Canon’s EOS R5 is an excellent camera for professionals or anyone that’s looking for a supremely capable option for almost any type of photography, from sports and action to studio portraits and landscapes.
It’s a 45MP full-frame mirrorless camera that can shoot clips of 8K video, has impressive Dual Pixel autofocus and excellent ergonomics. It can also capture 10-bit HDR stills and video for HDR display and is the spiritual (and mirrorless) successor to Canon’s 5D-series DSLR cameras. It’s not a perfect camera, but we think it’s an excellent and highly competitive addition to an already crowded field of competent high-resolution full-frame mirrorless cameras.
Key specifications:
45MP full-frame Dual Pixel CMOS sensor
8K video, with option for Raw or 10-bit 4:2:2 C-log or HDR PQ
Up to 4K/120p, or oversampled 4K up to 30p
100% coverage Dual Pixel II AF system with human and animal detection trained by machine learning
12 fps / 20 fps bursts (mech. / elec. shutter)
5.76M-dot OLED EVF with 120fps max refresh rate
3.2″ 2.1M-dot fully articulating touchscreen
10-bit HDR photos in HEIF format
1x CFexpress slot, 1x UHS-II SD slot
Claimed weather-sealing to EOS 5D Mark IV levels
2.4/5Ghz Wi-FI with Bluetooth and FTP connectivity
As you can see from the spec list, there’s a lot to cover. The EOS R5 is available now for $ 3899 USD body-only, or $ 4999 with the RF 24-105mm F4L lens.
Next page: What’s new and how it compares
Review index
What’s new and how it compares
The EOS R5 has a lot of new features inside and out. We’ll go through what they are, and why they matter, here.
Read more
Body, controls and handling
Canon has banished the EOS R’s touchbar and put a very nice AF joystick in its place. Overall, the R5 is a really pleasant camera to use.
Read more
Image quality
The EOS R5 offers strong JPEG and Raw performance; find out the details here.
Read more
Dynamic range
Canon’s EOS R5 does a great job with high-contrast scenes, like sunrises and sunsets.
Read more
Autofocus and performance
There aren’t a ton of settings you need to fiddle with on the EOS R5 to get the most of its AF system…but you should check out one or two of them right here.
Read more
Video
This might be the hottest part of the review.
(Read about EOS R5 overheating issues and its overall video quality here.)
Read more
Conclusion
The EOS R5 is absolutely the ‘mirrorless EOS 5D’ for most users. Find out why, right here.
Read more
Sample gallery
Peruse our huge sample gallery full of JPEGs, Raws and processed Raw images from a full-production EOS R5.
Apple doesn’t make its naming system easy to understand, but to be fair, the company is hardly alone in this. This year’s class of new iPhones includes four models – iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max – and aside from the size differences implied by ‘mini’ and ‘Max,’ you’re on your own to figure out what separates them. One of the differences that matters to a lot of people is the device’s camera features, and that’s what we’re here to help demystify.
We’ll go into depth on the more subtle differences between each device’s cameras below, but if you’re looking for a really quick answer here it is: the non-Pro models only have standard wide and ultra-wide cameras, while the Pro models have telephoto, standard and wide cameras. For visual learners, like us, here’s what that looks like in table form:
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
Standard wide camera
?
?
?
?
Ultra-wide camera
?
?
?
?
Telephoto camera
?
?
?
?
There’s more to it than that of course. There’s always more to it. Here’s a detailed rundown of each phone’s cameras and photo features.
iPhone 12 ($ 800 and up) and iPhone 12 mini ($ 700 and up)
Two rear cameras (Standard and Ultra-wide)
Front-facing selfie camera
The two non-Pro models offer the exact same camera hardware and features, which makes a choice between the two much easier – choose between the 12’s 6.1″ display or the 12 mini’s 5.4″ screen. As mentioned, both of these models lack a telephoto lens, as well as the Pro models’ Time-of-Flight (ToF) LiDAR sensor, used for better depth mapping, augmented reality and Night Mode portraits.
So what’s changed since the iPhone 11? The 12, 12 mini (and both Pro models) use a new 7-element lens with a wider F1.6 aperture on the main wide-angle camera. All three of the 12 and 12 mini’s cameras (as well as the Pros’ telephotos) now support Night Mode and Deep Fusion; technologies that use computational methods to improve photo quality.
Resolution
Aperture
Focal length (equiv.)
Stabilization
Night Mode portraits
Standard wide
12MP (1.4 µm pixels)
F1.6
26mm
?
?
Ultra-wide
12MP
F2.4
13mm
?
?
Selfie camera
12MP
F2.2
23mm
?
