November « 2017 « 360Photography

RSS

Archive for November, 2017

Designer imagines the perfect keyboard for Adobe software

23 Nov

Designer Vinicius Araújo has created a series of concept images that imagine what a keyboard may look like if it were made by Adobe specifically for Photoshop and its other specialized software. Araújo shared the images on Behance under the handle VA Designer, where he shows a concept that containing half a dozen touch shortcuts, a scroll wheel, colored LED lighting, and a high level of sensitivity.

While various DIYers have developed their own enhanced control methods for some Adobe products—such as using a PS3 gamepad to control Lightroom—and some interesting options do exist, a perfect hardware companion to the software suite remains elusive.

Araújo’s concept imagines what that companion device might look like should one ever be developed.

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_0008864831″,”galleryId”:”0008864831″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”standalone”:false,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”startInCommentsView”:false,”isMobile”:false}) });

Rather than using color-coded shortcuts, this concept presents a sleek low-profile keyboard with several customizable touch pads on the left, and a small display in the upper right-hand corner. That display shows which tool is currently active in the software, and is joined by a smaller display just above it that shows the application in use.

Above the keyboard’s function keys resides a display somewhat similar to the Touch Bar found on some MacBook Pro laptops. The concept’s upper display, however, is used to present the logos for Adobe software not currently in use; tap one of the logos, and the related application will launch on the computer.

Finally, the concept also includes a scroll wheel that could be used to precisely adjust sliders or select colors in programs like Lightroom and Photoshop. The inclusion of a scroll wheel on a keyboard isn’t a new idea, though; Logitech, for example, recently introduced a keyboard with a scroll wheel for use with products like Adobe Photoshop.

Because this is simply a concept design, it isn’t available to purchase as an actual product, but we’d be curious to hear your thoughts on Araújo’s keyboard. How would you improve upon it? And would you buy it if it were to become reality?

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

10 Reasons Why You Need to Learn to Love Your Tripod

22 Nov

When I first purchased my tripod it sat unused for several months. In some ways, I was a bit afraid of it, all the effort of having to carry it around and set it up, etc. Would people look at me funny? Was it heavy to carry around? Setting it up properly looked complicated and seemed to take ages. Did I really need one?

How to Learn to Love Your Tripod

After a trip in what turned out to be a low light environment where I wasted a day of travel by coming back with no sharp shots, I bit the bullet and dusted off that tripod. Now it pretty much goes wherever my camera goes and is my go-to accessory in many situations.

Eventually I learned to love my tripod, hopefully, you will too. Some people think having a tripod limits your capabilities. Yes, you do have to carry it, which may limit where you go, or how far you can carry it. But it is my opinion that even with those limitations, the benefits of using a tripod far outway the issues.

Reasons to Love your Tripod

#1 – Slowing Down is a Good Thing

Having to position your tripod, take the time to set up the camera, get the angle and framing right all take time. This means you often need to think about where you will position your gear before you actually do so. Then it means you need to think quite specifically about your composition so you can put your gear in the right place to achieve that.

All this careful consideration gives you time to look at your subject, to really take time and properly see it, to see the possibilities beyond the first initial obvious frame you might take. Taking the time to think about your composition also offers opportunities to be creative and experiment.

10 Reasons Why You Need to Learn to Love Your Tripod - food shot

An overhead flat still life shot takes a lot of fiddling to get set up correctly.

10 Reasons Why You Need to Learn to Love Your Tripod

Camera set up in an overhead position, pointing straight down. Not all tripods allow this movement with the center pole, so check before you purchase.

An L Plate tripod mount makes it much easier to change between portrait and landscape orientation, but they are an extra cost. Provided your tripod head has drop notches, this is easy to achieve.

A quick release lever tripod mount is my preferred option. Other choices include screw mounted closures instead. Note the included spirit level.

2 – The Tripod Carries the Weight

If you have a large or heavy lens (and camera body) it can be very tiring to lift and hold and shoot with for extended periods. Bird and wildlife photographers often use long lenses that can be very heavy. A tripod will take the weight for you, allowing you to shoot for longer without fatigue. If you need more flexibility in capturing birds in flight, or animals on the move, a gimbal head allows freedom of movement and support at the same time.

This is the wrong way to be using the center column, it adds the opportunity for vibration and is not very stable.

3 – Video

I am not a videographer myself, but there is nothing worse than watching a wobbly handheld video. Keeping it steady on a tripod with a fluid head is a good way to start.

