The Tamron 20mm F2.8 DI III OSD M1:2 lens for Sony E-mount boasts close-focusing capability and a 1:2 magnification ratio. It’s also incredibly affordable. Could this be a great wide angle macro lens for Sony shooters?
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Introduction
Design and size
Sample images
Sharpness
Longitudinal chromatic aberration and bokeh
Macro use
Focus and lens breathing
Sunstars
Environmental portraits
Conclusion
Sample gallery from this episode
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The post Mastering Aspect Ratios in Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tim Gilbreath.
Aspect ratio is a phrase that you’d normally expect to hear when discussing movies or televisions, but as it is a measurement of image proportions, it’s also important in photography. It is also one of those things that is always there, even if you don’t think about it.
Aspect ratio in photography is a description of an image’s vertical and horizontal proportions expressed as two numbers separated by a colon, and composed of similar units of measurement, whether it be inches, centimeters, or feet.
You’ve seen these numbers before, such as 16:9, which is commonly known as widescreen format, and used to describe many TV’s and computer monitors.
16:9 would be an image (or in the case of a TV or monitor, a screen) that is 16 units wide and 9 units tall. Aspect ratio doesn’t describe actual size, as a 16:9 ratio could be 16 inches wide by 9 inches tall, or 16 feet wide and 9 feet tall. The numbers only describe the proportions.
Although it’s not in the scope of this article, movies and film sometimes also use what’s known as cinema terminology to express aspect ratios, such as 1.85:1 (cinema standard widescreen) and 2.39:1 (anamorphic widescreen).
Although you can convert these expressions to standard ratios, for our purposes, we’ll only stick with standard x:y expressions that relate to camera sensors or photographic images.
So why are aspect ratios important to photography?
Primarily, they are important because every image we shoot, as well as every camera we shoot with, has a base aspect ratio. Our camera bases the aspect ratio on the proportions of the sensor, which you cannot change.
However, you can change the resulting image’s aspect ratio, and most importantly, you can change it for creative reasons.
There are actually two types of aspect ratio in photography we need to familiarize ourselves with; the aspect ratio of the camera we’re shooting with, and more importantly, the final aspect ratio we will present our image in.
We, of course, can change the latter in post-processing, for whatever reason we decide.
Some cameras also have settings that allow you to change aspect ratio in-camera before shooting, but this is made possible by the camera software cropping. It’s always better to change the ratio yourself and crop later in post-processing.
Why would we want to change the aspect ratio of a photo?
The main reason – composition.
Changing the aspect ratio in Photoshop or Lightroom is essentially cropping the image to a specific proportion that makes the photo more pleasing to the eye. A wide, sweeping shot of a beach and sky will not look as wide and sweeping in a standard 3:2 presentation as it would in a 16:9 widescreen format. Composing the image in widescreen proportions gives the scene a more open, cinematic feel.
Let’s take a look at the most popular aspect ratios in photography, and what they are commonly used for.
Breakdown of aspect ratios in photography
3:2 ratio
The 3:2 ratio is probably the most commonly used aspect ratio in photography, due to the fact that it is the standard proportions used with modern DSLR camera sensors.
The reason for this is because it is also the ratio used by classic 35mm film cameras. Digital camera sensors were originally designed to replicate that ratio.
An image captured with a DSLR in native 3:2 format. Modern DSLR cameras usually capture images in this format. EXIF: Canon 60D, EF 50mm 1.8 II, 50mm, f/8, 1/100 sec, 800 ISO, Manual Mode
Before photography, artists generally used a set of proportions similar to this because of its visual appeal. The 3:2 format is a great general use ratio, and allows for a fairly wide feel while still capturing vertical elements of a scene.
4:3 ratio
The 4:3 ratio is a classic format that has its roots in digital point and shoot cameras, which were developed to basically match the proportions of video monitors of the time.
The format is used in point and shoots, many compact cameras, and micro four-thirds systems.
The 4:3 format allows for more vertical space and can better focus attention in on a specific area of a scene. Here we’ve used the 4:3 ratio to remove distracting portions of the scene and isolating the flower and mushroom. EXIF: Canon 60D, EF 50mm 1.8 II, 50mm, f/8, 1/100 sec, 800 ISO, Manual Mode
Just as with old TV and video monitors, the 4:3 format has a taller, slimmer look that appears more square to the eye. It is a good creative choice when you need to capture vertical elements of a scene.
16:9 ratio
The 16:9 ratio is more commonly known as the “widescreen” format.
It was developed as a replacement for the old 4:3 ratio during the advent and implementation of HDTV. Most TV’s and monitors now are created with this format in mind.
The longer, more horizontal format is great for displaying landscapes and other vistas, and creates a cinematic look and feel when used in photography.
This image is expansive in native 3:2 format, and contains too much empty space. EXIF: Canon 60D, EFS 24mm 2.8 STM, 24mm, f/8, 1/320 sec, 250 ISO, Manual Mode Adjusting the aspect ratio to 16:9 allows for a much more flowing, cinematic look and feel. This format is especially good for displaying wide fields of view. EXIF: Canon 60D, EFS 24mm 2.8 STM, 24mm, f/8, 1/320 sec, 250 ISO, Manual Mode
1:1 ratio
The 1:1 ratio, or square format, might be mistaken as a newer format, as it is well-known for its use on the Instagram platform (although photos are no longer forced in that format with the service). However, square images are also the usual ratio for medium-format cameras, as well as a few toy cameras.
