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  • Canon Korea promo video confirms the RF 70-200mm F2.8 lens won’t have internal zoom

    A new video from Canon Korea gives us a closer look at Canon’s upcoming RF L F2.8 trinity and confirms what we’ve suspected from the get-go with the upcoming RF 70-200mm F2.8—it won’t be an internal zoom.

    The 72-second video shows off sample images and specifications from each of the three lenses Canon showed off earlier this year: the RF 15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM, RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM and RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM.

    As expected from the first time we saw the ridiculously compact 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM, the lens will have an extending section for when shooting at longer focal lengths, as seen in the animated GIF above. This video marks the first time we’ve seen the extending section in action and as seen in the video, the zoom ring will have a rather short throw when going from 70mm out to 200mm.

    Pricing and availability for these three lenses are still up in the air, but we expect to find out before the end of the year based on Canon’s own lens roadmaps.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Opinion: The Nikon Z50 is a good camera, but that may not be enough

    The Z50 is a lot like a mirrorless D5600. Which is no bad thing but probably won’t attract a new audience.

    To a great extent, the Nikon Z50 looks like a very good camera. The very good camera in question being the D5600. The mirror has gone, but not a lot else seems to have been changed: most of the specifications and much of the experience has been ported over directly from what is a very capable mid-market camera.

    Every aspect of the Z50 has been borrowed from somewhere else: the sensor (now with PDAF toppings) from the D7500, the lens mount and AF system from the Z6 and the concept and price from the D5600. The ingredients seem well blended together but end up tasting familiar, rather than enticing.

    There’s little evidence of the Z50 being made any more appealing or accessible than the D5600

    Nikon is pretty clear about who it’s targeting with this camera: people who love to share attractive moments from their lives on sites like Instagram, but who don’t necessarily think of themselves as photographers. People who are hitting the limits of what their phone can do, or who want to feel more involved in the photographic process.

    That’s solid enough in theory, and the Z50 will undoubtedly take great Instagram-style photos. But it doesn’t feel like Nikon has done much to make this camera any more attractive to them. The retractable kit zoom helps to deliver a reasonably-sized package (despite the camera being built around a lens mount that’s oversized for the full-frame format), but is it really just size that was stopping these people buying D5600s? After all, Nikon had already done a pretty good job of paring down the size of its mass-market models.

    Instagramer-friendly? I’m skeptical. Or possibly just squinting into the sun.
    Photo: Carey Rose

    Beyond size, there’s little evidence of the Z50 being made any more appealing or accessible than its DSLR twin. It gains a second command dial, and that’s definitely something: Nikon has a history of building cameras with well-shaped hand grips and well-positioned dials and the Z50 continues this tradition. But it’s hard to see that bringing non-camera-buyers flooding back to Nikon.

    The user interface hasn’t been amended or simplified to be more familiar to an audience whose primary photography experience has been their phone’s camera app

    It’s a similar story in terms of operating the camera: Nikon has added its pretty capable Eye-AF system from its big Z cameras, but it’s done nothing to make focus tracking any quicker or easier to operate. The icon-abundant user interface hasn’t been amended or simplified to be more familiar to an audience whose primary photography experience has been their phone’s camera app, rather than a compact camera’s interface.

    The Z50’s ‘Creative Picture Control’ options let you shoot (or re-process) images with heavy filters applied.

    Perhaps the thing that surprised me most about the Z50 was that it doesn’t let you use the rear screen as a touchpad, when you’ve got the camera to your eye. It’s a feature that’s present in almost every mirrorless camera with a viewfinder and, more significantly, in Nikon’s own D5500 and 5600 models. And yet it’s gone missing from here: leaving you to learn button presses and repeatedly stab at the four-way controller, in much the same way as you had to on the D50, over a decade ago.

    For the more experienced user who already knows their way around the interface, the Z50 might be more interesting. Or could be, were there any lenses for it. But a F3.5-6.3 maximum aperture collapsible kit zoom isn’t likely to set enthusiast hearts racing. As always, sharing a mount across sensor format promises cross-compatibility, but it’s hard to look at the current range of full-frame Z-mount lenses or Nikon’s published roadmap and see many with size, price or focal length that make them great pairings on this body.

    Nikon doesn’t have a great history of supplying anything other than zooms for its DX DSLRs. This is the sole fast aperture prime introduced in 17 years.

    That roadmap only includes a single additional DX lens: an 18-140mm travel zoom that fits with stated ambitions, but is unlikely to enthuse many enthusiasts. Which is a shame, because in many respects the Z50 a rather usable and competitively priced rival to Sony’s a6400 or Canon’s EOS M6 II (only without support from Sigma).

