In addition to the EOS R5 1.1 firmware update, Canon has also released firmware version 1.2 for the Canon 1D X Mark III. The new firmware improves a number of features and addresses a handful of bug fixes for Canon’s flagship DSLR.
Specifically, Canon says firmware version 1.2 improves face and eye recognition autofocus (AF) at greater distances, improves FTP connectivity during transmission and improves Wi-Fi connectivity when using the Canon EFT-E9 Wireless File Transmitter.
Canon has also improved the experience when using the Browser Remote and addressed a number of ‘phenomenons’ — AKA bugs — that can occur during viewfinder shooting when specific settings are selected. You can see a full list of the bug fixes in the changelog below.
Firmware version 1.2.0 for the Canon 1DX Mark III is available to download from Canon’s product page.
Changelog:
Firmware Version 1.2.0 incorporates the following enhancements and fixes:
Enhancements when using Browser Remote:
The image list displayed will be refreshed automatically on the browser.
On the shooting screen of the browser, you can set the movie resolution and a high frame rate.
On the shooting screen of the browser, you can change the movie shooting mode.
On the shooting screen of the browser, Live View will be displayed as soon as you select the movie shooting button.
Enhances Auto Focus (AF) for improved face and eye recognition at greater distances.
Fixes a phenomenon that may occur during viewfinder shooting, in which the shutter may not be released or the camera may not operate in the following settings:
In One-Shot AF mode, when the AF Area Selection Mode is set as Zone AF, Large Zone AF or Automatic Selection AF.
In AI Servo AF, when direct AF point selection is made using the smart controller.
When the Register/Recall Shooting Function is assigned to the AE Lock button, in the Custom Controls.
Connectivity during FTP transmission has been improved.
Improves Wi-Fi connectivity when using the Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E9.
Fixes a phenomenon, in which the card access time may take longer when using certain CFexpress cards.
Apple has released its latest update to Final Cut Pro X, bringing with it a number of new features, including the ability to finally adjust ProRes Raw camera settings.
Although it’s listed under ‘Other new features,’ one of the most welcomed additions in the update is the ability to adjust ProRes Raw camera settings, such as ISO, color temperature and exposure compensation in the new controls within the inspector.
These new options address what was a big hole in the ProRes Raw workflow with FCPX. We asked our own Jordan Drake of DPReview TV for his thoughts on these new additions and he had the following to say:
’Working with ProRes Raw was initially jarring, as it did not respond like other photographic or cinematic raw formats. White balance and ISO were not directly adjustable, and attempting to use the built in tools to simulate those adjustments often led poor colors or noisy shadows. This new update allows adjustments to white balance, exposure and ISO and will hopefully allow ProRes Raw to behave more like R3D Raw, or Apple’s primary competition Blackmagic BRaw. Camera manufacturers aside from Blackmagic seem to be moving towards ProRes Raw, so this added functionality will be a big benefit for many current and future cameras.’
Also new is an improved proxy workflow with the ability to generate proxy media in custom frame sizes (1/8, 1/4, 1/2, or full resolution), the ability to create proxies in either ProRes Proxy or H.264 and the ability to create a proxy-only copy of a library to reduce the size of a project.
It’s now easier to compose footage for use in vertical-preferred platforms, such as Snapchat, Instagram TV, TikTok and others.
Apple has also added a number of new social media tools within FCPX, including automated project transformation for square of vertical delivery via the new ‘Smart Conform’ tool, the ability to view footage outside the viewer boundary for easier composing in non-traditional formats, as well as custom overlays for guides and a new ‘Duplicate Project As’ option that works with the new ‘Smart Conform’ tool to make creating videos for multiple platforms easier.
For other minor feature updates and bug fixes, head on over to Apple’s changelog for FCP 10.4.9. The update should be available as a free update in the macOS App Store if you’ve already purchased FCPX.
The latest upcoming evolution of Android, version 11, will introduce a fairly small but unwanted change about which some smartphone owners are already complaining: elimination of the camera selection menu. Going forward, Android users will only be able to access the device’s pre-installed camera app when attempting to take a photo through a third-party app, something Google has confirmed and described as necessary for privacy and security.
Though Android devices come with a stock camera app, users have a huge number of alternative options available in the Play Store, including ones that feature ‘pro’ controls. When a user attempts to capture an image through a third-party app, such as an auction app that supports directly capturing images rather than uploading from the camera roll, they may be presented with a menu that asks which installed camera app should be used.
