U.S. camera retailer Adorama has opened a competition as part of it’s ‘Create No Matter What’ campaign in which photographers based on the U.S can win a Canon EOS RP kit worth $ 3000. The theme for the contest is Perspective, but you’ll need to move quickly as the closing date is 27th May.
The store is running the campaign with an ongoing series of competitions to encourage creative people to remain active during the lockdown, and says it aims to inspire photographers, videographers, designers and audio artists while many may find it hard to work or enjoy their hobby.
The Perspective Challenge though is a photographic contest, and entrants are allowed to put forward up to five images. Judges will be looking for ‘adherence/appropriateness to the challenge theme, originality of expression, composition, lighting, and visual and emotional impact’.
The prize is a Canon EOS RP body and Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens along with a Manfrotto Befree Live aluminum tripod with fluid head, a Moment variable ND filter, a ProGrade Digital 256GB SD camera and a Peak Design backpack to put it all in.
For more information, and to enter, see the Create No Matter What page of the Adorama website.
Press release:
Adorama Announces #CreateNoMatterWhat Creative Challenge Series
First Challenge Theme: Perspective Offers Photographers a Chance to Win a Canon Camera Package
Adorama, the trusted source for market-leading photo, video, audio, and computer equipment and information, announced today the “Create No Matter What: Perspective Challenge” photography contest. Revealed by travel, outdoor and adventure photographer Nathan Lee Allen, the Perspective Challenge asks photographers to show how they create a different perspective of their art, for a chance to win a Canon EOS RP camera prize package worth more than $ 3,000.
“With more than 50 million impressions and even more engaged users, our #CreateNoMatterWhat campaign has really hit a high note within our community. To keep the positive momentum flowing, we are excited to launch a series of themed creative challenges and will be rewarding our community with really amazing prizes!” said Mary-Irene Marek, Director of Content and Social Media for Adorama. “Our first challenge is all about perspective within photography. Whether you’re capturing life from a different angle or using props to create a whole new environment, you’re using perspective to tell the story.”
Adorama’s #CreateNoMatterWhat campaign is a community-based hashtag to engage with and encourage creatives to create, learn, and think outside the box. Whether it’s photography, videography, audio, design or editing, #CreateNoMatterWhat challenges creators to keep their creativity flowing and to continue their passions while at home.
To enter the Perspective Challenge, photographers should submit a completed online entry form and up to five photographs that demonstrate their talents, skills and vision. Winners will be selected based on the following criteria: adherence/appropriateness to the challenge theme, originality of expression, composition, lighting, and visual and emotional impact.
The Perspective Challenge is open now through May 27th at 11:59 PM ET. The winner will be announced on May 29th at 12 p.m. ET.
To learn more about the Perspective Challenge and enter up to five images for a chance to win, visit www.adorama.com/cnmw.
A general view before the start of UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9, 2020. Cooper Neill for ESPN
Editor’s Note: Some of the photographs in the interview below are graphic due to the violent nature of mixed martial arts events. Proceed accordingly.
With the world all but paused due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, most sporting events have either been delayed or downright canceled. Some sports, however, are allowing events to continue taking place, albeit with minimal personal, very proactive testing and—most interestingly—no audience.
One such event was the mixed martial arts event UFC 249, which took place on May 9, 2020 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Only a few photographers were allowed to document the unprecedented event, one of whom was Cooper Neill, a freelance photographer from Dallas, Texas, who on assignment at UFC 249 for ESPN. We had a chance to talk with Neill about what it was like to shoot such an unusual event. Below is the interview, edited for clarity, as well as a selection of images from the event.
How many photographers were allowed to be there and how were they chosen?
For UFC 249 there were only 4 photographers cageside (Getty, Associated Press, USA Today and myself working for ESPN) along with the UFC photographer who is in a fixed position on top of the Octagon. I’m sure they had other folks apply for credentials but given the small space of the Octagon there aren’t many photo positions to begin with so I’m assuming numbers were limited to make sure folks are able to properly social distance themselves as best as they could.
A general view during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9, 2020. Cooper Neill for ESPN
What precautionary measures were taken for yourself, the other photographers, as well as the fighters and other participants?
I showed up with a mask, gloves, hand sanitizer, sanitizing spray w/ paper towels and alcohol wipes to wipe down my equipment. I stayed at the same hotel as the UFC staff so I was given a nasal swab test for Covid-19, an antibody test and regular temperature checks including one to get into the arena on fight day. I’d assume the other folks in the building did the same – I saw a few folks with goggles on and some with face wraps that offered more coverage than the masks.
Henry Cejudo fights against Dominick Cruz during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9, 2020. Cooper Neill for ESPN
Was it more difficult to shoot with the PPE and having to constantly sanitize? Also, did you have to stay further away from the athletes than you normally do?
The extra PPE really didn’t make a difference for me. If I were wearing goggles they would have fogged up which is why I opted not to. There was time between fights for me to make sure my area was clean, the UFC staff would sanitize things between fights as well and then I’d sit down and transmit a few photos from the previous fight to my editors at ESPN. We are already a good distance away from the athletes and I think everyone in the arena was very aware and respectful of people’s personal space. With so many fewer people there was more space to operate which was super helpful as well.
