Treat « 360Photography

RSS

Posts Tagged ‘Treat’

Treat yourself 2020: The ultimate photographers’ gift guide

27 Nov

A gift guide just for you

It’s been a doozy of a year but thankfully, it wasn’t all sour grapes. While many aspects of society ground to a halt, manufacturers still had cool and exciting products in their pipelines that they managed to bring to market.

And while opportunities to get and out shoot may be limited at the moment, we can still dream big. And what better way to do that than by ‘browser window shopping’. What follows is a rundown of the headiest products of 2020, the ones photographers really want. So pour a tall cold one and get ready to treat yourself!

Canon EOS R5

There’s no two ways about it, the gold award-winning Canon EOS R5 is our favorite mirrorless camera over $ 3000 and perhaps Canon’s most impactful full-framer since the 5D Mark II. And while the RF mount is still relatively new, there’s no shortage of fast aperture primes and F2.8 zooms available, including ‘the holy trinity’ of the 15-35mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm.

Well-suited to enthusiasts and professionals alike, the R5 offers outstanding image quality, excellent ergonomics, fast burst shooting and fabulous autofocus performance, not to mention lovely oversampled 4K. In short, if you really want to treat yourself to the best of the best, it’s the camera to get.

View our Canon EOS R5 sample gallery

Fujifilm X100V

Of course, not everyone wants or needs an interchangeable lens camera, for some of us, the simplicity and GAS-reducing nature of a fixed lens camera offers greater appeal. Lucky for folks in this camp, two new large-sensor, fixed lens cameras are featured on this year’s list including the glorious Fujifilm X100V.

Which begs the question: What do you get when you take a wonderfully designed camera and tweak it over the course of four generations based on user feedback, without straying from the original ethos? Why, the X100V of course. Building on its legacy, the ‘V’ bring all sorts of lovely refinements to the series including a newly designed lens with better corner/close-up sharpness, an updated sensor and AF system, better build-quality, a tilting touchscreen and more!

View our Fujifilm X100V sample gallery

Leica Q2 Monochrom

Another fixed-lens, large-sensor camera launched this year is a ‘Monochrom’ version of the Leica Q2, a staff favorite here at DPR. The camera’s B&W-only sensor offers improved dynamic range and noise performance over its color sensor counterpart. Plus, the super sharp 28mm F1.7 lens and moody monochrome output make it the perfect all-in-one option for street photographers, live music shooters and/or anyone who loves shooting after the sun goes down.

And while some may find 28mm a tad too wide, the camera’s 47MP full-frame sensor provides ample resolution for cropping. Plus the Q2 Monochrom handles just like the standard Q2, which is to say it’s built like a tank and both straightforward and immensely gratifying to shoot with. And immense gratification is what ‘treat yourself’ is all about.

View our Leica Q2 Monochrom
sample gallery

GoPro Hero9 Black

GoPro’s latest flagship, the Hero9 Black, is a seriously impressive piece of kit and easily the most compelling action camera to come out in quite some time. For filmmakers, it can shoot up to 5K/30p, offering room to crop in post, assuming you’re outputting 4K, or 4K/60p. And GoPro’s Hypersmooth video image stabilization is jaw-droppingly good. On the stills side, resolution has jumped from 12MP on previous models to 20MP on Hero9 Black.

The camera isn’t just capable though, it’s also well-designed: control/menus are accessed via the rear touchscreen and the whole unit is water/freeze/dust-proof without the need for a case. It also provides improved battery life over predecessors, a front-facing ‘live’ screen and even the option to attach an accessory wide angle lens. In short, it’s the perfect companion for anyone’s extreme lifestyle, whether that means leisurely bike rides to the park or free-climbing rock faces. Treat yourself!

iPhone 12 Pro & 12 Pro Max

iPhones, like GoPros, tend to see iterative yearly updates, but occasionally a new model drops with enough advancements that it’s impossible to ignore. The iPhone 12 Pro is that model and the ultimate ‘treat yourself’ device, not just from a photo/video shooting perspective but also when it comes to displaying and viewing your work.

Apple devices have been able to shoot HDR photos and videos for some time, but this new model (like all iPhone 12 models) can now display 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR on a beautiful OLED screen, right from within the photo app: an industry first!

The camera is also impressive. It consists of three 12MP modules, including standard wide-angle (with a 47% larger sensor than its predecessor), an ultra-wide and telephoto options. Additionally, the phone will make use of Apple’s new Raw format, ProRaw, in beta now and coming soon. And, as if that’s not enough, Apple claims the device has enough processing power to make it 50% faster than any phone currently on the market (not to mention, it’s 5G-enabled). Now that’s a treat!

View our iPhone 12 sample gallery

Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art

Everyone needs a good 85mm portrait lens and Sigma’s latest 85mm offering for mirrorless full-frame E-mount and L-mount makes a strong case for inclusion in your kit.

One thing that truly sets it apart from others like it, including 2016’s Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art, is its compact and lightweight design. However, despite a comparatively smaller footprint, this lens remains optically outstanding, offering really good sharpness at all apertures (including in the corners), minimal chromatic aberrations and well-controlled ghosting and flare.

