As it had promised a few weeks back, Canon has released a firmware update (version 1.1.0) for its 1D X Mark III DSLR camera that addresses the lock-up issue we first reported on in early March. In addition to the lock-up issue, the update addresses a few other ‘enhancements and fixes.’
First and foremost, firmware version 1.1.0 corrects a problem that would cause the camera to lock up when the electronic level is set to ‘Show’ in the viewfinder display and the shutter or AF-ON button is pressed. Below is a video from DPReview reader Hamilton Pytluk, who shared the lock-up issue in action:
The update, which was released on March 31 and only recently brought to our attention, also fixes an issue where the ‘Custom Shooting Mode’ settings could change when the shooting mode is switched and adds the option for a 23.98p frame rate option. Canon has also improved the communication speed when connected via wired LAN, added a ‘Browser Remote’ function and added the ability to transfer only images that are protected.
You can find the firmware update, available to download on both macOS and Windows computers, on Canon Europe’s 1D X Mark III support page.
Life is difficult when you are a portrait photographer and social distancing restrictions prevent face-to-face meetings with anyone beyond the people you live with. Not one to let a global virus pandemic get in the way of a good picture, Shane Balkowitsch combined modern and ancient technology to create a wet-plate photograph of a friend who was almost 4000 miles away using video-conferencing application Zoom. From his studio in Bismarck, North Dakota, Shane photographed Morgan Barbour in London, England, as she streamed video of herself to his computer screen – which he photographed using a 10x8in large format camera with a wet collodion plate loaded in the back.
Morgan in the Zoom video conference on Shane’s screen
Shane tells DPReview that the idea came about when Morgan asked him to make a wet plate image of her. He was going to copy a previous print he had made of her, but having just been introduced to video conferencing the week before it occurred to him that he could make the picture ‘live’ using the computer screen. He sent instructions to Morgan about how she could set up the lighting in her house to create a silhouette and they had a conference call to make the shot.
‘I’d never shot this way before’ Shane explained ‘and I didn’t know what to expect, so I decided that instead of trying to capture a “well lit” portrait we could go for a silhouette. It would take us back to when photography was first invented and the very simple, honest photographs of 180 years ago when photographers were just trying to get any proof of the photograph.’
‘The two plates we made are rather lovely in their simplicity and mood. Our first attempt, which is now known as “A Distance Exposure In Isolation”, is the better of the two. The light reflecting off her upper body adds just the right degree of femininity for me.
Shane tells us that he would usually expect an exposure of ten seconds for his wet plate portraits but this one needed Morgan to remain still while he counted down a full minute. ‘I wasn’t sure how the image on the screen would come out, or if it would come out at all. The wet plate process relies on ultraviolet light to make the exposure, and I didn’t know whether there would be some sort of UV filter on the monitor to protect users’ eyes. Fortunately, however, that turned out not to be the case. It still needed six times the usual exposure to activate the silver on the plate though, and that was for a backlit silhouette. If I’d wanted to get detail in her face I’d probably need two to three minutes.’
Shane says he is stunned by the mixture of technologies that exist 170 years apart, and how the light traveled from Hampstead in London to his Bismarck studio 3961 miles away. ‘There’s no truth in the light I recorded!’ he exclaims. ‘It has been transfigured and translated so many times. It passed through the background in Morgan’s house to reach her phone, where it was converted into zeros and ones to travel across the globe via the internet before reaching my screen. Here it was turned back into light again before passing through my lens and on to the plate. It’s amazing.’
The final image – note the cursor in the top left corner. A sure clue to the mix of technologies
To avoid capturing the texture of the screen Shane says he focused on the outline of Morgan’s lips and nose, and then pulled the focus back a little to blur the pixels of the screen and to create a softer feel to the picture. ‘I didn’t know if I’d get reflections off the screen too, but they don’t seem to show in the picture. There was an odd mark on the plate that I noticed as the image developed. I didn’t know what it was at first, but when I came to remove it I realized it is the arrow cursor from my computer left in the picture area by mistake. Kinda funny!’
Shane’s darkroom, where he sensitizes and develops his plates
Shane will have the chance to practice the process once again this Friday as a model from New York has contacted him since seeing the pictures of Morgan to have her portrait taken. ‘We’ll see what we can come up with. We just got off the phone together, we have never met but she has wanted to have her portrait taken by me for some time.’ Shane says ‘If we ask ourselves, “why would you even attempt this?” the answer is simple – out of necessity. I am usually booked 7-8 months ahead for my Friday sessions in my natural light wet plate studio, but right now I’m having to cancel all those sittings. Now I can shoot remotely. Take that Coronavirus! You think you can stop us from creating? I think not.’
Self-portrait with one of his wet plate cameras
Below you can see the video of the conference call during which Shane made the picture, which also shows the process of sensitising the plate and developing it after the exposure. You can see more of Shane’s wet plate work on Instagram and on his website.
Shane may be the first to shoot a wet plate image directly from a live subject on computer screen, but Robert Matheson used a similar process to record portraits from a live image projected onto a wet plate during the interview below.
If you’ve never heard of Skyllaney, you’re not alone. The company is an up-and-coming lens manufacturer based in England that has announced its first product, a 50mm Sonnar lens for Leica M-mount camera systems that’s due out by 2021.
The Skyllaney 50mm F2 Bertele, as it’s being called, is specified as a ‘limited edition’ lens made in the British Isles. The ‘Bertele’ nickname is given to the lens as a tribute to German optics constructor, Dr. Ludwig Bertele, whose original 50mm F2 Sonnar design inspired the construction of this lens.
Currently, Skyllaney is working on producing the first 20 units, which will be pre-release prototype units that will be used for photographers to provide feedback on the design and overall experience. Once ‘everyone involved is happy, we will then finalise the design and begin the production manufacturing runs,’ according to Skyllaney.
As it stands though, the lens will be constructed of glass elements with anti-reflective (AR) coatings, feature a rounded nine-blade aperture diaphragm and will have an aperture range between F2 and F22. It will also have 6-bit coding for transferring EXIF data to M-mount cameras, offer a minimum focusing distance of 70cm (27.5in) and have engraved lettering on the front ring that Skyllaney says can be customized.
The lens will be offered in black (anodized aluminum) and silver (chrome-plated brass), and will be limited to 150 units for the first production run, with the potential for another 100 units if there’s enough interest.
You can read up more information on the lens design and sign up to be informed of further updates via the form on the bottom of Skyllaney’s blog post.
The post Stuck at Home? – Ways Still Life Photography Can Keep Your Skills Sharp appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.
As I write this, many of us are holed up at home. So what can we do to continue to practice our craft as photographers, have a bit of diversion and enjoyment, and maybe learn some new techniques? I suggest you give still life photography at home a try.