When the Android 11 update rolls out, however, this will change and users will no longer be given this option, as recently spied by Android Police. Instead, the third-party app will default to the device’s stock camera app. To get around this, users would have to first launch their preferred camera app, capture the images they need, then upload those images in the third-party app from the camera roll — a process that would take considerably longer than directly launching the desired app.
News of this change seems to have first surfaced on Reddit’s Android Dev community, where developers have expressed frustration and concerns about the restriction.
Google itself details this change on its Android Developer website, stating that, ‘Media intent actions require system default camera.’ In this case, ‘intent’ refers to the third-party app’s intent to capture an image, but its dependency on the device’s camera apps due to its own lack of built-in camera functionality.
When questioned about the change on its Issue Tracker website, a Google employee stated that the lack of third-party camera selection was an intended behavior and that despite potentially making things more complicated for developers, ‘we believe it’s the right trade-off to protect the privacy and security of our users.’
The idea is that while the Google Play Store takes steps to protect users from malicious apps, some still manage to get through to users. In addition, Android allows users to sideload apps that haven’t gone through the security vetting process, potentially putting themselves at risk. A malicious camera app may compromise the user’s privacy, gathering anything from images to location data.
Whether that risk is an adequate reason for restricting the third-party camera picker is a point of contention among developers. While some acknowledge the security benefits of ensuring users don’t accidentally use malicious third-party camera apps, others note that users are likely to blame developers for this restriction.
Beyond that, users are deprived of the freedom of choice that has made Android an appealing platform to many. Whereas Apple has historically restricted users in ways intended to protect their privacy, Android users have enjoyed more control over their devices, including the ability to load apps outside of the Google Play Store — even if it does come with risks that average users may not understand.
Some developers and users have expressed concerns that Google’s decision to restrict the camera picker in the name of security may indicate a wider change behind doors that could lead to additional restrictions in the future. Whether this ends up being the case is yet to be seen.
At this point in time, Google offers developers who are unhappy with this change an option for getting around it, but it would require them to have their apps directly check for other camera options by looking for their package names. This isn’t a terribly useful option as developers would have to choose which packages to look for ahead of time. If the developer fails to include the specific camera app the user wants to access, they’ll still end up using the stock camera app.
Google has announced it will soon make it possible for website owners to display more detailed licensing information of photographs in images that appear in Google Image searches.
Image License is currently in the beta stage, but the company plans to make it easier for those using Google Images to find out how to pay to use images that appear in searches, as well as allow photographers to have their conditions-of-use displayed. The idea is to encourage those using images to pay for them by making it clearer that they need to pay, as well as how to pay and who owns the picture. Although the feature isn’t currently in use, Google suggests photographers should begin preparing their websites for when the feature goes live.
A diagram showing how license information may show up in Google Images once the feature goes live.
Preparation involves attaching licensing information on your website and adding information to each image displayed on the site. Google has shared a guide on how to prepare your site and images in its Image License guide.
How the licensing link will be shown in the Google Images display pane
Google says it will be able to access and display information attached to images via structured data or by IPTC photo metadata to show searchers that an image is available to use. Google will also show a link to the license conditions page on your website if you’ve set one up.
Structured data needs to be coded into the web page, but IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) metadata can also be attached to individual images in imaging software before they are loaded onto the Internet.
These changes are set to go live this summer, so we should expect the feature to be activated very soon.
A few days ago, DJI released firmware update for the Mavic Air 2 that gives users new capabilities. Coming in at 178.3MB, V01.00.0340 is the first major update since the consumer–grade drone started shipping a little over 3 months ago. It offers up digital zoom, a new hyperlapse resolution, improved obstacle avoidance, and more.
‘We are so excited to bring a unique zooming function to the Mavic Air 2 along with 4K hyperlapse. The zooming feature will help creators add a dynamic perspective to the scene, establish shots and so much more while the 4K hyperlapse offers high-quality content in a manageable format. The Mavic Air 2 continues to be one of the most versatile and capable drones to ever take to the skies,’ says Patrick Santucci, DJI’s Senior Communications Manager.
