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5 Photo Editing Mistakes Every Beginner Must Avoid

The post 5 Photo Editing Mistakes Every Beginner Must Avoid appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kunal Malhotra.

We are fortunate enough to be able to capture photos in digital format and edit them later using multiple software. You can adjust exposure, white balance and replace the background with only a few clicks. Being able to edit our photos as per our requirement is a great power – but we must not overuse it. In this article, I share 5 photo editing mistakes which I have made in my initial days as a photographer. I hope that some of you photography enthusiasts will benefit from my learning over the years.

1. Selective coloring

The image on the left looks more professional and is an ideal portrait, while the image in the right looks very unprofessional.

Sometimes we get so obsessed with a particular element in our frame that we desperately want to highlight it. One of the options that you might opt for is selective coloring, and it can easily go wrong. This is a technique where you keep a selective part of the image colored, making the remainder of the image black and white.

As a beginner, you might be super excited while working on your first few selective-colored images. And you should be.

However, if you wish to step up your photography game and make your images look more professional, avoid using selective coloring.

I would suggest you work on your perspective and composition if you wish to highlight a particular object or color in the frame. Try to frame that highlighting subject in a manner that it stands out in the frame.

If not, you can selectively boost the exposure or saturation in editing without applying the selective coloring method.

2. Overuse of HDR technique

Of the 5 photo editing mistakes I list, if there is an award for the most overused editing technique, it must go to the HDR effect. I must admit that during the first two years, I used to click multiple exposures of almost everything. Then later, I used to merge those exposures to get the HDR effect, thinking I was such a cool photographer.

You must understand the actual meaning of HDR, which is High Dynamic Range. Use it only when you feel that the camera is not able to capture the dynamic range of the scene the way you see it with your eyes. All you have to do is capture 3, 6, or 9 frames of different exposures and later merge them using apps such as Adobe Lightroom.

This is an over-processed HDR image.

There are few apps which allow you to get the HDR effect using a single photo, but that is simply a gimmick which you must use carefully.

3. Over-saturation

We all come across photos with vibrant and attractive colors, especially on photo-sharing apps such as Instagram. Trying to gain similar results, you might be boosting the saturation level way too far. Over-saturation in your photos can make a well-composed frame look average because you boosted the colors way too much.

The image on the right has way too much saturation, as can be clearly seen on the face.

While editing a photo for 3-5 minutes or more, it’s difficult to tell if the photo is well-saturated or over-saturated. Here is a quick tip that I follow that may help you as well: After your final edit is complete, take a 2-minute break from the screen. Now come back to your device and see if the saturation level works or is too much. Trust me; this practice is going to help you a lot if you edit a single photo for more than 4-5 minutes.

4. Converting to ‘Black & White’ when not required

Simply taking the saturation slider all the way to ‘-100’ does not make any image look good in monochrome. If I am converting any image black and white in editing, I check if the frame has contrast in it. If not, I try and avoid converting that image to monochrome.

The colors in the image on the left are much more appealing as compared to the monochrome image on the right.

Even if a scene has good contrast, check if any prominent colors might complement the colored image. Your frame might have a beautiful and colorful sunset, but because you are used to converting any image into monochrome, you might make a wrong decision.

Be patient and analyze the image. If you feel the colors are not that appealing or the image has high contrast, go ahead and convert it to black and white.

5. Overuse of vignetting effect

The use of the vignetting effect in editing is a personal preference. I have seen many beginners use strong vignetting effects, especially in portraits. I love using a vignetting effect in photos where I want emphasis on a particular subject – but not in every image.

Try and avoid using this effect on photos such as landscapes, or try to keep it subtle so that the overall beauty of the frame does not get destroyed.

The image on the right does not look good because of the overuse of the vignetting effect.

Have you been making any of these 5 photo editing mistakes? Or if you wish to add any editing mistake to the list, feel free to comment below.

The post 5 Photo Editing Mistakes Every Beginner Must Avoid appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kunal Malhotra.

Digital Photography School

September 12, 2019
Laowa delays the release of its 4mm F2.8 Fisheye lens for MFT camera systems

In a post on Sightron Japan’s website, it has announced that the Laowa 4mm F2.8 Fisheye lens for Micro Four Thirds (MFT) camera systems has been postponed.

In a very brief notice (translated) on its information page, Sightron says the lens, which was set to be released this coming Friday, has been delayed. The machine-translated version of the notice reads ‘since there is a possibility that a problem individual was mixed, we decided to postpone the release.’

Based on that translation, it seems as though a number of lenses had issues, but Laowa couldn’t pinpoint down exactly what lenses were affected and are therefore going back through and testing the units that have already been produced.

Sightron, says ‘details regarding the release date will be announced as soon as they are determined.’ It ends the post by thanking interested parties for their understanding and patronage. We’ve contacted Venus Optics for additional details and confirmation on what regions are affected by this delay. We will update this article accordingly when we hear back.

Update (September 11, 2019): This article originally mistated the relationship between Sightron Japan and the Laowa brand. It has been updated accordingly.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

September 11, 2019
Sony a7R IV added to studio test scene comparison

The 61MP backside-illuminated CMOS sensor on board the Sony a7R IV is the first new chip in an R camera since 2015. Although it’s new to the series, Sony began preparing for its inclusion in a future camera when it released the a7R III, so the a7R IV is able to use the same front-end LSI and Bionz X processor. Now that it’s out in the wild we’ve been able to begin analyzing its performance – starting with our studio test scene. Check out how the a7R IV’s 61 Megapixels perform against its competitors, below.

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

September 11, 2019
Tamron SP 35mm F/1.4 Lens Review – A Perfectly Executed Prime Lens?

The post Tamron SP 35mm F/1.4 Lens Review – A Perfectly Executed Prime Lens? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.

