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Manfrotto Super Clamp: More than a Tripod Alternative

11 Apr

The post Manfrotto Super Clamp: More than a Tripod Alternative appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Joey J.

As a cityscape enthusiast photographer primarily shooting long exposures at blue hour (twilight and dusk), tripods are something I can’t live without. That said, we occasionally come across places where a full-size tripod is prohibited or there is no appropriate space to set one up.

In such situations, I used to rely on a mini tripod like Gorillapod (I own the “5K Stand”, their top end model with a load capacity of 5kg). However, mini tripods are a bit shaky and don’t always hold the camera weight too well. This is especially problematic when using it for long exposures, where the images end up with somewhat “soft” (i.e., not sharp enough).

How to set the Super Clamp up

LEFT: Plug a camera mounting platform adapter into a Super Clamp socket and secure it with a double-lock system. RIGHT: Mount a tripod head with the camera on the mounting platform adapter, just like you do with your regular tripod.

This is where a clamp tripod like Manfrotto Super Clamp comes in very handy. I own the Manfrotto 035 Super Clamp without the Stud and use it with the separately-sold Manfrotto 208HEX 3/8-Inch Camera Mounting Platform Adapter, as described below.

Avoid standard stud

By the way, Manfrotto also has a Super Clamp that comes with a so-called standard stud (Manfrotto 035RL Super Clamp with 2908 Standard Stud), but I recommend avoiding it because the standard stud is a bit too long. Thus, the tripod head sits about an inch out of the clamp, making the setup vulnerable for heavier camera/lens combos.

Besides, the standard stud only comes with 1/4″ screw. If your tripod head uses 3/8″ screw (most tripod heads do), you’ll need a screw adapter to convert 1/4″ screw into 3/8″ in order to screw your tripod head in.

LEFT: The Super Clamp with the standard stud inserted (a silver screw adapter is attached to convert the default 1/4″ screw into 3/8″). RIGHT: Due to the standard stud being too long, a tripod head doesn’t sit flush with the Super Clamp, leaving the camera setup rather unstable.

Reversible Short Stud

Therefore, I recommend photographers get the aforementioned Manfrotto 208HEX 3/8-Inch Camera Mounting Platform Adapter, or opt for Manfrotto 037 Reversible Short Stud (cheaper alternative). In fact, this reversible short stud is handy as it comes with both 1/4″ and 3/8″ screws. Like the mounting platform adapter, this short stud also allows a tripod head to sit flush with the Super Clamp, giving much better stability to mount a camera.

LEFT: The reversible short stud comes with both 3/8″ (top) and 1/4″ (bottom) screws. RIGHT: The reversible short stud fits perfectly into the Super Clamp (3/8″ screw on top).

With the short stud used, a tripod head sits flush with the Super Clamp. This setup can be as strong as the Super Clamp + Manfrotto 208HEX 3/8-Inch Camera Mounting Platform Adapter mentioned earlier.

Super Clamp in action

Note that a clamp tripod cannot be used anywhere you like, as it needs a rail or something similiar to be clamped onto. However, where possible, this setup is rock solid (with a load capacity of whopping 15kg), and the resulting long exposure photos are appreciably sharper than those photographed using a mini tripod or even a regular tripod.

Clamping onto a road railing.

Here we have clamping onto a thick tempered glass (clamping from the top).

You can also clamp onto things like a footbridge railing (by using short stud, instead of camera mounting platform adapter).

In addition, a clamp tripod also comes in handy at crowded photography spots that attract a lot of tourists. Setting a regular tripod up at such locations takes space on the ground and always has a risk of someone accidentally kicking tripod legs. It’ll be a catastrophe if that happens in the midst of a long exposure. With a clamp tripod that takes no space on the ground, there is no such worry.

Conclusion

I hope this post helps you consider a clamp tripod as a tripod alternative. Indeed, Super Clamp is like a game changer and more than just a mere alternative to a mini tripod, etc. Last but not least, be extra vigilant and tighten wherever must be tightened when using a clamp tripod somewhere high up. If the camera or any part is dropped, it could seriously injure people or break your gear.

The post Manfrotto Super Clamp: More than a Tripod Alternative appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Joey J.

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Almalence compares Google’s Super Resolution Zoom to its own Super Sensor solution

05 Feb

Optical zoom lenses with 2x or even 3x magnification factor are one of the the latest trends on high-end smartphones. However, you don’t necessarily need a dedicated lens to achieve better zoom results than you get from a standard digital zoom.

In the world of computational photographer one solution to getting around optical zoom is to combine a multitude of frames to capture as much detail as possible and apply some clever processing algorithms. While not nearly as clear as optical zoom — yet — these methods result in final images that aren’t far off an optical system. One such example is Google’s Super Resolution Zoom on the Pixel 3 smartphone. Through this method, the Pixel 3 can produce image detail far superior to a simple digital zoom.

But Google isn’t the only company working on this. Computational imaging company Almalence also provides imaging software solutions to mobile device and camera makers with a similar solution called SuperSensor, and it’s shown off just how capable its system is.

On its blog Almalence has compared Google’s Super Resolution to its own Super Sensor technology by installing the latter on a Google Pixel 3 and capturing a couple of test scenes.