4 – Sharpness and Stability

Of course, the whole point of using a tripod is to ensure you get sharp shots by removing any camera movement or vibration. Additionally, you can use a remote or self-timer to limit further physical contact when taking the shot and maximize sharpness. My camera has a custom setting for landscapes that flips up the mirror and pauses for 2 seconds for the vibrations to flatten before the shutter clicks.

Using an L plate makes it easier to mount the camera in either landscape or portrait orientation.

L Plate with the camera set up in Portrait.

5 – Macro

When dealing with a small subject and a very limited depth of field, getting focus on the right spot can be hard. It is even harder when you are hand holding to keep the focus steady. Just breathing is enough movement to throw the line off and end up with blurry shots. Using a tripod combined with manual focus is often a good way to improve your keeper ratings with macro photography.

Additionally, if your camera supports it, using live view and zooming in to fix the focus more accurately could improve your keeper rate a huge amount (it did for me). My final tip is to use a wireless remote as well.

10 Reasons Why You Need to Learn to Love Your Tripod

6 – Landscape and Panorama

Lugging a tripod on a hike for a day seems like a huge effort, but being able to set up your camera and take sharp shots is worth it in my opinion. Should you want to experiment with hyperfocal distances a tripod is recommended. Using filters to tone down a bright sky? Need a tripod.

Landscapes often lend themselves to a panorama, where you take several shots and blend them into one big (usually long) one. It is important to get your horizontal or vertical lines straight so the frames match up when you are stitching them together in software. You also need to make sure the camera is oriented flat on the rotation as well. Some people even work out the parallax point and may shoot using a nodal rail.

All these elements require a tripod to ensure they happen correctly.

This 7-minute long exposure absolutely required the use of a tripod.

7 – Low Light

All cameras struggle when the light situation is low – astrophotography, light painting, timelapse, light trails or just generally limited lighting circumstances. To counter the limited light, the camera will be required to hold the shutter open for longer. It is very difficult to hold a camera perfectly steady in your hands for even one second, let alone 20 seconds, or even several minutes.

The only way to guarantee sharp shots is to hold the camera still, in other words, use a tripod.

A long exposure shot of around 20 seconds to try and remove the crowds of people attending the event, instead I have blurry ghosts.

Night shot of a fire dancer – the tripod allowed me to take a longer exposure time and capture the trails of fire.

8 – Special Effects

Focus stacking, HDR (High Dynamic Range) and exposure blending are reasonably commonly used special effects these days. The common factor is several frames are taken but the camera itself stays perfectly still (or may only move in tiny increments). The multiple images are then blended together later using post-processing techniques. Therefore in order to keep the camera perfectly still from frame to frame, you must use a tripod.

Two frames are blended for this shot, the berries in one and the falling icing sugar in another.

9 – Long Exposures

Those lovely foamy waterfalls and swirls of whitewater in streams or smoke like waves around rocks and shorelines require exposures of that are much longer than usual. They could be tenths of a second, a few seconds or several minutes, depending on the lighting conditions. To keep your camera that still for that long, demands a tripod must be used.

Often, to simulate the limited lighting conditions required to give the very soft flowing effect, filters will also be used, which are mounted on the front of the lens. It is very difficult to load and mount the filters if the camera is not sitting on a tripod, leaving your hands free to add the extra equipment.

Shot at 1/15th of a second, too long to handhold steady, but long enough to capture the colored lights on the trees.

10 – Self-Portraits

Not the quick snap up the nostrils at arm’s length which is the best you can hope for with a cell phone usually. Instead, using a tripod allows you to be very creative with your self-portraits. Adding in a wireless remote, and shooting fine art self-portraits becomes easy and fun.

Top view of a camera with a wireless remote trigger mounted on the hot shoe and plugged into the camera.

Back view of a camera with a wireless remote trigger mounted on the hot shoe and plugged into the camera.

Wireless remote and a camera trigger ready to be plugged into the camera.

This self-portrait was taken with the camera in an overhead position pointing straight down. The remote was in my hand.

Summary

Tripods require some effort to use. They must be taken with you, whether that be in the studio, a wander in the gardens or several hours long hike in the mountains. It is extra weight and an awkward shape to carry. For many people, they prefer to go without and successfully manage to do so.

Personally, I believe the benefits a tripod offers are invaluable. By forcing me to slow down and think more about my photography, my composition skills improved a great deal with my landscape work.

Being prepared to use and experiment with a tripod allowed me to move into macro photography. Adding in manual focus and a wireless remote improved my sharpness and accuracy with very limited depth of field.

Having the capability to set the camera up at unusual angles and heights, and keeping my hands free for other things gave me the freedom to try out food photography, still life shots and creative self-portraits.

