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  • Slideshow: Winning images from the inaugural World Landscape Photographer competition

    Winning images from the inaugural World Landscape Photographer competition

    The winning photographs and commended shots of the inaugural World Landscape Photographer competition have been announced, showcasing incredible scenery captured around the world.

    The World Landscape Photographer competition is the brainchild of professional landscape photographer Nigel Danson. Determined to help those affected by people affected by COVID-19 and inspired by browsing through his own photo catalog, Danson conceptualized the competition and eventually brought it to life.

    The premise was simple — share five of your best landscape photos captured from before March 1, 2020 for an entry fee of just £10. ‘At least 90%’ of the entry fees would go to a COVID-19 charity, with the remaining 10% going towards ‘CC fees and costs associated with sending the prizes to the winners.’ According to Danson, he ‘never thought over 1000 people would enter,’ but sure enough, he and six other judges pored over 4,838 images from more than 1,000 entrants to whittle it down to one 1st place winner, seven prize winners and 50 commended images.

    The 1st place prize in the inaugural World Landscape Photography competition went to Neil Burnell from England with his ‘stunning mystical image of Wistman’s Wood in Devon entitled Wise.’ For winning the coveted 1st place prize, Burnell is receiving a Nikon Z50 camera and two lenses, which were donated by Nikon. Other items from Benro, Fotospeed, Kase and Tenba were given out to the remaining six winners.

    In total, more than £10K went to a Unicef coronavirus appeal that is ‘raising money to help children affected by the outbreak by working to provide handwashing campaigns as well as providing essential health worker supplies, such as surgical gloves, soap and clean water facilities.’

    In this gallery, we’re presenting the 1st place winner and the remaining six prize-winning photos. You can view all 50 of the commended images and words from each of the judges on the World Landscape Photographer website.

    1st Place — Wise by Neil Burnell

    Gear & Settings:

    • Nikon Z7
    • 24–70mm F4 Z Lens
    • 28mm F8 1/3s ISO 64

    www.neilburnell.com

    About the photo: I’ve been shooting Wistmans now for four years and have had the composition of this shot in mind for a little while. The shot required extremely thick fog to give the centre trees a touch of separation in what is a very condensed and complex area of the woodland. After several unsuccessful shots of this scene, I finally got lucky with a full day of fog in January this year, I have to say this is probably my favourite image I’ve taken from this wonderful woodland.

    2nd Place — The Copse by Jason Hudson

    Gear & Settings:

    • Fujifilm XT1 (Infra Red converted)
    • XF10–24mm F4 lens
    • 24mm F8 1/125s ISO 200

    Instagram

    About the photo: Living in the Eden Valley, all I have to do normally to see if its misty is look out of the window. Thus was the case this particular morning. Thick mist sat across the Eden Valley. With my Sony A7 in for repair I was left with a small Sony Compact and my Fujifilm XT1 which had been converted to Infra Red.

    I waited for the sun to rise over the Pennines for the magic to happen. For a glorious 20 minutes I scurried about in my local woodland at Edenhall. I captured some lovely images but then as I came along the road I saw this copse of trees emerging from the mist. It looked majestic. With some blue sky above.

    I knew Infra Red would work well. As soon as I looked through the eyepiece I saw the potential for this image. I short the image handheld. The capture needed very little processing, other than an infra red preset in Silver Efex that I use and a touch of Gaussian blur to soften it.

    3rd Place — Special by Andrew Baruffi

    Gear & Settings:

    • Canon EOS 6D Mark II
    • 24–70mm F2.8 II Lens
    • 50mm F8 1/8s ISO 100

    www.andrewbaruffiphoto.com

    About the photo: I’ve only been practicing photography for a couple years. In that time I’ve always assumed that subjects, composition, and conditions outweighed the importance of light. In some cases that can still be true for me, but even the littlest amount of light can make a scene truly special. This image spans across two days. In areas of Zion’s east side, patches of ice can be found tucked between the boulders of the washes in the winter months. Those patches tend to fade as more of the water and ice seeps into the sand or simply melts and evaporates on a hotter day. I arrived to a section of the main wash on a chilly day that has the more rare attribute of a pool at a certain bend. The pool was fairly iced over, and the intricacies in the ice patterns were supported by delicate fallen leaves here and there. One leaf in particular caught my eye, a golden oak that bent upwards from the center as the tip and stem were fused into the ice. I sat at that pool for a few hours trying to find the best composition, and eventually found exactly what I wanted. It was such a beautiful scene, I knew that I had to make sure that I got it right before it all vanished.

    The next day I arrived to an even colder east side. I returned to the same exact composition to see how it transformed over night. The ice took on a more singular pattern with less variation thanks to the freeze, and the oak leaf still sat frozen in place. Even more special was the morning light creeping into the scene. Golden reflected light from the sandstone opposite me kissed the surface of the oak leaf, and made me realize what I was missing. It wasn’t the composition, conditions, patterns, or subjects that defined the moment; just the simplicity of a tiny bit of light.

