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

11 Sep

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)

 
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Phase One announces new XT camera system

11 Sep

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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)

 
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Influential photographer Robert Frank passes away at 94

11 Sep
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.

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

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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)

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

11 Sep

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)

 
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Apple debuts iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro with ultra-wide camera

11 Sep

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)

 
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5 Top Tips for Marketing Your Photography Business Successfully

11 Sep

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.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.

5 Top Tips for Marketing Your Photography Business Successfully

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.


top-tips-for-marketing-your-photography-business-the-right-way

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.

5 Top Tips for Marketing Your Photography Business Successfully

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.


5 Top Tips for Marketing Your Photography Business Successfully

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.

top-tips-for-marketing-your-photography-business-the-right-way

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.

5 Top Tips for Marketing Your Photography Business Successfully

 

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!

 

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


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How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels

10 Sep

The post How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.

There is nothing quite like when you sell a travel story to a magazine. Seeing all your hard work in print gives you a great sense of satisfaction. Editorial work has changed a lot over the past few years, and you must prepare yourself for some rejection. However, if you follow this simple process of selling a story, and don’t give up, you will reap the rewards.

Also note, once you have built up a few relationships with editors, things get simpler. Once editors know and trust you, they will be far more receptive to your pitch for a story.

How-to-Sell-a-Travel-Story

Publication research

Once you have an article idea, it’s always a good idea to research the type of magazines that may be interested in printing your story. Magazines differ significantly from one another. To give your story the best possible chance of publication, aim to pitch it to the right place.

For example, if your story is about walking, then pitch it to magazines that specialize in hiking or outdoor activities. Go to your local shop and flick through the magazine you intend to pitch to and see if it would be the right fit.

Also, research their submission process. Many publications have clear guidelines on how to submit work.

Image: An example of a travel article in 360ºMagazine by Jennifer Bell.

An example of a travel article in 360ºMagazine by Jennifer Bell.

Find a fresh angle

When you have your list of possible publications, ensure your story is fresh and unique. You don’t want to pitch ideas that are the same or similar to articles already recently published.

Most publications publish their articles on their website too, so check that what you are pitching is different. Also, remember to check upcoming articles as well. It may be that your article idea is set to feature in the next few issues.

The publication’s media pack is usually a good place to search for this sort of thing.

How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels

Destination research

Now that you have your angle and a list of preferred publications, it is time to research your topic. Researching your topic is one of the most important aspects of any shoot, and one rarely mentioned when discussing selling a story to a magazine. Many photographers will have you believe everything just comes together out in the field. But the reality is very different.

If your story is on the best museums in a certain city, then make sure you have a list of the museums you plan to visit. Write down everything from the best times to be there to the most important exhibits. If your angle is about hiking, then plan your walk to factor in the best times at viewpoints for photography.

The more you research, the better your shoot will be.

How-to-Sell-a-Travel-Story

Prepare for rejection

If you want to be successful in any industry, you have to accept rejection along the way. Even as a pro with years of experience behind you, not every pitch will be successful. If only it was…

The key is not to take rejection personally. Don’t let it discourage you from pitching a different story to the same publication. If you are lucky and the editor gives you some feedback, take note of their suggestions, and work on these areas. Never get angry or burn your bridges with anyone as you will have an impossible task to win them round again.

How-to-Sell-a-Travel-Story

Shoot plan

Once you’ve got your angle and completed your research, its time to start putting a shoot plan together. Your shoot plan should be more than just a list of locations – think of your shoot plan like an encyclopedia of your shoot. Include anything relevant like opening times, best times to shoot (sunset/sunrise), and logistics of getting to your required shoot locations.

Make a note of other potential locations you can visit. It’s also worth putting together some contingency ideas in the case of bad weather or unforeseen closures. The key to a good shoot plan is to make it as easy as possible to capture the shots you want to take.

The last thing that you want to be doing is rushing around, wasting valuable shooting time.

How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels

Image variation

The reason that a shot list is so important is it ensures you cover the shots that you need to capture, and will also give you variety. Your images should include a range of details, people, buildings, landscapes/cityscapes, food, and anything else that would be relevant to your story.

The more variation and options you can provide an editor, the more chance you will have of selling your story.

How-to-Sell-a-Travel-Story

Tell a story

The big difference between a story and just documenting a place is the story you are trying to tell. You want to try to make sure your piece isn’t just a photographic list of places. The key is to take the viewer on a journey with you. It is also important to take notes of all the necessary information that accompanies your story. People’s names, places, names of food dishes – you never know what might be needed.

The final piece should be a coherent story that has a variety in the shots.