Anthony Pettis throws a kick against Donald Cerrone during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9, 2020. Cooper Neill for ESPN
Did you have to change how you photographed the event and did you take photos any differently than you normally would’ve?
Yes and no – I always show up to events looking to tell the story of the event as a whole and not just the action – so in that way I approached things the same way I do the NFL playoffs or World Series. On the other hand there was an equal if not greater interest in UFC 249 because of what’s going on in the world than the actual fights so I probably sent in more scene-setting and storytelling images than I normally do because in my opinion that was more important than most of the fights.
Joe Rogan interviews Calvin Kattar after his win during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9, 2020. Cooper Neill for ESPN
Was it weird actually being able to hear your shutter click when you’re probably used to it being drowned out from crowd noise?
Sony user here so I’m used to not hearing the shutter – but having the event in an empty arena was a big change. Not having a pop from the crowd after a big punch really changed the environment and feel of the event. On the other hand it was really cool being able to hear both fighters coaches giving instructions, the fighters talking to each other between rounds and the commentators doing their play by play which are all things that are usually downed out by the crowds.
Niko Price has talks with Vicente Luque after losing his fight during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9, 2020. Cooper Neill for ESPN
Did the athletes seem to have a different type or amount of energy compared to previous events you’ve shot?
I don’t think they’d admit it but I think there was a different energy – not a bad thing – but different. In my opinion the fighters were much more relaxed than they normally are with significantly less distractions in and around the arena. The intensity was definitely still there.
An arena employee watches the fights on a tv in the concourse during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9, 2020. Cooper Neill for ESPN
Overall, what were the pros/cons of shooting an event in an empty arena?
Pros – cleaner backgrounds, easier on your ears and more space to work
Cons – no fan interactions with fighters and no fan reactions
Justin Gaethje throws a punch against Tony Ferguson during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9, 2020. Cooper Neill for ESPN
Do you see more empty-venue events taking place the remainder of the year? If so, what did you learn from this event that will change how you shoot other fan-less events going forward?
From what I’ve read it looks like most if not all pro sports are planning on moving forward with empty arenas for a good while. The thing that I’m curious about is how they manage media access in everything. Football games have 50+ photographers on the field roaming the sidelines close to each other and the players – it’s hard to imagine that happening in a few months. I think it’s realistic to imagine 50% less credentialed photographers for most sporting events in the future just to allow folks to socially distance themselves better.
A member of the UFC crew cleans the Octagon between fights during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9, 2020. Cooper Neill for ESPN
What gear were you packing and why did you choose the camera/lenses you did for this particular event?
I used 2 Sony a9s with a combination of a 70–200mm f2.8, 16–35mm f2.8 and 400mm f2.8. The majority of the images were made with the 70–200 but used the others to get some wide or super tight images.
Justin Gaethje celebrates after defeating Tony Ferguson during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9, 2020. Cooper Neill for ESPN
Do you have any pieces of parting advice for photographers looking to make the most of this unprecendented time where work can be sparse and what work they might get will be different than usual?
Find something you’re interested in and experiment on different ways of photographing it. If nothing else, this whole situation has given us some time to retool, learn and create new ways of looking at things.
Finally, where can readers find your work and keep up with what you’re doing?
www.instagram.com/CooperNeill
www.CooperNeill.com
Photo credits: Photographs by Cooper Neill for ESPN, used with permission
In February Chinese smartphone maker Vivo showcased a concept phone that featured a ‘gimbal-like’ stabilization system on its rear camera. Now the company has published further information about the system that will first be commercially available on the Vivo X50 Pro which is scheduled to launch on June 1.
Vivo calls the system ‘micro cloud’ and claims it is more effective than conventional stabilization systems without quantifying the difference. It certainly looks more complex. Instead of a lens element, like on most current smartphone stabilization systems, on the Vivo the entire camera module is stabilized using a double-ball suspension which allows for movements of +/- 3° which, according to Vivo, is three times the angle of more conventional systems.
Like on most high-end stabilization systems, the mechanical motion is combined with electronic image stabilization (EIS) methods that typically slightly crop the frame in order to correct for camera shake.
Motion is powered by two voice coils and the ribbon cable connecting the camera to the main device board is folded twice in order to allow for the movements of the camera unit. One downside of the system is space-requirements, though. The system is 4.5mm thick and occupies 363mm² board space which is more than the cameras in most other current devices.
Given the X50 Pro system is the first of its kind it’s probably fair to assume following generations can be designed with smaller dimensions, and first samples look indeed promising, although the comparison device chosen for the video below appears to have a particularly bad stabilization system.
In addition to the innovative stabilization system the X50 Pro will feature a new color filter that offers 39 percent higher light transmission. Vivo says that combined with the stabilization system the camera will capture 220 percent more light than the Vivo X30 Pro. Presumably this is because the stabilization system will allow for more frames to be combined using computational methods, and/or simply lets the auto exposure system use slower shutter speeds.
If the micro cloud system works as well as advertised it should provide both super-smooth video footage and low light photos with good exposure and detail in very low light. We should find out when the X50 Pro is launched in June.
The post ACDSee Photo Studio Home 2020 Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Glenn Harper.
