The Sony a7C packs a full-frame sensor and an impressive list of features into a very compact body. But what’s it like to use, and how does it stack up against Sony’s own a7 III? Watch our full review to find out.
With the launch of the SQ1, Fujifilm now has three models that use their square format Instax film. This is the most stripped-down of the three, in terms of operation.
The Fujifilm Instax SQ1 is a stylish and easy-to-operate instant camera that makes use of the brand’s Instax Square format film. This new camera is a lot like shooting with a bulkier version of the Instax Mini 9/10/11, since it lacks many of the advanced features found on earlier Instax square cameras like the SQ6 or the SQ10. But it still manages to produce appealing Instax images, even if the shooter only has a very basic understanding of photography.
Key Specifications
Retractable lens (65.75mm, F12.6)
Full-automatic exposure control (flash always fires)
Variable shutter speeds from 1.6 to 1/400 sec including slow synchro for low light
Selfie mirror on front of lens
Selfie/close-up mode
Auto frame counter
Powered by two CR2 lithium batteries
Available in: Terracotta Orange, Glacier Blue and Chalk White
Operation
The Fujifilm Instax Square SQ1 operates on two CR2 batteries that you load into the back of the camera near the door where you load a pack of Instax Square film. On the back of the camera you’ll also find an automatic film counter showing you how many shots remain in your film pack and the camera’s viewfinder. Turn the camera on by rotating the lens to the ‘on’ position; if you are shooting a selfie or want a macro shot rotate the camera’s lens one more time to put it into ‘selfie’ mode (effective for subjects between 0.3 and 0.5m away).
Shooting with the Instax Square SQ1 is incredibly straightforward. Simply turn the camera on, look through the viewfinder and press the shutter on the front grip of the camera. If you’re shooting a selfie, use the small mirror on the front of the lens to frame the shot.
Usability
The viewfinder on the SQ1 is a tad small.
The SQ1 is bulkier than its Instax Mini counterparts, but that’s to be expected since it’s shooting on a much larger piece of film (Instax Square picture size is 62 x 62mm). The plastic build quality of the camera feels sturdy and the ribbed grip on the right hand side makes it comfortable to hold. Be mindful while handling the grip especially if the camera is turned on – the shutter is located on the grip and you might accidentally press it before you’ve framed the shot. Instax film isn’t exactly cheap and it can be frustrating to waste one of the 10 frames in a pack. That being said, some of my accidental shutter releases ended up creating pictures that I like quite a bit.
The shutter is located on the grip and you might accidentally press it before you’ve framed the shot
The SQ1 lacks some of the advanced features that you will find on the SQ6, like double exposures, landscape mode, lighten and darken modes, and a self-timer. It’s more similar to the entry-level Instax Mini cameras, with the big distinction being that it can shoot bigger pieces of square film.
Although the camera is larger than the varieties that shoot Instax Mini film, the SQ1 does feel more portable than 2018’s SQ6.
You’ll get the best results from this camera when shooting outside in sunny conditions. But it does have a powerful-enough flash to work well once the sun sets. The auto-exposure occasionally did seem to struggle when shooting indoors with mixed lighting situations though. It’s the one time when I wished that the camera at least featured the lighter/darker setting found on some Instax models. Regardless of the lighting conditions, this camera’s simple lens is satisfyingly sharp (enough).
Conclusion
Although the Instax SQ1 lacks some of the features found on the more advanced SQ6 (which has an MSRP of $ 10 more), it’s incredibly easy to operate, has a stylish look, and produces Instax prints with mostly accurate exposures and eye-popping colors. The shutter placement takes some getting used to, but it’s comfortable in hand and not so bulky that you’ll leave it at home – and it’s certainly more fun to shoot with than the hybrid digital/analog SQ10. The simplicity of operating the SQ1 makes this an Instax Square camera that photographers and non-photographers will enjoy shooting with.
What we like
Easy-to-operate
Accurate exposures outdoors
Comfortable to hold and operate
Stylish look
Square format film
What we don’t like
Placement of shutter button
CR2 batteries can be difficult to find
No creative modes like double exposure or lighten/darken
The Sony a7C is the company’s latest and smallest full-frame interchangeable lens camera. It fits a 24MP full-frame sensor and image stabilization into a body more closely resembling the APS-C sensor a6600.
A lot of work has clearly gone into making this one of the smallest full frame cameras available, whereas a lot of the features and capabilities are familiar. A new retractable kit zoom is being launched along with the a7C to help maintain those size savings.
Out of camera JPEG. ISO 500 | 1/40 sec | F9 | Sony FE 35mm F1.8 Photo by Carey Rose
Key specifications
24MP BSI CMOS full-frame sensor
Bionz X processor (same as in the a7 III)
‘Real-time tracking’ AF system with human head, face, eye, and animal recognition
Oversampled 4K video at up to 30p, including 8-bit S-Log and HLG
Continuous bursts at up to 10 fps
Fully articulating 1.44M dot touchscreen
921k dot EVF with 0.59x mag.