    Nikon may think it’s making a camera for people who don’t see themselves as photographers, but seems to have made another solid photographers’ camera by mistake

    To an extent, the comparison with the Canon is telling. The Z50 is not conceptually dissimilar to the M6 II: metal bodies, twin dials and so forth. The difference is that Canon isn’t aiming the M6 II at Instagram users; it’s got the M200 for that. Which just adds further weight to the impression that Nikon may think it’s making a camera for people who don’t see themselves as photographers, but seems to have made another solid photographers’ camera by mistake.

    As things stand, it’s not clear what the Z50 does to attract a new audience. And a: ‘build it and they will come,’ approach seems optimistic, to say the least.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Photoshop Elements 2020 Released With New AI Features and Guided Edits

    The post Photoshop Elements 2020 Released With New AI Features and Guided Edits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

    adobe-photoshop-elements

    Adobe has just released its latest iteration of Photoshop Elements: Photoshop Elements 2020, which debuts alongside Premiere Elements 2020.

    Now, Photoshop Elements has always been geared toward beginner and amateur photographers, and this year’s release is no exception. Adobe has included new features that ensure it’s easier than ever to produce stunning edits.

    Included among these exciting features is Adobe Sensei AI technology, which will drive Photoshop Elements automation. While Sensei AI technology isn’t new, this time it’ll be used to bring photographers options such as:

    • B&W Selection
    • Pattern Brush
    • Painterly
    • Depth of Field

    In all four of these cases, Sensei AI is the driver behind easy-yet-powerful edits. B&W Selection allows you to quickly isolate elements from your photos and portray them in color, while giving the background a black and white look. Depth of Field takes a relatively sharp background and gives it a beautiful blur, making your main subjects pop.

    And that’s not all. In addition to these new AI-powered options, Photoshop Elements promises a new black and white editing experience with its Colorization feature. Colorization takes a black and white photo and gives it realistic colors (or, as Adobe promises, you can use Colorization to “give new life to an existing color photo”).

    Photoshop Elements also offers a one-click selection of your subjects for easy manipulation, as well as a skin-smoothing effect. And let’s not forget the two brand-new guided edits, which are designed to make post-processing accessible to everyone, as the software walks you through the process of creating patterns or making unwanted items vanish from the frame.

    Adobe Photoshop Elements isn’t for everyone. Experienced photographers will likely prefer to work with Photoshop CC or Lightroom, both of which pack some real editing power. But for those who are just getting started with photo editing, Photoshop Elements offers a level of accessibility that its more serious counterparts lack. And the guided edits are a great feature for those wanting to learn while editing.

    You can purchase Adobe Photoshop Elements as a standalone piece of software for $ 99.99 USD, or you can get it alongside Adobe Premiere for $ 149.99 USD.

    The post Photoshop Elements 2020 Released With New AI Features and Guided Edits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


    Digital Photography School

  • How to Choose Urban Landscapes for Portrait Photography

    The post How to Choose Urban Landscapes for Portrait Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.

    dps-urban-landscapes-for-portrait-photography

    Are you bored of doing portrait shoots in the studio or the local park? Try mixing things up with an urban portrait shoot. The city streets, the buildings, the laneways – this is your cinematic backdrop. All you need is a little bit of planning and a lot of imagination. If you’ve never done a shoot like this before, you might be wondering how to choose locations. In this article, I will run you through my process of choosing urban landscapes for portrait photography. 

    urban-landscapes-for-portrait-shoots

    Bailey in a window, Brisbane. I took this shot with some off-camera flash outside my local library. Fujifilm X-T3 with a 23mm f1.4 lens.

    An urban portrait shoot in my city? No way!

    You may think that your city or your town has nothing of interest, but it does. You just have to look with a fresh perspective. Sometimes I’ll be on a photo walk with another photographer, and they don’t seem to see the potential that their town has to offer. “Wow, look at that doorway!” I’ll say. With a puzzled face, they reply, “It’s just a doorway!” 

    No, it’s not just a doorway – it’s a potential scene in your next urban portrait shoot. 

    Image: Sasha, Brisbane. I used these old street lamps as an element in the shoot. Fujifilm X-T3 with...

    Sasha, Brisbane. I used these old street lamps as an element in the shoot. Fujifilm X-T3 with a 56mm f1.2 lens.