I’ve evaluated and reviewed quite a few lenses over the years – twenty-three to be exact. Throughout those reviews, I’ve been fortunate enough to encounter many that were good, a few that were great, and an oh-so limited few that were absolutely magic. Yet, I can honestly say that I have never experienced the overwhelmingly universal praise and excited electricity surrounding a freshly released lens as I have witnessed with the new Tamron SP 35mm F/1.4 Di USD (for Canon, Nikon). This is the prime lens that is currently wowing the masses with its mind-bending sharpness and wide-open f/1.4 speed.

Ironically enough, this little beauty marks the 40th Anniversary of Tamron’s “Superior Performance” line of lenses. Tamron has specifically geared all of the glass in SP line towards meeting the needs of discerning professional photographers.

So, needless to say, whenever I get the chance to review any new SP lens from Tamron, I always feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Would the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.4 live up to the hype? Could it? I was incredibly curious to find out, and, of course, I want you to come along for the ride.

Out of the box

First things first; this is a gorgeous lens. It possesses a clean and simplistic style which in my experience has been the hallmark of virtually all of the modern SP line. The lens itself is a velvety deep satin black with white lettering and, of course, that signature metallic-colored ring finishes off the minimalist design.

There isn’t a lot to see here aside from the focusing ring (which is nicely rubberized), and the AF/MF switch. Oddly enough, the SP 35mm F/1.4 lacks the Vibration Control functionality which leaves quite a bit of open real estate on the lens body.

I say the absence of Tamron’s proprietary VC image stabilization is odd not because it will necessarily be missed on a lens of this focal length, but instead because it is present on the close cousin of this lens – Tamron’s 35mm F/1.8 Di VC USD (Canon, Nikon, Sony). The exclusion of VC on this 35mm could very well be a weight-saving measure to avoid making an already robust lens heavier. More on this in just a bit.

This lens includes generous moisture sealing throughout, which if you’ve read any of my other reviews of Tamron glass, you’ll know that I absolutely love. There’s just something extremely comforting about the physical presence of that rubber gasket at the rear of the lens.

Image courtesy of Tamron

It also comes with a very nice storage bag.

Overall, it’s safe to say that the look of the new SP 35mm lens impressed me right out of the gate.

Here’s the list of specifications for the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.4 Di USD courtesy of Tamron:

As you can see, this is not a feather-weight prime lens. The 35mm F/1.4 with the lens hood comes in weighing just shy of 2lbs(907g) on my home scales. That makes for a hearty setup when mounted on larger DSLR cameras.

With that said, the overall balance of the lens, when mated to a Canon 5D MK III, is remarkably pleasant. It’s not light, but it’s not overly bulky either. Take into account the fact that the lens houses 14 elements, and you become somewhat surprised that it doesn’t weigh more.

That lens hood though…

“But Adam…it’s only a lens hood. Do you really think it’s worth its own section?”

Yes, yes, I do.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand how trivial this may very well be, and it’s most certainly only my highly subjective…borderline neurotic…opinion.

Tamron has recently introduced a locking mechanism to some of its new lenses. This is the second time I’ve encounter this hooded curiosity from Tamron with the first being the 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 (Canon, Nikon).

In short, I’m conflicted. Of course, the goal of this feature is to keep your lens hood from accidentally popping off your camera. The issue I see with this is that such a static locking mechanism could possibly lead to a broken lens hood, or worse, breakage of the front mount of the lens barrel. Instead of the lens hood simply popping off, there could ultimately be a situation where “something’s gotta give” should a substantial impact occur. What’s more, the need to depress a button to remove the hood is just a little tedious. Then again, I must say the locking mechanism is finely executed and works quite well for its purpose. It’s a feature that I could come to enjoy, but for the time being, not so much.

Relax. I’m finished talking about the lens hood.

A fresh take on Autofocus

Newly introduced with the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.4 is a revamped mechanism that supposedly aids in more speedy and less noisy autofocusing. It’s called the Dynamic Rolling-Cam System.

Image courtesy of Tamron

Not only is that a pretty cool name but the Dynamic Rolling-cam System assists Tamron’s already capable Ultrasonic Silent Drive AF with moving that large f/1.4 focusing unit and is reported to make the entire AF experience of the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.4 much more reliable. I tested the AF with my Canon 5D MK III and my trusty Canon 7D Mk1. In both cases, the AF of the lens was quite snappy and accurate, even in low contrasted scenes. This lens also features a full-time manual focus override so that you can easily tweak focus manually while still in AF mode.

Performance and image quality

If you’ve heard anything about this lens already then you probably know it’s reported to be sharp – I mean scary sharp – with beautifully creamy bokeh and superb contrast. Well, it’s all true. So if you want to take my word for it, feel free to skip down to the sample images. If not, keep reading.

Sharpness

Yep. The Tamron SP 35mm f/1.4 is exquisitely sharp even wide-open at f/1.4. The center is tack sharp with only a minuscule softening at the corners. At smaller apertures beyond f/2, this lens absolutely shines with virtually no vignetting past that aperture mark as well – virtually zero distortion. Also of note is that as you move toward f/16, there are majestically pronounced starbursts at point sources of light.

Color and Contrast

Colors pop wonderfully with this 35mm lens. Equally, the contrast is great, and I noticed no chromatic aberrations even at f/1.4. I wasn’t as overly impressed with this area of the lens as some have been, but it truly does produce some beautifully contrasted photos with perfectly adequate color separation. Tamron has also introduced the second generation of their BBAR element coating which is purported to reduce ghosting and flare greatly.

Here are a few sample images for your inspection. There have been no adjustments to sharpness, color (except WB) or contrast.

