking of his eye when I laid off the AF-ON button.
Previously, 3D-tracking – though class-leading in terms of subject tracking – was somewhat limited by the following: when I got the composition I wanted, and there was no more subject movement, I’d often want the camera to stop tracking in the X-Y plane, but continue tracking in depth (refocusing if the subject or photographer approaches or recedes). I couldn’t do that – if I wanted the AF point to momentarily stop moving while in 3D tracking, I’d have to engage AF-Lock, which’d mean the camera would stop focusing entirely. Now, though, I can use the AF-ON button to momentarily stop only the X-Y tracking. There isn’t a camera in the world, save for the D5 and D500, that can provide this robust functionality.
There is still no way to assign a button to instantly switch between AF-S and AF-C, but with the reliability of Nikon’s 3D tracking, I would leave this cameras in AF-C pretty much permanently, assigning one of the customizable buttons to ‘AF lock’ in the rare instances I don’t want the camera to focus (for example, recomposing such that the subject is outside of the AF area).
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
You’re probably tired of hearing about AF by now. Let’s look at the other customizations possible with the Fn1, Pv, and sub-selector buttons. This and the next 3 slides show all the available customizations on the D500 for these three buttons, with the sub-selector also assignable to ‘select center focus point’ (a quick way to reset to center) and ‘highlight active focus point’ (red). For reasons that are obvious, Nikon is expecting you to assign the sub-selector to AF point-related functionality.
Oops, I thought I was going to stop talking about AF… As Barney often says, I’m absolutely irrepressible.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
This is the 2nd page of assignable options to the Fn1, Pv, and sub-selector buttons.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
This is the 3rd page of assignable options to the Fn1, Pv, and sub-selector buttons.
We think it’s very cool that you can momentarily trip the camera into a different metering mode – though this is nothing new for Nikon. It’s helpful that Nikon’s spot-metering is linked to the selected AF point on nearly every one of their cameras, and highlight-weighted metering allows one to expose for the highlights and recover shadows in post-processing (given the extensive latitude most Nikon cameras have). And on a related note – remember that you can permanently bias any of the metering modes +/- 1 EV, in 1/6 EV increments on most Nikon DSLRs (it’s an option under the metering menu).
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
… and the final and fourth page of assignable options to the Fn1, Pv, and sub-selector buttons. Well, not exactly, since the 5th page has a ‘None’ option, and all of these options are a bit shifted for the sub-selector button because it has two additional functions listed on the 1st page. But now I’m just being pedantic.
A very useful assignment is ‘Access top item in MY MENU’. It’s a quick way to access one of your most used menu items after you assign to the top of MY MENU. Again, available on previous Nikons, but worth reiterating. This is how I, for example, quickly bias the minimum shutter speed the camera will use in Auto ISO mode.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
Here is a list of 6 out of 7 functions you can assign to the Fn1 button if you desire to operate it in conjunction with a dial (the 7th, on the next menu page, being ‘Photo shooting menu bank’. The same list of options is available if you with to operate the Pv button with a dial. Note that if you do this, you can’t assign any of the previous actions in the past 4 slides. You either use the Fn1 and Pv (and sub-selector) buttons as single button press actions, or as actions triggered in combination with a dial. The latter is more limited, for obvious reasons.
The sub-selector button has three fewer options when used in conjunction with the dial…
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
… when using the sub-selector (pressing it downward centrally) in combination with a dial, you don’t get ‘1 step spd/aperture’ (which adjust shutter speed and aperture in 1 EV increments, instead of 1/3 EV) or ‘Active D-Lighting’ or ‘Exposure delay mode’.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
As we’d mentioned earlier, the Fn2 button to the left of the LCD screen is less customizable, probably because it’s less ergonomically useful during shooting. The Fn3 button in a similar position on the D5 has a few more features because of things like LAN connectivity on the D5.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
Now that you have a good idea of the extensive customization available on the D5 and D500, as well as some of the new features that enhance AF ergonomics and functionality, we turn to one last feature that shooters may find useful: an electronic front-curtain shutter (EFCS). This was first introduced on the Nikon D810, and we’re happy to see it continue in Nikon’s lineup.
