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These are the best new photo features you’ll find in iOS and iPadOS 13.1

26 Sep

Following the launch of its new iPhone 11 models and updated iPad, Apple has released iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, its latest mobile operating systems. Although iOS 13 was released last week, iOS 13.1 was only released yesterday and due to it being a substantial upgrade in terms of features and stability, we held off until now to post this overview.

Summarized below are the new tools, features and functionality iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 bring to a lengthy list of iOS devices that support the latest operating systems.

Update Photos app

One of the first things you’ll notice with iPad and iOS 13 is the updated Photos app. Now, there’s a dedicated ‘Photos’ tab at the bottom of the app that splits your images up into ‘Years,’ ‘Months,’ ‘Days’ and ‘All Photos.’ You can tap on the individual timeframes or pinch in/out to expand and compress accordingly.

It’s not a massive change, but it should simplify the process of finding older images if you know the rough timeframe they were captured.

New photo editing tools

Along with the new organization within the Photos app is an improved user interface and new editing tools.

First and foremost, the interface for editing images has improved dramatically. Rather than the multiple layers of dials that were vaguely worded and unusually categorized, the editing interface now uses dedicated sections, each of which has individual adjustments displayed as circular tiles that can easily be swiped through and individually adjusted. Below is a list, in order, of the editing tools at hand:

Auto
Exposure
Brilliance
Highlights
Shadows
Contrast
Brightness
Black Point
Saturation
Vibrance
Warmth
tint
Sharpness
Definition
Noise Reduction
Vignette

Portrait Mode photos have also had a bit of an update. You can now control the intensity of the light on Portrait Mode photos and with newer devices, there’s a Portrait Mode option called High-Key Light Mono.

Video editing in Photos

Another major improvement in iOS 13 is the ability to edit video. You can now crop, make image adjustments and even add filters to videos directly within the Photos app. Previously, video edits required third-party apps, which was anything but intuitive.

New Shortcuts/Automations

Apple has also added new functionality to its Shortcuts app called Automations. These are individual macros of sorts that can be used to trigger certain behaviors on your phone. The uses are seemingly endless, but a few notable examples include the ability to ‘change’ the default camera app, trigger the camera to open when you get a certain location or even upload your latest photos and videos to a backup location of your choice when you connect to your home Wi-Fi.

Shortcuts and Automations are more directed towards power users who want the most from their phones, but Federico Viticci of MacStories has a wonderful rundown as part of his annual iOS and iPadOS 13 review to will help to get you started if it’s something you want to dive into.

Desktop-class browsing

As Apple demonstrated during its keynote, the iPad will now appear to websites as a standard computer rather than a mobile device. While this is overarching across the entire web, one area this could greatly benefit photographers is in regards to an online portfolio and photo blogging. Now, in iPadOS 13 you can use sites such as Squarespace, WordPress and other portfolio and blogging platforms as you would with a desktop computer.

Previously, it was possible to visit the likes of Squarespace and WordPress, but a lot of functionality was greatly limited or downright unattainable due to websites only recognizing the iPad, even the ‘Pro’ models, as mobile devices. Rene Ritchie of iMore has a great rundown on what the new functionality means.

External storage

As we addressed back with iPadOS 13 was first announced at WWDC in May 2019, one of the most significant additions is the ability to use external hard drives natively within the iPadOS 13 Files app. It’s now possible to import, export and transfer images and other content from USB thumb drives, external SSDs and other storage means.

It’ll be up to the developers of third-party applications to make the most of it (we’re looking at you, Adobe), but having the option at all is a much-welcomed addition.

Supported devices

Below is a list of iPhone and iPod Touch models that support iOS 13:

iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XS
iPhone XR
iPhone X
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 8
iPhone 7 Plus
iPhone 7
iPhone 6s Plus
iPhone 6s
iPhone SE
iPod touch 7th generation

Below is a list of iPad models that support iPadOS 13:

12.9-inch iPad Pro 3rd generation
12.9-inch iPad Pro 2nd generation
12.9-inch iPad Pro 1st generation
11-inch iPad Pro
10.5-inch iPad Pro
9.7-inch iPad Pro
iPad 6th generation
iPad 5th generation
iPad Air 3
iPad Air 2
iPad mini 5
iPad mini 4

Wrapping up

In conclusion, iOS 13 is well worth downloading if your device is supported. Even if you have iOS 13 installed, make sure you update to iOS 13.1 which should be available now as an over-the-air update, as it irons out a lot of issues found in the first public version of iOS 13.

If you have an extended period of time on your hands and want to see nearly every new feature Apple has added to iOS 13, Jeff Benjamin of 9to5Mac has created this comprehensive video below:

Likewise for iPadOS 13:

If there’s a tip or trick you find that’s not mentioned in this list, let us know and we might add it. We would also love to see what Shortcuts and Automations you come up with for your photo workflow.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Nisi introduces the ‘Switch,’ a filter system with independently rotating holders

26 Sep

Filter system manufacturer Nisi has introduced a new filter holder that allows photographers to rotate two filters independently of each other, in much the same way that Lee’s Tandem operates. The Nisi Switch attaches to the existing 82mm filter holder and provides an additional rotation point so that the forward filter can be twisted separately to filters in the main holder.

