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Top Tips for Capturing Better Aerial Photos

11 Jun

The post Top Tips for Capturing Better Aerial Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.

Up, up and away! For most people, taking a scenic flight is not an everyday occurrence. In fact, for most of us, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thrill. If you plan on taking to the skies to capture some aerial shots, what gear should you take and how should you prepare for the experience so that you capture better aerial photos?

Better aerial photos — The northern Gold Coast photographed from a seaplane.

In the space of six weeks in 2017, I was lucky enough to take aerial photos from three different modes of transport: a hot air balloon, a seaplane, and a helicopter. Below is my guide to taking better aerial photos.

What gear should I take?

This is probably the first question you’ll ask yourself. The
answer largely depends on a few factors: what kind of flight you’re taking, how
much room you’ll have, and what kind of shots you want to take.

The gear you have available to you may also depend when and
where you’re taking the flight. For example, if you’re doing a scenic flight as
part of an overseas trip, you will probably have a smaller number of lenses to
choose from than if you were at home.

A good starting point for aerial photography is taking one camera body with a zoom lens, for example, an 18-55mm or 24-70mm. My go-to zoom lens is the Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS, which has a full-frame equivalent focal range of 27-82mm.

Lenses like this are quite compact and suited to even the tightest of spaces. It also has optical image stabilization, which helps to keep images nice and sharp. I took almost all of the images in this article with that lens.

This focal length is also very handy if you wish to take photos of your companions, or images of the aircraft before, during, and after the flight.

Depending on the circumstances, a longer lens might be your preference – just make sure you have enough room to maneuver. In a hot air balloon? No problem. In a small plane? Maybe not.

Top Tips for Capturing Better Aerial Photos — Don’t forget to take photos of your companions on the flight!

If I was going on a flight where I knew I would have more room to maneuver, such as a doors-off helicopter ride, I would take a longer telephoto lens with the same maximum aperture (f2.8 or f4) throughout the range, such as the Fujifilm XF 50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR lens.

If you want the best of both worlds, consider taking two bodies with two zoom lenses – I wouldn’t recommend trying to change lenses while airborne.

Have your gear ready

One thing you must do to take better aerial photos is prepare. Check and double-check your gear the night before your flight. Halfway through a once-in-a-lifetime balloon ride is not the time to discover you’ve run out of space on your memory card or you’ve had the ISO set to 6400.

Mistakes happen, we’ve all made them. However, you can minimize your risk by having a list of things to double-check before your flight. Here’s what I check:

Check image format: JPG+RAW.
Check film simulation: especially if you’re shooting JPG only.
Check your ISO settings. If you’re using Auto ISO, check to make sure the settings are suitable for your flight.
Format your SD cards ready for use beforehand. Take a couple of test shots to make sure everything is working okay.
If you have a second SD card slot, use it. Consider writing RAW images to one SD and JPGs to the other.
Choose a fast SD card. If you’re taking continuous shots on a slower card, there can sometimes be a delay before you can take more shots as the camera tries to catch up writing images to the slow SD card. You want to avoid this on a scenic flight.
Use a 64gb or 128gb memory card if possible. You don’t want to find out halfway through your flight that you’ve run out of space, and you need to delete shots or find another memory card.
Make sure your batteries are charged.
Have spare batteries and SD cards just in case.

Visualize your shots beforehand

Look at the images posted on your flight operator’s website and social media – this will give you a rough idea of the types of shots that are possible. Have these types of images in mind before you take your flight. You can also contact the flight operator if there’s a particular landmark you wish to photograph, or if you’d like advice on the best place to position yourself in the aircraft.

There are many variables with flying, though, so perhaps on the day the flight, the shot you have in mind won’t be possible. Keep an open mind, and don’t be upset if you don’t nail it. I always look upon a flight as a fun thing to do, and if I get some good photos out of it, that’s a bonus.

Shooting mode

I’ve taken photos in the air in both shutter priority and aperture priority modes. In shutter priority mode, I’d start off by setting my shutter speed to a minimum of 1/500 second. This should keep your images sharp if you’re in a fast-moving aircraft on a bright, sunny day. Your ISO will depend on how bright the conditions are.

As always, check and review your images and change your settings as the conditions dictate.

Balloons on the Gold Coast — Hot air balloons inflating.

