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  • Pixelmator for iOS gets major version 2.5 update with three new browsers

    Image editing software company Pixelmator has announced the release of Pixelmator for iOS version 2.5. The company describes this as a major update to its photo editor, one that adds a new file browser, a new document browser based on Apple’s Files app and new image size presets that likewise come with a new browser. According to the company, ‘This update is a really big deal for Pixelmator for iOS.’

    Pixelmator for iOS 2.5 brings a total of three big new features; the company notes that while they ‘might not be amazingly flashy,’ they are ‘incredibly important to the future’ of the app.

    The new Files-based document browser offers a much better file browsing experience compared to the previous version of the software, offering users access to important features like tagging and search. Pixelmator explains that introducing this new feature is the ‘key first step’ in its plan to refresh the mobile image editor.

    Users will note that the new browser makes it easier to open and edit images that are stored in iCloud, as well as ones on external devices, third-party cloud services and ones stored on iPhone or iPad itself. The new photo browser joins this, simplifying the process of finding and opening images from the Photos app.

    The third big feature is the new image size presets, which are exactly what they sound like: a way to rapidly create new images that feature commonly used resolutions. These three major additions are joined by a number of smaller updates, including new quick actions for ‘Open Most Recent Photo’ and ‘Take Photo,’ plus Pixelmator for iOS will now preserve the selected Flash mode when the camera has been closed and then reopened.

    Other changes to Pixelmator for iOS version 2.5 include an adjustment to the True Tone effect that reduces its strength while editing, as well as multiple bug fixes for problems that included memory management issues, trouble opening and creating files if select third-party apps were installed, a crashing bug that involved the Full Keyboard Access setting and a display issue with the Help feature.

    These features build upon the app’s existing tools and other offerings; Pixelmator bills its app as a full-featured image editor, one designed for the iPad and iPhone. The software features expected image editing tools like cloning, blurring, levels, curves, and more, as well as a variety of image templates, effects presets and distortion tools.

    The new Pixelmator for iOS 2.5 update can be downloaded now. The app is available on the Apple App Store now for $ 4.99.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Lensbaby releases the ‘Velvet 28,’ a wide-angle prime with ‘dreamy’ bokeh

    Lensbaby has made available its latest lens, the Velvet 28. As the name suggests, it’s a 28mm F2.5 lens is a wide-angle lens available for a slew of full-frame and APS-C camera systems.

    Like other focal lengths in its ‘Velvet’ lineup, the 28mm lens adds a ‘velvety glow’ to images when shot wide open. As the lens is stopped down, the effect becomes less pronounced. The lens is constructed of eight elements in seven groups, features a 12-blade aperture diaphragm, uses a 67mm front filter thread and also can also capture 1:2 ratio macro photos, with a minimum focusing distance of 14cm (5.5”).

    Below is a sample gallery of images, provided by Lensbaby:

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    The lens is offered in Canon EF, Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon F, Nikon Z and Sony E mounts. While the dimensions and weight does differ slightly from mount to mount, it weighs roughly 600g (1.35lbs) and measures in at approximately 72mm (2.85”) by 89mm (3.5”). The Lensbaby Velvet 28mm F2.5 is currently available to purchase for $ 550 on Lensbaby’s online store, as well as Adorama and B&H.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Lensrentals survey: 19% of professional photographers are considering a career change due to COVID-19 pandemic

    Lensrentals has published the results of its COVID-19 pandemic survey that’s attempting to gauge how the ongoing pandemic has been and will continue to affect the work and outlook of professional photographers and videographers (defined as making the majority of their income from photo and video work) around the world, many of whom are self-employed.

    Over 1,000 self-labeled professional photographers and videographers responded to the survey, which was specifically designed ‘to focus on the main source of income per participant to gain an understanding that will align with the unemployment resources for each state,’ according to Lensrentals. While many of the resulting data points from the survey were —such as 96% of respondents stating their income and/or work has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic—there was one stand-out data point.

    According to the results of the survey, 18.6% of respondents said they are considering leaving their respective industries due to the loss of income caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, 18.4% of photographers and 20.4% of videographers who took part in the survey said they are actively considering leaving their line of work. Seeing as how it was simply a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question, it’s difficult to gauge how likely it is these particular respondents will follow through on their considerations, but roughly one out of every five professionals is a rather serious number.