The system is designed for those using graduated filters to make tackling mountainous horizons easier and so that graduated filters can be placed at more than a single angle to allow photographers to control different areas of the scene individually.

The Switch is part of the company’s 100mm filter system and will cost around $ 99. Those without the current 82mm filter holder will also need to buy a V6, a V5Pro or a V5 kit as well. These kits start at $ 169. For more information see the Nisi website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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The iPhone 11 Pro Max gets the teardown treatment from iFixit

26 Sep

As it does with nearly every Apple smartphone, tablet and computer that hits shelves, iFixit has torn down an iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro Max to reveal what technological goodies are hidden within. The teardown didn’t reveal too many surprises, overall, but a few interesting things did pop up.

From left to right: the iPhones XR, XS Max and 11 Pro Max.

Before cracking into any of the devices, iFixit teamed up with Creative Electron to X-ray the phones before they were opened up. As seen above, there’s not a millimeter of free space within the frames and although the same general layout was used, there are a few noticeable differences between the iPhone 11 models and the iPhone XS models. Considering the iPhone 11 Pro Max is the most interesting of the devices from a photography standpoint, that’s the teardown we’ll be focusing on here, although the full teardown of the iPhone 11 is available on iFixit.

Most notably, the iPhone 11 Pro Max uses a single-cell L-shaped battery, instead of two separate batteries found inside previous Plus/Max models. Apple also dropped down the logic board, presumably to make room for the much larger three-camera array.

In ‘Step 6,’ iFixit gets to the camera modules. The team at iFixit also had X-rays performed on the camera modules, which revealed the optical image stabilization on the wide and telephoto camera modules. According to the teardown, iFixit plans on doing a more detailed analysis of the camera unit, so when that goes live we’ll be sure to cover accordingly.

The black bars in the two larger camera modules are the OIS units.

Moving on, the iFixit team digs into the nitty-gritty details of the logic board and all of the individual chips, memory units and sensors within.

At ‘Step 13’ the battery gets some attention and iFixit reveals it was ‘pleasantly surprised to find some relatively repair-friendly features.’ The battery analysis also reveals the battery inside the iPhone 11 Pro Max ‘pumps out 3969 mAh at 3.79 V, for a total of 15.04 Wh […] a whopping 2.96 Wh more than the XS Max battery, and 1.52 Wh less than the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G battery.’ Of course, this increased capacity comes with a slight size increase. The battery inside the iPhone 11 Pro Max is 4.6mm thick and weighs 59.6g, which is 0.7mm thicker and 13g heavier than the dual-cell battery arrangement inside the iPhone XS Max.

The remainder of the teardown covers the bottom section of the devices, which includes speakers, microphones, charging ports, additional cables and more. iFixit gives the iPhone 11 Pro Max a repairability score of six out of ten, mostly due to the fact that if the back glass cracks the entire device essentially needs to be stripped away to repair it.

Image credits: Courtesy of iFixit

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Review of PaintShop Pro 2020 Ultimate: A Photoshop Contender?

26 Sep

The post Review of PaintShop Pro 2020 Ultimate: A Photoshop Contender? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Glenn Harper.

Not for nothing is Photoshop called the “industry standard” for graphic design and photo editing. The moment you defect to another product, you start missing stuff. Can Corel Paintshop Pro 2020 Ultimate do the job just as well? It’s a comprehensive standalone program with lots of extras thrown in for free.

New stuff

This edition of Paintshop Pro (PSP) introduces several new features, including a touch-ready Photography Workspace, a SmartClone Tool, and a Refine Brush for ultra-precise selections. There are improvements to existing tools, too. We’ll cover these things during this review as well as looking at preexisting features.

The new touch-ready Photography Workspace may not suit everyone, but it’s uncluttered and armed with enough tools to rifle through many pictures.

Raw processing in Paintshop Pro

Paintshop Pro Ultimate comes with Corel Aftershot 3 raw processing software as well as its own in-built raw conversion. Since many of our pictures start out as raw files, it seems apt to look at these facilities first.

Aftershot 3

Aftershot 3 is a pared-down version of Corel’s Aftershot Pro, which you can upgrade to for a modest sum. The latter lets you create Lightroom-style catalogs, so all changes to images are stored inside the program instead of in separate XMP sidecar files. Although not as sophisticated as the pro version, Aftershot 3 Standard offers much more than the in-program raw conversion tool of PSP 2020. A notable exception to this is DNG support, but it does have lens corrections, layers and Perfectly Clear auto image enhancement. The latter works well with layers since you can adjust the opacity to achieve optimum results.

Reducing the opacity of Perfectly Clear on an adjustment layer often gives a nice result.

An early problem I had with Aftershot and Paintshop Pro 2020 was that neither liked my custom monitor profile, so I had to switch to a generic Adobe RGB profile to make the color look acceptable. It took some head-scratching before I realized why raw previews looked so bad.

With that problem temporarily solved, I found the software eminently usable, though I think Corel should include a histogram in the standard Aftershot version. The pro version has enough to commend it without cutting essentials from its little sibling.

Adjusting perspective in Aftershot 3 using the zPerspector plugin.