F/8

F/4.5

F/8

F/16

F/1.8

F/1.8

F/2.8

F/1.8

F/2.8

F/1.8

F/13

F/2.8

F/4.5

F/1.4

I’ve also put together a full-length video review of the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.4 if you would like to dig a little deeper into the characteristics of this lens.

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Final Thoughts on the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.4…

What else can I say about the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.4 lens? Fortunately enough for both of us, the results from this lens happily speak for themselves. I’ll admit that going into this review I had already been bombarded with tales of its sharpness and high contrast, so the bar was set alarmingly high. So high in fact, that I was concerned that I would be let down by the performance of this lens once I actually used it. Banish all such thoughts!

The SP 35mm f/1.4 Di USD from Tamron is a perfectly executed fast prime. It combines all the best attributes of fine glass and bundles them into a sleek looking package that performs fantastically. It’s a fast focusing beauty that would be right at home in the field or on the street.

The best part? It will set you back considerably less than some other lenses in its class. At the time of this review, the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.4 sells for $ 899US.

Have you used the Tamron SP 35mm f/1.4 lens? Do you have any other “go-to” prime lenses that you absolutely love keeping in your bag? Let us know in the comments!

The post Tamron SP 35mm F/1.4 Lens Review – A Perfectly Executed Prime Lens? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.

Digital Photography School

September 11, 2019
Sony a6000, a6100, a6300, a6400, a6500, a6600: what’s the difference and which should I buy?

Introduction

The a6000-series cameras all look very similar, which can give a confused picture of a lineup that is designed to appeal to photographers from beginners up to enthusiast users

The a6000 has been one of the world’s best selling cameras but it’s only the first rung on a ladder of cameras trying to cater to a range of photographers. If you go online you’ll probably end up be confronted with the a6000, a6100, a6300, a6400, a6500 and a6600. We’re going to try to make sense of the lineup: which ones are current, how they all compare and which ones are worth a look.

We’ve used all these a6x00 series cameras we’re going to talk about here, listened to Sony’s explanation of its intent and have been around the block enough times to be able to cut through the, er, let’s call it ‘marketing speak.’

The lineup as it stands

For everything from snapshots and upwards, Sony’s latest JPEG color is an appreciable upgrade, but that’s only the start of it

At its simplest, the current lineup is the a6100 as the entry-level model, the a6400 as the slightly more enthusiast-friendly one and the a6600 as the range-topping, image stabilized version. All three cameras are based around the same sensor, so the image and video quality ends up being identical but the spec differences between the cameras may make a difference to how well they suit your needs.

Interestingly, Sony insists that the a6000 remains in the lineup. This may be the case, or it could simply be that there’s inventory still floating around the market that Sony doesn’t want to devalue by declaring the camera ‘dead.’ Whichever it turns out to be, we wouldn’t recommend buying one, no matter how inexpensive, for reasons we’ll come to.

Real-time Tracking AF

Even the entry-level a6100 has an AF system that confidently maintains focus on your chosen subject (particularly human subjects), whatever’s going on in front of it

The biggest change in the refreshed Sony lineup is ‘Real-time Tracking’, an autofocus system that’s been trained to recognize people and pets so that it tracks them doggedly (or, by logical extension, ‘cattedly’). It’s present in the a6100, a6400 and a6600.

Oddly, Real-time Tracking isn’t switched on by default (or ever referred to as such on the cameras). But, once the cameras have been switched across to AF-C mode and one of the ‘tracking’ AF area modes has been chosen, the system is really impressive. Point the camera at your subject, half press the shutter and it’ll dependably follow it, wherever it moves in the scene. This makes it one of the simplest and most effective AF systems we’ve ever used.

‘Real-time Tracking’ is present in the a6100, a6400 and a6600

We don’t say this lightly (and we’re not easily impressed) but, having experienced it, we think it helps the latest models stand out, even though some other aspects of their spec aren’t particularly exciting.

However, while the system is really impressive in the daytime, we found it’s less effective in low light. We’ll be testing this in more detail as part of our a6600 and a6100 reviews, so don’t take this as an unalloyed recommendation until we’ve completed that testing.

In with the new

The a6100, a6400 and a6600 all now offer touchscreens that tilt all the way up, to facilitate selfies and vlogging

This ‘Real Time Tracking’ AF system is good enough to make it awkward to go back and use the earlier models and Sony appears to recognize this. The a6300 and a6500 are, we understand, discontinued and replaced by the a6400 and a6600 respectively.

There’ll no doubt be some last-minute sell-offs of any remaining stock, so we’d suggest thinking how dependent your photography (or videography) is on autofocus, and whether you need any of the other improvements, before deciding whether to try to grab a bargain.

For instance, the new generation of cameras all gain touchsceens, which only the a6500 previously had. They also promise improved color rendering in their JPEGs. These improvements add up.

They add up most noticeably when you compare the a6100 to the generations-old a6000, which is why we’d suggest side-stepping the older model at this point.

Sony a6100

The a6100 looks a lot like the a6000 but gains improved AF and more attractive JPEGs, as well as features such as a mic socket

The a6100 is the most basic of the models. It is built from an engineering plastic and has a lower-resolution viewfinder [800 x 600 pixels] than the rest of the models.

The most recent JPEG engine gives it much more attractive color than the a6000

The most obvious change over the (we suspect) outgoing a6000 is the vastly improved AF system. This in itself makes it a much more capable camera. In addition it gains the ability to shoot 4K video (albeit with very noticeable rolling shutter) and, also pretty significantly, it has the most recent version of Sony’s JPEG engine, which gives it much more attractive JPEG color than the a6000 produced.

Capable but entry-level

The a6100’s screen is touch-sensitive and flips all the way up, neither of which was true of the a6000

Unlike the a6000 and in common with the other new a6x00 cameras, it’s got a touchscreen that flips up by 180 degrees, for vlogging or selfie shooting and a mic socket.

