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Canon to Announce the EOS M50 Mark II With 32.5 MP, 14 FPS

The post Canon to Announce the EOS M50 Mark II With 32.5 MP, 14 FPS appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

2020 is Canon’s year.

First we get the EOS R5 and R6, two powerhouse cameras that have revolutionized Canon’s mirrorless lineup (and, in some ways, the world of mirrorless more generally).

And now it looks like we’ll be seeing another impressive mirrorless model before the year is out, this time as an addition to Canon’s APS-C mirrorless arsenal:

The EOS M50 Mark II, the successor to the fantastic EOS M50.

While the EOS M50 Mark II’s release isn’t yet official, camera product listings have prompted Canon Rumors to declare that the new mirrorless body is “confirmed.”

And according to Canon Rumors, the EOS M50 Mark II will include a 32.5 MP sensor (up from 24 MP on the EOS M50), as well as improved autofocus, 14 frames-per-second continuous shooting (compared to 10 fps on the EOS M50), 4K/60p capabilities without a crop, one SD card slot, and a 3.69M-dot electronic viewfinder (up from the 2.36M-dot EVF on the EOS M50). You can also expect compatibility (via an adapter) with Canon’s EF and EF-S lenses, though Canon also offers a decent range of EF-M glass.

In other words, the EOS M50 Mark II will be impressive indeed. Photographers will be able to harness the detail of a 30+ megapixel sensor while maintaining the speed of an action camera. And while we don’t know if the 14 fps specification only applies when using AF-S autofocus, worst-case scenario puts the EOS M50 Mark II at around 10 fps when set to AF-C, which is not bad at all for serious action shooters.

Personally, I’m most looking forward to the electronic viewfinder. I find EVFs below 3.69M-dot tough to use, and it’s hard to overstate the value of a good electronic viewfinder. After all, it’s what defines your entire shooting experience, especially if you’re the type that shoots frequently through the viewfinder rather than working with Live View on the rear LCD.

Overall, the EOS M50 Mark II appears to be something of an all-around camera for beginners and intermediate photographers (while still perfectly capable of professional-quality shots). And the 4K/60p video is a nice addition for hybrid shooters and vloggers, especially given the limitations of the EOS M50’s 4K/24p video (it comes with a frustrating 1.7x crop).

So if you’re looking for a powerful camera that offers a lot of resolution, impressive speed, and a (likely) reasonable price tag, then keep an eye out for the official EOS M50 Mark II announcement over the next few months.

Now over to you:

What do you think about these EOS M50 Mark II features? Are you impressed? Disappointed? Do you plan to purchase the EOS M50 Mark II?

The post Canon to Announce the EOS M50 Mark II With 32.5 MP, 14 FPS appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Digital Photography School

October 5, 2020
It’s alive: Zeiss’ Android-powered ZX1 camera is available to pre-order on B&H for $6K

Surprises in 2020 have proven less than ideal more often than not, but a new bit of information might make one surprise in the photography world an anomaly from the rest. B&H has sent out an email notifying consumers the long-awaited Zeiss ZX1 camera is now available for pre-order for $ 6,000 and is ‘Coming Soon.’

The fabled ZX1 was announced all the way back in September 2018. At the time, Zeiss detailed the specifications of the Android-powered full-frame camera that features a 37.4MP sensor behind a fixed 35mm Distagon F2 lens. And while it isn’t the first Android-powered camera to come to fruition, it did set itself apart from the onset due to Zeiss partnering with Adobe to ensure Lightroom CC would run directly on the camera’s 4.3” 1280×720 pixel display. In Zeiss’ own words, the camera was designed to enable you to shoot, edit and share on the fly.

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Zeiss said in its announcement the camera would be available in ‘early 2019.’ As we all know by now though, that wasn’t the case. In February 2019 we had our first hands-on with the ZX1 and in March 2019 we had an interview with Elliot Shih, Senior Product Manager of Zeiss, talking about the camera, but since then it’s been radio silence, despite multiple attempts to contact Zeiss for more information.

We have contacted B&H for more information regarding the listing and potential availability dates of the ZX1, but the shop is closed and its employees are on break through October 11, so it’s unlikely we’ll receive a response any earlier than October 12. We will update this article with more information as it becomes available.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

October 5, 2020
This iOS 14 widget adds NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day to your homescreen

With the release of Apple’s iOS 14, users can finally add widgets to their homescreen and subsequent pages, paving the way for unique ways to customize your iOS device. Inspired by a widget from iOS Reddit client Apollo, developer Mark Hambly decided to make his own to show off the beautiful astrophotography of NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) project.

