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New video shows off what appears to be DJI’s rumored ‘Mavic Mini’ drone

We’ve already seen purported images and rumored specs of DJI’s impending compact drone. Now, a video posted to YouTube shows off what appears to be the same device detailed in the previously-reported photographs.

Originally posted to TikTok by a user of a closed Facebook group dedicated to DJI drone equipment and subsequently uploaded to YouTube, the 23-second video shows a drone that appears to be the rumored ‘DJI Mavic Mini.’ On the front of the light grey drone is a white DJI logo. The arms of the drone are collapsed in their stored position and appear to have the protective tape still wrapped around them. The front and bottom obstacle avoidance sensors can also be seen in the video as the drone is rotated around.

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Interestingly, the area of the drone where the camera/gimbal would normally be installed appears to be missing. As noted by DroneDJ, it’s unknown whether it’s ‘been removed or has not yet been installed on this particular drone.’ The battery door appears identical to the one shown off in the previous images we’ve seen and show the same placement for the USB connector and Micro USB port.

Between our last post and this one, a leaked spec sheet has also been revealed that appears to contradict the initial report that the impending drone will weigh more than 250g. According to the purported spec sheet, the drone will come in at 245g, putting it under the FAA’s weight limit for registration requirements. DroneDJ has shared a follow-up article detailing why this is even more likely be the case considering DJI’s statements at its May 2019 event titled ‘Elevating Safety: Protecting the Skies in the Drone Era.’

Whatever the case is, there’s a lot of smoke hovering around the DJI rumor mill. Now the question is how much longer before the flames are found?

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

August 17, 2019
Is the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R right for you?
Is the Panasonic Lumix S1R right for you?

Our full review of the Panasonic S1R is live, and in it, we go in-depth to cover the camera’s image quality, handling, autofocus and more. In this article, we’re going to take a straightforward look at how well-suited it is for some popular photographic use cases. And with a camera as capable as the S1R, there’s a lot to dig into:
- Landscape
- Travel
- Lifestyle and people
- Family and moments
- Weddings and events
- Formal portraits
- Candid and street
- Sports and wildlife
- Video work
Follow along as we take a closer look at what works well on the S1R for each of these types of photography, and what doesn’t.

Landscape photography

It should come as no surprise that the S1R is among our top picks for hardcore landscape shooters. After all, its sensor offers up a whopping 47MP of resolution, which should be enough on its own to satisfy most users. But, if for some reason you just want more, the S1R’s high-res mode gets you to a staggering 187MP. The S1R does this by using its moving its sensor to capture eight total frames, resulting in an image that has four times the standard resolution. Panasonic’s latest motion correction techniques are icing on the cake – they’re effective, and you can see a detailed look at them here.

Dynamic range is also an important consideration for landscape work, especially for those users photographing sunrises or sunsets. While the S1R’s sensor can’t quite match the absolute best full-framers in this area (which include Sony’s a7R series as well as Nikon’s D850), it’s a solid performer and will offer more than enough flexibility for most users.

The camera outputs very good JPEGs, and combined with in-camera Raw processing, you don’t need an editing rig to get good results

With those core considerations out of the way, let’s also take time to mention that the S1R is built extremely well, and both the camera body and the (very sharp) S-series lenses should stand up to the elements with ease. Battery life isn’t the best, but you can top up via the camera’s USB-C connection if you’re off the grid. The tilting screen makes for easy tripod work, and backlit buttons will help you out in the dark. Lastly, the camera outputs very good JPEGs, and combined with in-camera Raw processing, you don’t necessarily need an editing rig with you to get good results.

The biggest potential drawback to going on a wilderness hike with the S1R? Well, it’s pretty heavy, especially compared with its mirrorless peers. Whether that’s an issue is really up to you.

Landscape photo by Dale Baskin

Travel

As we stated in the previous section, the Lumix S1R is a bit of a bulky beast in the mirrorless world. So if you’re a world traveler that likes to travel light, well, you can probably stop reading now. However, if you’re the type of person for whom photography is the reason for your travels, or you’ve got a back-breaking history of carting a full-frame DSLR kit in your carry-on, well, the S1R has a lot to offer.

The S1R should handle whatever’s thrown at it – rain, dust, the occasional door frame, and so on

First of all, travel can be unpredictable, and the rugged nature of the S1R means it should handle whatever’s thrown at it – rain, dust, the occasional door frame, and so on. It outputs some seriously nice JPEG images, with great color, detail and noise reduction, so you can easily send those to your phone for instant sharing with your mates back home. You can also leave the wall charger with those mates back home, thanks to USB-C charging, and though the dual card slots are mis-matched, you can use one as a backup and thus forego a laptop and external hard drive if redundancy is a concern.

