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Video: A look at the gear and tech used for crash test photography

01 Feb

The nonprofit U.S. organization Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) published a video that gives viewers a brief look behind-the-scenes at its vehicle crash test photography. During the five minute video, which was published in 2015, IIHS VP of Media Operations and Production Pini Kalnite walks viewers through how the organization produces its high-quality crash footage and images, including everything from its custom-built lighting array to its high-speed cameras.

Kalnite explains the IIHS’ Vehicle Research Center (VRC) is ‘more than a scientific laboratory,’ also doubling as ‘a specialized production facility where we produce footage and pictures’ for engineers. The nonprofit created its VRC with the intention of producing high-quality content.

The VRC is similar to a Hollywood sound stage, according to Kalnite, who explains that the facility includes a grid ceiling capable of holding a custom-built light system that outputs 750k watts of diffused light. The organization uses high-speed digital cameras with cinema-quality lenses to capture ultra-slow-motion videos and still images.

In addition to the high-speed video cameras, IIHS also uses high-resolution cameras to capture images of the crashed vehicles, as well as digital cameras that record footage at regular speeds. Though Kalnite doesn’t detail any of the models used in the production, the video briefly reveals a Hasselblad camera as the source of the VRC’s crash action shot and post-crash photos.

‘The images we produce are more than just tools to help engineers understand what happens in a crash test,’ Kalnite explained. ‘They’re also a vital part of our communications effort.’ The organization’s content has appeared in major movies, news broadcasts, and advertisements.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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SmugMug Films: An inspiring BTS look at photographing the autumn beauty of Slovenia

15 Jan

SmugMug Films has released ‘Framing the Journey,’ a short film that follows photographer Karen Hutton around the landscapes and cityscapes of Slovenia.

The seven minute film, which was made in partnership with Fujifilm, ‘unveils both the epic beauty of a charming country tucked between Italy and Croatia and the wonder of the artist experiencing it all for the first time.’

Hutton, whose past careers have included acting, singing, voiceover work, figure skating and horseback riding, says her ‘photography is about a philosophy […] It’s about the world, about life, and all the possibilities that exist in between.’

The short film does a great job highlighting the fantastic work of Hutton and showcasing the seemingly endless beauty across Slovenia. Sure it’s effectively a glorified ad for both SmugMug and Fujifilm (as well as DJI whose Mavic Pro 2 drone was used to capture much of the 4K footage), but that doesn’t take away from the inspiring and informative narration provided by Hutton nor the stunning scenery.

To see more work from Karen Hutton, visit her website. To see other SmugMug Films, head to the SmugMug Films’ YouTube Channel.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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You can now make your Sony a7 III and a7R III cameras look like they’re covered in LEGO blocks

29 Dec

Taiwanese company LIFE+GUARD has announced a new skin for Sony a7 III and a7R III cameras that makes it look as though the camera body is made of LEGO blocks.

LIFE+GUARD is known for making interesting skins for Sony gear, as seen with this wild rainbow leopard print skin, but the LEGO block skin might take the cake for the most unique.

The LEGO skin certainly isn’t for everyone, but aside from possibility of deterring would-be thrives from stealing an expensive camera, the skin may very well prove useful for children and family photographers, as cleverly noted by SonyAlphaRumors.

For those interested in the skin, LIFE+GUARD is taking orders via email for $ 50 a skin. An online shop is said to be coming in early 2019.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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First look: Skylum Luminar 3 adds support for photo libraries, Digital Asset Manager to follow

07 Dec

Skylum Luminar 3’s layout.

Luminar’s library is set to open soon, but expect construction to continue through at least next year.

The long-awaited update to Skylum Software’s photo editor adds in-app photo library management, which the company says is the first step toward building out a complete Digital Asset Manager (DAM). Called ‘Luminar with Libraries’, this version more directly competes with applications that organize your photos, such as Adobe Lightroom Classic CC and Lightroom CC. Luminar 3 arrives December 18, runs on macOS and Windows, and is a free update for owners of Luminar 2018.

This version more directly competes with applications that organize your photos, such as Adobe Lightroom

That’s mixed news for photographers contemplating a switch from Adobe’s applications, especially since Skylum has been teasing a Luminar DAM for well over a year (and just barely hitting their promise to ship it in 2018). Acknowledging the situation, Skylum is making further updates to Luminar free throughout 2019.

