360Photography

Blog

  • Simple Studio Technique: Pet Portraits

    Perfect pet portraits

    A few weeks ago we visited an animal adoption center in Seattle, to shoot some portraits of the dogs (and cats) awaiting owners at The Motley Zoo. When we published our video feature recently, many of you wanted a little more information about how we shot the images, so we’ve put together a slideshow of some of our favorite shots, including some bonus images not used in the video.

    Click through to see the photos, and for those of you who were curious, we’ve included more information on the lighting and setup we used on the shoot. Also, they’re pictures of pets, what more do you want?

    Lighting

    For lights we used three Sony HVL-60M flashes, two of which were attached to softboxes and positioned on stands.

    The flash on the camera played the role of TTL trigger, while the other two off-camera flashes fired through the softboxes to provide illumination.

    Lighting

    The key light, which was placed just slightly above eye-level for the dogs and off to the left, was fired through a Westcott Rapid Box 26″ Octa Softbox.

    The second light was an overhead fill bounced off the silver inside of a 60″ umbrella, to save space in the relatively small room in which we were working. This light was placed off to the right of the setup, aimed to cover both the backdrop and the subject, to provide a bit of fill light and illuminate the backdrop. 

    Get their attention

    When working with animals it’s very important to bring something to grab their attention.

    For dogs, treats are always a great way to have them look wherever you want, as long as they’re well behaved. With Ginger Rogers, the sweet little blind Poodle pictured above, we borrowed a squeaky toy that the shelter calls the ‘Photo Pig’. They call it that because it’s shaped like a pig. And they use it to get the dogs’ attention for photos.

    Photo Pig.

    Shoot from eye-level

    Shooting from a pet’s eye level helps in a few ways. 

    First, it’s a better angle for classic ‘head and shoulders’ shots when combined with a longer focal length, presenting the dog as a more ‘human’ subject, giving the image more personality.

    Second, it can help with intimidation, or rather avoiding intimidation, especially with smaller breeds. Just watch out, some dogs love to give kisses when you squat down to their level. Keep your front element covered, or have something handy to clean it.

    Posing your pet

    Profile shots are a great way to add variety in sets of shots taken at the same time.

    Be sure to keep the subject facing the side that the light is on, so their face isn’t lost in shadow and they still get ‘catch lights’ in their eyes.

    What about cats?

    Cats are a bit more tricky than dogs. We tried, but our hit-rate wasn’t quite as high as we needed it to be. It’s harder to get a cat’s attention, and they can get aggressive and skittish if they’re not in a co-operative mood.

    Toy with them

    Getting cats to sit still can be a nightmare. Sound tends to startle cats, so for this kitten portrait we ditched the Photo Pig in favor of feathers attached to a string on the end of a pole. Dangling it just out of shot kept his chin up for the picture.

    Watch your settings

    We were using the Sony a6300 for this shoot, and overall the camera worked well. Off-camera TTL lights made setting up the exposure quite easy. 

    When using flash on a mirrorless camera, make sure you’re not in exposure preview mode, otherwise, at typical flash exposure settings you’ll just be looking at a completely dark, underexposed preview image.

    Also, be aware that battery-powered flashes can have quite long recycle times, especially when fired through modifiers. The modifiers, while necessary for this soft diffused look, sap light, requiring the flash to be used at a higher power level.

    Focus tips

    When stopped down past F8 the a6300’s switches to contrast detection in AF-C mode, slowing down the ability to keep up with skittish pets. To avoid this, we switched the camera to AF-S to get rid of the distracting hunting. Inevitably, this left us with some shots that aren’t entirely sharp in the right place. But with a bit of processing, even the shots that aren’t 100% sharp on the animals’ eyes are still perfectly usable for a web gallery.

    Pet Portraits

    If you’re interested in adopting any of the animals you’ve seen here, we’re sure The Motley Zoo would love to hear from you. We hope you enjoyed this quick look behind the scenes of a fun photo shoot. Check out the video, if you haven’t already and share your tips for pet portraits in the comments!

