Nikon Rumors is reporting that Nikon will be announcing two new mirrorless cameras this year, the Z6s and Z7s. As the names suggest, these alleged models will be incremental updates to the current Z6 and Z7 models.
According to Nikon Rumors’ report, the two rumored cameras will use the same sensors as their respective predecessors but feature dual Expeed processors. Other rumored specifications include a new EN-EL15c battery, USB-C powering, dual memory card slots (assumed to be dual CFexpress), 4K60p video and have the option to use an add-on vertical grip, which would be sold as an optional accessory.
Nikon Rumors says it expects the announcement to be made in October 2020, but as with all things this year, there’s the chance it could be pushed back to a further date.
Canon UK has confirmed it will be hosting a livestream event for what it calls its ‘biggest product launch yet.
According to the microsite on Canon UK’s website, the ‘Reimagine’ event will take place at 14:00 CEST on July 9. In addition to the vague ‘product launch’ teaser, Canon Ambassadors and experts will also be hosting a Q&A during the event to talk about ‘Canon’s latest additions to its product range.’
The sign-up form, which appears as a pop-up dialog box on Canon UK’s microsite for the event.
The event will be livestreamed on YouTube, where Canon suggests it will be taking questions from the live comments feed. You can sign up to be notified of the event on Canon UK’s microsite.
Becca Farsace, Video Director at The Verge, has shared a video detailing how she built her own Raspberry Pi camera with no coding experience.
The nine-minute video is a fun overview of what it took to turn a Raspberry Pi 4 computer into a fully-functioning interchangeable-lens camera with the help of Raspberry Pi’s new HQ Camera add-on, a three-inch touchscreen, a spare lens or two from Becca’s 16mm Bolex camera and a sacrificial Ninoka nk-700 film camera.
Since Becca isn’t too familiar with Python, the coding language needed to build apps for the Raspberry Pi 4 computer, she had more than a few hurdles to clear before she could get shooting. However, with the help of her Instagram followers, the camera’s manual and plenty of perseverance over the course of a few days, she was able to get a program up and running that allowed her to capture images.
The resulting ‘Becca Cam’ is far from intuitive (particularly when the keyboard is required) and quality of images captured with the camera isn’t going to blow anyone away, but for a 1.0 product built with zero coding knowledge, it’s impressive.
Becca shared links to all of the materials and code used to create the camera (aside from the frame, which was hacked together from an old film camera), so if you’re feeling like making your own camera, follow the video link and pick up the required components.
This past February, Canon announced the development of its next full-frame mirrorless camera, the EOS R5. At the time, details were scarce, but a month later Canon followed up with new information confirming the forthcoming camera will offer 8K/30p video as well as ‘advanced animal AF.’
Despite the initial and additional information, plenty remains unknown about exactly what features and specifications the EOS R5 will offer, as well as how the specifications provided by Canon will actually be implemented (i.e. what codec will the 8K/30p video use and what’s the bitrate?).
A Canon EOS R5 under glass at WPPI earlier this year.
As you might expect, the rumor mill has been churning away, with whispers of more detailed specifications and even some suggestions that further hardware might be on the way in addition to the EOS R5. With all of that in mind, what are you hoping to see from Canon when the official launch takes place? Leave a comment and let us know, and we’ll publish a roundup of the most-requested features soon.
The post The Five Key Features on any Street Photography Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Are you struggling to choose the perfect street photography camera?
You’ve come to the right place.
Because while picking the perfect camera for street photography can be tough, it doesn’t have to be.
In fact, there are five basic features you’re going to want with any street photography body. While finding them all in a single camera can be tough, depending on your current lens lineup and preferred system, I’d recommend getting a camera that offers as many as possible.
And if you can find a camera that includes all of these features, you know it’s going to be a great street shooting option.
Let’s dive right in:
50mm | f/1.8 | 1/320s | ISO 200
1. A compact body
When you look for a street photography camera, the very first aspect you’ll want to consider is size.
Because here’s the thing about street photography:
The less that people notice your camera, the better.
50mm | f/2.8 | 1/320s | ISO 200
As soon as people start to see your camera, they get nervous, you get nervous, and photography becomes uncomfortable.
