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  • Instagram expands anti-bullying system, starts issuing alerts over offensive captions

    Instagram has announced that its platform will start warning users when it detects that they’re about to post a potentially offensive caption on a photo or video. This new feature marks the expansion of the anti-bullying system Instagram introduced earlier this year.

    In July, Instagram rolled out an AI-powered system that warns users when they attempt to publish a ‘harmful’ comment. This same technology is now being used to monitor for potentially offensive content captions, as well, Instagram announced on Monday.

    The system works by identifying captions that are similar to ones previously reported by users. When the system is triggered, a prompt will appear within the Instagram app that reads, ‘This caption looks similar to others that have been reported.’ Users have the option of either sharing the caption regardless or editing it before publishing.

    The feature is rolling out to ‘select’ countries at this time, but will be available globally in ‘coming months.’

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Sigma confirms Log picture profile, Raw over HDMI coming to its fp camera via firmware update

    In an interview with Cinema5D, Sigma confirmed it’s bringing a firmware update to its full-frame fp camera that will add Log picture profile and Raw recording over HDMI.

    The interview with Takuma Wakamatsu, Sigma’s product planner, took place during Inter BEE 2019. In the interview, Wakamatsu addresses a number of features that have already been confirmed to be on the horizon, such as in-camera CinemaDNG playback and still photo modes while recording video, but he also confirmed a future firmware update will include a Log picture profile in MOV mode and Raw recording over HDMI.

    The Log picture profile should improve the dynamic range of the fp and offer more flexibility in post-production, while Raw recording over HDMI would allow external recorders, such as the popular Atomos Ninja V, to record ProRes RAW footage.

    No specific timeframe is given for the firmware updates, but Cinema5D notes the updates will arrive in 2020 and be free of charge.

    Our previous coverage of the Sigma fp includes a look inside the Aizu factory where it’s assembled, a video-centric hands-on and a photo gallery of images captured with the world’s smallest full-frame camera.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Video: iPhone records its dramatic fall from a plane over Iceland, is recovered a year later

    Iceland Photo Tours pilot and photographer Haukur Snorrason has shared a video showing the descent of his iPhone 6S Plus as it fell from a small plane located about 60m (200ft) over Iceland. The incident happened more than a year ago; given the height and frozen tundra beneath, Snorrason had assumed at the time that his tiny iPhone hadn’t survived the fall.

    Around 13 months after the phone was dropped, a group of hikers discovered the device in a patch of moss, which had cushioned the blow and enabled the phone to survive the drop. The device powered on when tested, revealing Snorrason’s name and making it possible to reunite him with his lost device.

    In addition to being nearly entirely functional (only the microphone was damaged), Snorrason discovered that the iPhone had recorded and saved a video of its rapid descent from the plane. The device landed face down on the moss, protecting the display from the elements while leaving the camera exposed to record the bright blue sky and Sun until its battery died.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Updated: Best cameras over $2000 Buying Guide

    Our guide to the best cameras over $ 2000 has been updated to include overviews of some of the latest contenders.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • 5 Reasons to Consider Aperture Priority Over Manual Mode

    The post 5 Reasons to Consider Aperture Priority Over Manual Mode appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.

    Choosing aperture priority mode in difficult lighting situations can free your mind up to deal with the things that matter most to the photo, like timing, rather than messing around with the dials to get the same result.

    There’s a lot to be said for the manual exposure mode on your camera. When you’re starting out, learning how to shoot in manual will help you to learn the relationship between shutter speed and aperture. This ensures that you learn what the camera is doing every time you make an exposure. It also builds the basis for you to take what you learn about exposure and correct for the camera’s inability to cope with extreme exposure situations as well as to make creative choices for your images.

    After you’ve learned the ins and outs of manual mode, however, there are a few reasons why you might want to forego your hard-learned manual skills for Aperture Priority mode. This article outlines five of these reasons and details what Aperture Priority mode might offer you and your photography in some situations.

    1. Aperture priority does the same job as manual mode

    In manual mode, the meter in your camera is taking a reading based on your set ISO (provided you’re not using auto ISO). The chances are likely that you’ve picked a deliberate aperture setting before you even lifted the camera up. To get your exposure, you now have to alter the shutter speed so that the indicator on your camera lines up with what the meter dictates is a correct exposure.

    Aperture priority does the exact same thing, except that the camera sets up the shutter speed for you.

    In instances where you are trusting your camera’s light meter (let’s be honest, that’s most of the time), this will result in the same exposure every single time whether you are shooting in manual mode or aperture priority mode.