This format is a good choice for cropping close and isolating a subject or a scene that doesn’t involve an expansive landscape.
Returning to our mushroom photo, the 1:1 (or square) format lets us crop in close to a particular subject and remove any distracting elements. Here, we are focusing on the mushroom itself, and nothing else. EXIF: Canon 60D, EF 50mm 1.8 II, 50mm, f/8, 1/100 sec, 800 ISO, Manual Mode
5:4 ratio
The 5:4 ratio formatted images are primarily used in large-format photography, as many of those cameras use sheet film with dimensions of 5×4 inches.
From a creative standpoint, images using this ratio are almost as tall as they are wide, and are great for capturing vertical elements of a scene.
The 5:4 ratio is very similar to the 4:3. Again, we can use it to remove distracting elements on the sides of a scene. EXIF: Canon 60D, EF 50mm 1.8 II, 50mm, f/8, 1/100 sec, 800 ISO, Manual Mode
2:3 ratio
Finally, the 2:3 ratio is a specialty aspect ratio that is used for images in vertical or portrait orientation.
It is primarily used for portraiture, when elements of the scene (in most cases, a person), align in a vertical orientation.
You can also use vertical formats like 2:3 for landscape photography to capture tall elements within the frame, such as trees and mountains.
This image was framed and captured vertically, and later cropped in post-production to 2:3 format, to accentuate the height of the trees and the vertical expansiveness in the scene. EXIF: Canon 60D, EFS 24mm 2.8 STM, 24mm, f/8, 1/80, 400 ISO, Manual Mode
Creative cropping
Before the advent of digital photography and software, aspect ratios of the camera being used generally dictated what ratio the image would be in.
In the digital age, however, we have the ability to simply and quickly crop in whatever photo software we’re using.
Changing aspect ratio of an image in Adobe Lightroom. Not only are several presets available to you, but you can enter a custom ratio as well.
Conclusion
Instead of being bound to a specific format, you can change it. Therefore, changing the look and feel of an image for creative reasons, even after pressing the shutter and recording the image on the sensor.
So now you know a little more about aspect ratios in photography, and why it’s important. What formats do you find yourself using? Do you alter the aspect ratio during post-production? Leave us your comments below!
The post Mastering Aspect Ratios in Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tim Gilbreath.
The post How to Repair Corrupted Videos Shot on Digital Cameras and Other Devices: A Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Theodomentis Lucia.
Earlier today, I thought about playing some videos that I shot on my digital camera during my last vacation. Sadly, every time I tried to play them on VLC or Windows Media Player, I got a gray or green display on the screen instead. I realized that my videos were corrupt and thought of digging up and finding an ideal solution for it. To be honest, after some failed attempts, I was finally able to repair my corrupted videos. If you have also encountered a similar situation in the past, then you may learn something from my experience.
Read on to find out how.
What could have caused your videos to become corrupt?
Before we head into the details on how to repair corrupted videos, it is important to discuss a few things in advance. You should know the major reasons why a video gets corrupt or damaged so that you can avoid it in the future.
These reasons include:
The transfer process of videos from your digital camera to the computer could be halted mid-transfer.
You may have restarted the system while the video was still playing in the background.
Sometimes, a third-party tool like a video editing software can also end up corrupting a file.
The location (drive or partition) where your video is stored could be corrupted.
The meta content or the header of the video might be tampered with as well.
If you have forcefully tried to change the video extension or type, then it can corrupt the file.
The audio-video components of the file might not be synced properly or could be missing.
You have played the video with an unsupported media player, or there could be an issue with the video encoding.
Other logical issues related to video playback, picture, sound, etc. can also cause this problem.
How can you repair corrupted videos on Windows or Mac?
If your videos have been corrupted, then you need to look for the right tools to fix them.
Since there are so many tools out there to repair corrupted videos, I asked a friend of mine, who is an expert in the field. He recommended Recoverit Video Repair, so I decided to give it a try as well.
Ideally, Recoverit is a dedicated application to recover the lost or corrupt data of all kinds. However, it also has a dedicated video repairing tool that can fix various issues related to a video file.
After getting to know these features, I wanted to give Recoverit a try and found its click-through process pretty easy.
Once you have installed the Recoverit Video Repair application, you can follow these steps to fix your corrupt files.
Steps to repair corrupted videos and files
Step 1: Launch the Video Repair tool
If you have some videos to fix, then just launch the Recoverit application on your system and launch the “Video Repair” tool from its home page. Also, attach your digital camera to the computer and move your damaged videos to the system.
Step 2: Add corrupt videos to repair
Once you launch the Recoverit Video Repair application, you can just click on the “add” button to load the corrupted videos.
This will further launch a browser window, letting you locate and load the videos that are damaged. If you want, you can load multiple videos and repair them at the same time.
Step 3: Start the repairing process
After you have added the corrupted videos to the application, the interface will let you know. You can view the details of the added videos and even remove them from here.
If you are ready, then just click on the “Repair” button to commence the repairing process.
Step 4: Wait for the repairing process to be over
As soon as you click on the “Repair” button, the application starts fixing the loaded videos and displays the progress. Kindly be patient as of now and let the application complete the process.
Once the repairing process is completed, Recoverit will let you know by displaying the following prompt.
Step 5: View the repaired videos
You can now preview the results of the repaired process by clicking on the play icon adjacent to the video.