Anytime you need the camera to hold still for just a bit longer than you can (or want to) hold it is when you need a tripod. There are lots of fun things you can shoot but they might be difficult if your hands aren’t very steady or your gear is heavy.

So learn to love your tripod, soon it will be your best friend.

The post 10 Reasons Why You Need to Learn to Love Your Tripod by Stacey Hill appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

Top 10 sample galleries of the year #3: the Fujifilm X100F

22 Nov

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_9737454830″,”galleryId”:”9737454830″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”standalone”:false,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”startInCommentsView”:false,”isMobile”:false}) });

We’re counting down our top 10 most popular sample galleries of 2017 and at long last we’ve reached our top 3 galleries. Holding it down with the bronze medal is the Fujifilm X100F.

What do you say about a camera like the X100F? It’s a staff favorite for sure – we gave it a gold award in our review. Even after publishing that, we found ourselves taking it on road trips and using it to photograph Seattle’s famous cherry blossoms. We were even fortunate enough to get our hands on an early version of the X100F prior to its release and shot a beta sample gallery as well. Check that out below:

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_7972459793″,”galleryId”:”7972459793″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”standalone”:false,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”startInCommentsView”:false,”isMobile”:false}) });

Top 10 most popular sample galleries of 2017:

#10: Sigma 14mm F1.8 Art
#9: Fujifilm GFX 50S
#8: Nikon D7500
#7: Olympus Tough TG-5
#6: Sigma 85mm F1.4
#5: Fujifilm X-T20
#4: Leica M10
#3: Fujifilm X100F
#2: To be revealed on 11/23
#1: To be revealed on 11/24

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Leica CL: first sample images

22 Nov

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_9786297772″,”galleryId”:”9786297772″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”standalone”:false,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”startInCommentsView”:false,”isMobile”:false}) });

The Leica CL is a 24MP rangefinder-style mirrorless camera, which sits alongside the TL2 in the company’s APS-C lineup. We’ve been using one for a few days, with the brand new Elmarit-TL 18mm F2.8 pancake prime. Check out our gallery of images.

See our Leica CL sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Leica CL brings built-in viewfinder, conventional control layout to L lineup

22 Nov

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_7789567443″,”galleryId”:”7789567443″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”standalone”:false,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”startInCommentsView”:false,”isMobile”:false}) });

Leica has just released the CL, the forth in its series of APS-C L-mount cameras. While it shares a name with a camera released in the mid-70s, the new CL is a thoroughly modern ILC, with a 24MP sensor, 10 fps continuous shooting and 4K/30p video capture.

Compared to the TL2, the CL offer more conventional handling, including twin exposure dials, physical buttons for menu and playback, and a 4-way controller. It also features a high-resolution 2.36 million-dot EVF built in. Despite the more traditional ergonomics, the CL’s rear LCD is touch-sensitive, and supports swipe gestures for image navigation and mode switching.

The CL is being launched alongside a new Elmarit-TL 18mm F2.8. At just 20.5mm/0.8in in length, Leica calls the “smallest wide-angle APS-C pancake lens currently available in the market.”

Pricing for the CL and the new 18mm follows below:

Body only, black anodized finish : $ 2,795.00
Leica CL Prime Kit with 18 mm : $ 3,795.00
Leica CL Vario Kit with 18-56 mm : $ 3,995.00
Elmarit-TL 18 F2.8 ASPH, black / silver anodized : $ 1,295.00

Press release

Leica Camera Unveils Expansion of its APS-C System with the New Leica CL and Smallest Wide-Angle APS-C Lens

The new mirrorless camera and lens unite innovation, ease of use and compact design for exceptional visual storytelling

November 21, 2017- Leica Camera unveils the latest addition to its APS-C system with the Leica CL, a new camera that boasts an exceptional balance of state-of-the-art technology, mechanical precision and intuitive, classic design to make it the ideal everyday companion, a perfect fit for all types of photography. With stunning image quality – even in low-light scenarios – new electronic viewfinder technology and superb video capabilities, the Leica CL is the ultimate tool to capture everyday moments, all customizable to the photographer’s style. Available on its own or in two new camera-and-lens kit options, the Leica CL makes it simple to incorporate the art of photography into one’s daily life.

Alongside the Leica CL, the iconic photography brand is further diversifying the APS-C system’s portfolio of lenses by introducing the Elmarit-TL 18 mm f/2.8 ASPH., the smallest-in-class wide-angle lens with supreme imaging performance.

