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Canon Explorers of Light – Q&A with Photographer Terrell Lloyd

The post Canon Explorers of Light – Q&A with Photographer Terrell Lloyd appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

In this Canon Explorers of Light Q&A series, we interview several professional photographers who are a part of Canon’s Explorers of Light program.

The Explorers of Light Program, running since 1995, boasts some incredibly talented photographers. These photographers have spent years honing their craft, and influence and educate other photographers of all levels – something, we at dPS, can respect and relate to.

In this edition of the Canon Explorers of Light Q&A series, we interview photographer Terrell Lloyd. They share their experiences and give some valuable tips to upcoming photographers.

2019 San Francisco 49ers Season:
Preseason
Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers
Thursday, August 11, 2019
Santa Clara, CA

(49ers Photo)

Photographer Terrell Lloyd

How did you get into photography?

I got into photography as a youth growing up in San Francisco. My mother had a film camera, and I would borrow it to take photos.

I had an interest in photography from an early age. When I had a paper route and attended 49ers games as a kid, I would cut out photos from the sports section of the newspapers on Mondays and make my own photo books.

Later, in high school, a friend introduced me to a photo class, and that’s when my love for photography really took off.

What was your first camera setup?

The first camera I purchased was a Minolta film camera in high school. I joined the school’s yearbook committee, and that’s when I started photographing the school’s sporting events and documenting other school activities. I quickly learned that sport was the subject I enjoyed the most.

Once I became serious about photography, and before digital, my first real film camera was the EOS 1V, a 10-frames-per-second camera body.

What camera gear do you use now and why?

Currently, I use the new Canon EOS-1D X Mark III camera. I was fortunate to be able to use this camera in Miami this past February at the Super Bowl, shooting the San Francisco Forty-Niners vs the Kansas City Chiefs.

I have used many of the Canon flagship digital cameras over the years, but once I got the 1D X Mark III in my hands, I was blown away.

My first thought was, and I quote, “this camera is a game-changer.”

The technology of its new image sensor, DIGIC X processor, speed, subject tracking ability, and image quality can be seen right away in post-production.

The images I produced from Super Bowl LIV were fantastic. Overall, the sharpness and exposures were consistent.

My history with Canon digital cameras dates back to Canon’s DCS520 – a 2-megapixel camera that cost $ 12K. I’ve been a believer in the Canon brand since my first serious film camera in high school.

One reason I am loyal to Canon is because of its quality glass, reliability and the Canon Professional Services program, which I believe is the best-of-class in the photography industry.

2019 San Francisco 49ers Season:
Preseason
Denver Broncos vs San Francisco 49ers
Monday, August 19, 2019
Denver, CO

(49ers Photo)

What area of photography do you specialize in and why did you move into that field?

In this stage of my career, I focus mostly on professional and college sports as well as some specialized high-end corporate events.

When I began building my photography business, I was photographing weddings and portraits.

As my business started to grow, I started shooting company events such as holiday parties, corporate meetings, conventions, and travel. Then I transitioned to major high-end clients such as BMW, Yahoo, Intuit, Verizon, and Ritz Carlton, to name a few.

I also added product and commercial photography to my services, however, sports was always on the top of my list.

When I became one of the team photographers for the San Francisco 49ers, I focused my time and efforts on becoming a full-time photographer in the NFL for the 49ers. In addition to everything else, I am also the photographer for San Jose State University’s athletic department and cover all of their Division 1 sports programs.

Are you working on any exciting projects you’d like to share?

Now that our NFL season is over, we are in the process of planning our 2020 marketing and design campaign. This will include some photoshoots around San Francisco and the Bay Area. Unfortunately, I can’t reveal the new 49ers theme but stay tuned on 49ers.com and Instagram @49ers, and you will see exciting new images.

I am very much looking forward to our media photo session with our players scheduled for May. I will be working closely with our design team as we collaborate on a style for the 2020 season.

If you could share any photography tips with our readers, what would they be?

One tip I would like to share is not to limit yourself in today’s industry. Learn as much as you can in the photography world.

When I started, I wanted to know everything, and as I transitioned from my first wedding to sports, I studied it all, from medium format and 35mm film cameras to studio lighting and understanding environmental portrait lighting and the direction of light.

There are so many ways to learn photography using today’s technology, but I think the best way to perfect your skills and craft is to practice, practice and practice more.

Go out and photograph as much as you can. Make sure you get your exposures right in-camera, as you want to spend the least amount of time in post-production as possible.

Terrell Lloyd Biography

San Francisco-based photographer Terrell Lloyd is currently employed by the San Francisco 49ers as their senior manager of the organization photography services and is the full-time lead team photographer.

He has been with the 49ers organization for 24 years, beginning as a contract photographer. For the past six years, he has been a full-time employee of the 49ers, responsible for all of the team’s photographic assignments.

It all began in 1994 when he was given an opportunity to shoot a game from the sidelines at Candlestick Park. According to one of his clients, “Terrell’s sports photography really captures the essence of the game.”