The a6100 doesn’t have the full capabilities of its more expensive siblings, though. It can’t shoot Log video, and loses some subtle features such as the ability to let you specify the shutter speed at which Auto ISO mode changes ISO and to let you set up different AF points and modes for portrait- and landscape-orientation shooting.

Also, while you can customize the camera’s ‘Fn’ menu, you can’t define separate versions for stills and video shooting: something the a6400 and a6600 let you do. It’s really useful if you switch back and forth between the two types of shooting.

These are small changes but they add up. For example, we regularly assign a button to access ‘Auto ISO Min Shutter Speed’ so that we can change the camera between 1/focal length and something faster, depending on whether we’re more concerns about camera shake or subject movement.

Sony a6400

From the outside, it’s only really the switch around the AEL button that distinguishes the a6400 from its more basic sibling

The next model up from the a6100 is the a6400. You get a higher-res viewfinder, giving 1024 x 768 pixels from its 2.36m dots. You also get ‘moisture and dust resistant’ magnesium alloy construction (though, as is all too common, this resistance comes with no guarantee or substantive claims of effectiveness).

The a6400 offers a customizable AF/MF switch on the back of the body, which the a6100 lacks, but that’s about the extent of the physical handling differences. On the software side you gain a handful of menu options, including the ability to set the Auto ISO shutter threshold, define different AF areas and area modes by camera orientation and set up custom features such as ‘My Dial.’ These all make a difference if you like to define the fine detail of the camera’s handling.

Mid-level option

The a6400 lets you take more fine control of its operation than with the a6100

Video shooters gain the ability to shoot S-Log and HLG video footage over the a6100, which opens up opportunities for color grading or output to high dynamic range televisions. However, this is only in 8-bit and is still subject to significant rolling shutter in the cropped 30p mode which gets even worse in the full-width 24p mode. We were very impressed with this highly detailed footage when the a6300 was launched, back in 2016 but the likes of Fujifilm’s X-T30 will now offer better results.

The a6400 offers some benefits over the a6100 but you may find better options from other camera makers

So, while the a6400 offers some benefits over the a6100, you may not find the difference worth the cost. And, if you’re looking for a more advanced camera, and want to take more control, you may find better options from other camera makers.

Sony a6600

Not only does the a6600 offer image stabilization over its sister models, it also adds a headphone socket and much larger ‘Z-type’ battery. There’s no built-in flash, though

The range-topping model is the a6600. The main thing you gain over the lower models is in-body image stabilization, which is a major benefit for both stills and video shooting. A new feature of the a6600 is the inclusion of a much larger NP-FZ100 battery. This significantly boosts the camera’s endurance and will all-but eliminate concerns about keeping the camera charged, while you’re shooting.

The space demands of this larger battery have prompted the design of more substantial, more comfortable hand grip than on other a6x00 models and these ergonomic improvements are supplemented by the addition of an extra custom button, which leaves the a6600 with one more than its predecessor and two more than its current siblings.

Steady endurance

The a6600 offers two more custom buttons than the others in the lineup: one on the top plate and a second, marked ‘C3’ on the back

However, while these improvements make the a6600 stand out from its own sister models, it looks like a half-generational update of the a6500. Its autofocus is, without question, best-in-class and its battery life is the best of any of its peers. But its video isn’t especially competitive, either in terms of specifications (Fujifilm’s X-T3 can shoot much more gradable 10-bit footage), or in terms of appearance (the rolling shutter is likely to limit the way you shoot, if you don’t want it to be visible in your videos).

The a6600 also gains a headphone socket for monitoring audio, which is a first for the series

And, in sharing the same 2.36m dot EVF panel with the a6400, its viewfinder is noticeably lower resolution than the Fujifilm.

The option to pair the a6600 with a sensibly-sized 16-55mm F2.8 lens makes the camera more attractive for enthusiasts, but puts it worryingly close in price to an a7 III with the more flexible 24-105mm F4, which will offer similar output and access to a potentially larger performance envelope (or even Tamron’s 28-75mm F2.8).

Impressive AF but…

The latest a6x00 cameras may seem like minor upgrades in some respects, but the improved AF system makes them significantly easier to shoot with

Sony’s latest cameras have an AF system that out-performs anything we’ve experienced before and, importantly, makes it relatively easy to exploit this potential (though we’d prefer it to be engaged by default, especially on the a6100). They also produce more attractive JPEGs than the older models, particularly when compared to the elderly a6000.

But, as we’re sure the comments below will remind you, none of these camera is cutting-edge in terms of hardware such as sensor or viewfinder tech. Sony’s touchscreen implementation is still oddly limited (why isn’t the Fn menu touch-sensitive?), they all shoot only lossy Raws that limit the processing flexibility and they still have one of the most difficult-to-navigate menu systems on the market. This means they’re beginning to slip behind the best of their peers in some respects, particularly in terms of video.

Compared to their peers

Between Canon’s EF-M cameras, Fujifilm’s X-series and various Micro Four Thirds options, the new a6x00 models have a lot to live up to

In the absence of a replacement for the image stabilized Fujifilm X-H1, the a6600 looks pretty strong at the top end, so long as the shortcomings and omissions listed on the last slide don’t affect your shooting too much. Its video isn’t as good as the X-T3’s, but the better AF in both stills and video mode, along with built-in stabilization may be more appealing for some people.

The 16-55mm F2.8 lens makes APS-C E-mount look more photographer-friendly

The a6100’s simple autofocus and relatively low price immediately make it a strong contender against other entry level APS-C and Micro Four Thirds rivals. It’s the a6400, which has to square up against the Fujifilm X-T30 and Canon’s new EOS M6 Mark II that’s probably the least compelling of this trio.