EFCS initiates exposure electronically, foregoing the mechanical shutter, which ensures no camera-induced shake during an exposure. The exposure is ended mechanically, ensuring that rolling shutter is not an issue.
EFCS is limited though: above certain shutter speeds (we’d guess around 1/1000 or 1/2000 or so), EFCS becomes unreliable, if not outright unavailable. Furthermore, Nikon continues to offer this as a mirror-up only mode, which is a shame. It means you have to switch the camera’s drive mode to mirror-up, press the shutter button once to lock up the mirror and shutter, and press the button again to initiate the exposure electronically. That means you can’t really use it in typical shooting scenarios. Especially when you consider that the 2nd button press can induce motion, which means you may wish to introduce an exposure delay…
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
… and unfortunately, the same exposure delay options are available as before. We would’ve loved to see the introduction of 1/2s, 1/4s, and 1/8s which, when coupled with EFCS, would automatically trigger the electronic shutter after the pre-specified delay.
In other words, EFCS should’ve been implemented like this: press the shutter button to lift up the mirror and shutter, then after the pre-specified delay time – say 1/2s – the camera would automatically start the exposure electronically. As it is, just like on the D810, you’ll have to press the shutter button once, then press it again to initiate the delay, after which the exposure is started. With a long lens, your entire composition will have shifted by now. And this method is often required in conjunction with certain VR lenses to ensure no mirror/shutter-induced shake is present in a certain range of shutter speeds (typically 1/60s – 1/125s).
That said, these roughly ~21MP cameras are unlikely to be as sensitive to mirror induced shake as the higher resolution D810, so users probably don’t have to worry much about these issues at all. Still, best practices are best practices, and we hope Nikon is listening.
CP+ 2016: Features you need to know about on the D5/D500
Introduced on the D810, but now with its own menu option, is ‘Monitor color balance’. This allows you to tune the color of the LCD on your camera’s screen. Some pros might find this useful in their workflow, to ensure the screen is a better judge of output color. But as long we’re seeing this sort of tailoring for color – might we expect true ICC color management in future camera displays? We certainly hope so.
We hope you’ve learned a few things about the new features available on the D5 and D500. The extensive feature-set and customization will prove invaluable for working pros and enthusiasts alike. We weren’t able to get a look at automated AF Fine Tune, unfortunately, but it’ll be the first thing we look at when we get our hands back on these cameras. Suffice it to say we’ve walked away incredibly impressed by these cameras, particularly by what they offer both in terms of AF capability and ergonomics. These cameras are likely to be second to none in their ability to track moving subjects and focus on them, even during 10-12 fps bursts. But don’t take our word for it – we’ve tried it, and will be releasing a video soon showing it in action.
Stay tuned.
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CP+ 2016: shooting the Pentax K-1 in Yokohama
Introduction
Yes, we have already posted a fair amount about the full-frame Pentax K-1, and no, this does not mean that we are in Ricoh’s pocket. But what Ricoh did offer us was a pre-production K-1 at CP+ 2016 in Yokohama, and the freedom to do whatever we wanted to with it (except post full-resolution images, for now). How could we not take advantage of that?
The full-frame Pentax K-1 has been years in the making, and they’ve made it pretty darn good. I am not a Pentaxian, just to get that out of the way. In fact, I’m not really a ‘fanboi’ of any particular brand, though I do continue to own, use and abuse Nikons of the not-so-distant past. That said, I’ve spent a lot of time with the K-3 II and 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited lens, and the feature set combined with value for money make that camera pretty cream-of-the-crop. I loved the fast continuous shooting speed, large (for APS-C) optical finder, comfy grip, in-body image stabilization, and the confidence of shooting with a truly weather-sealed camera and lens in your typical Seattle downpours.
But it just didn’t click with me. Maybe it was the shutter sound. Maybe it was the inconsistencies I experienced with the autofocus. Regardless of any quirks, and regardless of how technically great a camera might be, I admit that I find little photographic inspiration through using a device I don’t truly love and enjoy. I’m always searching for cameras that I connect with on some intangible level that makes me want to go out shooting, and unfortunately, the K-3 II didn’t fit that bill. Back onto the gear shelf it went.