But what good is a camera without lenses? Thankfully, Panasonic’s 24-105mm F4 ‘kit’ zoom is a fantastic lens optically, and provides some great flexibility for all types of shooting. But – like the camera, it’s a bit bulky. You can always throw the newly announced Sigma 45mm F2.8 into your bag as well, if you want a lighter, more casual walk-around option.

Travel photo by Carey Rose

Lifestyle and people

Ah, lifestyle photography – the avid, influencing Instagrammer’s bread and butter. For taking polished photographs of people doing things, like reading what looks to be an empty diary next to a porcelain ocelot, the Lumix S1R is a worthy and full-featured option.

Of paramount importance here is connectivity, and the S1R’s wireless options work well. Plus, good JPEGs and in-camera Raw conversion mean you can easily get the results you want onto the internet in short order. Adding to the artsy appeal, the S1R’s full-frame sensor will allow for very shallow depth-of-field with the right lenses, if that’s your thing.

The S1R’s full-frame sensor allows for shallow depth-of-field with the right lenses,
if that’s your thing

But what good is all that if your images are out of focus? Well, not only does the S1R have lightning-quick single autofocus, but its Body/Face/Eye detection works well in continuous AF, and seems to minimize the distracting ‘wobble’ we see in the viewfinder when shooting in other autofocus area modes. Unfortunately, if you start to have too many detectable subjects in a scene, it can be awkward and frustrating to cycle between them.

Lastly, it bears mentioning that between Panasonic, Sigma and Leica, there’s a robust lens lineup for the S1R for all types of looks – though most of those lenses cost a pretty penny.

Lifestyle and people photo by Dan Bracaglia

Family and moments

So, you’re looking for a camera to capture fleeting moments of family and friends, and are considering the Lumix S1R for the purpose. The good news is that there’s a lot going for the S1R here – the bad news is that there a few things working against it as well.

I remember sitting down for breakfast with a friend at the bar of Jake’s Cafe in Ritzville, WA, and plonking the S1R down on the counter. The waitress looked at it, said ‘whoa,’ and looked at me like I was crazy. The camera also took up about the same amount of counter space as my subsequent plate of buttery calories, so it mostly lived under the counter, carefully tucked between my feet.

Do you really need 47MP images of your friends chowing down on their eggs? Probably not.

Again, the main issue with the S1R comes down to its relatively large size and weight. Sure, it’s not a Nikon D5, but to most people, it may as well be. Capturing fleeting moments means having a camera with you, at the ready, all the time. And frankly, there will simply be days, moments and events where you just don’t want to lug it with you. Sad but true. Plus, do you need 47MP images of your friends chowing down on their eggs? Probably not.

But let’s say you have bigger biceps than I, and a bigger tolerance for the attention the S1R brings. You’ll be rewarded with a solid ‘Auto’ mode for handing the camera off to novice users or family members, solid face detection for one or two subjects, excellent low-light performance for indoor or evening shooting, and the best video quality of all the high-resolution mirrorless bodies currently out there. Plus, the S1R is incredibly responsive in general operation, so you won’t miss a moment because you’re waiting for the camera. So if you do want to carry an S1R with you, it’ll have no trouble helping you capture memories and moments with ease.

Family and moments photo by Carey Rose

Weddings and events

Fun (and obvious) fact, the above image isn’t of an actual event, but it is of an actual event venue. Anyway. For those hardened wedding shooters who are used to having two full-size DSLRs and F2.8 zooms, the Lumix S1R’s size and weight won’t be huge concerns (though someday, your spine will go into open revolt against you for all that you’ve done to it). But truthfully, the S1R has a lot to offer wedding and event shooters.

The weather-sealing is great for when someone inevitably dumps a beer onto you as the dance party heats up

First let’s touch on the handling (pun!). The camera’s large, deep grip is comfortable, and makes it easier to handle large, fast lenses. The incredible array of external controls means almost any setting is at your fingertips, without having to jump into menus – the layout of the autofocus switches and buttons is a particular strong point. Also, the weather-sealing and robust build are great for when someone inevitably dumps a beer onto you as the dance party heats up.

Image quality is, as we’ve covered, superb, so no issues there. The dual card slots are mis-matched, but allow for redundancy. The camera’s interface allows for easy switching between stills and video, and the faster-than-average 1/320th flash sync speed is welcome.

