The Fujifilm GF 45-100mm F4 R LM OIS WR promises to be a professional standard zoom for Fujifilm’s medium format system. Does it deliver the goods? Our review tells you what you need to know.
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Introduction
Sample photos
Focal length
Design and build quality
Wildlife!
Chromatic aberration and flare
Sumstars and bokeh
Stabilization
Autofocus
Sharpness
Video performance
Who's it for?
Sample gallery from this episode
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Ultra-wide lenses pose special challenges when shooting video, but can create dramatic effects. We review the Laowa 12mm T2.9 Zero-D Cine lens, which shares the same optical formula as the company’s 12mm F2.8 lens for full frame cameras.
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Introduction
Using ultra-wide lenses for video
How the Cine version differs from the standard Laowa 12mm F2.8 Zero-D
Have you dreamed of a simple yet feature-rich portable camera? Something that’s a step up from compact cameras but still small enough to carry around in your day bag? A camera that will deliver the image quality of an entry-level DSLR without the bulk? Oh, and still be affordable? The Canon m50 mirrorless camera just might be your dream come Continue Reading
The post Why Buy? Canon m50: A Real Review appeared first on Photodoto.
The post Review: Struman Optics Cinematic Lenses for Smartphones appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lee Herbet.
The argument of whether smartphones can take good photos or not has been settled – they can! In this article, we are going to have a look at a set of lenses for smartphones from an Australian company, Struman Optics. While there are many lenses for smartphones on the market, I found a manufacturer that many, including me, had not heard of. Read on to find out how they perform.
I remember Scott Bourne once said on a podcast that when he was shooting a wedding, he had an “Uncle Bob” turn up with a “nicer camera” than his DSLR. And no matter what camera “Uncle Bob” was using, Scott could use his iPhone and still take better images. This was because Scott was a professional photographer with 30 years’ experience, and “Uncle Bob” was, well, “Uncle Bob.”
I totally agree with Scott’s sentiment. It’s the skills and years of experience behind the camera, rather than the camera itself that creates a beautiful image.
Having said that, thanks to the computational power of our smartphones these days, that gap is narrowing.
So, the next stage in this photographic evolution is what accessories we use to make our images from our phones even better.
Shot on iPhone 11 Pro with Struman 18mm wide lens
What are smartphone lenses?
In this article, I want to focus on a set of smartphone lenses I have been testing from Struman Optics. I’ve been trying out various brands for years now to either give me a bit more zoom, a wider shot, or the ever-fun macro function. They were always okay, but not optically amazing.
In the last 3-4 years, that’s changed with some really great glass coming out for smartphones. Unfortunately, you always get what you pay for, so these better lenses do cost a bit more than the cheaper ones we’ve seen over the years. But they’re still not going to break the bank.
The lenses that I’ve been testing over the last two months are Struman Optic’s Cinematic Wide, Cinematic Portrait, and Cinematic Macro lenses.
Struman Optics do make more cost-effective lenses that are more suited to purely photography, but since I am primarily a filmmaker, I got the Cinematic trifecta. Of course, they are great for photos too.
The wide is an 18mm f1.8 equivalent, and the portrait lens is 70mm f1.8 equivalent.
All three lenses attach via what has become a standard screw-on back. The portrait and wide lenses also have a 37mm front, which means you could actually attach standard filters such as a Circular Polarizer or Neutral Density filter.
What’s in the box
Before I go into some of the individual features of the lenses, let’s first look at what they come with. They each come with a travel pouch, cleaning cloth, and phone adapter. Struman Optics do make phone cases that allow you to screw your lens directly on too. I went with that option, but I really like that they have the phone adapter included. That means you can use the lens with any phone or, even dare I suggest it, tablet. (Please people, use your phones as cameras before you use your tablets.)
Using the adapter, which is kind of like a clip, means you could also use the lenses on the front camera of your phone for better quality selfies. ?
Build quality
The lens cases are nicely made. They are not too thick and have a good rubber grippy feeling. The thing that stands out for me is that the screw connection that you screw the lenses into seems to be solid metal. This is good, as I’ve had lens cases from other brands made of less sturdy stuff that breaks on me when trying to attach a lens. This happened to me while I was on a trip to Hong Kong, which meant I couldn’t use those lenses for the rest of the trip. Going by the feel of the Struman cases, it’s unlikely to happen.
Struman Optics lens case
The build of all the lenses is top-notch. They feel solidly made and have an aluminum casing. I appreciate that they come with a back cap as well as a front lens cap. I am not sure about the red ring around them, which I guess is a nod to bigger lenses with red rings. But most people I’ve shown them to have really liked it, so what do I know about design?
