Nikon has released the first non-beta version of its free webcam utility for macOS and Windows computers.
Back in July, Nikon announced it was working on a webcam utility that would turned select Nikon cameras into webcams with compatible videoconferencing and streaming software. In August, they followed through on that promise with the release of a beta utility for Windows 10 users. Nikon confirmed a macOS version was on the way, but that has yet to be seen—until today.
In addition to being the first non-beta version of the app for Windows 10 users, Webcam Utility Software version 1.0.0 is also available for macOS computers.
As with previous versions of the software, all you need is a compatible Nikon camera, a USB cable for plugging the camera into your computer and a videoconferencing or streaming app that supports external webcams, such as Facebook Messenger, Google Meet, Skype, Zoom, OBS and others. Below is a full list of compatible cameras:
Z7
Z6
Z5
Z50
D6
D850
D780
D500
D7500
D5600
You can download Nikon’s Webcam Utility Software version 1.0.0 for macOS and Windows 10 computers on Nikon’s website. Additional information and a full list of compatibility notes can also be found on Nikon’s website.
Canon has announced the release of the ML-100 and ML-105 Multipurpose Cameras, a pair of industrial-use cameras that offer extremely low light imaging capabilities in small, modular form factors.
Both the ML-100 and ML-105 use a next-generation 19um 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor. The sensor can capture Full HD (1080p) with a subject illumination of less than 0.0005 lux when set to their maximum 75dB gain setting (equivalent to roughly 4.5M ISO).
ML-100
ML-105
The two units are differentiated by lens mounts and video output configurations, resulting in four individual models. The ML-100 uses a CoaXpress terminal that produces 12-bit Raw video with a ‘region of interest’ feature that can bump up the frame rate to 164 frames per second at 720p. The ML-105 uses a 3G/HD-SDI video terminal and is capable of TCC 4:2:2 10-bit output powered by Canon’s Digic DV4 image processor. The two versions can be ordered with either an EF or M58 mount.
Although Canon doesn’t specifically mention it, these cameras appear to be, at least in spirit, the successors to its industrial-use ME20F-SH camera, which currently retails for around $ 20K.
The M58 mount version of the ML-100 multi-purpose camera is set to be released at the end of December 2020, while the three other models are scheduled for an April 2021 release date. No pricing information has been shared at this time.
Kodak has introduced a new application, Kodak Professional Select. The app relies upon proprietary artificial intelligence to cull hundreds to thousands of images based upon technical attributes and aesthetic qualities.
Kodak states that technical attributes include color, focus, brightness, exposure, contrast and sharpness. With respect to aesthetic qualities, the AI looks for eyes being open, smiles and centered faces in your images. Kodak Professional Select then uses this data to select your best images and showcases them in an ‘easy-to-use interface.’ Importantly, the user maintains total control over which images are included in a final selection. The AI has been designed to drastically speed up this process. Kodak promises that ‘image culling is completed in minutes.’
Along with artificial intelligence, Kodak Professional Select allows the user to tag images with keywords, adjust the orientation, add star-based ratings, organize your files and more. You can learn more about Kodak Professional Select and see it in action in Kodak’s video below.
As you can see in the video above, to use Kodak Professional Select you must first sign up and install the required desktop application. This app interacts with Kodak’s cloud-based software. You then select and upload your images, which the software resizes for faster uploading and processing on the cloud. Once your images are uploaded, Professional Select goes to work and analyzes each image, ranking, and organizing your best images from the batch.
You can adjust how Kodak Professional Select prioritizes its evaluation criteria. Further, you can select how many images you desire from the batch. For example, you can prioritize exposure and sharpness and then select that you will want to keep 20 images from a batch of 500.
Kodak Professional Select judges images based upon multiple properties, including color, focus, contrast, and how the faces look in your images. Click to enlarge.
Once the analysis is complete, you will be able to adjust score criteria, add/remove selections, move images between groups, review images that the software determined were nearly identical and more. At this point, you can adjust the orientation of images, rate photos and add keywords. Once you’re all set with your selection, you export your selected images for the next step in your editing workflow.
Kodak Professional Select is compatible with Windows 10 and macOS Mojave (10.14.4) or newer and requires an internet connection. The following file formats are supported: DNG, JPG, RAW, TIF, CRW, CR2, CR3, RAF, 3FR, FFF, ARW, KDC, MRW, MOS, IIQ, NEF, NRW, ORF, RW2, PEF, X3F, SRF.
