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Which is best for you: the Fujifilm X-T200 or X-T30?

11 Feb

Fujifilm X-T200 vs X-T30

Prior to January 23rd, 2020, choosing between Fujifilm’s entry-level X-T100 and its step-up model, the X-T30, was easy. The X-T100 was sluggish, its autofocus sub-par and 4K ‘video’ was limited to 15 fps.

Fujifilm really raised the bar with the X-T200 , which offers dramatically improved performance and autofocus, a massive LCD with a clever touch interface and proper 4K video.

With the X-T200 priced at $ 799 and the X-T30 at $ 999 (both with a 15-45mm kit lens, as of February 2020), potential buyers will want to know if it’s worth spending the extra dollars on the more advanced model.

In this article we’ll break down the similarities and differences between the two cameras – but your decision should come down to the type of photographer you are, and where you are on your photographic journey. The X-T200 is, after all, billed as the more user-friendly model, while the X-T30 gives hands-on photographers more control at their fingertips. Let’s take a closer look.

Sensor

One of the upgrades on the X-T200 is its 24MP sensor. The former had aluminum wiring, while the latter uses copper. Fujifilm says that the new sensor can be read out 3.5x faster than its predecessor, which should reduce rolling shutter. Since we’ve yet to test a production-level X-T200 we can’t comment on its image quality, but we expect it to be better than its predecessor.

The X-T30, on the other hand, uses the same 26MP X-Trans CMOS sensor found on X-T3. Fujifilm’s X-Trans color filter both reduces moiré and exhibits less color noise at high ISOs. The sensor is excellent, with low noise levels at high ISOs and Raw files with plenty of room for brightening shadows and other adjustments. We didn’t find rolling shutter to be a major problem.

Autofocus

The X-T200 has essentially the same AF system as the X-T30, though how you operate them is a bit different. Their shared hybrid AF system has 425 phase-detect points that cover 100% of the frame and offer single-point, zone and wide/tracking AF area modes.

Both cameras offer face and eye detection, and Fujifilm says that the X-T200 has the company’s latest algorithms. It’s too early to draw conclusions about AF performance, but it seems competitive with the X-T30 at first glance.

When it comes to selecting subjects on which to focus, the X-T200 is more touchscreen-based, which isn’t surprising given its target audience. The more experienced users that the X-T30 leans toward will spend more time with the joystick and may want to fine-tune settings more than a beginner.

The X-T30 can shoot bursts quite a bit faster than its less-expensive sibling: 20 fps vs 8 fps

For example, the X-T30 lets you choose how the camera functions when using continuous AF, either by selecting a preset option or tweaking the settings yourself. This is important when the default AF settings aren’t the right fit for shooting things like sports.

Speaking of action photography, the X-T30 can shoot bursts quite a bit faster than its less-expensive sibling: 20 fps vs 8 fps. It also lets you access playback mode and the menus while the camera is writing to the card, unlike the X-T200.

One very frustrating thing about the AF system on both cameras is that you cannot set the focus point whenever the camera detects a face in the scene, though this could change with firmware sometime down the line (but don’t count on it).

Design

When viewed from the front, the X-T200 and X-T30 look quite similar. The X-T30 has a control dial and AF mode switch on the front, while the X-T200’s control dials are all on the top plate, and there’s no AF mode switch.

The X-T30 is all about dedicated dials, which isn’t surprising, given that it leans in the enthusiast direction. Some may say that it has too many dials, but that’s purely subjective. There are dedicated dials that allow you to adjust exposure compensation, shutter speed and drive mode without ever entering a menu. It offers an 8-way joystick for setting the focus point, which is poorly placed and a bit fiddly, in our opinion (the X-T200 has the same issue).

Being the entry-level model, the X-T200 has a limited number of direct controls and leans heavily on a well-designed touch interface via its enormous fully articulating LCD. The camera still offers dual control dials and some customization, though not nearly to the extent of the X-T30.

Given the price difference, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that the build quality of the X-T30 feels superior in your hand, with more metal and less plastic. The X-T30 isn’t weather-sealed, though: you need to go up another step to the X-T3 for that.

Both cameras offer USB Type-C ports (with USB 3.1 speeds) and support in-camera charging. They also use the NP-W126S battery, which you’ll find on many other Fujifilm cameras. While battery life is a reasonable 380 shots per charge on the X-T30 using the LCD, the X-T200 will last for only 270 shots (according to CIPA methodology). In reality you’ll get more life out of both cameras, but the X-T30 should still come out on top.

LCD and EVF

Let’s not beat around the bush: the X-T200’s touchscreen display is fantastic and competitive with modern smartphones – this camera’s target audience. It’s 3.5″ in size (diagonally) and has 2.76 million dots worth of resolution. It’s fully articulating, making it good for ground-level photos as well as vlogging. The display’s 16:9 aspect ratio makes it ideal for video, though a lot of its real estate is wasted when shooting 3:2 stills.

Fujifilm put an easy-to-use touch interface on the X-T200, which makes it operate more like a smartphone than a camera. If you’re a beginner, you can adjust a ‘depth control’ slider to blur the background. If you’re more experienced, the camera has the usual manual exposure options and two control dials to adjust settings. Customization options are limited, but then again, this is an entry-level camera.