Mic and headphone sockets
Large ‘Z-type’ battery, rated to 740 shots per charge
The Sony a7C will be available from October 2020 at a price of around $ 1799 USD ($ 2399 CAD) or with the new collapsible 28-60mm F4-5.6 kit zoom for around $ 2099 USD ($ 2699 CAD).
Review contents
From the camera’s controls to the image and video quality it’s capable of, find out what exactly what you want to know about the a7C right here.
What’s new and how it compares
The a7C fits almost all the capabilities of the a7 III into a body that has more in common with the a6000 series. This means a smaller viewfinder but few other compromises.
Read more
Body and handling
The a7C has three dials, all controlled using your thumb. It still handles pretty well, though, with a solid body and a small but pretty comfortable grip.
Read more
Initial impressions
The a7C’s main strengths are its size and convenience. This could make it a powerful travel or family camera. But there’s a price to be paid, and this isn’t necessarily a budget option.
Read more
Sample gallery
We’ve been shooting the a7C with both its kit zoom and the sensibly compact FE 35mm F1.8, to see what the camera offers.
The post Canon EOS R Mirrorless Camera: A Hands-On Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
The Canon EOS R isn’t the newest Canon camera on the block, but it’s one of Canon’s four full-frame mirrorless offerings.
Which means that, if you’re an advanced Canon photographer looking to move to mirrorless, you don’t have many options.
But what does the Canon EOS R offer advanced and professional photographers? And how does is hold up in the field?
That’s what this review is all about.
I’ve now had the Canon EOS R for nine months, which has given me plenty of time to test it. I’ve worked with the EOS R in rain, in snow, through blowing sand, at night, in the studio, and much more. So I know what this camera can do; I also know its limitations.
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L | 1/160s | f/4 | ISO 400
And I’ve used the EOS R with an EF to EOS R adapter, so I can confidently say whether Canon EF/EF-S lenses work well with the EOS R, or whether you need to purchase a whole new set of (expensive) Canon RF glass.
Are you ready to discover everything you need to know about the Canon EOS R?
Let’s get started.
Canon EOS R: Overview
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 24-70 f/4L | 5s | f/7.1 | ISO 200
The Canon EOS R debuted back in 2018 as Canon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera, featuring:
A 30.3 MP sensor
A native ISO range of 100-40000
Dual Pixel Autofocus with 5655 AF points
5 fps shooting with continuous autofocus; 8 fps shooting with One-Shot AF
A fully-articulating rear LCD with touch functionality
A 3.69M-dot electronic viewfinder
One SD card slot
4K/30p video (with a 1.7x crop)
A 370-shot battery life
A brand new (RF) lens mount
Weather sealing
1.46 lb (660 g)
5.35 x 3.86 x 3.31 in (136 x 98 x 84 mm)
Current price: $ 1799 USD
While there are plenty of worthy capabilities on that spec list, at the time the EOS R was seen as something of a letdown.
Why?
For two key reasons.
First, the EOS R only offered a single SD card slot. This meant professional photographers who require redundancy in their work (e.g., wedding photographers, sports photographers) didn’t feel comfortable working with an EOS R.
Second, the EOS R didn’t include any innovative features, and certainly not any features on the same level as Sony’s groundbreaking autofocus, huge megapixel counts, blazing-fast continuous shooting speeds, and in-body image stabilization (admittedly, Sony doesn’t offer all these in the same camera, but still!).
That said, the EOS R did, and does, offer some compelling attributes.
And after testing the EOS R for nearly a year, I can say, without a doubt, that it is a great camera…
…for the right person.
Absolutely, the EOS R has some drawbacks, and it fails to really break out in most areas. But it’s also reasonably priced and gives you access to additional mirrorless capabilities that you just can’t get on a DSLR, without needing a brand new bag of lenses (not to mention its relatively fast autofocus and strong image quality that we’ve come to expect from Canon’s higher-end cameras).
Plus, no two photographers are alike, and one photographer’s trash is another photographer’s treasure.
Bottom line:
While the EOS R just doesn’t work for some photographers, there are others for whom it’ll be an absolute dream to use.
So let’s take a closer look at the Canon EOS R!
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L | 1/80s | f/6.3 | ISO 400
Canon EOS R: Build
The Canon EOS R is medium-level compact, with a relatively lightweight (but solid) build. It’s easily smaller than the full-frame Canon 5D Mark IV, which is longer, taller, and around 1.5x heavier; the same is true of the Canon 6D Mark II.
That said, the EOS R hardly feels slim, and it doesn’t really scream travel-ready to me. Personally, I don’t mind the weight of the EOS R, but if you’re coming from a smaller APS-C mirrorless body then the difference may take a little getting used to.
The EOS R packs a top LCD, as well as a shooting mode dial, a video button, a standard top command dial, and more.
Moving on to the back, you have a 3.2-inch fully-articulating touchscreen, which tilts in pretty much any direction and flips out to the side. You also get several buttons that are almost completely programmable, along with an (also programmable) multi-selector wheel.
Then there’s the electronic viewfinder and, to its right, a programmable touch bar (which I’ll discuss more thoroughly in a moment).