Since 1992, Lloyd has provided professional photography services to individuals and organizations throughout the United States and around the world. He is best known for his special combination of artistic vision and cutting-edge technology and, for the past 15 years, has been the athletic sports photographer at San Jose State University.

Lloyd has also earned a number of championship rings for his work with San Jose State University as well as an NFC Championship with the San Francisco 49ers.

In addition to his photographic skills, Lloyd has earned several awards and accolades as an athlete on the professional bowlers’ tour and leagues with several perfect 300 games and 800 series.

Lloyd was named to the prestigious Canon Explorer of Light program in 2006 and served for four years. After a brief break, he was named again to the Canon EOL program in 2017 and remains current. This is a group of professional photographers from around the world selected to provide educational programs around the country.

The Canon Explorers share their photographic and technical expertise to a wide number of photographers in a variety of personal appearances, seminars and gallery shows. Also, SanDisk® chose Terrell Lloyd for its SanDisk Extreme Team in 2009 and was recently selected to the ThinkTankPhoto Pro Team in 2018.

In 2017, Lloyd received a Legends Award from Xposure101conference in Detroit, which honors individuals who have greatly influenced creativity, diversity and learning in the creative and photographic industries while inspiring others to achieve their goals. Western Digital presented him with their Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Photography Industry in 2019.

Shooting football has opened many doors for Lloyd and enabled him to cover major sporting events such as NFL Super Bowls, PGA golf, professional tennis, MLB baseball, the NBA, and more.

Lloyd has also received many awards of merits for his portrait and wedding work and was Photographer of the Year by AMPP in 2001 and earned his craftsman degree from PPA in 2006.

See more of photographer Terrell Lloyd’s work here:

Website: www.terrelllloyd.net
Instagram: @49ersofficialphotog
Twitter: @tlloyd49

The post Canon Explorers of Light – Q&A with Photographer Terrell Lloyd appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Digital Photography School

March 28, 2020

Rogue releases new FlashBender v3 with better compatibility and improved usability

Rogue Photographic Design has released a new version of its popular FlashBender shapeable reflectors and softboxes for speedlights. The FlashBender v3 (shown above in the large size) incorporates numerous new features and improvements when compared to the v2, including a new internal mesh structure, quick-release buckle and more.

While the FlashBender v2 was compatible with strobes and speedlights of many sizes, the new v3 has been designed for even more compatibility. With its new grippier attachment strap, the v3 can fit strobes as small as 17cm (6.7″) and as large as 43cm (17″). The v2 could fit flashes and strobes from 19cm (7.5″) to just under 25cm (9.75″).

Rogue lists a variety of compatible flashes on its website, including speedlights from Canon, Godox, Nikon, Nissin, Olympus, Profoto and Sony. The mount is incorporated into the FlashBender v3 itself, so there’s no need for additional accessories or mounts when attaching the v3 to your flash.

With its new internal mesh structure, the FlashBender v3 can be more easily shaped to your needs and is better at maintaining its position. Compared to the v2, the FlashBender v3 makes it easier to shape and direct light where you need it.

Compared to the Rogue FlashBender v2 (left), the FlashBender v3 (right) has an improved strap and quick-release buckle. The new v3 is also compatible with a wider range of flashes and strobes than its predecessor. With its new internal mesh structure, the FlashBender v3 allows for better control over the direction of light than the v2 as well.

The FlashBender v3 maintains the same compact form factor as its predecessor, ensuring that you can easily fold it in half to pack it away when transporting your gear. To make the FlashBender v3 even easier to use, it incorporates a new quick-release buckle. One minor tradeoff for the improved usability and design is that the FlashBender v3 weighs slightly more than its predecessor. For example, the FlashBender v3 Large Reflector weighs 170g (6oz), whereas the v2 weighs 135g (4.8oz).

For those unfamiliar with the Rogue FlashBender, it is available in various configurations, including a large reflector, large softbox, small reflector, small softbox and an XL pro lighting system. With the reflector kits, you can use the FlashBender v3 to reflect and soften the light from your speedlight or strobe, allowing you to easily set up main, background, accent or hair lights. You can also use the FlashBender to easily direct and bounce light off existing reflective surfaces, such as a white ceiling. Compared to a diffuser, the FlashBender allows for more control of where your light is directed, allowing the photographer to opt for lower power settings or be able to take better photos in direct outdoor sunlight.

The FlashBender v3 softbox kits come with a FlashBender v3 reflector and also includes a diffusion panel, allowing you to create even softer light and eliminate bounce flash if you are working in an area with off-color ceilings. When using FlashBender v3, either attached to an on-camera flash or when using off-camera remote flash, you can shape it to create a reflector/gobo, snoot (tube) or softbox.

The Rogue FlashBender v3 is available in an XL Pro Lighting System kit (shown here) for $ 119.95. This kit comes with an extra-large Pro Reflector v3, extra-large Pro Diffuser v3 and Rogue’s Pro Strip Grid v3.

