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  • Chinese camera cuts through smog to record details almost 30 miles away

    In this illustration (a) shows the distance between the camera and the target on a map of Shanghai, and (b) shows what the target building actually looks like. Image (c) is the view of the target through the smog of the city, while (d), (e) and (f) show earlier technologies attempting to record the target. Image (g) is the result of the researcher’s improvements

    Researchers in China have created a camera that can record through the atmospheric pollutants of Shanghai to pick out objects just 60cm (2ft) high at a distance of 45 kilometers (28 miles). The ‘camera’ uses laser technology to fire light of a specific wavelength at a distant object and then uses a sensor to record the light when it returns so it can produce a picture that shows shapes with some distance information.

    The project is being carried out by scientists at the University of Science and Technology of China in Shanghai, who have so far been able to record the form of a distant building with enough resolution to show the windows. The picture is technically a photograph, but not quite as we would expect to record with a normal visible light camera. The idea of the research is to produce an instrument that can ‘see’ further than is possible using visible light, and to be able to see in conditions visible light can’t get through.

    At top left you can see the actual set-up of the LiDAR camera mounted inside the telescope, while the diagram top right shows what’s going on inside.

    The scientists mounted a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) camera inside a Cassegrain mirrored telescope and fired a near-infared (1550nm) beam from the top of a building on Chongming Island in Shanghai towards the K11 skyscraper 45km away in the centre of the city. As the scientists knew the distance and the speed of the light they were using they were able to calculate when it would return and thus isolate the image forming light from any other stray light in the scene.

    An illustration showing how different methods of image extraction can be used to yield a more detailed image.

    The quality of the image recorded is hardly going to serve for holiday pictures, but outlines, shapes and forms can easily be seen even when the atmosphere was too thick for visible light. The technology will be useful for seeing when we can’t see – through clouds, atmospheric haze and smog and for security surveillance.

    This shows how the researchers are using distance information from the LiDAR to create depth maps of scenes that can hardly be seen with the naked eye

    The researchers say they can improve the resolution and the range of their invention, and that they will be able to create 3D images in the future. Already with the range defining abilities of the LiDAR system they can incorporate depth and distance information into their images.

    You can read the research paper as a PDF online.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Ricoh GR III review

    Introduction

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    Silver Award

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    Jump to conclusion

    The Ricoh GR III is a compact 24MP APS-C format camera with a 28mm equivalent F2.8 lens. The third in a series of APS-C ‘GR’ compacts from Ricoh, the GR III has been a long time coming, but updates the GR II in some highly significant ways. Several Ricoh representatives have described the GR III to us as a ‘labor of love’ – keep reading to find out whether the work of the company’s engineers has paid off.

    Key specifications:

    • 24MP APS-C sensor
    • 18.3mm (28mm equivalent) F2.8 lens
    • 3-axis in-body SR stabilization system
    • On-sensor phase detection autofocus
    • Ultrasonic sensor cleaning
    • 3″ 1.04M-dot touch-sensitive LCD screen
    • Anti-aliasing filter simulation
    • Optional 21mm equivalent GW-4 wide adapter lens
    • 1080/60p video
    • USB 3.0 (Type C) enables in-camera charging

    Ricoh took its time with the GR III. The original GR was announced a full six years ago, and the intervening GR II was such a minor update that Ricoh felt compelled to reduce its MSRP by $ 100 less than a month after it was introduced.

    The GR III is a major update to the GR and GR II that preceded it. The resolution increase from 16-24MP was expected (and overdue) but the addition of sensor stabilization, a touch-sensitive screen, and the removal of the built-in flash make the GR III a very different photographic tool, albeit one that should feel instantly familiar to GR / II fans.

    The GR III is available now for $ 899: $ 100 more than the introductory price of the GR II in 2015 (and $ 200 more after the GR II’s rapid MSRP reduction three weeks after it launched).

    What’s new and how it compares

    The GR III might look very similar, but it’s a significant update over the GR and GR II. Find out more about what’s new.

    Read More

    Body, handling and controls

    The GR III’s control layout has been completely overhauled compared to its predecessors, with fewer external controls and the addition of a touchscreen. What difference does this make?