Now, the Canon EOS R is listed as weather-sealed, and it can clearly withstand some difficult conditions. I’ve used it (carefully) in snow and rain, and I’ve had no problems whatsoever. At the same time, the weather sealing just isn’t on the same level as some of the true professional bodies on the camera market, which is why I don’t think the EOS R is the right choice for shooters that regularly subject their gear to intense beatings.
Canon EOS R: Handling
I think I’m in the minority here, but I absolutely love the feel of the EOS R and its in-built capabilities. I’d even go so far to say that it’s the best camera I’ve ever handled, thanks to a few key features.
First, I’m a huge fan of the fully-articulating screen, which is fantastic for getting into odd angles when shooting macro photos, architectural photos, landscape photos, or even street photos when shooting unobtrusively from the hip. Plus, you get touchscreen-based autofocus, so you can easily tap your desired AF point and lock focus in milliseconds.
Second, the electronic viewfinder is clear, bright, and crisp. Thanks to its 3.69M-dot resolution, I rarely miss my optical viewfinder (which was a huge concern for me when I first added mirrorless technology to my camera lineup).
What’s also great about the EVF is how you can use it to “see” in black and white. You can literally look at a black and white world, which is ultra-helpful when it comes to composing compelling black and white images using the viewfinder.
Third, the camera fits perfectly into my hand and I can easily use it without checking where I’m pressing, due to a deep front grip and well-positioned buttons.
Fourth, the EOS R offers the programmable touch bar. This has been a point of contention among EOS R users, because some find it finicky to the point of being unusable, but I’m firmly in the opposite camp. I love the touchbar, which I immediately programmed to adjust my ISO and I haven’t changed since. It’s saved me from missing countless images, because instead of fiddling with buttons and dials, I can boost the ISO with a roll of my thumb.
Have I had occasional issues with the touchbar?
Yes. It’s very sensitive, which means that I’ve accidentally boosted the ISO without meaning to. But while this was frustrating, it was absolutely worth the trade-off discussed above.
And fifth:
I love the silent shooting mode. Unlike silent modes offered on other cameras, the EOS R’s silent shooting is truly silent or, at least, so quiet that you can’t hear the shot unless you listen very, very closely. This is one of those features that just can’t be done on DSLRs, and when it is present in mirrorless cameras, it can be inhibited in some annoying way (e.g., as a separate mode that doesn’t allow you to adjust all your other camera settings).
But on the EOS R, silent shooting is unrestricted, which is one of the reasons I love using the R for street photography. It’s a discrete option in the menu that can be toggled on and off at will. And it allows you to fire off shot after shot without being heard (which is also useful for photographing quiet events, such as weddings and concerts).
That said, there are two key usability issues with the EOS R.
First, the single SD card slot, which I mentioned above, but bears repeating. For me, it’s not a big deal, because I’m not a professional wedding photographer, sports photographer, or portrait shooter. But I can absolutely understand why certain photographers require the second card slot, and in those situations I’d simply refuse to use the EOS R; having a backup is just too important.
Second, battery life is mediocre for a mirrorless camera, which is to say very poor compared to DSLRs. Canon rates the EOS R at 370 shots, and I’ve been able to get far more than that out of it (maybe 600 shots or so), but you’re definitely going to need at least two batteries in the best of situations, and if you’re doing long photoshoots then three is probably better.
It’s also worth mentioning the lack of in-body image stabilization in the EOS R. This is disappointing, and if you’ve ever used cameras like the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, you’ll know how powerful good IBIS can be for low-light shooting. But Canon does offer a lot of image-stabilized lenses, so it’s certainly not a dealbreaker.
Canon EOS R: Autofocus and speed
The EOS R uses Canon’s much-loved Dual Pixel AF technology, which was confined to Live View modes on Canon DSLRs. In practice, the autofocus feels fast, but doesn’t really give Sony a run for its money. I spent a few hours shooting ducklings in a river, and my hit rate wasn’t as high as I’d like, especially when the ducks were backlit.
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L | 1/2000s| f/7.1 | ISO 500
AF coverage is very good, though, and spans pretty much the entire sensor (thanks to the mindblowing 5600+ AF points).
Another bonus here is that autofocusing works all the way down to -6 EV. I’ve used the EOS R in almost complete darkness, and I’ve found that autofocus does indeed work, though it hunts as you approach that -6 EV territory.
Canon EOS R | Irix 11mm f/4 | 2s | f/13 | ISO 200
That said, the EOS R does offer Eye AF, which allows you to nail focus on your subject’s eyes when capturing portraits. Note that this is generally used instead of Face Detection AF, though the two are designed to work together to get you the best focus depending on whether the eyes or only the face are in view.
You have two options on the EOS R regarding autofocus selection:
You can select AF points using the touchscreen, or you can select AF points using the multi-selector wheel on the rear of the camera. I use the touchscreen almost exclusively, and there’s a nice implementation that allows you to make only a corner of the screen touch-sensitive for AF use, so you don’t have to worry about repeatedly selecting AF points with your nose.
