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Pixelmator Pro update brings ML Super Resolution feature

Pixelmator today released an update to its Pixelmator Pro Avalon image editing software. The new ML Super Resolution feature increases the resolution of images while maintaining sharpness and levels of detail, making (to a degree) the ‘enhance image’ operation in detective shows a reality.

Compared to a simple nearest neighbor upscaling algorithm the Pixelmator is capable of achieving much better results thanks to machine learning technology. It takes into account the actual content of every image, attempts to recognize edges, patterns, and textures, and recreates detail based on Pixelmator’s dataset, in a similar way to Google’s RAISR technology.

Despite the complex technology Pixelmator says the feature is very fast and takes a few seconds to upscale an image on the latest Mac computers thanks the use of Core ML 3 and multi-GPU support. It’s also entirely on-device, with the trained model integrated in the Pixelmator Pro app package. This means all processing is done locally and no data is sent to any online servers.

Additionally, the tool is capable of removing noise and JPG artifacts including compression artifacts. To do its magic the software requires macOS High Sierra and a Metal-compatible graphics card.

Pixelmator Pro 1.5 Avalon is available from the Mac App Store as a free update for existing users or for $ 39.99 for new customers. There is also an upgrade discount for owners of the original Pixelmator software.

More information and some interactive comparisons with other upscaling methods are available on the Pixelmator website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

December 18, 2019
Blog Project: Your Best Photos From 2019
It is time to kick off the 13th annual best photos of the year blog project! I’m proud to say over the years that hundreds of photographers have taken part (see Best Photos of 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007). It’s great to see the community of photographers that have developed around this blog project. As always I hope the exercise of picking your best photos helps improve your photography (10 Ways to Top Your Best 20xx Photographs).

So without any further delay here is how you take part to submit your best photos of 2019.

How to Participate (Read Carefully)
1. Review & select your best photos from 2019.
  Note: Photo edit carefully narrowing down your results to your best 10 or 5 photos. Reference Pro Tips: Photo Editing with Gary Crabbe for pointers.
2. Create a blog post on your website or a Flickr set containing your best photos from 2019.
3. Complete the form below by Sunday JANUARY 5th at 11:59PM PST to take part. The following Tuesday, or thereabout, I’ll post a link to all submitted sites and photos on my blog. Throughout the week I’ll also share the results across all my social media accounts.
Spread the Word!
Feel free to spread the word of this project on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, photo forums you frequent and/or your blogs. All who are interested in taking part are invited.

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JMG-Galleries – Landscape, Nature & Travel Photography
December 18, 2019
Zenit M full-frame rangefinder camera made in collaboration with Leica arrives in the US

The Zenit M full-frame rangefinder digital camera made in collaboration with Leica is now available to purchase in the United States. The rangefinder features a 24MP CMOS sensor and Leica M39 mount; it is being sold with a 35mm F1.0 Zenitar manual focus lens.

This rangefinder model first started shipping in Europe in late 2018, later arriving in Russia earlier this year. The Zenit M’s arrival in the US marks the latest expansion of this vintage brand camera, which was designed in Russia and produced in Wetzler, Germany.

The Zenit M is essentially a Leica M240 camera with the Zenit M logo, design changes and certain software-based differences, including support for only a few Zenit lenses. The model was first announced in 2016 by Russian factory Krasnogorsky Zavod and, after months of mystery, was finally unveiled in September 2018 as what is essentially a Leica camera.

A total of 500 Zenit M cameras are being put up for sale globally. Buyers in the US can get the camera as part of a kit that includes the 35mm F1.0 Zenitar lens, a case, a hardbound book and a collector’s card for $ 6,995. The silver version of the camera is available to purchase now; the black version will be available ‘soon.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

December 18, 2019
Are Micro-Four-Thirds Cameras Dead, or Do They Still Have Their Place?
The post Are Micro-Four-Thirds Cameras Dead, or Do They Still Have Their Place? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mark C Hughes.

In this article, we are going to look at whether micro-four-thirds cameras still have a place in today’s marketplace.

In the course of the last year, there have been changes to the photography landscape with the introduction of several mirrorless full-frame camera models, particularly from the big two manufacturers: Canon and Nikon. After a long delay, they finally entered the mirrorless camera market in a big way with higher-end full-frame (FF) cameras.

Beyond the big two, Panasonic (in conjunction with Sigma and Leica) also introduced a new mirrorless FF camera system and mount. This represents a sudden increase in competition in the mirrorless market for interchangeable lens cameras (ILC) and may indicate that the traditional DSLR is on its way out.

The new Full-Frame Canon EOS R mirrorless camera from Canon (image from Canon promotional material from canon.ca website)

Previously, the mirrorless camera landscape was dominated by Sony, Fuji, Panasonic, and Olympus. Sony produced FF and cropped-sensor cameras while Fuji has produced medium format and crop-sensor cameras. Meanwhile, Panasonic and Olympus were only producing micro-four-thirds cameras with the smallest sensor of the bunch.