The Rogue FlashBender v3 is available in the following kits: Large Reflector ($ 44.95 USD), Large Soft Box Kit ($ 59.95), Small Reflector ($ 39.95), Small Soft Box Kit ($ 49.95) and XL Pro Lighting System ($ 119.95). The softbox kits include a reflector plus a diffusion panel. The XL Pro Lighting System includes an extra-large Pro Reflector v3, Pro Diffusion Panel v3 and Pro Strip Grid v3. For owners of the FlashBender or FlashBender v2, it is worth noting that existing versions of Rogue Diffusion Panels are not compatible with the new hook and loop modifications on the FlashBender v3.

For more information on the new Rogue FlashBender v3, visit the Rogue Photographic Design website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

March 28, 2020

Weekly Photography Challenge – Pets

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Pets appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

With many of us stuck indoors, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to make this week’s photography challenge our PETS!

This is my dog, Mya. This won’t win any photography awards – and it was just captured with my phone – but it really captures her playful spirit. And she loves rolling on that little rug.

I’m currently missing mine, as I’ve had to hunker down in a town that isn’t mine, and my doggies are 400kms away from me. But, for many of you, they are hunkering down indoors with you. So take this time to give them your love, take some fab photos of them and share with us all so that we can see how cute and adorable they are.

This is my other dog, Meeko. He hates having a bath. Once he does, though, he runs around the yard like crazy and rolls in all the grass.

They can be any pet you have. You can photograph them with any technique too.

So, check out these pics to give you some ideas, have fun, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Check out some of the articles below that give you tips on this week’s challenge.

Tips for photographing your PETS

Five Tips for Creative Pet Photography

Tips for Great Lighting for Pet Photography

6 Tips for Working with Unruly Animals in Pet Photography

8 Tips for Better Pet Photography

Why Taking Pictures of Your Pets Will Help Make You a Better Photographer

Top 10 Pet Photography Tips and Techniques

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites – tag them as #DPSmypet to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Pets appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Digital Photography School

March 28, 2020
Slideshow: Inaugural Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2020 winners

Inaugural Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2020 winners

The winning entries for the inaugural Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2020 competition were recently announced. Over 7,000 images were submitted from wildlife, landscape, and macro photographers in 117 different countries. French photographer Florian Ledoux received the £1000 grand prize and title of Overall Winner for his image ‘Above the Crabeater Seals.’ If it looks familiar, it’s because this photo, captured in Antarctica, was also a Drone Awards 2019 winner.

‘It was a quiet morning and the sun was just about to rise. When I saw all the ice drifting alongside the sailboat in the fjord where we were anchored, with lot of crabeater seals resting on the ice, I immediately knew from previous experiences that this would give me a blast and really graphic and stunning images telling the story of how they use the ice to rest after night feeding,’ Overall Winner Florian Ledoux explains to DPReview about how he pre-planned his capture.

‘It is important that anyone inspired by this style of drone image understands the importance of wildlife and being ethical in your approach. Ensure that your drone does not spook animals or disturb them, and always conduct yourself within accordance of local regulations,’ Ledoux told Nature TTL when he learned of his win.

‘It is important that anyone inspired by this style of drone image understands the importance of wildlife and being ethical in your approach. Ensure that your drone does not spook animals or disturb them.’

Wildlife cameraman, and organizer of the competition, Will Nicholls said, ‘Florian’s image provides a unique angle that is not often seen in wildlife photography. The judges had a tough choice to make, but the detail and strong composition of the seals surrounded by the broken ice made it stand out from the crowd.’

The Landscape category winner, Marek Biegalski, also used a drone to show a flock of sheep resting in a tree’s shade. The Macro category was won by Chinese photographer Minghui Yuan for his simple, two-tone image of a damesfly resting on a blade of grass. The Youth category winner, 15-year-old Saptarshi Guyen from India, depicts a drongo searching for insects fleeing grassland fires.

Thousands voted for the People’s Choice category. Robert Ferguson’s intricate image of a pelican struggling to swallow a fish received the most votes. This is the first of what Nature TTL says is many annual photography competitions to come. Nature TTL offers photographers of all skill levels free tutorials and features that can be found here.

Overall Winner (& Wildlife Category Winner): ‘Above the Crabeater Seals’ by Florian Ledoux

Taken in: Antarctica

About this photo: ‘Aerial view of crabeater seals resting in a group on the ice after feeding at night. The aerial view allow us to better understand how the wildlife use the ice to rest and give birth.’

Equipment used: Phantom 4 Pro+

Runner-up, Wildlife Category: ‘Startled Owl’ by Paul Holman

Taken in: United Kingdom

About this photo: ‘The little baby owl made an appearance within the window during a
burst of early morning sun. A couple of jackdaws spooked by his presence started dive bombing him. After a few passes I noticed the jackdaw’s reflection in the adjacent windowpane and decided to try and capture this behavior. The startled look on the little owl’s face adds a little humor to the image.’