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Lensrentals tears down the Nikon 105mm F1.4

    $ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_3131846577″,”galleryId”:”3131846577″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”standalone”:false,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”startInCommentsView”:false,”isMobile”:false}) });

    The folks at Lensrentals had high hopes for the construction of Nikon’s new ultra-fast 105mm F1.4, and in some many ways were satisfied with what they saw inside the lens. Take a look at a few images from the process above, and head to Lensrentals’ blog for the full teardown. It’s well worth your time as Roger Cicala picks a bone with Nikon’s marketing department, identifies the lens-repair equivalent of ‘crossing the streams’ and ultimately offers a look inside a very high quality, well-made lens.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Park City Bridals by Jake Garn

    I do not normally shoot weddings, however, I do provide fine art and fashion style bridal photography! For this shoot we went to a popular location in Park City, the […]
    Jake Garn Photography

  • Canon patent shows curved sensor design

    A new patent suggests Canon’s engineers might be working on a curved sensor design to reduce vignetting. Japanese blog Egami reports on a patent that was released on the 24th of November and describes an image sensor design with a flat central portion, where light fall-off from the lens is not much of an issue, and curved edges, where fall-off is generally more noticeable. This approach, rather than using a sensor that’s totally curved, would avoid making the whole unit much thicker.

    Such a sensor design could potentially be applied in mirrorless camera models where, due to short flange-back distances, vignetting is generally more of a problem than on conventional DSLRs. Software processing can correct for the effect but only to a certain degree, so it would not be a surprise that manufacturers are looking for hardware solutions.

    As with all patents, it’s impossible to know if the technology will ever make it into a production model but it’s good to know manufacturers are looking at innovative ways of improving image quality.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Hippie Bus for the 21st Century: DIY Solar Volkswagen Camper Van

    [ By SA Rogers in Technology & Vehicles & Mods. ]

    hippie-camper-van-1

    Iconic for its role in the counterculture movement of the 1960s, the Volkswagen Bus has seen many an amateur transformation into campers over the decades since, and now it’s gone solar electric. An Oregon couple decided to put their own spin on the classic DIY project by fusing the original aesthetics of a 1973 VW van with electric vehicle batteries and photovoltaic panels mounted to the roof, creating a modest but highly functional recreational vehicle for their family trips.

    hippie-camper-van-5

    hippie-camper-van-7

    Brett Belen, an engineer who spent years working on solar electric vehicles before taking on the project, wanted a highway-friendly camper with a large roof surface to pack on the largest possible solar array. He mounted four 305-watt LG panels to a pop-up frame that tilts up to 40 degrees, taking in lots of sunlight on the road while flat and then positioned toward the morning sun when open and parked for the night.

    camper-van-before-1

    camper-van-after-1

    hippie-camper-van-2

    hippie-camper-van-6

    The space beneath the open panel provides extra elbow room inside the van for Brett, his wife Kira and their two children. This works almost exactly like Volkswagen-produced camper vans, with the sides enclosed by waterproof tent material. A rear window allows them to look out onto the scenery of their chosen camping spot, while the inside is equipped with folding tables and storage space for gear.

    hippie-camper-van-3

    hippie-camper-van-4

    The battery bank consists of 12 Trojan T-1275 lead-acid batteries in a custom battery box tucked beneath a bench seat in the back, providing a range of up to 50 miles per charge. While other battery types could provide more power, Brett emphasizes that he wanted to stick to materials that the average person can afford. It’s not top of the line, but the setup is still enough to take the Belens on a 1400-mile trip of the West Coast. Learn more about the specifics at the family’s website.