    4th Place — Fleeting Daydream by Tod Colbert

    Gear & Settings:

    • Nikon Z7
    • 70–200mm VRII F2.8
    • 200mm F5 1/100s ISO 200

    www.todcolbert.com

    About the photo: I took this at Lower Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park this February. It was shot early in the morning and the sun’s position created the rainbow for no more than a minute or so. There were many shots taken before this one as I waited for the sunlight to stream through the falls. Magical it was.

    5th Place — Rolling Fog at Buttermere by Adrian Harrison

    Gear & Settings:

    • Nikon D610
    • 20mm F1.8 Lens
    • 20mm F13 69s ISO 50

    About the photo: Living only half an hours drive from buttermere in the lake district you could say that i am quite familiar with this location. I cant count how many mornings have been spent here trying to capture something that looked a little different from the images you usually see from here. luckily for me, on this occasion the conditions were simply amazing. fog filtering through the scene, perfectly calm waters and not a breath of wind. all i could hear was the sound of the gravel underfoot. i took several frames here but decided to go with a long exposure so the viewer could see just how the fog was gently moving over the fells behind the infamous pines of buttermere. A morning to remember.

    6th Place — Kunkovice´s Green by Radoslav Cernicky

    Gear & Settings:

    • Nikon 7200
    • 70–300mm Lens
    • 260mm F11 1/160s ISO 100

    www.radoslavcernicky.com

    About the photo: The photo was taken in the spring during the golden hour using a telephoto lens. It is South Moravia in the Czech Republic near the village Kunkovice. This is an area also known as Moravian Tuscany.

    7th Place — Fall Impressions by Jason Flenniken

    Gear & Settings:

    • Sony A7R IV
    • 70–200mm F4 Lens
    • 84mm F11 1/20s ISO 200

    www.jasonflenniken.com

    About the photo: This was an image taken on my first trip to Acadia National Park in October 2019. It was my first time seeing fall color in the northeast, and I was completely blown away. This location is a Tarn right on the side of the road. It was taken mid-morning. For about 30 minutes you get perfect reflections of the hillside colors in the water.

    This area was full of small scene compositions, and I was lucky in that some cloud cover created patchy light. It required little editing as does most shots from that time of year in Acada, the colors are almost too vibrant straight from the camera. Shot with a 70–200 f/4 and Sony A7R4, which let me crop in to really narrow down the shapes in the image.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Interview: Celebrity photoshoots in the era of COVID-19 – Jesse Dittmar shares his experience

    Jesse Dittmar was recently hired by The Washington Post to photograph 16-year-old TikTok star Charli D’Amelio in her parent’s backyard.

    All photographs by Jesse Dittmar

    Jesse Dittmar has been photographing high-profile celebrities since late 2013. He’s used to photographing the big names on short notice with a limited time-frame for publications like The Washington Post and The New York Times, but when COVID-19 hit, his typically busy shooting schedule dried up quickly.

    Ordinarily, celebrity photoshoots require travel and large teams working together in extremely close quarters. In the month’s since COVID-19 has swept through the world, we’ve seen magazine’s like Essence and GQ asking stars to photograph themselves for features in the publications. Luckily for photographers like Dittmar, the celebrity selfie doesn’t seem like it will become the new normal in the photo world.

    Dittmar photographs big names on short notice for publications like the Washington Post and the New York Times

    The Washington Post recently commissioned Dittmar to photograph Charli D’Amelio – a 16-year old from Norwalk, Connecticut with over 60 million TikTok followers. She is one of the rulers of the social media platform, which she uses to share short-form videos of herself dancing in her home, lip-syncing to her family’s dogs and more recently using her influencer status to urge teenagers to stay at home during the global pandemic.

    We caught up with Dittmar to learn more about his photoshoot with D’Amelio, his experience shooting in the era of COVID-19 and what he thinks celebrity shoots will be like moving forward.

    This was your first shoot since COVID-19 hit the states, how did the opportunity come about?

    The first shoot of the COVID-era happened earlier than I was expecting, to be honest. I thought it would be well into the summer before I was going to get that first call, but I got an email out of the blue, like I normally do. The photo editor was very understanding in the email, everybody has different levels of risk tolerance in this new era – it depends on your personal health and your family situation – a whole variety of factors. The shoot made sense for me and I was itching to make some art, because I hadn’t in so long, so it was a no-brainer to say yes.

    The editor really encouraged me not to bring an assistant, keep it small, and that’s what I did

    The Washington Post was very explicit about how they wanted to keep it safe. Typically for a shoot like this I’m taking at least one assistant if not two, possibly a makeup artist and a stylist. The crew for a shoot like this could easily be 4-5 people. But sometimes a shoot can even be up to 10 people. It was clear that wasn’t going to happen. The editor really encouraged me not to bring an assistant, keep it small, and that’s what I did.

    What was the experience like of working without an assistant, I imagine it’s been a number of years since you’ve worked in such a stripped down way?

    It reminded me of when I was first starting out doing photo shoots, early on, when I was my own everything. It wasn’t completely foreign to me, but it was a big flashback. I have not worked in that way – especially with famous people – in a long time. Typically when I know I’m photographing someone who is accomplished and whose time is short, it’s important I bring all the people. We have to execute a level of professionalism and deliver a quality product in a very quick amount of time. The way to do that is to make sure you have the support you need.