?
iPhone 12 Pro (starts at $ 1000)
Three rear cameras (Standard, Ultra-wide and Telephoto)
Front-facing selfie camera
Includes a ToF LiDAR 3D mapping sensor
Apple ProRaw (via update later this year)
Here’s where the differences in camera features start to get a little more complicated. The Pro and Pro Max both have standard wide and telephoto cameras, but they’re not the same. The Pro features the 12MP sensor found in the 12 and 12 mini, while the Max uses a different, larger sensor. The Pro offers a 52mm equiv. telephoto lens, while the Pro Max offers a slightly longer 65mm equiv. lens.
Resolution
Aperture
Focal length (equiv.)
Stabilization
Night Mode portraits
Standard wide
12MP (1.4 µm pixels)
F1.6
26mm
OIS
?
Ultra-wide
12MP
F2.4
13mm
?
?
Telephoto
12MP
F2.0
52mm
OIS
?
Selfie camera
12MP
F2.2
23mm
?
?
iPhone 12 Pro Max (starts at $ 1100)
Three rear cameras (Standard, Ultra-wide and Telephoto)
Front-facing selfie camera
Includes a ToF LiDAR 3D mapping sensor (for better depth mapping, augmented reality and Night Mode portraits)
Apple ProRaw (via an update planned for later this year)
The 12 Pro Max builds on the 12 Pro’s camera capabilities by opting for a larger sensor in its standard wide camera with bigger pixels, which should improve low-light performance. The standard camera also includes more robust sensor-shift image stabilization, and the Max’s telephoto lens is also a bit longer for tighter portrait framing.
Resolution
Aperture
Focal length (equiv.)
OIS
Night Mode portraits
Standard wide
12MP (1.7 µm pixels)
F1.6
26mm
Sensor-shift OIS
?
Ultra-wide
12MP
F2.4
13mm
?
?
Telephoto
12MP
F2.2
65mm
OIS
?
Selfie camera
12MP
F2.2
23mm
?
?
Which one should you buy?
The short answer is that if you care about getting the very best image quality from your phone, the iPhone 12 Pro Max looks to be your best option. We’re eager to test out Apple’s big image quality claims, but on paper at least, the improvements that have been made – especially to the main camera sensor – should add up to better performance.
Apple ProRaw is likely to be another key feature for those who care deeply about image quality, combining the flexibility of Raw capture with the benefits of computational photography. Unfortunately it’s another unknown at this point, since it will come to the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max later this year.
While it’s a relatively safe assumption that the 12 Pro Max’s camera will be better than that of the other 12-series devices, the question is how much better, and whether it’s enough to make a difference to most people. We’re looking forward to testing the phones and finding out for ourselves.
Adam Schultz, oficial photographer for the Biden For President campaign. Photo: Drew Heskett
Adam Schultz is a busy man. Official photographer for Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, he’s traveling all over the US with the candidate, taking and sharing pictures of the campaign trail. We caught up with Adam recently to talk about what it means to shoot for a presidential campaign, how 2020 differs from previous election cycles, and why he can’t wait until it’s possible to take pictures of people without masks on.
All pictures courtesy of Adam Schultz unless otherwise noted. The following interview has been edited for clarity and flow.
How do you end up as a campaign photographer?
Well in 2016 I worked on the Hillary campaign with Barbara Kinney, who was one of the White House photographers in the 90s, and before that I worked at the Clinton Foundation for eight or nine years. I’ve always been interested in politics and photography. It’s a really interesting niche, being able to use photographs to show what these people do on a day to day basis.
An early January shot of presidential candidate Joe Biden with supporters at Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa.
The Biden campaign trialled a bunch of photographers in the early days, but I remember on one of the longer flights back to Delaware, I was showing VP Biden the pictures on my computer, and he was going through them, and he turned to me and asked if he could put some of the pictures on his phone. And that’s when I thought ‘OK, good, he gets it, he likes this stuff!’ From that point on I’ve just stuck close and tried to build trust with him.
What is it about politics and politicians which interests you as a photographer?
I’ve always thought of myself as being a politically-conscious person, I try to keep my ear to the ground, and keep an eye on the issues that affect people. For me personally, I grew up in a household where my parents both had strong opinions, and they always talked about issues, and how important it was to vote, so it’s always been a part of my life.
Being able to combine photography and politics, well that’s a neat job!
A typical ‘pre-COVID’ campaign-trail scene in St Louis, taken in early February, before lockdown measures were put in place.
What does your role as campaign photographer involve?
A lot of it is generating marketing materials, effectively. In this campaign, because of the pandemic, we’ve concentrated a lot more on pictures that show the candidate with people. Whether that’s working on rope-lines or talking to supporters, and making sure that we get the shot of him walking out with the flag of a state behind him, to visually illustrate the fact that he’s at a certain location.
So every day I wake up, look at the schedule, and determine ‘OK, from this event we need a picture of X, Y and Z and from this meeting, we need a picture of him greeting such and such a person’.
