The Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD is an affordable, compact telephoto zoom lens for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras. It lacks internal image stabilization, a contributing factor to its petite footprint, but does offer a moisture-resistant design – and produces sharp results throughout the zoom range.
For more on the Tamron 70-180mm F2.8, check out DPReview TV’s full lens review.
See our Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 sample gallery for Sony full-frame
The post Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
In October 2016, Peak Design released the Everyday Backpack, a pack that has become iconic and ubiquitous among photographers and non-photographers alike. You might recognize this bag by the MagLatch and unique design that doesn’t scream, “I’m carrying tons of expensive camera gear!” Three years later, Peak Design updated its Everyday Bags to V2, and added brand new bags to the line including the Everyday Zip. In this Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip review, I’ll discuss some of the unique features of this bag and who this bag is for.
The all-new Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.
Everyday Zip 20L specs
Even though its formal name is the Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip V2, this is the very first iteration of this backpack design. Its design borrows heavily from the original Everyday Backpack, but there are a couple of key differences. First, the Everyday Zip is only available in 20-liter or 15-liter versions, while the Everyday Backpack can be either 20 liters or 30 liters. This review is of the 20-liter version of the Everyday Zip. Second, the Everyday Zip does not have the MagLatch and instead is secured via the wrap-around zippers.
Weight: 2.91 lbs (1.3 kg) without dividers, or 3.42 lbs (1.55 kg) with dividers
Maximum laptop carry: 38.1cm x 25.4cm x 2.5cm (15″x10″x1″) – Holds 15/16” Macbook Pro
Maximum tablet carry: 30.6cm x 22.1cm x .7 cm (12″ x 8.69″ x 0.27″) – Holds 12.9″ iPad Pro
External dimensions: 48cm x 31.5cm x 23.5cm (18.9” x 12.4″ x 9.3″)
Internal dimensions: 45cm x 28.5cm x 20cm (17.7” x 11.2″ x 7.9″)
Peak Design Everyday Backpack V1 (left) and Everyday Backpack Zip (right). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.
What’s new?
If you’re familiar with the Everyday Bags V1, here are some of the V2 changes:
More streamlined seams and rounder profiles.
Softer, more comfortable bag straps.
New UltraZips that are 20x stronger than standard zips.
Sleeker and more ergonomic MagLatch (on applicable bags).
New colors (navy and cream) and two new bags: Everday Backpack Zip and Tote.
Who is this bag for?
I originally purchased the Everyday Backpack V1 (20L) as a daypack for shooting and working in the city. The features that most appealed to me was the ability to carry my full-frame DSLR camera, 2 lenses, and flash, plus my 15-inch MacBook Pro in a low-profile bag to fit my 5’2″ frame.
Many other camera backpacks out there are either too big and bulky or have an outdoorsy design that doesn’t fit well in corporate photography settings, which is where I often find myself. I also appreciated the fact that the bag dividers are not specific to camera gear and you can even remove them if you want to use the backpack for non-photography purposes.
If you can relate to my situation above, then the Everyday Backpack might be right for you.
Contents that can fit inside of the Peak Design Everyday Backpack V1 and Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/280, f/4.5, ISO 2000.
Is the Everyday Zip better?
Throughout my 2 years of using the Everyday Backpack V1, the main thing that I disliked about it was also its main selling point: the MagLatch.
It gives the bag a unique look and makes it very easy to access the top portion of the bag, but it was not possible to lock or secure. In many of my photography settings (corporate events), I empty my camera bag of most of its contents and walk around to shoot, while leaving the bag in a semi-secure area. Oftentimes, my laptop and a spare lens are in the bag, and it is unnerving to leave the bag unlocked. While I haven’t had the bag or its contents stolen before, I am often pushing my luck.
My hope with the Everyday Zip was that all of the big compartments could be locked and secured. While it takes a little DIY work to secure the 5 zippers on this bag, it does indeed live up to this standard.
Top access on the Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.
Other positive points
Another great feature of the Everyday Backpacks is that you can access your camera gear (or chosen contents) via the side zippers. This means you don’t have to empty the entire contents of your bag to reach things sitting on the bottom.
Given the wrap-around zipper on the Everyday Zip, side access requires a bit more attention to detail to avoid accidentally opening your entire bag, but it is still a nice feature.
Side access on the Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.