The X-T30’s 3″ display is more conventional. It has 1.04 million dots and can tilt upward by a little over 90° and downward by 45°. While it has the usual tap-to-focus and image playback touch functions, there’s no simple interface and only the Q.Menu can be navigated by touch (the X-T200 can do that as well as the main menu).

The two cameras have the exact same electronic viewfinder. They’re both OLED and have 2.36 million dots and a magnification of 0.62x, which is a bit on the small side.

Fun with Film Simulation modes

A feature that makes Fujifilm cameras stand out from the pack are its Film Simulation modes. These aren’t ‘pop color’ filters; most are recreations of film stocks that were available in the days of analog photography.

The Film Simulation modes on the two cameras are largely the same, though the cheaper X-T200 does miss out on a few favorites: Acros and Eterna. Eterna is popular with video shooters, as it produces pleasing footage with low saturation that’s easier to grade in post-production. The X-T30 also has the ability to add a film grain effect. We think it’s a (very) safe bet that the X-T200 lacks these features for product segmentation.

Fujifilm came up with a clever way of selecting a Film Simulation mode on the X-T200. When you turn the left-most dial on the top plate, it opens up a screen with the current Film Sim mode on one side and the other options on the right. A slider lets you expand or contract the viewing area of the before or after sides. This feature is much easier to show rather than explain, so have a look at the video below (from the X-A7) to see how it works.

Video

The X-T200 is no slouch when it comes to video, but if you’re a serious videophile who wants to take more control over their camera, then the X-T30 is the better choice.

First, here’s what the X-T200 offers. It can capture UHD 4K footage at 30p, 24p and 23.98p, as well as their PAL equivalents. The footage is oversampled and uncropped, though there is a 15 minute recording time limit. The X-T200 offers a ‘Digital Gimbal’ feature for reducing large mounts of shake, plus an HDR video mode. It doesn’t offer F-Log support like the X-T30, but that’s not exactly a point-and-shoot kind of feature. It has both 3.5mm mic and headphone sockets (the latter requires an included adapter) and a good number of controls over audio levels.

The X-T30 also records 4K/30p video, but supports the wider DCI 4K format in addition to UHD. It offers selectable bit rates of up to 200Mbps, while the X-T200 is fixed at 100Mbps. The 4K recording limit is less than that of the X-T200: 10 minutes.

There are considerably more video capture aids on the X-T30 if you’re getting more hands-on. It offers zebra stripes, time code support and tools for making focusing easier. The camera supports F-Log and can also output 10-bit 4:2:2 video to an external recorder while saving 4:2:0 8-bit footage to its memory card. A ‘movie silent control’ option allows you to use the touchscreen to adjust exposure while recording, so sound from the control dials is not picked up.

Like the X-T200, the X-T30 has an input for an external mic, but it’s 2.5mm and will require an adapter. Speaking of which, you can attach headphones via the USB port with an adapter that’s not included.

Wrap-up

The two most significant factors which differentiate the X-T200 and X-T30 the most are their physical controls and video capture tools. Thus, whether it’s worth spending the extra $ 200 on the X-T30 comes down to how much control you want over the camera, and how hardcore of a video shooter you are.

If you want a simpler, more smartphone-like shooting experience, then the X-T200 is the smarter choice. The 3.5″ display is the best in this price range (and above it), and the touch-based interface is easy to use. The X-T200’s updated sensor and autofocus system should perform well, and we expect that its oversampled, un-cropped 4K video will look very good. The built-in mic and headphone (via USB-C) connectors are a big plus. The camera’s main downside is its battery life, which is below average.

For those who want to take more control over their camera, the X-T30 is the better of the two. It has several dials for controlling exposure and is highly customizable. It also uses Fujifilm’s newest sensor, which we’ve found to be excellent. Like the X-T200, it captures un-cropped 4K video, and offers the wider DCI aspect ratio, F-Log, zebra stripes, and 10-bit 4:2:2 output with simultaneous internal recording. Its battery life is quite a bit better than the X-T200’s, as well.

Overall, we think that the X-T200 is a great option for more novice users, and they can put that $ 200 savings into a lens like the new XC 35mm F2. But if you’re already a photographer and looking to get a new camera, the level of control the X-T30 gives you really does make a difference, and you’ll enjoy the camera that much more for it.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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How to Create Beautiful, Artistic Photos Using a Book

11 Feb

The post How to Create Beautiful, Artistic Photos Using a Book appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ramakant Sharda.

Photography is an art, and every photographer is an artist who uses his or her imagination to create a beautiful work of art. A real artist can take anything and convert it into breathtaking artwork. In this tutorial, we are going to do the same thing. We’ll create beautiful, artistic photos using a book and an LED light.

how-to-create-beautiful-artistic-photos-using-a-book

What you need to create beautiful, artistic photos using a book:

To create beautiful, artistic photos using a book, you need a camera. Any camera, including your mobile camera, will work. A tripod is a “must” to hold the camera. A shutter release cable is also required. You’ll also need an LED torch. Again, the LED light of your mobile will work perfectly for this shoot. You may also use a torch, a bulb, or any other light source – even flash.