Aftershot is rebranded Bibble software, which was highly rated in its time. It includes access to many plug-ins, such as the Wavelet Sharpen plug-in and the zPerspector perspective correction plugin. These are useful add-ons. I’d recommend that you trial Aftershot thoroughly before buying or upgrading. Remember, the Pro version won’t catalog your DNG files if you use them. You need proprietary raw files. As well, Paintshop Pro doesn’t like Adobe’s enhanced DNG files.

Working in Paintshop Pro 2020

The first thing to do in Paintshop Pro 2020 Ultimate is to choose from three workspaces: Photography, Essentials and Complete. The new “touch-ready” Photography workspace is inviting since it doesn’t distract you with a bewildering set of tools. It’d be a good place to start for beginners. But if you’re coming from years in Photoshop, you’ll probably skip to the Complete workspace where all things are possible.

Adjustment Layers

Just like Photoshop, Paintshop Pro 2020 gives you the choice of editing photos on adjustment layers or independently. Some of the editing choices are not available as layers, though you can always apply these to a duplicate layer. All adjustment layers have built-in layer masks for selective editing.

Color and Tone

Paintshop Pro offers most of the features you’d expect in an advanced pixel editor when it comes to correcting color and tone. There are a few things you may not have seen before. For instance, the “Histogram” adjustment layer is a kind of advanced blend of Levels and Curves.

The “Histogram Equalize” adjustment in PSP 2020 evens up the tonal range of the image, often brightening it. You need to be careful with this if you don’t want to blow highlights. More useful, I think, is “Local Tone Mapping” at its default low settings. It seems to have a very subtle HDR effect that perks many photos up.

Smart Photo Fix lets you alter the software’s One Step Photo Fix adjustment, and as an alternative starting point, it’s pretty good. PSP did a decent job with the photo in the screenshot, though it could still do with brighter whites.

Conspicuous by its absence in Paintshop Pro is any form of clipping display or exposure warning. If it’s there, I never found it. To me, this is a must-have feature, since it shows you what you’re losing with tonal or color adjustments and whether it’s likely to matter. I don’t expect it to be missing in a wide-ranging package like Paintshop Pro.

Correcting perspective

I’ve gotten used to being able to correct perspective in architectural photos, so I was keen to see what Paintshop Pro offers in this respect. In fact, the Perspective Correction tool in PSP is very good, albeit without the full-auto option of ACR or Lightroom. It’s the work of a few seconds to correct most photos, and that’s good enough for me.

This is all you need do to correct verticals in Paintshop Pro. Not automated like Adobe’s solution, but easy.

Cloning (& the new SmartClone tool)

The regular cloning tool in Paintshop Pro is fine for most cloning work, but now we also have the SmartClone tool. This is useful if you want to lay textures or patterns over another area of a photo or even a different photo. Three blend modes are available for different effects: Original, Blend, Black and White. The first gives you regular-type cloning, the second tries to blend color and texture by reducing opacity, the third clones only texture by desaturating the selected area.

smart clone tool and paint brush - Paintshop Pro 2020

I used the SmartClone tool to superimpose Proust’s face onto a separate image of the beach at Cabourg – a scene he’d have known well. By placing the clone onto a duplicate layer with a layer mask, I was able to refine the original rectangular selection using the Paint Brush with “Smart Edge” tool.

A neat feature of the SmartClone tool is the ability to save selections as presets, so you can use them with future images. This tool is not an equivalent to content-aware fill in Photoshop. It has its own uses and controls. Paintshop Pro offers Object Remover and Scratch Remover tools to intelligently fill in areas of an image, though you have to be reasonable in your expectations as to what these things can do.

Selection Refine Brush (new)

I never need to make intricate selections in my day-to-day photography, but perhaps that makes me a good candidate for testing the new Selection Refine Brush in Paintshop Pro 2020. I had trouble even accessing it at first until I realized the chosen selection tool must be docked for the button to appear. Despite this shaky start, I was soon impressed.

I started with a quick freehand selection around the edge of the subject and well within the hairline so that any intricate hairs could be selected later with the refine brush. The brush does such a good job at picking out fine detail that it’s a waste of time to attempt precision yourself. You can further refine the end result with global corrections such as smooth edge or feathering.

Image: In this photo, everything not in red is selected. You can see the Selection Refine Brush has...

In this photo, everything not in red is selected. You can see the Selection Refine Brush has done a very good job of selecting strands of hair. This was the work of just a few minutes, and I’m a novice at selections. (Photo: Pixabay)

Once you’re happy with the selection, you can output it in various ways. It’s easy to copy and paste the selection with transparent background onto a new image if you want, or you can edit it further on a new layer. Whatever your aim, it’s hard to imagine other software doing a much better job in getting you to that point.

Dealing with Chromatic Aberration

Fixing chromatic aberration, even in its most common purple fringing form, is one of the great strengths of Photoshop. Other programs struggle to compete. Paintshop Pro’s “One Step Purple Fringe Fix” introduced an artifact the first time I used it and didn’t completely remove the fringing. On the other hand, “Chromatic Aberration Removal” in PSP 2020 gave a good result. Taking as small a sample as possible seemed to help. Based on this, it might be better to leave chromatic aberration in a raw image and fix it in the rendered version, unless you have advanced raw conversion software on your side.

Image: Using the Chromatic Aberration Removal tool in Paintshop Pro to remove green fringing. Radius...

