In this video we travel to Montana to meet photographer Becca Skinner. Using the Canon EOS R6 Becca documents her permaculture garden and teaches us about homesteading alongside her husband and professional chef Eduardo Garcia.
The Canon EOS R6 features a 20MP full-frame sensor and the latest version of Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus, with human and animal face and eye detection. It also offers in-body stabilization up to eight stops with some lenses, the option for silent shooting at up to 20 fps, and a fully articulated touchscreen. The EOS R6 also has a lot to offer video shooters, including 4K/60p capture and HD up to 120 fps.
The post Canon EOS R Mirrorless Camera: A Hands-On Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
The Canon EOS R isn’t the newest Canon camera on the block, but it’s one of Canon’s four full-frame mirrorless offerings.
Which means that, if you’re an advanced Canon photographer looking to move to mirrorless, you don’t have many options.
But what does the Canon EOS R offer advanced and professional photographers? And how does is hold up in the field?
That’s what this review is all about.
I’ve now had the Canon EOS R for nine months, which has given me plenty of time to test it. I’ve worked with the EOS R in rain, in snow, through blowing sand, at night, in the studio, and much more. So I know what this camera can do; I also know its limitations.
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L | 1/160s | f/4 | ISO 400
And I’ve used the EOS R with an EF to EOS R adapter, so I can confidently say whether Canon EF/EF-S lenses work well with the EOS R, or whether you need to purchase a whole new set of (expensive) Canon RF glass.
Are you ready to discover everything you need to know about the Canon EOS R?
Let’s get started.
Canon EOS R: Overview
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 24-70 f/4L | 5s | f/7.1 | ISO 200
The Canon EOS R debuted back in 2018 as Canon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera, featuring:
A 30.3 MP sensor
A native ISO range of 100-40000
Dual Pixel Autofocus with 5655 AF points
5 fps shooting with continuous autofocus; 8 fps shooting with One-Shot AF
A fully-articulating rear LCD with touch functionality
A 3.69M-dot electronic viewfinder
One SD card slot
4K/30p video (with a 1.7x crop)
A 370-shot battery life
A brand new (RF) lens mount
Weather sealing
1.46 lb (660 g)
5.35 x 3.86 x 3.31 in (136 x 98 x 84 mm)
Current price: $ 1799 USD
While there are plenty of worthy capabilities on that spec list, at the time the EOS R was seen as something of a letdown.
Why?
For two key reasons.
First, the EOS R only offered a single SD card slot. This meant professional photographers who require redundancy in their work (e.g., wedding photographers, sports photographers) didn’t feel comfortable working with an EOS R.
Second, the EOS R didn’t include any innovative features, and certainly not any features on the same level as Sony’s groundbreaking autofocus, huge megapixel counts, blazing-fast continuous shooting speeds, and in-body image stabilization (admittedly, Sony doesn’t offer all these in the same camera, but still!).
That said, the EOS R did, and does, offer some compelling attributes.
And after testing the EOS R for nearly a year, I can say, without a doubt, that it is a great camera…
…for the right person.
Absolutely, the EOS R has some drawbacks, and it fails to really break out in most areas. But it’s also reasonably priced and gives you access to additional mirrorless capabilities that you just can’t get on a DSLR, without needing a brand new bag of lenses (not to mention its relatively fast autofocus and strong image quality that we’ve come to expect from Canon’s higher-end cameras).
Plus, no two photographers are alike, and one photographer’s trash is another photographer’s treasure.
Bottom line:
While the EOS R just doesn’t work for some photographers, there are others for whom it’ll be an absolute dream to use.
So let’s take a closer look at the Canon EOS R!
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L | 1/80s | f/6.3 | ISO 400
Canon EOS R: Build
The Canon EOS R is medium-level compact, with a relatively lightweight (but solid) build. It’s easily smaller than the full-frame Canon 5D Mark IV, which is longer, taller, and around 1.5x heavier; the same is true of the Canon 6D Mark II.
That said, the EOS R hardly feels slim, and it doesn’t really scream travel-ready to me. Personally, I don’t mind the weight of the EOS R, but if you’re coming from a smaller APS-C mirrorless body then the difference may take a little getting used to.
The EOS R packs a top LCD, as well as a shooting mode dial, a video button, a standard top command dial, and more.
Moving on to the back, you have a 3.2-inch fully-articulating touchscreen, which tilts in pretty much any direction and flips out to the side. You also get several buttons that are almost completely programmable, along with an (also programmable) multi-selector wheel.
Then there’s the electronic viewfinder and, to its right, a programmable touch bar (which I’ll discuss more thoroughly in a moment).
Now, the Canon EOS R is listed as weather-sealed, and it can clearly withstand some difficult conditions. I’ve used it (carefully) in snow and rain, and I’ve had no problems whatsoever. At the same time, the weather sealing just isn’t on the same level as some of the true professional bodies on the camera market, which is why I don’t think the EOS R is the right choice for shooters that regularly subject their gear to intense beatings.
Canon EOS R: Handling
I think I’m in the minority here, but I absolutely love the feel of the EOS R and its in-built capabilities. I’d even go so far to say that it’s the best camera I’ve ever handled, thanks to a few key features.
First, I’m a huge fan of the fully-articulating screen, which is fantastic for getting into odd angles when shooting macro photos, architectural photos, landscape photos, or even street photos when shooting unobtrusively from the hip. Plus, you get touchscreen-based autofocus, so you can easily tap your desired AF point and lock focus in milliseconds.
Second, the electronic viewfinder is clear, bright, and crisp. Thanks to its 3.69M-dot resolution, I rarely miss my optical viewfinder (which was a huge concern for me when I first added mirrorless technology to my camera lineup).
What’s also great about the EVF is how you can use it to “see” in black and white. You can literally look at a black and white world, which is ultra-helpful when it comes to composing compelling black and white images using the viewfinder.
Third, the camera fits perfectly into my hand and I can easily use it without checking where I’m pressing, due to a deep front grip and well-positioned buttons.
Fourth, the EOS R offers the programmable touch bar. This has been a point of contention among EOS R users, because some find it finicky to the point of being unusable, but I’m firmly in the opposite camp. I love the touchbar, which I immediately programmed to adjust my ISO and I haven’t changed since. It’s saved me from missing countless images, because instead of fiddling with buttons and dials, I can boost the ISO with a roll of my thumb.
Have I had occasional issues with the touchbar?
Yes. It’s very sensitive, which means that I’ve accidentally boosted the ISO without meaning to. But while this was frustrating, it was absolutely worth the trade-off discussed above.