    Read More

    Shooting experience

    They say the best camera is the one you have with you – should you take the GR III on your next excursion?

    Read More

    Image quality

    The GR III’s 24MP APS-C sensor is at least a generation newer than the sensors in its predecessors. How does it stack up against modern competitors?

    Read More

    Video and Performance

    The GR III is primarily a stills camera, but we thought we should check-in on its video features and see how the autofocus behaves.

    Read More

    Conclusion

    For most photographers, the GR III makes a good camera even better, but there are some caveats.

    Read More

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • KONO! launches new 35mm Original Mirage film stock and Original Sixpack

    European analog photography company KONO! has announced a new film stock called Original Mirage. This 35mm C-41 200 ISO pre-exposed color negative film offers ‘two awesome colors at once,’ according to KONO!, which has added the product to its ‘Original’ line.

    Images captured on the Original Mirage film experience a distinct color shift from warm to cool; when the environment is bright, KONO! likens the color shift to ‘a warm, late summer day’ that, in the same photo, transitions toward a late day likeness in which the ‘colors get more prominent and richer.’ Below is a collection of sample images captured on the new Original Mirage film:

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    In addition to the new Original Mirage product, KONO! now offers an Original film bundle containing six film products in the series: Original Sunstroke, Original Moonstruck, Original Monsoon, Original Candy, and Original Galaxy. The new Original Mirage film is included in the six-pack bundle for free.

    A roll of the 24-exposure Original Mirage costs $ 14 USD; the KONO! Original Sixpack is available now for $ 67 USD.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Try this DIY Neutral Density Filter for Long Exposure Photos

    The post Try this DIY Neutral Density Filter for Long Exposure Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.

    You could buy an expensive ND filter to make a long exposure image like this. Or, you could do it “on the cheap” with the trick you’ll learn in this article. 162 seconds f/8, ISO 100

    You’ve seen those landscape photos where the water has been rendered silky smooth, ocean waves look more like fog, or the clouds have streaked motion effects?  How are they done?  They are long exposure photos. The shutter speed often measured in full seconds rather than fractions of a second.  Some even measured in minutes of exposure.  In low light, you can sometimes slow your shutter speed by decreasing the aperture size and setting the ISO as low as it can go.

    Of course, if you’re working in bright light, you may find that even with the smallest aperture and lowest ISO you still can’t get the shutter speed slow enough to produce the effect you want while still maintaining proper exposure.  What can you do then?  It’s time for a Neutral Density Filter.

    So what are they, how do they work, and how can you achieve a similar effect without immediately laying down about $ 100 U.S dollars for one?  Read on my friend.

    This one was done with a variable ND filter. With a 30-second exposure, whatever moves will blur. Note the water and clouds.

    What is ND and why use it?

    On a bright sunny day, you may reach for a pair of sunglasses to reduce the amount of light coming into our eyes.  A Neutral Density (ND) Filter is much the same for your camera.  The “density” part of that term refers to how dense or dark the filter might be.  The “neutral” portion of the term refers to the coloration the filter might add to the image.

    If we’re making color images, we’d like a filter that would help reduce the amount of light while remaining neutral in color and not putting a color cast on our images.  So we want a neutral filter that can cut the light in situations where the ambient light is too bright to get a slow shutter speed beyond that obtainable with a combination of the lowest ISO and smallest aperture.

    A 6-stop ND filter was used here. 30 seconds, f/20 ISO 100

    Types of ND filters

    The DIY approach to long exposure photography to be discussed here uses a method never initially designed for photography but will allow you to give this technique a try “on the cheap.”  Rather than spend around $ 100, it’ll cost you a tenth of that.  Before I reveal the “secret,”  let’s first talk about the commercial photographic ND filters you might buy.

    Camera filters typically fall into two types:

    Screw mount – Those that screw into the filter threads on the front of your lens

    Square filters – Those that are mounted to the lens with a filter holder.

    Both are available in varying degrees of density.  How dark the filter is, is typically described in how many “stops” of light it reduces compared to an exposure without the filter.