Of course, you also need a book. It should be big and have thick, glossy pages so that it will reflect the light well. I used Guinness World Records; if you have this book, you can do the same.

You need a dark room, so it’s better to do this shoot at nighttime.

Setup:

This shoot doesn’t require a complicated setup. Simply open your book from the center and fold over 10 pages, like in the following picture.

How to Create Beautiful, Artistic Photos Using a Book

To find the center, divide the total number of pages by 2; whatever figure comes up, open to that page number.

Now place the book at the edge of a table. Put a light behind the book at a lower angle so that it won’t show in the photo.

You can put a black glass below the book to show the book’s reflection.

Camera settings:

To create beautiful, artistic photos using a book, set your camera on Aperture Priority mode. Set your ISO to 100 and aperture to f/11 or f/16. With these settings and a mobile LED light, you’ll get a shutter speed of between one and two seconds. Because our subject is still, you won’t have any problems.

Fix your camera on the tripod. Set the frame, focus manually, and leave it. Your aperture is too narrow, so you’ll get a deeper depth of field, and the entire book will be in focus.

Don’t forget to switch your camera to manual focus mode.

Workflow:

Now you need to throw light from the back and take the shot.

Play with different angles of light to get different shots, but remember that the light will always be at a lower angle.

Once you get enough shots, change the camera position. Set it a bit lower or higher to get different results.

How to Create Beautiful, Artistic Photos Using a Book

Method two

We have created pictures using LED light. Now we are going to create some different kinds of shots.

For this, you need a big monitor or TV and some abstract images. This method is quite simple. Display abstract images on your monitor or TV and place the book in front of it. There should be some distance between the book and the abstract images so that the abstract images become blurred in the picture.

You’ll need to widen the aperture, so set it to f/4 or f/5.6.

how-to-create-beautiful-artistic-photos-using-a-book

Method three – multicolor book

This method is a little hard and requires some post-processing work, but it’ll give you wonderful results. You should have a basic knowledge of Photoshop and an idea about layer masks.

It requires the same LED light setup.

You are going to take a series of pictures with different-colored lights and merge them in post-processing. You’ll need to use gels or colored gelatin paper to get colorful light.

Take five shots with different-colored lights like white, orange, red, blue, and green. Make sure that you don’t move your camera in between the shot.

Now you’ll use these photos to create a multicolor picture.

how-to-create-beautiful-artistic-photos-using-a-book

Putting it together in Photoshop

Open all five photos in Photoshop and stack them into layers.
Now select one layer.
Press ‘Alt’ and add a layer mask. This will add a black layer mask and hide everything. Do the same with all five layers.
Now take a soft brush and make sure that the foreground color is white. Set both brush opacity and flow to 50%.
Paint on the layer masks randomly. Change the brush size randomly. Increase and decrease the brush opacity randomly. You can also use special-effect brushes to get different results.

After some time and practice, you’ll get a photo like this.

how-to-create-beautiful-artistic-photos-using-a-book

So, postpone all the programs for tonight and create these artistic photos using a book to get some masterpieces. Then, share them here. If you have any problems, just comment on this post, and I’ll help you solve them.

The post How to Create Beautiful, Artistic Photos Using a Book appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ramakant Sharda.

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News: Fujifilm X100V Promotional Video Disturbs Fans, Gets Deleted

11 Feb

The post News: Fujifilm X100V Promotional Video Disturbs Fans, Gets Deleted appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Last week Fujifilm launched its X100V, an update to the popular X100 compact camera lineup. It includes a 23mm f/2 lens, a 26.1 BSI sensor, and fast autofocus for professional-quality images.

It also includes both an electronic viewfinder and an optical viewfinder, which you can toggle between by way of a switch on the camera body. You’re also free to view both the EVF and OVF at once, by working with an electronic viewfinder that appears as part of the optical viewfinder display.

With the X100V launch came a series of promotional videos, including one that featured the work of Tatsuo Suzuki, a street photographer who uses…unusual methods.

The promotional video shows Suzuki approaching people while out in public, then shoving his X100V in their faces in order to capture a photo.

Nearly all of Suzuki’s subjects look uncomfortable with the encounter, with many of them holding up their hands or ducking to the side to avoid his camera.

View this post on Instagram

Tokyo

A post shared by Tatsuo Suzuki / ?? ?? (@tatsuo_suzuki_001) on Feb 3, 2020 at 6:21am PST

View this post on Instagram

Tokyo

A post shared by Tatsuo Suzuki / ?? ?? (@tatsuo_suzuki_001) on Jan 27, 2020 at 6:04am PST

After this promo video dropped, many viewers became disturbed and angry, which culminated in Fujifilm deleting the video from their YouTube channel.

Note that Fujifilm seems to have done more than just delete the video. Recent reports suggest that the company has removed Suzuki as an ambassador, presumably as a response to protests.

But while some have expressed deep offense at Suzuki’s methods, others find his work impressive or even inspiring.