    Other less-surprising data points include 74.5% of respondents saying ‘all or almost all’ of their jobs (defined as >80%) have been cancelled for the month of April with 59.7% and 20% of respondents saying the same for the month of May and June, respectively.

    To read a more detailed breakdown of the numbers, head on over to Lensrentals’ blog post. In the closing paragraph, Lensrentals links to numerous resources its compiled the help creatives amidst the ongoing pandemic and social distancing initiatives.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • The gear that changed my (photographic) life: the Nikon D3

    This article was originally published in 2017 as part of our ‘Throwback Thursday’ series.

    In 2007, after several years of lagging behind Canon in the enthusiast and professional DSLR market, Nikon was doing alright. Not spectacularly, but they were hanging in there. The D200 was a popular and capable enthusiast model, and the professional D2x was a significant advance on the muddled ‘h’ and ‘s’ releases of the past. But it was their biggest competitor that seemed to have all the momentum. While Canon had been using APS-H and full-frame sensors for years, none of Nikon’s DSLRs offered sensors bigger than APS-C, and Canon still ruled the roost in terms of autofocus1 and high ISO imaging capability.

    But around that time, we had an inkling that Nikon had something big on the way. Not a company prone to grand gestures, Nikon invited the world’s press (and I do mean the world’s press) to Tokyo, in the sapping humidity of a Japanese heatwave for a top secret announcement…

    The magnesium alloy-bodied D3 was as tough as anything that Canon ever brought to market, but offered a combination of speed, sensitivity and autofocus performance that the industry had never seen before.

    Ten years ago, camera technology was advancing continuously, and quickly. For quite a long time, it seemed like every new generation of digital cameras was better than the last in ways that camera buyers (and reviewers) actually cared about. Obviously, each new cycle brought more megapixels, but equally as important were the ergonomic and performance improvements that made each new generation of cameras easier to use, and more effective than the last.

    Buzz Aldrin, in London to mark the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing.

    Nowhere were these advances more obvious than in the professional DSLR segment. Compare the original EOS-1D of 2001 to the EOS-1D Mark IV of 2010. They look similar, but in terms of usability and image quality they’re worlds apart.

    Let’s take usability, to start with. If we look at just the screen interfaces alone, in less than a decade, LCDs got bigger, and much sharper. Live view became standard, and, camera menu systems evolved from messy lists that looked like Windows ME error messages to friendly tabs and mobile-inspired icons.

    My personal D3S, nestled alongside a D810 and several lenses in a Pelican case. It’s still great, and I still use it.

    The 4MP Canon EOS-1D is still capable of turning out decent-looking images for web and limited print use, and it can do so impressive quickly (8 fps ain’t bad for a sixteen year-old DSLR). But the EOS-1D Mark IV offered four times the pixel count, better image quality across the board, including a far superior high ISO imaging capability, a faster continuous shooting rate, and a much more sophisticated autofocus system – plus live view and movie mode.

    High Barn, not far from where I grew up, in North Yorkshire. 12MP might not be much by 2017 standards, but it’s enough for a high quality 13-inch print.

    All of this is by way of preamble. The point (finally! He gets to the point!) is that even by the fast-paced standards of the professional DSLR market in the mid 2000s, the Nikon D3 was a major technological achievement. Arguably, (and I admit it’s a big ‘arguably’) the EOS-1D Mark IV and its successors might not have been quite such advanced cameras without the technological game-upping that Canon had to do in the years following the launch of the D3.

    Nikon D3 Sample Images (2008)

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    As a working photographer and photography writer at the time, the D3 was (and remains, actually) the single most impactful product to be released during my career. Before Nikon’s presentation in Tokyo had even drawn to a close,2 our industry’s expectations of what a DSLR could do had been shifted.

    Until the D3, you could either have a fast cropped sensor DSLR, or a slow full-frame one – not both. Until the D3, the maximum ISO sensitivity setting that you might be able to shoot at was either 1600 or 3200 (depending on the model), and even then, not particularly confidently. Until the D3 (and its sister model the D300) came along, if you wanted the best autofocus performance, there was no question – you bought Canon.

    Melody Gardot, performing in London. The D3’s shutter sounds like someone just dropped a cribbage board onto a marble floor, but the D3S introduced a fairly discreet ‘Q’ mode.