And fifth:
I love the silent shooting mode. Unlike silent modes offered on other cameras, the EOS R’s silent shooting is truly silent or, at least, so quiet that you can’t hear the shot unless you listen very, very closely. This is one of those features that just can’t be done on DSLRs, and when it is present in mirrorless cameras, it can be inhibited in some annoying way (e.g., as a separate mode that doesn’t allow you to adjust all your other camera settings).
But on the EOS R, silent shooting is unrestricted, which is one of the reasons I love using the R for street photography. It’s a discrete option in the menu that can be toggled on and off at will. And it allows you to fire off shot after shot without being heard (which is also useful for photographing quiet events, such as weddings and concerts).
That said, there are two key usability issues with the EOS R.
First, the single SD card slot, which I mentioned above, but bears repeating. For me, it’s not a big deal, because I’m not a professional wedding photographer, sports photographer, or portrait shooter. But I can absolutely understand why certain photographers require the second card slot, and in those situations I’d simply refuse to use the EOS R; having a backup is just too important.
Second, battery life is mediocre for a mirrorless camera, which is to say very poor compared to DSLRs. Canon rates the EOS R at 370 shots, and I’ve been able to get far more than that out of it (maybe 600 shots or so), but you’re definitely going to need at least two batteries in the best of situations, and if you’re doing long photoshoots then three is probably better.
It’s also worth mentioning the lack of in-body image stabilization in the EOS R. This is disappointing, and if you’ve ever used cameras like the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, you’ll know how powerful good IBIS can be for low-light shooting. But Canon does offer a lot of image-stabilized lenses, so it’s certainly not a dealbreaker.
Canon EOS R: Autofocus and speed
The EOS R uses Canon’s much-loved Dual Pixel AF technology, which was confined to Live View modes on Canon DSLRs. In practice, the autofocus feels fast, but doesn’t really give Sony a run for its money. I spent a few hours shooting ducklings in a river, and my hit rate wasn’t as high as I’d like, especially when the ducks were backlit.
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L | 1/2000s| f/7.1 | ISO 500
AF coverage is very good, though, and spans pretty much the entire sensor (thanks to the mindblowing 5600+ AF points).
Another bonus here is that autofocusing works all the way down to -6 EV. I’ve used the EOS R in almost complete darkness, and I’ve found that autofocus does indeed work, though it hunts as you approach that -6 EV territory.
Canon EOS R | Irix 11mm f/4 | 2s | f/13 | ISO 200
That said, the EOS R does offer Eye AF, which allows you to nail focus on your subject’s eyes when capturing portraits. Note that this is generally used instead of Face Detection AF, though the two are designed to work together to get you the best focus depending on whether the eyes or only the face are in view.
You have two options on the EOS R regarding autofocus selection:
You can select AF points using the touchscreen, or you can select AF points using the multi-selector wheel on the rear of the camera. I use the touchscreen almost exclusively, and there’s a nice implementation that allows you to make only a corner of the screen touch-sensitive for AF use, so you don’t have to worry about repeatedly selecting AF points with your nose.
In terms of shooting speeds, I do wish the EOS R were faster.
You can work at 8 fps if you’re using One-Shot AF, but this drops to 5 fps when autofocusing continuously. I consider that 7-8 fps a minimum for action photography, and 5 fps just can’t compete in sports or wildlife or other action scenarios.
The upshot of this is that the buffer is relatively deep; you can capture 65 RAW images without pause, or 126 high-quality JPEGs, which is always nice for situations where you need to keep on shooting during once-in-a-lifetime moments.
So while the EOS R clearly isn’t well-equipped for dedicated action photography, it won’t completely fail you in fast-paced situations.
Canon EOS R: Image quality
The EOS R offers reliable image quality without being particularly groundbreaking.
First, in terms of resolution, you get 30.3 MP, which offers a middle ground between the 45+ megapixel sensors offered by Sony’s A7R series and the Nikon Z7 (as well as the Canon 5DS/5DS R), and the standard 24 MP sensor. Personally, I think this is a nice place to be, because you get good detail and significant cropping capabilities without producing huge file sizes or a lot of high-ISO noise.
Canon EOS R | Canon 24-70mm f/4L | 1/1600s | f/8 | ISO 200
Canon cameras aren’t usually known for their high ISO performance, and here the EOS R is a good performer without being great.
The Canon EOS R offers an ISO range of 100-40,000, with the ability to expand to ISO 50 on the low end and ISO 102,400 on the high end. I feel comfortable pushing the ISO to 800 or 1600 when aiming for a clean image, and I’ll often go to ISO 6400 when shooting street images at night, but this is a step down from the truly impressive low-light capabilities of the Nikon Z6 or the Sony a7 III.
The same is true of dynamic range, where images are good without being breathtaking. You don’t get the 15 stops of a Sony a7R IV, but the results are perfectly usable for, say, serious landscape photographers.
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 24-70 f/4L | 1/200s | f/10 | ISO 200
All in all, I’m pleased by the Canon EOS R’s image quality without being floored. If you’re coming from an APS-C camera or an older full-frame DSLR, you’ll notice a big difference, but the EOS R doesn’t offer much of an image quality boost compared to a camera such as the Canon 6D Mark II and is pretty on par with the 5D Mark IV.
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro | 1/3200s | f/2.8 | ISO 250
Canon EOS R: Using the adapter
There are three Canon EF to RF adapters on the market:
The basic EF-EOS R adapter, which simply allows you to connect your EF/EF-S lenses to an EOS R body.
The midrange EF-EOS R adapter, which gives you a dedicated aperture ring when using EF/EF-S lenses.
And the high-end EF-EOS R adapter, which allows you to drop in filters (such as a circular polarizer or an ND filter).
I have only used the first of these, which you can grab for $ 99 USD. I’ve tested it on the EOS R with a handful of lenses in quite a few situations, and it works flawlessly. I’ve noticed zero autofocus lag, which means that you can comfortably use your EF and EF-S lenses without worry.
However, the adapter comes with two minor drawbacks:
First, it does take up space, either in your bag or on your camera. If you’re aiming for the smallest, lightest kit possible, then it’s probably not your best option.
And second:
It’s inconvenient to work with a group of lenses, some of which are EF-mount and some of which are RF-mount, because you have to keep moving the adapter on and off the camera.
To me, these drawbacks aren’t a big deal, and I plan to keep my EF lenses for a long time. But it’s certainly worth thinking about.
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L | 1/100s | f/9 | ISO 100
Who should purchase the Canon EOS R?
If you’re looking for an advanced or pro-level camera that’s easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and can do a lot of things well without really specializing in one area, then the EOS R is a great option. It’s especially compelling if you’re already a Canon shooter and have a slew of Canon lenses that can be attached via the EF-EOS R adapter.