    Offbeat & Off the Grid: 15 Surprisingly Mobile Solar Gadgets

    Solar power projects go truly off-the-grid in mobile applications that range from practical if goofy solar panel-equipped Ray Bans to donkeys that stroll around with photovoltaics mounted to …

    Camouflaged Solar Panels: Tesla Roof Tiles Power Home Batteries & Electric Cars

    Elon Musk is attacking the question of energy storage and consumption at home, first with electric cars, then with home batteries and now the final piece of the puzzle: solar panels people will …

    Solar Socket: Portable Plug-In Creates Free Energy to Go

    With batteries running low, your eye roams the room for a place to plug in, but then you remember: you brought your own power supply – all you need now is a window. Portable, easy and green, this …

    Share on Facebook



    [ By SA Rogers in Technology & Vehicles & Mods. ]

    [ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


    WebUrbanist

  • Firmware update adds support for K-AF4 lenses to Pentax K-3 and K-50

    Ricoh has released firmware updates for its K-3 and K-50 DSLRs which add support for the company’s K-AF4 lenses. K-AF4 lenses electromagnetically control aperture rather than using a mechanical linkage to the camera body. At time of publication, only the 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE uses this system.

    The firmware also improves overall camera stability.

    Download K-3 firmware update 1.30

    Download K-50 firmware update 1.10

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Mobile Speed: Portable SSDs for photographers

    Like many photographers, I spend a lot of time working in the field away from my office. By extension, that translates into a fair amount of time in front of my laptop computer backing up, organizing, and working with my images and videos before I get home.

    For years my workflow depended on portable hard drives, but thanks to increased camera resolution and the need to shoot more video, particularly 4K video, I discovered that I was spending increasingly more time waiting around while bits moved across wires. And when I wanted to work with those files, the experience kept getting slower. I also worried a lot about spinning drives getting damaged in transit.

    Mobile office? A perfect place for portable SSDs.

    A couple years ago I switched to using external solid state drives, or SSDs, for all my mobile work. Back then there weren’t a lot of off-the-shelf products to solve my problem, so I took a DIY (do-it-yourself) approach and made my own. Times have changed, and there are now a proliferation of external SSDs to meet your needs.

    Despite this, I still run into a lot of photographers who haven’t made the switch, and I’m continually surprised at how many of them have never even considered external portable SSDs, despite the fact that they often have one in their laptop.

    Fortunately, we’ve reached a point where SSDs strike a reasonably good balance between price and performance. In this article I’ll take a look at some of my favorite portable SSDs that I’ve used over the past year, each of which appealed to me for a different reason, and let you know what I like about each one.

    The portable SSD solutions featured in this article: (L to R) The do-it-yourself solution, Samsung T3, SanDisk Extreme 510, OWC Envoy Pro EX, Glyph Atom, Glyph Atom RAID

    The DIY Solution

    For those willing to get their hands dirty, the DIY (do-it-yourself) solution is a viable option. SSDs designed for laptops are plentiful online and there’s a huge selection of brands and sizes. At the time of publication, it’s possible to get a 1TB SSD for under $ 240, which is probably enough portable storage to meet the needs of most mobile photographers.

    Turning a bare SSD into an external peripheral is surprisingly simple; all you need is an inexpensive hard drive case, like this one from Anker, and a USB cable. Snap the SSD inside, connect it to your computer, and format the drive.

    The DIY (do-it-yourself) approach is the most economical method, and is also a great way to recycle an old SSD when you upgrade a laptop. Total assembly time: about 2 minutes.

    There are plenty of cases available for around $ 10, and you can reuse them if you get a larger SSD later. I’ve been using the Anker case mentioned above for about two years and have upgraded the SSD inside three times. An external case is also a great option if you’ve upgraded the SSD in your laptop and want to recycle the old one as external storage.

    Samsung T3

    The Samsung T3 first caught my attention at CES in January, and I’ve been using one almost since then. The T3’s most compelling feature is that it’s small; a bit shorter than a credit card, and only 1cm thick. It also weighs close to nothing, making it great for travel. It uses a USB-C plug, but ships with a USB-C to USB-A cable so you can plug it into the existing ports on your computer right out of the box. 