    What aperture priority mode does is remove the need for you to set the shutter speed yourself. It frees you to concentrate on things like composition without having to constantly keep an eye on the meter.

    Exposing for the meter in manual mode resulted in an exposure of f/11 at 1/50th of a second.

    Exposing the scene in aperture priority mode just a second later resulted in the exact same exposure. f/11 at 1/50th of a second.

    In situations where you need to compensate for dark or light subjects, aperture priority mode still gives you full manual control of the exposure through exposure compensation. Are you taking photos of a dark subject like a black dog? Dial in -1 stop of exposure compensation just one time and keep shooting without having to constantly adjust your settings to get to the same result. Are you taking photos of a fluffy white dog? Same again. This time, add +1 stop of exposure compensation and away you go.

    Dark subjects will require you to underexpose them. In Aperture priority mode, this is easily done with exposure compensation. Once you dial in exposure compensation, you are set to go until it has to be changed again. With light-toned subjects, you will have to overexpose them to maintain the correct exposure.

    High contrast subjects, like this sheep’s white face lit directly by the setting sun, will also have to be underexposed by at least a few stops.

    The only difference between aperture priority mode and manual mode in these circumstances is that you will be spending more time focusing on the creation of the photos than you will be on the dials on your camera.

    To be clear, I am not advocating for not learning how to use manual mode. For the best results, it is important for you to understand how your camera works in relation to exposure. Using manual mode is the best and fastest way to do that. So, please, don’t skip over manual altogether. However, once you have it down, using other modes alongside your knowledge of exposure and how it works will help you and your photos in the long run.

    2. Speed

    The backlighting in this image created an extremely high contrast situation. By dialing in -3 stops of exposure compensation, I was able to ensure that the issues were dealt with in a series of images with one turn of the dial.

    As mentioned, using aperture priority reduces the amount of time you have to spend watching the camera’s meter. Because the camera is now setting the shutter speed for you, the only thing you have to worry about in most situations is exposure compensation. Once you set your camera to aperture priority mode, it takes only one finger (on all modern cameras that I’ve used) to adjust the exposure compensation settings.

    Need to underexpose by a stop? Just turn the one (relevant) dial three clicks. Done.

    The only other thing you might have to worry about is if you have the need, or want, to change your ISO. But that is going to be more uncommon.

    3. Aperture priority still gives full manual control

    At the risk of repeating myself, but I feel this point really needs to be driven home. Aperture priority mode gives you full manual control over your exposure. It is not automatic, or an auto mode, in any way more than it allows the camera to set the shutter speed based on the meter you are already using.  At any time while in aperture priority mode, you will still have full manual input on what exposure the camera is recording. You just have less physical steps to go through before you get there.

    4. Helps to create a constant exposure in changing lighting conditions

    One scenario in which aperture priority mode really shines is in changing lighting conditions. For example, if you’re out on a windy and cloudy day, the light levels can constantly shift. In aperture priority mode, your camera changes the shutter speed for correct exposure (already taking into account any exposure compensation that you might have set). Thus, helping you to achieve a consistent look for all of the images in a sequence. This is most useful in terms of shooting a sequence of images to later stitch into a panorama.

    When creating a sequence of images for a panorama, aperture priority can help to ensure a consistent exposure throughout the frames.

    If you were shooting this sequence in manual mode, it would require you to be constantly looking at the meter and changing your shutter speed settings as required. This isn’t a big deal, but using aperture priority mode allows you to get the same results without constant fetter over the settings.

    At sunset, the light rapidly changes. Add a moving subject to that high contrast scene and you have an exposure nightmare. Aperture priority can help to maintain a fairly consistent exposure between frames.

    This isn’t perfect, and extreme shifts in lighting can have drastic effects on your images and your exposure. You will still have to pay attention to the details to ensure nothing is going wrong. On normal days, however, it will work just fine.

    5. TTL and HSS enabled flashes

    Using aperture priority with TTL and HSS enabled flashes might just be the perfect match.

    When you are using a flash with TTL (through the lens metering) and HSS (High-Speed Sync) enabled, the chances are that you are going to be working with a fixed aperture anyway.

    Remember, shutter speed does not affect flash exposure, only ambient exposure. Aperture priority mode will give you the freedom to set your desired aperture and then let the camera do what it needs to match the meter.

    Not only will you still have full control over the exposure compensation for the ambient, but you will also have full control over exposure compensation with the flash unit.

    Again, this allows you to get the exposure where you want it one time, and then you are free to concentrate on the actual photos.