This opens a pop-up window with a video player that will let you play the repaired video. In this way, you can check the results of the application before saving the videos.
Step 6: Save the repaired videos
If you are satisfied with the results, then click on the “Save to Folder” button right next to the video.
If you want, you can also click on the “Save All” button to save all the videos. This opens a browser window, letting you select a secure location to save the videos.
Step 7: Run an advanced video repair (optional)
In the case that you are not satisfied with the standard video repairing results, then click on the Advanced Video Repair feature, which you can find at the bottom of the video player.
To run an advanced repair, you need to load a sample video to the application. The sample video should be shot on the same device as the corrupted video and must be in the same format.
After loading the sample video, you can start the advanced video repair process and view its results as well.
Conclusion
When using Recoverit, it’s easy to repair corrupted videos. Recoverit is able to fix all sorts of issues related to videos like missing fragments, gray/green screens, video not loading error, and so on and supports a wide range of video formats like MOV, AVI, FLV, 3GP, MP4, MKV, MTS, and more. It can fix all kinds of videos shot on a wide range of devices like digital cameras, drones, camcorders, and smartphones.
The video repair tool is available in three different purchase options – $ 29.95 a month, $ 39.95 a year, or $ 49.95 (lifetime purchase) for the Windows version. If you get it now, you can get 30% off Recoverit for windows or 30% off for mac.
Download and Get 30% off Recoverit video repair now by using the exclusive coupon code: LENOP09
Disclaimer: Recoverit is a dPS paid partner.
The post How to Repair Corrupted Videos Shot on Digital Cameras and Other Devices: A Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Theodomentis Lucia.
The post Dragging the Shutter for Creative Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.
There are a lot of great techniques that allow you to add an element of movement or other visual interest to your images at the time of capture. Some of these include multiple exposures, multiple flash exposures and placing objects in front of your lens.
Dragging the shutter while using flash is another one of these techniques and it’s very easy to use.
Dragging the shutter when using flash is an easy and fun technique to add some interesting effects to your photos. EXIF: Canon 5D Mk III, EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro, 50mm, 1 sec, f/9, ISO 100, Manual Mode, Spot Metering.
Dragging the shutter
While it might sound complicated, dragging the shutter is simply using a slower shutter speed than you normally would while using flash.
With flash, your exposure is dictated by your aperture as the flash fires at a much, much faster speed than the sync speed on your camera.
On the left, you can see the image with just flash. On the right, the shutter speed was changed to 1 second allowing the camera to record the modelling light throughout the exposure. EXIF: Canon 5D Mk III, EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro, 50mm, 1/60 sec (Right: 1 sec), f/9, ISO 100, Manual Mode, Spot Metering.
By slowing your shutter speed down, you are allowing your camera to record ambient light as well. You will still freeze anything lit by the flash in the frame, but anything lit by the ambient will be recorded with any movement from either the subject or yourself.
Be aware that because your shutter speed is now allowing ambient light to record in your frame, your exposure will be brighter than it was with just the flash recording.
What you need
You don’t need much to use this technique. These images were made with a medium-sized modifier on a strobe and a white reflector.
A camera with manual settings
A flash with a modeling light if in a dark studio
Another ambient source of light if you don’t have a modeling light (i.e. speedlights).
How to set it up
For a technique whose results can seem complicated, setting it up and getting started is quite straightforward. EXIF: Canon 5D Mk III, EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro, 50mm, 1.6 sec, f/9, ISO 100, Manual Mode, Spot Metering.
Step 1: Light and pose your subject as desired. Because this is the pose that the flash is going to record, treat it as you would a normal shot as this will be the main focus of your image.
Step 2: Choose your aperture.
You can either choose your aperture based on the effect you want and set the flash power accordingly, or you can meter your flash and choose your aperture based on that reading.
Step 3: Choose a shutter speed slow enough to allow your subject to move after the flash has fired. This is variable and will depend on how your subject reacts to the technique and the end result that you want. Somewhere between half a second and one second is a good start when dragging the shutter.
Left: The shutter speed is 1 second. Right: A shutter speed of 2.5 seconds allowed for the subjects second pose to be recorded more clearly. EXIF: Canon 5D Mk III, EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro, 50mm, 1sec (Right: 2.5 sec), f/9, ISO 100, Manual Mode, Spot Metering.
Step 4: Make sure that your subject knows to change their pose as soon as the flash fires. Then hold that second pose (that’s one way to do it) until the shutter closes again.
You are not limited to one movement. Here the subject move her head to each side on a verbal cue. EXIF: Canon 5D Mk III, EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro, 50mm, 2.5 sec, f/9, ISO 100, Manual Mode, Spot Metering.
Step 5: Take a photo.
When the flash fires, it records the first pose your subject is in. After that, and after your subject moves, everything, including the movement and the second pose, is being recorded by the ambient light.
Step 6: Make adjustments.
Now that you have a test shot, you can evaluate how your image looks and adjust your shutter speed settings. Is your subject not moving fast enough or is the ambient not recording enough? Slow down your shutter speed. Is the ambient recording too much? Choose a faster shutter speed.
Once you have a shot, evaluate it on the back of the camera and make, or instruct your subject to make, any adjustments to help get the desired effect. EXIF: Canon 5D Mk III, EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro, 50mm, 1 sec, f/9, ISO 100, Manual Mode, Spot Metering.
