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Archive for February, 2018

Judge rules that embedding a photo tweet is still copyright infringement

17 Feb

In a court case that could fundamentally change what constitutes copyright infringement online, a New York district judge has ruled that embedding a tweet that contains a copyright protected photo does, in fact, constitute a copyright violation. If the ruling is upheld, its impact across the internet is hard to understate.

The case involves a photographer, Justin Goldman, who sued several major publications including Time, Vox, Breitbart, and others, when they embedded someone else’s tweet of his copyright-protected photo of NFL star Tom Brady. Judge Katherine B. Forrest is ruling in favor of Goldman, writing:

…when defendants caused the embedded Tweets to appear on their websites, their actions violated plaintiff’s exclusive display right; the fact that the image was hosted on a server owned and operated by an unrelated third party (Twitter) does not shield them from this result.

As the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) points out, this ruling rejects a decade-old legal precedent set by the Ninth Circuit Court in a 2007 ruling called “Perfect 10 v. Amazon.” That case ruled that the company hosting the content—Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.—was liable, and absolved the company or publication or person who actually embeds the content. This, in essence, is how the internet has worked ever since.

Some sites, like YouTube, give creators the option to limit embedding so that only sites they specify (or nobody at all) can embed the content on their own platform, but others like Instagram and Twitter offer no such control. If your account is public, and you share a copyright-protected photo on it that goes viral, you can expect it to crop up on any number of outside websites, publications, and blogs with nary a permission request.

Of course, if it’s your own share, you could always take down the original Tweet or Instagram post or shift your account to private, breaking all of those embeds all at once. You (or the original poster) could also change what the post says or even swap out the file that shows up under that embed. But irrespective of those things, up until now, you had no legal case against the people or publications embedding your photo, since they have no control over what the hosting server will provide with that embed code—this is called the “server” test.

According to this ruling, embedding the DPReview tweet above without permission from the original creator of the GIF constitutes copyright infringement.

The server test is what Judge Forrest ultimately rejected, and if the ruling is upheld, it could apply to more than just embedding a tweet. As the EFF explains, the wording is broad enough that “the logic of the ruling applies to all in-line linking,” which could “threaten millions of ordinary Internet users with infringement liability.”

Appeals will no doubt be filed, and a closer look at the ruling and the standard practice of embedding on the internet may very well lead to its being overturned. But if it’s not, expect it to be open season for social media copyright infringement cases.

If you’d like to dive deeper, you can read the full ruling for yourself at this link.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Weekly Photography Challenge – Hands

17 Feb

Last week I sent you off to photograph feet – this week let’s try the other appendages – hands!

Hands can be young or old, tough or tender, but are always very expressive. What do the hands you’re photographing have to say? Add some storytelling into your hand photos for extra marks!

Photo by JORGE LOPEZ on Unsplash

Weekly Photography Challenge – Hands

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge. Sometimes it takes a while for an image to appear so be patient and try not to post the same image twice.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Hands by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Google has removed the ‘View Image’ button from Image Search

17 Feb
Bye bye ‘View Image’ button…

On Monday, we told you about licensing deal between Getty Images and Google that would result in the end of the “View Image” button on Google Image Search. Today, we get to see the fruits of that deal, as Google Images officially removes View Image, forcing users to actually visit the site that hosts an image, rather than going straight to the image file on its servers.

The deal between Getty and Google served to end a legal feud that began in 2016, a lawsuit in which Getty accused Google of “promoting piracy” by linking to high-resolution copyrighted images without watermarks.

Getty claimed that Google was creating “accidental pirates” who would find legally licensed images through Google Image Search and, since they weren’t required to go to the actual website where these images were hosted (and properly credited with copyright notice), they would simply download the high-res file. Instead of settling this question in court, Getty and Google struck a multi-year licensing deal last week; a deal that should benefit all photographers.

The View Image button is gone, as is the “Search by Image” button. All that’s left is Visit, Save, View Saved, and Share.

All of the details were shared through the Google SearchLiason Twitter feed, where Google explained that yes, these changes are “in part” due to the deal with Getty. Ultimately, however, Google wants to emphasize that this is good for everyone:

For those asking, yes, these changes came about in part due to our settlement with Getty Images this week. They are designed to strike a balance between serving user needs and publisher concerns, both stakeholders we value.

Ultimately, Google Images is a way for people to discover information in cases where browsing images is a better experience than text. Having a single button that takes people to actionable information about the image is good for users, web publishers and copyright holders.

Now we just have to wait and see what kind of impact this will have on rampant online image theft. Of course, someone who wants to knowingly steal an image won’t be deterred by the lack of a direct link, but many of those “accidental pirates” that Getty claims exist should be saved from themselves by this change.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sensor breakthrough: Sony has developed a backlit CMOS sensor with global shutter

17 Feb

Sony has made something of a breakthrough in sensor development, announcing a new backside-illuminated stacked sensor that can read out every pixel simultaneously to enable global shutter. While the company has only made it work with a 1.46-million-pixel sensor so far, the nascent technology has significant potential.