    For example, if you made a proper exposure at ISO 100, f/5.6, 125 seconds, and then after the filter was mounted, you needed to slow the shutter speed to 1/2 second to get the same exposure, (assuming you left the ISO at 100 and f-stop at 5.6), that filter would be a 6-stop ND filter.  (1/125 – > 1/60 -> 1/30 – 1/15 -> 1/8 -> 1/4 -> 1/2 second ).  The density of the filter would have reduced the amount of light by 6-stops.

    You can purchase both screw mount and square filters in various “strengths” or number of stops they reduce the light.

    For example, this 77mm screw-mount 6-stop ND filter made by B&W runs about US$ 71, while this popular 10-stop square mount ND filter, the Lee “Big Stopper” is at this writing US$ 129.00.

    A variable ND might work, but take it too far…

    …and you’ll get weird artifacts.

    Variable ND Filters – Another type of ND filter uses two polarized filters mounted together so they can be rotated in a way that produces variable density.  One might think this is a better solution than a fixed ND filter, allowing the photographer the means of adjusting the desired stops of reduction.

    That would be ideal, and it works – to a point.

    The problem with variable ND filters is sometimes they can produce nasty “artifacts” that spoil the image, especially on wide-angle lenses at higher density settings with less expensive variable ND filters.

    More expensive variable ND filters will be better, but of course, cost even more.

    The “One Weird Trick” ND filter

    You’ve seen that “one weird trick” phrase used on the web before, right?  Usually, it’s for a gimmick that is less than a quality product.  I confess, what I’m going to suggest here is a bit of a gimmick and no, won’t deliver the results of the pricier dedicated photography ND filters.  You have to perform a few workarounds to get it to produce decent results and mounting it to your camera will be a little… “funky,” shall we say?  The upside is, it will probably cost about 1/10th of what a true photographic ND filter.

    So, it could be a nice introduction to long exposure photography, while allowing you to explore this technique on a budget to see if it’s for you.

    So here’s the big reveal…

    What you are going to use is a piece of welder’s helmet glass.

    You’ve seen welders wearing helmets while they work and perhaps noted a glass “window” they look through to observe their work?  The intensity of arc welding is so great that without a way to darken the welding spark the welder would be blinded.  So, a piece of very dark glass, a “density filter,” is what they have in their helmets.  The common denominator is the welder wants to darken the welding arc and you, as a photographer, want to darken the light coming into your lens.

    These aren’t spacemen. They are welders and that piece of glass you see in their helmets is what you need for this “weird trick.”

    What and where to get it

    What you are looking for is a piece of welding glass used in a helmet.  Pieces can be purchased alone, (as replacements for the helmets) and in various sizes and “grades.”  You might have a local welding supply shop where you can get these or purchase them online.  Here is a link to an example. The glass measures 4.5″ x 5.25′ (114.3 mm x 133.35 mm) which is large enough to cover most camera lenses.  It comes in grades 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, and 14 with the higher numbers being darker/denser.

    This chart may help you in determining the conversion from “grade” to the amount of f-stop reduction:

    To keep it simple, most often you will use a 6-stop or a 10-stop ND filter.  One popular brand of ND filters is Lee. Their “Little Stopper” is a 6-stop filter, and their “Big Stopper” is a 10-stop filter.  So consulting the chart, if you wanted a 6-stop welding glass filter, get a Grade 6, and for a 10-stop reduction, get a Grade 8.

    The left half of this shot shows how the uncorrected image looks due to the heavy green color of the welder’s glass. The right has been white-balanced using the custom white balance method discussed.

    Density Yes, Neutral… not even close

    This is probably the biggest drawback to using a piece of welding glass as an ND filter.  You can get very dark pieces of welding glass, so density isn’t a problem.  The problem is that most welding filters have a very pronounced green, or in some cases, gold color cast.

    Dedicated photography ND filters may have a little coloration, but try to come as close to neutral as possible.  You will pay more for more neutral filters as you’d prefer to get darkening without coloration.  So what to do when using a welding glass filter?

    Three options to dealing with the color cast

    There are three things you can do to help reduce the distinct coloration a welding glass filter causes:

    • Shoot in Raw, (which you do anyway, right?) and adjust your white balance when editing to compensate.
    • Set an in-camera Custom White Balance
    • Plan to make your images monochrome where color casts won’t be a problem.