In terms of shooting speeds, I do wish the EOS R were faster.
You can work at 8 fps if you’re using One-Shot AF, but this drops to 5 fps when autofocusing continuously. I consider that 7-8 fps a minimum for action photography, and 5 fps just can’t compete in sports or wildlife or other action scenarios.
The upshot of this is that the buffer is relatively deep; you can capture 65 RAW images without pause, or 126 high-quality JPEGs, which is always nice for situations where you need to keep on shooting during once-in-a-lifetime moments.
So while the EOS R clearly isn’t well-equipped for dedicated action photography, it won’t completely fail you in fast-paced situations.
Canon EOS R: Image quality
The EOS R offers reliable image quality without being particularly groundbreaking.
First, in terms of resolution, you get 30.3 MP, which offers a middle ground between the 45+ megapixel sensors offered by Sony’s A7R series and the Nikon Z7 (as well as the Canon 5DS/5DS R), and the standard 24 MP sensor. Personally, I think this is a nice place to be, because you get good detail and significant cropping capabilities without producing huge file sizes or a lot of high-ISO noise.
Canon EOS R | Canon 24-70mm f/4L | 1/1600s | f/8 | ISO 200
Canon cameras aren’t usually known for their high ISO performance, and here the EOS R is a good performer without being great.
The Canon EOS R offers an ISO range of 100-40,000, with the ability to expand to ISO 50 on the low end and ISO 102,400 on the high end. I feel comfortable pushing the ISO to 800 or 1600 when aiming for a clean image, and I’ll often go to ISO 6400 when shooting street images at night, but this is a step down from the truly impressive low-light capabilities of the Nikon Z6 or the Sony a7 III.
The same is true of dynamic range, where images are good without being breathtaking. You don’t get the 15 stops of a Sony a7R IV, but the results are perfectly usable for, say, serious landscape photographers.
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 24-70 f/4L | 1/200s | f/10 | ISO 200
All in all, I’m pleased by the Canon EOS R’s image quality without being floored. If you’re coming from an APS-C camera or an older full-frame DSLR, you’ll notice a big difference, but the EOS R doesn’t offer much of an image quality boost compared to a camera such as the Canon 6D Mark II and is pretty on par with the 5D Mark IV.
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro | 1/3200s | f/2.8 | ISO 250
Canon EOS R: Using the adapter
There are three Canon EF to RF adapters on the market:
The basic EF-EOS R adapter, which simply allows you to connect your EF/EF-S lenses to an EOS R body.
The midrange EF-EOS R adapter, which gives you a dedicated aperture ring when using EF/EF-S lenses.
And the high-end EF-EOS R adapter, which allows you to drop in filters (such as a circular polarizer or an ND filter).
I have only used the first of these, which you can grab for $ 99 USD. I’ve tested it on the EOS R with a handful of lenses in quite a few situations, and it works flawlessly. I’ve noticed zero autofocus lag, which means that you can comfortably use your EF and EF-S lenses without worry.
However, the adapter comes with two minor drawbacks:
First, it does take up space, either in your bag or on your camera. If you’re aiming for the smallest, lightest kit possible, then it’s probably not your best option.
And second:
It’s inconvenient to work with a group of lenses, some of which are EF-mount and some of which are RF-mount, because you have to keep moving the adapter on and off the camera.
To me, these drawbacks aren’t a big deal, and I plan to keep my EF lenses for a long time. But it’s certainly worth thinking about.
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L | 1/100s | f/9 | ISO 100
Who should purchase the Canon EOS R?
If you’re looking for an advanced or pro-level camera that’s easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and can do a lot of things well without really specializing in one area, then the EOS R is a great option. It’s especially compelling if you’re already a Canon shooter and have a slew of Canon lenses that can be attached via the EF-EOS R adapter.
Canon EOS R | Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L | 1/320s| f/9 | ISO 200
You can use the EOS R for great results if you’re a:
Portrait photographer
Street photographer
Landscape photographer
Travel photographer
Macro photographer
Architectural photographer
But it’s not an action camera, which means that you shouldn’t grab the EOS R if you’re looking to shoot sports or wildlife exclusively. Instead, I’d recommend the newly released EOS R5 or the EOS R6, which both offer a whopping 20 fps shooting via the electronic shutter. The same is true when it comes to wedding photography: Both the EOS R5 and the EOS R6 offer dual card slots, which make them much better choices for the redundancy-conscious photographer.
In fact, given the release of the EOS R5 and EOS R6, which are pretty much all-around powerhouses, it’s worth asking:
Is the Canon EOS R obsolete?
In most ways, the EOS R5 and the EOS R6 are objectively better than the EOS R.
But in the end, it comes down to price; the EOS R5 costs over twice that of the EOS R, and the “cheaper” EOS R6 is also relatively expensive ($ 2500 USD) while only offering a 20 MP sensor.
So if you’re looking for a high-quality camera but you can’t afford the EOS R5 or R6, then the EOS R is a great choice.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
The post Canon EOS R Mirrorless Camera: A Hands-On Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
The post Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD Lens for Sony Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
The Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 is a lens that Tamron touts as “the lightest and most compact f/2.8 tele zoom for Sony mirrorless.”