Using the Chromatic Aberration Removal tool in Paintshop Pro to remove green fringing. Radius and color range settings help to fine-tune the correction. (You may need to view this full size to see the difference.)

Sharpening

Paintshop Pro offers four sharpening methods: Sharpen, Sharpen More, Unsharp Mask, and High Pass Sharpening. These are familiar choices. Unsharp Mask lets you choose radius, strength and clipping settings. It also includes a set of presets you can pick from according to your intended use for the image.

High Pass Sharpening focuses sharpening on edges. Most programs give you a grey overlay with this feature so you can clearly see the effect of your edit, but that’s not possible in Paintshop Pro. Instead, you have to eyeball the image directly.

There is another route to high-pass sharpening in PSP where you do get the grey preview: create a duplicate layer and go to Effects->Edge Effect->High Pass. Choose an Overlay, Hard Light or Soft Light blend mode.

You get this useful preview if you sharpen your photos using Edge Effects->High Pass in PSP 2020. It’d be nice to see this in the High Pass Sharpen tool, too, but you get a regular preview there. As you can see, the grey overlay makes it easy to see what your sharpening settings are doing.

The noisier your photo is to begin with, the wiser it is to avoid global sharpening. If you have a clean file to work with that you want to quickly publish online, a simple Sharpen or Sharpen More adjustment will often look fine.

Plugins

A great feature of Paintshop Pro is its compatibility with Photoshop plugins (those with 8bf, 8be, 8bi, and 8ba extensions). A lot of the time they work fine, though I noticed the color goes flat in my Nik Collection Viveza 2 plugin if the preview is small. This is a known problem with other Photoshop alternatives.

Paintshop Pro’s compatibility with PS plugins is not an insignificant factor when weighing up the software. In fact, a range of downloadable plugins and scripts is available as soon as you buy the product – some of them free.

Time Machine

Paintshop Pro also offers the fun “Time Machine” photo effect. This teaches you something about photographic history and attempts to replicate photos from different eras, ranging from the daguerreotype in 1839 to the cross-processing look discovered in the late 1950s to early 60s. You can add appropriate borders to each effect if you want. Below is the “Early Color” preset in action with James Joyce obliging as the subject.

Review of PaintShop Pro 2020 Ultimate: A Photoshop Contender?

Extras

As well as Corel Aftershot 3 raw conversion software, Paintshop Pro 2020 Ultimate comes bundled with a host of other goodies. Here’s the full inventory:

GRFX Studio: gives access to 1000s of photo effects.
Parallels Toolbox: a suite of tools to keep your computer running smoothly.
PhotoMirage Express: turn stills photos into eye-catching animations.
Painter Essentials 6: lets you paint, draw and sketch as well as automatically adding painting effects to photos.
Aftershot 3: raw conversion software (good, but lacks some of the near-essential features of the pro version).
Creative Collection: free pack of many extras available for optional download.

As well as letting you create original artworks, Painter Essentials 6 can generate “paintings” from your photos.

Other new features of PSP 2020 include copy-and-paste layer styles; quicker text rendering, editing and text wrap; faster Pic-to-Painting transitions; and an improved depth-of-field effect.

shallow depth of field - flower photography

Paintshop Pro lets you apply arty shallow-depth-of-field effects with the improved Depth of Field tool.

Conclusion

Corel Paintshop Pro 2020 Ultimate is a vast photo-editing package that doesn’t leave you wanting for much. But it’s lacking in places. The absence of a clipping display or exposure warning that I could find is almost a deal-breaker for me. I use that all the time when adjusting color and tone. Also on my wants list would be gradient maps. There are surprising omissions and inconsistencies in Paintshop Pro. That aside, it’s not unlovable.

black and white conversion - GRFX Studio

The Classic B & W effect in GRFX Studio creates some pleasing black and white conversions and gives you plenty of control over the result.

Some of the tools in Paintshop Pro 2020 Ultimate are exceptional. My new-found ability to make complex selections with the Refine Brush was a bit of a revelation. And there are tons of special effects, so there’s no excuse not to be creative. Paintshop Pro seems to lean that way – towards the visual editor who doesn’t care so much about the math and more about how the photo just looks. And maybe that’s not a bad thing.

Have you used Paintshop Pro 2020 Ulitmate? What are your thoughts? Share with us in the comments!

The post Review of PaintShop Pro 2020 Ultimate: A Photoshop Contender? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Glenn Harper.

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Kenko’s new flash automatically moves its own head for optional bounce lighting

25 Sep

Accessories manufacturer Kenko has introduced a flash unit that automatically rotates and tilts its own head to bounce its output from ceilings and walls to provide the ideal soft lighting. The Kenko AB600-R follows the lead of Canon’s Speedlite 470EX-AI by using motors to move its own head into the ideal position to suit the room and the subject, as well as the orientation of the camera.

The new flash unit measures the distance between itself and the subject, as well as between itself and the bounce surface, and automatically calculates the best angle from which to direct its light. The user can also position the head manually and have the flash unit rotate itself when the camera is turned to be used in a different orientation or at an angle.

Where the Kenko flash differs from the Canon model is that it has a guide number of 60m/197ft at ISO 100 (using the 200mm setting) and it offers radio control for wireless operation as well as optical. In wireless mode the unit can act as a master or slave, and can be controlled additionally via the WTR-1 wireless transceiver.