In aperture priority mode, I’d start off by having my aperture at f/4 and my ISO to 400. I’d then take a test shot to see what shutter speed the camera is choosing. Again, these settings depend on the conditions, but you’ll want to aim for a fast shutter speed, above 1/500 second. If the shutter speed is as high as 1/4000 second, you could lower your ISO to 200 or change your aperture to f/5.6 or f/8. If your shutter speed is under 1/500 second, you’ll need to bump up your ISO and experiment.

The advice above is for fast-moving aircraft. If you’re
floating along in a hot air balloon, you don’t need to worry about shutter
speeds as much.

Look for other opportunities

A helicopter on a landing pad, hot air balloons being inflated or deflated, seaplanes on the water – taking better aerial photos is also about looking for shots you can take before and after the flight.

Case study 1: Hot air balloon

There’s nothing better than floating high above the landscape in a hot air balloon, and nothing worse than setting your alarm for 3.45 am to get up for it! Although you may not be feeling it so early in the morning, a hot air adventure is worth getting up early for. It’s one of the most magical things I’ve ever done.

A balloon ride is the easiest aerial adventure to undertake with a camera. For it to take place, you need good weather. You also have a guaranteed space at the edge of the basket with clear uninterrupted views – and no window glass. Best of all, the balloon moves at a relatively slow pace, so it’s not as much of a challenge as a plane or helicopter.

Tips for better aerial photos — Hot air balloon floating above rural Queensland.

My balloon ride took place inland from the Gold Coast in Australia. I mostly shot with my Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS lens, but also took the wider 10-24mm lens for some shots of the balloons inflating.

Make sure you have a secure strap on every camera you take
with you – the last thing you want to do is drop your camera overboard.

Case study 2: Seaplane

A few days after my balloon ride, I was joined by my family for a seaplane ride. We flew from the northern Gold Coast to nearby South Stradbroke Island, where we spent two nights glamping. The flight left Southport, headed south over Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, then we turned inland and headed north towards our destination.

Space was quite restricted inside the aircraft. I didn’t have a perfect angle of view in every direction, but I still managed to get some shots I liked. As it was so bright, shutter speeds were very high.

A couple of issues I had to deal with when shooting were the reflections off the windows and ensuring the wings of the aircraft weren’t in my images. I also got a little airsick, which wasn’t fun.

Some photographers swear by circular polarizing filters to cut reflections from windows – this is certainly something I will try in the future. Just be aware that it does cut the amount of light that reaches your sensor, but on the seaplane flight, it wouldn’t have been an issue.

Case study 3: Helicopter

A few weeks later, I took a magical trip to the Faroe Islands.

The highlight was taking an Atlantic Airways helicopter from the main international airport to the remote island of Mykines, where there are spectacular colonies of puffins and other birds.

A village in the Faroe Islands taken from a helicopter. — A village in the Faroe Islands, shortly after take-off.

In the terminal, you’re given a safety briefing before heading out to the tarmac by bus. I made sure I was the last person getting on the bus, so I was the first person out. I then managed to secure a window seat in the helicopter. I didn’t mind which side of the helicopter I was on, as there were great views on either side.

The flight lasts just 11 minutes, so opportunities for taking images are limited. On this flight, I had window reflections again, but this time I also had the added problem of heat coming off the helicopter into the cold European air marring my view occasionally.

I still managed to get some photos I was happy with. However, as I’ve said before, think of any photos as a bonus, rather than the reason you take the flight. As always, look for other photographic opportunities – I took some photos of the helicopter on the landing pad at Mykines.

Your guide to better aerial photos — The stunning coastline of the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic.

Conclusion

An aerial adventure is a lot of fun, but make sure you’re prepared before you take off. A zoom lens with a wide-to-mid focal range should be perfect, but make sure you use a large capacity, fast SD card. Also, make sure you prepare the night before your flight and ensure all your equipment and settings are ready to go.

The most important piece of advice is to have fun and enjoy your time in the air. Don’t spend the entire flight looking through your viewfinder.

I hope this helps you capture better aerial photos on your next flight. Remember to think of them as a bonus, rather than the main reason you took the flight.

Feel free to share any of your aerial photography stories or photos with us in the comments.

The post Top Tips for Capturing Better Aerial Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.

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Tamron announces versatile 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 zoom lens for E-mount

11 Jun

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Tamron has introduced the 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD zoom lens for full-frame Sony mirrorless bodies. This compact lens is just 11.7cm (4.6″) long and weighs in at 576g (20.3oz).

It features a total of 18 elements, including glass-molded aspherical, hybrid aspherical, extra low-dispersion (known as XLD) and low-dispersion elements. A ‘BBAR’ coating reduces flare and ghosting. The minimum focus distance is just 19.1cm (7.5″) at wide-angle and 80cm (31.5″) at telephoto.

