After a rare Seattle snowstorm finally subsided, DPReview editor Jeff Keller was able to escape the snow and spend some time with the impressive Fujifilm X-T30, a camera that offers a lot of bang for the buck.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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| The EOS RP combines a large sensor, simple interface and excellent JPEG color, making it easy to shoot in even the most unexpected situation. 24-105mm F4L IS | F4.5 | 1/80sec | ISO 3200 |
I got a chance to shoot with the EOS RP just before its launch and my impression is that it’s a much better, and potentially more significant, camera than its specifications reveal.
If you’ve only seen the specs, it’d be easy to dismiss the RP out-of-hand. The sensor from the 6D Mark II isn’t going to go down as one of Canon’s better efforts: 1080 video and fairly limited dynamic range rather undermine the considerable appeal of Dual Pixel AF. Surely if it’s just that old chip, in the midst of a stripped-down version of the slightly underwhelming EOS R body, it’s not even worth taking seriously?
Having spent a little time shooting with it, I think that’s premature. It’s not going to win any awards for technical performance but I’m going to argue that the RP is more than the apparent sum of its parts. In a mirrorless format, the dependable performance of Dual Pixel AF plays a greater role than it does in the 6D II. The RP can also shoot 4K (albeit only from a crop). But there are three things that stood out to me about the RP: firstly, it has much of what the EOS R did well, but less of what it got wrong. Secondly, it gains the excellent beginner-friendly interface from the recent Rebel cameras. And finally, it’s really, really well priced.
Just over 15 years ago, Canon introduced the EOS Digital Rebel (EOS 300D to most of those outside North America): the first sub-$ 1000 DSLR. And, even at launch, the company predicted ‘[it] will be seen as the point in history when the SLR market shifted irrevocably to digital.’
An awful lot has changed since the 300D’s launch, including both the predicted switch to digital and a subsequent (and similarly irreversible) shift away from standalone cameras to smartphones. But, while no camera maker is talking about the ‘400-500% growth’ in, well, anything really, there is a market that most companies are expecting to grow: full frame.
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| The twin command dials on the top of the camera set it aside from the Rebel series of mass-market DSLRs, but there’s a hint of the same spirit in the interface and Canon’s pricing. |
The EOS RP looks like Canon’s attempt to repeat the same trick. At $ 1300 body-only it is, by some $ 400, the cheapest ever full-frame camera at launch. And, perhaps tellingly, its MSRP is comparable with the Digital Rebel if you take inflation into account ($ 900 in 2003 dollars would now be within $ 75 of the RP’s launch price).
The EOS RP’s launch price is comparable to the original Digital Rebel’s, if you take inflation into account
Of course the downside is that there was a $ 100 kit zoom option for the Rebel, whereas the only options for the RP are to pay an extra $ 700 for an EF-mount 24-105mm F3.5-5.6 lens and adapter, or $ 1100 for the RF-mount 24-105mm F4L IS, which rather reduces its ‘full-frame for the masses’ appeal. (Though, in a rather unusual move, Canon USA is immediately offering discounts on some of those bundles).
Despite looking pretty similar to the EOS R, as soon as you pick it up you notice how much smaller and lighter the RP is. It doesn’t have the heavy solidity of the R but still confers the familiar rugged plastic feel of a high-end Rebel, or even the EOS 77D. Better still, it retains the two command dials from the EOS R (one on the top of the camera, just behind the shutter button, the second on the rear shoulder). This immediately makes it a camera where it’s easy to play around with your main exposure parameters, taking it out of Rebel territory.
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| There’s an optional add-on riser for the EOS RP. Note also the ability to flip the screen in towards the body: making it easier to keep the screen safe if you’ve got the camera stuffed in a bag to keep with you. |
There’s an optional add-on plate that adds a bit more depth to the camera if you find your little finger extending awkwardly off the bottom of the front grip. I didn’t find any advantage to it, personally, but I know that several other people at the launch event did. It comes in a choice of colors (the version with the red accents goes nicely with the red ring on the RF 24-105, I reckon), and it’s been designed so that you can still access the battery and SD card with it attached, thanks to a hatch the size of a car door.