    Every town or city I’ve ever been to has its charms and a unique look: from modern glass and steel skyscrapers to historic buildings to run-down industrial areas. There are so many aspects of urban locations that you could include in your shoots: laneways, street art, doorways, neon signs, steel shutters, and traffic trails, just to name a few. 

    There’s also the unique way that light falls in urban environments: harsh beams of light that fall between buildings, beautiful soft light that you find in doorways and under bridges, and in Brisbane, dazzling light reflecting off skyscrapers. The possibilities are endless.

    The best time for an urban portrait shoot

    The best time for an urban portrait shoot is whenever you and your client or model are both available. Regardless of the light, the weather, or the locations. The success of the photoshoot is ultimately in your hands. 

    My favorite time for doing urban portrait shoots is just before dusk. This allows you to get a good mix of golden hour photos with sunlight, blue hour photos as the city lights come into play and nighttime shots with artificial light. 

    urban-landscapes-for-portrait-shoots

    Alyssa in an industrial alleyway, Brisbane. Fujifilm X-T3 with a 60mm f2.4 lens.

    Location scouting

    I usually run portrait shoots for around 90-minutes, allowing me to shoot in 6-8 locations. 

    It’s best to do your location scouting at the same time of day that your shoot will take place. This is so you can look at the light, see how it falls, and plan accordingly. In practice, though, I usually end up doing my scouting during the day. 

    Before I arrange the shoot, I take some time to wander about the city to find 8-10 locations close together. The reason I look for more places than I’ll need is to be flexible on the shoot. Cars or trucks can block alleyways, big crowds could move through the area at the time of the shoot, or the lighting could be all wrong. There’s a whole lot of things that could make the location unsuitable when you arrive at the scene.

    Although it’s tempting to plan to shoot in two locations at opposite ends of town, unless you have easy access to transport on the day of the shoot, it will be impractical. Photoshoots can be tiring for everyone, so asking your client or model to walk several city blocks and back again to shoot in one location may not be the best idea. 

    What to take during location scouting

    When you’re scouting for locations, have a notepad and pen ready along with your smartphone. When you see somewhere that you like, take a photo on your phone for reference and jot down some notes. I always draw a map of the city streets in my notebook. Then I plot the locations on it and plan a direction for the shoot.

    What I’m looking for during my walk is a cool urban location in which to place the client or model. Some locations will leap out at you, and you will know that you should take some photos there. Others may not reveal their charm until later when the lights are low. 

    Image: Natasha, Brisbane. I like the very subtle reflection in the polished stone wall behind her. F...

    Natasha, Brisbane. I like the very subtle reflection in the polished stone wall behind her. Fujifilm X-T3 with 56mm f1.2 lens

    As you’re wandering around, there’s a couple of things you need to keep in mind:

    Imagination

    What is this place going to look like at dusk or nighttime? Remember that for many shots, you will be shooting with a wide-open aperture, or close to wide open, so many of the details in the background will be blurred. 

    Potential risks

    It may look cool, but is this place dangerous in any way? Think of how you will place the model or client in this scene – are there any risks that you need to be mindful of? Is there a lot of traffic? Is it a dangerous neighborhood? You should consider all of this when you’re planning, as safety should be your top priority for these shoots.

    Below are some of my go-to shots when I plan an urban photoshoot. I took all of these within a few blocks of each other in central Brisbane, Australia. 

    Neon lights

    Neon shots are a favorite with the Instagram crowd, and it’s easy to see why. They are so much fun and a great image idea to have up your sleeve.

    Neon signs are something that, quite honestly, I never usually notice. However, as soon as you start looking for them, you’ll be amazed at how many your town has.

    urban-landscapes-for-portrait-shoots

    Alyssa, Brisbane. This neon light is outside a takeaway shop in central Brisbane. I was attracted to the three different colors the sign had.

    Beer kegs outside a pub

    As soon as I saw these beer kegs in a laneway outside a pub, I knew I wanted to incorporate them in a shoot. I’ve used them as both a background element and also as a prop for models to sit on.

    In this shot of Anne, I struck gold. By chance, it was one of the busiest days for pubs in the year – Melbourne Cup Day. There were a few dozen kegs in a laneway all stacked on one another. I lit this shot with an LED video light.

    urban-landscapes-for-portrait-shoots

    Anne in front of beer kegs, Brisbane. I love the shape, color, and reflection of the kegs in the background. Fujifilm X-T3 with an 8-16mm f2.8 lens lit with an LED video light.

    Laneways

    Many Australian cities are blessed with alleyways. In many ways, they are the perfect place for photoshoots. Expect atmospheric lighting, an industrial look, street art – and best of all – little traffic. While Melbourne may be the laneways capital of Australia, Brisbane has many too.