Although Canon and Nikon were also in the mix with some cropped-sensor bodies, these cameras were half-hearted efforts and certainly not an area of emphasis for either company.

Now, with Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Panasonic jumping in with both feet into the FF mirrorless market, is there still a market for micro-four-thirds cameras? Or, is the smaller sensor, micro-four-thirds camera systems basically dead?

Are MFT cameras dead? The Pen-F Micro 4/3s from Olympus

Change in the micro-four-thirds camera landscape

Some have postulated that Panasonic, one of the major manufacturers of micro-four-thirds (MFT) cameras, is moving out of these smaller sensor cameras. YouTube photography celebrities such as Tony Northup and other Podcasters have made this very assertion: that MFT as a format is dead. Is there any truth to this or is this just social media clickbait?

YouTube video bloggers have been suggesting that MFT is a dead format

There are a few assumptions embedded in the idea that MFT as a format is dead, assumptions that have been neglected or overlooked in the chase for likes by social media pundits.

Assumption: Panasonic must be moving out of micro-four-thirds cameras

Panasonic recently released its new S-series cameras that are all FF mirrorless cameras. Observers take this as evidence that Panasonic is leaving the MFT system behind.

Before jumping to conclusions, remember, Panasonic has released a lot of cameras and lenses over the years, all of which are MFT. In particular, the GH5 was clearly a game-changer for video. Compact and video intensive, it became the video standard for many vloggers and internet video shooters.

Reality Check #1

Most of the camera imaging revenue for Panasonic is from its large range of products in MFT formats, supporting existing Panasonic customers. In comparison, the new S-series format (there are three models) currently has only a limited number of native lenses as of November 2019.

To be fair, this new format will have offerings from Sigma lenses, and the new mount is compatible with Leica L-mount lenses. The Leica lenses, although available, are generally significantly more expensive than many other similar lenses.

This means that the S-series for Panasonic is a new territory and will not represent significant revenue until it becomes established. Until then, the base is in MFT. This imbalance between the two formats will likely remain that way for an extended period.

The new Panasonic S1R, FF mirrorless camera (from Panasonic promotional material from panasonic.ca website)

Reality Check #2

Users have been slow to adopt the new Panasonic format. While the new Panasonic cameras have some fantastic build qualities and features, it’s sensor design does not incorporate phase-detect autofocus. Instead, Panasonic designers chose to continue to use only contrast-detect and depth from defocusing DFD, the same system previously used on all their MFT cameras.

Consequently, the Panasonic autofocus system (both MFT and FF), while fast and great for still photography, has not been seen as good at continuous autofocusing (important for sports, wildlife and video) when compared to some of its competitors. This means that the move by Panasonic designers to retain this type of autofocus system into their new format FF cameras may cause some purchasers to think twice about a jump to their system.

It remains to be seen if this will eventually be a successful format for Panasonic.

Reality Check #3

Since the announcement of the Panasonic S-series, Panasonic has also released two new cameras and three new lenses for MFT. Clearly, the move to full-frame mirrorless cameras by Panasonic is part of a larger strategy. It is not the only product line that Panasonic is focusing on.

The new G95 MFT camera body from Panasonic, released after the announcement of the S-series from Panasonic (from panasonic.ca website)

Assumption: Panasonic and Olympus are the only micro-four-thirds camera manufacturers

The assumption goes something like this…

Panasonic and Olympus are the two major manufacturers behind the MFT Consortium. If Panasonic stops producing or developing MFT equipment, there would only be one major manufacturer left supporting the format.

Reality check #1

MFT as a format was originally developed by a consortium of manufacturers that sought to provide an alternative product to what was being produced by the bigger manufacturers (Canon and Nikon at the time).

This is an open-source approach to manufacturing, one that is contrary to how most other manufacturers have approached sensor and lens mount formats. Most camera manufacturers have generally created proprietary lens mounts so that their cameras only accept their lenses.

The Laowa 17mm lens is specifically designed for micro-four-thirds cameras

Reality check #2

When Panasonic and Olympus formed the basis of the original MFT consortium, it was to create an interchangeable open-source standard so that lenses on one brand could be used on the other, effectively doubling their manufacturing efficiency.

This was revolutionary at the time and still remains a successful strategy, allowing manufacturers to create lenses that fit on more than one brand of camera.

Reality check #3

While it is difficult to find out the stats on how many people are actively using any particular format of camera, there is an extensive base of MFT cameras. In Japan, Olympus has remained in the top 5 for sales of ILC systems for many years.

For video, the GH5 is still seen as an incredibly capable camera and a go-to camera for videography with fewer limitations than some of the newer larger-format cameras.