Equipment used: Canon EOS 7D II, Canon EF100-400mm Mark II lens

Highly Commended, Wildlife Category: ‘Sleeping the Fall Off’ by Terje Kolaas

Taken in: Norway

About this photo: ‘A Collared Dove in a garden in mid-Norway takes a break in feeding during a heavy snow fall. A remote street light in the background creates a halo around the bird. As soon as the snowfall stops, it shakes the snow off its shoulders and goes back to the daily routine with collecting wheat from the nearby fields. Tried many different shutter- speeds to vary the movement of the snow, this one is at 1/40s.’

Equipment used: Nikon D850 + 600mm f/4 lens

Highly Commended, Wildlife Category: ‘Breathing’ by Bence Ma?te?

Taken in: Romania

About this photo: ‘A brown bear growls a warning of his presence to an interloper, his breath vanishing slowly in the windless forest.’

Equipment used: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II; 400mm lens

Highly Commended, Wildlife Category: ‘Badger Blues’ by Dave Hudson

Taken in: United Kingdom

About this photo: ‘I had been putting in the hours watching a number of setts in the
area but decided to focus on this particular one due to the abundance of bluebells. I set myself up close to one of the badger tracks, knowing that I would only have one shot and I would need a lot of luck. After a good couple of hours, I began to hear movement. The light was fading fast and I knew that I would not have long before it would be too dark for any pictures.

An adult badger came towards me first, sniffing the air as they often do and heading towards me. It drifted out of shot and into the bluebells, but much to my delight behind it was a cub. He seemed comfortable enough so I clicked the shutter and got a couple of shots.’

Equipment used: Nikon D3s with Nikon D3s with Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 Sport lens

Winner, Landscape Category: ‘Shadow Game’ by Marek Biegalski

Taken in: Italy

About this photo: ‘Aerial image taken in Tuscany in autumn light. Flock of sheep was hiding in the shade from the sun under the shadow of a tree.’

Equipment used: DJI Mavic Pro 2

Runner-up, Landscape Category: ‘Viking Rainbows’ by Alessandro Cantarelli

Taken in: Iceland

About this photo: ‘I am very attached to this photograph, both because of the technical
difficulty and because it took years to make it. Over the last few years, I have found myself dozens of times in Iceland, several of which I was lucky enough to witness incredible conditions on the Vestrahorn.

Seeing such a powerful sunrise on the right was already magical, and the very intense rain made things difficult for me but it gave me a great gift: a double rainbow on my left that perfectly compensated the strong light on the right. 88 layers in Photoshop to create a panorama; 6 shots bracketed.’

Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + Samyang 12mm f/2.8 fisheye lens

Highly Commended, Landscape Category: ‘Valley of the Scheldt’ by Bart Heirweg

Taken in: Belgium

About this photo: ‘In early autumn the valley of the Scheldt is often filled with a thick layer of fog on clear and windless mornings. When the sun starts to rise the fog slowly disappears revealing the landscape underneath. When seen from above this atmosphere is simply magical.’

Equipment used: DJI Mavic Pro 2

Winner, Macro Category: ‘Chinese Painting’ by Minghui Yuan

Taken in: China

About this photo: ‘I was wearing a piece of waterproof overalls in the stream of Dabie Mountain, waiting to observe this Matrona basilaris (damselfly). Matrona basilaris is the king of the stream here. There is a male Matrona basilaris every 3 meters. They were waiting for the female to fly over its territory; the male chased away a male opponent and then stopped at the tip of the grass.

Against the background of the sky, I discovered the connection between the lines of the grass and the subject. Nature itself is a simple painting.’

Equipment used: Nikon D7000, Tamron 180mm f/3.5 macro lens

Highly Commended, Macro Category: ‘Nothing Here but this Tree’ by Caitlin Henderson

Taken in: Australia

About this photo: ‘The Lichen Huntsman (Pandercetes gracilis) is an incredible species of tree- dwelling spider from Australia’s tropical north. Its astounding camouflage enables it to blend perfectly with the tree bark and lichens, and is near impossible to spot by day.

At night, I went searching for these spiders with a torch, using their reflective eye-shine to discover their hiding places in plain sight.’

Equipment used: Canon EOS 7D, Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 macro lens

Highly Commended, Macro Category: ‘Trailblazer’ by Christian Wappl

Taken in: Thailand

About this photo: ‘It was past midnight in the forest of the Peninsular Botanic Garden (Trang, Thailand), but a light still shone in the dark. A large firefly larva (Lamprigera sp.) emitted a constant glow from its light organs.

I wanted to capture the scene in a way that celebrated its bioluminescence, and decided on a long exposure with rear-curtain flash. The shot had to be made in near-total darkness, which meant I had to estimate the position of the firefly larva in the frame.’

Equipment used: Canon EOS 5DS, Canon EF 16–35mm f/4L lens

Highly Commended, Macro Category: ‘Home Sweet Home’ by Jesslyn Saw

Taken in: Malaysia

About this photo: ‘While on holiday at my family home in Malaysia, I set out to document as many different types of jumping spiders as possible in a fortnight.

Battling the rain and heat and humidity of the tropics, the best time to hunt these spiders was early in the morning and late afternoon. It was on one of these late afternoon jaunts that I saw this colorful jumping spider and discovered a nest nearby. Hoping that the nest belonged to this particular spider, I came back again early the next morning to photograph it in its nest. To my delight, I saw that the nest did indeed belong to this spider. However, it took me another two days of early morning visits to finally successfully photograph the spider in its nest.’