How-to-Sell-a-Travel-Story

The pitch

Some people prefer to pitch their idea before embarking on their journey. While this is a safe option in regards to knowing you wouldn’t be wasting money unnecessarily unless you already have a relationship with an editor, it can be difficult. Even if an editor does like your idea, it is very unlikely they will offer you a commission straightaway. Any agreement will usually be on a speculative basis so they will not be under any obligation to buy your article afterward.

I personally believe you are best to pitch a finished piece that’s ready to go to press. Whatever approach you decide to take, the pitch is the most crucial part of the process. You’ve put in all that hard work and investment, so it’s important to get your pitch just right so you make a great first impression.

Your email should be direct and well thought out, showing off your knowledge of your subject. It should be backed up with the credibility required to give the editor confidence in you and your work. Take your time composing your pitch email and run it by friends and family for feedback. It’s okay to send a follow-up email a couple of weeks later but don’t keep pestering the editor. If you haven’t heard back after a couple of emails, assume it hasn’t been successful.

How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels

Submission

If you do get that great bit of news that your story has been accepted, make sure to follow all submission guidelines. Otherwise, your piece will more than likely be rejected. Your text should be proofread to avoid any spelling or grammatical mistakes. Even if you are just providing images, typos make you look unprofessional.

The majority of publications will also have strict guidelines for images, so be sure to follow these. It’s a good idea to read these before you start your edit as there will usually be guidelines on color space, sharpening and even cropping. Many publications prefer to do this in-house.

How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels

What next?

So you’ve sent your pitch and nothing even after the follow-up. You can either try another publication or go back to the drawing board with a different story. However, even if your story has been successful, be sure to go back with other ideas. Even if it takes time, going back to the same editor might be a little easier now that they have seen your work.

How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels

Publications have limited space for freelance photographers to pitch stories. Inevitably there is also a huge amount of competition for any available space. The best way to give yourself a chance is to really research the publication and pitch something that would be too good for them to turn down.

Do you have any other tips about how to sell a travel story to a magazine? If so, share with us in the comments below!

 

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The post How to Sell a Travel Story to a Magazine and Help Fund Your Travels appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.


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Huawei Kirin 990 mobile chipset launches with improved image signal processor

10 Sep

Last week Samsung announced its new top end mobile chipset Exynos 980 with a range of new imaging capabilities. Now it’s rival Huawei’s turn. At its press conference at the IFA trade show in Berlin the Chinese company revealed its new system-on-a-chip (SoC) that will likely power upcoming high-end Huawei devices, including the Mate 30 Pro which is expected to launch on September 19th.

Like for the the Exynos, one of the Huawei’s Kirin 990 chipset’s new stand-out features is the integration of 5G modem. Huawei says the Kirin 990 will provide peak download speeds of 2.3 Gbit/s and upload of 1.25 Gbit/s.

Of course there’s also an integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that will be tasked will all sorts of AI-applications and Huawei says the new chipset will be more energy-efficient and deliver more power for mobile gaming aficionados.

Mobile photographers will be more interested in the new Image Signal Processor ISO 5.0, though. The company says it’s 15 percent more powerful than its predecessor for faster image and video processing, and also comes with ‘professional-level’ hardware noise reduction. In addition, real-time video post-processing and rendering is based on AI segmentation and is capable of adjusting color parameters frame by frame for optimized video color.

We should find out in just over a week how the new chipset performs in an actual device.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The Polaroid Lab turns your digital smartphone photos into analog instant prints

10 Sep

Polaroid Originals has introduced the Polaroid Lab, a new instant printer that will turn your digital smartphone photos into instant prints.

The Polaroid Lab appears to be a rebranded version of Impossible Project’s Instant Lab released back in 2013, but offers a few new features and brings a retro-inspired design.

Like the Instant Lab, the Polaroid Lab uses your smartphone’s screen as a projector of sorts to capture the image on an instant photo. The process requires you to download the Polaroid Originals app on your Android or iOS smartphone. Once downloaded, images can be selected and edited before prepping them for their analog conversion.

Three lenses and multiple mirrors inside the Polaroid Lab take the image on the screen and focus them on any Polaroid i-Type film. When the red button on the base of the Polaroid Lab is pressed, the image is transferred to the instant film and ejected from the device.

The Polaroid Lab features an internal battery that’s rechargeable via Micro USB. Polaroid Originals says it supports iOS devices running iOS 11 or newer going back to the iPhone 6S and Android devices running Android 7 or newer for the current devices from major manufacturers.

The Polaroid Lab will retail for $ 129.99 / EUR €129,99 / GBP £119 when it ships. Polaroid Originals says the Polaroid Lab is ‘coming soon’ but fails to provide specifics beyond that. For more information, visit the Polaroid Originals’ website and sign up to receive more information on the Polaroid Lab as it’s released.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Hands-on with the Phase One XT camera system

10 Sep

Introduction

Phase One has just unveiled their new XT Camera System, which uses the same IQ4 digital backs as their XF system, but in a much smaller and lighter overall package. Phase One is billing the XT system as a ‘field camera,’ explaining to us that, while the XF system is really about ultimate image quality in a studio environment, the XT is about making it easier to achieve that quality beyond the studio.