With its AI, Kodak Professional Select promises to make culling your images much easier and faster than traditional manual analysis. A free trial is available to try the software for yourself.
If you’d like to try Kodak Professional Select to see if it will fit in your workflow and speed up your image culling, there is a free 30-day trial available. After this trial, the ‘virtual assistant’ solution is available in monthly or annual subscriptions. Kodak Professional Select costs $ 29.95 USD per month. If you’d prefer a 12-month subscription, you pay $ 299.95, the equivalent of 10 months. To download the trial, head to Kodak Professional Select’s website.
Panasonic has announced an extensive series of feature-enhancing firmware updates for its S1, S1R, S1H and S5 full-frame mirrorless cameras, along with the G100 Micro Four Thirds model. All five updates will become available on November 24, 2020.
The updates vary between models, often adding features and improvements from the other cameras. For example, the boost in AF performance for the S1H, S1R and S1 brings them inline with the performance of the S5. Meanwhile, the S1R, S1 and S5 gain the ability to specify shutter speed and gain (rather than shutter speed and ISO), an option originally reserved for the S1H.
Notable improvements include the S1R gaining 10-bit HLG capture and 4:2:2 10-bit output of 50p and 60p 4K footage over HDMI.
The S5 gains a series of DCI ‘cinema 4K’ (4096 x 2160) shooting modes. The S5 also gains the ability to stream Raw footage, which can be encoded as ProRes RAW using an Atomos external recorder. The S5 also gets Master Pedestal (black level) control and a Vector Scope display mode.
S1 users, in addition to the promise of firmware v1.6 in November, will gain a series of 12-bit Raw video output options, in a v2.0 update promised for 2021. This will also add the ability to explicitly control the Dual ISO behavior, along with a host of 10-bit internal capture modes which were previously only available on the S1H. This will include V-Log options for users who have bought the SFU2 Log upgrade.
Panasonic Announces Firmware Update Programs for the LUMIX S1H, S1R, S1, S5 and LUMIX G100 and Further Upgrades for the LUMIX S1 with a Future Firmware Update
Newark, NJ (November 4, 2020) – Panasonic is proud to announce the release of firmware update programs for DC-S1H (Ver.2.2), S1R (Ver.1.6), S1 (Ver.1.6) and S5 (Ver.2.0) for the LUMIX S Series full-frame mirrorless cameras and for DC-G100 (Ver.1.1) LUMIX G Series MFT(Micro Four Thirds) mirrorless camera on November 24, 2020. Panasonic is also pleased to announce the future firmware update exclusively for S1(Ver.2.0) to further enhance the functions and performance in the first half of 2021.
Firmware Update Programs to be released on 24 November 2020 DC-S1H Firmware Version 2.2 DC-S1R Firmware Version 1.6 DC-S1 Firmware Version 1.6 DC-S5 Firmware Version 2.0
Improved AF performance S1H S1R S1 LUMIX’s state-of-the-art AF technology and performance of the new LUMIX S5 will also be available on the S1R, S1H and S1. The upgraded AF notably excels in detection of human and its movement. In addition to the eye, face, body the head is also separately recognized by real-time detection technology to provide even more precise focusing. The camera keeps tracking the subject person even if he/she moves quickly, turns his/her back to the camera, tilts his/her head or moves far away from the camera. In addition, improvements to the DFD technology has enhanced AFC, which also enables users to keep tracking small or fast-moving subjects to capture them in crisp focus. Users can take these advantages in both still and video recording.