It’s also ‘dust and splash proof’ and impressively well-built. And at $ 1200, the Sigma is priced more affordably than the competition, too. Which is to say, it checks all the boxes for what make an outstanding F1.4 portrait lens – a difficult feat and a major treat.

Watch our video review of the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art

DJI Mavic Air 2

Have you been holding out for the right moment to spread your wings and treat yourself to a drone? Well my friends, the moment is now. DJI’s new Mavic Air 2 represents the most lust-worthy enthusiast drone to launch in some time.

The perfect balance of size and capability, Air 2 fits in the palm of your hand but can deliver great stills image quality from its 1/2″ 48MP CMOS sensor, including both Raw and JPEGs formats. It can also shoot up to 4K/60p video and offers a variety of accident avoidance technologies as well features like subject tracking, HDR video and a panorama mode. Battery life is a useful 34 minutes and perhaps most importantly, the Mavic Air 2 is easy and enjoyable to fly.

Read our DJI Mavic Air 2 review

Olympus 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x

I’ve tried my best to keep this year’s ‘Treat Yourself’ guide somewhat mount-agnostic, but certain new glass is just too darn difficult to ignore. Take, for instance, the new Olympus 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x for Micro Four Thirds bodies. It’s not for everyone, but for a certain type of photographer, this is the the ultimate optical treat!

I’m talking of course about nature and wildlife photographers. Olympus’ king of tele-s packs a whopping 300-800mm equiv. focal range into a surprisingly well-sized, well-weighted body. But that’s not all! A 1.25x built-in teleconverter bumps that reach to an impressive 1000mm (at the cost of 2/3 EV of light). And, as is the case with most high-end Olympus gear, this lens is sealed against dust and moisture, and built to take some punishment – just be sure to protect that big, beautiful 95mm front element!

View our Olympus 150-40mm F4.5 TC1.25x sample gallery

DJI Pocket 2

The second iteration of DJI’s pocket-friendly vlogging machine is a real winner. This little unit is easy-to-use, offers a nice wide 20mm field-of-view (wider than its predecessor) and shoots high quality, super-smooth 4K video. It also features an updated four-way directional in-camera microphone, capable of recording good quality audio without the need for an accessory mic. And did we mention it’s pocketable?

Basically, the Pocket 2 is the perfect no-fuss, all-in-one vlogging machine and the right piece of kit for sharing your adventures with the world. And while now might not be a great time to leave your house and embark on any adventures, the Pocket 2 will be waiting for you when it’s safe to travel again. So go on and treat yourself to this tiny wonder.

Watch our DJI Pocket 2 video review

There you have it, our favorite lust-worthy gear of the year. Here’s hoping 2021 has even more treats in store. Until next time, Treat yourself!

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Treat yourself 2019: 10 gifts for the most important photographer in your life: you

17 Nov

Treat Yourself 2019

You’ve worked hard and been good all year, it’s time to treat yourself.

Photographers are notorious for being difficult to please when it comes to gift receiving. We often have both brand-specific and/or expensive taste. So this holiday season, instead of leaving your holiday wishes up to the gift gods/friends and family, why not indulge yourself in the gear you actually want?

We’ve spent all of 2019 shooting, testing and obsessing over the latest cameras, lenses and accessories. And what follows are the items we, as the staff of DPR, most desire. For photographers, by photographers, we present Treat Yourself 2019. Happy shopping!

Peak Design Travel Tripod

Peak Design Travel Tripod | $ 350 (aluminum), $ 600 (carbon fiber) | PeakDesign.com

By far one of the hottest accessories to come out this year was the Peak Design Travel Tripod. Available in aluminum and carbon fiber, it’s quickly become our favorite tripod for on-the-go work thanks to its compact size (it breaks down smaller than the competition), high-degree of stability and well-designed, low-profile ballhead.

We obviously prefer the carbon fiber version, which is lighter and more stable than the aluminum one. But we’d still take PD’s aluminum model over just about any other travel tripod in the game. So treat yourself to the gift of stability, wherever you may go.

View our Peak Design Travel Tripod
hands-on slideshow

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Sony RX100 VII | $ 1300 | Sony.com

Sony got just about everything right in the RX100 VII, the ultimate do-it-all compact camera. The RX100 series has long impressed, but it wasn’t until this iteration that they really nailed down the autofocus implementation as well as the AF performance. Sony also made a series of much-needed usability improvements.

These upgrades help to better unlock the camera’s full potential, allowing users to make the most of a long, sharp, versatile zoom lens, super-fast burst shooting and class-leading stills and video quality. So treat yourself to the Swiss Army Knife of cameras.

Read our Sony RX100 VII Review conclusion

Sony TOUGH SD cards

Sony Tough Cards | $ 60 (32GB), $ 110 (64GB), $ 210 (128GB) | Sony.com

One thing we lost when the industry mostly abandoned CF cards in favor of SD cards is the structural integrity of the media. Like many photographers, I have an ever-growing pile of busted SD cards at my desk, some with missing ribs, some with cracks along their seams and others that have just disintegrated completely. Fortunately Sony has solved the issue of the fragile SD with their SF-G series TOUGH cards.