    That’s it

    Aperture priority can be a fantastic tool for any photographer. At the end of the day, it does the exact same thing that manual mode does. It just takes away some physical steps that you have to go through in manual mode to set the exposure.

    That said, like just about everything else in photography, it is not perfect, and it won’t always be a solution.

    If you take only one thing away from this article, let it be this: shooting only in manual mode does not make you a better photographer. Aperture priority and shutter priority modes do the exact same thing, just in a different way. Use whichever works for the situation you’re in.

    Do you use Aperture or Shutter Priority? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below.

     

    5 Reasons to Consider Aperture Priority Over Manual Mode

    The post 5 Reasons to Consider Aperture Priority Over Manual Mode appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.


    Digital Photography School

  • Man accused of flying drone over NFL football games charged

    On Wednesday, authorities announced that a man had been officially charged on May 14th with violating two separate Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) areas during NFL football matches. Sacramento resident Tracy Michael Mapes, 56, is accused of flying his drone over a San Francisco 49ers game at Levi’s Stadium and dropping anti-media leaflets into the crowd on November 26, 2017. He is also accused of the same violation during a Raiders game at Oakland Stadium later that day.

    Knowingly violating a TFR can result in serious legal and financial consequences. In this case, Mapes could face up to a year in prison and a $ 100,000 fine if convicted. TFRs are used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to restrict aircraft operations within designated areas. The restrictions help facilitate national security measures. Natural disasters, presidential and other high-ranking official visits, and professional sporting events that are typically congested with people warrant TFRs.

    Mapes has not publicly commented on the matter. According to police, his drone released leaflets containing content about free speech and personal views on television being corrupt. Most of the leaflets didn’t make it into the stadium or crowd at the 49ers game, due to high winds and rain. No one was injured.

    Surveillance cameras were able to identify the operator and record his license plate number as he drove away from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Detectives alerted their counterparts in Oakland ahead of the Raiders game. Mapes released leaflets into Oakland Coliseum and, once again, no one was affected. Officers located his vehicle as he was leaving, cited him with misdemeanor charges, and released him.

    Checking a service such as SkyVector is highly recommended before embarking on a drone flight. Flying in any TFR can result in severe consequences.

    TFRs begin several hours before the start of a professional game or other major event and continue for hours after it concludes. It is important for remote pilots to check Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) or SkyVector before embarking on a flight. Some prefer to use an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) application such as Kittyhawk, Skyward, or AirMap.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Facebook, Instagram sue company that made over $9M selling fake likes and followers

    Despite Instagram’s Terms of Use (TOU) saying purchasing likes, followers and general activity isn’t permitted, there’s no shortage of services available that’ll do just that. Instagram has long tried to shut these services down, but now the issue is going to be challenged in court for one particular New Zealand-based company.

    Facebook has announced in a post on its Newsroom website that it and Instagram have filed a lawsuit in United States federal court against a company and three individuals located in New Zealand. According to the complaint, the defendants used various websites and corporations ‘to sell fake engagement services to Instagram users.’

    A screenshot provided in the complaint showing the pricing of LikeSocial, a website Facebook and Instagram allege the defendants used to sell inauthentic Instagram activity.

    Jessica Romero, Director of Platform Enforcement and Litigation, writes in the post titled ‘Preventing Inauthentic Behavior on Instagram’ that ‘By filing the lawsuit, we are sending a message that this kind of fraudulent activity is not tolerated on our services, and we will act to protect the integrity of our platform.’ She later adds:

    ‘Inauthentic activity has no place on our platform. That’s why we devote significant resources to detecting and stopping this behavior, including blocking the creation and use of fake accounts, and using machine learning technology to proactively find and remove inauthentic activity from Instagram.‘

    The lawsuit specifically seeks to stop the defendants from ‘Engaging and profiting in the sale of fake likes, views and followers on Instagram,’ ‘Violating our Terms of Use and Community Guidelines’ and ‘Violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and other California laws for distributing fake likes on Instagram even after their access was revoked and their accounts were suspended.’

    According to the complaint, the defendants amassed roughly $ 9,430,000 from the allegedly fraudulent services and companies. Some of the specific websites mentioned in the complaint include SocialEnvy.co, IGFamous.net, Social10x.com, smseries.co.nz, SocialSteeze.net and LikeSocial.co.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Getty Images sued over ‘deceptive’ licensing public domain images

    CixxFive Concepts, a digital marketing company based in Dallas, Texas, has filed a class action lawsuit against Getty Images over its alleged licensing of public domain images. The complaint, which was first reported by TechDirt, accuses Getty of violating RICO and the Washington Consumer Protection Act, among ‘other claims.’

