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Posts Tagged ‘Lens’

Leica unveils Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35mm F3.5-4.5 ASPH zoom lens for the SL system

11 Apr
Credit: Leica

In the midst of all the NAB video news, Leica has unveiled a little something for the photography crowd. Meet the Leica Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35mm F3.5-4.5 ASPH lens, an ultra-wide angle zoom lens that promises “performance and versatility, coupled with quick and quiet autofocus” for users of Leica’s full-frame mirrorless Leica SL.

Leica hopes the Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35 will be a “go-to” lens for a variety of uses: from landscapes and architecture, to weddings, concerts, and even reportage and documentary photography.

Inside the lens barrel you’ll find 18 elements in 12 groups, including two aspherical elements and three elements “made from glass with anomalous partial dispersion.” This optical formula is paired with a specially developed focusing drive with stepping motor and linear positioning that, paired with a single dedicated focusing element, promises to deliver fast and quiet autofocus.

Here’s a closer look at the lens from all angles:

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The Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35mm F3.5-4.5 ASPH joins two other zoom lenses in the Leica SL system—the Vario-Elmarit–SL 24-90mm F2.8-4 ASPH and the APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280mm F2.8-4—which now cover a combined focal range of 16mm to 280mm. The lens will be available at Leica stores, boutiques, and dealers worldwide starting April 23rd for $ 5,495.00.

Press Release

Leica Camera Announces Expansion of SL-System with an Ultra-Wide Angle Lens

The highly-anticipated Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16–35/3.5–4.5 ASPH provides unparalleled imaging performance and versatility, coupled with supremely quick and quiet autofocus

April 9, 2018 – Leica’s new Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16–35/3.5–4.5 ASPH. ultra-wide angle zoom lens perfectly rounds out the current zoom lens portfolio for the Leica SL, offering what is sure to be a go-to lens in the full-frame mirrorless Leica SL-System kit. While this ultra-wide angle lens is well-versed at capturing everything in a scene, its range of focal lengths makes it ideal for a diversity of uses, including landscape and architectural photography, wedding, event, and concert photography to reportage and documentary photography. The lens’s versatility and ability to capture not only wide scenarios, but also zoom in on a subject’s details, make it the most accessible, easy-to-use wide-angle lens in all of Leica’s impressive line-up.

In addition to excellent imaging quality throughout the entire range of focal lengths and at all apertures, the high-performance lens also offers simultaneously fast and quiet autofocus. This is driven by a specially developed focusing drive including a stepping motor and linear positioning. In combination, this moves a single, dedicated glass focusing element that, due to its low weight, allows for a very quick autofocus.

The camera is also crafted to perform well in challenging situations. The lens features protected construction and special AquaDura® front lens coating that can withstand adverse weather conditions. Additionally, the lens’s barrel does not extend when zooming, which further helps the lens endure more rugged scenarios.

The newly designed optical system of the Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16–35/3.5–4.5 ASPH. contains a total of 18 elements in 12 groups that work to control distortion incredibly well. These elements include two asphericals for the correction of monochromatic aberrations and three elements made from glass with anomalous partial dispersion correct chromatic aberration. An improved mount geometry and high-quality coating ensure optimum suppression of reflections and stray light within the optical system.

With the addition of the Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16–35/3.5–4.5 ASPH., the portfolio of zoom lenses for the Leica SL now covers a range of focal lengths from 16 to 280 mm. Together with the Vario-Elmarit–SL 24–90/2.8–4 ASPH. and the APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90–280 f/2.8–4, this trio of exceptional lenses are able to expertly capture all genres of photography and enables photographers a high degree of flexibility and versatility with their craft and creativity.

The Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16–35/3.5–4.5 ASPH. will be priced at $ 5,495.00 and available worldwide in Leica Stores, Boutiques and Dealers starting April 23.

A new firmware update for the Leica SL, Version 3.2, will also be released April 23rd to address improvements specifically requested by Leica SL photographers:

  • The joystick can now be deactivated from the menu to prevent inadvertent changes to settings while the camera is in use
  • Eco Mode can be set to reduce the power consumption of the camera
  • The standard white balance value for daylight has been changed from 6600 K to 6500 K
  • Various improvements have been made for entering text and numbers (e.g. at WiFi password)
  • Compatibility with the Leica SF 60 System Flash and the SF C1 wireless flash controller
  • Other bug fixes

Technical Data:

Lens: Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35/3.5-4.5 ASPH.

