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Tips for Creating Compelling Nature Photography

23 Oct

The post Tips for Creating Compelling Nature Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karthika Gupta.

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Nature photography is one of the most common forms of photography out there today and in this article, I’m going to give you tips for creating more compelling nature photography.

Instagram alone has more than 80 million posts under the hashtag #naturephotography. Not to mention that variations like #naturephotos and #naturephotoshoot have their own massive following. No matter what genre of photography you practice, getting out in nature and capturing images of the natural world is always fascinating.

Perhaps some of the charm and pull of nature photography has to do with the fact that it is free, easily accessible (depending on where you are), and there is never a shortage of subject matter, light or even creative framing – all elements that contribute to a stellar photo.

Tips for Creating Compelling Nature Photography

Nature photography doesn’t have to be boring or mundane. Nor is nature photography only images of dramatic landscapes in exotic faraway locations. Even your house plant or tree in your backyard can become compelling nature photography if done correctly. There are a few things you can do to take your nature photography from boring to amazing.

Focus on the subject

Look at any photography course, cheat sheet, or guide. It will talk about the importance of your subject as it relates to the overall image. The subject is everything. A subject can make or break an image, and I don’t say that to just sound dramatic.

Some photos have so much going on that we are confused about the message. On the flip side, some images use a shallow depth of field to focus on one element, yet nothing else gives context to what is going on in the image. We are often left wondering what the intention of the image is.

Don’t let that happen to you. Focus on the subject based on what story you are looking to tell. Ask yourself if the subject helps or distracts from that story.

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We were photographing wild horses in Utah when the sun set. My subject was still the horses but, for me, the element of the setting sun just added more drama to the scene.

If you want to photograph a tree in your backyard in the Fall, wait until all the leaves turn a bright red color to complement the story of fall colors. If you want to photograph a landscape at golden hour, figure out the direction of the sunset and watch the weather to see if conditions are right for a dramatic golden hour and sunset.

Understand what you are photographing and the story you want to tell. This will help you conduct the right kind of research needed for executing your shoot and the results you want.

Understand the light you are working with

If there is one thing I would shout from the rooftops as it relates to photography, it is about the importance of light in photography.

There is no such thing as bad lighting. Lighting is just different at different times of the day.

Not all lighting is the same in terms of quality of light. Light is just different at different times of the day. Sometimes the light is perfect – that warm, soft glow that translates beautifully in pictures. Other times, the lighting is harsh and strong. I wouldn’t say that type of lighting is always bad – it is just not the same every time.

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Morning Light In The Tetons

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Harsh mid-day sun in the Himalayas

Image: Setting sun along the Oregon coast

Setting sun along the Oregon coast

The sooner you train your eye to read the different types of light, and what it can do to your images, the sooner you will be able to analyze your imagery better. You’ll also get photos closer to the style you like without wasting too much time in post-processing. No amount of editing can really fix an image taken in poor lighting conditions.

As it is with nature photography, you cannot always control your light source, that is, the sun. There might be many instances that you are out in nature during the harsh midday sun. This light is strong and very warm. Learn to use that to compliment your photos.

If you can get outside during golden hour, use that light to add some drama to your nature photos. But make sure that you don’t photograph directly into the setting sun as it leads to a lot of sun flare entering your frame (unless that is the effect you are after). It can also make the shot appear muddy and blown out to the point of not being able to see the subjects clearly.

Focus on the details

Most of us focus on the bigger picture when we photo nature and landscapes: big skies, large mountains, or even vast open waters. But there is something to be said about slowing down and noticing the details around you. The feel and texture of sand, the colors of pebbles at the beach, the curling leaves under flowers or the colors of a butterfly’s wings. There are so many ways to include details in your images to create compelling nature photography.

Just because something is larger than life, doesn’t mean it is the only thing that matters. Details create depth, texture, and complement the narrative.