Why use them?
One of the first things you may be thinking is, “why would I need these now that most new phone cameras come with 3 lenses: an ultra-wide, a wide and telephoto lens?”
Well, not all lenses are created equal.
For example, the ultra-wide on the iPhone 11 Pro doesn’t feature the pretty amazing low light feature that the wide and telephoto lenses have. So, if you want to take an ultra-wide shot in the dark, you could put the Struman wide on your wide, get the advantage of the low light feature and still have an ultra-wide image.
In the same way that sometimes the tele just isn’t tele enough, adding the portrait lens to the tele gives you even more reach.
One thing to note is that if your phone has an ultra-wide lens, then the lenses will most likely not cover the entire lens as it’s just too wide. You can get some interesting-looking shots with the lenses on the ultra-wide, though, so it may be worth a try!
Shot on iPhone 11 Pro with Struman 18mm wide lens
Finally, that brings us to the macro lens. This has a feature that I’ve asked Struman Optics to add to all of their Cinematic lenses. The macro lens has a focus ring!
Struman Optics 22-82mm Macro lens for smartphones has a focus ring so that you can “pull focus.”
Again, you may be asking, “what do you need a focus ring for when the autofocus on the smartphones is so good?” Well, that’s true, but your autofocus won’t always focus on the thing you want to focus on when you’re super close, such as with a macro shot.
Shot on iPhone 11 Pro with Struman Macro lens
The reason I’d love to have the focus ring on the other two lenses is for when I want to a focus pull when making videos. That’s when you adjust your focus from one subject in your shot to another.
Autofocus can do that, but you can’t tell the autofocus how fast or slow to do it, so having that focus ring would be great for that type of creative control in video.
One thing to be aware of is that if your phone has more than one lens, then you may have to use a third-party photo app to force the camera to use the phone lens that has your external lens attached. A few of these apps are Procam, Halide and Manual – all have their pros and cons.
Both the wide and portrait cinema lenses are $ 249 AUD and the macro is $ 199 AUD. Struman Optics also has a series of cheaper lenses focused more on pure photography. They are available from their website www.strumanoptics.com.au, and, yes, they ship all over the world.
Have you used these or any other lenses for smartphones? How have you found them? Let us know in the comments section!
Shot on iPhone 11 Pro with Struman zoom lensShot on iPhone 11 Pro with Struman 18mm wide lens
The post Review: Struman Optics Cinematic Lenses for Smartphones appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lee Herbet.
The Nikomat FT2 is a heavy, overly-complicated, fingernail-destroying film SLR from the 1970s. If you’re wondering why it carries the “Nikomat” name instead of “Nikon,” well, it’s because the latter was reserved for pro bodies, the former for consumer. Yet despite its “consumer” status, the FT2 is easily one of Nikon’s most difficult cameras to use, ever.
Everything from loading the film, to changing the shutter speed, to mounting a lens is needlessly complicated. Still, 35mmc.com’s Aaron Gold found reasons to love this ugly duckling.
Read: Nikomat FT2 review – because photography isn’t complicated enough
About Film Fridays: We recently launched an analog forum and in a continuing effort to promote the fun of the medium, we’ll be sharing film-related content on Fridays, including articles from our friends at 35mmc.
DJI Mavic Air 2 $ 799 ($ 998 with ‘Fly More’ kit) | dji.com
DJI just released the Mavic Air 2, the successor to the original Mavic Air that arrived in 2018. Notably, it’s the first Mavic drone to offer 48MP stills, 8K HyperLapse and 4K/60p video at 120 Mbps. It’s also the first consumer drone equipped with AirSense, DJI’s alert system that receives automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) signals from nearby manned aircraft and displays their location on the remote control’s screen
Whereas the original Mavic Air comes in a variety of colors and resembles the DJI Spark, the Mavic Air 2 falls between the Mavic Mini and Mavic 2 Pro with regards to appearance, size, performance, and weight. DJI told us it did a lot of testing to determine the best balance between size, portability, and features, and determined that 570g (1.25 lbs.)—the weight of the Mavic Air 2—overwhelmingly felt right.
Arriving at an ideal weight and size apparently wasn’t the only priority for DJI when crafting the Mavic Air 2. Adding features found in more sophisticated drones, including the Inspire 2, to a model 337 grams lighter than the Mavic 2 series, DJI also aimed to make this its smartest drone to date. Did they pull it off? Let’s take a look and find out if the Mavic Air 2 is the right drone for you.
