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Archive for April, 2017

Honor 8 Pro combines big screen with dual-cam and large battery

06 Apr

Huawei’s sub-brand Honor has today released its latest flagship – the Honor 8 Pro, which plays on a very similar level as the main brand’s Mate 9 and P10 high-end models. The 8 Pro features the same Kirin 960 chipset as the Huawei handsets and combines it with a generous 6GB of RAM and 64GB of built-in storage that can be expanded via a microSD-slot. Despite a large 4,000 mAh battery the device is very slim and the front is covered by a 5.7″ Quad-HD display. 

With a dual 12MP-camera setup the camera specification is on paper identical to the standard Honor 8 but the new Kirin chipset’s more powerful Image Signal Processor should slightly improve image quality compared to its slightly older cousin. As on all Huawei dual-cam a monochrome and a RGB sensor are combined to optimize image detail, noise levels and dynamic range as well as produce a simulated shallow depth-of-field effect. Both lenses come with F2.2 apertures and the camera is capable of recording 4K video. There is no optical image stabilization, though. The front camera uses an 8MP module with F2.0 aperture. 

The Honor 8 Pro has, at least at this point, been officially announced for European markets only and will cost you £475/590 in the UK which makes it an interesting alternative for those who want high-end looks and specs at an affordable price point. It will go up for pre-order today on the Honor vMall store and will be available in regular stores from April 20.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Zeiss formally announces Batis 135mm F2.8

06 Apr

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Zeiss has announced a new medium telephoto full-frame Batis lens for Sony E mount: the Batis 2.8/135. The Apo Sonnar optical design comprises of 14 elements in 11 groups inside a smooth metal body with an OLED display with distance and depth of field information. As with all lenses in the Batis line, it offers AF, and a robust build with weather-sealing. It also features image stabilization, like the Batis 85mm.

The lens will be available in May 2017 with an MSRP of $ 1,999.

Press Release:

The new ZEISS Batis 2.8/135 is the first 135 mm AF focal length for mirrorless full-frame cameras from Sony

OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 05/04/2017.

Fans of Sony’s mirrorless full-frame cameras have a reason to smile: ZEISS has added a further tele lens focal length to its ZEISS Batis lens family. The new ZEISS Batis 2.8/135 is the first 135 mm AF focal length for Sony’s Alpha 7 system with E-mount. Like all lenses from the ZEISS Batis range, this new addition is equipped with fast and precise autofocus. To avoid shaking, which can occur very easily with tele lenses, an optical image stabilizer has also been incorporated into the design. The ZEISS Batis 2.8/135 proves it worth particularly in portrait photography: “The tele focal length means the subject can stand out nicely against the blurred background”, says Product Manager Michael Pollmann from ZEISS. “The bokeh works very well indeed, and the optical design – an Apo Sonnar – ensures outstanding images time and again.” The new ZEISS Batis could also be a great option for event and wedding photography.

“Compact, lightweight, top quality”

“The advantage of Sony’s mirrorless full-frame system is that despite its compact size, it delivers exceptional image quality,” says Pollmann. ZEISS has continued to bring the design of the ZEISS Batis 2.8/135 into line with the needs of Sony photographers. “It was important to build a comparably handy lens – in spite of the rather long focal length. We made a conscious decision to strike a balance between compactness, weight and light intensity.”

OLED display visualizes depth of focus

Like all ZEISS Batis lenses, this latest addition features an OLED display that enables precise visualization of the depth of field. So you can be sure that the image is in focus in all the right places. The metal housing gives the lens its robust and durable character. ZEISS assures us that its dust and dirt shield means photo shoots in poor weather are a walk in the park.

The image quality leaves nothing to be desired: “We have put a lot of effort into the optical design and into correcting our lenses,” says Pollmann. “For example, we are experimenting with special types of glass in order to rule out as many kinds of image errors as possible. We have thus been able to ensure corrected chromatic aberration in the ZEISS Batis 2.8/135 so that we have virtually no image errors.” 14 lenses have been built into 11 groups in the camera lens.