DPReview recently covered issues encountered when testing out the Mavic Air 2’s 8K hyperlapse feature. So it’s exciting that the drone manufacturer has now made it possible to record 4K hyperlapse clips. Users now have the ability to pause a hyperlapse and then resume recording as well. The number of waypoints you can select when pre-planning a flight has increased to 45 and there is added support for Task Library.
Mavic Air 2 users can now digitally zoom in on a subject. 4K Zoom mode supports 2x digital zoom up to 4K/30p.
Mavic Air 2 users can now digitally zoom in on a subject. 4K Zoom mode supports 2x digital zoom up to 4K/30p. 2x digital zoom is also possible up to 2.7K/60p while full 4x digital zoom is possible up to 1080p/60p in video mode. You can also press the ‘Fn’ button on the remote while using the dial to gradually zoom in and out.
With Obstacle Avoidance, you now have the ability to either bypass obstacles, brake in front of them, or you can turn it off entirely. The option to disable sideways flight is also available. Since the Mavic Air 2 does not have obstacle avoidance sensors on either side of the aircraft (only on the front, back, and bottom), this feature is useful for beginners or those wishing to fly in a straight line, forwards or backwards.
It’s easy to update the firmware within the DJI Fly app.
There are a few other improvements not mentioned above. To install the update, open up the DJI Fly app. You can also use the DJI Assistant 2 desktop app on your computer. At the top right–hand corner, you’ll see three dots. Click on that icon. From the top navigation bar, select ‘About.’ From there it will show you your latest firmware. Select ‘Check for Updates.’ You’ll need a full battery as it can take 10 minutes to install the latest firmware. Full release notes as follows:
• ZOOM – 4K Zoom 2x digital zoom 30/25/24 fps. 2.7 Zoom 2x 60/50/48/30/25/24 and 1080P 4x 60/50/48/30/25/24 in video mode. • Added Safety Flight Mode. The aircraft avoids obstacles automatically and will not respond to commands to fly left or right. • Optimized FPV mode for gimbal. • Optimized hyperlapse. Pause shooting during hyperlapse, increased the number of waypoints to 45, and added support for Task Library. • Optimized Sports Mode. • Optimized ActiveTrack when tracking vehicles at low altitude.
Electronics manufacturer Xiaomi is celebrating its 10th anniversary with an event in China today and to mark the occasion the company has launched a new top-end-phone, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra.
The Ultra shares quite a few specifications with its sister model Mi 10 Pro which was released in February, but, at least in terms of specifications ups the camera game considerably. Both devices come with a quad-camera setup, including short and long tele cameras as well as an ultra-wide. However, the Mi 10 Ultra comes with improvements in several key areas.
The long tele now offers a 120mm equivalent focal length (approximately 5x) versus 94mm on the Pro and comes with a larger 48MP sensor (1/2-inch versus 1/4.4-inch). The lens is stabilized and features a F4.1 aperture.
Wide-angle performance has been boosted, too. The Mi 10 Ultra ulta-wide camera features one of the widest fields-of-view in the market at 12mm (16mm on the Pro), making it an interesting option for mobile photographers with a focus on landscape and architecture. The ultra-wide uses a 20MP 1/2.8-inch sensor and comes with a F2.2 aperture and PDAF.
The short tele provides a 2x zoom factor (50mm) and is also used in portrait mode. Light is channeled through a F2 aperture and onto a 12MP 1/2.56-inch sensor. This module features a Dual-Pixel AF.
The primary camera offers a 25mm equivalent field-of-view and uses a 48MP Quad-Bayer sensor instead of the 108MP variant in the Mi 10 Pro. The large sensor (1/1.32-inch) combined with a fast F1.85 aperture and OIS should make for very decent low light image quality, though. In addition the camera array features a multispectral color temperature sensor to support the auto white balance system.
In video mode the Mi 10 Ultra is the latest device capable of recording 8K video at 30 frames per second. When shooting at 4K the frame rate can be increased to 60fps which should make for smooth panning and motion. At the front a 20MP selfie shooter hides under a ‘punch-hole’ cutout.
Non-camera specs and features are flagship-worthy, too. The phone is powered by Qualcomm’s top-end chipset Snapdragon 865, including 5G modem, and features the latest generation LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage for swift data transfers and overall performance.
Images and videos can be viewed on a 6.67-inch FHD+ OLED display with a high 120Hz refresh rate for smooth and responsive operation. In the battery department the Xiaomi offers 120W fast-charging, with the compatible charger provided in the box. The company claims the system can charge the 4,500mAh battery to 100 percent in only 23 minutes, or to 41 percent in five minutes. 50W wireless charging and 10W wireless reverse charging are available, too.