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L | 1/320s| f/9 | ISO 200
You can use the EOS R for great results if you’re a:
Portrait photographer
Street photographer
Landscape photographer
Travel photographer
Macro photographer
Architectural photographer
But it’s not an action camera, which means that you shouldn’t grab the EOS R if you’re looking to shoot sports or wildlife exclusively. Instead, I’d recommend the newly released EOS R5 or the EOS R6, which both offer a whopping 20 fps shooting via the electronic shutter. The same is true when it comes to wedding photography: Both the EOS R5 and the EOS R6 offer dual card slots, which make them much better choices for the redundancy-conscious photographer.
In fact, given the release of the EOS R5 and EOS R6, which are pretty much all-around powerhouses, it’s worth asking:
Is the Canon EOS R obsolete?
In most ways, the EOS R5 and the EOS R6 are objectively better than the EOS R.
But in the end, it comes down to price; the EOS R5 costs over twice that of the EOS R, and the “cheaper” EOS R6 is also relatively expensive ($ 2500 USD) while only offering a 20 MP sensor.
So if you’re looking for a high-quality camera but you can’t afford the EOS R5 or R6, then the EOS R is a great choice.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
The post Canon EOS R Mirrorless Camera: A Hands-On Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Every landscape scene offers a collection of compositions just waiting to be framed by the proper focal length, but how do you choose what one to go with? While the answer will always be subjective, photographer Nigel Danson has shared a video showing how he goes about choosing the best focal length for certain scenes.
The video is a longer watch, coming in at just under 27-minutes, but through it, Danson explains how he chooses a specific focal length and shares example photos captured at different focal lengths to show what tends to work best with different lenses, from a 14mm ultra-wide-angle lens to a 200mm telephoto lens.
It’s a fantastic deep dive into the selection process for landscape photos and even Danson was surprised when he looked through what his most-used focal length was — 24mm. He notes this focal length is likely the most used due to it being difficult to capture portfolio-worthy shots at ultra-wide-angle focal lengths, leaving him ‘more disappointed than pleased,’ upon returning home to cull and edit the captured frames.
Despite his most-used focal length, Danson says his favorite focal lengths to shoot with are at either extreme — either ultra-wide or telephoto — due to the ability to ‘create something more dramatic […] and creative,’ despite it ‘not being easier.’
You can find more videos from Danson on his Youtube channel, follow him on Instagram and visit his website to view his portfolio of work and purchase his new 2021 calendar.
The post Getting Started With Affinity Photo Editing Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
Affinity Photo is a powerful image editing software. It’s both affordable and enjoyable to use.
But, as with any program for custom manipulation of photos, there is a reasonably steep learning curve involved. If you’re used to editing your images with Adobe Photoshop, you’ll find the interface is different. This will take only a little getting used to.
I haven’t been using Affinity Photo for very long and have found it to be well designed, allowing for intuitive use. Switching image editing programs is not something I choose to do lightly. When you’ve been used to a particular workflow within a computer program, there must be a reasonable motivation to change.
My motivation was partly price. Affinity Photo is a product you can purchase outright without any monthly subscription fees. It’s also discounted from time to time, making it even more affordable. Even still, at full price, it is very reasonable for the quality of the product you receive.
The Tone Mapping Persona interface in Affinity Photo
Opening files in Affinity Photo
The first step is to open a photo file you want to edit. This is pretty straightforward and there are a few options for making it happen.
For Windows users, you can right-click an image file in your file manager and choose Affinity Photo from the list. If Affinity Photo is not listed (and it probably won’t be the first time you use it), click Choose Another App. You’ll then need to locate Affinity Photo on your C:/ drive and select it. Here you can also check the box at the bottom of the panel to always use Affinity Photo to open the type of image file you have chosen.
Using a Mac, you can simply open Affinity Photo, navigate to File in the top menu, and click Open. This also works on a PC.
You can also drag and drop photos from your file manager onto Affinity Photo when it’s running.
Affinity Photo opens all standard image types, including RAW files. There is no need for two separate programs to open and edit RAW files. Affinity Photo combines functions that require both Lightroom and Photoshop. I am finding this makes for a great image editing workflow.
Opening a RAW file in Affinity Photo
Becoming familiar with the interface
Once you’ve opened your first photo, you have a massive number of options available to work with. Let’s walk through some of the most important features and where to locate them in the user interface.
Under the main menu at the top you have the Persona and Context toolbars. Here you’ll find buttons for various Personas such as:
Photo Persona (for photo editing)
Liquify Persona (for manipulating distortion)
Develop Persona (for developing RAW images)
Tone Mapping Persona (for mapping image tones)
Export Persona (for when you’re ready to export your image)
As you select a Persona, the Context toolbar changes to include only the tools you’ll need with that Persona.
With the Develop Persona selected, the Context menu shows a different set of tools.
These tools allow you to control how you see your photo as you’re working on it. You can view a single instance of your image. There’s also a split-screen and a mirrored option. The mirrored option is shown below.
Within this Persona, you have a set of adjustment tools in the right-hand panel. These allow you to make similar adjustments to your RAW files as you can in Lightroom.
Once you’ve finished making the adjustments to your RAW image, click the blue Develop button in the top left corner. The interface changes to the Photo Persona, where you can continue to refine the edits on your image.
Here is how the Context toolbar looks when you have the Photo Persona selected while you’re editing your photos:
You have buttons for making auto adjustments to levels, contrast, color, and white balance.
When editing photos in the Photo Persona, you also have a specific set of relevant panels open. These panel sets make up your Studio of editing tools. They are also highly customizable. To show or hide various panels, go to View in the top menu, then select Studio.
Here I have the panels for Layers and Adjustments open:
Getting a feel for Affinity Photo
As you can see, there are many similarities between Affinity Photo and other image editing software. I’ve found that working in the Photo Persona is very similar to my workflow in Photoshop.
The Develop Persona took a little more getting used to. But it offers a very well-designed interface and makes working on RAW images straightforward once you get used to how it functions.
Like anything new, getting used to Affinity Photo takes some commitment and practice. This is true whether you’re new to photo editing or have been using other software to manipulate your images.
Having everything you need to edit RAW images from start to finish, including the option to use multiple layers, has been very satisfying.
Not having an image organizer included means you need to work with your operating system’s file manager or use an additional program. There are many free and cheap digital asset management programs that you can use to organize your photos.
Conclusion
For any photographer with years of experience using a particular brand of editing software, changing is a big step. If you’re new to photo editing, learning to use any photo imaging software manually is a big step, too.
Affinity Photo provides an impressive set of photo editing tools all within one application. I find it to be well laid out and intuitive to use after using Adobe products for many years.