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Explore colors in nature

I recently came across a YouTuber who prepares natural paints from colors found in nature and uses that for her art. I found it fascinating to watch her grid stones and use their powder for colors, harness indigo from blueberries and red from wild roses. There are countless colors that are found in nature if only we know where to look.

Use colors to convey emotions and meaning. We all know that some colors are associated with certain types of feelings in the eyes of the viewer. Yellow evokes happiness and enthusiasm. Red means strength and energy. Orange shows creativity and warmth. Green signifies harmony and growth.

Use colors in your photography to give that element of wow to your images. Nature has an abundance of color all around – just look for it.

Tips for Creating Compelling Nature Photography

Simple always triumphs complex

I alluded to this earlier in the article, where I talked about the chaos in an image. Clutter can be messy and sometimes put off a person in real life. Some busy photos where there is a lot happening can be complex and chaotic. Life is crazy enough. We don’t always need to take that into our art.

Nature Photography has the power to transform us to a magical and fantastical place, someplace calm and peaceful. By simplifying our photos, we can transport the user to a place of calm so that they can emotionally connect with our images.

Image: I used a simple black foam board to highlight the white and the fellow of these flowers.

I used a simple black foam board to highlight the white and the fellow of these flowers.

I hope these simple tips help you create more compelling nature photography. Nature has the power to heal in so many ways, and by using that effectively in our imagery, we can convey that narrative to our audience.

Do you have any other tips for creating compelling nature photography? Share with us in the comments!

The post Tips for Creating Compelling Nature Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Karthika Gupta.


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CalDigit launches new, rugged 512GB ‘Tuff nano’ USB-C SSDs with 1055MB/s read speeds

23 Oct

Computer accessory manufacturer CalDigit has released its ‘Tuff nano’ series, a lineup of compact external USB-C SSDs.

As the name alludes to, the ‘Tuff nano’ SSDs feature a protective rubber housing around a metal frame, akin to Lacie’s rugged external drives. This design offers a certified IP67 rating with the ability to be submerged under one meter of water for 30 minus, as well as dust and shock resistance.

Inside, the bus-powered SSDs is a Toshiba M.2 NVMe SSD capable of read and write speeds up to 1055MB/s and 900MB/s, respectively. Data is transferred via USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2) and although the drives come pre-formatted for macOS (HFS+), they will also work with ChromeOS, iPadOS, Linux and Windows devices.

The drives measure 7.59cm x 5.44cm x 1.45 cm (2.99in x 2.14in x 0.57in) and weigh just 74g (0.163lbs).

CalDigit’s ‘Tuff nano’ SSDs are currently available in 512GB capacity for $ 149.95 on CalDigit’s online store. Color options include ‘Charcoal Black,’ ‘Olive Green,’ ‘Royal Blue’ and ‘Tomato Red.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Utah Senator introduces Drone Integration and Zoning Act of 2019

22 Oct

Republican Utah Senator Mike Lee was heavily involved in the unsuccessful Drone Federalism Act of 2017, a bill sponsored by California Senator Dianne Feinstein that sought to restrict drone usage by giving local government and property owners jurisdiction over National Airspace. Now he’s back with a new bill, the Drone Integration and Zoning Act, that will allow cities, states, and Native American tribes to set their own rules on low-flying drones, effectively overriding regulations set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

In a statement regarding the new bill, Sen. Lee said:

‘The FAA cannot feasibly or efficiently oversee millions of drones in every locality throughout the country […] The reason that the states have sovereign police powers to protect the property of their citizens is because issues of land use, privacy, trespass, and law enforcement make sense at the state and local level. The best way to ensure public safety and allow this innovative industry to thrive is to empower the people closest to the ground to make local decisions in real time and that is exactly what the Drone Integration and Zoning Act does.’