But for a lot of wedding and event shooters, 47MP of resolution simply won’t be necessary, and will devour hard drive space. First-party flash options are a bit limited, and the on-camera flash AF assist lamp is a bright LED which will distract (or simply blind) your subjects. Lastly, the burst rate of 6fps with autofocus might be too slow for some shooters and some moments, and occasionally, you’ll find a mis-focused shot mid-burst. But overall, if you want or need the resolution, the S1R is a solid option for this type of photography.

Photo of plants by Carey Rose

Formal portraits

Formal portraits, whether studio-based or in a more natural setting, are no problem for the Lumix S1R. First off, the image quality: The S1R gives you expansive resolution, options for very shallow depth-of-field, and excellent color (including skin tones) right out of camera. The fast 1/320th flash sync speed is a nice touch, and single AF is very fast and accurate. Face and eye detection are effective for single subjects as well.

Eye detection will occasionally choose to focus on eyelashes, and not the pupil

On the other hand, before you get too excited about the 187MP high-res mode for portraits, be aware that you cannot use traditional strobes with it – you’ll need to use constant lighting thanks to the camera’s electronic shutter. Also, eye detection will occasionally choose to focus on eyelashes, and not a subject’s pupil. This might seem nit-picky, but remember, 47MP of resolution. You will see the difference. Lastly, Panasonic’s own-brand flash system isn’t terribly fleshed-out, but third-party options are plentiful.

If you’re a portraitist looking for your next high-quality body, the S1R could be just right for you.

Photo of Dan ‘I don’t like having my picture taken’ Bracaglia taken by Carey Rose

Candid and street

There are two key requirements for a camera to be good for street photography. The first is responsiveness – you need the camera to react at a moment’s notice, when the light’s just right, before your subject exits your composition. The second is subtlety, as you don’t necessarily want to call too much attention to yourself. Now, you only get one guess as to which of these the S1R falls short at.

Bingo – the S1R is big, with a lens lineup that is also almost universally big. When you carry the S1R around, people will look at you and think, “that person must be a photographer,” or “that person’s camera must take really great pictures,” or “that person is a creep.” It is a camera that will get you noticed, whether you want the attention or not.

The S1R will reward you with responsive operation

But if you’re in a big crowd, or a big city, you may yet be able to blend in despite the S1R’s imposing presence. In this case, the S1R will reward you with responsive operation, settings you can check on the top LCD, a touchscreen that tilts so you can shoot from the hip, and an option for a fully-silent electronic shutter. The connectivity will help you send a file off to a subject should you wish, and the weather-sealing means you don’t have to cut your photo walk short if the weather takes a turn.

Candid and street photo by Carey Rose

Sports and wildlife

The Lumix S1R isn’t our first choice for shooting sports and action, but that doesn’t mean the camera can’t do it. First of all, the 47MP of resolution may simply be overkill for most action shooters – but on the other hand, that gives you cropping flexibility in post. The grip makes it easy to handle big telephoto lenses (and Panasonic’s own 70-200mm F2.8 S Pro lens is coming soon), and the external controls make it easy to react to changing scenarios. If you choose to use the XQD card slot as your primary storage option, the buffer is deep, and for those on tight deadlines, the excellent out-of-camera JPEGs are sure to please.

Count on some images mid-burst to be slightly front-or-back-focused

But 6fps burst shooting with autofocus just looks awfully slow in this day and age, especially for capturing peak-action moments. The experience of using the S1R’s big, beautiful viewfinder is marred by a distracting ‘wobble’ and resolution drop when using continuous autofocus – which you’ll be using a lot when shooting sports. Also, count on some of those images mid-burst to be just slightly front-or-back-focused. It probably won’t matter for a thousand-pixel-wide web display, but if you’re the official team photographer shooting images for archival or print purposes, this may be a concern.

In all, you absolutely can shoot sports and action with the S1R (after all, you can shoot sports with an ancient Speed Graphic if you’re David Burnett). But if this is your main photographic calling, there are simply better options out there, and for a lot less money.

Sports and action photo by Carey Rose

Video

There are no bones about it, the S1R is the least video-capable of Panasonic’s new S-series full-frame cameras. But happily, our testing shows it to be the most video capable of the current crop of high-resolution mirrorless cameras. There’s something to be said for that.

