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Cosina announces upcoming Voigtlander Nokton 35mm F1.2 III lens for M-mount

20 Feb

Alongside the 60mm F0.95 it released, Cosina Japan has also announced the Voigtlander Nokton 35mm F1.2 Aspherical III VM lens for Leica M-mount camera systems.

Like the 60mm F0.95 lens, the Voigtlander Nokton 35mm F1.2 VM lens doesn’t yet have pricing or availability information available for regions outside of Japan, where it’s expected to be released in March 2020 for ¥135,000.

The lens is constructed of nine elements in seven groups, features an aperture range of F1.2 through F22 and has a 12-blade aperture diaphragm. The minimum focusing distance is 50cm (20in) and the front filter thread is 52mm.

Compared to its second-generation predecessor, the Voigtlander Nokton 35mm F1.2 Aspherical III VM has been reduced in size, coming in at 20-percent shorter and 30-percent lighter at 50.5mm (2in) and 332g (11.7oz), respectively. The lens will work with all M-mount Leica cameras and most Vessa cameras (not the Bessa L or R).

You can find out more information on Cosina’s website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III Announced With 20 MP, 60 FPS Shooting

20 Feb

The post Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III Announced With 20 MP, 60 FPS Shooting appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Olympus-OM-D-E-M1-Mark-III-Announced

Earlier this month, Olympus announced their latest mirrorless camera: The OM-D E-M1 Mark III, which continues the professional E-M1 series, and promises a lightning-fast performance for the most serious of shooters.

Like Olympus’s other mirrorless options, the E-M1 Mark III sports a Micro Four Thirds sensor. This means that the E-M1 is impressively compact, as is its lens lineup. In fact, if you haven’t laid hands on a Micro Four Thirds camera, I suggest you go check one out, because the size is astonishing.

Unfortunately, a small sensor also comes with drawbacks, and in this case, they’re compounded by a 20.4 MP option that’s quite a few years old. For some reason, Olympus has insisted on including the sensor used in the E-M1 Mark II, the E-M5 Mark III, and the E-M1X, which is in serious need of an upgrade. It doesn’t offer the worst image quality out there, but Micro Four Thirds cameras struggle to compete with APS-C and full-frame rivals in this area, which isn’t helped by a sensor that’s nearly a half-decade old.

In other words, don’t expect too much in terms of dynamic range or high ISO performance.

The same complaint could be leveled at the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III electronic viewfinder, which only packs 2.36M dots and is frustratingly dated.

On the other hand, there’s a lot to like about the new E-M1 Mark III, including Olympus’s world-class in-body image stabilization (the company promises 7 stops of stabilization, which increases slightly when paired with an image-stabilized lens). This is fantastic for anyone shooting video, especially with Olympus’s longer lenses, and it’s also excellent for still shooters working in low light. Sure, Olympus’s dedication to their sensors is far from impressive, but it’s somewhat counterbalanced by the power of their IBIS.

You also get high-performing autofocus, and an insane 60 frames-per-second shooting speed (with locked AF, and using the electronic shutter). Even with autofocus, you get 18 frames-per-second continuous shooting, which rivals pretty much any pro-sports camera body out there.

Plus, as with Olympus’s other OM-D cameras, the E-M1 Mark III includes a long list of interesting features. I’m talking about things like Starry AF (designed to nail focus on stars during astrophotography), High-Res Shot (which produces 80 MP images), and Pro Capture mode, which starts capturing images before you press the shutter button so that you never miss a critical shot.

Here’s the bottom line:

There’s a lot to love about the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III, even if it falls short in a number of key areas. So it’s certainly worth checking out if you’re looking for one of the most powerful-yet-compact options on the market today.

You can currently pre-order the E-M1 Mark III for $ 1799 USD; the camera will ship on February 24th.

The post Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III Announced With 20 MP, 60 FPS Shooting appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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Video: Panasonic demonstrates viewfinder to correct color-blindness

20 Feb

Panasonic has developed a special electronic viewfinder that corrects color-blindness as part of a campaign to promote equality of vision. The viewfinder, built into a Lumix DC-G95, has adjusted color saturation and color-shifted pixels to enable color-blind people to see in the same way as those with regular vision.