The company’s conclusion is that Google’s Super Resolution Zoom ‘reveals some details that are indistinguishable in the normal image,’ but ‘it’s still not the best of what super resolution can achieve.’

In the 100% crops above you can see Google’s system is doing a much better job at magnifying the text in the book that served as a test subject. However, at closer inspection you’ll also see that the characters in the text is better preserved in the image captured by the Almalence system, despite an overall softer appearance.

In the original article you can find another comparison scene and all samples for download at original size, so you can form your own opinions about the performance of the two systems. In any case it’s good to see how far purely software-based systems have come when compared to a simple digital zoom. Combining such systems with optical zoom lenses should open up completely now possibilities on mobile devices.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Resources for shooting this weekend’s Super Blood Wolf Moon

19 Jan

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:

PhotoPills has produced a video explaining how to use its app to determine where the Moon will appear and its size, so you can plan your foreground and composition.

Mr Eclipse is a constant source of information on different ways to capture the spectacle, with tips and techniques for a wide range of shots.
Fred Espenak from Mr Eclipse has also written a piece for the Nikon USA website on the subject, and shows some pretty stunning pictures.
Newsweek has a piece by physics professor Walter Freeman explaining a little more how and why this phenomenon occurs.
The Royal Astronomical Society also has information and advice for observers in the UK, where the full eclipse will occur at 05.12GMT. The official guidelines state that to enjoy the sight ‘all you have to do is dress warmly and go outside.’ Sensible advice.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Rumored 8K multi-aspect sensor could point to 4K super camera (Sony a7S III?)

28 Nov

There’s been a lot of speculation about what an a7S III would look like, perhaps this rumored sensor from Sony Semiconductor provides some clues.

We’ve been speculating for a while about what a Sony a7S III would need to offer to filmmakers to offer a compelling advantage over the a7R III and a7 III. Rumors of a new sensor from Sony Semiconductor could make even our wildest speculation look rather unambitious.

With the $ 2000 a7 III able to shoot 4K footage from a 6K region of its sensor (capturing more detail than the a7S II can), Sony would have to do something clever to make an a7S III look attractive. The office was split down the middle between ‘more resolution,’ perhaps using an a9-style stacked chip to give a7 III-esque resolution but perhaps at 60p and with minimal rolling shutter, or possibly a move to 10-bit recording, to give more flexible files, particularly for anyone shooting Log or HDR video.

In a recent interview, Sony’s Kenji Tanaka told us the a7S II successor would be “more than [a7S II users] expect.”

Rumored specification of sensor capable of 36MP stills and 8K Ultra HD capture
Pixel Size (µm)	4.88
Aspect ratios	3:2 16:9
Pixel Resolutions	7380 x 4932 (3:2) 7730 x 4352 (16:9)
Active sensor area	36 x 24mm 37.1 x 20.9mm*
Rumored readout rates	10FPS @ 16-bit 60FPS @ 10-bit**

*Although the 16:9 region is wider than the 3:2 area, its diagonal length is smaller, so would be guaranteed to fit within the standard image circle of full frame lenses.
**10-bit capture would limit the camera to around 10EV of dynamic range. Video is more likely to be made from 12 or 14-bit capture, the rates for which are unspecified.

However, Sony Alpha Rumors is reporting a fairly plausible chip spec that would blow such cameras out of the water: an oversized Full Frame sensor that could shoot 36MP stills or 8K video while maintaining the same diagonal field of view (so the scope of wide-angle lenses isn’t reduced by cropping a 16:9 image out of the middle of a 3:2 sensor).

This could give a camera that makes no apparent compromise between stills shooting and video capture.

It’s possible to use a 16:9 crop (yellow) that’s wider than the standard 36 x 24mm dimensions of a full frame sensor (pink), so long as the diagonal is the same. This maintains the same diagonal angle of view: a trick Panasonic and Canon have made use of in the past.

This sensor could form the basis of one hell of a stills/video camera. Details of the chip are hazy to the point where they could be downright inaccurate, but a camera that can shoot both high-res stills and high-res video would make sense as an a7S III, since it would cost more than an a7 III but offer a lot more to videographers than the a7R III can.

Don’t get side-tracked by talk of the a7S cameras being great for low light stills: it’s no better than the a7R III

And let’s not get side-tracked by talk of the a7S cameras being great for low light stills. I’d happily put money on that being a marketing angle decided as the camera was being launched: the a7S II is no better in low light than the a7R III if you scale files down to the same size. The only reason it ever looked good in low light was that it’s the first time we’d seen ‘Dual Gain’ technology appear in a Sony sensor, and didn’t initially recognize its significance.

Does 8K capture mean 8K output?

Just because a sensor can capture 8K doesn’t mean that it would necessarily output 8K footage. Every manufacturer we’ve spoken to has told us how difficult it is to process and compress 4K footage in a camera with a small, stills-style body with no fans, because too much heat builds up. It seems unlikely that Sony could go straight from 4K stills/video cameras that have some heat buildup limitations straight to one that can process and compress four times as much data.

And that’s before you question how many people have computers or software that can edit the footage.

Could we be looking at perfectly oversampled 4K output, rather than 8K

But the question is: would it have to? There’s very little call for 8K footage yet, given that 4K is only starting to find its way into people’s homes. Sony’s current cameras can downsample 6K capture into 4K output, so could we be looking at perfectly oversampled 4K output, rather than 8K? After all, the math is likely to be easier.