It debuted in the summer of 2020, and has a solid build quality and a reasonable price point, similar to the rest of Tamron’s recent lens offerings.
But how does the image quality stack up? Let’s find out.
Recent Tamron lenses
Tamron has been on a roll with its Sony E-mount lens releases lately.
The recently released 70-180mm f/2.8 completed Tamron’s holy trinity of fast zooms (the others being the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 and the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8). All three of these lenses have been massively popular due to their solid builds, compact sizes, and affordable prices relative to their Sony G Master equivalents. Additionally, Tamron has released a handful of other fast prime lenses, including the Tamron 35mm f/2.8.
Tamron 28-200mm specs
The Tamron 28-200mm is a full-frame autofocus lens for Sony E-mount cameras. While it can be used with Sony APS-C cameras, it is best used with a full-frame camera. All sample images in this post were taken with the Sony a7R III.
Focal Length: 28 to 200mm
Maximum Aperture: f/2.8 to f/5.6
Minimum Aperture: f/16 to f/32
Angle of View: 75° 23′ to 12° 21′
Minimum Focus Distance: 7.5″ (19.05 cm)
Optical Design: 18 Elements in 14 Groups
Diaphragm Blades: 7, Rounded
Image Stabilization: No
Filter Size: 67 mm (Front)
Dimensions (ø x L): 2.91 x 4.6″ (74 x 116.8 mm)
Weight: 1.27 lb (575.5 g)
Pros
Small and lightweight
Variable aperture lenses are often looked down upon by photographers, because you can’t retain a fast f-stop when you zoom in. This means shooting at 200mm on the 28-200mm will force you to shoot at f/5.6, making it much more difficult to shoot in low lighting. However, variable aperture lenses are generally much smaller and weigh less compared to zoom lenses with constant apertures.
Indeed, the Tamron 28-200mm is incredibly small and light given its focal range. This makes it a great lens for travel or landscape photographers who work with ample light and don’t mind sacrificing a fast aperture at all focal lengths.
Simple and easy to use
Like many recent Tamron lenses, the 28-200mm is very straightforward, with a single physical switch to lock the lens and keep it from sliding out when not in use.
Other than that, it’s an intuitive plug and play lens that works exceptionally well with Sony E-mount cameras. All autofocus features, including face detection and eye autofocus (for both people and animals), were fast and accurate; the lens performs well on Sony cameras.
Moisture resistant
The build quality is solid without adding lots of weight. The Tamron 28-200mm is moisture-resistant for use in wet conditions, and also has a fluorine coating on the front lens element to prevent dust and dirt build-up.
Speaking of the front lens element, the filter size is 67mm, exactly the same as the three lenses in the Tamron holy trinity. This makes it easy to interchange filters such as polarizers and ND filters among these lenses if you buy into the full Tamron lens system.
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/160 sec | f/11 | ISO 200
Five- or six-year extended warranty
This is a bonus that comes with all Tamron lenses. If you register the Tamron 28-200mm lens within two months of purchasing it, you get an extended six-year warranty if you are in the USA, or a five-year warranty if you are in Europe.
Compared to Sony’s one-year warranty, this is a pretty big advantage when going with a Tamron lens.
Great image quality
So with all of the great points about this lens, how is the image quality?
It’s surprisingly good for a variable-aperture lens. Bokeh or lens blur is soft and pleasing, especially at longer focal lengths. Image sharpness is phenomenal, although admittedly not as crisp as a prime lens. And chromatic aberration, or color fringing, which often plagues all-in-one zoom lenses, is not a problem on this lens.
Similarly, 4K video shot with this lens also boasts great image quality, which leads us to the next section of the article.
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/100 sec | f/4.5 | ISO 1600
Cons
No image stabilization
Unfortunately, none of Tamron’s recent Sony E-mount lenses come with image stabilization. This feature is likely withheld to keep lenses smaller and more affordable, but it means that the Tamron 28-200mm is not an optimal lens for video or shooting handheld in low light. If you use the lens with a camera that has in-body image stabilization (IBIS), this can help make up for the lack of lens-based image stabilization. But in my experience, it’s always best to have a camera with IBIS and a lens with image stabilization.
On the plus side, this lens is lightweight enough that you could use it on a gimbal for video work, as long as you can balance it out when shooting at longer focal lengths.
Variable aperture
While the Tamron 28-200mm does give you a fast f/2.8 aperture when shooting on the wide end, the more you zoom in, the slower the aperture gets.
This may not be a big deal-breaker if you tend to shoot in scenarios with tons of natural or artificial lighting. However, if you shoot a lot in low light, the variable aperture might bother you.
Comparison to the Sony 24-240mm
The most direct competitor to the Tamron 28-200mm is the long-standing Sony 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 lens. This Sony lens is very close in size to the Tamron, although it is slightly heavier, coming in at 780 g (1.72 lb) compared to 575 g (1.27 lb).