    What other precautions did you take to make sure that the shoot would be safe?

    Part of the deal was we were going to photograph in Charli’s parent’s backyard. We were outdoors the entire time, staying socially-distant and keeping six feet away from each other. I met her parents before the shoot, they came out to the back deck and we had a little chat. It was very low key, there was no one around. The only people that I saw were her family and the dogs.

    It ended up being very intimate, just us in the backyard, I haven’t done a shoot like that in so long. There were no distractions

    She self-styled and we went through two outfit changes. With someone like Charli, she does her own makeup. I knew what her vibe was going to be like, I liked that vibe, and I wanted the photos to capture that. We also didn’t want to make her feel older than she is. She’s a teenager, she has a clear strong visual aesthetic and a sensibility that I wanted to embrace. It ended up being very intimate, just us in the backyard, I haven’t done a shoot like that in so long. There were no distractions.

    How did your technical setup change without having an assistant with you?

    Because I was the one doing all the heavy lifting I was cognizant of not bringing anything that I wouldn’t use. I’m not 23 years old anymore, so carrying hundreds of pounds of equipment isn’t as appealing as it once was. I made sure to pack light. Ironically, the first thing I rented was sandbags.

    One of the best parts of working with an assistant is you’ve got a fully automated human brain running around with you and can make sure that stuff isn’t falling over. If you want to move a light fast and you are outdoors and you know you are only going to do that shot for 30-60 seconds, you just have an assistant make sure that light is not going to fall over.

    I also rented a much longer lens than I would normally use. I’m usually shooting much closer, but for this I rented a 70-200. That and the sandbags were the big two rentals. I wanted to be as simple as possible because I didn’t have any help. I went into the shoot with the idea that I was going to use natural light if possible. I didn’t want to break out a bunch of lights and modifiers if I could help it (I still brought a light as a backup). The more stuff that you have out the more stuff that can fall over and the more stuff that can go wrong.

    Ironically, the first time I rented was sandbags, I also rented a much longer lens than I would normally use

    I also brought an 8 x 8ft frame, clamps, stands and bleached muslin cloth; this is a system that I use a lot when I’m photographing people against white, outdoors. The cloth interacts really well with the sun, it really absorbs the light, but also has the reflection. When I scouted out her backyard I found a spot where I knew by the time she came out, the sun was going to be coming through the trees and I could use the muslin as a projector. I thought that was a really nice effect.

    When I’m shooting in a scenario like this, I’m typically trying to put my background in a shaded area which has a lot of blue sky. That provides a really nice broad luminous light source. It’s usually soft and bright, and that’s what this is, but with the added effect of the sun coming through the tree behind the backdrop.

    Typically your time with celebrities is very limited, 15 or 20 minutes max, was that the case for this shoot as well?

    Her publicist was treating this like it was a normal shoot, from a timing perspective. They only wanted me to photograph her for about 20 minutes, which is pretty typical. I didn’t push back while we were setting up the shoot and I was prepared for that, but I knew in the back of my head we’d likely get more time, which is what happened. All in all, I probably spent about an hour with her. I was on site for pretty much the whole afternoon to set up. I took my time with that.

    Do you think your experience shooting with Charli is representative of what photoshoots will be like moving forward?

    I’m expecting more photoshoots to come back later this summer and into the fall and I’m expecting shoots to be a lot more like this. Photoshoots of people are inherently risky because you are meeting people that are not in your COVID circle. I think that everyone is going to be very aware of being safe. But I think portrait sessions will happen. I don’t think all portraits will happen, but portraits like this, of personalities and newsworthy figures that are doing things that people want to read about, will. And the process in which they will be made will be very similar to my experience.

    I see photoshoots up and down the spectrum of budget and production, all to be smaller

    Photographers will be taking every precaution that they can and utilizing the smallest footprint and crew. I think they will be a lot more self-styling. Hair and makeup may become remote or the hair and makeup people will be super masked-up. I also think the timing of these shoots will continue to be quick. But in general I see everything happening at a more intimate, small scale, and I see photoshoots up and down the spectrum of budget and production, all to be smaller.

    I think folks like myself who are used to working like this will have an easier time. I think photographers that are used to leaning on the production value heavily are going to have to make big changes in the way that their work looks and the way they physically operate, or they might be left behind.

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    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • How to Choose the Perfect Focus Mode For Every Situation

    The post How to Choose the Perfect Focus Mode For Every Situation appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

    dps-how-to-choose-the-perfect-focus-mode

    Do you struggle with choosing a focus mode? Do you want to know how to choose the perfect focus mode, every single time you pick up your camera?

    You’ve come to the right place.

    Because while it may seem to difficult to choose the best focus mode for the situation, there are a few guidelines you can use to ensure you nail focus, consistently.

    Let’s dive right in.

    little blue heron choosing a focus mode
    Canon EF 400mm f5.6L USM lens | 400mm | f/6.3 | 1/1000s | ISO 200

    The three key focus modes

    Most cameras are equipped with three key focus modes:

    AF-S, also known as One Shot.

