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Google reveals how to simulate shallow DOF from a single mobile camera

19 Jun

Google has published an 18-page study fully detailing the synthetic depth-of-field technology that makes its single-camera Portrait Mode possible. Google introduced its evolved Portrait Mode feature on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, though neither smartphone model has the dual-camera hardware typically required to produce this effect.

The in-depth paper shows a degree of openness unusual for the smartphone and camera industries. Smartphones with a single camera produce images where everything is generally in focus. Dual-camera phones paired with a stereo algorithm get around this limitation by matching points in images from both cameras to determine depth within the captured scene. Having acquired that depth data, some pixels can be selectively blurred to produce the shallow DOF effect, Google explained in a blog post last year.

Achieving this same effect using only a single camera is difficult. Some mobile camera apps attempt to simulate a shallow DOF by separating an image’s pixels into two layers, isolating the foreground, and then blurring the remaining pixels; this is called semantic segmentation. The lack of depth data, however, means the software doesn’t know how much blur to apply to any arbitrary object in the scene. The results can often be lackluster or unrealistic, without the gradual optical blur expected of objects receding into the distance.

That’s where Google’s “authentic defocus” technology comes in. The Pixel 2 smartphones utilize the semantic segmentation method for images taken with the front-facing camera, but they also use a stereo algorithm for images taken with the rear camera… despite there only being a single lens. Google provided an overview of how it achieves that on its AI blog in October.

There are advantages to Google’s technology versus using a second camera, including reducing the space taken up by the imaging module, reduced power consumption, and helping keep costs down.

Put simply, Google repurposes its dual-pixel auto focus hardware utilized increasingly in mobile cameras for fast AF. Each pixel on the sensor is split into two photodiodes; the left- and right-looking (or up- and down-looking) photodiodes essentially establish two perspectives of the scene with a ~1mm stereo baseline. A burst of images are aligned and averaged to reduce noise, and a stereo algorithm computes a depth map from the two perspectives. This simulates the data that would be provided by two physical cameras next to each other, enabling Google’s software to determine the depth of every point within the captured scene.

There’s a lot more to Google’s approach, including even advantages over traditional optics – for example in its choice to force a larger depth-of-field around the focus plane to ensure a sharp subject, something impossible to achieve optically. The study also points out that there are advantages to Google’s technology versus using a second camera, including reducing the space taken up by the imaging module, reduced power consumption, and helping keep costs down.

Read the full PDF here.

Via: Cornell University Library

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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3 Misunderstood But Important Buttons on Your Camera Explained

15 Jun

Today’s modern DSLR cameras have so many functions, buttons, and menus that it can be confusing and overwhelming to learn how to use properly. In this article, you’ll learn about three commonly misunderstood, but extremely important buttons on your camera. See what they each do, and when to use them.

#1 – The Depth of Field Preview Button

This is one that is not often used but it really handy once you know what it’s for, the depth of field preview button. Let’s have a look.

#2 – The Exposure Compensation Button

Next up is the Exposure Compensation button or dial. I use this one a lot with my Fuji X-T1 and X100F cameras when I’m shooting in Aperture Priority mode, which is most of the time. See where to find on your camera and how to apply it here.

#3 – Auto Exposure Lock (AEL)

Finally, the last button you should learn about is the AEL or Auto Exposure Lock button. It’s very handy when you want to lock your exposure, or your focus, or both and take multiple images of the same scene, with different compositions.

Can you confidently say you are familiar with and comfortable using all these buttons on your camera? If not, make it a habit to learn one new thing about your camera every day. Get to know all the buttons and dials. If you can’t figure it out, consult your camera user manual. Or search for your camera and model number on YouTube to find some good tutorials specific to your setup.

Know your camera inside and out. Then, and only then can you decide if it’s time to upgrade or not. But that’s another topic for another day!

The post 3 Misunderstood But Important Buttons on Your Camera Explained appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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The SeaLife DC2000 is the best tough camera you’ve never heard of

13 Jun

Introduction

The SeaLife DC2000 in all its 1″-type sensor glory, and near its natural habitat.

I have an addiction to small cameras with big sensors. I’ve owned a Ricoh GR, original Fujifilm X100 and still have a Nikon Coolpix A knocking around. The EOS M100 and 22mm F2 combo also fits the bill.

But with just how good 1″-type sensors have gotten lately and how well they can balance the compactness and speed of their lenses, I’ve been left wondering: Where are all the fixed lens, 1″-sensor compacts? The Canon G7 X II and G9 X II, Sony RX100-series and Panasonic LX10 all have short zooms in front of their sensors, and most manage to have pretty wide maximum apertures. Just think about how fast and yet compact a (possibly collapsible) prime lens could be on one of these.

I deliberately underexposed this image to protect the highlights and brighten up the Raw file in post. With smaller-sensor rugged cameras, this would result in way more noise than you see here, even at base ISO.
ISO 125 | 1/800 sec | F1.8

Which brings us to the SeaLife DC2000, a compact camera with a 1″-type 20MP sensor and a 31mm-equivalent F1.8 prime lens in a waterproof, shockproof body. Despite being, on paper, pretty close to the ideal pocket point-and-shoot for me, it is most definitely not marketed toward me. It’s really targeted at the diving community, not land-based photography enthusiasts. It’s also not manufactured by one of the more ‘traditional’ camera companies, and as such, doesn’t benefit from the years of refinements and iterations that the likes of Canon and Nikon can take advantage of.