These cards are molded from one piece of composite material with no seams and no ribs around the contact points. They’re drop, crush and bend-proof far beyond that of a traditional SD card. And an IP68 dust and water-proof rating means they’re not going to let you down, even in the worst conditions. Plus they offer super-fast transfer speeds up to 299Mb/s and write speeds up to 200MB/s. Simply put, these are the most reliable cards we’ve come across. And there’s no better treat than peace of mind.

Gnarbox 2.0 SSD

Gnarbox 2.0 SSD | $ 500 (256GB), $ 600 (512GB), $ 900 (1TB) | Gnarbox.com

Speaking of peace of mind, having reliable memory cards is only part of the battle. The journey from photos being shot, to being backed up properly is one with occasional bumps in the roads – bumps that can cause devastation.

The Gnarbox 2.0 SSD looks to smooth out some of these bumps by offering a rugged go-anywhere SSD solution meant for backing up files as soon as they’re shot, with the added ability to tag and sort images via mobile device. The Gnarbox has a built-in SD slot, USB-C connectivity and a Micro-HDMI port. It’s also weather, dust and impact-resistant. Batteries are swappable and it can even be used to charge another device. But perhaps most importantly, transfer speeds are super-fast (up to 350MB/s), plus integration with Photo Mechanic and Lightroom makes it an even more versatile tool for those on-the-go. It’ll even play nice with iPad Pro devices when connected via USB-C.

Olympus XA 35mm film rangefinder

Olympus XA | $ 65-120 (used)

We’ve long preached the values of shooting film as a photographic companion to your digital work, or vice versa. Both mediums offer benefits that will improve your photography. Seeing as this is a digital camera site, we figured most people around here don’t have analog on their mind. But let’s change that.

If you’ve never shot film, or haven’t in a while, the Olympus XA is an enjoyable and affordable entry into the 35mm medium. Released in the late 70’s, this pocketable aperture-priority rangefinder (one of the world’s smallest) offers a fixed 35mm F2.8 lens hidden behind a sliding cover. The lens is sharp, the shutter is very quiet and the camera itself is full of wacky charm, from the tiny rangefinder tab, to the big red square shutter release, to the four-bladed aperture. In short, the XA is both fun and capable, without taking itself too seriously. Just like you.

Read more about the Olympus XA and other film cameras we recommend

Leica Q2

Leica Q2 | $ 5000 | us.Leica-Camera.com

Speaking of rangefinders, what ‘Treat yourself’ list would be complete without a Leica product? Among the DPReview staff, the rangefinder-style Leica Q2 was easily one of the most lusted-after cameras of the year. And why shouldn’t it be? The combination of a seriously-sharp 28mm F1.7 lens in front of a high-res 47MP full-frame sensor in a beautifully-designed body with excellent ergonomics makes the Q2 the ‘créme de la créme’ of modern fixed-lens cameras. Plus Leica redesigned the Q2 from the inside out to add extensive weather-sealing. They also updated the EVF and improved battery life.

And if the price tag seems a bit steep, perhaps you can justify picking the Q2 up for that special someone (that’s you) knowing there will never be another lens to drool over for the camera. Owning one is an end in itself to one’s gear lust. Probably. Maybe. Whatever… treat yourself!

Read our Leica Q2 Review conclusion

DJI Mavic Mini

DJI Mavic Mini | $ 399 (drone), $ 499 (Fly More Combo) | store.DJI.com

If the idea of using a drone as a creative tool hasn’t hovered noisily to the top of your mind yet, now is the perfect time to consider aerial photography/videography. Most people think of drones as big, loud nuisances, zipping around like angry bees. But the just-announced DJI Mavic Mini is compact (palm-sized), lightweight and reasonably quiet. It’s also super easy to fly. And despite its comparably lower price tag, it offers many of the same features found in its pricier DJI siblings like an accident avoidance camera, return-home functionality and a 3-axis camera gimbal.

The camera aboard the Mini is relatively modest with a 12MP 1/2.3-inch sensor capable of JPEG-capture only and up to 2.7K/30p or 1080/60p video. But for first time fliers, it’ll easily give you just about the same image/video quality of a smartphone, with the advantage of a bird’s eye view. So go on and treat yourself to a fresh new perspective, courtesy of this tiny/fun drone.

Read our DJI Mavic Mini Review

RucPac Professional Tech Gloves

RucPac Tech Gloves | $ 40 | RucPac.com

Cold hands are a reality for many photographers, especially those passionate about landscape, wildlife and sports. Sacrificing dexterity for warmth is simply not an option when ‘the shot’ can come and go in an instant. We’ve used finger-less gloves in the past, but found they don’t keep our hands all that warm. And ordinary gloves don’t provide enough finger movement. If only there were a warm form-fitting glove with good dexterity. Oh wait, there is! RuPac’s Tech gloves.