Luminar 3 is a free update for current owners of Luminar 2018. Owners of Aurora HDR, Photolemur, and legacy products can upgrade for $ 49 until December 18. New preorders cost $ 59 until that date, and $ 69 thereafter. There’s no subscription pricing model.

Library vs Digital Asset Manager

Here’s what Luminar with Libraries offers:

The Library component is integrated into the application, not existing as a separate app. It keeps track of all the images you throw at it in a browsable image gallery. Photos can be imported from cameras or memory cards, or you can point Luminar at existing folders on your hard disk. Unlike apps such as Apple Photos or Lightroom CC, Luminar doesn’t squirrel the images away to its own folder or container. It creates a central catalog file to track file locations and edits, but the originals remain wherever you put them in the first place.
In the Library, you can rate photos from zero to five stars, mark them as flagged or rejected, or apply any of five color labels.
You can create albums and populate them with photos.
A few shortcuts act like smart albums, revealing photos based on their capture dates, import dates, and recently edited dates.
In the Info panel, a limited set of EXIF data is shown, such as the camera, lens, focal length, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation.
You can filter the library based on any of those attributes.

Filter images based on the criteria the Library offers.

Luminar with Libraries covers the basics of wrangling files and making them easily available for editing, but a full DAM provides a deeper level of interacting with one’s photos. Not included in this release is the ability to apply keywords or IPTC metadata, any kind of text-based search, a way to expose and take advantage of location data, or synchronization of images between computers or devices. The interface for importing photos relies on traditional Open dialogs instead of a way to preview the shots.

Editing Changes

Luminar 3 is still the same editor as it was before, with a few enhancements. Presets are now ‘Luminar Looks,’ which sounds like just a rebranding attempt, but actually rolls presets, LUTs, and some AI-enhanced operations into one-click actions.

“Luminar Looks” isn’t simply advantageous alliteration, but a merging of presets, LUTs, and some AI processing.

More significantly, the inclusion of the library into Luminar makes it possible to apply edits to one image and sync them among many other similar photos.

Sync edits from one image to several similar shots.

The Windows version includes improvements to Luminar’s color management to get consistent color among displays and devices, plus a host of bug fixes and performance boosts.

What’s Next

Skylum plans to release frequent updates throughout 2019 to add features and expand the library’s features. In its Luminar Roadmap, the company lists targets for the first half of the year that include:

Improved handling of Raw + JPEG image pairs (instead of treating each part separately).
The ability to create virtual copies of photos.
A Smart Search feature for locating shots “using keywords, EXIF information, and file names” (suggesting keyword support will be forthcoming).
IPTC core data editing and syncing among images.
Features that use AI technology “when editing skin on portraits, architecture, removing objects or simply applying masks on your images.”
A Lightroom migration tool.

Although Luminar 3 won’t arrive with a fully-formed DAM, as many photographers were hoping, incorporating the photo library into the application is still a big deal. Melding the library and the editing tools in the same environment streamlines the overall workflow. It allows you to work on a range of images quickly, without the hassle of opening and saving individual images (and deciding where the edited versions live). It’s a big reason why people stick with Lightroom or use alternatives such as Capture One, Alien Skin Exposure, or ON1 Photo Raw.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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A Behind-The-Scenes Look at a Family Photo Session

19 Nov

You’re probably used to seeing perfect family photos on Pinterest. After all, photographers love showing their best work. But you’ll learn a lot more from seeing an entire family photo session rather than just one perfect photo.

So today I’m giving you a glimpse into one of my traditional family photo sessions. I’ll tell you what gear I used, my thought processes during the shoot, how many photos it took to get a keeper, and how your mistakes can help you develop as a photographer.

I’ll show you the good, the bad, and the photos I didn’t even let the family see.

I love photos like this with golden back light in idyllic scenes. But the reality is for every ‘perfect’ photo like this there are dozens (if not hundreds) that don’t look so nice.

Gear

For this family photo session, I used a Nikon D7100. For most of the photos, my lens was an 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5, although a few were taken with a 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 lens. I decided to shoot in RAW and JPEG but only processed the RAW files using Lightroom.

Lightroom is my favorite post-processing program. I had 982 photos from this session. To narrow them down I flag the photos that stand out to me and then highlight the final keepers in yellow.