The Everyday Zip also has side pockets for stowing things like a small tripod, monopod, water bottle, etc, and a back panel for easily attaching the bag to a rolling suitcase.
There are also straps for attaching a tripod or large item to the outside of the bag, but I always find that a cumbersome and impractical way to carry a tripod.
Another selling point of the Everyday Backpacks is their ability to carry a 15″ or 16″ laptop, or so Peak Design claims. A lot of modern bags have sized down and only carry 13″ laptops or tablets. On the Everyday Zip, my 15″ MacBook Pro from 2015 fits, but it is very tight and leaves no room for adding anything else to that pocket, even though there are dividers for adding other items such as documents.
Modern laptops are getting thinner and will likely fit more easily, but be wary if you have an older computer.
Laptop compartment on the Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.
The final selling point of this bag and Peak Design products in general is the overall aesthetic and attention to detail. This is a really unique and modern-looking bag with tons of storage pockets throughout. Peak Design values not wasting any space and that rings true for the Everyday Backpack Zip. It’s easy to pack this bag full and not have any loose space anywhere.
However, the maximization of space comes at a cost, which echoes my original complaints about the Everyday Backpack V1.
When filled with heavy contents, this definitely is not the most comfortable backpack out there. Sure, the bag has sternum and waist straps to distribute the weight more ergonomically, and the shoulder straps are noticeably more padded.
But the comfort problem stems from the ultra-stiff back padding, which seems to be there to allow the bag to attach to rolling luggage. This is indeed helpful if you travel a lot, and is a feature lacking on my favorite large camera backpack. But in general, this bag still feels like a pair of stilettos – you sacrifice some comfort for the sake of fashion.
The all-new Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.
Let’s end this on a positive note by talking about the real reason why I’m sticking to Peak Design: there’s a lifetime warranty on all of their products.
My Everyday Backpack V1 was a trooper for 2 years, but the zipper came apart recently, rendering the bag useless. Upon realizing there was a lifetime warranty, I contacted Peak Design via their website, and within days organized for a replacement bag to be sent my way.
I could not arrange for a new style of bag as the replacement and paid for the Everyday Zip out of my pocket. I still have a brand new version of my old bag that I can give away or sell, and I know that my Everyday Zip is covered under a similar warranty.
The all-new Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip (20L). 1/125, f/7.1, ISO 500.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a sleek, modern backpack to hold light camera gear and a laptop, this might be the camera bag for you. Because this bag is uniquely structured when compared to other camera backpacks on the market, it can take some time to get used to if you’re new to Peak Design backpacks.
Given its compact size, thorough utilization of space, and that lifetime warranty, this is a great bag to consider. It’s not perfect, but then again, what bag is?
The post Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
Have you ever wanted to make your life simpler when it comes to finding stock photos, and by simpler I mean not dealing with confusing licenses, being afraid that one day an image you used may change its license, and not paying for subscriptions or collections of images? Well you are in luck as today I will be going into Continue Reading
The post Unsplash: The Perfect Source for Free Images? appeared first on Photodoto.
Bag manufacturer Peak Design has donated 100% of the profits it made from the launch of its first tripod to charities dealing with the coronavirus response and with climate change. The four-day launch saw the company sell 2265 units of its new Travel Tripod, which generated $ 218,150.
The funds were then split equally between the non-profits Centers for Disease Control Foundation which is assisting in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Climate Neutral organization that helps companies to reduce their carbon foot print. Peak Design is actually a founder of Climate Neutral, which has so far certified 105 brands as being climate neutral, including Kickstarter, and is helping numerous others to achieve this goal.
The development of the Travel Tripod was funded by a Kickstarter campaign, and over the launch period, the aluminum alloy version generated $ 75,110 in profits while the carbon fiber version made $ 143,040 after selling 110 units more.
You can see more information about the Travel Tripod on our initial news coverage, as well as our hands-on with the carbon fiber version.
Press release:
Peak Design Donates 100% of Profits From its 4-Day Travel Tripod Launch Funds will be Distributed Between COVID-19 Response and Combating Climate Change
Peak Design, the worldwide leader in crowdfunding and everyday carry solutions, has announced it will donate 100% of profits from all Travel Tripods sold during the company’s highly anticipated launch, April 7, through April 10, 2020. Profits will include both sales of tripods through PeakDesign.com and through retailers worldwide. Funds generated by the launch will be donated to the CDC Foundation to support their efforts on the front-lines of COVID-19 response, and to Climate Neutral, an organization that helps businesses from all industries verifiably achieve carbon neutrality.