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| Even with the optional grip extension, you can still access the battery and SD card. Note that the knurled nut that screws the extension into the tripod socket itself has a tripod socket, keeping everything on the optical axis. |
The viewfinder spec is dropped a little, compared with the ‘R.’ The RP’s display offers the same 2.36M dots as the Sony a7 III, and it’s nice enough to shoot with even if it isn’t as detailed as its big brother. Like the EOS R, the rear screen (or a subdivision of it) can act as an AF touchpad, and that’s definitely the easiest way to set focus. And, unlike any of its immediate peers, the rear screen is fully articulated, flipping out to the side for waist-level, low angle or video shooting.
Other changes over the EOS R include the ability to use Pupil Detection AF and small point AF in continuous (Servo) autofocus mode. That might sound like a small thing but it means I could mostly just stick to Face + Tracking (+ eye) mode most of the time, rather than having to jump back and forth between area modes when I switched between single and continuous AF.
One thing I suspect a lot of people will want to know is ‘how well does Eye AF work?’ Several brands now offer some form of eye detection AF, but it’s the implementation in the recent Sony models that has really impressed us. Once you’ve got used to the ability to just look at your subject, your framing and their expression, without having to give any thought to focus, it’s hard to go back to a camera that isn’t as easy to use.
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| The EOS RP’s eye detection might not be quite as uncannily good as the recent Sony implementation, but it was still able to find and retain my subject’s right eye in this shot, despite it being partially obscured. EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM | F4 | 1/125sec | ISO 640 |
My initial thoughts are mixed: the Canon implementation isn’t as responsive in finding a subject’s eye: it’s quick but hasn’t got the same uncanny ‘I hadn’t even realized they were looking towards the camera’ immediacy as the latest Sonys. Equally, the RP seems slightly more prone to temporarily losing eyes and either reverting to Face Detection or grabbing the person’s other eye. Overall the RP is good at finding eyes and focusing on them without any user intervention (or need to hold down a function button). It also lets you use the four-way controller to choose between the left and right eye (though only if it’s recognized both eyes).
I’ll need to check through all the images I shot to ensure that Eye AF has focused as well as I’d like, but from a usability point of view, it’s a valuable addition, particularly on a camera that’s intended to be accessible and user-friendly.
On the subject of ease-of-use, I’m pleased to see the EOS RP gain the ‘Feature Assistant’ simplified menus seen on cameras such as the Rebel T7i (again pointing to the idea of this being essentially a FF Rebel). These provide a results-orientated way of interacting with the camera so that, for instance, in Aperture Priority mode, it advises you how to get greater or shallower depth-of-field, rather than just showing the F-number. And, like on the Rebel, the camera guides you to use the dials and shows you what setting is being changed, so that you can learn what settings you’re changing, rather than getting stuck in ‘simple’ mode forever.
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| The EOS RP has a variant of the outcome-orientated ‘Feature Assist’ interface from the Rebel series [Rebel T7i example shown]. |
The RP takes this one step further by offering a results-focused interface for its in-camera Raw processing mode. So, rather than being confronted with a slew of icons with perhaps obscure names such as ‘Len aberr correction’ it gives you the option to make the image brighter or darker, or to make it warmer or cooler. Just as with ‘Feature Assistant’ the more complex options are still available, but you access them through the menu, rather than encountering them directly from Playback mode.
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| The camera’s AF tracking mode isn’t faultless, but it stayed focused on this flower’s stigma as I recomposed, making it easy to grab a shot with focus exactly where I wanted it. 24-105mm F4L IS | F4 | 1/320sec | ISO 100 |
This simple reprocessing mode, along with the pretty robust-feeling Bluetooth-mediated Wi-Fi system used across recent Canons, should make it about as easy as possible to shoot high quality images then transfer them to your phone. Canon has also made an iPad version of its Digital Photo Professional software, to allow processing of the camera’s CR3 Raws without ever having to go back to your computer.
Having talked so much about ease-of-use, it’s pretty clear who Canon has built the RP for. The kinds of users who shoot Raw to provide the maximum processing flexibility aren’t likely to be impressed if there’s as much noise lurking in the deep shadows as there was on the 6D Mark II. But for anyone shooting JPEGs (or re-processing their Raws within the constraints of the camera’s JPEG engine) the RP will be able to produce really good images, with attractive color and the tonal quality and depth-of-field control that full-frame can bring.