The sensor is able to read out from every pixel instantly because each pixel has its own analog-to-digital converter (ADC) buried in a ‘bottom chip,’ which is stacked beneath a ‘top chip’ containing the active, photosensitive pixels. This allows all exposed pixels to be read simultaneously, rather than sequentially row-by-row as is done with traditional CMOS sensors containing far fewer ‘column parallel’ ADCs.

This instant read-out avoids the rolling shutter distortion caused by the time delay as each row of pixels is recorded one after the other. In most existing chips, fast-moving objects become warped as they progress across the frame, because the pixels at the top of the sensor were read earlier than those at the bottom. This can also lead to banding under certain types of artificial lighting.

Global shutter—reading out all of the pixels at once—solves both these problems.

Shot with an exposure time of 0.56ms

Sony claims its sensor is the first back-illuminated high-sensitivity CMOS sensor with pixel-parallel ADCs and a pixel-count greater than 1 million.

While one million pixels may not be much good to photographers, this is a big step towards the production of a photographic quality sensor. Chips with ‘global shutter’ need only an electronic shutter to record undistorted action pictures, boast the ability to use short electronic shutter speeds with flash, and are able to work under fluorescent and solid state (LED) lighting without banding.

In the end, a global shutter sensor like this be useful for both still and movie photographers.

It’s also a major improvement over current global shutter CMOS sensors, which have a photosensitive pixel, and then a ‘storage’ pixel that the charge is transferred to after the exposure is made. This storage pixel holds the charge until the column ADCs read out, row by row. The problem with this approach is that your active pixel area now has a bunch of dead space per pixel taken up by the ‘storage pixel’.

By going BSI and stacked, we believe this technology eliminates the need for the storage pixel entirely, because you can read all the pixels at once at the end of your exposure.

The company says it has had to include 1000x more ADCs than it would normally in a 1MP sensor. The extra ADCs would require far more current, so Sony developed low current, compact ADCs for this chip. Additionally, new high speed data transfer construction allows for the fast read and write speeds required to operate all the ADCs in parallel and transfer the digital data.

While it might be some time before one is ready for use in a standard camera, this is a big step forward for global shutter sensor technology, which has traditionally been plagued by higher noise levels and lower dynamic range.

When will we see it scaled up to larger, smaller pixel pitch higher-resolution sensors? Hard to tell, but we’re keeping our fingers and toes crossed.

Press Release

Sony Develops a Back-Illuminated CMOS Image Sensor with Pixel-Parallel A/D Converter That Enables Global Shutter Function

Sony CorporationSony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation Tokyo, Japan – Sony Corporation today announced that it has developed a 1.46 effective megapixel back-illuminated CMOS image sensor equipped with a Global Shutter function*1. The newly developed pixel-parallel analog-to-digital converters provide the function to instantly convert the analog signal from all pixels, simultaneously exposed, to a digital signal in parallel. This new technology was announced at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) on February 11, 2018 in San Francisco in the United States.

CMOS image sensors using the conventional column A/D conversion method*2 read out the photoelectrically converted analog signals from pixels row by row, which results in image distortion (focal plane distortion) caused by the time shift due to the row-by-row readout.

The new Sony sensor comes with newly developed low-current, compact A/D converters positioned beneath each pixel. These A/D converters instantly convert the analog signal from all the simultaneously exposed pixels in parallel to a digital signal to temporarily store it in digital memory. This architecture eliminates focal plane distortion due to readout time shift, making it possible to provide a Global Shutter function*1, an industry-first for a high-sensitivity back-illuminated CMOS sensor with pixel-parallel A/D Converter with more than one megapixel*3.

The inclusion of nearly 1,000 times as many A/D converters compared to the traditional column A/D conversion method*2 means an increased demand for current. Sony addressed this issue by developing a compact 14-bit A/D converter which boasts the industry’s best performance*4 in low-current operation.

Both the A/D converter and digital memory spaces are secured in a stacked configuration with these elements integrated into the bottom chip. The connection between each pixel on the top chip uses Cu-Cu (copper-copper) connection*5, a technology that Sony put into mass production as a world-first in January 2016.

In addition, a newly developed data transfer mechanism is implemented into the sensor to enable the high-speed massively parallel readout data required for the A/D conversion process.

*1:A function that alleviates the image distortion (focal plane distortion) specific to CMOS image sensors that read pixel signals row by row.*2:Method where the A/D converter is provided for each vertical row of pixels in a parallel configuration.*3:As of announcement on February 13, 2018.*4:As of announcement on February 13, 2018. FoM (Figure of Merit): 0.24e-?nJ/step. (power consumption x noise) / {no. of pixels x frame speed x 2^(ADC resolution)}.*5:Technology that provides electrical continuity via connected Cu (copper) pads when stacking the back-illuminated CMOS image sensor section (top chip) and logic circuits (bottom chip). Compared with through-silicon via (TSV) wiring, where the connection is achieved by penetrating electrodes around the circumference of the pixel area, this method gives more freedom in design, improves productivity, allows for a more compact size, and increases performance. Sony announced this technology in December 2016 at the International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) in San Francisco.