Peak Design depends on a global network of partners to ensure their products are safely manufactured and delivered. The launch of the Travel Tripod is an opportunity for Peak Design to continue to financially support their colleagues while helping to address two global crises. “Now more than ever is the time for us to act on our core values and ensure that our employees, contractors and retail partners can find economic shelter in a product we’ve spent years developing,” commented Peak Design CEO, Peter Dering. “Peak Design is also in a unique position to offer financial support to those that are solving the problem. To be able to donate in a time of need speaks volumes to the company we’ve built over the last ten years. I couldn’t be more proud,” continued Dering.
Peak Design understands that sustainability programs may come under threat as businesses are forced to examine expenditures due to COVID-19. In addition to donating to the CDC Foundation to support Coronavirus relief, Peak Design hopes additional aid to Climate Neutral will help to bolster the response to climate change. “Unfortunately we haven’t swapped one global disaster for the other. Climate change is still a very real threat amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and we fear that many businesses will be forced to consider the economic viability of their sustainability commitments,” states Dering. “We can’t afford to relinquish the progress we’ve made in combating climate change.”
The Peak Design Travel Tripod was originally launched on Kickstarter in May 2019, and raised $ 12.1M from 27,168 backers. Praised for its ground up reexamination of traditional tripod design, Peak Design achieved the world’s most portable, packable, and easy-to-setup tripod for professionals and first-time tripod owners alike. Customers can choose between carbon fiber (MSRP: $ 599) and aluminum alloy (MSRP: $ 349.95) starting April 7, at 12am PST.
For more information about the Peak Design Travel Tripod, please visit: http://www.peakdesign.com/pages/travel-tripod. To learn more about the CDC Foundation’s efforts in supporting the people, communities, and healthcare providers on the global frontline of coronavirus response, please visit: http://www.cdcfoundation.org. To learn more about how Climate Neutral assists businesses to achieve carbon neutrality, please visit http://www.climateneutral.org.
Lens manufacturer Viltrox has issued a statement warning customers that a number of its X-mount lenses can damage Fujifilm X-Pro3 camera bodies.
The statement, seen below, notes that ‘it would be better not [to] use [the] Viltrox 23mm, 33mm or 85mm X-mount lenses’ with Fujifilm X-Pro3 camera systems, as it can damage the camera ‘due to the structural conflict [wherein] they will scratch a little bit against each other.
This information is backed up by reports on this DPReview forum post from Pete Richardson that notes his Viltrox 85mm lens rubs up against the lens release button on the X-Pro3 camera body, causing ‘the slightest mark on the edge of the collar surrounding the release button.’ The reason this only affects X-Pro3 camera bodies is that the lens release button sticks out ever-so-slightly further than that on the X-Pro2, as illustrated in this screenshot from CameraSize.com by DPReview reader DarnGoodPhotos:
Note how the lens release button on the X-Pro3 sticks out marginally further than on the X-Pro2.
If that is the case, the damage would be mostly cosmetic, but it’s probably best to avoid using the lenses with the camera unless you don’t mind scratching up either item.
The post How to Arrange Your Photoshop Workspace for Faster Editing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
The key to quick and painless retouching is creating a workflow that works for you. Photoshop has a highly customizable workspace that you can set up in a way that best suits your needs. Here are some tips on how to declutter your Photoshop workspace for a seamless and efficient workflow.
Photoshop workspace preferences
A workflow that’s effective for one photographer may not be as helpful for another.
Your Photoshop workflow has to be built around your preferences and your most-used tools and windows. For example, the tools that I use most for my food photography may not be as useful for wedding photography or street photography.
For this reason, you may want to have multiple workspaces set up for different applications, especially if you shoot in more than one genre.
You may want to have a workspace for black and white photography only, and another you use for color retouching. It’s up to you if you want to have multiple workspaces and how you organize them.
The important thing is that you arrange your workspace in a way that you’re best prepared for the type of retouching that you want to do. This will keep distractions to a minimum and make the process of retouching go faster.
Photoshop comes with some pre-configured workspaces, depending on what you use the program for. You’ll find these, as well as your various options to set your preferences, under the Window tab at the top of the Photoshop workspace. The panels that show up in your workspace are denoted with a checkmark. Click them on or off accordingly.
