360Photography

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  • Inching forward? Canon PowerShot G5 X review posted

    Canon PowerShot G5 X Review

    Key Features

    • 20.2MP 1″-type BSI CMOS sensor
    • DIGIC 6 processor
    • F1.8-2.8, 24-100mm equiv. lens
    • Optical image stabilization
    • Built-in ND filter
    • 3″ fully articulating touchscreen LCD
    • 2.36M-dot electronic viewfinder
    • 1080/60p video
    • Wi-Fi with NFC

    The PowerShot G5 X is one of the latest members of Canon’s 1″-type sensor family, which began with the G7 X in 2014. It takes what made that camera appealing – namely its sensor, lens, and direct controls, and puts them into a body that adds an electronic viewfinder, fully articulating touchscreen LCD, hot shoe, and additional control dial – all without a large increase in size.

    The G5 X’s 20.2MP 1″-type BSI CMOS sensor – designed by Sony and first used in its RX100 II and III – performs very well and, given that the image pipeline on the G5 X is the same as its predecessor’s, should continue to do so. The 24-100mm F1.8-2.8 optically stabilized lens is also the same as on the G7 X, so there shouldn’t be any surprises there, either.

    From a feature standpoint, the G5 X is essentially the same as the G7 X. You’ve got your manual exposure controls, customizable buttons and dials, built-in neutral density filter, Raw support, 6 fps continuous shooting (JPEG only), a fun star trail mode, 1080/60p video recording and Wi-Fi with NFC. 

    Sadly, two of the G7 X’s most disappointing traits have carried over to the G5 X, namely sluggish Raw shooting performance and lackluster battery life. 

    Meet the Family

    From left to right: the PowerShot G1 X Mark II, G3 X, G5 X, G7 X, and G9 X

    There are now five members in Canon’s premium compact’ family: the G1 X Mark II, G3 X, G5 X, G7 X and G9 X. The G1 X Mark II is the flagship model, using a considerably larger 1.5″-type sensor instead of the 1″-types used by the rest of the group. 

    The G7 X is Canon’s original 1″-type sensor camera, and the models that have followed are a variation on the same theme. The G3 X is the long zoom model, the G5 X is for the EVF crowd, and the G9 X is an ultra-compact model with a shorter, slower lens. 

    Here’s a quick table to help you sort out the differences between the five models:

      G1 X Mark II G3 X G5 X G7 X G9 X
    MSRP $ 799 $ 999 $ 799 $ 699 $ 529
    Sensor 12.8MP 1.5″-type CMOS 20.2MP 1″-type BSI CMOS
    Lens (equiv.) 24-120mm
    F2.0-3.9    		 24-600mm
    F2.8-5.6    		 24-100mm F1.8-2.8 28-84mm
    F2.0-4.9
    LCD size/type 3″ tilting touch 3.2″ tilting touch 3″ rotating touch 3″ tilting touch 3″ fixed touch
    EVF Optional Yes No
    Hot shoe Yes No
    JPEG burst 5.2 fps 5.9 fps 6.5 fps 6.0 fps
    Video 1080/30p 1080/60p
    Audio in/out No Yes No
    Battery life (CIPA) 240 shots 300 shots 210 shots 210 shots 220 shots
    Dimensions 116 x 74 x 66mm 123 x 77 x 105mm 112 x 76 x 44mm 103 x 60 x 40mm 98 x 58 x 31mm
    Weight 553g 733g 377g 304g 185g

    That’ll do it for comparisons – let’s dive into the world of the PowerShot G5 X now.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Hoya uses antistatic coating to repel dust and water for new Fusion series

    Japanese glass manufacturer Hoya says it has created a new coating that prevents dust, water and fingerprints from sticking to the surface of its filters. The company claims the coating acts like a ‘force field’ around its new Fusion series of filters, protecting them from stains as well as scratches. The idea of the coating is to make the filters easy to clean and to reduce the chance of damage while in use or storage. 

    The coating is said to consist of nine layers that work to reduce reflections from the surfaces of the glass and which aim to allow as much light through to the lens as possible. Hoya says the coating has ‘virtually no effect’ on the color balance, contrast, clarity or exposure of the final image. 

    The first Fusion filters will be for cutting UV, a circular polarizer and a plain protector glass. They are available in screw-in sizes from 37mm to 105mm (to 82mm in the UK) and come mounted in slim low-profile frames that are said to avoid interfering with the corners of images shot with wide angle lenses. 