    The T3 has become one of my go-to SSDs when I’m traveling really light, as in 11-inch Macbook Air light. I barely notice it in my bag, and often carry it around in a shirt or pants pocket when I’m out working. In fact, this is the SSD that people ask me about most often when they see it, once they realize it’s not a card reader for my camera. This is the SSD to take with you if you want compact size, speedy performance, and a bit of style.

    The Samsung T3 is a bit shorter than a credit card and 1cm thick. Put it in your pocket and you’ll barely know it’s there.

    The T3 is also comes in a variety of capacities ranging all the way up to 2TB of storage, making it an incredibly compact way to store a lot of data. It’s available in several sizes including 250GB ($ 119), 500GB ($ 199), 1TB ($ 399), and 2TB ($ 799)

    SanDisk Extreme 510

    The SanDisk Extreme 510 gives the Samsung T3 a run for it’s money when it comes to portability, being just slightly larger due to it’s square shape. However, the difference in size is negligible when you consider how small they both are.

    What sets the Extreme 510 apart from the T3 is that it’s designed for slightly more rugged use, with an IP55 rating for water and dust protection, including an integrated cap that fits over the USB port. It also has a rubber bumper around the edges to protect against drops, and it really works. Finally, there’s a small metal loop on one corner in case you want to attach a lanyard or clip the drive to your other gear.

    This has turned into my favorite SSD when I need to travel light in potentially adverse conditions, such as during our Nikon D810 Field Test where dust seemed to get everywhere. I’ve even found myself using the metal loop to clip the drive to an attachment on the inside of my pack for security. My only complaints about the Extreme 510 are that the rubber cap over the USB port comes off a little too easily, and that it’s currently only available in one size (480GB).

    The SanDisk Extreme 510 might look unconventional, but it’s a great choice for mobile use thanks to its water and dust resistance, and rubber bumper to protect against drops.

    One interesting note about the Extreme 510 is that in my performance testing it had slightly slower than average write speeds, though I didn’t really notice this in practical use. The 480GB SanDisk Extreme 510 costs $ 249.

    OWC Envoy Pro EX

    Other World Computing (OWC) is known for high quality products with a focus on the Macintosh market, so it comes as no surprise that the OWC Envoy Pro EX’s case is a perfect match for a MacBook computer, right down to the anodized aluminum case. (Well, the silver variety at least.) That said, it should work with any computer as long as you format it correctly.

    The Envoy Pro EX is in the middle of the pack when it comes to size, but leads the way when it comes to style, and its build quality is excellent, right down to the smallest details. I would almost call it Apple-esque, which I suppose is the point. I’ve received lots of comments about this drive, particularly from other Mac users.

    The Envoy Pro EX is a great choice if presentation and appearance are of importance, particularly if you’re a Mac user. Whether you’re visiting clients or just trying to project a professional image, it does the job well. Or, if you just want a SSD that will match your MacBook’s style, and potentially outlast it as well, the Envoy Pro EX is a great choice. 

    The OWC Envoy Pro EX is a well-built, stylish SSD that’s relatively compact. It’s also a perfect visual match for a silver MacBook or MacBook Pro. 

    The Envoy Pro EX is available in a range of sizes including 240GB ($ 195), 480GB ($ 339), and 1TB ($ 559).

    Glyph Atom and Atom RAID

    The Atom and Atom RAID from Glyph Technologies are a bit heavier than the other SSDs in this article, but that simply reflects their build quality. These things are solid. Really solid. As in, I’m pretty sure I could run over them with my car and they would still work, solid. Both are enclosed in a very sturdy aluminum housing which is encased in a rubber sleeve to add some shock protection.