Feature-wise, the S1R can shoot up to 4K/60p video, as well as 180fps high speed Full HD footage. There are a ton of customization options for separating settings between stills and video, and the in-body image stabilizer will smooth out your handheld clips. Body / face detection is the most effective way to track focus on people in video, the audio pre-amp is of good quality, and the camera shoots far longer than you’d expect on a single battery charge.

No other high-resolution camera body on the market can touch the S1R’s video quality and feature set

But being based around a high-res sensor, there are some compromises that had to be made in the Lumix S1R. 4K capture comes with a minimum 1.09x crop, which admittedly isn’t too bad. Cropping in further to Super35 will give you the absolute best 4K quality, but that’s quite a crop depending on your lenses. Generic autofocus ‘tracking’ is unreliable at best, and unlike the cheaper S1, there are no options for HLG or 10-bit capture.

But let’s say that high-resolution stills are your top priority, and you may occasionally need to do some video on the side. In this situation, the S1R is easily recommendable – no other high-resolution camera body on the market can touch its video quality and feature set.

The wrap

And that’s a wrap! If it isn’t obvious, the Lumix S1R is a camera we really enjoyed reviewing and using – even if it’s a bit of a bear to lug around. Our only real reservations concern its autofocus system and burst speeds – in this day and age of 10fps high-resolution competitors with hybrid AF systems, the S1R isn’t a great fit for those that need to shoot lots of sports and peak action. But for other professional photographers that want a serious, versatile, high-resolution tool, the S1R is easy to recommend.

To get all the nitty-gritty details on the S1R and its features and capabilities, check out our full review. Lastly, do you own an S1R? What do you like to photograph with it? What do you think of the camera overall? Let us know in the comments!

Read our full review of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
August 17, 2019
Weekly Photography Challenge – Wires

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Wires appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

This week’s photography challenge topic is WIRES!

Fré Sonneveld

Go out and capture absolutely anything that includes wires. It could be wires hanging off the side of a building, electricity wires, electronics, phone wires, washing lines, cable cars, chairlifts, wire fences etc. They can be color, black and white, moody or bright. Just so long as they include wires! You get the picture! Have fun, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Stella Caraman

Florian Wehde

Martin Fennema

Check out some of the articles below that give you tips on this week’s challenge.

Tips for Shooting WIRES

7 Steps to Create Street Photography Silhouettes

How to Create Powerful Silhouettes by Telling a Story

Photographing Buildings [Composition Tips]

5 Tips for Developing an Eye for Details in Your Photography

8 Quick Tips to Improve Your Photos of Architectural Details

The Ultimate Guide to Street Photography

The Ultimate Guide to Zone Focusing for Candid Street Photography

Weekly Photography Challenge – WIRES

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites – tag them as #DPSwires to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Wires appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Digital Photography School

August 17, 2019
The FAA is asking for input for its recreational drone test

Recently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted recreational drone pilots access to Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC). This removed a huge bottleneck for the pilots as they were extremely restricted on where they could legally fly. Understandably the public wanted to know if they’d be held to the same standards at Part 107-certified commercial remote pilots, who are required to pass a knowledge exam.

The FAA has officially responded by issuing a Request for Information (RFI) this week. They are currently looking to identify and work with stakeholders in the industry on the administration of a new aeronautical knowledge test for recreational drone pilots. Thanks to significant technological advancements over the past few years, operating a drone is relatively easy to the point where they can be flown safely with minimal knowledge. By updating Section 349 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, the government agency plans to educate current recreational pilots and bring them into the fold of safe, responsible small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) culture.

The amended law will require recreational pilots to pass this newly constructed aeronautical knowledge and safety test, to demonstrate they understand the rules. The FAA is currently developing the testing material with stakeholders.

The amended law will require recreational pilots to pass this newly constructed aeronautical knowledge and safety test, to demonstrate they understand the rules. The FAA is currently developing the testing material with stakeholders. They are currently looking for third-party entities, testing designees, to collaborate with on administering the knowledge training and test content across various FAA-approved platforms.

Testing designees should have the ability to reach the widest audience possible and also develop a standard electronic record that will be issued immediately to the pilot upon successful completion of the test. They will also provide necessary documentation, similar to what a newly-minted Part 107 remote pilot receives, that can be shown to the FAA or local law enforcement if required.

Those interested in participating are encouraged to review the RFI and respond by September 12, 2019.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

August 17, 2019
Arcane Photos is a decentralized, blockchain-based Google Photos alternative

A new blockchain-based service called Arcane Photos has launched as an alternative to Google Photos and other cloud-based options for uploading and storing images. The new service is a server-free decentralized solution offering users encryption to protect images from potential data breaches and other privacy issues.