    Prices start from £26.99 for a 37mm protector filter. For more information visit the Hoya website. 

    Press release:

    Hoya introduces Fusion Filters

    9 layers of Super Multi-coating make Hoya Fusion filters antistatic, waterproof, stain proof, scratch resistant and very easy to clean!

    Hoya engineers have developed a new ANTISTATIC coating that acts like a force field around the filter to repel dust. Perfect for environments where dust is common, these filters require less frequent cleaning and maintenance than traditional filters. Additionally, the hardened, antistatic top-layer is water repellent, stain and scratch resistant and cleans easily when smudges or fingerprints are introduced to the surface. 

    The new FUSION Antistatic professional filters are made in Japan using hand selected silicates that are carefully smelted and blended to yield high performance optical glass. Hoya then uses extreme care and precision to apply a new 9-layer Super Multi-coating formula that greatly reduces or eliminates reflections on the surface of the glass and yields very high light transmission rates. This means the filter has virtually no effect on the colour balance, contrast, or clarity of the final image. 

    The filters feature a lightweight, low-profile aluminium frame to house the glass. The low-profile frame eliminates vignetting when used on ultra-wide-angle lenses. 

    Fusion filters are available in UV, Circular Polariser and Protector and in sizes from 37mm through to 82mm. Prices start from £26.99 for a 37mm protector filter.

    • NEW Antistatic coating repels dust 
    • Scratch resistant – Hardened coating protects against everyday wear 
    • Stain resistant – Protects against exposure to ink, markers etc. 
    • Water repellent – Water beads up and wipes away easily 
    • Fingerprints and smudges wipe away cleanly 
    • Hoya’s Professional-grade optical glass

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • DPReview Gear of the Year Part 3: Sam’s Choice – The Fujifilm Instax SP-1

    On the face of it the SP-1 seems costly and pointless; it costs $ 0.75/shot to use, which is a unit of measurement long forgotten by hobbyist digital photographers who already share their images digitally. Plus, the prints are smaller than the venerable square Polaroids that have been nearly beaten to death in the fine art photography world. Even with their higher-quality origin, the digital files end up printing at a similar not-very-sharp quality that an instant camera would produce. And compared to an instant camera, the SP-1 printer requires more steps to produce the final result. It all sounds a bit fussy, expensive, and with little reward.

    However, after using the SP-1, I believe it to be a unique little bridge between the digital and analog worlds that can be just as useful as it is nostalgic.

    It can be used it to print one’s phone images with the Wi-Fi app, but I don’t believe that’s the real way to get the most from the printer. At that point, a better choice would be skipping the phone and printer and buying a dedicated instant camera, like Fujifilm’s Instax Mini. The real joys of the SP-1 come with a prerequisite; a Wi-Fi enabled Fujifilm X-mount camera. When paired together they become a digital instant camera with interchangeable lenses, which is a big deal, especially when considering the X system takes its lenses seriously. Additionally, the printer takes up very little bag space and weighs a negligible amount. While the process could be improved, printing is relatively quick and easy through a Fujifilm X-T1 or X100T. Plus, the initial cost is the same as a cheap lens but produces results that aren’t limited to the rear LCD out in the field.

    Admittedly, there is plenty of room for growth in terms of image quality and consistency. Sharpness is never perfect and leaves a bit to be desired, and sometimes a JPEG will need a quick re-process in the in-camera raw converter to get it looking right in instant format. With that said, I don’t think the Instax Mini format is meant for a photographer to print images with for themselves, and looking at the prints with a pixel-peepers fine-toothed comb is going about it the wrong way. These images are best for what made the square format inspired Instagram popular in the first place: sharing.

    When was the last time most people have had an instant image taken of them? Sure, there are ways of doing it if you look. Photo booths, for example, still offer that immediate tangible souvenir. People don’t expect results like that from a photographer using a digital camera these days, as I learned when I brought an XT-1, X100T and the SP-1 to my sister’s wedding in March.

    After the ceremony there was a little lull in mandatory precious wedding moments as tables and chairs were re-configured from ceremonial purposes to a more social setup. I took the time to shoot and print a handful of candid images before doing groups. When the images were completely developed, I made a couple duplicates and handed them to their corresponding subjects.