Still life images like this were what painters often did back before there was photography. This shot needed no fancy equipment. The “light-painted” shot used only a flashlight and a long exposure. This is just one of the techniques you can try if you want to give still life photography at home a try. Canon 6D with Canon 50mm “nifty-fifty” lens, 5 sec. f/14 ISO 100
If you’re a landscape, sports, fashion, portrait, or type of photographer who does work requiring you to get out and about, working at home doing still life photos on the kitchen table could be a new thing. Still life? Really? Why? Well, stay with me here and we’ll explore all the things you can learn.
1. Composition
In much of photography, you deal with the scene as you find it. Maybe one of the best things about still life photography is you are in complete control. You pick the subjects, the arrangement, and the background.
Making a shot in a hurry before the moment passes isn’t an issue. You can take your time, practice compositional concepts like the Rule of Thirds, the Rule of Odds, leading lines, negative space, simplification, background choice, depth-of-field, and many other artistic concepts of composition.
You set the scene and are in complete control. Few other genres of photography offer such an advantage.
A simple photo that explores some of the standard composition rules – Rule of Thirds, Rule of Odds, Leading Lines, etc. The monochrome version simplifies the image even further, making the shot even more about shape, line, tone, and texture. Sony DSC-HX5V, 1/100 sec. f/10 ISO 125
2. Lighting
Let there be light.
You decide what type, how many sources, whether to use hard or soft lighting. Might some colored lighting using gels give the look you want?
How will you use light to draw the viewer’s eye where you want it?
Have you explored the use of reflectors, fill light, or “flags” to block light from certain portions of the scene? Do you know what a gobo or a cucoloris is? A shoot, grid, or gridded-snoot?
Still life photography at home lets you be the set and lighting director.
It’s all about the lighting. I photographed the clock in front of a computer monitor with clock-themed images on it. The clock itself, I light-painted with a flashlight. Canon 50D with Tamron 17-50mm lens, 10 sec. f/18 ISO 100. The kiwi slices were placed in a glass dish and lit from below with an LED flashlight. LG G4 cellphone camera, 1/30 sec. f/1.8 ISO 200
3. Explore camera angles
A distinction between a snapshooter and a photographer is the former sees a scene, raises the camera to their eye, and snaps a shot. Little thought is given to composition and most photos are taken from the eye-level of the photographer. Yawn.
In a world where we are inundated with images, making yours different is the only way to stand out. Finding perspectives others haven’t thought of is one way to do that.
Learn to see differently. This is a window blind shot as illuminated by the morning sun. The photo was then rotated 90-degrees counter-clockwise. Canon 6D with Canon 24-105 f4 Lens, 1/6000 sec. f/16 ISO 800
Rather than always shooting from eye or tripod level, mix it up. Get up and look down for a birds-eye vantage point. Get down and try a worms-eye view. Have you heard of a “Dutch-tilt”? Maybe try looking through objects, using them as frames for your subject.
Much of my photography is landscape work, so I’m a dedicated tripod shooter. The advantages of that are, of course, stability and repeatability. I can leave the camera in a fixed spot and move other things; the lights and subjects, use long and different exposures and have variations of the same shot.
There’s something to be said, however, for getting off the tripod.
Going handheld will help you move more easily and explore different angles. Whatever you do, let me repeat something I said earlier…work to make your image different.
See if you can identify these household objects. When doing macro, and seeing differently, even stuck in the house you can find subjects for still life photography. (Clockwise from top left – Canon 6D , reversed lens, 1/40 sec. ISO 400, Canon 6D w/ reversed lens, 1/40 sec ISO 400, Canon 6D with Tamron 90mm macro lens, 1/4 sec. f/32 ISO 1250, Canon 6D with Tamron 90mm macro lens, 1.3 sec, f/32, ISO 1250
4. Lens selection
Doing still life photography at home is a great time to explore how different lenses can give you different looks.
You won’t have to worry so much about dust getting on your sensor as you change lenses and you’ll have a place to put lenses down while you do change them (rather than fearing a fumble onto the ground).
Try some things. Note how a wide-angle lens emphasizes the size of objects nearest the lens, how a telephoto compresses space between objects, or how a wide aperture reduces your depth-of-field. Learn what the “sweet-spot” is of each of your lenses, that aperture where the lens is at its sharpest.
Table-top photography is also a great opportunity to play with prime lenses, moving the camera or subject rather than zooming. I’ve grown to love my little Canon “nifty-fifty” for use in doing still life photography at home. This economical little lens might be one of my sharpest.
Using my shell/beach-stone collection and a pair of my wife’s sandals I was able to make this product-photography-like shot. Note the camera angle looking almost straight down. Canon 6D with Canon 50mm f/1.8 prime lens, 1/80 sec. f/20 ISO 200
5. Get close with macro
If you’ve not tried macro photography, being sequestered at home is a perfect opportunity to give it a try. It requires practice, patience, and a controlled environment where you are in charge of the composition and lighting (and there’s no wind). Being able to slow down and pay careful attention is a real plus, as being meticulous is a key to making good macro shots.
Often, your cell phone camera can take a great macro photo. This feather was shot with my LG V30 cell phone.
So you don’t have a macro lens? Try some alternatives.
The reversed-lens macro technique is a great way to dip your toe in macro waters on a budget. You will also find that common household objects become fascinating subjects when photographed at a macro level. Just be careful – macro-photography is contagious.
Don’t have a dedicated macro lens? This extreme macro, (the drop was only about 2mm wide), was shot with an old Vivitar film camera lens. The lens was reversed and combined with three (12mm, 20mm, and 36mm) extension tubes combined with the reversed lens at 28mm. This is also a 2-image focus stack – one for the drop and the other for the flower inside. Extension tubes on my Canon 6D. 15 sec. reversed lens, ISO 100
6. Tell a story
When choosing your subjects for a session of still life photography at home, give thought to telling a story. Rather than just choose random objects, think like a movie set director using the scene to tell the story.
Use your objects, background, lighting, camera angle, and whatever other photographic tricks you can summon. Your objective is to make the viewer see the story in your photo. A picture can be worth a thousand words, if you choose those “words” carefully.
Carefully selecting your still life subjects can allow you to create a story. My titles might help you understand what I was illustrating here. “Awaiting Santa” – Canon 50D, Canon 50mm prime lens, .5 sec,f/5.6, ISO 100 , “Family Album Photographs” – Canon 6D, Canon 50mm prime lens, f/22, ISO 800 , “Doc Brown makes a housecall,” – Canon 50D, XX lens, f/XX, ISO XXX , “The Conchologist” – Canon 6D, Canon 24-105 lens, 1/6 sec. f/4, ISO 100
7. Simple is better
A photo friend once said something that has stuck with me about a good photo – “Anything that doesn’t add, detracts.”
It’s important that, with a glance, the viewer immediately “gets it.” Without even thinking, they know what your intended subject is and what you are trying to communicate.
Landscape photographers must find ways to simplify the scenes they photograph, but as a still life table-top photographer, you have complete control.
Carefully consider what to put in and what to take out, where to concentrate the light, what to leave in shadow, and what is in and out-of-focus. The strongest photos will be those with a single, powerful message.