And, even if dynamic range isn’t class-leading, the 6D Mark II’s low light performance is beyond reproach.
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| The EOS RP won’t be the first choice for committed videoheads but it shoots pleasant images and brings the low light capability, depth-of-field control and tonal quality that full frame can offer. 24-105mm F4L IS | F6.3 | 1/100sec | ISO 1600 |
The camera’s middling video capability (4K/24p from an APS-C-sized crop) is the other obvious shortcoming in the camera’s specifications. It’s a step up from the 6D Mark II, but still not much to crow about. But still, having spent most of my time focused on stills shooting, I wouldn’t want to jump to conclusions just yet. The slow, contrast detection autofocus in 4K mode isn’t very promising, though.
Battery life from the EOS M50-style LP-E17 isn’t likely to be anything special, either (I’d guessed around a 220 shot-per charge CIPA rating, based on half-a-day’s use: it’s actually 250). This means you’re likely to get a day’s casual shooting if you’re a committed photographer and rather longer if you’re just taking shots here and there, and photography isn’t your main focus. The camera charges pretty quickly over USB-C, so you can gain some flexibility by having some kind of power bank and appropriate cable with you if you’re going to be away from the mains for a while.
Of course, despite the impressively low launch price, the RP isn’t without competition. Sony’s habit of keeping older models in its lineup, then continually dropping the price means you can currently get an a7 II for around $ 1000 and an original a7 with lens for the same money. But, for all the apparent technical limitations, I think a lot of people might choose the Canon’s more accessible shooting experience and attractive JPEGs over what now look like Sony’s works-in-progress models.
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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| With a pre-production S1R in hand, I took to the streets of this iconic Spanish city. ISO 100 | 1/200 sec | F4 | Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 66mm |
I stepped out onto the promenade with the early afternoon sun shining bright. A couple wandered past, the woman leaning her head on the shoulder of her partner. Barcelona is a city filled with romance, from couples young and old sharing an embrace on seemingly every corner, to the intricacies of the city’s historic Gaudí architecture.
With the S1R dangling from my right hand, I flipped the on switch as I brought it up to my eye and the enormous 5.76M-dot electronic viewfinder sprang to life in an instant. I snapped three frames and brought it back down as the oversized camera strap bumped into my leg. “I sure hope one of those is in focus,” I thought. All three were, but the camera’s Depth from Defocus AF system made it hard to know for sure in that moment.
I continued on my way, eventually turning off the promenade toward a series of modern buildings that quickly gave way to a narrow gothic residential street. These ultimately lead me to Barcelona’s famed Mercado de La Boqueria, a historic market.
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Barcelona offers a wonderful mix of new and ancient architecture. |
Last week I attended Panasonic’s worldwide launch event for the Lumix DC-S1 and S1R in Barcelona, Spain. There I was able to spend an afternoon shooting street photography with an early-production S1R. Because of its not-quite-finished nature, I used the opportunity to get a better understanding of the broader essence of the S-series, rather than assessing its technical merit.
Panasonic is pitching the S1 and S1R as no-comprise packages for professionals
Panasonic is pitching the S1 and S1R as no-comprise packages for professionals: so not only will they have to perform from a technical standpoint, but they also have to handle well. Panasonic aspires to have S-series cameras on the grounds at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. If that’s going to be a reality, they’ll need to operate as well as the Canon and Nikon pro bodies currently being used by most sports photographers.
Full disclosure: Panasonic covered our costs to attend this worldwide launch event including flights, lodging and several yummy meals. This was our first opportunity to shoot with the S1 and S1R. Images and impressions are based off of pre-production firmware – performance and image quality may change with final firmware. Images in this story are out-of-camera JPEGs, minimally processed in Adobe Lightroom. Originals can be found in the gallery below. Raw conversions will be added with ACR support.
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| Cured meats, as far as the eye can see. ISO 2000 | 1/500 sec | F4 | Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 78mm |
People buzzed around me on both sides as I stopped and glanced at the vendor above. He didn’t seem to notice or care about the camera in my hand. I turned 90 degrees and brought it to my eye, pretending to focus on something else, then swung it back around and clicked the shutter four times. Unsure of whether my focus point landed on the vendor, his hand or somewhere else completely, I looked up from the EVF: he was staring my direction. I smiled, gave a little wave and kept on my way.