The company, in partnership with Indian marketing company Dentsu Aegis Network, created the new viewfinder specifically to help Indian photographer Hizol Chodhury see colors accurately for the first time. Previously Chodhury had needed assistants to explain the hues he was looking at and to ensure colors were correct in his images, but the new viewfinder compensates for the chromatic defects in his vision so he can see color clearly – through the camera.

It isn’t clear exactly how this has been achieved, though we might assume his color vision was tested and the viewfinder designed to present more strongly the colors he has trouble seeing. The press release only mentions that they used a ‘Lumix camera fitted with a customized viewfinder that saturates and balances pixels to allow colorblind photographers to see colors just like everyone else.’

It is also unclear whether this technology will become more widely available in the future to help other color impaired people. Presumably, the degree of correction would vary person to person so the solution created for Chodhury probably wouldn’t suit everyone.

Press release:

This Republic Day, Panasonic Lumix and C Lab give #RightToColour by empowering Colourblind Photographers!

Celebrating India’s 71st Republic Day, Panasonic Lumix and C Lab, the entertainment and sports marketing arm of Dentsu Aegis Network India has empowered colourblind photographers with the #RightToColour through a specially designed viewfinder lens that helps to saturate and balance colour. Bringing the gift of colour, the digital campaign #RightToColour aims to promote equality by making everyone able to experience colours in the same way.

About 300 million people worldwide and around 8% of the country’s population suffers from some degree of colour blindness and this impacts their everyday life depending on the severity. While somebody with normal vision can identify 150 hues, a colour blind aspirant can distinguish only as many as 20 hues. However, in recent times, technology has created innovations that can transform the everyday experiences of the physically challenged. The #RightToColour campaign showcases the struggles of colour blind photographers while narrating true life experiences of an Assam-based photographer, Hizol Chodhury who wishes to see his photographs as the world sees them. The film highlights how Hizol has to rely on his team for colour correction and saturation of his work and the challenges he faces in the personal and professional life. Panasonic Lumix and C Lab makes his wish come true by giving him the right to colour through a Lumix camera fitted with a customized viewfinder that saturates and balances pixels to allow colourblind photographers to see colours just like everyone else. The film captures the sheer happiness and confidence that this innovation has given Hizol, as he feels connected to his work like never before.

Talking about the campaign, Shirish Agarwal, Head, Brand and Marketing Communications, Panasonic India said, “Nearly 8% of people in India suffer from some degree of colour-blindness, there only dream is to be able to see the world as we all see it. Through this campaign we wanted to bring alive the spirit of Republic Day by enabling those affected with the right to colours. Technology has always been at the core of our business and #RightToColour serves as a remarkable example of how innovative solutions can improve the lives of our customers.”

Haresh Nayak, Group MD, Posterscope – South Asia said, “At C Lab we believe in creating solutions that enhance a consumer’s experience and subsequently, their lives. This builds brand advocacy and loyalty. Every time we work on a project, we are enthralled to see how technology is bringing solutions that one could only dream of. Our effort to bring colour back into the lives of colourblind photographers is an example of what technology can do.”

Adding to this Gurbaksh Singh, Chief Creative Technologist, Dentsu Webchutney said, “We researched around the deficiency and found a simple solution to solve this problem – a special viewfinder for the camera. This allows a colourblind photographer to see the frame in rich vibrant colours before the shot is captured, subsequently boosting the confidence to capture the subject being photographed. There’s a huge community of colourblind photographers in India and this technology is a testament to their dedication and passion.”

Talking about the Lumix, Sandeep Sehgal, Business Chief, Imaging Business Group, Panasonic India & SAARC said, “Lumix as a brand celebrates photography as a medium to enable both the photographer and the subject to break away from any limitation and express themselves freely. Through this campaign, we are delighted to bring the gift of colour to colour-blind photographers. We are committed to making a difference by empowering people through our technologically advanced offerings and this is a testament to the same.”

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Birding with the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III

20 Feb

The lower Rio Grande Valley plays host to a colorful range of bird species in the late winter months, making it a desirable destination for bird photographers.

Take a look as seasoned wildlife and travel photographer Adam Jones travels to the region to try out the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III, putting the camera’s formidable high-speed burst capabilities to work with some challenging subjects.

Birding with the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III sample photos

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This is sponsored content, created with the support of Amazon and Canon. What does this mean?

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony World Photography Awards receives backlash over alleged censorship of Hong Kong protest images

20 Feb

Update (Wednesday, February 19th): it appears that the galleries are available to the public again. However, Chung Ming’s more sensitive images are not displayed.


