The Sony a9 II is built for speed and power, but that doesn’t mean everything you point it at has to be moving fast. In fact, its 24MP full-frame sensor, 20 fps burst shooting (with autofocus) and 693 phase-detect AF points make it very well equipped to handle virtually any shooting scenario. Especially those with slow-moving, meandering cattle.
The post How To Take More Creative Environmental Travel Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
Including people in your travel photos creates a stronger sense of connection for anyone who views your photos. Environmental travel portraits add depth of interest to any album, presentation or book of travel images.
Adding a person to a landscape, cultural location, or market scene will almost always add appeal to the photo. Capturing locals engrossed in what they are doing can make for a more interesting picture. Stopping to chat with them and asking if you can take their portrait means a scene takes on a whole new dynamic.
Environmental travel portraits are photos of people involved in the setting they are in. They are usually connected in some way with the location. A regular portrait will typically be cropped tighter and contain little contextual information.
This is an environmental portrait of a Karen woman cooking in her home. The composition contains visual information about her lifestyle and where she lives.
Here is a portrait of a Karen woman. We were in her village when I took this photo, but there’s no visual information to tell you this.
Connect with your subject for better environmental travel portraits
Don’t be a shy photographer. Connecting with people will often result in more interesting environmental travel portraits. Even if you don’t have a common language, you can still relate to people. Showing an interest in someone and what they are doing, you can build a connection. Choosing the right people to photograph provides you with a better opportunity.
I saw this guy on the streets in Bangkok selling his genuine crocodile skin wallets. He demonstrated to an interested tourist that they were real. To do this, he poured some lighter fluid on the wallet and put a flame to it. I set my camera and approached him, requesting he repeat the process. He was most obliging and played up to my camera.
When encountering people who are totally engrossed in what they are doing it’s best to not to interrupt them. This is when it’s best to remain separate and capture candid, or semi-candid photos. I rarely hide my camera, instead, I prefer to have it out in the open so people can be aware that I’m taking photos. Most people will pay no attention, especially when you’re in a touristic area.
For this photo, I wanted to capture the young boy advertising their goods at the top of his voice. He and the older man (I presumed it was his grandfather he was helping) were aware of my presence and that I was taking photos. I was able to do so without disrupting the action.
Environmental travel portraits need to show something of your subject’s surroundings. Where you position your subject in the frame will influence how they look in their environment. As always, aim to fill your frame only with what is relevant to the photo you’re making. Compose so your subject looks connected to their surroundings.
Photographing this Akha woman picking coffee in northern Thailand, I chose to place her near the edge of the frame. I wanted to fill most of the frame with the coffee bush she was picking from. I also placed her further back from the camera and positioned myself, so there were coffee cherries closer to my lens. This helps draw your eye to the cherries and makes them more obvious.
Choosing the best lens for environmental travel portraits
The lens you use for environmental travel portraits will depend a lot on the location you are photographing in. Often a wider lens if more effective than a longer one because you’ll capture more of the location without being too far from your subject. Remember what Robert Capa said, “If your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.”
I used my 35mm lens to make this photo of a young French horn player. He was performing in a band during the Chiang Mai Flower Festival parade. Getting fairly close to him, I was also able to show other band members in my composition without including too many other distracting details in the area.
A very shallow depth of field will not often show enough detail in the environment. Too much information can be excluded. Your aim is to include enough of the environment so it adds meaning to the portrait.
Too much in focus in an environmental travel portrait can mean your subject gets lost in the background. You must be aware of how sharp or how blurred your background is. Managing your depth of field well enables you to keep the person you’re photographing as the main subject. Done well, this will encompass enough background detail without it being distracting.
I made this portrait of a samlor (tricycle taxi) rider sitting in his cab. In the background is another samlor passing by. It’s blurred enough so it’s not distracting, but you can still make out what it is, so it adds to the photo.
Careful timing can really make a difference. Watch and observe the person you are photographing and how they are interacting with their environment. Look for patterns of movement and repetition. This can often help you pick the right moment to make your portraits.