The Sony a7S used 3840 x 2160 capture to produce 1920 x 1080 video with no aliasing, since this 2x oversampling let it perfectly capture all the frequencies that can be included in 1080 footage.

There’s a precedent for this, of course. The original Sony a7S captured 3840 x 2160 pixels, not to create 4K footage but as the basis for excellent 1080 video. This has a number of advantages: 2160 is the fewest pixels you need to capture to accurately represent all the frequencies you can include in an image 1080 pixels tall (This article explains why). So the a7S captured 4K, filtered-out (blurred) everything that couldn’t be conveyed in a 1920 x 1080 video, and then downsampled to produce some of the best 1080 footage we’ve ever seen.

An ‘8K’ camera could output cleaner, more detailed 4K footage than anything we’ve yet seen

A camera sampling 8K could output cleaner, more detailed 4K footage than anything we’ve yet seen. Better still, creating one output pixel from four capture pixels means you’re capturing all three primary colors at every location, so you could potentially output a 4:4:4 color signal over HDMI if you wanted. Though it’s noticeable that the a7S didn’t do this with its oversampled 1080, and most consumer recorders will only cope with 4:2:2 signals.

Does 10-bit capture mean 10-bit output?

And, just as 8K capture shouldn’t be taken to mean 8K output, 60 frame-per-second readout shouldn’t be assumed to mean 60p recording. The specs of the chip are rumored and hence hazy but if it’s true that it can only shoot 60FPS with 10-bit readout, then I’d expect a camera that records 30p (or whatever rate the sensor can maintain in 12-bit mode). This is down to the difference between capture bit-depth (which is linear and can limit the system’s dynamic range), and output bit-depth (which can contain any amount of DR). 10-bit output is pretty flexible, but 10-bit capture (with a maximum of around 10 EV of DR) is pretty limiting. So I’d expect video to come from 12-bit capture and then, ideally, be recorded and output as 10-bit files.

Venice-series/anamorphic

Of course this could all be wrong. The rumors might be completely incorrect or the idea of an a7S III (or a9S if componentry or the desire not to overshadow the a7R III saw it sold at a higher price point) could be wide-of-the-mark.

Maybe this chip could be destined for something in Sony’s CineAlta range, with the 3:2 region used for anamorphic shooting. We doubt it, though.

For instance, the expensive, Stacked CMOS sensor used in the Sony a9 (or one very closely related to it) is almost certainly the one also used in Sony’s pro-video Venice camera that costs tens of thousands of dollars. This new chip could be for a sister model for that range, with the 3:2 aspect ratio used to capture footage with anamorphic lenses, for instance.

Or maybe it’ll be a different camera maker than ends up making use of the chip.

But, whether this 36MP still/8K video sensor turns up in a Sony a7/a9 series camera or not, it seems fair to say it could be the basis of one hell of a stills/video camera.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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How Google developed the Pixel 3’s Super Res Zoom technology

18 Oct

In a blog post on its Google AI Blog, Google engineers have laid out how they created the new Super Res Zoom technology inside the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.

Over the past year or so, several smartphone manufacturers have added multiple cameras to their phones with 2x or even 3x optical zoom lenses. Google, however, has taken a different path, deciding instead to stick with a single main camera in its new Pixel 3 models and implementing a new feature it is calling Super Res Zoom.

Unlike conventional digital zoom, Super Res Zoom technology isn’t simply upscaling a crop from a single image. Instead, the technology merges many slightly offset frames to create a higher resolution image. Google claims the end results are roughly on par with 2x optical zoom lenses on other smartphones.

Compared to the standard demosaicing pipeline that needs to interpolate missing colors due to the Bayer color filter array (top), gaps can be filled by shifting multiple images one pixel horizontally or vertically. Some dedicated cameras implement this by physically shifting the sensor in one pixel increments, but the Pixel 3 does it cleverly by essentially finding the correct alignment in software after collecting multiple, randomly shifted samples. Illustration: Google

The Google engineers are using the photographer’s hand motion – and the resulting movement between individual frames of a burst – to their advantage. Google says this natural hand tremor occurs for everyone, even those users with “steady hands”, and has a magnitude of just a few pixels when shooting with a high-resolution sensor.

The pictures in a burst are aligned by choosing a reference frame and then aligning all other frames relative to it to sub-pixel precision in software. When the device is mounted on a tripod or otherwise stabilized natural hand motion is simulated by slightly moving the camera’s OIS module between shots.

As a bonus there’s no more need to demosaic, resulting in even more image detail. With enough frames in a burst any scene element will have fallen on a red, green, and blue pixel on the image sensor. After alignment R, G, and B information is then available for any scene element, removing the need for demosaicing.

For full technical detail of Google’s Super Res Zoom technology head over to the Google Blog. More information on the Pixel 3’s computational imaging features can be found here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Here’s how to create a super resolution photo with any camera

25 Apr

This is a super resolution image, creating by combining four photos in Photoshop.

We recently tested out the Pentax K-1 II’s new hand-held Pixel Shift mode which combines four images to create a ‘super resolution’ file in-camera with better detail, dynamic range and lower noise. Sadly, it also results in some unwanted processing artifacts.