    The Atoms are also the only SSDs in this article that feature support for USB 3.1, Gen 2. In a nutshell, this means they have twice the theoretical maximum data transfer rate of the other devices in this article (10 Gbps vs. 5 Gbps). The Atom comes in a candy bar shaped case similar in size to the OWC Envoy Pro EX.

    The Glyph Atom is one of the most solid portable drives I’ve ever come across and is a great fit for serious production use where things get banged around a lot. 

    The Atom RAID includes two SSDs in a RAID 0 configuration to provide even greater speed when transferring data, and it can deliver. Physically, it’s about 50% wider than the standard Atom and a bit heavier, but otherwise similar in design.

    The Glyph Atom RAID is every bit as solid as the Atom, but includes two SSDs in a RAID 0 configuration for even more speed.

    Both Atom devices use a USB-C connection and ship with native USB-C to USB-C cables as well as USB-C to USB-A cables. It’s a nice touch that Glyph provides cables for both types of connections out of the box. My only complaint about the design is that the LED status light on these drives is bright enough to illuminate the corner of a room in the dark.

    The Atom and Atom RAID are hands-down the most durable SSDs I’ve tried, and the ones I would choose for a production environment where they get used, abused, and banged around every day. I’ve been using them non-stop for several weeks, shoving them in and out of bags with other gear, and am consistently impressed with how rugged they are. Whether the additional speed of the RAID model is justified depends on your requirements, but it’s there if you need it.

    The Atom is available in capacities of 275GB ($ 129), 525GB ($ 229), and 1TB ($ 399). The Atom RAID is available in capacities of 1TB ($ 419) and 2TB ($ 819). You pay a bit of a premium for the RAID version, but if you need the speed it will probably cost you one way or another.

    Performance

    DPReview doesn’t do in-depth performance testing of products like hard drives. There are other sites that do a great job of things like that. However, in addition to using all these drives over the past several months, I put them all through some real world use tests on a 5K iMac using a Lightroom library with about 10,000 photos, as well as a 250GB Final Cut Pro X project. I also ran some common benchmarking software for a baseline comparison.

    In real world use there was very little noticeable performance difference between any of the drives, with the exception of the DIY solution, which seemed just a bit slower when importing large amounts of data. Of course, this will depend on what SSD you use for a DIY build, so results may vary.

    For slightly more objective results I ran speed tests on all the SSDs using Blackmagic Disk Speed Test and AJA System Test, both of which provided almost identical results. I also included a popular portable spinning hard drive, the WD My Passport, in the test for comparison.

     

    Capacity Tested

    		  Write Speed Read Speed
    DIY solution*  250GB  253 MB/s  266 MB/s
    Samsung T3  1TB  383 MB/s

     406 MB/s
    Sandisk Extreme 510  480GB  285 MB/s  420 MB/s
    OWC Envoy Pro  960GB  378 MB/s  409 MB/s
    Glyph Atom**  1TB  472 MB/s  431 MB/s
    Glyph Atom RAID**  2TB  804 MB/s  572 MB/s

    WD My Passport 5400 rpm portable hard disk

    		 2TB  69 MB/s  104 MB/s

    * Average results for two SSDs: a Samsung EVO 840 and SanDisk Extreme Pro. (Results for both drives were similar.) Actual performance for DIY solutions will depend on the SSD used.

    ** Tests for the Atom drives were performed using a new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, which has Thunderbolt 3 ports capable of supporting the drives’ USB 3.1, Gen 2 interface.

    When looking at these numbers, keep in mind that it’s possible to get slightly different results by adjusting the test parameters, though when I did so the overall trend stayed the same between drives. The take home message here is that all the drives are insanely fast compared to a portable spinning hard drive. That in itself shouldn’t be a surprise, but the table shows just how much faster the SSDs can be.

    There are some interesting things to note from the data, however. I was surprised that my home-built DIY drive was consistently slower than the commercial offerings, especially since it’s basically just a bare SSD plugged directly into a USB 3.0 interface. It’s possible that different SSDs would have performed better in the same enclosure.