This pair of hotties comes in two sizes with sticky rubberized grips along the palm and fingers. They’re made of a weather-resistant polyester material that’s thick enough to provide a good deal of warmth on a cold day, but not so thick that they’ll limit hand movement or tactile response. They’re not going to save your paws from an Arctic chill, but for reasonable cold, they’ll get the job done. Plus they offer touchscreen compatible material at the tips of the index fingers and thumbs. So treat yourself to some happy hands this winter.

CAM-IN camera strap

Cam-IN camera strap | $ 25-35 (depending on style) | Cam-In.dk or Amazon.com

Let’s be honest – the strap that came in the box with your camera works just fine. But if you’re looking to treat yourself to something a little more stylish yet highly-functional, look no further than Danish brand CAM-IN’s leather and rope camera straps.

These straps looks great, are made from high-quality materials and feature excellent craftsmanship. They’re also fairly affordable. Simply put, they’ll provide you camera support long into the future, while looking snazzy all along the way. What more could you ask for? Treat yourself.

‘Parks Project’ National Parks/National Geographic apparel

Parks Projects T-shirts, hoodies and hats | $ 35-70 | ParksProject.us

Photographers are not usually known as a well-dressed bunch, but all more reason to freshen up your look with some new threads. And why not support a worthy cause while doing so? Parks Project is a clothing brand that’s partnered with more than 50 non-profits to help restore and protect National Parks in the United States through donations and volunteer work. You can read more about their contributions here. As photographers, many of us have a special relationship with the outdoors: all the more reason to protect it.

Most of Parks Projects’ clothing features hip/retro designs related to specific National Parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone and Zion. They also recently launched a super cool National Geographic collaboration. If there’s a clothing line more appropriate for photo nerds, without being cheesy, we haven’t seen it. TREAT YOURSELF.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

How You Treat Your Subject in Photography Affects Your Photos

27 May

The post How You Treat Your Subject in Photography Affects Your Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

A great subject does not necessarily make a great photograph. The way you treat your subject will reflect in your photographs.

Don’t be a travel snapshooter. This is advice I frequently give people during our travel photography workshops in Chiang Mai, Thailand. There’s an abundance of interesting subject material here. As is often the case when you are outside your normal environment, it’s easy to think that grabbing a quick photo will suffice.

Returning home with thousands of impulse photos will be a disappointment. If you don’t pay attention to creating an interesting photograph, the results will be lacking. Temples, monks, tuk-tuks and the likes are all interesting but can make rather boring pictures if you don’t treat them well.

How to treat your subject well

I watched this video about renowned Magnum photographer Elliot Erwitt recently. About halfway through he makes an interesting statement saying, “It’s not the subject, it’s how you treat the subject.” Unfortunately, he does not go on to expand this thought, but he certainly provoked curiosity in me.

This idea is one I believe is very important to the development of your photography. The way you treat your subject influences the potential impact your photos will have.

Grabbing quick snapshots will typically produce lackluster results. Treating your subject with more attention and intent will compel you to make more interesting photographs.

“Treat” is an intriguing word. Particularly in the context, Erwitt uses it in the video. It can be taken to mean the way you chose to artistically represent your subject. It could also mean the manner with which you:

Communicate with them
Act or behave towards them
Consider or regard them
Or, if you give them gifts

Any of these will affect different responses from a living subject.

Artistic treatment in photography

Choices you make will influence the way your photos look and how your subject is represented.

Photographing a beach on a sunny day when it’s full of activity, will look significantly different than on a winter’s afternoon with an overcast sky. Your choice of when you take a photograph is part of how you treat your subject.

Timing when you photograph someone speaking can make them look attractive or not. Those open-mouthed, contorted faces we often see politicians with are used by news editors to portray them negatively. This treatment may seem unkind, but it is certainly intentional.

Lighting choice between soft or hard light alters the artistic treatment a subject is given. A wrinkled face will become more exaggerated using hard lighting at certain angles. The choice of a softer, more diffused light will be kinder to your subject.

Composition is without a doubt influential on the way viewers will understand the main subject of any photograph.

You can crop in tight, showing little or no context. This limits any relationship of your subject to its environment.

A looser crop, made with careful intention, can include or exclude elements. This will influence the look and feel of your photographs.

Contrast in color and tone within your photos helps a viewer determine the meaning of a photo. Pastels or soft tones provide a gentleness. High-contrast black and white or color combinations will induce a different look and feel.

Your awareness of these aspects of photography allows you to make intentional use of them.

Relational treatment of your subjects

This has more influence on subjects that can respond to you. The way you talk to a rock or flower will not have so much impact on the photos you make of it. Talking to your pet dog or goldfish will also elicit different responses.

Doggie treats given during pet photo sessions can provide huge assistance to a photographer. Offering more food to your goldfish will not likely arouse a more favorable response from it.

Speak politely to the person you want to photograph you’ll be more likely to receive a positive response. If you approach a stranger with uncertainty their response may not be so conducive to you getting a good portrait of them.