Key features

20MP 1″-type BSI-CMOS sensor
31mm-equivalent F1.8 lens
Without housing, waterproof to 18m/60ft and shockproof to 1.5m/5ft
Full manual and aperture controls
80MB internal storage, microSD slot
1080/60p video recording
3.5in / 9cm close focus
Assortment of underwater and above-water scene modes
Battery rated to 200 shots (CIPA)

I’ve been carrying the SeaLife DC2000 around with me over the past couple of weeks and attempting to use it as I use my Nikon Coolpix A – a fun snapshot camera to have on me that takes better quality images than my smartphone. Here’s what I found.

Image quality

The sensor / lens combo on the SeaLife DC2000 is plenty sharp, with moiré apparent on the building in the distance.
Processed in Adobe Camera Raw | ISO 125 | 1/320 sec | F4

First of all, the DC2000’s image quality is pretty darn good. With what is likely the same sensor as a Sony RX100 III, you can expect good dynamic range and low light performance, particularly if you shoot Raw. The JPEGs out of the camera are solidly above-average with pleasing color most of the time, but sharpening and noise reduction are a little aggressive (no real surprise there). White balance strays a bit to the cool side, but whether you like that or not is really a matter of personal taste.

The lens is a great performer at all apertures

One criticism I have is that the tone curve applied to JPEGs can result in highlights that are a little abruptly clipped; it doesn’t happen all the time, but I was happy to have Raw files to play with to smooth the highlights out when this happened. Though there are an abundance of scene modes (I almost exclusively shot with it in Program Auto or Aperture Priority), it’d be nice to see some JPEG fine-tuning adjustments on future models.

I don’t mind some intentional lens flare, but those sensitive to it will wish for a hood as the DC2000 can lose contrast with bright light sources near the edges of the frame. That said, despite having a flat glass protective element in front of the lens, flare is reasonably well-controlled.
Processed in Adobe Camara Raw | ISO 125 | 1/1000 sec | F5.6

I have to say I’m impressed with the lens on the DC2000. It’s a good performer at all apertures, is more than sharp enough edge-to-edge and even makes some decent sunstars. I just didn’t expect this sort of quality from such a compact lens in a small waterproof body, and it’s nice to be pleasantly surprised here. That said, there can be some green and purple fringing (lateral chromatic aberration) on high-contrast edges (see the image of the backlit trees earlier on), particularly if you’re shooting backlit subjects and brightening in post. There’s no profiles to correct this automatically in Adobe Camera Raw, but it’s easily taken care of manually with a few sliders.

In use

The 1″-type sensor really makes a difference when the ISO value climbs.
Processed in Adobe Camera Raw | ISO 1600 | 1/125 sec | F1.8

Alright, so the images out of the DC2000 are pretty darn good. But what’s it like to use?

It’s a mixed bag. As you’d expect from a rugged waterproof camera, build quality is exceptional. The camera feels dense and solid, and though most buttons feel a bit mushy (a side-effect of the sealing no doubt), the shutter button has great feedback and an easy-to-feel distinction between the focus half-press and a full press to capture an image. The mode dial is likewise better-feeling than I expected.

The controls, though, are downright strange if you’ve ever used a digital camera from one of the more established manufacturers.

While the actual controls take some getting used-to, the layout is at least familiar.

When browsing your captured images in playback, you go back by hitting ‘up’ on the four way controller, and forward by hitting ‘down.’* You will forget this, even after shooting with the camera for several weeks, and you will occasionally hit ‘left’ to go back. This will rotate your image 90 degrees counter-clockwise. You will then curse under your breath as you prepare yourself to hit that same mushy button three more times to turn the photo the right way around, with each press being followed by a pronounced delay if you’ve been shooting Raw files. There’s also no way that I can find to view your shooting settings in playback.

However, once you enable the ‘delete’ function for eliminating single or multiple images, ‘left’ and ‘right’ on the directional pad become the method for browsing images.

The controls are downright strange

As far as the Raw files go, they’re great to process but frustrating to capture. With around five full seconds required for the camera to write the huge 40MB files to the microSD card, this is not your next ‘caught moment’ burst camera. My old Coolpix A positively smokes the DC2000 in terms of interface and shooting responsiveness, regardless of whether I’m shooting JPEGs or Raws.

A macro mode helps you get up-close-and-personal with your subjects.
Out-of-camera JPEG | ISO 125 | 1/1000 sec | F4.5

There’s also a wireless button that does absolutely nothing most of the time. Only after you’ve established a connection to your smart device with the ‘Link 123 Plus’ app does the wireless button bring up a menu option to automatically send each image to your phone. You can’t reassign it. I just downloaded my files from the card at the end of the day.

Lastly, when you go to change exposure parameters, you must press the ‘OK’ button before you can then adjust them by pressing up/down on the four way controller. Curiously, they work the opposite way I would expect, though, with ‘up’ lengthening the shutter speed and widening the aperture. You get used to it, but there’s still a bit of a disconnect there.

Some of this should be qualified, though, that simply putting the camera into ‘P’ or Auto modes gives generally good results for casual shooting (much of the gallery was shot this way). Unfortunately, if you’re hoping to fire off a quick shot or two to check settings (or if you’re underwater, check framing), this does little to mitigate the lag if you’re capturing Raw files.

Should you buy one?

This is a tough one. I’m absolutely in love with the idea of this camera, but am having a hard time rationalizing purchasing one.

Out-of-camera JPEG | ISO 125 | 1/800 sec | F5

If you’re in the market for a tough camera, like the Olympus TG-5 (a perennial staff favorite), the SeaLife DC2000 will absolutely reward you with higher-quality images if you can live without the zoom. It’s a great beach or vacation camera that can stand up to a fair amount of abuse. Power-on is quick, and you can also take an image quickly after startup. And then you’ll have to wait five seconds before the next image if you’re shooting Raw.