The Session

This session is from my earlier days as a family photographer. I chose it because there was a lot I hadn’t learned yet, and I’d rather show you a tough session because it will help you a lot more.

There was an infant and most of the kids were under five. Thankfully, I had a lot of experience photographing young kids after being a school photographer for a couple of years.

The aim was to get a variety of photos of the family, siblings and individual kids.

This photo is straight out of the camera (SOOC) and is typical of the photos I ended up with. It can be really challenging to get a family of six to all look at the camera and smile at the same time. One or two kids are always looking away or not smiling. Inevitably, the mom and dad end up looking at the kids instead of the camera. You’ll need to learn to capture their attention.

This is what the photos look like after editing with Lightroom. It took 70 photos to get this one. I was discouraged, but it taught me that I needed to get better at interacting with groups.

This photo is SOOC. It can be really tough to get four siblings (one of them an infant) to look at the camera and smile at the same time. It helps to have a parent or assistant standing directly behind you to get their attention. That person should be playful and silly to engage the kids. This is far better than having adults off to the side yelling at the kids to “look here!”

This is a nice photo after editing with Lightroom. It took 33 bad photos to get this good one.

Sometimes you’ve got to let little kids get the silliness out of them. Why shouldn’t a photo session be fun for them? But be careful. Sometimes letting them be silly unleashes too much craziness. Honestly, I think they were much happier by this point.

By now, you can see that most of my photos were underexposed. I had to brighten them a lot in Lightroom. Now I use a combination of aperture priority and exposure compensation. I aim for the brightest exposure I can without overexposing it. Them I can make final adjustments in Lightroom.

This final photo (edited in Lightroom) has a pretty relaxed feeling to it. I’m not always looking for stillness and perfect posture in a photo.

I found it much easier working with each child individually. I could connect with each of them and provoke nice expressions. As a group, it’s difficult to engage them all at once.

SOOC. Typically, infants don’t sit up very well on their own, especially while sitting on bales of hay. I always have a parent sitting nearby to steady them. They pull their arm away for a few seconds while I’m snapping photos.

When they’re in a good mood it’s so much fun to make an infant smile.

Infants and toddlers can be really tough to photograph when they’re in a bad mood. They need lots of snacks (but not bribes) and time to be themselves between photos.

This photo session should teach you the value of paying attention to your exposure in the moment. Watch your histogram and use exposure compensation to make adjustments.

Practice engaging kids and small groups of people so you can do it effortlessly at photo sessions.

Don’t worry that it might take you 10–20 photos to get one worth keeping. That’s pretty normal for many photographers.

One thing I hadn’t learned at this stage was the creative power of angles. Angles and candid moments are now the most important part of my approach to family photo sessions. The creative use of angles in combination with candid moments help make each photo more unique and personal.

Candid Moments

While I had a fair bit of photography experience at this point (yearbook, several weddings, school photos, and some families), I certainly hadn’t developed my own vision or style. But this session was part of that development.

I share these candid photos with you because it was photos such as these that helped me develop as a photographer and made me who I am today.

This photo was taken right at the beginning on the way out to the sunflower field. You can take candid photos at the beginning of the session as a way to warm up and get everyone used to the camera.

This was a quiet moment before the session began. I love the soft light on the mom’s face.

This is a pretty good example of letting infants and toddlers explore during the session. They’re curious about the world around them. So let them explore and you’ll likely make some great candid photos.

The last place we took a family photo was outside a big barn. The girls played with the barn cats and I couldn’t resist a few photos (even though I felt like my job was to focus on posed photos). My camera misfocused, so this picture is blurry. But there’s something so priceless about the moment that I consider this photo worth keeping anyway. I actually find something nostalgic about the misfocus. It doesn’t look so bad as a small print or on a small screen. But I wouldn’t give this to the family or put it in my portfolio.

This photo of the family walking together was captured as we moved from one location to the other. These days I plan a circuit for sessions and capture candid photos between locations.

This candid moment came after a few posed photos with the mom and her little one.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in the early stages of being a family photographer, don’t feel bad if you haven’t settled in yet. Keep persevering through the tough moments and you’ll grow. Those rare photos that make your heart skip a beat are clues to who you will become as a photographer. Pursue more of those, but understand that you also need to pursue lots of other things because you never know what will make your heart skip a beat.