    I was happily shooting with a Canon EOS-1D Mark II when the D3 was released. For the kind of photography I was doing at the time, the Mark II was one of the best cameras on the market, and did the job perfectly well – or so I thought. I felt the same way about the 1D Mark II in 2007 as I did about my Nokia 3210. Solid, reliable, and elegant in its own way. A useful and streamlined tool.

    At risk of overstating the point, the D3 was to my EOS-1D Mark II what the iPhone was to the Nokia 3210: a paradigm shift.3

    Florence Welch, shot with the D3’s successor, the D3S. The D3S added some welcome tweaks over the D3, including in-camera sensor cleaning, and slightly improved high ISO image quality.

    Using the D3, I could shoot quickly and without a crop factor for the first time. I could capture full-color images in light so low that my own eyes couldn’t fully discern what I was looking at (and the AF could usually keep up). I could shoot at ISO 6400, and marvel at the moderate film-like grain – a grain pattern that wasn’t distracting at all, and showed no banding. The D3’s autofocus system was at least a generation ahead of what I was used to in terms of tracking too, allowing me to reliably use AF-C, even with off-center AF points in poor light.

    Nikon D3S Sample Images (2010)

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    In practical terms, this meant that I could capture images of performers in light so marginal that none of the other photographers working alongside me were able to get a sharp exposure.

    A couple of times during my first few months of shooting with the D3 (when I had the camera for review, but before it was shipping in significant numbers) I found myself alone in the photo pit at a small venue, still shooting in punishingly low light after the other photographers had given up and left.4

    But it wasn’t just performance photographers that were amazed by the D3. Wildlife photographers, too, were raving about this amazing new camera that let them shoot in full color, in situations where previously they would have been limited to infrared. Like I said, it was a paradigm shift.

    The D3S has accompanied me on a few shooting trips in 2017, including a protest against the Trump administration’s attempted travel ban, back in January.

    So of course I bought one. I sold all my Canon gear, took a hit on the exchange, ate tinned food for a few months and picked up a D3 with a 24-70mm F2.8. I added more lenses over the following couple of years when I could afford to, and ultimately traded the D3 for a D3S. The D3S added in-camera sensor-cleaning (one of the D3’s few deficiencies), even better high ISO image quality and a basic HD video function. That was around the same time I started to write for DPReview, and about a year after that we moved to America and I mostly stopped shooting live music.

    My life has changed a lot since then, but I still have my D3S and I still use it – mostly now as a second camera for event photography. And no, Dan Bracaglia – I’m not selling, so stop asking.

    A still from a commercial shoot for a young singer-songwriter, Anna Sinfield, in 2008. She’s a producer, these days, for UK radio.

    One last anecdote…

    Not long after the D3’s launch, back in London, I spoke to a young Nikon engineer who had been heavily involved in the design of the new camera. He was visiting from Tokyo. He brought with him two sets of prints – one set from the then-current Canon EOS-1D Mark III, and an equivalent set from the D3. Pointing to the shots from the Canon, he said “in my opinion, these look like digital images”. Turning to the images from the D3 he said “but these look like photographs”.

    That might sound like hyperbole, but the thing is – he was right.

    1. Setting aside the much-reported and in my opinion overblown autofocus woes of the EOS-1D Mark III.

    2. In addition to the cameras, the presentation was also memorable for a closing appeal from a very senior Nikon executive to the assembled US press. Please – he requested – please pronounce ‘Nikon’ correctly as ‘Nick-on’ not ‘Nye-con’ – a plea that was of course completely ignored by all concerned. That trip was also the first time I encountered a Geisha (it would not be the last).

    3. If the D3 had come loaded with ‘Snake II’ it would have been perfect. Actually, given the amount of time professional photographers spend just waiting around, I’ve always wondered why simple arcade games weren’t pre-loaded on professional DSLRs.

    4. The Pogues – I’m looking at you. Or rather, I was trying to…

    If you have a piece of gear that you’d like to write about, we’d love to hear from you – and you might even get featured on the DPReview homepage. Leave us a short note in the comments and if you have a longer story to tell, send it to us, and we’ll take it from there.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Photographing a Still Life Series for Exhibition or a Portfolio

    The post Photographing a Still Life Series for Exhibition or a Portfolio appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

    photographing-a-still-life-series

    If you’ve ever tried photographing still life images, you’ll know that making a single good picture is relatively easy, but shooting a still life series is much harder! Trying to make a set of images that feel like they belong together can be very challenging for many reasons.