The zoom head can track focal lengths of between 24mm and 200mm, and with the built-in diffuser lowered it will cover the angle of view of an 18mm lens. First and second curtain triggering options can be set, and strobe and high speed sync modes are also available.

The head is powered by 4 AA batteries, but can also be powered by the BP-1 external battery pack and comes with a two-year guarantee. At the moment it comes with i-TTL compatibility for Nikon users (though B&H is advertising a Canon version – but showing the Nikon one), and costs $ 400 / £400. It is expected in stores in November. For more information see the Kenko website.

Manufacturer information

New: AI Flash AB600-R

An electronic flash with Auto Bounce and Angle Lock functions.

The Kenko AB600-R is a high-power, ‘Advanced Intelligence’ flashgun which enables photographers to raise their game to another level, helping them automate the lighting process and get the best results every time.

Amongst its many features, the Kenko AI flash AB600-R incorporates an ‘AI’ Auto-Bounce function that takes care of the most difficult part in the shooting process: Bounce flash. By automatically calculating and moving to the optimum bounce angle, it enables the photographer to concentrate on the artistic part of the process, achieving better results in a more efficient way.

3D Auto Bounce function – The auto-bounce function of the Kenko AI flash AB600-R automatically calculates the most appropriate angle of light-bounce from the wall (left or right side) or from the ceiling. With the help of the auto bounce function, the photographer can accomplish a perfect shot with just a single shutter release; no more wasting time thinking and testing the optimal light path during the photo session. This function is invaluable for wedding photographers or anyone shooting portraits to a tight schedule, when the photographer has no time for failure. Auto Lock function – Allows the photographer to adjust the desired bounce angle, based on the automatically calculated one, in manual mode and lets the system remember this angle when the camera is turned from horizontal to vertical format. This allows the photographer to really focus on the artistic part of the shooting process, like composition and interaction with the model, making the process of getting the ideal shot so much quicker and easier.

Guide number: 60 – With a maximum guide number 60 (ISO 100 at 200mm), the Kenko AI flash AB600-R has all the power it needs to deal with wide range of scenes and situations.

Master to slave flash angle remote control – The built-in radio transmitting and receiving unit allows a master flash to control the bounce angle of the slave flash remotely.

Optical and radio (2.4GHz) wireless control – For off-camera and multiple flash shooting. Sync terminal is also supported.

Auto and manual zoom adjustment – Light coverage angle equal to the 18-200mm range (18mm achieved when used with the wide diffuser panel). External power supply – The optional BP-1 battery pack supports longer shooting sessions and delivers faster recycling times. Firmware updates – The Kenko AI Flash AB600-R firmware can be updated via micro USB port.

Zoom Range: 20-200mm (18mm using wide diffuser panel)
Flash Modes: i-TTL-BL / i-TTL / Manual / Strobe (1-200Hz), 1st/2nd curtain sync, high-speed sync
Power: 4x AA type batteries (alkaline / Nickel Metal Hydride), or external BP-1 battery pack
Recycling Time: Approx. 0.1-3.5 sec (using NiMH batteries)
AF beam assist: 29 point AF
Exposure adjustment: -3.0 to +3.0 stops (TTL mode), Full power to 1/128 power (Manual mode)
Wireless Communication Systems: Optical and Radio (2.4GHz)
Bounce Mode: AI Auto bounce / Manual bounce (both with angle lock function)
External Connections: Micro USB (for firmware updates) / Sync terminal / External power supply
Dimensions (HxWxD): 196 x 80 x 62mm

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Gear Review: 4 New K&F Concept Filters Put to the Test

25 Sep

The post Gear Review: 4 New K&F Concept Filters Put to the Test appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.

I have always been an advocate of carrying as little camera equipment as possible. In fact, most people are surprised to hear how little I carry with me on any trip. Besides the obvious weight to carry, it also means more things to lose or have stolen. But whilst carrying less is always better, there are some things that I simply can’t live without. Filters are one of the sets of accessories that I always take with me as they are essential for my photography. So when given four new K&F Concept filters recently, I was very excited to put them to the test.

k&f-concept-filters-put-to-the-test

Why should you use filters?

As advanced as digital cameras are these days, they still occasionally need some help to capture photos the way you want. Often the big issue in photography is light. Too much of it, not enough, too harsh, in the wrong place…if only you could control outdoor light like in a studio.

Filters can help a photographer control light in varied circumstances. There are lots of filters that all fill different objectives. Two of the most common filters are neutral density filters and polarizing filters.

Polarizing filters

Polarizing filters help to remove unwanted reflections from non-metallic surfaces. For example, if you are photographing water or through glass, they can help ensure you keep reflections to a minimum. In addition to this, they also help to boost the saturation in images (especially blues and greens). So, they are very useful for photographing things like waterfalls.

Neutral Density filters

Neutral Density filters help to reduce the amount of light that enters the camera. This allows you to select a slower shutter speed to create motion blur (when photographing water during the day or moving clouds). However, even in day to day photography, you may sometimes find ND filters useful to help avoid overexposure at wide apertures.

k&f-concept-filters-put-to-the-test

Square filters vs screw-on filters

There are two types of filters these days – square filters and screw-on filters.