A collection of various layouts you can achieve using the new widgets in iOS 14.

The aptly named APOD app, which is free to download (and ad-free), will refresh every day with the latest image(s) from NASA’s APOD feed. You can customize the widget to show up as a 2×2 square, 2×4 rectangle or a 4×4 square to squeeze it into whatever homescreen setup you’ve customized. The widget offers the option to show the current APOD, a random APOD or cycle through a collection of your favorite APOD images you’ve marked within the app.

You can pick between the APOD, a random APOD from the past or a collection of Favorite APOD images you’ve saved.

If you want additional information on the image being displayed, you can tap on the widget and it will take you into the app, where you’ll see the image’s title, the date it was released and the description provided by NASA. You can also browse through the Astronomy Picture of the Day by date and even tap the ‘Random’ button that will surprise you from a past image.

The app is still in its infancy, as it was quickly developed ‘over a few evenings’ as part of a personal hackathon, so if you do come across the bug, just report it to the developer through the app’s settings. The app is available in the iOS App Store.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

October 4, 2020
Nikon Z5 sample gallery: new samples from DPReview TV

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The Nikon Z5 continues to impress us. Check out this brand new Z5 sample gallery from our team at DPReview TV.

If you missed our first Nikon Z5 sample gallery you can find it below.

View the new Nikon Z5 sample gallery

View the original Nikon Z5 sample gallery

Original Nikon Z5 sample gallery

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

October 4, 2020
6 Tips for Near-Macro Photography with a Telephoto Lens
The post 6 Tips for Near-Macro Photography with a Telephoto Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Elliot Hook.

Macro photography is the art of capturing the fine detail of very small subjects that may not be seen by the naked eye. Technically, to fall under the category of “macro,” the subject should be captured with a reproduction ratio of 1:1 (i.e., the subject will be captured on the sensor at 100% life-size).

Macro lenses are specially designed to minimize the focusing distance, allowing the photographer to get closer to the subject and therefore increase the reproduction ratio.

There are a number of techniques that can be used to help achieve the desired magnification without a dedicated lens (extension tubes, close-up filters, and reversing rings). However, one of the less common techniques is to use something that you probably already have in your bag: a telephoto lens.

Milking Bonnet Fungi (Mycena galopus)

Telephoto lenses offer extreme magnification, but generally have much larger minimum focusing distances. This pushes the photographer farther from the subject and therefore reduces the reproduction ratio. Some telephoto lenses, when combined with camera systems utilizing smaller sensors, are able to offer 1:1 magnification (true macro). However, typically, telephoto lenses are limited to close-up photography at near-macro reproduction ratios.

Using a telephoto lens for this kind of work offers a couple of advantages over a dedicated macro lens that are a direct result of the large minimum focus distance. Because the working distance to the subject is in the region of 1 meter (compared to the 15-30 cm working distance of standard macro lenses), the risk of disturbing your subject as you compose your shot is much reduced.

Also, given the extra distance between the camera and the subject, you are much less likely to cast a shadow over your subject, and you have a lot of freedom with the lighting you can employ to light the subject, both natural and flash.

Common Blue butterflies, mating (Polyommatus icarus)

Using a telephoto lens for such precise work is not without challenge, so here are a few tips to help maximize your chances of getting that near-macro shot with your telephoto lens:
1. Due to the extreme focal length, the risk of reduced sharpness due to camera shake is higher. Therefore, it is imperative to use a tripod and a remote shutter release to try to limit lens/camera movement.
2. Even on a tripod, images can still suffer from camera shake. Try to use a tripod collar for your telephoto lens, so that the lens is clamped directly to the tripod, reducing the chances of “lens wobble.” If not, use the “1/focal length’” shutter speed rule to help capture sharp images. (I always use 1/effective focal length, where you multiply your focal length by the sensor crop factor to give the focal length in 35 mm terms.)
3. Be aware of the depth of field. Using extreme focal lengths at such close distances can reduce the depth of field to fractions of a millimetre. Therefore, to ensure the subject is sharp throughout, use a small enough aperture to ensure the depth of field extends across your whole subject (there are websites and apps to help you do this).
4. If you want to capture your subject in focus from front to back, ensure that it is parallel to your sensor. The depth of field will be so narrow at the extreme focal lengths that you may not have more than a few millimetres to play with. Therefore, position yourself accordingly to maximize your chances of capturing a sharp image.
5. If your telephoto lens as an AF/MF switch, switch it to manual focus and compose/focus the shot manually. You may find that, when focusing manually, the minimum focusing distance decreases, meaning that you can get closer to your subject, increasing the magnification.
6. Use a teleconverter to increase the focal length, but retain the same minimum focusing distance. This will allow you to significantly increase the magnification of the subject, without having to move any further away. Increasing the focal length in this way will have consequences on your choice of shutter speed and aperture, but as long as it is taken into consideration, a teleconverter can successfully be used to increase the reproduction ratio.
Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)