You can also tweak any instructions you’ve given your subject.
If their poses are too close together, ask them to make sure they’re moving further from their initial position. Are they moving so slow that they’re not arriving at the second pose before the shutter closes? Let them know, and show them the back of the camera.
Since dragging the shutter like this relies on so many variables, communication between you and your subject is key.
Step 7: Take some more.
Dragging the shutter in this manner can be a tricky thing to get right. Keep going until you are sure you have something.
Dragging the shutter can be a very hit and miss technique. Take as many photos as you can to ensure that you get the result you are after.
Sometimes, magic happens and you might get it in the first few frames, but other times you’ll bang away at it for ages before everything seems to click. Since no two images will ever be the same, don’t be afraid to keep going until you’re confident with the result.
Step 8: Keep experimenting.
When the subject realized that this stool spins, she suggested we see what it looks like. Experimenting like this is a good way to find something new. EXIF: Canon 5D Mk III, EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro, 50mm, 1.6 sec, f/9, ISO 100, Manual Mode, Spot Metering.
There is so much that you can do with dragging the shutter like this. Instead of your subject moving their heads, have them hold their pose and cover their face with their hands once the flash has fired.
Instead of taking a second pose, have them keep moving their head for the duration of the exposure. Alternatively, instead of having your subject move, try moving the camera.
The choices are limitless. Not everything will work, but memory is cheap. Try it anyway and see what comes out.
In the end
Dragging the shutter is not a complicated technique, but it is one that offers a wealth of opportunities if you like the effects it can provide. EXIF: Canon 5D Mk III, EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro, 50mm, 1 sec, f/9, ISO 100, Manual Mode, Spot Metering.
Dragging the shutter with flash is a very easy technique to use, but it is unpredictable. That’s what makes it so fun. No matter what you do, no two images will be alike, so experiment a lot and see what you can come up with. If you have an idea that you don’t think will work, try it anyway. You’ll never know until you do.
Give this technique a try and share your results with us in the comments section below.
The post Dragging the Shutter for Creative Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.
Office mascot and all-round Good Boy, Belvedere. Pictured in October, before we all had to pack up and work from home. Good times.
Well, here we are. It seems like a year ago that I was pulling alarming statistics together about the economic impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak, but in fact it’s only been two weeks.
Back then we were still working from our main office here in Seattle, and still mostly going about our normal lives. One of us was on vacation in New York, and one of us was preparing for a short holiday outside of the country. One of us was planning a wedding, in May. I can’t remember what I was doing, but I’m sure it was trivial – it normally is.
At the risk of adding more mud to the landslide of hyperbole that has so far characterized 2020, all of that now feels like a different world.
A couple of weeks ago, I was writing about how – whatever the long-term health impacts of COVID-19 on the global population turned out to be – the virus was ‘already’ having a devastating economic impact. On the photography industry specifically, but across the board. Things have moved quickly. With countries around the globe counting the human cost in terms of suspected cases, confirmed cases, and (sadly – inevitably) deaths, it’s obvious that we’re living in a changed reality.
Here on the west coast, we have the unwelcome distinction of being right in the middle of things in the USA at the moment. As a team, we’ve been working from home and for about two weeks now we’ve been virtually self-isolating. We’re following the guidance of WA state officials and our parent company, keeping ourselves to ourselves, and updating the site remotely from laptops and home computers.
You can expect to see current events reflected in our editorial coverage to some extent, but we’re not going to be plastering our homepage with articles about infection rates
We’re very lucky. We’re not among the thousands of hourly employees in the catering, travel and hospitality industries who are looking at multiple weeks stretching ahead without an income. We review cameras, not ocean cruises. But of course we all have friends and family who are out of work, and others that are employed in health and social care. Still others who are caring for vulnerable relatives. All of them are making sacrifices right now that hopefully the lucky ones among us will never have to fully understand.
We’re working. We can afford to pay our freelance writers, we’re still having the usual daily meetings, and thanks to the impressively high-resolution cameras in our computers and phones (they’re the future, if you hadn’t heard…) we all know a lot more about the state of each others’ respective ‘home offices’ than we’d probably like to. We’re writing, and editing, moderating comments and taking photos. Just like always. As I said, we’re lucky.
We’re doing these things because that’s what you expect us to do. Unlike many ‘tech’ sites, we have a fairly focused editorial remit. You can expect to see current events reflected in our editorial coverage to some extent, as they pertain to the world of photography, but we’re not going to be plastering our homepage with multiple articles about infection rates, death rates, emergency measures or vaccine research. It’s not what we’re good at, and it’s not why you come to our site. It’s not what we do.
Life will get back to normal, eventually, for most of us. Until it does (and with any luck long after it does) we’ll keep on working to bring you the best and most relevant news, analysis, opinion and of course in-depth reviews that we can. Without our daily readers, we wouldn’t be able to do what we’re doing. We need you, and we’re going to make sure that whatever else is going on, there will be plenty to distract you (and yes – if you must – plenty to argue about) on DPReview.
Stay safe, and stay in touch.