Over the last 10 years, companies developed a large base of MFT cameras and lenses (over 100 including manual lenses).

Reality check #4

Beyond the two founding companies (Panasonic and Olympus), there are a lot of other manufacturers committed to the MFT system. These include:
- Cosina Voigtlander
- Carl Zeiss
- Jos Schneider Optische Werke GmbH
- Komamura Corporation
- Sigma Corporation
- Tamron
- Astrodesign
- Yasuhara
- Blackmagic
- SVS Vistek GmbH
- Venus Optics
- Kodak (through JK Imaging)
- DJI
- Sharp
- JVC
- Z cam
- Xiaomi (the YI)
They may not have the same type of brand name recognition, but this list represents many companies.

Assumption: Formats disappear fast, so micro-four-thirds will disappear fast

As companies change, so do consumers. If no-one produces new micro-four-thirds cameras, then the format would no longer appeal and disappear. We live in a disposable age, so if manufacturers stop producing new cameras and lenses, no one will continue to use the old technology.

Reality check #1

Both Olympus and Panasonic have recently released new MFT bodies and lenses. So for now, the format is still very much alive.

The new Olympus EM5 Mark III was recently announced (from Olympus promotional material at getolympus.ca)

Reality check #2

While formats do die out, they can often take a very long time to die out.

Unlike some types of technology, for example, cellphones or some computers, cameras tend to have a relatively long shelf life. They are often still sold as-new long after they have been discontinued.

Beyond that, camera systems, particularly interchangeable lens camera (ILC) systems, have installed bases and lots of lenses/accessories to support these bodies and formats. So, the end of the base format doesn’t mean there isn’t a demand for the accessories to support the bodies.

Even after the main camera body stops production, third party manufacturers will often still produce lenses for them

Reality check #3

Although formats for any technology can disappear and change, there are still markets for those formats long after announcing a discontinuance.

Some formats achieve an almost Zombie state (look dead for all intents and purposes but still moving) because, while they have not been discontinued, no new products are released for the old technology by the base manufacturer.

The Sony A99 rii is a formidable camera but likely the last A-mount camera (from Sony promotional material at Sony.ca)

An example of a Zombie format is the Sony A-mount system. This system is still available for sale as new, but the last camera released was the a99ii in February of 2017. It is still an extremely capable camera, but almost 3 years later, it is getting a little long in the tooth.

Sony produced around 46 lenses for the A-mount (formerly a Minolta mount), but the last Sony released A-mount lens was in April of 2015.

Prior to the a99ii, the last camera body announced was the a68SLT a year-and-a-half earlier.

Assumption: Full frame mirrorless cameras are the only type of cameras that anyone wants

Because there has been a lot of interest in FF mirrorless cameras, these are the only cameras that anyone is interested in. No one would be interested in any other type of format.

Reality check #1

There are many camera types, sensors, and styles out there that will be with us for a while. There is currently a rush into the mirrorless FF market. This is really just a segment of the market and not a true representation of the entire photography market.

Other than point-and-shoot cameras, which are difficult to find anymore, other formats fill other niches. There has been a range of sensors and camera bodies for some time, with no real indication that will change soon.

You can use a number of MFT cameras in harsh environments due to their weather sealing.

Reality check #2

Beyond high-end cameras, most manufacturers produce a range of cameras from consumer-grade to professional-grade with a bunch in the middle.

This is not just capabilities, but price-point too. Consumer-grade choices are mostly based upon price-point, whereas the professional-grade cameras are all about high-end features.

To be successful, any brand needs to have a range of choices. All MFT camera manufacturers provide products that cover the entire spectrum. In contrast, mirrorless offerings from some manufacturers, notably Canon and Nikon, still have limitations as far as product range and lens selection.

FF mirrorless cameras provide pretty high-end features for many consumers and tend to be more camera than the average consumer is looking for.

Everyone likes a cat portrait. This MFT image was taken using studio lighting

Assumption: The Camera market is growing because of mirrorless

The surge in FF mirrorless cameras gives the appearance that the camera market is growing. The marketing would suggest that there are new and great things coming.

Reality check #1

The market for new cameras has contracted significantly of late and has for some time. Camera sales spiked around 2010 with massive numbers that were truly unprecedented – partially caused by the growth in social media, and relatively poor image quality of cell phones at that time.

As well, digital imaging was really just starting to take off. Since then, smartphone cameras have really improved (and pretty much wiped out point-and-shoot cameras), and camera sales have actually been shrinking significantly. Prior to the mid-1990s, camera sales never exceeded 30 million units, and in 2010, there were over 121 million cameras sold. Last year the total number was under 20 million units.

These stats do not include smartphones and point-and-shoot cameras (a format of camera that has mostly disappeared).

You can achieve shallow depth of field with very fast lenses.