For this photo of my friend on National Elephant Day in Thailand, I waited for the elephant’s handler to give the command for the elephant to kiss her. The other elephants and tables with food for them set the scene.
Light will add feeling to your environmental travel portraits when you use it well. Look at the type of lighting in the location where you’re making your portraits. Is it conducive to the style of the portrait you wish to make? Do you need to come back at another time of the day or night? Will adding some flash improve the portrait?
Often when you’re traveling, you can’t wait for the right light, so you must make the best use of available light. When the light at the location is not great, you need to get creative and add some using a flash or reflector.
For this night portrait of a Samlor rider, I was able to position him to make the most of the light in the street market behind him. I also used my flash to illuminate him and help catch a glimpse of the motorcycle passing behind him.
Be sure to look around for items that may enhance your portraits. Including appropriate props will help make more interesting environmental travel portraits.
I’d asked this man if I could photograph him sitting outside his home in a small village in northern Thailand. As he went to sit down, he put his crutches inside, thinking I did not want to include them in the photo. I asked him if it was okay to have them in the picture too.
Be mindful of your surroundings and think about how you can make interesting pictures that tell a story. Who is this person, and how can I make a portrait that captures relevant information about their surroundings?
Please share other tips you have for creating environmental travel portraits, or some of your pictures in the comments below.
The post How To Take More Creative Environmental Travel Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
Today, Samsung unveiled its latest flagship Note devices, the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and teased a successor to its original Galaxy Fold. The new devices bring improved specifications across the board, including an upgraded three-module camera system.
While similar in name, the two devices appeal to different user bases, with the Galaxy Note 20 being the more entry-level phone, while the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra goes big across the board with a massive screen, tons of RAM and an impressive camera setup.
Galaxy Note 20
As their names suggest, the Galaxy Note 20 is the more basic of the pair, but it still has plenty to offer. The phone is built around a massive 6.7” AMOLED display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a 60Hz refresh rate. It’s constructed of Samsung’s ‘Glasstic’ plastic, uses Gorilla Glass 5 for the front display and is IP68 certified.
In North America, the device will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 Plus CPU and the global version will run on Samsung’s Exynos 990 CPU. Inside, it has 128GB of internal storage (no microSD card slot), 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, 5G, Wi-Fi 6 and a 4,300mAh battery that can charge at 25W wired and up to 15W wirelessly.
Moving onto the camera setup, the Galaxy Note 20 offers three camera modules on the back: a 12MP F1.8 optically-stabilized wide-angle camera with 1.8?m pixels, a 64MP F2.0 telephoto (hybrid 3x zoom) camera with 0.8?m pixels and a 12MP F2.2 wide-angle camera with 1.4?m pixels. The front of the devices uses a 10MP F2.2 camera module with 1.22?m pixels. As for video capture, the Galaxy Note 20 can record 8K video at up to 24fps in either 16:9 or 21:9.
The Galaxy Note 20 comes in ‘Mystic Gray,’ ‘Mystic Green’ and Mystic Bronze, and will start at $ 1,000.
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra takes the ‘bigger is better’ approach in nearly every way. The phone has a 6.9” AMOLED 120Hz display that wraps around the edge of the phone to form a 19.3:9 ratio. It’s constructed of metal and glass, with a Gorilla Glass 7 display cover, and is IP68 certified.
A front-view comparison between the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra.
The CPU options for the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra are the same as the Note 20: a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus in North America and a Samsung Exynos 990 CPU for the global version. Inside is 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM, a 4,500mAh battery that can charge at 25W wired and up to 15W wirelessly, 5G, Wi-Fi 6 and the option for either 128GB or 512GB of internal storage (no microSD card slot).
For photography, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has the same 108MP F1.8 wide-angle optically-stabilized camera module found in the Galaxy S20 Ultra, a 12MP F3.0 telephoto (5x zoom) camera module and a 12MP F2.2 ultra-wide cameras, as well as a Laser AF module for improved autofocus speed and accuracy. It can record 8K video at up to 24fps in either 16:9 or 21:9, identical to its non-Ultra counterpart.