But you can also create a super resolution photo without using Dynamic Pixel Shift by shooting a series of handheld images and combining them in Photoshop. Super resolution works essentially by sampling a scene multiple times with slight shifts in framing, which allows details to be localized with sub-pixel precision (since shifts are unlikely to be perfect multiples of one pixel). The result is a file with improved resolution, less noise, more dynamic range but no artifacts. The best part is you can do this with the camera of your choosing. For the sake of this example, we did it with the Pentax K-1 II.

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Following a simple step-by-step Photoshop recipe (listed below), we created a super resolution file stacking four images – the same number used by Dynamic Pixel Shift – and one stacking 20 images, just for fun. We down-sampled the files to the original resolution (36MP). Right off the bat, the difference between our four image stack and a standalone Raw file is like night and day.

Similarly, the difference$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4014–1567822084”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4014); }); }) between our 4 image stack and Dynamic Pixel Shift mode is also substantial. Areas where Dynamic Pixel Shift displays artifacts$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4010-939092746”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4010); }); }) look clean in our 4-stack. This is observable throughout our sample scene$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4011–1901282620”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4011); }); }). Interestingly, the difference between the 4 image and 20 image super resolution examples is less noticeable$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4012–1917693503”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4012); }); }). While there is some advantage$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4013–396364473”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4013); }); }) to stacking more images, returns are diminishing.

You’ll notice we’ve included two versions of our 4-stack and 20-stack: Median and Average, which refer to the stacking method used in Photoshop (described in detail below). Overall, the median method handles ghosting from moving objects$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-4015-104250703”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(4015); }); }) better than the averaging method.

Methodology

There are numerous tutorials providing instructions for creating a super resolution image in Photoshop – this one by Ian Norman on PetaPixel is among our favorites. Distilled down to its simplest terms, there are four easy steps:

Bring all images into Photoshop as a stack of layers
Resize the image to 200% width and 200% height using ‘Nearest Neighbor’
Auto align all the layers
Average the layers by setting each layer’s opacity to 1/layer number (the 1st layer will be 1/1 so 100% opacity, the 2nd layer will be 1/2 so 50% opacity, and the 4th layer will be 1/4 or 25% opacity, and so on).
Sharpen the image using a Radius setting of 2, and a suitable Amount setting (we used 200% for the 4 image stack and 300% for the 20 image stack – the more images you stack the more amenable the composite will be to aggressive sharpening)

Alternatively, for the fourth step you can convert all layers to a ‘Smart Object’ and change the stacking mode to ‘Median’. This can help deal with ghosting from movement in your final image, but can also take longer to process.

Finally, you can resize the final output by 50% width and height (we prefer Bicubic resampling for this step) to get the shot back to its original resolution, but with far more detail and cleaner output. Or, you can opt to save the high-resolution file if you print big, but just keep in mind that for a 36MP camera, that’s a 144MP file. You can always re-upscale a super resolution file you’ve shrunk, and if you use the ‘Preserve Details 2.0’ resampling method in Photoshop to do so, the results are often impressive and hard to distinguish from the higher resolution super resolution file.

Takeaway

You don’t need any particularly special camera to generate images that look like they were taken with a higher resolution, larger sensor camera. Just use the technique outlined here or in Ian’s article.

And if you’re shooting landscapes and cityscapes, you likely already have multiple photos of the same composition captured with changing light. Chances are that due to the wind, natural vibrations, etc., the shots have at least some sub-pixel movement between them (you can always gently nudge your camera between exposures to ensure there’s at least some shift). So why not go back through your library and take advantage of super resolution?

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Samsung’s super fast 970 PRO and EVO NVMe SSDs offer ‘exceptional endurance’

25 Apr

Samsung Electronics has launched the 970 PRO and EVO solid state drives (SSD), aimed at tech enthusiasts and professionals. Thanks to very fast read/write speeds and large capacities they look like interesting options for anyone handling and editing large amounts of image or video data.

The new drives come in the M.2 form factor and with the latest PCIe Gen 3×4 lane interface, offering NVM Express (NVMe) bandwidth. The 970 PRO is capable of sequential read speed of up to 3,500 MB/s and sequential write speed of up to 2,700 MB/s. The EVO models offers the same read speed but a slightly slower write speed of up to 2,500 MB/s. In terms of write speed that equals a 30 percent improvement over the previous 960 generation.

Samsung has achieved this by implementing its latest V-NAND technology and an upgraded Phoenix controller. Additionally, the 970 EVO Samsung’s TurboWrite technology uses a buffer of up to 78GB to enable even faster write speeds.

That said, the new models aren’t only fast, Samsung also claims they are very reliable. Samsung’s Dynamic Thermal Guard technology protects the drives against overheating through temperature monitoring, and a heat spreader and new nickel-coating on the controller lower temperatures further. Samsung’s warranty covers a 5 year period or up to 1,200 terabytes written.

The 970 EVO will be available in 250GB, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB sizes, the 970 PRO with capacities of 512GB and 1TB. Both drives will be available worldwide starting May 7th, 2018. The Pro model starts at $ 330, while the smallest EVO drive will set you back $ 120.