If you go to our Flickr account, we’ve done a pretty good job of sharing photos from pretty much every public event that we do. One of the things I wanted to do a lot of in this campaign was to let people see what is actually happening. And Flickr is a great public forum where people can see the photos.
How has the pandemic affected your work on this campaign compared to 2016?
There were a couple of months when we were figuring out our COVID testing, and there were a lot of unknowns around what was safe, and what we could do. Questions like ‘Can we fly?’ And first and foremost, the campaign – and vice-president Biden – has said ‘safety first’. Wear a mask, get tested, all that stuff. There were a handful of times when I saw vice-president Biden before we started rigorous testing, but now, every day before I see him I get tested. So that’s definitely an extra layer, operationally, which has to be built into the schedule.
We always make sure we know exactly how many people can be in a space, what the safe distance is, and of course masks
But this is go-time – we do things every day. We’ve gotten around a lot, and the pictures show it. We’re out at events, being socially distanced, and we’re always following local guidelines, whether that’s state, county or city, whatever. We always make sure we know exactly how many people can be in a space, what the safe distance is, and of course masks. We follow mask mandates religiously. In my opinion, that indicates true leadership. We have to set a good example.
Presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks to his running mate, Kamala Harris, via video call, in August 2020.
Have all of those restrictions affected how you work as a photographer? Are there pictures this time around that you just haven’t been able to get?
One of the things that we used to love to do before the pandemic was rope-line moments. Often VP Biden would spend more time on the line talking to people after an event than the actual event ran for. You have to think about who those people are, who take time out of their day to come to the events and hang out on the line afterwards to talk to him, and tell him about their issues. Unfortunately, this time around, it’s been tough to talk to people like that and shake their hands.
As a photographer, that’s tricky. Events are socially distanced, and group photos always have to have six feet of distance between people. If you look at the photos we’re capturing now compared to this time last year, there’s a huge difference. Last year it was have been pictures of the candidate speaking, working the rope line, group photos, all the traditional kinds of pictures you’d see from a political campaign, but this is a wild time.
I’ll spend a fair amount of time trying to get shots showing what the event looks like from VP Biden’s perspective.
What does that mean for you technically?
One of the things I’ve always tried to do is move around a lot. As much as possible. When we go into a space I’ll move around and get the typical shots, then I’ll spend a fair amount of time trying to get shots showing what the event looks like from VP Biden’s perspective. And that’s where a lens like the 100-400mm is great, you can get those really tight shots. One thing that I’m doing in this role is documenting what the candidate sees, and what he’s thinking about.
If we’re in a smaller room, the trick is to take a picture of two people standing on opposite sides of that room, I’ll reach for the 16-35mm. But I’ll also back up on the 85mm, and for larger events the 100-400mm is great. It’s a really versatile lens. Being able to move around, both physically and in terms of focal length is really important.
Are you looking forward to the day when you can take pictures of people without masks?
We always follow local guidelines, and if the guidelines say ‘wear a mask everywhere, no matter what’ then VP Biden does that. It’s a tough thing to shoot around, because it makes it tough to capture really good moments sometimes. You’ll hear people say ‘I’m smiling with my eyes’ and you can see that, but it’s not the same.
Once we make it through this, God willing, it’ll open up a whole different realm of opportunities for photography. Being able to do normal events again, and shake hands with people again, it’ll be great.
An ABC interview with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in August, conducted according to social distancing guidelines.
What gear do you shoot with right now?
I have three Sony a9 II bodies, about twelve batteries, and four lenses, including the three I mentioned earlier. The Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM, the FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS, which is mostly a backup, then the FE 85mm F1.4 GM, which is a great lens, and the FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS. For me, it’s tricky because I never know exactly what kind of an event, or situation I’m going to walk into. So having those three bodies and those three main lenses gives me a really wide range of possibilities.
What’s the most fun thing about your job right now?
Right now [October 15th] we’re about two and a half weeks out, and it’s just the excitement. We’ve gone through ups and downs, and good days and bad days. This is a very exciting time. Every day I wake up, and I put all of the experience of the last year and a half to use. I follow his schedule, I do it, get the pictures, then edit. I’ll review the day when I’m going through my selects and I’ll think ‘Oh wow that was a really cool day!’
Every day I get to do this is a special day, and it’s important to remember that
A perfect day is one where we do an unscheduled stop. We used to do a lot of them, and it’s trickier now, but there have been a bunch of times where we’re on a two or three-day trip, and we’ll stop by a restaurant, or go to a little hole-in-the-wall place and order a sandwich or an ice-cream or something. Those kinds of things are great. They put the candidate in front of people who wouldn’t necessarily have seen him otherwise and they add a local flavor to the coverage of the campaign. Having those images peppered in among planned events, that really makes it fun.
