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NiSi Filter System Review (For Fujifilm X100 Cameras)

06 Nov

The post NiSi Filter System Review (For Fujifilm X100 Cameras) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.

The Fujifilm X100 camera line has consistently appeared in lists of the best compact cameras over the last decade. This is not surprising; the series boasts a sharp 23mm f/2 Fujinon lens, great ergonomics, and a ton of cool features.

The series started with the original X100 in 2010, but is now in its fifth iteration with the launch of the Fujifilm X100V in February 2020.

The Fujifilm X100F camera — One of the best compact camera options of the last decade: the Fujifilm X100 series.

As a “take everywhere” camera, the X100 line has many advantages. But perhaps one of the drawbacks is that there isn’t a lot you can add to it to increase its versatility.

Or is there?

In this article, I take a look at the NiSi filter system for Fujifilm X100-series cameras.

So if you’re ready for a thorough NiSi filter system review, let’s get started.

Fujifilm X100-series accessories

Until recently, the only thing you could add to an X100-series camera that truly added to its versatility was one of Fujifilm’s teleconverters.

The fixed 23mm lens has a 35mm full-frame equivalent field of view. Adding the TCL-X100 teleconverter, this changes to a 50mm equivalent, whereas the WCL-X100 widens your field of view to 28mm.

Although the optical quality is excellent, the teleconverters are relatively heavy and quite pricey. If only there was something lighter and cheaper yet with excellent optical quality that would add to the X100 camera experience…

Enter the NiSi filter system for X100-series cameras.

NiSi filters

As a long-time user of the X100 series, I was excited to see NiSi recently launch a filter system for this camera lineup.

NiSi has a great reputation among landscape and cityscape photographers, because their filters are made from high-definition optical glass and offer true-to-life color reproduction.

Cleveland Point by Matt Murray NiSi filter system review example — The waves were gently lapping against this old jetty, but with the NiSi ND8 filter attached to my Fujifilm X100F, a 5-second exposure was enough to smooth the ripples out.

I’ve been using the NiSi 100mm system for the last few years with my Fujifilm X-T3 and Fujifilm X-T2. And I have been impressed with the results.

So, as a long-time user of the X100 series, I couldn’t wait to try out this new NiSi filter system.

NiSi filter system for Fujifilm X100-series cameras

For this NiSi filter system review, I tested the filters designed for Fujifilm X100-series cameras on my Fujifilm X100F.

Here’s what’s included in the kit:

NiSi 3-stop medium-edge graduated filter
NiSi HD polarizer filter
NiSi ND8 3-stop neutral density filter
NiSi Natural Night filter
NiSi X100 filter holder
Filter carrying case

There is also a slightly cheaper starter kit that contains only two filters: the medium-edge graduated ND filter and the polarizer. I’m not sure why you would opt for the starter kit when, for a small additional cost, you can get two extra, very useful filters.

NiSi filter system review — The NiSi filter system for the X100 series.

First impressions

My first impression of the kit was very positive: the quality and design of both the packaging and the filters is impressive.

The filters come in a light gray filter case, which has a tough shell and looks to be hard-wearing. Inside, each filter is wrapped individually in tissue paper. The filter case has several divider tabs inside, one for each filter as well as the filter holder.

NiSi filter system — The filters come wrapped in tissue paper.

My next thought was to marvel at how tiny the kit was, so much smaller than my 100mm NiSi filters. Of course, when you think about how big the lens is on the X100, it makes perfect sense for the set to be so small.

The filter set is as light as a feather and very compact. If weight matters to you, you’ll barely notice this new bit of kit in your bag.

Build quality

The build quality of the kit is excellent. The filter holder is constructed with aluminum alloy (the same material used in the popular NiSi V6 100mm filter kit). The filters themselves are made of high quality, precision-annealed optical glass, which is a point of difference as some other companies use resin.

Installation and usability

Getting your X100-series camera ready to use the filters is super easy.

First, unscrew the front ring on your camera’s lens. If you’ve never used a lens hood or teleconverter on your X100-series camera before, you may even be surprised to know there is a ring that comes off the front of the camera.

When this ring is taken off, it reveals a thread mount. The next step is to screw the NiSi filter holder onto the lens. Now you’re all ready to go!