Equipment used: Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, 60mm f/2.8 macro lens

Winner, Under 16 Category: ‘Phoenix’ by Saptarshi Gayen

Taken in: India

About this photo: ‘For the last 4-5 years I have seen that, at the end of every winter, farmers of this huge grassland generally burn the grass and reeds to clean the land for upcoming crops.

When the fire spreads across the land, small insects start coming out. Then the brave Black Drongo starts capitalizing on such a moment by eating them and flying above the live fire. The birds usually sit on a branch fearlessly and watch the movements of the insects as the fire spreads into a new area, then it flies close to the fire for the catch. This is a full frame image, and the calmness of the Drongo reminds me of the Roman Emperor Nero.’

Equipment used: Nikon D7100, Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E VR lens

Runner-up, Under 16 Category: ‘The Cradle of Life’ by Tama?s Koncz-Bisztricz

Taken in: Hungary

About this photo: ‘Late winter in February, the soda lakes are full of life in Hungary. These lakes are the sanctuary of wide variety water birds.

There is a nice, but unknown, hidden lake between the village of To?mo?rke?ny and Pa?lmonostora which is surrounded and covered with cane and sedge – therefore impossible to observe.

I took this aerial photograph by a remotely controlled drone. I use a special technique to slowly approach the birds from very high altitude, which is a method also used by conservation experts to count the population of the birds.

In the picture the wild ducks roil in the muddy water and leave lines in the yellowish-brownish, sometimes purple, water colored by organic materials coming from decomposition of cane. The sparkling color pallet of the image is composed by the blue sky and the white cloud reflection on the water’s surface.’

Equipment used: DJI Phantom 3 Standard

Winner, People’s Choice Award: ‘I’m Not Going Easy’ by Robert Ferguson

Taken in: Singapore

About photo: ‘This is the Great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), struggling with a non-native fish. These wonderful birds are free to roam, but have established a large colony on one of the artificial islands in the old Jurong park in Singapore.

I had set up my camera to take some portraits and watch their behavior, and noticed one particular bird that had caught one of the big fish from the pond. I watched, intrigued, as the bird swam in circles, dipping his bill, taking water, then raising his beak to attempt to swallow his large prey. But every time the fish extended its sharp spines on its fins – you can see it hooked on the beak here – and lodged itself firmly.

This went on for over 20 minutes, with no sign of either party tiring. I was fascinated to see the intricate veins in the birds throat pouch, as the overcast day backlit the thin skin, and I had to move and crouch low to the ground to get the shot.’

Equipment used: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, 200-400mm f/4 lens?
?

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

March 28, 2020
Panasonic Lumix G 25mm F1.7 sample gallery

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Panasonic’s 25mm F1.7 is not a new lens but it does offer good optical performance for the money – it’s also a lens that never received our sample gallery treatment, until now. Think of it as the brand’s nifty fifty – because at about $ 150 this 50mm equiv. would be an excellent addition to any Micro Four Thirds kit.

It’s also worth mentioning that much of this gallery was shot with Seattle in COVID-19 lockdown, so we had to get a little creative with subject matter!

See our Panasonic 25mm F1.7 lens gallery

Are there any other lenses you’d like to see us shoot sample galleries for which we haven’t already? Let us know in the comments below.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

March 27, 2020
Fujifilm releases major firmware update for X-T30, minor updates for X-T3, 16-80mm F4 lens

Fujifilm has released firmware updates for its X-T30 and X-T3 camera systems, as well as its XF 16–80mm F4 R OIS WR lens. While the updates for the X-T3 and XF 16–80mm F4 are extremely minor, the X-T30 gains a number of much-anticipated features.

Starting out with the smaller updates, firmware version 3.21 for the X-T3 and firmware version 1.03 for the XF 16–80mm F4 both address minor bugs. No specific bugs are mentioned and no other information is given about the updates.

Moving onto firmware version 1.20 for the X-T30, Fujifilm has added a list of new features and functionality. First and foremost, Fujifilm has added improved autofocus performance. According to Fujifilm, the tracking performance of the eye AF frame has been improved, the face-detection has been improved when there are different-sized faces in the same frame and autofocus on foreground subjects has been improved when there is a mix of foreground and background subjects in an image.

Fujifilm has also improved gimbal and drone support when the X-T30 is used with supported rigs over USB. Specifically, firmware version 1.20 adds functions for starting and stopping video recording, adjusting exposure settings for video and adjusting manual focus for video.

Also added is the ability to save up to 9,999 photos into a single folder on an SD card; previously the X-T30 was limited to only 999 shots per folder.