Human/Animal recognition can be set ON or OFF when the AF mode is set to [1-Area] or [1-Area+]. S1H S1R S1 S5
[AF+MF] can be used during video recording S1H S1R S1 S5
Recognition performance during video recording in V-Log has been improved. S1H S1 S5
[SS/Gain Operation] function has been added. S1R S1 S5
[Red REC Frame Indicator] is available. S1R S1
It is possible to play back vertical videos vertically. S1H S1R S1
4K video files can be transferred to a smartphone via Wi-Fi. S1H S1R S1
[Horizontal Image Flip(Monitor)] / [Vertical Image Flip(Monitor)] enables to reverse or not to reverse the monitor image when the free-angle monitor is rotated. S1H S5
5K (4992×3744) video recording in MOV is available. S1R
C4K (4096×2160) MOV can be recorded. S5
5K
30p/25p/24p
4:2:0
10-bit
LongGOP
200Mbps
LPCM
[Like 2100(HLG)] has been added in [Photo Style] to support 10-bit HDR video recording. S1R
High-Resolution audio recording using an XLR Microphone Adaptor DMW-XLR1 is available and it can be controlled with [XLR Mic Adaptor Setting] menu. *MOV only S1R
[Luminance Level] function supports the 10-bit mode. S1R
4K 60P/50P 4:2:2 10-bit video output over HDMI has been supported. S1R
C4K
60p/50p
4:2:0
8-bit
LongGOP
150Mbps
LPCM
C4K
30p/25p/24p
4:2:2
10-bit
LongGOP
150Mbps
LPCM
C4K
30p/25p/24p
4:2:0
8-bit
LongGOP
100Mbps
LPCM
RAW Video Data output over HDMI has been supported. S5 [5.9K] / [4K] / [Anamorphic (4:3) 3.5K] 12-bit RAW Video Data can be output over HDMI. The Apple ProRes RAW can be recorded on Atomos NINJA V. *All functions may not be available depending on the situation. *Software that supports Apple ProRes RAW is required to edit RAW video recorded with NINJA V. *Apply the LUT(Look up table) available on the following customer supports site to make the same color grading as V-Log/V-Gamut. ???
It is possible to display a Vector Scope. S5
[Master Pedestal Level] function has been added. S5
[L.ClassicNeo] and [L.Monochrome S] have been added to Photo Style. S5
DC-G100 Firmware Version 1.1
The camera will be compatible with LUMIX Webcam Software (Beta).
[Horizontal Image Flip(Monitor)] / [Vertical Image Flip(Monitor)] enables to reverse or not to reverse the monitor image when the free-angle monitor is rotated.
Firmware Update Program to be released in the first half of 2021 DC-S1 Firmware Version 2.0 To meet the demands of users, the LUMIX S1 will continue to evolve. [5.9K] / [4K] / [Anamorphic (4:3) 3.5K] 12-bit RAW video data can be output over HDMI, thus, the RAW video data can be recorded on Atomos Ninja V*1 *2 . Also, 5.9K/C4K internal video recording, 4K60p/50p 4:2:0 10bit recording as well as Anamorphic mode and Timecode will also be available*2 . The firmware itself enables manual setting of Dual Native ISO.
*1 5.9K (5888×3312) 29.97p/25p, 4K (4128×2176) 59.94p/50p, Anamorphic 3.5K (3536×2656) /50p. *2 To activate functions related to MOV and V-Log video recording, a Software Upgrade Key DMW-SFU2 (sold separately) is required. Users who already have DMW-SFU2 do not need to purchase extra DMW-SFU2.
Panasonic further addresses technology development and its achievement shall be applied not only to the new products but also to those already released via firmware update.
Panasonic has announced the Lumix S 85mm F1.8 for L-mount. This compact lens has nine elements, two of which are ED glass that help control chromatic aberration, along with a nine-blade aperture for circular out-of-focus highlights. It has a minimum focus distance of 0.8m (2.6ft) and a maximum magnification of 0.13x.
The 85mm F1.8 is just 82mm (3.2″) long and weighs in at 355g (12.5oz). The lens is dust and moisture-resistant and Panasonic claims that it can function down to -10°C/+14°F. It’s designed to have the same size and control placement as Panasonic’s other upcoming L-mount primes (24/35/50mm), for easier use with things like gimbals.
The Lumix S 85mm F1.8 will be available in January for $ 599.
Press release:
A New F1.8 Large-Aperture Fixed Focal Length Lens for the LUMIX S Series
Compact, Lightweight Medium-Telephoto LUMIX S 85mm F1.8 (S-S85)
Newark, NJ (November 4, 2020) – Panasonic is pleased to introduce a new large-aperture medium-telephoto fixed focal length lens, the LUMIX S 85mm F1.8 (S-S85) that enhances portrait photography with its beautiful bokeh effect. Based on the L-Mount system for the LUMIX S Series full-frame mirrorless camera, Panasonic is going to release four F1.8 large-aperture lenses as previously announced, and this 85mm F1.8 is the first one. These four F1.8 lenses feature common size and position of control parts to provide practical advantage in use, for example, when the camera is on a gimbal, it is easy to exchange lenses quickly with minimum adjustment of connected gears. Filters can also be used in common thanks to the same diameter. Boasting high mobility realized by its compact size and light weight, the LUMIX S 85mm F1.8 is also suitable for stills.