Field angle (diagonal, horizontal, vertical)

  • Focal length 16mm: 105,6°/ 95,3°/ 72°
  • Focal length 24mm: 84,7°/ 74,4°/ 53,7°
  • Focal length 35mm: 64,6°/ 55,5°/ 38,7°

Optical Design

Number of lenses/groups: 18/12

Number of aspherical lenses: 2

Entrance pupil position:

  • Focal length 16mm: 105,9mm
  • Focal length 24mm: 101,5mm
  • Focal length 35mm: 105,0mm

Distance setting

Working range: 250mm to infinity

Smallest object field: Focal length 35mm – 90 x 135 mm

Largest reproduction ratio

  • Focal length 16mm: 1:7,7
  • Focal length 35mm: 1:3,7

Aperture

Setting/function: Electronically controlled aperture, set using turn/push wheel on camera, including half values

Aperture setting range

  • Focal length 16mm: 3,5-22
  • Focal length 35mm: 4,5-22

Lowest value: 22

Bayonet/sensor format: Leica L bayonet, full-frame 35mm format

Filter mount: E82

Dimensions and weight

Length to bayonet mount: 123mm (without lens hood)

Largest diameter: 88mm

Weight: 990g

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Upgrading Your Camera – New Camera Body or a New Lens?

07 Apr

A point of contention amongst photographers everywhere who are budgeting for their new gear is one question, “What should I invest most in when upgrading my photography equipment, the camera body or the lens?” This can be a rather complicated answer, as it does depend on the type of photography that you’re interested in doing.

However, for the sake of a thoughtful article, we will be speaking in generalizations. To break it down, the image quality and ease comes from the lens but the capability comes from the camera body. Here is why.

Upgrading Your Camera - New Camera Body or a New Lens? featured image

dogs 2 - Upgrading Your Camera - New Camera Body or a New Lens?

The Camera Body

The body of the camera contains all of the controls necessary to record digital pictures. The camera is basically a container to house the sensor and the lens along with the electronics and controls. Camera bodies come in all shapes, sizes, and weights. The sensor can be a full-frame or a crop which affects how your images are sized and cropped.

Upgrading Your Camera - New Camera Body or a New Lens? - photo of a dog

The camera body you use will affect the dynamic range of your images, amount of noise in low light, a significant part of the autofocus, the frames-per-second, and the megapixel count (among many other things, but the aforementioned are the most commonly referenced). The camera body is what influences the number of pixels in a photograph and how fast you can shoot. It is also an integral part of the autofocus system.

From a physical standpoint, the camera body is what you’ll hold most in your hands and its comfort is very important when shooting for long hours. Higher end cameras also have better weather sealing than lower end cameras. From a logistics perspective, different camera bodies allow you to control more or fewer aspects of the picture taking process.

people in dark clothes - Upgrading Your Camera - New Camera Body or a New Lens?

The Lens

In laymen’s terms, lenses gather and focus light. Light strikes the front surface of the lens and passes through the glass element. Keeping this in mind, the difference between a good lens and a bad lens is that the former does a much better job at producing properly illuminated and sharp images. Lenses vary in focal length, aperture, type of glass, and so much more.

Upgrading Your Camera - New Camera Body or a New Lens? - portrait of a guy

The lens will make the biggest impact on the final outcome of an image. In regards to the artistic look of a shot, the lens will be in far more control than the camera body. This is because aperture, focal length (the perspective achieved due to the focal length), and sharpness are all dictated by the lens.

Lenses with a wide aperture are considered “fast” lenses because they can achieve the same exposure with a faster shutter speed.

Bonus question: What influences the autofocus, the camera or the lens? The electronic autofocus system is basically a motor. The motor housed inside of the lens will generally provide the greatest performance and highest accuracy. However, the focus motor in the lens is only one part of the process.

The camera body is what drives the motor. In addition to the mechanical components, the firmware in the camera body is what operates the autofocus system. The reason the lens is still the go-to even for autofocus is that it controls the accuracy, and the accuracy tends to be more important!

dog running - Upgrading Your Camera - New Camera Body or a New Lens?

Which Will Last You Longer?

Everyone will outgrow their equipment eventually, whether it be due to an improvement in skill, a desire for something better, or equipment dating itself too much. Essentially, interest in upgrading equipment comes from someone’s image-quality criteria.

Keeping this in mind, on the grand scale most camera bodies won’t differ in overall image quality unless you are shooting in difficult situations such as low light (in which case higher-end cameras have lower noise levels than others, as an example). The lens will make a significant impact on the final image result.

A good example of this is pairing a high-end lens with a low-end body and a high-end body with a kit lens. You will find that the audience will gravitate towards the photograph produced with the high-end lens / low-end body combination versus the opposite because the lens will impact the shot that significantly.

You’ll likely never be able to figure out what body is used in a shot, but you can often pick out the quality of the lens.

Which is the Better Investment When Upgrading - a New Camera Body or a New Lens?