I saved this photo for last because it was one of the moments that changed me forever as a photographer. While I was photographing the mom and little sister I looked over and saw the big sister dancing on the path. To me, it was the essence of childhood. It didn’t take me 70 tries to get this shot. In fact, right after I took this photo she stopped dancing and posed. To this day, dancing is part of many photo sessions.

What else do you need to know?

I’m happy to share anything about this family photo session with you. Let me know in the comments what else would be helpful to you.

The post A Behind-The-Scenes Look at a Family Photo Session appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Canon EOS R teardown: Roger Cicala takes a look inside Canon’s first full-frame mirrorless

20 Oct

Lensrentals.com, 2018

It’s been less than two weeks since the Canon EOS R started shipping and already Roger Cicala, founder of Lens Rentals, has taken one apart in incredible detail to see what’s inside.

Per his usual routine for gear teardowns, Cicala makes notes of various features and components found inside the camera along the way.

Lensrentals.com, 2018

The EOS R teardown started with the removal of the adhesive grip tape from around the body of the camera to better see where all of the screws are. From there, the Cicala stripped the EOS R of its various elements piece by piece from the outside in.

While Cicala called it ‘a rather a boring disassembly,” the resulting photos and look inside the camera are anything but. Canon appears to have done a solid job across the board considering the price point and feature set of the camera, but there’s certainly room for improvements.

Lensrentals.com, 2018

The buttons on the camera are thoroughly protected with weather-sealing gaskets, but the body itself is only water-resistant by tightly overlapping two pieces of the seams of the polycarbonate frame. In Cicala’s own words, “that means, I think, that it will be fine in a misty rain for a while, but don’t get it saturated and don’t set it somewhere wet.”

Lensrentals.com, 2018

Cicala also notes that “it’s not very crowded inside [the EOS R],” meaning there’s plenty of room to pack in more features and tech inside if Canon decides to do so. He specifically mentions that much of the extra space he noticed between the circuit board and image sensor is where the in-body stabilization (IBIS) is seen inside the Sony A7R III he took apart. But don’t hold your breath for seeing IBIS in future EOS R cameras. Cicala adds “Canon has been very clear that they think lens stabilization is superior.”

Lensrentals.com, 2018

Overall, Cicala says the EOS R appears to follow most of the design and engineering elements of past Canon DSLR cameras. “It was rather a boring disassembly, really, about what we should expect for Canon doing a Canon 6D Mark II quality mirrorless camera […] It’s neatly laid out and nicely engineered inside.”

Lensrentals.com, 2018

To see more photos and more thorough insights from Cicala, head on over to the full Canon EOS R teardown. Cicala notes that a similar dissection of Nikon’s Z7 is complete and will be written up as soon as he can get around to it.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Photographing a ‘First Look’: The Pros and Cons for Wedding Photographers

18 Oct

The wedding timeline can be different for every couple. That’s why you need to learn to ask important questions, such as whether they’ve considered a ‘First Look’ or would rather keep it traditional. This simple decision can change the entire course of the day in terms of taking portraits.

Let’s dive in and look at the pros and cons of having the couple see each other before the wedding ceremony.

What is a ‘First Look’?

Traditionally, the bride and groom don’t see each other until the bride walks down the aisle. It’s thought to be good luck, and keeps in line with centuries of tradition.

A ‘First Look’ is where a couple decides to see each other either before the wedding ceremony or before the important events begin. This new concept is growing in popularity, with many couples opting to go for the first look rather than keeping the ceremony traditional.

Sometimes, as is normal with weddings, other factors will determine whether keeping it traditional or doing a first look is best in terms of both the photography and the day’s timeline.

The pros of having a first look

One pro of having a first look is when the wedding day timeline calls for it due to a schedule that might interfere with the bride and groom portraits. For example, if there isn’t enough time to take portraits after the ceremony because the couple would rather attend their cocktail hour, doing a first look earlier in the day will give you enough time to capture the couple. (Click here for other tips on overcoming common wedding day setbacks).

Another example is if the sun sets early on the wedding day and you’re not sure you’ll have enough light to take the couple’s portraits. This is where a first look can let you choose the best time during the day for the portraits.

Another pro of the first look is that when a couple sees each other before the ceremony it can calm their nerves and help them relax for the portraits. A first look can also act as a seamless transition into the bridal portraits without anyone else being present or having to wait for guests to move to the next event.