Many have compared Suzuki to the celebrated American street photographer, Bruce Gilden, who is known for his forceful approach; Gilden’s shooting style involves marching straight up to a subject and shoving a camera, as well as an off-camera flash, in their face.

Which begs the question:

Are Suzuki’s methods acceptable?

On the one hand, Suzuki’s photos are undeniably powerful. His style is intimate and unique.

On the other hand, if Suzuki is causing such discomfort, are the shots really worth the cost? Do the ends justify the means?

There are also other costs to consider. For instance, the more unpleasant experiences the public has with street photographers, the less likely they are to engage with street photographers in the future, potentially ruining opportunities for the rest of the community.

In truth, I find it curious that Fujifilm didn’t recognize this problem with their footage from the beginning. Even if the company doesn’t have a problem with Suzuki’s style of shooting, it was inevitable that not all viewers would appreciate his approach.

What do you think? Do you have an issue with Suzuki’s methods? And should Fujifilm have dropped him as an ambassador?

Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post News: Fujifilm X100V Promotional Video Disturbs Fans, Gets Deleted appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Nikon D780 gallery updated with fresh samples, Raw conversions

11 Feb

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We’ve been busy as heck putting the Nikon D780 to the test, both in our lab and in the field. And the camera’s proving to be a great all-arounder, regardless of our subject matter or lighting conditions. What you’ll find here is an updated gallery with many additional samples as well as a wide selection of Raw conversions.

See our Nikon D780 sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Tamron reveals it has three new, unannounced mirrorless lenses planned for 2020

11 Feb

The relevant section (the teal section, middle-right) of the above graphic has been altered to include the translated text.

Buried within Tamron’s full-year financial report was a little detail that hints at Tamron revealing three new, unannounced lenses for mirrorless cameras in 2020.

The new information can be seen in the above graphic within the presentation that shows Tamron has five models planned for 2020, two of which have already been announced: the 20mm F2.8 lens for Sony E-mount cameras (Adorama, B&H) and a compact 70–180mm F2.8 lens for Sony E-mount cameras that’s currently in development.

It’s unknown what the three new lenses will be, but Sony Alpha Rumors is reporting all three will be E-mount lenses.

Other details in the report include a statement claiming Tamron expects ‘the sales of own-brand [mirrorless lens] models is expected to increase the sales compare to the previous year’ and confirmation its 17–28mm F2.8 lens should no longer be backordered by the end of February.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Slideshow: International Garden Photographer of the Year’s winner and finalists

11 Feb

International Garden Photographer of the Year’s winner and finalists

On February 7th, the winners and finalists for Competition 13 of the International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) awards were announced at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Over 20,000 entries were received from amateur and professional photographers all over the world. The winner of £7,500 and the title of Overall Winner is Albert Ceolan of South Tyrol, Italy. “Over the last few years, IGPOTY has been a source of inspiration for me as well as a great pleasure for the eyes and the soul. The thought that one of my images will be shown as overall winner in these mythical gardens fills me with enthusiasm and pride,” said Ceolan when his was given the news.

“Albert has documented a scene which is simultaneously shocking as it is well composed. The photo cleverly shows both the destruction and the remaining trees symbolising hope. IGPOTY introduced the new category ‘Plants & Planet’ for this very reason to stimulate discussion and arouse awareness of changing global weather and our current climate emergency. By running this category – IGPOTY entrants helped to plant 78 new trees via WeForest in the Brazil project, which focuses on reconnecting remaining patches of the Atlantic forest through forest corridors so that wildlife can continue to reproduce and thrive,” said Tyrone McGlinchey, the competitions Head Judge.

This year, IGPOTY introduced a new photo project, ‘Square Crop,’ along with a new main category ‘Plants & Planet.’ Image above is ‘Autumn Fragility’ by Jane Simmonds.

IGPOTY was established in 2007 and is now one of the world’s most renowned photography competitions. Winning entries are exhibited around the United Kingdom, Europe, and the world. As always, it was difficult to choose only 15 photos to display on DPReview. All winners, finalists, and commended entries across the 9 categories and 4 photo projects of this competition can be viewed here.

IGPOTY Overall Winner: ‘The Vaia Storm’ by Albert Ceolan (Italy)

About this photo: This photograph documents the natural destruction of pine forest by storm ‘Vaia’ in late October 2018. Wind speeds peaked at over 120mph, which led to the felling of over 14 million trees and claimed 17 human lives. In the background stands the magnificent Mount Catinaccio, bearing witness to the storm at just under 3,000 metres high.

Location: The Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy

IGPOTY 1st Place, Abstract Views: ‘Fish Pond Fantasy’ by Maggie Lambert (United Kingdom)

About this photo: Scarborough Art Gallery was reflected in the garden’s fish pond, which created an intriguing mix of hard and fluid surfaces and various textures, overlaid by the shapes of pondweed and fishes.

Location: Scarborough Art Gallery, North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

IGPOTY 3rd Place, Abstract Views: ‘Tragopogon porrifolius’ by Viktor Sykora (Czech Republic)

About this photo: I used a scanning electron microscope to produce this detailed abstract view of a Tragopogon porrifolius seed. To gain the abstract element I used advanced filters and applied false colours.