Sometimes the simplest images can be the most powerful. Canon 50D, Canon 50mm prime lens, 8 sec. f/22, ISO 100. Frozen with flash. Ordinary objects can become much more interesting with dramatic lighting. This one was light-painted with a flashlight. Canon 6D, Canon 24-105 lens, 10 sec. f/11, ISO 100
8. Reflect on this
Reflections can elevate an otherwise ho-hum subject to a new and exciting level. When doing still life photography at home, a good method of creating a reflection is to use a piece of black plexiglass under your set-up.
Unlike a mirror, which will create two reflections due to the surface and the mirrored back of the glass, the acrylic sheet creates just one. Of course, the inventive photographer will find other ways to create reflections as well.
A piece of black plexiglass reflects the jar of marbles. The string of Christmas lights provides a background of bokeh highlights. Canon 6D, Canon 24-105mm lens, 1/8 sec. f/4, ISO 800
9. Bokeh and how to use it
“Bokeh” (however you pronounce it), is defined as the “blurred quality or effect seen in the out-of-focus portion of a photograph taken with a narrow depth of field.”
Still life photography is a great opportunity to explore how you can use it to simplify the background, keep viewer attention where you want it, and enhance the story you’re trying to tell. You can also try some special effects bokeh using patterns cut in pieces of paper and put on your lens. If you’re a shut-in frustrated photographer, why not brighten your day making some fun “bokehlicious” pics?
My Canon “nifty-fifty”, the 50mm f/1.8 prime which often isn’t much over $ 100 US, is one of my sharpest lenses. It also creates interesting bokeh highlights when opened up to a wide aperture. Canon 50D, Canon 50mm “nifty-fifty” lens, 1/25 sec. f/2.8, ISO 100
10. Food photography
Food photography is by its very nature, still life photography.
Top food photographers make good money by making food images look especially delicious. Study great food photos for clues as to composition, lighting, backgrounds, props, camera angles, and other tricks. Then see if you can emulate those tricks.
Maybe grab some cookies and a glass of milk, or a beer and some pretzels, and see what you can do to replicate great photo photography looks. Not only will you hone your photo skills, but when you’re done, you can have a snack.
Food photography certainly falls into the genre of still life. This is definitely something to try if you’re having to stay home. Canon 20D, Canon 50mm prime lens, 1/250 sec. f/4, ISO 200
11. For my next trick
Two different years I did what some call a “Project 52,” a photo assignment a week for an entire year. I made it a point to try some special tricks I’d never tried before – photographing smoke, water splashes, flames and sparks, and oil and water abstracts.
Using both long exposures, as well as the extremely short duration of a flash and a camera trigger, were things I learned.
If you need ideas, search dPS, or Google “creative photography” and see what catches your eye, then figure out how to do it yourself. Part of the fun of still life photography at home is using your creativity to make shots you’ve never before attempted.
Light for these shots is provided solely by the sparklers used. The long exposure allows for interesting light trails. Left – Canon 50D, Canon 50mm prime lens lens, 4 sec. f/11, ISO 100 Right – Canon 50D, Canon 50mm prime lens, 1 sec. f/11, ISO 100 Who says still life photos must be still? The “Raspberry Milk Splash” froze the action using the short duration of a speedlight, Canon 50D, Tamron 17-50 lens, 1/60 f/25, ISO 100. “Tumblin’ Dice” was a longer exposure with a second-curtain sync flash. Canon 50D, Canon 17-40 lens, 1.0 sec f/13 ISO 100
12. Advertising and product photography
Making the ordinary extraordinary is why skilled advertising photographers get paid the big bucks. Pick up a magazine and study the way common objects are staged, lit, and photographed. Then find some objects at home and see if you can emulate those looks.
What might look like a simple shot is often much more complex if you were to take a look behind the scenes. Don’t have a studio with a bunch of fancy lights and modifiers? No worry, see what you can do “on the cheap” with simpler lighting equipment. You might be surprised at how using brains rather than bucks can still result in a stunning photo.
When doing still life photography at home, remember that rather than having powerful studio lights or even Speedlights, you can simply increase the exposure time since your subject isn’t moving and you can shoot using a tripod. Small, inexpensive hardware store LED lights like these can work surprising well.
Something else to consider is making photos for items you’d like to sell on places like eBay, Craigslist, or other online sites.
Your item with a nicely lit and composed shot will attract much more attention (and perhaps even fetch a higher price) than a “quicky” snapshot someone else made with their cellphone.
If you plan to do a lot of this kind of work, you might also look into buying a simple light tent or perhaps making your own. For smaller objects, a collapsible light tent can be had for under $ 20.00 U.S. and will give you pretty good results.
Note the lighting set-up in the inset shot using just the cheap LED flashlights for illumination. When doing still life photography at home, learn how you can get big results with little lights. Canon 6D, Canon 24-105 lens, 3.2 sec, f/14 ISO 100I wanted to accentuate the “emergency feel” of this police badge and so used a blue-gelled light on camera left and a red-gelled light on the right. Canon 6D, Canon 50mm prime lens, 2 sec. f/20 ISO 100.
13. No travel required
Even in times when we feel more comfortable traveling, not all of us can get to the exotic hot spots where we see other photographers going. I’m not expecting to get to Iceland anytime soon.
When doing still life photography at home, that’s not an issue. No one is going to guess that the location where you took that really cool still life photo was your kitchen table.
I formerly wrote for another now discontinued online photo site, Improve Photography, and did an article called “Tips for the Non-Traveling Photographer.” I’d encourage you to have a look, as almost all of the images in that piece were done at home or within 20-miles of my house. Imagination can often take you much further as a photographer than a passport.
Stuck at home? Drag out that collection of whatever you might have and photograph it for fun. “Campaign Buttons” – Canon 6D, Canon 24-105mm lens, 6 sec. f/22 ISO XXX. “Foreign Coins” – Canon 6D, Canon 24-105mm lens, 2.5 sec. f/22 ISO 100
14. Exercise for photo fitness
Want to be more photographically-fit? The key is the same as increasing your physical fitness – work out more.
The key to being a better photographer is routinely making more photos, learning new techniques, and practicing. Waiting to pick up the camera until you go on a special trip, attend an event or make family photos isn’t going to cut it if you want to be good. Unless you’re taking photos at least a few times a week, you’re probably not getting enough “photographic exercise” to be a strong photographer.
No flash, but high noon sun, a reflector, an aquarium, a high shutter speed, a fast trigger finger, timing, some luck and a lot of tries were what was needed for this shot. I had a fun afternoon making all kinds of splash photos on a picnic table in the backyard. Canon 50D, Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens, 1/3200 sec. f/4 ISO 400.
These are unusual times. You may find you’re not able to get out as much, perhaps not even going to your regular job. So why not use that free time to keep yourself engaged, entertained, and further your photo education?
Try some still life photography at home. Shoot, review, repeat.