Annoyed with myself for not taking more time to compose, I gave the camera’s AF joystick a flick and watched with delight as my AF point zipped across the screen. The ability to quickly move an AF point is critical for many forms of photography and the S1/S1R’s fastest setting doesn’t disappoint. Of course, none of this matters if you aren’t giving yourself the chance to properly compose and move the point in the first place.
I continued walking through the market labyrinth with no real sense of direction, letting the allure of brightly-colored candies and glistening seafood guide me. Some time had passed before I noticed a few shops were closing down, so I stepped back out into the street. Before long, I was on La Rambla, a noisy/touristy stretch as famous for its kitschy vendors as it is for its pickpockets.
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| Mercado de La Boqueria is filled with plenty of eye-catching delights. ISO 1000 | 1/500 sec | F4 | Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 24mm |
At this point I’d been walking around Barcelona for a few hours with the camera in-hand the whole time. Despite being a big chunk of magnesium alloy and rubber, the S1R wasn’t a burden. The grip is comfortable and reaching core controls doesn’t compromise one’s hold on the camera, nor does it cause strain.
The S1R simply handles more like a pro DSLR than a mirrorless camera and that’s ok
There’s been a lot of talk about the heft of these two cameras, given their mirrorless pedigree, but I feel the size/weight is justified: they simply handle more like a pro DSLR than a mirrorless camera, and that’s ok. Yosuke Yamane, Panasonic’s imaging division president, even confirmed the day prior that the S1 was benchmarked against the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and Nikon D850, not other mirrorless cameras, and the S1R was benchmarked against the 1D X Mark II and D5.
In fact the S1 and S1R may actually be tougher than those DSLRs: you can literally flip the screen out on either, pick them up by the LCD and give them a good hard shake without worry. I know this because it was done the day prior at the launch event by a Panasonic representative as a demonstration of toughness (I did not mimic this test). I’m told this professional construction is a contributing factor to the high MSRP of both cameras compared to offerings from Sony and Nikon.
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| The Gothic quarter is filled with narrow street and open courtyards. ISO 200 | 1/500 sec | F5.6 | Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 105mm (cropped in slightly) |
I turned off La Rambla, overwhelmed by the buzz of the selfie-stick crowd and made my way into the Gothic quarter. After navigating windy, shadowy streets, I came to a courtyard with the sun illuminating a stone wall, as silhouetted figures wandered by.
I knelt down, flipping the tri-angle screen out to frame up the image and zoomed the 24-105mm F4 kit lens in all all the way. Then I waited. As individuals crossed through the scene, I tried to see if I could use the AF joystick and a single point to follow whomever I deemed the main subject, without moving the camera and throwing off the composition. This worked ok, but then I switched the camera to Tracking mode and moved my initial AF point to the edge of the frame where people were entering. A half shutter press over a subject locked focus and engaged tracking – releasing the shutter returned my AF point to its starting place. This proved to be the better way to get the shot I was after.
Satisfied with the variety I’d captured and a bit achy in the knees from kneeling, I slammed the dual-hinged screen back in (not as hard as the aforementioned Panasonic rep did, mind you), stood up and continued along my way.
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| The streets of Barcelona have no shortage of characters to photograph. ISO 500 | 1/500 sec | F5.6 |Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 78mm |
Narrow Gothic alleyways soon turned back into wide streets filled with stately buildings. I stopped for a moment on a busy corner, filled with men in suits descending into and ascending from a subway station. Everyone seemed sucked into their own world, so I zoomed in on several interesting ‘characters’ and snapped some frames.
As someone who normally shoots street photography with primes and tends to avoid kit lenses all together, I was initially hesitant to explore with Panasonic’s kit S 24-105mm F4. But throughout the day and beyond, it pleasantly surprised me. The size and weight are both manageable, the zoom range provided great creative versatility and my photos were mostly sharp.
The shooting experience felt comfortable, organic and fun
Though it is not Leica-certified, as is the case with the S Pro 50mm F1.4 and S Pro 70-200mm F2.8, the S 24-105mm F4 handles and shoots like a quality piece of glass, even on this early production camera. It is worth pointing out though that you’ll pay ~$ 900 for the lens in a kit, but $ 1300 for it own its own.