    If you’re shooting to create a portfolio, or perhaps even for an exhibition, you’ll want to create images that feel like they belong together. That way, the body of work will appear more thoughtful, and its message will be stronger.

    But no matter how hard you try to make images look like they are a series, there often seems to be something that doesn’t look quite right. So how can you overcome these challenges and shoot a still life series that feels like the pictures are coherent?

    What is coherency?

    When it comes to these images there’s a number of ways that a still life series can look like they belong together. But it really starts at the beginning.

    still life series
    Shooting a series of images that aren’t connected thematically is possible, but you have to pay attention to the technical aspects of your shots for coherency.

    The most useful thing that you can do is have a series in mind when you shoot your first image. Picking a theme that will weave through your images and tie them all together is probably the easiest way to get a coherent feel to your series of shots.

    If you shoot images around a theme, then the theme should automatically help to make them feel like they’re all a part of the same project. Perhaps the easiest way to approach still life thematically is to try to tell a story through the images. When you try to include storytelling in a still life series, it should help the images feel like they belong together.

    But sometimes it’s not all about the theme and the storytelling; sometimes, you want to pull images together visually. So here are some suggestions on how to go about doing just that.

    Use the same viewpoint

    When you’re planning out your still life series, experiment initially with a few different viewpoints. But consider sticking to one throughout the series. Swapping viewpoints between pictures can make the images feel like they’re not quite part of a coherent set.

    Photographing a Still Life Series for Exhibition or a Portfolio
    Left: ISO400, 35mm (50mm equiv.), f4, 1/170th sec
    Right: ISO400, 35mm (50mm equiv.), f4, 1/110th sec

    Consider using a tripod in order to keep everything the same. It’ll make it easier to keep your framing consistent for each shot, as well as keeping your distance the same from the camera to the object. And don’t forget to think about your composition as you place objects into your frame.

    Of course, it is possible to change the viewpoint and still keep the images looking like they are part of the same still life series, as the image above shows. You’ll just have to make sure that you keep some of the other variables about your shot the same. Perhaps make sure that your theme or story is stronger than you might otherwise have needed to make it.

    Use the same focal length

    Keeping the distance between the camera and object the same, and also the focal length of the lens, can be a really great trick to keep your images looking like part of a series. When we use different focal lengths or vary the distance from the object to the lens it can cause distortion. Distortion causes our brain to realise that something isn’t really quite right.

    still life series
    Left: Shot with 35mm lens  (50mm equiv.)
    Centre: Shot with 18mm lens (28mm equiv.) with the subject in the same place
    Right: Shot with 18mm lens (28mm equiv.) with subject moved closer to camera

    While on the surface, the left and right images above look similar, you can see on closer inspection that there is distortion. In the right-hand image above, that I shot with a wider focal length, you can see more of the top of the apple, less of the bottom. And the apple appears to be bulging out towards the camera.

    Of course, there’s really no “correct” focal length to use when it comes to shooting still life images. You may want the distortion that a wider angle lens brings to the image. In a way, the wide-angle creates a strange look that could almost pay homage to the artist Paul Cézanne who painted both the side and top of objects in his still life – an “impossible” view.

    And on the other hand, a 50mm equivalent focal length gives a much more “natural” view because it’s closer to how the human eye views objects.

    The important thing if you choose to vary your focal length or distance from the camera to object is to keep enough other variables the same. That way, your images still look like they are part of the same series.

    Post-process images in a similar way

    If I was going to shoot a still life series on film, I’d definitely make sure I shoot the same film type for all of my images. That way, they’d all be similar in color, tone, and feel.

    Digital is no different. Post-processing images to make them look as similar as possible in style and feel can make a huge difference when it comes to feeling like they’re part of a series.

    Photographing a Still Life Series for Exhibition or a Portfolio
    Both: ISO400, 35mm (50mm equiv.), f2.8, 1/250th sec

    This is a great time to think about introducing something unique to your post-processing rather than just going for a totally natural look. It could be a slight split-toning in Lightroom with colors in the shadows, or a particular black and white recipe.

    The key is to create a distinctive look and then apply it to all images, applying minor adjustments to each one to make them look coherent. Then your images, even if they are of quite different subjects, will be pulled together with a common look and feel.