    Image: Natasha in a laneway, Brisbane. I like the color and bokeh that some tiny blue fairy lights p...

    Natasha in a laneway, Brisbane. I like the color and bokeh that some tiny blue fairy lights provided in this shot. Fujifilm X-T3 with a 56mm f1.2 lens.

    Telephone booth

    This is a really fun place to use for some shots – if you can still find one these days. You may also have to take some time to explain to younger clients or models on how to use a public payphone!

    urban-landscapes-for-portrait-shoots

    Alyssa in a phone booth in Brisbane. Fujifilm X-T3 with a 35mm f1.4 lens.

    Reflections

    Reflections are a go-to image idea for urban portrait shoots. Many buildings provide you with glass or reflective surfaces.

    Image: Anne looking into a mirrored surface, Brisbane. Fujifilm X-T2 with a 56mm f1.2 lens.

    Anne looking into a mirrored surface, Brisbane. Fujifilm X-T2 with a 56mm f1.2 lens.

    Old signage

    I love history and nostalgia, but sadly there isn’t much left in my city. One day I noticed this sign and thought I’d love to do some shots here.

    Image: Sasha in front of a sign, Brisbane. Fujifilm X-T3 with a 16mm f1.4 lens.

    Sasha in front of a sign, Brisbane. Fujifilm X-T3 with a 16mm f1.4 lens.

    Take your next portrait shoot to the streets

    Urban portrait shoots can be a lot of fun. If you’ve never done one before, I hope that this guide has inspired you to look around your city for urban landscapes for portrait photography.

    For your first time, you can always ask a friend to be your model if you want to try things out and see how the images look. Practice makes perfect.

    Remember, safety is a very important factor in a shoot like this – both for your client or model and for yourself.

    Urban shoots have helped me grow as a photographer. I feel more creative, I see possibilities for images in the mundane, and they’ve also helped me to think on my feet and improvise. ­­­­

    So what are you waiting for? An endless array of scenes is right on your doorstep. Take your next portrait shoot to the streets.

    Do you have any other tips for scouting urban landscapes for portrait photography? Share with us in the comments!

    The post How to Choose Urban Landscapes for Portrait Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.


    Digital Photography School

  • Hands-on with the Nikon Z50 and new DX Z-mount lenses

    Hands-on with the new Nikon Z50 and kit lenses

    The much-rumored Z50 is here. Nikon’s latest Z-series camera, the third in the lineup, features an APS-C sensor and is being launched alongside two DX-format kit zooms. Reminiscent in many ways of a downsized Z6, the Z50 should (Nikon hopes) open up the Z-mount to more enthusiast and entry-level photographers.

    As you can see in this image, the Z50 is a small camera, with a relatively sparse top-plate, but generously-sized grip. Lacking the upper status screen included on the Z6 and Z7, the biggest control on the top of the Z50 is a large, non-locking exposure mode dial. A simple lever allows for quick switching between still and movie capture modes.

    21MP sensor

    The 20.9MP sensor inside the Z50 is based on the familiar BSI-CMOS sensor inside the D500. ISO sensitivity spans 100-51,200, and based on our initial (JPEG) shooting, it’s capable of excellent image quality. One major change compared to the Z6 and Z7 though – the sensor in the Z50 is not stabilized.

    This shot shows the Fn1 and Fn2 buttons at the 8 o’clock position on the large Z-mount. These are the same buttons – in the same place – as the Z6 and Z7, and fall naturally under your fingers when the camera is held in a shooting position.

    No IBIS

    It remains to be seen whether future DX-format Z-series cameras will offer in-body stabilization, but for now, Z50 owners will have to rely on the VR built into the two new kit lenses: the Z DX 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR and the Z DX 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR. More on these lenses later.

    209-point PDAF system

    While the Z50’s sensor might be closely related to that found inside the D500, there is one major difference, which is the addition of on-sensor phase-detection autofocus pixels. The Z50 offers a 209-point autofocus system covering approximately 87% of the frame horizontally and 85% vertically, which operates in essentially the same way as the equivalent systems on the full-frame Z6 and Z7.

    As such, autofocus performance is generally very good, with a decent amount of control, and includes useful face/eye-detection features. We continue to miss the speed and ease with which the company’s DSLRs can initiate AF tracking but, although we can’t draw any definitive conclusions, autofocus speed when the Z50 is paired with its new DX lenses seems responsive.