    Let’s discuss these options.

    The first is simple enough.  Yes, when you review your images after shooting on the camera LCD they will look very green.  (I’ve only used the green welder’s glass, not the gold).  Just know you will be adding lots of magenta, (the opposite of green), to your white balance when you edit.  Even then, good color may be a struggle.

    Rather than fight the color cast, maybe monochrome is the ticket when using the welder’s glass ND trick.

    The second option, setting a custom white balance, is a good idea.  To do so, mount your welding glass filter, (more on that in a minute) and make an exposure of the sun or bright sky.  Then, using the custom white balance function of your camera, (consult your manual on how to do this), store that image and white balance on it, creating a custom white balance you can use to shoot with when using your welding glass filter.

    The advantage of this is image playback on your LCD will be closer to a normal color.

    Additional tweaking will likely be needed in post-processing, but this may help you a bit when shooting.

    The third option, (and to me maybe the best) is not to fight the color cast and plan to make your welding glass filter shots monochrome.  Long exposure images have an “ethereal” look often enhanced in a monochrome image.  So, rather than fight trying to restore good color from that alien green image, embrace monochrome.

    If you decide you love long exposure photography, you will then likely buy a photographic ND filter which will make much better color shots.

    Calculating your exposure

    Before mounting your welding glass on your lens, you will want to compose your shot as usual.  You will also want to obtain good focus.  Do this first, because you won’t be able to see much of anything with the welding glass mounted.

    Once focus has been obtained, switch the focus to manual.  Consider putting a piece of tape on the focus ring so it won’t move later.

    Now make a shot with good exposure without the filter.  You will be changing your shutter speed once the filter is mounted, so choose an aperture and ISO.  What setting you choose will depend on the depth of field you require and also how long you’d like your exposure to be.  The slower the shutter speed you set here (while still getting a proper exposure), the longer your exposure can be with the filter.

    Your subject will largely dictate your desired exposure length and the look you are trying to achieve. A silky waterfall might only require a 2-second exposure while smoothing ocean waves could take 30 seconds and streaking clouds in the sky a couple of minutes.  There is no formula here – trial and error will help you learn what works right.

    The monochrome version of this shot above was done with the welders’ glass and an exposure time of 1.6 sec. This shot was taken later when the last rays of sun lit the turbines and also used 1.6 seconds. Too short a shutter speed and the blades were frozen. Too long and they disappeared. 1.6 seconds was the “sweet spot.”

    Using an app to calculate shutter speed with the filter

    Your meter will likely be useless once you mount the welding glass ND filter so you will need to calculate shutter speed yourself using the previous exposure information as a starting point.  There are numerous smartphone apps available to help you.  I like the one made by Lee Filters (Android / iOS ). Made for use with their Little (6-stop)/Big (10-stop)/Super (15-Stop) filters, you will need to tweak a bit when using it with your welding glass. However, it will get you in the ballpark, and you can adjust from there.

    Let’s use an example:  You’ve made a shot without the filter and with the ISO set at 100 and the aperture at f/22 you can get the shutter speed down to 1/15th of a second and make a proper exposure.  You bought both a Grade 6 (6.67-stops) and Grade 8 (10-stops) pieces of welding glass.  What will your new shutter speed need to be with each filter installed?  Using the Lee app, we can see the 6-stop reduction would put us at between 4 and 8 seconds and the 10-stop reduction at 1 minute.

    Again, plan on using these adjusted settings as starting points.  Try them and adjust your shutter speed (or possibly other settings) as needed.  Definitely plan on taking multiple shots as you get things dialed in.  Long exposure photography is not something you do in a hurry.

    It’s funky, but it works. Reverse the lens hood and use rubber bands to attach the welder’s glass filter.

    Attaching the welding glass filter

    You’ve set up the camera, composed, focused, locked everything in, calculated your new shutter speed and are ready to mount the welding glass ND filter.  I think I used the word “funky” earlier in the article to describe how you will attach your DIY ND filter to your lens.  The photo here, showing how reversing the lens hood on your lens and then using rubber bands pretty much depicts the technique.