Do you have any tips for staying healthy and sane, when you’re traveling so much?
Eat right! And never forget to take a step back and look at where you are. Paul Morse [White House photographer during the George W. Bush administration] told me that. To be in this kind of role, and to be given this kind of opportunity is such a cool thing. Some people might see it as a grind, and it is, but I don’t see it like that. Every day I get to do this is a special day, and it’s important to remember that. It’s not about me. I’m doing my job to make sure that the candidate is painted in a good light. There are rough days, but it’s a very special thing.
You can find more of Adam’s work on Instagram, and the official Biden For President Flickr page.
NASA has released pictures taken by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft that show the moment it touched down on the Bennu asteroid 200 million miles from Earth. The craft left Cape Canaveral a little over four years ago with the aim of intersecting the asteroid, and landed on the surface within three feet of the intended target on 20th October.
As the craft approached the asteroid its SamCam camera captured images at a rate of one every 1.25 seconds, recording the successful touch-down and the lift-off just six seconds later. While in contact with the surface OSIRIS-Rex used its Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) arm to collect samples of materials which it will bring back to Earth for analysis in March next year. The arm blasts the surface with pure nitrogen to force materials into the collecting chamber with the target of bringing back 60g of samples.
The aim of the mission and the sample collection is to help scientists learn more about the creation of the solar system and to see if organic molecules like those that make-up life on Earth can be detected. NASA says the value of this mission will be that it will be able to study materials that haven’t been subjected to the harsh process of entering the Earth’s atmosphere.
‘The O in OSIRIS-REx stands for Origins – understanding the origins of the solar system, which includes the origin of life on Earth. Bennu, the target of the OSIRIS-REx mission, will help us answer important astrobiology questions such as the role asteroids may have played in delivering life-forming compounds to Earth. It is a primitive carbonaceous asteroid that holds the record of our solar system’s earliest history.’
SamCam is only one of three cameras attached to the craft, the others being PolyCam which has an 8in telescope and was responsible for spotting the asteroid, and MapCam which checks the area on which the craft is to land.
The 82-image timelapse of the touch-and-go event shown here was taken over a five minute period, beginning when the craft was 82 feet from the surface and ending when it had backed away to 43 feet. It’s very cool but I have to say, if I’d driven all that way I would have shot it in color!
Here’s a video about how the craft approached the asteroid and mapped out the landing site.
For more information on the OSIRIS-REx mission visit the NASA website.
Manfrotto has introduced its own-brand camera batteries and a dual-bay charger that will be available exclusively in the USA. The lithium-ion batteries fit Canon and Nikon cameras, and are said to offer enhanced performance over standard batteries.
The HLX-E6N battery for Canon is a replacement for Canon’s LP-E6N, but the Manfrotto version offers 2000mAh over Canon’s 1865mAh. The Nikon alternative has slightly greater capacity than the 1900mAh of Nikon’s EN-EL15A and EN-EL15B batteries, but slightly less than the 2280mAh capacity of the EN-EL-15C.
The ProCube charger can accommodate two batteries of the same type and charge them simultaneously. The charger is compatible with batteries from Sony cameras as well as those from Canon and Nikon. An LCD panel shows charging progress as a percentage as well as in mAh, and also informs users of the health of the cells. The charging bay plate is interchangeable, so those with more than one brand of camera will be able to use the camera charging unit with different plates, and AA batteries can also be charged via a further included plate.
Sharp-eyed readers will note the striking similarity between the Manfrotto ProCube with its new batteries and the ProCube and batteries currently available from Hähnel. Perhaps existing Hähnel charging plates for other brands and battery types will also be compatible with this Manfrotto version. While Manfrotto has no track record in battery technology Hähnel does, and it is a pretty good one at that, so we can assume these will be very good alternatives to those supplied by the camera manufacturers.
Manfrotto Professional Batteries will cost $ 49.99, while the ProCube will cost $ 79.99 including adapters for European and UK plugs. For more information see the Manfrotto website.
Press release
NEW PROFESSIONAL BATTERIES AND CHARGERS FROM MANFROTTO
High quality batteries
Charge 2 batteries simultaneously, or 4 AA batteries
Intelligent fast IC charge control
Vitec Imaging Distribution, world leader in the photography and videography, imaging equipment and accessories industry announces their new range of batteries and chargers – the first they have produced.
High quality batteries Exclusive to the US, Manfrotto batteries and chargers go above and beyond the standard offerings currently on the market. With faster, more efficient charging and higher quality batteries, the Manfrotto Professional li-ion batteries deliver additional capacity, extra performance and ultimate reliability. The best UL approved cells have been carefully selected to ensure an extended life cycle, performance and safety.