Brisbane at night by Matt Murray — For this image of Brisbane at night, I stacked the NiSi ND8 filter along with the NiSi Natural Night filter.

Using the filters

Once the filter holder is in place, take a filter out of the pouch and slide it carefully into the filter slot closest to the lens.

Note that the holder has two slots so you can add another filter to the holder if you wish.

Quite often, I found myself using filters in combination; for example, at dusk I was using the 3-stop ND filter to get longer exposure times for ferry trails on the Brisbane River, along with the Natural Night filter to correct the color of the light. In very bright conditions, I often used the graduated ND filter along with the polarizer filter.

The filter holder rotates 360 degrees, which is very handy for when you need to use the graduated ND filter in either horizontal or vertical orientation. Of course, for the other three filters, the orientation doesn’t matter.

NiSi 3-stop medium-edge graduated ND filter

The NiSi 3-stop medium-edge graduated ND filter is a fantastic piece of kit to have in your camera bag.

As with all graduated neutral density filters, it helps to darken specific areas of an image such as bright skies. But as a graduated filter, it allows normal exposure in other parts of the image.

The filter is quite long in comparison to the length of the filter holder, allowing you to move the filter up and down in the holder to control its exact placement.

NiSi HD Polarizer

The NiSi HD Polarizer reduces reflections and glare by filtering out light that has become polarized due to reflection from non-metallic surfaces.

This comes in handy when you want to remove glare on the water or reflections when shooting through glass. The filter provides good color and saturation in scenes.

I enjoyed using the polarizer, though the effect is less noticeable compared to the other filters.

ND8 filter

The NiSi ND8 filter is a neutral density filter that gives a 3-stop exposure reduction. This allows you to photograph with slower shutter speeds or wider apertures than would usually be possible.

A neutral density filter is perfect for being able to show movement in your images. For example, you can use the NiSi ND8 to shoot traffic trails or flowing water.

This filter is probably the most fun and most dramatic filter to use in the kit. It’s fantastic to create long exposures using this filter; you can then see the effect it has on moving elements in your photos.

NiSi filter system review ND8 example — Here’s an extreme example of the ND8 filter in use. The longer exposure time makes the sea looks perfectly smooth!

Natural Night filter

The NiSi Natural Night filter is the perfect companion for night photography. When shooting cityscapes, many factors affect the color of the light; these include mercury vapor, sodium, and low-CRI streetlights. The glow from these light sources prevents your camera from seeing the sky properly and can negatively affect your images.

The NiSi Natural Night filter blocks out the most common wavelengths of light pollution, leaving you with a more natural-looking night image.

Here’s an image taken without the NiSi Natural Night filter:

Story Bridge and Howard Smith wharves in Brisbane at night — Story Bridge and Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane without the NiSi Natural Night filter.

And here’s the same composition, captured once the NiSi Natural Night filter had been added:

Story Bridge and Howard Smith Wharves at night (using the NiSi Natural Light filter) — What a difference! Story Bridge and Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane with the NiSi Natural Night filter.

NiSi filter system review: Conclusion

I’ve really enjoyed using the NiSi filter system for the Fujifilm X100 lineup.

The filters are a fantastic addition for anyone shooting with this series of cameras. They add another layer of versatility without compromising the compact nature of your setup.

Until recently, the only way to add to the versatility of the king of compact cameras was by purchasing a pricey (and heavy) teleconverter. But with this kit, you have multiple creative options to use depending on the conditions.

Boasting excellent build quality, the professional kit contains four useful filters. They are small, light, and come beautifully packaged in their own tough case.

The professional filter set is also fantastic value for money, widely available for around $ 65 USD. The starter kit, with two fewer filters, is available for around $ 49 USD.

In fact, I can’t recommend this filter set highly enough.

So now that you’ve finished this NiSi filter system review, the question is not, “Why would you buy the system?”

It’s rather: “Why wouldn’t you buy it?”

You can grab the NiSi filter system here.

The post NiSi Filter System Review (For Fujifilm X100 Cameras) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.

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Xiaomi announces retractable lens technology for future smartphones

06 Nov

Xiaomi has introduced its self-developed Retractable Wide-aperture Lens Technology at its annual developer conference. Image credit: Xiaomi

Chinese technology company Xiaomi has officially kicked off its annual Mi Developer Conference (MIDC 2020) in Beijing. During the conference, Xiaomi has showcased numerous new technologies and breakthroughs, including retractable wide-aperture lens technology for smartphone devices.