Reality check #2

Mirrorless cameras are also declining in sales but not at the same rate as other types of cameras with interchangeable lenses. Also, as there are lots of newer mirrorless options, their growth in this market will slow.

Assumption: People will move away from micro-four-thirds cameras because of the small sensor

Micro-four-thirds cameras are a format that has been around since 2007. More recently, because it has a smaller sensor, many have criticized the format as inferior simply because of the size.

You can still achieve a shallow depth of field with micro-four-thirds cameras – it is just harder to do.

Reality check #1

The two main weaknesses of micro-four-thirds cameras are low light performance and depth of field. Their strengths, however, are size, lens selection, build quality, and features.

Although micro-four-thirds cameras do not perform as well under lower light conditions as some FF cameras, it doesn’t mean you can’t use them for this purpose.

There are lots of excellent examples of low light and night time photography taken with micro-four-thirds cameras, and shallow depth of field is only useful for a specific type of portrait image that is not for everyone.

You can spend a lot of money chasing a shallow depth of field.

MFT can be used for portraits

Reality check #2

There have always been gear snobs in photography. Most people think their format is better than the other guy’s just as a way to justify their own purchases. We all do it to some extent, looking for reinforcement for the decisions we make.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that the other systems are inferior; they just might be different.

Reality check #3

Realistically, further improvements are not going to be in sensor development (except maybe global shutters). Instead, it will be in things like the incorporation of computational photography into camera bodies like those used in on smartphones and improved connectivity to social media and the internet.

Assumption: The Costs are the same, so why choose micro-four-thirds?

Micro-four-thirds cameras are expensive so with the cost the same, why not just shoot FF?

Reality check #1

Micro-four-thirds camera systems do not have the same cost base as a FF system and cost significantly less. It is difficult to compare different format/brand systems. However, earlier this year, an interesting attempt was made.

Terrance Lam of British Columbia, Canada, put together pricing for comparable pro systems to see how each system compared to have a complete set. You can look at the summary of his results here.

The bottom line is that you can get the equivalent pro line of cameras and lenses but that the least expensive systems were from Pentax (FF), Fujifilm (APS-C), and Panasonic/Olympus (MFT).

The Fujifilm and MFT cameras are crop sensors. These systems were roughly two-thirds the cost of similar systems from the other manufacturers. They won’t all perform exactly the same, but from a cost comparison, these less expensive systems deliver similar pro-grade equipment at a lower cost.

Fall leaf

Reality check #2

Many MFT users are actually looking for smaller cameras. The smaller sensor means smaller lenses and better portability.

Some people think that mirrorless means small, but that is only for the bodies. Not all mirrorless cameras are small. You can’t cheat the optics, and a FF lens is large regardless of whether it is on a DSLR or a mirrorless body.

Using MFT also means that that you can get longer lenses that are significantly smaller and less expensive (less glass).

Conclusion

Does this mean that micro-four-thirds cameras are dead? Maybe, but certainly not for a long while. MFT is a long-established format with lots of manufacturer options, lenses and established users.

Will it be the next great thing? Probably not. But it does serve a particular niche that is not well-served by some of the other manufacturers. Specifically, a smaller form factor ILC that is better for travel or harsh environments.

Until there are other options, there will still be a market for this type of product.

You can use Micro-four-thirds cameras for all of the same purposes as FF cameras.

More importantly, if you look beyond the rumors and the hype, the underlying circumstances are a little more complex than the superficial answer that micro-four-thirds cameras are dead.

I do not think micro-four-thirds cameras will be dead for some time. Facts still matter in this post-truth era.

What are your thoughts? Do you think there is still a place for micro-four-thirds cameras, or do you think the format is dead? Share with us 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 Are Micro-Four-Thirds Cameras Dead, or Do They Still Have Their Place? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mark C Hughes.

Digital Photography School
December 18, 2019
Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art lens delayed due to unexpectedly high preorder demand

Sigma has announced its 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art lens for Sony E-mount and Leica L-mount has been delayed due to unexpected demand for the product. In a statement on its Sigma Japan website, the company explains that it is working on producing the lens, but that it will take additional time for the model to be made available.

Sigma’s latest Digital Native lens was announced in early November with plans for it to arrive through authorized dealers in the US starting in mid-November. The lens is currently listed for preorder/backorder on Adorama and B&H Photo for $ 1,099, a price that’s considerably lower than competitors’ alternatives.

That low price likely contributed to the high preorder numbers. Sigma doesn’t provide an estimated shipping date for the backordered lenses, instead asking that customers ‘remain patient’ during the delay. Interested future buyers can enter their email address on B&H Photo’s website to receive an alert when the lens is back in stock.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

December 18, 2019
All dPS eBooks just $9
The post All dPS eBooks just $ 9 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Day 6 of dPS Holiday Deals is a great time to fill any gaps in your dPS eBook library – all books are now only $ 9!