Barnaby Britton, Senior Editor, DPReview.com
On behalf of every member of the DPReview team:
Editorial:
Allison Barney Carey Dan Dale Gannon Jeff Richard (B) Rishi
Adobe Camera Raw Settings: Adobe Color Landscape, Daylight WB, Highlights -25, Shadows +60, Vibrance -6, Sharpening 40, Luminance Noise Reduction 0, Color Noise Reduction 25
Over the past half-century, 50mm lenses, with a field of view that most closely approximates natural human vision, have reigned supreme as the classic ‘normal’ lens for 135 film and full-frame digital cameras. In the days before ubiquitous zoom lenses, 50mm primes were kitted with just about every 135 SLR on the market. If you’ve ever shot with a Canon AE-1, a Pentax K1000, or Olympus OM-1, there’s a better than 90% chance it had a 50mm lens on it.
In my nearly 30 years as a photographer, I’ve purchased a 50mm (or equivalent) prime for every camera system I’ve ever owned. Over the past 15 years of teaching photography, I’ve recommended the 50mm prime lens to literally thousands of students as the highest-quality, most-affordable, must-have upgrade for anyone getting ‘serious’ about photography.
The hard truth is, though, I’ve never truly loved shooting with any of my 50mm primes and they’ve tended to sit in the bag more often than my other lenses. For me, the ‘normal’ 50mm has always been a little boring and I find a 35mm or 40mm a little more interesting with a slightly wider-than-normal view that doesn’t really feel wide. Generally speaking, 40mm lenses also tend to be rather compact and you’ll find them on many classic fixed-lens rangefinders from the 1970’s including the legendary Canonet G-III QL17 and the Rollei 35. Canon’s current 40mm F2.8 ‘pancake’ lens is a lovely performer as well.
Speaking of 40mm (equivalent) lenses, I have to mention an old favorite of mine: the Panasonic Lumix 20mm F1.7 for Micro Four Thirds. This was one of the first MFT prime lenses, released in late 2009 alongside the wonderful Lumix GF1. Although a bit dated, the Lumix 20mm still holds up very well on my 20MP Olympus Pen-F.
Panasonic Lumix GF1 with 20mm F1.7
The Lumix 20mm also has at least one notable superpower: a close focusing limit of just 20cm, which is significantly closer than just about any non-macro-specific lens I’ve ever used. This very close focusing enables Micro Four Thirds to transcend its inherent depth-of-field limitations (or lack thereof) to produce images with extreme background blur, albeit limited to close subjects. The slightly wider-than-normal field of view also includes a bit more context, which can make ordinary junk-drawer-stuff visually interesting in a way that classic 100mm macro lenses can’t. In short, it’s just a very ‘arty’ lens that makes casual photography really fun for me. As a bonus, it happens to be very small and very sharp.
Fujifilm’s new 50mm F3.5
So when Fujifilm announced the new GF 50mm F3.5 for the GFX system, with its 40mm full-frame equivalent field of view, I got very excited. I imagined a larger version of the Lumix 20mm mated to an ultra high resolution medium format sensor. Is it a dream come true? Well, yes and no. Let me explain.
Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 | ISO 200 | 1/500 sec | F11 Adobe Camera Raw Settings: Adobe Color, Daylight WB, Exposure +0.5, Highlights -100, Shadows +100, Sharpening 40, Detail 10, Luminance Noise Reduction 0, Color Noise Reduction 25
I recently drove a 4500-mile loop from Seattle, WA to Santa Fe, NM and back. DPReview kindly loaned me their copy of the Fuji GF 50mm F3.5 to try out along the way, so I attached it to my own GFX 50R and hit the road. It wasn’t a photo-specific trip and I was pretty much always on the way to somewhere else so I didn’t get to shoot in ideal lighting conditions. The images from this road trip are a good example of the sort of casual shooting I might do with the lovely Olympus Pen-F and Lumix 20mm F1.7.
Here are my thoughts.
It’s still kind of big
Everyone writing about this GF 50mm has commented on how ‘tiny’ it is. Well it’s definitely smaller than Fujifilm’s other larger-than-full-frame GF lenses, but calling this a ‘tiny’ medium format lens seems a bit like describing a 16-passenger van as a ‘tiny’ bus. Yes, it’s the smallest Fujifilm GF lens to date, but it’s still larger than an old Hasselblad 80mm F2.8 or the wonderful Pentax 645 75mm F2.8, both of which have a larger aperture and were designed for even larger formats. Proportionally, the GFX 50R with 50mm F3.5 feels something like a Texas-sized version of the for-real tiny Pen-F and 20mm F1.7.
Inoffensive bokeh
In general, a lens’s maximum aperture affects its physical size and weight (and price). It’s clear that Fujifilm had compactness in mind here and I’m neither thrilled nor disappointed in the result. Honestly, I’d rather have a slightly larger F2.8 lens or a slightly smaller F4 lens. This lens’s maximum F3.5 aperture feels like a compromise nobody really asked for. Does it matter? Not much… F3.5 is fine. The half-stop either way would make very little difference in terms of light gathering or depth of field.
ISO 250 | 1/3200 sec | F3.5 ACR Settings: Default
ISO 250 | 1/250 sec | F11 ACR Settings: Default
My casual impression of the bokeh is that I generally like it. Perhaps it could be a bit smoother (more ‘beautiful’) in shots with busy foliage and smaller apertures, but there’s certainly nothing specifically negative to say about it. In all, the out of focus rendering is very nice, very clean, and very modern. Some people might even say ‘generic looking.’ It’s just not the sort of bokeh that really stands out in any particular way – but that’s not a bad thing.