    The lawsuit, embedded below, alleges Getty Images has been…

    …fraudulently claiming ownership of copyrights in public domain images (which no one owns) and selling fictitious copyright licenses for public domain images (which no one can legally sell), including operating an enterprise of third-party contributors to perpetrate this egregious scheme.

    Though CixxFive acknowledges that it is not illegal to sell public domain images, the company alleges that Getty’s ‘conduct goes much further than this,’ claiming it has utilized ‘a number of different deceptive techniques’ in order to ‘mislead’ its customers — and potential future customers — into thinking the company owns the copyrights of all images it sells.

    The alleged actions, the lawsuit claims, ‘purport to restrict the use of the public domain images to a limited time, place, and/or purpose, and purport to guarantee exclusivity in the use of public domain images.’ The lawsuit also claims Getty has created ‘a hostile environment for lawful users of public domain images’ by allegedly sending them letters, via its License Compliance Services (LCS) subsidiary, accusing them of copyright infringement.

    In listing examples of Getty’s allegedly deceptive actions, the lawsuit states:

    One aspect of the deceptive nature of Getty’s and/or Getty US’s licensing scheme is that Getty and/or Getty US claims copyright on all of the content on its website. For example, the bottom of each page of its website states: “All contents © copyright 1999-2019 Getty Images. All rights reserved.”

    Also, specific public domain images are overlaid on Getty and/or Getty US’s website with the © symbol followed by an entity or contributor name, indicating that the image is protected by copyright. The same © symbol and information is also provided next to the public domain image.

    CixxFive claims it has licensed public domain images from Getty, pointing to two images specifically that are available for free from the Library of Congress and NASA. The lawsuit claims that Getty’s licensing of public domain images has ‘injured CixxFive and the public, and will continue to do so unless brought to a halt by this court.’

    It’s doubtful CixxFive will prevail in its lawsuit against Getty, as it’s legally allowed to sell public domain images, as unethical as it may be. Getty has previously won two past lawsuits related to image licensing: one from photographer Carol Highsmith filed in July 2016 and another from press agency and wire service Zuma in August 2016.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Kim Jong-un allegedly fires personal photographer over ‘damage to Supreme Dignity’

    North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un reportedly ‘purged’ his personal photographer, referred to only as ‘Ri,’ after he violated two rules related to photographing the dictator and briefly blocked a crowd’s view of him. In addition to being fired from his role as photographer, Ri was allegedly banned from the Workers’ Party of Korea.

    News of the event first surfaced from Daily NK, a Seoul-based news website from Unification Media Group. The report claims Ri was punished for causing damage to Kim Jong-un’s ‘Supreme Dignity’ while photographing him on March 10 in the No. 10 election district.

    In addition to blocking his neck from view with a camera flash, Ri allegedly violated two rules that barred photographers from capturing images and video directly in front of and within 2m / 6.5ft of Kim. The Korean Art Film Studio under which Ri had worked (and from which he was subsequently fired) edited the video to delete the scene featuring Ri and the ‘damages’ it caused to Kim’s ‘Supreme Dignity.’

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Harvard sued over allegedly profiting from 1850s images of American slaves

    Harvard University has been sued over its licensing of daguerreotypes believed to be the first images of American slaves. The lawsuit was filed by Tamara Lanier, who says she is the direct descendant of Renty, the man featured alongside his daughter, Delia, in the daguerreotypes. The suit was filed on March 20 in the Middlesex County Superior Court.

    The daguerreotypes were commissioned in 1850 by Harvard professor Louis Agassiz, a Swiss-born Harvard professor who sought the images in support of polygenism, a flawed theory that human races have different origins. The commissioned images were taken by J.T. Zealy in Columbia, South Carolina. A total of 11 slaves were photographed, including Renty and Delia, who were stripped naked and imaged from multiple angles.

    The images were apparently lost for years before turning up in the Harvard University Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology’s attic in 1976. Since their discovery, according to the lawsuit, Harvard has used the images of Renty for profit, including as the cover image for the book From Site to Sight: Anthropology, Photography and the Power of Imagery, which was published by the Peabody Museum and sold by Harvard.

    According to the lawsuit, Lanier had repeatedly reached out to Harvard over the images, but the university failed to address her concerns. Lanier reportedly provided Harvard officials with proof that she is one of Renty’s descendants but was unable to get a response. The lawsuit seeks to have Harvard turn over the images to Lanier’s family and to pay an unspecified amount in damages.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)