If you have been following along with new smartphone announcements over the last few years, you’ll have noticed a strong emphasis on improvements in image quality, camera performance and lens quality. Drawing inspiration from traditional camera and lens design, Xiaomi has developed new Retractable Wide-aperture Lens Technology. This advancement in design lodges a compact optical structure in the smartphone, which can be extended when necessary.

Xiaomi promises that this new design will result in a breakthrough in performance. The company states, ‘This design allows the retractable telescopic camera to have a larger aperture to increase the amount of light input by 300%, as well as showcase better performance in portrait photography and night photography compared to currently-used camera structures.’ Further, the design incorporates a new image stabilization technology which ‘offers a larger anti-shake angle’ and increases sharpness by 20%.

The telescoping design has the primary benefit of allowing a camera not in use to be compact and easy to slip into a pocket, while still offering optical zoom when in use and capturing photos. In the case of a smartphone and its camera design, it’s even more critical to consumers that the device remain thin, compact, and lightweight.

Retractable lens designs have most frequently been seen in fixed-lens compact cameras, such as the Sony ZV-1 seen above. By utilizing a retractable lens design, engineers can strike a balance between performance when the camera is in use and a compact form factor when you aren’t capturing images.

Photography advancements from Xiaomi have been fast and furious this year despite the impact of the pandemic. This August, Xiaomi introduced its 3rd-generation under-display camera, which promised a high-quality, hidden camera under the smartphone’s display. This technology relies upon a revised pixel arrangement solution, allowing light to pass through gaps between the sub-pixels in the display.

Xiaomi’s advancements in camera technology don’t exist solely in the future. To celebrate its 10th anniversary this summer, Xiaomi launched the Mi 10 Ultra smartphone. This device incorporates a quad-camera array, including a long telephoto lens which offers a 120mm equivalent focal length and includes a 48MP image sensor. On the wide end of its camera array, there is a 12mm equivalent focal length and 20MP image sensor.

The Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra smartphone, introduced this August, highlights the company’s fast-paced camera technology advancements with its 12mm and 120mm cameras. Click to enlarge.

It remains to be seen what the real-world performance of a telescoping lens in a smartphone will be, but Xiaomi intends to utilize its new camera technology in upcoming smartphones. The company’s goal is to deliver ‘professional photography to hundreds of millions of smartphone users around the world’ with its expanding portfolio of image technology improvements.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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£10K Landscape Photographer of the Year prize goes to woodland view

06 Nov

Overall LPOTY Winner: Chris Frost, ‘Woolland Woods’, Dorset

Overall LPOTY Winner: Chris Frost, ‘Woolland Woods’, Dorset

Wild garlic, a misty morning and a low-down woodland view have combined to come out top in this year’s UK Landscape Photographer of the Year competition. Photographer Chris Frost picked up the title and a £10,000 cheque for his dawn picture that beat a field of ‘tens of thousands’ of entries in one of the biggest photography competitions in the UK.

In its thirteenth year, the contest is run by photographer Charlie Waite and aims to celebrate the wide range of landscapes in the UK, but can be entered by anyone from outside the country. Categories for adults and young photographers allow images of the countryside, as well as city views and special prizes, are awarded for pictures incorporating the UK rail network, for black and white photos as well as awards for pictures to do with history, the environment and nocturnal scenes.

Chris Frost won the overall Landscape Photographer of the Year title and prize, but there were five other category winners along with four special prizes.

The winning images as well as a selection of commended and shortlisted pictures will form an exhibition that will be held in London Bridge station from 16th November, while a book of the best pictures is already on sale. For more information, and to see all the shortlisted pictures, visit the Landscape Photographer of the Year website.