Evolution of the Leica APS-C system portfolio
With the launch of the Leica CL, the Leica APS-C System now encompasses two remarkable camera models, the Leica CL and the Leica TL2. In technical terms, the two cameras are equals, but retain stark differences in regards to their design and handling. The Leica CL reflects the traditions of Leica with its iconic industrial design, classic physical button controls and dials, while the Leica TL2 embodies a futuristic look, featuring a touchscreen and full-body aluminium. Coupled with the extensive portfolio of lenses, the Leica CL and Leica TL2 make for a formidable system portfolio offering an array of specialized and distinct photographic experiences.

Introducing the Leica CL
The Leica CL is rooted in Leica’s legacy, calling upon the brand’s heritage look with modern technical features. The instinctual and convenient design of the camera features a user-friendly handling concept, providing for an exceptionally intuitive tool whose compact size and light weight allow for maximum mobility. All essential controls are located on its top plate with just two dials for setting the aperture, shutter speed, ISO value, exposure compensation and shooting mode, for quick and intuitive handling. Keeping convenience at the forefront, all relevant shooting information is viewable on the small LCD screen atop the camera, instantly providing settings and exposure parameters at a glance.

Another outstanding feature of the Leica CL is its built-in electronic viewfinder. With EyeRes® technology developed by Leica specifically for this camera, the viewfinder enables a top-tier viewing experience. Most notable among a number of advantages of the built-in EVF, is the ability to preview the brightness and color of the final image before the shutter release is fully depressed, allowing photographers to always be in control over the composition and exposure.

Alongside an impeccable view of your subjects, the Leica CL offers best-in-class image quality. In combination with the high-resolution, 24 MP, APS-C format sensor of the Leica CL, a Maestro II series processor and fast autofocus system with 49 AF points guarantee brilliant photographs in all situations, including low-light scenes. In addition to being an impressive still-picture camera, the Leica CL also captures striking video at a resolution of up to 4K at 30 frames per second.

Keeping connectivity as a top priority, the Leica CL is equipped with an integrated Wi-Fi module allowing photographers to quickly and easily share their stunning photos and videos by email or on social networks with the Leica CL App for iOS or Android. The remote function of the app also provides the capability for mobile devices to be used as an off-camera remote viewfinder, allowing control of exposure parameters, including when shooting with the self-timer function or from unusual angles.

Thanks to the L-Bayonet mount shared by the Leica TL- and SL-Systems, SL-Lenses can also be used without an adapter on the CL and the TL2. Appropriate adapters are also available for using Leica M- and R-Lenses on the cameras, offering unparalleled creative flexibility and making the Leica CL one of the most versatile cameras in the Leica portfolio.

New Leica Elmarit-TL 18 mm f/2.8 ASPH.
To complement the Leica APS-C system, Leica is expanding the impressive TL lens portfolio with a ground-breaking new lens. Compact and lightweight, the new Elmarit-TL 18 mm f/2.8 ASPH. holds the title as the smallest wide-angle APS-C pancake lens currently available in the market. When mounted to the Leica CL, the camera and prime lens are small enough to fit into a coat pocket or small handbag – providing incredible images everywhere you go. Despite being just 20.5mm (less than one inch) in total length, the lens sacrifices nothing, providing the unrivalled imaging performance all Leica lenses are known for. Travel photography is easy with this light and dynamic lens, especially when paired with the Leica CL.

As a whole, the Leica APS-C System portfolio of lenses offer exceptionally high picture quality and infinite opportunities for creative photography. In addition to the Elmarit-TL 18 mm f/2.8 ASPH., the selection of lenses currently includes three zoom lenses (Super-Vario-Elmar-TL 11-23 mm f/3.5-4.5 ASPH., Vario-Elmar-TL 18-56 mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. and the APO-Vario-Elmar-TL 55-135 mm f/3.5-4.5 ASPH.) as well as three prime lenses (Summicron-TL 23 mm f/2 ASPH., Summilux-TL 35 mm f/1.4 ASPH. and the APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60 mm f/2.8 ASPH.).

All bundled up
To make the stunning new Leica CL more easily accessible to both new and current Leica fans looking to make their first step into the APS-C system, the Leica CL will be offered in two bundle options alongside an accompanying lens. The “Prime Kit” will include the new Elmarit-TL 18 mm f/2.8 ASPH lens, while the “Vario Kit” option includes the Vario-Elmar-TL 18-56 mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, allowing photographers to get into this new camera and growing system with a lens that best suits their photography style in an easy-to-grab kit.