And while it’s inevitable that your camera will be seen, the smaller it is, the less this will happen.
That’s why I recommend you get the most compact camera you can find. Or, at least, a camera that offers a small form factor.
One option is a higher-end point-and-shoot camera, such as the Fujifilm X100V. That camera is tiny but still manages to offer excellent image quality.
But if you’re a fan of interchangeable lens cameras, you have other options. Some APS-C mirrorless cameras are designed to be near pocket-sized, including models such as Sony’s a6000 series, or the Fujifilm X-T200. Same with quite a few Micro-Four-Thirds cameras, such as the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III.
These bodies are light, they’re compact, and they’re some of the most inconspicuous cameras I’ve ever come across.
(Another advantage of a compact body is that they’re easy to carry around. You can take a Fujifilm X-T100 with you wherever you go, so that you never miss a shot!)
So start your search by looking for a small body, and only then should you consider the rest of the features on this list.
If you want to capture close-up candid shots of people, I recommend a compact street photography camera. 50mm | f/3.5 | 1/200s | ISO 200
By the way:
It’s not just the camera that should be small; you’ll want small lenses, as well. One of the best ways to ensure you have plenty of small lenses to choose from is by working with a Micro-Four-Thirds camera (offered by both Panasonic and Olympus).
These systems have unusually compact lenses, thanks to their smaller sensor size.
2. A high continuous shooting speed
If you’re planning on doing lots of street photography, then you’re going to need a camera that shoots fast.
Why?
Because the best street photos tend to involve a convergence of elements. Three people are perfectly aligned with a building, a person makes a sudden strange expression, or a biker passes in front of an interesting facade.
The ability to shoot frame after frame is key when shooting images like this. 50mm | f/2.8 | 1/200s | ISO 250
And you’re going to miss out on these moments…
…unless your camera can fire off a burst of shots in quick succession.
I’d recommend a continuous shooting speed of at least five frames per second, and more is better. For me, the 8-10 range is ideal, which you can find on quite a few cameras these days.
And honestly, anything more than 10 fps is overkill for most street photography purposes. You’ll run through your memory cards ridiculously fast, and end up with a huge amount of unnecessary shots.
You’ll also want to get a camera with a decent buffer. There’s no use in being able to shoot at 10 fps if you can only capture 15 frames. So I recommend you look for a camera with a buffer of at least 25 RAW files (and more is better!).
50mm | f/3.5 | 1/160s | ISO 320
3. Excellent autofocus with strong eye detection
As I said above, street photography happens fast.
And you’re often reacting to moments that come and go instantly.
24mm | f/8 | 1/200s | ISO 320
That’s why the best street photography cameras have lightning-fast autofocus and, ideally, face/eye detection.
I’m talking about systems that can nail focus instantly, as well as track a subject through a complex array of objects without losing focus.
For this latter requirement, a great option is any of the more recent Sony a6000 models (including the a6100, the a6400, and the a6600). These cameras offer fantastic tracking, great AF speeds, and amazing Eye AF.
A camera with fast autofocus will allow you to seize the moment and grab shots like this! f/3.5 | 1/640s| ISO 320
Now, it is possible to do street photography with a less AF-adept camera. But you’ll frequently struggle, especially when trying to lock focus for spur-of-the-moment shots.
You’ll also want good AF for situations when you’re shooting from your LCD or from the hip. If your camera can grab focus with ease, you’ll end up with quite a few keepers, even if you’re firing the shutter without looking!
4. A silent shooting mode
Getting a camera that can shoot in silence was a real game-changer for my street photography.
Finally, I could shoot without people realizing, and it made me feel so much less anxious.
f/2.8 | 1/640s | ISO 200
And the truth is that most street photographers feel anxious at one time or another, and a loud shutter sound just made that anxiety worse.
(If you’re a street photographer that never feels uncomfortable, please share your secret in the comments!)
In fact, I almost quit street photography. It was only once I had a camera that could do true silent shooting that I was able to resume and feel better about what I was doing.