Historic Britain Winner: Graham Mackay, ‘Wallace Monument from the banks of the Forth’, Stirlingshire

Historic Britain Winner: Graham Mackay, ‘Wallace Monument from the banks of the Forth’, Stirlingshire

Lines in the Landscape Winner: Brian Nunn, ‘Ribblehead’, North Yorkshire

Lines in the Landscape Winner: Brian Nunn, ‘Ribblehead’, North Yorkshire

Changing Landscapes Winner: Graham Eaton, ‘When the Fog Parted’, North Wales Coast

Changing Landscapes Winner: Graham Eaton, ‘When the Fog Parted’, North Wales Coast

Classic View Winner: Leigh Dorey, ‘Roman Road’, Dorset

Classic View Winner: Leigh Dorey, ‘Roman Road’, Dorset

Black and White Winner: Neil Burnell, ‘Fantasy’, Dartmoor

Black and White Winner: Neil Burnell, ‘Fantasy’, Dartmoor

Your View Winner: Aleks Gjika, ‘Drama at the Lighthouse’, Wales

Your View Winner: Aleks Gjika, ‘Drama at the Lighthouse’, Wales

Urban Life Winner: George Robertson, ‘Got You’, Glasgow

Urban Life Winner: George Robertson, ‘Got You’, Glasgow

Landscapes at Night Winner: Alyn Wallace, ‘Protector’, Anglesey

Landscapes at Night Winner: Alyn Wallace, ‘Protector’, Anglesey

Overall Youth LPOTY Winner: Joshua Elphick, ‘Counting Sheep’, Sussex

Overall Youth LPOTY Winner: Joshua Elphick, ‘Counting Sheep’, Sussex

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Video: David Chan is the ‘Camera Guardian’ in Hong Kong

06 Nov

Hong Kong camera shop owner David Chan has spent the last 60 years collecting vintage camera gear and amassing an impressive collection of vintage photographic equipment. South China Morning Post visited Chan and interviewed him about his impressive collection.

The short film, ‘The Camera Guardian’, was filmed by Chris Chang. Its title is apt, as David Chan views himself as less of a collector and more of a guardian. He is working to preserve vintage camera gear, rather than cultivating a personal collection.

Chan owns David Chan Co., where he has sold cameras since the 1960s. There are some cameras that have come into his shop that he doesn’t want to sell, thus his collection has grown. He enjoys showing off his cameras and helping a new generation of photographers come to learn about and appreciate vintage camera craftsmanship. Any shutterbug would certainly be in gear heaven in Chan’s shop.

David Chan in his Hong Kong camera shop

Chan says, ‘Cameras are complicated to make. Cameras are luxury items.’ Some of his vintage lenses even contain radioactive elements that current regulations ensure are no longer found in modern camera equipment. But without the radioactive elements, Chan believes some newer lenses have lost their ‘flavor.’ He continues, ‘Modern lenses can’t produce the unique texture that vintage lenses could.’

Of digital cameras, Chan argues that while digital is more convenient, some character has been lost. Chan’s passion for photography is readily apparent. When passersby stop to look through the shop windows at the cameras, Chan invites them in and is eager to share his knowledge with visitors.

With respect to his own photography skills, Chan laughingly says, ‘I’m not a good photographer. Photography is an art. But I cherish cameras as works of art. Holding a camera in my hand makes me very happy. Pressing the shutter and listening to the sound also makes me so happy. Having spent so much time around cameras, does Chan have a favorite camera? He loves European cameras, such as ones from Zeiss, Voigtlander and Leica.

(Via Reddit)

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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US Navy shares photos, video from the Blue Angels’ farewell flight for its Legacy Hornet jets

06 Nov

The United States Navy Blue Angels have flown their last flight with their F/A-18A/B/C/D ‘Legacy’ Hornet aircrafts, which are being fazed out for the new F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. To commemorate the farewell flight of the 34-year-old planes, the U.S. Navy has released cockpit video and an array of images.

The final flight occurred yesterday, November 4, over the Hornet’s hometown of Pensacola, Florida, just as the sun was setting on the Florida coastline. Over the winter, the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team will enter its training period with 18 new F/A-18E/F jets that have been specifically modified for use by the Blue Angels, before showing off the new, larger ‘Super Hornets’ next year at its first show in Pensacola. The Drive has a fantastic deep dive into the modifications the U.S. Navy is making to the new Super Hornets for those of you interested in learning more.

An illustration showing the flight path of the Blue Angels’ final flight in the Legacy Hornet jets.