Square filters are either square or rectangle and attach to a holder attached to your camera. As the name suggests, screw-on filters screw onto your lens directly.

There are pros and cons for using both. Historically, I have always used square filters, so this was a good test to see how I get on with using screw-on filters instead.

Gear Review: 4 New K&F Concept Filters Put to the Test

The filters tested

The four filters tested for this article are:

77mm ND8-ND128 Variable Neutral Density ND Filter Nano Coated
77mm Variable ND2-ND32 Neutral Density and Circular Polarizing Filter Coated
77mm Circular Polarizers Filter, K&F Concept 77MM Circular Polarizer Filter HD 18 Layer Super Slim Multi-Coated CPL Lens Filter
77mm ND2-ND32 Variable Neutral Density ND Filter Nano Coated

Packaging

My first impression of the filters was of the beautiful and secure packaging they arrive in. They come in a hard cardboard box with the filter itself placed in a hard plastic case inside the cardboard box. The filter is further protected inside the plastic box wrapped in a plastic bag and placed on a piece of foam. The plastic box that they come in makes them really easy to get in out to use when needed as the lid flips open. The circular polarizing filter comes in a slightly different plastic box which twists open but is still secure inside due to some rubber ridges. This stops the filter rattling around the case.

I will need to stick some small stickers on the plastic boxes and write the filter on them to make them easier to find – something that is currently lacking on the plastic boxes. Other than that, the packing is very impressive.

k&f-concept-filters-put-to-the-test

Build and ease of use

The frames of all of the filters, except the circular polarizer filter, are made from an aluminum alloy (the polarizer filter has extra-tough magnalium). Even though they are very slim in design, they certainly feel rigid with no real bending even when forced.

The glass itself on all the filters is coated optical glass (to help reduce reflections) that is waterproof and scratch-resistant.

k&f-concept-filters-put-to-the-test

Performance

Overall, all of the filters performed very well. As someone who has always used square filters, I was skeptical about the quality and how they would affect the image. I deliberately headed out during early afternoon as I wanted to test these filters in harsh light. Below are the images taken using these filters.

Gear Review: 4 New K&F Concept Filters Put to the Test

Circular Polarizer Filters

I conducted the first test with the circular polarizer. Below are two images taken from the same place only seconds apart. The image on the left was with no filter. In the image on the right, you can see how the reflection from the water has been removed using the K&F Polarizer Filter. In addition, you can see a boost in the blue in the sky a little. There is a very slight vignette on the top left corner, but this is so minor that it can easily be removed in post-production.

Gear Review: 4 New K&F Concept Filters Put to the Test

ND2-ND32 Neutral Density

I conducted the next tests with the two ND filters. Both filters easily screwed in and were subsequently easy to remove with no jamming at all. Both filters performed very well with no color casting or vignetting. I also didn’t come across the X cross-issue that might sometimes occur with variable ND filters.

From the left: ND2, ND4, ND8, ND16, ND32

ND8-ND128 Neutral Density

The thing that I found so useful with these variable filters is the ease of transporting them and the amount of space saved in my camera bag. To be able to carry two ND filters that cover such a wide range is definitely something I feel is worth including in my camera bag.

From the left: ND8, ND16, ND32, ND64, ND128

ND2-ND32 Neutral Density and Circular Polarizing

The final filter tested was the ND filter with the circular polarizing filter. Whilst I was really impressed with the other filters, this is the one that I really found useful. Normally in a situation like this, I screw on my circular polarizing filter, then screw in my filter holder ring, put the holder on, and add the filters I need before I’m ready to shoot.

This filter does all of that. You can see below how using the filter gives you a longer shutter speed to achieve smooth water, and also removes much of the reflection as well. This helps bring out the details on the river bed.

No filter on the left, ND16, ND32

Conclusion

As mentioned, I have always been skeptical of using circular or screw-in filters. However, I am thoroughly impressed with the K&F Concept filters I tested out. The image quality is superb and the added benefit of just using one filter and adjusting the gradient without having to stack filters is really useful.

The thing that really impressed me about these filters is how premium they look, feel, and perform. In fact, I did not notice any difference between these K&F Concept filters and my very expensive current square filters.

Another huge benefit of these filters is the cost. For example, at the time of writing the 5-stop variable ND and CPL filter is priced at $ 89.99. In other words, you are getting six filters for that price. Individually purchasing good quality filters will be a lot more expensive. This will obviously help anyone starting out and wanting to build their accessories up without spending a small fortune. I, for one, will be adding these filters to my collection.

Note: The author was given the K&F Concept filters free of charge to test out. But he is not paid or affiliated with K&F Concept and his review is honest and unbiased and based his personal experience of using the products.

The post Gear Review: 4 New K&F Concept Filters Put to the Test appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.

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Nikon Z 85mm F1.8 S sample gallery

25 Sep

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Nikon’s latest Z-series prime is one of its most impressive, offering very similar optical characteristics to the Z 50mm F1.8 S which we liked so much when we tested it back in January. Providing a traditional portrait focal length and moderately fast aperture, the Z 85mm is fairly pricey by the standards of an F1.8 prime, but it’s hard to argue with the image quality, at any price.