Think all batteries are the same? Think again. The Professional li-ion batteries have been built to withstand tough environments and extreme field conditions – each battery has been injected with silicone giving them a shock absorbing construction, superior circuit protection and additional electrical insulation. They are drop proof up to 9ft, so you know you can rely on them whatever environment you are in.
Simultaneous charging It isn’t easy to replenish two batteries at the end of the shoot as cameras are only supplied with the means to charge one. The Manfrotto ProCUBE will give you the capability to charge 2 batteries at the same time. It features a sturdy metal shell and interchangeable plates that each accept a pair of batteries as well as a plate for charging four AA batteries. The battery holders simply clip into place, whilst the AA plate fixes magnetically onto the top of the unit. The Manfrotto ProCUBE is an essential piece of kit for professionals who use multiple cameras from the same brand.
The easy to read LCD display shows the charging status of each battery as well as a battery health check, and the USB Power Source and Car Charging Cable means you can charge wherever your shoot takes you. US, Euro and UK plug adapters are also included.
The Professional Batteries are available for Canon and Nikon. MAP $ 49.99
The ProCube Chargers are available for Canon, Nikon and Sony. MAP $ 79.99.
For more information see https://manfrotto.com/us-en/products/batteries-chargers/
Off-the-wall photographic company Lomography has introduced a 35mm film camera that shoots 104mm long panoramic images through a lens that we are encouraged to fill with water. The company claims the HydroChrome Sutton’s Panoramic Belair camera is the world’s first 35mm format panoramic camera with a liquid-filled lens. Not surprising you might think, but they had to specify ‘35mm’ as in 1859 pioneering British photographer Thomas Sutton invented a panoramic camera with a water-filled lens that recorded on curved plates.
The camera has a plastic body and a lens that offers the angle of view of a 32mm. There is a chamber in the lens construction that allows users to add a liquid of their choice to create unusual effects. The liquid as such doesn’t form part of the focusing characteristics of the lens so much as operates as a form of filter. Clear water delivers a low saturation washed-out look, while adding weak coffee creates a sepia feel. Lomography recommends colored food dyes, tea and even diluted soy milk!
Images record across the entire width of the 35mm film used in the camera, so the emulsion around sprocket holes is exposed too allowing users to include the holes in their picture or to crop them off. Focus is fixed and the lens has an aperture of F11. Other smaller apertures can be achieved with the use of aperture plates, and shutter speeds are limited to 1/100sec, B(ulb) and T(ime). Cable release and tripod sockets help to keep the camera still during long exposures as well as for multiple exposures, and a hot shoe and a PC socket provide the means for a burst of flash.
Below are a handful of sample images, provided by Lomography:
The Lomography HydroChrome Sutton’s Panoramic Belair Camera is available now and costs $ 79 / £75. For more information see the Lomography website.
Press release:
The Lomography hydroChrome SuTTon’S panoramiC BeLair Camera
GO LOOPy WITH LIQUIDS, WILD FOR THE WETLOOK AND CRAzy WITH COLORS!
The world’s first 35 mm format panoramic camera with a liquid- filled lens
Unique experimental lens to step up your creativity and craft unexpected liquid effects
A fixed-focus lens with extra aperture plates for versatile renderings
Undeniably analogue aesthetic with lomo vignetting and perforated edges across panoramic shots
A fun introduction to experimental photography suitable for all creative spirits
A CREATIVE NEW CAMERA IS BORN An inspiring new invention, the HydroChrome Sutton’s Panoramic Belair Camera combines some of Lomography’s best-loved features into one exciting analogue innovation. The sweeping panoramic perspective of the Belair body meets the thrilling and unpredictable effects of the Sutton Liquid Lens with exposed sprocket holes to boot. Affordable, ingenious and incredibly simple to use with almost no need for settings, this new edition to the Lomography camera family invites creative spirits and first-time photographers alike to dive into an ocean of colorful experimentation.
EXPERIMENTAL, ENCHANTING, LIQUID EFFECTS The HydroChrome soaks up the scenery and drenches spectacular sprawling shots with special liquid looks. The unique Sutton lens lets you inject liquid into a circular dial, creating distinctive filters and luscious liquified scenes. With just the simple addition of clear water, you can achieve vintage aesthetics, washed-out tones and radiant blur too – every concoction creates unprecedented, unpredictable effects. Check out the HydroChrome Liquid Guide for inspiration and tips.