That’s why I recommend you get a street photography camera that has some sort of silent shooting mode. Ideally, it has an electronic shutter, one that allows you to shoot in total silence (though any silent shooting mode is better than nothing at all).
You’ll want to be careful, though:
Some cameras can be restricted when using a silent shutter. For instance, my Sony a6300 can only shoot bursts at about 3 frames per second when silent, and this can be extremely frustrating. So, I’d suggest looking for a camera that can maintain both silence and fast continuous shooting speeds.
That way, you can capture bursts of action without dealing with the chatter of a camera shutter!
5. A tilting screen
This feature is a bit more optional, but it’s still useful in quite a few situations.
You see, there will be times when you want to shoot from the hip (i.e., keep your camera held down low and fire off some shots).
50mm | f/4 | 1/800s | ISO 200
I do this while walking past people on busy streets because I don’t want to bother them with the sight of my camera. And I also like the low-angle look that it creates!
Of course, you can do this blindly, and you’ll end up with some keepers.
But if you have a tilting screen…
…you can look down at the camera while you walk, in order to ensure perfect focus and composition!
Note that you don’t need a fully articulating screen, as you won’t need to shoot from ultra-strange angles. A screen that tilts up 90 degrees will do just fine.
And since we’re talking about screens, I’ll mention that a touchscreen can be pretty useful in these situations, too. If you can tap to set focus, you can quickly choose a subject while looking down at your LCD, then fire off shots as they come closer.
Make sense?
The five key features on any street photography camera: Conclusion
Choosing a camera for street shooting doesn’t have to be hard.
Just make sure it has as many of these characteristics as possible, and you’ll be capturing stunning shots in no time!
That’s the power of a great street photography camera.
50mm | f/2.8 | 1/160s | ISO 400
The post The Five Key Features on any Street Photography Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Two weeks ago, we reported on Canon’s CE-SAT-IB satellite camera, which was set to be launched alongside six other satellites aboard Rocket Labs’ Electron vehicle as part of its ‘Pics or It Didn’t Happen Mission.’ And, well, whoever chose the mission’s name might want to choose something a little less ominous next time, as in keeping with the theme of 2020, it’s been reported all payloads were destroyed during ascent due to a rocket failure.
According to Rocket Lab, its Electron vehicle, which housed Canon’s Earth-imaging camera and six other satellites, failed late in its journey after taking off from Mahia Peninsula on North Island, New Zealand (Te Ika-a-M?ui)
The optical imaging system inside the CE-SAT-1B (pictured) is based on Canon’s EOS 5D Mark III design. Image via Canon
In a Twitter post shared on July 4, Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck apologized to Rocket Lab customers, saying ‘I am incredibly sorry that we failed to deliver our customers’ satellites today. Rest assured we will find the issue, correct it and be back on the pad soon.’
No specific cause for the issue has been shared at this time, but the launch video, which was live-streamed for the world to see (and embedded below), shows the video feed from the Electron rocket cutting out just shy of six minutes into its flight. Not long after, you can hear a Rocket Lab team member say the less-than-inspiring phrase ‘initiating mishap response plan.’
In a press release, Rocket Lab further elaborated on the incident saying ‘Today’s anomaly is a reminder that space launch can be unforgiving […] The launch team operated with professionalism and expertise to implement systems and procedures that ensured the anomaly was managed safely.’
Rocket Lab is already in the process of getting future missions in place and Canon already has its CE-SAT-IIB satellite ready for a Rocket Lab mission later this year. We have contacted Canon for comment on the incident and will update this article accordingly if we receive a response.
This sample gallery includes images from our recent review of the Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD zoom lens. Check out these photos to see how it performs, from wide-angle to telephoto and everything in between.
The post Tips for Organizing Photos in Capture One Pro appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
No matter which RAW photo editor you use, organizing your photos is probably one of the least enjoyable tasks in your photography workflow. However, setting up your catalogs correctly, or making changes to its structure, can ultimately save you a lot of valuable time. In this article, I’ll give you some tips to get you started on organizing photos in Capture One.
Capture One Pro Worksapce
Setting up your Catalog for success
Capture One offers you the ability to work in Catalogs or Sessions. It’s recommended that you work with both.