Basically, if passed, it would give home owners, local businesses, and counties full control over the first 200 feet of airspace above their designated property lines. Above 200 feet, FAA rules would apply. The FAA is not in favor of being overruled by local governments as these new ordinances would create even more confusion amongst drone operators. In a statement to Axios, DJI’s Director of U.S. legislative affairs, Mark Aitken, said the bill would ‘spur state and local governments across the country to impose harsh and conflicting taxes and fees on professional and recreational drone flights, throttling an industry still in its infancy.’

Currently, 34 out of 50 U.S. states, including California, are legally allowed to enforce their own regulations and restrictions on drone use at a county level. One state where this isn’t allowed is Michigan and a group of people, including the Michigan Coalition of Drone Operators, is fighting back. Back in December, a Genesee County sheriff arrested and detained Jason Harrison for flying in a park. The flight was legal, despite them attempting to rewrite legislation on drone use to fit their preferences – something that is in violation of Michigan State Law – Public Act 436 of 2016.

A follow-up trial is scheduled for November 8th in Flint, Michigan. If the judge rules in Harrison’s favor, it will hopefully set a precedent for how National Airspace is dictated across the U.S. While the Drone Integration and Zoning Act of 2019 will likely not gain much traction with Congress, it’s still worth writing your Senator to explain how patchwork drone laws will only cause chaos and confusion amongst operators and lawmakers, alike.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Review: Laowa 17mm f1.8 Lens with Micro-Four-Thirds Mount

22 Oct

The post Review: Laowa 17mm f1.8 Lens with Micro-Four-Thirds Mount appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mark C Hughes.

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The new Laowa 17mm f1.8 lens for MFT

There are a lot of gear reviews for new photography gear. Many focus on technical specifications and others focus on sharpness and precision of the optics. I had a chance to spend a few weeks with the Laowa 17mm f1.8 lens for Micro-Four-Thirds (MFT) mount. This is a bit of a different lens that requires a slightly different approach to a review. I am hoping this approach will help you decide if this is a lens for you.

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The New Laowa 17mm f1.8 lens is a fully manual compact design with metal construction, a small metal hood and clear markings on the barrel

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This lens fits 46mm threaded filters (common for MFT)

Technical Specifications

I will run through the technical specifications of the Laowa 17mm f1.8 lens as they have some interesting but limited impact on this review (aside from the price). As a 17mm lens on an MFT mount, this has a corresponding field of view that corresponds to a 34mm lens on a full-frame (FF) sensor (65 degrees). The lens has nine elements in seven groups with a seven-bladed iris. The filter diameter is 46 mm, and the weight is 172g. It is not weather-sealed, and the MSRP is $ 149USD.

Image: Works great even in low light conditions

Works great even in low light conditions

Practical details

Aside from the mathematics of technical specifications, I think a lens review should provide more practical details. Details that describe the intangibles about the lens. Things you only realize when you have the lens in your hand or on your camera.

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Perfectly balanced with smaller MFT camera bodies like the Pen F

For starters, this is a completely manual lens with manual focus and manual aperture control.

It is a small but solid – really solid – lens with metal construction and even a small metal lens hood (not much shading from this guy). This lens does not feel plastic-y in any way shape or form. The movement of the aperture ring and focus control feels great, and the aperture ring has quiet click settings (it is not clickless but moves easy) and the markings on the focus ring are clear.

This lens feels like something from the best film era vintage lenses and is well-sized to match the size of smaller MFT camera bodies.

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Works well with the Olympus EM5 MK II

Focal range

At 34mm FF equivalent, the Laowa 17mm f1.8 is a prime lens size that, along with a 50mm FF equivalent, should be in any photographer’s bag. Some famous photographers have operated with only lenses in this range. At a 34mm FF equivalent, it provides a relatively wide field of view and a more forgiving range for focus. Wider lenses tend to be more forgiving when trying to focus them. With the manual focus on this lens, not getting focus perfect can still result in usable images.

Image: Because it has a wide field of view, you can get pretty close.

Because it has a wide field of view, you can get pretty close.