Arcane Photos utilizes the Blockstack decentralized computing network to provide users with access to the new photo-storing service. In a post on Product Hunt, the product’s creator Walterion explained:

‘The most challenging part for us was designing a blockchain app that doesn’t look like a blockchain app! We wanted to make the transition from centralized to decentralized solutions as smoothly as possible. That is where Blockstack comes in to help us with a secure and decentralized authentication service, working on Bitcoin blockchain.Æ

Arcane Photos can be used in any modern web browser and is joined by free office products similarly based on blockchain tech. The service’s primary downside at this time appears to be a lack of options for purchasing more storage; 10GB won’t last long for users who store large full-resolution images.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

August 17, 2019
Video: How to upcycle old TVs and monitors into a natural-looking light source

Matt of YouTube channel DIY Perks has shared a video showing how old televisions and computer monitors can be repurposed to create a natural-looking light source that gives off a similar look to window light.

The 13-minute video walks through the entire process, with Matt taking the time to explain each step of the project and each element involved in upcycling an otherwise faulty display into a cheap, DIY light source.

A screenshot from the video showing the difference the fresnel lens panel makes in preventing light falloff.

One of the key components that makes the light coming from TV and monitor backlights look so natural is a fresnel lens. As Matt explains in the video, these fresnel lenses, combined with additional diffusers, helps to reduce the inverse square law.

The process itself is a bit cumbersome and will vary greatly from one TV/monitor to the next, but the basic principles seem to apply to most displays. You can either choose to re-wire the light source used in the original display or use Matt’s more convenient solution, which is to remove the original light source and put LED light strips in place so wiring and powering the setup is more convenient. Matt even links his preferred LED light strips, which have a decent CRI rating for the most natural-looking light.

A screenshot from the above video showing Matt reinstalling the diffusion panel in one of his upcycled light builds.

Unless you have the tools on hand, it isn’t likely an evening project, but it doesn’t appear to be too difficult either, especially considering similarly-sized light sources will come at a much higher cost than the DIY solution.

Of course, be sure to properly recycle any components not used in the rebuild to minimize waste.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

August 16, 2019
How be a Second Shooter at Weddings and Why it’s Important

The post How be a Second Shooter at Weddings and Why it’s Important appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

Getting started in wedding photography takes more than your camera gear. In order to really get an idea of what photographing a wedding is truly like, becoming a second shooter can be the perfect way to get you started.

Why it’s important to be a second shooter?

Getting started in weddings means that you should have a high level of photographic experience not only technically, like how to use your camera, but also what goes into photographing a wedding.

Second shooting allows you to shadow a photographer, photograph the entire wedding, and get real hands-on experience without having all the pressure fall on you to get every photo right.

A second shooter can get creative with angles, perspective, and photograph key guests at weddings.

Being a second photographer can also give you insight into the customer service aspects of weddings like keeping to a timeline, knowing what to expect if something goes wrong, and seeing how each photographer you second for handles the pressure.

As a second shooter, you can also determine if weddings and events are something you’d even like to pursue. You also don’t have the pressure of booking a wedding client and then not knowing what or how to go about photographing it or if you’ll even like it.

Working alongside an experienced wedding photographer can also let you in on industry tips and tricks that they’ve learned throughout the years. You can also ask questions and observe how they work at a wedding. This will help you when you start photographing events as the primary photographer.

Difference between second photographer and assisting

Although it may seem like there isn’t a difference between assisting and second shooting, there is. Assistants are just that. They assist the main photographer with anything from carrying bags and equipment, to helping with veils, styling, or running to grab something for a photo. An assistant is an extra pair of hands.

Assistants generally don’t help photograph a wedding. However, depending on the terms that the main photographer has set up for the position, sometimes you may.

A second photographer is someone who helps photograph a wedding in tandem with the main photographer. As a second shooter, you are usually responsible for photographing the in-between moments and get a different, more creative angle on photos.

Reach out to photographers

The first step in getting a second shooting gig is to reach out to photographers that inspire you, are looking for help on wedding days, or people you know who wouldn’t mind having an extra photographer at the wedding.

Your email can be simple and concise like:

Hello,

My name is ____________. Firstly, I love your work and it’s an inspiration to me as a new wedding photographer. I was wondering if you needed a second photographer at events, as I would love to learn the ropes before jumping into wedding photography full time. I have the following gear: __________. You can see my portfolio at www.yourwebsite.com.