    Weather-sealed magnesium-alloy body

    The Z50 is positioned as a midrange ILC, but build quality appears excellent, with a magnesium alloy body and extensive weather-sealing around the major potential points of dust and moisture ingress. Nikon is at pains to point out however that buyers of the Z50 should not expect quite the same level of environmental sealing as the Z6 and Z7, because unlike those cameras, the Z50 features a pop-up flash.

    Speaking of the flash, some enthusiasts might be disappointed to note that while handy for fill light or social snaps, unlike higher-end Nikon DSLRs, the built-in flash on the Z50 cannot be used as a ‘commander’ to control the company’s off-camera strobes.

    3.2in tilting touch-sensitive LCD

    The 1.04M-dot LCD screen on the rear of the Z50 is touch-sensitive, and can be tilted up for waist-level shooting. The experience of using the Z50’s screen is essentially the same as the Z6 and Z7. It’s easy to position your desired autofocus point by touch, and swiping between images, and tapping to zoom in / out is fast and intuitive. You don’t get quite as much resolution as you do on the Z6/7, though, which offer 2.1M-dots on their screens.

    A tilting screen like this isn’t as versatile as a fully articulated design (especially when composing images vertically) but it’s fine for waist-level shooting, video, and for composing images from awkward low angles. It can also flip downward 180 degrees, below the base of the camera, for selfies or vlogging.

    2.36 million-dot OLED viewfinder

    The Z50’s 2.36M-dot OLED electronic viewfinder is very nice. Crisp and contrasty, it’s up there with the best in its class, while (understandably) falling short of the 3.69M-dot resolution of its full-frame Z6 and Z7 cousins. This shot also gives you a view of the permanent touch-sensitive magnification and ‘DISP’ labels just outside of the main screen area on the rear of the camera.

    Hidden in this shot is the top control dial, which falls naturally under your thumb when the camera is held in a shooting position. The control logic of the Z50 is extremely similar to that of the Z6 and Z7, which in turn were natural evolutions of established Nikon ergonomics going back several generations. In fact, if you imagine a Z6 crossed with a D5600, that’s pretty much the Z50.

    Card slot and battery

    The single UHS-II card slot is accessed via the battery door in the base of the Z50’s grip. The battery itself is a new type: EN-EL25, which Nikon claims is rated for around 300 shots (per CIPA). As always, we’d expect most people’s normal use to yield many more shots than this figure. The bad news for some existing Nikon users is that (for now) the Z50 is the only camera that uses this battery.

    Continuous shooting rate

    The Z50 is a snappy little camera, offering a maximum framerate of 11 fps with autofocus. This places it among the fastest cameras in its class, and we’re keen to test how well the PDAF system performs while shooting fast action once we get hold of a reviewable camera.

    Video

    No surprise the Z50 offers 4K video shooting (we’d be more surprised at this point if an enthusiast-focused ILC didn’t) and its feature set is reasonably solid, given the Z50’s market positioning. 4K/24p is offered, which will keep cinephiles happy, but there’s a fairly heavy 1.5X crop and while there is a microphone input, Nikon has not found room for a headphone audio monitoring socket.

    While probably not an everyday shooting mode, Full HD at 120 fps is nice to have, and offers a lot of fun creative possibilities.

    Creative filters and in-camera editing

    Nikon has been offering Picture Control modes for a very long time, and the Z50 offers a wide range of profiles and picture effects, to help you get that little bit closer to the Instagram experience, right in the camera. For Raw shooters, it is also possible to edit NEF files in-camera, and save edited JPEGs directly to your memory card.

    Connectivity

    The Z50 is equipped with built-in WiFi + Bluetooth, and can be controlled via Nikon’s Snapbridge app. This shot also shows the physical ports, which are (from top to bottom) 3.5mm audio in, USB (2.0) and HDMI. The Z50 can be charged via USB, but cannot be powered over this port. And don’t worry – there’s a proper battery charger included in the box.

    Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR kit lens

    The Z50 is being launched alongside two ‘DX’ APS-C lenses. This is the Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR, which is a very compact 24-75mm equivalent standard zoom. Like several of Nikon’s zoom lenses, the 16-50mm is collapsible, and in its ‘locked’ position (shown here) it barely protrudes further than the Z50’s grip, making the camera genuinely pocketable, assuming you’re wearing a jacket.

    Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 VR kit lens

    Here’s the 16-50mm in its unlocked state. Zooming is mechanical, and the other ring is customizable, and can be used for direct control over focus, aperture or exposure compensation (etc.). Optical construction comprises nine elements in seven groups including one extra low dispersion element and four aspherical elements.