Image: Once the focus is set, the lens performs well.

Once the focus is set, the lens performs well.

Sharpness

As for image quality, the lens does reasonably well. It is not the sharpest (even when you nail focus) and it is clear that when fully wide open, the lens is sharper in the center of the image but softer at the edges. Saying this doesn’t really describe the image results from this lens. The image is sharp where it needs to be and softer where is it okay to be softer. The look from the lens is great. In addition, the seven-bladed iris produces very nice starbursts when closed down for night shots of light sources.

Image: Even with close-ups, there are little problems resolving the images and little vignetting.

Even with close-ups, there are little problems resolving the images and little vignetting.

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The seven-bladed iris allows for very nice starbursts at night

Size

As for size and usability, this Laowa 17mm f1.8 lens fits smaller MFT bodies really well (like a Pen F) and looks a little dwarfed on a bigger body (like an EM1X). Not only does this lens fit well on smaller bodies, but it looks entirely old school like the cameras that are going for that stylistic approach.

I had many people asking me if I was shooting with a film camera when I had this lens on my Pen F. I seemed to reinforce this feeling when I tried to focus and take a photograph and took forever. This is not a run-and-gun lens.

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The lens is small and can seem overly-small on larger MFT bodies

Old-school feel and slow approach to photography

I am old enough to have shot film with manual film cameras. I thought I had left that all behind to use all the technical horsepower in modern cameras to really nail technically-challenging circumstances trying to get the best images. As a consequence, I had forgotten about the slower process of taking photographs when all you had was a split prism and a needle for a light meter.

When you connect a manual lens on an MFT camera, you operate primarily with the histogram/light meter to get a good exposure. You have to think about ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and focus. It takes time.

Image: Fun to experiment with when you have the time

Fun to experiment with when you have the time

Slow photography is like slow food

I remember years ago traveling in Italy and going to a slow food restaurant.

The whole concept with slow food is to make it more of an experience and to take time to savor the flavors and textures. I think shooting with a manual lens is similar. It means that you are shooting slower and have to think way more about your images – no run and gun.

Slow photography is forced on you when you shoot with this type of lens. With cell phones, you pull them out and shoot. You barely focus. There is no thought to the process, and maybe that means that people can focus on the subject matter of their images. However, at other times, it means that you really aren’t thinking much about the images you are taking.

Image: Despite being quite a wide lens, there is little obvious distortion with the Laowa 17mm f1.8...

Despite being quite a wide lens, there is little obvious distortion with the Laowa 17mm f1.8 lens.

Nailing focus

Trying to nail focus with a manual focus lens also means you have to slow down. Back in the old manual focus film camera days, you had split prisms and micro prisms in your viewfinder to help you get your focus right. These tools are not available on modern digital cameras.

However, with mirrorless bodies on MFT cameras, you have other tools at your disposal including magnification and focus peaking. I was able to custom set my camera’s buttons to allow me to set one button for magnification and another for focus peaking. It’s still not fast, but it worked fairly well.

Image: Even for moving subjects, such as from a balloon, once you have your exposure and focus set,...

Even for moving subjects, such as from a balloon, once you have your exposure and focus set, it performs like any other lens.

This magic of this type of lens is that you need to slow down and think about the image you are composing. You need to think about everything from ISO to aperture to shutter speed and finally focus. If any are off, you can instantly see that you have screwed up. If you think back to the film days, it wouldn’t be until you got your images developed that you would know you messed up. When I was using this lens, I knew immediately when I screwed up, even when I thought I had all the settings right.

Image: Limited distortion even for buildings

Limited distortion even for buildings

That process of slowing down and understanding what you are doing was a great deal of fun. The lens was wide enough and fast enough (aperture wise, not in any other way) that I would feel comfortable taking only this lens out to take some shots.

Not for the faint of heart

Slow means you can’t shoot fast. This seems obvious, but when someone says to you, “take our picture, “…they pose and wait for you. This lens will not do that quickly, regardless of how good you are.