It’s not unusual for photo-editing software to be multifunctional. Any combination of browser, raw processor and pixel editor is normal. ACDSee Photo Studio Home 2020 offers a slightly different blend of digital asset management (DAM) and pixel editing. In this article, we’ll see what this combo can do for you.
View Mode in ACDSee Photo Studio Home 2020
What is DAM Software?
Many programs that help you organize photos are, rightly or wrongly, described as DAM software. An example of this is the now-discontinued “Picasa.”
With that popular program, you could browse photos, edit them, add metadata, assign keywords, create albums, mark photos as favorites, and so on. It was comprehensive. But was it DAM?
A defining feature of real DAM software is its ability to create a database of your photos. Lightroom does that, as does ACDSee Photo Studio Home.
These products aren’t just an extension of your OS. They record things, like the location of your photos and all the metadata attached to them. And they create thumbnails so you can fly through your collection at high speed whether you’re connected to it or not. This is what separates DAM software from fancy browsers.
First three modes for browsing and DAM
In ACDSee Photo Studio Home 2020, the first three modes are for browsing and DAM. The modes are as follows:
Manage Mode is where you can browse folders, filter out photos, create stuff like slideshows and contact sheets, and send images to various photo platforms. You can switch between photo editors from here, too, in case you have other software with different functionality. Manage Mode is the hub of the software. You can even add geographical data to photos from here using the Map tool and reverse geocoding.
Photos Mode is great if you want to see everything on your drive within a short space of time. Let’s say you need to root out photos without any keywords or identifying data—this is the place to do it. This mode lets you see all content at once, whether it’s in folders or subfolders, so there’s no hiding place when you’re trying to find specific pictures.
View Mode gives you a nice big preview of your photos one-by-one, and it’s quick. This is a good place for assessing the content of your photos and grading them. (In another article, I suggest a workflow for this software). You can scrutinize the technical quality of TIFFs and JPEGs* in this mode, too. A nice feature of View Mode is the set of experimental tools it gives you, which you can apply to the picture without committing to the edit.
*Note that View Mode is not a good place for assessing critical sharpness in raw files, as the software displays the embedded JPEG to maintain speed. This JPEG looks especially poor at 100%, but it’s fine for assessing content and composition.
Photos Mode. This mode shows all images, whether in folders or subfolders.
Importing and Cataloging
When it comes to importing files into ACDSee software, you don’t need to do it at all.
The software accesses the folder system of your OS, so it’s enough just to copy and paste the files onto your hard drive. They are added to the ACDSee database automatically when you browse them later. That being said, you can import files via the software if you want and adjust filenames or add metadata while you’re doing it.
If you need to catalog lots of pictures without browsing them all first, you can do that too in Manage or Photos modes. This is especially useful when you first start using the software, though you must wait a while for the process to complete.
Getting organized
It’s all very well cataloging your photos, but there’s still a way to go before they’re genuinely searchable.
In Manage and View Modes of Photo Studio Home 2020, you can open the Properties panel to the right-hand side. It’s here that you add keywords, captions, ratings, color labels, and categories to your photos.
I advise working on keywords in the ACDSee Metadata tab, then copying and pasting them into the IPTC field if you want them to be readable elsewhere. Alas, there’s no button to make this task quicker.
You can use any or all of these features to make your photos searchable, grade them, and track them in your workflow. In a recent sponsored article, I suggested using ratings to grade the quality of your photos and color labels to mark your workflow progress. This is a common use of these tools.
Keywords
Keywords make your photos searchable using a variety of criteria. For instance, you can add different photographic techniques to keywords as well as describing the subject of the photo. How thorough you should be in keywording depends on your needs, but you can import keyword lists to avoid having to create them yourself. That’s a new feature in 2020, and it saves loads of time.
This was a raw file developed in ACDSee Photo Studio Home 2020. The conversion is fine for non-problematic images that you want to quickly get online or share without changing your camera settings.
To Tag or not to Tag
To the top left of the properties panel is a check box for “tagging” images. This is a good way to highlight your keepers and reject the rest (or vice versa).
It’d be nice if ACDSee added the ability to proactively reject photos with a dedicated reject flag. As things stand, an untagged file could be one that you’ve simply missed.
Image Baskets
A favorite ACDSee feature of mine is the image basket. This is like a virtual folder, where you can gather image files from various places without physically moving or copying them. It’s very handy for working on quick projects without cluttering up your drive with duplicate files. You can use image baskets for purposes of viewing, editing and sharing.
Face Detection and Recognition
ACDSee software is good at detecting faces, at least when they’re not obscured, and it’s impressively good at recognizing them thereafter.
Often, you only have to name a person once for the software to learn facial features. There are obvious limitations. It won’t necessarily recognize faces across several decades, for instance. But this feature is decidedly useful for cataloging pictures of friends and family.
ACDSee software asks for confirmation that this is Marcel Proust. It’s seen one picture of him at this point, so that’s pretty good going.
Edit Mode
Two-thirds of ACDSee Photo Studio Home 2020 is DAM software, aimed at getting your photos organized and being able to find them with ease. If that was all you got for your money, it’d already be good value. But there’s also an Edit Mode where you can work on rendered files (e.g. JPEGs, TIFFs) and get them looking good.