Main FeaturesGlobal Shutter function*1 achieved in a high-sensitivity back-illuminated CMOS image sensor by using the following key technologies:

Low-current, compact pixel-parallel A/D converter In order to curtail power consumption, the new converter uses comparators that operate with subthreshold currents, resulting in the industry’s best-performing*4, low current, compact 14-bit A/D converter. This overcomes the issue of the increased demand for current due to the inclusion of nearly 1,000 times as many A/D converters in comparison with the traditional column A/D conversion method*2.

Cu-Cu (copper-copper) connection*5 To achieve the parallel A/D conversion for all pixels, Sony has developed a technology which makes it possible to include approximately three million Cu-Cu (copper-copper) connections*5 in one sensor. The Cu-Cu connection provides electrical continuity between the pixel and logic substrate, while securing space for implementing as many as 1.46 million A/D converters, the same number as the effective megapixels, as well as the digital memory.

High-speed data transfer construction Sony has developed a new readout circuit to support the massively parallel digital signal transfer required in the A/D conversion process using 1.46 million A/D converters, making it possible to read and write all the pixel signals at high speed.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Microsoft adds ‘Ultimate Performance’ mode to latest Windows 10 Pro build

16 Feb

Microsoft has introduced a new “Ultimate Performance” power scheme in its latest Windows 10 preview build. The new mode will be available to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations, a high-end version of Windows 10 that Microsoft introduced back in August. The company explains that Ultimate Performance is a way to “provide the absolute maximum performance” on these workstations for users who need as much power as possible.

Ultimate Performance mode builds upon the existing High-Performance option, working to eliminate micro-latencies, says Microsoft, that are “associated with fine grained power management techniques.” Ultimately, the new mode is designed for reducing those micro-latencies and it may result in increased power consumption; as such, Microsoft hasn’t made this mode available on system powered by batteries (like laptops).

For creatives who need to squeeze the most power possible out of their Windows machine as they edit 8K footage in Premiere Pro or cull and edit thousands of photos in the speedier new build of Lightroom Classic, the new mode could potentially give you a performance boost in exchange for higher power consumption.

Both OEMs and users can enable Ultimate Performance via Control Panel > Power Options > Hardware and Sound. The feature is only available to Windows Insiders running Windows 10 Pro for Workstations via Preview Builds 17079 or greater, for now.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Photography Equipment Comparisons – Entry-Level Versus High-End Gear Does it Matter?

16 Feb

Photographers tend to get obsessed with having the latest, greatest toys. But does it matter which camera or bits of equipment you use? If so, how much? Or is it more about how you use it, and the skills you possess?

Let’s take a look at three video comparisons of some of the top level photography equipment available and some entry-level options.

Rich photographer – poor photographer

I like the play on words here, hinting at the concept of the “Rich Dad Poor Dad” series of books by Robert Kiyosaki. In the video, the guys over at f-stoppers do a portrait shoot with two different sets of lighting equipment. One which costs nearly $ 10,000, and the “poor man’s” version which will run you about $ 425.

Can you see a difference in the final portrait results? No, I can’t see much difference either.

$ 1100 versus $ 5499

In this second video, Peter McKinnon looks at the virtues of both the Canon 80D ($ 1099) and the Canon 1Dx Mark II (Note: at the time of writing, this camera is listed at $ 5499). Is the latter worth five times as much? You decide.

If you are a sports shooter, you may need the extra frames per second rate the 1DX offers. But if you’re a wildlife photographer you may prefer the extended reach of the crop sensor in the 80D. Portrait photography can be done with either, but you likely don’t need to spend the extra money on the 1DX if that’s what you shoot.

Note: when the video was made the 1DX was likely priced higher, so please note the difference in prices in the video to current pricing.

Camera shootout – it’s not about the gear

In this last video let’s see what happens if two professional photographers each pick up an entry-level Canon Rebel T3i and hand their Canon 5D Mark IV to an amateur. They do a little shootout with the same model, in the same lighting conditions and studio. Let’s see who comes out on top.

The Canon T3i is discontinued, the price for the current model, the T6 is $ 449 with the 18-55mm lens. The Canon 5D Mark IV  is $ 3299 + $ 1699 for the 35mm f/1.4 lens shown in the video = total $ 4998.

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Your thoughts?

So what are your thoughts after watching the videos? Have you made the decision to invest in high-end lenses or a full frame camera body? If so, have you found it to fill your needs better – was it worth it? Let’s discuss in the comments below.

The post Photography Equipment Comparisons – Entry-Level Versus High-End Gear Does it Matter? by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9: What you need to know

16 Feb

Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9: What you need to know

Nominally at least, the new Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 is the successor to the GX8. But while it has a lot in common with the earlier model, the new camera comes with some serious updates, and a couple of caveats. In some ways in fact, the GX9 can be thought of as a step-up model from the GX85, rather than as a direct successor to the more expensive GX8.