As the sun began to set, I headed back to my hotel to rest before trying my hands at some night photography. Though I wasn’t looking to technically assess the camera’s 5-axis in-body stabilization, I was excited to drop my shutter speed down a little and explore.
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| Though firmware wasn’t complete, the camera’s in-body IS + lens IS offered piece-of-mind when shooting at slower speeds. ISO 6400 | 1/25 sec | F4 | Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 24mm |
Panasonic has long impressed when it comes to image stabilization. The brand’s Dual IS 2 system, offered in both Micro Four Thirds cameras and the S-series, combines 5-axis in-body stabilization with lens stabilization (the S 24-105mm F4 is stabilized).
Once on the streets, I pointed the camera at a dimly lit nightclub sign: I was curious to see just how slow I could go in an informal test. I began at one-over-the-focal-length (50mm, 1/50 sec) and dropped my shutter in 1/3rd increments until I hit 1 sec. ‘Blurry,’ I sighed upon inspecting my slowest sample. After a little more time chimping I determined 1/8 sec to be my slowest speed – not amazing, but I suspect this will improve with final firmware.
Satisfied with my informal test, I moved along. That’s when a large shimmering structure caught my eye – it was Frank Gehry’s Golden Fish Sculpture.
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| Sometimes, look up. ISO 5000 | 1/50 sec | F4 | Lumix S 24-105mm F4 @ 25mm |
I scurried up to it, giddy with excitement. Positioned underneath, I began shooting frames. “This EVF is unbelievable,” I remember thinking as I created my own abstract take on a famous artists’ work. It was getting close to dinner and I knew my time with the S1R was winding down. I spent a couple more minutes lying flat on the ground – I wanted to make the most of 24mm and really fill the frame with as many abstract lines as possible. A couple of passing tourists paused for just a moment, seemingly concerned about my well-being, before they continued on their way.
Once back at the hotel, I sat in the lobby looking through the day’s photos. As I thumbed through, my mind began to wander: for a brand taking its first crack at a truly professional stills camera, the S1R receives high marks for its handling. My afternoon with it resulted in a shooting experience that felt comfortable, organic and fun – even more importantly, it resulted in photos I’m happy with. Panasonic set out to make a camera that handles and shoots as well as the best pro DSLRs. In terms of the former, the S1R nails it. And regarding the latter, well, we’re excited to get a chance to test a final production model in the coming weeks.
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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| Out-of-camera JPEG. ISO 1600 | 1/1000 sec | F4.5 | Olympus 40-150mm F2.8 + 1.4x teleconverter |
As water pooled on the camera, I held my composition. A motorcyclist rocketed into the frame and I watched as the camera immediately drew a box around the rider’s helmet and began focusing as I half-pressed the shutter. As he screamed through the scene, leaving chunks of flying red mud in his wake, I fired off a burst at 15 frames per second.
Thanks to the Olympus E-M1X’s new ‘Deep Learning’ autofocus, well, I didn’t need to think about autofocus. I didn’t need to follow the motorcyclist with a group of points, or time a half-press just right as he entered a pre-selected zone. I didn’t even have to place a focus point over him and initiate tracking.
The camera immediately drew a box around the rider’s helmet and began focusing
With so much less to think about, I found myself shooting with tighter framing than I normally would. That’s crucial for sports and action, because tighter framing means less cropping in ‘post’ and better overall image quality. And considering that I was shooting at a fairly high ISO value on a Four Thirds sensor, I wanted to maintain the best image quality I could get.
There’s no doubt that between Nikon, Canon and Panasonic’s product announcements, 2018 was the year of the full-frame mirrorless camera. But with the E-M1X and its 20MP Four Thirds sensor, Olympus is taking a different approach. Many will cry foul, saying that this sizable, double-grip sports camera is evidence of Olympus losing their way.
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| Image processed in-camera from Raw. ISO 200 | 1/80 sec | F5.6 | Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mm F2.8 + MC-14 1.4x teleconverter |
On the contrary, I think the E-M1 X is evidence of Olympus charting a new path in this ever-more-competitive world occupied by computationally capable smartphones and the inescapable allure of full-frame sensors and optics. And I think that new path shows a lot of promise.