    According to Nikon, the lens’ Vibration Reduction system is effective up to 4.5EV.

    DX 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR kit lens

    The second lens released alongside the Z50 is the DX 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR, which covers an equivalent focal length range of 75-375mm. Optically it is comprised of 16 elements in 12 groups, including one extra low dispersion element. Nikon claims that its built-in VR system is effective up to 5 stops.

    The Nikon Z50 will be available soon for $ 859 body only, $ 999 with the 16-50mm zoom or
    $ 1349 for the dual lens kit, with the 16-50mm and 50-250mm. What do you make of it? Let us know in the comments.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Nikon announces Z-mount lens roadmap

    Nikon has announced a roadmap for its Z-mount mirrorless system. All of the lenses are full-frame, with one zoom being the exception.

    The roadmap adds a 20mm F1.8, 50mm F1.2 and 105mm ‘Micro’ lens to the high-end ‘S-Line’ of lenses. There will also be a 28 and 40mm lens as part of what Nikon calls a ‘Compact Prime’ series and a non-S 60mm Micro close-up lens.

    Nikon’s Z-mount lens roadmap gives a good indication of the company’s plans for the system.

    S-line zooms

    The ‘S’ line will also gain a 14-24mm F2.8 zoom and a 70-200mm F2.8 for sports and photojournalism. These will be accompanied by a 24-105mm S-line zoom and, while no aperture range has been specified, this is grouped with the existing F4 zooms, An S-line 100-400mm lens is also listed.

    Other zooms

    A non-S 24-200mm travel zoom and 200-600mm zoom complete the full-frame offerings, giving a pretty comprehensive picture of what Nikon has planned for the Z-mount.

    On the APS-C side of things, there will be a 18-140mm (equivalent to 27-210mm), as with the compact primes, no maximum aperture is specified.

    No timescales are given for fulfilling the lenses on the roadmap and, as is normal, a footnote indicates that the plans may change without notice.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Shutterstock’s free image editor gets new ‘Remove Background’ tool

    Shutterstock Editor, the stock image company’s free online image-editing web app, has added a new feature called Remove Background. With this tool, users can easily remove the background from images in order to isolate the subject, making it possible to incorporate the extracted element or person into other designs.

    Shutterstock Editor offers users access to custom canvas sizes, such as ones intended for ebook covers and Instagram posts; users can also create their own custom canvas size. Images can be uploaded from an online destination using a URL or from the user’s computer, plus there’s the option of selecting an image from Shutterstock’s collection. The web app also offers access to free design templates.

    The new Remove Background tool, which is found in the UI’s ‘Image Tools’ section, simply requires the user to select the areas of the image they want to keep and the areas they want to remove. When tested, the entire selection and removal process was very fast and accurate. The feature is live for all users now.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • New FCC database filing confirms forthcoming DJI Mavic Mini

    This image, and the photo below, leaked on PhotoRumors two months ago.

    Early this morning, two new products from the world’s leading drone manufacturer, DJI, were listed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). After being rumored for the past two months, the Mavic Mini is now officially on the FCC’s site. While the second filing is not labeled with a product name, it’s likely going to be a remote controller for the compact, foldable drone. The filings are FCC ID SS3-MT1SS51905 and FCC ID SS3-MR1SS51905.

    It has been well over a year since DJI released a consumer-grade drone. The last two major products from the Chinese manufacturer are the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom, announced at the end of August 2018. The timing for releasing the Mavic Mini isn’t random. Not only is the Holiday season upon us, competing American manufacturer Skydio recently starting accepting reservations for its compact Skydio 2 drone. Shortly after GoPro announced its Karma drone, in September 2016, DJI responded by introducing the original Mavic Pro at a swanky event.

    DroneDJ was the first to report on the Mavic Mini after photos were leaked online two months ago. One notable feature that will make it worth the purchase for some consumers is the rumored weight.

    In the United States, a drone must be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) if it weighs more than 250 grams (0.55 pounds) and less than 25kg (55 pounds). If speculation is spot on, the Mavic Mini will weigh 245 grams at takeoff negating the need for registration. Rules and regulations are more lenient in other countries where a drone weighs less as well.

    Here are a few of the rumored specs for the Mavic Mini:

    • The DJI Mavic Mini will offer a remote since controlling a drone with a smartphone is a less than ideal experience.
    • It will have a flight time of up to 18 minutes.
    • Unlike the Spark, which is similar in size, it will have obstacle avoidance sensors.
    • The drone will have a range of 3.1 miles (5 km) and a top speed of 31mph (50 km/hr).
    • The drone will have a 12MP, 1/2.3” CMOS camera that can shoot up to 4K/30p, 2.7K/60p, and 1080p/120p video.
    • The expected retail price should be around $ 399 and the release date is expected soon to coincide with the Holiday season.