Using a telephoto lens for near-macro photography will typically not allow you to magnify your subject as far as if you were using a dedicated macro lens, but you will be able to test the water to see if macro photography is something you enjoy without having to splash out on any additional kit.

If you do decide that macro photography is for you, by putting this technique into practice, you will learn a lot of good fieldcraft that will be beneficial when you get around to picking up that new macro lens.

The post 6 Tips for Near-Macro Photography with a Telephoto Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Elliot Hook.

Digital Photography School
October 4, 2020
Wedding Photography – 21 Tips for Amateur Wedding Photographers

The post Wedding Photography – 21 Tips for Amateur Wedding Photographers appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

“Help me, I’m photographing my first wedding! Give me some wedding photography tips, please!”

It’s a question that photographers frequently ask. So while I’m not a pro wedding photographer, I thought it was time to share a few tips on the topic of wedding photography.

I’ll leave the technical tips for photographing a wedding to the pros. But, as someone who has been asked to photograph numerous friends’ and family’s weddings, here are a few suggestions.

1. Create a shot list

One of the most helpful tips I’ve been given regarding wedding photography is to get the couple to think ahead about the shots that they’d like you to capture on the day.

Then compile a list so that you can check each shot off. This is particularly helpful in family shots. There’s nothing worse than getting the photos back and realizing you didn’t photograph the happy couple with Grandma!

2. Wedding photography family photo coordinator

I find that the family photo part of the day can be quite stressful. People are going everywhere, you’re unaware of the different family dynamics at play, and people are in a “festive spirit” (and have often been drinking a few spirits) to the point that it can be quite chaotic.

Get the couple to nominate a family member (or one for each side of the family) who can be the “director” of the shoot. They can round everyone up, help get them in the shot, and keep things moving so that the couple can get back to the party.

3. Scout the location

Visit the locations of the different places that you’ll be shooting before the big day.

While I’m sure most pros don’t do this, I find it really helpful to know where we’re going, to have an idea of a few positions for shots, and to know how the light might come into play. Before one or two weddings, I’ve even visited locations with the couples and took a few test shots (these made nice “engagement photos”).

4. In wedding photography, preparation is key

So much can go wrong on the day, so you need to be well-prepared. Have a backup plan (in case of bad weather), have batteries charged, memory cards blank, think about routes and times to get to places. Get an itinerary of the full day so you know what’s happening next. If you can, attend the rehearsal of the ceremony, where you’ll gather a lot of great information about possible positions to shoot from, the lighting, the order of the ceremony, etc.

5. Set expectations with the couple

Show the couple your work/style. Find out what they want to achieve, how many shots they want, what key things they want to be recorded, how the shots will be used (for prints, etc.). If you’re charging them for the event, make sure you have the agreement of price in place upfront.

6. Turn off the sound on your camera

Beeps during speeches, the kiss, and vows don’t add to the event. Switch off your camera sounds beforehand and keep them off.

7. Shoot the small details

Photograph rings, backs of dresses, shoes, flowers, table settings, menus, etc. These help give the end album an extra dimension. Flick through a wedding magazine at a newsstand for a little inspiration.

8. Use two cameras

Beg, borrow, hire, or steal an extra camera for the day, and set it up with a different lens. I try to shoot with one wide-angle lens (great for candid shots and in tight spaces, particularly before the ceremony in the preparation stage of the day) and one longer lens (it can be handy to have something as large as 200mm if you can get your hands on one; I use a 70-200mm).