Choose the default Photography workspace as a base and customize it from there.
When setting up your workspace, I recommend always showing your Layers and Histogram panels to keep you on track while retouching. I also like to sometimes have my History and Actions visible.
Rename your workspace in a way that will help you quickly differentiate it from other workspaces, if you have them. I personally only use one workspace because I mostly shoot in one genre – food photography.
Creating a new workspace
To create a new photoshop workspace:
go to > Window navigate to > Workspace choose > New Workspace Give your workspace a name Hit >Save
Toolbar and windows
The toolbar and various menus in the Photoshop workspace can be easily dragged to where you want them. In the default workspace, you can find the toolbar on the left-hand side. However, you can drag it to the right-hand side of your workspace, so you have all your tools and menus on one side. This can make the workspace cleaner and more effective because everything you need to access will be consolidated in one area, and your eyes won’t be bouncing around, looking for things.
Make sure that your most important windows are visible, and that you hide or collapse any that are unused, or rarely used.
Observe which windows and tools you use the most and make sure that they are prominent and easy to navigate to.
You can make your menus larger or smaller in relation to the rest of your workspace, depending on your preference. If you have a large screen, you might feel comfortable having several wide menus.
In my Photoshop workspace, I want to see my Histogram and Navigator panels at the top, where I’m used to seeing them in my RAW editor.
Below that, I have my Adjustments and Actions, which I access regularly.
I also always have my Layers panel open so I can see them all and know exactly which one I’m working on.
You can minimize a given window and have it noted by an icon. For example, I have minimized my History panel to a small icon because I want it accessible in case I need to step back in my retouching process, but it’s not a panel that I constantly use, therefore I don’t need to expand it.
History panel denoted with an icon.
When you move your panels around, note that they will be saved as such in the organization of the current workspace. If you go to another workspace and then come back, all your panels will be found in their most recent arrangement.
Floating menus
Any of the individual panels can be moved onto the screen. They can be moved outside the Photoshop window, or even onto other monitors, if you use a double or multiple monitor set-up.
Some photographers like to work this way, while others find floating panels annoying and intrusive.
Docking panels
You can dock panels with other panels to create panel groups.
To do this, you hover the pointer of the mouse over the boundary of another panel. A blue outline will show you where the panel will be docked.
Two panels docked together.
You can also dock several panels into columns, as I did with my History panel. Again, you probably want to do this with the panels that you need but use less often.
Shot at 38mm on a 24-70 f.2.8 zoom lens at ISO 100, shutter speed 1/160th.
Conclusion
An organized workspace is one of the most important factors in working effectively in Photoshop. Arrange your tools and panels in a way that makes sense for you.
This might mean:
creating multiple workspaces with various preferences for different applications
consolidating your toolbar and panels on one side of the screen
hiding unused menus and collapsing those that are used less often
docking floating panels and tools together or using floating panels on another monitor
minimizing the number of panels in your workspace to avoid distractions
At the end of the day, your retouching process has to make sense for you. Hopefully these tips will help you declutter your Photoshop workspace for a faster and efficient retouching workflow.
If you have any other tips for decluttering your Photoshop workspace, let us know in the comments.
The post How to Arrange Your Photoshop Workspace for Faster Editing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
Model Naomi Campbell became a cover star, make-up artist and photographer for the latest issue of Essence magazine as lockdown measures prevented the team from traveling that was booked to work on the special issue cover. Just days before the shoot was due to take place, as part of the magazine’s 50th anniversary issue celebrations, the USA went into lockdown so the magazine asked Naomi if she would shoot the pictures herself.
On the eve of her 50th birthday, @NaomiCampbell covers our 50th Anniversary issue, shot by the icon herself with an iPhone while in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tap the ? for more on our May/June 2020 issue. #ESSENCE50 https://t.co/JluyvLQwha pic.twitter.com/ZrL7F9ka8M
— ESSENCE (@Essence) May 5, 2020
Also celebrating a 50th anniversary, Campbell rose to the challenge and, with direction from the magazine’s creative team, set up and shot the pictures with her iPhone. Planning discussions went on from the team’s homes via video chat, and the actual shoot was styled and directed remotely on the day—and the pictures have turned out pretty well.
it also brought me hope and encouragement to know that our people and our infrastructures are resilient. We are rooted in knowledge and creativity and continue to take back full control of our narratives. We will come out of this stronger than ever.