Save up to 80% now

All 24 of our comprehensive eBooks (authored by expert photographers so you can create amazing images) are available for just $ 9 (USD).

All our ebooks are usually $ 19 or more (like Going Pro, normally $ 49), but today you’ll only pay $ 9 each.

If you’re new to photography, check out these Beginner Guides:
- Photo Nuts and Bolts
- Photo Nuts and Post
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- Living Landscapes
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Or if you’re interested in Exploring Your Creativity, these eBooks are worth a look:
- Natural Light
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And if there’s a friend’s or family wedding coming up, or you’re interested in becoming a wedding photographer, then definitely snap up our Wedding Photography eBook by Lily Sawyer – just $ 9.

Save 50-80% now and get any eBook for just $ 9 USD today

Check it out before the next deal arrives in less than 24 hours.

PS – You can still grab yesterday’s deal (you don’t want to miss these almost edible presets!) – save 40% on Jared Polin’s FroPack1 of presets for just $ 30. Check them out here.

The post All dPS eBooks just $ 9 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Digital Photography School
December 18, 2019

Google details how it’s improved Portrait mode on the Pixel 4

Portrait modes that simulate the shallow depth of field of a large sensor camera and fast lens have been around on smartphones for a long time. The Pixel 2 was the first Google phone to offer the feature. With the Pixel 2 being a single-lens camera the dual-pixel autofocus system was used to estimate the parallax and thus depth. The Pixel 3 still relied on dual-pixels but the system was improved using machine learning.

The Pixel 4 is the first Google phone to use dual-pixel AF and dual-cameras combined for depth estimation.

The latest Google flagship, the Pixel 4, is the first phone in the Pixel line to feature a dual-cameras. This allows for even better depth estimation by leveraging both the dual-camera and dual-pixel auto-focus system. In addition Google has also improved the appearance of the bokeh, making it more closely match that of a large sensor DSLR or mirrorless camera.

With the dual-pixel autofocus distance between the two focus pixels is very small which makes it difficult to estimate depth further away from the camera. The Pixel 4’s dual-cameras are 13 mm apart, allowing for a larger parallax and making it easier to estimate the depth of objects at a distance.

…dual-pixels provide better depth information in the occluded regions between the arm and torso, while the large baseline dual cameras provide better depth information in the background and on the ground.

Google is also still using the information collected by the dual-pixels, though, as it helps refine depth estimation around the foreground subject. In addition machine learning is used to estimate depth from both and dual cameras. A neural network first processes data from the two separately into an intermediate representation. A final depth map is then computed in a second step.

This image shows depth maps generated from dual-pixel AF, dual-camera and both combined. Dual-pixels provide better depth in the areas visible to only one camera, dual-cameras provide better depth in the background and ground. (Photo: Mike Milne/Google)

In addition to the improved depth estimation spotlights in the background are now rendered with more contrast, making for more natural looking results. This is achieved by blurring the merged raw image produced by the HDR+ processing and applying tone mapping.

Additional depth map samples can be found here, head over to the Google Blog for the full article.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

December 17, 2019

The results are in! Best gear of 2019 – winners and runners-up

Winners and runners-up: Best gear of 2019

For the past few weeks, our readers have been voting on their favorite photographic gear in three categories: Best camera, best zoom lens and best prime lens. Now that the first round of voting is over, it’s time to reveal the winners.

Remember, it isn’t over just yet! It’s time now to pick an overall winner.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to exercise your democratic right to vote for something that doesn’t matter in the slightest! Cast your ballot now!

Best prime lens – Runner-up: Nikon Nikkor Z 58mm F0.95 S Noct

Essentially a demonstration of just what the ultra-wide Z mount is capable of, the Nikon 58mm F0.95 is a reimagining of the classic ‘Noct Nikkor’ for the 21st Century. The first thing that most people notice about this manual-focus lens is its sheer size, and substantial weight. Nikon didn’t cut any corners with the Noct, and it shows.

Although we haven’t yet been able to properly test it, our early samples suggest that while clearly a very specialized product the new Noct is capable of doing things that other lenses simply can’t. Clearly you agree, since it took a close runner-up position in our poll.

Best prime lens – Joint-winner: Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM

We know you hate joint-winners, but when two products are separated by only 0.2% of the vote, what are we meant to do? Competition in this category was intense this year, and the first of our two joint-winners is the Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM – a reference prime for portrait photography fans and a superb option for Canon RF shooters.

Best prime lens – Joint-winner: Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM

Tied for the winning position was another superb prime lens – Sony’s FE 135mm F1.8 GM, taking 11% of the total vote.

Practically flawless in terms of common optical aberrations, and capable of beautiful rendering wide-open, this is another excellent option for a7-series and a9 photographers, especially those who are interested in portraiture. We really like this lens, and clearly you do too.