Treating someone with a smile and an air of respect will provide you a more positive opportunity. Most people will respond well. Projecting a positive attitude during a portrait session will enable you to make more attractive photos. Your subjects will be more relaxed and assured.

Even when you’re traveling and may not be able to verbally communicate, a smile often does the trick. Approach someone with an open, happy look on your face with your camera in hand. This usually communicates your intention clearly enough. Add in a few appropriate hand gestures and watch for the person’s response.

Take time to observe your subject

When you’re not sure how to treat your subject, step back and observe for a while if you can. Don’t rush to capture your photo.

Look at the environment and how your subject relates to it. Is it a prominent or a minor part of the location? Does it interact significantly with the surroundings? Can you find an angle that will suit the intention you have for your photo?

The more you understand about your subject, the better photos you will make of it. Understanding can affect the way you relate to any chosen subject.

If you see someone who is shy and reserved, treat them in a similar manner. They’re more likely to appreciate it than if you boldly get in their face with your camera.

A more extroverted person may require a different treatment. Be bolder. Be more effusive in your approach. Mirror back to them how you are experiencing them.

Take some time to research. Engaging in longer-term projects, or even before heading away on holiday to somewhere new. Find out as much as you can about what you want to photograph.

Do you want to photograph monks in Thailand? Is it okay to do so politely? Is this culturally fitting? Can you safely photograph beggars in San Francisco? Is street photography including people welcome in Paris? Knowing the answers to pertinent questions before you set out will enable you to treat your subject appropriately.

Conclusion

The right treatment of your subject will result in more compelling photographs.

Think about both aspects of treating your subjects. Considering the methods you use with your camera is one aspect. Communicating well with living subjects will influence the response you receive from them.

Take your time to practice. Apply yourself well. You will see an improvement in your photographs.

The post How You Treat Your Subject in Photography Affects Your Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

Review: The Petzi Treat Cam is a camera with an integrated pet feeder

02 Apr

Most of the cameras we test at DPReview fall into predicable categories like DSLRs, mirrorless, and compact enthusiast models. However, we feel a sense of obligation to bring you industry-leading technical reviews of other imaging products as well.

With that in mind, we present our review of the Petzi Treat Cam, a camera with an integrated pet treat dispenser. Unlike most cameras, which are designed to take with you, the Treat Cam is meant to be left at home. Once you’re in the field you can check in on Rover or Fluffy using the camera’s smartphone app, give out treats, take photos and even talk to your pets. What’s not to love?

We tried to reproduce the Treat Cam’s unique feature set using a mirrorless camera, a bowl of pet treats, and a DPReview editor. It didn’t end well.

Key features:

Fixed-lens camera with autofocus
Support for video live streaming
Built-in treat dispenser
Speaker for talking to your pets from afar
Night mode with IR light
Smartphone app with remote operation
Social media network for pets

The Treat Cam has a different form factor than most cameras we review, owing to the fact that it includes an integrated storage reservoir for treats. It lacks the ergonomic niceties found on other cameras though, strictly speaking, the Petzi isn’t really designed for handheld use. (OK, it’s totally not intended for handheld use, but that didn’t prevent us from trying.)

Although the Petzi Treat Cam excels at some tasks, it’s not the best camera for hand-held use.

Setting up the Treat Cam is a breeze. Create an account on the Petzi network, pair your phone with the camera using the Petzi app and – Shazam! – you’re connected. Pop off the plastic cover, fill it with treats and you’re ready for action. You can now leave your pets at home to scratch the furniture unabated, knowing you can check in on them anywhere, any time.

Back home, the Treat Cam plays a chime to alert your pets that you’ve dropped in for a visit. Whether your pets actually care that you’ve made the effort is another matter entirely. In my early attempts to drop in on my cats from half a world away, I was usually met with a view of an empty room, because they were no doubt busy scratching the furniture elsewhere in the house.

Stick with it, and you’ll be rewarded. Treat Cam has a built-in speaker so you can talk to your pets, or plead with them to please stop scratching the furniture. Unfortunately, there’s no corresponding microphone on the camera, so you won’t be able to hear them. You can also take photos to share with your friends or with your friends’ pets (more on this later).

The Treat Cam lets you check in on your pets while away from home.

Of course, the most important feature is the Treat Launcher. And launch, it does. This thing shoots treats like little projectiles, halfway across the room, and if you’ve loaded up the camera with extra small treats it becomes a little pet treat shotgun. Good stuff.

Finally, there’s a ‘night mode’, which activates an infrared light and switches to black and white, making the Treat Cam more usable in low light settings.

Treat Cam has a built-in speaker so you can talk to your pets, or plead with them to please stop scratching the furniture.

The entire process is a learning experience for both you and your pets. Over time, my cats learned to recognize the Treat Cam’s chime and now show up quickly when I connect. I’d like to believe they’re showing up for the engaging conversation.

Image quality

Of course, this is DPReview and we know what all you pet-owning photographers really care about image quality, so we took the Treat Cam into the studio and shot our test scene.