The first look will usually give you more time for bridal portraits. After the ceremony, many of the guests will want to congratulate the couple, which can eat up your precious time. They may also want photos taken of them with the couple, cutting further into your bridal portrait time.

A first look can make the transition to the couple’s portraits smoother on a wedding day.

I tell couples that the first look is usually the only time during the entire day they’ll be completely alone. This helps them savor each moment and really lean into each other during the photos. Since the first look typically lasts about ten minutes, it’s easy to transition into portraits of the couple. This works in your favor, as you get to spend more time with the bride and groom capturing real emotions before you seamlessly transition into the couple’s portraits.

A first look can bring out a lot of those nervous emotions and relax the couple before the day unfolds.

The cons of having a first look

One major con of doing a first look is it usually happens in the hottest part of the day or when the sun is at its brightest. First looks are typically done between 11am and 3pm. Photographing in the midday sun has its challenges, and the harsh direct light can sometimes mean changing locations for the bride and groom portraits.

Try to find a covered walkway, or somewhere that keeps the couple out of the sun. Look for large trees with lots of shade, but be aware of spotted light. In direct sunlight it may be easier to find big natural reflectors that bounce light back onto your subject. You can also help fill the shadows with flash or a photo reflector.

Another con to the first look can be the couple needing to get ready much earlier than anticipated just to fit it into the day’s schedule. Be sure to communicate with the couple so everyone knows the best time to photograph the first look and how long it will take.

How to photograph a first look

You can set up the first look in many different ways. A common way is to place the groom in a position where the bride comes come from behind and taps the groom on the shoulder. The groom then turns around and faces the bride. This is where emotions run high, and you can photograph from all angles so they can enjoy the moment.

The best angle is to photograph the groom facing away from the bride as she comes behind him. Then switch to the other side to get the groom’s reaction of seeing his soon-to-be bride in her dress. If you have an assistant photographer, place them at the opposite end of where you are so you can cover it from all angles.

Give the couple time to take in the moment and simply enjoy it.

Another way to do the first look is to have the groom facing the same direction the bride will be walking from. This will give you an instant reaction to them seeing the bride in her dress, so be ready to photograph all of those real emotions.

When you place the groom, take some solid portraits of him to help him relax before the bride walks into the scene. Talk to him, making sure your tone is soft, positive and excited.

Tell the couple that it’s their time, you don’t exist, and that they should just enjoy the moment. Let them know that kissing, hugging and looking into each other’s eyes is what the first look is all about.

Once the couple has relaxed and finished with the first look, move right into the portraits by taking them to the location you’ve scouted (if it’s different from the first look location).

In conclusion

A first look helps you get the most out of your wedding timeline for bride and groom portraits. It also helps the couple relax and feel even more excited about walking down the aisle. Having this beautiful and emotive experience will create more authentic photos, and give you more time to create them.

Ask your next client if they’d like a first look, and refer to these tips when answering their questions. You may be able to help make their special day even more special.

Have you ever photographed a first look? Let us know in the comments.

The post Photographing a ‘First Look’: The Pros and Cons for Wedding Photographers appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Photokina 2018: First look at new Ricoh GR III

27 Sep

Our new favorite compact? Meet the Ricoh GR III

Ricoh has announced the development of a third model in its popular GR lineup: The forthcoming GR III will feature an updated sensor and redesigned lens. We’re at Photokina, where we took a quick look earlier at an early sample under glass.

The biggest upgrade to the GR III is invisible. The new camera features a 24MP APS-C sensor, which should substantially improve upon the rather old 16MP sensor used in the GR/II. The new sensor brings with it phase-detection autofocus, and in-camera stabilization. Both these changes are potentially of huge value to prospective buyers, and serve as a major differentiator against arguably the GR III’s main competitor, Fujfilm’s X100-series.

Our new favorite compact? Meet the Ricoh GR III

Externally, the magnesium alloy-bodied GR III is virtually indistinguishable from its predecessors, the GR and (extremely closely-related) GR II. The 28mm effective focal length of it 18.3mm F2.8 lens is unchanged, but it has been redesigned.

The new lens features six elements in four groups, including two aspheres. The GR/II’s lens was made up of seven elements in five groups, also including two aspherical elements. Beyond an improvement to minimum focusing distance from to 6cm (2.4″) from 10cm (3.9″) we don’t know what the practical effects of this redesign are (the GR/II’s original lens was stunningly sharp) but we’re keen to put it to the test as soon as we can.