    It’s also possible to see the advantages of the newer USB 3.1, Gen 2 transfer rates on the Atom drives, especially when you throw a RAID 0 configuration into the mix. Of course, to take advantage of these speeds you’ll need a computer that supports the new standard as well.

    Conclusion

    If you’re still using regular hard drives for your mobile photo work, there’s never been a better time to make the switch to portable SSDs. Of course, there are compelling reasons to stick with spinning hard drives; they deliver huge amounts of storage at low cost. Every photographer has their own price/performance threshold, but that ratio is getting better all the time.

    From a performance perspective, almost any portable SSD will likely meet the needs of most photographers. The most economical solution is the DIY approach. It’s incredibly easy to assemble your own portable SSD, and prices for bare drives have come down a lot, especially if you’re willing to pick up a recently discontinued model.

    When it comes to commercial SSD models, the best choice will likely come down to your specific needs. Do you need fast and light? Style? Rugged build? Each one has a sweet spot. Finally, don’t limit yourself to the SSDs included in this article. There are lots of options on the market today, and some may meet your needs better than these. If you haven’t made the switch, go online, see what’s available, and take the plunge!

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Faster operation and new sharpening tools for Phase One Capture One Pro 10

    Camera, lens and software manufacturer Phase One has introduced a new version of its image manipulation software package that it says improves the speed at which it runs and which adds a collection of new editing tools – as well as compatibility with additional cameras and lenses. Capture One Pro 10 features faster browsing, zooming, image scrolling and magnified view comparisons after what the company describes as ‘under-the-hood tuning’, while a new design makes the interface easier for those new to the application.

    Phase One has also added new sharpening tools that between them counter softness caused by diffraction, reduce the effects of haloing and which allow localized sharpening of selected areas. A further sharpening control provides the means to create output sharpening parameters for raw images as they are converted for particular purposes – such as for different print sizes or for web use. For images going to print the tool allows users to specify how far away viewers are likely to be so the program can generate suitable sharpening levels.

    On the organizational side Version 10 allows users to move folders within a catalogue and allows filtering of images by their orientation. Those shooting with a Sony or Phase One camera tethered get a new ‘camera focus tool’ that helps users make critical focusing adjustments directly from the software without having to touch the camera.

    The new application is also compatible with Tangent editing products. These are mixing-desk-like tools that provide an alternative to traditional keyboard-and-mouse operation of software. These panels are said to make editing software more intuitive and faster to use.
    New hardware supported with this upgrade includes the Olympus OM-D E-M1 ll and the Sony A99M2 and A6500 cameras as well as Sony FE 70-200 mm F4 G OSS, Sony 70-200 mm F2.8 G, and Sony E 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS lenses.

    Capture One Pro 10 is available now and costs $ 299/€279. Users of version 8 or 9 can upgrade for $ 99/€99, though if you bought version 9 after 1st November you can upgrade for free. Subscribers can just download the latest version as part of their package.
    For more information visit the Phase One website.

    Press release

    Phase One Releases Capture One Pro 10

    Ready for the Future of Image Editing – A Faster, More Powerful Experience

    COPENHAGEN, December 1, 2016 – Phase One today released Capture One Pro 10, a major release of the world’s premiere raw conversion and image editing software. Designed to support wide ranging workflows of both professional and passionate photographers, Capture One Pro is known and trusted for rendering the finest image color and detail from more than 400 digital camera models. Now, based on customer feedback, Capture One Pro 10 puts superior user experience center stage – with interface improvements, under-the-hood tuning, and exciting new features that furnish the fastest, most reliable and most powerful performance yet.
    www.phaseone.com/ten

    What’s New with Capture One Pro 10:

    Enhanced User Experience. Faster browsing, zooming, panning, and ease in switching between images even at 100 percent view. Also, a new default workspace offers a more intuitive experience for new users, with examples for getting started.