We’ve had access to a pre-production GX9 for a few days, and we’ve been digging into its feature set. Here’s what you need to know.

No low-pass filter

The GX9 incorporates the same 20MP Micro Four Thirds sensor as its predecessor, but omits the low-pass filter found on previous models. JPEG shooters might not see much of a difference, but this should allow you to eke out a little more detail in low-ISO Raw files.

Redesigned shutter – no more ‘shutter shock’

The GX8 was a very likable camera, but at certain shutter speeds, we encountered issues with so-called ‘shutter shock’ when the vibration caused by the shutter movement blurred fine detail. We reported this issue to Panasonic at the time, and apparently they took it seriously. The GX9 features a redesigned shutter, which should result in a 90% reduction in shutter shock, compared to its predecessor. That’s according to Panasonic – obviously we’ll be testing it for ourselves as soon as possible.

As well as the mechanical shutter, you also have the option of engaging the silent, fully-electronic shutter from 1 – 1/16,000 sec. If you’re taking pictures in a very quiet environment, this is the way to go, but distortion might become an issue when shooting fast moving subjects.

Tilting EVF (but not the same viewfinder)

One of our favorite features of the GX7 and GX8 were their tilting viewfinders, and we’re pleased to see that this design has been carried over into the GX9.

The bad news is that it’s not the same finder. The GX9’s EVF is a field-sequential type, featuring 2.7 million dot (equivalent) resolution and an equivalent magnification of 0.7X, compared to the 1.04 million-dot, 0.77X magnification OLED of the GX8. The GX9’s viewfinder image is very nice, but it’s a little smaller, and (being field-sequential) it is also prone to ‘rainbow effect’, if you’re one of the people who are bothered by that.

Touch-sensitive rear LCD – tilting only

As well as a tilting EVF, the GX9 also features a tilting, 1.24 million-dot rear LCD. The 3″ screen is touch-sensitive, allowing for (among other thing) easy AF point placement. By contrast, the GX8’s rear LCD was fully-articulating. Some people prefer tilting screens, some people don’t, which will determine whether or not you see this as an up or downgrade.

Continuous shooting and autofocus

Continuous shooting is possible at up to 9 fps with focus locked (and no live view), or 6fps with live view and/or in continuous AF mode. While the GX9’s sensor is not set up for on-sensor phase detection, Panasonic’s Depth from Defocus autofocus technology does a pretty good job of focus acquisition and tracking. DFD uses the individual (de)focus blur characteristics of modern Panasonic Micro Four Thirds lenses to quickly drive the lens’s focus groups in the right direction, largely avoiding the distracting hunting behavior of conventional contrast-detection AF systems. Face and eye-detection AF modes both work well.

In use, the GX9 isn’t in the same league as its action-focused stablemate the G9, but autofocus is fast and accurate in most shooting situations.

4K video

As well as stills, the GX9 can also capture UHD 4K video, at up to 30p. The maximum bitrate of 100Mbps (4K/30) isn’t competitive against Panasonic’s more pro-oriented GH5 and GH5S, but the GX9 should be more than capable of satisfying the needs of occasional videographers.

Video is initiated via the distinctive red button at the center of the main on/off switch, just behind the shutter release in this image. Note also the integrated exposure mode / compensation dials on the upper right of the GX9’s body.

I/O ports door

We don’t normally get too excited by the door that covers I/O ports but we’ll make an exception for the GX9…

I/O ports door

…because the GX9’s ports door is a little bit special. Rather than flapping around, getting in the way of your USB or HDMI cables whenever they’re plugged into the camera, the door hides itself away inside the body of the camera. Neat.

4K Auto Marking and Sequence Composition

Two new 4K features have been added in the GX9: Auto Marking, which automatically marks faces or motion in your video (full disclosure – try as we might, we cannot get this feature to work in our pre-production camera), and 4K Photo Sequence Composition (shown above).

Sequence Composition allows you to shoot a moving sequence in 4K, and then quickly create a composite JPEG in-camera by dragging and dropping the moving element/s from neighboring frames.

5-axis image stabilization

The GX9 features in-body stabilization, which combines with the optical stabilization systems in many Panasonic M43 lenses to offer 5-axis stabilization for a total benefit of around 4EV.

While not up there with the G9 and Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II’s 6EV+ stabilization systems, 4EV is still very useful, and should mean for example that with a 25mm lens (50mm) equivalent, sharp images can be taken right down to 1/8sec.

New ‘Dynamic’ monochrome mode

A new ‘L Monochrome: Dynamic’ mode has been added to the GX9’s suite of Creative Control effects, along with a random (i.e. non-repeating) monochrome grain effect. Normally we’re pretty indifferent towards modes like this on enthusiast-grade cameras, but the results when shooting in Monochrome D mode + grain actually look really good. Not quite Kodak Tri-X good, but close.