You can take portraits, but you need to plan the shots and be ready when the opportunity comes up. An old street photography trick used to be to set your exposure with an intermediate aperture, put your focus at 3 feet, and point and shoot. In practice, this is not quite so simple. Nailing the exposure is a little trickier because you need to be looking through the lens to get the exposure balanced.

Image: This lens is great to travel with because of its width and small size

This lens is great to travel with because of its width and small size

The Results

I really enjoyed the Laowa 17mm f1.8 prime lens. I have other similar prime lenses, but all are equipped with autofocus and electronic apertures. They also feel pretty plastic. They are more expensive, but sharper. This lens feels great, is super-solid, shoots well and needs lots of attention to your images. It forces you to shoot like a photographer. You feel like a photographer. It also makes you look like a photographer.

At $ 149 USD, the Laowa 17mm f1.8 lens is quite the value. My images turned out great and I fell in love with taking slower pictures again. I had a chance to slow down and smell the roses, or in this case, take more deliberate thoughtful images.

Would you use a lens like this? Share with us in the comments below.

The post Review: Laowa 17mm f1.8 Lens with Micro-Four-Thirds Mount appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mark C Hughes.


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Lomography launches LomoMod No.1 DIY cardboard camera with a liquid-filled lens

22 Oct

Lomography has introduced LomoMod No.1, a DIY medium-format camera constructed from cardboard, as well as a new lens with a shutter and aperture unit. The lens can be filled with liquid from a syringe, according to Lomography, in order to produce ‘unique artistic aesthetics’ using tea, coffee, and more.

Much in the same way as Google’s cardboard virtual reality headset, Lomography’s new LomoMod No.1 ships as flat-packed sustainable cardboard that the customer assembles at home. This process appears fairly straightforward, as the construction doesn’t require glue or screws to put together. In addition to being moddable, the cardboard camera is also doubled-sided to offer matte black and UV pattern options.

Below is a gallery of sample images taken with the camera:

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Beyond the cardboard camera body, the LomoMod No.1 features a unique lens that replaces traditional filters with an injectable design. The companion shutter and aperture module feature both normal and bulb modes with support for long exposures. The unit features customizable aperture plates, as well, for creating ‘unique’ bokeh. Rounding out the design is a tripod mount and PC-sync and cable release socket.

The full kit ships with:

  • 11 Sheets of Cardboard Cutouts
  • 1 Sheet Aperture Plates Set
  • Sutton Lens Module
  • Aperture and Shutter Module
  • 120 Film Spool
  • Tripod Nut
  • Tube
  • Syringe
  • Valve
  • Colorful Stickers
  • Photo Book & User Manual

The Lomography LomoMod No.1 is available to pre-order for $ 59 USD. Units have already started shipping in Hong Kong but won’t start shipping in Japan, the United States or Europe until early next month.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Irix announces impending release of its new 45mm T1.5 cinema lens

22 Oct

Cine lens manufacturer Irix has announced the impending arrival of the Irix Cine 45mm T1.5, its latest full-frame cinema lens.

This new lens marks the third full-frame cinema lens Irix has made specifically for shooting at up to 8K resolution. Irix says the 45mm T1.5 is ‘based on a completely new [11 elements in 9 groups] optical design which includes four elements made of high refraction glass, one extra-low dispersion lens and one aspherical lens’ and delivers ‘ultra-low’ 0.5-percent distortion.

The nine-blade aperture diaphragm ranges from T1.5 to T22 and the lens features ‘practically no focus breathing,’ according to Irix. Other features include a 95mm front filter thread on the housing of the lens, another 86mm built-in filter thread and a reversible lens hood that’s attached via magnets, which Irix teases will work with ‘future accessories.’