    Something to improve it a bit – put some black gaffer tape on the edges of your piece of welders glass.  This will give the rubber bands a surface with more friction to grab onto.  (It also helps you in hanging onto the glass).  I’m not sure if the edges of the glass would transmit light onto the image, but the tape will also prevent that should it occur.  If your lens doesn’t have a hood to reverse, try larger bands which will allow you to stretch them back around the camera body.

    Try not to disturb the focus ring as you mount the filter.  You will not be able to check focus again once the filter is in place.

    Set your focus BEFORE mounting the filter and turn the switch to Manual focus (MF)

    Making the shot

    With the welder’s glass filter mounted, you will pretty much be “flying blind.”  You will not be able to see anything through the viewfinder, and maybe, if your filter isn’t too dark, you might be able to see just a little bit using live view if your camera supports that.  You better have composed and focused before mounting the filter as you can’t see to do it now.  Your meter will also not work with such low light.

    While you could use the 2-second timer to trip the shot, I’d suggest a remote release.  You will also definitely need one if you’ll be making exposures over 30-seconds (on most cameras) in which case you will be putting your camera in Bulb-Mode.

    A release that allows you to lock the shutter open during the exposure will help a lot here.  The Lee exposure calculator app also has a countdown timer.  Activate it when you open the shutter and it will countdown and beep at the end of the calculated exposure time telling you when to close the shutter.

    If your shutter speed will exceed 30-seconds, you will probably need to use bulb mode. A remote release is a good idea in such cases.

    You may also want to consider using the noise reduction feature of your camera.  Noise can be a problem with long exposures.  The noise reduction feature will make a second black frame image the same length as your first shot and then subtract any random noise or hot pixels from your image using the black frame as a reference.

    Keep in mind, however, that the black frame exposure will be as long as the original shot so if you are, for example, making a 2-minute exposure, your camera will be busy for four minutes.  I told you, you don’t do long-exposure photography in a hurry.

    No filter. A straight shot – 1/25 sec. f/8 ISO 100

    Back in post-production

    You edit your long exposure images much as you do with any regular shot with the big exception of that crazy color cast.  There are lots of web resources that tell you how to help correct for that cast so I won’t spend time on that here.  Just know that with this welding glass technique you will never get the color as good as you would without the filter.  I still believe that monochrome is the way to go here.

    Using the welder’s glass ND. Custom white balanced in the camera, color corrected again in Lightroom and Photoshop. 162 seconds, f/8 ISO 100. The monochrome version is at the top of this article.

    Frustrations and limitations

    I’ve since bought a real ND filter, the 6-stop B+W I mentioned, so my welding glass hasn’t seen much use until I got it out to make this article.  In making the wind turbine shots, I found what I think, (after some comparison testing), is a Grade 10 glass, very dark but still not dark enough to make even a short 1.6 second shot, (the shutter speed I determined was best to get the hint of motion I wanted on the turbine blades.)  Longer exposures simply caused the blades to disappear entirely.

    A side note here: long exposures can be a great way to make a crowd disappear when photographing a busy cityscape.  The people move and so disappear during a long exposure while the static buildings and such stay put and show up in the photo.

    Trying to darken the shot further, I put a polarizer on the lens, (dropping the exposure 2-stops), and then stacked the welder’s glass ND over that.  It wasn’t a good combination.  Too much, as the British say, “faffing about,” and I likely knocked my focus off slightly.  Also, shooting through both the polarizer and the welding glass put too much “cheap glass” between the camera and the image, so the sharpness suffered.

    A straight shot with no filter. 125/sec. f/22 ISO 100

    A second trip to the Boise River provided an opportunity to see how a long exposure would depict the fast-moving spring runoff.  I was able to use much longer exposures here, a few just over two minutes.  I also made a 30-second exposure with the sun in the shot, something that wouldn’t have been possible with no filter even with the minimum ISO of 50 and the smallest aperture of f/22.  Shooting long exposures in bright light is a big reason for using an ND filter.