Built-in flash

Also new compared to the GX8 is a small built-in flash. This pop-up flash is available for close-range portraits and fill light, but with a guide number of 4.2 (ISO 100) it won’t replace an external flash for anything more than that.

The GX9 is compatible with Panasonic’s wireless flash control system, when paired with DMW-FL200L / FL360L / FL580L flashguns.

Optional grip and eyecup

The GX9 features a fairly skinny (but perfectly comfortable) handgrip, but if you want a bit more of a handful, an optional grip is available for the pretty reasonable price of $ 59.

Optional grip and eyecup

A wider eyecup is also available as an optional extra, for more comfortable shooting when wearing glasses.

Wi-Fi- and LE Bluetooth

As we’d expect from a modern Panasonic camera, the GX9 features built-in Wi-Fi for image transfer to and remote control from a mobile device, but low-energy Bluetooth (BLE) is a new addition.

BLE allows the camera to maintain a constant connection, allowing for easy wireless remote triggering and avoiding the need to go through lengthy and sometimes frustrating connection steps every time you want to use a wireless feature.

Body, sealing and battery life

The GX9 is about 25g heavier than the GX85, and about 40g lighter than the GX8. It’s slightly smaller than the GX8, too, and lacks the older models’ weather-sealing. Weather-sealing is one of those rather nebulous ‘features’ that means different things to different manufacturers, but if you enjoy shooting in all winds and weathers, take note – you have been warned.

In terms of battery life, the GX9 uses the same DMW-BLG10 battery as the GX85, and as such its CIPA-rated battery life has dropped compared to the GX8, to around 250 images per full charge. It’s not all bad news though – this increases to around 900 shots in Eco Mode, and as always, it’s likely that a stills-focused photographer will be able to get quite a bit more endurance than the CIPA figures suggest. We’d still invest in a spare battery, just in case.

What do you think?

The GX9 is dividing our commenters – some of you like the focus on feature enhancement, and don’t mind the loss of an articulating screen, weather-sealing, and the rest while others are unhappy that Panasonic hasn’t doubled-down on some of the GX8’s unique features.

Some of you, like us, are probably just confused by Panasonic’s ever-changing naming scheme for its entry-level and midrange ILCs. Which camp do you fall into? Let us know in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Zeiss unveils ‘small, robust and versatile’ Loxia 25mm F2.4 lens

16 Feb

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The Zeiss Loxia manual focus lens family for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras just gained a new member. Say hello to the Loxia 25mm F2.4, a wide-angle lens that boasts a compact design, the ability to de-click the aperture for video shooting, and “outstanding image performance across the entire image field.”

Zeiss is calling this lens “small, robust and versatile,” a “new focal length of modest proportions” that joins four other manual-focus Loxia lenses: the 21mm F2.8, 35mm F2, 50mm F2, and 85mm F2.4.

The point of the Loxia line and its lack of autofocus is to provide compact, durable, lightweight companions for the Sony full-frame E-mount system that do not draw too much attention—great for street and travel photographers who are happy to trade the convenience of autofocus to remain as inconspicuous as possible.

Here is a sample photo shot with the Loxia 25mm F2.4 in Taipei, by photographer Jeff Hsiao, for your pixel peeping pleasure:

Photo © Jeff Hsiao, courtesy of Zeiss

To see more official Sample Photos, visit the Zeiss Camera Lenses Flickr account.

The Zeiss Loxia 25mm F2.4 will be available in March for €1,300 (including German VAT) or $ 1,300 USD (excluding local taxes), lens hood included. Zeiss also says to look out for a special filmmakers set comprising all five Loxia lenses to be available soon. To learn more, read the full release below or visit the Zeiss website.

Press Release

The New ZEISS Loxia 2.4/25 – Flexibility for Photography On-the-Go

With this compact wide-angle lens, ZEISS is adding a new focal length of modest proportions to its ZEISS Loxia lens family.

OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 2018-02-14. – With the ZEISS Loxia 2.4/25 compact wide-angle lens, ZEISS is adding a new focal length to its lens family that will benefit both landscape and architectural photographers: “High resolution across the entire image as well as low distortion ensure the perfect result,” says Product Manager Christophe Casenave. “The compact lens delivers great images thanks to the new optical design.” The ZEISS Loxia 2.4/25 also features high-quality mechanical parts, and the durable metal housing makes this a reliable lens for photographers on the road.

The right companion for years to come

Small, robust and versatile: the lenses in the ZEISS Loxia family for mirrorless cameras in the Sony Alpha series are particularly well-suited for street and travel photographers who love being inconspicuous as they capture special moments in cities and in nature without carrying around a lot of equipment. The compact design of the ZEISS Loxia lenses has been specially developed for the mirrorless full-frame Sony E-mount cameras. Used in tandem, the lens and camera enable filmmakers and photographers to achieve a high-quality result, while the equipment’s modest dimensions ensure users always have whatever they need with them. “This is a significant advantage for anyone who wants to blend into the background and is also on the road a lot,” says Product Manager Casenave. The all-round talent from the ZEISS Loxia family is also great for filming.

