Car photography is every bit as exciting as photographing people. Each car is unique and has its own beautiful traits that translate perfectly into a photo. Whether you are taking photographs of vehicles on an F1 circuit or a full-on photoshoot of the most beautiful antique cars at an exhibition, your ultimate goal is to portray the personality and uniqueness Continue Reading
The post Everything You Need to Know About Photographing Cars appeared first on Photodoto.
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Samsung has launched its latest top-end chipset for mobile devices which will likely make an appearance in the brand’s next-generation Galaxy S and Note series smartphones. The Exynos 980’s headline features are a built-in 5G modem and plenty of processing power, but the new chip also has lots on offer for mobile photographers and creators.
The chipset supports image resolutions up to 108MP which means it’s ready for use with the next generation of high-resolution Quad-Bayer-like sensors. The image signal processor supports up to five sensors and can simultaneously process the output from three, allowing for advanced image-merging and other computational imaging methods.
There is also a built-in neural processing unit (NPU) which is specially designed to run artificial intelligence tasks. On the camera side of things, this is used for scene and object detection and subsequent optimization of camera parameters.
Exynos 980 powered mobile devices will also be able to encode and decode 4K video at 120 frames per second (fps). Support for HDR10+ with dynamic mapping should result in better color rendering in video clips.
There’s no definitive timeline for when this chipset will be released, but it’s safe to say Samsung’s future smartphones will likely be the first to showcase it.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Facebook will no longer scan uploaded images for users’ faces by default, according to The Verge. The change will apply to new users who receive the Face Recognition setting as Facebook rolls it out globally over the next several weeks. The Face Recognition feature, which was first introduced in late 2017, will not be turned on unless the user chooses to enable it.
The facial recognition feature works by scanning images for users’ faces and alerting them about these images even if they’re not tagged in them. Users who receive one of these alerts can choose to tag themselves in the image, ignore it, or report the image when applicable.
In an update on the technology following the outcome of its federal appeal in August, Facebook has revealed that the facial recognition feature is rolling out to all users, but that they’ll need to manually enable it if they want the platform to scan other users’ images for their face. A notice in the user’s News Feed will alert that user when the feature becomes available on their account.
Users will be able to find the Face Recognition feature in their account’s Settings menu. Facebook users who currently have Face Recognition on their accounts can find instructions on disabling it here.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
We’ve already shared the basic specs and details of Canon’s new EOS C500 Mark II cinema camera, but our friends over at Cinema5D have gotten their hands on a unit and shared a ten-minute overview of the new full-frame cinema system.
Throughout the 11-minute video, Cinema5D takes a look at the overall unit, as well as the extension units, which make the camera even more modular and capable without the need for third-party solutions. Other details not given in Canon’s original press release are also mentioned and we even get a closer look at how the user-changeable mount system works.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
The post 5 Essential Tools for Wedding Photography That Aren’t Gear-Related appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.
Weddings are fast-paced with long hours. So to get you through the wedding day, we’re listing five essential tools for wedding photography that are going to make any wedding day go much smoother for you. These aren’t gear-related. They’re the things that you may have never thought of but will make all the difference during those long wedding days.
Bringing comfortable and durable shoes is almost as important as bringing your favorite lens. Shoes can keep you from falling or tripping, and they can stop your feet from hurting after several hours on the job.
Shoes that have thick soles are what you’re looking for; they must be able to withstand hours upon hours of wear. It’s also important that they’re comfortable on the inside.
Unfortunately, flats and dress shoes don’t really fit into this category, since neither are very durable or can withstand long hours of use without giving you major discomfort. Shoes that aren’t made for long hours can fall apart or rip.
Most importantly, flats and dress shoes provide no actual support for you as you photograph the main events of the wedding. Durable and comfortable shoes that are high quality and can be worn for long hours will keep your feet safe, comfortable, and will give you the back support you need.
If the wedding you’re photographing is mostly on pavement, you’ll be glad you looked for comfortable shoes, because those hot pavement and cement sidewalks are terrible on thin-soled shoes.
You can also get shoe inserts that help support and cushion the inside of the shoe to better withstand long hours. While this is a fast and convenient fix, it’s best if you find a shoe that provides this from the get-go, and then you can add the insert for extra support.
If you have the budget (maybe factor this into your wedding package) hire an assistant. This is not to be confused with a second shooter who helps you to photograph a wedding. No, an assistant is there to help you carry your things and be an extra pair of hands.
Assistants can be responsible for equipment, lens changes, battery changes, helping fluff out the bride’s dress, keeping you on track with the timeline, and lining up the family during group portraits. Assistants are great because they help you with things that don’t need your full attention.
They can also be quicker at getting a forgotten bouquet or holding your flash at a certain angle. Plus, the extra pair of hands will keep your gear close, so that you can focus on making the shots and not worrying about whether you forgot your tripod at the ceremony.
Have assistants be a part of your team. It’s good to highlight this before you cover the wedding. Outline the responsibilities, show them your equipment and what you’ll need, along with any details specific to the event you’re photographing.