The 28-200 uses a stepping motor for autofocus (‘RXD’ in Tamron-speak) that the company says keeps focus noise to a minimum, making it ideal for video. It is threaded for 67mm filters. The lens is moisture resistant, and the front element’s fluorine coating helps to repel oil and water.

The 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD is expected to go on sale in late June for $ 729, though Tamron notes that the ship date is subject to change due to possible supply chain issues related to COVID-19.

Press release:

Tamron Announces Launch of the World’s First[1] All-In-One Zoom Lens Starting at F2.8 for Sony E-Mount Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras

28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD (Model A071)

June 10, 2020, Commack, NY – Tamron announces the launch of the 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD (Model A071), an all-in-one zoom lens for Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras. The lens is scheduled to be available on June 25 at $ 729. Due to the spread of COVID-19, the release date or the product supply schedule could be delayed.

In 1992, Tamron demonstrated breakthrough innovation with the release of the AF 28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 Aspherical (Model 71D), a compact and lightweight all-in-one zoom lens. The amazingly compact size, light weight and reasonable price made the lens immediately wildly popular with photographers around the world. In the years since, Tamron has continued to be a pioneer in the category, releasing epoch-making all-in-one zooms tailored to each era, including the recent 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD (Model B028) that boasts the world’s highest magnification of 22.2x [2] and which currently enjoys robust sales. The new 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 is a distillation of all Tamron’s accumulated all-in-one zoom expertise and has been specifically developed as an all-in-one zoom for daily use on a full-frame mirrorless camera. Tamron chose Model A071 as the model name in a nod to “71” representing the world’s original compact all-in-one zoom.

The 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 is the first all-in-one-zoom in the world [1] to achieve a maximum aperture of F2.8 at the 28mm wide-angle end. To assure superb optical performance, it features a precise arrangement of special lens elements that accommodate the increasingly high resolutions of today’s digital cameras. Enabling high quality image rendering throughout the zoom range, the lens responds to users’ photographic expressions in powerful style. Moreover, with its 4.6” length, 20.3 oz. weight, and filter diameter of a mere 67mm, the 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 offers excellent portability. When combined with a compact, lightweight full-frame mirrorless camera, it allows photographers to capture virtually every scene they encounter in daily use, travel, sports and nature.

The 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 takes the convenience of an all-in-one zoom (which incorporates various angles of view from wide to telephoto in a single lens) and adds a fast-maximum aperture of F2.8 and superb image quality to enhance the potential for photographic applications. Breaking conventional limitations and broadening the horizons of photographic possibilities, this zoom lens writes a new chapter in the history of the all-in-one zoom lens.

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS

1. The world’s first F2.8 all-in-one zoom lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras
A remarkable first for an all-in-one zoom lens: the 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 achieves a fast F2.8 aperture at the 28mm wide-angle end. Additionally, maximum apertures at intermediate zoom ranges are F3.5 at 50mm, F4.5 at 100mm, and F5.6 at 150mm through 200mm. As an unprecedented all-in-one zoom that combines fast aperture with compact size, the 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 delivers greater versatility and usefulness than ever before available.

2. Lightweight and compact size for superior mobility
Tamron’s series of full-frame mirrorless camera lenses, starting with the 28-75mm F2.8 (Model A036), has been developed with the overall goal of balancing high performance with convenience. In addition to the series-standard 67mm filter diameter, and leveraging the camera integrated image stabilization, engineers concentrated on achieving compact size and light weight. Length is just 4.6”, maximum diameter is 74mm, and the weight is a mere 20.3 oz. With a size that offers excellent portability, the lens lightens your load, allowing you to travel comfortably and shoot unencumbered.

3. Uncompromising image quality that lets you focus on creativity
This new zoom lens contains 18 elements in 14 groups. A generous assortment of special lens elements that includes GM (Glass Molded Aspherical), hybrid aspherical, XLD (eXtra Low Dispersion) and LD (Low Dispersion) lens elements is precisely arranged to effectively control chromatic and other aberrations, enabling high resolving power. Meanwhile, the BBAR (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection) Coating provides powerful anti-reflection properties to effectively reduce ghosting and flare, resulting in clear and crisp images. In-camera correction features are utilized to mitigate distortion and shading to achieve uniformly high image quality from edge-to-edge at all zoom settings. Tamron has concentrated all its all-in-one zoom technologies into achieving optical performance that sets a new standard among existing all-in-one zoom lenses. From casual snaps to serious photos, this single lens lets you enjoy a wide range of shooting situations with complete freedom of composition.