However, the Sony 24-240mm does offer slightly more range than the Tamron, plus it has OSS, or optical image stabilization. The OSS comes in handy if you shoot video, or like to have extra support when shooting handheld. The Sony lens does cost more, at $ 1,085 USD, but it has been out for so long that used versions of the lens can be had for prices similar to that of the Tamron.
If you value the extra range and OSS, the Sony may be the better all-in-one lens for you. However, it is quite a bit heavier than the Tamron and also has a significantly shorter warranty.
Sample image gallery
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/60 sec | f/6.3 | ISO 1250
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/125 sec | f/5.6 | ISO 2500
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/160 sec | f/4.5 | ISO 2500
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/80 sec | f/4.5 | ISO 2000
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/250 sec | f/4.5 | ISO 2000
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/125 sec | f/7.1 | ISO 1000
Sony a7R III | Tamron 28-200mm | 1/320 sec | f/5.6 | ISO 1250
The post Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD Lens for Sony Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
The Panasonic S5 is a 24MP full-frame mirrorless camera built around the same sensor as the Panasonic S1, but in a smaller, more affordable body. In fact, despite having a full-frame sensor, the S5 is smaller in every dimension than its Micro Four Thirds sibling, the GH5. Aiming to appeal to both photographers and videographers, it includes updates to Panasonic’s DFD autofocus system, new creative photo modes, and video features that come close to matching both the GH5 and the much more expensive S1H.
Key specifications:
24.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor with no AA filter
Up to 4K/60p (APS-C), full-frame oversampled 4K/30p all with 4:2:2 10-bit color
Panasonic contrast-detect DFD AF with improved face, body and head detection
2.36M dot OLED EVF w/ 0.74x magnification
3” 1.84M dot fully articulating touchscreen
Dual SD card slots (1x UHS-II, 1x UHS-I)
96MP high-resolution mode
7 fps burst shooting (5 fps with continuous autofocus)
2.4/5Ghz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with one-touch image transfer
Dust and splash resistant
460 shots per charge when used with EVF
Whereas Panasonic’s first-generation full-frame cameras were somewhat niche-driven, the S5 is more of an all-around generalist, with a body and price point that more directly competes with the likes of the Nikon Z6 and Sony a7 III. For videographers, it’s a bit like a full-frame GH5 or a mini S1H, while photographers should benefit from an updated AF system and a variety of photography-focused performance enhancements.
The S5 will be available around mid-September for $ 1999 body-only, or $ 2299 with the Lumix S 20-60mm F3.5.5.6 lens.
Watch DPReview TV’s first impressions review of the Panasonic S5.
What’s new and how it compares
The S5 shares many video features with the S1H, adds some creative photo modes for stills shooters and gets an updated DFD autofocus system.
Read more
Body controls and handling
This is Panasonic’s most compact full-frame camera to date. See what’s different about it, and why it will get even better through firmware.
Read more
Initial impressions
The S5 is Panasonic’s first compact full-frame camera. Find out why we think that’s a good move and what we think of it so far.
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Sample gallery
See some scenes of summer around Seattle in our Panasonic S5 sample gallery.
The Nikon Z5 is an entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera that looks and handles almost exactly like its higher-end Z-mount siblings, the Z6 and Z7. It’s built around a stabilized non-BSI 24MP CMOS sensor, which is likely more closely related to the generation of chip found in Nikon’s D750 DSLR, rather than the newer BSI sensor in the Z6.
Slightly stripped down and more stills-focused, the Z5 shares the same 273-point hybrid AF system, Expeed 6 processor and 3.69M-dot OLED viewfinder as the Z6. But niceties like a top plate display are absent. Likewise, the Z5’s max burst rate and video capabilities are considerably less than that of the Z6: 4.5 fps vs. 12 fps and heavily cropped 4K vs. un-cropped, oversampled 4K. But from an image quality and handling standpoint, the two cameras are quite similar.
Key Specifications:
24MP full-frame CMOS sensor (not BSI)
Hybrid AF system with 273 phase-detect points covering 90% of the frame
4.5 fps continuous shooting with AF
5-axis in-body image stabilization
3.69M-dot OLED viewfinder
Dual UHS-II SD cards
4K/30p video capture (with 1.7x crop)
1080/60p video capture (no crop)
Headphone and microphone ports
Dust and moisture sealed
The Nikon Z5 sells for $ 1399 body-only, $ 1699 kitted with the new 24-50mm F4-6.3 lens and $ 2199 kitted with the 24-200 F4-6.3 VR.
What’s new and how it compares
The Z5 is essentially a stripped down Z6. Here’s what Nikon changed in the camera to keep the price down.
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Body, handling and controls
The Z5 is the same exact size, weight and shape as the Z6. But there are a few small differences between the two bodies.
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First impressions
DPR’s Dan Bracaglia has been busy shooting with the Z5. Here’s why he thinks it’s such a tempting camera – and why he may buy one in 12 months’ time.
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Sample gallery
Pups, mountains and summertime vibes. Check out our initial Z5 sample gallery.