    Keeping your studio setup and lighting the same can really help when it comes to post-processing to make your shots look similar. Starting from the same “canvas” will mean that you don’t need to be a total post-processing wizard. Instead, small adjustments will pack a real punch when it comes to coherency.

    Keep experimenting

    When you’re planning your series, make sure that you keep experimenting. Try all kinds of different technical approaches to start with and narrow it down to the ones that suit the theme (and your style) the best. And then, once you have your images, experiment with the post-processing before saving your recipe as a preset so that you can use it to help you create a coherent look amongst all your images.

    still life series
    Remember that simply experimenting by changing your background can affect the whole feel of your shot! I shot these images were in the same lighting as the “light” images in this article and with similar settings.
    Both: ISO400, 35mm (50mm equiv.), f4, 1/240th sec

    Don’t forget that you can apply these ideas to other kinds of photography too.

    For instance, when creating a series of portraits, you might want to think about using a single focal length, aperture, and a post-processing recipe. It will help all your shots feel similar. These ideas about shooting a still life series can be applied to more than just inanimate objects!

    The post Photographing a Still Life Series for Exhibition or a Portfolio appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.


    Digital Photography School

  • Samyang’s new compact AF 75mm F1.8 FE lens has a neat little trick up its sleeve

    Samyang (also branded as Rokinon and Bower in other markets), has released its new AF 75mm F1.8 FE lens for full-frame Sony camera systems.

    Aside from the rather unusual focal length (I think we can all appreciate the decision not to add yet another 85mm FE lens to the market), the lens has another interesting feature. On the barrel of the lens, Samyang has included a ‘Custom’ switch that will turn the ring on the barrel from a focus ring (Mode 1) to an aperture ring (Mode 2). It’s not a dedicated aperture ring, but the ability to switch on-the-fly is a nice addition, especially for a lens from a budget manufacturer.

    Onto the more standard specifications, the lens is constructed of ten elements in nine groups, including two high-refractive (HR) elements and three extra-low dispersion (ED) elements. It offers an aperture range between F1.8 and F22, has a minimum focusing distance of 69cm (27″), features a nine-blade aperture diaphragm and uses a 58mm front filter thread. The lens weighs just 230g (8oz) and measures in at 65mm in diameter (2.56in) and 69mm (2.72″) long, making it an incredibly compact and lightweight lens for its focal length.

    Below are a few sample photos, provided by Samyang:

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    Samyang hasn’t shared pricing or availability information yet, but we have contacted the manufacturer and will update the article accordingly when we receive a response.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Venus Optics releases Canon RF, Nikon Z mount version of its Laowa 100mm F2.8 2X APO Macro lens

    Venus Optics has announced its Laowa 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens is now available for Canon RF and Nikon Z camera systems, joining versions for Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony FE mounts.

    It’s been exactly two years since the lens was originally announced and in that time the Laowa 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO has earned numerous accolades and positive reviews for being an impressive-yet-affordable macro lens that punches well above its price point.

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    Aside from the additional mount options, the new models remain unchanged from their previously-announced counterparts. They’re constructed of twelve elements in ten groups, feature an F2.8 through F22 aperture range, offer 2x magnification and have 13-blade aperture diaphragms (same as the Sony FE version).

    A size comparison from Venus Optics showing the Laowa 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO lens (far-right) compared to similar macro lenses from Nikon, Canon and Sony.

    The new models come in at the same size as the Sony FE model, weighing 650g (23oz) and measuring in at 72mm (2.8in) in diameter and 155mm (6.1in) long. Below is a gallery of sample images we captured with the original Canon EF version of the Laowa 100mm F2.8 2X APO Macro lens adapted to an EOS R:

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    The Canon RF and Nikon Z mount models are also priced the same, retailing for $ 449 on Laowa’s website and authorized retailers. An optional tripod collar is available as an accessory for $ 30.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Epson announces new and improved 13″ SureColor P700, 17″ P900 photo printers

    Epson has announced a pair of new SureColor photo printers, the SureColor P700 and the SureColor P900. These printers print up to 13″ and 17″ wide respectively and are replacing the SureColor P600 and P800 printers in Epson’s lineup.