Comprising 9 elements in 8 groups, the use of 2 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lenses effectively suppresses both axial chromatic aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification. Panasonic S series lenses even pursue the beauty of bokeh and the LUMIX S 85mm F1.8 provides smooth defocus gradation from the focus peak to the neighboring area of the image as well as smooth, round bokeh of point light source without vignetting. The LUMIX S 85mm F1.8 also excels in video recording performance with a mechanism that suppresses focus breathing, which was a critical problem of all interchangeable lenses designed for still image photography.
With its compact size and approximately 355g weight, the LUMIX S 85mm F1.8 features stunning mobility. The rugged dust/splash-resistant* design withstands use under harsh conditions even at 10 degrees below zero for high mobility. The filter diameter is 67 mm, with a 9-blade circular aperture diaphragm.
In addition to the four F1.8 large-aperture lenses, A 70-300mm telephoto zoom lens is also under development to further enhance LUMIX S Series lens lineup. Panasonic and L-Mount system alliance are committed to the development of L-Mount lenses for the further expansion of its lineup to fulfill the needs of customers.
* Dust and Splash Resistant does not guarantee that damage will not occur if this lens is subjected to direct contact with dust and water.
The post Mastering Noise Reduction in Lightroom: The Essential Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.
Shooting at a high ISO is a great way to retain control over other exposure parameters such as aperture and shutter speed while still getting a usable image.
However, even today’s digital cameras still produce noise and grain when shooting at values like ISO 6400, ISO 12800, and beyond. While an ISO 6400 photo is never going to look as clean as a photo taken at ISO 100, you can use Lightroom noise reduction to clean up your high ISO images.
Mastering noise reduction in Lightroom involves a few tradeoffs. But it’s a great solution for people who need the flexibility of shooting at high ISO values while still getting great results.
To understand how to use Lightroom noise reduction, it’s important to learn a little more about ISO.
In a nutshell, ISO is a measure of a camera’s sensitivity to light. When shooting with film, each roll has a single value and cannot be changed until you use up all your exposures and put in a new roll. Digital photography, on the other hand, lets you alter your ISO any time you want.
Higher ISO values let you use smaller apertures or faster shutter speeds because your camera produces a brighter exposure. As a result, you don’t need as much light coming through the lens in order to take a picture. This means that you can use a smaller aperture, faster shutter speed, or both. (Or you can use Auto ISO and let your camera figure out the rest.)
The tradeoff is that increasing your camera’s ISO inevitably leads to noise being introduced to the picture. (Digital noise is kind of like the static you might remember seeing on old television sets.) High ISO shots aren’t as sharp, and colors aren’t as vibrant, thanks to noise. But if shooting at ISO 6400 means you can use a fast shutter speed to avoid motion blur, then it’s generally a tradeoff worth making.
The best of both worlds would be a high-ISO shot that retains the color and sharpness of a low ISO shot. Unfortunately, that’s not actually possible (at least not with current technology). But mastering noise reduction in software such as Lightroom gives you a great deal of control over reducing high-ISO artifacts while keeping as much detail as possible.
A closer look
The effects of high ISOs aren’t always visible when photos are downsized for the web. To really see what happens at high ISOs, and to understand how to clean it up, you should look at images up close.
Here’s a zoomed-in view of the above image; you can now see the effects of shooting at high-ISO values:
Up close you can see the speckled background on the left and the lack of definition in the eyebrows. These are just some of the effects of shooting at ISO 6400. Noise reduction settings are at their default values: Luminance 10, Detail 50, and Contrast 0.
Lightroom lets you remedy these ISO artifacts, at least partially, through the Detail panel in the Develop module.
There are two types of noise reduction available: Luminance and Color.
Luminance is the most common form of noise in digital photography and refers to the slight speckled variations in brightness from one pixel to the next. You can see this most clearly in the brown background on the left side of the above photo.