Availability
The Leica CL and Leica Elmarit-TL 18 mm f/2.8 ASPH will both be available from Leica stores, boutiques and dealers at the end of November. The Leica CL body, in black anodized finish, will be $ 2,795.00 while the Prime and Vario Kits will be $ 3,795.00 and $ 3,995.00 respectively. The new Leica Elmarit-TL 18 mm f/2.8 ASPH, in black or silver anodized finish, will be $ 1,295.00.

Leica CL specifications

Price
MSRP	$ 2795 (body only), $ 3795 (w/18mm lens), $ 3995 (w/18-56mm lens)
Body type
Body type	Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Body material	Magnesium alloy
Sensor
Max resolution	6014 x 4014
Image ratio w:h	3:2
Effective pixels	24 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	25 megapixels
Sensor size	APS-C (23.6 x 15.7 mm)
Sensor type	CMOS
Processor	Maestro II
Color space	sRGB
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
ISO	Auto, 100-50000
White balance presets	5
Custom white balance	Yes (2 slots)
Image stabilization	No
Uncompressed format	RAW
File format	JPEG Raw (DNG)
Optics & Focus
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor) Multi-area Center Selective single-point Single Continuous Touch Face Detection Live View
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Number of focus points	49
Lens mount	Leica L
Focal length multiplier	1.5×
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Fixed
Screen size	3″
Screen dots	1,040,000
Touch screen	Yes
Screen type	TFT LCD
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic
Viewfinder coverage	100%
Viewfinder magnification	0.74× (0.49× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder resolution	2,360,000
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	30 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/8000 sec
Maximum shutter speed (electronic)	1/25000 sec
Exposure modes	Program Aperture priority Shutter priority Manual
Scene modes	sport portrait landscape night portrait snow/beach fireworks candlelight sunset digiscoping miniature panorama HDR
Built-in flash	No
External flash	Yes (via hot shoe)
Flash X sync speed	1/180 sec
Drive modes	Single Continuous low/med/high Interval Exposure bracketing
Continuous drive	10.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 12 secs)
Metering modes	Multi Center-weighted Spot
Exposure compensation	±3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
AE Bracketing	±3 (3 frames at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features
Format	MPEG-4, H.264
Modes	3840 x 2160 @ 30p, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 60p, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 30p, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1280 x 720 @ 30p, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-II supported)
Connectivity
HDMI	No
Microphone port	No
Headphone port	No
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	802.11b/g/n
Remote control	Yes (via smartphone)
Physical
Environmentally sealed	No
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	BP-DC12 lithium ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	220
Weight (inc. batteries)	403 g (0.89 lb / 14.22 oz)
Dimensions	131 x 78 x 45 mm (5.16 x 3.07 x 1.77″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	Yes
GPS	None

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Video: first look at the Leica CL

22 Nov

Meet the Leica CL, an interchangeable lens mirrorless camera with a 24 megapixel APS-C sensor. It uses Leica L mount and sits alongside the Leica TL2. The CL differs from the TL2 by offering an electronic viewfinder and a traditional control layout. Find out what else it’s got going for it in our 90 second ‘First look’ video.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

2017 Buying Guides: Best compacts, drones and phones

22 Nov

Looking for a lightweight compact camera that’s easy to bring with you anywhere? Or maybe you’re smartphone-shopping and want the one that takes the best picture. And what if you want to shoot from above? In these buyers guides we have recommendations for the best compact cameras, smartphones and drones.

If you want a compact camera that produces great quality photos without the hassle of changing lenses, there are plenty of choices available for every budget. All of the cameras in this buying guide have zoom lenses, with focal length ranges mostly spanning around 24-70mm (equivalent).

Best pocketable enthusiast cameras

The long zoom cameras in this buying guide fit into the enthusiast category, meaning that they offer solid build quality, electronic viewfinders and (usually) 4K video capture. All of these long zooms have 1″-type sensors, which slot in between the micro-sensors in phones and cheap compacts, and Micro Four Thirds and APS-C sensors in interchangeable lens cameras.

Best enthusiast long zoom cameras

The fixed lens camera market may be a bit niche, but it’s here that you’ll find some of the best cameras you can buy. Sensors ranging from APS-C format to full-frame are designed to match their lenses, so image quality is top-notch.

Best fixed prime lens cameras

All of the products in this guide fall into the ‘buy and fly’ category, meaning they require no extra components or customizations. Options range from personal ‘selfie’ drones to advanced models capable of producing professional-grade photos and video. Best consumer drones

In 2017 phone manufacturers turned to software and computational imaging methods to achieve better detail, wider dynamic range and lower noise levels, as well as high-quality zooming and DSLR-like bokeh effects. We’ve put the latest flagship smartphones through their paces and can point you in the right direction.