That said, it should also be recognized that Sony has made some effort to address previous criticisms and that its latest models will produce nicer images than its older APS-C cameras and will do so more easily than ever before. And, perhaps more than this, the arrival of the 16-55mm F2.8 lens makes APS-C E-mount look more photographer-friendly than it’s previously appeared.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

September 11, 2019
Phase One announces new XT camera system
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Phase One has announced its XT medium format system, which the company is marketing as a ‘travel-friendly’ solution for landscape photographers. The system is made up of three parts:
- The IQ4 digital back (150MP or 100MP versions); we assume that future IQ-series backs will also work.
- The lightweight body that has a shutter release and Cambo WDS-compatible mount
- Three lenses made by Rodenstock
The XT body is essentially the ‘bridge’ between the lens and digital back. It’s a lightweight body with a dual-action shutter release and removable Arca Swiss type tripod foot. It has two dials, which are used to shift the lens by 12mm in any direction. This allows for the correction of perspective distortion and can aid in the creation of super-high-res panoramic images.

Landscape photographer Reuben Wu with the XT

The available Rodenstock lenses are a HR Digaron-S 23mm F5.6, HR Digaron-W 32mm F4 and HR Digiron-W 70mm F5.6. All three lenses use an electromagnetic ‘X-Shutter’, which offers shutter speed ranging from 60 to 1/1000 sec and carbon fiber shutter blades. The shutter is capable of 500,000 actuations, according to Phase One.

If the XT system sounds like something you’re interested in, you can pick one up for $ 56,990, which includes the IQ4 150MP back and the lens of your choice.

Press Release
Phase One Announces A New Camera System: The ‘XT’ — The First Of Its Kind

A travel-ready, digitally integrated field camera that brings landscape photography to a whole new level

COPENHAGEN, Sept. 10, 2019 – Phase One has announced the XT Camera System, opening new frontiers of quality for landscape photography. Designed for convenience and engineered for precision, the XT packs a full-frame medium format camera of the highest quality into a travel-friendly design. By pairing the power and performance of Phase One’s IQ4 Infinity Platform with Rodenstock’s renowned optics, the XT is the most compact digitally integrated field camera to date.

The XT Camera System perfectly marries extraordinary image quality and extraordinary photographic technology. It’s versatile, flexible, and remarkably intuitive to use. With components that communicate digitally with each other and the system’s compact size, the XT is crafted for effortless capture, so the photographer can focus on capturing the moment, not on camera settings.

“The XT Camera System is designed to elevate both your creativity and image quality by providing the best possible components, in the smallest possible package with intuitive controls, all of which allows you to focus on the moment.”
– Drew Altdoerffer, Product Manager at Phase One

“I love the XT. The combination of the Phase One IQ4, a compact camera body, and an incredible lens is just what I need. I can easily fit the camera with two lenses in my small shoulder bag, and still barely feel like I am carrying anything.”
– Reuben Wu, fine art landscape photographer

Phase One’s ability to embrace heritage while not weighed down by it makes the blend of sensible Danish design, advanced technology integration, and precision mechanics the natural foundation for this next step in landscape photography. The system will evolve over time with the release of additional lenses, expanding Infinity Platform features, dedicated accessories, and discipline-focused workflows.

Components – Technology in a class of its own

The XT Camera System integrates components of the highest quality:
- The Phase One IQ4 150MP, IQ4 150MP Achromatic, or IQ4 100MP Trichromatic, built on the Infinity Platform — designed to innovate and support evolving technology.
- The XT Camera Body built exclusively for the Phase One IQ4. It features intuitive ergonomics and straightforward controls, including the dual action shutter button, which is designed to support future expansion and customization.
- Three lenses manufactured by Phase One’s strategic partner Rodenstock. All lenses are fitted with Phase One’s new, digitally integrated, X-Shutter –an intelligently controlled electromagnetic shutter — born from Phase One’s industrial applications experience:
  
  The XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron-S 23mm f/5.6 is the highest quality super wide lens available.
  
  The XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron-W 32mm f/4 is an exceptional quality wide-angle lens with a large image circle and almost no distortion.
  
  The XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron-W 70mm f/5.6 is a normal focal length lens with impeccable image quality and a large image circle.
- The XT Camera System takes full advantage of Rodenstock lenses with 24mm of shift on both the X and Y axis. The shift movement allows the photographer to correct perspective distortion. It can also be used to create panoramic/stitched images at tremendous scale/resolution. The XT Camera Body intelligently integrates the shift position in the image file for later refer
Availability and Pricing

The XT Camera System is available now through Phase One Partners worldwide: www.phaseone.com/partners.

The Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price for the XT IQ4 150MP Camera System, including a lens of your choice, is $ 56,990

All camera systems are sold with a 5-year limited warranty, including unlimited lens actuations for the warranty period.

For more information, please go to: www.phaseone.com/XT or book a demo on: www.phaseone.com/xt-demo
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
September 11, 2019

Influential photographer Robert Frank passes away at 94

This Super 8 footage, shot in 1971, would later be repurposed for The Rolling Stones 1972 album Exile on Main Street.

Legendary Swiss-American photographer, filmmaker and artist Robert Frank, who is best known for his 1958 book The Americans, as well as his behind-the-scenes work with rock band The Rolling Stones, passed away from natural causes on September 9th at the age of 94. His death, which occurred at the Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital in Nova Scotia, Canada, was confirmed by his gallerist and longtime friend Peter MacGill.

Frank was born in Switzerland on November 9, 1924. He emigrated to the United States in 1947, after releasing his first hand-made photography book, 40 Fotos, landing in New York City where he secured employment as a fashion photographer for Harper’s Bazaar. He also started hanging out with an eclectic crowd that included Beat Generation poet Allen Ginsberg and On the Road author Jack Kerouac. Kerouac provided the introduction to Frank’s seminal photography book The Americans.