Thank you so much for your time!

Your name.

Emailing a busy photographer a short and to-the-point email is best. They may say no, which is okay. You should respond with a thank you email along with the message that if they ever need anyone in the future, you are available. They can then keep your information on file should they need a second photographer in the future.

Also, there are many social media groups where you can look for second shooting jobs in your local area. Many photographers can hire on the spot just by looking at your website and gear.

Make sure to sign a contract

Second shooting with a contract is highly recommended. Not all photographers do this. However, you can draft one up for them just in case they don’t have one ready.

Include the details of the event, how long you’ll be second shooting, what you’re expected to cover, and finally, the delivery of the photos and payment.

Many photographers will want you to use your own equipment and will ask you what you photograph with. If this is the case, make sure to put this in the contract as well.

Just as an important note as well, when you second shoot, the images that you take may not be under your copyright. Most contracts will state that copyright belongs to the main photographer since their photography business is the one who was hired by the couple.

Often, second shooters get the candid photos during a wedding event, like this one above.

This means that you’re a subcontractor. Therefore any images you produce are copyright and property of the main photographer – even if you photograph the event with your equipment. Check your contract for copyright and usage rights, if any exist.

Gear

Some photographers want you to use their memory cards or even their gear. That way, they don’t have to worry about syncing times, converting raw files into the same format, or image delivery delays to the client.

Try and get a different angle than the main photographer so you can add variety, like these two images of the first dance.

Take your gear with you. Doing so gives the main photographer the choice to let you use your gear or their gear, or a mixture of both.

When you email the photographers, make sure you list all the gear that you know how to use at 100 percent. In the event you don’t know how to you use your flash in manual mode, for example, then put down “flash only in TTL mode.” This can help the main photographer know your photography experience and may even help you learn manual mode or another photography tip!

Be all-in

Being a second shooter means that you are there to help the photographer with photography. While some second shooters take this approach very seriously, I believe that second photographers should also be at the disposal of the main photographer – within reason, of course.

This means that you help fluff up the dress, put on the boutonniere, help with getting flowers to the bridesmaids, and yes, maybe handing the main photographer a lens or battery.

You’re a team, and it’s important to be all-in when you second. The main photographer is helping you gain experience and learn. It’s best that you also help as much as you can.

While the main photographer focuses on the couple, you can use your eye to focus on other key moments during the wedding!

Each photographer works differently, however. Showing initiative and being accommodating can also help you get more second shooting gigs in the future with the same photographer.

Take what works for you

Second shooting is really helpful because you get lots of experience with different photographers and get to observe all the different ways that each one works a wedding.

Perhaps you vibe best with one photographer and not so much with another. That is okay. Make sure to thank the photographer for having you along. Then, in the future, only go with photographers you have a good rapport with and like to be around.

Also, you’ll be able to take away tips and tricks that you feel work for you. If one photographer was excellent at customer service, take away what they said or did, and apply it to your business. Another photographer may have created a really interesting image during the reception that you can try at the next wedding event you have.

Take what works for you, your style, and your business and leave the rest. That’s one great thing about being the second photographer – you can observe all and still have fun photographing a wedding.

Payment

When you are highly experienced in photography and can create quality images every single time, you may get paid anywhere between $ 25-$ 50 or more per hour for second shooting. Some photographers also offer a flat rate for a set of hours.

If you’re just starting out, you might not get paid, but the experience is completely worth it. Getting your feet wet in the wedding photography industry is more important because you’ll find that weddings are a high-pressured, fast-moving, and a once-in-a-lifetime type of photography.

You don’t get do-overs, so second shooting is the best way to get experience without paying the price for unhappy clients.

That being said, definitely ask the main photographer before signing a contract what the payment will be. Then you can choose whether the pay is acceptable or not. You do have the choice to take on second shooting gigs for free if you wish or ask for a set rate.

Some experienced photographers help other photographers out and so their pay rate is higher. While others do it to flex their skills, practice, or just fill up their calendar in between jobs.

In conclusion

Becoming a second shooter is a lot easier than you would think. Reach out to photographers that you admire and spend time observing how they work. When you’re ready, you can then start to photograph your own weddings if you don’t already do!

Do you have any other second shooter tips? Share them in the comments below!

The post How be a Second Shooter at Weddings and Why it’s Important appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

Digital Photography School

August 16, 2019
Nikon announces US pricing, availability of its CoolPix W150 point-and-shoot

Four months after Nikon announced its CoolPix W150, Nikon has released availability and pricing information for the version set to retail in the United States.