Best zoom lens – Runner-up: Nikon Z 24-70mm F2.8 S

Nikon has spent the year consolidating its Z-mount lens lineup, and the Z 24-70mm F2.8 S is one of the most impressive offerings yet, featuring a highly advanced optical construction including Nikon’s new ‘Arneo’ coating.

Fast and sharp, and capable of very good close focus image quality, the Z 24-70mm F2.8 S is exactly what a standard zoom lens should be: a reliable and versatile tool capable of everything from landscapes to portraiture.

Best zoom lens – winner: Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM

Topping the poll this year for best zoom by a comfortable margin was a very different kind of lens, but designed for a similar kind of photographer. The Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is a high-performance fast telezoom aimed at professionals and high-end users, which offers stunning performance.

Its combination of excellent sharpness, very effective optical image stabilization and a compact form-factor (at 70mm) make this a winning zoom, in more ways than one. But was it the best product of 2019? Let us know by casting a vote in the final poll.

Best camera – runner-up: Fujifilm GFX 100

Fujifilm’s GF-series of medium-format mirrorless cameras continues to evolve and with the GFX 100, the company really pulled out all of the stops. The first medium-format camera to offer IBIS, the 100MP GFX 100 is a supremely capable product for both stills and video.

While its $ 10,000 asking price puts it out of reach of most non-professional photographers, there’s no denying that it’s an incredible impressive piece of technology, which garnered 12% of the total vote in our poll for best camera of the year.

Best camera – winner: Sony a7R IV

With 21% of the total vote, Sony’s a7R IV was the clear victor in our readers’ poll. The a7R IV also won our DPReview Award for best product of 2019, and apparently our readers like it just as much as we do.

Offering 60MP resolution, advanced autofocus and excellent 4K video features, the a7R IV is Sony’s most versatile mirrorless camera yet, and one of the most competitive in the entire market. Was it the best product of the year? Let us know by casting your vote.

Have your say

You helped determine the winners in these individual categories, so now’s the time to cast your vote in one last poll! Choose up to three favorites from this list of winners and runners-up between now and December 29th 2020 at midnight PT when the final poll closes. Watch for an announcement of the winners soon after.

As always, thanks for casting your votes and being a part of our community throughout the year.

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Have your say

$ (document).ready(function() { Poll({“pollId”:”4582898079″,”openForVoting”:true,”mainElementId”:”poll0″,”slot”:null,”isSingleChoicePoll”:false,”minNumberOfChoices”:1,”maxNumberOfChoices”:3}); })

Have your say: Best gear of 2019

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Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM

Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM

Fujifilm GFX 100

Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F2.8 S

Nikon Nikkor Z 58mm F0.95 S Noct

Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM

Sony a7R IV

Voting is easy – you pick your favorite products by dragging and dropping. You can pick up to three, and rank them in order of priority.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

December 17, 2019
Necessary Apps for Your Photography Business

The post Necessary Apps for Your Photography Business appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

The key to becoming a successful photographer these days is business skills. It’s not always talent that sets a photographer apart. Knowing how to market your work and stay organized and efficient is what most allows a photographer to thrive in today’s competitive photographic market. Luckily there are so many applications that can help you do that. Here is a summary of ten necessary apps for your photography business.

Dubsado

Dubsado is a CRM system designed for creatives. This app has an attractive and easy to use interface that helps you keep track of projects, create a client list, and track when you have contacted them.

You can also keep track of your invoices, your Chart of Accounts, and integrate it with your Google calendar. You can create email templates, questionnaires, and photography packages.

The biggest bonus Dubsado offers is that it allows you to create contracts, releases and user agreements from within the software and send it out for a signature. Contract signature software like Hello Sign can cost you almost as much on a monthly basis as Dubsado, without all of the additional benefits.

Evernote

Evernote is not specifically for photographers. Rather, it’s a complete organization system.

It allows you to keep track of your business projects, personal and professional notes, and search for PDFs, images and scanned documents quickly. Evernote automatically syncs across all devices.

You can quickly snap a picture of your receipts and upload it directly to Evernote so you can have electronic copies that won’t fade with time as paper receipts do. This is very important if you happen to be the subject of a tax audit down the road.

Basically, Evernote is a robust tool to help you live a more paperless life.

Like many apps, there is a free plan but you can upgrade for extended features. The most popular plan is the Premium plan, which integrates with Google Drive and communication tools like Slack.

Blink Bid

If you’re a commercial photographer, Blink Bid is a must for estimating and invoicing jobs professionally. Used by photographers and larger agencies and production companies alike, Blink Bid offers several pricing packages. Most photographers will benefit from their cheapest package, which is only $ 16 a month, or $ 14 a month when paid annually.

In addition to a clickable list of line items you can add to your estimates, it also allows you to create usage licenses with their Usage Builder, or customize Terms and Conditions.