Snacks are crucial for long wedding days or even short ones. Weddings take a lot of energy out of you both mentally and physically with the posing, styling, photographing, directing, customer service, and being in charge of your team, so it’s really great to have easy and light snacks on hand.
Best snacks for wedding days include small packets of trail mix with nuts and chocolate to get your energy up, energy bars or protein bars, small reusable water bottles, fruits like an apple, and granola bars.
Keep snacks small. That way, they won’t add weight to your bags, are easy to carry, and won’t make a mess. You can also keep a small lunch bag with you and have your assistant carry it during, particularly long wedding days.
Having your own snacks will keep your energy up and keep you feeling great all throughout the event. No one likes a grumpy, hungry photographer!
Due to the fact that weddings are long, they tend to have a lot of sun. This means that, while your clients might be in the shade, you may find yourself in harsh sunlight.
A small hand towel can keep sweat off your face and your camera during those really hot summer days. This will keep you looking fresh and stop you from having to ask the guests or venue for something to wipe off your sweat with.
The hand towel can also be useful for other things: You can use it to shine wedding rings or to wipe a table you want to use in the background.
Command hooks are super versatile, and getting a couple can really help you when it comes to styling certain wedding details. For example, because the strip can be taken off walls without doing damage, you can use a command hook to hang the wedding dress anywhere you want.
Examples of really elegant command hooks that are removable.
These hooks come in different styles and finishes, and it’s good to stock up on a few so that you won’t be without one come the wedding day. Make sure to get hooks with an adhesive that can be taken off without harming walls.
Not all wedding day prep is about gear. These tools will help keep you at 100 percent while photographing one-of-a-kind moments for your clients.
Do you have any essential tools for wedding photography to make the day run smoothly? Share them in the comments!
The post 5 Essential Tools for Wedding Photography That Aren’t Gear-Related appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.
The post Canon Announces Two New RF Lenses: The 15-35mm and the 24-70mm appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Canon has just announced two more lenses for their RF lineup: the RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS and the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS.
Note that the RF line is designed for Canon’s full-frame mirrorless bodies, which currently includes the Canon EOS R and the Canon EOS RP. This is excellent news for Canon mirrorless users, who have previously had to contend with Canon’s relatively weak mirrorless lens lineup.
So if you’re a Canon mirrorless fan, this is for you.
These two lenses were unveiled by Canon back in February. But we now have specifications, prices, and release dates to share.
If you’re a landscape photographer, you’ll undoubtedly appreciate a high-quality wide zoom such as the Canon 15-35mm f/2.8L IS.
The focal length is perfect for a mix of wide and ultra-wide landscapes, and the image stabilization makes it possible to handhold photos, even with a deep depth of field.
Plus, the image quality is bound to be stellar.
This lens could easily become a landscape photography workhorse. It could also make its way into the bags of wedding photographers who are looking for a high-performing wide zoom.
The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS will be sold for $ 2,299 USD starting at the end of September. While the price isn’t cheap, serious landscape photographers will appreciate the focal length, the optical quality, and the image stabilization.
Compared to the 15-35mm, the 24-70mm is more of an all-around option and one that’ll hold its own with the best in the field.
First, the wide maximum aperture and standard zoom focal length make this lens a good choice for portraits. The 9-bladed aperture is also bound to produce some gorgeous bokeh. So for portrait photographers, this is a lens worth looking at.
Event photographers will also appreciate the fast aperture, while the 5-stop image stabilization will make handholding in low light easy to pull off.
Even landscape photographers should consider the 24-70mm f/2.8. For landscape photographers who like a tighter look, the 24-70mm focal length range is exactly what is needed.
The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM will start shipping at the end of September for $ 2,299 USD.
If you’re a mirrorless landscape photographer, then this is a good day, because you’ve got two amazing new RF lenses to look forward to.
Same goes for portrait and event photographers, who should appreciate the image stabilization and fast apertures these two lenses bring to the table.
If this is a sign of things to come, then the future is bright.
What do you think about these new lenses? Will you purchase them when the come out? Share in the comments!
The post Canon Announces Two New RF Lenses: The 15-35mm and the 24-70mm appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
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Sony has announced the Xperia 5, the latest addition to its flagship smartphone lineup. The new phone brings technology from Sony’s Xperia 1 smartphone and puts them in a slightly more manageable size.
The Xperia 5 features a 21:9 CinemaWide 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED display with BT.2020 color accuracy. The screen uses technologies from Sony’s Bravia TV systems to help bring High Dynamic Range (HDR) technologies to its latest smartphone. Another neat feature of the Xperia 5 is a new Creator mode, a feature inspired by Sony’s Master Series TV systems that adds 10-bit tonal gradation (8 bit display with 2 bit software smoothing) to the display, which makes it possible to support the ITU-R BT.2020 color space in addition to CDI-P3 and Illuminant D65.
Sony has also added Dolby Atmos surround sound technology to add ‘breathtaking realism’ to audio coming from the device, whether you’re using headphones or the built-in stereo speakers on the Xperia 5.