Below is a gallery of images from the final demonstration with the Legacy Hornet squadron, provided by the U.S. Navy:

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The Blue Angels demonstration team is a popular attraction for photographers at airshows around the world, with their incredible coordination, dizzying moves and near-flawless execution. You can read more about the U.S. Navy’s shift to the Super Hornet on Navy Times.

Image credits: Photos courtesy of the United States Navy.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Firmware v1.1.1 makes the Canon R6’s video much more usable

05 Nov

Alongside DPReviewTV’s re-assessment of the Canon EOS R6, we conducted some simple side-by-side testing of the latest firmware, in comparison to the original version. Our original tests showed that the R6 would deliver the promised amount of recording time in fairly challenging conditions, but that it would then struggle to recover.

Over the following weeks, diligent testing by users revealed Canon was factoring-in the initial temperature of the camera when determining how long to let it record for, but then was calculating recovery times without much consideration of internal or ambient temperature. This meant that the camera would take a long time to recover its recording capability and there was nothing you could do to speed up the process.

This could all be side-stepped if your shooting allows the use of an external recorder, but this somewhat undermines the convenience of the R6 as a stills-and-video tool.

Key takeaways:

The new firmware allows the EOS R6 to record for longer periods
An EOS R6 will require less cool-down time than before to recover recording times
Ambient temperature is likely to play a more significant role in recovery times

At the time of release, Canon’s description of this firmware update was:

Temperature detection and shooting time control in video shooting have been improved. In addition, the total shooting time when the short-time recording and power-on/off are performed repeatedly at room temperature is improved.

Our more recent testing supports this claim. A camera running firmware v1.1.1 was able to record for longer and, most critically, recover recording time faster than the example running firmware v1.0.

This makes the R6 a much more usable camera for stop/start video capture.

Of course the downside of the camera taking ambient and internal temperature into account to a greater degree is that its behavior is now more temperature sensitive and hence less predictable. However, this is much more consistent with how most other cameras work.

Testing two R6’s side-by-side, one with the previous firmware, one with the latest.

The original firmware was very dependable: you’d tend to get 40 minutes of 4K/24, 25 or 30p, as promised, but with dependably long recovery times. This meant that you were much more likely to hit that 40 minute limit than with other cameras that, on paper, promised less recording time (because they’d do a better job of recovering between clips).

With the latest firmware, in moderate and room-temperature shooting at least, the R6 is much better at recovering, which means you hit the temperature limit much less readily, particularly if you shoot clips of video and have some time between each one.

The R6 is generally a more usable camera for anyone shooting sequences of multi-minute clips

However, given we’re experiencing an early cold snap in Seattle, we can’t comment on how the camera will do when the summer comes.

Of course none of this is much help for, say, wedding photographers, for whom it may not be possible to turn a camera off for several minutes between clips, but it means the R6 is a much more usable camera for anyone shooting sequences of multi-minute clips.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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The Top Best Photo and Video Tools for Beginners

05 Nov

The importance of post-processing and editing in photos and videos cannot be overemphasized. For every great photograph, great view, lighting, and aesthetics, there is a precise amount of effort that was put in place to achieve that result that has become a focus of all eyes. A bulk of these efforts come into play in the post-processing aspect, editing in Continue Reading

The post The Top Best Photo and Video Tools for Beginners appeared first on Photodoto.

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Canon introduces compact RF 70-200mm F4L and 50mm F1.8 STM lenses

05 Nov

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Canon has introduced a pair of lenses for its EOS R system.

First up is the RF 70-200mm F4L IS USM, which is 32% shorter (at wide-angle) and 11% lighter than its popular EF counterpart. The lens is just 119mm (4.7″) long and weighs in at a 695g (1.5lbs), yet it retains the build quality and weather-sealing of other L-series lenses. Unlike those lenses, this 70-200 does not support teleconverter or offer a tripod mount.

The lens’s image stabilizer can reduce shake by up to five stops, and when attached to an EOS R5 or R6, can reach 7.5 stops by working in conjunction with in-body image stabilization. The 70-200 features 16 elements, four of which are ‘UD’ (ultra low dispersion) glass that help control chromatic aberration. Canon’s Air Sphere Coating reduces flare and ghosting. The lens’s minimum focus distance is 0.6m (2ft), regardless of focal length. The focus elements are driven by a pair of Nano USM motors for fast and silent autofocus.