Location: Prague, Czech Republic

IGPOTY 1st Place, Beautiful Gardens: ‘Summer Reverie’ by Jacky Parker (United Kingdom)

About this photo: Echinacea ‘Salsa Red’ were the brilliant red stars of this beautiful summer palette of colours taken at the gardens of the New Forest Lavender Farm. I captured a double exposure to soften the grasses and create an evocative botanical daydream.

Location: New Forest Lavender Farm, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom

IGPOTY Commended, Beautiful Gardens: ‘Notes of Tea Garden’ by Ming Li (China)

About this photo: Fujian Province is home to many tea plantations, this one looked even more amazing with its colours and patterns from a bird’s-eye view, which I achieved using my drone.

Location: Fujian Province, China

IGPOTY 1st Place, Breathing Spaces: ‘Larch Basin Dawn’ by Thorsten Scheuermann (United States)

About this photo: The light of dawn on the horizon was enough to make the burnt autumn colour of the Larix (larch) trees in the North Cascades Mountains glow.

Location: North Cascades National Park, Washington, United States

IGPOTY Finalist, Breathing Spaces: ‘Mountain Arrows’ by Mauro Battistelli (Italy)

About this photo: In this vast desert landscape the sharp shards of the mountains contrasted wonderfully with the yellow and green hues of the foliage below.

Location: Salta Province, Argentina

IGPOTY 1st Place, Greening the City: ‘Burst’ by Brandon Yoshizawa (United States)

About this photo: The sunset gave its parting burst over Seattle illuminating the highways and making the intertwined trees and foliage glow across the city.

Location: Seattle, Washington, United States

IGPOTY 2nd Place, Plants & Planet: ‘Grass Tree’ by Anne Neiwand (Australia)

About this photo: This amazing individual specimen of Xanthorrhoea (grass tree) is endemic to the harsh conditions in South Australia. I chose to create a panoramic image to incorporate more of the landscape and emphasise the connection between every plant and our planet.

Location: Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, South Australia, Australia

IGPOTY 2nd Place, The Beauty of Plants: ‘Summertime’ by Danièle Dugré (Germany)

About this photo: I captured this photograph last summer at BUGA (Federal German Garden Show) in Heilbronn.
There was almost 40 hectares of wasteland between the old course of the River Neckar and the canal which have been redesigned using every type of gardening skill.

I was very impressed by these beautiful backlit flowerbeds, interplanted with tactile grasses, that poured out the scent of summer.

Location: Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

IGPOTY 1st Place, Trees, Woods & Forests: ‘Swamp Elder’ by Thorsten Scheuermann (United States)

About this photo: A stately Taxodium distichum (swamp cypress) tree stood at home on a calm, autumn afternoon in the wetlands surrounded by a ring of their characteristic roots or as I like to call them – knees above water.

Location: Louisiana, United States

IGPOTY 1st Place, Wildflower Landscapes: ‘The Beauty of Spring’ by Zhigang Li (China)

About this photo: The Napahai Nature Reserve, which at an altitude of around 3,300 metres above sea level, is a winter resting spot for tens of thousands of migratory birds as well as a summer pasture for herdsmen.

It was Spring when I captured this pastoral scene full of colourful wildflowers, shapes and textures.

Location: Mountains in Diqing, Yunnan, China

IGPOTY 1st Place, Wildflower Landscapes: ‘Heaven’s Route’ by Mauro Battistelli (Italy)

About this photo: I captured a long exposure on this picturesque coastline, with wild Echium anchored on the clifftop in the foreground, and the sea beyond was foaming around the unique rock formations.

Location: Playa de la Arnía, Cantabria, Spain

IGPOTY 2nd Place, Wildlife in the Garden: ‘The Meeting’ by Henrik Spranz (Croatia)

About this photo: I captured a chance morning meeting between these two Aporia crataegi (black veined white butterflies) as they perched on a flower head of Dianthus carthusianorum subsp. sanguineus.

Location: Pazin, Istria, Croatia

IGPOTY Highly Commended, Wildlife in the Garden: ‘A Spider’s Path’ by Carlo Cinthi (Italy)

About this photo: For such a tiny spider in the garden, every raindrop became a giant obstacle as it continued its journey along this blade of grass.

Location: Milan, Italy

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Instagram allegedly raked in $20 billion in ad revenue last year

11 Feb

YouTube, the most popular video platform on the Internet, didn’t manage to make as much revenue in 2019 as image-based social network Instagram, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Sources claim that Instagram made $ 20 billion in ad revenue last year compared to YouTube’s $ 15.1 billion in ad revenue during the same time period.

The $ 20 billion figure, assuming it is accurate, is almost unfathomable compared to the $ 715 million Facebook paid for Instagram when it acquired it in 2012. Facebook does not officially disclose Instagram’s ad revenue separately from its other products; the company hasn’t commented on the report. As of 2018, Facebook said that it had more than 1 billion users on Instagram.