What about raw files?
You can open most types of raw files in Photo Studio Home 2020, but there’s no develop module like there is in ACDSee Ultimate, for instance, so you don’t get to choose the processing parameters.
If you want to benefit fully from shooting raw, you should link this ACDSee software to a raw editor and switch between programs. That, theoretically, would be a higher-quality workflow than having to address technical issues after conversion. And you still have the DAM side of the software for cataloging and grading your raw files.
This is why you can’t judge the technical quality of raw files in ACDSee View Mode (where they’re best viewed at low magnifications). The inset shows the same file at 100% in Edit Mode.
Edit Mode features
A bit like Photoshop Elements vs Photoshop CC, there are things missing in ACDSee Photo Studio Home 2020 that aren’t missing in ACDSee Ultimate. For instance, there’s no 16-bit color support, no layers, no perspective tool, no dehaze, no dodge and burn, and no Color EQ. But these absent features are all forgivable since there’s a ton of stuff you do get.
Using the watermark feature in Edit Mode to place a logo (quickly created elsewhere) into the corner.
Color and Tone
For basic work on color and tone, there are the usual levels and curves tools.
In fact, these tools are nicely implemented by ACDSee, with a built-in histogram and an exposure warning that tells you when you’re losing detail with your edits. You also get a basic version of the proprietary Light EQ tool, which lets you adjust shadows, mid-tones, and highlights separately.
Given that many people only use the basic version of this tool anyway, this is a valuable inclusion.
The levels tool in Edit Mode. The exposure warning draws attention to blown highlights and blocked shadows.
Cloning and Healing
I should mention once more that the clone tool does not work for me in ACDSee Photo Studio Home 2020 (nor its predecessor). I just get a black screen. That seems trivial when set against everything that does work, but it’s still a tad irritating. I can use the heal tool a lot of the time instead, though its pixel-blending function is a bit different.
Creative Tools
ACDSee could be forgiven for providing the bare minimum of Editing tools, but they go beyond that. You get a cross-section of some of their most creative features. Under the “Add” filter menu, for instance, you’ll find Special Effects. And there are many of them for you to try.
I like the “Orton” effect, which smooths details for a dream-like appearance.
The Purple Haze special effect at 50% opacity. Try experimenting with blending modes to see what else you can achieve with these effects.
You can modify all edits with blending modes, opacity, gradients and the Edit Brush. This means you can adjust localized areas of your photo a bit like you can in Adobe Lightroom and other programs. What you can’t do is work on multiple edits at the same time, but this is still useful versatility.
A radial gradient placed over a black and white LUT, causing color to fade out towards the edges. You can make this kind of localized edit using gradients or the Edit Brush. (Not all LUTs are color, despite ACDSee’s nomenclature.)
The Tilt-Shift filter appears under the “Add” menu.
The temptation with this is always to dig out high-angle views and create that miniaturized effect where buildings, people, and vehicles look like toys.
However, you can try this filter out on other subjects, altering their depth of field and bokeh. It works quite well on close-ups of flowers, for example.
An atypical use of the tilt-shift tool, creating a very soft “bokeh” outside the center of this flower.
You’ll find the Convert to Black & White filter under the “Color” menu.
This lets you fine-tune your black-and-white conversions by adjusting brightness and contrast in all the colors that make up your picture. Also present here is the equivalent of Photoshop’s Channel Mixer, where you adjust the red, green, and blue (RGB) sliders to achieve your conversion, making sure the total value is at or under 100%.
Simple use of the Convert to Black and White filter. I’ve lowered brightness in greens and increased it in yellows and oranges to create pleasing contrast in this picture.
Color LUTs are found under the “Color” menu, too. These have become popular in recent years, allowing users to mimic the world of movie production by applying color grades to their pictures. The effect is often radical.
ACDSee comes with some color LUTs built in, but you can download more from various sources on the Internet.
The ACDSee “Film” color LUT adds a classic orange and teal look to pictures as well as increasing contrast. This color grading is often seen in movies or TV series.
Summing it up
Genuine DAM software, the kind that catalogs your photos, often costs well over $ 100. Or it’s part of a subscription plan that locks you in annually. ACDSee Photo Studio Home 2020 is appealing not only for its affordability but because it’s a great photo manager, period. On top of that, it’s a raw opener and pixel polisher with plenty of scope for creativity.
“Orton” special effect, faded towards the top using a gradient.
If you’re sold on the benefits of shooting and editing raw files, you could pair this software with RawTherapee or DarkTable without spending more cash. Whatever you choose to do, rest assured it’s impossible to waste money on ACDSee Photo Studio Home 2020. This software is easy to use but has a depth that far belies its price.
Have you tried this software? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
The post ACDSee Photo Studio Home 2020 Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Glenn Harper.
The Fujifilm X-T4 is the company’s latest high-end photo and video APS-C mirrorless camera. It brings in-body stabilization, faster shooting, improved autofocus and a larger battery to the already very capable X-T3.
Fujifilm says that the X-T4 is a sister model to the X-T3, rather than a replacement, which is borne out by the specs and pricing. It’s a 26MP camera capable of 20 fps shooting and 4K capture at up to 60p. In use we found it offers distinct benefits over both the X-T3 and the older X-H1. And, although the autofocus performance isn’t cutting edge, it offers one of the best stills and video options you can buy.