The 70-200mm F4L IS USM will be available in early December for $ 1599.

Along with the 70-200 comes the tiny RF 50mm F1.8 STM lens. The lens weights only 160g (5.6oz) and is 41mm (1.6″) long. It contains a total of six elements (one being aspherical) and can focus as close as 0.3m (0.98ft). Its control ring can be used for manual focus, by default, or other functions including aperture and exposure compensation, depending on your needs. Focus elements are driven by a stepping motor. The RF 50mm F1.8 STM will hit store shelves in mid-December for $ 199.

Go hands-on with the new Canon RF lenses

Press release

CANON ADDS TWO RF LENSES AND PIXMA PRO PRINTER IDEAL FOR THE ENTHUSIAST PHOTOGRAPHER

MELVILLE, N.Y., November 3, 2020 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is excited to introduce the compact and lightweight RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM and the RF50mm F1.8 STM, two completely re-designed RF mount lenses with bloodlines to immensely popular EF models that feature new lens formulas and enhanced elements. Canon is also introducing the PIXMA PRO-200 printer, which is ideal for photography students and graphic designers.

“As Canon began to further build out the company’s RF lens portfolio, the goal in mind was to create advanced lenses, for a variety of experience levels, that also featured a sense of familiarity for longtime Canon users,” said Tatsuro “Tony” Kano, executive vice president and general manager of Canon U.S.A.’s Imaging Technologies & Communications Group. “Canon prides itself on being able to uniquely offer both input and output solutions to our customers. We are equally excited to see the images captured with the new lenses, and the prints that are to be created with the new PIXMA PRO-200 printer.”

Canon RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM Lens

The Canon RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM lens is ideal for photography enthusiasts ranging from advanced amateur to professional skill levels. The compact and lightweight nature of the lens makes it Canon’s shortest and lightest 70-200mm F4 zoom lens to date. This RF lens is approximately 32 percent shorter and 11 percent lighter than its EF counterpart with a large portion of the lens element arrangement closer to the camera body. This arrangement is designed to provide photographers with a more balanced feel and experience even at the zoom range’s telephoto end. Additionally, the shorter and lighter design allows the lens to more easily be stowed away in a camera bag when not in use.

The RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM features two independent Nano USM motors, providing an even greater level of high-speed autofocus for still image shooting as well as quiet and smooth autofocus for video shooting. The lens also incorporates a floating focus control that drives the two lens groups individually while using the two aforementioned Nano USM motors. The floating focus lens element shortens the focusing distance and helps reduce breathing, providing users with fast, consistent and reliable performance.

Additional Features of The Canon RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM Lens Include:

16 lens elements in 11 groups, including four UD lenses, that help to reduce chromatic aberration
Optical Image Stabilizer with up to 5 Stops[i] of shake correction
Up to 7.5 stops[ii] of shake correction with coordinated control of Optical Image Stabilizer and In-Body Image Stabilizer
Three stabilizer modes
Customizable control ring that allows photographers to adjust exposure compensation, shutter speed, aperture, or ISO
12-pin communication system
L-Series dust and weather-resistant build with a fluorine coating
Minimum focusing distance of 1.97 feet and a maximum magnification of 0.28x
Air Sphere Coating (ASC) that helps minimize lens flare and ghosting

Canon RF50mm F1.8 STM Lens

Creatives love using a 50mm lens because that focal length is similar to the natural viewpoint of the human field of vision. This perspective allows for the lens to be used in a wide variety of shooting situations, including portraits, landscapes and food photography. What’s more, Canon 50mm f/1.8 lenses have long been a popular tool for both photographers and creators due to their budget-friendly price point, extremely compact and lightweight form factor, and versatility.

The tradition continues with the RF50mm F1.8 STM that, in many ways, is improved over its EF counterpart. The first visually noticeable improvement is the customizable control ring that has become synonymous with RF lenses. The control ring allows photographers to adjust exposure compensation, shutter speed, aperture, or ISO and with a flip of the side switch can adjust focus. The inclusion of a PMo aspherical lens helps to reduce chromatic aberration and provides high-image quality even at the periphery of the image. Additionally, the combination of the lens shape and Super Spectra Coating (SSC) helps to minimize ghosting and flaring.