For people new to photo editing, take the time to learn Affinity Photo. You’ll be able to use it to edit your photos just as well as any other available software.
The post Getting Started With Affinity Photo Editing Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
The post Tips for Getting Your Portraits Right In-Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.
Getting your portraits right in-camera is a skill that every portrait photographer should strive to develop. Doing so will save you time and improve your photography across the board.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t post-process your images, and it doesn’t mean that Photoshop is cheating. But by putting in the extra time and effort at the capture stage, there will be less post-processing to do.
It’s also good if you have certain post-production techniques in mind. If you are able to shoot to the requirements of the technique (that is, if you’re able to get it right in-camera), then the whole process will be easier.
Putting extra effort in at the capture stage will help you to get the best results possible straight out of the camera. If you take a lot of portraits, this will wind up saving you hours upon hours of time in the post processing stages.
This article will provide you with a series of tips to help you create better portrait images during the capture stage of the process. It should be noted that the points discussed here fall firmly on the technical side of things. Subjective things like composition, posing, expression, etc., won’t be discussed.
Also, nothing discussed here is a rule. I would hesitate to even call it a guideline. If you try something here that doesn’t get you the results you are after, that just means it’s the wrong tool for the job. By all means, do something else.
Aperture
One of the easiest things you can do in the pursuit of getting your portraits right in-camera is to prioritize sharpness. One of the easiest ways to do this is to choose the right aperture.
Shooting wide-open can be great in low-light conditions, and it can also provide a nice shallow depth of field for aesthetic purposes. The trade-off comes in terms of getting the focus right. The focal plane of a wide aperture lens (f/1.8, f/1.4, etc.) is very, very narrow, making it very easy to miss the focus on your subject’s eyes.
Left: Shot at f/4, this image has a shallow depth of field. Canon 5D Mark III | Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro | 50mm | 1/125 sec | f/4 | ISO 100
Right: Shot at f/14, this image is sharp from front to back. Canon 5D Mark III | Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM | 35mm | 1/125 sec | f/14 | ISO 100
A good way to combat this is to choose a smaller aperture. By selecting an aperture around f/5.6 or f/8, ensuring the focus is where you want it to be becomes much easier. When you’re starting out, this can be the difference between a couple of sharp images (or even no sharp images) gained out of luck and a memory card full of them.
Again, this is not a rule, and shooting wide open is fun and has plenty of its own merits. But that doesn’t mean you should always shoot wide open.
Taking control of the light
You’ve probably heard the phrase “Photography is light.” It’s everywhere, but it cannot be repeated enough. If you want to take better photos, you need to learn to take control of the light. This is especially important for portraits.
Natural light
With natural light, you will want to learn how to find the light with the qualities best-suited to the portrait you want to create.
For the most part, you will want to avoid shooting in midday sun. Instead, learn to find patches of soft light. This can be an area of open shade, it can be window light, or it can be garage door lighting.
Looking for situations like this overcast day, where the light is more flattering for portraits, is a key skill to develop. Canon 5D Mark III | Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 | 85mm | 1/320 sec | f/1.8 | ISO 200
Studio lighting
In the studio, you will have a somewhat easier time of things.
After all, a studio should be designed from the ground up for you to alter the light at will. Use the right modifiers, learn some of the basic lighting patterns, and use modeling lights whenever possible. All of these will make it easier for you to take control of the lighting in your portraits.
Studio lighting is a lot easier to control as you are in charge of everything, but there are a lot of options to sort through. Canon 5D Mark III | Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM | 35mm | 1/125 sec | f/14 | ISO 100
Flattering light
Another thing about light that is important when getting your portraits right in-camera is whether or not the light is flattering. While this is quite a subjective topic, there are a few things for you to keep in mind that will help you to get more flattering light.
Light from above
In most natural circumstances, we humans are lit from above. This is how we generally see other people. Lighting your subject from other angles will result in oddly-placed shadows that won’t feel right to your viewer.
By placing the main light source above your subject, you are working to ensure that you are presenting your subjects in a way that people will recognize.
Lighting from above will help to ensure that your studio lighting looks more natural. Also, bringing the light source in close softens the light, making it more flattering.
Soft light
As mentioned, using a soft light source will help you get more flattering results. This will reduce the overall contrast in your images, and help to reduce the appearance of skin textures in your portraits. It will also help to make the transitions from shadows to highlights smoother.
Using as soft a light source as possible reduces contrast and provides more flattering light for your subjects. Canon 5D Mark III | Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM | 35mm | 1/125 sec | f/5.6 | ISO 100
Lens choice
Selecting a focal length suitable for portraiture is another important thing that will help you get your portraits right in camera.
The focal length you choose will dictate how your images are distorted. At the extreme ends, wide-angle and long telephoto lenses cause significant distortion in your images. In order to avoid this, you will find that most portraits are taken at a focal length somewhere between 50mm and 135mm. As a general guide, you can’t go wrong by selecting a focal length in that range.
Left: With a focal length of 35mm (taken up close), you should be able to see the distortion on the subject’s face caused by the wider angle lens. Canon 5D Mark III | Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM | 35mm | 1/125 sec | f/8 | ISO 200
Right: A 50mm focal length is a safer choice for portraits and is close to how the human eye sees. Canon 5D Mark III | Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro | 50mm | 1/125 sec | f/5.6 | ISO 100
Now, that is, once again, not a rule. There are some amazing examples of portraits taken at extremely wide focal lengths, just as there are plenty of portrait examples taken with much longer focal lengths. If you think an extreme focal length is right for your portrait, go ahead and try it.
While you can use extreme focal lengths (such as 16mm, used in the photo above) if you want to, you will find that it’s usually best to stick to more traditional focal lengths for most purposes. Canon 5D Mark III | Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM | 16mm | 1/125 sec | f/5.6 | ISO 100
Perspective and viewpoint
Your viewpoint as the photographer has a huge impact on your portrait images, and there are a few things you can do and avoid to help you get better portraits.
Viewing angle
For the most part, try to keep your lens at the same level or below the level of your subject’s eyes. Shooting above and downward toward your subject has the effect of making your subject appear vulnerable and weak.
(This is my bias speaking. I really don’t like taking photos from above, but it is still not a rule.)
For stronger portraits, try to avoid that.
Left: Here, the camera was on a level with the floor. You can see the mild distortion this viewpoint has caused; the subject appears to be falling backward. Canon 5D Mark III | Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 | 85mm | 1/160 sec | f/9 | ISO 100
Right: Bringing the camera up to navel-height has removed the distortion. Canon 5D Mark III | Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 | 85mm | 1/160 sec | f/9 | ISO 100
Distortion
Just like when you are photographing buildings, having your camera not level to the ground can cause distortion in your images.