4. Superior up-close shooting performance
The 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 delivers superior close-up shooting performance for an all-in-one zoom. At the 28mm wide-angle end the MOD (Minimum Object Distance) is 7.5”, achieving a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.1. This performance, combined with the fast F2.8 aperture, allows users to move in close so that the subject is large while simultaneously showcasing a beautifully blurred background. Close-up shooting is remarkable at the telephoto end as well, with an MOD of 31.5” and maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.8. Users can capture impressive images with highly blurred backgrounds and create exceptional compositions.

5. The RXD stepping motor unit is exceptionally quiet?
The AF drive incorporates a sensor that accurately detects the position of the lens while the RXD motor unit delivers optimized AF control. This achieves very fast and accurate autofocus operation, allowing users to maintain tack-sharp focus on continuously moving subjects or when filming video. The exceedingly quiet operation is an important advantage because it virtually eliminates extraneous sounds during video recording. In addition, the compact configuration of the RXD AF drive system contributes to the unprecedented size and weight reduction.

6. A full family of superb, compact lenses made especially for mirrorless cameras
The 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 zoom is based on Tamron’s stratagem of creating a series* of lenses for full-frame mirrorless cameras that leverage the characteristics of compact camera bodies. Consequently, photographers can more easily enjoy various combinations of interchangeable lenses. For example, when the Model A071 is combined with the 17-28mm F2.8 (Model A046), the combined weight of the two lenses is less than 35.1 oz. This lightweight, portable zoom set covers everything from wide-angle to telephoto with a zoom range of 17-200mm. Additionally, when combined with a lens from Tamron’s series of fixed focal lenses such as the 20mm F2.8 (Model F050) or 24mm F2.8 (Model F051), the weight is less than 28.2 oz., expanding the possibilities of shooting at the wide-angle end without adding excessive weight or bulk.

All lenses in the series share the common filter diameter of 67mm, thereby eliminating the hassle associated with using different size filters and lens caps. Costly filters (e.g., PL, ND, etc.) can be shared instead of buying separate units for each lens. In this way, Tamron has expanded its series of lenses to make it truly practical to carry multiple lenses at the same time.

7. Moisture-Resistant Construction, Fluorine Coating, and Zoom Lock switch
Seals are located at the lens mount area and other critical locations to deter infiltration of moisture and/or rain drops and afford Moisture-Resistant Construction. This feature provides an additional layer of protection when shooting outdoors under adverse weather conditions. Also, the front surface of the lens element is coated with a protective fluorine compound that has excellent water- and oil-repellant qualities. The lens surface is easier to wipe clean and is less vulnerable to the damaging effects of dirt, moisture or oily fingerprints, allowing for much easier maintenance. Additionally, the handy Zoom Lock switch prevents unwanted barrel extension during transportation.

8. Compatible with main camera-specific features* and functions

Tamron’s new 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 is compatible with many of the advanced features that are specific to certain mirrorless cameras. These include the following:
– Fast Hybrid AF
– Eye AF
– Direct Manual Focus (DMF)
– In-camera lens correction (shading, chromatic aberration, distortion)
– Camera-based lens unit firmware updates

1) Maximum aperture in zoom range among currently available all-in-one interchangeable zoom lenses with a zoom ratio of 7x or higher (As of May 2020: Tamron)
2) Among interchangeable lenses for DSLR cameras (As of May 2017: Tamron)

* Tamron lineup of lenses with 67mm filter diameter for full-frame mirrorless cameras: 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III RXD (Model A036), 17-28mm F/2.8 Di III RXD (Model A046), 20mm/24mm/35mm F/2.8 Di III OSD (Model F050/F051/F053), 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD (Model A056)

Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD specifications

Principal specifications
Lens type	Zoom lens
Max Format size	35mm FF
Focal length	28–200 mm
Image stabilization	No
Lens mount	Sony FE
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F2.8–5.6
Minimum aperture	F16–32
Aperture ring	No
Number of diaphragm blades	7
Optics
Elements	18
Groups	14
Special elements / coatings	Aspherical, hybrid aspherical, extra-low dispersion, low-dispersion elements + BBAR coating
Focus
Minimum focus	0.19 m (7.48″)
Maximum magnification	0.32×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Stepper motor
Full time manual	Yes
Focus method	Internal
Distance scale	No
DoF scale	No
Physical
Weight	576 g (1.27 lb)
Diameter	74 mm (2.91″)
Length	117 mm (4.61″)
Sealing	Yes
Colour	Black
Zoom method	Rotary (extending)
Zoom lock	Yes
Filter thread	67 mm
Hood supplied	Yes
Tripod collar	No