Additional Features of The Canon RF50mm F1.8 STM Lens Include:

Six lens elements in five groups
12-pin communication system
Minimum focusing distance of 0.98ft and a maximum magnification of 0.25x
Up to 7 stops[iii] of Shake Correction with EOS R Series cameras with In-Body Image Stabilizer

Canon PIXMA PRO-200 Printer

Continuing a long history of high-quality input to output digital imaging equipment, the PIXMA PRO-200 printer is 15% smaller than its predecessor, the PIXMA PRO-100. With the ability to print up to 13 inches x 19 inches and featuring improved ChromaLife 100+ dye-based ink, the latest PRO printer helps to create prints that are more representative of the original digital file. A helpful tool of the trade for photographers who print work for themselves and graphic artists or photography students working on their portfolios from their homes, the PIXMA PRO-200 printer also features:

A new 3-inch LCD screen to help users set up the printer, connect to WiFi, monitor ink and paper levels for an improved user experience
New Skew Correction feature, which automatically corrects shifts the paper may encounter during printing
Professional print and layout software, which can work as a stand-alone program, or integrated into Adobe® Lightroom® or Photoshop® as a plugin to work within a photographer’s workflow, to help take the guesswork out of making great prints
Vast media support to print on a variety of surfaces such as Canon Photo Paper Pro Luster and Premium Fine Art Rough, as well as the ability to print longer panoramic images in comparison to previous models

Pricing and Availability

The Canon RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM, and RF50mm F1.8 STM lenses are scheduled to be available in early and mid-December 2020 for a suggested retail price of $ 1,599.00 and $ 199.99, respectively*.

The PIXMA PRO-200 printer is scheduled to be available later in November for a suggested retail price of $ 599.99*.

For more information, please visit cusa.canon.com.

[i] Based on CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) standards. Testing performed at a focal length of 200mm using the EOS R camera.

[ii] Based on CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) standards. Testing performed at a focal length of 200mm using the EOS R5 camera.

[iii] Based on CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) standards. Testing performed at a focal length of 50mm using the EOS R5 camera.

Canon RF 70-200 F4L IS USM / RF 50mm F1.8 STM specifications

	Canon RF 70-200 F4L IS USM	Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM
Principal specifications
Lens type	Zoom lens	Prime lens
Max Format size	35mm FF
Focal length	70–200 mm	50 mm
Image stabilization	Yes	No
CIPA Image stabilization rating	5 stop(s)
Lens mount	Canon RF
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F4	F1.8
Minimum aperture	F32	F22
Aperture ring	No
Number of diaphragm blades	9	7
Optics
Elements	16	6
Groups	11	5
Special elements / coatings	4 UD elements + Air Sphere coating	1 aspherical element + Super Spectra Coating
Focus
Minimum focus	0.60 m (23.62″)	0.30 m (11.81″)
Maximum magnification	0.28×	0.25×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Nano ultrasonic	Stepper motor
Full time manual	Yes	No
Focus method	Internal
Distance scale	No
DoF scale	No
Focus distance limiter	Yes
Physical
Weight	695 g (1.53 lb)	160 g (0.35 lb)
Diameter	84 mm (3.31″)	69 mm (2.72″)
Length	119 mm (4.69″)	41 mm (1.61″)
Materials	Magnesium alloy
Sealing	Yes	No
Colour	White	Black
Zoom method	Rotary (extending)
Power zoom	No
Zoom lock	Yes
Filter thread	77 mm	43 mm
Hood supplied	Yes	No
Hood product code		ES-65B
Tripod collar	No

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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How to Use Framing in Your Compositions to Improve Your Photography

05 Nov

The post How to Use Framing in Your Compositions to Improve Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.

Photos look great when framed on the wall, but that is not the only way to use frames in photography. The world is full of frames, and they can be used in your photos to make the composition stronger.

In this article, you’ll learn how to find frames. You’ll also learn how you can work with frames to enhance your images. So let’s use framing in your compositions!

a paper frame in the composition — For this photo, traditional Korean paper, called Hanji, was held in front of the camera and used as a frame. The person in the photo is making this traditional paper, so the frame adds context to the image.

What is framing?

Framing, as the name suggests, is when you surround your main subject with a border of some kind.