And then, on the last day of CP+, Barney handed me a Pentax K-1 and told me I had until the end of the day to shoot with it. So I did. I didn’t come away with my greatest work ever, which I’ll blame more on the jet lag than the camera. No, more importantly, I liked the K-1, I had fun with it, and it made me want to keep wandering and keep shooting, even as I approached my end-of-day deadline and crossed the 10-mile mark on my phone’s sketchy pedometer.
Pentax digital, all grown up
That firmware version is why we aren’t allowed to publish any full-res samples from the camera. It’s true at this point that a great many mirrorless cameras are highly capable, represent fantastic value, and are home to some pretty impressive tech. Despite this, for a lot of my more serious work, I keep coming back to the good old-fashioned DSLR. That’s something that Pentax excels at, and it shines through with the K-1.
I will try to keep from repeating too much information that’s already been well-covered in our Pentax K-1 First Impressions review, but a little repetition is necessary, if only for context. The body feels extremely well-built and sealed. The grip is excellent and makes holding this heavy camera a breeze. The control system is customizable, but even without much customization, everything is sensibly laid out. It reminds me of a mix of some of the best bits of both Canon and Nikon thrown onto a single camera body. If that sounds a bit confusing, it can be. But after some time with the camera, it comes together nicely.
The colors from the Pentax K-1, particularly reds, are very nice indeed. Watch for white balance that strays to the cool side, though, which has been corrected here. Photo by Carey Rose. Taken on an old Pentax SMC 24mm F2.8 lens, processed to taste from Raw. F4 | 1/200 | ISO 100 The actual shutter might be bigger than previous Pentax DSLR’s, but it isn’t appreciably louder – in fact, it’s soft but not silent, though still with some of that Pentax-ness from APS-C models thrown in. It’s nice in that you get an affirmative, audible signal that you’ve taken a photograph, but you don’t have to deal with a loud ‘clack’ that you get from many other high-end full-frame bodies (though admittedly, many of those have a ‘quiet’ mode that sometimes helps).
What’s new, what stands out and what actually matters
So, we’re only allowed to show you VGA samples, but let’s see what we can do with that.
Dynamic range
First of all, as to be expected, dynamic range from this sensor is excellent. For the image below, I used a base ISO of 100 and exposed for the sky, pulled the overall exposure up over two-and-a-half stops, lowered the highlights back down, and raised the shadows even more. Though there is some grain in the shadow areas, it isn’t obtrusive, and there is no banding of any kind. (Ignore that pretty heavy vignetting from the non-spec hood on the old manual Pentax 24mm F2.8 I was using).
I could have gone even more overboard with the HDR look by not pulling those blacks so far down, but this way of processing is a personal preference. I find that adding some contrast back in can partially negate the flatness that can occur with heavy shadow pushing.
Original, out-of-camera JPEG. F8 | 1/640 | ISO 100 Processed through Adobe Camera Raw, with the following adjustments: exposure +2.65, highlights -100, shadows +85, whites +15, blacks -67. That weird screen
The tilting screen may seem gimmicky, and it kind of is. But it still works really well. After watching Barney dangle the K-1 from its screen on the trade show floor (Ricoh said I could do it! – Ed.), I had a little more confidence in the design of Pentax’s new screen articulation mechanism. After pulling it around, slamming it back in, and treating it more or less like the tilting and articulating screens on any other DSLR, I’ve got to say that it’s really no more or less fiddly than a screen that fully articulates out to the side. In certain situations, such as having the camera on a low tripod and at an odd angle for astrophotography, I could see how it could be an advantage over more traditional mechanisms. Still, for a camera as sealed as the Pentax K-1 is purported to be, I’d be a little wary of getting too much moisture, dirt or mud behind there, if for no other reason than what some well-placed grit might do to the tiny ball joints. But overall durability over time still remains to be seen.
The articulating screen allowed me to get a lower angle in portrait mode without forcing me to crane my neck like an OVF or traditional tilting screen would. Photo by Carey Rose. Cropped and resized out-of-camera JPEG, taken on the Pentax 28-105 F3.5-5.6. F5.6 | 1/500 | ISO 200 Focusing
There’s not really much point in showing you samples at VGA resolution of autofocus tracking from a slow-aperture kit zoom. So I won’t. But I will say that for me, it worked better than or on par with previous Pentaxeses, with a high degree of accuracy. This isn’t a sports camera and it won’t keep up with fast action or erratic subjects, but tracking, say, individuals walking down the street works just fine.