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Panasonic S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 pre-production sample gallery (DPReview TV)

11 Jun

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The Panasonic Lumix S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 is a compact, lightweight wide zoom lens for L-mount bodies. See how it looks in this pre-production sample gallery shot by our crew at DPReview TV.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Ricoh launches ‘Street Edition’ version of its GR III with new paint and custom accessories

11 Jun

Ricoh Imaging has announced the release of the GR III Street Edition Special Limited Kit, a limited edition camera package that includes a new look and exclusive accessories.

The updated look gives the GR III a textured metallic grey paint job that Ricoh claims was chosen ‘to appeal to a street photographer, evoking the asphalt pavement in the city.’ Also new in this limited edition camera is the orange-yellow lens barrel ring that Ricoh says is ‘reminiscent of traffic lines painted on streets.’

Beyond the new paint job, the Ricoh GR III Street Edition comes with a detachable viewfinder with the same metallic grey finish (the standard version of this finder retails for $ 250), as well as a genuine- leather hand strap, the latter of which has an orange-yellow stopper meant to match the lens barrel ring. When turned off, the camera will also display a street-view image as well as a specialized product logo.

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Internally, the new Street Edition version of the GR III is identical to its less-colorful counterpart, complete with the 24MP APS-C sensor, the 28mm equiv. F2.8 lens and the hybrid autofocus system.

However, this camera will include Ricoh’s new ‘Full Press Snap’ feature, which allows users to pre-define a focal point and have the lens immediately snap focus to that point upon fully depressing the shutter and/or tapping the back LCD display. Ricoh notes this feature will be available on the standard GR III via a firmware update after the release of this limited edition camera, but no specific timeframe is mentioned.

The Ricoh GR III Street Edition Special Limited Kit is limited to 3500 units worldwide and is set to launch mid-July for $ 1199/£1099. If you don’t care for the entire kit or miss out on the limited-run, don’t fret — this coming autumn, standalone GR III Street Edition units will be available (no pricing information has been shared at this time).

Press release:

Ricoh launches RICOH GR III Street Edition Special Limited Kit

Limited-quantity package featuring high-end digital compact camera with a stylish metallic gray body and exclusive accessories

PARSIPPANY, NJ, June 10, 2020 – Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation today announced the launch of the RICOH GR III Street Edition Special Limited Kit. Available in a limited quantity of 3,500 units worldwide, the kit combines the RICOH GR III camera body, finished in a metallic gray color, with a compact, detachable viewfinder and a genuine-leather hand strap, both designed exclusively for this package.

Offering the same high image quality as the standard RICOH GR III, the small, lightweight camera body has been treated with a metallic gray finish designed to appeal to a street photographer, evoking the asphalt pavement in the city. The finish features an elegantly grained texture that is smooth in appearance but helps improve camera grip. It’s accentuated with an orange-yellow lens barrel ring, reminiscent of traffic lines painted on streets.

In addition to the camera, the kit includes a pair of exclusive accessories: a compact, detachable viewfinder featuring the identical metallic gray finish and a genuine-leather hand strap. The viewfinder has the number 28 imprinted on its top panel to highlight the camera’s angle of view, while the strap’s stopper is finished in orange-yellow identical to the camera’s lens barrel ring.

This camera allows the photographer to instantly activate the Full Press Snap feature* with a single touch on the LCD panel. This feature shifts the lens to a preselected focal point the moment the shutter release button is fully pressed. It can also be assigned to the LCD screen, assuring the photographer of flawless point-and-shoot photography to capture once-in-a-lifetime shutter opportunities. One of the strong points of the GR series, this feature comes in handy when taking snapshots on the street and will be available in the standard GR III via a firmware update that is scheduled for release later this year.

The RICOH GR III Street Edition, a high-grade digital compact camera that doesn’t include the viewfinder and the strap, is also scheduled to be launched in the autumn of 2020.

Pricing and Availability

The RICOH GR III Street Edition Special Limited Kit will be available mid-July at www.us.ricoh- imaging.com as well as at select Ricoh Imaging-authorized retail outlets nationwide for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $ 1199.95.