As a refresher, the CoolPix W150 features a 13.2-megapixel 1/3.1” CMOS sensor with an electonically-stablized Nikkor 3x zoom lens (30-90mm 35mm equivalent) in front of it. The camera also features a built-in flash and a built-in two-stop ND filter for shooting in bright environments.

As with Nikon’s past W-series cameras, the W150 is waterproof (IPX8), shockproof (from 1.8m/5.9ft) and freezeproof (down to -10°C/14°F, or 0°C/32°F during underwater use).

On the rear of the camera is a 2.7” 230K-dot LCD display used to navigate the menu and compose/review images captured with the camera. Nikon has included 18 different scene modes with the camera in addition to dedicated underwater and underwater face framing features that will automatically correct color casts caused by shooting underwater.

The W150 features Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for wirelessly transferring images to mobile devices via SnapBridge to a connected smartphone or table. Charging is done via the onboard Micro USB port.

The CoolPix W150 is set to ship in September 2019 and is currently available pre-order starting today for $ 169.95 (Adorama, B&H). Nikon is offering a white, blue, orange, pink floral and tropical variations, but U.S. customers are limited to the white model.

Press release:

The New CoolPix W150 – The Waterproof and Shockproof Camera the Whole Family Can Enjoy

From beach vacations and pool-side getaways, to hiking trips and camping expeditions, the family- friendly COOLPIX W150 was made to capture one-of-a-kind moments on every adventure

MELVILLE, NY (August 14, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. EDT) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the U.S. retail availability of the COOLPIX W150, the latest rugged yet family-friendly compact digital camera. Thanks to being both waterproof and shockproof, the COOLPIX W150 allows users to easily capture and share unforgettable moments on every adventure, vacation or get-together. The W150 boasts an extremely easy-to-use design, sharp image quality and variety of unique scene modes, making it a great travel camera for the whole family.

With a 13.2-megapixel image sensor, 3x optical zoom and full HD video recording, the COOLPIX W150 offers the flexibility to easily capture both stunning still images and Full HD videos, wherever life takes a person. Even those who have never used a camera will immediately be comfortable snapping shots due to the simple menu system, 2.7-inch 230-k dot LCD screen and Target Finding autofocus, which allows for easy detection and focus on the primary subject.

Built to capture memories, the COOLPIX W150 is waterproof up to 10m (33 feet), shockproof from 1.8m (6 feet) and freezeproof up to -10°C (14°F). Additionally, the COOLPIX W150 is equipped with a variety of scene modes and editing functions, allowing users to explore their creativity and create fantastic photos, even underwater. Users can also seamlessly upload to their phone wirelessly for sharing, all with the Nikon SnapBridge app.

Price and Availability

The COOLPIX W150 in white will be available in the U.S. in early September 2019 at a suggested retail price (SRP)* of $ 169.95. For more information on the latest Nikon products, including the new COOLPIX W150, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

August 16, 2019
Report: The next GoPro will shoot 4K 120fps video, offer screen, light and mic accessories

Photo Rumors, citing sources based in China, is reporting a number of specs for the next generation of GoPro action cameras and has a set of purported images of the unreleased device.

According to Photo Rumors’ information, the action camera — expected to be called the GoPro Hero 8 — will be announced in September 2019.

The updated action camera is said to feature a new design with an optional housing that features cold-shoe mounts on the top and side for attaching accessories. Photo Rumors specifically mentions microphone, LED light and screen accessories. The leaked renderings show off the LED light and screen accessory, the latter of which appears to have a USB-C port on the side of it.

In terms of specs, Photo Rumors is reporting the action camera will be able to shoot 4K video at 120 fps and Full HD at 480 fps, all powered by a 12-megapixel sensor and GoPro-designed GP2 chipset. It’s also said the camera will feature an improved lens design for better image quality.

As with all rumors, the specifications should be taken with a grain of salt, but the renderings look identical to past product images from GoPro and the specifications do align with the incremental improvements GoPro has made over the years to its action camera lineup.

Image credits: Image via Photo Rumors, used with permission

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

August 16, 2019
Leica announces APO-Summicron-SL 50mm F2 L-mount lens

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Leica has announced its APO-Summicron-SL 50mm F2 lens, which is designed for the L-mount system. The lens is smaller, lighter and, as you’d expect, cheaper than Leica’s F1.4 variant.