In what will go down as the worst product photo of all time, you can see the lenses I was able to use with the K-1 around Yokohama. I’m not a particularly big fan of kit zooms, but this one was sharp and felt better-built than I’m used to. It goes without saying that the all-metal primes felt great, even if I had to stop them down a bit for optimal performance. One thing to note – the autofocus points are somewhat few for today’s market (33), and the spread is a little strange. With the camera in landscape orientation, there’s more than enough flexibility across the horizontal axis, but the vertical spread seemed limiting to me. Your mileage may vary.
Single-AF works quickly and accurately as well. For this, I pre-focused on the railing and fired off a quick burst. 4.4fps is a bit faster than you might think, but if you’re used to the blazing speed of the K-3 II, you might be a bit disappointed. Taken on the Pentax 28-105 F3.5-5.6 lens. Photo by Carey Rose, processed to taste from Raw. F5.6 | 1/640 | ISO 100 So, then, let’s talk about what it’s like to use some old manual-focus primes on this 36MP digital beast. In two words, it’s pretty good.
Manual-focusing using only the viewfinder and confirmation light works fairly well, if not as well as using an actual split prism, or maybe live-view focus with peaking. Of course, the K-1 has live view with peaking, but since I had such limited time with the camera, I opted to use a method Pentax users are quite proud of. It’s called ‘catch-in-focus.’
This method, enabled through a custom menu function, allows you to hold down the shutter release as you rack the lens through the range where the image would be in focus. Make sure you’re in continuous shooting mode, and the camera will fire a burst when it detects you’ve reached the ‘in-focus’ range, and assuming a high enough shutter speed and moderate enough focus-racking speed, this method works very well, even for candids.
As far as metering with primes pre-dating even the SMC-A lenses, you place the camera in manual, dial in your desired aperture, and hit the green button on the rear of the camera. It will stop down and meter a shutter speed for you. Of course, you’ll still need to remember your apertures – it doesn’t record them in the Raw file. But, as I said, these are really old primes. Later SMC-A lenses may (and probably will) offer more functionality. One other downside of older primes, as we’ve mentioned before, is that they might not seem as amazing on 36MP as they did on film. But you can always downsize your files, stop the lens down, or do what I did: ignore it and get on with shooting.
For the ‘catch-in-focus’ feature, I held down the shutter button, and racked focus on the old manual-focus 24mm F2.8 lens until the camera detected focus and fired off this candid portrait. Because I was mistakenly only in single-shot mode, the resulting shot was very slightly front-focused. But for 36MP paired with a lens older than I am, I found it more than acceptable. Photo by Carey Rose and processed to taste from Raw. F2.8 | 1/125 | ISO 200 The moving sensor
The Pentax K-1 isn’t the first full-frame camera to have a moveable sensor for stabilization, but it is the first to offer a mode that Ricoh calls Pixel Shift Resolution. As we’ve explained before, this mode works by taking four offset shots that increase color resolution by shooting the scene with a different colored capture pixel for each shot. The end result should be that you end up with better resolution, and potentially less noise at medium/high ISO sensitivities.
The video below gives you an idea of how long the whole process takes – and thus why it may work with things like rustling leaves, but not larger movements such as cars driving through your scene. It also shows a noticeable increase in fine detail.
As for stabilization, it works, as expected, rather well. And it’s not just for stabilizing telephoto shots: stopping down (a lot), I was able to pull off a 1/30 exposure in daytime for some blur on the carnival ride, while maintaining details elsewhere in the frame. Of course, shooting at F29 will rob you of some overall sharpness. I should have remembered some ND filters.
Slight motion blur on the ride while maintaining detail elsewhere courtesy of a stabilized sensor and slower-than-normal shutter speed. Photo by Carey Rose, processed to taste from Raw. 1/30 | F29 | ISO 200 The wrap
As so often happens with these shooting experience pieces, it comes down to two fairly simple questions. Who is this camera for, and will they buy it? It seems there’s a bit of variety here.