    AF-C, also known as Continuous, also known as AI Servo.

    Manual (sometimes abbreviated as M).

    Note that some cameras include an additional focus mode, known as AI Focus, also known as AF-A. But it’s a mode that I never use, and I certainly don’t recommend to others (it’s frequently finicky, and not very effective).

    Instead, I suggest learning how to use the modes listed above, and you’ll do just fine!

    So how do each of these key focus modes work?

    Assuming that you use the shutter button to activate focusing:

    When set to AF-S, your camera will acquire focus as soon as you half-press the shutter button. And that point of focus will lock until you let go of the shutter.

    When set to AF-C, your camera will begin to acquire focus when you half-press the shutter button. But it will continue to refocus as your subject moves (or as your camera moves).

    jumping person choosing a focus mode
    AF-C is very helpful for tracking moving subjects, like the leaping girl in this image.
    Canon EF-S 24mm f2.8 STM Lens | 24mm | f/5.6 | 1/800s | ISO 320

    Note that you can tell a camera in AF-C to track a subject as it moves through the frame, or to continuously acquire focus at the center of the image, etc.

    When set to manually focus, your camera won’t focus at all. You have to do all the focusing work via the focus ring on your lens.

    Make sense?

    So, to recap:

    AF-S focuses and locks.

    AF-C focuses and keeps focusing, potentially even tracking a subject as they move.

    And manual leaves control over focus to you, the photographer.

    But when should you use each of these focus modes?

    Read on to find out!

    When should you use your AF-S focus mode?

    AF-S focus mode is my go-to, and the mode I use most frequently. When choosing a focus mode, AF-S is my first thought. And if you’re more of a still photographer (i.e., not an action/sports/wildlife shooter), I recommend you use AF-S mode all the time.

    This is because it has so many applications, from landscape to street to portrait and more.

    choosing a focus mode
    I used AF-S to capture this simple image of a bike tire.
    Canon EF 50mm f1.8 Lens | 50mm | f/1.8 | 1/320s | ISO 200

    Basically, whenever you’re shooting a non-moving subject, AF-S is the way to go. You can set the focus point to the center of the frame, half-press the shutter button to lock focus, and then compose the shot however you like.

    (This is often referred to as the focus and recompose technique.)

    For instance, if you’re photographing a street scene, you can focus on a prominent element, such as an interesting poster. Then you can carefully compose the scene. And, as soon as all the elements come together (e.g., a person walks through in just the right place), you can take the shot!

    I’m also a fan of using AF-S for handheld landscape photography. I’ll often find myself wanting to put elements off-center, so I’ll lock focus in AF-S, then shift the composition slightly.

    tree at sunset
    I used the focus and recompose method to capture this landscape shot at sunset.
    Canon EF 100mm Macro f2.8L Lens | 100mm | f/8 | 1/1250s | ISO 200

    And then, when I take the shot, it looks exactly the way I envisioned.

    Really, AF-S is an extremely useful mode and the one I recommend you use it whenever you’re shooting a motionless scene.

    When should you use your AF-C focus mode?

    You should use AF-C focus mode whenever you’re shooting action.

    ibis in the water choosing a focus mode
    An action shot like this is a lot easier in AF-C!
    400mm | f/7.1 | 1/1250s | ISO 200

    You see, AF-C mode allows you to focus and refocus, or focus and track a subject as it moves throughout the frame.

    This is invaluable when shooting sports, where players rarely stay still long enough to allow for easy focusing.

    AF-C mode is also great for wildlife and bird photography because you’re frequently faced with fast-moving subjects at high magnifications.

    And if you’re an insect photographer, you’ll also want to use AF-C mode, assuming you’re shooting an active subject such as a butterfly.

    Even pet and street photographers can profit from using AF-C a lot of the time (though I recommend switching between AF-C and AF-S, depending on the situation).

    dog image captured using AF-C mode
    Animals tend to move fast, so AF-C can be a big benefit.
    50mm | f/2.8 | 1/640s | ISO 200

    You should also be aware that AF-C often offers quite a few useful AF Area Modes (which are mostly used for tracking). These allow you to specify whether a subject should be tracked at a single autofocus point, by a single point and nearby surrounding points, or across the entire frame.

    So, bottom line:

    If you’re choosing a focus mode when shooting action, pick AF-C.

    sanderling in the water choosing a focus mode
    400mm | f/7.1 | 1/1600s | ISO 200

    When should you use your manual focus mode?

    macro flower close-up in manual focus mode
    100mm | f/3.5 | 1/320s | ISO 200

    Manual focus is often a mode of last resort, and the one that you go to when AF-S and AF-C fail.

    Manual focus is very, very slow. It can also be frustrating if you’ve not had much practice with it before. But it’s the only mode that is consistently accurate, no matter the lighting, and no matter the size or color of your subject.

    You see, there are some situations where AF-C and AF-S just don’t work well.

    • When the light is low
    • When your subject is heavily backlit
    • When your subject includes very little contrast
    • When you’re working at very high magnifications
    choosing a focus mode
    The backlighting was causing my camera to struggle, so I switched to manual focus for this image!
    50mm | f/2.8 | 1/1000s | ISO 200

    Whenever you’re confronted by these situations, your autofocus will hunt like crazy.