UNDENIABLY ANALOGUE AESTHETICS The HydroChrome makes experimenting easy. As well as a totally unique lens, this camera comes with a further two built-in features to explore – sprocket holes and panoramic exposures. Artistic minds can let their imagination run wild as they craft panoptic shots complete with lo-fi dreamy aesthetics, authentically analogue perforated edges, and extraordinary liquid effects, all on easy-to-use 35 mm film. Creative photographers can also experiment with multiple, long and pinhole exposures as well as four interchangeable aperture plates for versatility in a variety of lighting conditions.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Film Type: Standard 35 mm film Exposure Area: 104 mm × 35 mm Lens Angle of View: 32 mm Aperture: f/11 with f/16, f/22, f/32 & f/168 pinhole aperture plates Focus: Fixed-Focus Lens Focus Range: Focus-Free, 1.5 m – Infinity Shutter Speed: N (1/100), B (Bulb) T-Shutter: Individual T-Shutter Lever Viewfinder: Sports Viewfinder Multiple Exposure: Yes Tripod Socket Thread: Standard Tripod Socket Flash Sync: PC-Sync Socket & Hot-Shoe Cable Release Socket: Yes Price: 79 USD
Lux Optics, the company behind the popular iOS camera app Halide, has announced the release of Halide Mark II, a second-generation camera app for iOS that’s the culmination of more than 18 months of work.
Halide Mark II is an entirely new app with a revamped interface designed from the ground up to make a more a user experience that is simple to use, but rich in professional-level features for those who want to get the most out of their iPhone photography.
Halide Mark II has the same exposure control and focus gestures as before, but has further refined the experience with additional interface elements. Now, when manually adjusting focus, a new Focus Loupe will appear in the center of the screen that zooms in to help ensure you get focus just where you want it. When you let go, the Focus Loupe will disappear and show the usual overlay so you can compose your shot.
The manual exposure controls, including ISO and shutter speed, have also been moved and are now accessible with a quick swipe from the right-hand side of the screen. The app keeps its interface minimal, but when tapping on an icon, a text description of the tool or setting you’re adjusting, as you can see in the below GIF:
With Halide 1.0, you were given the option to see both Color and Luminance histograms to ensure you achieved just the right exposure. Well, as with most things in Halide Mark II, both of these have been updated with option to make the overlays smaller on the screen. Also new is the ‘Color Zebras’ feature, which breaks down three separate color channels — red, blue and green — into individual waveforms with zebra stripes that will appear if certain colors are clipped in either the highlights or the shadows. This ensures that no matter what color the scene you’re composing is, you can ensure you’re not clipping the highlights or shadows for any three of these channels.
If you’re using the histogram, waveform or zebra tools while in fully-manual mode, where you adjust the ISO and shutter speed, things get even more powerful thanks to a new feature Lux Optics calls XDR Analysis. Rather than using the post-processed 8-bit data other camera apps do to display the waveform and histogram data, Halide Mark II uses the full 14-bit Raw data, in real time, to calculate the exposure. Although Lux Optics says it has a more in-depth post in the works on the technology behind XDR Analysis, it sums it up like this in its blog post:
’Consider that video of the Golden Gate Bridge from earlier. Your histogram, analyzing 8-bit data, might think the sky is clipped. If you saw that in your zebra stripes, you’d say, “It’s over exposed, I should go down turn things down a bit.” In fact, the cloud are not over exposed in the RAW, and there’s no need to turn down your exposure. By under exposing, you’re now going to lose details in the shadows!’
The redesigned image reviewer now shows more accurate metadata information and allows you to view both the Raw and JPEG/HEIC image with a toggle between the two buttons.
Halide Mark II also features ‘Coverage,’ a new capture mode that takes two photos — one with Smart HDR 2/3 and Deep Fusion, and one in RAW. This gives you the benefit of having a more robust Raw file to work with in an editor as well as an instantly sharable JPEG or HEIC file to share with family and friends. Also new is ‘Instant Raw,’ a feature within Halide Mark II’s image reviewer that uses a 17-step process powered by onboard machine learning to instantly create a sharable image from an iPhone Raw file.
If all of these new features, settings and modes seem confusing, don’t worry. To complement the new app is a built-in 10-day course that will not only show off the features of Halide Mark II, but also teach a number of photography concepts along the way through examples.
As Lux Optics explains at the conclusion of its introduction blog post, it’s decided to make Halide Mark II an entirely separate app from Halide 1.0; one that’s free-to-download with a one-week trial and two options for continuing to use the app after the one-week trial is up.
After spending time talking with current users of Halide, as well as beta testers of Halide Mark II, the Lux Optics team decided to offer both a one-time purchase option in addition to an annual subscription option, both prices of which were based on the suggestions of users. A one-time purchase, which will include all future updates and features, costs $ 30 at launch and will go up to $ 36 after the introductory offer. Subscriptions will start at $ 12/month with a limited $ 10/month introductory offer that will lock you in at $ 10 for the life of the app.
Users who have already purchased Halide 1.0 will get Halide Mark II for free and have a year’s membership comped to their account.
You can download Halide Mark II in the iOS App Store and find out more information on the Halide website. For a full run-down of all the new features and updates, check out Lux Optics’ thorough introduction blog post.