When folded down, the Mavic Air 2 is 180x97x84 mm and fits in the palm of your hand. This is slightly larger than the original Mavic Air, but it’s still quite a bit smaller than the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom models in the line above it.
The Mavic Air 2 is larger than the minuscule Mavic Air, but it still fits in the palm of your hand (mostly).
A more dramatic change is found in the design of the controller; it’s larger and boxier than other remotes in the Mavic series, and is designed to mount a smartphone on top rather than on the bottom, like past Mavic models. The phone is secured with a clamp similar to DJI Phantom series remotes, though it doesn’t extend far enough to hold a tablet. The clamp on the controller is quite difficult to adjust and securing the smartphone is a struggle at times.
Remote pilots can easily toggle between Tripod, Normal, and Sport flight modes as the mode switch is featured front-and-center on the controller. Similar to other Mavic remotes, Return to Home and Power buttons are on the front. The upper-right button allows you to alternate between still photos and video.
The Mavic Air 2’s controller is larger than others in the Mavic series and mounts the smartphone to the top, rather than the bottom, for better visibility. It also works with a case on your phone, unlike previous Mavic controllers.
The upper-left button features a ‘Fn’ button that activates the auxiliary light and additional sensors that assist with several functions, including smoother landing in low-light conditions. There’s also a controller wheel on the top left that tilts the camera up and down. Two joysticks are stored at the bottom and can be screwed on for flying or removed for storage.
When first unboxing the Mavic Air 2, you’ll notice stickers labeled ‘A’ and ‘B’ on the top and bottom arms of the foldable drone. The legs unfold in the same manner as the Mavic 2 and Mini, and the labels are affixed with a beginner pilot in mind. Two bags labeled ‘A’ and ‘B’ contain 3 propellers, 1 extra for each type if a replacement is necessary.
The Mavic Air 2’s controller is designed to mount a smartphone on top rather than the bottom.
Attachment points for the props are color-coded, with a silver ring where the ‘A’ props attach and plain black for the ‘B’ props. It’s a subtle touch to help ensure that all components are properly affixed, and if a propeller is incorrectly placed the drone will not take off. This might confuse consumers new to flying a drone, but it’s a good safety feature. The props have an aerodynamic design that allows for quieter flight, and the Mavic Air 2 is quieter than the Mavic Mini – which is less than half its weight.
The camera sits snugly on a 3-axis gimbal. The sensors at top are part of the obstacle avoidance system.
Photos and video
The camera, which uses a 1/2″ CMOS Quad Bayer sensor, is mounted on a 3-axis stabilized gimbal. It can capture Raw images, JPEG images (at either 12MP or 48MP resolution), as well as Raw + JPEG. In addition to standard movements, the gimbal can tilt upward up to 24º.
The Air 2’s camera boasts a 24mm (equiv.) fixed-aperture F2.8 lens with an 84º FOV. DJI’s Fly More combo includes 3 neutral density filters that appear to twist and snap on and off like those for the Mavic 2 Pro. (Our review unit didn’t include filters so we were unable to test them).
DJI has also added SmartPhoto modes, similar to computational photography techniques used by many smartphones, to improve photo quality. These include:
HDR photos: the camera automatically captures 7 different exposures and combines them for greater dynamic image.
Hyperlight: images taken in low-light conditions, especially on DJI drones, tend to be grainy and contain noise. Hyperlight takes multiple photos and merges them for a clearer image.
Scene recognition: this mode allows the drone to recognize 5 major components of a photo – sunsets, blue skies, grass, snow, and trees. It will analyze these objects and maximize tone, clarity, and colors.
SmartPhotos are captured at a resolution of 12MP
One thing I noticed is that 48MP images are a bit darker relative to Single or SmartPhotos. The latter feature worked quite well when capturing a sunset, and the HDR photos I was able to capture are quite good for a 1/2″ sensor and could be passed off in professional situations.
In Single and 48MP mode, the sky and sun were blown out while the foreground was practically pitch black. SmartPhoto recognized these components. Both photos are unedited.
I was surprised at how well Hyperlight and Scene Recognition worked, as evidenced in the photo above. Panoramas could be improved, as stitching doesn’t always match up, though the app I’m using is still technically in beta and some of these bugs will likely be ironed out with subsequent firmware updates.
The Air 2 is the first drone in the Mavic series that can capture 4K/60p video at 120 Mbps using the H.265 codec. This is impressive for a drone that retails under $ 1,000. Additionally, there’s 4K/30p HDR video, and HD/120p and HD/240p will deliver some serious slow-motion footage — up to 10x on a 24p timeline.