As you get better, do as you would with exercise, and make the next session more challenging. Then post your images online and here in the comments section of this site so we can admire your work.
Be engaged, be productive, be learning and growing as a photographer and above all… Until next time, be well my friends.
The post Stuck at Home? – Ways Still Life Photography Can Keep Your Skills Sharp appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.
You probably already have some understanding of what HDR images are, and equally probably, a moderate-to-strong opinion about their artistic merit. But you’re likely to hear a lot about HDR in the coming years that has nothing to do with the eye-popping candy-colored processing you’re thinking of.
A standard DR impression of the HDR difference
This is a necessarily limited representation of the difference between SDR and HDR images, constrained by your SDR display.
On an HDR monitor, capable of brighter whites and darker blacks, the shadow region would be brighter and able to express more contrast, while the sky would be brighter still and more distinct from the foreground, just as it would be in the real world. However, it’s impossible to convey the capabilities in a JPEG image, viewed on an SDR display, so all we can do is try to maintain the distinction between the sky and foreground.
The technologies that make this possible are displays that can achieve a wider color gamut, a greater maximum and minimum brightness than conventional displays, and that can show more subtle gradations of tones from this brightest point down to black. This means they can show a more convincing representation of the real world, but requires content that makes use of this possibility.
What we currently think of as HDR images are usually high dynamic range scenes tone-mapped to fit into the constraints of standard dynamic range (SDR) displays and print. But a new generation of displays: OLED and other high-end TVs and many mobile devices, are able to display a wider range of tones than before. And, crucially, this isn’t about eye-catching effects, it’s about representing the world more realistically.
HDR in video
This capability has already been exploited in cinema. Directors and DoPs are increasingly shooting and grading their movies to utilize the wider dynamic range offered by modern cameras and displays. The latest HDR TVs allow us to gain this same experience in the home.
The push toward HDR TV has spawned a series of standards, from the sophisticated Dolby Vision to the less ambitious HDR10, via HDR10+, which sits somewhere in between. There’s also the more simplistic Hybrid Log Gamma, which is the one you’re most likely to have already heard of.
HLG was developed by broadcasters to look good on an SDR display, but better on HDR screens
Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HDR10+ are being used to various degrees by content streaming services, where it’s possible to deliver different streams to users whose systems can report that they’re HDR compatible and those that aren’t. This means they don’t have to be cross-compatible with older, SDR screens. Hybrid Log Gamma was developed by broadcasters and is designed so that it looks good on an SDR display, but looks better on HDR screens. This was necessary since broadcasters have to deliver the same signal to everyone.
Ultra HD Blu Ray discs get round the problem of how to accommodate SDR viewers by providing a standard Blu Ray disc alongside the HDR 4K version (HDR 10 in this instance)
There’s scope for cynicism here: we’ve just watched a wave of enthusiasm for 3D movies and TVs surge and ebb, so it’s no surprise that there’s another technology rushing towards us, in the hope it drives us to all upgrade our TVs to the latest spec. But this one has a more direct benefit for photographers.
HDR in stills
At present, the JPEGs produced by cameras are designed with the expectation they’ll be viewed on standard definition displays. This limits how much of the dynamic range of the real world can be shown before everything begins to looking flat and washed-out, or tips over into the hyper-real look of aggressively tone-mapped HDR images.
So far we’ve seen two camera manufacturers go further and try to take any advantage of the arrival of more capable displays. Panasonic’s S-series cameras have a mode that can output images based around the HLG standard. These files can be viewed on the majority of HDR TVs if you connect the camera using HDMI. Images shot using HLG Photo mode are output as .hsp files (defined in the HLG standard), whose wider user and acceptance is currently unclear. The cameras can also output .hsp files using in-camera Raw conversion.
Not all the elements necessary for exploiting HDR’s photographic potential are in place yet
The first sign of Canon exploiting HDRTVs’ capabilities is that you get a higher DR preview of Raw files from its recent cameras, if you connect them to a 10-bit display over HDMI.
But the big news being that the EOS-1D X Mark III will output 10-bit files designed for HDR displays in the HEIF image format.
HEIF is already in use for HDR imagery on Apple’s phones (though not, yet, its Mac computers, which can open HEIF files but don’t display the HDR version of the image). HEIF/HEIC is a broad standard, and the files from Canon and Apple are not cross-compatible with one another, but its use by two such large players in the imaging industry significantly increases the likelihood of third-party software offering support.
We may start to see HDR displays become a leading way to exhibit photography
Canon’s HEIF files use the response curve used in both the Dolby Vision and HDR10 standard. This should aid compatibility across HDR systems, but it is not backwards compatible with SDR systems.
It’s worth noting that the HEIF standard includes the option to include multiple image files: so it could potentially offer a way of delivering both an HDR and SDR version of an image, without any compromises to maintain cross-compatibility.
So what does this mean?
For now, there’s no standard workflow for producing HDR images, so it’s not something you can easily start doing today. But it’s worth being aware that the possibility is coming and it could change what you can do with your photos.
For instance, since the latest HDR screens can show a much more convincing version of the world than bright lights reflected off good quality prints, we may start to see HDR displays become a leading way to exhibit photography. If that’s your target, you wouldn’t need to worry about also producing a more restrictive version for SDR display, so you could process your images on an HDR display with HDR output in mind.
Apple’s Photos software, running on latest Mac Pro and combined with the rather pricey Apple XDR display, is one of the few combinations to currently let you edit photos for HDR displays.
Alternatively, embracing a Hybrid Log Gamma workflow would mean that nearly everybody could view your photos but that those with SDR monitors wouldn’t miss out on the subtlety in the brighter parts of the image. Or perhaps there’ll be a need to prepare two versions of your best images: one optimized for HDR and a second that still looks good to everyone else.
If you haven’t already drawn this conclusion: it’s early days for HDR photography and not all the elements necessary for exploiting its photographic potential are in place, yet. But it is coming. And your next TV could be a chance to expand your photography beyond a set of limitations you might not even have realized were confining you.
SDR/HDR demonstration by Rishi Sanyal with help from Dan Bracaglia
Last October, Tamron revealed it was working on a compact 70–180mm F2.8 telephoto lens for full-frame Sony E-mount camera systems. Now, we officially have availability and pricing information for the 70–180mm F2.8 Di III VXD.
As promised, the lens is small despite its focal length range, measuring in at 149mm (5.9″) long and 81mm (3.2″) diameter, with a weight of 810g (28.6oz). The lens is constructed of 19 elements in 14 groups, including one molded aspherical element, one hybrid aspherical lens, one ‘eXtra Low Dispersion’ (XLD) element, five Low Dispersion (LD) elements and fluorine coatings. The lens is ‘moisture-resistant,’ but Tamron doesn’t elaborate on what exactly it can endure.
An illustration of the optical construction of the lens.