I can’t help but wonder how wide an aperture they could give this sort of prime lens if it were retractable and could forego the environmental sealing. That said, the SeaLife files stand up pretty well to those from my Nikon, and because of that sealing, I’ll never get dust on the sensor (this is an ongoing battle I have with retractable-lens cameras that I always seem to be on the losing side of).

I’m going to keep hoping and praying for one of the established manufacturers to make something that can approach the philosophy of the DC2000, but with greater responsiveness and more modern controls (though it’s possible SeaLife could address some of my qualms with a firmware update). If you can live with the operational quirks, it’s easy to recommend the DC2000 on the merits of its image and build quality. And of course there’s something to be said for the camera that’s always with you to also be able to take a knock or two.

Sample gallery

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*Our Senior Editor Barney Britton was kind enough to educate me on early Nikon digital bodies, such as the D1, which also have this control philosophy. Without going into detail, I’ll say that was before my time as a photographer.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Technical Camera is an iPhone camera app for advanced users

12 Jun

Dire Studio today launched Technical Camera, an iPhone app aimed at mobile still photographers who prefer manual control over auto modes, along with artificial intelligence and a range of interesting features.

The app offers a highly customizable interface, with manual exposure and focus, compensation and locks, focus peaking, and fully configurable auto ISO. The Smart Function Keys feature lets you customize the function of on-screen buttons and you can set the direction of the virtual dials in the user interface.

Advanced users will also appreciate the ability to shoot in Adobe RGB color space and – as far as we are aware – the ability to define image settings for different albums and shoot directly into these albums is unique. For example, you can set a small image size and turn geotagging off for images saved into a “Notes” folder, but toggle Raw capture and maximum image quality for your “Prints” folder.

If you are using a dual-camera iPhone the Framing Previsor feature should be useful as well. It allows you to preview the tele camera’s angle of view on the wide-angle camera’s live view image, giving you a direct comparison between the two lens options. In addition there are highlight and shadow clipping alerts and a range of grids to choose from.

Lastly, Technical Camera also looks like an interesting app for the users of super-wide-angle accessory lenses. The app can correct the distortion of a number of popular lenses and also offers basic corrections for non-supported lenses. More information and a list of all supported lenses can be found on the Technical Camera website.

The app is compatible with newer Apple devices running iOS 10.3 or later and can be downloaded now from the App Store for $ 6.99.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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How and Why to Use the Canon Camera Connect Application

11 Jun

If you own a Canon camera, chances are it comes with a built-in WIFI connection. This wireless connection can be a real game changer when it comes to photographing and sharing your photographs instantly. This versatility can really up your game during sessions and create more buzz when you share your photos after a session with the use of the Canon Camera Connect application.

In this article, I was using a Samsung Galaxy Prime smartphone and Canon EOS 6D camera with a Canon EF USM 85 mm f/1.4 lens.

What is the Canon Camera Connect application?

Canon Camera Connect is an application that you can download from the app store on your smartphone. It is used to wirelessly connect your DSLR to your phone so that you can photograph remotely, view images on the camera that you’ve already taken, and edit those images as well.

If your camera has built-in Bluetooth, it can also function by connecting your camera to your smartphone via that method as well.

This is what the Canon Camera Connect application icon looks like in the Google Play Store on Android.

How to use the application

There are a couple of ways you can connect your camera and smartphone in order to use the application. The first is connecting via an existing internet connection and using the information for user ID and password on both devices and then opening the application. The biggest drawback with the application, however, is that when the internet is faulty or patchy, your devices can disconnect and not allow you to use the app.

The second is the best option, in my opinion, because it connects to the camera directly and unless you are out of range or your phone goes to “sleep” you are always connected. Setting up the connection is easy. Go to menu on your camera, where you see the option to “Enable” the wifi connection, below, you’ll see the options for connecting.

In the Menu, go to the wifi settings to set the SSID that you will use to connect to your smartphone.

Choose to “connect smartphone”. Within that menu, you are going to be able to set up your connection with a personalized name. I chose to name mine SET1 with the SSID which is the name of the wifi as “jl”. The encryption key is the password you’ll have to enter when you connect your phone to the camera’s wifi connection.

Choose Connect Smartphone to choose the settings to connect directly to your smartphone.

SET1 is the name I gave it in my camera’s menu. If you go into change/review settings you can set and change the name of the wifi that your smartphone will connect to.

Once you have the settings configured and enabled to connect, on your smartphone, go to the wifi networks and choose the one that you have named for your camera. Enter the encryption key and you will be connected. The application also has an easy to follow connection guide that can help you in case you forget the steps.

Here, using Easy Connection will help you to set the name and see the encryption key that you will need for your smartphone to connect to the camera’s wifi.

Here, you can see that the wifi network my camera has available so that my smartphone can connect. On the right, you see the main menu of the application.

You can add more Sets/Connections and can name them inside of your camera’s Wifi settings menu. This can save time if you use different devices with the application and camera.

View images and share instantly

In the Canon Camera Connect application, you have the option to view the images from camera instantly.

There is nothing more exciting than connecting your camera to the application after a session, transferring the images you believe to be great, and sharing them instantly onto social media. Clients love to see to see “sneak previews” of their session! This will also cause more excitement to see the final photographs.

Once you’re connected, you can view the images that are on your camera from your smartphone.

Connect your camera to the application, choose VIEW IMAGES, and select the ones you’d like to download. You can choose to resize or to leave them in original size. You can also edit the images in the application. They can be sorted by date in descending or ascending order which can make finding specific images faster.