    Those exchanges were priceless. At first there would be a perplexed look on their face as they realized I wasn’t showing them an image on the back of a camera. That moment then led to even more confusion as I handed them a credit-card looking sort of thing. Then, after a closer look, eyes widened, smiles grew, hugs were exchanged, and ‘brownie points’ were earned. I had my party piece, and the shoot was in the bag.  Plus, people left the wedding with tangible mementos tied to a happy memory.  Isn’t that what a photographer’s job is? Also, my thrilled sister had 40 or so prints in her hand to hold her off until I could finish editing, which took a little pressure off me.

    This writer is joining the ranks of X fans that are begging for an Instax Wide format instant printer, just for the extra bit of size and quality to possibly match those venerable Polaroid Land Camera square images.  Either way, Fujifilm is on the right track with the SP-1 and the Instax printer lineup deserves all the R&D money they can throw at it, if only to make the output slightly sharper. For now, it is doing a great job of freeing photography from the screen and bringing us back to a tangible medium, digitally.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    NYC April, 2007. New York in the rain is just so very photogenic. The Canon 50mm 1.2 does an amazing job of isolating subjects and accentuating texture. Photo by Rob Kearney

    At the ripe age of 19, Rob Kearney had developed an encyclopedic knowledge of cameras and a position at a local camera shop (for which he was the only applicant). With his Leica M6 and 50mm Summicron, he fancied himself the Cartier-Bresson of New Haven, Connecticut. He continued his education as a freelance photo assistant in New York City, eventually detouring into full-time photo retouching, and now shoots street scenes and graphic-inspired still life for himself. 

    Learn more about his career in our Q&A, and see more of his personal work at his website. Would you like to be featured in an upcoming Readers’ Showcase? Let us know! Be sure to include your DPR user name and a link to your online portfolio.

    Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    Photo by Rob Kearney

    Where are you from and what’s your history with photography?

    I was born in Texas, raised in Ohio and Connecticut, and have been living in NYC since 1989. I’m 47.

    My interest in photography started around age 7 or 8, but began strictly as a fascination with cameras and lenses. For years, I was far more interested in the camera as a physical object than I was in taking photographs. I knew all the latest models and brands, but I never really took any pictures, save a few snaps with a cheap 110. Other kids had football posters on their walls; I had a home made collage of cutouts of cameras from Popular Photography. Looking back, I was a pretty weird little kid.

    After a brief stint at the university of college, I lucked into a job at a camera shop chain in New Haven, CT., imaginatively called The Camera Shops. The manager was instantly intrigued (perplexed) by my level of knowledge of cameras, contrasted with my young age, and my utter lack of photographic skills. I was also the only one who applied.

    Soon after starting the job, thanks to a generous employee discount, I got my first 35mm; a used Minolta X370 with a 50mm lens. Within a year I had worked my way up to a Nikon FM2 with a couple of lenses, and by the end of 2 years, I’d finagled my way into a Leica M6 with a 50mm Summicron.  

    I spent the rest of my money on Tri-X and processing. I fancied myself the Cartier-Bresson of New Haven, which of course I was not, even remotely. But I did manage to join a Yale camera club and was given lots of encouragement by the members. I was 19.

    Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    Sagaponack, NY, August 2010. A favorite. Photo by Rob Kearney

    (cont.) Through some of the connections I’d made with local photographers at the camera shop, I found out about an opening at a professional shop in NYC (which was eventually bought by Calumet). I got the job and had a start date before I even found an apartment. 

    I worked in the rental department and learned as much as I could about medium format, large format and studio strobes, hot lights, and grip equipment, while also building relationships with photographers and their assistants.

    After a few months, with a nudge from of a couple of the shop’s customers, I quit and joined the freelance photo assistant pool. NYC still had a bustling photo district back then, with rental houses, labs and studios all concentrated within a few blocks around 20th St and 5th Ave.

    I spent the next several years assisting over 100 photographers, my morning commute zig zagging across the photo district. For the first few years, I worked for anyone and everyone, from a guy who was merely cataloging machine parts with a view camera, to a luxury real estate photographer, to a guy who photographed ONLY gardens, to Annie Leibovitz. Towards the end of my assisting career, I concentrated on working with advertising still life photographers. I liked the attention to detail in still life, the slower, more methodical pace, not having to lug equipment on location, and the catered lunches. 

    Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    NYC AC. August, 2013. Photo by Rob Kearney

    (cont.) While assisting, I started to put together my own portfolio of advertising/editorial work and shop it around town. Unfortunately, this was right around the time, in the late 90s, when stock photography started booming, digital started pushing aside film, and budgets started to plummet. Assignments were becoming harder to find, as art directors started using more stock. Lower budgets and digital cameras meant clients weren’t interested in paying for film and processing, which meant ditching my entire 4×5 view camera system. And relationships between photographers and ad agencies became more tenuous, as art directors wanted to work with the next new kid, who was shooting digital, with a cool new technique and look, and who worked cheap.

    The days of big budget contract shoots with clients flying in and catered lunches was on the wane. I had apprenticed a little too long and was emerging at the wrong time into a marketplace that was very different from the one I’d signed up for.

    Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    NYC March, 2007. This lady had so clearly spent a lot of time and effort on the way she looked, I had a hunch she wouldn’t mind me taking her photo. After I snapped the picture, she gave me a sort of knowing look and a half smile that said, ‘Yeah, I know, I look pretty awesome.’ Photo by Rob Kearney

    (cont.) I had another small problem. I was trying to make my ‘schtick’ shooting in natural light. I had built up a decent portfolio, of advertising quality images, all shot with natural light, indoors and out, while every other competing photographer was shooting in a studio with strobes. Art directors all seemed to like my portfolio, but the concept of shooting something important for an advertisement using unpredictable, and generally unrepeatable, natural daylight was a bit too scary for them. If they hired me to shoot something with long hard shadows and it was cloudy come shoot day; game over. If they wanted me to shoot 20 handbags with the same lighting in a day, but the sun went down before we were done; game over.

    In the end, my method of shooting simply wasn’t controlled enough for big agencies to take a chance on me. And I loathed the idea of putting all the time and effort into a laborious studio shoot, like I’d been doing as an assistant for the past several years, for half of the former going rate.

    So I was faced with a decision; try to make a go of shopping my portfolio around and make a piece meal living with small editorial assignments and stock shooting, or forge a new direction.

    Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    NYC September, 2013. This is one of my favorite images because it’s so flat, colorful and abstract, it could be a painting. In reality, it’s a carpet store window, with a beat up graffiti covered metal frame around it, reflecting traffic lights. Even though I took it, I still forget what it actually is sometimes. Photo by Rob Kearney

    (cont.) I decided to learn Photoshop. I spent a few years honing my skills, then started doing retouching for some of the photographers I’d worked for as an assistant. Over time, I realized I had somewhat of an advantage over people who only knew Photoshop but never worked in studios. I spoke the same language and understood the photographers, especially the still life guys.

    By 2005, I was freelance retouching 5 days a week. I stayed freelance for a few more years. Then in 2009, I took a position at a fashion retouching studio called Gloss. At the time, there were no dedicated ‘still life’ retouchers on staff, and there was very little still life work. Little by little, I carved a small niche at the studio, and everything related to still life came my way. Eventually the clients took notice and started sending more still life work our way.

    Today I oversee a team of 7 retouchers, all focused strictly on still life – cosmetics, watches, jewelry, etc. All the while, I have been taking pictures, for myself and friends and family. It’s very freeing to shoot without worrying about getting paid for it. Of course, getting paid for it wouldn’t be so awful. 

    Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    NYC August 2012. Lamp with ceiling. Photo by Rob Kearney

    How does your day job influence your photography?

    As a full time retoucher, I’ve learned to make my own photos look better faster, more efficiently, and hopefully less noticeably post processed. With a few exceptions, I try not to take retouching too far on my personal work. I don’t do a lot of pixel level modifications (cloning/healing, etc), but I do use color and lighting adjustments to bring out the essence of what I see. And because I’m paid to have a critical eye, I tend to be more selective about which images of my personal work I choose to spend time processing, retouching, and ultimately share with others.

    Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    Nantucket September, 2014. I try to avoid obvious shots, but I couldn’t NOT take this. Photo by Rob Kearney

    What do you shoot with? 

    Currently, I use a Sony RX1 and occasionally a Cyber-shot RX100. I’ve spent the vast majority of my career shooting with a 50mm, so the Sony’s 35mm has been both a bit of a compromise and a challenge. Since getting it, I’m more drawn to landscapes than previously, but my tighter ‘still life’ images have taken a bit of a back seat. For street and outdoor travel shooting, it’s a lot of fun. Truth be told, I am missing my old Canon full frame and 50mm F1.2 combo quite badly, though I certainly don’t miss the bulk or weight. 

    Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    NYC September, 2013. I’ve always been fascinated by the spectrum of greens, yellows, oranges and blues in the various light sources you see when looking at an apartment building from outside. But the people in the rooms just see the kitchen light, the bedroom light, the living room light, etc. They don’t perceive the different colors. Photo by Rob Kearney

    Are you happy with your gear? What do you wish it could do better?

    The ergonomics, build quality, size and weight of the RX-1 are nearly perfect. I do wish it wasn’t quite so noisy in low light, and focused more quickly and decisively. When I get a noisy soft image, I just tell myself ‘that’s the look!’ and move on, but I am always on the lookout for a compact full frame that handles low light better, and focuses faster.

    Previously, I’ve had Canons, Nikons, and Panasonic M43s. I’ve gotten great pictures from all of them, and an iPhone too. I don’t really care what I’m shooting with as long as I get an image that’s either reasonably sharp and well exposed, or beautifully messed up. I had a foggy Nikon 55mm macro that had a broken diaphragm for years. Everything that passed through that lens looked like a dream. I still miss it!

    Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    NYC July, 2014. The city has such a wide variety of random lighting, and dogs. Photo by Rob Kearney

    What sorts of subjects are you drawn to photographing in your personal work?

    Working in advertising for 20 years will definitely have an affect on your sense of light, color, and composition. I’m always drawn to little vignettes; pools of light, or pockets of color that could pass for an ad. I prefer images that stand well alone and don’t need to be part of a group of images to tell the story. I don’t purposely shoot ‘themes’ or ‘series’. I like the concept of the photograph as a singular thing, like a painting. I try to shoot with the idea in the back of my mind that someone somewhere might like to hang the picture I’m making on their wall.

    Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    Nantucket September, 2013. Once you see them, I think the birds are the stars of this image. Photo by Rob Kearney

    What are the elements of a photograph you’ve taken that you’re happy with – what makes a keeper?

    A keeper to me can be many things. It can be funny. It can evoke a sense of calm. It can be something abstract that doesn’t seem photographic at all. I like images that are lush, or stark, colorful or monochromatic. Cold. Warm. Disturbing. Comforting. I’m definitely a photographic omnivore. If I had to ascribe one word or concept to my work, it would be simplicity. Less is definitely more in my book.

    Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    NYC July, 2012. I work on the 12th floor of a building facing the Empire State. The view is always varied and often dramatic, but rarely this intense. I was literally waiting for the UFO to appear through the clouds. Believe it or not, there is very little post processing here. Photo by Rob Kearney

     

    Your home city of New York is a frequent subject in your photography. In your opinion, what’s unique about it as a photographic subject compared to any other major city?

    New York is a great muse because it’s so brimming with varied subjects and weird/dramatic/beautiful light, 24/7. There are so many people, places, and things, packed into such a small area, that you could swing a camera on a rope and get great shots. New York is also the city of change, for better or worse. Things are in such constant flux that nothing gets the chance to become old and boring.  

    The challenge is to hone in and isolate your subjects, in a sea of frenetic distractions (or embrace the distractions as the subject). The other great thing about living/shooting in New York is that when you travel away from it, the contrast of calm, serenity, and beauty outside the city is that much more inspiring. It’s always amazing to me how people who live outside the city so often take for granted the beauty that surrounds them, because they see it every day and have become blind to it.

    Readers’ Showcase: Rob Kearney

    Photo by Rob Kearney

    What advice would you give a beginning photographer?

    Don’t get caught up in tech specs; megapixels, corner sharpness, fall off, etc. Some of the greatest photographs ever taken are blurry and noisy. The most important pieces of equipment are your eye and your instinct, and the best camera in the world is the one you have with you. I rarely see a great photograph ruined by a so-so camera, but I’ve seen plenty of so-so pictures come out of state of the art cameras.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Behind the Shot: Prince of the Night

    ‘Prince of the Night’. Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, Argentinian Patagonia, April 2014

    In this article I’d like to take you far away to Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, a well known national park in Argentinian Patagonia. I visited Patagonia in April 2014 and spent a month scouting for my ‘Giants of the Andes’ photo workshop and Fitz Roy Annex. I shot in several locations in Argentina and in Chile, and among those, I spent several nights in Campo Poincenot, a camp offering relatively short hiking distances to some very good view points of Mount Fitz Roy, one of Patagonia’s most renowned landmarks.