The Petzi Treat Cam has modest resolution and exhibits some barrel distortion, but it’s also the only camera we’ve tested that can fire pet treats back at the test scene. As always, tradeoffs.

A quick glance at the image reveals a fair amount of barrel distortion. OK, there’s a lot of barrel distortion, but this isn’t exactly an architectural camera we’re talking about. In practice, the chart reveals more distortion than you’re likely to see in real world photos. Unless, of course, your pets are shaped like squares or wearing a test chart.

The Treat Cam loses a few points when it comes to image quality, and resolution is not particularly high. We tried to determine the camera’s exact resolution, but after a bit of testing discovered that it always matches the resolution of our phone screen. Yep – the app is basically taking a screen shot and saving it to your camera roll.

It occurred to us that we could probably calculate the exact resolution with a bit of additional analysis, but to be honest it was a lot more fun to shoot M&Ms out of the camera and we got sidetracked doing that instead.

Social network

Your dogs or cats may not be on Facebook, but that doesn’t mean they can’t do social media. Your pets can create their own profiles on the Petzi network (likely, with your assistance), post pictures, and even follow your friends’ pets. My cats have been friends with Jeff Keller’s cats for a few months, and we’d like to believe it’s having a positive impact on their social experience.

With the Petzi app, your pets can follow other pets. Or, at least you can pretend they do.

Of course, social networks are social networks, and you can’t force anyone to like you. Wenmei Hill’s dogs have yet to accept my cats’ friend requests, and I think they’re starting to feel a bit miffed.

If you don’t want to use the Petzi network, it’s easy enough to share photos on human-powered networks like Facebook and Twitter as well.

Compared to…

The Petzi is the first camera with an integrated pet feeder we’ve reviewed and our options for comparison were limited, so we decided to compare it to the medium format Fujifilm GFX 50S. Because why not.

	Petzi Treat Cam	Fujifilm GFX 50S
Price	$ 170	$ 6500
Camera type	Fixed lens	Mirrorless
Pixel count	Not specified	50MP
Touchscreen control	Yes	Yes
Still photos	Yes	Yes
Video	Yes (live streaming)	Yes (1080/30p)
Integrated pet feeder	Yes	No
Smartphone app	Yes	Yes
Dedicated social network	Yes	No
Tripod mount	Yes (wall mount)	Yes
Shots per charge	Requires power cord	400
Weight	1814 g (not including treats)	740 g

As this table shows, it’s possible to make any camera look impressive by choosing the right things to compare, and the Treat Cam doesn’t disappoint. Although the GFX 50S has an impressive 50MP resolution, it costs $ 6500, lacks a dedicated social network, and most importantly, does not include an integrated pet feeder.

The Petzi Treat Cam next to the Fujifilm GFX 50S for scale.

As with any choice, this one comes down to what’s most important to you: high resolution, dynamic range and precision optics, or the ability to bond with your pets from half a world away by shooting dog biscuits from your phone. Without making any judgements, its a deeply personal decision.

Who’s it for?

If you’re a frequent traveler with pets at home, a product like the Petzi Treat Cam is a no-brainer. It’s an easy way to drop in on your pets and give them treats while you’re away. However, thanks to our extensive field tests we can provide some pragmatic advice to potential buyers.

The treat cam works pretty well with dogs right out of the box, probably because that little Petzi chime gets them excited every time it goes off, even if they don’t know why. Dogs are pretty easy that way.

Night mode is useful if it’s dark when you call home.

Cats don’t respond quite as quickly to the Petzi, possibly due to the fact that they’re so busy scratching the furniture while you’re gone. However, once they make the association between the chime and chicken treats that appear out of thin air they’re pretty good at coming over to say hi as well.

We had less success with fish, hamsters, tropical birds, snakes, iguanas and flying squirrels, but your mileage may vary. Let us know if you have any luck with these.

Our take

What we liked	What we would improve
Easy setup and configuration Large treat reservoir Ability to visit pets from anywhere in the world	Improved camera resolution Two-way audio

What our pets liked	What our pets would improve
Treat dispenser is sometimes a bit too generous Getting treats when their person is away from home	An even more generous treat dispenser Ability to dispense treats on their own

The final word

The Petzi Treat Cam is the first integrated pet feeder camera we’ve reviewed, and we’re generally impressed. Sure, you might give up certain features found in higher end cameras, such as resolution and image quality, but as we all know, specs aren’t everything. After all, if you’ve ever tried to feed your pet over the Internet using a DSLR (and let’s be honest, who hasn’t) you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about. And for that reason, the Petzi earns a solid ‘Paws Up’ award from the DPReview team.

In case it isn’t obvious at this point, we’d like to make it clear that we’re partaking in the great tradition of April Fool’s silliness with this review. Our pets took it very seriously, though. They don’t really get jokes.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Treat yourself 2017: the ultimate holiday gift guide for that special person (you)

20 Nov

2017 Treat Yourself Buying Guide

The holidays are all about giving, so why not give back to the most important photographer in your life? That’s right, I’m talking about you.