Converging verticals on a human subject look even weirder than they do on buildings. If you are shooting from above your subject, this can lead to distorted facial features. If you are shooting from below, it can cause distortions of the legs, arms, and torso that just won’t look right to your viewer.
Some of this can be mitigated by selecting a longer focal length or stepping further away from your subject, but this won’t completely prevent distortion. To avoid any of this distortion in close-up portraits, shoot from eye-level or just below eye-level. To avoid it in half-length to full-length portraits, shoot from the level of your subject’s navel.
Exposure
For the most part, exposure is another subjective topic. There is often no right or wrong exposure, but if you’re starting out with portraits, there are a few things that will help you along the way.
To ensure that you are retaining all of the details in your images, take test shots and watch the histogram as you are building your scene. Here, the spike on the left is the background, and the rest of the tones fall well within the two sides of the histogram, denoting relatively low contrast.
Portraits can have a lot of contrast in them. Just imagine a subject with light-colored hair who’s wearing a black shirt. For the best outcome, you will want to ensure that the exposure retains details in both extremes.
If you have access to them, tools like the light meter and the ColorChecker Passport shown above will help to give you accurate exposures and colors just about every time.
To ensure that you have retained all the details in your images, you can refer to the histogram on the back of your camera. A simple way to use this is to make sure that the information depicted by the histogram does not go past either the left-hand or the right-hand sides of the graph.
If the histogram goes off the right-hand side, your image will be overexposed and you will be missing details in the highlights of your image. If the histogram goes off the left-hand side, your image will be underexposed and you will be missing details in the shadows.
Manipulate the exposure
Sometimes, you won’t be able to retain all the detail in a given scene, as the contrast will be too high. In order to keep your shadows and highlights from clipping, you will want to manipulate the scene. There are a lot of ways you can do this.
You can use a reflector to bounce light into areas of the scene that are too dark, thus reducing the overall contrast of the scene. You could do the same with flash as fill light.
Using a reflector is a great way to help control the contrast in your images. Here, a piece of polystyrene (styrofoam) board from a package did the job and didn’t cost anything.
You could also use a diffuser in front of your main light source to soften the light and reduce the overall contrast in the frame. This works with both natural light and studio strobes.
Of course, in a studio, you could always opt to use a bigger modifier, or move your light source closer to your subject. Both of these have the effect of softening the light and reducing the overall contrast in your scene.
To soften your light, use bigger modifiers or bring them in close. Alternatively, as shown in the image above, do both and add a reflector for good measure.
If you are new to portraits but familiar with other aspects of photography, you can think of this as similar to using graduated neutral density filters in landscapes.
By placing a graduated neutral density filter in front of the lens, you are (usually) increasing the exposure time needed for one part of the image (usually the sky) so that it falls at a value closer to the foreground, reducing the contrast in the image by however many stops the filter represents.
You can think of these tools for portraits in the same way, except that they manipulate the actual light in the scene in front of you, rather than fitting onto the lens and manipulating the final exposure.
End
I feel the need to reemphasize that this article is in no way anti-post processing. Doing what you can at the capture stage is simply about better camera craft and obtaining a better starting point. Canon 5D Mark III | Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM | 35mm | 1/125 sec | f/5.6 | ISO 100
While this article is definitely not a complete and exhaustive guide to portrait techniques, these few basic tips should help you get your portraits right in camera. If you take your time to be mindful of your choices regarding camera settings, lighting, and exposure, you will start to find that you need to spend much less time in post-production.
Of course, if there are any tips that you use to get your portraits right in-camera, please feel free to leave them in a comment.
The post Tips for Getting Your Portraits Right In-Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.
Panasonic has announced the Lumix DC-S5, a compact full-frame mirrorless camera for creators who want good still and video capabilities, without having to haul around the S1 or S1H.
The S5 features a 24MP BSI CMOS sensor, also found in the S1, which has a standard ISO range of 100-51,200. Its 5-axis image stabilizer can reduce shake by up to 6.5 stops when paired with a compatible lens, and the sensor-shift system allows for the creation of 96MP high-res JPEGs or Raws. The autofocus system has been revamped, with less ‘wobble’ when focusing and faster and a new ‘head detection’ function.
A firmware update later this year will add Cinema 4K, Raw video output, vector scope display and more.
The S5 is loaded with video features, with more to come later this year. It can capture 10-bit 4:2:0 4K/60p video with an APS-C crop, or 10-bit 4:2:2 using the full width of the sensor at 30p or 24p. There’s a 30 minute time limit when shooting 10-bit and no limit with 8-bit. The S5 offers V-Log / V-Gamut and HLG, and also has anamorphic and Slow&Quick modes. Headphone and mic sockets are onboard, and the camera supports the company’s XLR adapter. A firmware update later this year will add DCI ‘Cinema’ 4K, Raw video output, vector scope display and more.
GH5, S5, S1H
Design-wise, the S5 is considerably more compact than the other S-series models, and a bit smaller and lighter than the GH5. It has a magnesium alloy chassis and is sealed against dust and moisture. Its fully articulating touchscreen has 1.84M dots, while its electronic viewfinder has 2.36M dots. The camera has dual SD card slots, though only one supports UHS-II speeds. Dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are available for transferring images to your smartphone. The S5 uses the new DMW-BLK22 battery, which can crank out 440 shots per charge using the LCD and 470 with the EVF, according to CIPA ratings. A battery grip is optional.
The Lumix DC-S5 will be available in mid-September at a price of $ 1999 for the body and $ 2299 when kitted with the 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 lens. If you’re in the U.S. and preorder by the end of September, Panasonic will send you a Sigma 45mm F2.8 DG DN lens at no charge.
Read our Panasonic S5 initial review
Press Release
New Hybrid Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera, the LUMIX S5
Featuring Exceptional Image Quality in High Sensitivity Photo/Video And Stunning Mobility
Newark, NJ – (September 2, 2020) Panasonic is delighted to announce the new LUMIX S5, a new hybrid full-frame mirrorless camera that achieves both excellent performance in photo/video and stunning mobility for serious photographers and videographers.
At the heart of the camera, the LUMIX S5 contains a 24.2-megapixel 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor that boasts a wide dynamic range and high sensitivity performance. The LUMIX S5 further realizes recording maximum ISO 51,200 crystal-clear high sensitivity video with the adoption of the Dual Native ISO technology.