The gears are standardized 0.8 pitch mod cine gears and the lens, which is constructed of a magnesium-aluminum alloy is sealed. Irix doesn’t specify what the lens should be able to handle, other than saying it’s ‘prepared for all weather conditions.’

The Irix Cine 45mm T1.5 will be available in Canon EF, Sony E, MFT and Arri PL mounts. Pricing and availability ‘will be announced soon.’

Press Release

Irix Cine 45mm T1.5 — into the art of cinematography

Irix expands its offer of cinematographic lenses with the new full-frame 45mm T1.5.

Irix, the manufacturer of high-class optics, expands its Cine line by introducing the new 45mm T1.5 lens. This new model is the third full frame cinematographic lens designed for shooting with Ultra HD 8K cinema cameras. The Irix 45mm T1.5 is based on a completely new optical design which includes four elements made of high refraction glass, one extra-low dispersion lens and one aspherical lens. 11 elements in 9 groups deliver crisp details, vibrant colors and an ultra-low – 0,5% distortion. The circular 9-blade iris ensures a pleasant background blur and a smooth adjustment of the T- number from 1.5 to 22. With practically no focus breathing, the Irix Cine 45mm T1.5 is the perfect lens for filming scenes with a natural character.

Press release October 21st, 2019 — Irix Cinematic Design

The 45mm T1.5 is the third lens in the Irix Cine line which stands for a perfect combination of advanced technology and modern design. A good example of the Irix smart design is the front housing element which has a diameter of 95mm and a built-in 86mm filter thread. It also provides a magnetic mount for the reversible lens hood and for future Irix Cine accessories.

This synergy is also visible in the shape of the geared rings which have been integrated into the lens housing. The convenience of operating by hand and full compatibility with follow focus systems was a priority in the external design of the lens. You can use any follow focus system you like and position it wherever you want to thanks to a special rotating adaptive ring design. The adaptive ring can be adjusted to any desired position and expose the geared ring to couple with follow focus systems.

The Irix Cine line has been carefully deliberated from the start. The focus and aperture rings of all the lenses are aligned at the same height and have the same rotation angle. With the exception of the Irix

150mm T3.0 Macro 1:1, where a longer 270 degrees focus throw is necessary, the rest of the Irix Cine range lenses have ring rotations of 180 degrees for the focus ring and 75 degrees for the aperture ring.

Ready to shoot in any weather conditions

A high-class cinematic lens must work in any atmospheric condition. No matter if you are shooting on burning sand in the Sahara Desert or on the frozen peaks of the Himalayas – the Irix 45mm T1.5 is prepared to not only face it, but also to capture the best image possible. Every time. Enjoy your lens’ reliable construction with rubber seals placed in all the crucial points to ensure protection against rain or dust. Now, you can film anytime, anywhere – and seize the wondrous power of nature.

Your comfort is important! Focus and aperture marks are laser engraved and filled with UV paint. This makes them visible, even in low-light environments.

Versatility and compact in size

Irix Cine lenses are some of the most compact and lightest film lenses covering the full frame format. The housing is made of a lightweight and impact-resistant aluminum-magnesium alloy which has been successfully used and tested in the Irix Blackstone still lenses. Thanks to the low weight (every Irix Cine lens weighs about 1.1 kilograms / 2,4lbs), they can be used on smaller cameras on handheld rigs or stabilizers as well as on professional setups. In order to achieve greater comfort while working with follow focus systems, the Irix Cine lenses are equipped with a lens support foot. Depending on your needs, this support foot can be attached to the lower or upper part of the lens.