A good lens will withstand the test of time as you try many different camera bodies (so long as it is compatible). The lens will travel with you from camera to camera. The lens will also help you create your specific style of shooting, as the aperture and perspective will mold to your personal preference.

Are you someone that prefers a shallow depth of field? Wide-angle fisheye? What about epic action shots with a tight zoom? All of the aforementioned are thanks to the lens, not the body.

Which is the Better Investment When Upgrading - a New Camera Body or a New Lens?

The Lens is a Better Investment

In my opinion, in regard to financial investment, a good lens is the better choice because it’ll last you much longer than the body (as you’ll generally be changing camera bodies faster than lenses). The lens also opens the door for you to create the images you dream of making.

That being said, the camera does determine if you’re capable of photographing what you want to photograph – but you can work around many limitations with an excellent lens. Cheap, low-quality lenses will affect both your shooting experience and the final product far more than the camera body will. This is because cheaper lenses tend to be slow, which results in a harder time capturing low-light scenes or achieving a super shallow depth of field.

Which is the Better Investment When Upgrading - a New Camera Body or a New Lens?

The lens will also retain more of its value (both from a monetary and photography standpoint) than the camera body when talking about resale value. This is because camera bodies are upgrading and advancing at a far faster rate, thusly, older bodies become obsolete quickly.

The same lenses, on the other hand, will likely still be used five to 10 years from now (if not even longer).

The best investment is the lens that lets you capture all of the pictures you want. You’ll find ways to work around body limitations, I guarantee it! Though when you do upgrade that camera body, you’ll appreciate the ease even more as you’ll no longer have to work around previous limits.

Which is the Better Investment When Upgrading - a New Camera Body or a New Lens?

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NiSi jumps into lens game, unveils five full-frame cinema prime lenses

07 Apr
Credit: NiSi

With NAB 2018 just a few days away, the video gear news is coming fast and furious. Atomos shared some exciting news for Panasonic EVA1 shooters, Apple revealed the new ProRes RAW format, Adobe’s video apps got some major updates, and now the more unexpected of them all: NiSi, the camera filter company, has released a set of cinema primes.

If this news had come out on April 1st, it would have been suspect. Alas, it’s April 6th, and the new NiSi F3 cinema lenses are very much real.

Designed to cover full-frame sensors, the NiSi F3 lenses will come with interchangeable PL, Canon EF, and Sony E mounts. There are five lenses in all—25mm T2.1, 35mm T2, 50mm T2, 75mm T2, and 100mm T2—and each is built within an identical housing for maximum convenience when fitting lens accessories. NiSi plans to add an 18mm lens to the lineup in mid-2018, but here’s a closer look at current lineup, followed by a detailed spec breakdown:

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Regarding the F3 lens line’s performance, NiSi promises that the lenses’ “apochromatic optical design […] results in excellent Axial aberration and Transverse aberration performance. It gives a natural and pure color with almost no purple/green fringing both within focus and in bokeh.”

The company also claims “the lenses contain a unique optical coating design which controls dispersion perfectly while retaining rich details.” This allegedly results in “stylized flare and contrast enhancement.”

Credit: NiSi

The lenses are currently live for pre-order on the NiSi website, where you’ll need to put in a deposit of $ 1,000 per lens. Shipping is expected to start on June 1st, and you can see the retail prices listed below:

  • NiSi F3 25mm T2.1 – $ 3,000
  • NiSi F3 35mm T2 – $ 2,500
  • NiSi F3 50mm T2 – $ 2,500
  • NiSi F3 75mm T2 – $ 2,500
  • NiSi F3 100mm T2 – $ 3,000
  • Full Set of Five Lenses – $ 12,000

Note that if you pre-order before April 30th, you can take advantage of a $ 500 discount on each individual lens, or the full set of five. That means that, for the next 24 days, it’s actually cheaper to buy all five lenses individually because of the $ 2,500 in total discounts you’d be getting.

To learn more about the Nisi F3 cinema prime lenses or pre-order a set for yourself, head over to the NiSi website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Video: The story behind Canon’s crazy 50-1000mm CINE-SERVO lens

06 Apr

This short video released by Canon USA just a couple of days ago tells the story behind one of Canon’s most impressive optical achievements: the $ 78,000 Canon CINE-SERVO 50-1000mm T5.0-8.9 CN20x 50 IAS H/P1 lens introduced in 2014. We don’t cover much broadcast equipment here on DPReview, but even we couldn’t help taking note of this impressive lens when it was first announced.

As Canon USA Senior Fellow Larry Thorpe explains in the video, this lens was the result of a challenge posed to Canon by wildlife filmmaker Ivo Nörenberg in 2010. Nörenberg asked Canon to produce a long zoom 4K Super 35mm lens that would allow him to capture a seemingly impossible zoom range.