The 50mm F2 has twelve elements; three are aspherical and eight use an anomalous partial dispersion (APD) design to reduce chromatic aberration. Dual stepping motors can move the focus elements from their minimum focus distance to infinity in 250ms, according to Leica. The minimum focus distance is 0.35m (13.8″), with a 0.2x maximum magnification.

The lens is sealed against dust and moisture, and an ‘Aquadura’ coating prevents water from collecting on the front element.

The APO-Summicron-SL 50mm F2 lens is now available for $ 4495.

Official sample photos

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Press Release:

The Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50 mm f/2 ASPH. Brings Ultimate Image Quality and Versatility to the SL Lens Portfolio

The newest, all-purpose Leica lens and next milestone for the 50 mm focal length

August 15, 2019 – Leica Camera sets an even higher benchmark for the Summicron-SL family with another top-flight lens: the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50 mm f/2 ASPH. Often seen as the standard focal length for full frame cameras, this new 50 mm promises a level of performance high enough to demand a spot in the gear bag of any photographer looking to take advantage of the L-Mount system. Whether the task at hand is travel photography, studio work, architecture, landscape, portrait or documentary photography, the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50 mm f/2 ASPH. is the new go-to L-Mount lens, delivering results that satisfy even the most discerning photographer.

The new APO-Summicron-SL 50 mm f/2 ASPH. consists of twelve expertly designed lens elements – three of which have aspherical surfaces for correcting optical aberrations – arranged in 10 groups, to achieve ultimate image quality. This lens allows photographers to seamlessly capture natural skin tones, smooth bokeh, outstanding contrast and consistent sharpness from corner-to-corner of its distortion-free images. The APO-Summicron-SL 50 mm f/2 ASPH. keeps chromatic aberrations in check by utilizing apochromatic corrections, where it earns its “APO” designation. This ensures that all colors of the light spectrum are accurately passed through the lens and fall on the same focused point on the camera’s sensor, so the photographer can know that they will get maximum detail in all situations without optical artifacts like distracting green or purple color fringing. To accomplish this, nearly all elements used in the construction of the lens are made from specially formulated, high-quality glass types for the highest possible light transmission. The end result marks an advancement in imaging performance with the venerable “Leica look” and signature rendering.

The thoughtful construction of all Summicron-SL lenses pays special attention to the prevention of stray light and reflections. The optical and mechanical design coupled with high-quality lens coatings serve to maintain the exceptional quality expected from a Leica lens. With their effective weather sealing against dust, moisture, and water spray, combined with an Aquadura coating of the exposed lens surfaces preventing water from beading, the Summicron-SL lenses can be confidently used in most extreme weather conditions.

The autofocus drive of all Summicron-SL lenses employs powerful and robust stepping motors with DSD® (Dual Syncro Drive™). The entire focus range of the lens – from close-up to infinity – can be fully traveled in just about 250 milliseconds to ensure spot-on focus that keeps up with moving subjects. Summicron-SL lenses also take an innovative approach to manual focusing technology, featuring a totally new focus ring construction. With this new method, a ring magnet with alternating polarization is embedded in the manual focusing ring along with a sensor that monitors the status of the magnetic field. The magnetic field changes its polarity when the ring is turned, and the sensor transmits the pinpoint details of user input that drives the focus. This intricate process happens near-instantaneously at the simple turn of the focus ring, enabling even faster and more precise manual focusing with a nicely dampened and weighted feel. The photographer can quickly access the finest manual focus micro-adjustments when they need it, right at the reach of their fingertips

Thanks to the L-Mount standard, the new APO-Summicron-SL 50 mm f/2 ASPH. is also fully compatible with cameras manufactured by partners of the L-Mount Alliance who use the lens mount developed by Leica. The APO-Summicron-SL 50 mm f/2 ASPH. is on sale now at Leica Stores, Boutiques and Dealers for $ 4,495.00.Leica has announced its APO-Summicron-SL 50mm F2 lens, which is designed for the L-mount system. The lens is smaller, lighter and, as you’d expect, cheaper than Leica’s F1.4 variant.

The 50mm F2 has twelve elements; three are aspherical and eight use an anomalous partial dispersion (APD) design to reduce chromatic aberration. Dual stepping motors can move the focus elements from their minimum focus distance to infinity in 250ms, according to Leica. The minimum focus distance is 0.35m (13.8″), with a 0.2x maximum magnification.

As one would expect from Leica, the lens is sealed against dust and moisture, and an ‘Aquadura’ coating prevents water from collecting on the front element.

The APO-Summicron-SL 50mm F2 lens is now available for $ 4495.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

August 16, 2019