Adobe has announced a massive Photoshop update which included, among many other features, the integration of Adobe’s new Unified Extensibility Platform (UXP) for plugins. Shortly after Adobe unveiled the new version of Photoshop, Loupedeck announced its collaboration with Adobe on a new plugin for Photoshop.
The free plugin, which can be downloaded through the new Plugin Marketplace in the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop application, introduces new features and improvements for owners of the Loupedeck CT and Loupedeck Live. You may recall that we covered the new Loupedeck Live product last month, which you can learn more about here.
Image credit: Loupedeck
In addition to the improve performance and usability offered by Adobe’s UXP architecture, the new Loupedeck Photoshop plugin includes the following features, per Loupedeck:
Ability to add adjustment layers and control their corresponding parameters with dials and/or wheel
Reset functionality for individual adjustment parameters
Intuitive control over Font settings
Quickly scroll through and view history panel with dial and/or wheel
Increased control over Curves, including the ability to adjust color channel curves separately and control curve points
Smoother control over Brush settings and Zoom In/Out functions
Streamline workflow by combining Photoshop actions into macros within the Loupedeck software
Full control over Layer Properties
Ability to control Quick Actions (e.g., select object, remove background) introduced in Photoshop 2020
Better performance for Camera Raw
Of the new plugin, Loupedeck’s founder and CEO, Mikko Kesti, says, ‘We collaborated with Adobe to develop the new plugin and to ensure Loupedeck users could easily integrate and maximize their creative potential with the new features offered by Photoshop the moment they are available. Our new plugin for Photoshop incorporates the software’s new features into both the Loupedeck CT and just-launched Loupedeck Live, giving creators the power to further customize their Photoshop experience.’
Image credit: Loupedeck
Vijay Vachani, Adobe’s Senior Director of Product Management and Partner Ecosystem for Adobe Creative Cloud adds, ‘Photoshop users will now have increased functionality when using their Loupedeck devices and the ability to take even more control over a wide variety of Photoshop features, including the newly introduced Quick Actions.’
You can download the plugin from Adobe’s Plugin Marketplace by clicking here. You can learn more about Loupedeck Live and purchase it directly from Loupedeck. To learn more about Loupedeck CT, click here.
The post Manual Exposure Cheat Sheet for Beginners: How to Expose Manually appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
Photographers are visual people. Learning is often made easier for us with the help of graphics and images. In this article, I want to break down this classic manual exposure cheat sheet:
Beginner photographers, and even more experienced ones, often think that Manual mode is complicated.
It’s not.
But to learn how to use Manual mode well, you need to understand a few basics. These are the three camera controls that manage exposure:
Aperture
Shutter speed
ISO
You also need to use the exposure meter, LCD, or viewfinder to assist you in choosing the best settings. If you read the light, you can then set your exposure.
This manual exposure cheat sheet will help you understand these few essentials.
All modern cameras have a built-in exposure meter. This tool indicates when you have your settings balanced to achieve a good exposure. In most cameras, it looks something like this:
Some cameras use a number system and a + or – symbol to show the exposure value.
Whatever display method your camera uses, you are aiming to have the meter read “0.” This is the indication you have a good exposure. If the display indicates the exposure is toward the – side, your photo will be underexposed. If it’s showing that the exposure is toward the + side, your photo will be overexposed.
This is a very simplified explanation of the metering system. To gain a more in-depth understanding of how it works, please read this article: Understanding Exposure Metering Modes.
With many cameras, you can also use the rear LCD to help you determine the best exposure settings. Additionally, mirrorless cameras allow you to see the effect of changes you make via the viewfinder.
To discover if your camera has this function, turn on Live View and set your camera to Manual mode. Now adjust your aperture and/or shutter speed. Can you see the brightness value of the LCD change as you do this? If so, you can use your LCD screen and/or viewfinder to help you manage your exposure settings. If you are new to using Manual mode, this method will make learning easier.
Whether you look at the exposure meter graphic or use your viewfinder/LCD to help you choose your settings, treat these as a guide. Your camera does not know what the main subject of your composition is. You must control the exposure so the most important part of your image is well exposed.
Every lens has an aperture. This is an adjustable diaphragm that controls how much light can enter the lens. Each aperture setting corresponds to an f-stop.
A smaller f-stop number indicates more light will enter the lens. A higher number means the opening is smaller and less light will enter.
On this manual exposure cheat sheet, you can see there is a range of aperture settings. The smallest aperture setting, on the left, is f/16. To the right of the graphic is the widest setting, at f/1.4. Not all lenses have the same aperture settings. Some will have wider or narrower minimum and maximum settings.
Along with governing the amount of light that enters the lens, the aperture setting influences depth of field (DOF).