Autofocus is driven by Tamron’s ‘Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive’ (VXD) linear focus motor. At 70mm, the minimum focusing distance is just 27cm (10.6″) in manual focus and the aperture diaphragm features a nine-blade design. As with other lenses in Tamron’s lineup, the 70–180mm F2.8 features a 68mm front filter thread.
The 70–180mm F2.8 Di III VXD lens will be available in the U.S. on May 14, 2020 for $ 1,199. However, Tamron notes that due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic the release date could be bumped back.
Tamron Announces the Launch of Lightest and Most Compact Large Aperture Telephoto Zoom Lens in Its Class for Sony Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras
Third model in Tamron’s series of fast F/2.8 zoom lenses for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras delivers quiet, fast focus and superb performance
April 6, 2020, Commack, NY– Tamron announces the launch date of the 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD (Model A056), a large aperture telephoto zoom lens for Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras that is the lightest and most compact in its class. The lens will be available in the U.S. on May 14th at $ 1199. However, due to the spread of COVID-19, the release date or the product supply schedule could be delayed.
The 70-180mm F/2.8 features a compact and lightweight design with a 67mm filter diameter, the same as Tamron’s highly esteemed 17-28mm F/2.8 (Model A046) and the 28-75mm F/2.8 (Model A036). The optical construction includes several special lens elements that contribute to the lens’s overall superb imaging performance. Its very short 33.5” MOD (Minimum Object Distance) expands overall versatility. The lens utilizes Tamron’s newly developed VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor focus mechanism that produces an autofocus drive that’s quieter and quicker than ever before. Additionally, a floating system is used to achieve excellent optical performance at all shooting distances. By simultaneously operating two VXD units via electronic control, the system produces clear and sharp images of all objects near and far. Other features that support a great shooting experience include Moisture-Resistant Construction for added weather protection and Fluorine Coating for easy maintenance. In addition, the 70-180mm F/2.8 is fully compatible with various camera-specific features including Fast Hybrid AF and Eye AF. Developed under the concept of “making large aperture zoom lenses user-friendly,” the 70-180mm F/2.8 provides users with complete portrait-to-telephoto lens range coverage. This new model joins the 17-28mm F/2.8 Di III RXD and the 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III RXD to complete Tamron’s fast zoom lens trinity for full-frame mirrorless cameras.
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
1. Compact size maximizes the mobility advantages of mirrorless cameras
A true marvel of portability and utility, the 70-180mm F/2.8 incorporates an innovative zoom mechanism and 180mm telephoto power. It was possible to maintain extreme light weight and compactness even while attaining a fast F/2.8 aperture across the entire zoom range by leveraging camera-based image stabilization. It is small: filter diameter 67mm, maximum diameter 81mm, length 5.9” at the 70mm setting, and also light weight: 28.6 oz. The super-compact size helps make handheld shooting a breeze. As part of our constant, ongoing effort to achieve both high image quality and supreme compactness, Tamron went to great lengths to create this product in answer to demands of the new generation of digital cameras.
2. Newly developed VXD linear motor focus mechanism delivers high-speed and high precision autofocus performance
Tamron developed its first-ever linear motor AF drive focus mechanism, VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive), especially for the 70-180mm F/2.8. While operating faster than ever before, the drive also maintains positional accuracy down to 0.005mm (0.0002”), less than one tenth the width of a human hair! This provides unprecedented fast and precise AF performance. A floating system that uses two high-speed, high-precision VXD units with advanced electronic control is also used. This innovative design produces clear and beautiful images of all objects from near to far and at the same time helps reduce size and weight. In addition, its exceptional quietness enables low noise shooting in silent settings. Active athletes and moving vehicles are among the subjects commonly photographed with telephoto zoom lenses. The enhanced, highly responsive focus features of the 70-180mm F/2.8 enable following a subject’s movements to provide users with a whisper-quiet, high-precision shooting experience, not just for still images but also video.
3. Superior design for uncompromised image quality
The 70-180mm F/2.8 has an optical construction of 19 elements in 14 groups. It includes a total of six XLD (eXtra Low Dispersion) and LD (Low Dispersion) lens elements combined, and three GM (Glass Molded Aspherical) and hybrid aspherical lens elements combined. Special lens elements are generously and optimally arranged to correct chromatic aberration and maintain very high-resolution performance from edge-to-edge. This model also features BBAR-G2 (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection Generation 2) Coating, which minimizes ghosting and flare and produces stunning, clear images with brilliant, sharp subject detail. Furthermore, excellent high image quality across the entire zoom range is enhanced by camera-based distortion and shading correction. Additionally, the bokeh effect obtained using the fast F/2.8 aperture delivers beautifully smooth and soft transition from the subject to the background. The images created with this lens are emblematic of Tamron’s pursuit to combine supreme compactness with superb image quality.
4. 67mm filter diameter for system convenience
The 70-180mm F/2.8 features the same 67mm filter diameter as Tamron’s other lenses for full-frame mirrorless cameras including the 17-28mm F/2.8 (Model A046), a fast ultra-wideangle zoom, and the 28-75mm F/2.8 (Model A036), a fast standard zoom, as well as the close-focusing prime lens series (20mm, 24mm and 35mm). This uniformity significantly reduces cost and trouble when working with PL, ND and other filters. Even the front lens caps are the same size, eliminating the hassle of sorting caps when switching lenses. These features combine to produce a highly convenient and mobile system that adds more fun to photography.
5. Close focusing to a mere 33.5 inches
The new 70-180mm F/2.8 lens has a MOD of 33.5” throughout the entire zoom range. This is astonishingly close for a large aperture telephoto zoom lens. The short MOD paves the way for impressive telephoto shooting at a maximum magnification ratio of 1:4.6 at the 180mm telephoto end. Moreover, a floating component equipped with two VXD linear focus mechanisms maintains high image quality while effectively controlling aberrations so that the 70-180mm F/2.8 ensures great image quality even at close-up. To effectively suppress optical aberrations, this lens features a floating mechanism that ensures great image quality at distances as short as 33.5”.
Note: At the 70mm setting only, it is possible to shoot closer than the specified MOD of 33.5” (as close as 10.6”) when manual focus (MF) is set on the camera. However, results may be less than optimal since image quality decreases in peripheral areas. For more details, please visit this website: https://www.tamron.jp/en/support/guide/closeup.html
6. Moisture-Resistant Construction, Fluorine Coating, and Zoom Lock switch
Seals are located at the lens mount area and other critical locations to deter infiltration of moisture and/or rain drops and afford Moisture-Resistant Construction. This feature provides an additional layer of protection when shooting outdoors under adverse weather conditions. Also, the front surface of the lens element is coated with a protective fluorine compound that has excellent water- and oil-repellant qualities. The lens surface is easier to wipe clean and is less vulnerable to the damaging effects of dirt, moisture or oily fingerprints, allowing for much easier maintenance. Additionally, the conventional Zoom Lock switch prevents unwanted barrel extension during transportation.