It’s a darn good lens
Yes, as expected, it’s sharp. Very, very sharp. Fujifilm has claimed that all the GF lenses were designed for more than 100MP of resolution. I have no problem believing that statement. To be honest, I’d be shocked if anyone had a legitimate reason to be disappointed in the sharpness of any modern digital medium format lens. I feel obligated to note, however, that digital medium format should be held to a higher standard, particularly when you consider the physical size and weight (and cost) of such systems.
Does that mean this (and other GF lenses) are, in general, measurably sharper than all other lenses? Not necessarily. There are plenty of extremely sharp lenses for other systems. That said, even the best lenses are rarely the same sharpness across the frame at all apertures. When pixel-peeping at 100%, I was rather impressed to see essentially perfect sharpness all the way out to the extreme corners and I didn’t notice any practical difference in quality throughout the aperture range.
I don’t myself shoot charts or flat brick walls so I can’t comment scientifically on this lens’s ‘square-ness’ or lack of distortion. In my studio, I often capture flat artwork but 50mm is not a focal length I would ever use for that purpose. What I can say is that in the field, I didn’t notice any geometric distortion that would matter for a real subject.
I should also note that I couldn’t find any chromatic aberrations in any images I shot through this lens. I’d be extremely impressed if this were a smaller format lens, but again I expect nothing less from a modern medium format optical formula.
No lens corrections or transform adjustments. Note the total lack of color fringing.
So is this the sharpest, cleanest lens in the world? I have no idea, and I don’t care. In my opinion, this lens (really any GF lens) is so close to practical perfection from corner to corner at almost any aperture, that discussion of inherent sharpness or distortion is virtually irrelevant. At this level, depth of field, diffraction, plane of focus, focus precision, and vibration are far more critical issues. If anyone is getting ‘soft’ rendering out of this system, it is almost certainly a result of technique, or in very rare cases, a manufacturing defect.
Fast, confident autofocus
On my GFX 50R, focusing from close to far with the 50mm seems faster than all my other GF prime lenses except the 23mm. The 45mm is just a bit slower. The 63mm feels noticeably sluggish by comparison. The most notable difference, though, is the surprisingly quiet confidence exhibited by this new 50mm. It locks on almost instantly with hardly any ‘wobble’ and a barely audible ‘zip’ sound. The 23mm is almost this good. The 110mm is slower of course, but surprisingly not far behind, considering the longer focal length and how much further the large glass elements must travel. The other primes all make significantly more noise and require a deeper in-out movement to lock on a subject.
The 50mm exhibits surprisingly quiet confidence
All in all, I’d say Fujifilm made the autofocus of this 50mm medium format lens feel a lot more like one of the better X-mount APS-C lenses than any other medium format lens I’ve used. It’s certainly faster than manual focus on Hasselblad V system lenses, faster than Pentax 645 AF lenses, and faster than Mamiya / Phase One AF lenses I’ve used in the past. It’s also faster than my Lumix 20mm on the Pen-F, though not nearly so fast as the best lenses from Canon, Nikon, or Olympus. But let’s put this into perspective… if you’re an event or sports shooter and ultra-fast autofocus is a primary concern, then medium format is NOT the droid you’re looking for. Full stop.
Close focus could be closer
The minimum focus distance of 55cm is really the only thing I find disappointing about this otherwise wonderful lens. In theory, Fujifilm’s 50mm F3.5 should have a full-frame depth-of-field equivalence of F2.8, which should blur backgrounds more than the Lumix 20mm’s full-frame depth-of-field equivalence of F3.4.
In reality, the GF 50mm just doesn’t focus close enough to win this particular contest. There were so many times when I wanted to get just a little closer than the GF 50mm would allow. If there’s enough time, attaching a Canon 500D close up filter can help you get a little closer, though I felt the +2 diopter of the Canon 500D was not quite enough to match the 20cm close focusing magic of the Lumix 20mm.
Fujifilm GFX 50R + GF50mm F3.5 ISO 800 | 1/60 sec | F3.5 Shot at minimum focus distance
Olympus PEN-F + Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 II ISO 800 | 1/60 sec | F2.2 Shot at minimum focus distance
It would be easy to suggest simply cropping into the much higher resolution GFX image to match the close crop of the Pen-F. But even if you get to a similar crop with similar resolution, the physics of being closer to the subject produces a more dramatic perspective and depth of field rendering.
The canceled NAB 2020 event will live on in the form of a ‘virtual trade show’ from Cinema5D, according to Johnnie Behiri and Nino Leitner. The team first revealed intentions to hold a virtual trade show in the place of NAB 2020 on March 12, stating at the time that they were approaching manufacturers about the plan.
As with Mobile World Congress, GDC and multiple other events before it, the NAB 2020 show originally scheduled to take place in April has been canceled. The announcement was made by NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith last week, who cited the ongoing coronavirus outbreaks as the reason for the cancellation.
In a statement to DPR, Behiri explained:
‘We were not shocked to hear that NAB was canceled because of the current developments, but we were surprised that no alternatives were offered to manufactures and visitors alike. Other canceled trade show events are moving to some kind of online event but NAB seems unable to do so too.’
GDC 2020 is one of the previously canceled events that is now holding online talks in substitution for the physical gathering. Cinema5D’s virtual trade show will be similar, according to Behiri, who said the talks will take place in hosted, moderated live streams on April 20 – 22 from 9 AM to 6 PM PST.