Full disclosure: Olympus flew me down to Orlando, put me up in a nice hotel, fed me some tasty meals and handed me a pre-production E-M1X to test out. All images and impressions here are based on that pre-production camera, and performance and image quality may change with final production firmware.
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The E-M1X is aimed straight at sports and action-shooting professionals, particularly those looking for lots of reach but not wanting to haul huge full-frame telephoto lenses around. In addition, it offers lots of direct control, durability, and highly configurable autofocus.
But there’s no question: that Four Thirds sensor, inside this large camera body, looks a little silly. And though it offers great image quality for its size, you’ll have noisier images and deeper depth-of-field than you would with a larger APS-C or full-frame sensor given the same exposure parameters. That’s just the way it is.
On the other hand, between its new hand-held high-resolution mode, crazy effective image stabilization and new autofocus tricks, the E-MX is an exciting piece of innovation.
You see, the E-M1X is among the first ‘traditional’ cameras from a ‘traditional’ camera manufacturer to make use of use ‘deep learning’ and true computational photography techniques like we’ve been seeing on high-end smartphones (Sony’s latest Real-time Tracking AF is similar…but different). And that is exactly what traditional camera manufacturers need to stay relevant in today’s shifting market.
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| Out-of-camera JPEG. ISO 200 | 1/60 sec | F5 | Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mm F2.8 Pro |
Does this new intelligent autofocus actually work? Yes and no. Let’s start with the ‘yes’ bit.
With the ‘Motorsport’ setting enabled, the camera would reliably detect both cars and motorcycles in a given scene. If you set the camera up to have a single autofocus area, you can place that area over a particular subject to manually choose which car or motorcycle you want the camera to focus on.
As I said earlier, this has the potential to be an incredibly powerful tool. I am by no means an experienced sports shooter, but this new autofocus system really did leave my mind free to focus more on composition, anticipating subject movement, and improving my panning technique.
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| Happy with the pan, less happy with the rain on the lens. Processed in-camera from Raw. ISO 200 | 1/50 sec | F16 | Olympus M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4 Pro |
Now for the ‘no’ bit. This is a pre-production camera, of course, but there are bursts where the camera positively identified a subject, indicated it was tracking, and then I ended up with soft or out-of-focus shots. Also, I found when shooting NASCAR that if the car is temporarily blocked by an object, the camera effectively gives up and you have to re-engage tracking when it appears again. Engineers told me that adjusting my C-AF Sensitivity may help combat this, but we’ll have to confirm that when we get final firmware.
But my biggest gripe concerns usability. The function lever to the right of the viewfinder allows you to switch between AF modes (single, continuous, etc) and/or AF areas with one flick. But it doesn’t allow you to switch between face detection or deep-learning settings.
While you can at least change face detection if you assign a button to AF area, you must enter the menus to enable or disable the deep learning autofocus. This strikes me as something of an oversight, particularly since Face Detect overrides all other settings and the deep learning modes sometimes ‘see’ motorcycles and cars in everyday objects. In any case, I hope this gets fixed in subsequent firmware revisions.
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| Out-of-camera JPEG, hand-held high-res shot. Notice how the palms lose some detail due to motion, and the ghosting of the individual in the lower right. ISO 200 | 1/250 sec | F5.6 | Olympus M.Zuiko 12-100mm F4 Pro |
The other feature I’d like to touch on is the hand-held high-res shot. It really, actually, works. It aligns and stacks a total of 16 images, giving you more resolution and lower noise levels. And unfortunately, you get ghosting and / or a loss of detail on moving subjects.
Because you can’t use it on moving subjects, it’s less robust than, say, the Google Pixel 3, which stacks up to 12 images each time you press the shutter and has no shutter lag. But hey, this is Olympus taking a step in the right direction, and it’s only going to improve.
Olympus is thinking of computational applications for ‘real’ cameras
And this is the big takeaway. Not only is the hand-held high-res shot showing Olympus moving toward offering you bigger-sensor image quality, but the deep-learning autofocus shows that they are thinking of computational applications for experienced users of ‘real’ cameras. They’re actively looking at ways to improve the experience of using a traditional camera through software.