Zoomed all the way in, Nörenberg needed this lens to be able to “fully frame a subject of 4-5 feet (1.2-1.5 meters) in height from a distance of 300-350 feet.” Then, without changing lenses, he wanted to zoom back out and capture “great outdoor vistas.” And as if that’s not difficult enough, Nörenberg also asked Canon to keep the lens size manageable: no more than 15lbs (~6.8Kg) and no longer than 16 inches (~40cm).

It took four years, but this is what Canon came up with:

Credit: Canon

It wasn’t easy. Thorpe calls this lens “the most challenging project ever undertaken by the Canon optical design team.” But in the end, Nörenberg says Canon delivered 100% of his specifications and ideas. Not only that, Canon also built a 1.5x teleconverter right into the lens, giving the CINE-SERVO lens an extended range of 50-1500mm.

Check out the full video above to hear the story from Thorpe and see the lens in action capturing footage of wolves in arctic Canada, only 1,000Km (~620 miles) away from the North Pole.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Lomography adds ultra-wide Naiad 15mm F3.8 front lens to the Neptune system

06 Apr

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Following its successful campaign for the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System, Lomography has added the new ultra-wide 15mm F3.8 front lens to the lineup. The so-called Naiad 15mm Art Lens has a 135° FOV and is designed to capture sharp images up to 1cm away from the subject. It also features a lens hood that doubles as a filter mount.

The Naiad 15mm front lens features 9 elements in 7 groups, 100mm filter compatibility, a multi-colored lens coating, and support for Canon EF, Nikon F, and Pentax K mounts via the Lens Base. Though Naiad was made for full-frame systems, Lomography says the lens is suitable for crop sensors as well, with a 24mm equivalent focal length on APS-C cameras and 30mm on M43 systems.

Images captured with Naiad feature bright, highly saturated colors and “punchy contrast,” according Lomography. And the integrated lens hood—which can rotate 360-degrees—supports rectangular filters with thickness up to 2mm so you can further customize your results.

Here are a few sample images captured with the Naiad 15mm:

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The Naiad 15mm can be purchased from Lomography’s website now for $ 450 USD by itself, $ 700 USD with the Lens Base, and $ 800 USD with a full filter set. Lomography is also offering the full Neptune Convertible Art Lens system, with Naiad, for $ 1,140; of you can buy the full set, plus Naiad, plus the full range of Naiad filters, for $ 1,250.

Press Release

Naiad 3.8/15 Art Lens: A 15mm Front Lens for the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System

Open Up Your World — Capture Ultra-Wide Shots Steeped in Saturated Colors and Punchy Contrasts

  • A Brand New, Ultra-Wide 15mm Front Lens – After the success of the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System on Kickstarter just nine months ago, Lomography got to work on a ultra-wide 15mm front lens: Naiad.
  • With a 135° Field of View to Fill with Punchy, Saturated Colors – Stretching your field of view, Naiad pushes you to shoot fuller frames steeped in the saturated colors and punchy color contrasts that define the Lomo look.
  • Shoot Super Sharp Shots from as Close as 1cm – Get outstandingly near to your subject and use Naiad to dramatize the crispest details up close.
  • Finetune Your Shots with a Range of Fantastic Filters – Naiad’s lens hood doubles as a filter holder so you can balance your shading and stop stray light from entering your shots.
  • An Expandable System to Grow With Your Creativity – The latest front lens to be added to the Neptune Convertible Art Lens System, Naiad is now available in the Lomography Online Shop and Gallery Stores worldwide. Pick up up yours with a Lens Base for as little as $ 699 USD.

A Brand New, Ultra-Wide 15mm Front Lens

The Neptune Convertible Art Lens System offers unlimited stylistic possibilities to a whole new generation of photographers. Lomography is proud to present a new star in the system: Naiad. Built for ultra-wide eyed explorers, this brand new 15mm lens will jolt you on a journey of extraordinary angles. Simply attach it onto the Lens Base and you’re ready to jump into a world of sensational, sweeping vistas. Designed for full frame shots but suitable for crop sensor cameras too, Naiad works with Canon EF and Nikon F mount and is available now in the Lomography Online Shop and Gallery Stores worldwide.

With a 135° Field of View to Fill with Punchy, Saturated Colors

Exemplifying the very best of mind-bending modern optics, Naiad’s panoramic capability lets light enter and curve. Straight lines appear to bend, and the further away they are from the optical centre, the greater the barrel-like distortion—ideal for street scenes as well as pronounce portraits. Filling each and every frame with strong, saturated colors and punchy contrasts that define Lomography’s signature look, Naiad will drive your shots to ever-more epic proportions.