    On one of these days we hiked to Laguna Sucia (‘Dirty Lagoon’ in Spanish). It’s so named because before the glacier that formed it receded, the lagoon was always littered with icebergs. When I visited, there were no icebergs to be found anywhere near the bank.

    The hike to Laguna Sucia isn’t long, but it’s mostly on loose rock, which is no fun at all. Basically you need to always watch your step: some rocks might shift and tumble when you step on them, others are covered with ice so you might slip – you get the idea.

    Loose rock on our way to Laguna Sucia. Image courtesy of Santiago Siro Folcini.

    Since we wanted to shoot the lagoon and Mount Fitz Roy both at night and during sunrise, we decided to camp there, but as we didn’t want to carry the tents, we only carried our sleeping bags and inflatable mats. We set up our ‘sleeping quarters’ under a large boulder close to the lagoon and went on to explore the area.

    Setting up camp in a most unusual location. Image courtesy of Santiago Siro Folcini

    After shooting the lagoon and the mountain at sunset, I started looking for nighttime compositions. I was thinking about shooting the moonlight glowing on the very top of the mountain (the same way the sun glows on tops of mountains producing Alpenglow), so I had to wake up before moonrise. This meant it was going to be very, very dark, and thus I had to compose and leave the tripod at the same place, so when I returned, I only had to find it, attach the camera and I’d be ready to shoot. I found a composition I liked, set the tripod and went back to ‘camp’. The moonrise was at about 3 a.m., so we set up the alarm for 2:30 and went to sleep.

    Upon waking up, things didn’t look so good. Clouds had accumulated and blocked the moonlight, so all plans for glow fell through. We were quite disappointed but decided to stay around and see what happened. And surely enough, half an hour or an hour later, the clouds dispersed and the mountain was bathing in moonlight. This was the moment I had been waiting for. I went back to the tripod (which was still at the same spot) and took the shot.

    Before discussing how I made the shot, I’d also like to show you two additional images I took at the same place, at later stages. I call them ‘Prince of Crimson’ and ‘Prince of Gold’, and it’s pretty clear why when you see the colors. I really like these images (‘Crimson’ is probably the best of the three), but I had much less to say about them, and so I chose the night image as the topic for this article. By the way, I named the images so to allude to the name of the mountain, literally meaning ‘Son of King’.

    If only I had left the tripod in the same place for the last shot… I’m still sad about it!

    Settings and Execution

    To shoot this image, I used my Sony A7R and a Canon 16-35 F2.8L with a Metabones III adapter.
    The image is a composite of 3 different shots, each taken for a slightly different purpose. Let’s view the untouched Raw files.

    The leftmost image is a relatively short exposure for the sky and reflection. It was taken at ISO 6400, F2.8 and 30sec exposure. The middle image is a longer exposure, just over 2 minutes at ISO 1600, F2.8 to preserve the luminosity. From this image I took the mountain itself and the other parts of the background, except for the sky which at this exposure time had unwanted startrails. The last image was taken with very similar parameters to the second, but the focal point was on the foreground. I used this image to focus-stack the foreground and background, to get sharpness across the image.

    Composition

    The composition isn’t very complicated. The only point really worth mentioning is that the specific location was chosen since the rocks in the foreground follow a similar contour to that of the mountains’ reflection. This contributes greatly to the flow of the image. 

    Post Processing

    As I’ve mentioned, the image is a composite of the 3 shots above. Before combining them, I needed to make some initial tweaks in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR). The first thing I did was apply the lens profile, to avoid aberrations and counteract some of the vignetting. I also changed the white balance to better match what I had seen with my eyes, and made some other minor adjustments, visible in the screenshot below.

    Next I did some local adjustments. I brightened the foreground (to balance the global contrast) and boosted contrast and clarity in the reflection part, to enhance detail.

    I was then ready to combine the images. This wasn’t such a hard task, as the different parts were very distinct. I placed the three images as layers in Photoshop and aligned them (Edit->Auto Align layers). The top layer was the sky layer, and I had to delete the mountain from it in order to get the cleaner version of it from the mid layer. I selected the part I wanted to delete, refined the selection (Select->Refine Edge) and deleted it, exposing the layer below. Once done, I merged the two top layers.