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra comes in ‘Mystic Black,’ Mystic White’ and Mystic Bronze, and will start at $ 1,300. Pre-orders for both phones start at 12:01 AM August 6th, with the first units expected to ship on August 21.
Galaxy Z Fold 2
In addition to the two Note devices, Samsung also showed off the Galaxy Z Fold 2, a successor to its original Galaxy Fold phone release last year. Samsung didn’t divulge too many specifications for the new folding phone, but does appear to use the same camera setup found on the Galaxy note 20, based on the product images. Samsung says it will reveal more information on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 on September 1.
Canon can’t catch a break. According to a report from BleepingComputer, Canon has been hit by a ransomware attack that’s resulted in more than 10TB (yes, terabytes) of data being taken from Canon servers.
In a detailed report, BleepingComputer says known ransomware group ‘Maze’ has taken credit for the attack, which has affected nearly every facet of the company, both internal and consumer-facing. BleepingComputer also reports Canon’s IT department has sent out a company-wide message that reads:
‘Message from IT Service Center
Attention: Canon USA is experiencing widesrpead system issues, affecting multiple applications, Teams, Email and other systems may not be available at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience — a status update will be provided as soon as possible.’
A number of the below domains from Canon show this error when attempting to visit.
At this time, the following domains of Canon are being affected:
www.canonusa.com
www.canonbroadcast.com
b2cweb.usa.canon.com
canondv.com
canobeam.com
canoneos.com
bjc8200.com
canonhdec.com
bjc8500.com
usa.canon.com
imagerunner.com
multispot.com
canoncamerashop.com
canoncctv.com
canonhelp.com
bjc-8500.com
canonbroadcast.com
imageland.net
consumer.usa.canon.com
bjc-8200.com
bjc3000.com
downloadlibrary.usa.canon.com
www.cusa.canon.com
www.canondv.com
BleepingComputer also shared a partial screenshot it claims is ‘the alleged Canon ransom note.’ Maze, the ransomware operators claiming to be behind the attack, says it stole 10TB of data, private databases and more, but failed to provide any information on how much of a ransom it’s asking and proof of what was taken.
The recent issues with Canon’s cloud-based media platform, image.canon, are unrelated to this ransomware attack, according to Maze.
BleepingComputer describes Maze as ‘an enterprise-targeting human-operated ransomware that compromises and stealthily spreads laterally through a network until it gains access to an administrator account and the system’s Windows domain controller.’ Maze is behind ransomware attacks on numerous other enterprises, such as LG, Xerox and more.
We contacted Canon for more information on the matter, to which Canon’s PR team replied ‘We are currently investigating the situation.’
Great black and white photography is stunning. It’s eye catching, emotive, and expressive. Usually, it’s also wonderfully simple. So is still life photography. In this article, I’ll give you seven tips on how to create stunning black and white still life photographs. Before we get into the tips I’d first like to answer a couple of foundational questions: What makes Continue Reading
The post 7 Awesome Tips for Black and White Still Life Photography appeared first on Photodoto.
The post Creatively Using the New Lightroom Hue Control appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.
Shop for items online and you’re often offered color choices. Would you like that hat in red, orange, blue, green, tan or teal? Click on the item, select your desired color, and the item will change to reflect your color choice.
Now, how about if you could selectively change the color of items in your photos without affecting other colors in the image? Maybe you bought the orange hat, took a photo of yourself in it, and wished you’d instead picked the blue one. No problem, don’t return the hat; you can change its color in your photo with the new Adobe Lightroom Hue Control.
One photo, many color variations using the Lightroom Hue Control tool.
Global versus local adjustments
Reach for the Exposure slider in the Develop Module of Lightroom, and slide it left and right. You will see the entire image get lighter or darker. Any of the other sliders will affect the image similarly. Controls which affect the entire image are called global.