Shoot Super Sharp Shots from as Close as 1cm

Using its impressive closest focusing distance of 0.01m, Naiad invites you to take a step closer towards your subject, blur the background and plunge into the foreground. Play around and magnify portraits, exaggerate tiny features and puff up personalities. Watch the foreground dilate and the background contract as you amplify the world around you.

Finetune Your Shots with a Range of Fantastic Filters

Naiad’s integrated lens hood doubles as a filter holder so that you can master the shading in your shot. Compatible with rectilinear filters with a maximum thickness of 2mm, Naiad’s lens hood rotates a full 360° to give you complete creative freedom. Control the amount of light that falls onto your raw images with a Neutral Density Filter, bring out the subtleties in skies with a Neutral Density Graduated Filter, and use orange and blue Temperature Filter Set to give shots a light, sunny glow or a cool, cinematic feel.

An Expandable System to Grow With Your Creativity

The Neptune Convertible Art Lens System is comprised of three interchangeable lenses, each of which can be attached to the Lens Base to shoot at a fixed focal length of 3.5/35mm for Thalassa, 2.8/50mm for Despina, or 4/80mm for Proteus. And now, Naiad promises to be yet another portal to an even more powerful wide-angle perspective with a fixed focal length of 3.8/15mm. Now available in the Lomography Online Shop and Gallery Stores worldwide.

Price List

  • Naiad with Lens Base for just $ 699 USD.
  • Naiad with full range of filters for $ 799 USD.
  • Complete Neptune Convertible Art Lens System (including Naiad) for $ 1139 USD.
  • Neptune Convertible Art Lens System (including Naiad) with full range of Naiad filters for $ 1249 USD.

Technical Information

Naiad

  • Focal Length: 15mm
  • Aperture Range: f/3.8 – f/22
  • Closest Focusing Distance: 0.01m, or 0.4 inches
  • Field of View: 135°
  • Convertible Lens Base Mounts: Canon EF, Nikon F or Pentax K
  • Multi-Scaled Diaphragm Aperture: f/3.8 – f/22
  • Lens Construction: 9 elements in 7 groups
  • Filter Compatibility: 100mm (width) x ?10mm (length) x 2mm (depth) rectangular filters
  • Lens Coating: Multi-coated
  • Electronic Contacts: No

Designed for full frame but suitable for crop sensors.
Equivalent focal length on APS-C: 24mm
Equivalent focal length on M43: 30mm

Neptune Convertible Art Lens System

  • Focal Length: 35mm, 50mm, 80mm, front element group convertible
  • Aperture: Dual aperture system
    Multi-scaled diaphragm aperture: 35mm: extended, f/3.5 – f/22 , 50mm: f/2.8 – f/22, 80mm: extended, f/4 – f/22
    Drop-in aperture plates
  • Field of View: 35mm: 63°, 50mm: 46°, 80mm: 30°
  • Lens Mounting Profile: Canon EF, Nikon F or Pentax K
  • Closest Focusing Distance: 35mm: 0.25m , 50mm: 0.4m, 80mm: 0.8m
  • Lens Construction:
    Front Lens: 4 elements in 4 groups for each focal length
    Lens Base: 3 elements in 3 groups
  • Filter Thread: 52mm
  • Lens Coating: Multi-coated
  • Electronic Contacts: No
  • Focusing Mechanism: Helicoid

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Huawei P20 Pro hands-on: 3x zoom lens leaves the competition behind

04 Apr

The P20 Pro is Huawei’s latest flagship smartphone and, at least in the camera department, arguably the most innovative mobile device we have seen in quite some time. The camera module was developed in cooperation with Leica and is the first to combine three sensor/lens modules:

  • A large 1/1.7-inch RGB sensor with Quad-Bayer structure in the main camera is designed to capture as much light as possible and keep noise levels low.
  • A secondary high-resolution monochrome sensor provides depth estimation for the simulated bokeh effect, helps with digital zooming at low magnifications and improves detail and noise levels.
  • A dedicated tele-camera with an equivalent focal range of 80mm springs into action at 3x or higher zoom factors.
The Huawei P20 Pro camera combines three cameras: The main module is at the center, the monochrome camera at the bottom (left in this image) and the tele at the top (right).

So the spec sheet looks impressive but is the Huawei P20 Pro the best camera smartphone money can currently buy? We had the opportunity to shoot with a Huawei P20 Pro for a few days. Here are our first impressions.

Please note that the camera software on our test unit is not final, so some improvements can be expected for the production version.