A Catalog in Capture One functions like a Catalog in Lightroom in that it helps you organize large libraries of images; however, it offers more functionality. On the other hand, Sessions are great for on-set shooting and tethered shooting in studio and are an efficient way to organize the images from a specific shoot.
There are different importing strategies you can use when organizing photos in Capture One. However, before you get started, you should, decide where you’ll put your catalogs.
They don’t have to live in the same location as your photos, but your catalog should be kept in the fastest, most high-performing place you can put it – which is usually your computer’s internal hard drive.
In short, consider the performance limitations of any storage medium that you use when organizing your photos in Capture One.
Starting a new Catalog
If you’re new to Capture One, you’ll want to start a new Catalog. Creating a Catalog creates a new database; it tracks photos and adjustments, and stores metadata and keywords, and a small preview of your photos
You can have a single catalog for all of your images, which is further broken down into Sessions and Albums etc. depending on how you want to set up your workflow. You may choose to have more than one catalog; for example, a catalog for personal photos and another for client work.
I shoot food and still life photography for several stock agencies. I like to keep these images separate from my client work, as it helps me feel more organized. However, this is simply my preference. You may decide to organize your photos in Capture One differently.
How to start a new Catalog:
Navigate to File in the menu bar at the top of the Capture One workspace.
Choose New Catalog. The dialog box will appear.
Type in the name of your new catalog. Notice the location of where your catalog will be stored. You can change this by clicking the three dots to the right.
Hit OK. Now you’re ready for the import process.
Importing from an external hard drive
The chances are that you shoot a lot. If you shoot RAW files, it doesn’t take long for your computer’s hard drive to fill up with thousands of image files. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep your image files on an external hard drive to keep your computer’s performance at an optimal level.
I keep my Capture One catalog on my iMac but have my files stored on two 4TB external hard drives – my main storage drive and a backup with duplicate files.
I also shoot tethered to a laptop when I shoot for clients. In this case, I save a backup of my files on a 1TB external hard drive and upload the photos to my main external drive after my shoot.
Before you get started with importing images, make sure that your image preview size is at least as large as your monitor, to ensure that they render properly. You can set this in your Preferences.
How to import from an external hard drive:
Go to File and choose Import Images. A Dialog box will pop up. Choose your external drive from the dropdown under Source.
Make sure to check off Include Subfolder to see your photos in the Capture One workspace, otherwise it will appear blank.
Choose where you want to import them to under Destination. I have a file named after every calendar year on my main drive. I create folders named after the contents of the shoot. ie: Blood Oranges, Moody Whiskey, Carrot Cake, etc.
You can also create another backup and save the images to that location.
After you have chose your importing parameters, hit Import All.
Leave your photos in the current location to honor the file structure that already exists on the hard drive you are copying from.
Importing from a memory card
To import your photos from a memory card, you need a Destination folder to get them off the card. You may already have a folder in mind or you can create a new folder ie: My Photos
The dialog box will pop up once the card reader and memory card are connected to your computer. The process is the same as for importing photos from an external hard drive.
You can create Subfolders and further organize the images by date or other criteria. Capture One calls this Tokens. Tokens pull this data from the photo.
If you click on the three dots next to the Subfolder option, all of the various Tokens will come up. You can then click and drag them individually to the Format section, as well as drag them around to place them in a certain order.
Be sure to scroll down to see all the Tokens.
I usually choose to organize further by date, or date and time. Often I also include “Rights Usage Terms” to help me track licensing stats of various photos.
Once you have chosen your tokens, hit OK and then Import All.
Moving files and folders to another location
If you want to move files between folders, you can just drag and drop them. The database understands that you’re doing this within Capture One. When you attempt to do this outside of Capture One, this is where you get into trouble.
Moving outside of Capture One is slower, and you’ll have to relocate the files.
You’ll get an Offline notice and will have to locate it by right-clicking on the image and choosing Locate and navigate to where your image is. Capture One will re-establish the connection.
If you move a whole folder, it’s the same process.
You can move folders the same way you move files, and move them from your internal drive or an external drive.