The 2020 Sony World Photography Awards recently removed active links to images from three separate finalists due to their ‘sensitive nature.’ Ko Chung Ming’s Wounds of Hong Kong, David Butow’s Battleground Hong Kong and Adam Ferguson’s Hong Kong Protestors series are still in the running to win an award. However, links to their work have been deactivated on the World Photography Organization’s (WPO) website, a move that’s raised concerns about possible censorship.

‘We have temporarily taken down the images as part of a standard process which we have to put in place for these type of cases, until we are able to review everything in further detail,’ the WPO said.

Chung Ming first noticed the link to his series, which was nominated in the Documentary category, was broken on Friday. Initially he thought it was a site error. It was only when he tried to view Butow and Ferguson’s series, and received the same ‘404 Page not found’ message, that he realized the WPO was purposely concealing imagery that revealed the brutal reality of the Hong Kong protests.

“We have temporarily taken down the images as part of a standard process which we have to put in place for these type of cases, until we are able to review everything in further detail.”

‘I don’t know who’s complaining and what their concerns are. But why should any ‘concerns’ not be addressed by the judges at the judging phase?’ asked Chung Ming in a response to HKFP. ‘As long as the final result is up to the jury’s professional judgement, I wouldn’t say there’s censorship,’ he added.

As of Tuesday, the ‘404 page not found’ error was still popping up on Chung Ming’s series. On Wednesday, the link was redirected to a ‘Protected Page’ where login credentials were needed in order to view his work. A recent post on Chung-ming’s Facebook account elicited uniform comments of disappointment in the WPO.

‘Photos taken during a war right in the war zone has won numerous awards, but I’ve never seen any of those labeled “sensitive nature.” Anyway thanks so much for your effort and your truthful recording.’ said Sam Si. ‘Worse and much more “sensitive” stuff has been put on WPO before, and the fact that they’re on targeting Hong Kong related photography seriously calls into question the integrity of the organisation.’ adds Galax Chen.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Moment introduces 67mm filter mount that works with any phone

20 Feb

Moment, known for creating camera gear and accessories for creative professionals, today released a 67mm filter set and mount. The company states that users can now mount a filter to any phone, even without a case. The 67mm mount was designed so a filter could be placed over a triple-lens camera system like, for example, the iPhone 11 Pro offers.

Designers at Moment also took additional measures by machining a speaker grill into the mount. It will allow creators to use the audio from their phone’s rear-facing microphone during filming, something the company says isn’t available on competing mobile filter solutions. The mount also works on laptop cameras.

The 67mm Variable Neutral Density (ND) Filter is a 2–5 stop or 6–9 stop. They are made with Schott B270 Pro Cinema Glass and are designed to control exposure while eliminating color fringing and cross polarization.

67mm Variable ND Filters are $ 149.99 each. Purchasing both in a bundle costs $ 279.99, which saves the buyer $ 20. The 67mm Filter Mount is currently marked down to $ 23.99 from $ 29.99. The filters are available today while the mount is expected to ship between April 21st – 28th.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Winter Stand Up Paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir

20 Feb

I love paddling on the Horsetooth Reservoir in cold season. Boat ramps are closed, no power boat traffic, usually quiet and calm. Snow and ice can enhance scenery. A great time to paddle, train, relax or photograph. The Horsetooth stays […]
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Lomography releases Simple Use Camera preloaded with LomoChrome Metropolis film

20 Feb

Lomography’s latest Simple Use Camera, the LomoChrome Metropolis, is now available to purchase from the company’s online store. The camera is loaded with Lomography’s LomoChrome Metropolis ISO 100-400 film, operates off a single AA battery and features a built-in flash. The Simple Use Camera is reloadable, as well.

According to Lomography, its Simple Use Camera loaded with LomoChrome Metropolis film can be used to capture ‘grungy shots with muted colors and distinctive shadows.’ The camera includes three Color Gel flash filters (yellow, magenta and cyan), a built-in frame counter, direct optical viewfinder, 31mm F9 lens and 1/120 shutter speed.

In addition to the LomoChrome Metropolis ISO 100 – 400 film, the Simple Use Camera is also available with Black & White ISO 400, LomoChrome Purple ISO 400 and Color Negative ISO 400 film. The camera is available from Lomography now for $ 22.90 each.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Adobe releases substantial update to the desktop and mobile versions of Photoshop for its 30th birthday

20 Feb

Today, on the 30th anniversary of Adobe Photoshop launching, Adobe has released an update for its desktop and iPad app, bringing substantial improvements to a few key features, as noted in its announcement blog post.