What if you want to adjust just a portion of the image? Brighten up that one tree, do some dodging and burning, bring up the saturation of a sunset, make adjustments that affect only certain areas?
To you so you need to be able to make local adjustments. Lightroom offers three tools with this capability: the Adjustment Brush, the Radial Filter, and the Graduated Filter. Using those tools to add masks to the image will then allow you to apply the effects of the other sliders to just the masked areas.
Adobe photo editing programs
Choose your weapon: Lightroom Classic, Lightroom, Photoshop, or Adobe Camera Raw.
In discussing the use of the Lightroom Hue Control, I’ll be using the Adobe product I typically work with: Lightroom Classic. (The new logo now shows LrC.)
This is the version that runs on your local computer and stores images on your own hard drives. There is another version that Adobe simply calls Lightroom (LR). It has a slightly different interface and stores images online in the “cloud.” Then there is Photoshop (PS) with its accompanying tool, Adobe Camera Raw (ACR). Both versions of Lightroom have the new Hue Control, as does Adobe Camera RAW, so what we cover here can be done with any of those programs.
(Just a gripe with Adobe: Could you not have avoided confusion and named these programs differently?)
Wouldn’t Photoshop be better?
Before we discuss how to change colors in an image using the Lightroom Hue Control tool, I want to briefly address the Photoshop devotees in the crowd. More than a few times when I’ve told seasoned editors that I use Lightroom to edit my images, they will scoff and tell me that “real” photo editors use Photoshop. So let’s get this out of the way, especially as we discuss changing colors in an image.
I will be the first to admit that Photoshop has more sophisticated and precise tools, the ability to make selections, create layers, use color channels, and bring much greater control to what we’ll be showing here. However, Photoshop also has a much steeper learning curve. It also requires more steps to accomplish the task. Can you do a better and more precise job changing the colors of things in a photo with Photoshop? Most likely. But can you often get acceptable results with Lightroom (LrC, LR, or ACR)? Learn the techniques in this article and then you tell me.
What is hue?
Ask a child to hand you the red crayon from the box and they can probably do so. They know what the color “red” looks like. But in the digital photography world, we have different ways of describing color.
Cameras can only “see” three colors: red (R), green (G), and blue (B). And there are only 256 values of each.
That’s why you can describe any color by its RGB value. Pure red is 255, 0, 0; pure green is 0, 255, 0; pure yellow (a combination of red and green) is 255, 255, 0.
In the printing world, where inks and pigments are used to make colors, cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) are the primary colors, and any color can be created with a CMYK combination (i.e., red is 0, 100, 100, 0).
One way of defining digital color is using the HSL model: Hue, Saturation, and Lightness (or Luminosity).
There is another way of describing color, and that’s the one we’re interested in when using the Lightroom Hue Control. This uses a Hue (H), Saturation (S), and Lightness (or Luminosity) (L) description. Here, hue is synonymous with what we typically call color. Saturation refers to the intensity of the color, with zero saturation being shades of gray. Lightness/Luminosity is how light or dark the color is, with zero being black and 255 being pure white.
A new hue for you
So what we’re able to adjust with the Lightroom Hue Control is just that: the hue. We can make an orange hat blue without changing the saturation (S) or lightness (L). In doing so, we retain the tone and texture in an image while changing its hue/color (H).
Making it local
Lightroom has had tools for globally adjusting color in an image, such as the temperature and tint sliders and the HSL/Color controls, for some time. But those tools worked globally or had limited control over color. With the newest version of Lightroom released in June of 2020 (LrC 9.3, LR 3.3, ACR 12.3), the ability to combine hue adjustment with other tools was added. Now, color can be controlled much more precisely, exactly where you want it, and in combination with other tools. Local control is the ticket.
If you’ve installed the latest version of Lightroom (LrC) or LR or ACR, you will now see this tool.