We’ve been shooting with the Z 85mm F1.8 S for a few days, to see what it can do. Take a look through our full gallery of sample images.

Is this our most dog-heavy sample gallery yet? it might just be.

View our gallery of samples from the
Nikon Z 85mm F1.8 S

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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DPReview TV: Is Jordan out of touch?

25 Sep

In the most recent DPReview TV episode, Jordan quietly experimented with some filming and editing techniques employed by many-a YouTuber. Were the jump cuts and quirky transitions as jarring to the audience as Jordan thought they might be, or is he just out of touch and behind the times?

In case you missed it, take a look at the ‘experimental’ Canon EOS 90D Review.

Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

Introduction
What we did differently
What Chris thought
What worked
What we still don't like
What our viewers thought
Conclusion

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Canon’s entry-level EOS M200 offers eye detection and 4K video

25 Sep

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Canon has introduced the EOS M200, an entry-level mirrorless camera. It’s a fairly modest upgrade to one of our favorite cameras, the EOS M100. Its new Digic 8 processor allows for Dual Pixel AF with eye detection, heavily cropped 4K/24p video and improved battery life.

Everything else is the same as before: the M200 has a 24MP APS-C sensor, compact body with a selfie-friendly touchscreen and an easy-to-use interface.

The EOS M200 will be available in October, bundled with the collapsable 15-45mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM lens for $ 549/£499/€569.

Go hands-on with the EOS M200

Press release

DOCUMENT YOUR DAY AND EFFORTLESSLY SHARE YOUR PHOTOS AND VIDEOS WITH NEW CANON EOS M200 CAMERA

The Newest Compact Interchangeable-Lens Camera is Perfectly Positioned to be Your Next Travel Buddy

MELVILLE, N.Y., September 25, 2019 – Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or revel in documenting everyday moments, memories should be captured and easily shared. Offering social media enthusiast high image quality, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, introduces the EOS M200 camera. Great for those with wanderlust in their hearts, this camera ushers in a variety of new features, such as vertical video¹, for those looking to step up from smartphone photography and enter the realm of interchangeable-lens cameras.

“Ease of use, convenience and shareability are imperatives for consumers today, especially when introducing new imaging products into an ever-changing market place,” said Kazuto Ogawa, president and chief operating officer, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The new EOS M200 camera is a mix of tried and true Canon features as well as new ones, and combined they create a non-intimidating mirrorless camera for the experienced photographer – yet it is approachable for someone beginning their visual storytelling journey.”

Standout Attributes of the EOS M200 Camera

Designed to capture life’s special moments in vibrant color and clarity, the EOS M200 camera is built with quality and connectivity at its core. Key components include:

DIGIC 8 Imaging Processor
4K UHD, Full HD up to 60p, Vertical video support¹
Dual Pixel CMOS AF
Eye Detection Auto-focus
Convenient Wi-Fi®² and Bluetooth®³Technology
Capable of Sharing Photos and Videos to Social Media Platforms
Compact and Lightweight Design
Compatible with Extensive Line of EF-M, Canon EF⁴ and EF-S⁴ lenses

Thanks to an impressive 24.1 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor, the EOS M200 camera is capable of rendering detailed images of your travel escapades or your family milestones. The tilting LCD with touch screen allows for artistic expression when shooting subjects from a variety of angles, including selfies. Understanding the importance of sharing photos and videos, this camera is capable of transferring files directly to compatible smart devices using the Canon Camera Connect app. Images can then be seamlessly shared on social media platforms and web services or printed directly to compatible wireless Canon printers.

Pricing and Availability of the EOS M200

The EOS M200 camera has an estimated retail price of $ 599.99*, and is currently expected to be available in October 2019. For more information and the full list of product specifications, visit http://shop.usa.canon.com/

Canon EOS M200 specifications

Price
MSRP	$ 599 (w/15-45mm lens)
Body type
Body type	Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Body material	Composite
Sensor
Max resolution	6000 x 4000
Image ratio w:h	1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels	24 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	26 megapixels
Sensor size	APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm)
Sensor type	CMOS
Processor	DIGIC 8
Color space	sRGB
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
ISO	Auto, 100-25600
White balance presets	6
Custom white balance	Yes
Image stabilization	No
Uncompressed format	RAW
JPEG quality levels	Fine, normal
File format	JPEG (Exif v2.31) Raw (Canon 14-bit CR3)
Optics & Focus
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi-area Center Selective single-point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection Live View
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Manual focus	Yes
Number of focus points	143
Lens mount	Canon EF-M
Focal length multiplier	1.6×
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Tilting
Screen size	3″
Screen dots	1,040,000
Touch screen	Yes
Screen type	TFT LCD
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	None
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	30 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/4000 sec
Exposure modes	Program Shutter priority Aperture priority Manual
Built-in flash	Yes
Flash range	5.00 m (at ISO 100)
External flash	No
Flash X sync speed	1/200 sec
Drive modes	Single Continuous Self-timer/remote control
Continuous drive	6.1 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom)
Metering modes	Multi Center-weighted Spot Partial
Exposure compensation	±3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features
Format	MPEG-4, H.264
Modes	3840 x 2160 @ 23.98p / 120 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 60 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 30 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-I compatible)
Connectivity
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
USB charging	Yes
HDMI	Yes (micro HDMI)
Microphone port	No
Headphone port	No
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth 4.2
Remote control	Yes (via smartphone)
Physical
Environmentally sealed	No
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	LP-E12 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	315
Weight (inc. batteries)	299 g (0.66 lb / 10.55 oz)
Dimensions	108 x 67 x 35 mm (4.25 x 2.64 x 1.38″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
GPS	None

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Hands-on with the Canon EOS M200

25 Sep

Meet the Canon EOS M200

The Canon EOS M200 is a modest update to the M100 that was announced in August 2017. Most of the changes are courtesy of the new Digic 8 processor, which allows for 4K video capture, eye detection autofocus and improved battery life.