The Mavic Air 2 shoots impressive 4K/60p video, thanks to its support for the H.265 coded at bit rates up to 120 Mbps.
I was quite impressed with the quality of the 4K/60p and even 4K/30p video. However, objects in my slow-motion clips were a bit more blurry than I expected, even at a 240p frame rate. Does the 120 Mbps bit rate make a difference here? Yes, for this particular camera. The quality of video footage I was able to gather in various lighting scenarios is exceptional.
DJI’s normal color profile has been optimized for the ideal amount of saturation and detail, but its D-Cinelike profile is also included for more advanced shooters. 8K HyperLapse video will be available when the Air 2 ships in mid-May, 2020.
These video clips, captured at HD/120p and HD/240p are slowed down 4x and 8x on a 30 fps timeline. At 8x slow motion, movement of the tennis players in the second clip is barely noticeable.
Odds and ends
The Mavic Air 2 comes equipped with obstacle avoidance sensors on the front, rear and bottom of the aircraft. There aren’t any sensors on top. An auxiliary light with additional sensors, which can be activated from the controller, is located on the bottom to assist with landing in challenging conditions such as low-light environments.
DJI claims a maximum 34 minutes of flight time for the Mavic Air 2, a significant increase from the 21-minute life expectancy of the original Air model, though this figure is derived from flying in ideal conditions; DJI states that 33 minutes is more likely when performing a typical flight. I flew in moderate winds and found the figure to be closer to 30 – 31 minutes, on par with the Mavic 2 series.
The bottom of the drone includes obstacle avoidance sensors and an auxiliary light.
A microSD card slot, which supports up to 256GB, is located below the battery portal. 8GB of internal storage is provided as backup should the memory card become full (or if you forget to bring a card along). Photos or video captured internally can be accessed through the micro USB portal on the opposite side of the card slot. Two cables that connect to a laptop are included with the Mavic Air 2.
This model is also equipped with DJI’s Geo system, which prevents drones from entering prohibited areas including airports. For those unfamiliar with drone laws, this feature will come in handy. Geo zones, as well as ADS-B, can be deactivated in the Fly app.
The post Flash Softbox Diffuser Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.
In this article, we’re reviewing this budget-friendly flash softbox diffuser that fits over your external flash so that you too can have a great tool to add to your camera bag.
The softbox diffuser only works for flashes with a larger head. The smaller Polaroid flash wasn’t compatible.
About the flash softbox diffuser
While the diffuser that comes with most external flashes gets the job done, this attachable softbox will work much better to spread light more evenly and create a softer light source for your portraits or other types of photography.
The softbox has no poles to assemble or extra equipment that might get lost in transport or by using it. It folds out, and you can straighten it into shape by simply using your hands. This is a plus when it comes to setting up and tearing down, which saves you much time and not having to worry about fiddling with assembly parts.
The flash softbox diffuser attaches to your flash and you can use it on a stand or on your camera. 1/80 of a second, f4.5, ISo 400
The flash diffuser softbox comes with a case and holding strap. This allows you to attach it to your bag without any extra attachments or worrying about bending it while using it.
The flash softbox diffuser comes with a handy bag. 1/100 of second, f/4.5, ISO 400
At Although the material the softbox is made out of is a clear indicator that it won’t stand up to longterm wear and tear, the softbox, measuring at 30cm length and 20 cm wide, it does what it’s supposed to diffuse and spread evenly the light of your external flash.
On camera, it adds nothing to the weight of your camera. It stays in place by using an elastic band that wraps around the flash head and is secured by a strip of Velcro.
The flash softbox diffuser has a simple and easy opening for the flash head to place the flash head in. 1/125 of a second, f/4.5, ISO 400
On the inside, the flash diffuser softbox has a silver lining to help bounce light back out. It also has an added diffuser that crosses the front of the flash that is secured by Velcro. This can be useful in situations where you need softer light.
There is an added diffuser inside the softbox too. 1/125 of a second, f/4.5, ISO 400
The universal size makes it perfect for one-light portraits, tabletop and product photography, and using it on or off your camera.
1/160 of a second, f/7.1, ISO 400
Main features
The size and weight make it easy to set up and use.
No additional hardware or accessories needed with the Velcro closure.
It’s universal and fits most models of external flashes.
Additional diffuser inside of the softbox.
You can use it on-camera or off-camera.
Budget-friendly costing no more than US$ 10 dollars.
Ease of use
The soft box is really simple to use. It comes in its own zippered pouch ready to use right away as it easily unfolds. With a little pull, it shapes into the flash softbox diffuser you see in the photos.