The Canon EOS R6 is a 20MP full-frame mirrorless camera aimed at enthusiast photographers and videographers. It sits below the R5 much as the EOS 6Ds did beneath the 5D DSLRs, and offers a well-rounded combination of features for both disciplines.
It’s also one of the first enthusiast-level cameras to shoot both stills and video that can exploit the capabilities of the latest high-dynamic range displays. However its tendency to hit its temperature limits take the edge off its video capabilities.
Key specifications:
20MP Dual Pixel CMOS Sensor
In-body stabilization rated at up to 8EV of correction
Dual Pixel AF II with AI-trained subject tracking and 100% AF coverage
20 fps shooting with e-shutter, 12 fps mechanical
UHD 4K shooting at up to 60p, 1080 at up to 120p
10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording in either C-Log or HDR PQ
10-bit HDR photos in HEIF format
3.68M dot EVF
1.62M dot fully-articulated rear touchscreen
New battery rated at around 380 shots per charge (EVF)
The R6 is available with a recommended price of $ 2499, body-only. It can also be bought in a kit with the 24-105mm F4L for around $ 3599 or with the 24-105mm F4-7.1 STM IS for approximately $ 2899.
What’s new and how it compares
The EOS R6 can’t boast 8K video but it’s got a solid feature set nonetheless, including the same IS and AF as its big brother.
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Body, controls and handling
The R6 has elements of the original EOS R to its design but it also gains a fair amount from Canon’s DSLR range. We think the combination works nicely.
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Initial impressions
We’ve been shooting with the EOS R6 and think Canon users (and, in particular, Canon DSLR users) will find a lot to like about the camera.
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Image Quality
The 20MP sensor, combined with Canon’s JPEG color does a great job, despite having fewer pixels than its peers.
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Dynamic Range
The EOS R6’s files prove very flexible, but that performance is aided by noise reduction you can’t turn off.
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Autofocus
The EOS R6 offers at least the performance that the EOS-1D X III does in live view mode. It’s powerful, customizable yet often very easy-to-use.
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Video
The EOS R6 can shoot some very attractive 4K footage, but despite a well thought-out interface, its propensity for hitting its thermal cut-off means it’s not as good a stills/video hybrid as the specs make out.
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Conclusion
The EOS R6 has a lot going for it: it offers excellent image quality, shoots at high speeds and includes impressive image stabilization. It’s not the best stills-and-video option but it’s a superb photographer’s camera.
Read more
Sample gallery
We’ve put together a gallery from the EOS R6, to show what its image quality looks like.
The post Anthropics Portrait Pro Editing Software Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.
Anthropics Portrait Pro 19 is the latest version of its incredibly popular retouching software. This piece of software allows users to create professional retouches without needing to spend hours learning several techniques. Instead, Portrait Pro uses a simple, user-friendly interface that allows advanced retouching in a simple to understand and time-saving manner.
What’s New in Portrait Pro 19
Anthropics Portrait Pro 19 brings a host of improvements that make this software better than ever before.
Clearskin 5
There is a big improvement in the skin detail over previous versions of Portrait Pro.
The first I must mention is the Clearskin 5 technology. Based on state-of-the-art A.I., Clearskin 5 intelligently maps the contours and features of the face and retouches skin accordingly. It also replicates the face’s natural skin texture, allowing users to subtly remove blemishes while maintaining the subject’s natural appearance. When combined with the improved Fix Lighting tool, this new technology makes it even easier for photographers to achieve amazing results.
When compared to previous versions (which themselves were very good) this is a subtle but noticeable difference. For me, this alone is enough to recommend this version, but there is a lot more under the hood.
Let’s look at what’s new in Portrait Pro 19.
Advance Hair Retouching
Hair detection has been improved and gives users more options than ever before. After choosing a base shade for the hair, you can tweak this to create a variety of styles, from a subtle improvement of natural color all the way through to more extremes of pink and blue hair.
A subtle tweak or a radical change? Both are possible in Portrait Pro.
Expression Sliders
This tool offers a variety of ways to subtly change the expression of your model, letting you get the perfect smile every time.
It’s easy to get your subjects smile just right when using this software.
Accurate Lens Correction
Utilizing 3D modeling, the software accurately corrects for lens distortions created by wide-angle lenses such as mobile phone cameras.
Optimized Plugin (Studio exclusive)
This plugin allows you to harness the power of Portrait Pro directly from Photoshop and start editing right away. By updating the technology, the plugin returns to Photoshop up to five times faster than previous versions, which means less time processing and more time creating great portraits.
Improved Automatic Batch Processing (Studio Max exclusive)
PortraitPro Studio Max 19 allows photographers to automatically process batches of images simultaneously. The software detects faces and features in the image, applies your chosen presets and automatically saves the result. Again, thanks to PortraitPro 19, the software handles images 2x faster than before, allowing you to retouch a batch of images quickly and easily yet achieving amazing, tailored results.
This tool (exclusive to the Studio Max edition of the software) is something that I can see being amazing for sending proofs from a headshot session. Imagine the ability to send all of the client images to select from, all retouched to your specific style. Not only will it wow your clients, but it is effortless for you to do this.