Old-school lenses and old-school motorcycles have a lot in common. Yes, they’re often imperfect and idiosyncratic. But they’re also charming, with character that can be hard to find in the modern age. Photo by Carey Rose, processed to taste from Raw. Taken on the SMC Pentax 50mm F1.7. F-something (forgot this one) | 1/400 | ISO 100 Pentax has said that the K-1 is primarily targeted at existing Pentax owners. But then they priced it at an MSRP of $ 1,799. At that price, it seems to me they might be targeting just about anyone.
Whether you need a full-frame camera is a matter of personal choice, and needs. Many people don’t, and that is totally fine. In fact, for a good number of photographers, the increase in depth-of-field control is as much a disadvantage as it is an advantage.
But for Pentaxians especially, who may have a good number of lenses that are inherently limited by the crop factor of the company’s APS-C DSLR cameras, the K-1 is a godsend. It represents a return to glory for all those Pentax primes. And for those of us on the sidelines who perhaps shoot different systems, the Pentax K-1 represents a great many things.
It represents an increase in competition, which always bodes well for the consumer. It offers some features, such as sensor-shift capability for increased color resolution, Astrotracer, and its uniquely articulating rear screen, that no other manufacturer can meet in any form.
If you’re a Pentaxian, time to pop that cork – the K-1 is the camera you’ve been waiting for, and then some. Photo by Carey Rose. Taken on the SMC Pentax 24mm F2.8, processed to taste from Raw. F4 | 1/125 | ISO 200 And Pentax has a few decent modern prime lenses and a growing number of professional-grade zoom lenses to help make the K-1 even more relevant. Hell, given a Pentax K-1 and a 43mm F1.9 Limited, your average prime-lens shooter (this photographer included) would have a killer combination for just about anything.
From what I’ve seen from its files, the Pentax K-1 has earned its position as a flagship camera for the Pentax brand (excluding the 645Z of course). Not so long ago, if you were an advanced amateur photographer and looking to break into the ‘full frame’ DSLR market, I would have told you to go put your hands on a Canon 6D or Nikon D610 and pick what feels best. Now, for a very similar price, I’m comfortable adding the Pentax K-1 to that list as well.
Until next time, Yokohama. Thanks for hosting us. Photo by Carey Rose, processed to taste from Raw. F5.6 | 1/500 | ISO 200 -
Raw workflow goes mobile: Hands-on with Adobe Lightroom for Android 2.0
Unlike iOS, Android supports the capture and processing of Raw photos. Chances are that if you own a late model mobile device running either Lollipop or Marshmallow, you should now be able to use the Adobe DNG Raw format, the headline feature in the recently updated Lightroom for Android 2.0. We tried out the new Raw workflow, from mobile to desktop and back again. Read more
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CP+ 2016: Sigma MC-11 adapter allows DSLR Sigma lenses full range of AF modes on Sony bodies
While photographing and filming our way through Sigma’s booth this year at CP+ 2016 in Yokohama, one rather understated product may have just stolen the show for a number of Sony shooters, as well as our Technical Editor Rishi Sanyal.
Put simply, the Sigma MC-11 adapter allows the use of Sigma-mount and Canon-mount Sigma lenses, such as the excellent Sigma Art 35mm F1.4, to be adapted to Sony bodies with no autofocus compromises whatsoever. That means Sigma is the first brand of DSLR lenses to support Eye AF and Lock-On AF modes on Sony cameras, as well as smooth phase-detection in video. What’s more, they work really well.
Don’t believe us? We didn’t believe it at first either. Watch the video and see for yourself why this is a huge step forward in realizing truly hybrid camera systems: where you can pair the best lens with the best camera body – for you – without severe compromises.
Pricing and availability of the Sigma MC-11 adapter has yet to be announced.
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Upgrading a classic: Canon 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM Mark II review
Canon 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS USM Mark II Review
The king is dead, long live the Mark II. After 15 long years, Canon finally upgraded one of the biggest-selling telezooms of all time – the 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM. The Mk II version has the same headline specifications but with enhanced features and improved performance all-round. While the new model is better for sure, when comparing the Mk I and Mk II side by side it quickly becomes clear just why it took Canon so long: the MkI version was, and still is, a decent lens. It’s always been very popular too, and known for holding its value well on the used market, so Canon was in no rush to change a winning formula.