You can download the latest updates for the X-T30 (version 1.20), X-T3 (version 3.21) and the XF 16–80mm F4 lens (version 1.03) on Fujifilm’s respective support pages.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

March 27, 2020
Huawei launches P40 series with Leica-badged cameras and up to 10x optical zoom

Chinese manufacturer Huawei has today launched the latest generation of its camera-centric high-end P-series. The P40, P40 Pro and P40 Pro+ share the Kirin 990 5G chipset and the large 1/1.28-inch image sensor in the main camera but otherwise differ slightly in a range of areas.

The Huawei P40 Pro+

Large main camera sensor

Like for previous Huawei high-end phones, the camera assembly of the P40 series has been developed in cooperation with German camera makers Leica. The P40 offers a triple-camera setup with ultra-wide and conventional 3x tele cameras.

The P40 Pro camera cluster

The P40 Pro features the same main camera with 50MP Quad-Bayer sensor, OIS and fast F1.9 aperture lens, but adds a more powerful ultra-wide with a 1/1.54″ 40MP sensor and a periscope style tele-camera that offers 5x optical magnification and, in combination with super-resolution algorithms, a maximum zoom factor of 50. A time-of-flight (ToF) sensor for depth-sensing in bokeh mode and improved autofocus performance is on board as well.

10x optical zoom on the P40 Pro+

The P40 Pro+ tops the Pro version by replacing the 5x tele with not one but two tele lenses: similar to the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro a 3x conventional tele is used for closer distances. If you want to zoom in further a 10x optical periscope-style variant that supports up to 100x digital zoom takes over. The 10x lens reflects light five times to achieve its long focal length. AI algorithms use data from the ultra-wide camera and zoom lenses to optimize still image and video stabilization.

The main camera sensor in all three models is Huawei’s largest smartphone image sensor to date and uses pixel binning for increased dynamic range and low light performance. The new Octa PD AutoFocus offers focus capability on all pixels and the HUAWEI XD Fusion Engine is combining image data form all sensors to smoothen zoom operation and achieve optimized image quality at intermediate zoom settings.

Color temperature sensor

In addition the camera features a new multi-spectrum color temperature sensor and AI-powered white balance algorithms which, according to Huawei, improve color accuracy by 45 percent. AI methods are also deployed to optimize portrait skin tones and textures.

New camera software features include a function that chooses the frames from a Moving Picture and AI Remove Passersby and AI Remove Reflection which can eliminate unwanted subjects and glare in your images respectively.

Ultra-wide video with real-time bokeh

Bu default the P40 Pro and P40 Pro+ use their ultra-wide cameras for video shooting. The 18mm focal length should be ideal for cinematic shots and the large 1/1.54-inch sensor offers a 3:2 aspect ratio. Fusion Technology supports 16-in-1 pixel binning in video mode which enables shooting at up to ISO51200 with a wide dynamic range and 7680fps ultra slow-motion video capture.

Video mode also supports real-time bokeh effects and zooming using the tele camera. In addition, the camera is capable of producing 4K timelapses and directional audio zoom lets you focus the microphones on a specific subject in a scene.

Plenty of power and apps from Huawei’s AppGallery

All new models are powered by Huawei’s latest top-end chipset Kirin 990 5G which features 5G band support and 160MHz Wi-Fi 6 Plus technology with 2,400Mbps peak theoretical transmission speed. The Pro+ also comes with 40W wireless charging.

Like last year’s Mate 30 series, the P40 models do not come with Google apps, such as Gmail, Maps or the Play Store. Instead, apps can be downloaded from Huawei’s own AppGallery. The company says the gallery is working with global developers to expand the app selection on offer but for now, many users will see the lack of Google app as a major drawback.

Premium design and 90Hz OLED display

All the high-end tech is wrapped up in glass-covered bodies on the P40 and P40 Pro. The Pro+ comes with a nano-tech ceramic back panel for an even more premium look and feel. The Pro and Pro+ models also come with a curved edge 90Hz FullHD+ OLED display that features extremely thin bezels and an in-screen fingerprint reader.

P40 colors

Pricing and availability:

Owning a P40 series model won’t come at a bargain price. The basic P40 with 6GM RAM and 128GB of built-in memory will set you back 799 Euros (approximately $ 880). The P40 Pro with 8GB of RAM and 256GB built-in storage is 999 Euros (approximately $ 1100) and the top-end P40 Pro+ with 8GB/256GB is a hefty 1399 Euros (approximately $ 1540). Bigger-storage variants are available for each model but Huawei has not released pricing information for those yet. Currently, no further information on geographical availability has been provided either.

Press Release:

HUAWEI P40 Series Marks the Age of Visionary Photography

Housing Huawei’s largest CMOS sensor yet, the HUAWEI P40 Series delivers all-day Super Definition photography with powerful cameras, high performance 5G and cutting-edge design

26 March 2020 – Huawei Consumer Business Group (BG) today announced the HUAWEI P40 Pro+, HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40, the new HUAWEI P40 Series flagship smartphones featuring cutting-edge designs with ground-breaking camera innovations that radically expand mobile photography and video capture possibilities.