1/200 of a second, f/5.6, ISO 100 Flash at 1/8 power.
It has no wires, poles, or additional hardware making it really easy to set up and use on the go, in a studio, or anywhere your flash goes.
Does it really work?
The first image has the flash pointed directly at the subject. The second photo is with the flash softbox diffuser. The third image is with the additional diffuser inside of the softbox. Taken at 1/60 of a second at f/5.6 with an ISO of 400.
Using the flash softbox diffuser for your flash is really easy, given that it simply pops out and attaches quickly.
You can notice how the light gets softer just by adding the softbox to your flash. It goes further in softening the light with the additional white diffuser strip that is inside of the softbox.
In the catchlights, you can see where the softbox is positioned. 1/125 of a second, f/5.6, ISO 125 with flash at 1/8th power angled down at the subject.
In the images above and below, I angled the flash down at my model in a small bathroom. Using the flash softbox diffuser allowed me to be in a small space and use directional light on the subject without it being too harsh or creating undesired shadows.
1/125 of a second, f/5.6, ISO 125 with flash at 1/8th power angled down at the subject.
In the following images, I placed the subject in harsh sunlight to see how the softbox would fill in shadows or otherwise light the subject.
Without the diffuser, with the softbox, with the extra diffuser inside the softbox. 1/100 of a second, f/8.0, ISO 100
For these photos, I directed the flash straight onto the doll without the diffuser. The middle image is with the softbox diffuser on, and the third image is with the softbox diffuser and the added diffuser inside.
1/100 of a second, f/8.0, ISO 100 with flash at 1/8 power with softbox diffuser on flash off-camera.
You can see a big difference in how the light from the flash got softer. These are not retouched and straight out of the camera.
Flash power at 1/16th power with the flash softbox diffuser. 1/200th, f/7.1 ISO 400.
Here I used the flash at 1/16th power to fill in the shadows on the child. I also got really nice catchlights in his eyes that make the portraits pop a little bit more. The flash softens the catchlights making them appear more natural like a big window.
Using the flash in darker lighting situations also proves effective. I photographed the toy in a dark room and used the flash off-camera and on-camera.
1/200 of a second, f/8.0, ISO 160 flash was set to ETTL.
Pros
Easy to set up and to use. The softbox works, does its job well, and has an added diffuser inside to help soften the light more if needed.
It’s really affordable, lightweight, and convenient to transport and use on-location.
It does the job of softening the light. Most of the control is either in the flash or in the camera settings.
Fits most flash systems due to the universal build.
Folds flat and comes with a pouch.
Cons
The material on the outside is a little cheap.
The size means it’s not going to give you a large light source so you’ll get some fall off if you’re photographing larger groups.
Who is this flash softbox diffuser for?
This flash softbox diffuser is perfect for someone who is just getting into flash photography and learning about how to control and modify light. It is for someone who perhaps doesn’t have a lot of space to set up a full studio with bigger strobes or flash systems.
1/200 of a second, f/5.6, ISO 100
Being that the diffuser is lightweight and can be taken outdoors, it is also perfect for the photographer who shoots outside a lot. For example, on the beach, macro photography to get close to the subjects, or someone who shoots tabletop and still life.
It’s perfect for the photographer who likes to keep their equipment simple and light when shooting or traveling.
The flash softbox diffuser would also be a perfect addition for a tabletop and product photographer who shoots in small spaces or travels for shoots.
Final verdict
The flash softbox diffuser works as is expected and does soften the harsh light the external flashes sometimes gives.
While the material the flash softbox is made from isn’t too convincing of its longevity, it is a great starter light modifier to help photographers control and soften lights for portraits.
It is rather small in terms of size, which is a good thing and a bad thing. If you’re looking for something lightweight and portable, this is a good buy. However, the size limits the spread of light, then again perhaps with more flashes it could give a better effect.
1/150 of a second at f/2.2, ISO 125, flash output power at 1/16 power.
For the price, at less than $ 10, it is an interesting purchase to play with and experiment without making a major investment.
The softbox diffuser would be more ideal for tabletop and product photography given the size.
1/160 of a second, f/7.1, ISO 400 with flash a 1/16 power.
Either way, it’s a fun accessory to add to your bag in the event you are starting to experiment with flash and light modifiers. And you can’t beat the price!
The post Flash Softbox Diffuser Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.
Although we’ve reviewed both of its immediate predecessors – Alien Skin Exposure X3 and X4 – here at DPReview, I’m personally a newcomer to the long-running and retroactively-eponymous Exposure series. Since the last release, Alien Skin has changed its name to match that of its most popular and best-known app, and now goes by Exposure Software.