The frame could literally be a picture frame you hold up in front of the camera. However, there are lots of other ways you can create frames in your compositions. For instance, you can photograph through a window frame, a doorway, or a gap in a wall. And you can always create your own frame, which you’ll learn about in a moment.

Why add a frame?

A frame is used in your image to draw the eye to your main subject. The subject could be a model standing in a doorway or architecture framed through a window.

Plus, a frame can add to your image. The right frame can add context, which creates a further narrative element.

framing in your compositions architecture — Architecture can provide strong framing opportunities for your photos.

Where to find frames

Here’s the next question:

Where can you find a frame that will work for your photo? I’ve already mentioned a few classic ideas, but let’s look at those (and others!) in more detail below:

Doorways: One of the easiest frames to find is a doorway. You can position your main subject in front of the door and use it as a frame. Alternatively, you can photograph through the door and use it as a frame for the background scene.
Picture frames: Hold a frame in front of your camera or ask someone else to hold it for you. Then use this to frame something interesting.
Windows: This is similar to a doorway, but doesn’t run to the ground.
A wall: Here, you need to look for a gap in the wall to use as a frame. This can work well when the foreground (the wall) complements the background behind it.
Lensballs: One of the reasons a lensball is an effective photography tool is because it always provides a natural frame, with the outside of the ball framing the inside.
Photograph through: Look for objects you can photograph through, such as a plant pot or a tube. These will give your photo a circular frame.
Nature: There are plenty of natural frames. A cave entrance or a tree tunnel can work well.

framing in your compositions archway — A wide-angle lens was used to capture the archway in front of this temple, which created a great frame.

How to photograph with a frame

On the face of it, photographing with a frame is easy:

Simply compose a photograph in front of something like an arch or window.

However, you need to consider some key compositional and technical questions. For instance, what’s the subject in the frame? And how large or small should your frame appear?

Focal length: The focal length you choose will depend on how much you want to compress the area surrounding your frame. It will also depend on how far back from your frame you’re able to stand. For instance, when photographing indoors, a wide-angle lens may be needed to fill the photo with the frame of a window or doorway.
Subject: Just because you have a natural frame does not mean you have a good photo, especially if the subject behind it is uninteresting. Look first for your main subject, and then look for available framing options. If you’re taking portrait photos, this will be easier than if you’re photographing a landscape; you can, of course, always ask your model to stand within the frame.
Narrative: What will your frame tell the viewer about the rest of the photo? Is it possible to adapt the frame in some way so it better suits the scene behind it? How much of the area surrounding the frame will you include, and how will that affect the story you’re trying to convey?

framing in your compositions light painting frame — There was no frame for this photo until the light was painted in!

Creative framing in your compositions

When a frame isn’t available, you have another option:

Create your own!

This creative approach to framing in your compositions can lead to the best results. That’s because you’ll have more control over the frame itself. You can control the size and shape of the frame. You’ll also be able to precisely match the frame to the image you are trying to create.

The following are some possible ideas for more creative framing:

Card or paper: Choose the color, cut out the appropriate shape, and make your own custom frame.
Copper piping: Placed close to the lens, this will create a flare-like effect when the sun shines off the metal, and this flare can be used as a frame.
Plant pot: Cut out the bottom of a plant pot and use it to photograph through. A wide focal length will likely be needed to catch the edge of the pot as you photograph through it.

framing in your compositions net — Always look to see how a frame can add more of a story to your photo. In this image, the fishing net is used to frame the fisherman.

Get framing!

Now that you know all about framing in your compositions, it’s time to get out and practice what you’ve learned.

Do you enjoy using frames in the photos you take? Is there another approach you use when looking for frames? Have you ever tried creating your own frame so that it matches the photo you’re taking?

Share your thoughts in the comments! And if you have photos with frames, please share them, too!

The post How to Use Framing in Your Compositions to Improve Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.

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Panasonic Lumix S 85mm F1.8 initial sample gallery

05 Nov

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Panasonic’s latest lens addition to its full-frame lineup is the S 85mm F1.8. It’s weather resistant and weighs in at just 355g (12.5oz), and will sell for $ 600 in early 2021. We’ve been able to shoot with a pre-production version of the lens, just in time for some socially distanced fall portraits of friends – including the furry kind.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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