Olympus could have jumped on the full-frame bandwagon and called it good (the marketing would likely have been easier). But I honestly think this path they’ve chosen is the braver, if riskier, one, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it pushes the rest of the market forward.
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Read our Olympus E-M1X Review in Progress |
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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| Photo captured and provided by NASA |
Astrophotography fans will be treated to the sight of a rare ‘super blood wolf Moon’ this weekend, and lots of helpful people are offering advice on how best to photograph it. The event will bring together the drama of the year’s first full moon at the same time as a total lunar eclipse – and the Moon passing very close to the earth. Mix all three factors and we get a very large-looking full Moon that appears a deep copper color in the sky.
Depending on where you live the blood Moon will be visible on the evening of Sunday 20th or the early morning of Monday 21st, but only those in the Americas, northern and western Europe, the eastern Pacific and the north-eastern tip of Russia will be able to see the full eclipse. Some in western Africa may get a partial eclipse.
The event will occur as the Moon passes into the earth’s shadow. As this happens sunlight is refracted by the earth’s atmosphere, bending around the earth to faintly illuminate the Moon in a warm red light – hence the ‘blood Moon’ name. As the moon will appear relatively dim in the sky it’s a great chance to get a manageable exposure to include the Moon and stars in a single shot. ‘Wolf’ in the name is present because it will be the first full moon of the year.
Resources:
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
What do you get when you combine an iconic camera brand from the past with a crowdfunding campaign for a ‘rangefinder’ camera? The Yashica Y35, that’s what. Watch Chris and Jordan try to make lemonade out of a lemon.
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Photographer Nigel Danson recently had a chance to use the new Fujifilm GFX 50R for one of his landscape shoots. In this video, he shares his thoughts on the benefits and challenges of using a medium format camera like the GFX 50R for his work. Additionally, he shows us a few prints made from the camera.
For more great content from Nigel, please visit his YouTube channel.
Visit Nigel Danson’s YouTube channel
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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During CES 2019, Moza revealed Mini-S, a new compact, highly portable handheld 3-axis gimbal stabilizer designed for smartphones measuring 55mm to 88mm wide. The stabilizer can be extended up to 17.2in / 43.6cm and folded into a compact 5.12 x 2.68 x 7.68in / 13 x 6.8 x 19.5cm form-factor when not in use.
Though designed exclusively for smartphones, the Moza Mini-S packs several advanced features, including numerous physical controls, support for vertical and horizontal orientations, multiple follow modes, and object tracking.
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The stabilizer’s base, which has a 10-degree tilt for ergonomic reasons, includes a 1/4-20″ port and a removable miniature tripod. Physical controls include a joystick, dedicated playback and Inception Mode buttons, focus control, one-button zoom, and a recording button. The internal 2200mAh battery provides 8 hours of use per charge.
The Mini-S stabilizer’s shooting modes include support for tracking objects, time-lapse, a Vertigo Mode zooming effect, and an Inception Mode that imitates the world rotation seen in the movie Inception. When paired with the Moza Genie mobile app, the phone displays a mixture of controls and camera settings for enhanced usability.
Pricing and availability haven’t been revealed yet, though News Shooter reports that Moza expects to start shipping in March.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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We’ve been shooting with the LX100 II both in and out of the studio, as part of our ongoing review. We’ve written about the camera’s operation and handling, analysed the studio scene and the camera’s dynamic range, and expanded the sample gallery.
Click here to read our expanded First Impressions Review
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Marco Krenn of YouTube channel Analog Things has shared a video showcasing a 20×24 Wisner camera, including the process of capturing and developing a photo with it.
The camera, which is located at Supersense in Vienna, Austria, is presented in great detail throughout the ten minute video, with Krenn taking a look at the ground glass and paper holder, as well as the lens, inside the bellows, and the final portrait.
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Supersense offers an online tour of its large format instant cameras, including an 8×10 Vienna Vintage Wood camera and the 20×24 camera featured in the video. The company allows visitors to schedule an appointment to have their own 20×24 or 8×10 instant portrait taken, and also sells instant film packs. In addition to its YouTube channel, Analog Things shares images related to analog photography on its Instagram account.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)