Exposure’s roots can be traced all the way back to a 2006-vintage film simulation plugin for Photoshop. And while it’s grown vastly across the 14 major updates launched since then, its interface should still prove fairly familiar to anyone who’s used it in at least the past five or six years since the basic UI was defined by the sixth and seventh versions.
Blazing-fast browsing and editing that won’t vanish into the ether if you don’t upgrade every year
An alternative to the likes of Adobe’s category-dominating Lightroom or Phase One’s popular Capture One, Exposure X5 stands out from its rivals thanks to its blazing-fast image browsing and editing. It also boasts a treasure trove of manual adjustments plus a vast library of quick yet professional-looking presets.
Key takeaways:
Very competitively priced, no subscription
Blistering performance in comparison to Lightroom
Interface is a bit rough around the edges
Tons of controls and presets at your fingertips
Good high-DPI monitor support, not-so-good touch support
Fewer profiles for automatic corrections than competitors
Not much more than a Benjamin, with no subscriptions in sight
And yet despite its depth and swiftness, it’s also extremely affordable. Without adding on any of Exposure Software’s other tools, you can get the full Exposure X5 experience for just $ 119, almost two-thirds less than a perpetual Capture One License at $ 299. And even if you add both the Snap Art and Blow Up plugins for artistic effects and easier enlargements, the pricetag still comes in below $ 150.
Adobe, meanwhile, charges you $ 120 every year for an ongoing Creative Cloud photography plan subscription. In fairness to the company, that gets you not just the Exposure X5-rivaling Lightroom but also Adobe Photoshop. But then, Exposure X5’s perpetual license doesn’t vanish into the ether if you decide not to pay for an upgrade in a year’s time.
Results of the new Complementary – Orange and Teal filter.
Great upgrades to masking and lens correction
The step from the Alien Skin-developed X4 to the Exposure Software-produced X5 is very much an evolutionary one, with many features carried over unchanged. But that’s not to say there aren’t any significant changes; on the contrary, there are several upgrades that are well worth having.
The most significant changes are to be found in two main areas: Masking and lens correction. On the masking front there’s a new 3D Color Masking tool which allows you to quickly make complex layer masks based on subject hue, saturation and luminance ranges, allowing other adjustments to precisely target your intended subject.
You can profile your own cameras for better color out of the box
Exposure Software has also added tools to correct chromatic aberrations and vignetting, and extended the distortion correction tool to allow for manual corrections. You can keep aberrations on an even tighter leash with a new Defringe tool, and you can profile your own cameras for better color out of the box.
Also new to your toolbox are more presets than ever before, as well as support for more camera and lens profiles. Exposure X5 also gains greyscale TIFF and JPEG support, new horizontal / vertical flip controls and an undockable, resizeable tone curve editor.
Take a look at all 500+ presets at your disposal over at Exposure’s site.
Browsing images in Exposure X5 in the default view. Click through for the full version.
A bit rough around the edges compared to Lightroom
There’s really no escaping the fact that right out of the box, Exposure X5 looks a whole lot like its dominant arch-rival, Adobe Lightroom Classic. Your chosen image or folder of images sit front and center between two columns of informational displays and controls.
If viewing a single image, thumbnails of others from its folder or collection sit beneath. And all panels but the centermost area can be hidden, individually or as a group, to help you focus on the images themselves.
But there are also some important differences for the Lightroom user to consider. Firstly, Adobe’s app has a modal interface, with sections appearing or disappearing from the sidebars as you switch from, say, the Library to Develop modules.
Exposure X5, though, has a non-modal design which means there’s a lot more to fit in those sidebars. Most of what Lightroom fits into both its Library and Develop modules is crammed into the sole interface for Exposure Software’s app, plus a truly mind-boggling number of fun and useful presets.
A selection of some of the new presets in Exposure X5. Clockwise from top left, we start with the original image on which the other looks are based. Next is the Light and Airy – High Contrast filter, then Kodak Recording 2475, and finally Ilford PanF Plus 50 at bottom left.
The sidebars are jam-packed full of controls
Each sidebar is split in two vertically, with each panel in the sidebar being scrollable if needed, and a handle in the center of the divider allowing you to choose how much of the screen height to devote to each panel.
There’s less handholding in Exposure X5 than in Lightroom
I found that with so much stuff in there, I was constantly resizing panels to fit the controls I wanted on-screen, and scrolling up and down within them in search of individual controls I wanted to tweak. Right-clicking on any section header and switching to “Solo” mode helps a lot, though, simply by minimizing all but controls in any section but the one you’re currently browsing.