The HUAWEI P40 Series continues the series’ heritage of imaging excellence. The large 1/1.28-inch sensor has a binned pixel size measuring 2.44?m to massively boost light intake for enhanced low-light performance, while a new periscope design realises 10x true optical zoom. The HUAWEI P40 Series is powered by Kirin 990 5G and supports high-speed 5G and Wi-Fi 6 Plus. The advanced hardware is embedded in a beautiful and compact enclosure featuring the HUAWEI Quad-curve Overflow Display that delivers outstanding fluidity and responsiveness.

Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer BG, “The HUAWEI P Series has always been about innovative aesthetics and making premium imaging hardware accessible, representing the very best of industrial design and technology. With an outstanding sensor, camera systems that we co-engineered with Leica, powerful chipset and HUAWEI XD Fusion Engine, the HUAWEI P40 Series exemplifies our focus and offers an all-day Super Definition experience to help consumers realise their creative vision.”

Unprecedented design

The HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40 Pro+ are equipped with the HUAWEI Quad-curve Overflow Display. Inspired by the art of motion, the display takes on a curved edge on all four sides, creating a shape that is reminiscent of water on the cusp of overflowing from the rim of a filled cup. The super narrow bezels and streamlined round corners ensure an ergonomic hold and a near borderless look, while an enhanced in-screen fingerprint reader offers 30 percent faster biometric authentication.

Available in three glossy glass finishes – Ice White, Deep Sea Blue and Black – and two innovative refractive matte glass finishes – Blush Gold and Silver Frost, the HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40 exude classical elegance from every angle. HUAWEI P40 Pro+ features an exquisite nano-tech ceramic back panel that is kilned and polished to ensure it stands the test of time with incredible durability and timeless style. This unique design comes in two iconic colours: Ceramic White and Ceramic Black.

All-day Super Definition photography

Embedded in the HUAWEI P40 Series is the advanced Ultra Vision Leica camera system, available in triple-camera, quad-camera and penta-camera configurations. The HUAWEI P40 delivers outstanding photographic results with ultra wide-angle, wide-angle and telephoto lenses. The HUAWEI P40 Pro features an evolution of the Leica Quad Camera with a more powerful Ultra Wide Cine Camera and ToF Camera alongside 50x SuperSensing Zoom. The HUAWEI P40 Pro+ lets consumers see the unprecedented with the SuperZoom Array, which supports 10x true optical zoom and 100x maximum digital zoom.

The HUAWEI Ultra Vision Sensor included in the full HUAWEI P40 Series is Huawei’s largest CMOS sensor to date. Measuring 1/1.28 inches diagonally, it supports pixel binning to achieve a pixel size of 2.44?m and Full Pixel Octa PD AutoFocus for high-speed focus at any time of day, while the HUAWEI XD Fusion Engine integrates and processes data from multiple cameras to generate a comprehensive improvement in picture quality.

HUAWEI P40 Pro brings faraway subjects up close with 5x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom and 50x maximum digital zoom. For the first time ever, the 5x Optical Telephoto Camera in the HUAWEI P40 Pro includes a RYYB colour filter array to boost light intake and improve quality of zoomed shots. HUAWEI P40 Pro+ has a 100x SuperZoom Array with a new periscope design that reflects light five times, extending the light path by 178 percent to support 10x true optical zoom. The optically stabilised Ultra Vision Wide Camera and SuperZoom Array work in tandem with AI to realise Triple OIS+AIS for vastly improved photo and video stabilisation.

Skin tone and texture are faithfully reproduced by a new Multi-spectrum Colour Temperature Sensor and AI AWB algorithm that boost colour accuracy by 45 percent. Deep learning algorithms provide real-time portrait optimisations that enhance lighting and detail. HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40 Pro+ have a 32MP AF Camera and IR Depth Camera that support autofocus and Bokeh reproduction to deliver the same outstanding portrait effects that are signature to Huawei devices, as well as IR Face Unlock for device unlock even in low light conditions. HUAWEI P40 Series also introduces HUAWEI Golden Snap, which includes AI Best Moment, a new smart photography feature that chooses the best frames from a Moving Picture. AI Remove Passersby and AI Remove Reflection can do away with unwanted subjects and glare from the frame, allowing users to easily enhance their images after the fact.

A powerful pocket-sized video camera

The 40MP Ultra Wide Cine Camera in HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40 Pro+ has a focal length that is equivalent to 18mm and a 1/1.54-inch sensor supporting the 3:2 aspect ratio. SedecimPixel Fusion Technology is built into this camera to support 16-in-1 pixel binning, producing super pixels that measure 4.48?m to boost light sensitivity up to ISO51200 and enable 7680fps Ultra Slow-Motion video capture.

HUAWEI P40 Series supports real-time Bokeh effects for videos. Similar to the results of a wide aperture lens, this feature adds progressive Bokeh to help highlight the main subject of the footage. The telephoto camera can capture high quality zoom footage as well as 4K time-lapse videos. Directional Audio Zoom, available on HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40 Pro+, allows users to zoom in on an audio source and amplify its sound at the same time.