The Mi 10 Ultra also comes with in-display fingerprint sensor, IR blaster, NFC and stereo speakers. The display is protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass 5. The back is covered with Gorilla Glass 6.
Pricing has so far only been released for Xiaomi’s home market. In China the Mi 10 Ultra starts at 5,299 yuan (approximately $ 763) for the 8GB/128GB version but you’ll also be able to pick up 8GB/256GB, 12GB/256GB and 16GB/512GB options in either Obsidian Black, Mercury Silver or as a Transparent Edition.
San Francisco-based Breakthrough Photography has announced the first third-party drop-in filters for Canon’s EF-RF drop-in filter mount. This filter mount allows users to adapt EF or EF-S lenses to EOS R series mirrorless cameras with a dedicated space for A-type drop-in filters.
Since the EF-EOS R drop-in filter mount adapter first launched, users have been limited to Canon’s own circular polarizing (CPL) filter or variable neutral density (ND) filter. With Breakthrough Photography’s new line of compatible drop-in filters, users will have access to more than 20 different X2 and X4 filters.
Breakthrough Photography’s new drop-in filter line. Image credit: Breakthrough Photography
The design of Breakthrough Photography’s new drop-in filters includes a rubberized grip to make it easier to put the filter in and remove it from the adapter. For filters with adjustment, there is a large ridged adjustment wheel. Each drop-in filter is also color-coded to make filters identifiable with a quick glance, which will be particularly useful for photographers who purchase one of Breakthrough’s available filter kits, such as the Essential X2, Essential X4 or Complete B&W filter kits.
The Breakthrough drop-in filters include a large adjustment wheel and a rubberized grip. The filters are also clearly labeled and color-coded. Image credit: Breakthrough Photography
Before delving into specific available filters, let’s consider the difference between Breakthrough’s X2 and X4 filters. Looking at the X2 CPL versus the X4 CPL, the latter filter has an average light transmission of 50.64% whereas the former has an average light transmission of 42.44%. According to Breakthrough Photography, the X4 CPL ‘moderately outperforms’ the Canon drop-in CPL filter, whereas the X2 CPL has ‘slightly less’ light transmission than the Canon filter. In terms of color cast, the X4 CPL ‘moderately outperforms’ the Canon filter.
Breakthrough states that their X4 CPL filter has the best light transmission among its competitors. We can also see here that the Canon drop-in CPL filter performs well, as does Breakthrough’s more affordable X2 CPL filter. Image credit: Breakthrough Photography
The X2 ND filters and X4 ND filters don’t have a direct Canon competitor because Canon offers a variable ND filter rather than a series of solid drop-in ND filters. With that said, Breakthrough Photography claims that the X4 ND outperforms ‘industry-leading manufacturers such as Singh-Ray and B+W and Lee’ due in part to neutral color transmission.
Image credit: Breakthrough Photography
Canon’s EF-EOS R drop-in filter mount includes a 1.5-9 stop variable ND filter. In addition to solid ND filters in 3, 6, 10, 15 and 20 stop strengths, Breakthrough’s new drop-in filter line includes a pair of variable ND filters. The first, VND-R, is adjustable from 2 to 11 stops. There is also a stronger Dark VND-R, allowing adjustment from 10 to 16 stops of ND strength. Breakthrough states that the VND-R and Dark VND-R drop-in filters eliminate the ‘X’ pattern sometimes seen on VND filters with wide-angle lenses. The Canon drop-in VND is an excellent filter but Breakthrough states that their filters outperform it. You can view a transmission percentage comparison below.
There are four CPL filters in the line aimed at black and white photography: Red, orange, yellow and green. They are available in a bundled set.
Comparing Breakthrough’s available black and white CPL filters. Image credit: Breakthrough Photography
Rounding out the series of drop-in filters are Night Sky, infrared 720nm and a pair of clear filters. Digital cameras, such as the EOS R, RP, R5 and R6, include a permanent IR-cut filter over the image sensor. With the IR filter, some residual light can reach the sensor and show the scene in a way different from how it appears in the visible light spectrum. The Night Sky filter is designed to reduce light pollution and show night scenes with color neutrality.