Key specifications
26MP BSI CMOS sensor
In-body image stabilization (up to 6.5EV correction)
20 fps shooting with AF (15 with new mechanical shutter)
4K video (DCI or UHD) at up to 60p
1080 video at up to 240 fps, output as 4-10x slow-motion footage
Fully articulated rear touchscreen
3.68M-dot OLED electronic viewfinder (up to 100 fps refresh rate)
New NP-W235 battery rated to give 500 shots per charge
Dual UHS-II card slots
USB-C type connector allowing USB PD charging
12 Film Simulation modes, including Eterna Bleach Bypass
The X-T4 ia available body-only at a price of $ 1699, which represents a $ 200 premium over the original list price of the X-T3. It’s also available as a kit with the 18-55mm F2.8-4.0 OIS lens for $ 2099 or with the 16-80mm F4 OIS WR for $ 2199.
What’s new and how it compares
Image stabilization, a bigger battery and faster continuous shooting, but also a bigger price tag. How does the X-T4 measure up to its rivals?
Read more
Body and controls
There have been a number of tweaks and refinements made to the X-T4’s body. We take a look and compare with the X-T3.
Read more
Video capabilities
The biggest difference is the addition of stabilization but there are a few more tweaks to the video side of the camera.
Read more
Initial impressions
The X-T4 splits the difference between the X-T3 and the older X-H1. It might be videographers that most benefit from upgrading.
Read more
Image quality
The X-T4 delivers image quality much like that of X-T3. Which means attractive JPEGs, solid Raw performance but now with stabilization to support slower shutter speeds.
Read more
Autofocus
Autofocus is improved, compared to the X-T3 but our tests suggest Fujifilm hasn’t yet bridged the gap to catch up with the best of its rivals. We tried to pin down its strengths and weaknesses.
Read more
Video performance
Stabilized, highly detailed video is one of the X-T4’s standout features. We found a lot to like, both in the footage and the way the camera handles.
Read more
Conclusion
The X-T4 might seem expensive for an APS-C camera in the era of (comparatively) low cost full-frame, but few cameras offer its combination of stills and video capabilities.
Read more
Sample galleries
We’ve been shooting with the X-T4 for a while now, here are some examples of its images.
Olympus will end its camera business in South Korea on June 30, according to a new report from The Korea Times. The decision is ‘mostly’ based on low camera sales volume, the report claims. Olympus will continue to sell medical and scientific equipment in the country.
In a statement to the publication, Olympus said that despite focusing on mirrorless cameras and interchangeable lenses, ‘it has become barely possible to sustain the business with profit,’ spurring the business decision.
Though the company will shut down its brand store and online shop for South Korean customers on June 30, it will continue to operate its servicing facility in the country until March 31, 2026, enabling existing customers to get their camera gear repaired.
Olympus says it had to make this decision despite ‘strenuous efforts to increase the profitability and efficiency of its imaging business’ in South Korea. Olympus told The Korea Times that its decision to end camera sales in the country doesn’t have anything to do with a social movement among residents to boycott products from Japanese companies.
The news isn’t terribly surprising as camera sales are indeed down worldwide. Back in November 2019, rumors surfaced that Olympus was planning to entirely exit the camera business, something the company denied, stating instead that it was working on improving the ‘profitability and efficiency’ of both its imaging and scientific equipment businesses.
According to the CIPA figures released last month, camera shipments to Asia in March reached only 39.8% of the volume of shipments reported in March 2019. Overall worldwide shipments only reached 47.8% of the volume compared to the same month in 2019, with mirrorless camera models proving more popular than SLR cameras.
It’s unclear how great of an impact the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic had on this drop in sales volume, but it seems unlikely that camera companies can expect a spike in sales at any point in the near future. Given the fact that Olympus’ imaging business was already struggling to survive in South Korea, it makes sense that the company would choose this time to exit the camera business in that market entirely.
We have contacted Olympus for a comment and will update this article accordingly if we receive a response.
According to a report from The Verge, high school students across the United States are failing their Advanced Placement (AP) exams due to the College Board’s online testing portal not accepting photos captured in the default HEIC image format.
Back in March, the College Board, the entity that creates the curricula and exams for AP courses, announced exams would be online rather than in-person since schools across the U.S. were being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While this proved beneficial in many ways – most notably the online exam is only 45-minutes while the in-person exams run three hours – it seems the rollout is not without a few hiccups.
AP exams require long-form answers. With in-person testing, these answers are completed and turned in on paper. Online though, the College Board allows students to either type up and submit their responses or write them by hand and submit an image of the handwritten work as a JPG, JPEG or PNG file.
A notification on the AP exam page of the College Board’s website that links to an explainer on how to properly submit images of written responses.
The problem is, iOS devices and a few newer Samsung phones are set to capture the more storage-friendly HEIC files by default, not JPEGs. As a result, students are seeing a perpetual loading screen, which stays up until the 45-minute time limit of the exam is up. Once the time is up, a screen reading ‘We Did Not Receive Your Response’ pops up, confirming nothing was submitted.