    DJI owns a majority stake in camera company Hasselblad. There isn’t any word on whether they’ll incorporate their technology into the Mini’s camera as they did with the Mavic 2 Pro. The latter is currently the only drone in the company’s product line that features a camera with Hasselblad’s signature Natural Color Solution. DJI requested a short-term secrecy cycle of 180 days in a Confidentiality Letter from June 25th. While that gives them until late December to release the Mavic Mini, the Holiday season may expedite the release as soon as this coming month.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Canon plans to add 24p recording to select EOS, PowerShot cameras via firmware update

    The people have spoken and Canon has listened. In an email sent to DPReview Canon says it ‘plans to introduce 24p mode (23.98fps) for movie recording via a series of future firmware updates for select [EOS and PowerShot] models.’

    According to the email, the move comes ’In response to feedback from our customers about some of our recently launched EOS and PowerShot models.’ Canon specifically says the first models to receive the firmware update with support for 24p (23.98 fps) shooting modes will be the EOS 90D and the EOS RP at the end of October. ‘The PowerShot G7X Mark III and G5X Mark II will follow at the end of 2019 and the EOS M6 Mark II during the first half of 2020,’ reads the email.

    Once the firmware is released for the cameras, each supported model will be able to shoot 24p (23.98 fps) in 4K and Full HD.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Review: DJI Osmo Mobile 3 smartphone gimbal

    DJI Osmo Mobile 3
    $ 119 | dji.com

    Over the past few years we’ve seen massive leaps in the quality of video produced by smartphones, allowing content creators to lean more heavily than ever on the devices in their pockets. Whether you’re a vlogger, journalist, budding cinematographer or just a parent who wants to post great videos on Facebook, chances are good that you’re part of this trend.

    However, to get the best results, it still helps to use some third party tools. Enter the DJI Osmo Mobile 3, the third generation of DJI’s gimbal stabilization system for smartphones, which can help take your production quality up a level – particularly if you’re the kind of person who shoots while moving around. Let’s take a look at it in more detail.

    Key features/specifications

    • Foldable design
    • Hyperlapse and timelapse functions
    • Active tracking
    • Trigger control
    • Bluetooth connection
    • 15-hour battery life

    The Osmo Mobile 3 is a drastic overhaul of the company’s predecessor, the Osmo Mobile 2. It joins a lineup of increasingly sophisticated smartphone gimbals from competitors like Freefly, Zhiyun, Gudsen, and others.

    Design

    The biggest update to the Osmo Mobile 3 is the overall physical layout. Though DJI took most of its design cues from the crowdfunded Snoppa Atom gimbal, the company fundamentally changed two aspects of the look and function of the device.

    The first of these is that the Osmo Mobile 3 folds in on itself into a more compact, transportable size. It only uses one joint to achieve this, and all the gimbal’s other axes remain in place. The folded gimbal is slightly larger than an average person’s hand – if detached from the tripod base that DJI ships with the gimbal’s combo package. Once I unfolded the arm and figured out the orientation, I wasn’t bothered by anything related to this design change; it seems a useful update that makes the gimbal more compact.

    The foldable design is made possible by the second, and perhaps more notable, change to the design: the sideways orientation of the phone-holding arm. DJI has placed this arm to the right of the device rather than behind it, bucking the typical design shared by most other smartphone gimbals on the market.

    The Osmo Mobile 3’s folding design makes it compact for travel (seen here in its included case).

    This change will likely require a bit of muscle-memory adjustment for gimbal operators used to the more standard back-arm design. The difference became most apparent for me when I tried to get shots close to the ground. I was used to leaning the gimbal forward and away from my body to achieve this, but that didn’t work with the Osmo Mobile 3, it must be leaned to the side for a similar effect.

    A common complaint about the Osmo Mobile 2 was that the arm location blocked access to the phone’s headphone jack and charging port. The sideways arm on the Osmo Mobile 3 fixes those problems, now allowing access to both. A tradeoff, however, is that the phone needs to be balanced each time it’s placed in the gimbal. The Osmo Mobile 2’s use of counterweights meant that once the user balanced their mobile device, they could take it on and off without needing to adjust each time. The Osmo Mobile 3 doesn’t have this option, though balancing the phone along a single axis seemed to be a pretty quick process.