More information, including full specs, is available on the Samsung Electronics website.

Press Release

Samsung Electronics Sets New Performance Standards for NVMe SSDs with 970 PRO and EVO

New 970 series enables high-performance computing through enhanced speed, exceptional endurance and system design flexibility

Samsung Electronics, today introduced the Samsung 970 PRO and EVO, the third generation of its industry-leading consumer solid state drive (SSD) lineup. Having led the market with the first consumer-focused NVMe SSD in 2015, Samsung continues to push the performance barriers with this latest generation of SSDs that are built for tech enthusiasts and professionals so that they can enjoy higher bandwidth for intensive workloads on PCs and workstations.

“Samsung has led the NVMe SSD industry since its inception, and the company continues to define the latest standards of consumer storage with unprecedented performance of the 970 PRO and EVO SSDs,” said Un-Soo Kim, senior vice president of Brand Product Marketing, Memory Business at Samsung Electronics. “The 970 series sets a new bar in all aspects for the NVMe SSD market with groundbreaking performance, superior reliability and best-in-class capacity.”

The Samsung 970 PRO and EVO are designed based on the M.2 form factor standard and with the latest PCIe Gen 3×4 lane interface. The 970 series maximizes the potential of NVMe bandwidth, delivering unparalleled performance for processing large volumes of data, including 3D, 4K graphics work, high-end games and data analytics.

The 970 PRO enables sequential read speed of up to 3,500 MB/s and sequential write speed of up to 2,700 MB/s¹, while the EVO features sequential read speed of up to 3,500 MB/s and sequential write speed of up to 2,500 MB/s². The sequential write speeds represent an enhancement of up to 30 percent over the previous generation³, thanks to Samsung’s latest V-NAND technology and the newly designed Phoenix controller. The 970 EVO, in particular, utilizes the Intelligent TurboWrite technology, which uses a large buffer size of up to 78GB⁴ to enable faster write speeds.

In addition to the advancements in performance levels, the 970 PRO and EVO deliver exceptional endurance and reliability. Featuring a five-year warranty⁵, or up to 1,200 terabytes written⁶ – 50 percent higher than those provided for the previous generation⁷ – the 970 PRO and EVO are built to last. The Dynamic Thermal Guard technology safeguards against overheating by automatically monitoring and maintaining optimal operating temperatures, while a heat spreader and new nickel-coated controller further lower the SSD temperatures.

The 970 PRO and EVO also provide greater system design flexibility for the high-performance computing systems. Offering a variety of high capacity options in a compact M.2 form factor – including the single-sided 2TB EVO model – the 970 series enables convenient storage expansion across a wide range of computing devices.

The 970 EVO will be offered in 250GB, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB⁸ capacities, and the 970 PRO in 512GB and 1TB capacities. The 970 PRO and EVO will be available for purchase worldwide starting May 7, 2018, with manufacturer’s suggested retail prices starting at $ 329.99 and $ 119.99 USD, respectively. For more information, including warranty details, please visit www.samsung.com/SSD, www.samsungssd.com.

¹ 970 PRO and EVO performance may vary based on SSD’s firmware version, system hardware and configuration. Performance measurements based on IOmeter 1.1.0. *Test system configuration: Intel Core i7-7700K CPU @4.2GHz, DDR4 2400MHz 32GB, OS-Windows 10 Built 10240, Chipset–ASUS PRIME Z270-A.

² Performance may vary based on SSD’s firmware version, system hardware and configuration. Performance measurements based on IOmeter 1.1.0.
Write performance measurements are based on Intelligent TurboWrite technology.
The sequential write performances after TurboWrite region are: 300 MB/s(250GB), 600 MB/s(500GB), 1,200 MB/s(1TB) and 1,250 MB/s(2TB).
The random write performances after TurboWrite region are: 80,000 IOPS(250GB), 160,000 IOPS(500GB) and 300,000 IOPS(1TB/2TB).
* Test system configuration: Intel Core i7-7700K CPU @4.2GHz, DDR4 2400MHz 32GB, OS-Windows 10 Built 10240, Chipset–ASUS PRIME Z270-A.

³ Up to 29% and 32% in sequential write speeds, respectively, have increased when compared to Samsung 960 PRO and EVO.

⁴ 970 EVO Intelligent TurboWrite buffer size varies based on the capacity of the SSD: 13GB for 250GB model, 22GB for 500GB model, 42GB for 1TB model and 78GB for 2TB model. For more information on the TurboWrite, please visit www.samsungssd.com.

⁵ Five years or TBW, whichever comes first. For more information on the warranty, please find the enclosed warranty document in the package.

⁶ Warrantied TBW(Total byte written) for 970 PRO: 600TB for 512GB model, 1,200TB for 1TB model; Warrantied TBW(Total byte written) for 970 EVO: 150TB for 250GB model, 300TB for 500GB model, 600TB for 1TB model, 1,200TB for 2TB.

⁷ 50% increase when compared to Samsung 960 PRO and EVO.

⁸ 1GB=1,000,000,000 bytes by IDEMA. A certain portion of capacity may be used for system file and maintenance use, so the actual capacity may differ from what is indicated on the product label.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Sony unveils FS5 II Super 35mm camera with 4K HDR and 120fps RAW

10 Apr

Sony has announced the latest member of its professional Super 35mm lineup, the FS5 II. Similar in looks and functionality to its predecessor, the upgrades to the FS5 II are mostly features that were available to its predecessor through paid updates—only now they’re ‘free’.