When, where, and how to use local hue adjustments
Perhaps a good way to learn how to use the new tool is to work through a photo and use it to selectively change some colors. We’ll use the image below of my grandson, William, (who to me in this shot looks like the Peanuts cartoon strip character Linus in the pumpkin patch awaiting the arrival of the “Great Pumpkin.”)
This is the edited photo of William (aka “Linus” in this setting). These are the original colors of the image.
The hat trick: Step-by-step
Let’s take this step by step and change the orange hat to blue using the Lightroom Hue Control.
There are three local adjustment tools in Lightroom: The Graduated Filter, The Radial Filter, and the Adjustment Brush.
We want local adjustment control, and I mentioned Lightroom has three tools that allow this: the Adjustment Brush, the Radial Filter, and the Graduated Filter. The Adjustment Brush is the best choice for selecting only the hat.
Select the Adjustment Brush, and turn on the mask overlay by hitting “O” on your keyboard or by checking the box that says Show Selected Mask Overlay.
Use the Adjustment Brush to roughly paint over the hat. Have the overlay on to see what you’re doing. Here I’ve made the overlay green to see it better.
Start painting over the hat with the Adjustment Brush. You may find that the overlay is red and hard to see on the orange hat, so you can cycle through the overlay colors by tapping Shift and O on your keyboard. I’d recommend turning the mask overlay green, which is much easier to see on the orange hat.
You are going to refine your selection in a minute, so for now, don’t worry about being precise.
Refining your selection
In Photoshop, we would likely make a selection of the hat using the tools provided. And once the hat was selected, we would see what has come to be called the “marching ants” dashed outline of our selection. Don’t look for the ants in Lightroom. There are no “selection” tools here. Instead, we use what are called masks to define where we want our effects applied. There are several ways to refine our selection. They are:
Use the add and erase features of the Adjustment Brush. You can add to the mask simply by brushing where you want. This is the default and you will see a “+” symbol inside the tool indicating you are adding to the mask. Want to erase or subtract parts of the mask? Hold down the Alt key (Option on a Mac), and the + will turn to a – symbol, indicating you are now subtracting from the mask. Zooming in close and working with a small brush will allow you to fine-tune the mask.
Another option is to check the Auto Mask box as you paint with the Adjustment Brush.
A fairly new addition to Lightroom is the Range Mask tool. You have the option to use Color or Luminance to create your mask. Because the hat we are masking is all fairly close to the same color orange here, a range mask should work well.
Think of Auto Mask as an edge detection tool. Check the Auto Mask box and then use the Adjustment Brush to add (+) or subtract (-) from your mask.If the Adjustment Brush shows a + sign, you can add to the mask. Hold down the Alt key (Option on a Mac) to remove portions of the mask.
Home on the range
So let’s refine our selection of the hat with the Color Range Mask. Here are the steps:
Select the rough mask that you’ve already created. Then choose Color from the Range Mask dropdown.
An eyedropper tool will appear next to the Range Mask menu. Click to pick it up, then bring it over the hat.
Click the left mouse button and drag a small square over a portion of the hat to select a range of the orange colors. (Don’t worry about your mask overlay. It’s selecting the colors underneath.)
When you let go of the mouse button, the mask will be refined to now cover only the color range you selected. (A tip here: Put the eyedropper back when you are done with this range selection.)
To better see what was selected, hold down the Alt (Option) key on your keyboard and click the Amount slider for the Range Mask. You can drag the slider to refine the mask even further while doing this. Moving the slider to the right will increase the range of the selection; moving the slider to the left will decrease the range.
The Range Mask will allow you to refine your mask using Color or Luminance.Using the eyedropper tool in the Color Range Mask, drag a box including samples of the color you wish to mask. Alternatively, click a spot, hold down Shift, and click another spot to choose multiple sample areas. When you let go, the mask will be refined.To better see what the Range Mask has selected, hold down the Alt key (Option on a Mac) and click and hold the Amount slider.