The 100-400mm Mk II retains the same focal length and F4.5-5.6 overall maximum apertures as the original model. Both lenses change up to F5 at around the 125mm mark, and the Mk I then goes to F5.6 at 250mm while the Mk II holds on slightly longer, making the final switch at just over 300mm. Apart from a little extra weight, the physical dimensions are basically unchanged, but everything else is new and upgraded. There’s a totally new state-of-the-art optical design with more elements, a much-improved image stabilization system, a minimum focusing distance that’s been cut in half and faster autofocus drive. Build quality has been taken up a notch, now with a full set of weather seals, and the push-pull zoom control (unloved by some) is swapped for a more conventional twist-ring. It’s finished in Canon’s newer light gray L-color, as opposed to the old creamy-white.
Headline features
- Improved optical design with 21 elements in 16 groups (versus 17 in 14 for Mk I)
- Upgraded image stabilization with 4-stops benefit (vs. 2-stops)
- Twist-ring zoom control (vs. push-pull)
- Extensive weather-resistant seals (vs. partly sealed)
- Faster USM autofocus drive
- Close focusing down to 98cm, 0.31x magnification at max focal length (vs. 180cm, 0.2x)
- Same size as Mk I, though slightly heavier at 1570g (vs. 1380g)
Canon now offers the broadest selection of telezooms of any brand, at a variety of price points. In the premium sector, there are four 70-200mm L-grade zooms, with a choice of F2.8 or F4 maximum apertures, with and without image stabilization. The 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM Mk II is relevant here as it works well with 1.4x or 2x extenders, as an alternative to something longer.
More recently, Canon added a third lens to its options in the versatile 70-300mm category, with the 70-300mm F4-5.6L IS USM being an excellent zoom that is essentially a scaled-down version of the 100-400mm Mk II (and considerably cheaper, too). There is also the Canon 200-400mm F4L IS USM with its unique built-in 1.4x extender, though the stratospheric price puts it in a rather different class, and Canon has a couple of excellent prime telephotos in this focal length range, too. The image-stabilized 300mm F4L IS USM and 400mm F5.6L USM both hail from the same era as the original 100-400mm Mk I, and have also stood the test of time well.
Looking at other brands, the Nikon AF-S 80-400mm F4.5-5.6G ED VR is a close rival to the Canon 100-400 II in terms of specification, design and high performance. Likewise, the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II for A-mount is another proven performer. Both lenses feature a slightly wider angle of view at the short end, but have notably longer minimum focusing distances than the Canon 100-400 Mk II. Compare Nikon vs Sony performance data here.
Surprisingly, no third-party manufacturer currently offers anything similar, though anyone in the market for an extra-long lens should be sure to check out the trio of 150-600mm F5-6.3 superzooms from Sigma (which has two versions) and Tamron that have caused quite a stir, bringing new standards of performance to this market segment at an affordable cost. But while they might appear to cover much the same ground as the Canon 100-400mm Mk II on paper, they’re very different in the hand – much bigger, much heavier, and arguably, harder to get the most from. The new Nikon AF-S 200-500mm F5.6 E ED VR and as yet unproven Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW also fall into the larger/heavier category, and with longer minimum focusing distances compared to the Canon Mk II.
Angle of View
100mm F4.5, full-frame (Canon 5DS R)
400mm F5.6, full-frame (Canon 5DS R)
Shire Hall, Cambridge, UK, is one of my favorite subjects for comparisons (also used for the Tamron 16-300mm VC review) though unfortunately it was partly obscured by scaffolding on this occasion. Sharpness is very high, and unusually consistent – throughout the zoom range, at all apertures, and across the frame. It’s at larger apertures where the Mk II shows most sharpness improvement over the MkI. The images above are both at maximum aperture, F4.5 at 100mm and F5.6 at 400mm, using a Canon 5DS R (full-frame), and are shown without any software corrections applied for chromatic aberration, distortion or vignetting.