Our new favorite compact? Meet the Ricoh GR III

Movie shooting has been moved from its old position on the main exposure mode dial, to a button on the left-hand side of the camera. This button can also be configured to activate the GR III’s wireless feature. Notice also the omission of the mechanical flash release switch, which was featured on the GR/II. The GR III does not include a built-in flash.

Our new favorite compact? Meet the Ricoh GR III

Sorry for the poor quality of this image, which was (obviously) shot through perspex, and against powerful spotlights. Hopefully it shows you what you need to know. From behind, the biggest difference to the GR III compared to its predecessors appears to be a larger LCD, but in fact this is partially an illusion. The GR III’s screen is now 3:2 aspect ratio (as opposed to 4:3) but the diagonal length is the same and resolution (1.03 million dots) is unchanged compared to its predecessor.

The biggest difference is that the GR III’s screen is touch-sensitive.

Our new favorite compact? Meet the Ricoh GR III

You might also notice that the GR/II’s AE/AFL / AF-C switch has been deleted in the new model – likewise the +/- toggle that used to live on the upper-right corner of the thumb grip. This is a shame, but the GR III does gain a rear control dial around the 4-way pad, and from the labeling it looks like the rear ‘ADJ’ jog switch can be used for quick exposure compensation.

Our new favorite compact? Meet the Ricoh GR III

From the top, the simplified exposure mode dial looks noticeably less cluttered than the older GR/II. Movie mode has gone, but so has the auto-everything ‘green’ camera mode, and TAv. Instead, we have the traditional PASM plus three user-configurable settings. The front control dial and trademark Ricoh pill-shaped shutter button are unchanged.

That’s it! At least for now. This camera was firmly behind glass but as soon as we can get our holds on a working sample, we’ll be posting a lot more about the GR III, which is already looking like it might become our new favorite compact.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and future Z-mount lenses

24 Aug

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

The higher resolution Z 7 might be getting most of the attention, but Nikon’s new Z 6 also has a lot going for it. We’re at the launch of the Z system in Tokyo, where we took a closer look at the Z 6 and three forthcoming ‘S-line’ lenses.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Cosmetically the Z 6 is virtually identical to the higher-resolution Z 7, and even internally, they have an awful lot in common (I’d recommend you start here, if you want to get a feel for the general feature set of both cameras) None of the key differences between the Z 6 and Z 7 are noticeable until you really start digging through their respective menu systems.

As such, like the Z 7 the Z 6 is a comfortable, nicely-sized mirrorless ILC with a good, deep grip and in terms of its general design and operation it has a lot in common with the established D800-series DSLRs – at least until it comes to the autofocus modes. Here, the Z 6 is shown with its ‘kit’ zoom, the collapsible 24-70mm F4, attached.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

The unusually subtle name plate on the lower right of the Z 6’s front is the only indication that this is the lower-priced model in Nikon’s brand new Z lineup.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

You’d need an electron microscope to really tell the difference, but this is what 24MP looks like, compared to the 47-ish MP of the more expensive Z7. If the Z7 is sort of a mirrorless D850, the Z 6 is sort of a mirrorless D750. Sort of, because there’s a lot more going on inside the Z 6 than the bare resolution drop compared to the Z 7 might suggest.

If you want to compare it to any camera, actually, the Sony a7 III is probably a more sensible point of comparison.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Compared to the Z 7, the Z 6 is faster, for one thing – and by a decent margin. Whereas the Z 7 tops out at 9fps (AE locked, no live view) the Z 6 – which shares the same Expeed 6 processor, but has less data to move around – can manage up to 12fps.

Sadly there’s no such thing as a free lunch in this life (that’s an expression I just came up with) and Nikon hasn’t bestowed the same 493-point PDAF system on the Z 6 that you’ll find in the more expensive Z 7. Instead, the Z 6 offers 273 PDAF points, covering the same 90% vertical and horizontal frame coverage.