Remote Live View mode

The other option that you have from the Camera Connect application home screen is to use the Live View Shooting mode. This feature is extremely helpful during sessions where you have your camera on a tripod and need to move around your subject, which could be a person or still life.

Here you can see the remote live view shooting mode. In the center photo, you can see that you can change your settings while photographing your subject. On the right, it’s the photograph that I just took.

From the live view shooting mode, you can see what you’re photographing, and change settings like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. The live view mode feature is fantastic because you don’t have to be stuck behind your camera or go back and forth between the subject and the camera.

Moving around your set, making adjustments to the set and to the camera, and “seeing” your photograph before even hitting the shutter can save you time. You can make sure you have everything just right before triggering the remote, all from your smartphone.

Using multiple devices

The Canon Camera Connect application can be set up on various devices as long as you download it, which is free in the app store on both Android and iPhone. Download the application and set up your camera to connect directly to the device you are going to be using.

Being able to use the application on multiple devices allows for more versatility when you’re photographing in different locations. All without having to use cords or tethering your camera to one specific device.

Choose Connect Smartphone to choose the settings to connect directly to your smartphone. You can also choose to connect to multiple devices.

Drawbacks

While the Canon Camera Connect application is very useful and functional, like all applications, it has certain drawbacks. The major drawback in using Camera Connect, and it’s not so much the application but the camera, is the wireless connection can drain the camera battery. I’ve noticed that it doesn’t matter if it is via an internet connection or directly to your smartphone, the battery life is cut significantly. Make sure you carry more than one camera battery if you attempt to use the application on location.

If you are connected directly to the camera’s own “wifi” you won’t be able to use any other wireless internet. However, connecting directly to the camera does secure the connection and you won’t be disconnected due to a patchy network. Just be mindful to not distance yourself too much or the application will disconnect since you won’t be in range of the camera.

Lastly, if your phone or camera go to sleep, then it disconnects the wifi connection automatically and you have to go through the entire process of choosing the camera’s wifi and connect again. It can become tedious, so my suggestion is that you set both your phone and your camera to not to to “sleep” so that you don’t encounter this issue.

Conclusion

In the end, the Canon Camera Connect App is highly recommended for both remote live shooting and for downloading your photographs instantly so that you can share them with clients or on social media. The pros out weigh the cons. T

his application can truly give you more options when you are photographing both on location and in a studio. Download the application and test drive it, it will not disappoint.

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REVIEW and Thoughts on the Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

11 Jun

Sony’s RX100 is a storied line of compact cameras that have always packed a powerhouse of features into small but sturdy frames. This fifth iteration (the Sony RX100 V also know as the DSC-RX100M5) builds on that history with a wealth of features for a modern photographer’s needs.

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

Who the Sony RX100V is for

The RX100 Mark 5 is, in my mind, the perfect camera for family travel, street shooting, and as a secondary landscape camera when your main camera is occupied. The 24-70mm equivalent zoom lens lends enough useful range while the 24mm end of the lens works well for landscapes, group shots, and even the occasional selfie.

I bought the RX100 V specifically for its high frame rate for video but have grown to love the high-quality 4K video in such a compact body. With a frame rate up to 1000 frames per second (fps), it is amazing what can be captured with this small package. The 20MP sensor makes for excellent image quality with some room to crop to your liking.

This camera will appeal to landscape photographers who might want some freedom for unique compositions while their heavy DSLR is stuck to a tripod. Street photographers will love its compactness and flip out screen. I don’t see it getting a lot of use as a portrait camera, although it does have a nice f/1.8 – f/2.8 starting aperture range.

Small Package – Big Stats

Let’s take a look at some key stats from Sony’s website:

20.1MP 1″ sensor
2.9X optical zoom – 24-70mm equivalent
11 – 44x at digital zoom
2.95″ 1.2MP rear screen with 100% coverage
Active Optical SteadyShot
Four focus modes including Manual
315 point wide phase detection autofocus, 25 point contrast detection plus four other modes
Exposure Compensation from -3EV to +3 EV in 1/3 stop increments
Full expanded ISO range from 80-25,600 for stills and 125-12,800 for video
Shutter Speeds from Bulb/30 seconds to 1/2000th maximum
Auto High Dynamic Range and ND Filter capabilities
Exposure and White Balance Auto Bracketing feature
4 x 2 3/8 × 1 5/8 inch (101.6 x 58.1 x 41.0 mm) physical size
Approximate weight of 10.5 oz (299 g)
All kinds of picture effects, creative styles, and picture profiles
US $ 999 suggested retail price

Camera Controls

The controls are a mixed bag. On the one hand, there are few of them and most photographers will be familiar with how to change ISO, adjust the Exposure Compensation and zoom the lens. On the other hand, after a year of testing, I have found the main rotating dial for mode selection is getting a little sticky. It’s not as smooth as it was when new.

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

I do like the ease with which you can shoot 4K video (see 4K video section later in this article for my impressions on that). The video button is right by your thumb when holding the camera and makes for ease of use. I would say it’s even easier to use than most smartphones. You use your pointer finger for shooting still images and your thumb for shooting video.

As is typical with Sony cameras, the menu screens are arranged over and then down and there are a lot of them. As I mention later in the Apps section below, this can make things a little cumbersome, but with all the features manufacturers pack into their software these days, it’s to be expected.

The flash is activated with a manual catch release and must be manually pushed down, leaving it a bit exposed for possible damage.

Flip Screen

The flip screen is a handy feature which I love. If you take anything off-angle, especially low shots, this feature will save your back and help you better compose your images. It flips both up and down as well as options in between.