Blink Bid allows you to share with agents, producers, and other collaborators. You can also track your receipts and manage your budget.

Not sure you want to commit? You can sign-up for a free 14-day trial with no credit card required.

Prodibi

There are several apps available for sharing your work with clients, varying in quality and cost. Based in Switzerland, Prodibi is a top-tier app that allows you to display your high-resolution images and transfer them at full speed.

It also features a Capture One plug-in to get client feedback in full resolution.

The color management, image compression, and responsiveness are unbeatable.

You can also build a one-page portfolio to showcase your work in high quality with full zoom.

Prodibi offers free and paid options.

Shootproof

Shootproof is a great app to have if you shoot consumer photography like family portraits or weddings.

It’s an app that allows you to create beautiful online galleries and slideshows that align with your branding and style. It also offers several tools for business management, such as contracts and invoicing.

You can also create price sheets, packages, and discounts, and there is a self-fulfillment option that will allow you to work with partner labs such as Miller’s and ProDPI.

There is a free option that will allow you to upload up to 100 images. However, there are four other tiers you can choose from, depending on how many images you plan on uploading.

Sun Seeker

If you shoot outdoors, Sun Seeker in an important app to have downloaded on your smartphone or iPad.

Whether you’re a wedding photographer or shooting landscapes – or even some commercial projects – there are many situations where you’ll need to know where the sun will be situated at a certain time. It will help you plan your Golden Hour shoots, or be prepared to take beautiful sunrise photos in the mountains.

The app uses GPS, magnometer, and gyroscope to find the sun and solar path at any location. You can choose and any date to view what the sun path and position will be.

Sun Seeker is available for iPhone, android and iPad. For an overview, check out this link on Youtube.

Google Earth

For photographers doing location scouting, Google Earth is an incredibly valuable resource to have. It will allow you to explore worldwide satellite imagery, and the buildings and terrain of hundreds of cities.

Looking for an out-of-the-way spot for romantic engagement photos? Google Earth will help. Check out streets and landscapes before you go, and plan the details of your shoots well in advance so you don’t end up with surprises.

Easy Release

Whether you photograph models, buildings or other types of property, or if you want to license images with recognizable people in them through stock sites, you’ll need a model release.

Easy Release is an app that will help you to grab signatures on the go using your smartphone. No more needing to remember to have paper copies on hand that could get lost. You can collect the signatures and data you need on your device, automatically saving it to PDF and JPEG.

These releases are also accepted by the major stock sites, such as Getty and Shutterstock.

Sylights

One super-useful app to have is one that allows you to create lighting diagrams. This is where Sylight comes in. It’s free and simple to use.

If a regular client asks you to create a previous lighting scenario, having a diagram handy can help you out of a pinch if you can’t remember what you did.

To create a diagram, simply right click to add lights, modifiers, and subjects to your set. You can do this without an account, but signing-up will give you access to some premium features.

Wave

Accounting is often the thorn in every photographer’s side.

Luckily, Wave is a small business bookkeeping app that makes it a lot easier with a user-friendly interface and a variety of tools to help you simplify the process. The features that most photographers will need come for free, with no set-up fees or hidden charges.

The ability to run payroll is a paid-for service with Wave. You can also accept payments on a pay-per-use basis. Credit card processing is 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction. Bank payments are 1% per transaction.

Not only can you create professional invoices with Wave, but you can also integrate your business bank account and credit card, which will allow you to track expenses and generate reports, such as your Profit & Loss, Cash Flow, and General Ledger.

Conclusion

In reality, there are so many apps that can help you in your business as a photographer. This is just a recommended few that you might find helpful.

If there are any apps for your photography business that you find invaluable, let us know in the comments below.

The post Necessary Apps for Your Photography Business appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

Digital Photography School

December 17, 2019
Nikon Z6/Z7 Raw video upgrade available starting today for $200; new firmware adds CFexpress support

Nikon has some much-anticipated news for Z-series videographers: starting today, Z6 and Z7 owners can send their cameras to a Nikon Service Center for a paid upgrade to add Raw video output. The company has also released firmware v.2.20 for the Z6/Z7 today, adding support for CFexpress memory cards.

First announced earlier this year, the paid upgrade brings 12-bit 4K or Full HD ProRes Raw video recording with the Atomos Ninja V recorder to both the Z6 and Z7, which were previously limited to 10-bit Log over HDMI. While 12 months is a fairly long time to wait, it’s probably no coincidence that this announcement comes after the recent settling of a long-running dispute between Apple and RED over the patent to Raw video. This may also explain why the update is paid, rather than available for free.

However, those who purchased the Z6 as part of the Filmmaker’s kit can receive the update at no charge; all other Z6 and Z7 owners must pay $ 200 for the service. Nikon USA has published a dedicated Raw video page explaining the requirements and instructions for obtaining the upgrade.