    Until you switch to manual, that is!

    For instance, I do all of my macro photography in manual focus mode. My lenses just can’t handle focusing at such close distances.

    dahlia close-up
    Shots like this require manual focus; otherwise, I’d be there all day waiting for my lens to lock onto a petal!
    100mm | f/2.8 | 1/250s | ISO 200

    I also do still life photography while focusing manually, because I often work in dim light (with a couple of flashes).

    I’ve also used manual focus when photographing birds, because my AF-S and AF-C modes struggle when shooting backlit silhouettes.

    Note that manual can also be used for finer control over your point of focus. Many landscape photographers use manual focus mode for this very reason. It allows you to choose a point of focus that maximizes your depth of field, and it even allows you to do precise focus-stacking with ease.

    dahlia close-up
    If you’re trying to maximize depth of field throughout your frame, then manual focus is a great choice.
    24mm | f/11 | 1/4s | ISO 200

    So don’t think that manual focus is only for a few specialized genres of photography. It can be useful in a number of different situations, and it pays to practice frequently.

    That way, next time you’re in a situation where your autofocus isn’t working, you can quickly switch over to manual and nail the shot.

    How to choose the perfect focus mode: Conclusion

    choosing a focus mode restaurant sign
    50mm | f/4 | 1/250s | ISO 200

    Now that you’ve finished this article, you know that choosing a focus mode doesn’t have to be hard.

    Because you know about AF-S (which is great for still subjects).

    You know about AF-C (which is perfect for action photography).

    And you know about manual focus, which is useful in quite a few scenarios (including macro, landscape, and still life).

    Now over to you:

    Which focus mode is your favorite? And how do you go about choosing a focus mode? Let me know in the comments!

    The post How to Choose the Perfect Focus Mode For Every Situation appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


    Digital Photography School

  • Panasonic 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 pre-production sample gallery

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    The Panasonic 20-60mm F3.5-5.6, arriving on the market this summer, is a little wider than is typically seen from a standard, variable aperture zoom. Priced at $ 600 it’s one of the more affordable options for owners Panasonic or Leica full-frame mirrorless cameras. We’ve got some new sample images from the lens for your consideration – in addition to the previously-published images courtesy of DPReview TV, which you can find below.

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    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • ‘Disgraceful propaganda’: Fox News under fire for misleading images from Seattle protest zone

    A screenshot of an altered photo shared by Fox News, which has since been removed from its website.

    Fox News is taking heat after publishing a digitally altered image and a misleading photograph last week in its reporting on Seattle’s Black Lives Matter protests in Seattle, Washington.

    Last Friday, Huffington Post reporter Michael Hobbes shared a set of pictures that shows Fox News clearly composited an image of a person carrying a rifle over two photographs of Seattle’s Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ). While the editing job is far from subtle if you look closely – note the lighting discrepancies between the backgrounds and the gun-wielding subject, as well as the extra area of red between his torso and left elbow – the fact the same individual was used in two separate images makes it clear this was a post-production job.

    A Fox News spokesperson provided the following comment to Seattle Times:

    ‘We have replaced our photo illustration with the clearly delineated images of a gunman and a shattered storefront, both of which were taken this week in Seattle’s autonomous zone’

    It appears that there are weapons in the autonomous zone, but as The Seattle Times notes, even Fox News’ follow-up statement is misleading, since the photo of the armed man was taken on June 10th in the Capitol Hill neighborhood while the wrecked storefront image was captured in downtown Seattle, back on May 30th, according to metadata provided by Getty Images.

    Photojournalism ethics expert Kenny Irby told Seattle Times in response to the posting of the altered images, ‘I think it’s disgraceful propaganda and terribly misrepresentative of documentary journalism in times like this, when truth-telling and accountability is so important […] There is no attribution. There is no acknowledgment of the montage, and it’s terribly misleading.’ National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) executive director Akili-Casundria Ramsess also told The Seattle Times it was ‘completely egregious to manipulate this the way they have done.’

    In a reply to Hobbe’s post on Twitter, Seattle Times Editor Gina Cole responded with a screenshot showing Fox News also shared an article under the headline ‘Seattle helpless as armed guards patrol anarchists’ ‘autonomous zone,’ shake down businesses: cops’ with a photo of an individual running through the streets with a burning car in the foreground and a burning storefront in the background.

    However, the image Fox News featured with the article was taken not in Seattle this past week, but two weeks ago, 1,650 miles away in Minneapolis. It was taken by AP photographer John Minchillo, during the Black Lives Matter protests in Minnesota’s capital, as noted by Suki Dardarian, Senior Managing Editor & VP of Minnesota’s Star Tribune. Meanwhile, Seattle’s protests remains largely peaceful, and SPD has apologized for repeating the groundless claim that local businesses had been ‘shaken down’.