    Greater control, with a three-stage image sharpening process:

    • A new lens tool option corrects lost sharpness caused by diffraction;
    • User-defined creative sharpening (utilizing a new Halo Suppression slider and a new blending algorithm) allows the photographer the option to sharpen an entire image, or just various elements within it;
    • User-defined output sharpening in the recipe tool. For print sharpening, users can also specify the distance from which the final output image should be viewed.

    On-screen proofing. An enhanced proof mode takes the guesswork out of the raw conversion process. From the viewer panel, users can now simulate the final size, resolution, color, compression artifacts and sharpening of images. This is especially useful for live assessment of files – particularly small files for the web and for optimizing image compression quality.

    A look into the future of image editing: Inspired by video grading processes, users can now access Capture One Pro directly through a Tangent panel system. This fully integrated panel is literally a new interface into image editing – for deep dive color and image adjustment –– allowing fast, multiple input commands simultaneously, while viewing the master monitor as the editor “feels” input into the application.

    A camera focus tool module for tethered cameras — especially useful for product, still life, macro, and Cultural Heritage photography projects.

    “We have developed Capture One Pro 10 to greatly improve users’ experience so they can achieve the results they want much faster and with greater confidence,” said James Johnson, software product manager, Phase One. “Image adjustment options are now at a whole new level. We believe that with this release, we are delivering the most powerful, responsive, and user customizable image processor available.”

    The Complete List of New Features:

    • Three-phase sharpening tools (see above)
    • Output proofing (see above)
    • New default and intuitive workspace (see above)
    • Camera focus tool module for tethered cameras (see above)
    • Tangent panel: full integration (see above)
    • New filter option: search by orientation of images
    • Optimization of Jpeg output for size/quality
    • Move folders in catalogs
    • Auto masking extended to any editable file type (including Xtrans)
    • Improved compressed RAW and Fuji support
    • Hardware acceleration – OpenCL is now enabled by default
    • Stripe reduction LCC for 100MP
    • Optimized LCC creation
    • Computer ID in license for activation management
    • Apple script – new properties (Mac only)

    New camera and lens support
    New camera support includes: Olympus E-M1 mkll, Sony RX100M5, Sony A6500 and A99M2. 

    New lens profile support includes: Sony FE 70-200 mm F4 G OSS, Sony 70-200 mm F2.8 G, and Sony E 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS

    For a complete list of newly supported cameras and lenses, please go to: www.phaseone.com/download.

    Availability and Pricing
    Capture One Pro 10 is available now for the Mac and Windows operating systems online at www.phaseone.com/store and from Phase One authorized partners worldwide www.phaseone.com/partners.

    Owners of Capture One Pro 8 and 9 may upgrade for 99 USD or 99 EUR. For customers who have purchased Capture One Pro 9 since November 1, 2016, Phase One is offering a grace period, exempting them from the upgrade fee. Eligible customers can download their upgrade today at phaseone.com/download and reuse their license key.

    New customers can purchase Capture One Pro 10 for 299 USD or 279 EUR. Capture One Pro is also available by subscription. Capture One Pro (8 and 9) subscribers can simply download the new Capture One Pro 10 release. A single-user subscription is 15 USD / 12 EUR per month for a 12-month plan. Please see all subscription options at www.phaseone.com/store.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Throwback Thursday: Olympus E-10

    Throwback Thursday: Olympus E-10

    Back in the early days of consumer digital photography, I was a bit of an Olympus fanboy. My first camera was the D-300L (launched in 1996 for around $ 900), which had a resolution of just 786k pixels. A year later I stepped up to the D-600L ($ 1299), which increased the resolution to 1.4MP and had a 3X zoom lens and, in a first for consumer cameras, a TTL optical viewfinder.