    The P700 and P900 introduce a variety of new features, some of which were introduced in the large format SureColor P7570 and P9570 printers Epson announced last October. Like these larger printers, the P700 and P900 include a new internal light for checking on your prints as they’re being made and a 4.3″ touch screen control panel. While the P700 and P900 do not have the 12 channel print head of their larger siblings, they do include a new 10 channel MicroPiezo AMC Print Head which features dedicated channels for Matte Black and Photo Black ink. This is a big deal for Epson printers as previous generations of printers required time-consuming (and ink-consuming) black ink switching when moving from glossy to matte photo paper.

    Shown here is the ink set for the Epson SureColor P700 printer. These cartridges are 25mL each. The cartridges for the P900 are larger and are 50mL each. Image credit: Epson

    The SureColor P700 and P900 printers include a new set of Epson UltraChrome PRO10 inks. Epson states that the new inks deliver up to a 6 percent wider color gamut than the P600 and P800 printers. Further, they include a new violet ink channel, which will improve the appearance of blues, violets and purples in your prints. Epson is known for their industry-leading print permanence, and the new ink set continues this trend, promising longevity up to 200 years for color prints and 400 years for black and white prints.

    Speaking of black and white prints, the Epson P700 and P900 include a new Carbon Black printing mode, which increases the DMAX by up to 11 percent versus the SureColor P800. The special driver mode is optimized for glossy and metallic glossy media and produces what Epson calls a “rich, ‘wet’ looking black.” This mode uses the existing Light Gray ink channel and does not require a dedicated ink channel, such as Canon’s Chroma Optimizer.

    Epson SureColor P900 printer. Image credit: Epson

    Considering the printers themselves, let’s look at the new 4.3″ touchscreen user interface. This new control panel is user customizable, including in terms of color and the information displayed. The panel can also show a live preview of the image you are printing. Settings shown on the touchscreen panel include the internal light option, network settings, errors and warnings, print job status and remaining time, media type and loading options, ink levels and more. Regarding network settings, the SureColor P700 and P900 printers include new 2.4 and 5 GHz wireless functionality.

    The SureColor P700 and P900 printers are also much more compact than their predecessors. They are up to 30 percent smaller than the printers they are replacing. In fact, the new SureColor P900, despite printing up to 17″ wide rather than 13″ wide, is the same size as the outgoing SureColor P600. Specifically, the P700 is 20″ wide and the P900 is 24″ wide. They have respective minimum depths of 20.8″ and 23.1″.

    Epson SureColor P700 and P900 printer dimensions. Click to enlarge the image. Image credit: Epson

    As mentioned, the SureColor P700 supports 13″ wide media. Core media up to 2″ is supported. The P700 includes an include rear roll media feed, allowing for roll printing up to 10 ft. long. When loading sheet media from the top, the P700 can hold between 10 and 30 sheets at a time. There is also no need for a second Fine Art tray anymore; you can load all accepted paper via the single top load tray. The printer can accept media up to 1.5mm thick.

    The SureColor P900 accepts 17″ wide media and supports both 2″ and 3″ cored roll media via an optional enclosed roll media adapter. Like the P700, there is a single top lead sheet tray now, which can accept between 10 and 30 sheets of paper and papers up to 1.5mm thick. In the case of both the P700 and P900, there is no built-in cutter.

    To summarize, the key features of the new Epson SureColor P700 and P900 printers are as follows:

    • UltraChrome PRO10 10-color ink technology with up to a 6 percent wider color gamut than the SureColor P600 and P800 printers.
    • New MicroPiezo AMC print head with dedicated channels for photo black and matte black. This means no more black ink switching when changing paper types.
    • Carbon Black Overcoat technology results in improved black density on glossy media.
    • Dramatically smaller physical size compared to the P600 and P800 printers.
    • New 4.3″ touchscreen control panel.
    • Improved media feeding options.

    The Epson SureColor P700 and P900 printers are now available to order with shipment expected to begin in early May. The estimated MSRP for the new P700 and P900 printers are $ 799 and $ 1,195 respectively.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Samsung is aiming to develop 600MP image sensors

    In the last couple of years or so we have seen the size of image sensors in high-end smartphones increase quite dramatically. At the same time pixel counts have skyrocketed, driven, at least in part, by the use of pixel-binning technology to capture images with lower noise levels and a wider dynamic range than would be possible with conventional sensor technology.

    The sensor in the main camera of Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S20 Ultra, is a prime example for both these trends. At 1/1.33″ it’s one of the currently largest (only the 1/1.28″ chip in the Huawei P40 Pro is bigger) and a whopping 108MP resolution allows for pixel binning and all sorts of computational imaging wizardry to produce 12MP high-quality default output.