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera - flip screen

It’s not a touchscreen, which is a little disappointing, and it doesn’t rotate to the side and front like some screens. But the simple versatility of flipping up and down is a bonus. Those looking for help composing selfies need only flip the screen all the way up and the image will correct for front viewing and composition.

Focus/Aperture Ring

For those of us who learned manual focus and are familiar with the use of a manual aperture ring, this feature is a great throwback which feels natural to me. Using the big ring around the lens feels like a natural way to change the aperture and it is a lot smoother than lenses from the 80s and earlier.

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera - aperture and focus ring

It’s also a great way to tighten focus when getting in close or shooting video. While not perfect, it can be used to rack and control focus on video shoots to a finer, smoother degree than with buttons or knobs. I find myself using this feature often.

ISO Performance

DXOMark gave the sensor a rating of 70 on its 0-100 (or 102 if you count the Hasselblad X1D-50c) scale. This puts the Sony RX100 V in the middle of the pack for its peer group and I tend to agree. You can comfortably shoot up to ISO 1000 without much noise encroaching on image quality, but after that, you’ll start to notice a difference.

The ability to shoot as low as ISO 80 is a nice touch for landscape photographers. While it is an expanded option (meaning it is not true ISO 80 according to the standard) the smoothness is a delight.

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera - Landscape ISO 80

100% crop - REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

A 100% crop of the ISO 80 image above.

Going to the other extreme, ISO 6400 will show a lot of noise but can be cleaned to an acceptable degree in post-processing. Below are images with no noise reduction applied, shot at ISO 6400.

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera - ISO 6400

Viewfinder

I’m not too sure why the Sony RX100 V has a viewfinder. Maybe I’m an old curmudgeon, but looking through a viewfinder only to find a smaller screen always seems weird to me. Also, accssing it requires the flick of a small catch on the side of the camera and then you have to manually pull out the viewfinder.

This is clunky and more than once I have pulled that eyepiece all the way off.

Oops!

It does have a diopter for those who need that. But the viewfinder requires manual pushing to put it back in place. It seems antiquated.

Autofocus Speed

Sony’s hybrid phase/contrast-detection autofocus system will delight most parents. It’s not DLSR super-fast, but with 315 focus points and quality action tracking, the camera can keep up with most children. What does that mean for people without kids?

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

While the maximum focal length of 70mm won’t make this camera a secondary in sports photographers’ camera bags, the autofocus speed and lock-on capabilities make it no slouch for everyday action. I found the camera quick to latch on to main subjects and tracking was accurate while following things like swinging pocket watches that were on fire.

One downside I found was having to use the four-way directional controller (via your thumb) to slowly move the focus point while in Flexible Spot mode. It’s slow, but there isn’t another option. Having the flexibility is great, but don’t expect to use it for fast moving subjects.

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

One note on manual focus: Having the zoom assist for manual focus is awesome when shooting the small things in life and for checking to ensure what you want really is in focus.

Burst Mode – High-Speed Stills

The high-speed continuous shooting mode is awesome. It shoots up to 24fps while autofocusing and can shoot in either JPEG or RAW, which is impressive. It takes a while for the memory to dump to your card but this feature is superior to most DSLRs.

The burst mode is great for any kind of close (remember the 70mm limit) action. It is especially useful when the camera is coupled with an underwater housing and you are trying to snap photos of turtles or fish that are much agiler than you.

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera - seat turtle

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera - b/w sea turtle

It does, however, mean you will have a lot more images to delete. 30 minutes of shooting various subjects at 24fps can easily lead to over 1000 images to cull.

Flash Performance

Average. Let’s just put that out there.

A flash this big, with an index rating of 1.31 ft to 33.46 ft (0.4 m to 10.2 m) in Auto shouldn’t be expected to outperform a dedicated strobe with its own battery pack. It’s good up to about 10 feet in/3m in real-world use and does the job.

But you don’t buy this camera to use the flash all the time. The is no dedicated hotshoe either, so adding a speedlight isn’t an option.

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

High-Speed Video

This is one area I find the RX-100 V stands above its competition. I love the high frame rate shooting, with speeds up to 1000 frames per second (FPS). The video is shot in a maximum size of 1040p, or standard HD, so don’t expect 4K at 1000 fps (that will run you maybe $ 50,000).

The clips are at a maximum of 2 seconds long, but with NTSC rate of 960 fps, that’s 80 seconds of video when played at 24 fps. Using the high-frame-rate is fairly easy and you can choose to activate recording either before or after pressing the record button. Meaning, it will buffer video once activated so you can move through the action and then stop recording when finished. Or, hit record and then move through the action.

For instance, I shot some burning hourglasses for Andy Suzuki and the Method for a music video of theirs called Overtime. Not knowing how long it would actually take to (quickly) move with and through the flames and capture the hourglass on fire, I chose to freely buffer and stop recording after I knew I tracked through the shot. It worked quite well as you can see below.

4K Video

To be sure, not all 4K videos are equal. Comparing the Sony RX100 V to a $ 5000 video camera would not be fair, so I chose to grade the Sony against expectations for a dual-purpose camera. Most importantly, I wanted to see good video quality (great was not required at this price point and form factor) and decent audio.

With those parameters, the Sony did not disappoint and did better than expected. I would label it a quality 4K video that fits into the middle ground between consumer grade and semi-pro grade. It’s already blissfully far ahead of my other Canon gear (which sadly lack 4K in cameras that cost five times the Sony).

The SteadyShot capabilities should be taken with a grain of salt, in my opinion. While it does help, the camera’s small size makes it difficult to get truly steady shots while shooting handheld at 4K.