    Then, in the year 2000, a really interesting camera arrived and, as you may have guessed, it was an Olympus. That camera was the E-10 and, after shelling out two grand, it would be mine.

    Throwback Thursday: Olympus E-10

    Even if you ignore its hallmark feature (described later), the E-10’s specs were amazing for its time. It had a 4MP 2/3″ CCD, fast and very high quality lens with manual focus and zoom rings, twin control dials, an articulating LCD and much, much more.

    In the above image alone you’ll notice its numerous collection of I/O ports, which included flash sync, remote control, USB and A/V output. There were plenty of direct controls, too, which kept you at an arm’s-length from the camera’s menu system.

    The body was super-solid – perhaps more than some DSLRs of that era – and was weather-sealed.

    Throwback Thursday: Olympus E-10

    Oh, that lens. The E-10’s 35-140mm equivalent lens has a maximum aperture range of F2-2.4, both aspherical and ED elements, and excellent sharpness. The zoom could be adjusted just like on an SLR – no buttons needed to be pressed. Focusing, on the other hand, was ‘fly by wire.’ The lens was threaded and Olympus offered some pretty crazy conversion lenses for it.

    The E-10 had a pretty advanced AF system for that era. It first used infrared light (from a transmitter seen here) to get a rough idea as to the distance of the subject. Once that was done a more traditional contrast-detect system was used for fine-tuning.

    Throwback Thursday: Olympus E-10

    Another nice feature on the E-10 was its articulating LCD (look how thick that enclosure is!). The 1.8″ screen could tilt upward 90° and downward about 20°. The E-10 also had a large optical viewfinder with 95% coverage, though DPReview founder Phil Askey had some issues with it.

    Rear controls were conventional and could’ve come off of any camera made that year.

    Throwback Thursday: Olympus E-10

    A number of things that made the E-10 feel a bit ‘pro’ were its dual control dials and backlit LCD info display. That SM/CF switch is how you toggled between memory card slots. Yes, the E-10 had two; one for SmartMedia and the other for CompactFlash. Looking back, I still have to laugh at the dedicated spots on the mode dial for connecting to a printer or computer. Those were the days (or not.)

    Throwback Thursday: Olympus E-10

    I’ve covered many of the things that made the Olympus E-10 such an impressive camera, but I’ve been saving what makes it unique for the end. The E-10 was the first camera to allow photographers to use live view at the same time as the optical viewfinder. It does so via a ‘beam splitter’ which sent a TTL view of the scene to the camera’s large OVF and directly to that 4MP CCD. 

    This was all very impressive, though the live view resolution was poor. And, for those wondering, the E-10 could not capture video. Can’t have everything, I guess. 

    Overall, though, the E-10 was a heck of a camera, and one that I used for many years (and still have today.) For those who wanted an SLR camera that didn’t require carrying around extra lenses, there was nothing else like it on the market.

    Read DPReview’s Olympus E-10 Review

    View Sample Gallery

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Google Pixel users reporting camera app issue

    Google’s Pixel smartphones come with a range of innovative imaging technology and currently occupy the number one spot in the DxOMark smartphone ranking. However, shortly after the device launch some users reported a strong tendency of the Pixel camera to produce lens flare, and now it appears some devices are having trouble with the camera app, as well. 

    In the Google Product Forum a number of users are reporting that their camera app is frequently crashing, sometimes showing pink and purple vertical lines. It appears the issue is mainly impacting international devices when the phone is in an area with poor signal reception. The error does not occur when flight mode is activated. 

    Source: Google Product Forum

    Google support staff has been instructing users who are experiencing the issue to clear the cache and data, and factory reset the device. However, none of these measures has solved the problem. It appears performing a soft reset by holding the volume down and power keys is currently the only way to get your device up and running again when the issue occurs.

    We are currently testing the Google Pixel XL for our full review and, luckily, have so far not experienced the problem. That said, we hope Google can come up with a quick solution, possibly a software update, to help the affected users.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)