    Note the creation date on AP Image’s website: May 30, 2020 05:13:07 PM

    In response to the criticism, Fox News took down the images and shared the following statement on Saturday in the form of an Editor’s Note at the end of the article:

    ‘A FoxNews.com home page photo collage which originally accompanied this story included multiple scenes from Seattle’s ‘Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone’ and of wreckage following recent riots,” the note read. “The collage did not clearly delineate between these images, and has since been replaced. In addition, a recent slideshow depicting scenes from Seattle mistakenly included a picture from St. Paul. Fox News regrets these errors.’

    This isn’t the first time Fox News has been caught altering images or sharing misleading images under unrelated headlines. But it’s not the only offender. CBS was caught this past April using video footage of an Italian hospital while reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. CBS apologized at the time for what it called an ‘editing mistake’.

    Editor’s note (June 15, 2020): A previous version of this article incorrectly stated it was CNN that was caught using incorrect video footage in April — it was in fact CBS. The article has been updated accordingly.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Product Advisory: Sony says some of its SD cards are corrupting video files, offers free replacements

    Sony has issued a product advisory for select SD cards in three of its SD card lineups, stating video captured with these cards could become corrupted without warning.

    The product advisory, posted last Friday, says cards in Sony’s SF-M series, Tough SF-M series and Tough SD-G series are affected by an issue wherein ‘data on [the affected cards] may be damaged or data may not be recorded correction when shooting video on a camera in the video speed class mode.’ No further information is provided on what exactly is causing the problem, but Sony says it’s offering replacement cards through March 31, 2022 for SD cards currently under warranty.

    Sony provides the below illustrations to help you deduce whether or not your card is affected by the issue, but you can tell at a quick glance by looking for a little star on the back of left-hand corner of the card — if you have a star, your card isn’t affected.

    Sony: ‘To check whether your [SF-M] card is affected, look for a star mark and an alphanumeric on the lower corner on the back of the card. If your card has NO star mark and has an alphanumeric beginning with TV, your card is affected by this issue. (If your card has an alphanumeric beginning with TR, your card is not affected by this issue.)
    Sony: ‘To check whether your card is affected, look for a star mark on the lower left corner on the back of the card. If your card has NO star mark, your card is affected by this issue.’

    Sony: ‘[Affected SF-M Tough] cards can be identified by the presence of V60, R:277MB/s, and W:150MB/s on the card frontside. To check whether your card is affected, look for a star mark on the lower left corner on the back of the card. If your card has NO star mark, your card is affected by this issue.’

    If your card is one of the affected units, Sony requests you call their support line (239–768–7669) or connect with a representative through its online chat support. Sony specifically requests you not contact the retailer you purchased your card from. Dan Carr of Shuttermuse says he’s been through the process and was required to provide the following information when you speak with a representative:

    • SD card model number
    • SD card serial number
    • Date of purchase
    • Place of purchase
    • Shipping and contact information

    You can read the full advisory on Sony’s support page.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • L16 camera manufacturer Light abandons consumer imaging, turns to automotive

    In 2015 a start-up called Light announced a product that appeared have the potential to revolutionize photography. The Light L16 was a portable camera that, according to the company, provided ‘excellent low-light performance and DSLR-like image quality’. However, now it looks like Light has abandoned the consumer imaging market altogether and is instead focusing on the automotive sector.

    The L16 offered focal lengths between 35mm and 150mm, 4K video recording, and depth-mapping technology to adjust a photo’s depth of field and focus after it has been captured. Instead of a conventional camera/lens setup it used 16 separate cameras across its front and computational imaging methods the combine the data captured by all sensors into a single output image.

    The Light L16

    When the camera finally started shipping in July 2017, after some delays and a $ 30M funding round, the camera’s performance was underwhelming, though, resulting in lukewarm reviews and presumably lower than expected sales figures.

    Instead of working on an improved follow-up model Light turned its attention to the mobile market, announcing partnerships with smartphone makers Sony and Xiaomi. Given the Light technology’s limited space requirements and ability to fit into a flat smartphone body this seemed like a logical next move.

    It followed a $ 121M funding round led by the SoftBank Vision Fund that also included German camera makers Leica, and the news that Nokia was going to be the first smartphone brand to launch a Light camera-equipped device. The Nokia 9 PureView was launched in February 2019 and featured a circular penta-camera setup on its back.

    Penta-camera setup on the Nokia 9 PureView

    The five Zeiss-branded lenses all came with an equivalent focal length of 28mm, an F1.8 aperture and were placed in front of 12MP image sensors, three of which were monochrome and two RGB. In addition, there was a dedicated depth sensor.

    Much like the L16, the 9 PureView camera could not convince the testers, though, with more conventional camera setups in the flagship phones from rivals Apple, Samsung or Huawei delivering better results across the board.

    Now it looks very much like the Nokia 9 PureView was the first and last smartphone with Light camera technology as the company has told Android Authority in a statement that it is ‘no longer operating in the smartphone industry.’

    On the Light website there are no traces of smartphone or consumer camera technology to be found anymore. Instead, a statement on the About page says ‘Light is a depth-sensing and perception technology company focused on providing automobiles with the ability to see like humans.’

    The company is now focusing on the automotive sector.

    Demand for camera technology in the automotive sector has been rising quickly and with autonomous vehicles being on the brink of mass production the potential for growth seems almost unlimited. If Light’s venture into automotive will be more successful than the company’s beginnings in consumer, imaging investors could finally see a return.