Key specifications:

  • Triple-camera, 10MP output size
  • Main camera: 1/1.7-inch 40MP Quad-Bayer sensor, F1.8 aperture and 27mm equivalent focal length
  • Secondary camera: 20MP 1/2.78-inch monochrome sensor, F1.6-aperture and 27mm equivalent focal length
  • Tele-camera: 8MP, 1/4.4-inch RGB sensor, F2.4-aperture, 80mm equivalent focal length and optical image stabilization
  • Kirin 970 chipset
  • 6.1-inch Full View display
  • 6GB RAM
  • 128GB internal storage
  • 4,000 mAh battery

Wide-angle

In bright light the P20 Pro’s main camera captures images with good detail and very low noise levels. As you can see in the sample below, there is no noticeable grain in the blue sky, which is unusual for a smartphone, and fine detail is rendered nicely, though almost a touch oversharpened. Dynamic range is excellent as well, with very little highlight clipping for a smartphone camera.

Colors and contrast are definitely on the vibrant end of the scale but if you like things a little more natural you can can set colors to ‘smooth’ in the settings. There is a touch of corner-softness in our sample but overall the P20 Pro performs very well in good light.

ISO 50

The picture below was taken in a dim bar. In these conditions the camera does a very good job at keeping noise levels down. Some fine grain is noticeable in the shadows, but overall the image is very clean.

Some detail is lost on very fine textures but you have to zoom in to full-size view to notice. Edge detail is still very sharp and colors are maintained nicely. This is very good image quality from a smartphone in these light conditions.

ISO 1250

The very dim street lighting in the scene below pushes the P20 Pro camera to its limits. The image is exposed very well and colors are rendered nicely. However, detail clearly suffers and some fine textures are very soft. In these conditions the lack of optical image stabilization also becomes obvious, with some images showing signs of camera shake.

ISO 4000

Zoom

Thanks to the triple-camera with dedicated tele module, zoom is one of the P20 Pro’s highlight features. The series below shows the same scene as the first image in this article, with the camera zoomed onto the stork that is nesting on the church tower.

3x zoom

As you can see when clicking through to the full version of these images, detail is still decent at a 3x zoom factor and a good step ahead of any other current smartphone. Noise is very well controlled as well. At 5x a loss of detail and texture becomes more obvious but the images are still usable at smaller output sizes, for example in social media.

5x zoom

The 10x zoom image shows the typical softness and pixelation we are used to from digital zoom images and is best reserved for emergency situations. That said, while the P20 Pro’s zoom can’t compare to the optical zoom of a compact camera, it’s outstanding for a smartphone camera. Kudos to Huawei for squeezing the technology into the thin body of a mobile device.

10x zoom

The zoom is still usable in indoor light conditions and produces results that, in terms of detail and noise, aren’t far off from images captured in bright outdoor light.

Wide angle 3x zoom
5x zoom 10x zoom

The Huawei’s zoom is not only handy for magnifying elements of the scene, just like the optical zoom on a “real” camera it also helps compress the planes of a scene. In the wide-angle image below the mountain range in the background is so small, it’s hardly noticeable.

In the 3x zoom image the mountains have become a much more important element of the composition, thanks to compression. However, in the zoom image the color response is much less vibrant and the camera tends to be a little more prone to highlight clipping. Hopefully that is something that can be fine-tuned for the final software version.

Wide-angle
3x zoom

While zoom performance is generally pretty amazing for a smartphone camera, we found exposure to be very unstable when zoomed in. Once zoom is activated you can get very noticeable exposure jumps between two images in a series, as you can see in the 3x zoom samples below.

We would expect this bug to be fixed with a software update, hopefully for the final release of the production software.

Underexposure Slight overexposure

Portrait/Aperture modes

Like most current high-end phones, the P20 Pro offers a background-blurring Portrait mode. The feature works very well with head-and-shoulder type portraits. The default blur strength is pleasant and the masking of the subject is quite accurate. Only some minor segmentation artifacts are visible in the hair of the subject below.

Portrait mode

Things don’t look as good with full-body portraits, however. Like in the shot below, on most occasions Portrait mode does not trigger for this type of scene.

Portrait mode

Portrait mode applies a degree of skin tone smoothing to your subject’s face. If you don’t want that, or take an image of an object rather than a person, you can switch to Aperture mode which artificially blurs the background in the same way as Portrait mode.

As you’d expect, the mode delivers similar results as Portrait mode but more complex objects, such as the bicycle in the image below, can cause some trouble, especially when shooting zoomed in. Foreground/background separation in this shot is pretty bad, with a lot of blur applied to areas that should be sharp and vice versa.

Aperture mode, 3x zoom

Video

Video, and particularly video image stabilization, are strong points of the Huawei P20 Pro camera. The clip below was shot hand-held and is very stable and smooth, almost steady-cam-like. No judder, over-compensation or similar kind of artifacts are visible. Other than that, detail is in line with the competition and the color response is similar to still image mode.