Price and availability

The ZEISS Batis 2.8/135 will be available from specialist dealers starting May 2017 and will retail at 1,999 euros incl. 19 percent sales tax (RRP).

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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New York Times reportedly more than doubles photographers’ pay rate

06 Apr

The New York Times has more than doubled its photographers’ pay, according to a new report, increasing its day rate from $ 200 to $ 450. The report’s sources also claim that the publication’s pay rate for photographers working less than a day is now $ 300, though it isn’t clear what the previous rate was. This follows a report the company published in January stating, among other things, that it ‘need[s] to expand the number of visual experts who work at The Times and also expand the number who are in leadership roles.’

The Times discussed its ‘strategy and aspirations’ in its 2020 report published in January 2017. Chief among the details about many changes the publication needs to make is discussion of photography and its role in modern journalism. ‘Too much of our daily report remains dominated by long strings of text,’ the report explains, detailing ways it could improve articles using visual elements.

In addition to enabling reporters and others to improve their visual storytelling capabilities, The Times says, ‘We also need to become more comfortable with our photographers, videographers and graphics editors playing the primary role covering some stories, rather than a secondary role.’ 

Via: PetaPixel

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Elinchrom launches improved Deep Umbrellas

05 Apr

Elinchrom has introduced its new Deep Umbrellas line of affordable umbrellas to replace the Varistar series. The new models are available in white, silver and translucent and feature a deep shape that provides an even quality of light. 16 fiberglass rods are utilized to maintain a consistent circular shape. The umbrellas include a portable sleeve and are available in sizes of 41” or 49”. 

In addition to the new umbrellas, Elinchrom has also introduced a range of compatible diffusers and reflectors that can convert the umbrella into a “fold-up” softbox, giving photographers another lighting tool without adding hardly any extra bulk. Pricing for the umbrellas ranges, depending on color and size, from $ 96.95 to $ 136.95. Diffusors start at $ 32.95. More information on specifications and features is available on Elinchromus.com.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Hasselblad X1D-50c First Impressions Review

05 Apr

The Hasselblad X1D-50c is a 50MP mirrorless medium format camera and is an important product for the storied Swedish company.

Hasselblad is a company with a long history of making high-end cameras. Its boxy 6 x 6 format cameras (latterly dubbed the ‘V’ series) were beloved of generations of photographers and perhaps reached their apogee when used to capture man’s first ventures to the moon.

The ravages of history, the decline of film and changes of both management and ownership have seen the company make sporadic attempts to expand beyond its core, high-end professional medium format market, but the X1D is the move that best fits with the brand’s strengths and history.

The first camera in the ‘XCD’ system, the X1D is built around 44 x 33mm medium format sensor (or ‘cropped’ medium format if you’re going to demand that digital directly mimics film formats). The assumption has to be that it’s a similar 50MP chip to the one included in Ricoh’s Pentax 645Z and Fujifilm’s GFX 50S. What’s interesting is how different each camera ends up being.

Key Features:

  • 50MP 44 x 33mm medium format CMOS sensor
  • 12.4MP preview JPEGs or ‘3FR’ 16-bit losslessly compressed Raws
  • 2.36M-dot electronic viewfinder
  • 920k-dot (VGA) 3.0″ touchscreen 
  • Designed to use leaf-shutter lenses
  • Tethered shooting over USB 3.0 or Wi-Fi
  • Full TTL compatibility with recent Nikon Speedlights

Whereas the 645Z is medium format DSLR, built around Pentax’s existing 645 film system, and Fujifilm’s GFX is a DSLR-shaped mirrorless camera with a focal plane shutter, Hasselblad has used the expertise it’s gained in high-end studio cameras to create the smallest camera of the three by pushing the shutter out into the lenses. This move not only keeps the camera small, it also means that the camera can sync with strobes across its entire shutter speed range.