Color noise is often obvious at very high ISO values like 25600 or greater. It looks like random splotches of color scattered around the brightest or darkest portions of an image. In modern digital photography, color noise isn’t nearly as much of an issue in most instances. Most of the time you won’t need to use the Color, Detail, and Smoothness sliders. For most practical purposes, it’s best to stick with luminance noise reduction adjustments.
To access the noise reduction sliders, click the Detail panel in the Develop module. The noise reduction sliders are grouped with sharpening adjustments because these often go hand-in-hand. Boosting noise reduction can have a smoothing effect on your images which can be somewhat mitigated by adjusting the sharpening sliders.
Getting detailed
When working with luminance noise, there are three sliders to adjust:
Luminance
Detail
Contrast
Luminance is a measure of how much noise to remove, while Detail and Contrast give you finer control over the effects of the noise reduction.
You might notice that Lightroom automatically applies a small amount of noise reduction to every RAW file by default. This is generally a good starting point because RAW files, due to their unprocessed nature, inherently contain more noise than in-camera JPEG files. And it’s almost always recommended to remove some of that noise even if just a tiny bit.
To start the noise removal process, move the Luminance slider to the right. The farther you go, the more pronounced the noise removal effect will be. I generally don’t push it past 50, but your settings will depend on your image and your personal preferences.
This is the same image as above, but with Luminance set to 50. Notice how the background is much smoother, as are the cheeks. However, the eyelashes have lost much of their sharpness.
After adjusting the Luminance slider to your liking, use Detail and Contrast to bring back parts of your image that might have been lost by the noise reduction algorithm. Move the Detail slider to control the threshold at which the noise reduction starts to kick in. This can help retain some of the details in your image but end up leaving some of the noise intact.
Bumping the Detail slider up to 80 brings back some of the sharpness around the eyelashes and other areas of the face.
As you adjust the Luminance slider, you will see some parts of your picture get muddy, almost like a layer of petroleum jelly has been smeared across the shot. Use the Contrast slider to bring back some of the high-contrast parts of your image that are most affected by the Luminance slider.
Moving the Contrast slider up to 40 helps mitigate a bit more of the effects of software-based noise reduction. However, the more you use the sliders, the more processed and artificial your images will look.
As with many aspects of photography, there is no single correct answer for how much noise reduction to use in Lightroom. Some high-ISO images will look fine without too much tinkering, while others require more drastic measures. Mastering noise reduction isn’t about finding one solution that works for every image. It’s about understanding how to use the editing tools to create the best possible outcome for any given photo.
Low ISO versus noise reduction
To really understand how Lightroom noise reduction works, it helps to look at some comparisons of images so you can see the results for yourself.
The following images show different versions of the same scene; one base shot is taken at a very low ISO, while another is taken at a high ISO. I then apply varying degrees of noise reduction and display the results.
When resizing images for the web, some of the issues with shooting at a high ISO are difficult to notice. However, a few artifacts do stand out, such as the muddiness of the solid blue radio toy, and a clear lack of definition in the intricate parts of the ball maze on the left.
For a closer look, here are 100% crops of each image:
A 100% crop of the original ISO 100 image. Note the fine detail in the cactus and the overall clarity of the picture.A 100% crop of the original ISO 6400 image. Colors are washed-out and subtle texture is obliterated. Note that the green paint lines at the borders of the white lines are completely gone.
When looking at these images close-up, it’s clear that the ISO 6400 photo is noticeably worse. However, if shooting at ISO 6400 or greater will give you the ability to get the shot you want, then it’s a tradeoff worth making.
High-ISO shooting becomes even more practical when you learn to eliminate some of these issues in Lightroom. Using the noise reduction options won’t fix a high-ISO image entirely, but it can go a long way toward cleaning things up.
A 100% crop of the ISO 6400 image with these adjustments applied: Luminance 80, Detail 60, and Contrast 55. While the ugly noise artifacts have been smoothed out, the image still isn’t as rich and detailed as its low-ISO counterpart.
Mastering noise reduction in Lightroom isn’t just limited to moving three sliders in the Detail panel. It’s best paired with other adjustments such as Texture, Clarity, Contrast, Saturation, etc. There is no one-size-fits-all preset to magically make your ISO 6400 images look as good as ISO 100 images. But with a little work, you can bring back some of the punch and brilliance of your originals.