Conclusion

We’ve only had a few days with the Huawei P20 Pro but that has been long enough to say it is the most advanced smartphone camera to date. General image quality is very good, with good detail, very low noise levels across all light levels and excellent dynamic range. In terms of those parameters the differences to other flagship smartphones, for example the Google Pixel 2 or Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus aren’t massive, however.

Where the P20 Pro really leaves the competition behind is zoom. The dedicated 3x tele-lens provides a real advantage in the zoom department and makes this device the best current smartphone for zooming. The triple camera is also capable of creating a natural looking bokeh simulation, and in video mode the image stabilization is up with the very best, creating an almost steady-cam like effect.

There are still a few niggles in the camera software but hopefully those will be ironed out for the final release and our full review. It’s still early in 2018, but it’ll be interesting to see what the competition will come up with later in the year in order to counter Huawei’s impressive move.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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How to Choose the Best Portrait Lens According to Three Professional Photographers

30 Mar

Here on dPS, we’ve covered this topic in previous articles. For example: How to Choose the Perfect Portrait Lens.

In the following videos, see which lens these photographers chose and why.

85mm versus the 70-200mm f/2.8

Portrait photographer, Manny Ortiz takes you to a live shoot in this video. Watch as he shoots the same subject, in the same location with both the 85mm f/1.4 and a 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses.

See how they differ and watch all the way to the end to find out which is his favorite lens and why.

Is there such a thing as the “best” portrait lens?

In this next video, Gabriel Sanchez (Gabe) talks about the four lenses he uses most often for portraits and which are his go-to and favorites.

He goes over the 24mm f/1.4, 35mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.2, and a Sigma 85mm f/1.4, and the benefits and results you can get with each lens. See why he says there is no “perfect” or best portrait lens, watch to the end.

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Favorite lenses – fashion photographer

Finally, get a different point of view from fashion photographer Julia Trotti as she explains why the 35mm f/1.4 and 50mm f/1.2 are her favorite lenses.

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Which lens do you use for portraits?

So at the end of the day which lens are you going to choose for doing portraits? Do you have any favorites? Tell us which lenses you use and why in the comments below.

If you’re still undecided here are some more dPS articles to help you out:

  • 3 Tips for Taking Portraits with a Kit Lens
  • Tips From a Pro to Help You Know Which Lens to Choose
  • Primes Versus Zoom Lenses: Which Lens to Use and Why?
  • Comparing a 24mm Versus 50mm Lens for Photographing People

The post How to Choose the Best Portrait Lens According to Three Professional Photographers appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Moment launches anamorphic lens and other gear for smartphone filmmakers

30 Mar

Many photographers consider Moment lenses to be the best quality smartphone accessory lenses out there. Now the company returns to crowdfunding platform Kickstarter with a new product line, this time for video shooters and filmmakers rather than stills photographers.

The headline product is an anamorphic add-on lens which allows you to achieve the same super-wide look and lens flare we are used to from Hollywood movies. The lens alters the field of view of the built-in camera on your iPhone, Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel device and locks onto a specific lens case.

The lens currently works with a range of video-specific apps, including Filmic Pro, but Moment still has to update its own app in order to achieve an undistorted live preview of the footage captured with the lens.

The lens is not the only new accessory for filmmakers, however. There is also a battery case for the iPhone X which can charge via the Lighting port or Qi wireless charging and comes with a dedicated camera button. Of course it’s designed to attach Moment lenses as well.

Finally, Moment also debuted a counterweight for gimbals like the DJO Osmo Mobile 2, and a lens filter mount that can be used to attach ND and other filters to any of Moment’s lenses.

All the new items can be ‘pre-ordered’ on Kickstarter, where the campaign has quickly reached astronomical levels of funding—with 21 days to go, Moment has raised over $ 800,000 against a goal of just $ 50,000. All this funding despite each item being pretty low-cost: the filter holder is yours for a $ 29 pledge, the battery case will set you back $ 79, and the lens is priced at $ 119. Shipping is scheduled for June.

To learn more about these products or pick one up for yourself, head over to the Kickstarter page.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Venus Optics unveils Laowa 9mm F2.8 Zero-D lens for mirrorless APS-C cameras

23 Mar

Venus Optics has officially announced the Laowa 9mm F2.8 Zero-D lens: the “world’s widest F2.8 lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras.” Featuring a 113° angle of view, fast F2.8 aperture, and a Zero-D design that promises “close to zero” distortion, the 9mm (13mm equivalent) lens promises to deliver ‘extreme’ specs in a portable package that weighs just 215g.

The Laowa 9mm F2.8 Zero-D is the third lens in Laowa’s Zero-D lineup, and like the others it promises “close to zero” distortion despite its ultra-wide angle focal length. This is achieved using an optical design of 15 lens elements in 10 groups, including 2 aspherical elements and 3 extra-low dispersion elements.