    In terms of pixel binning this latest Samsung sensor taken thins even one step further than previous generations. Instead of four it combines 9 pixels into one for an effective pixel size of 2.4µm.

    Now we’ve learned that the South Korean company has no intentions to stop there. In a blog post on the company website, Samsung’s Head of Sensor Business Team Yongin Park explains that it is the company’s goal to design and produce image sensors that go beyond the resolution of the human eye which is said to be around 500MP.

    However, Yong is aware that numerous challenges have to be overcome to achieve this goal.

    ‘In order to fit millions of pixels in today’s smartphones that feature other cutting-edge specs like high screen-to-body ratios and slim designs, pixels inevitably have to shrink so that sensors can be as compact as possible.

    On the flip side, smaller pixels can result in fuzzy or dull pictures, due to the smaller area that each pixel receives light information from. The impasse between the number of pixels a sensor has and pixels’ sizes has become a balancing act that requires solid technological prowess,’ he writes.

    Launched in 2013, Samsung’s ISOCELL technology has been paramount in allowing for more and more pixels to be implemented on smartphone image sensors, by isolating pixels from each other and thus reducing light spill and reflections between them. first this was done using metal ‘barriers’. Later generations used an unspecified ‘innovative material’.

    Tetracell technology came along in 2017 and used 2×2 pixel binning to increase the effective pixel size. It was superseded by the company’s Nonacell tech and its 3×3 pixel arrays earlier this year. At the same time Samsung engineers were also able to reduce pixel size to a minuscule 0.7?m. According to Park this was previously believed to be impossible.

    So, what can we expect from Samsung’s sensor division in the medium and long term? Park says that the company is ‘aiming for 600MP for all’ but doesn’t provide much detail on how this could be achieved. These sensors would not necessarily be exclusive to use in smartphones, however, and could be implemented for a wide range of applications.

    ‘To date, the major applications for image sensors have been in the smartphones field, but this is expected to expand soon into other rapidly-emerging fields such as autonomous vehicles, IoT and drones,’ he explains.

    In addition the company is looking at applications for its sensors that go beyond photography and videography. According to Park, sensors that are capable of detecting wavelengths outside of the range of human eyes are still rare, but could benefit in areas such as cancer diagnosis in medicine or quality control in agriculture.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Huawei caught using DSLR images to promote smartphone cameras (again)

    Huawei has once again been caught using an image captured with a DSLR to promote its mobile cameras. This issue was discovered on Chinese social media website Weibo, where Huawei published a video that contained multiple images allegedly snapped using its smartphones. According to the South China Morning Post, some of the images were traced back to a 500px user.

    The issue was first spotted by photographer Huapeng Zhao, who recognized some of the images and traced them back to a 500px user named Su Tie. Rather than having been captured with a Huawei smartphone as the company’s promotional video claimed, Su Tie’s 500px account indicates the images were captured with a Nikon D850.

    In a post on the matter published on Weibo, Huawei said that a ‘negligent editor’ had ‘incorrectly marked that [the DSLR images] were taken with a Huawei smartphone.’ The company thanked Huapeng for spotting the issue and apologized to the community. An updated version of the video without the DSLR images has been posted on Weibo.

    This is not, however, the first time Huawei has been caught passing DSLR content off as images captured with its mobile phones.

    In early 2019, for example, Huawei used stock images of a volcano captured with a DSLR to promote the zoom lens capabilities of its P30 Pro smartphone. Before that in 2018, the company was caught using an image captured with a DSLR to promote its Nova 3 smartphone. Sadly, this practice isn’t limited to Huawei — Samsung has also been caught passing off DSLR images as mobile images.

    In 2018, Samsung Malaysia was caught using an image captured with a DSLR on the website for its Galaxy A8 Star handset, failing to state on the page that the image was not captured using its mobile camera and software. Before that, Samsung Brazil was caught using selfies captured with a DSLR to promote its Galaxy A8 model.

    At this point in time, it’s unclear whether Huawei had received permission from Su Tie to use the images in its promotional video. The discovery highlights the importance of taking manufacturer promotional images with a grain of salt, particularly ones that look too good to be true. Though mobile camera technology, including both hardware and software, have improved considerably over recent years, they’re still no match for expensive professional camera systems.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)