Main Features of the RICOH GR III Street Edition Special Limited Kit

The camera body has been treated with an attractive metallic gray finish that designed to appeal to a street photographer, symbolizing the asphalt pavement in the city. It’s also accentuated with an orange-yellow ring encircling the lens barrel. The exterior finish features an elegantly grained texture created by repeatedly spraying droplets of a coating material onto the camera body. Although smooth in appearance, this special paint also helps improve camera hold.

The camera comes with a pair of exclusive accessories: a compact, detachable viewfinder featuring the identical metallic gray finish, and a genuine-leather hand strap. The viewfinder has the number 28 imprinted on its top panel to highlight the camera’s angle-of-view, while the strap’s stopper is finished in orange-yellow identical to the camera’s lens barrel ring, to enhance the product image.

This camera allows the photographer to instantly activate the Full Press Snap feature* with a single touch on the LCD panel positioned on the camera’s back panel. This feature shifts the lens to a preselected focal point the moment the shutter release button is fully depressed. It can also be assigned to the LCD screen positioned on the camera’s back panel, assuring the photographer of flawless point-and-shoot photography to capture once-in-a-lifetime shutter opportunities. One of the strong points of the GR series, this feature comes in handy when taking snapshots on the street.

* This feature can be added to the standard GR III model by installing function expansion firmware, which is scheduled to be released after the time of the camera’s launch.

When the camera’s power is turned off, the camera displays an original termination screen consisting of the specially designed product logo and a street-view image that symbolizes the camera’s “street snapshot” concept.

Notes:

• The camera’s other specifications are identical with those of the standard GR III model.

• The design and specifications are subject to change without notice.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Delkin Devices unveils new 2TB CFexpress Type B card with read speeds up to 1,730MB/s

11 Jun

Hot on the heels of ProGrade Digital’s new 1TB CFexpress Type B card, Delkin Devices has unveiled its new 2TB CFexpress Type B card, the highest-capacity CFexpress Type B card to date.

The new CFexpress Type B cards use a PCIe 3.0 interface and NVMe storage to achieve read and write speeds up to 1,730MB/s and 1,430MB/s, respectively, meaning it’s not only higher-capacity than ProGrade Digital’s ‘Gold label’ cards, but also faster. Delkin Devices says each of its cards undergoes ‘extensive testing to ensure full functionality and performance’ with the latest CFexpress compatible camera systems.

A compatibility chart from Delkin Digital showing what cameras the card has already been approved for use in and what camera models it’s currently testing the cards with.

In addition to the standard lifetime warranty, these new cards also come with Delkin Device’s 48HR Replacement Guarantee, which states that Delkin Devices ‘will happily replace any non-working card within 48 hours or less (not including weekends), prior to receiving your non-working card.’ In the event you have an authorized Delkin Devices retailer nearby, you can also pick up the replacement in-person — just be sure to register your card.

No pricing or availability information is given, but Delkin’s 1TB version of this card has a list price of $ 1,000 but is currently available for $ 700 at Adorama and $ 890 at B&H. Being the press release is live, we expect it won’t take long before the 2TB model becomes available.

https://www.the-digital-picture.com/News/News-Post.aspx?News=34868

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Fujifilm releases minor firmware updates for seven of its XC, XF lenses

11 Jun

Fujifilm has released minor firmware updates for seven of its Fujinon XC and XF lenses.

The company doesn’t elaborate on what exactly was fixed in each of the firmware updates other than a ‘fix of minor bugs.’ Still, for the sake of keeping up to date and preventing any of these unmentioned ‘minor bugs’ from affecting your workflow, it’s well worth it to download the update(s) and apply them to your Fujinon lenses.

Below is a list of each of the lenses and a link to their respective firmware updates:

XF 10–24mm F4 — firmware version 1.13
XC 15–45mm F3.5–5.6 — firmware version 1.03
XC 16–50mm F3.5–5.6 OIS II — firmware version 1.12
XF 18–55mm F2.8–4 — firmware version 3.23
XF 18–135mm F3.5–5.6 — firmware version 1.12
XC 50–230mm F4.5–6.7 OIS II — firmware version 1.11
XF80mm F2.8 — firmware version 1.12

Instructions on how to install the new firmware are listed on each of the download links above.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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DPReview TV: Panasonic 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 first impressions

10 Jun

The new Panasonic S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 is smaller and lighter than a constant aperture zoom and could be a great option for wide angle shooters using L-mount cameras. Chris and Jordan got their hands on a pre-production unit and tell us what they think.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

Introduction
Physical size
Sample images
Flare and sunstars
Chromatic abberation and bokeh
Sharpness
Video performance
Sunset samples
Who's it for?