A whole new hue
Once we’re happy with our selection, it’s time to change the color. Here’s where we will use the new Lightroom Hue Control. Here are the steps:
It’s best to turn off the overlay option so you can better see the color shift, so press “O” on the keyboard. The overlay will disappear, but as long as the pin for your selection is still selected, you’ll be working with the right selection.
Go to the rainbow-like Hue control slider. You will see the top slider is set at the existing color; in our case, this is orange. Now, drag the bottom slider toward the color (on the top slider) you wish to change to. You will see the color change in the masked area of the image as you do this. Release the mouse button when the color gets close to the new color you want.
To further tweak the color, check the Use Fine Adjustment box. Now drag the slider left and right to refine the color as you like (it will barely move).
You may find you need to refine your mask if areas were missed or overflowed outside your desired area. Use the methods outlined above to fine-tune your mask further.
With your mask selected, use the Hue slider to choose the new color you want.
Further tuning
While your mask is still selected, most of the rest of the Lightroom sliders can be used and will affect only the area in that mask. For example, if the new color is too light or dark, the Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, and Blacks sliders can all be used. You may want to explore what some of the other sliders can do for the newly recolored area.
You may want to use some of the other sliders in Lightroom to refine your new color. Most will work locally within your mask while it is selected.
When you are finished with all the tweaks and recoloring, don’t forget to click the Done button.
Here’s a Before and an After. Notice I also changed some of the diamonds on his sweater using other masks, each done the same way.
Multiple masks and recolored areas
If you need to recolor another area of your image, simply make new selections and repeat the same process:
Make a rough selection with the Adjustment Brush, Graduated Filter, or Radial Filter. Do this with the overlay on to see where you’re working.
Fine-tune your selection
Change the hue as desired. Check the Use Fine Adjustment box to get the color you want.
Further fine-tune your area with the other sliders in Lightroom
Not just for clothing color changes
In the example above, the color change to the hat was pretty dramatic; we took it from the original orange color to the complete opposite complementary color on the color wheel (blue). Sometimes, though, you only want a subtle change. Perhaps you want to change the shade of green on the leaves of a tree, take out a color cast on a certain object in your shot, or slightly change the color of portions of the sky.
You might also want to omit the step of refining a mask, and simply use the Adjustment Brush, change the color with the Hue slider, and start painting. Subtle color changes to portions of your image might be a way to get the look you want.
The camas blooms are probably closer to the blue shade in the before shot, but for dramatic effect I used the Lightroom Hue Control technique here to make them more purple.
Snapshots along the way
When working on an image in Lightroom and trying new things, it can be a good practice to make Snapshots as you go. That way, if you want to go back to any point in your editing process, you can.
Click the + symbol in the Snapshot panel (or use the shortcut Control/Command + N), give the snapshot a name, and then continue your work. Later, you’ll be able to go back to the snapshot if required. Perhaps you want to show the various color versions of an item but don’t want to save multiple files. Change the color, make a snapshot, change it again, make another snapshot, and so forth. Later, you can bring up the image, go to the named snapshot, and see that color version.
A real plus of Lightroom is being able to make multiple versions without making multiple copies of a file. Work through your image, make multiple color versions, and use the Snapshot feature to save each color variation (all in the same file!). Also, notice here what a nice job the Color Range Mask did of selecting the background color of the blouse and allowing me to change it to purple while retaining the color of the flowers in the pattern.
Color your world
As Adobe adds new tools to its products, we have new ways of editing our photos. We can better achieve the creative looks we like and even have various versions of the same image (all without having to take multiple photos or make multiple copies of an image). I hope you’ll give the new Lightroom Hue Control a try.
And then post some of your before/after images in the comments. I look forward to seeing your creativity.
The post Creatively Using the New Lightroom Hue Control appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.
The saying goes, ‘better late than never,’ but Fujifilm might be pushing the boundaries of the phrase with its new promotional video.
It’s been eight years since Fujifilm released its XF 35mm F1.4 R lens, but a new promo video showcasing the features of the lens has popped up on the Fujifilm X Series YouTube channel. Understandably, this new promo video has left some Fujifilm users confused and even disappointed, as an upgraded version of this lens is high on the request list of many Fujifilm users.