Organizing with User Collections
User Collections is the best way of organizing your photos within Capture One. If you use Lightroom, you’ll be familiar with the concept of Collections.
There are too many limitations when trying to organize by folders because you can’t bring certain images together for a specific purpose, such as printing your work, unless you move them. Therefore, User Collections is the perfect solution.
There are four powerful organizational tools in User Collections:
Album
Smart Album
Project
Group
Project is like a master container to put your Albums in. You can’t just drag images here; there has to be an album inside.
Much like a physical photo album, Album is a way to organize groups of photos that have a similar theme, such as vacation photos, or photos from a wedding shoot.
How to start a User Collection
To start a User Collection, click on the + arrow to the right of the User Collections dropdown.
Then give your Collection a name and hit OK.
Smart Albums
Smart Albums are a way to take this a step further, by giving you the ability to organize with star ratings and color tags. If you’re a Lightroom user, you’ll also be familiar with this concept.
Smart Albums populate themselves based on the criteria you pick. If you click off a star or rating, it will disappear from the collection, because this feature is dynamic.
Click + to add your search criteria, or use preset color and star ratings.
Conclusion
Organizing your photos in Capture One takes some effort and experimentation using the various tools the software has to offer. It’s a powerful program that has a lot of intuitive tools to help you create the most efficient workflow for your photography.
If you have any other tips for organizing your photos in Capture One, let us know in the comments!
The post Tips for Organizing Photos in Capture One Pro appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
Paddling in blue: blue sky, blue paddleboard, blue paddler, blue leash … Happy accident or conscious color selection? I am not sure. This picture in from my morning paddling in May on Beaver Pond in Arapaho Bend Natural Area, one […] paddling with a camera
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The post 15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.
In this article, we’re going to share 15 quick and easy poses for family photographs to try at your next family photo session to keep it moving smoothly. You will also have great poses to choose from when it comes time to deliver the images to your clients.
These poses are useful for all family sizes and types so that you have a great variety to deliver once complete.
Canon EOS 5D, Canon EF 85mm F1.8 USM, 1/250th, f/2.8, ISO 250
1. Standing poses
When it comes to photographing families, a standing pose is a great choice. This way, you’ll be able to see all family members in the portrait.
Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 50mm F1.8 USM II, 1/1250th, f/2.2, ISO 400
You can vary the standing pose with the family close together, connecting in one way or another with hands. Having the family get close can help to create more of a connection between the family members.
Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 28-105mm F3.5-4.5 USM, 28mm, 1/160th, f/8, ISO 400
Another great standing pose is where you give each person a little bit of space and take a wide shot. This works for small and large families!
2. Group squeeze
A group squeeze is another of the great poses for family photographs given that it can bring about some genuine smiles from the family, which is the real focus of the pose.
Ask your clients to get close and hug each other while still facing the camera, then ask them to squeeze tight and watch the laughter happen! Take as many photos as possible of the moment as the family will love to see these natural expressions caught on camera!
3. Sitting pose
Sitting is another great pose to try. First, ask if there is anyone who has problems sitting or getting low. If there are family members with issues, try and use a chair or a posing stool.
Otherwise, have the family sit comfortably and get variations of the family looking at the camera, looking at each other, perhaps sitting a little further apart, or try to have the children behind the parents sitting a bit taller.
If you are going to use a chair or stool, it can bring about many different levels in a photograph that will make the poses more interesting. Try people behind the person sitting on the stool, move the stool/chair to the side, and have everyone fill in around.
Canon EOS 5D, Canon EF 50mm F1.8 USM II, 1/1000th, f/2, ISO 400
If you’re photographing a big family, you can even pose family members beneath the stool/chair to add to the levels.
4. Walking together
When looking for poses for family photographs, you can’t go past them walking together. It is a great pose for all families, especially if they feel a little nervous or stiff. Have them line up and walk towards you while they look at each other and laugh.
Encourage them to talk and joke amongst themselves to make the shot look a little more natural.
5. Smaller groups
This pose is for big family sessions where you’re photographing smaller groups that make up the big family. Get each smaller family alone and photograph them in two to three different poses each. Use the same poses for each family to keep the session consistent. When all the family photos are put together in a wall gallery, for example, the photos fit well together.