The hosted broadcasts will be mixed with prerecorded new product announcements and virtual studio talks with various guests; topics will include trends, new products and industry analyses. As well, Behiri says that the team plans to integrate streamed live press events from major manufacturers into the virtual trade show.
According to Behiri:
‘All of this is an evolving plan but we invite manufacturers to get in touch with us via our contact page to share NDAs about new products so we can interview them beforehand and align plans to integrate them into our coverage. We are also happy to consider working together with other online publications.’
Though the virtual trade show will attempt to offer ‘a bit’ of coverage on a broad range of subjects, Behiri says that it will focus on production tech aimed at aspiring and professional filmmakers.
The post Helping You the Way We Know Best During These Trying Times appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
Many people are stuck in their homes at the moment. So let’s make the most of it and do some photography! Image by dPS writer, Lily Sawyer
Let’s face it – we’ve all been stressed about the Coronavirus (covid-19).
For many people, they have had to self-isolate (including members of the dPS team). This can be anxiety-inducing and people can also start feeling isolated and down.
So we want to do what we do best. We want to give you all some photography exercises that you can do in and close to home. That way, you’ll get to focus on your creativity, keep the boredom at bay, and, hopefully, feel less stressed with life until this all starts to resolve itself.
How this will work is that each week over the next month (mid-week before our weekly newsletter goes out, starting tomorrow), we will publish a 7-day challenge. In this challenge, we will give you a challenge idea per day that you can do right within your own home or yard. We will also publish more articles on things you can photograph around the home, as well as some post-processing articles.
We care about our community and wish you all the best at this time. Please stay safe and keep in touch with us – whether by commenting on posts or heading over to our FB group where you can chat and share your photos.
Let us know if there is anything else you’d like to see here on dPS that will help you through these times too.
All the best, Caz and the dPS team
The post Helping You the Way We Know Best During These Trying Times appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
Sony World Photography announces 2020 National Awards Winners
Recently, the World Photography Organisation announced Sony World Photography’s National Awards 2020 winners. The National Awards program was developed to support and celebrate local photographic talent from 63 countries and regions around the globe. All images entered into the Open competition are considered for a National Award. Over 190,000 were submitted this year, the highest number yet according to organizers.
‘Winning a National Award was a huge reward for my hard work and this acknowledgment has made me focus even more on my work as a photographer. Sony and the World Photography Organisation have helped me gain some extraordinary exposure around the world,’ says Mikkel Beiter, Winner of the 2018 Denmark National Award.
Sony’s World Photography Awards is now in its 13th year. Its mission is to highlight work from photographers of all ages and abilities so they have a global voice. A full list of countries and regions the National Awards program represents can be found here.
1st Place, National Awards: ‘Flamingo Fly Over Lake Magadi’ by Hong Chen (Hong Kong)
About this photo: ‘The water forms many unique colors and shapes, when Flamingo fly over the Lake Magadi, Kenya. I shot this from a helicopter.’
2nd Place, National Awards: ‘Video to Jacks’ by Kam Moon Lai (Hong Kong)
About this photo: ‘The photo was taken at Sipadan on 8-9-2019. I saw a School of Jack fishes swimming towards to the diver who was taking video for them. At such moment I took this photo.’
3rd Place, National Awards: ‘Water Magic’ by Isao Tabayashi (Japan)
About this photo: This is a reflection of the water gate at the ferry crossing in Hamarikyu Park, Tokyo.
Winner, National Awards: ‘Mount Elbrus’ by Sergey Savenko (Russian Federation)
About this photo: ‘Bermamyt Plateau. The best place with a view of Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain peak in Russia and Europe, included in the list of the highest peaks of the world “Seven Peaks”.’
Winner, National Awards: ‘The Game of Shadows’ by Jacek Patora (Poland)
About this photo: ‘This image was taken a few days after 2019’s New Year’s Eve in Lisbon, Portugal.
I always wanted to take a photograph of this famous bridge covered in fog, and that day turned out to be perfect. I took this shot as I was astonished by the shapes created by the light and shadows, the perfect lines and people’s silhouettes. Lisbon is famous for it’s incredible light, and advection fogs like that one are a common sight there. They occur when moist air passes over a cool surface of the river Tagus, creating this breathtaking sight.’
Winner, National Awards: ‘Horse Motion’ by Abbas Alkhamis (Saudi Arabia)
About this photo: ‘A horse breeder plays a horse in one of the stables of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.’
Winner, National Awards: ‘Sur La Mer’ by Roberto Corinaldesi (Italy)
About this photo: ‘Swimmers seen from above take on the appearance of human ants.’
Winner, National Awards: ‘Mobil Home’ by Greg Lecoeur (France)
About this photo: ‘During an expedition on a small sailboat, we explored the Antarctica Peninsula by diving below the surface. Although the conditions are extreme with a temperature of minus 1°C, we have documented an extraordinary marine life in its fragile ecosystem such as on this image: crab-eater seals living on the pack-ice but witch are affected by global warming with the melting of the ice.’
Winner, National Awards: ‘Descend from Above’ by Tien Sang Kok (Malaysia)
About this photo: ‘Hundreds of horses are galloping when the sun is about to shine its last ray. It is traditionally said that a Mongol without a horse is like a bird without a wing, this is how strong the bond between human being and animal that we should appreciate.’
Winner, National Awards: ‘Red Day’ by Kiatthaworn Khorthawornwong (Thailand)
About this photo: The beauty of Mount Fuji is highlighted in Autumn at Kawaguchigo Lake, Japan.