The Z 6’s autofocus should be slightly more sensitive in low light than the Z 7, and we suspect that the Z 6 might ultimately have a slight edge over the Z 7 when it comes to outright AF speed, but that’s something we’ll have to wait for reviewable cameras to really test. In a quick, thoroughly unscientific test against the Z 7 at Nikon’s touch and try session in Tokyo, I couldn’t detect a noticeable difference in AF responsiveness between the two cameras with the 24-70mm F4 attached.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

This is a Z 7, not a Z 6 (although you’d be forgiven for not noticing) pictured in what Nikon hopes will become its natural environment – a professional video rig. Since both of the new Z-series cameras are hybrid designs, they’re equally comfortable (in more than one sense of the term) shooting video as they are stills.

Both cameras offer 4K and HD video, but the Z 6 could turn out to be the more compelling of the two new models for serious videography. That’s because (like the Sony a7 III) it offers 4K footage based on full pixel readout with no crop, whereas the higher-resolution Z7 can only do this in its cropped Super 35 / DX format mode. In theory, this should result in cleaner, more detailed video. So if you’re primarily interested in shooting video (or you’re a ‘bit of both’ shooter that can live with 24MP stills) the Z 6 might be the better purchase, when it becomes available in the next few weeks.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

It always warms my heart to see things cut in half, and at the Tokyo launch event Nikon did not disappoint. Here’s a Z 6/7 with a 24-70mm F4, sitting above a D850 with a 24-70mm F2.8 VR. Nikon is cheating a bit by putting an F2.8 zoom alongside an F4, but hopefully you get the point – both Z-series cameras are significantly smaller (and about 26% lighter) than the D850.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Here’s a closer look at one of the most impressive features of both the Z 6 and Z 7, their 3.69-dot EVF, which as you can see, is accompanied by an optical assembly that makes the D850’s finder assembly look pretty simple by comparison. Nikon could easily have skimped on the Z 6’s finder compared to the more expensive Z 7, but we’re pleased to see that this didn’t happen.

The viewfinder experience from both cameras really is lovely. After a couple of days shooting with a Z 7, I actually had trouble going back to the (excellent) optical finder of the D850, which feels cool and even a little unsharp by comparison.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Nikon has promised a dedicated grip for the Z 6/7, which was on show (in the form of this rough 3D printed mockup) in Tokyo. Details are still TBD, but we assume that Nikon will at least add a rubberized coating before it becomes officially available to buy.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Also not quite ready for primetime are three forthcoming S-series lenses (from left to right) the 24-70mm F2.8, 58mm F0.95 ‘Noct’ and 14-30mm F4. (Sorry about the limited depth of field in this shot, I was trying to isolate the Noct, and then forgot to get a proper group shot before moving on. It’s been a long day.)

As you can hopefully tell, though, the Noct is massive and the 24-70mm F2.8 – while not quite as enormous – looks like it will also be a pretty beefy lens when it’s released next year, dwarfing the compact 24-70mm F4 kit lens. The 14-30mm (shown mounted on a Z 7) on the other hand is fairly compact, which we know is one of the technical advantages of a very short flange-back distance.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

A closeup of the rather natty ‘Noct’ script and display screen on the forthcoming 58mm F0.95, which we’re told can be customized to show information such as depth of field, shooting aperture and focus distance.

The Noct is a manual focus lens, and this shot shows off its very broad, textured focus ring. We couldn’t pick this mockup up (or indeed any of them) to judge build quality or ergonomics, but we can’t wait to get our hands on a working sample.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Moving to the rear of the lens reveals a chunky tripod collar, to support the presumably substantial weight of the F/0.95 lens.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Here’s a closer look at the control layout of the 24-70mm F2.8, showing its display screen, Disp button (which we assume toggles between display modes) and a customizable L-Fn button. A full list of functions that can be assigned to the button is listed in our First Impressions Review of the Z 7.

A closer look at Nikon’s new Z 6 and roadmap ‘S’ lenses

Compared to the 24-70mm F2.8 and 58mm F0.95, the 14-30mm F4 looks positively tiny. Cosmetically, it shares a lot of the same design accents of the 35mm, 50mm and 24-70mm lenses announced alongside the Z 6. Details of all three forthcoming lenses are in short supply, but we’ll share more when we have more to share.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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DPReview TV: the Laowa 24mm F14 Probe may look strange, but it sure is fun

05 Aug

This week we take a look at one of the more unusual optics we’ve seen for quite a while. The Laowa 24mm F14 Macro Probe lens may look like something out of a science fiction movie, but as Chris and Jordan discover, it opens the door to some really interesting photo opportunities.

Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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