9. Consider a second wedding photographer

Having a second photographer can be a great strategy. It means less moving around during ceremony and speeches, and it allows for one photographer to capture the formal shots while the other gets candid shots. It also takes a little pressure off you as “the one” who has to get every shot!

10. Be bold but not obtrusive

Timidity won’t get you “the shot,” so sometimes you need to be bold to capture a moment.

However, timing is everything, and thinking ahead to get in the right position for key moments is important so as not to disrupt the event.

In a ceremony, I try to move around at least 4-5 times, but I try to time my move to coincide with songs, sermons, or longer readings. During the formal shots, be bold, know what you want, and ask for it from the couple and their party. You’re driving the show at this point of the day and need to keep things moving.

11. Learn how to use diffused light

The ability to bounce a flash or to diffuse it is key. You’ll find in many churches that light is very low. If you’re allowed to use a flash (and some churches don’t allow it), think about whether bouncing the flash will work (remember that if you bounce your flash off a colored surface it will add a color cast to the picture), or whether you might want to buy a flash diffuser to soften the light.

If you can’t use a flash, you’ll need to use a fast lens at wide apertures and/or bump up the ISO. A lens with image stabilization might also help. Learn more about using flash diffusers and reflectors.

12. Shoot in RAW

I know that many readers feel that they don’t have the time for shooting in RAW (due to extra processing), but a wedding is one time that it can be particularly useful, as RAW gives so much more flexibility to manipulate shots after taking them. Weddings can present photographers with tricky lighting that results in the need to manipulate exposure and white balance after the fact, and RAW will help with this considerably.

13. Display your shots at the reception

One of the great things about digital photography is the immediacy of it as a medium. One of the fun things I’ve seen more and more photographers doing recently is taking a computer to the reception, uploading shots taken earlier in the day, and letting them rotate as a slideshow during the evening. This adds a fun element to the night.

14. Consider your backgrounds

One of the challenges of weddings is that there are often people going everywhere, including the backgrounds of your shots. Particularly with the formal shots, scope out the area where they’ll be taken ahead of time and look for good backgrounds.

Ideally, you’ll want uncluttered areas and shaded spots out of direct sunlight where there’s unlikely to be a great aunt wandering into the back of the shot. Read more on getting backgrounds right.

15. Don’t discard your “mistakes”

The temptation with digital is to check images as you go and to delete those that don’t work immediately. The problem with this is that you might just be getting rid of some of the more interesting and useable images. Keep in mind that images can be cropped or manipulated later to give you some more artsy/abstract looking shots that can add real interest to the end album.

16. Change your perspective

Get a little creative with your shots. While the majority of the images in the end album will probably be fairly “normal” or formal poses, make sure you mix things up a little by taking shots from down low, up high, at a wide angle, etc.

17. Wedding group shots

One thing I’ve done at every wedding I’ve photographed is attempted to photograph everyone who is in attendance in one shot. The way I’ve done this is to arrange for a place that I can get up high above everyone straight after the ceremony. This might mean getting a tall ladder, using a balcony, or even climbing on a roof. The beauty of getting up high is that you include everyone’s face, and you can fit a lot of people in a single shot.

The key is to quickly be able to get everyone to the place you want them to stand, and to be ready to get the shot without having everyone stand around for too long. I’ve found that the best way to get everyone to the spot is to get the bride and groom there and to have a couple of helpers herd everyone in that direction. Read more on how to take group photos.

18. Fill flash

When shooting outside after a ceremony or during the posed shots, you’ll probably want to keep your flash attached to give a little fill flash. I tend to dial the flash back a little (a stop or two) so that shots are not blown out. But, particularly in backlit or midday shooting conditions where there can be a lot of shadow, fill flash is a must. Read more about using fill flash.

19. Continuous shooting mode

Having the ability to shoot a lot of images fast is very handy on a wedding day, so switch your camera to its continuous shooting mode and use it. Sometimes it’s the shot you take a second after the formal or posed shot when everyone is relaxing that really captures the moment!

20. Expect the unexpected

One more piece of advice that someone gave me on my own wedding day: “Things will go wrong, but they can be the best parts of the day.”

In every wedding that I’ve participated in, something tends to go wrong with the day. The best man can’t find the ring, the rain pours down just as the ceremony ends, the groom forgets to do up his fly, the flower girl decides to sit down in the middle of the aisle, or the bride can’t remember her vows.