Winner, National Awards: ‘Dubai’ by Antonio Bernardino Coelho (Portugal)
About this photo: ‘Based on an image of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper and surrounding skyline in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, this still life was made out of staples of various sizes. The staples were positioned on black glass with a black background, and lit via three independent sources.’
Winner, National Awards: ‘Fun Fair’ by Wolfgang Wiesen (Germany)
About this photo: ‘A multi-exposure of people on a chairoplane.’
Winner, National Awards: ‘Building’ by Liliana Ochoa (Columbia)
About this photo: ‘Workers assemble an iron structure during the construction of a building in Medellín, Colombia. This is a common scene in urban areas, and reflects the overflowing and uncontrolled growth of modern cities.’
Winner, National Awards: ‘Sunset’ by Atanas Chulev (Bulgaria)
About this photo: ‘The photo was taken in one of the excavated tunnels and galleries during the First World War. Most of them can be seen on Via Ferrata De Luca-Innerkofler, but it is advisable to go with the Via Ferrata kit.’
Winner, National Awards: ‘That’s Nothing to Laugh About’ by Adam Stevenson (Australia)
About this photo: ‘This image was taken with my iPhone X close to my home at Wallabi Point, New South Wales, Australia, after devastating bushfires swept through the area. As I watched the sun set through the smoke a kookaburra appeared and allowed me to walk right up to it. We shared a moment, watching the sun fade behind the apocalyptic scene… he was laughing.’
Imaging Resource has announced it’s been acquired by Madavor Media, the publisher of several other print and digital photography-centric magazines.
Back in October 2019, Imaging Resource announced it would be shutting down its website in the near future. Not long after the announcement, four different groups came forward asking about acquisition possibilities. In an email shared with DPReview, Imaging Resource founder Dave Etchells said ‘After a lot of back and forth with all of them, one company rose to the fore, and will now in fact be the new corporate “home” of IR.’ That company is Madavor Media, a publishing company who also operates Outdoor Photographer, Digital Photo Pro, Digital Photo and HDVideoPro.
Etchells elaborated on the transition in his email to us saying:
‘My biggest concern in thinking about handing over IR to anyone else was that the site would continue to maintain the quality and objectivity we’ve been known for, for the past 22 years. I’m confident that Madavor will do that, and am happy to think that the brand I’ve worked so hard to create will continue into the future.’
As for what this transition means for Imaging Resource, Etchells notes the site will continue to focus on providing the same level of quality and integrity as before, with the same general content, including the still life lab shots, overviews, hands-on reports and field tests. Etchells will be stepping back from day-to-day operations, but will still be involved in the direction of the site as he continues to pursue intellectual property consulting and expert witness work. As we saw yesterday, he also plans to write up many more weather-resistance tests.
All in all, Etchells says ‘this is really great news that I’m so happy to share. Imaging Resource v2.0 will live on, I’ll get to stay involved with the industry and people I love, but will also finally get some concentrated time in my basement workshops’
Madavor Media Acquires Imaging Resource
Madavor Media, LLC announced today that it has acquired Imaging Resource, one of the most popular and trusted websites for camera and photography equipment reviews. The 22-year-old website, which has millions of loyal followers, will continue to operate utilizing its experienced staff and contributors.
The acquisition by Madavor will enable Imaging Resource seamlessly to continue its mission to provide the most comprehensive, independent news and reviews in the photography business.
Imaging Resource will operate under its existing brand, and founder Dave Etchells will maintain an ongoing presence within the company as editor emeritus. The camera review website will now join Outdoor Photographer, Digital Photo Pro, Digital Photo and HDVideoPro as part of the photography portfolio at Madavor and will enhance the company’s position as the dominant media company to connect with a wide range of photographers and videographers.
“We’re excited to welcome the engaged consumer base and advertisers that trust Imaging Resource and we believe the website’s in-depth expertise on cameras and other products will be a perfect complement to our other photo content,” said Madavor Chief Operating Officer Courtney Whitaker. “The opportunities for advertisers to achieve their marketing objectives will increase across all of our photo titles as well as some of our other publications such as BirdWatching and Plane & Pilot. We also anticipate the cross-promotion of content will be very beneficial to our readers, especially our newsletter subscribers.”
Imaging Resource was started in 1998 and has provided in-depth coverage, testing and reviews on new technology since that time from its Georgia headquarters. The company will continue to be based in Georgia, giving Madavor Media a new location as part of its nationwide operations.
“Part of my confidence in transferring the IR brand to Madavor is the level of quality they’ve consistently supported in all of their existing photo publications,” Dave Etchells said. “I was also struck by the excellent strategic fit between IR and Madavor’s existing respected photo publications and websites. Their loyal and passionate audiences enjoy timely award- winning content, which tends to be more focused on the art of photography than the gear. This is an element that I’ve always felt was missing from IR, but that we never had the resources to fill.”
About Madavor Media, LLC
Founded in 2004, Madavor Media develops and markets content for consumers who are passionate about their interests and those seeking highly informative editorial that helps them take charge of their well-being and live happier, healthier lives. Through its team of experts,
Madavor delivers highly engaging, world-class content that is disseminated and consumed through virtually all channels. Headquartered in Braintree, Massachusetts, Madavor’s main office acts as the hub for social media, marketing, design and production, operations and information, while its associates throughout the country keep in close contact with its customers and communities of interest.
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