The 100-400mm zoom range, with a generous 4:1 ratio, provides a 24.4° to 6.2° angle of view on full-frame, measured across the diagonal from corner to corner. It’s very versatile and well suited to a wide range of popular subjects, including all kinds of field sports, and wildlife from safaris to zoos. At a motor race or air display, the spectator fences are often lined with Canon 100-400mm zooms. Compared to a fixed focal length lens, when photographing sports or anything where the shooting distance varies, you can zoom to pull in subjects from a distance, then zoom back when the action gets closer. Longer focal length settings are also perfect for sniping candid portraits, say at a wedding or other social occasion. At the shorter end, while it may not be the obvious choice for portraiture, at around 100-135mm it’s just about perfect on full-frame.
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ABOVE: With a broad 4:1 zoom range, unusually close focusing, and excellent image-stabilization, the Canon 100-400mm Mk II can turn its hand to more than just sports and wildlife. It’s sharp at all focal lengths and apertures. Check the fly on the flamingo’s beak – the fine veins on its wings are barely more than 1-pixel wide (Canon 5DS R, monopod, 400mm F5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO 400).
The Canon 100-400mm Mk II goes very well on APS-C cameras like the Canon 7D Mk II, with its excellent AF and fast frame rate. The 1.6x crop factor gives more effective reach and creates a megazoom 160-640mm equivalent angle-of-view. The Canon 100-400mm Mk II is also compatible with the Canon 1.4x extender, though it will only autofocus on higher-end Canon DSLRs that retain AF up to F8 (currently 7D Mk II, 5D Mk III, 5DS/R, 1DX/II). The 2x extender will physically fit, but all AF functions are disabled.
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DJI’s Phantom 4 boasts improved camera optics and obstacle avoidance
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DJI has updated its flagship drone lineup with the Phantom 4, which offers automatic obstacle avoidance and ‘dramatically’ improved camera optics. With a 12MP sensor and F2.8 lens the Phantom 4 is capable of Raw still shooting and 4K/UHD video at 30p as well as new machine vision technology adding subject tracking and object avoidance. Flight time has increased to 28 minutes – and the price has increased to $ 1399 compared to the Phantom 3 Professional’s original $ 1259 MSRP.
The DJI Phantom 4 is now available for pre-order through DJI.com and Apple.com. Orders are expected to ship March 15.
Press release:
DJI Launches New Era of Intelligent Flying Cameras
DJI, the world’s leading maker of unmanned aerial vehicles, on Tuesday launched the Phantom 4, the first consumer quadcopter camera (or “drone”) to use highly advanced computer vision and sensing technology to make professional aerial imaging easier for everyone.
The Phantom 4 expands on previous generations of DJI’s iconic Phantom line by adding new on-board intelligence that make piloting and shooting great shots simple through features like its Obstacle Sensing System, ActiveTrack and TapFly functionality.
“With the Phantom 4, we are entering an era where even beginners can fly with confidence,” said DJI CEO Frank Wang. “People have dreamed about one day having a drone collaborate creatively with them. That day has arrived.”
The Phantom 4’s Obstacle Sensing System features two forward-facing optical sensors that scan for obstacles and automatically direct the aircraft around the impediment when possible, reducing risk of collision, while ensuring flight direction remains constant. If the system determines the craft cannot go around the obstacle, it will slow to a stop and hover until the user redirects it. Obstacle avoidance also engages if the user triggers the drone’s “Return to Home” function to reduce the risk of collision when automatically flying back to its take off point.
With ActiveTrack, the Phantom 4 breaks new ground, allowing users running the DJI Go app on iOS and Android devices to follow and keep the camera centered on the subject as it moves simply by tapping the subject on their smartphone or tablet. Perfectly-framed shots of moving joggers or cyclists, for example, simply require activating the ActiveTrack mode in the app.
The Phantom 4 understands three-dimensional images and uses machine learning to keep the object in the shot, even when the subject changes its shape or turns while moving. Users have full control over camera movement while in ActiveTrack mode – and can even move the camera around the object while it is in motion as the Phantom 4 keeps the subject framed in the center of the shot autonomously. A “pause” button on the Phantom 4’s remote controller allows the user to halt an autonomous flight at any time, leaving the drone to hover.
By using the TapFly function in the DJI Go app, users can double-tap a destination for their Phantom 4 on the screen, and the Phantom 4 calculates an optimal flight route to reach the destination, while avoiding any obstructions in its path. Tap another spot and the Phantom 4 will smoothly transition towards that destination making even the beginner pilot look like a seasoned professional.