A 100% crop of the high-ISO image with previous noise reduction edits applied along with the following: Contrast -15, Shadows +34, Blacks -35, Texture +42, and Saturation +22.
Noise reduction isn’t a cure-all, and it won’t resurrect parts of the image that were never captured to begin with. In the ISO 6400 shot above, no amount of software-based noise reduction can bring back the green paint along the white lines that were clearly present in the low-ISO image.
But careful use of the tools available to you can go a long way toward making a messy picture more than usable.
Nikon D750 | Nikon 85mm f/1.8G | 85mm | 1/250 sec | f/2.8 | ISO 6400. The sun was setting and I needed a fast shutter speed, so I chose to shoot at ISO 6400 and was able to adjust it in Lightroom. My clients loved the results.
Mastering noise reduction in Lightroom: Conclusion
Mastering noise reduction in Lightroom isn’t a science; each image is different and your own preferences matter most of all. Shoot some test images at ISO 6400 or higher, then see what you can do to clean them up using the tools available to you.
You might be surprised at how much latitude you have when editing. The more you experiment, the more skilled you will get.
And soon you’ll be transforming your photos from noisy messes into near-masterpieces.
The post Mastering Noise Reduction in Lightroom: The Essential Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.
Introducing the Canon RF 70-200mm F4 L IS USM and RF 50mm F1.8 STM
Canon’s full-frame mirrorless RF system keeps on growing, and today sees the addition of two much-requested new lenses. The RF 70-200mm F4 L IS USM is a compact, more affordable alternative to the previously-announced RF 70-200mm F2.8, and the RF 50mm F1.8 STM is a low-cost standard prime for photographers that don’t need F1.2 (i.e. most photographers).
Click through this article for a walkthrough of their key features (hands-on images courtesy of Canon).
Canon RF 70-200mm F4 L IS USM
Let’s look first at the RF 70-200mm F4 L IS USM. Spiritual successor to the popular EF 70-200mm F4 family of tele-zooms, one of the main selling points of this new RF zoom is its size (it’s both smaller, 32% shorter than the EF equivalent, and 11% lighter). In fact, at its 70mm position, the new RF 70-200mm F4 is only slightly bigger than the RF 24-105mm. The zoom can be locked at 70mm for storage.
Despite its medium/long-tele reach, minimum focus is a respectable ~0.6m (2 ft) at all focal lengths.
Canon RF 70-200mm F4 L IS USM
Like its big brother the RF 70-200mm F2.8, however, the lens gets considerably bigger when zoomed-in towards 200mm. Despite the extending design, the RF 70-200mm features ‘L-series dust and weather-resistant build,’ which includes a fluorine coating on the front element to repel water and dirt.
Optical construction consists of 16 elements in 11 groups, including four UD (ultra low dispersion) elements that mitigate chromatic aberration. The new lens also features Canon’s Air Sphere Coating, to reduce flare and ghosting.
Canon RF 70-200mm F4 L IS USM
On the barrel of the RF 70-200mm F4 you’ll find the usual array of switches, for focus (and focus limiting) and image stabilization. The RF 70-200mm F4 offers three I.S. modes: 1, for general use, which stabilizes in all directions, 2, which is intended to offer best performance for panning shots, and 3, where stabilization only activates once you fully depress the shutter button.
The RF 70-200mm F4’s rated I.S. performance is impressive: 5EV from the lens alone and up to 7.5EV when used in conjunction with the in-body image stabilization system in the EOS R5 and R6.
Canon RF 70-200mm F4 L IS USM
You might need that stabilization because unlike the RF 70-200mm F2.8 (and previous EF designs) there’s no provision for a tripod foot. Potentially also frustrating for some photographers is that just like its ‘big brother’ the RF 70-200mm F2.8, this new lens is not compatible with Canon’s RF 1.4X and 2X extenders.
Focus elements are driven by a pair of Nano USM motors. Based on our previous experience with Canon’s Nano USM technology, we expect autofocus performance will be very fast, and silent as well.
The Canon RF 70-200mm F4 L IS USM will be available in early December for $ 1,599.
RF 50mm F1.8 STM
Next up is the RF 50mm F1.8 STM, a low-cost prime lens for RF shooters. Essentially a native RF equivalent to the older EF 50mm F1.8 STM, the new lens is tiny (weighing only 160g / 5.6oz) and at $ 199, considerably more budget-friendly than the RF 50mm F1.2L.