Inside, the Super 35 Exmor CMOS sensor remains untouched. Likewise, the E-mount body of the camera remains identical aside from the updated nameplate and a different color neutral density dial. Where the camera gets the biggest changes is in its color science, Raw shooting modes, and high frame rate functionality.

The stand-out feature of the FS5 II is the updated color science that’s gone into it. Sony says it’s taken everything it’s learned from developing the 6K Venice camera and brought it into the much more compact (and affordable) FS5 II. The changes are said to yield ‘rich mid-range colours, alluring facial tones, and a softer tonal look’. Also added are nine color profiles, including a few designed specifically for S-Log2 and S-Log3.

Here’s a closer look at the new camcorder:

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Also present in the FS5 II is Sony’s ‘Instant HDR’ workflow. This is one of the features available for the FS5 via a paid update, but it comes standard on the FS5 II. The Instant HDR workflow eliminates the need for color grading footage. This effectively means HDR video can be streamed straight from the camera when shot in HLG/BT.2020 mode.

Finally, the FS5 II features dual SD card slots that can internally record video up to 4K/30p and Full HD video at 1080/120p. For higher-resolution and RAW video, an external recorder is needed; however, if you are using an external recorder, the FS5 II can output 4K/60p video and even RAW 4K/120p, but only in four second bursts. At 2K, the FS5 II can output continuous RAW footage at 240fps.

The FS5 II is expected to launch in June 2018 for $ 4,750 USD body-only. For more details, check out the overview video at the top or head over to the Sony Pro website.

Sony Introduces FS5 II with 4K HDR, 120fps RAW and New Color Science

Sony’s Popular Super 35 mm handheld Camcorder Adds New Functionality Based on User Demand

Sony’s new Large Format Sensor lineup is expanding with the introduction of the FS5 II (Body: PXW-FS5M2, Lens Kit: PXW-FS5M2K). Complete with stunning 4096 x 2160 4K HDR and 120fps performance at 60Hz mode (and 100fps at 50Hz mode), as well as RAW capabilities, the new Super 35 mm camcorder marries outstanding image quality with an ergonomic modular frame, offering content creators ultimate creative flexibility.

In addition to S-Log 2/3, the FS5 II offers Instant HDR Workflow to produce HDR content, when shooting in HLG/BT.2020 mode, for quick post-production without the need for grading.

The FS5 II interchangeable lens, E-mount camcorder offers flexibility for applications including web commercials, music video production, dramas, corporate and event videography and documentaries.

Designed to meet the requirements of today’s content creators, the FS5 II features an all-new look with a refined picture tone to capture natural highlights, subtle, alluring and well rendered facial tones and a softer tonal look, for capturing lifelike portrayals. Using the accumulated expertise of Sony’s digital cinematography camera VENICE, the FS5 II promises a fresh and vivid look while still retaining plenty of creative options in post-production, as a result of its high performance 4K Super 35 Exmor® CMOS sensor.

Takuro Ema, product manager for Sony Professional Solutions Americas explains, “When Sony develops new camera technologies we gather feedback from all ends of the production chain – from DOPs to post production professionals. This camera was no exception. We’ve evolved and developed our hugely popular FS5 with default shooting capabilities and the FS5 II is now a powerful addition to the Large Format Sensor line-up which promises even more flexibility and creative choices.”

The FS5 II builds on Sony’s heritage for image quality, delivering stunning High Frame rate shots supporting four seconds of 120fps in 4K and continuous 240fps at 60Hz mode and 200fps at 50Hz mode in 2K (2048X1080) RAW output when used in conjunction with a compatible external recorder. Continuous 4K 60fps RAW output at 59.94p is fully supported, with 50fps supported at 50Hz mode.

The camcorder also offers High Frame Rate (HFR) recording to an internal SD card at Full HD 10bit 4:2:2 image quality and a frame rate of up to 240 fps of 8-second cache recording, allowing up to 10 x slow motion and capturing 239.76fps at HD or 2K, and playback at 23.98p. Continuous recording of 120fps in Full HD is also supported.

With an Instant HDR Workflow users can now reduce time in post-production and produce high-quality HDR content quickly without the need of grading. For productions of longer lead-times, S-Log 2/3 allows the HDR image to be fine-tuned via color grading.

Lightweight but robust, theFS5 II’s well balanced 0.8kg body, adaptability and creative features make it a perfect fit for movie shooting, while its modular design makes it easy to reconfigure for any application including mounting on a gimbal or drone. Sony’s unique Electronic Variable ND filter with Auto ND function covers a wide range of exposure adjustment, as well as creating a wide range of shallow Depth of Field control.

Now with ten Picture Profile settings, the FS5 II allows users to instantly and easily configure the camera for different shooting styles, such as cinematic and online content creation.

The FS5 II is planned to be available in June, with expected pricing as follows:

PXW-FS5M2, body only — $ 4,750 USD and $ 5,940 CAD
PXW-FS5M2K, with lens — $ 5,250 USD and $ 6,560 CAD

For further information, please visit www.sony.com/pro.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos

30 Jan

“There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.” Ernst Haas

Do you ever ask yourself why the images you capture are not like the ones you see in your mind’s eye?