As a pioneer of photo/video hybrid mirrorless cameras, LUMIX has the largest lineup of cameras that record 4K 10-bit video[*1]. As the latest member of the family, the LUMIX S5 is capable of 4K 60p/50p4:2:0 10-bit, and 4K 30p/25p 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording. It is also capable of 4K 60p/50p 4:2:2 10-bit HDMI output. For 4K 30p 4:2:0 8-bit internal recording, there is no time limit. Panasonic’s exceptional heat dispersion technology delivers stable, long-time video recording. The LUMIX S5 provides 14+ stops of dynamic range, which is as wide as those of cinema cameras, and V-Log / V-Gamut compatibility with popular colorimetry called “VariCam Look.” A variety of recording formats and modes including 4:3 Anamorphic mode, Slow & Quick Motion, 4K/60p interval shooting and 4K HDR are also provided.
The LUMIX S5 boasts high-speed, high-precision AF (Auto Focus) in both photo shooting and video recording that are made possible with advanced deep-learning technology featuring real-time detection of the subject’s type and features such as human eye, face, head and body.
Combining the Body I.S. (5-axis) in the camera and the O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer, 2-axis) in the LUMIX S Series lens, the 5-axis Dual I.S.2 prevents blurred images with the use of a 6.5-stop[*2] slower shutter speed. The splash/dust-resistant rugged design provides professional photographers with high reliability.
To enhance the photographic experience, the 96-megapixel High Resolution Mode (JPEG/RAW), Live View Composite function and HLG Photo mode are available.
Thanks to the high energy efficiency and a new 2,200mAh high-capacity battery, it can capture approximately 470 pictures (using the LVF) / 1,500 pictures (in Power Save LVF mode). Power and charging are possible via the USB-C port. Double SD Card slot (UHS-IIx1 and UHS-I x1), 5GHz/2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity are also supported. The LUMIX S Series full-frame mirrorless camera system adopts the L-Mount system to provide users with a diverse and future-proof range of products from Panasonic, Leica Camera and Sigma. Panasonic now offers four innovative models in the LUMIX S Series of full-frame Digital Single Lens Mirrorless cameras – the S1R, the S1, the S1H, and the new S5. The LUMIX S1R is ideal for taking high-resolution images, the LUMIX S1 is an advanced hybrid camera for high-quality photos and videos, and the LUMIX S1H is designed and developed specifically for film production. The LUMIX S5 packs the essence of these conventional S Series cameras in a compact, lightweight body. With this lineup, Panasonic is committed to meeting the demands of all creators by challenging the constant evolution of the photo/video culture in today’s new digital era.
*1 *Of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, as of September 2, 2020.
*2 Based on the CIPA standard [Yaw/Pitch direction: focusing distance f=200mm when S-E70200 is used. Firmware must be updated to the latest version.
High image quality even in high sensitivity photo/video and Dual I.S. to suppress virtually any type of blurring
The LUMIX S5 contains a 24.2-megapixel 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor (35.6 mm x 23.8mm). The LUMIX S5 boasts a wide dynamic range and reproduces sharp images with exceptional clarity. Noise is minimized even when shot at maximum ISO 51,200 high sensitivity. It is an ideal camera to use especially in low-light situations.
The LUMIX S5 features Dual Native ISO sensitivity, the technology that was first introduced in the Panasonic professional cinema camera VariCam line-up. Normally, noise increases as sensitivity rises with a single native ISO image sensor. However, the image sensor with Dual Native ISO in the S5 minimizes noise generation by choosing an optimal circuit to use according to the sensitivity before gain processing. As a result, it allows a maximum ISO 51,200 high sensitivity recording. Dual Native ISO gives film creators a greater variety of artistic choices as well as the ability to use less light on the set, saving time. The LUMIX S5’s Dual Native ISOs are 640 and 4000[*1].
Taking full advantage of its high-resolution sensor, the LUMIX S5 provides a High Resolution mode that faithfully reproduces precise details to be saved as beautiful, highly realistic images not only RAW but also in JPEG. Eight consecutive images are automatically shot while shifting the sensor using the Body I.S. (Image Stabilizer) mechanism and synthesized into a 96-megapixel equivalent (12,000 x 8,000-pixel) image by the Venus Engine, which boasts high-speed signal processing. This high-resolution photo is ideal for landscape photography of stationary subjects or artwork with delicate details using a tripod. However, it can also be used in situations where moving subjects are included in the scene, by switching the sub mode.
The LUMIX S5 integrates the Body I.S. (Image Stabilizer) for powerful handshake correction. Panasonic developed an algorithm that precisely calculates shaky movements sensed by the gyro sensor, image sensor and accelerometer sensor. This enables more accurate shake detection and compensation, making it possible to use a 5-stop slower shutter speed[*2]. Combining the Body I.S. (5-axis) in the camera and the O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer, 2-axis) in the LUMIX S Series lens, the 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 the correction power is maximized to allow 6.5-stop slower shutter speed[*3]. It is highly beneficial in telephoto shots and in adverse situations, such as in low-light or with one-handed shooting. The 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 works for both photo and video recording, including 4K. The Body I.S. compensates for camera movement even when other L-Mount lenses without O.I.S. are used.
With the new Live View Composite function, the camera releases the shutter at designated intervals of exposure time and synthesizes the parts with high luminosity to produce a single picture. While the total brightness of each consecutive image is accumulated in bulb shooting, only the target subject, the bright parts of an image, are detected and the user can synthesize them carefully while seeing it in live view. This is useful for capturing shots of fireworks or stars in the night sky where the background needs no gain-increase.
*1 When recording mode is set to V-Log. The sensitivity varies depending on the recording mode.
*2 Based on the CIPA standard [Yaw/Pitch direction: focusing distance f=60mm when S-R2060 is used.
*3 Based on the CIPA standard [Yaw/Pitch direction: focusing distance f=200mm when S-E70200 is used
Exceptional video recording performance for cinema-quality film creation
As a pioneer of photo/video hybrid mirrorless cameras, LUMIX has the largest lineup[*1] of cameras that record 4K 10-bit video. As the latest member of the family, the LUMIX S5 is capable of 4K 60p 4:2:0 10-bit, and 4K 30p 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording up to 30 minutes. It is also capable of 4K 60p4:2:2 10-bit HDMI output. For 4K 30p 4:2:0 8-bit internal recording, there is no time limit. It will comply with RAW video output to ATOMOS NINJA V over HDMI as well as C4K video recording with the future firmware update (which will be detailed in Chapter 6).