RF 50mm F1.8 STM
Optical construction is all-new, consisting of six elements in five groups, with one aspherical element. Minimum focus of ~0.3m (1ft) works out to a maximum magnification ratio of 0.25X.
The ring you can see in this picture (and the previous one) is a customizable control ring, which can be set for direct control over manual focus, or in it’s ‘control’ position to provide access to other settings like aperture control or exposure compensation, via the menu system of RF cameras.
RF 50mm F1.8 STM
Seven rounded blades deliver a near-circular diaphragm at wide aperture settings, and the new lens features a front filter diameter of 43mm. Canon’s SSC (Super Spectra Coating) should help reduce flare and ghosting. The RF 50mm F1.8 STM will be available next month.
If you’re lucky enough to be in Japan at the moment, select Sony stores will give you a free — and downright adorable — mini camera kit if you purchase a Sony a7 or a9 series camera system.
The limited-time promotion is going on through November 30 at the Sony Stores in the Ginza, Sapporo, Osaka and Fukuoka Tenjin districts. The mini kit includes miniature versions of the Sony a7R II and either a 24–70mm F2.8 OSS or 100–400mm GM OSS lens.
The promotion appears to be limited to these stores, so unless you happen to be in Japan amidst this global pandemic or know someone who is (that’s also willing to buy an a7 or a9 camera for you), you might just have to keep an eye out on auction sites when people inevitably end up trying to sell these miniature mirrorless cameras and lenses online.
Sony’s a7C is an attempt at a compact full-frame camera that retains the capability of a larger model. It has an awful lot in common with the still-available a7 III, with sensor, processor and most key specifications shared between the two models.
However, while the $ 1800 launch price of the a7C is $ 200 lower than that of the a7 III, the bigger camera has been on the market for more than two years longer and consequently sells for much less in many places.
So which camera is better for your needs?
What’s the same?
An awful lot of the specs and capabilities of the two cameras are a match: 5-axis stabilized 24MP BSI CMOS sensors, Bionz X processors, 10 fps shooting and 8-bit 4K video capture from the full width of those sensors.
The cameras have the same basic menu layout and the same touchscreen implementation, only really using the screen to position the AF point. Both offer Wi-Fi, with the a7C gaining the ability to use the 5Ghz band, both also have NFC for making a fast connection but, though they each include Bluetooth, both use it solely for transferring GPS data, rather than maintaining a constant smartphone connection.
So, in terms of broad capability, there’s not much to choose between them, but once you dig into the details, there may be differences that mean it comes down to more than simply price versus compactness for you.
What’s different – Autofocus
One of the biggest differences is the behavior of the cameras’ autofocus systems. The a7C has the latest version of Sony’s AI-trained subject recognition system, which is fully integrated into the main AF system. If you choose the tracking variant of one of its AF area modes, the camera will confidently stay glued to that subject, regardless of how the subject and camera move, relative to one another.
If the subject is human it will engage body, head, face or eye-detection as appropriate. It can perform a similar trick for certain types of animal, if you tell it to prioritize such subjects.
The a7 III is pretty good but not quite as polished, by comparison. Eye-AF works very well but the AF system won’t necessarily continue to track that same subject if they look away. Its subject tracking is also less dependable, and tries to follow the whole subject, not necessarily the part of the subject you’ve specified, making it less precise and less predictable than the a7C’s system.
What’s different – Viewfinder
Another really significant difference is the viewfinders. Although both have relatively low resolution (for modern cameras costing this much), the a7 III has a larger viewfinder panel with optics that combine to provide decent 0.78x magnification. That’s as big as the finders on pro sports DSLRs.
The viewfinder on the a7C uses a smaller panel and achieves a rather paltry 0.59x magnification, which is more directly comparable with a mid-range APS-C DSLR. In addition to its small size, the a7C’s finder has little in the way of an eye-cup: it’s got a thin rubber surround for comfort (and the avoidance of scratches for glasses wearers), but nothing to stop light from around the finder reaching your eye. This is probably the biggest concession made to keeping the camera small.