Let’s take a closer look at the components of the XT camera system and how it handles.

The XT camera

Although Phase One likes to use ‘back-to-basics’ as a phrase to describe the entire XT camera system, it’s the impressively slim XT camera itself that is perhaps most representative of this philosophy. The IQ4 digital backs mount to the rear of the camera, and a series of new Rodenstock lenses (which are attached to the company’s new ‘X-Shutter’ mechanism – more on that in a bit) mount to the front, using a standard Cambo mount. You can see the electrical contacts here that control that shutter, and also communicate shooting data between the lens and the camera.

The XT camera also allows users to quickly switch from landscape to portrait orientation, thanks to a tripod plate mounted on a grooved track (visible here on the right of the camera) that allows the whole system to rotate 90 degrees without leaving the tripod. If you like, you can remove the tripod foot altogether.

There are only three control points on the XT camera – one which you can easily see here, is that bright blue shutter button at the top left. The others are…

Lens shift knobs

…shift-knobs, seen here as the textured tumbler on the top of the camera. These will adjust the Rodenstock lenses by as much as 12mm up, down, left and right. There is another of these knobs on the rear of the camera (not visible, but just below the thumb in the photograph), and they principally allow for the correction of perspective distortion while shooting, but could also aid those shooting with high-megapixel stitched panoramas in mind, as well.

Lens shift knobs

Here, you can see one of this early prototype camera’s lens-shift display windows, as well as a peak of that second shift knob. These show you how far you’ve currently got the lens shifted. This value is saved into the EXIF data for the files, for later reference.

So, on the XT camera, you have the dual-action shutter button and two shift knobs – how do you go about controlling the rest of the camera?

The digital back

As is already an option for users of Phase One’s XF system, the touchscreen interface on the company’s IQ4 lineup of digital backs becomes absolutely key when using the XT system. They provide a robust live view display to aid in composition, and also include helpful exposure aids, such as Raw clipping indicators. You also have full access to the system’s menus, and from there, you can enable the new Automated Frame Averaging feature, which we’ll be looking at in greater depth in a separate article.

The rear touch-sensitive display also allows for adjustment of all exposure parameters, including aperture (there’s no aperture ring on the Rodenstock lenses). Speaking of rings on lenses…

Manual focus only

…the XT system is manual focus-only. Here, you can see the manual focus ring for the Rodenstock 32mm F4 lens – it’s very well-damped and very smooth, and we’d expect the same on the other lenses offered. Of course, manual focus generally precludes the use of the XT system as a fast, reactive photographic tool for moving subjects, but Phase One is…unfazed…by this reality. The company has stated that it’s really aiming the XT system at high-end landscape and architectural photographers that will likely use smaller apertures for greater depth-of-field, and for whom focusing using the rear screen and its in-built focus aids is an expected way of working.

Of course, there will probably be users who will take their XT system out as a ‘carry-around’ kit for shooting just about everything, just as there are users who currently do the same with the much-bigger XF system.

The X-Shutter and ebony grip

This brings us to the new X-Shutter mechanism, shown here protruding between the mount and the lens barrel. Phase One tells us that their experience in industrial applications informed this new unit’s construction.

The X-Shutter is electromagnetically controlled, and allows for shutter speeds from 1/1000 sec to 60 minutes, and is tested for a minimum of 500,000 actuations. There are 5 rounded aperture blades, all made of carbon fiber.

Oh, and last but not least, you can get a nice view of the XT’s grip in this image. It’s made of ebony, and is one of very few non-metal components on the camera.

The wrap

And that’s it for our quick hands-on tour of Phase One’s new XT camera system. The Phase One XT is the second example we’ve yet seen of modular medium format makers embracing the possibility of mirrorless cameras.

With the exception of the Pentax 645D and Z, most medium format systems have been based around modular backs that attach to camera bodies that contain an SLR mirror and viewfinder mechanism, along with the mechanism required to fire the shutter.

In the digital era, most of the camera functions and, increasingly, the ability to preview the image, have migrated from the camera body to the camera back. A move to a mirrorless design further reduces the role played by the camera body, to the point that it becomes almost a back-to-lens adapter with a shutter button.

Whether encouraged by the acceptance of the mirrorless approach by the rest of the market or as a by-product of a generation of large CMOS sensors with usably-fast live view, it’s interesting to see both Hasselblad (with its 907x) and Phase One recognize how minimalist a ‘camera body’ can be.

What do you make of the brand-new XT camera system? Let us know in the comments!

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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