At this time of year there are plenty of gift guides out there geared toward buying for others, but at the end of the day, your own photographic spirit needs nurturing. Also, camera gear can be pretty pricey and no matter how much they love you, your significant other/siblings/parents/friends might not be able to spring for that $ 1600 item on your wish list.

In this guide, we’ve rounded up a list of gear designed to pamper you and your creative spirit. From the ultimate pocket compacts, to nicer ways of carrying your camera, to the perfect rugged, portable hard drive – we’ve got you covered.

Peak Design Everyday backpack, 20L black

Peak Design Everyday backpack, 20L | $ 260 | PeakDesign.com

Treat yourself to one of the most technical and well-thought-out camera backpacks on the market: the Peak Design Everyday backpack. It comes in both a 20L and 30L capacity.

Weather-proof with plenty of ways to expand its carrying capacity including luggage straps, this bag is also real slick-looking. We’re big fans of the origami-style Flex-Fold dividers used to organize the bag’s interior, and we also appreciate the many interior pockets.

DJI Mavic Pro Fly More Combo

DJI Mavic Pro more combo | $ 1300| DJI.com

There are smaller, cheaper drones than the DJI Mavic Pro out there, (like the DJI Spark) but we recommend treating yourself to the Pro because it offers a great balance of portability, features and image/video quality. The Mavic Pro can shoot 12MP Raw files and 4K video and offers 27 minutes of flight time, 3-axis gimbal stabilization and can fly at up to 40 mph. It’s also pretty easy to pick up and start using, especially in beginner mode, though there is a slight learning curve.

In a sense, it’s the perfect drone for the first-time-flyer, long-time-photographer who wants to shoot more than HD video or JPEGs with their drone. We recommend you spend the extra cash on the controller – using your cellphone alone provides a very limit flight range and mediocre flight experience. But there are few things better for changing up your photographic perspective than owning a flying camera.

Affinity Photo for desktop

Affinity Photo for desktop | $ 50 | Affinity.Serif.com

Affinity Photo for desktop is a nifty piece of editing software that rivals Photoshop, all for a one time payment of $ 50.

In our review of Affinity Photo, we found the software more than capable at handling the majority of our re-touching tasks. Editing is mostly non-destructive and there are tools for batch processing, Raw processing, tone mapping, creating panoramas and focus stacking. Plus, if you’re coming from Photoshop, the learning curve is pretty shallow.

Affinity Photo for desktop is available for both Mac and PC.

Polaroid OneStep 2

Polaroid OneStep2 + i-Type film pack | $ 146 | PolaroidOriginals.com

The ultimate treat yourself: Take a step back from the technical nitty-gritty of this modern digital world and try shooting just for composition – it can do wonders for your creative spirit. To get into this mindset may we suggest one of the coolest instant cameras on the market, the Polaroid OneStep2?

The OneStep2 is a modern rebirth of the classic Polaroid OneStep. The controls on this camera are purposely limited: there’s a shutter button, a flash on button and a self-timer. It shoots Polaroid i-Type film which is similar to the original Polaroid 600 film and substantially larger than the Instax film offered by Fujifilm.

The camera itself is pretty affordable ($ 100), but it’s the film cost that’ll get you – at ~$ 2 a shot it’ll definitely have you shooting decisively. Nothing wrong with that!

Sandisk Extreme 500 portable SSD 500 GB

Sandisk Extreme 500 portable SSD 500 GB | $ 170 | ShopSandisk.com

This tiny portable SSD drive is both drop-proof and weather-proof and it weighs less than 80g. For the traveling photographer with limited space, it’s an invaluable piece of gear – one that won’t fail if dropped or knocked around. It also offers super fast transfer speeds and runs cool and quiet.

So treat yourself and your data to peace of mind and pick up what we consider to be the most sensible rugged hard drive currently on the market.

Ricoh Theta V

Ricoh Theta V | $ 430 | us.Rioch-Imaging.com

360-degree photos and videos are pretty darn cool and the technology required to make decent looking 360/VR content is finally coming down in price. Why not get in on the fun and treat yourself to one of the nicest stand-alone 360-cameras on the market in the form of the Ricoh Theta V?

We’ve found found the Theta V to be both easy-to-use and capable of impressive quality stills and video. It offers 4K video capture and shoots 14MP stills. Connectivity and audio capture have both been improved over the previous model, and the camera itself has a slick, Apple-like design.

Olympus Tough TG-5

Olympus Tough TG-5 | $ 450 | Get.Olympus.com

The budget compact may be dead but the rugged compact is still very much alive. And the Olympus Tough TG-5 is a DPReview favorite. We already recommended it as a great gift option for others, but if you’re into outdoor activities it’ll make a great compact option alongside your main camera. In fact, DPR’s Carey Rose deemed it the ‘best rugged compact you can buy right now,’ based on his shooting experience.