From the press release:

The extreme 113° angle of view and ultra-fast f/2.8 aperture allows photographers to create impressive astro-photography shots with ease. It also gives photographers a fast and wide-angle option for landscape photography and low-light shooting.

The Laowa 9mm F2.8 Zero-D is designed for APS-C mirrorless cameras, and will ship in Fuji X, Sony E, and Canon EOS-M mounts starting in “early April,” at a suggested retail price of $ 500 USD. Scroll through the gallery below to see a few official sample photos from Venus Optics, then head over to the Venus Optics website to learn more or pre-order one for yourself.

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Press Release

Venus Optics announces the Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D, the World’s Widest f/2.8 Lens for APS-C Mirrorless Cameras

Featuring a 113° Angle of View, Ultra-fast f/2.8 aperture, close-to-zero distortion, 49mm filter thread & less than 0.5 pounds in weight, this is a perfect ultra-wide option for still & videographers.

Anhui China, Mar 21, 2018 – Venus Optics, the camera lenses manufacturer who had previously launched a number of unique Laowa camera lenses, is proud to announce the world’s widest rectilinear f/2.8 lens for mirrorless APS-C cameras, Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero- D.

Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D is the third member of the Laowa ‘Zero-D’ line-up and they all feature an excellent control of the optical distortion which is commonly appeared in ultra- wide angle lenses. This new lens is an ultra-wide & ultra-fast prime lens with a 35mm equivalent focal length of around 13mm. Despite the extreme specifications, Venus Optics has successfully minimized the weight of the lens to less than 0.5 pounds (215g) and 2-inch (53mm) long. This compact and light lens comprises of 15 elements in 10 groups with 2 pcs of aspherical elements and 3 pcs of Extra-low dispersion elements. This optical design successfully minimizes the distortion and chromatic aberrations to its lowest but at the same time, delivers a superb optical performance from corners to corners.

The extreme 113° angle of view and ultra-fast f/2.8 aperture allows photographers to create impressive astro-photography shots with ease. It also gives photographers a fast and wide-angle option for landscape photography and low-light shooting. For videographers, the compact size of this lens is friendly to the use of gimbals or even handheld shooting without much of shaking. The lens is designed with a 49mm filter thread which gives additional portability for screw-in filters. It comes with both Sony E, Fuji X & EOS-M mounts.

Availability

The Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D is currently available to pre-order in the official website of Venus Optics (http://www.venuslens.net/) and their authorized resellers. Recommended Retail Price in US (without tax) is USD 499/pc. Pricing may vary in different countries. The first 100 orders will get a set of Laowa 49mm filters for FREE (CPL + UV + ND1000). Shipping is expected to start from early April.

Specifications

Focal Length: 9mm

Max Aperture: F2.8

Angle of View: 113°

Format Compatibility: APS-C

Lens Structure: 15 elements in 10 groups

Aperture Blades: 7

Min. Focusing Distance: 12cm

Max Magnification: 1:7.5

Filter Thread: 49mm

Dimensions: 60 x 53mm

Weight: ~215g

Mounts: Fuij X, Sony E, Canon EF-M

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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DJI Phantom 5 leak hints at interchangeable lens camera system

21 Mar

A pair of images show what may be the upcoming DJI Phantom 5 drone featuring an interchangeable lens camera. The drone model hasn’t yet been announced and details about it aren’t yet officially available. However, leaks and rumors surrounding the drone have increased in past weeks, one of the most recent coming from Twitter user OsitaLV.

A drone said to possibly be the DJI Phantom 5 is featured in two tweeted images. The drone itself is mostly blurred, the only exception being a dark armature and what appears to be a silver or grey body. The drone’s camera, however, is featured front and center, appearing to reveal the presence of an interchangeable lens system.

The same user claimed in a later tweet, “DJI said that the leaked photo of the [Phantom 5] is a customized drone for designated users, not for sale.” The user expressed skepticism about that claim, but no official statements have been made. OsitaLV again tweeted a leak later on, that one a sketch featuring a drone said to be the Phantom 5.

An interchangeable lens camera isn’t beyond the realm of possibility. In October, DJI introduced the X7 camera, a Super 35/APS-C system created specifically for aerial use. Rather than build on an existing platform, DJI engineered its own camera, lens mount, and four cinema primes for the system at launch. Though we usually think of DJI as a drone company, it’s now a camera company as well, and it’s reasonable to assume it will leverage that expertise across additional products.

According to the tweet containing the image above, the DJI Phantom 5 drone features an aluminum shell, a plastic GPS antenna cover, and plastic landing gear. The leaker’s credibility as a source isn’t clear, however. It’s expected that DJI will announce the Phantom 5 model later on this year.

Via: PhotoRumors

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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