Best smartphone cameras

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

2017 Buying Guides: Best cameras for any budget

22 Nov

Shopping for a camera with a set budget? No problem! We’ve rounded up our favorite cameras, broken them into price brackets from around $ 500 to well over $ 2000 and listed our favorite choices. So, if you want to give that special someone a holiday gift that won’t bust your wallet, we’ve got you covered.

If you’re looking for a camera for a specific use case, we have plenty of suggestions right here.

The cameras in this buying guide are light and portable, and several feature selfie-friendly LCDs. Generally speaking, you won’t find a lot of direct controls or a lot of customizability, and 4K video is rare, but for those seeking a point-and-shoot experience with better image quality, these cameras fit the bill.

Best cameras under $ 500

The cameras in this buying guide tend to offer more direct controls than cheaper models, better autofocus systems, and some feature 4K video capture as well. Some of them are easy to pick up and use, while others require a bit more work to get the hang of.

Best cameras under $ 1000

Cameras in the $ 1000-1500 price range have excellent sensors (some full-frame), advanced autofocus systems and 4K video capture. Expect plenty of direct controls and customizability and, in some cases, weather-sealed bodies.

Best cameras under $ 1500

As you approach the $ 2000 price point you’ll find flagship APS-C and Four Thirds cameras, built for speed and durability. You’ll also find a handful of full-frame ILCs and DSLRs, with their own unique selling points.

Best cameras under $ 2000

If you’re a serious enthusiast or working pro, the very best digital cameras on the market will cost you at least $ 2000. That’s a lot of money, but generally speaking these cameras offer the highest resolution, the best build quality and the most advanced video specs out there, as well as fast burst rates and top-notch autofocus.

Best cameras over $ 2000

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

2017 Buying Guides: Best cameras for every kind of photographer

22 Nov

There’s never been a better time to shop for a new camera, but the number of options available can be overwhelming. In this series of buying guides we’ve provided customized recommendations for several use cases, from shooting landscapes to buying a first camera for a student photographer.

In each of these guides you’ll find one or two main recommendations, and detailed content on several other cameras that deserve your consideration. Our recommendations span product class and cost, but if you’d rather shop by price, click here

If you’re specifically looking for a compact camera, check out our phones, drones and compacts buying guide hub here

Maybe you want better photos in low light. Maybe you’re tired of digital zoom. Whatever the reason, if you’re looking for a capable, beginner-friendly camera to grow and learn with, we’ve got you covered in our guide to best cameras for beginners.

Best cameras for beginners

Quick. Unpredictable. Unwilling to sit still. Kids really are the ultimate test for a camera’s autofocus system. In this guide we’ve compiled a shortlist of what we think are the best options for parents trying to keep up with young kids.

Best cameras for parents

There’s no doubt that the digital revolution made it easier than ever before to pick up a camera and start learning photography. But it hasn’t necessarily gotten easier to choose a first camera. We’re here to help.

Best cameras for students

Whether you’re piling the family in the minivan for a trip to the Magic Kingdom or backpacking through Southeast Asia, you’re going to want to capture the experience with photographs.

Best cameras for travel

Are you a speed freak? Hungry to photograph anything that goes zoom? Or perhaps you just want to get Sports Illustrated level shots of your child’s soccer game. Keep reading to find out which cameras we think are best for sports and action shooting.

Best cameras for sports and action

Video features have become an important factor to many photographers when choosing a new camera. Read on to find out which cameras we think are best for the videophile, at a variety of price points.

Best cameras for video

Landscape photography isn’t as simple as just showing up in front of a beautiful view and taking a couple of pictures. Landscape shooters have a unique set of needs and requirements for their gear, and we’ve selected some of our favorites in this buying guide.

Best cameras for landscapes

Those shooting portraits and weddings need a camera with a decent autofocus system, which won’t give up in low interior lighting. Good image quality at medium/high ISO sensitivity settings is a must, and great colors straight out of the camera will make your life much easier. These days, video is a big deal too. Read on to see which cameras are best suited to those tasks.

Best cameras for people and events

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Review of the Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC HLD Zoom Lens

22 Nov

Tamron has been specializing in super-zoom lenses for the last few years. You may be familiar with their 16-300mm, 18-270mm or 150-600mm lenses. Their newest super-zoom is an even more astonishing focal length, the Tamron 18-400mm. I recently had a chance to review this lens for a few weeks so I thought I’d give you an idea of who this lens is for, the good, the not-so-good, and my overall recommendation.