    The button layout on the Osmo Mobile 3 is unchanged from its predecessor. The sideways orientation of the gimbal arm is a change from the Osmo Mobile 2.
    A new front trigger makes it easy to switch between sport modes and free the gimbal from responsiveness. The gimbal allows for both USB A and C attachments and can charge a mobile device while in use.

    DJI also added a trigger to the back of the gimbal handle. This is a welcome addition. It allows access to useful functions in a place that makes ergonomic sense. Depending on whether it’s clicked or held down, the trigger enables ‘sport mode’, a setting that makes the gimbal more responsive to your movements. It can also pause the gimbal’s responsiveness entirely, helpful to maintain framing.

    In use

    The experience of using the Osmo Mobile 3 cannot be separated from its app, DJI Mimo. This app is also used on other DJI devices and it’s quite intuitive. It connects to the mobile device via Bluetooth, eliminating further cables. The Mimo app introduces manual camera controls to your phone, essential for creating more professional-looking content. It also allows for other creative camera modes.

    The Osmo Mobile 3 complete with phone displaying the Mimo App interface.

    DJI updated its Active Track software on the Osmo Mobile 3, which keeps the camera trained on a subject selected by the user. I’ve found two ways to effectively use this feature. In the first, the gimbal stays stationary and the camera pans and tilts to keep the subject in frame. This could be a useful feature for vloggers and self-filmers as they move at slow to medium speeds throughout the frame. This tracking does not do as well with fast-moving subjects however.

    The second way I’ve found active track useful is by training the camera on a subject and moving the gimbal itself. This eliminates the need to track your subject with hand movements or the joystick and can introduce cinematic camera movement along multiple axes.

    DJI’s Active Track feature is effective at automatically tracking and following subjects – as long as they don’t move too quickly. (Captured with an iPhone 8)

    The Mimo app also offers panorama photo modes, gesture controls, timelapse modes, and an amazingly impressive hyperlapse feature. The combination of the Mimo app’s software stabilization with the Osmo Mobile 3 gimbal stabilization results in a final video that makes me seriously regret the many hours I’ve spent moving tripod legs inches at a time to create a similar effect.

    Despite these cool features, there are a few elements of the Osmo Mobile 3 that have me particularly disgruntled. The first is the rounded base and forward-leaning handle. This makes it impossible to stand the gimbal up on a flat surface without using the tripod included in the more expensive combo package, perhaps an intentional move by DJI. The tripod does hold the gimbal upright, but it also adds significantly to the device’s footprint – one that’s marketed as small and portable.

    The Osmo Mobile 3’s hyperlapse feature works effectively. (Captured with an iPhone 8)

    Another annoyance I’ve found is that the Osmo Mobile 3 doesn’t allow full 360-degree rotation as the gimbal will reach an end point while spinning. There is also no option to toggle between the phone’s forward and rear-facing cameras while recording in the Mimo app, though this can perhaps be addressed in a future software update.

    Is it right for you?

    Overall, the Osmo Mobile 3 is a fun new upgrade to the Osmo Mobile line that can be useful for certain applications. To me, one of the most obvious uses would be live-streaming. With the addition of an external microphone, I foresee the Osmo Mobile 3 making waves in live news, conferences, vlogging, and more, where a phone is the easiest way to distribute high-quality, live video. DJI does need to fix some issues here, though, like not being able to switch between rear and forward cameras while recording within the Mimo app.

    The gimbal would also be great for those who want to up the quality of their vacation or family home videos without shelling out for a new camera (and possibly new camera gimbal).

    For smartphone gimbals like the Osmo Mobile 3 to get more popular with serious filmmakers, however, I think we still need a drastic shrinking of size. The biggest draw of shooting on a phone is that it’s always with you. Once everything is set up the Osmo Mobile 3 with a smartphone is only slightly smaller than its mirrorless equivalent, which generates an exponentially better image.

    For the rest of us, however, the Osmo Mobile 3 is a fun device that provides effective stabilization and software tools, and one that doesn’t require you to be an expert filmmaker to use.

    What we like:

    • Folding design significantly reduces size
    • Gimbal can charge mobile device
    • Impressive hyperlapse function
    • Active track works well for a product at this price point
    • Arm design allows microphone attachments (unlike Osmo Mobile 2)

    What we’d like to see improved:

    • Gimbal needs to be balanced each time phone is attached
    • Base of gimbal doesn’t allow device to be set down without a tripod
    • Sideways gimbal arm orientation takes getting used to

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)