Breakthrough’s Night Sky filter aims to reduce the impact of light pollution on colors in night sky images. The image on the left was captured without the Night Sky filter, whereas the image on the right was shot using the Night Sky filter. Image credit: Breakthrough Photography
Breakthrough Photography expects the filters to begin shipping in late September. Prospective customers can preorder individual filters and filter kits now through Breakthrough Photography’s website. Prices range from $ 80 to $ 200 for individual filters. There are also savings available if customers opt for a filter kit rather than purchasing a set of individual filters. It’s worth noting that all Breakthrough Photography filters include a free 25-year ‘Ironclad Guarantee’. If you’d like to learn more about long exposure photography while you wait for your new filters to arrive, Breakthrough Photography offers a free 52-page long exposure photography guide, which you can learn more about here.
The post How To Take More Creative Environmental Travel Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
Including people in your travel photos creates a stronger sense of connection for anyone who views your photos. Environmental travel portraits add depth of interest to any album, presentation or book of travel images.
Adding a person to a landscape, cultural location, or market scene will almost always add appeal to the photo. Capturing locals engrossed in what they are doing can make for a more interesting picture. Stopping to chat with them and asking if you can take their portrait means a scene takes on a whole new dynamic.
Environmental travel portraits are photos of people involved in the setting they are in. They are usually connected in some way with the location. A regular portrait will typically be cropped tighter and contain little contextual information.
This is an environmental portrait of a Karen woman cooking in her home. The composition contains visual information about her lifestyle and where she lives.
Here is a portrait of a Karen woman. We were in her village when I took this photo, but there’s no visual information to tell you this.
Connect with your subject for better environmental travel portraits
Don’t be a shy photographer. Connecting with people will often result in more interesting environmental travel portraits. Even if you don’t have a common language, you can still relate to people. Showing an interest in someone and what they are doing, you can build a connection. Choosing the right people to photograph provides you with a better opportunity.
I saw this guy on the streets in Bangkok selling his genuine crocodile skin wallets. He demonstrated to an interested tourist that they were real. To do this, he poured some lighter fluid on the wallet and put a flame to it. I set my camera and approached him, requesting he repeat the process. He was most obliging and played up to my camera.
When encountering people who are totally engrossed in what they are doing it’s best to not to interrupt them. This is when it’s best to remain separate and capture candid, or semi-candid photos. I rarely hide my camera, instead, I prefer to have it out in the open so people can be aware that I’m taking photos. Most people will pay no attention, especially when you’re in a touristic area.
For this photo, I wanted to capture the young boy advertising their goods at the top of his voice. He and the older man (I presumed it was his grandfather he was helping) were aware of my presence and that I was taking photos. I was able to do so without disrupting the action.
Environmental travel portraits need to show something of your subject’s surroundings. Where you position your subject in the frame will influence how they look in their environment. As always, aim to fill your frame only with what is relevant to the photo you’re making. Compose so your subject looks connected to their surroundings.
Photographing this Akha woman picking coffee in northern Thailand, I chose to place her near the edge of the frame. I wanted to fill most of the frame with the coffee bush she was picking from. I also placed her further back from the camera and positioned myself, so there were coffee cherries closer to my lens. This helps draw your eye to the cherries and makes them more obvious.
Choosing the best lens for environmental travel portraits
The lens you use for environmental travel portraits will depend a lot on the location you are photographing in. Often a wider lens if more effective than a longer one because you’ll capture more of the location without being too far from your subject. Remember what Robert Capa said, “If your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.”
I used my 35mm lens to make this photo of a young French horn player. He was performing in a band during the Chiang Mai Flower Festival parade. Getting fairly close to him, I was also able to show other band members in my composition without including too many other distracting details in the area.
A very shallow depth of field will not often show enough detail in the environment. Too much information can be excluded. Your aim is to include enough of the environment so it adds meaning to the portrait.
Too much in focus in an environmental travel portrait can mean your subject gets lost in the background. You must be aware of how sharp or how blurred your background is. Managing your depth of field well enables you to keep the person you’re photographing as the main subject. Done well, this will encompass enough background detail without it being distracting.
I made this portrait of a samlor (tricycle taxi) rider sitting in his cab. In the background is another samlor passing by. It’s blurred enough so it’s not distracting, but you can still make out what it is, so it adds to the photo.