These moments can feel a little panicky at the time. But it’s these moments that can actually make a day and give the bride and groom memories. Attempt to capture them, and you could end up with some fun images that sum up the day really well.

I still remember the first wedding I photographed, where the bride and groom’s car crashed into a tram on the way to the park where we were going to take photos. The bride was in tears, the groom stressed out. But after we’d all calmed down, people began to see some of the funny side of the moment, and we even took a couple of shots before driving on to the park. They were among everyone’s favorites.

21. Have fun

Weddings are about celebrating; they should be fun. The more fun you have as the photographer, the more relaxed those you are photographing will be. Perhaps the best way to loosen people up is to smile as the photographer (warning: I always come home from photographing weddings with sore jaws and cheeks because of my smiling strategy).

The post Wedding Photography – 21 Tips for Amateur Wedding Photographers appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Digital Photography School

October 3, 2020
DPReview TV: Nikon Z5 review
‘We have to go fishing to test the Nikon Z5,’ they told us. ‘It’s all about the camera,’ they said. Call us skeptical, but such are the lives of YouTube stars. So join us as we go fishing with the Nikon Z5

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.
- Sample images
- Introduction
- Design and handling
- Displays
- Battery
- Burst shooting
- Media slots
- Image quality
- Video performance
- Autofocus
- Who's it for?
Sample images from this episode

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
October 3, 2020
Slideshow: The hilarious finalists for the Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Finalists for the Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Finalists for the annual Comedy Pet Photo Awards were recently announced. Founded by the creators of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, the competition is now in its second year. Over 2,000 images of pets were submitted from 81 countries. The aim is to showcase the impact pets have on our lives and to raise awareness around animal homelessness in the United Kingdom. 10% of all entry fees were donated to national pet charity Blue Cross.

‘The entries this year have been completely and utterly what we needed to raise our spirits in 2020. It has been a tough year for many, but these images have not only made us laugh out loud, but also re-affirmed our desire to drastically reduce animal cruelty and pet orphanage. The positive movement created by this competition is so uplifting and hopefully we can achieve a similar reaction from all who see this competition,’ says Sullam.

Category and Overall Winners will be announced on November 24th. All 40 finalists can be viewed on the Comedy Pet Photo Awards site.

Finalist: ‘Gossip Girls’ by Magdalena Strakova

©Magdalena Strakova/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: Czech Republic

Artist Statement: I was photographing horses in a pasture, and these three got together and appeared to have a chat, gossipping like giggling schoolgirls.

Finalist: ‘Saint Paul’s Cap’ by Alex Class

©Alex Class/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: London

Artist Statement: I’ve always been keen on architectural photography, on leading lines, on creative perspectives. I had a walk around London with Kyte and his owners. Kyte is a lovely 9-year-old Weimaraner. I had been eying up this spot for a while and just waiting for the right face to wear Saint Paul’s cupola.

Finalist: ‘Drama Queen’ by Anne Lindner

©Anne Lindner/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: Germany

Artist Statement: There is almost nothing more beautiful than to see a hearty yawn of a rabbit.

Finalist: ‘Ohhhhhhhhh’ by Dimpy Bhalotia

©Dimpy Bhalotia/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: India

Artist Statement: This happened in a fraction of a second and I couldn’t stop laughing.

Finalist: ‘Over Dramatic Cat’ by Iain McConnell

©Iain McConnell/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: Wales

Artist Statement: Edmund being dramatic.

Finalist: ‘The Dancing Kitten’ by Iain McConnell

©Iain McConnell/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: Wales

Artist Statement: Edmund playing with his toy.

Finalist: ‘Shocked Mastiff’ by Annett Mirsberger

©Annett Mirsberger/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: Germany

Artist Statement: During a photoshoot, this gorgeous mastiff made some funny faces – I hope not because of me …!?

Finalist: ‘The Funny Amorgos Donkey’ by Boris Purmann

©Boris Purmann/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: Island of Amorgos, Greece

Artist Statement: 2016 at the greek Island Amorgos. We hiked from Aegiali to Langada and I made some Pics with my Mobile of a Donkey Group. In the last Picture it looks like that the Donkey was friendly and smiling to us. So I realise that I have to make more of this.

In 2019 we meet the Donkey Owners, they have a nice Tavern in Langada TAVERNA LOUDAROS and they told us the name of the Donkeys. From righti to left: Sister Nefeli, Mother Floredia and SOSO!