The Phantom 4’s camera, still the world’s best aerial-optimized 4K imaging device, has undergone an upgrade that includes improved optics for better corner sharpness and reduced chromatic aberration. The Phantom 4 also has DJI’s signature Lightbridge video transmission system onboard, allowing users to see what their camera sees in HD and in real-time on their smart devices at a distance up to five kilometers (3.1 miles).
The Phantom 4’s form factor, still the classic quadcopter style pioneered by DJI, has been redesigned and redefined to emphasize elegance and smoother, more-aerodynamic lines. Its frame incorporates a lightweight composite core to provide enhanced stability and more-agile flight. The core now features a redesigned gimbal that provides more stability and vibration dampening, and has been repositioned for a better center of gravity and to reduce the risk of propellers getting in the shot.
Refinements to motor efficiency, power management and a new intelligent battery have extended the Phantom 4’s flight time to 28 minutes, which means more time in the air to capture professional photos and video.
DJI crafted the Phantom 4 with reliability in mind, including redundant inertial measurement units (IMUs) and dual compasses onboard. It uses new push-and-lock propellers that are faster to install and more secure in flight.
In addition to intelligence and ease-of-use, the Phantom 4 is built for fun. Its new “Sport Mode” for advanced flyers gives a taste of what drone racing feels like. In “Sport Mode,” the Phantom 4 can fly 20 meters per second (45 miles per hour) and ascends and descends more rapidly than in other modes. The craft’s acceleration and top speed in “Sport Mode” also mean it can reach locations for shots faster and capture shots you couldn’t get before.
“Though the Phantom 4 is easy to use, let’s not forget it is a high-performance aircraft powered by unparalleled DJI technology,” said Senior Product Manager Paul Pan.
The Phantom 4’s U.S. retail price is $ 1,399.
Pre-orders for the Phantom 4 will start March 1 on DJI.com and Apple.com, and customers will begin receiving their units on March 15. The Phantom 4 will also be available in-store at DJI’s flagship stores and Apple stores around the world starting March 15. Phantom 4 pre-orders from DJI’s other sales partners will commence on March 23, with availability from April 1.
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Nikon extends service advisory for D750 to include more models
Nikon has announced that the shutter fault in its D750 that it acknowledged in July last year, may be found in cameras from a much wider manufacturing period. Initially it was thought that the issue, in which the shutter occasionally shades part of the image, occurred in cameras produced between October and November 2014. The company has now discovered the same problem in models made from December 2014 to June 2015.
Nikon has promised a free service for all models affected, and an online serial number checker is available for customers to determine whether theirs is one of the models that needs attention.
European customers can check their serial number on the Nikon Europe website, and those in the USA should go to the Nikon USA website. Other region service pages can be found on the Nikon Global website.
Service advisory:
To users of the Nikon D750 digital SLR camera – possible image shading from shutter (update 29/02/2016)
Thank you for choosing Nikon for your photographic needs.
In July of 2015, we announced that the shutter in some Nikon D750 digital SLR cameras manufactured in October and November of 2014 does not function normally, sometimes resulting in shading of a portion of images. Since that time, our examination of the issue has clarified the fact that the same issue may occur with D750 cameras manufactured from December, 2014 through June, 2015.
Therefore, any D750 manufactured from October, 2014 through June, 2015 is eligible for inspection and repair of its shutter.We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused.
Identifying affected products
To check whether or not your camera is one of those affected by this issue, click Affected Product Serial Numbers below and enter your D750 serial number as instructed. Your camera’s serial number will be checked against those of applicable products. If your camera is one of those affected, instructions for requesting repairs will be displayed. If your camera is not affected by this issue, rest assured that repairs to your camera are not necessary and you may continue using your camera without concern for this issue.Resolution
Please contact your nearest Nikon service center if you own a Nikon D750 digital SLR camera to which this issue applies. They will keep your camera, and examine and repair the camera’s shutter free of charge, even if the camera’s warranty has expired.Requesting service
Please direct inquiries regarding this matter to your nearest Nikon Service Centre or create a Free Service Returns Request.We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this matter may have caused you.
Please be assured that Nikon is continuously working and taking measures to further improve the quality of its products. Once again, thank you for choosing Nikon for your photographic needs.