Adobe Photoshop CC 2020 (Desktop)

Adobe kicked off the updates with an impressive improvement to its desktop iteration of Photoshop with an improved Content-Aware Fill workspace, updates to the Lens Blur tool, a slightly updated UI and a number of bug fixes. We’ll take a look at the details of the updates in the sections below.

Content-Aware Fill

Previously, if you needed to make multiple Content-Aware Fill edits, Photoshop required you to make the edits one at a time. Now, with this new update, you can make multiple selections and apply multiple fills within the Content-Aware Fill workspace without needing to exit every time. This not only reduces the number of clicks, it also allows you to preview edits in real-time when more complicated scenes require multiple edits at once.

Lens Blur

Another major improvement in this update is to the Lens Blur tool, which now relies on the GPU of your computer, rather than the CPU. As seen in the comparison images below, offloading the processing of the Lens Blur tool to the GPU dramatically improves the realism of the edit through more refined edges, more accurate bokeh (thanks to specular highlights) and an overall sharper image that looks more pleasing than edits process with the CPU.

Lens Blur tool processed using CPU Lens Blur tool processed using GPU

‘The results are created by an algorithm the [Photoshop engineering] team built by studying first the principles of physics and how light interacts with objects in the real world,’ says Photoshop Project Manager Pam Clark in the announcement post. ‘It is carefully tuned to simulate a 3D environment to create the most realistic results possible, while also consuming the least amount of computing power so you don’t burn up your machine.’

UI and Performance

Adobe has also added support for the new dark mode in macOS Catalina, with all of the new system dialogs matching the light/dark mode settings you have turned on at the system level.

Other improvements throughout Photoshop CC 2020 include improved mouse control, with better responsiveness when panning and zooming across an image, particularly with larger documents.

Photoshop for iPad

Moving onto the more mobile version of Photoshop, Adobe has brought its Object Selection tool and improved Text settings to Photoshop for iPad. Above is a quick promo video shared by Adobe alongside the update.

Object Selection

The Object Selection tool, which was first released for the desktop version of Photoshop, makes it easier to select multiple objects within an image to isolate them. Unlike the Select Subject tool, which is meant for images where there is a single, large subject, Object Selection is refined for more precise edits where multiple, smaller objects need to be isolated.

Type settings

Adobe has also updated the Type settings within Photoshop for iPad, bringing a number of controls over from the desktop version. Specifically, Adobe has added type layer, character and options properties within the Type settings. ‘This includes tracking, leading, scaling, and formatting things like all/small caps, super/subscript,’ reads the announcement. Adobe says Kerning will ship in a future update.

The updated versions of Photoshop should be live for Creative Cloud subscribers. If you’re not seeing the updates, try restarting your device and checking for updates again within the Creative Cloud app or iOS App Store.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony reportedly cuts planned mirrorless camera features to free up hardware for PS5

20 Feb

Sources recently speaking to Bloomberg allege that Sony has nixed some features it had planned for an unnamed future mirrorless camera model due to the scarcity of certain hardware, namely DRAM and NAND flash memory. The decision was reportedly made in order to reserve the limited hardware for the upcoming fifth-generation PlayStation console, which is expected to launch this holiday season.

The current demand for NAND and DRAM is high among smartphone manufacturers, according to Bloomberg, which reports that Sony is struggling to keep down the cost of its upcoming PS5 console. Assuming sources are correct, the PS5 will cost around $ 450 to manufacture, meaning that even with thin margins, consumers could be facing a unit price of $ 470 or more for the next-gen gaming console.

The sources claim that the coronavirus outbreak hasn’t had any sort of impact on the PS5 at this time, but that limited DRAM availability prompted the company to cancel some mirrorless camera features it had planned. Sony will reportedly prioritize the DRAM for its PS5 console, the final price of which hasn’t been revealed.

The report doesn’t specify which camera model will suffer as a result of this alleged decision nor which features were eliminated, though it does claim that Sony plans to release the camera this year. Assuming the claim is true, Sony may have decided to remove a planned stacked DRAM image sensor from an upcoming model, but the company has not commented on the report, leaving little more than speculation at this time.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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