Review of Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC HLD Zoom Lens - Hibiscus

Hot pink hardy hibiscus bloom. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 400mm, f/9, 1/160th, ISO 100, handheld.

About this review

I know you already know this (because you read ALL my pieces for dPS, right? Right?!) but my lens reviews are pretty real world. I don’t sit in a lab or use techy gizmos to measure sharpness. I actually hold a lens in my hands and shoot with it. This lens was tucked in my favorite bag for most of August.

That said, my intention was to see how a lens holds up for an actual shoot. I used this lens to photograph Lipizzan horses at a dressage performance as well as at the racetrack. Then I used it on a mission to photograph old barns and finally to make some macro flower images.

Lipizzan foal at Tempel Farms, Old Mill Creek IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 300mm, f/6.3, 1/640th, ISO 500, handheld.

The goal was to make images at most focal lengths with a variety of apertures, but a few might have been skipped because I was really out there shooting. I shoot at the focal length, shutter speed, ISO and aperture that each situation calls for. So let’s just say I apologize in advance if I’ve skipped something important to you. Give me a shout in the comments if that’s the case. I’ll dig through my notes and image archives to see if I can answer your question.

Lens specs

Let’s start off with a quick overview of the lens specs. This lens is for Nikon and Canon APS-C (crop sensor) cameras only. I tested the lens on a Canon 7D Mark II.

The Tamron 18-400mm super-zoom is a variable aperture lens. Meaning that at 18mm, the maximum aperture (largest opening) is f/3.5. But when you zoom into 400mm, the maximum aperture is f/6.3. The minimum aperture (smallest opening) is f/22 at all focal lengths.

Dilapidated red barn, McHenry County IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 71mm, f/9, 1/250th, ISO 200, handheld.

The lens has an HLD Autofocus Motor that is quick and quiet for a consumer lens at this price. It also has Tamron’s standard VC Image Stabilization. This feature enables you to get sharper shots while hand-holding at longer focal lengths. The lens also has what Tamron calls Moisture-Resistant Construction. I’m relieved to tell you I didn’t get to test this feature.

The minimum focusing distance – important especially if you want to try your hand at making macro images – is 17.72″ (45 cm). Macro is usually a 1:1 ratio and this lens only produces 1:2.9, but I was pleasantly surprised with my macro results.

White hardy hibiscus bud. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 400mm, f/13, 1/320th, ISO 320, handheld.

If you use screw on filters, like a circular polarizer, the front thread is 72mm. The lens is 1.56 pounds (710 g) and approximately 3.11” in diameter by 4.88″ in length (79 x 123.9 mm). It’s an incredibly compact lens for this focal length range.

The price, at the time of publication of this article, is $ 649.00 USD.

Who is this lens for?

I would describe the ideal user of this lens as an amateur or enthusiast. If you’re an amateur photographer who travels but doesn’t want to carry more than one or two lenses, this is the perfect choice for you.

With an 18-400mm focal length, you might not need to ever change the lens, except in a dark indoor situation, when you need either flash or perhaps the fast f/1.8 maximum aperture of a nifty fifty.

Low-key portrait of a racehorse, Arlington Park IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 400mm, f/6.3, 1/250th, ISO 250, handheld.

This lens would also be great for a busy parent who needs more than a smart phone to capture pictures of soccer matches and dance recitals but who doesn’t have a ton of extra room in her carryall bag. The compact size and weight of the Tamron 18-400mm make it an easy addition to any parent’s standard kit.

What’s good about this lens

The size of this lens just can’t be beat. At only a pound and a half and less than 5 inches long, it’s a lot of focal length in a very small package. I was really taken with how small it was since I normally shoot with such large neck-and-shoulder-busting glass.

Hand-holding this lens for an afternoon at the race track wasn’t even remotely painful. With the insane focal length capabilities, I didn’t even bother to carry a second lens with me (or even my camera bag!) and that made for a really care-free afternoon.

The Tamron 18-400mm lens, attached to the Canon 7D Mark II, with the Canon 100-400 lens alongside for size comparison.

Tamron 18-400mm lens comparison - extended

The extended Tamron 18-400 lens, attached to the Canon 7D Mark II, with the extended Canon 100-400 lens alongside for size comparison. Clearly you can see what a compact size this lens is and how beneficial that could be when you travel.