To an extent it reminds us of the original Sony a7, which appeared to be the bare minimum amount of camera built around a full frame sensor. The Hasselblad does the same thing, but with a sensor 70% larger. However, what will be interesting to see is whether the Hasselblad is able to take full advantage of that extra sensor size if its lenses are significantly slower than those available for the smaller, ‘full-frame’ format (which, in theory at least, gives you the chance to open the aperture, let in more light and cancel out all of the larger sensor advantage, so long as you don’t run out of dynamic range).

Initially, Hasselblad has promised three lenses for the XCD system: a 30mm F3.5 (24mm equiv), a 45mm F3.5 (35mm equiv) and a 90mm F3.2 (70mm equiv). As with so many things in life, what you gain on one side (the faster sync speeds of a leaf shutter), you lose on another (it’s increasingly hard to get a leaf shutter to quickly open and close across a large distance).

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Magic Lantern brings 4K recording to the Canon EOS 5D Mark III

05 Apr

Magic Lantern made April fools of us all by going live with an experimental build for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III on April 1st. It’s in early stages of development but it’s the real deal, and brings experimental Raw 4K video recording to the 5D III, among other things.

The build adds the following recording resolutions to the camera:

1920×960 @ 50p (both 1:1 crop and full-frame – 3×3 pixel binning)
1920×800 @ 60p (same as above)
1920×1080 @ 45p and 48p (3×3 binning)
1920×1920 @ 24p (1:1 square crop)
3072×1920 @ 24p (1:1 crop)
3840×1600 @ 24p (1:1 crop)
4096×2560 @ 12.5p (1:1 crop)
4096×1440 @ 25p (1:1 crop)

Once downloaded, it’ll look like this:

Stills shooters will also find a ‘full-resolution LiveView’ mode that shoots 5796×3870 at 7.4 fps. Magic Lantern notes that this mode is usable at fast shutter speeds, but comes with rolling shutter.

Magic Lantern states that anyone who downloads the build should know that it’s still quite bleeding edge, with plenty of bugs to work through. And of course, ML also wants you to know that using their software will probably void your warranty.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Apple is working on a reimagined Mac Pro, apologizes for lack of updates

05 Apr
Image via Apple

In a conversation with several media outlets, Apple has reportedly apologized for disappointing customers of its Mac Pro desktop, and says that a re-imagined version is on the way. The company is also working on a new pro display and higher-end iMacs.

The unusually-shaped Mac Pro was introduced in 2013 and hasn’t seen an update since then. Depending on your viewpoint, that changed today when the company announced a change in pricing that upgrades the $ 3000 entry-level models specs. But the hardware essentially remains the same, and Apple says that an updated version wouldn’t be available anytime this year, at least.

According to reports from Buzzfeed and TechCrunch, Apple execs cited the Mac Pro’s unusual design as a contributor to its problems. The company has been unable to upgrade its hardware to keep pace with the needs of pro users. A design that was touted for its ability to dissipate heat evenly turned out to be its downfall when the industry began embracing large, single GPUs rather than the Mac Pro’s approach using two smaller chips.

Mac Pro users aren’t alone in their frustration with Apple – the latest Macbook Pro refresh brought rounds of criticism from photographers and other professionals unhappy with the the lack of an SD card slot and traditional USB ports.

Is this a step in the right direction for Apple? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Alcatel Flash features front and rear dual-cams

05 Apr

TCL-sub-brand Alcatel might not be the best-known smartphone manufacturer out there but some of its models definitely deserve some attention from mobile photographers. The Flash, which was announced today, is such a device. Its main imaging module uses a dual-camera setup that applies a similar concept as the cameras used in recent models from Huawei, combining a monochrome sensor with an RGB chip for improved image detail, noise levels and dynamic range.