7. Compatible with main camera-specific features and functions
Tamron’s new 70-180mm F/2.8 is compatible with many of the advanced features that are specific to certain mirrorless cameras. This includes the following:
* Features vary by camera. Please consult your camera’s instruction manual for details. (As of January, 2020.)
8. Tamron’s ‘Dream Team’ of large aperture zooms for full-size mirrorless cameras
Tamron’s 17-28mm F/2.8 Di III RXD (Model A046) ultra-wideangle zoom and the 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III RXD (Model A036) standard zoom lens earn high marks for user-friendliness and high image quality among large aperture zoom lenses for both E-Mount and FE-Mount Sony mirrorless cameras. Now, the 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD (Model A056) telephoto zoom lens joins the lineup to complete the Dream Team Trinity of high-speed zoom lenses for full-size mirrorless cameras. A key advantage of this series is their portability. The three models altogether weigh surprisingly little, just 62.8 oz. Featuring light weight, compact size, a fast F/2.8 aperture and superb image quality, Tamron’s Dream Team is easy to carry, easy to deploy and easy to enjoy.
When we reviewed the original Fujifilm ‘Finepix’ X100 back in 2010, we noted that the lens offered excellent sharpness within a normal shooting range, but with noticeable haziness and loss of contrast within a meter or so, and substantial veiling softness in the near-macro range. The ‘soft focus’ effect wasn’t always objectionable, but it was impossible to ignore in close-range portraits, especially of pets and small children, where the temptation is always to position them closer to the camera.
As the resolution of cameras in the X100 series increased (from 12, to 16, to 24MP) these issues in the close focus range became ever more apparent. That 23mm F2 lens, with its 8 elements (including one aspherical) in 6 groups, gave sterling service for several generations, but by the time the X100F came around it was clear that optically, it had hit a limit.
Our testing shows that overall, the new lens in the X100V is much improved over the original design
During the planning process for the X100V, Fujifilm’s optical engineers went back to the drawing board. It might look the same to a casual glance, and it might still accept the same wide and tele converters, but on the inside, the X100V’s has been totally redesigned. Probably the most important change is the addition of a second aspherical element, which Fujifilm claims increases corner sharpness, and greatly improves image quality at close focusing distances at wide apertures. In short, it should address those areas in which the older lens was notably weak.
Our testing shows that overall, the new lens in the X100V is much improved over the original design found in previous X100-series cameras. Read on for our full analysis, which compares the X100V against the X100F at four focus positions: Infinity, ‘Medium’ (~1m) ‘Close’ (~0.5m) and ‘Macro’.
A note on all of the images in this article: Images are JPEGs, converted from Raw in Adobe Camera Raw, with sharpening turned to ‘0’, and an Unsharp Mask (amount: 200, radius: 0,6, threshold: 0) added in Photoshop. Raw files are available for download via the links in most of the widgets below.
At infinity, it’s clear that both cameras are capable of delivering very good central sharpness$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5055–1786495829”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5055); }); }), but the X100V is more consistent across the frame$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5065–430078908”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5065); }); }).
And that’s really the story across the two lens’ entire aperture range: The X100V’s lens is not substantially sharper than that of the X100V in the center, but it’s very clear that sharpness and contrast at the extreme edges of the frame$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5052-1720704258”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5052); }); }) is improved compared to the X100F. Even at F5.6$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5053–1644791573”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5053); }); }) and F8$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5054–257385516”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5054); }); }), the X100V has a slight advantage when it comes to definition at the extremes.
It should be noted that focus position has a major part to play in how images from the X100F look, especially at at the widest apertures, at the edges of the frame. This is most likely due to curvature of field. For this comparison, I focused on the green bush$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5051–1618134941”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5051); }); }) roughly in the middle of the scene, and selected the sharpest of three shots, at all apertures, on both cameras.
Verdict:
The X100V’s new lens delivers comparable peak sharpness to that of the X100F, but superior sharpness and contrast towards the edges of the frame. Even at F5.6 and F8 the new lens out-resolves the old design across most of the frame, making the X100V more useful than the X100F for landscapes and cityscapes. For optimal cross-frame sharpness at wide apertures though, both cameras (but especially the X100F) reward some experimentation with exact focus position.
Medium focus (~1m)
The medium focus range is where you’d typically take portraits on a 35mm equivalent lens. We shot this scene at a distance of roughly one meter (39.4″), and my cold war-era globe is about 28cm (11″) in diameter. While ideally we’d be showing you a portrait here (currently impossible due to the quarantine measures) we hope that this scene should serve as a reasonable proxy. The film boxes on the left, and the Nikon S2 on the right are positioned on approximately the same plane as the nearest point of the globe. Focus and framing was set using the yellow tape target in the center of the image.
Images from this scene are a little hard to interpret, and require some explanation. Depending on where you look, the X100V might appear either sharper, or softer than the X100F. In some areas it actually looks like the zone of focus is shallower on the X100V$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5041–1637164982”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5041); }); }), almost as if its F2 lens is slightly faster than the F2 lens on the older X100F (which we’ve measured, and it isn’t). Something that is consistent, though, is the higher contrast of images from the X100V.
After analyzing the Raw files, we suspect that the X100V’s new lens has been tuned to deliver a different fall-off from in-focus to out-of-focus areas, which has the effect of giving smoother out of focus areas. You can see this here$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5038-1407338552”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5038); }); }) at F2 and here$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5040-1407338552”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5040); }); }) at F2.8. This may explain the (small) apparent decrease in the zone of sharpness$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5041-1015591318”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5041); }); }) compared to the X100F at equivalent wide apertures.
In terms of central detail wide open, the two cameras are hard to tell apart$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5042-1848188631”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5042); }); }).
Verdict:
At a medium focus distance of the sort you might be working at for a typical portrait, the X100V’s lens is a close match to the X100F in terms of resolution at equivalent apertures, but offers higher contrast and slightly smoother out of focus areas. This results in the impression of fractionally less depth of field from the newer lens. In practical use, the biggest challenge to successful wide-aperture portraits on both cameras is focus accuracy.
Close focus (~0.5m)
For this scene, we shot a collection of film boxes from ~0.5m (~20″), shooting downwards using a copy stand. This is the kind of shooting distance from which you might take moderate closeups (food photographs etc.,) or portraits of a pet or young child. A bubble level was placed on the rear LCD to ensure that the cameras were perfectly perpendicular to the arrangement of boxes. There is some difference in the relative ‘height’ of the film boxes, but it’s within 2-3mm (<1/8″).
While central resolution is similar at F2$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5045-356385092”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5045); }); }), the X100V’s lens has a slight edge, if only by virtue of its higher contrast. The difference in detail definition at the edges of the frame is obvious, with the X100V clearly delivering more usable images$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5046–297568247”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5046); }); }), thanks to a relative lack of the X100F’s characteristic haziness.
It is clear that at this focus distance, the X100V’s lens delivers images with significantly higher contrast than those of the X100F, across the entire frame. By F5.6 and beyond, there is little difference between the two lenses in terms of either resolution or contrast in the center$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5049-24928001”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5049); }); }), but the X100V maintains its advantage at the edges$ (document).ready(function() { $ (“#icl-5048–1113632447”).click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5048); }); }).