Panorama Mode

I was first introduced to Sony’s panoramic mode while teaching a student. It was intriguing then and still works today. It’s a lot like most smartphones now, in that you pan the camera over a limited range (about 180 degrees) and the camera will work its magic for you.

panoramic shot - REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

pano shot - REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

I had some trouble recently after not using the camera for a while.

My family was visiting Grand Canyon National Park, which just begs for panoramas. It had been about 5 months since I used the feature and it took me five tries before I was successful. When you fail, the camera usually doesn’t tell you what you did wrong, just that things didn’t work (sometimes it will tell you to move faster or slower, but other than that, you’re in the dark).

This frustration took away from the enjoyment of the scene in front of me.

I’ve been shooting panoramas since the days of masking 35mm film and feel I understand how it works in smartphones and other digital devices. Why the camera was not cooperating with me that day is still unknown to me. My advice is to practice before you need to use it.

Apps

I’m not used to a camera that has additional apps available and it looked like a cool idea at first. Then I realized I needed to pay to upgrade the camera to do things others already do, like time-lapse shooting.

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

The apps are a little clunky to get into, requiring navigation through the directory of menus just to switch mode, essentially. I wish there was an easier way to access them.

That being said, the time-lapse app is very useful and has some pre-baked settings to help with sunrise, sunset, passing clouds and other common situations. That helps a lot.

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

Connectivity

This camera comes packed with the modern convenience of wifi. It can connect to your phone if you have the Sony PlayMemories Mobile app. For those that love the instantness of transferring images to their phone, you’ll enjoy it. It’s not the simplest setup, but once activated, transfers are pretty easy (but buried in the menus).

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera - Sony PlayMemories app

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

After a year of use, I eventually removed the app from my phone. I wasn’t using it that often as I found it just as easy to wait and plop the SD card into my laptop when back at home. The zoom on the camera wasn’t much more than simple zooms with my phone and considering my viewer would see the image on a phone, most likely, the 20MP were wasted for this.

In the Field

I remember buying the Canon Powershot G-1 back when it first came out in 2001, just before my daughter was born. I was frustrated then with the startup speed and those memories came flashing back when I start the RX100 M5. It’s just not quick to come into play. I ran some tests to find that it takes 2-3 seconds realistically to start up. It seems like an odd slowness and I had to adjust or be disappointed about missing quick shots.

The weight of the camera is just right in the hand. It feels solid, even though I worry about breaking the flash and viewfinder because they are a little less robust.

It’s not truly compact enough to fit in your pocket comfortably unless you have tight pants, but it’s also comfortable enough to carry in your hand most of the time when exploring a new city. It also fits perfectly in a coat pocket or purse.

Westminster Abby – Great Britain ISO 125, f/5.6, 1/50th.

What Could Be Improved

First, it seems everyone expects a touchscreen on a camera of this size these days. They even want them on DLSRs. It’s helpful when focusing and choosing exposure settings and it would be a huge help the Sony RX100 series.

Second, battery life is not that great. Sony says it’s good for 220 shots or 110 minutes of video. While shooting 4K video out the plane window from LA to Seattle, I changed the battery three times during a two-hour flight. No flash, not a lot of focus adjusting, just video shots out the window and about 40 stills. It seemed subpar.

Lastly, they need to add or assign some programmable hot-keys so photographers can pick and choose the features to have at hand. Having to go into and out of an app to shoot time-lapse is cumbersome (after I paid $ 9.99 for it as well). Maybe they could make it assignable to one of the Scene modes available from the top dial.

Wait! One more pet peeve about cameras of this size – no external charger. Charging is in-camera via micro-USB, which is easy enough, but shipping the unit with a charger would be much appreciated considering how quickly it can go through batteries while shooting video.

Two Great Accessories

REVIEW: Sony RX100 V Compact Camera

This camera is thankfully small enough to hide in most coat pockets (not so much with jeans, unless you have fairly loose ones) but I eventually wanted to take the camera backpacking. Worried about the danger of scratches and dents (or worse), I looked around and found that Lowepro makes a perfectly sized case for it.

It’s called the Tahoe 25 II and has room for the camera plus a memory card or two in the zippered pouch in front. A belt loop makes it ideal for hiking and I used it often during an attempted climb of Mt. Whitney.

The second accessory is an underwater case from Ikelite. There is a more expensive version of this case and it offers full control of the camera. But I found the action case to cover what I needed without shelling out too much (it retails for about $ 300 US).

Conclusion

My conclusion is the Sony RX100 V is a winner of a compact camera. It’s packed full of feature and has the ability, with apps, to expand as new software is created. The 4K video is excellent and the high-speed video is a lot of fun.

This camera is perfect for family trips (while reviewing images for this article, I noted I had previously rented the Sony RX100 IV for a family trip to Europe and enjoyed that version as well). It can fit the family in for a group selfie while not breaking your shoulder carrying it around all day. Compact enough for a purse or coat pocket, it is always at hand when your phone just won’t give you a quality image.

With a dynamic range around 12 stops, it can already deliver a wide range exposure latitude. Couple that with the user-adjustable bracketing and there is almost no scene you can’t capture.

Lastly, this camera is slowly but surely turning me into a Sony convert.

Sample Photos

Skógafoss – Iceland ISO 80, f/6.3, 1/80th.

Seljalandsfoss – Iceland ISO 125, f/8, 1/200th.

Underwater sea urchin – Costa Rica ISO 125, f/4, 1/60th high-speed burst mode was used

Panama canal locomotive and the moon – Panama ISO 6400, f/4, 1/13th.

Ground cover – Costa Rica ISO 80, f/5.6, 1/40th.

Mt. Whitney and The Milky Way – California, USA ISO 1000, f/2.2, 25 seconds.

Mt. Whitney – USA ISO 80, f/2.2, 1/1000th.