One other point to note is that there’s less handholding in Exposure X5 than in Lightroom. Adobe’s app can, for example, adjust white balance, most basic exposure settings and even perspective transformations automatically. Exposure, though, offers only presets whose actions are predetermined, and don’t vary significantly based upon image content.
Clockwise from top left, the same image processed with the new Seasons – Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter presets.
The lack of a catalog has pros and cons
The other major difference to consider is where your adjustments are stored. Adobe’s Lightroom is based around managing a library of images, storing its processing information in a single monolithic database. Exposure X5 instead stores its processing information in sidecar files which, in the interest of tidiness, are deposited in a subfolder of that in which the processed image was found. (And if you just browse images without editing them, no sidecar is created at all.)
I was honestly a little gobsmacked by how much faster Exposure feels
One upside of this is that the sidecars – and therefore the processing information – reside in the folder right alongside the images, and so if you share a folder of images, you also share the processing information. But while backing up your Lightroom catalogs is just a matter of backing up a single folder’s contents, if you want to do the same in Exposure X5 you’re faced with tens or hundreds of thousands of files scattered in folders among your photos.
Let’s now take a closer look at Exposure’s performance, as well as some more of its more powerful features on the next page.
The Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 has its flaws – its sunstars are uninspiring, there’s no built-in IS and the reverse zoom-ring-in-front setup drives us a little crazy. But it’s an incredibly compact F2.8 tele-zoom with weather sealing, and it’s no slouch in terms of sharpness. Chris and Jordan venture into the empty streets of Calgary with the lens – and walk away quite impressed.
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Introduction
Sample images
Size and weight
Lack of stabilization
Build quality
Sharpness
Teleconverters?
Bokeh
LoCA
Close-up performance
Video applications
Focus speed
Sunstars and flare
Who's it for?
Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD sample gallery
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The post Instaproofs Review: An All-In-One Platform to Sell Your Photography Online appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.
Looking for a better way to share and sell your photos online? Then Instaproofs might be the right solution for you.
Whether you do in-person sales or online, Instaproofs can help you organize your sessions, sell products and prints, and even help with contracts. Read more about the platform in today’s article review.
What is Instaproofs?
Instaproofs is a subscription-based platform online that helps photographers use online galleries to sell products, prints, and digitals to their clients worldwide.
They have been around for 15 years and over time have improved their platform to offer beautifully-designed galleries, easy user-friendly cart systems, and create more avenues for photographers to earn more after completing their work.
The galleries are compatible with all devices.
They are similar to other services like Pixieset and require a monthly subscription. Although, they do have a free plan available for those who use online galleries for in-person sales and can work within the 3GB limit.
Here are the current monthly options for Instaproofs that you can choose from:
Key features
The key features that Instaproofs offers are:
Online gallery platform and shopping cart with custom pricing and products
Cloud storage
Contacts and invoicing
Mobile apps
Digital delivery
Reports
Multi-lingual
Marketing tools and email tracking
Managed accounts for multiple users
Migration services from previous online gallery service (extra charge for this $ 3 per gallery).
Lab fulfillment services
Watermarking
Quick payments through Stripe
The service also offers a 14-day free trial so you can poke around and see if it’s right for you and your business.
In-Depth Review
Galleries
These three the are the biggest features that Instaproofs provides. Whether you are a digital delivery photographer or focus more on prints, there are endless features that you can take advantage of to get you more sales.
The gallery homepage can feature all of your galleries or you can choose to hide some. Add passwords and require emails to sign in. It’s fully customizable for each gallery depending on your needs.
The online galleries support high-resolution images up to 50MB per image making sure that you’re able to offer your clients the best image quality available for their images. You’re also able to upload smaller resolution images if you’re looking to present the images during in-person sales. This can save you storage space the monthly plan.
The dashboard will let you customize the views and windows. You can see right away how much storage space you have left, how many galleries are active, and the number of images you have uploaded.
The galleries also have the option of choosing the image you want to be featured for the entire gallery as well as category featured images which can be different. You’re also able to upload the HTML code for a video slideshow if you’ve created one – all to captivate your clients right from the start.
The star shows the images you have chosen as featured and will show as the cover for the gallery.
When setting up your galleries, you have all the options in the same window so that you can set up the purchase minimum, slideshow music, whether you want the photos to display mostly horizontal or vertical, choose a price list for the gallery, and categories.
Currently, they’ve added the option to upload to multiple categories simultaneously for faster uploads making it easier to organize and categorize the images for your clients.