Canon didn’t change the design of the camera because, frankly, this entry-level, selfie-friendly camera didn’t need it. But more about that in the slides ahead.

The M200 will be available in October in your choice of white or black for $ 549/£499/€569, which includes the EF-M 15-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM lens.

Same ol’ sensor?

From what we can tell, the M200’s 24.1 effective Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor is the same as the one on the M100. The M100 has very good image quality, with really nice color and Raw detail capture in-line with the competition, though noise levels were slightly higher in our testing. The Digic 8 processor may affect JPEG image quality, which we’ll evaluate once we get hold of a final sample of the camera.

While the M200 uses Canon’s familiar (and very good) Dual Pixel AF system, some improvements have been made since the M100 was released. First off, there’s now eye detection, which we found to be reliable on the EOS M6 II that we’ve been testing more recently.

The other change is the number of selectable AF points, which has increased from 49 to 123. This may be due to having better Dual Pixel coverage compared to the M100, and we’ve reached out to Canon to confirm.

Flip-up display

Being a lower-end, consumer-friendly camera means that, of course, the M200 comes with an LCD that can flip upward for selfies. The display is 3″ in size and sports 1.04 million dots: the same as before. When the screen is flipped all the way up, you can turn on a self-portrait mode, which lets you blur the background, brighten the image and retouch your skin.

The flash can be popped up with the LCD in this position, though it will block the right side of the LCD. Speaking of the flash, it can be manually bounced for softer light, if you’d like.

Light on controls

The M200 isn’t loaded with buttons, which is probably a good thing for those looking for an easy-to-use camera. You’ve got three buttons and the four-way controller on the back, a single control dial and a simple shooting mode switch on the top. M200 users can choose from fully automatic, program mode and movie mode – and that’s it. The camera can almost be controlled by the touchscreen alone.

Like most Canon cameras, there’s a Scene Intelligent Auto mode, which picks the right settings for the situation, or you can select a scene preset manually when in Program mode. By putting the camera into the ‘Creative Assist’ mode you can use sliders to adjust background blur, color, brightness and contrast.

Video

The M200 gains the ability to shoot 4K/24p video (23.98fps, to be exact), but there’s a catch: When shooting 4K there’s a 1.6x crop and, when combined with the 1.6x crop of APS-C, this adds up to 2.56x. The bundled 15-45mm zoom thus becomes a 38-115mm equivalent lens when you shoot 4K. The widest Canon EF-M lens is 11-22mm, which turns into 28-56mm equivalent. That’s still wide-ish, but be aware that if you’re vlogging, or just want to shoot wide-angle, you might find that compound crop effect very limiting.

If you drop down to 1080 the crop disappears, and frame rates of 30p and 60p become available. If you want to shoot at 120 fps you’ll need to shoot at 1280 x 720 resolution – which is still fine for sharing on social media.

One of the M200’s new party tricks is the ability to record vertical videos, much like the PowerShot G7 X Mark III. Unlike that camera though, the M200 cannot stream live video to YouTube.

Ins and outs

The EOS M200 has a minimal set of inputs and outputs: just micro USB and micro HDMI. The camera can be charged over the USB port, and Canon is kind enough to include an external charger with the camera.

Speaking of batteries, the M200 uses the familiar LP-E12 and can take up to 315 shots per charge (by CIPA testing) – up from 295 on the M100. Canon says that if you put the camera into Eco mode you can take 485 photos before you run out of juice. Unless you’re using the flash or Wi-Fi a lot, you should find that you can easily exceed those numbers.

The M200 offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and Canon’s Camera Connect app supports auto image transfer, sharing location data with the camera and, of course, remote control.

Wrap-up

The Canon EOS M100 was one of our favorite entry-level mirrorless cameras when it was released, with an easy-to-use interface and solid image quality. While the EOS M200 isn’t a huge upgrade, nobody’s going to complain about improved autofocus and better battery life.

Some may complain about the M200’s 4K video feature though, due to the restrictive 2.56x crop (relative to full-frame) that puts wide-angle shooting out of reach with the bundled kit lens. That’s too bad, since crop-less 4K and a microphone input would make the M200 a pretty compelling vlogging camera. That said, 4K is nice to have, and 28mm equiv., from the (admittedly not bundled) 11-22mm zoom is still likely to be wide enough in a lot of situations.

That aside, if you’re after an accessible camera with robust underpinnings and don’t mind the 4K crop, we think that the M200 will be a good choice. For those who wish that the M200 had an electronic viewfinder, let us direct you to the EOS M50, which is essentially the same camera with an EVF.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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