Careful timing can really make a difference. Watch and observe the person you are photographing and how they are interacting with their environment. Look for patterns of movement and repetition. This can often help you pick the right moment to make your portraits.
For this photo of my friend on National Elephant Day in Thailand, I waited for the elephant’s handler to give the command for the elephant to kiss her. The other elephants and tables with food for them set the scene.
Light will add feeling to your environmental travel portraits when you use it well. Look at the type of lighting in the location where you’re making your portraits. Is it conducive to the style of the portrait you wish to make? Do you need to come back at another time of the day or night? Will adding some flash improve the portrait?
Often when you’re traveling, you can’t wait for the right light, so you must make the best use of available light. When the light at the location is not great, you need to get creative and add some using a flash or reflector.
For this night portrait of a Samlor rider, I was able to position him to make the most of the light in the street market behind him. I also used my flash to illuminate him and help catch a glimpse of the motorcycle passing behind him.
Be sure to look around for items that may enhance your portraits. Including appropriate props will help make more interesting environmental travel portraits.
I’d asked this man if I could photograph him sitting outside his home in a small village in northern Thailand. As he went to sit down, he put his crutches inside, thinking I did not want to include them in the photo. I asked him if it was okay to have them in the picture too.
Be mindful of your surroundings and think about how you can make interesting pictures that tell a story. Who is this person, and how can I make a portrait that captures relevant information about their surroundings?
Please share other tips you have for creating environmental travel portraits, or some of your pictures in the comments below.
The post How To Take More Creative Environmental Travel Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
Tomorrow morning, NASA is expected to launch its Mars 2020 mission, which will take the Perseverance rover to the Red Planet to search for signs of ancient life, collect terrain samples for potential return to Earth and overall provide a better look at the Martian surface.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover onboard is seen on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Amongst dozens of other pieces of equipment, the Perseverance rover features a record-breaking 19 cameras that NASA says ‘will deliver images of the [Martian] landscape in breathtaking detail.’ There are four additional cameras onboard other parts of the spacecraft that will be used for entry, descent and landing. These additional cameras will ‘potentially [allow] engineers to put together a high-definition view of the landing process after the rover safely touches down on Mars, according to NASA’s fact sheet.
An overview of the tools on board the Perseverance rover.
NASA breaks down how each of the cameras aboard the Perseverance rover will be used:
19 cameras total on the rover: 9 for engineering (color); 3 for entry, descent and landing (1 black-and-white dedicated to Terrain-Relative Navigation and 2 color for public engagement and engineering reconstruction of entry, descent and landing); 2 for Mastcam-Z (color with zoom); 1 for SuperCam (color); 2 for SHERLOC (color); 1 for PIXL (black-and-white with some color capabilities); and 1 for MEDA (black-and-white)
3 cameras on the back shell: all color, all looking up to capture parachute inflation
1 camera on the descent stage: color, looking down to view the rover from above
Students Alex Mather, at left, and Vaneeza Rupani, stand near the countdown clock at the News Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 28, 2020. Mather named the Perseverance rover, and Rupani named the Ingenuity helicopter. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Hitching a ride with the Perseverance rover is Ingenuity, the Mars Helicopter, which NASA hopes will ‘be the first flyer on another world.’ The 1.8kg (4lb) helicopter is this mission’s technology demonstration, which is separate experiment designed to test interplanetary technology.
The UAV features two 1.2m (4ft) carbon-fiber blades that will spin at roughly 2,400rpm on counter-rotating motors — about eight times faster than the blades spin on a standard helicopter here on Earth. While Ingenuity is a separate experiment from the Mars 2020 Perseverance mission, the helicopter will have two cameras onboard: one color camera with ‘an oblique view for terrain images’ and one black-and-white camera for navigation.
As it has with previous Mars missions, NASA plans to make both raw and processed images captured during the mission available for the public to download on the mission’s website.
A ‘Quick Facts’ overview of the Mars 2020 mission.
The Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter are set to land on Mars on February 18, 2021, after which its primary mission will last ‘at least’ one Mars year (approximately 687 Earth days). You can find out more about the Mars 2020 mission on the NASA website and watch the launch live tomorrow if all goes to plan.
The R6 need not necessarily be overshadowed by the R5
I’ve been guilty of it myself: describing the EOS R6 and R5 as the mirrorless successors to the 5D and 6D lines of DSLRs. Guilty because, while it might be literally true, it risks obscuring a subtle re-positioning of the two cameras. Personally, I think the R6 is a much more interesting camera than the 6D series DSLRs were and, consequently, more interesting than the R5.