If you call Robert Frank a documentary photographer, you’re missing the point. He was an artist, even when his images masqueraded as documentary. Still, this is a good obituary, especially if you think his career ended after he published The Americans. https://t.co/zcninBfY2Y

— John Edwin Mason (@johnedwinmason) September 10, 2019

The collection of 83 black-and-white photos, captured on a cross-country road trip that began in 1955, with a Leica 35mm camera, exposed the neglected aspects of American life. In an era that glorified family values, clean-cut figures, and a booming postwar economy, Frank’s dark, grainy imagery was subversive. While The Americans was not well-received initially, its eventual success would present a level of notoriety that made him uncomfortable.

As a result, Frank pivoted to creating experimental short films and autobiographical documentaries. This would lead him to develop a relationship with one of the world’s most notorious rock bands, The Rolling Stones. The group commissioned him to create photos for their 1972 album, Exile on Main Street. Thrilled with his work, they invited him to shoot a documentary about their return to America and supporting 1972 concert tour.

The Rolling Stones were thrilled with Robert Frank’s work for the cover of their 1972 release, Exile on Main Street. However, they would go on to block the widespread release of his documentary Cocksucker Blues.

The resulting work, titled Cocksucker Blues, exposed rampant drug use and escapades including excessive orgies that the band deemed unflattering for their image. A restraining order was put in place to limit where and how often the documentary could be screened. It was ultimately shelved in favor of the documentary Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones which consisted of strictly on-stage footage.

Upon hearing of Frank’s passing, The Rolling Stones posted the following statement on their Facebook page: ‘We’re very sad to hear the news that the visionary photographer and filmmaker Robert Frank has died. Robert collaborated with us on a number of projects including the cover design of Exile On Main Street and directed the Cocksucker Blues documentary. He was an incredible artist whose unique style broke the mould. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.’

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Robert Frank has passed away at 94. As one of the key figures in postwar American art, Frank has never wanted for recognition. Few works in the history of photography have landed a punch as woozying as that book, “The Americans.” An unconsoling portrait of his adopted country, the 83 photographs in the book are a record of the Swiss-born Frank’s on-the-road travels in 1955 and 1956. It is a country of empty highways and drained faces in barrooms, divided by race and income. Frank’s people seem bereft, beaten. It’s a portrait by an outsider identifying to his fingertips with other outsiders. “In America, they had another tone, the pictures,” Frank told @nytmag in 1994. “One became aware of white cities, black people, no money, no hope. The noise. The violence. How brutal people were. A brutal country. Still is. And I began to be part of it.” Read the 1994 piece at the link in our bio. #RobertFrank photographed by @eugenerichardsphotography

A post shared by The New York Times Magazine (@nytmag) on Sep 10, 2019 at 7:28am PDT

In a poignant moment from his first video project, Home Improvements, created in 1985, he films his own reflection through a glass door and reflects on his method with the following quote: ‘I’m always looking outside trying to look inside. Trying to tell something that’s true. But maybe nothing is really true. Except what’s out there, and what’s out there is always different.’

‘I’m always looking outside trying to look inside. Trying to tell something that’s true. But maybe nothing is really true. Except what’s out there, and what’s out there is always different.’

Frank’s lasting impact includes being deemed ‘the father of ‘the snapshot aesthetic.’ His ability to create compelling images on-the-fly inspired influential artists including Jeff Wall, Mary Ellen Mark and Ed Ruscha. Critic Sean O’Hagan, writing for The Guardian in 2014, said The Americans ‘changed the nature of photography, what it could say and how it could say it. [ . . . ] it remains perhaps the most influential photography book of the 20th century.’

Frank experienced personal tragedy in his life. He lost his first daughter, at the age of 20, in a plane crash. Twenty years later, his son Pablo took his own life after suffering from schizophrenia. He is survived by his second wife, June Leaf.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

September 11, 2019

Sigma launches its ‘Classic’ Art cine lens line, announces development of PL to L mount adapter

Sigma has announced a new line of cinema lenses, a new collection of Art Prime PL mount lenses with Cooke Optics’ /I Technology communication protocol and the development of a Sigma-made PL mount to L mount converter.

As it previewed back in July 2019, Sigma has launched its new line of ‘Classic’ Art prime lenses for cinematography. These new lenses are identical in design to its standard Cine prime lens collection, but feature different lens coatings to help re-create the aesthetic of lenses from the 1950s and 70s. The video example below, provided by Sigma, helps to show off the more ‘classic’ look:

Despite the identical optical design to the standard Cine primes, these new lenses feature slightly slow T-stops due to the different coatings. These new lenses also feature Cooke Optics’ /i Technology, which allows the lens metadata to be directly recorded to the camera with every frame, even as it changes mid-scene.

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For better or worse, these lenses aren’t sold individually and are instead sold as a single ten-lens kit. So unless you’re a rental company or a happen to have six figures sitting around burning a hole in your pocket, these are probably out of reach for most film sets. The lenses will be available with the PL mount and ship by the end of 2019.

Speaking of Cooke Optics’ /i technology, Sigma’s existing Cine prime lens collection has been updated to include the additional metadata. The lenses will be sold separately from the previous version of Sigma’s Cine lenses, but not all hope is lost for those with the original version of the lenses. Sigma says:

‘For SIGMA customers who have already purchased a SIGMA PL mount lens, a new service to turn their lenses into /i technology compatible ones is under consideration.’

Lastly, Sigma has announced that it’s working on the MC-31, a PL mount to L mount adapter that can be used to mount PL cine lenses on Sigma’s own fp camera system and other L mount camera systems. Sigma doesn’t specify any information regarding pricing or availability for the MC-31 adapter.