Bringing creativity to life through precise, manual focusing

Traditional photography and cutting-edge technology all in one: with the ZEISS Loxia 2.4/25, photographers can let their artistic creativity run free. “A steady hand and the manual focusing means users achieve impressive results,” says Casenave. The electronic interface for the ZEISS Loxia 2.4/25 transfers both lens data and focus movements to the Sony camera and then activates the focus peaking or the zoom function. Demanding photographers can achieve a wide range of creative possibilities thanks to precise, manual focusing, including a retro look and feel.

Precise and sophisticated – the ZEISS Loxia lens family featuring five focal lengths between 21 and 85 millimeters gives users a large number of creative possibilities when taking photographs or filming because of its technical refinement, linking traditional photography with modern technology.

A strong all-rounder for taking photographs and filming

The ZEISS Loxia family comprises five lenses with focal lengths between 21 and 85 millimeters. The lenses with manual focusing are all compact, durable and do not draw too much attention. With these lightweight companions, photographers and filmmakers have the necessary equipment and flexibility they need while on the road. The ZEISS Loxia lenses along with all the accessories have the same diameter and enable users to quickly and easily switch between different focal lengths during a shoot. The lenses offer the optimum foundation for capturing photographs and filming, both individually and as a set. These strong all-round talents excel at a wide range of uses.

Price and availability

The ZEISS Loxia 2.4/25 will be available at the ZEISS Webshop and at dealers from March 2018. The price of the new ZEISS Loxia 2.4/25 is €1,299 (incl. German VAT) or $ 1,299 US (excl. local taxes). The lens hood is included. Filmmakers can look forward to a special offer on a set comprising all five ZEISS Loxia focal lengths ranging from 21 to 85 millimeters.

For more information, please visit www.zeiss.com/photo/loxia2425

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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These are the six finalists for 2018 World Press Photo of the Year (NSFW)

16 Feb

The Finalists for World Press Photo of the Year 2018

Warning: This slideshow contains graphic and disturbing imagery that is not suitable for children, and may not be suitable for viewing in the workplace. Proceed with caution.

World Press Photo has changed its announcement process for the coveted World Press Photo of the Year award in 2018. Rather than announcing the overall and category winners at once, they have revealed the six finalists for 2018 World Press Photo of the Year today, almost two months before the official awards ceremony in Amsterdam on April 12th.

The finalists are… harrowing. Six heartbreaking and at times graphic images that were selected from 73,044 entries by 4,548 photographers from 125 countries. Judging was done by “a group of internationally recognized professionals in the fields of photojournalism and documentary photography,” who convened in Amsterdam, where they were presented with all of the entries anonymously.

Behind the scenes photograph of the judging process.

Every single nominated photograph, including all singles and stories in seven of the eight contest categories, is eligible for the World Press Photo of the Year grand prize. And yet, New York Times photographer Ivor Prickett managed to get two of his photos into the top six, both captured as part of his Battle for Mosul series.

You can see all 312 nominated photographs across eight categories on the World Press Photo website, and learn more about the entire contest in the press release below. To view the six finalists for World Press Photo of the year, scroll through the slideshow above.

The World Press Photo of the Year winner will be announced in April, where he will receive a 10,000 Euro cash prize and a selection of camera equipment from Canon.

Press Release

World Press Photo announces 2018 awards nominees

The World Press Photo Foundation announces the results of its renowned contests, the 61st annual World Press Photo Contest and the 8th annual World Press Photo Digital Storytelling Contest.

Amsterdam, 14 February 2018

This year the announcement process is new

The foundation is today announcing the nominees in each category of the Photo Contest and the Digital Storytelling Contest, with the winners to be revealed at the Awards Show in Amsterdam on 12 April.

The highlight of today’s announcement is that, for the first time, the six nominees for the World Press Photo of the Year are revealed. The winner of the World Press Photo of the Year will be announced at the Awards Show in Amsterdam on 12 April.

Lars Boering, managing director of the World Press Photo Foundation:

“The best visual journalism is not of something; it is about something. It should matter to the people to whom it speaks. Today the World Press Photo Foundation continues to play the role it began with in 1955 because the juries in our contests nominate the best photographers and producers. The great work in this 2018 edition of our contests helps us fulfill our purpose: connecting the world to the stories that matter.”

The 2018 World Press Photo Contest

The jury selected nominees in eight categories, including the new environment category. They are 42 photographers from 22 countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, UK, USA and Venezuela. Of these nominees, 15 have won previous World Press Photo awards, while 27 are being recognized for the first time. In total, there are 312 nominated photographs across the eight categories.

  • Gallery of all 2018 Photo Contest nominees.

The World Press Photo of the Year honors the photographer whose visual creativity and skills made a picture that captures or represents an event or issue of great journalistic importance in the last year. Each nominated photograph, including all singles and stories in seven of the eight contest categories (excluding Long-Term Projects) is eligible for the World Press Photo of the Year.