DOF is the amount of the photo that is acceptably sharp. The wider the aperture setting you choose, the shallower the DOF will be. You can see this on the cheat sheet graphic of the person and tree. At f/16, both the person and tree are sharp. At f/1.4, the person is sharp and the tree in the background is out of focus.
A narrow aperture setting allows less light to enter the lens. It also means you’ll have more of your photo in focus. A wide aperture setting allows more light into the lens and the DOF is shallower.
You can adjust the aperture setting to help balance your exposure and control how much of your composition is in focus. The amount of DOF can be used creatively in your photographs.
Inside your camera, there’s a shutter. This typically consists of two “blinds” that open and close when you press the shutter release button. Opening the shutter exposes the camera sensor to light, which allows it to create an image.
The duration the shutter is open for controls how much light will affect the sensor. If the shutter is open for too long, the photo will be overexposed. If the shutter is open for a duration that is too short, the photo will be underexposed.
Your choice of shutter speed can also affect how sharp your photos will be.
If you choose a shutter speed that’s too slow and your camera moves during the time the shutter is open, your photo will be blurred. This is known as camera shake.
If you have a moving subject and use a slow shutter speed, your subject will be blurred. This is known as motion blur.
Using a faster shutter speed will help you avoid camera shake and unwanted motion blur.
In the manual exposure cheat sheet, you can see the graphic of a person running. At a shutter speed setting of 1/1000s, the figure is sharp. At a setting of 1/60s, the figure is blurred a little. At a shutter speed of 1 second, the figure is very blurred. The relationship between how fast your subject is moving and the shutter speed will determine how much blurring occurs.
You can adjust the shutter speed to help balance your exposure and to control blur from camera shake or motion. Motion blur and camera shake, or a lack thereof, can be used creatively in your photography.
ISO settings control how responsive your camera’s sensor is to light. A low number means your sensor is going to be less responsive than when you use a high number.
I prefer to use my ISO as a foundation for my exposure. I generally only adjust it when lighting conditions change significantly.
Outside on a sunny day, you will want to choose a low ISO. Inside or at night, you will want to choose a high ISO.
Unlike your other two exposure settings, ISO has no creative influence on your photos. It will affect the technical quality, though. At higher ISO settings, digital noise will start to appear in your photos. The color and contrast will also tend to flatten out.
In the manual exposure cheat sheet, you can see that lower ISO settings mean the sensor is less responsive compared to higher ISO settings. To avoid seeing digital noise in your photos, always aim to use the lowest ISO setting you can.
Each incremental change indicated by the manual exposure cheat sheet is one “stop.” The term “stop” in photography is the measurement of exposure. Plus one stop means the exposure is doubled. Minus one stop means the exposure is halved.
A stop can be controlled by aperture, shutter speed, or ISO. If you adjust one setting by plus one stop, you can always achieve the same initial exposure by adjusting another setting by minus one stop, and so on.
As you can see on the cheat sheet, the increments I have used for the shutter speed and ISO are clearly half or double the adjacent numbers. The f-stop numbers appear a bit random, however. This is because they indicate the aperture opening size in relation to the lens focal length. But each f-stop setting is either half or double the setting on either side of it.
Manual exposure of your photographs is not so complicated. All you need to do is manage the relationship between the three exposure settings.
The relationship between aperture settings, exposure, and depth of field is plain to see on this cheat sheet. How your choice of shutter speed affects both exposure and blurring is also well illustrated. Keep your ISO in mind and make it as low as you can. But don’t hesitate to alter it when you need to.
Print the manual exposure cheat sheet to make learning and mastering Manual mode a little easier. It will not happen without some commitment and practice.
But once you become familiar with Manual mode and manage your exposures well, your photography will become more creative.
The post Manual Exposure Cheat Sheet for Beginners: How to Expose Manually appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
Adobe has announced Premiere Pro (version 14.5) will now natively support ProRes Raw, finally opening up editing of Apple’s Raw video format to all Premiere Pro users.
Earlier this year, Adobe started selectively supporting ProRes Raw, but only for Windows users running Nvidia GPUs. With this new update, both macOS and Windows users will be able to edit ProRes Raw video regardless of what system or GPU your computer has packed inside.
The initial support is limited, in the sense you aren’t offered full control of ISO and White Balance settings as you are with Apple’s Final Cut Pro X, but it’s likely Adobe is working to get this functionality in place too. Adobe has also added ProRes Raw to LOG color space conversion.
As more cameras get ProRes Raw recording, most notably with the help of Atomos who’s already brought ProRes Raw support to more than 20 cameras via its Ninja V monitor/recorder, it’s nice to see Premiere Pro finally getting the ability to decode and work with the files.
Other improvements in the October 2020 release (version 14.5) of Premiere Pro include support for HDR workflows in Rec2100 PQ color space, improved hardware decoding when using AMD and Nvidia GPUS and faster audio pre-roll.
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