— Naomi Campbell (@NaomiCampbell) May 5, 2020
‘Naomi shot herself with an iPhone,’ says MoAna Luu, the Chief Content & Creative Officer of the magazine. ‘We couldn’t send a team so, she had to do her hair, her makeup and her styling herself. We were on late night calls trying to figure out how she was going to do the shoot with her phone in her hand. Then, we had to do a re-shoot because the photos didn’t come out how we imagined. So, there were technical challenges, there were human challenges; but Naomi did it all without asking any questions, she never quit. What’s amazed me the most about working with Naomi to do this cover shoot during the pandemic is the way that she embraces the fact that she truly controls her own narrative. She’s never waited for people to do for her; she’s created her own opportunities. She’s been a pioneer in so many ways and now she’s a pioneer in ESSENCE history because she’s completely and literally controlling her own narrative in this issue from the cover to the in-book story.’
Presenting GQ’s June/July cover star: Robert Pattinson. See all the self-portraits by Robert Pattinson and read the story by @ZachBaron here: https://t.co/EPzPWk2vTH pic.twitter.com/2IZ75xJ3gE
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) May 12, 2020
Campbell isn’t the only one doing her own shoots during the global pandemic, as Batman actor Robert Pattinson had to take the pictures for an interview with him for GQ magazine. Pattinson had the good fortune to have a Nikon DSLR to shoot himself with rather than his phone, but perhaps a little less direction from the magazine. The pictures are pretty cool, and one shot in a mirror is used on the cover of this month’s magazine while another is being used as the header on the magazine’s social media channels.
Note: This is an updated version of an article originally published in Fall 2019. Assessments of print quality and delivery times have been carried over from that article.
Believe it or not, there are still people that like to print out their photos and create photo books to send gifts to family members. There seem to be more options than ever when it comes to online printing services, which makes choosing one a bit overwhelming.
We tested out five popular online printing companies and assessed them based on their ease of service, price, turnaround time and most importantly, print consistency/paper quality.
How we tested
We placed an order for three 8×10 and three 4×6 prints on the same day (October 23rd, 2019) from Snapfish, Amazon Photos*, Shutterfly, MPix, and Printique (formerly known as AdoramaPix). We used the automatic ‘smart crop’ feature on each website when preparing the prints and, when it was possible, requested that the image be printed on Lustre paper. All prints were shipped with the economy shipping option.
Our picks: Printique and MPix
Printique.com Our top pick
Printique, formerly AdoramaPix, offers slightly higher pricing than the competition, but has the most consistent/pleasing print quality. Print turnaround is fast.
MPix.com Also good
MPix’s pricing is in the middle of the road, the print quality is consistent – second only to Printique – and print turnaround is also speedy. But you’ll have to pay extra for options like lustre paper.
Now let’s take a closer look at each of these print services including the process of ordering, the speed of delivery, the condition prints arrived and the overall quality of our purchase.
*FULL DISCLOSURE: DPReview.com is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon. We are editorially independent of our parent company.
Oh hi, didn’t see you there! Welcome to the DPReview Virtual Camera Museum.
Feel free to look around, we have an impressive collection. Down this hall you’ll find Unique Cameras from the Dawn of Digital Photography. And beyond that is the Samsung NX1 Memorial Garden – it’s really lovely this time of year. But you’re probably here to see our special exhibit: the Digital Camera Hall of Shame.
Please note that the museum is not responsible for any emotional damage caused by this exhibit, and the curators would like to stress that it is meant in good humor. At least the manufacturers featured here were trying to do something different with their cameras – not just the usual black-or-silver-rectangle with a lens on the front. They just missed the mark, in our opinion.
As you navigate the exhibit you’ll notice a progression from what we consider minor infractions – mere lapses of judgement – at the beginning, to the most egregious transgressions in camera design history towards the end.
Take your time, and please fill out the survey at the end and let us know if you’d rank them differently!
Exhibit A: Compacts gone wrong
Here you’ll find a range of design missteps from manufacturers trying to break free of the mold. Don’t worry, they’re harmless.
Thanks for visiting! Do take a moment to answer the survey below, and fill out a comment card to let us know what exhibits you’d like to see us host in the future. Our curators are always listening!