A graphic created and shared by the College Board showing students how to change the default image file format on their iOS devices.
The Verge reports enough students at one Los Angeles high school encountered the issue that the school forwarded a message sent to it from the College Board explaining how to troubleshoot the issue to prevent image submissions from being denied. But that message, as well as the below tweet from the College Board explaining how to change the default capture image format on iOS devices, doesn’t help the students who have already taken their exams and were unable to submit their work to no fault of their own and, as a result, are being forced to re-study for a make-up exam.
If you want to submit a photo of a handwritten AP Exam answer from an iPhone or iPad, make sure to change your camera settings so your photos are saved as JPEGs, not HEICs. Go to Settings > Camera > Formats > Select “Most Compatible.”
More details: https://t.co/Hqg0CKbB4A. pic.twitter.com/DZ0lLttDgm
— The College Board (@CollegeBoard) May 12, 2020
In a statement to The Verge, the College Board says ‘less than 1 percent [of students were] unable to submit their responses,’ and notes ‘[It shares] the deep disappointment of students who were unable to submit responses.’
In addition to the explainer on how to change the default file format on iOS devices, the College Board has also opened up a backup email submission process that requires students who encounter the HEIC error to send their responses via a unique email address ‘immediately’ following the exam. This option isn’t retroactively available for the students who were unable to submit their responses the first time and have had to reschedule a makeup exam.
The Verge’s coverage details a number of anecdotes from high school students who have encountered this file format compatibility issue, so head on over for more information.
The SD Association (SDA) has announced the SD Express 8.0 (SD8.0) specification, promising up to transfer speed of up to 4GB/s (2GB/s per lane up to two lanes). The SD8.0 spec is built on the PCIe 4.0 standard and uses NVM Express (NVMe) technology.
It builds on the previous 7.0 specification that used PCIe 3.0, which powers the rival CFexpress format. The newest format can either deliver up to 2GB/s transfers with the PCIe 4.0 standard over a single lane using the familiar SD card format with two rows of pins (a combination denoted as PCIe G4L1 in the diagram below), or using PCIe 3.0 across two lanes (PCIe G3L2) which will add a third row of connection pins. The 4GB/s transfer speeds will be delivered by PCIe G4L2 cards using PCIe 4.0 transfer across two lanes (and three rows of pins).
SD Express speed comparison chart. Click to enlarge. Image credit: SD Association
The SDA, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, believes the new SD Express standard will create additional variety in the market and allows manufacturers to make the most of the increased speeds of SD Express to produce more storage choices for consumers. Additionally, the SDA states that SD 8.0 ‘may open even more opportunities for extra high-performance solutions using removable memory cards.’ Importantly, as with all SDA advancements, the SD 8.0 specification maintains backward compatibility across previous generations.
SD8.0 is arriving nearly two years after the SD 7.0 (SD7.0) spec was released in July 2018. The SD7.0 specification introduced PCIe 3.1 and NVMe architecture to SD cards. In February 2019, the SDA introduced the microSD Express 7.1 specification.
Camera and card makers haven’t yet made use of the UHS-III format set out in the older SD6.0 specification
Notably, camera and card makers haven’t yet made use of the UHS-III format set out in the older SD6.0 specification. Memory card manufacturer Sandisk has already shown mockups of SD Express (SD7.0) cards, which raises the possibility that the industry will skip the UHS-III specification entirely.
An alternative memory card format, the CFexpress standard, has been increasing in adoption due to its impressive speeds and performance. CFexpress cards can utilize up to four lanes and currently can deliver 1GB/s speeds per lane. However, the current CFexpress 2.0 standard, announced in February 2019, promised comparable speeds using four PCIe 3.0 lanes to the ones that SD 8.0 will get from two v4.0 lanes
It will be interesting to see when CFExpress standards adopt a PCIe 4.0 interface, as the SDA and CFA continue to be in a memory card arms race. If history has proven anything, it’s that it will take some time before the new standards, and the accompanying performance increases, are commonplace in consumer products. However, the new SD8.0 spec lays impressive groundwork technology for faster cameras and improved workflows for photographers and videographers.
For additional information on SD8.0, the SDA has launched a ‘virtual trade show.’ You can explore it by clicking here.
CineStill has introduced a new 3-bath processing system for slide film users that allows photographers a choice of three color and contrast profiles for the same type of film. Users can opt for a straight development to bring out the default characteristics of the film, or choose a tungsten balanced look or one with a warm tone and lower contrast. The Cs6 Creative Slide 3-Bath processing system allows photographers to get three quite different looks from the same emulsion by using a different developing solution.
The developers are part of a new 3-bath system that comprises a first developer that determines the color and contrast profile of the end result, followed by a combined the second developer and reversal process, and then a third bath that contains the bleach and the fix. CineStill claims the chemicals are easy to use and that temperature control is not as critical as in normal E6 processes, so successful home processing is much more achievable.
The three choices for the first developer are D6 DaylightChrome, D9 DynamicChrome and T6 TungstenChrome. The DaylightChrome developer is said to produce a neutral result with slightly enhanced color saturation and a usable dynamic range of 6 stops.