What’s different – Size
The most significant difference, though, is the a7C’s size, compared with the a7 III. It’s a significantly smaller camera, especially when paired with the retractable 28-60mm F4-5.6 kit zoom.
This isn’t enough to make the a7C pocketable by any means, but means it can operate as a package that’s much easier to have with you at all times. This benefit is greatly reduced if you fit one of the system’s larger lenses, such as the do-everything 24-105mm F4, but there are options, such as the 35mm F1.8 and 85mm F1.8 that keep the combination small and allow the camera to show its full strength.
What’s different – ergonomics
The a7C’s reduction in size also means a change in ergonomics. Impressively, the smaller camera still finds room for two command dials and a dedicated exposure comp dials, as well as a prominent AF-On button on the back. The downside is that all three dials are positioned to be controlled by your thumb. So, while it’s possible to access, say, aperture, shutter speed and exposure compensation without the need for button pressing, it requires a degree of hand-re-positioning, which slows the process down.
By comparison, the a7 III has front and rear command dials, that allow thumb-and-forefinger control without repositioning your hand. It too has an exposure compensation dial and a command dial on the rear face of the camera, if you need to control more than two parameters on-the-fly. The a7 III also has an AF joystick, though doesn’t benefit from the larger AF-On button we’ve seen on more recent Sonys. The a7C’s AF system doesn’t demand the use of an AF joystick very often, but it’s something a lot of photographers feel is nice to have.
What’s different – Shutter
A less visible difference between the two cameras is their use of different shutter mechanisms. The a7 III has a conventional mechanical shutter with the option to use an electronic first curtain to reduce the risk of shutter shock, and a silent, fully electronic mode.
The a7C only has a mechanical return shutter, meaning it can only offer electronic first curtain or fully electronic modes. The use of EFCS reduces the risk of shake at moderate shutter speeds but can also have a damaging impact on out-of-focus rendering if used at very high shutter speeds and a wide-aperture (we only saw the slightest impact at 1/4000 sec and F1.8, for instance). The bigger restriction might be that the new shutter is limited to 1/160 sec flash sync speed and 1/4000 sec maximum shutter speed, though e-shutter extends to 1/8000 sec if your subject and lighting will allow.
What’s different – Video
For the most part, the a7C and a7 III have very, very similar video specifications. Both cameras shoot oversampled 4K/24p from the full width of their sensors, or have to crop-in slightly for 30p. Both offer the ability to shoot S-Log2 and S-Log3 or some versions of the HLG curve designed for use on HDR TVs, but all video modes are captured in 8-bit, which limits the flexibility of the footage.
What’s different is the AF performance in video mode. Frustratingly you need to change the touchscreen settings and tap a subject to access subject tracking but it works extremely well, and uses the full face/eye/body recognition capabilities. The a7 III uses a less sophisticated AF system that requires more button pressing to engage tracking and tends not to be as dependable, once you have.
Conclusion
At its most simple, there’s so much that’s similar about the a7 III and a7C, that the main factors to choose between them are compactness and price. If you don’t need or appreciate the smaller form-factor of the a7C or you expect to use larger lenses, you may well decide that the less-expensive a7 III is a better choice.
Equally, the larger viewfinder and more DSLR-like dial setup may make the a7 III’s ergonomics preferable to some photographers.
However, the a7C’s autofocus is meaningfully better than that of the older camera, both in performance and ease-of-use which, combined with its smaller body, compact kit lens and impressive battery life, make it a really powerful option for travel. It all comes down to what you plan to do with your camera.
Apple’s iPhone 12 is the base model of the company’s new lineup. And yet, it’s packed full of high-end features, starting with a high-resolution, high contrast OLED display that allows for realistic display of HDR images. And while the base model doesn’t have the telephoto cameras the Pro and Pro Max models include, it comes with an ultra-wide (0.5x) module that enables dramatic perspectives and a relatively accurate ‘Portrait Mode’ when shooting with the main (1x) camera.
We’ve been out and about on the east coast – for a change – shooting fall colors, temples, alma maters and family! Take a look at the capabilities of the iPhone 12 ultra-wide (0.5x) and wide (1x) camera modules in our gallery here, and let us know what you think in the comments below.
And while you’re perusing our gallery, make sure to click on ‘Details’ and read the captions of each image, where you’ll find detailed information about the module and camera mode used, including any manual operations performed during shooting or post-processing images.
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