Finalist: ‘Isolated Dog’ by Ilana Rose

©Ilana Rose/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: Australia

Artist Statement: Isolated Vizla dog in lockdown, a reflection on how we all feel in this year of lockdowns due to COVID-19 world wide.

Finalist: ‘Happy Akira’ by Jasmin Haecker

©Jasmin Haecker/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Artist Statement: Our Shiba girl Akira loves to smile… we finally managed to capture this lovely unforgettable moment at Granddad’s grill party.

Finalist: ‘Hold on Tight! We’re Running Late!’ by Karen Hoglund

©Karen Hoglund/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: United States

Artist Statement: Dani, the puppy, hangs on for her life when Gabby is at the wheel. (The car wasn’t actually moving so it wasn’t really scary.) We intended to take a photo of the dogs looking at the camera but both pups looked forward instead which was much funnier!

Just to be on the safe side, we kept both dogs on leashes. What you can’t see in these photos is my husband crouched down in the back seat, holding both dogs leashes. He is such a good sport!

Finalist: ‘Friends Don’t Let Friends Do Silly Things Alone’ by Kerstin Ordelt

©Kerstin Ordelt/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: Austria

Artist Statement: This photo is an outtake. Actually, the dogs tried to hug and thats what happend 🙂 The picture was taken in Linz (Austria) in a pedestrian zone early in the morning.

Finalist: ‘Why Are You Upside Down Mum?’ by Malgorzata (Gosia) Russell

©Malgorzata (Gosia) Russell/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: Scotland

Artist Statement: This our one year old still kitten cat Basil. He is very playful, agile and loves our garden we used a lot during lockdown. It is our daily, morning routine to chase each other around the garden. Picture is not photoshopped.

Finalist: ‘Smile’ by Mehmet Aslan

©Mehmet Aslan/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: Turkey

Artist Statement: The horse’s smile and the dog that makes it strange.

Finalist: ‘Funny Horse’ by Peter von Shnen

©Peter von Shnen/Mars Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020

Location: Germany

Artist Statement: This horse is already 24 years old. He moved in with me and he likes it very much. Me too.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

October 3, 2020
Weekly Photography Challenge – Minimalism

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Minimalism appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.

From a recent dPS article by one of our authors, Simon Bond, we’re going to revisit ‘Photographic Minimalism’ (Don’t worry, it’s easy and fun!)

What is minimalism?

Minimalism, as the name suggests, is about keeping things simple. It means avoiding clutter, which in photography equates to removing unwanted elements from your photos.

You do want a main subject, though; this is needed for the minimalist parts of your photos to have something to contrast with. Make sure you tag your photo #dPSMinimalism wherever you choose to share it!

Shooting upward toward the fisherman helped produce a minimalist photo.

Or maybe a ship on the horizon? Whatever your photograph might be, do your best to show us that photographic minimalism! (Bit confused, check out this article)

Great! Where do I upload my photos?

Simply upload your shot into the comments field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see. Or, if you’d prefer, upload them to your favourite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites – tag them as #DPSMinimalism to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.

Follow us on Instagram?

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Minimalism appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.

Digital Photography School

October 3, 2020
Funleader’s 18mm F8 ‘cap lens’ gets more lens mount options and is now available to the public

Last October, Funleader started a Kickstarter campaign to help raise funds to produce its ridiculously small 18mm F8 pancake lens for Sony E mount and Leica L mount camera systems. As promised in its campaign, it started shipping to global backers in December 2019 and now, nine months later, the lens is available to purchase by the general public in three additional lens mounts.

The pancake lens is constructed of six multi-coated elements in four groups, has a 100º field of view on a full-frame camera and is made of aluminum. The lens measures just 15mm (.59in) and weighs only 80g (2.8oz), making it only marginally larger than the lens cap you probably keep on your camera to keep the mirror and sensor protected.

Funleader designed the lens around its hyperfocal distance, ensuring everything from 80cm (2.6ft) to infinity is in focus at its F8 aperture.

Below is a sample gallery of images taken with the lens and various cameras:

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The Funleader 18mm F8 cap lens is available for Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Leica L, Nikon Z and Sony E mount camera systems. Funleader has it available on its website for $ 150 with free worldwide shipping.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

October 3, 2020