The six nominees for the World Press Photo of the Year are, in alphabetical order:

  • Rohingya Crisis | Patrick Brown, Australia, Panos Pictures, for Unicef
  • Boko Haram Strapped Suicide Bombs to Them. Somehow These Teenage Girls Survived. – Aisha, age 14. | Adam Ferguson, Australia, for The New York Times
  • Witnessing the Immediate Aftermath of an Attack in the Heart of London – Toby Melville, UK, Reuters
  • The Battle for Mosul – Lined Up for an Aid Distribution | Ivor Prickett, Ireland, for The New York Times
  • The Battle for Mosul – Young Boy Is Cared for by Iraqi Special Forces Soldiers | Ivor Prickett, Ireland, for The New York Times
  • Venezuela Crisis | Ronaldo Schemidt, Venezuela, Agence France-Presse

See the video of the jury discussing why they chose these six photographs.

The 2018 Photo Contest details

The contest is free to enter and drew entries from around the world: 4,548 photographers from 125 countries submitted 73,044 images.

A group of internationally recognized professionals in the fields of photojournalism and documentary photography—chaired by Magdalena Herrera—convened in Amsterdam to judge all entries. The jury is independent, and all entries were presented anonymously. A secretary without voting rights safeguards the fairness of the process, which is explained in full here.

For the full list of jury members and secretaries, please see here.

The World Press Photo Foundation will release a technical report reviewing the contest, including the code of ethics, entry rules, and verification process on Monday, 5 March.

Prizes

The premier award, the World Press Photo of the Year, carries a cash prize of 10,000 euros. In addition, Canon will present the winning photographer with a selection of camera equipment. For more information about Canon, visit here.

Nominees have their travel and lodging paid for by the World Press Photo Foundation to Amsterdam so they can attend the World Press Photo Festival, an event taking place 13-14 April featuring photographer presentations, screenings, and talks. They also receive a diploma and a Golden Eye Award at the Awards Show.

2018 Exhibition

The prize-winning photographs are assembled into an exhibition that travels to 100 locations in 45 countries and is seen by more than 4 million people each year. The winning pictures are also published in the annual yearbook, which is available in multiple languages. The first World Press Photo exhibition opens in De Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam, on 14 April 2018. For more information about the exhibition in Amsterdam, please follow this link.

This year’s exhibition displays will be printed on Canon large-format and Arizona flatbed printers. Please see the Canon website for further information: http://www.canon-europe.com/

The 2018 World Press Photo Digital Storytelling Contest

The Digital Storytelling Contest (previously known as the Multimedia Contest) rewards those producing the best forms of visual journalism enabled by digital technologies and the spread of the Internet. The contest is open to digital storytellers, visual journalists and producers, with submissions that include the work of a professional visual journalist.

  • Gallery of all 2018 Digital Storytelling Contest nominees.

The 2018 Digital Storytelling Contest in numbers

This year, 308 productions were submitted to the contest: 149 Short Form, 63 Long Form, 68 Immersive Storytelling and 28 Innovative Storytelling.

Prizes

Nominees in each category are invited to the World Press Photo Festival in Amsterdam. A representative from each of the nominated productions will have their travel and lodging paid for by the World Press Photo Foundation. The winners in each category will receive a diploma and a Golden Eye Award, presented during the Awards Show. The prize-winning projects are assembled into an exhibition that travels to select locations.

The FotoEvidence Book Award with World Press Photo

The FotoEvidence Book Award with World Press Photo recognizes a documentary photographer whose project demonstrates courage and commitment in the pursuit of human rights. The 2018 winner is Standing Strong by Josué Rivas.

FotoEvidence was founded in 2011 by photojournalist Svetlana Bachevanova as part of the humanistic tradition of photography. In 2017 FotoEvidence partnered with World Press Photo and the book award became the FotoEvidence Book Award with World Press Photo.

FotoEvidence publishes the winning project in a high quality, hardbound book, which will be launched at the World Press Photo Exhibition 2018 in Amsterdam on 14 April 2018, and then shown in several cities around the globe.

The Finalists for World Press Photo of the Year 2018

Rohingya Crisis | © Patrick Brown, Panos Pictures, for Unicef

28 September 2017

The bodies of Rohingya refugees are laid out after the boat in which they were attempting to flee Myanmar capsized about eight kilometers off Inani Beach, near Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Around 100 people were on the boat before it capsized. There were 17 survivors.

The Finalists for World Press Photo of the Year 2018

Boko Haram Strapped Suicide Bombs to Them. Somehow These Teenage Girls Survived. – Aisha, age 14. | © Adam Ferguson, for The New York Times

21 September 2017

Aisha (14) stands for a portrait in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. After being kidnapped by Boko Haram, Aisha was assigned a suicide bombing mission, but managed to escape and find help instead of detonating the bombs.