    I was left with a top layer with a blurry foreground, and a bottom layer which I had to expose to get the sharp foreground rocks. I manually deleted the foreground, following the contour of the rocks to avoid exposing the blurry reflection in the bottom layer.

    Once finished, I merged the layers and was left with a flattened image.

    My next goal was to increase local contrast and enhance detail in the image, which has a lot of flat parts. Initially, I used luminosity selections to enhance contrast without losing detail in the highlights or shadows. I selected the midtones and used a levels adjustment layer to boost contrast.

    At this point I was pretty happy with all but the higher-left part of the image. It felt too bright compared to the foreground and the right side, so I needed to work on that separately. I selected the bright parts and refined the selection once again. I then used a levels adjustment layer to darken it, while keeping it brighter than the other parts of the image, which made sense as it was directly lit.

    The last task was to take care of unwanted color, caused by high ISO and shadow recovery. As you might notice, the sky is spotted with purple blotches, and the foreground seems too green. Both these color problems were dealt with in the same way: a color blend layer. The process is as follows: you duplicate the image layer, select blend mode ‘color’, and then whatever the pixel color on the top layer, it passes to the bottom layer as well. To cancel the purple in the sky, I had to select the sky without selecting the stars. I did that by selecting the whole image, and then subtracting a very light luminosity selection, until I had a selection which almost didn’t contain stars. I then used the pipette tool to sample the sky’s blue color and gently painted it in.

    The same was done with the foreground rocks. I sampled the foreground color I wanted and painted a color layer, until the rocks were grey, as they were in reality.

    All that was left was to convert to the sRGB color space, perform size reduction and sharpening and I was finally done.

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

    If you’d like to experience and shoot some of the most fascinating landscapes on earth with Erez as your guide, you’re welcome to take a look at his unique photography workshops around the world:

    Land of Ice – Southern Iceland
    Winter Paradise – Northern Iceland
    Northern Spirits – The Lofoten Islands
    Giants of the Andes and Fitz Roy Annex – Patagonia
    Tales of Arctic Nights, Part I and Part II – Greenland
    Earth, Wind and Fire – Ethiopia

    Selected articles by Erez Marom:

    • Behind the Shot: Dark Matter
    • Mountain Magic: Shooting in the Lofoten Islands
    • Behind the Shot: Nautilus
    • Behind the Shot: Lost in Space
    • Behind the Shot: Spot the Shark
    • Quick Look: The Art of the Unforeground
    • Behind the Shot: Watery Grave
    • Whatever it Doesn’t Take
    • Winds of Change: Shooting changing landscapes

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • RED Scarlet-W and Scarlet-W Monochrome unveiled: shipping starts in February

    RED has introduced its new Scarlet-W and Scarlet-W Monochrome pro-grade cameras. Both models feature RED’s Dragon sensor with recording options that include 5K/60fps, 4K/150fps, and 2K/300fps. Additionally, the Scarlet-W Monochrome makes it possible to capture black and white footage with enhanced resolution and improved light sensitivity. Thanks to a durable and lightweight design, Scarlet-W is suitable for on-the-go projects.

    RED says its new offering makes ‘obsolescence obsolete’ by using the DSMC2 accessories line, which is also compatible with RED’s Red Raven and Weapon cameras. The same modular design found on RED’s other cameras comes with Scarlet-W and is joined by an interchangeable lens mount.

    Scarlet-W (body-only) is priced at $ 9,950 USD/€10,040 EUR/£7,175 GBP with shipping set for February 2016. Deposits are now being accepted at $ 1,000 USD. Packages are also available starting at $ 14,500 USD.

    Press release:

    ANNOUNCING THE INDUSTRY-CHANGING SCARLET-W CAMERA

    Today RED introduced the newest addition to the RED DRAGON® family, SCARLET-W. Bringing an unparalleled level of accessibility to content creators everywhere, SCARLET-W combines RED’s intuitive camera design—including integrated mounting points, interchangeable lens mounts, simultaneous REDCODE® RAW and Apple ProRes recording formats, intelligent OLPF system, and in-camera 3D LUT outputs—with a RED DRAGON sensor to provide a solution that blends flexibility and accessibility with high-end performance.

    Coupling RED’s wide dynamic range and renowned color science with simultaneously recording capabilities in REDCODE RAW and Apple ProRes, SCARLET-W provides shooters with the best image quality possible in any format. Professionals are empowered to capture their vision exactly as they see it with recording frame rates of 5K at 60 frames per second (fps), 4K at 150 fps, or 2K at 300 fps when shooting REDCODE RAW.