You do not need your subject to be looking directly at the camera. In this example, which was part of a batch, it still picked up the features quickly and easily saving me time.
Interactive Tutorials
These tutorials are some of the best I have seen for any software – allowing you to follow along and improve images with a guide to hold your hand.
The tutorials allow users to get to grips with the features of the software quickly and easily. By the time you get through the first couple of tutorials, you will be itching to use the software on your own images, but when you want to push your skills a little more (or just can’t quite figure something), there are more advanced tutorials to help you upgrade your skills.
There are various tutorials, from retouching skin and face shaping (which are the two tools you will probably use the most) through to a series of advanced tutorials that go into detail on things like applying makeup, hair, eyes, and many more. Thus, allowing you to take advantage of the massive feature set on offer with this software.
The built-in tutorials make it really easy to get started in Portrait Pro 19.
In Use
After going through the first two tutorials, I wanted to put some of my own images through the software. The feature detection on the tutorials was quick, simple, and incredibly accurate. I wanted to see if this was as good in real life as it was in the tutorials. I was amazed that my own images imported quickly and found the models’ features perfectly the first time.
Putting in my first image, I was surprised how quickly it found all the features of the face.
Presets
I thought I’d start by trying the built-in presets. I clicked the Standard Preset and almost instantly the image was good enough to give to a client. After trying the other presets, I found the Maximum Lighting worked really well for the shot below.
Within two clicks, I had an image that was retouched to a high standard. As someone who has spent hours learning retouching techniques in Photoshop, it was impressive. To those who are new to retouching, it will give you a set of tools that would normally take hours to master individually at the click of a button.
I’ll be honest, some of the presets were a little too much for me. However, I tend to go for a more natural look in my retouching. Yet, I can see that for some, they will be perfect. I think the presets have been created to give every style of photographer a great starting point that can be tweaked until they get their own style.
With a few clicks, you can get results like these. From L-R: Original image, Standard Preset and Max Light Preset
Starting From Scratch
It would have been easy for me to leave the review here, as the presets do a great job, but I wanted to dive deeper and see how the tools would work individually. I started over with the same image and worked my way through the panels.
The panels are laid out in a very logical order, starting with Sculpting the Face, which allows you to tweak everything from eye size to the length of the model’s neck. Everything is simple and uses a slider-based system.
I then worked through the skin smoothing (which looks a lot more natural than previous versions of the software) before continuing to work my way down the menu system.
I created my own preset for this shoot. Once I had it how I liked it, I could then save my style as a preset and apply it to more images from the shoot.
A small word of caution, though. Portrait Pro allows you to push the retouching levels to the extreme. You can get caught up in pushing all sliders to the max. This will not give you a great result and like adding salt to a meal, a sprinkle is always better than a handful.
Make use of the before and after function to check you have not pushed your image too far. I have heard complaints that Portrait Pro makes everything “Doll Like” or “Just Not Natural.” That is not true. Just like Photoshop, users can get carried away and push things too far in their edits.
It was amazing that only 30-minutes into using a brand new piece of software, I was able to fully retouch a portrait to this level without needing a YouTube tutorial. What’s even better is that with a couple of clicks, I now had my own preset that I could apply to other images. This is something that really does create a massive time-saving option.
I put my newly created preset to the test with another image from the same shoot. It literally took me 10-seconds to import and apply the preset and it was ready to export. If you are working with large amounts of images per shoot, this might just be a game-changer.
Within 10 seconds, I had created this edit, in my own style without needing to press more than one button.
By the time I had finished, I had added makeup, added lighting, and changed both hair and eye color quickly and easily. The feature that stood out for me was the advanced lighting tool.
For those who are new to working with light or those who don’t currently have a lighting system, you can add lighting effects that really enhance the image and make it pop.
Who’s it for?
Anthropics Portrait Pro is an amazing tool for those who are new to retouching portraits. It is simple, yet incredibly powerful and gives you pleasing results within seconds. However, it offers much more and encourages you to go back to the software and personalize your retouching.
For those who are more advanced photographers, it allows you to really speed up your workflow and create signature styles. The Photoshop Plugin (Studio Exclusive) means you can use Portrait Pro as part of a larger project.
For Pro’s, there is a real benefit from the batch processing options found in the Studio Max Edition. If you are shooting several images and want to send clients a selection, by using a preset (either one in-built or your own signature style), you can retouch all images with a few clicks. This saves you a lot of time and allows you to focus on your business.
If you retouch portraits, you really need to try this software out. Also, DPS has managed to get a special offer just for you.
How Do You Get Portrait Pro?
You can download your free trial at https://www.anthropics.com/portraitpro/download/
Currently there is a 50% OFF sale everything + DPS readers get an EXTRA 15% OFF when you use the coupon JW9682
I look forward to seeing what you create in the comments below.
The post Anthropics Portrait Pro Editing Software Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.
We compare six of the most popular camera backpacks on the market: the Wandrd Prvke, the Peak Design Travel Backpack, the Shimoda Explore, the Manfrotto Manhattan Mover, the CosySpeed PhotoHiker and the Atlas Athlete.
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