State-of-the-art resolution meets the classic “look”

SIGMA CINE LENS welcomes a new series “FF Classic Prime Line” to the lineup. With cutting-edge technology, SIGMA’s new “Classic Art Prime” offers unrivaled expression for artists.

The SIGMA Corporation is pleased to announce the launch of “FF Classic Prime Line” as a new series in the SIGMA CINE LENS.

FF High Speed Prime Line has been offering the highest resolving power in its class, that is compatible with 8K shooting with large format sensors while achieving an outstanding compact design. Based on this product line, the FF Classic Prime Line incorporates more non-coated optical elements to achieve unrivaled expression.

It retains the high-resolution capability that SIGMA CINE LENS is well known for, and offers a unique combination of low contrast and artistic flare/ghost in the image. As with all other lenses from the FF High Speed Prime Line, it creates beautiful bokeh effects to improve creativity.

FF Classic Prime Line has implemented newly developed coatings on the glass elements and offers consistent T value across the lineup (14mm and 135mm at T3.2 and the rest of the lenses at T2.5). This will greatly contribute to the effective workflow in postproduction. Furthermore, it is compatible with the communication protocol of Cooke “/i Technology”, thus an ideal tool for shooting and editing with the latest technology, such as VFX. A special coating is implemented on the front and rear elements so that the lens durability is ensured as with all other cine lenses from SIGMA.

“Classic Art Prime” is a new solution from SIGMA that is required for the most advanced technology for classical expression. The “look” that FF Classic Prime Line can offer will enable cinematographers to explore new possibilities in movie creation.
From September 13th to 17th, SIGMA is going to display this new product at the IBC 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

SIGMA CINE LENS “Art Prime” Launch

A new /i Technology-compatible PL mount lens in the FF High Speed Prime Line

SIGMA Corporation (CEO: Kazuto Yamaki) is pleased to announce the launch of a new Art Prime PL mount lens that supports Cooke Optics’ /i Technology communication protocol in a latest addition to the SIGMA CINE LENS family for filmmaking in the FF High Speed Prime Line.

Optimized for large-format camera systems and 8K shooting, the FF High Speed Prime Line lenses deliver stunning image quality in a compact construction. A new addition to this prime lens lineup comes with electronic contacts that supports Cooke’s /i Technology communication protocol for Art Prime PL mount lenses.

By using an /i Technology-compatible cine lens with a cine camera that supports the same protocol, users can see and record lens metadata such as focus distance, focal length, and aperture. This helps streamline compositing in the post-production process. This is particularly suitable for the latest forms of filmmaking, such as VFX, that call for detailed shooting data.

Prototypes of this /i Technology-compatible FF High Speed Prime lens were used for shooting “Top Gun: Maverick”, scheduled to be released in 2020, showing that the new lens is already in commercial applications.

For SIGMA customers who have already purchased a SIGMA PL mount lens, a new service to turn their lenses /i Technology-compatible is under consideration.

A production version of this new product will be on display at IBC 2019, scheduled to take place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from September 13 to 17, 2019.

PL-L Mount Converter

Development of SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-31 announced

SIGMA Corporation (CEO: Kazuto Yamaki) is pleased to announce its development of SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-31, a converter that allows PL mount lenses to be used on L-Mount cameras.

By using SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-31, users can use PL mount cine lenses, which are widely used in the filmmaking industry, on the SIGMA fp and other L-Mount cameras.

A production version of this new product will be on display at IBC 2019, scheduled to take place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from September 13 to 17, 2019.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

September 11, 2019
Apple debuts iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro with ultra-wide camera

Apple has unveiled the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. All three devices offer a standard 12MP camera plus, for the first time on an iPhone, an ultra-wide 13mm camera module. In addition to those two cameras, the Pro models also provide a 12MP telephoto camera. The iPhone 11 provides a 6.1″ LCD ‘XDR’ display, with the 11 Pro and Pro Max offering OLED HDR displays measuring 5.8″ and 6.5″ respectively. All three displays support P3 wide color gamut and display of HDR video content.

All three phones offer a main 12MP ‘wide’ camera with a 26mm equivalent F1.8 6-element lens and optical image stabilization. It’s a new sensor, and Apple claims it offers ‘100% focus pixels’, which suggests a dual pixel sensor with split photodiodes.

The iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Max all offer a second 12MP ‘ultra wide’ camera with a 13mm equivalent F2.4 5-element lens, which provides a dramatic wide 120 degree field of view. A new feature uses the ultra-wide camera to show you what’s beyond the frame when using the main camera, helping you decide whether to switch the wider field of view.

The 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max continue to offer the telephoto camera of previous generations. This is also a new 12MP sensor paired with a faster F2.0 lens with optical image stabilization.

All three iPhones have upgraded video capability, with the rear cameras capable of 4K 60p footage with what Apple is calling ‘extended dynamic range’ (EDR). Optical and digital stabilization work in combination for smooth footage. The front facing camera can record 4K 60p video, and can also record EDR video at 4K 30p. It’s now easier to switch from shooting photos to shooting videos: in stills mode, simply hold down the shutter to start recording a video.

Like previous models, slow motion and time-lapse modes are available. Apple claims the Pro models have all three rear cameras calibrated at the factory, so you can quickly switch between lenses when recording video and retain the same look across all cameras.

The iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max will be available for pre-order this Friday and will ship September 20th. The iPhone 11 is the most affordable of the bunch starting at $ 699; the 11 Pro and Pro Max are priced at $ 999 and $ 1099, respectively. Apple says it will keep the XR in the current lineup for $ 599.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

September 11, 2019
5 Top Tips for Marketing Your Photography Business Successfully
The post 5 Top Tips for Marketing Your Photography Business Successfully appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

Marketing is something that often falls by the wayside for photographers. We push it aside when we’re busy, only to find the clients aren’t there when things slow down.