Unfortunately, this new four-minute video, which showcases numerous Fujifilm X-Photographers talking about the lens, isn’t a teaser for a new, upgraded ‘Mark II’ version or anything of the sort. It’s simply a self-described ‘ode’ to ‘one of the original X mount lenses [that] has captured countless numbers of precious moments over the years.’
The timing is curious, as is ‘The Original’ nomenclature, but the video links directly to a landing page for the XF 35mm F1.4 R, suggesting Fujifilm is still working hard to promote one of the first XF lenses.
With sporting events scarce, finding subjects that will challenge an action-oriented camera in the time of COVID-19 has been, shall we say, a bit of a challenge. Nevertheless, we’ve been getting to know Nikon’s newest professional flagship DSLR in settings conducive to distancing. Take a look at a selection of images taken early in our testing – including a number from the AF-S Nikkor 120-300mm F2.8, which also debuted this year.
Tamron has announced the development of what it claims is the ‘smallest and lightest’ telephoto zoom for Sony E-mount: the 70-300mm F4.5-6.3 Di III RXD.
This focal range isn’t new to Tamron, but this is the first 70-300 developed for full-frame mirrorless bodies. The lens is weather-sealed and its focus group is driven by an ‘RXD’ stepping motor. The diameter of the lens is 77mm (3″) while it weighs in at 544g (19.2oz).
The 70-300mm F4.5-6.3 Di III RXD is expected to ship this fall.
Press release
Tamron Announces the Development of the World’s Smallest and Lightest Telephoto Zoom Lens for Sony E-mount Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras
70-300mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD (Model A047)
August 3, 2020, Commack, NY – Tamron announces the development of a new telephoto zoom lens for Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras, the 70-300mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD (Model A047). The lens is planned to launch in Fall 2020.
While Tamron has manufactured many popular telephoto zoom lenses that extend to 300mm for DSLR cameras, the new 70-300mm F4.5-6.3 is the first model designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras. Developed with the concept of bringing the joy of easy telephoto shooting to photographers everywhere, it’s the world’s smallest and lightest 70-300mm zoom lens at 5.8 in., 19.2 oz. and maximum diameter of 77mm, and delivers exceptional image quality.
Its Moisture-Resistant Construction provides greater protection when shooting outdoors and the lens shares the 67mm filter diameter common to all members of Tamron’s lens series for full-frame mirrorless cameras. The lens also takes full advantage of in-camera features, including Sony’s Fast Hybrid AF and Eye AF that support a fantastic shooting experience. The 70-300mm F4.5-6.3 is a highly practical lens that makes the excitement of telephoto shooting easier than ever before across a diverse range of shooting styles including landscapes, sports and other athletic events, wildlife, portraits, and more.
Main features
The world’s smallest and lightest size brings you the joy of easy telephoto shooting.
Superb optical performance with high image quality and aberration correction.
AF drive system powered by Tamron’s RXD stepping motor unit provides high-speed, high-precision and quiet operation.
Moisture-Resistant Construction contributes to a comfortable, user-friendly photographic experience.
Specifications, appearance, functionality, etc. are subject to change without prior notice.
Olympus is expanding its lens offerings to include a new telezoom: the M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS. Offering an impressive 200-800mm equivalent range, the lens is dust- and splash-proof and weighs 1120g (2.5lb).
It’s compatible with Olympus’ 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters and supports focus stacking with newer OM-D bodies. Minimum focus distance is 1.3m (4.3ft) through the entire zoom range. The 100-400mm accepts 72mm filters and uses the company’s ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical) coating to reduce flare and ghosting. Built-in image stabilization is rated to three stops.
The Olympus 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS is scheduled to ship on September 8, 2020 and will sell for $ 1500.