Just in case it needs to be said: we’ve not fully tested the R6 yet and I’m not suggesting you should go out and buy one. But here’s why I think it’s the more interesting one, for more people.
It’s a higher-end camera
Yes, the price is higher than for the 6D series. Canon has always felt confident in pricing its cameras a little above its rivals, but the R6 goes beyond this. Obviously it was always going to look particularly expensive next to the relatively elderly Nikon Z6 and Sony a7 III which, as they approach what’s likely to be the end of their product life, are being sold for considerably less than their original prices, but the R6’s launch price is significantly above even that.
In the US, at least, the R6’s launch price is 25% higher than those of its closest peers (though only 8% up on the somewhat disappointing EOS R). But, then again, its specs are higher, too. It shoots faster, comes closest to offering full-frame 60p video capture and promises a greater degree of image stabilization than anything else can. It’s hard to find an obvious weak-point on the spec sheet: even in areas such as battery life and viewfinder resolution, where it is out-gunned, it’s still competitive with the majority of its rivals.
Differentiating without diminishing
It’s no R5, of course. Market segmentation and product differentiation are a fact of life. No one is going to give you all their best features in anything less than their range-topping model, not if they want to sell any of their flagship product. And not if they want to stay in business.
Placing them side-by-side showed how distinct the 5D and 6D series are: for example the 5D IV (right) has a more substantial rear dial and a joystick, while the 6D II (left) has an articulating touchscreen.
If you get segmentation right, it means enthusiasts don’t have to pay professional prices to get a camera that suits their needs. Get it wrong and it can start to look… well, petty. But, ultimately, the question is not necessarily ‘how many features can we squeeze out of this hardware?’ but a balance between ‘which features would these users appreciate?’ and ‘which features can we include without undermining the R5?’
From any reasonable perspective, the R6 gives you an awful lot of R5’s performance. Its IBIS system is supposedly a match for the more expensive model, including that headline-grabbing claim of up to 8 stops of correction. That in itself is a stand-out feature. Similarly, the R6 will shoot at the same rates as the R5, and will do so using the same AF system. This means non-pro photographers (and, no doubt, some pros) get most of the core capabilities of the much more expensive camera.
The R6/R5 differences are far fewer (the R6 is on the left). The R6’s construction isn’t quite as solid-feeling, it lacks a top LCD or the ability to add audio notes to images, but the handing is otherwise all-but-identical.
Most significantly, you get the same multi-dial-and-joystick user interface and shooting experience in the R6 as you do in the R5. It would have been easy to omit the joystick from the R6 (they use different exterior panel moldings), but instead you get a camera that’s every bit as usable.
This is a world away from the 6D series, which lacked the 5D’s joystick, 4K shooting and a host of other core features.
What’s missing
What you don’t get is resolution. Depending on what your current camera is, 20MP may well feel like a step backwards. 20MP is more than enough resolution for a lot of applications (including those at which the Canon EOS-1D X and Nikon Dx cameras are targeted). But you’re unlikely to be getting the most out of those exotic new RF lenses and, much as you might like to kid yourself, you’re unlikely to see any significant low-light benefit. Realistically though, it’s only a 10% reduction in linear resolution, compared to its 24MP peers so probably not worth losing sleep over.
It doesn’t shoot 8K and doesn’t have an All-I capture option but the in-body IS and more-than-competent video spec make the EOS R6 a reasonable option both for video and stills shooters.
The R6’s lower pixel count also highlights that the camera lacks the current feature du jour: a high-res pixel shift mode. The inclusion of stabilization means it should be possible, depending on how many patents surround the technology (most brands’ implementations are subtly different, which could suggest there’s IP being skirted around). But personally I’ve not found it very useful for much of my photography, since it is most effective for static or close-to-static subjects.
More than a mirrorless 6D?
I’m not a full-frame shooter, myself, but I have a lot of friends who take their hobby seriously enough that they’ve owned 5Ds over the years. Looking at the R6, I can imagine an awful lot of these 5D owners being happy with the R6, for considerably less money than they paid for their DSLRs. So although you could see the R6 as an overpriced 6D replacement, I think that, at least for some users, it might be a credible, more affordable substitute for a 5D.
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