Sample gallery from this episode

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How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier

10 Jun

The post How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.

Keeping track of the photos you’ve taken is a vital element of the photography workflow. In this article, you’ll learn about different ways you can catalog and store your photos. This is important because, first of all, you’ll want to be able to easily find the photos that you took several years ago. You’ll also want to review your photos periodically to see where you can improve your work. This is easier with a well-managed photo library. Let’s take a look at the options available to you then.

How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier — Keeping your photo library up to date is vital.

Will you catalog and store your photos in the cloud?

The options available to store large amounts of file data have grown in recent years. It’s a good job because the amount of memory most photographers go through has also grown. The biggest rule here is that if you only have one copy of something, you might as well have none. The day your hard drive fails means you could lose everything, so diversify and keep multiple copies. Let’s look at some of the options you could take.

Internal hard drive

The first and most convenient place to store your photos is on your computers internal hard drive. Doing this means the files are easy to reach, and you don’t need to play around with wires to plug other devices in.

The drawback here, of course, is that most internal hard drives are limited in storage capacity, even more so if you’re using a laptop. At best, keeping photos on your internal hard drive should only be for your most recent photos. Even then, you need to back them up on a separate external hard drive.

External hard drive

The next option is to use external hard drives.

The capacity of external hard drives continues to rise, and with the introduction of solid-state hard drives, their reliability has also improved. Large external hard drives that have terabytes of storage space are the best solutions for photographers wishing to back up their work. While you can have storage from flashcards and pen drives, it’s realistically far too small to database your library.

A word of warning though, most hard drives have a shelf life. That means for each external hard drive you have, you need a separate backup external hard drive.

Cloud services

The newest version of storage is cloud storage. It’s become increasingly popular, and with good reason. Companies that provide these services need to ensure your data is protected, as a result they need to keep several copies in the event one of their storage systems goes down. Your files being kept in a remote location is also safer, especially if you use cloud storage in conjunction with an external hard drive.

Dropbox – One of the first cloud storage services, they offer a good service.
Adobe – Anyone using Adobe products can sign up and store their photos on Adobe’s servers.
iCloud – Those using apple products will be familiar with the iCloud, it works as a hub to link up all your devices.

The downside to this type of service is that there is an ongoing subscription fee if you want storage sizes capable of backing up your photography. That compares with an external hard drive that has a one time fee. You’re also reliant on a fast, reliable internet connection, something you might not find if you’re traveling somewhere that’s more remote.

What’s the best solution?

Burning to a DVD was once a way you’d store photo library’s, but this has now become outdated as storage size has far outstripped this method. The best solution is to diversify. Keep backup copies of your photos on separate external hard drives, and use a cloud service for that extra protection.

Which is the best software to use for your library?

Now you know what hardware you’ll use to store your photos, the next step is to decide which program you’re going to use to store them. Once again, there are several options, and here are some of them.

Catalog in folders

One option is to simply set up folders, and then subfolders on your hard drive. You can use these to store individual sets of photos. The problem is this takes a lot of work, and could quickly become disorganized if you’re not on top of it all the time.

Apple Photos

Apple Photos is now the default photo storage program that comes with apple devices, be that a phone or a computer. It’s taken over from the older iPhoto, and the concept with the program is to share between devices. That means all your files will be synced to the iCloud account you have. You’ll likely need to pay the subscription fee for this functionality to be of any use.

The program comes with some basic editing functions, with the ability to catalog your photos into albums. You can further organize your work by putting these albums into folders. You can download Apple photos to use with windows as well.

Adobe Bridge and Lightroom

Adobe is the choice of many photographers, especially Adobe Lightroom.

There are actually two separate programs to create a library from. The two programs create folders on your hard drive, as opposed to Apple Photos, that has a closed-off app.

You can select the folder you’re going to use, so putting these photos on an external hard drive will work well.

Bridge and Lightroom allow you to organize your photos by folder, but you can also put them into collections. Where Lightroom differs from Bridge is that it offers an advanced photo editing suite. For many photographers, this is all they need.

As is becoming increasingly standard, there is also the option to store your photos in Adobe’s cloud service through these programs.

Other options

There are many other options you can use to organize and store your photos. If you’re using a Mac, using Photos or Lightroom is probably the best move. If you’re using a Windows machine, Lightroom is a great option. However you could buy a different program if you wish, this article gives a list of some of the possible alternative options.

How will you subdivide your collection into folders?