Nikon Z6 Filmmaker kit

Additionally, firmware v.2.20 for the Z6 and Z7 arrives today, enabling use of more robust (and more costly) CFexpress memory cards. Since the cards are physically the same dimensions as XQD, there’s no need to physically modify the cameras to make them compatible with the new format. The company also says it will add CFexpress support to the Nikon D5 (XQD-type), D850 and D500 at a later date.

Nikon Z6 and Z7 firmware version 2.20 is available starting today free of charge – visit Nikon’s firmware page to learn more.

NIKON Z SERIES EVOLVES TO BECOME EVEN MORE POWERFUL: FIRMWARE VER. 2.20 RELEASED, ADDS SUPPORT FOR CFexpress MEMORY CARDS;
PAID SERVICE TO INSTALL RAW VIDEO OUTPUT FUNCTION ALSO BEGINS

MELVILLE, NY (December 16, 2019 at 11:00 P.M. EST) – Nikon Inc. is pleased to announce the release of firmware Ver. 2.20 for the Nikon Z 7 and Z 6 full-frame mirrorless cameras. This firmware update offers several improvements that make these cameras even more powerful, including the addition of support for the next generation memory card, CFexpress. Additionally, Nikon has announced that beginning today, service to install RAW video output functionality will be available for those wishing to add enhanced professional video capabilities.

Support for CFexpress, the New Standard for Speed and Durability
Updating Z 7 and Z 6 firmware to Ver. 2.20 enables the use*1 of CFexpress*2 cards. CFexpress cards are robust and reliable, and support even faster data transfer than XQD cards for a smoother and more efficient photographic workflow.

CFexpress cards use a similar form factor to XQD, eliminating the need to physically modify the camera’s memory card slot. After upgrading, users will be able to use CFexpress as well as XQD cards in their camera interchangeably. In addition to the Z 7 and Z 6, CFexpress memory card support will be added to the Nikon D5 (XQD-Type), Nikon D850 and Nikon D500 digital SLR cameras in the future.

Initially, only limited CFexpress card types are fully supported and the number of supported cards will continue to expand as additional cards are tested and certified (Type B CFexpress cards manufactured only by Sony Corp. Availability date for the cards may vary by market).

RAW video output function (4K UHD and Full HD)
Developed in conjunction with Atomos, this capability enables recording of RAW video, which has greater flexibility for color grading compared to other video formats.

With this upgrade, 12-bit 4K UHD or full-HD RAW video can be recorded*3 to select models of Atomos video recorders*4 connected to a Z 7 or Z 6 camera via a HDMI connector. As RAW video is not subjected to in-camera processing, all information that is outputted from the image sensor is preserved. This abundance of information can later be used in post-production.

The RAW video output capability upgrade can be installed at a Nikon service center and will incur a fee but will be included free of charge as part of Nikon Z 6 Filmmaker’s kit bundles. Those customers in the United States who have already purchased a Nikon Z 6 Filmmaker’s kit (Product #13545) will be eligible to have the fee waived (proof of purchase required). For more details about the Nikon Z 6 Filmmaker’s kit, please visit here.

For additional technical information, equipment requirements and instructions on requesting the RAW video output upgrade, please visit: www.nikonusa.com/RAWvideo.

Price and Availability
The firmware update Ver. 2.20 which enables CFexpress functionality is available now, free of charge. Please visit The Nikon Z series Firmware update page to download and find more information.

The RAW video output upgrade is available starting today and will require installation by a Nikon Service Center. A $ 199.95* fee will apply.

For more information on the latest Nikon products, including the Nikon Z mount system, please visit www.nikonusa.com.?

*1 Type B CFexpress cards manufactured by Sony Corp. only. Operation is not guaranteed with cards from other manufacturers (as of December 2019).
*2 CFexpress is a trademark of the CompactFlash Association.
*3 With the Z 7, full-HD RAW video can be recorded using the FX-based movie format, and 4K UHD RAW video can be recorded using the DX-based movie format.
When the Z 6 is used, recording of either 4K UHD or full-HD RAW video is possible with both FX- and DX-based movie formats.
See the cameras’ Technical Guide, available from the Download Center, for details on differences between Z 7 and Z 6 specifications.
Nikon Download Center (https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/index.html)
*4 The Atomos Ninja V supports Nikon RAW video output, and records videos in ProRes RAW format. Operation is not guaranteed with recorders other than the Ninja V (as of December 2019). RAW video output from a Nikon camera is supported by Ninja V firmware Ver. 10.2 and later.
See the Ninja V firmware download site (https://www.atomos.com/firmware/ninja-v).
*5 See our website for instructions on requesting the RAW output options activation service (www.nikonusa.com/RAWvideo).
*Pricing and availability of the service will vary by region

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

December 17, 2019