Verdict:
Again, the higher contrast and better edge-to-edge consistency of the X100V’s files makes them more attractive than equivalent images shot on the X100F. While neither camera delivers bitingly sharp images when shot wide open, files from the X100V are more consistent, with little of the ‘haze’ at wide apertures which is characteristic of the original 23mm F2 found in the X100F.
Minimum focus
The X100V and X100F offer an impressively close minimum focus distance of 10cm (~4″). With a 35mm equivalent focal length, that works out to a maximum reproduction ratio of roughly 1:4. Not great, (and a long way off ‘true’ macro) but respectable. This is the kind of distance from which you might shoot a collectible item, a flower or – yes, again – your food. At absolute minimum focus, both cameras become fiendishly difficult to focus accurately, so for this setup, I backed off to around 15cm (6″).
Please note that for the purposes of easy comparison against the X100F in the slider below, the 26MP images from the X100V have been downsampled to 24MP and both examples are shown at ~50%. You can download original files from the links below.
F2
The haziness of the X100F’s lens that is visible at wide apertures at 0.5m (~20″) becomes progressively more severe as you approach minimum focus. Wide open at this focus distance, the X100F’s lens is capable of resolving a fair amount of detail in the middle of the frame, but with such strong haze that images are essentially unusable, except for creative effect.
By comparison, images from the X100V demonstrate slightly less resolution but much greater contrast, minus the haze, and with better consistency across the frame. Despite the lack of critical sharpness really anywhere, images from the X100V are more usable simply by virtue of the lack of haziness compared to the X100F. This holds true through to around F5.6 (essentially duplicating the results of the 0.5m test, above).
Verdict:
Ultimately, we wouldn’t recommend either camera for extreme closeup photography, (neither is really ‘sharp’ anywhere until F4-5.6) but for practical purposes, despite its slightly lower peak resolution, the new lens in the X100V is clearly more capable. There’s little of the haziness which X100-series users have come to expect, which makes images much more usable for everything barring critical applications.
Download originals:
X100V @F2
X100F @ F2
X100V @ F5.6
X100F @ F.6
Summing up: is the new lens in the X100V really improved?
On balance, yes. Definitely.
At infinity, the X100V’s lens is not appreciably sharper than that of the X100F at optimal apertures in the center of the frame (which was never a weak point of the older model), but it’s noticeably more consistent edge-to-edge, being sharper and more contrasty at the extremes of the frame at all apertures.
The differences between the two lenses that are visible at infinity become even more apparent at closer focusing distances. If you’re a fan of relatively close-range portraits you can expect higher contrast from the X100V at wide apertures, and somewhat smoother bokeh, too. Meanwhile for copy work (or for taking pictures of your dinner) the superior edge definition from the X100V’s lens at all apertures might make the difference between a shot that you can actually use, versus one that you can’t.
If you’re a fan of relatively close-range portraits you can expect higher contrast from the X100V at wide apertures
In the truly closeup range, neither camera is at its best, but despite delivering slightly lower resolution, the X100V wins again by virtue of the higher contrast and near-total lack of ‘haziness’ compared to the older X100F. This difference is especially noticeable wide open, but holds true until around F5.6.
For those X100F owners considering an upgrade that want to use their WCL and TCL converters on the X100V, our shooting on the wide converter suggests that you can expect better performance than you’re used to, especially towards the edges of the frame. You can see the difference that the new lens makes to image quality at 28mm equiv., in the slider below (which shows a 100% crop from the upper right of the ‘Infinity’ scene, above) and you can see the full thing in a dedicated widget here.
28mm WCL converter (upper right detail)
We don’t have access to a TCL tele converter to check, but given the improvements in image quality in the close focusing range of the X100V’s lens, we would not be surprised if it gives similarly superior results on the newer camera, especially for portraiture. If you have one, and you’ve tried it on the X100V, leave a comment and let us know how it performs.
Fotodiox has announced the release of its new Canon EF to L-Mount Pro Fusion adapter, which offers complete electronic control and communication between the lens and the camera it’s attached to.
The adapter works with both EF and EF-S lenses and converts them to L-Mount mirrorless cameras. It features an all-metal design with chrome-plated brass mounts and features a built-in Micro USB for updating the firmware of the adapter.
Fotodiox uses its ‘Fusion’ technology to add complete electronic communication and control between the lens and camera body, including autofocus, aperture control and image stabilization. EXIF and aperture data is also transmitted between the lens and camera. In the event you’re using a manual lens, the ‘Fn’ button on the adapter can be pressed to turn off all electronic communication between the lens and camera body.
Fotodiox notes continuous AF and video AF aren’t currently supported due to ‘unsatisfactory’ performance, but other autofocus modes should work with minimal issues. It’s also pointed out that some third party lenses, such as those from Sigma and Tamron might struggle with autofocus a bit more than first-party lenses.
The adapter is backed by a two-year manufacturer warranty, comes packed inside a padded bamboo box and is currently available to purchase for $ 179.95 (B&H).
Considering most of the world is well into a few weeks of self-isolation, you’ve probably photographed nearly everything you can in your household, leaving little left to document. Now, it’s time to get really creative and to help make the most of a rough situation is Ben from Adaptalux, who’s shared a 15-minute video showing how you can capture abstract macro photographs using little more than a few lights, a few sheets of paper and a little bit of creative thinking.
Throughout the 15-minute video, Ben walks through a number of different setups and other variations you can experiment with to capture the macro abstract photographs, but the basic tools you’ll need on hand include a camera, a close-up capable lens, a tripod (not necessary, but will very much simplify the process), at least one light source, several sheets of white paper, paper clips (or bobby pins) and a flat surface that’s either transparent or translucent.
While Adaptalux lights are unsurprisingly mentioned in the video, any lights should do and if you have a few gels sitting around, you can get extra creative by mixing up colors.
If you prefer a non-visual explainer, Adaptalux has also published an accompanying blog post on its website that details the process. You can find more tutorials on Adaptalux’s YouTube channel, where it offers up a complete playlist dedicated to ‘Macro Photography Tutorials.’
The post Does Olympus Still Have a Place in the Camera Market? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
These days, all the camera headlines seem to be dominated by Canon, Nikon, and Sony, with the occasional mention of Fujifilm thrown in.
Olympus, with its Micro Four-Thirds system, rarely makes the news. And popular resources frequently neglect Olympus in their recommendations, suggesting “Big Three” bodies for photographers selecting a mirrorless system.
But what is this about? Why doesn’t Olympus, a camera company with a history stretching back to the early 1900s, get any attention?
Is this a mistake?
Or does Olympus no longer have a place in today’s camera market?
That’s the question that this article will answer. I’m going to explain the benefits and drawbacks of Olympus cameras compared to other manufacturers.