    This said, despite the lack of success in the marketplace, both the Light L16 camera and Nokia 9 PureView smartphone will always be remembered as innovative imaging devices and secure their place in tech history.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Tamron Announces First Mirrorless All-In-One f/2.8 Zoom

    The post Tamron Announces First Mirrorless All-In-One f/2.8 Zoom appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

    Tamron f/2.8 zoom lens announced

    Earlier this week, Tamron announced its brand new 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 lens designed for Sony mirrorless cameras.

    In addition to its massive range, the lens boasts a maximum aperture of f/2.8 at its widest focal length, making it officially the first all-in-one zoom lens to begin at f/2.8.

    While the lens ultimately tops out at f/5.6 at the 200mm end, the wide-angle f/2.8 maximum aperture offers low-light shooters the opportunity to work with a fast, lightweight, compact zoom, one that also features significant reach on the long end.

    In terms of weight and dimensions:

    The Tamron 28-200mm clocks in at just 20.3 oz (575 g), while measuring 4.6 in (117 mm). This positions the lens as a comprehensive option for travel photographers, landscape photographers, and more; just slip the Tamron 28-200mm plus a Sony camera in your backpack, and you’ll be ready for anything.

    Tamron 28-200mm zoom

    Of course, none of this matters if the lens can’t deliver on image quality, and all-in-one zooms are known for their lackluster optics, especially at focal length extremes.

    While we can’t definitively comment on sharpness, Tamron promises “liberal use of special lens elements…to greatly suppress chromatic aberrations, making it possible to achieve high image quality from edge to edge.”

    Tamron also claims to have “concentrated all its all-in-one zoom technologies into achieving optical performance that sets a new standard among existing all-in-one zoom lenses.”

    While we’ll have to wait a few weeks to confirm Tamron’s claims, the company’s other all-in-one zooms have been mediocre-to-great. If Tamron has taken this one a step further, then the rewards could be great.

    The new lens also offers:

    • An impressive minimum focusing distance of 7.5 in (0.19 m) on the wide end and 31.5 (0.8m) on the long end, making for a close-up magnification ratio of 1:3.8
    • A fast, quiet AF motor
    • Moisture resistance
    • A reasonable price of US$ 729

    Assuming the optics are good, this lens will be a steal for almost any shooter, but especially photographers looking to reduce the size of their kit for travel, outdoors, or walkaround photography.

    At the time of writing, the lens will launch on June 25, though Tamron warns of potential COVID-related delays.

    So if you’re interested in an all-in-one zoom for Sony with tremendous low-light capabilities, great optical potential, and much more, check out the new Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD.

    Now over to you:

    What do you think of this new lens from Tamron? Do you expect it will separate itself from other all-in-one zooms in terms of optics? And if so, will you purchase it? Share your thoughts in the comments!

    The post Tamron Announces First Mirrorless All-In-One f/2.8 Zoom appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


    Digital Photography School

  • Datacolor’s new SpyderX Photo Kit bundles 3 of its popular calibration tools at a $180 discount

    Datacolor has released its new ‘SpyderX Photo Kit’ that comes with three of its most popular photo and monitor calibration tools at a dramatic discount compared to purchasing the items individually.

    The Datacolor SpyderX Photo Kit comes with a SpyderX Elite monitor calibration tool, a Spyder Checkr 24 and the SpyderCube, a die-shaped grey card for getting the white balance just right in post-production. The kit is currently listed at an ‘anniversary special’ price of $ 200 on its website ‘while supplies last.’ That’s $ 180 less than if you purchase each piece individually, plus it all comes in a hard carrying case.

    Strangely enough, though, Datacolor says the kit will eventually retail for $ 400 (it’— which is $ 20 more than what it’d cost to buy everything on its own. Maybe Datacolor is taking the carrying case into account? Who knows. Regardless, at its current price, it’s a solid steal considering the SpyderX Elite retails for $ 240 on its own.

    The SpyderX Photo Kit joins Datacolor’s SpyderX Studio and SpyderX Capture Pro kits, which also bundle various calibration tools together at a discount. You can find out more information on the kit and each of the products on Datacolor’s product page.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Looking to upgrade your camera battery charger? The Hähnel ProCube 2 is worth considering

    Hähnel proCUBE2
    $ 80 | Hähnel

    Intro

    The Hanhel ProCube 2 is a twin-battery charger that offers user-swappable plates to accommodate batteries from different camera systems. Several models are available for popular options – Canon, Nikon, Panasonic / Olympus and Sony. The only difference between them is the color of the unit and the set of plates it comes with. It is possible to swap plates between models and purchase additional ones for around $ 12 each, if you change camera systems.

    I tested the ProCube 2 with batteries for the Sony A7 III (which does not ship with a charger). At $ 80, it is cheaper than Sony’s own BCQZ-1 charger (which retails for $ 98). Additionally you’re getting the ability to charge two batteries at the same time along with some other handy features not found in the BCQZ-1.