Press release
INTRODUCING THE OLYMPUS M.ZUIKO® DIGITAL ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS LENS
A Superior Compact, Lightweight Super telephoto Zoom Lens Offering 200-800mm Focal Length (35mm Equivalent)
Center Valley, PA, August 4, 2020 – Olympus® is pleased to announce the M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm f5.0-6.3 IS lens, an ultra-compact, lightweight super-telephoto zoom lens that covers a broad telephoto focal length of 200-800mm equivalent1 and is compliant with the Micro Four Thirds® System standard. This lens features the same dustproof and splashproof performance as the M.Zuiko PRO lens series, and when paired with the M.Zuiko Digital 2x Teleconverter MC-20, delivers up to 1600mm equivalent1 super telephoto shooting. This lens offers superior autofocus performance, even handheld, and in-lens image stabilization for the optimal shooting experience.
Compact, Lightweight Design Despite being a 200-800mm equivalent super telephoto zoom lens, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm f5.0-6.3 IS lens is compact and lightweight, with a length of 205.7 mm, a weight of 1,120 g6 and a filter diameter of 72 mm. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm f5.0-6.3 IS lens is capable of 200-800mm equivalent1 telephoto shooting on its own, which can be further extended when paired with the optional (sold separately) M.Zuiko Digital 1.4x Teleconverter MC-14 or the M.Zuiko Digital 2x Teleconverter MC-20, for up to 1600mm equivalent1, making it possible to zoom in close on subjects that are difficult to approach, such as birds and wildlife, and delivering flattening effects for shooting that is unique to a super telephoto lens. The closest focusing distance across the entire zoom range is 1.3m and the maximum image magnification is 0.57x1, allowing superb telemacro performance when photographing small subjects such as insects and flowers. Focus Stacking2 is also supported. This feature captures multiple shots at different focal positions and automatically composites a single photo with a large depth of field that is in focus from the foreground to background.
Focal length 35mm equivalent
Aperture value
Max Image Magnification 35mm equivalent
M. Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS
200-800mm (100-400mm)
F5.0-F6.3
X0.57 (X0.29)
With 1.4x Teleconverter MC-14
280mm-1,120mm (140mm-560mm)
F7.1-F9.0
X0.81 (X0.4)
With 2.0x Teleconverter MC-20
400mm-1600mm (200mm-800mm)
F10-F13
X1.15 (X0.57)
Superb Performance The optical system of the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm f5.0-6.3 IS lens features a combination of four ED lenses3 for suppressing color bleeding, two Super HR lenses4, and two HR lenses5 for bright, clear depictive performance to the edges of the image across the entire zoom range. ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical) Coating is used to reduce ghosting and flaring, for clear image quality, even in poor, backlit conditions. Extensive hermetic sealing on the entire lens barrel delivers the same high level of dustproof and splashproof performance as the M.Zuiko PRO series for peace of mind when shooting in any environment.
Superior Autofocus A rear focus system is employed to drive this lightweight focusing lens, for fast, high-precision autofocus performance. This lens is also equipped with four functional switches, designed to support handheld shooting, including a Focus Limiter switch for AF operation selection, ranging between three levels, according to the focusing distance, allowing for quick focusing and comfortable shooting, even in the super telephoto range. In-lens image stabilization on/off delivers stable handheld super telephoto shooting, an AF/MF switch and a zoom locking switch.
Pricing, Availability & Specifications The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400 f5.0-6.3 IS lens will be available for $ 1,499.99 (U.S.)/$ 2,199.99 (CAD). To pre-order, visit a participating local authorized retailer, or www.getolympus.com. Shipping will begin September 8, 2020. Please visit the website for detailed product specifications: https://www.getolympus.com/lenses/m-zuiko-digital-ed-100-400mm-f5-0-6-3-is.html.
1 35mm equivalent 2 Please see the Olympus website for compatible cameras 3 Extra-low Dispersion lens 4 Super High Refractive Index lens 5 High Refractive Index lens 6 Excluding tripod base plate, lens cap, lens rear cap, and lens hood
Olympus M.Zuiko 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS specifications
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