Great for landscape images

It’s also a pleasure to catch a pretty landscape out of the corner of your eye and to simply zoom out to 18mm to capture it. Typically if you’re shooting with a long lens, you have to take the time to switch over to your wide-angle lens, take the shot and then switch back to your longer focal length lens again. Well, actually, if you’re me, you see that landscape and think ooh, pretty and then walk away without taking the shot.

Arlington Park Racetrack IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400 @ 18mm, f/13, 1/100th, ISO 320, handheld. Processed in Lightroom.

I’m lazy that way so this was the first time I’ve actually made images of the racetrack itself. The lens performed really well in the 18-50mm focal range. It was both sharp and relatively distortion free. Lightroom’s Lens Correction easily managed the slight distortion there was too.

Things to be careful of

Remember I said we’d talk about the not-so-good too? It is a touch tricky to twist the lens in order to zoom in past 200mm to get to the 400mm focal length. First, your hand gets a bit “stuck” since anatomically, your wrist only twists so far before you have to reposition in order to continue the twisting motion.

Headed to the gate, Arlington Park IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 209mm, f/6.3, 1/1000th, ISO 250, handheld.

Second, the lens has what I call a “hiccup” where you need to exert more pressure to push it past this point. I missed a few shots because the twisting motion wasn’t smooth enough and I jerked the lens a bit as I zoomed in from 200mm to 400mm.

White hardy hibiscus bloom. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 227mm, f/13, 1/400th, ISO 320, handheld.

Softness around the edges

There is a definite softness (or loss of sharpness) at the longer end of the lens, especially when your aperture is wide open, e.g., 400mm at f/6.3. If you crop in too much during post-processing or print too large, you’ll start to see the loss of fine details in your image since they weren’t tack sharp to start. You won’t see this loss of detail in a small 5×7″ print, or if you post to social media – so for many people, this actually won’t be a big issue.

Riders up at the paddock, Arlington Park IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 18mm, f/5, 1/500th, ISO 640, handheld.

Use the center focus point

The lens tends to be softest in the corners so sharpness improves if you use your camera’s center focus point. It also improves if you close down your aperture to f/8, f/9, or smaller. Because the lens is not tack sharp all the way through the focal length spectrum, I’m not recommending this lens for super serious wildlife shooters or anyone who likes to print really large. For you guys, I’m going to suggest sticking with a more standard zoom lens like a 100-400mm or 200-400mm. (I apologize in advance for the wear and tear this recommendation will cause your shoulders.)

If you predominantly shoot wide-angle images, like landscapes, and only occasionally shoot long, this lens will be a good fit for you when you don’t want to carry a ton of gear.

Final thoughts

Ultimately there were a number of things I really liked about this lens. The small size and super-zoom focal length make it a very practical tool to have in your bag. At $ 649.00 USD, it’s also a great value.

However, the softness at the long end of that focal length can become a real issue if you’re not careful. Because of that, I’m cautiously going to rate this lens 3.5 stars out of 5.

Running Lipizzan foal at Tempel Farms, Old Mill Creek IL. Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 18-400mm lens @ 400mm, f/6.3, 1/640th, ISO 100, handheld.

I’d love to hear your opinions too. Have you tried super-zooms lenses? Do they work for your type of photography? Which is your favorite one and how does it compare to the Tamron 100-400mm lens? Please share your thoughts with the dPS community in the comments below.

The post Review of the Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC HLD Zoom Lens by Lara Joy Brynildssen appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

360Photography

Archive for November, 2017

Designer imagines the perfect keyboard for Adobe software

10 Reasons Why You Need to Learn to Love Your Tripod

Reasons to Love your Tripod

#1 – Slowing Down is a Good Thing

2 – The Tripod Carries the Weight

3 – Video

4 – Sharpness and Stability

5 – Macro

6 – Landscape and Panorama

7 – Low Light

8 – Special Effects

9 – Long Exposures

10 – Self-Portraits

Summary

Top 10 sample galleries of the year #3: the Fujifilm X100F

Top 10 most popular sample galleries of 2017:

Leica CL: first sample images

Leica CL brings built-in viewfinder, conventional control layout to L lineup

Leica Camera Unveils Expansion of its APS-C System with the New Leica CL and Smallest Wide-Angle APS-C Lens

Leica CL specifications

Video: first look at the Leica CL

2017 Buying Guides: Best compacts, drones and phones

2017 Buying Guides: Best cameras for any budget

2017 Buying Guides: Best cameras for every kind of photographer

Review of the Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC HLD Zoom Lens

About this review

Lens specs

Who is this lens for?

What’s good about this lens

Great for landscape images

Things to be careful of

Softness around the edges

Use the center focus point

Final thoughts

Pages

Archives

Categories