Key features of the Irix Cine 45mm T1.5 lens:

  • Mid-range focal length with field of view 51,4°

  • Suitable for shooting with Ultra HD 8K resolution cameras

  • High-quality optical elements – 11 elements in 9 groups. HR, XLD, ASP produced in

    Japan

  • High maximum transmittance value of T1.5 up to T22

  • Standardized 0.8 Pitch Mod Cine Gears

  • Very low distortion -0.5%

  • Sealed construction prepared for all weather conditions

  • Compatibility with standard follow-focus systems and lens control motors

  • Front filter thread size 86 x 1.0 mm

  • Standard 95mm front diameter for cine accessories

  • Equipped with a support foot

  • Irix Magnetic Mount System

  • Focus scale available in metric or imperial units

  • Laser engraved markings filled with UV paint

  • Durable magnesium-aluminum alloy

  • Weight 1.1 kilograms / 2.42lbs

Available mounts

The Irix Cine 45mm T1.5 lens will be available in the four most popular industry mounts: Canon EF, Sony E, Olympus / Panasonic MFT and Arri PL-mount

Price and availability

Price and availability of the Irix Cine 45mm T1.5 lens will be announced soon.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Google’s Dual Exposure Controls and Live HDR+ features remain exclusive to Pixel 4

22 Oct

Google’s brand new flagship smartphone Pixel 4 comes with a variety of new and innovative camera features. Google has already said that some of those features, for example the astrophotography mode, will be made available on older Pixel devices via software updates.

However, two of the new functions will be reserved for the latest generation Pixel devices: Dual exposure controls, which let you adjust highlights and shadows via sliders in the camera app, and Live HDR+, which gives you a WYSIWYG live preview of Google’s HDR+ processing. Google confirmed this in a tweet:

According to the tweet the reason these two features won’t be available on the Pixel 3 and older devices is down to hardware rather than a marketing decision. It appears the older phones simply don’t have enough processing oomph to display the HDR+ treatment and manual adjustments in real time.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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iPhone users get free unlimited Google Photo storage for original photo files, for now, while Pixel 4 owners have to pay up

22 Oct

All Android phones running Google apps come with free Google Photos cloud storage for images and videos captured with the device. However, image and video files are not stored at original quality. Instead, they are compressed to what Google calls ‘high quality’. Users who prefer to store their original out-of-camera files in the cloud have to shell out for one of Google’s storage plans.

On its own Pixel device, Google has in the past made an exception. Users of the Pixel 3 and previous Pixel devices could store unlimited original files for life, but this perk has ended with the brand new Pixel 4. Users of the latest Google flagship will just be treated like users of any other Android phone.

Now it seems the only ones benefiting from Google’s free unlimited storage for original photos are actually the users of one of Apple’s recent iPhones. Reddit user u/stephenvsawyer discovered that images in the HEIC/HEIF format, which recent iPhones use by default, will be stored without any compression.

A screenshot from Google’s Pixel 2 promotional page captured at the time of the release showing the no-longer-current benefit of getting unlimited storage of original files for free.

The reason for this is pretty simple: if Google tried to compress the images, the file size would actually increase. So the decision to save original HEIC/HEIF files to its cloud platform saves Google both storage space on its servers and computing power. It’s worth noting that this only applies to photos. iPhone videos are saved at 1080p resolution, even if they were recorded at 4K settings.

The latest version of the Android OS, Android 10, technically supports the HEIC/HEIF format, but Pixel 4 devices don’t currently offer this option. So, at least for now, iPhone users are actually getting more out of Google Photos than users of Google’s own flagship phone.

In a statement made to Android Police, Google said ‘We are aware of this bug and are working to fix it.’ What exactly this ‘fix’ entails remains to be seen, but there’s a good chance this iPhone loophole could get closed down in the near future.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM sample gallery

21 Oct

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The RF 24-70mm F2.8 isn’t a showstopper like the RF 28-70mm F2. But it’s a lens that will appeal to a lot of EOS R photographers, with its bright, constant aperture covering a handy zoom range, and weather-sealing to help keep it protected from the elements. It became available at the end of September along with the nearly-identical RF 15-35mm F2.8, further expanding the range of options for full-frame Canon mirrorless shooters.

We snagged some time with the lens during what’s likely to be some of the last nice weather of the season – take a look.

See our Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8
sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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