The camera module houses two 13MP image sensors. One is a monochrome variant, the other a 1/3.06″ Sony IMX258 RGB sensor. Both 6-element lenses come with F2.0 apertures and Alcatel claims on-sensor phase-detection allows for focus speeds as fast as 0.15 sec. 4K video is supported as well. As if that weren’t enough, the Flash also offers a dual-cam at the front, albeit a much simpler setup. An 8MP main sensor is supported by a 5MP chip for shallow DoF-effects. As on the back, both front lenses come with an F2.0 aperture and you also get a dual-LED flash at the front as well. 

The rest of the specification looks very solid, too. Images can be viewed on a a 5.5″ FullHD IPS display and processing power is provided by a Mediatek Helio X20 deca-core CPU. There are 3GB of RAM, 32GB of expandable internal storage, a 3100mAh battery and a rear-mounted fingerprint reader. Unfortunately, Alcatel has not released any information on pricing and availability yet.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Firmware update brings DNG support and improved AF speeds to Sigma sd Quattro

05 Apr

Sigma has released a significant firmware update for its sd Quattro cameras. Firmware version 1.04 adds support for the DNG format (12-bit), improves AF speeds with Contemporary, Art and Sports lenses by 10-30% and enhances compatibility with the company’s Capture Pro software.

Capture Pro now supports live view when tethered to the camera as well as the Quattro’s multi-shot SFD mode. Color rendition when using the EF-630 flash (with flash white balance) has also been improved.

Lastly, several bugs have been knocked out, including problems with the AF shooting button not functioning when AF Lock is being used.

Quattro owners can download the firmware right here.

Press Release

Sigma Announces Firmware Update to sd Quattro Cameras

Firmware Version 1.04 offers support for DNG formats, improved autofocus capabilities and enhanced functionality with Sigma Capture Pro

Ronkonkoma, NY – April 4, 2017 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading DSLR lens, camera, flash and accessory manufacturer, announced today the release of firmware update 1.04 for its sd Quattro cameras to boost the performance and broaden the capabilities of the detail-rich camera. This latest version of firmware is availble for download on sd Quattro cameras that currently have firmware version 1.03.

Among the benefits included in version 1.04 are support for shooting in DNG format (RAW 12bit) and further compatibility with elements of Sigma Capture Pro tethering software. Additionally, the update includes improvements that increase autofocus speed and accuracy of lenses from Sigma’s Contemporary, Art and Sports lines. Overall experience with the software has also been improved in version 1.04 to create a smoother, more stable software experience.

Full List of Updates in Firmware Version 1.04:

  • Possibility to save images in DNG format (RAW 12bit)
  • Compatibility with the Live View Display of Sigma Capture Pro
  • Compatibility with the SFD mode of Sigma Capture Pro
  • Faster AF speed of Contemporary, Art and Sports lenses by about 10 – 30%; improved AF accuracy
  • Improved color rendering of the White Balance’s Flash mode when used with the Sigma Electronic Flash EF-630 (the latest firmware for the EF-630 is required)
  • Bug fixes – AF Shooting button did not work while the camera was using AF Lock; adjustments on the marked images could occasionally freeze the software when the card had an X3I file in it
  • Improved software performance to achieve better stability

Full instructions on how to download sd Quattro firmware version 1.04 can be found on the Sigma website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Android 7.1.2 update fixes Google Pixel’s pink camera streaks issue

05 Apr

Google has released Android 7.1.2 for the Pixel and Nexus smartphones, and with it comes a fix for the pink streaking issue affecting some Pixel cameras. Owners affected by the issue report a pink banding and vertical lines that appear on photos taken using the Pixel’s camera app. Google had encouraged affected handset owners to factory reset their phone as a temporary solution for the problem, and now it has released a permanent fix with the latest version of Android.

In addition to fixing the Pixel’s pink banding problem, Android 7.1.2 for Pixel and Nexus phones brings improvements to Bluetooth connectivity and fingerprint swipe performance, and also adds battery usage alerts. Google says audio popping and early shutdown issues have also been fixed.

The update is available now via both OTA update images and factory images. Handset owners who don’t want to manually flash their device with an image can wait for the update to be delivered to their phone over-the-air, the rollout of which is happening now.

Via: Android Police

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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