Do you ever wonder why your photos don’t look as good as a professional’s? What makes theirs look so great?

The answer is – probably because you are shooting in Auto!

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 5 seconds, f/8.0, ISO 100

Get more creative with Manual Mode

A professional takes full creative control over every aspect of the photo and makes creative choices in the image creation process. Aperture, shutter speed and ISO are the base. If you don’t control these then you will be unable to create the best possible image.

Digital cameras nowadays make exposure so easy. There doesn’t seem to be a good reason to shoot on manual. But there is – it’s creativity. Specifically, creative exposures.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1/200th, f/2.2, ISO 500

Take control of the process

If you want awesome photos, then shooting with control is the most important part of the creative journey with photography. With Manual Mode, you get full control. Total creativity.

I know a lot of people feel intimidated trying Manual, but I have taught hundreds of people to feel comfortable and confident with it so I know it’s totally possible for anyone to learn.

Even if you aren’t tech-minded, you can do this! All you need is the basic understanding of the process – and practice.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 30 seconds, f/10, ISO 200

The camera cannot (at least at the moment) make creative choices in the way that you can. You’ll often end up with un-dynamic exposures when the camera chooses for you.

How many well-exposed photos do you see on Facebook? The majority are shot using some Automatic Mode or another. They are all the same base density. Sure, they are properly exposed, but that base exposure is just the beginning when shooting with intent.

All those exposures start from the same base, zero. Many photographers just leave it there because it looks good, it looks “correct”. That is Auto.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1.6 seconds, f/10, ISO 50

Exposure is part of photographic artistry. Don’t pass on it just because your photos look good….they can be so much better!

Here is the simple method I use to explain the process of shooting in Manual Mode.

The Exposure Triangle

Shooting in Manual Mode means controlling three fundamental settings in photography:

ISO
Aperture
Shutter Speed

Together they are collectively known as “The Exposure Triangle”.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 13 seconds, f/9, ISO 250

What do these three controls do?

ISO is the camera’s sensitivity to light. Think of it this way – do you want the sensor to absorb light quickly, sacrificing detail and contrast (high ISO), or do you want to let the light in slowly absorbing every color, capturing every juicy detail (low ISO)?
Aperture controls the INTENSITY of the light flowing onto the sensor. Think of coming out of a Saturday afternoon matinee and how intense the light is after being in the dark for a few hours. You’re practically blinded for a moment (until your pupils adjust to the light and become smaller – the aperture opens and closes much the same way). That’s intensity!
Shutter Speed (SS) is a time value – in other words, how long is the exposure. The time is combined with the intensity of the light from your Aperture setting. Shutter speed is represented as 1/250th of a second, for example.

These three settings are all you need to know about making a manual exposure. That’s it. Now let talk about how to approach it.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1/30th, f/2.2, ISO 3200

Think ISO first

When making a manual exposure ISO should always be your first consideration!

There are two questions you have to ask yourself before you start making exposures.

How much light is on the subject?
This is essentially a technical decision. (ISO)
How can I make my subject look its best?
This is essentially a creative decision. (Shutter speed and Aperture combination)

The answers to these questions are the key to the whole process. Once you have the answers, you can set your exposure.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1/125, f/13, ISO 400

This is how I shoot in Manual Mode, explained in three easy steps.

Step #1 – How much light is on the subject?

Do I have:

Full daylight
A gloomy interior
A heavily shaded area between buildings
And so on…

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 2 seconds, f/10, ISO 320

First off, I’ll set my ISO accordingly. I usually go for the lowest ISO I can get away with shooting handheld. If I have a tripod I’ll go even lower. You can go almost a whole day without needing to change your ISO much.

It’s the easiest thing to set and forget. But if you need to move it you can. This is not a big deal on modern cameras where image quality is amazing at almost any ISO.

ISO scale - Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos

TIP #1

Set your ISO and don’t think about it unless the light level changes a lot – like you go indoors, the sun sets, or you walk into a heavily shaded area, etc. You get the point.

TIP #2

Look at the light! Photography is a study of light, after all, so your first step is to learn to really see it, to observe what it is doing, its strength and quality. When you have a deep familiarity with light from willfully observing it, you grow to know it.

Being aware of light levels makes shooting in manual much easier. When you are out, be tuned in to the light.

Step #2 – I ask myself “What is my priority?”

How do I decide what is the priority for my shot?

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 10 seconds, f/11, ISO 50

It all comes down to what I’m shooting – prioritizing shutter speed or aperture to whatever I think will make my subject look its best.

Am I shooting landscapes and want a wide depth of field? (select a small aperture like f/16).
Am I shooting portraits and so want a shallow depth of field? (aperture again, this time a wide setting like f/2.8).
Perhaps I am shooting sports or action, and want pin-sharp images of fast-moving subjects? (shutter speed this time – choose a fast one to freeze the subject like 1/2000th).

I’ll make my choice of shutter speed or aperture as my top priority. Now I have two points of the exposure triangle set. For the last setting, I adjust the exposure on the light meter scale.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1/15th, f/4.5, ISO 12,800

Step #3 – Adjusting the exposure

Now is the time to look at the camera meter.