Adding custom links and music to the slideshows is also a great way to engage your clients during the selling process. Another great plugin: Direct uploading from Aperture, Lightroom, or FTP applications.
Not into selling digitals? You don’t have to. The galleries offer the photographer to have a minimum purchase amount, offer only web-sized digitals or only watermarked digital images.
You have full control over how you want to set up each individual gallery. You can give your clients permission to hide images, download all, or none, and a customized link. You can also have guests who enter the link to only be able to purchase images and not download at all. Each gallery is personalized as much or as little as you want.
From the galleries, you’re able to create mobile apps that hold 50 images from a particular gallery. You can also make one without a pre-existing gallery, where the client can save the mobile app onto their smartphone and have 50 images to view and share on the go! Especially useful to do sneak peeks/previews.
Shopping cart and selling
Instaproofs’ motto is “Sell more prints” and that is exactly what they aim for. More than a digital delivery service, they make it really user friendly for photographers to set up price sheets, sales, coupons, and products to the storefront for clients to purchase.
You can also choose to create add-ons so that you can maximize the sale. Rather than just selling a print, you can also add on the frame and offer your clients more value for their purchases.
When creating the shopping cart, you can also use lab pricing and a certain markup percentage to make it easier to set pricing. This can be really useful for beginner photographers who are getting into selling products and don’t really know how to go about pricing their prints and products.
From the cart, you can activate whether you’ll want to sell prints in black and white and/or sepia. This is a preference and each photographer can set up the cart as they wish.
There are many features to the shopping cart that gives the photographer full control of what to sell, how many, bulk pricing, options for black and white or sepia, cropping to help clients crop properly, lab fulfillment, pricing sheets, discounts, sales, coupons, promotions, and much more.
It’s a complete selling platform for you and user friendly for your clients. You will need a Stripe account in order to activate the storefront in order to get paid.
These are the professional lab partners that offer print fulfillment through the online gallery.
Contracts and invoicing
Instaproofs have added contracts and invoicing to their services and allows photographers to create their own contracts or use a pre-made template.
Choose templates for weddings, portraits, model releases for both adults and minors, independent contractor agreement (freelance work or similar) or you can make your own.
Just fill in the fields and required information, then choose to save a draft or finalize and send it to your client for signature.
Right from the contracts window, you are also able to create an invoice for your client by filling in the information fields for the invoice.
You can also choose an online gallery for the invoice in the event that you’ve already made a gallery.
Choose to attach the contract to the invoice, add an auto-reminder, and save your invoices as templates for future use.
Reports
Another great feature for photographers is to get reports of what you’re selling, products most purchased, email deliveries, and much more. This can be really great to see how your business is doing year to year.
Pros and cons
The biggest pro for signing up with Instaproofs is the number of features it offers photographers all from the same platform. Meaning, you don’t have to use different services to send gallery invites, emails including cart and expiration reminders.
The service allows photographers to ultimately customize the entire interface from adding your logo to the galleries, custom links, custom products, and print options, add-ons, and pricing sheets.
Instaproofs also has a referral program that gives existing users the opportunity to get more storage (2gb per referral) when a photographer signs up and says you sent them. It’s a great incentive if you’re a satisfied customer.
The con may be the price and limited galleries in the free and basic options.
There is also a commission fee for the free option and limited cloud storage.
We’ve rounded other top services so you can compare them and determine which is best for your business.
Instaproofs leads in cloud storage in the bottom level monthly subscriptions but doesn’t offer an unlimited version for companies with a higher volume. Which is a big con if you’re a multi-photographer studio that needs unlimited galleries and storage space for high resolution selling and viewing.
Sharing to social media or via email is really quick and easy for your clients.
Also, it’s important to note that Instaproofs isn’t an online archiving site and so if you’re looking for a service that backs up your digital files, you might want to look elsewhere. It’s primarily for uploading client photos and selling photo products.
Conclusion
Instaproofs has a lot of features that aren’t just bells and whistles. Many of the top photographers like Jonathan Canlas, Laura Murray, and Abby Grace use Instaproofs for their own businesses.
The slideshow feature allows you to set music and wow clients.
Having an all-in-one platform for both product-based photographers and digital format photographers, with customization in all of their features, gives you a great advantage in generating more sales and offering a beautiful and easy to use interface for your clients to view, enjoy, share, and buy their images.
With a 14 day free trial, you can try it out yourself and see if it’s the right service for you and your photography business.
The post Instaproofs Review: An All-In-One Platform to Sell Your Photography Online appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.
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