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On the imaging front, the Xperia 5 uses a triple-camera setup with 12-megapixel sensors behind each of the three lenses: a 16mm, a 26mm and a 52mm (35mm equivalent). Sony doesn’t mention the apertures of the 16mm and 52mm lens but notes the main 26mm lens features an F1.6 aperture that works alongside the Dual Photo Diode image sensor with 1.5?m pixel pitch for better low-light capabilities. The imaging system uses a Sony Bionz X image processor for mobile as well as Optical SteadyShot image stabilization to get the most from the camera unit.
Sony has also brought its Eye AF technology to the Xperia 5, as well as continuous burst shooting up to 10 frames per second with Auto Focus and Auto Exposure calculations taking place at up to 30 frames per second.
View this post on InstagramXperia excellence, in the palm of your hand. Join us September 5th for #SonyIFA #Innovation
Other features include Corning Gorilla Glass 6 on both the front and back of the device, USB PD charging, a 3140mAh battery, IP68/IP65 water resistance and Sony’s ‘smart connectivity’ function that uses Neural Network Libraries to analyze Wi-Fi and LTE signals to know when to switch from one to the other for optimal connectivity.
The Xperia 5 will be available in the United States at various retailers starting November 2019 for a retail price of $ 799 and will ship with Android 9 Pie. For more information, visit Sony’s product page.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
On the first day of the annual InterDrone conference in Las Vegas, Yuneec has introduced its latest quadcopter. Aimed specifically at consumers, the Mantis G was created for those wanting to enhance their social media profiles with HD (high-definition) and 4K aerial video or imagery captured from a unique perspective.
The portable and foldable Mantis G weighs one pound, making it ideal for travelers capturing imagery on the fly. It features a gimbal-stabilized camera that can record video up to 4K at 30 frames per second. Photos can be taken on the 13-megapixel camera in either JPG or DNG format.
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| The Mantis G measures at 10.5 inches, without the propellers, and is being marketed as ‘the perfect upgrade to your Instagram story.’ |
A maximum 33-minute flight time makes it the longest in its class. The drone can land automatically and be folded up within seconds so consumers can head off to their next adventure. Seamless social media integration allows users to instantly share their media on their social channels.
In the spirit of enabling consumers to capture professional-grade imagery with a creative twist, Yuneec has equipped the Mantis G with Waypoint Mode, which allows users to plot out a specific flight path for the drone, and the Visual Tracking feature that ensures the drone follows its designated target everywhere. For racing enthusiasts, the Mantis G can reach speeds up to 44 miles per hour.
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The Mantis G can be controlled with a smartphone, via the controller that is included with the drone, or by voice control. Yuneec has modified its Pilot App to accept new voice commands from flyers. Modified antenna design and redundant frequencies (2.4 and 5 GHz), coupled with the new Smart Streaming feature, guarantee stable communication and signal transmission between the drone and controller.
One notable selling feature on the Mantis G from Yuneec is that any video, photo, or telemetry data will not be transferred or contained on any external servers. Recently, leading manufacturer DJI has released statements denying accusations of doing the same with their consumer data. The Mantis G was developed on open source PX4 code. No Fly Zones surrounding international airports have been integrated into the software, preventing unsafe and illegal flights. GPS and IPS sensors allow it to be flown both indoors and outdoors, making it that much for versatile for content creators.
The Mantis G retails for $ 699 and can be ordered here.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Tamron has released firmware updates for three of its F mount lenses to add support for Nikon’s FTZ adapter.
Back in November 2018, Tamron announced firmware updates (1, 2) for half a dozen lenses that added support for Nikon’s F to Z mount adapter. Now, three additional lenses gain support: the Tamron SP 85mm F/1.8 Di VC USD (Model F016), 70-210mm F/4 Di VC USD (Model A034) and 100-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD (Model A035).
No additional changes are mentioned in the firmware update, but regardless of whether or not you have a Nikon Z6 or Z7 camera, it’s probably in your best interest to download and install the firmware updates via Tamron’s TAP-in Utility, which works with the Tamron TAP-in console to update compatible Tamron lenses.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Last year Shuttercase unsuccessfully attempted to collect funding for the original Shuttercase iPhone camera case. Now the company is back with a redesigned version that is called Shuttercase 2.0 and already available for purchase.
The Shuttercase 2.0 is aimed at iPhone photographers and movie makers who prefer the handling of a traditional camera over smartphone ergonomics for image and video capture. The case comes with a mechanical shutter button and a replaceable camera handle with a leatherette effect cover. The handle also contains a 3000mAh battery. In addition the case offers a mount for all current Moment smartphone lenses.
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The modular design – lens mount, camera handle with battery, leatherette cover and thumb rest are all removable – allows you to use the battery pack when taking pictures with your iPhone and removing it and other components and leaving them at home for normal smartphone use. It also sets the Shuttercase apart from competitors such as the Pictar camera grip or battery packs from Mophie and others.
The Shuttercase 2.0 with Moment lens mount is now available for several iPhone models on the Shuttercase website for $ 78.99. An additional battery pack will set you back $ 28.99.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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