DynamicChrome produces a warm tone with enhanced contrast and color saturation but at the same time preserves highlight and shadow detail to offer a useable DR of 9 stops and extended exposure latitude. The TungstenChrome developer shifts the film’s color to correct for the use of warm tungsten lights saving the bother and light-lose of using a color-correction filter over the lens.
Photo by Sandy Phimester on Kodak E100 processed with CineStill Cs6 DynamicChrome
The one-liter kits contain enough chemistry to process 16 rolls or 100ft of film and are priced from $ 39 including all three baths, while the individual developers are available from $ 12.99. The chemicals are available now from the CineStill website, and from retailers in the USA and Europe from the summer.
Press release
Introducing: Cs6 “Creative Slide” 3-Bath process for color-timing E-6 reversal film at home
Chrome unlocked!
Want to shoot slide film? Want it to be quick and easy to process? Want to still have creative control over how your images look? Introducing the CineStill Cs6 “Creative Slide” 3-Bath Process for simple creative control of your E-6 film.
The reversal process is the purest of analog processes and it’s now more creative and accessible than ever! The colors of slide film are unrivaled and now you can color-time and control dynamic range with alternative 1st developers. For the first time ever, you can change the color profile of your slides. With limited slide film options available today, CineStill is tripling the choices available for slide film, and demystifying slide processing with only 3 baths to appreciate a beautiful photograph. Your slides should be superior to color-corrected negative scans, without sacrificing creative control.
For the past several years CineStill has been developing ways to bridge the gap between mail-order photo labs and instant photography. Whether it be a Monobath for B&W film, a simplified 2-Bath process for color negatives, a Temperature Control System for mixing and heating chemicals, or various partnerships to make daylight processing accessible… There’s no longer a need for a darkroom, professional lab or high-tech equipment to create analog photographs. You can now create beautiful color transparencies at home through one simple process.
With the Cs6 “Creative Slide” 3-Bath Process comes 5 new products
1. D6 “DaylightChrome” Neutral-tone 5500K 1st Developer Renders approximately 6+ stops of usable dynamic-range* with bright whites and moderately enhanced color saturation, just like conventional E-6 processing. Daylight-balanced for conventional slides in daylight or with electronic flash. Single-use 1+1 dilution develops 8-16 rolls or 100ft of slide Film. Kodak E100 DaylightChrome
2. D9 “DynamicChrome” Warm-tone 1st Developer Renders approximately 9+ stops of usable dynamic-range*, while maintaining vibrant color-contrast and rich warm tones with preserved highlight and shadow detail (optimized for scanning) for a more cinematic look. Extended exposure latitude increases the usable dynamic-range* of slide film from 6 to 9+ stops! Conventional E-6 processing renders approximately 6 stops of usable dynamic-range*. Perfect for high contrast lighting or backlit subjects in daylight, shade or with electronic flash. Single-use 1+1 dilution develops 8-16 rolls or 100ft of slide Film.
3. T6 “TungstenChrome” Cool-tone 3200K 1st Developer Renders approximately 6+ stops of usable dynamic-range* with cleaner whites, and moderately enhanced color saturation. Shoot in artificial light without sacrificing 2 stops of exposure to color filtering! Kodak’s published technical data sheet recommends exposing E100 at EI 25 with an 80A Filter in Tungsten (3200 K) light. Now you can expose at box speed in low-light or even push to EI 200 or 400, and color-time your slides in processing. With conventional E-6 processing this would require color filtration and a 2-4 stop exposure compensation. Single-use 1+1 dilution develops 8-16 rolls or 100ft of Ektachrome®.
4. Cr6 “Color&Reversal” 2-in-1 Slide Solution Combines the reversal step with color development. 6min minimum process time for completion with flexible temperature range of 80-104°f (27-40°C)**. Reusable solution reverses 16+ rolls of developed slide film.
5. Bf6 “Bleaches&Fixer” 3-in-1 Slide Solution Combines the bleach and conditioner steps with the fixing step. 6min minimum process time for completion with flexible temperature range of 75 -104°f (23-40°C)**. Reusable solution clears 24+ rolls of reversal Film.
* ”Usable dynamic-range” is the amount of full stops of exposure value that renders acceptable detail and color. “Total dynamic-range” however, is the maximum range containing tonal separation rendering any detail, and is often twice the usable-dynamic range. The usable dynamic-range of conventional slide film is between 6-8 stops (total 14-16 stops). Color negative is between 9-13 stops (total 16-21 stops). Digital sensors are mostly between 7-10 stops (total 12-15 stops).
** Maintaining temperature is not essential beyond pouring in a 1st developer. When a temperature control bath is not available, simply preheat the 1st Developer +2ºF warmer, and the other baths will automatically process-to-completion as they cool down. Only the 1st developer is time and temperature critical because it controls contrast and color.
Cs6 “Creative Slide” 3-Bath Kits for Reversal and E-6 Film
CineStill Cs6 3-Bath Kits will be available from $ 39. The 1000ml/Quart Kits can process 16+ Rolls or 100ft of Slide Film and the 3-2-1 Chemical Reuse Kits processes 32+ Rolls of film. Included In Cs6 3-Bath Kits:
D9 “DynamicChrome”, D6 “DaylightChrome”, or T6 “TungstenChrome” 1st Developer
Cr6 “Color&Reversal” 2-in-1 Slide Solution
Bf6 “Bleaches&Fixer” 3-in-1 Slide Solution
The CineStill Cs6 3-Bath Kits and separate components are available for purchase now at CineStillFilm.com, and throughout the U.S. and E.U. markets later this summer.