At $ 20 billion, Instagram would have represented more than a quarter of Facebook’s 2019 revenue, according to Bloomberg. Facebook has made a number of changes to Instagram since acquiring the service, the most recent being its decision to hide public ‘likes’ on the platform. Sources claimed late last year that Facebook decided to hide ‘likes’ so that users will post more often, boosting ad revenue as a result.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Gary Fong warns of counterfeit Lightsphere flash diffusers

11 Feb

Photographer Gary Fong, the creator of the Gary Fong Lightsphere, has published a video that warns about counterfeit Lightsphere products being sold on Amazon. Fong showcases the authentic product alongside the counterfeit product, highlighting differences that will help consumers spot the fake, as well as issues with the counterfeit product’s design.

The Lightsphere is a collapsible flash diffuser that is made from clear material sporting horizontal rings. The counterfeit version sold on Amazon, Fong points out in his video, is made from flimsy material that doesn’t hold its shape. As well, the counterfeit product is made from material dyed white rather than left clear, which impacts the diffuser’s performance.

As the video explains, the differences between the real diffusers and counterfeit diffusers are nearly indistinguishable.

In addition, the dome doesn’t stay fixed in the counterfeit product and instead easily falls out. The entire product, including the package, shows multiple signs of being fake, including poor print quality on the diffuser’s strap, a shiny rather than a matte box, a product insert that has poor print quality and poor image quality on the package’s label.

Fong shows images to prove that not only did Amazon sell this product, but in fact presented it as its ‘choice’ to buyers and shipped it directly from its own warehouse. In order to avoid a fake product, consumers can purchase the Lightsphere directly through Gary Fong’s website, though it should be noted that not all Lightspheres sold by Amazon are fake.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Vision Research launches its latest high-speed camera, the Phantom VEO 1310

10 Feb

Vision Research has released its latest high-speed camera, the Phantom VEO 1310. The new camera, which is part of Vision Research’s robust ‘VEO’ lineup, can capture 720p video at up to 14,350 frames per second (fps).

The new camera isn’t the highest-resolution phantom on the market, but it still offers plenty in the framerate department. Below is a list of the framerates and resolutions the Phantom VEO 1310 can record at:

1280 x 960 at 10,860 fps
1280 x 720 at 14,350 fps
960 x 960 at 13,333 fps
640 x 480 at 30,030 fps
320 x 120 at 423,350 fps

The camera features a native ISO of 25,000 D in Mono and 6,400 D in Color mode. It offers 18 µm pixel size, 12-bit color depth and has a minimum global shutter framerate of 50 fps.

The Phantom VEO 1310 comes in two models: Light (L) and Full (S). Both models offer SDI and HDMI video out, 12V battery input and include the option to add on a 10Gb ethernet adapter for remote operation. The difference between the two models is that the ’S’ version of the VEO 1310 offers six extra I/O ports (F-sync, TC in/out, trigger, strobe and a ready port), includes a CFast 2.0 port and offers on-camera controls, whereas the ‘L’ version lacks all of the above.

On both models, the lens mount is user-changeable with options for C-mount, Canon EF-mount and PL-mount lenses, with full electronic control support. The camera is made in the United States and comes with a handle, cheese plate, battery mounts (with the ’S’ model) and a case with custom foam cutouts.

Details on pricing and availability are unknown at this time. We have contacted Vision Research and will update this article with more information if and when we receive it.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Godox TT685 Thinklite TTL Flash Real-World Review

10 Feb

The post Godox TT685 Thinklite TTL Flash Real-World Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.

One of the only things I missed when I moved from Nikon to Fujifilm a few years ago was the quality of speedlights available for X-Series cameras. I never truly appreciated how good the Nikon Creative Lighting System was until I couldn’t use it anymore!

This is no longer a problem though: in the last couple of years, we’ve seen feature-packed speedlights introduced by manufacturers such as Godox.

In this review, I test out the Godox TT685F speedlight flash on my Fujifilm X-Series gear. If you’re not a Fujifilm shooter, keep reading anyway, as Godox makes a version of the TT685 for every camera system.

Image: Many Fujifilm shooters are happy that there’s finally a third-party flash with both TTL and H...

Many Fujifilm shooters are happy that there’s finally a third-party flash with both TTL and HSS (high-speed sync). Fujifilm X-T3 with XF 56mm f1.2 R lens with Godox TT685F on-camera. 1/300s at f/2.2 ISO 200.

Why Godox?

There’s a wide range of third-party flashes available for different camera systems on the market today. Ten years ago, I would only ever buy a flash made by my camera manufacturer and would generally avoid any third-party flash made in China.

How times have changed – the quality and range of features on third-party flashes these days are outstanding, and prices have fallen significantly.

I first heard about Godox flashes through word of mouth in Fujifilm Facebook groups. Godox is based in Shenzen, China, and has been around since 1993. They make photographic lighting products under their own Godox brand, and also under other names such as Flashpoint.

Introducing the Godox TT685

The Godox TT685F

The Godox TT685 is a powerful, feature-packed speedlight at a very attractive price point, around $ 110USD.