    SCARLET-W is estimated to begin shipping in February 2016, with deposits now being accepted through the RED website or with a RED Authorized Dealer. Customers have the choice to purchase the camera BRAIN® only—with either a color or black and white monochrome sensor—or the SCARLET-W Base I/O V-Lock Package, which provides the key components necessary to get out and start shooting. Additionally, current SCARLET DRAGON® owners are eligible to receive a $ 2,500 discount on the SCARLET-W Base I/O V-Lock Package price (Only available through RED.COM).

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • California dreaming: The zen of photography with Rinzi Ruiz and Jonathan Alcorn

    Street photographer Rinzi Ruiz and photojournalist Jonathan Alcorn are both based in the Los Angeles area, but their personal photography takes them to very different places. Ruiz thrives in the bustle of downtown L.A., while Alcorn loses himself photographing skateboarders and surfer-types at Venice Beach. They each find their zen in these environments, shooting until the sun is low in the sky, letting everything slip away except for the shot. Take a look at what zen means to these photographers, and let us know in the comments where you find yours.

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    This is sponsored content, produced with the support of Samsung. What does this mean?

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Apple iOS 9.2 adds iPhone support for USB camera adapter for direct photo transfer

    Apple released a number of software updates yesterday including iOS 9.2. In addition to a large number of bug fixes, the update adds iPhone support for the company’s Lightning to USB Camera Adapter, making it possible now to transfer images directly from a camera to your iPhone. Previously, only iPads were supported. Read more

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Epson announces mass production of 4.41m dot LCD likely used in Leica SL

    Epson has announced its latest electronic viewfinder panel: a 4.41m dot SXGA+ display, a spec that may sound familiar to anyone who’s been reading about Leica’s SL full-frame mirrorless camera. Epson had shown a mockup of the panel at CP+ back in February 2015, and says the unit is now in mass production.

    The 4.41m dot unit offers an SXGA+ display: 1,400 x 1,050 pixels. This equates to 1.87x as many pixels as the existing XGA viewfinders used in most high-end mirrorless cameras: a 36% increase in linear resolution. Everyone who’s used it at DPReview has been very impressed by the level of detail shown by the SL’s 4.41m dot viewfinder.

    Leica has previously offered Epson-based EVFs as accessory finders for its X1 and X2 models, but these were likely to have been brought in from Olympus, given the similar styling and cross-compatibility with Olympus units. Considering the dot count and panel size (0.66″), it seems very probable that this is the LCD panel in the SL.

    The Leica SL, as seen from behind

    At present, most high-end EVFs we’ve seen are XGA 2.36m dot displays, using either LCD or OLED technologies. Olympus used LCD panels in its earlier OM-D cameras but has shifted towards OLED in its latest generation. Likewise, Fujfilm used LCDs in its X-Pro1 and X100 series models, only to embrace OLED across the rest of its range. Despite this shift, we’d be surprised if we didn’t start seeing this LCD panel in some of the higher-end mirrorless cameras over the coming year or so, especially given the greater longevity of LCD panels that Leica mentioned as its reason for choosing the technology.

    That said, the 0.66″ panel size could limit its usage, since this is considerably larger than the 0.48″ LCD and 0.5″ OLEDs currently in use.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Alien Skin releases non-destructive photo editor Exposure X

    Alien Skin has launched Exposure X, its non-destructive photo editor and film emulation software for Mac OS X and Windows. Exposure X is the successor to Exposure 7, and functions as both a plug-in for Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop as well as a standalone editor. Features include a revamped user interface, RAW image editing, and an import system that doesn’t use a catalog file.

    Plans to release Exposure X were announced weeks ago. As promised, the software combines simplified design with non-destructive editing tools for organizing, editing, processing, and storing photos. Exposure X doesn’t use a catalog file, instead opening photos directly from the source folder. The interface, meanwhile, does away with separate modules, presenting a full set of tools at all times, according to Alien Skin. Analog looks can be applied to images, including Kodachrome, Lo-Fi, Daguerreotypes, and more. 

    Exposure X is a free upgrade for Exposure 7 owners and $ 99 USD for those with other Exposure versions. The software is $ 149 USD for new customers.

    Via: Alien Skin

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)