And then I’m going to give a verdict:
Whether Olympus is a manufacturer that still makes sense in today’s world…
…or whether Olympus’s time is up.
Let’s get started.
The cons of Olympus
No camera system is perfect, which means that there are going to be some photographers that won’t be satisfied with Olympus’s products.
Here are the key issues that consistently come up with Olympus cameras, issues that help explain why Olympus hasn’t been getting much interest of late:
1. The micro-four-thirds sensor
In many ways, the lack of interest in Olympus stems from one thing:
The Micro-Four-Thirds sensor.
Olympus only produces Micro-Four-Thirds mirrorless cameras. The company offers zero full-frame options and zero APS-C options.
Canon, Nikon, and Sony all produce full-frame mirrorless cameras. Even Fujifilm, which ignores full-frame, offers APS-C sensors that push smaller sensor technology to its limits.
Why is this such a big deal?
Larger sensors offer two key qualities over smaller sensors:
Better high-ISO capabilities.
And better dynamic range.
So if you’re someone who requires either of these features, you’re going to feel compelled to buy a full-frame option over a more limited MFT body. For instance, you’ll be hard-pressed to find landscape shooters who don’t use a full-frame body. Landscape photographers frequently deal with high dynamic range scenes and need to maximize low-light image quality, which is why a full-frame camera is the tool of choice.
2. Resolution
A larger sensor doesn’t guarantee high resolution.
But it is closely correlated with it. All of the high-resolution camera models in the mirrorless market today are full-frame.
And when it comes to the megapixel race, Olympus hasn’t been doing so well. The company’s most professional bodies top out at about 20 MP, with some of their models only coming to 16 MP.
Here’s the thing about megapixel counts:
While they often don’t much affect the average photographer…
…they are real attention grabbers.
A big portion of camera headlines is dominated by the latest megapixel marvels, which means that Olympus, with its 16 and 20 MP sensors, just doesn’t get much coverage.
Olympus’s OM-D E-M10 III only offers 16 MP.
And resolution is talked about so frequently that the need for a high megapixel count is burned into the mind of almost every beginner photographer.
Don’t get me wrong:
Megapixels do matter.
But they only matter to some photographers – those that need to maximize detail, printing sizes, or cropping potential.
For others, more megapixels are just a comforting spec, but not a feature that’s truly necessary.
3. Crop factor
Here’s the final issue with Micro Four-Thirds cameras:
You get a huge, 2x crop factor.
And this makes basic wide-angle lenses (e.g., in the 20-30mm range) become standard focal lengths.
For landscape photographers, this is a huge issue. For sweeping scenic shots, you’re going to need a system that can offer true wide-angle coverage.
Though this 2x crop factor can be a benefit for photographers requiring a lot of reach, such as those who shoot sports or wildlife.
4. Electronic viewfinder quality
It’s a fact:
Olympus’s electronic viewfinders just aren’t that great.
Their best cameras offer a 2.36M-dot resolution, and it just doesn’t look that good compared to many Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Fujifilm options.
So for photographers coming from DSLRs and requiring a clear, sharp EVF experience, Olympus’s options don’t cut it.
The pros of Olympus
Though Olympus doesn’t get much attention, there are things that Olympus is doing better than pretty much every other camera manufacturer out there:
1. Camera and lens size
One thing that Olympus does really, really well:
Camera system compactness.
This is where the micro-four-thirds sensor really starts to pay dividends, keeping camera body size way down and keeping lens size equally small.
In fact, while cameras by Sony and Fujifilm, in particular, are often very compact, these systems will often come back to bite you when buying lenses. Mirrorless glass is often as big as DSLR glass, and this can be a problem. For one thing, bigger and heavier is just a pain to deal with, plus big lenses feel unbalanced when mounted on a compact camera.
So if you’re a travel photographer, you’ll love how easy it is to pack Olympus kit.
If you’re a street photographer, you’ll love how small and unobtrusive Olympus systems really are.
And if you’re a wildlife photographer who spends days hiking in the field, having a light, small body can be a real lifesaver.
2. Shooting speeds
If you take a close look at Olympus specifications, you’ll see that a number of their cameras offer shooting up to 60 frames per second.
And I’m talking still photography, not video.
Let me clarify:
You can shoot at 60 fps with no caveats, no cropped sensor, no drawbacks (though it is with the electronic sensor, rather than the mechanical one).
This is a huge benefit for anybody doing high-speed or action photography. Of course, you’re going to fill up your memory cards pretty quickly if you use the 60 fps option all the time, but this high-speed option is dead useful in certain situations where you just can’t miss the shot.
And by the way, you also have an option to shoot in Pro Capture mode, which ensures that the camera starts taking photos when you press the shutter button halfway. Then, when you finally press the shutter button down all the way, the last dozen or so images are saved to your memory card (along with any images taken after you fully hit the shutter button). This is fantastic for getting unanticipated shots, be it in sports or wildlife or event photography.
So if you’re the type that wishes for serious high-speed shooting capabilities, the Olympus cameras are definitely worth a look.
3. Image stabilization
Here’s the final key benefit of Olympus cameras:
They offer the best in-body image stabilization of any mirrorless camera system.
Some Olympus cameras offer seven or more stops of stabilization when including a stabilized lens, which allows for handholding down to 1s and longer (depending on the focal length and the steadiness of your hands).
If you’re the type of photographer who prefers to work without a tripod, this is the absolute best possible way to do it. You can capture gorgeous scenics using narrow apertures and not have to worry about camera shake.
Plus, even for the tripod-happy photographer, there are going to be times when carrying such support just isn’t feasible. But if you have an IBIS-equipped Olympus camera with you, you’ll be able to get a similar range of shots without a tripod.
So does Olympus still have a place in the 2020 camera market?
Absolutely.
Though Olympus systems do come with a few drawbacks, they also include characteristics that no other camera manufacturer can match. Characteristics such as:
Camera and lens compactness
High-speed continuous shooting
In-body stabilization
Are these benefits worth it for everyone?
No. If you’re a landscape photographer who plans to make huge, wall-sized prints, you’re going to want to pick a different system. If you’re a sports photographer who requires the best autofocus system that money can buy, Olympus probably isn’t your best bet either. And if you’re an event photographer who consistently shoots with four or five-digit ISOs, then I doubt that Olympus is for you.
But if you’re a photographer who prizes a compact system over everything else, someone who:
Travels frequently
Goes on long hiking trips
Needs blazing-fast continuous shooting
Needs an unobtrusive system for street photography
Just hates being weighed down by heavy equipment
Doesn’t like carrying a tripod
…then Olympus is going to be just what you need.
So before you buy a Sony, Canon, Nikon, or Fujifilm body, ask yourself:
Might Olympus be the better choice?
Maybe it’s not. You might do better with another system.
But it’s at least worth considering!
What are your thoughts on this? Do you have anything you could add? Please do so in the comments!
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.
The post Does Olympus Still Have a Place in the Camera Market? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