It’s available for all major systems. If you’re looking at buying one, make sure you grab the right one for your camera. The last letter in the model number gives it away: TT685F is for Fujiilm, TT685C is for Canon, TT685S is for Sony, TT685O is for Olympus/Panasonic, and TT685N is for Nikon.

What’s in the box

The flash comes attractively packed in a sturdy cardboard box with key details of its specifications. Inside the box, you’ll find the flash, a small black mini stand for attaching the flash to light stands, a black protective case, and an instruction manual in Chinese and English. The manual is also available on the Godox website.

Unboxing the contents of TT5685F

TT685 specs

The specifications of the Godox TT685 are truly impressive. Here’s a summary:

Runs on 4 x AA batteries. Each set will give you about 230 flashes.
Recycle time varies between 0.1 and 2.6 seconds.
It can be used as an on-camera flash, as an on-camera master to trigger other off-camera flashes, and as a slave flash off-camera.
The flash head tilts between -7 degrees (slightly backward) to a 90-degree angle.
The flash head rotates 360 degrees.
Allows high-speed sync up to 1/1800 second.
Full TTL (through the lens) mode for Fujifilm X-Series cameras.
Manual flash can be adjusted from 1/1 to 1/256 power in third-stop increments.
Runs on a 2.4Ghz radio connection – very impressive given more expensive flashes in the market run on optical line-of-sight only.
Capable of firmware updates via a USB port.

Build quality

The build quality of the Godox TT685 is very good. It looks and feels a lot like my old Nikon speedlights, especially the slightly larger SB-900. With batteries in, it weighs around 500g, a little on the heavy side on a mirrorless camera, but not too bad.

The TT685 has a familiar dot matrix LCD screen on the back, which displays all the settings and information you’ll need when using the flash. As well as the on/off switch, there’s a middle dial, which is useful in manual mode to dial settings up and down. It also has a number of buttons, including one for changing the flash mode, one for putting the flash into slave mode, and another that lights up red. This serves as both the test flash button and also an indicator that the flash is ready to fire.

The red button on the bottom left shows the TT685 is ready to fire.

Near the flash head, there’s the standard catch light panel and wide-angle diffuser panel.

Catchlight panel (top) and wide-angle diffuser panel (over flash head)

Ease of use

Setting the Godox TT685 up is easy. Pop the batteries in and attach it to your camera by sliding it on the hot shoe with the dot matrix panel facing you. Rotate the circular lock ring on the base of the flash until it locks up. You’re ready to go!

It’s easy to move the flash up and down from an upright position to facing your subject head-on, but I found it a lot more difficult to rotate the flash 360 degrees. It’s not hard to do; it was just a bit stiff and felt like it wasn’t meant to rotate at first. I had to check that it did rotate in the camera manual as I didn’t want to break it.

Using the flash in all modes is pretty easy. It turns off after 90 seconds of idle use, but pressing your camera shutter halfway or pressing any of the buttons on the flash wakes it up.

Image: It was quite dark here, but I’m really happy with the way this image came out. Fujifilm X-T3...

It was quite dark here, but I’m really happy with the way this image came out. Fujifilm X-T3 with XF 56mm f1.2 R lens with Godox TT685F on-camera. 1/600s at f/4 ISO 200.

Three modes

The Godox TT685 has three modes: TTL, Manual and Multi. You can easily cycle through these by pressing the mode button on the flash.

Having a third-party flash that supports TTL on Fujifilm is wonderful; many other third party speedlights in the past did not.

TTL stands for “through the lens.” This is a way that the flash can work with the camera to determine the best flash output for any given scene and, therefore, the best exposure.

The TT685F mounted on the Fujifilm X-T3.

You can adjust this with the flash exposure compensation feature. This is similar to how you may shoot in full auto mode or aperture priority mode in your camera (allowing it to make exposure decisions) but then adding exposure compensation to suit the scene.

The TT685 range of speedlights also supports high-speed sync (HSS) up to 1/8000s, which is the fastest mechanical shutter speed on many X-Series cameras, including the X-T3.

HSS can be very useful in bright conditions outside, especially if you want to shoot shallow depth of field. Many flashes don’t support HSS, so their sync speed is typically only 1/200 or 1/250 second, which can be limiting.

In TTL mode, you can also select second curtain sync, where the flash fires at the end during longer exposures instead of at the start. This can be useful in night scenes to expose traffic trails or lights in the background while the flash lights up your subject in the foreground right at the end.

Image: The Godox TT685F was fired by the X1T-F wireless trigger for some off-camera flash. It was po...

The Godox TT685F was fired by the X1T-F wireless trigger for some off-camera flash. It was positioned on a lighting stand, firing backward into an umbrella with a softbox attached. Fujifilm X-T3, XF 56mm f1.2 R lens, 1/120s, f/4, ISO 200.

In manual flash mode, you are selecting how powerful the flash fires, from 1/1 full power to 1/128 power. You can use the dial to move up and down in 1/3 stop increments. This mode is very useful when you want more precise control over your lighting. It was also the way flashes were used for years before TTL.

You can also use stroboscopic flash in Multi mode. Use it to illuminate a moving subject against a dark background: each time the flash fires in rapid succession, the subject is shown moving across the frame.