The camera offers a 25-100mm equiv zoom lens and the body is completely sealed, making it waterproof down to 50ft, drop proof from 7ft, crush proof up to 220lb and freezeproof to 14F. It also shoots Raw and is capable of surprisingly good image quality. Other features include 4K video capture and 20 fps burst shooting.

There’s something to be said for a go-everywhere-camera that you don’t have to worry about dropping, breaking or soaking. And there’s none we’d recommend over the Olympus Tough TG-5. Treat yourself!

Sony RX100 V

Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V | $ 950 | Sony.com

Speaking of compacts, the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V is arguably the most advanced high-end pocket camera to ever exist, jam packed with a dizzying array of technology and features. The creme de la creme of small cameras, for many it is a want-to-have, not a need-to-have. To that we say… treat yourself!

It’s got a useful and sharp 24-70mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 zoom lens and can shoot at up to 24 fps with AF and auto exposure. Plus, it uses an impressive 315-point phase detect AF system. But that’s not all: it’s capable of outstanding 4K video and class-leading stills. The RX100 V also offers built-in Wi-Fi, a pop-up electronic viewfinder and a pop-up flash (read our full review).

The RX100 V has come down a tiny bit in price since launch, but if it’s still too expensive, you should consider some of the other also excellent, but more affordable RX100-series cameras.

Fujifilm X100F

Fujfilm X100F | $ 1300 | Fujifilm.com

We’ve enjoyed using every camera in the Fujifilm X100-series, and the X100F is the latest and greatest iteration. A beautifully-designed, retro-looking camera, the X100F offers a fixed 35mm F2 equiv. lens and tons of direct controls.

The X100F gains a higher-resolution 24MP sensor, an AF joystick and improved AF performance. We especially like the hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder. And unsurprisingly, we gave the X100F a gold award in our review.

In short, we think it’s among the nicest-designed compact cameras around and a great companion for travel, or documenting friends and family. So treat yourself to retro-elegance in this fixed-lens beauty.

Canon 85mm F1.4L IS USM

Canon 85mm F1.4L IS USM | Canon.USA.com | $ 1600

If you’re going to buy a portrait lens, you might as well buy one of the nicest primes released this year. We’re talking of course about Canon’s new 85mm F1.4L IS (see our sample gallery shot with it). Sharp, fast and stabilized, this lens is capably of seriously excellent image quality. It’s also dust and weather-sealed and features a 9-blade aperture.

At $ 1600, it’s priced pretty competitively, but Sigma’s stabilized 85mm F1.4 is also excellent, and somewhat cheaper at $ 1200.

Nikon D850

Nikon D850 | $ 3300 | NikonUSA.com

Perhaps you already shoot Nikon, but maybe you are invested in another DSLR system, or you shoot mirrorless. Regardless of the camera your are currently shooting with, we’d urge you to take a look at the best DSLR currently on the market: the Nikon D850. As we stated in its gold award winning review…

‘Offering an impressive 45.7MP of resolution, 7fps burst shooting, full-width 4K video and a focusing system derived from the flagship D5, it looks as though Nikon’s thrown just about everything they’ve got into the D850, and priced it well to boot. Competitors with similarly specced megapixel counts such as the Sony a7R II and Canon EOS 5Ds R may be cheaper at this point in their lifetimes, but they also fall short of the D850 in a number of ways that may make a difference in the way you shoot.’

If that doesn’t have you convinced the Nikon D850 is the ultimate treat yourself purchase, maybe our sample gallery will.

That’s all the self-gifting advice we have for you this year. We certainly don’t expect you to pick up everything on our list, but hopefully there is something here that’ll make you, or a special someone smile.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Flexy Paw treat holder phone clip tantalizes pets for better photos

24 Jun

Taking a photo of a dog or cat can be difficult, but here to help is Flexy Paw, a smartphone attachment that dangles a treat above the device’s camera. The treat serves as a lure to catch the animal’s attention, giving photographers a chance to snap to a photo. Because the attachment clips to the phone, it can be connected to nearly any smartphone, and keeps the user’s hands free to compose and take the photo.

The clip holding the pet treat is attached to a flexible armature, enabling the photographer to reposition it out of the camera’s field of view, as well as move it to one side or the other for posing purposes. Once the photo is snapped, of course, the pet can then be rewarded with the treat.

Flexy Paw is being funded through Kickstarter by Paw Champ, which is seeking $ 39,000 in funds. Backers who pledge $ 16 or more will be rewarded with a single Flexy Paw unit, while $ 32 or more gets backers two units. Shipping to Kickstarter backers is expected to start in November 2017.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Inky’s Birthday Treat: Get 50% off All Deals and an iPhone 5S

26 Sep

We told you about InkyDeals before. This time I’m happy to inform you that InkyDeals turns three! Since founding of the project, InkyDeals managed to gather a huge community of over 300k members. These days they’re one of the biggest websites offering daily design deals. InkyDeals is the place to go if you want to buy premium resources at unbeatable Continue Reading

The post Inky’s Birthday Treat: Get 50% off All Deals and an iPhone 5S appeared first on Photodoto.

Photodoto

Comments Off

Posted in Photography