The Finalists for World Press Photo of the Year 2018

Witnessing the Immediate Aftermath of an Attack in the Heart of London | © Toby Melville, Reuters

22 March 2017

A passerby comforts an injured woman after Khalid Masood drove his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in London, UK, killing five and injuring multiple others.

The Finalists for World Press Photo of the Year 2018

The Battle for Mosul – Lined Up for an Aid Distribution | © Ivor Prickett, for The New York Times

15 March 2017

Civilians who had remained in west Mosul after the battle to take the city line up for aid in the Mamun neighbourhood.

The Finalists for World Press Photo of the Year 2018

The Battle for Mosul – Young Boy Is Cared for by Iraqi Special Forces Soldiers | © Ivor Prickett, for The New York Times

12 July 2017

An unidentified young boy, who was carried out of the last ISIS-controlled area in the Old City by a man suspected of being a militant, is cared for by Iraqi Special Forces soldiers.

The Finalists for World Press Photo of the Year 2018

Venezuela Crisis | © Ronaldo Schemidt, Agence France-Presse

3 May 2017

José Víctor Salazar Balza (28) catches fire amid violent clashes with riot police during a protest against President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Panono has new CEO, puts focus on software solutions

16 Feb

Professional360 GmbH, the recently re-named company behind the Panono 360-degree camera and software solutions, has a new CEO. Thomas Escher has previously held a number of top-level management positions in media houses such as Axel Springer and ProSiebenSat.1 Media, and managed the French foreign business of the online toy retailer MyToys, among other roles.

“In Thomas Escher we have found a CEO with expertise both in media and entertainment and in classical e-commerce,” said a spokesperson of Bryanston Group AG, the company who has acquired the assets of Panono and has been running its business operations since July 2017.

With the new CEO at its helm, the company is adjusting its strategy, reducing the focus on hardware and towards customized 350-degree software solutions, with real-estate and construction two key target sectors. Escher explains:

108 megapixels make our camera the highest resolution 360 degree one-shot camera in the market. We will strive to uphold and extend this technological leadership in the future. However, today this is no longer enough: especially among professional users, there’s a growing demand for individual software, cloud and web applications. They desire a first-class virtual presence both for web and mobile applications, as well as the most innovative content solutions.

“At the moment, real estate is still very traditional in its structures and processes, but with digitization moving forward, there are dramatic changes ahead in the next years,” continues Escher. “For one of our customers, we have developed a tool to create virtual tours out of our 360 degree images and to link them to a floor plan. This way, complete houses can be viewed online. Our customers can offer their clients viewings that are independent as to both time and place.”

This is only the latest chapter in Panono’s brief but turbulent history, and a stark move away from the more traditional, consumer focused 360° camera industry Panono started in. We had several occasions to have a closer look and test the Panono camera and were impressed by the technology. Hopefully the new CEO and strategy can help get the company back on track, and push 360-degree imaging technology further.

Press Release

MORE THAN JUST A CAMERA: NEW PANONO CEO TO TRANSFORM THE OPERATIONS

– Thomas Escher new CEO of Panono
– New focus on software solutions and services for 360 degree photos
– Strong customer focus

Berlin, 15 February 2018 – In February 2018, Thomas Escher (36) joined Professional360 GmbH as the new CEO. Under the brand name Panono the company offers professional 360 degree photo solutions for businesses and professional users, including its own award-winning camera hardware and customized software, cloud solutions and web integration.

“In Thomas Escher we have found a CEO with expertise both in media and entertainment and in classical e-commerce,” said a spokesperson of Bryanston Group AG, the company who has acquired the assets of Panono and has been running its business operations since July 2017. Escher has held a number of top-level management positions in media houses such as Axel Springer and ProSiebenSat.1 Media, and, among others, managed the French foreign business of the online toy retailer MyToys. As the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of the Allianz affiliate InstaMotion, an online dealer for second-hand cars, he
was responsible for marketing and sales activities.

From “technology first” to “customer first”

Panono aims to continue the expansion of 360 degree solutions. “108 megapixels make our camera the highest resolution 360 degree one-shot camera in the market. We will strive to uphold and extend this technological leadership in the future. However today this is no longer enough: especially among professional users, there’s a growing demand for individual software, cloud and web applications. They desire a first-class virtual presence both for web and mobile applications, as well as the most innovative content solutions”, explained Escher. “With this in mind we will further develop our platform, software
features and services, both independently and via sector-specific strategic partnerships. We have already implemented some exciting features, and there are more on the horizon.”

Focus on real estate and construction

Panono has been giving special attention to the real estate sector. “At the moment, real estate is still very traditional) in its structures and processes, but with digitization moving forward, there are dramatic changes ahead in the next years,” said Thomas Escher. “For one of our customers, we have developed a tool to create virtual tours out of our 360 degree images and to link them to a floor plan. This way, complete houses can be viewed online. Our customers can offer their clients viewings that are independent as to both time and place.” According to Escher, Panono also offers interesting possibilities
for construction and maintenance companies, for example when it comes to the documentation of building conditions and work progress.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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