Although I didn’t test this feature of the TT685, I’m looking forward to trying it out one day.

Using the flash in slave mode for off-camera flash

Off-camera flash (OCF) is something that beginning to intermediate photographers often want to learn. The good news is that it’s never been so easy.

The TT685 in slave mode- note the color of the LCD panel has changed to orange.

Putting a flash in slave mode used to be a nightmare.

I remember being on a Nikon training course in London in 2006 with my brand new D200 camera and SB800 speedlight. At the first break, the trainer asked if we had any general Nikon questions. Before he could finish the sentence, three or four people asked if he could teach us how to set our speedlight up in slave mode!

Image: The Godox TT685 in slave mode shown with my Fujifilm X-T3 with the XT1-F wireless trigger att...

The Godox TT685 in slave mode shown with my Fujifilm X-T3 with the XT1-F wireless trigger attached.

We all wanted to trigger our flashes off-camera by the built-in pop-up flash, but the interface of the flash and user manual left us all scratching our heads. As he explained the process, we wrote detailed notes so we wouldn’t forget. It was a question I was then asked by a number of photographers over the next couple of years, as it was not easy to work out.

What a contrast we have to the Godox speedlights!

To trigger the TT685 off-camera, you’ll need to use another Godox flash or the Godox X1T wireless trigger.

Image: My son illuminated by natural light, backlit by the Godox TT685F in manual mode (1/64 power)...

My son illuminated by natural light, backlit by the Godox TT685F in manual mode (1/64 power) mounted on a lighting stand. Fujifilm X-T3 with XF 50-140mm f2.8 R LM OIS WR lens. 1/150s at f/4 ISO 200.

The X1T is a small, light, wireless trigger made from plastic that sits on the hotshoe of your camera, triggering Godox flashes set up in slave mode. Like the flashes, there’s a different version for each camera system, denoted by a letter at the end of each model.

It’s so easy to use the X1T-F wireless transmitter. The first time I ever tried it with a smaller Godox flash, the TT350F, I spent about one minute reading the manual, and within another 30 seconds, I had the flash set up in slave mode. Voila!

The wireless trigger is excellent – you can fire Godox flashes from up to 100 meters away, which is quite amazing. In my test, I fired it from 50 meters away with no problems.

Image: In this shot, I’m about 50 meters away from my son with my Fujifilm X-T3 and the XF50-140mm f...

In this shot, I’m about 50 meters away from my son with my Fujifilm X-T3 and the XF50-140mm f2.8 R LM OIS WR lens (zoomed all the way in). The flash fired with no problems!

Usability

Using the flash for basic on-camera/off-camera TTL and manual mode firing is all pretty straightforward. You can easily cycle between modes, vary the intensity of the flash in manual mode, change groups and channels without having to work too much out.

For some of the more advanced functionality of the flash, you’ll definitely need to read the manual. I’ve played around with it by randomly pressing some of the other buttons, and I got lost a couple of times.

Quality

I’m very happy with the quality of the images I’ve taken with the Godox TT685. It certainly feels like it could compete with the best flashes on the market quite comfortably. I’m not sure it has the best recycle time on the market, but other features, such as its use of wireless technology, make up for it.

Value for money

Around $ 110 USD, the TT685 is excellent value for money. The range of features you get with this speedlight, notably high-speed sync, the ability to use it as an off-camera flash, and the fact it runs on a wireless signal, are all winners in my book.

Alternatives

Godox makes a range of flashes to suit different needs and budgets. Two alternatives to the TT685 are the TT350 and the V860II.

The TT350 is a smaller, lighter flash that runs on two AA batteries. This was the first Godox flash I bought, and at first, I was impressed by the small size and good price point. However, over time, it proved not to be as powerful as bigger flashes, and the recycle times between flashes seemed quite poor.

Image: In this shot, I used the Fujifilm X100F with the Godox X1T-F wireless trigger to fire an off-...

In this shot, I used the Fujifilm X100F with the Godox X1T-F wireless trigger to fire an off-camera Godox TT350F speedlight.

The V860II is practically identical, except it runs on a rechargeable lithium ION battery, allowing faster recycle times. I chose the TT685 due to the cheaper cost, but also because I prefer using multiple sets of rechargeable AA batteries.

Conclusion

The Godox TT685 is a must-have piece of kit for photographers wishing to use a flash on-camera or experiment with off-camera flash. It has an excellent range of features, good build quality, and has a competitive price point.

Usability is good too, only with more complex operations will you need to read the user manual. Turning the TT685 into a slave for off-camera use is straightforward and done with a press of a button.

The TT685F mounted on a lighting stand.

Using wireless technology, Godox flashes all talk to each other seamlessly, and you can trigger flashes in slave mode up to 100 meters away. This is vastly superior to much more expensive speedlights that rely on line-of-sight transmission.

If you’ve never used a flash or a speedlight in your photography, there’s probably never been a better time to throw yourself in the deep end. I highly recommend the Godox TT685F.

Have you tried out the Godox TT685F flash? If so, share with us your thoughts in the comments.

The post Godox TT685 Thinklite TTL Flash Real-World Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.