Dynamic range measures the luminance range that a digital camera can capture. The LUMIX S5 delivers 14+ stops of Dynamic Range, which are virtually the same as those of the Panasonic cinema cameras, to precisely reproduce everything from dark to bright areas. The ability to capture accurate colors and rich skin tones is a must for any filmmaker. The LUMIX S5 imports the renowned colorimetry of the VariCam lineup of cinema cameras. The LUMIX S5 contains V-Log/V-Gamut capture to deliver a high dynamic range and broad colors. V-Log renders a very flat image while maintaining all of the color information within the image. This means that there is a greater level of play when the images are put through post-production processes. The CMOS sensor of the LUMIX S5 achieves a wide color gamut known as V-Gamut, which is the S5’s optimum color space and achieves a color space that is wider than BT.2020. V-Log has log curve characteristics that are somewhat reminiscent of negative film and V-Gamut delivers a color space even larger than film. 35 conversion LUTs for VariCam cinema cameras can be downloaded free of charge for use in the LUMIX S5. It is easy to match the color tone with the footage recorded in V-Log of S1H/S1 and V-Log L of GH5/GH5S. Practical tools like a Waveform Monitor and V-Log View Assist are also available.
With Slow & Quick mode, impressive video slow and quick motion video in 4K(1-60fps, 30x quick to 2.5x slow) or in FHD (1-180fps, 60x quick to 7.5x slow) is available. It is possible to use AF[*2] to capture the subject in sharp focus in this mode, too. It can also be accessed directly using the mode dial.
The HDR (High Dynamic Range) video recording in 4K is also available, which reproduces both the bright parts and dark parts of an image, making it appear as if seen in person. The camera records video with a designated gamma curve compatible with ITU-R BT.2100, and the user can now choose Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) in Photo Style. The HLG[*3] Photo mode provides a wider dynamic range to reproduce light and shadow with more natural contrast. The HLG Photos can also be produced as an HSP file[*4] with compressed high-brightness signals in its full resolution (5,888 x 3,312, in 16:9) in addition to JPEG/RAW files. The user can playback these vibrant images on the latest Panasonic HLG-compliant 4KTV via HDMI cable connection or other HLG-compliant devices.
For more continuous burst shooting, 6K PHOTO[*5] makes it possible to capture unmissable moments at 30 fps by extracting the frame with the best timing out of a 6K burst file (in 4:3 or 3:2 aspect ratio) to save as an approximate 18-megapixel equivalent high-resolution photo.
*1 Of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, as of September 2, 2020
*2 The AF mode switches to MF when the frame rate is set to of 150 fps or more. The angle of view is reduced when the frame rate is set to 180 fps. Recording stops when the continuous recording time exceeds 30 minutes.
*3 “HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma)” is an international standard (ITU-R BT.2100) HDR format.
*4 “HSP” is an HDR picture format using HLG format video technology.
*5 6K PHOTO’ is a high speed burst shooting function that cuts a still image out of a 4:3 or 3:2 video footage with approx.18-megapixel (approx. 6000 x 3000 effective pixel count) that the 6K image manages.
High-speed, high-precision AF achieved supported by real-time detection technology
The LUMIX S5 boasts high-speed, high-precision AF in both photo shooting and video recording. Combining the Contrast AF with DFD (Depth From Defocus) technology, it focuses on the target in approximately 0.08 sec[*1]. As a camera that excels in low-light shooting, the LUMIX S5 boasts -6EV[*2] luminance detection performance with Low Light AF thanks to the higher sensitivity and optimized tuning of the sensor. Allowing maximum 480 fps communication speed between the sensor and the lens, users can take full advantage of this high-speed, high-precision AF when LUMIX S Series lens is used.
The LUMIX S5 also incorporates an advanced deep learning technology that detects specific subjects like humans and fast-moving animals. Notably for humans, the head is separately recognized from the eye, face and body by real-time detection technology to provide even more precise focusing. The camera continually tracks an individual even if they move quickly, turn their back to the camera, tilt their head or move far away from the camera. On the other hand, improvements to the DFD technology has enhanced AFC, which also enables users to keep tracking small or fast-moving subjects to capture them in crisp focus.
*1 11EV, at wide-end with S-R24105 (CIPA) in LVF120 fps setting.
*2 At ISO100, F1.4, AFS
Reliable basic performance and expandability for creative freedom
The LUMIX S5 boasts outstanding mobility yet excels in basic performance and expandability. To withstand heavy field use, the LUMIX S5 is composed of a magnesium alloy full die-cast body and is splash/dust-resistant[*1]. With an optimum layout of heat dispersion components, heat is effectively transferred outside which results in stable, continuous video recording for a long time.
The LUMIX S5 has a large LVF (Live View Finder) with a high magnification ratio of approx. 0.74x. High-precision, high-speed OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display features 2,360K-dot high resolution. Adoption of OLED for the LVF achieves high speed response with minimum time lag of less than 0.005 sec. With an eyepoint of approximately 20 mm, it offers high visibility with comfort for users wearing glasses.
A 3.0-inch free-angle LCD in 3:2 aspect with 1,840K-dot high resolution provides touch control. Composition during recording in various popular aspect ratios such as 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 4:5, 5:4 and 9:16 can be checked with the Frame Marker function. The REC Frame Indicator identifies whether the camera is recording or not.
The LUMIX S5 has a double SD Memory Card slot. One slot complies with UHS-I and the other with the high-speed, high-capacity UHS-II (Video Class 90). The camera’s battery can be recharged either via AC or USB according to the user’s convenience.
Compatibility with Bluetooth 4.2 (called BLE: Bluetooth Low Energy) enables constant connection with a smartphone/tablet with minimum power consumption. The settings of a LUMIX S5 camera can also be copied and transmitted wirelessly to other S5 cameras when using multiple S5 cameras. Wi-Fi 5-GHz (IEEE802.11ac) [*2] also is effective in addition to 2.4-GHz (IEEE802.11b/g/n.) This provides secure and stable connection on location for smooth remote control and high-speed data transfer.
*1 Dust and Splash Resistant does not guarantee that damage will not occur if this lens is subjected to direct contact with dust and water.
*2 5GHz Wi-Fi is not available in some countries.
Optional accessories and application software
A variety of accessories can be used for the LUMIX S5 to enhance its usability and convenience. Microphone Adaptor (DMW-XLR1) is a plug-in type adaptor for an XLR microphone to record high-quality stereo sound. It is ideal for lip-sync recording. Dedicated switches allow direct, quick control. MIC, LINE and CONDENSER MICROPHONES are switchable. Battery Grip (DMW-BGS5) allows approximately 940 pictures (using the LVF) / 3000 pictures (in Power Save LVF mode) with an extra battery inside the grip. More accessories such as Remote Shutter (DMW-RS2), DC coupler (DMW-DCC17), Tripod Grip (DMW-SHGR1) are available.
Application software LUMIX Tether enables tethered shooting via USB. Users can control the camera by connecting it to a PC via USB. It lets them view the image on a large PC screen while shooting. For live streaming, LUMIX Tether for Streaming (Beta) with LIVE VIEW mode can be used.