You don’t have to use the same pose for all, you can change it up depending on the feeling each smaller group gives you. However, when we say keep it consistent, we’re talking about the lighting, background, and focal length.
6. All mixed up
A fun way to photograph the family is to have them mix it up and then get together for a portrait. This can get the family scrambling and laughing; allowing you to get more natural smiles from the entire family.
Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 50mm F1.8 USM II, 1/320th, f/5.6, ISO 250
7. Jumping
Jumping is another of the great poses for family photographs. Capturing a jumping shot is a great way to loosen up client nerves. More than actually getting the best shot, the jumping photo is to get everyone laughing and having fun.
You can photograph the jump with the family facing you or away from you. Make sure you get low so the jump looks more dynamic.
8. Just the kids
It’s good to also get a few photographs of the children without any adults in the photos. For siblings, get them playing or hugging.
For larger groups of children, like grandchildren, get them all in a group squeeze or on different levels like piggyback, sitting/standing, or all lined up so that everyone is seen in the portrait.
You can also break down the groups of children into girls, boys, older and younger, and maybe all playing together.
9. Exploring
Nothing says meltdown like telling children to hold still and pose. To avoid a potential meltdown, allowing kids to explore their surroundings helps to keep them moving and engaged in the session.
Get the parents involved in exploring the location. It could be smelling flowers, picking up sticks, and taking in the surroundings.
This works perfectly for kids who are more sensory and for younger children. It can also help older kids feel less nervous and less focused on during the session.
10. Playful
Having fun is one of the best parts of the client experience. Making sure that your clients, especially the children, have a good time is really important.
Photograph the children building sandcastles, enjoying the playground, throwing a ball, or playing a game with their parents to help keep everything light and fun. It’s not a pose exactly that you direct, but you can choose where to have them play.
Having playful photos of the family completes the story of the session and also shows a more lighthearted side to the family. It also makes the session less stiff and serious.
Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 50mm F1.8 USM II, 1/120th, f/5.6, ISO 400
Even if you’re in a studio, you can blow bubbles, play songs, have a dance party, and play with sounds to make the session more playful. Toys are a wonderful idea for smaller children.
11. Just the adults
While getting photos of the whole family is important, getting one or two poses of the adults by themselves also works to add variety to the whole session.
If the adults are a couple, pose them together in the same location. Take one with them looking at the camera and one looking at each other. Then have them walk a little while as they talk to each other.
If they are able to sit, get a couple of photos of the couple sitting, either on steps, benches or on the grass/ground.
12. Holding hands
Holding hands is a good way to show a connection among the family members. Choose different poses, either sitting or standing, where the family is holding hands. You can vary it with big groups where some are holding hands and others are not.
This works for children to get them to stand in the same place together. It can also help to hold hands with younger children so that they don’t stray too far and are engaged in the session.
13. Being themselves
Allowing your clients to simply be themselves as a family can be just the thing to calm nerves and help the session flow much more naturally. Help them by choosing where you want them to sit or stand and then have them talk amongst themselves.
Perhaps tell a joke, dance or play. Allow the family to get natural expressions, which adds more variety to the final gallery.
14. Kisses
Families love each other and often show affection for each other. Kisses are natural and can show a real connection. You can choose to have the parents kiss while the kids make funny faces, have siblings kiss and hug, or have grandparents give kisses on the cheek.
This works best with young children like babies and toddlers to show affection and draw the baby’s attention to the parents. It also works with group squeezes with smaller family units.
15. From behind
Complete your session images with a final shot of the family from behind. This can be a silhouette or have the family overlooking the location where they are, like a beach, for example.
It can be a great photo to finish your client’s gallery with a nice contemplative photo of the family simply looking and being themselves.
In conclusion
It’s great to have 15 poses for family photographs that work for all families and all situations. Use these 15 poses, and you’ve already got a great start to your client’s gallery! Do you have any go-to poses that work for all family sessions? Share in the comments!
The post 15 Quick and Easy Poses for Family Photographs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.
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