The best marketing efforts are those that are organic and purposeful. There is no quick fix. Promoting your work is not as simple as “build a website and they will come.” It takes consistency and effort to keep your name out there, no matter how long you’ve been in the business.

Here are my five top tips for marketing your photography business the right way.

1. Curate your online portfolio

As a professional photographer, you need an attractive, well-curated website to highlight your work.

Your website will brand you as either a professional or an amateur. It will serve as the first impression of you and your work. You need to pay attention to every detail, from the template you choose, to how your images flow together to create a cohesive narrative of who you are as an artist.

Put only your best work in your online portfolio, but try to approach your images as a potential photo buyer might. It’s easy to get emotionally attached to certain photographs, but sometimes your favorites are not the ones that are going to resonate with your target market. Create galleries that organize your photos into a grouping that make sense. Pay attention to the colors, shapes, and lighting that flow well together. Create an experience for the viewer as they move through your body of work.

If you feel you can’t see the forest for the trees when it comes curating your work, hire a photo consultant who can give you an unbiased and expert opinion.

Starting an online portfolio from scratch? You might want to choose a web builder made for photographers, such as Photoshelter or Format, as they also offer various tools to help sell and distribute images.

Squarespace is popular with a lot of photographers because of their beautiful, minimalist and modern templates. Wix is also another site that has improved in leaps and bounds in the last couple of years. It is highly customizable and unlike some of the other options, offers tons of different templates to choose from.

2. Print your work

The demand for digital imagery is huge, however, print is not dead.

If you’re a commercial photographer, having a print portfolio is essential for meeting with clients. Showing up at an agency meeting with an iPad to show your work will make you look like an amateur.

In the commercial and advertising world, agencies want to see how your images hold up in print because any flaws become much more obvious. It’s important for them to see how your work translates into print before they hire you.

Creating a top-notch portfolio can be very expensive, but there are several sites like Artifact Uprising and Blurb where you can have good quality photo books printed at a reasonable price.

If you’re looking for commercial work and want to work with ad agencies, design firms, or magazines, you’ll also need to send out printed promos to your target market three or four times a year.

It’s said that it takes an average of seven contacts with someone before they buy from you, so this tactic may not pay off immediately. However, never underestimate the silent watchers.

If you work on the retail level, such as in wedding photography or portraiture, it’s still useful to have printed work to show prospective clients. People love to see something tangible, something they can hold in their hands that will help them experience your work in a more direct way. The photographers who make a lot of money in these niches print out their photographs to show to clients in-person, which drives sales exponentially.

3. Create a quarterly email campaign

Do you have a ‘subscribe to email list’ on your website? If not, you should. Nothing converts like email. An engaged list is far more important than any form of social media. The changing algorithms and whims of companies like Instagram and Facebook can leave your business incredibly vulnerable if you depend on them.

By sending out a regular newsletter or a PDF mailer to your past clients and other relevant business contacts, you appear busy and relevant. Fresh content helps you connect to your audience.

Research whom you want to work with, and regularly make contact with them. Keep track of these contacts via a spreadsheet or CRM (customer relationship management), so you know who has received your previous mailing.

Hire a designer that can create a template for you. This will allow you to swap out pictures every time you do a new campaign with new work. Include your logo on the front and a short bio inside, along with your contact information. Alternately you can create a promo “newspaper” or magazine through a company like Blurb or Newspaper Club.

Your email promo should look as professional as possible. The email campaigns should go out to your target clients every quarter to keep you top of mind when they’re looking for a photographer.

Even if you send out printed promotions, you should also send out email campaigns.

Printed promotions are expensive, which means you can only send them out to a select group of people – your most ideal clients. But with email, you can send out a promotion such as a PDF mailer to hundreds or prospective clients.

4. Use social media strategically

Everyone is complaining about their love/hate relationship with social media, but if you’re using it for business, it’s non-negotiable. The keys to success are your perspective and using social media the right way.

It’s best to pick one or two social media channels and concentrate on bringing up your visibility there. Start by asking yourself what you want to achieve?

Do you want to:
- Drive traffic to your site?
- Connect with agencies and brands?
- Connect with potential brides or portrait clients?
Put aside time every day to post and engage with your target market by leaving thoughtful comments.

Know that the path from a “like” to any “purchase” is a really big leap. Social media should be part of a wider strategy of creating visibility and engaging with a community. It’s great to follow other photographers and support one another, but most of them won’t be your potential clients. Avoid the big time suck of social media and focus on the people that are likely to hire you.

5. Write a WordPress blog

I’m always going on about writing a blog. I think most photographers should have a blog.

One reason is that if you have a WordPress blog connected to your site, you can get a massive boost to your SEO. Updating the blog regularly will get you a higher ranking in search results.

Writing a blog will also help you connect with your audience and build trust. Your clients will feel like they have come to know you.

If writing is not your strong suit, you don’t need to write a lot. In fact, your posts should have lots of images instead. You can share about a family or personal branding session. You can share shots and a short narrative about the latest wedding you shot or write about how you recommend clients dress for their personal branding session.

However you decide to approach it, make sure that your content adds value for the people reading it.

To sum up

Marketing gets a bad rap. As an artist, you may feel like a used car salesman when you’re trying to sell your services. However, think of marketing as a way of putting yourself in front of people and letting them know you’re there.

The most successful photographers are those that demonstrate that they can add value and solve a specific problem.

By taking a more curated, thoughtful approach to promoting yourself, you’ll be able to build a business that stays strong in the face of trends and stands out amongst your competitors.

Do you have any other Tips for Marketing Your Photography Business? Share with us in the comments!

The post 5 Top Tips for Marketing Your Photography Business Successfully appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

Digital Photography School
September 11, 2019