    Key features

    • Ability to charge two batteries simultaneously
    • Can accommodate a wide range of batteries via interchangeable plates
    • Includes AA battery charging option
    • 12V Car lead in the box
    • Can act as a 2.4A USB power source

    Hähnel claims that the ProCube 2 can charge two Sony NP-FZ100 batteries from empty to full in three hours and a single battery in two hours, something that we’ll be testing later.

    The ProCube 2 is by no means the cheapest twin-charger on the market, but it does offer a unique combination of features, from an established brand. Let’s see how it performs.

    What’s in the box?

    Most of the popular Sony batteries can be charged with the included plates.

    The Sony version that we tested includes the plates to charge Sony NP-FZ100, NP-FW50 and NP-BX1 batteries – you can only charge one type of battery at a time. Also included in the box is a plate that accepts four AA batteries which attaches magnetically to the top of the charger, with no requirement to take out the existing plate. You will have to install all four AAs though, due to the way the plate connects – and you can’t charge camera batteries and AAs at the same time.

    The box also includes a 12v car adapter for charging on-the-go and various plug adapters for different countries.

    Design

    A simple pin and pad connection system makes plate swapping easy

    As its name implies, the ProCube 2 is a small cube. It’s a solid unit finished in orange anodized aluminum. The internal battery contacts themselves are via spring loaded pins and connecting pads, so there is no need for fiddly cables . The plate ejection procedure is a little awkward as you need to use a supplied tool or other small-tipped device to release the locking mechanism. Some care is also required when changing a plate as there is only one correct orientation.

    The front-mounted LCD shows you the current charge status, via a simple 5-segment capacity gauge of each battery. It also shows percentage readout for each and how much energy it has added since the start of the charge in milliamp hours – though it can’t show the actual capacity of the batteries unless you are charging from 0%.

    Charging current is stated as up to 1700 mA for a single battery and 850 mA each when charging two.

    The plate swap system could be simplified with a small button

    When two batteries are installed The ProCube 2 charges both at the same time and it will adjust charging current individually depending on the state of charge of each battery.

    The supplied eject tool is easily lost; it would have been a good idea not to have required one at all, a small button on the back would have been ideal

    One thing struck me before I started testing, the supplied ejection tool is easily lost; it would have been a good idea to have a way of storing it in the base of the charger. It would have been an even better idea not to have required one at all – a small button on the back would have been ideal.

    The LCD panel displays battery charge levels in %

    Performance

    I tested the charge time of a single battery from completely exhausted to fully charged and did it again with two exhausted batteries. The batteries I used were newish original Sony NP-FZ100s and the figures were averaged over three cycles.

    Note: Sometimes, 100% on the charger doesn’t mean 100% in the camera. If the battery is removed immediately that the ProCube 2 indicates 100% charge, I noticed my camera would indicate anywhere from 95-100%. After leaving the battery charging for another five to six minutes, I’ve found that my camera will reliably report 100% charge.

    Here are the results…

    Time to 100% as indicated on charger

    		 Time to fully-charge as indicated by the camera Time to fully charge with in-box USB charger
    Single Battery 1 hr 49 mins 1 hr 54 mins 4 hrs 3 mins
    Dual Batteries 2 hrs 57 mins 3 hrs 3 mins

    Hähnel claims that a quick 15 minute charge will provide enough power for 150 shots. This actually seems like a conservative figure from my testing, although it is very dependent on how the camera was being used. I managed to consistently get around 250-260 shots when using the LCD screen and manual focus (1 shot every 10 seconds). By comparison, a 15 minute charge via Sony’s USB charger provided enough juice for 126 -130 shots, given the same conditions.

    Even your AA batteries can be accommodated

    I also tested the ProCube 2 in a car with the supplied 12v lead. As the charger is designed to use 12 volts from the wall there was no change to charge times or functionality in the vehicle. This is provided the socket can provide 1.5 amps, which is usually well below the fused output on most vehicles.

    It doesn’t take any longer to charge batteries in a vehicle with the ProCube 2 than it does connected to a wall socket.

    Conclusion

    There’s no doubt that when charging batteries this unit is both much more convenient and quicker than charging up the battery in my Sony a7 III in-camera via USB.

    If you’re planning a trip it’s small enough not to take up too much space in your camera bag and means that you don’t have to take a separate AA or USB chargers as well. It’s even possible to charge three batteries overnight if you connect your camera to the USB output. It will charge the batteries in the charger first, and then switch on USB power to charge the third.

    The ProCube 2 also gives flexibility if you decide to change cameras and hence battery systems or if you have more than one battery type in your gear collection.

    If you’re interested in the ProCube 2, are other options out there that are also worth considering. The Watson Duo gives the same sort of functionality at the same price although it’s a bit larger, and the Nitecore USN4 offers dual charging at a lower cost – although it lacks some of the features of the Hähnel.

    Overall, the ProCube 2 provides a quick way of charging either single or dual batteries.

    What we like

    • Works with multiple battery types
    • Quick charging
    • Sequential charge and USB power option
    • Ability to charge in a vehicle

    What we don’t like

    • LCD panel percentage display sometimes disagrees with camera’s estimate
    • Tool or pen tip required for plate swap
    • No sequential AA charging feature

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)