The last step in organizing your photos is putting them into categories that will make them easy to find. This comes down to some basic organization. Typically, you’ll want to start with a broad way of labeling photos, and then get more specific for the subfolders you put these photos into.

The year

Every year it’s time to reset and look again at your photos. It’s also a good time to begin a new folder for that year’s photos. In doing this, you’ll prevent any folder or library from becoming too large.

The location

This is a category you can obviously narrow down further from the broad area of just the location. The following are some suggestions on how you might do just that.

Country – Every time you make a trip to a new country, this should have its own folder. In fact, you might decide to make a whole new library with the year and country as the title for this library.
City/Town/Village – The next step down from the country is the place you visit within that country. Often an urban center of some description will be the next folder you use.
National park – Visiting an area of natural beauty will be high on the landscape photographer list. These are often national parks, so this would also form a folder.
District/Market/Lake/Mountain – To further narrow down where the photo was taken, look to the district or market you visited in an urban center. Likewise, if you’re in the countryside, look for things like lakes or mountains to signify the photo’s location.

The day

Now you’re getting down to the nitty gritty of how to catalog and store your photos.

How you apply this to your organizational structure will depend. If you’re visiting a country for one week you might dispense with the city or national park, and just name each day France day 1, France day 2 and so on. However, if you’re in a country for longer, you might decide to use Paris day 1, Paris day 2, Lyon day 1, and so on.

The event

Photographing at festivals and events is a great way of getting unique photos, as they’re dynamic and you’ll be constantly on the lookout for moments of capture. Events like these will typically lead you to take many photos. If the event lasts several days, you’ll likely want to catalog by day.

The photography technique

Another approach to organizing your photos is to do it by type. In this case, you might be working on a photographic project, and you’ll want to keep all the photos of a particular type together. Below are a few examples you could try.

Color – Take a series of photos that are all the same color.
Technique – Use a technique like silhouettes, light painting or Lensball photography.
Portraits – If you’re a portrait photographer, you’ll likely want to sub-genre this topic. If you’re a travel photographer, it might form its own folder.
Street – Street photography is a great topic to try out and lends well to anyone living in an urban center.
Urban – Urban photography could include things like cityscapes, architecture, or rooftop photography.

Favorites

Lastly, one of the best folders of photos any photographer can have is the favorites.

Each day you’ll choose your favorites from that day. However, at the end of the year or the end of a trip, it’s worth refining your selection further. To do this, go back over your favorites from each day and pick the very best images. Then use those images to create a portfolio folder for your very best work.

What’s your preferred way to catalog and store your photos?

There is a definite process you need to follow when you catalog and store your photos. This article lays out where and how to store photos so that you don’t lose control of your database of images.

There are many ways to do this, so how do you catalog and store your photos? If you use a different approach, we’d love to hear your ideas in the comments section.

Likewise, if you use any of the approaches in this article, which have you found the best? It’s always good to be organized, so organize your photos today so you can add more of them to your collection tomorrow!

The post How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.

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MS Optics is back with a 24mm F2 Leica M-mount lens that’s almost as small as a body cap

10 Jun

A comparison between the 24mm F/2 Aporia and a standard Leica body cap.

Boutique Japanese optics manufacturer MS Optics has released its latest bespoke lens, a 24mm F2 pancake lens for Leica M-mount cameras.

The MS Optics Aporia 24mm F2 M-mount lens is a return to Miyazaki’s specialty — wide-angle pancake lenses. This Gauss lens is barely larger than a Leica M body cap, yet manages to pack inside six elements in four groups and a focusing range from .5m (1.5ft) to infinity.

We promise that’s a lens on the Zeiss Ikon.

According to MS Optics founder and lens designer, Mr. Sadayasu Miyazaki, Gauss lenses tend to struggle with ‘coma flare from mid-frame into the corners causing reduced contrast and peripheral light falloff.’ Miyazaki says it was a struggle to get around this shortcoming, he’s managed to ‘bring it to a satisfactory level of performance’ thanks to low-dispersion elements.

The lens measures just 50mm (_2”) diameter, 5.8mm (.23”) thick and weighs just 45g (₁.59oz) — roughly the weight of a golf ball. Below are a few sample photos, captured by Bellamy Hunt of Japan Camera Hunter (JCH):

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The 24mm F2 Aporia is being stocked in very limited numbers on the JCH website in gold, black chrome and silver chrome. Right now all models are sold out, but Bellamy Hunt of JCH tells us units are currently being put through quality assurance and will go live ’in the coming weeks.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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