When Jerry Ghionis got a call asking if he was interested in photographing portrait legend Joe McNally, he jumped at the opportunity. Using just one lens – Nikon’s Z 85mm F1.8 S – Jerry and Joe turned their cameras on one another. Watch the video above to see how they got on.
What’s it like to take pictures of a portrait legend? In an exclusive interview, Jerry explains the background to the shoot and what it was like to work with Joe, as well as offering some insight into his work, and his approach to portrait photography.
Tell us how you got involved with this shoot
When I got the call about taking portraits of Joe McNally, I thought wow – that’s like being asked to cook for Gordon Ramsey!
The brief was just to shoot portraits of one another, have some fun, and see what comes of it. I wasn’t intimidated, I was excited. I want to create flattering and meaningful portraits of people, and I thought, well, here’s a guy who’s done this for everyone, and he deserves something for himself. That was the opportunity I was excited about: creating something for Joe that he’s done for so many people.
For this shot, Jerry posed Joe with the first Nikon camera he ever used, an FTn with F36 Motor Drive.
Photo by Jerry Ghionis, courtesy Nikon USA.
The one shot that was pre-planned was the portrait of Joe with the Hollywood lights and me in the mirror. For that one I thought it would be cool to feature Joe with the first Nikon camera he ever used. He’s a tall guy, and I wanted to style him like a trendy 50s or 60s-era photographer, with a blue background working with his blue eyes, and the contrast against the color of his hair. So I found some old studio lights, a vintage mirror and some other things. I knew what I wanted, but I only had literally about five minutes to set it up and another five to shoot it. That was quite tough. I’m trying to light Joe, who’s a lighting master!
Everything on this shoot, including the video, was shot using the 85mm alone. Was that intimidating?
No, not at all. Once you’ve shot a few weddings and you know how to do it, very few things intimidate you. At least in terms of gear. And anyway, some of the recent weddings I’ve shot, most of the images I took were using that one lens.
The 85mm suits my style of photography because I like longer focal lengths
How long had you been working with the 85mm at that point?
Probably a month or two, before the shoot. And I loved it. The 85mm suits my style of photography because I like longer focal lengths. My usual favorite lens is a 70-200mm, so I was looking for something longer to use with my Z6 and Z7, which might become my new ‘go to’ lens.
What is it about the 85mm that makes it useful to you?
Whenever you use a lens that’s faster than F2 for portraiture, you’re going to want to shoot a handful of images, sort of rapid fire, to make sure that you get a shot where the focus is exactly where you want it. That’s just the nature of portrait photography on fast lenses. But the 85mm has just become my reliable everyday go-to lens. I’d say the last six months of weddings I’ve shot, I’ve used the 85mm probably about 90% of the time. It’s so light. Focus is perfect at F1.8 and it’s completely sharp. I’ve made an incredible amount of pictures using that lens, I love it.
Had you worked with Joe on a project together before?
No this was the first time we’d shot together. It’s rare on campaigns like this that you’d shoot with somebody else. It was great, it was just two guys, no egos – we just wanted to have some fun and create some cool pictures.
The whole thing was probably one of the biggest honors of my photographic career.
It’s rare on campaigns like this that you’d shoot with somebody else
Did Joe like the pictures you took of him?
He did! He’s referred to the pictures on stage in his presentations. He’s been very generous and kind. And most importantly his wife likes them too!
What lenses would you advise someone should invest in who wants to get into portrait and event photography?
Most of the weddings and portraits I’ve shot lately have been on the 85mm F1.8, and at a minimum, I would recommend an 85mm, two camera bodies, a 24-70mm, and a 70-200mm, and two flashes. One camera’s not enough, and you’ll need cameras from the same system, so that you can switch between them without thinking.
The Z 85mm F1.8 S is a compact short-telephoto prime lens for the Z System. Sharp and almost aberration-free wide open, the Z 85mm is a useful lens for portraiture and available light shooting.
What simple things can someone do to improve their portrait photography?
The biggest problem I see is people shooting too quickly. When you’re photographing a wedding or a portrait, you can’t just show what someone looks like, you need to show who they are. To do that, you need to slow down, connect with them, and know how to flatter them. You can’t do that if your eye is glued to the viewfinder or your head is buried in your camera’s menu system. Shooting too quickly contributes to a lack of confidence.
The other thing is people don’t practice enough. I practice all the time. I’ll often shoot once a week just for myself, trying a new technique or a different lighting setup. I have a mannequin at home, so if I want to produce a particular lighting setup that I haven’t done before, while the hair and makeup person is doing their thing, I’m practicing with the mannequin and by the time my subject is ready I’ve prepared the full lighting setup.
What advice would you give to someone who is trying to get into photography seriously?
Remember that you’re only as good as your last shot. You don’t have to be the best, you just have to be better than you were last week.
This is sponsored content, created with the support of Nikon. What does this mean?
. But these absent features are all forgivable since there’s a ton of stuff you do get.
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