Mt. Dickerman – Washington, USA ISO 80, f/3.5, 1/400th.

San Gabriel Mountains – California, USA ISO 80, f/5, 1/800th.

Downtown Juneau – Alaska, USA ISO 12,5 f/6.3, 1/250th.

Ducati ISO 640, f/1.8, 1/1000th.

Seattle and Elliot Bay – USA ISO 80, f/5, 1/320th.

Tide Flats – Alaska, USA ISO 125, f/18, 1/400th.

The post REVIEW and Thoughts on the Sony RX100 V Compact Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Apple improves photo search and sharing, adds Camera Effects in iOS 12

06 Jun

At its WWDC developer conference in San Jose, Apple has showcased the beta version of its iOS 12 mobile operating system, which will be officially released this fall. And the new software comes with a few imaging-related improvements.

Photo search has been updated and now comes with search suggestions. If you are searching a photo on your device, even before you start typing, you’ll see suggestions for recent events you have attended, people you have photographed, and places you have been to. The suggestions are refined as you start typing and search results get even more precise if you use multiple keywords.

Photo sharing has been overhauled as well and the camera roll now features a new ‘For You’ tab. In the latter the best moments and events from your photo library are displayed. If people are detected in your images, the system suggests sharing the image with them. If your contacts are running iOS 12, they’ll also be prompted to share their photos from the same events with you.

Lastly, there is Camera Effects. This new feature allows you to create and share images and videos, directly in the Messages and FaceTime cameras, using Animoji, Memoji, filters, animated text effects, stickers, and other effects.

For a full list of all new features in iOS 12 head over to the Apple website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Here’s what happens when you attach a 70-200mm F4 to a Game Boy Camera

05 Jun

Why? The better question: Why not?

There’s an unlikely vintage camera enjoying something of a resurgence these days: 1998’s 0.5MP Game Boy Camera. Attached to a game cartridge, Game Boy Camera brought digital photography to the youth 2 bits at a time. Lately, its legacy has continued to evolve as clever DIYers repurpose it for astrophotography and motorsports photography, and have even trained neural networks to convert the camera’s low-res monochrome images into photorealistic color.

Clearly, it was time for somebody to step up and work out how to attach EF lenses to the thing. And that’s just what Bastiaan Ekeler did. He’s a designer and self-proclaimed tinkerer, and feeling inspired by recent projects reviving the Game Boy Camera, saw an opportunity for a little fun. His 3D-printed adapter fits to a partially disassembled camera, and with a 1.4x teleconverter and 70-200mm F4 attached, produces an impressive 3026.8mm equivalent view.

With all of the parts in place he took a stroll on the beach to put the rig to use, and even managed a few photos of the full moon despite contending with a dim screen and a 1 fps refresh rate in low light.

Long Beach Bar “Bug” Lighthouse. (Canon 70-200 f4 + Canon 1.4x extender). Photo by Bastiaan Ekeler.

A Seagull at Norman E. Klipp Marine Park (Canon 70-200 f4 + Canon 1.4x extender). Photo by Bastiaan Ekeler.

The full moon on 2018-05-30 in Greenport, NY. (Canon 70-200 f4 + Canon 1.4x extender). Photo by Bastiaan Ekeler.

Head to Ekeler’s website for a full-write up of the project and more sample images. You can also follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Nokia 8 update adds new Pro Camera mode with manual controls

05 Jun

Last week, HMD Global released a software update for the Nokia 8 smartphone that added a new Pro Camera mode. The mode, which resembles the camera controls offered on older Nokia handsets, gives users manual control over five camera functions: shutter speed, ISO, white balance, focus, and exposure.

Take control of every photo. I’m glad to announce that Pro Camera mode is now available for #Nokia8 ! pic.twitter.com/q2sTWh3IvU

— Juho Sarvikas (@sarvikas) May 31, 2018

The Nokia 8 Android handset features dual rear 13MP cameras with Zeiss optics, optical image stabilization, PDAF and a dual tone flash. The handset supports 4K video recording with 360-degree audio. With the newly added Pro Camera mode, users can view the changes each manual adjustment makes to the final image in real time.

The update is currently rolling out globally.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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DIY Camera Bag Modifications for DSLR Storage and an Active Lifestyle

03 Jun

In today’s world, digital camera technology continues to improve and get lighter. A plethora of systems offer lighter camera bodies with more technology bundled into them. There are many photographers transitioning to these systems to lighten their gear and are selling off their old equipment. However, I cannot help but be attached to the reliability and familiarity of my full frame DSLR bodies.

I do not like to compromise on image quality and feel most confident making quality images in spur-of-the-moment wildlife activity or in difficult lighting with my full-frame camera. Are you the same as me? If so, does that make us a little crazy?

Pelican case - DIY Camera Bag Modifications for DSLR Storage and an Active Lifestyle

The Pelican case gives me space for a couple of bodies, a 200-500 mm telephoto lens, and two shorter ones. Lots of space to pack a full kit!

Well, in truth, it is a bit crazier than that, I am most comfortable when I have two camera bodies with me at all times. I also carry a telephoto lens, 50mm, and wide-angle lens with me along with cleaning equipment and filters, and I like to do so at all times. In other words, I carry a full kit. I do my best to carry a full kit when hiking 10 miles into the backcountry, floating a 5-mile river trip, or walking to a local beach to watch a sunset.

If you are like me you are constantly looking for ways to safely haul your gear from Point A to Point B while also protecting your investment during your adventures. Through experimenting and modifying a Pelican 1510 case I have found a solution that works for me. In this article, I will demonstrate that system for you. I hope my DIY camera bag for DSLR storage and transportation works for you and inspires you to get more creative in hauling your gear!