An all-connected 5G powerhouse

The HUAWEI P40 Series is powered by Kirin 990 5G to deliver integrated 5G connectivity with the most comprehensive 5G band support, robust AI performance and power efficiency. Display responsiveness and gaming experience are taken to the next level by the upgraded graphics rendering engine making the most of the 90Hz panel on the HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40 Pro+. The 160MHz Wi-Fi 6 Plus technology featured in the full line-up offers high-speed connectivity with support for 2,400Mbps peak theoretical transmission speed. The industry-leading 40W Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge is available on the HUAWEI P40 Pro+ for fast and convenient charging. The chipset is given the thermal headroom to deliver exceptional performance by the advanced cooling systems, including the bespoke 4-in-1 SuperCool system in the HUAWEI P40 Pro+.

The EMUI 10.1 operating system introduces a host of new features that enable a richer, more seamless AI life. HUAWEI MeeTime[1] supports 1080p Full HD video call on Huawei smartphones, tablets and the HUAWEI Vision TV and delivers clear picture quality even in low light or weak signal conditions. Users can also share their phone screen with the other party during the video call and mark-up notes to quickly share thoughts.

Huawei Share facilitates high-speed file transfer between the smartphone and other devices such as tablets and PCs. With Huawei Share on the HUAWEI P40 Series, consumers can stream music to a smart speaker, initiate screen projection and connect to Wi-Fi by tapping the device[2] they want to connect to with their phone. New functionality added to the Multi-screen Collaboration allows users to easily answer video or voice calls hands-free directly through the PC, and open files and hyperlinks on the smartphone with native PC applications for enhanced productivity.

Working in close collaboration with global developers, Huawei offers a wide range of global and local apps on AppGallery, Huawei’s official app marketplace. Users can also enjoy a rich library of quality entertainment media on HUAWEI Video, HUAWEI Music and HUAWEI Reader, with new additions from top content providers being added on a continuous basis.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

March 27, 2020
Metabones’ new EF-RF Speed Booster reduces Canon EOS R 4K crop factor
Metabones has released a new Speed Booster that reduces the significant 4K video crop factor found on the Canon EOS R full-frame camera systems. With this adapter, photographers can use Canon EF full-frame lenses with the Canon RF mount, significantly reducing the 4K crop on the EOS R from 1.75x to 1.24x and the crop on the EOS RP from 1.63x to 1.15x.

As with the company’s existing Speed Boosters, it works by condensing the main lens’s field of view down into a smaller region: reducing the net focal length by 1.4x and hence lowering the F-number by one stop, compared with the adapted lens’s setting. A 50mm F2.0 combined with the adapter would become a 35mm F1.4.

The Metabones EF-RF Speed Booster ULTRA 0.71x is constructed of 5 elements in 4 groups and features an ultra-high index tantalum-based optics, magnification of 0.71x and a max output aperture of F0.9. The Speed Booster supports dual-pixel autofocus, video AF, plus it has IS lens support, a built-in Control Wheel for accessing various functions like shutter speed and ISO, an LED indicator and automatic adjustment of the autofocus speed.

As far as construction is concerned, Metabones used a rubber gasket to help protect against moisture and dust, as well as flocking to cut down on internal reflections. The Speed Booster is made from brass and aluminum alloy with chromium plating and a satin finish. The tripod head is detachable and can be used with popular ball heads from Photo Clam, Arca Swiss and Markins.

The new ULTRA model wasn’t designed for still photography, Metabones explains, but it can be used as such if the camera is in APS-C mode. Lens compatibility is fairly extensive and includes:
- Canon EF lenses
- Canon EF extender
- Carl Zeiss EF lenses
- Sigma EF lenses
- Tamron EF lenses
- Tokina EF lenses
- Contax N lenses modified to Canon EF by Conurus
The Speed Booster can also be used with the Contax 645 NAM-1 adapter that has been modified for Canon EF, but it can’t be used with Canon EF-S lenses nor with APS-C lenses. Metabones stresses that those latter lenses ‘DO NOT WORK AT ALL.’

The Metabones EF-RF Speed Booster ULTRA 0.71x is available now for $ 479.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
March 27, 2020
Sony to transform its Electronics Products & Solutions segment into new holding company

Sony has announced it is transforming its Electronics Products & Solutions (EP&S) segment into an intermediate holding company. Starting April 1, 2020, Sony’s Imaging Products & Solutions, Home Entertainment & Sound and Mobile Communications divisions, which made up its EP&S segment, will be known as Sony Electronics Corporation.

In a short statement on its public relations website, Sony Corporation says the creation of this new company ‘will not only accelerate the integrated operation of the EP&S businesses, but also aim to optimize its organizational structure, talent and business portfolio, while further enhancing competitiveness and creating new business.’

Sony has done multiple restructures in the past with little to no effect on consumers. It would appear that will be the case with this transition as well.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

March 26, 2020
Fujifilm X-T200 sample gallery

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Despite being stuck at home for the last several weeks, we’ve been able to put together an initial gallery of sample images from the Fujifilm X-T200, taken both at home and in the great outdoors. See what the newest entry-level X-series camera can do.

For more photos, check out our extensive gallery from a pre-production X-T200.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

March 26, 2020