Use the light meter scale – get the marker near the center or thereabouts with the one remaining dial (in other words if you chose the aperture in step #2, the last one being set here is the shutter speed). On this -2 to +2 scale, where you place the exposure matters a lot! This is the essence of creative exposures. It dictates the mood of the photograph.

Being in the centre or “0” position is rarely the right exposure for me.

Light meter scale - Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos Light Meter Scale

Remember, each point of the exposure triangle is NOT fixed. Each click or interval (usually in 1/3 increments) are equal, so 2 (+) clicks of ISO is equal to 2 (-) clicks of aperture or shutter speed. These are called reciprocating exposures and they are the key to shooting creatively.

So, if you find yourself in a situation where you would like a little faster shutter speed, then do it. But compensate with an equal but opposite amount of another setting. What choice you make at this point is completely creative, not technical.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 3.2 seconds, f/4.5, ISO 100

TIP # 3

Let’s say you are shooting a landscape with a good foreground, a large tree perhaps, You set your aperture to f/16 for good depth of field (priority), ISO is at 100 and you have a shutter speed of 1/60th. This is a classic landscape exposure – with a lot of Depth of Field.

For an alternative image of the same scene, you could think of the tree as a portrait photo and open up the aperture to f/4 (+4 stops) and adjust the shutter speed to 1/1000th (-4 stops) keeping the ISO at 100 and the exposure the same.

You would lose most of the Depth of Field, but gain a nice bokeh making the tree isolated, like a good portrait. Now you’ve created a different feel to a classic landscape using a reciprocating exposure. But wait, there is still more you can do!

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 2.5 seconds @ f/4.0 ISO 100

Now, how about underexposing this scene by 1-1.5 stops to create a more low-key moody image. If the tree was in bright sun and the background shaded, I would instinctively underexpose to emphasize that contrast.

Putting it all into practice

You will miss a few exposures now and then. Everyone does, but don’t let it discourage you. I think a big part of the fear of shooting in Manual Mode is the, “I will miss the shot”echoing in people’s heads. Like I say, it happens to everyone.

Losing a few shots is still worth the wealth of knowledge and creativity you get from sticking with it and totally controlling your photography. Those missed shots will appear less and less as you improve, and your new found skill shooting in manual will reflect in your photos.

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 2 seconds @ f/5.0 ISO 50

I recommend you shoot at least 1,000 images in your practice. If you really focus, you could nail Manual Mode over a weekend. There is no substitute for practice.

Slow down and have fun! It will be worth every bad shot you take.

Study your images in post-production

Once you have taken your images, it is a really good idea to study your images in post-processing. All of the information about exposure is stored in the metadata which you access in a program like Lightroom (you can filter and sort your images by ISO, Aperture, etc.).

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1/30th, f/8, ISO 50

A few more final words – and action steps!

Did you know that two of the best ways to fully learn something is to:

Practice it
Explain it or teach it to someone else

By practicing it over and over you are teaching it into your body, almost like muscle memory. You do it so many times you’ll end up with it being automatic like it is for me (and those with years of experience who make it look effortless).

Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos 1/400th @ f/4.0 ISO 200

By explaining it, preferably a few times, to someone else, your brain starts to build new neural networks (which happens anytime you learn anything). So if you want to remember anything, you need to keep the neural networks alive, and by repeating it, explaining it, and practicing it over and over you’ll make that a solid memory in your brain.

So the short term work of repetition leads to remembering it long term. How cool is that?

I really, really hope this has helped you “get” Manual Mode. I love the creative possibilities of photography, and it makes all the difference when you feel comfortable with your tools. I would love to know if this has helped you – and if you’ll take the leap to practice shooting in manual.

The post Super Simple Introduction to Manual Mode and How it Will Transform Your Photos by Anthony Epes appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Kodak Super 8 camera footage showcased in newly published sample reel

17 Jan

During CES 2016, Kodak announced plans to resurrect its Super 8 format via the launch of a new Kodak Super 8 camera, one that will blend analog and digital technologies. Following that announcement was a hands-on look at the new Super 8 camera during CES 2017, but an actual product launch is still forthcoming. Getting us closer to that point is Kodak’s latest update on the project: it’s showcasing footage recorded with the Super 8 camera during CES 2018.

The new Kodak Super 8 camera is a hybrid of sorts, pairing a 3.5″ LCD “viewfinder” with an 8mm film cartridge for a simultaneous digital and analog experience. A control wheel is paired with the display for controlling the camera in lieu of touchscreen functionality or manual controls. This is joined by a Ricoh 6mm F1.2 prime lens and C-mount compatible with additional lenses.

True to its hybrid nature, the new Kodak Super 8 camera also features an integrated SD card slot; audio is recorded to the media card, whereas the film cartridge is mailed to Kodak after recording is finished. After developing the film, Kodak mails it back to the customer, and also uploads the content to the cloud where the customer can download a digitized version.

As noted by Cinema5D, Kodak also released a podcast about a month ago with an update on the Super 8 project. A firm launch date and price haven’t yet been provided, but the Kodak Super 8 camera is expected to launch this year at a price between $ 2,500 and $ 3,000 USD.

Via: Cinema5D

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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