DIY Camera Bag Modifications for DSLR Storage and an Active Lifestyle

I customized this Pelican 1510 case to provide waterproof and shockproof protection for my DSLR bodies and kit. Thanks to the modifications I have made, I now transport this kit everywhere.

What you’ll need

A hard case – I use a Pelican 1510. The case is TSA approved as a carry-on size, meaning you’ll never have to check your camera gear to baggage claim. I pack non-critical, lower-cost items in the modular pack (see below in #4) and check those in my bag. Then I carry on the rest of my kit.
A drill, 3/32 drill bit, and 3/8 drill bit – You’ll need a high-speed drill and a sharp bit to do some customization of the Pelican case. Make sure the 3/32 bit is wide enough diameter to put the eyebolt through.
Eyebolts (2x) with nylon locking nuts (2x) – These will be used to secure the luggage straps to the Pelican case in the front.
A secondary “modular” case for the outside – You can choose any case that is the same size or smaller than the Pelican case. Think about the gear you are using and tailor it to fit your needs. I make sure my modular case can hold my filter set, cleaning equipment, batteries, and other photography knick-knacks.
Velcro – This will be used to secure the secondary modular case to the outside of the Pelican case. Get Velcro strapping that has sticky sides.
Adjustable luggage straps (2x) – make sure the straps have good clips. I prefer a 1” wide webbing for the strap.
Carabiner clips (2x) – These will be used to secure the luggage straps to the Pelican case in the back.
Backpack straps – I use the Pelican 1510 backpack conversion straps offered by RUCPAC. I have been using their system for about two years now and find it durable and comfortable. If you are a true DIY-er you could modify the straps of an old backpack.

Modifying the Pelican 1510 Case

Pelican 1510, DSLR Storage, Camera, Modification

Step #1 – Drill holes near the latches

Close the lid and use the 3/32 bit to drill through the plastic to the inside of each latch. You’ll need to go through both layers so the extra length of eyebolt has a hole to pass into. Once you have drilled the hole, open the case and use the 3/8 bit to bore into the plastic so that the nylon nut recesses into the case and allows it to close. Repeat on both sides of the case.

drill holes - DIY Camera Bag Modifications for DSLR Storage and an Active Lifestyle

You can see here that I bored through both sides of the Pelican case with the 3/32 bit to allow the eyebolt to pass through. I bored with the 3/8 bit into the top layer to allow the nut to recess so that the top can close

Step #2 – Drill holes through the fins (back hinge)

Use the 3/32 bit to drill through the “fin” on the backside and pass a carabiner through the hole. The fins are the rigid plastic ribs that stick out to hinge the lid and bottom of the Pelican case together.

Repeat on the other side.

I drilled through the “fin” of the back with the 3/32 bit and threaded the carabiner through. I did the same thing to the other side of the pack.

Pelican 1510, DSLR Storage, Camera, Modification

Step #3 – Apply the Velcro

Apply the Velcro to the back of the modular case and then line it up accordingly on the front of the Pelican case.

Tip: Stick the hook side and the fuzzy side of the Velcro together on your modular case, peel the paper off to expose the sticky surface and then press the modular case onto the Pelican case to get a perfect alignment of your Velcro.

Pelican 1510, DSLR Storage, Camera, Modification

Attach Velcro to the top of the Pelican case and make sure that it aligns with the modular case. It is easies to make sure that the Velcro is aligned by sticking it together, applying it to the Pelican case, and then pressing the secondary modular case onto it.

Attach the Velcro.

Pelican 1510, DSLR Storage, Camera, Modification

With the Velcro attached to the Pelican case and the modular case, you’ll be able to open and access the case without it falling off the larger Pelican case. That’s a huge perk!

Step #4 – Thread the luggage straps onto the system

Thread the luggage straps through the eyebolt and the carabiner. Adjust it to a length that fits around the modular case, and then tie a good knot – I prefer two half-hitches.

Make sure the luggage straps are long enough to wrap around the modular case. Tie the ends securely to the carabiner and eyebolts.

Step #5 – Install the backpack straps to the Pelican case

Next, install the RUCPAC straps to the Pelican case. This is very simple – you’ll attach it to the top handle and thread the straps through the bottom wheels. Instructions to install the RUCPAC come with the product.

RUCPAC straps attached to the Pelican 1510 case.

There you have it!

This DIY camera bag solution has grown with me and my kit and worked for me the last two years. I find this pack very comfortable to use and wear. I am 6’3” and would be interested to hear if it fits shorter torsos as well.

The luggage straps give you the flexibility to attach a tripod or any other gear on to the outside. You can choose the size of modular case you that use to accommodate the gear you have.

This pack also provides a portable chair for those long days or nights shooting photography and can act as a tripod in a pinch. In fact, having the pack available has saved my shoot on several occasions when I needed stabilization but did not have a tripod.

The DIY camera bag case can function as a spur-of-the-moment tripod. I’ve used it for shooting the Northern Lights and time-lapses.

DIY Camera Bag Modifications for DSLR Storage and an Active Lifestyle - northern lights

I took this image of the Aurora Borealis with my camera stabilized on my Pelican case. It saved the night since I did not have a tripod along with me!

Conclusion

What I’ve shown you here could be just a jumping off point for you. Use this concept to expand and create your own DIY storage solution that works for the gear and kit you have, and your needs.

Once you are done get out there and shoot lots of images. As I like to say, “pixels are cheap”, so go make a lot of them!

The post DIY Camera Bag Modifications for DSLR Storage and an Active Lifestyle appeared first on Digital Photography School.