The LUMIX Sync application for iOS/Android devices enables photo transmission to a smartphone or a tablet via easy wireless connection. It also allows remote control of the camera using these devices.
Future Firmware Update
To further enhance its performance, a firmware update is scheduled for the LUMIX S5 by the end of 2020. In addition to C4K video recording, it will support RAW video data output to ATOMOS NINJA V over HDMI at a resolution of 5.9K (5888×3312) 29.97p/25p, 4K(4128×2176) 59.94p/50p and Anamorphic 3.5K (3536×2656)/50p. A variety of video recording assist functions such as the Vector Scope Display, Master Pedestal Adjustment and SS/Gain Operation(SEC/ISO, ANGLE/ISO, SEC/dB) will also be available. L.MonochromeS and L.ClassicNeo are the new options to be added for Photo Style.
The Lumix S5 will be available at valued channel partners in mid-September for $ 1999.99 for the body only and $ 2299.99 with a 20-60 kit lens.
Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 specifications
Price
MSRP
$ 1999 (body only), $ 2299 (w/20-60mm lens)
Body type
Body type
SLR-style mirrorless
Body material
Magnesium alloy
Sensor
Max resolution
6000 x 4000
Image ratio w:h
1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels
24 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors
25 megapixels
Sensor size
Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm)
Sensor type
CMOS
Processor
Venus Engine
Color space
sRGB, Adobe RGB
Color filter array
Primary color filter
Image
ISO
Auto, 100-51200 (expands to 50-204800)
Boosted ISO (minimum)
50
Boosted ISO (maximum)
204800
White balance presets
5
Custom white balance
Yes (4 slots)
Image stabilization
Sensor-shift
Image stabilization notes
5-axis Dual IS 2
CIPA image stabilization rating
6.5 stop(s)
Uncompressed format
RAW
JPEG quality levels
Fine, standard
File format
JPEG (Exif v2.31)
Raw (Panasonic RW2, 12-bit)
HLG (CTA-2072)
Optics & Focus
Autofocus
Contrast Detect (sensor)
Multi-area
Center
Selective single-point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Touch
Face Detection
Live View
Autofocus assist lamp
Yes
Manual focus
Yes
Number of focus points
225
Lens mount
Leica L
Focal length multiplier
1×
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD
Fully articulated
Screen size
3″
Screen dots
1,840,000
Touch screen
Yes
Screen type
TFT LCD
Live view
Yes
Viewfinder type
Electronic
Viewfinder coverage
100%
Viewfinder magnification
0.74×
Viewfinder resolution
2,360,000
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed
60 sec
Maximum shutter speed
1/8000 sec
Exposure modes
Program
Aperture priority
Shutter priority
Manual
Built-in flash
No
External flash
Yes (via hot shoe)
Flash modes
Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Forced On/Red-eye Reduction, Slow Sync, Slow Syn./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off
Flash X sync speed
1/250 sec
Continuous drive
7.0 fps
Self-timer
Yes
Metering modes
Multi
Center-weighted
Highlight-weighted
Spot
Exposure compensation
±5 (at 1/3 EV steps)
AE Bracketing
±3 (3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)
Videography features
Format
MPEG-4, H.264, H.265
Modes
3840 x 2160 @ 60p / 200 Mbps, MOV, H.265, Linear PCM
3840 x 2160 @ 50p / 200 Mbps, MOV, H.265, Linear PCM
3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 150 Mbps, MOV, H.265, Linear PCM
3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 150 Mbps, MOV, H.265, Linear PCM
3840 x 2160 @ 23.98p / 150 Mbps, MOV, H.265, Linear PCM
3328 x 2496 @ 30p / 150 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
3328 x 2496 @ 23.98p / 150 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 100 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 100 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 100 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
1920 x 1080 @ 23.98p / 100 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
Microphone
Stereo
Speaker
Mono
Storage
Storage types
Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots (UHS-II supported in slot 1)
The S5 is at the center of the Panasonic’s announcements today, but the company has also revealed plans to release a handful of F1.8 prime lenses. Details are thin at the moment, but we know that S-series 24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 85mm F1.8 lenses are on the way, and that the 85mm will be available in November.
Panasonic showed renderings of its forthcoming lenses in a presentation surrounding the S5 launch.
A YouTube presentation by Panasonic shows all four primes as being the same size, each of them smaller (and presumably less expensive) than the existing F1.4 L-mount options at these focal lengths, which will bring some added variety to the growing lens system.
An update to Final Cut Pro X promises to unleash the power of ProRes Raw video, a feature available on many new cameras. But, cameras need to supply the right metadata for it to work.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.
Alongside its latest camera, the S5, Panasonic has announced a promised firmware update for its existing S-series of full-frame mirrorless cameras. Of greatest significance to the greatest number of users is likely to be enhanced autofocus performance for the S1, S1R and S1H, whether shooting in stills or video. This means the addition of head-detection, so you’re less likely to lose focus on your subject should they turn away momentarily. There’s also the promise of less overall hunting for a better viewfinder experience for shooting stills, and better footage when shooting video.
Speaking of video, the S1R gets a bespoke update, and will be able to capture 5K video. The press release is light on details, so that’s all we really know, but it’s a welcome update nonetheless.
Panasonic says the firmware update will arrive by the end of 2020, and we have to say, we’re pleased to see significant updates making their way into the company’s existing cameras.
Press release:
Panasonic Releases Firmware Update Programs for the LUMIX S1R, S1H and S1
Newark, NJ – (September 2, 2020) – Panasonic has announced that they will be releasing firmware update programs for the LUMIX Digital Single Lens Mirrorless cameras S1R, S1H and S1 to enhance functions and usability by the end of 2020.
The new firmware enables the S1R to record 5K video, making the most of its high-resolution image sensor. Also, LUMIX’s state-of-the-art AF technology and performance of the new LUMIX S5 will also be available on the S1R, S1H and S1. The upgraded AF notably excels in detection of human and its movement. In addition to the eye, face, body the head is also separately recognized by real-time detection technology to provide even more precise focusing. The camera keeps tracking the subject person even if he/she moves quickly, turns his/her back to the camera, tilts his/her head or moves far away from the camera. On the other hand, improvements to the DFD technology has enhanced AFC, which also enables users to keep tracking small or fast-moving subjects to capture them in crisp focus. Users can take these advantages in both photo shooting and video recording.
Panasonic further addresses technology development and its achievement shall be applied not only to the new products but also to those already released via firmware update.
The Panasonic Lumix S5 takes the important bits of Panasonic’s S1 and GH5 and combines them to make one capable-yet-compact camera. We’ve had our hands on an S5 for a few weeks we’re pleased with what we’re seeing. Take a look through our gallery to see for yourself.
You must be logged in to post a comment.