    A shot directly into the sun, and a shutter speed of 20 seconds, probably isn’t possible without a strong ND filter. I calculate the Grade 10 welder’s glass used here to give about 13-stops of light reduction. 20 seconds f/14 ISO 100

    When to buy a real ND filter

    You may find the welder’s glass technique a fun way to dip your photographic toe in the waters of long exposure photography.  If you find you enjoy it and like the kinds of images you can make, save up and buy a good ND filter.  However, if the technique is interesting, but not really your bag, then you will have discovered that having only spent a few dollars on your welder’s glass DIY version.

    Either way, you will learn much more about creatively using your camera controls to make exciting photos and that’s what it’s all about.  Learn and enjoy!

     

    The post Try this DIY Neutral Density Filter for Long Exposure Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.


    Digital Photography School

  • Adobe informs users that using old versions of CC apps could lead to lawsuits from third parties

    Last week, Adobe informed Creative Cloud subscribers that programs older than the two most recent version releases would no longer be available to download. Now, Adobe has sent out an email warning subscribers that continuing to use older software could put them at risk of getting sued by third parties.

    Below is a transcription of the text sent to a number of Creative Cloud subscribers:

    Dear Valued Creative Cloud Customer,

    We have an update to share with you regarding Creative Cloud version download availability. For customers who have not yet updated to the latest version of Creative Cloud, please note that you are no longer licensed to use certain older versions of the applications or deploy packages containing these older versions. We ask that your organization discontinues all usage of the unauthorized products listed in the table below, and instead update to the authorized versions provided. You will continue to receive all the value that Creative Cloud has to offer, but with more advanced features, capabilities and security. Please be aware that if you continue to use or deploy the older, unauthorized versions of Creative Cloud, you will not have third-party claim coverage pursuant to your contract with Adobe. Should you continue to use or deploy these unauthorized versions, you may be at risk of potential claims of infringement by third parties.

    Here’s what to do next:

    • If your users have self-service access to Creative Cloud via the CC Desktop App, you should encourage them to upgrade their software.
    • If you package and deploy products to your users, then you should go to the Adobe Admin Console and create new packages from the versions available
    • If you are still licensing with a serial number, you should continue to create packages using Creative Cloud Packager
    • Finally, we advise that you un-install unauthorized versions and delete pre-existing packages to prevent future accidental deployments.

    Adobe’s Customer Support organization is available to answer any questions about upgrading your Creative Cloud software. Please contact them directly should you have any questions. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause and thank you in advance for your cooperation.

    Sincerely,
    The Adobe Team

    Below is a list of the unauthorized versions of software addressed in the message:

    Photoshop: CC 18.1.6 and prior, CC 17, CC 16, CC 15, CC 14, 13
    InDesign: CC 9, 8
    Premiere Pro: CC 11, CC 10, CC 9, CC 8, CC 7, 6
    Media Encoder: CC 11, CC 10, CC 9, CC 8, CC 7, 6
    After Effects: CC 14, CC 13, CC 12, CC 11
    Animate: CC 16, CC 15, CC 14, CC 13, 12
    Audition: CC 6, CC 5, CC 4
    Lightroom Classic: CC 6, CC 5, CC 4
    Bridge: CC 7, CC 6
    Prelude: CC 6, CC 5, CC4, CC 3, CC 2, 1
    SpeedGrade (has been discontinued): CC 9, CC 8, CC 7, 6
    Captivate: Captivate 2017 (10.0.0)

    Based on the information provided in the email, as well as previous complaints filed by third parties, it sounds as though the licensing agreement Adobe had for technologies inside select Creative Cloud programs has run out with whatever entities it was licensing it from.

    It’s unknown at this time what specific technologies were licensed and who they were licensed from, but as Apple Insider has noted, Dolby may very well be one of the companies, as it sued Adobe last year for copyright infringement. Specifically, Dolby’s complaint claimed Adobe was under-reporting how many Creative Cloud subscribers it had, which affected revenue from the licensing fee it negotiated and agreed upon with Adobe for its audio encoders and other software technologies.

    DPReview contacted Adobe for comment on the message that was sent out as well as more details on the matter and below is the response we received:

    Adobe recently discontinued certain older versions of Creative Cloud applications. Customers using those versions have been notified that they are no longer licensed to use them and were provided guidance on how to upgrade to the latest authorized versions. Unfortunately, customers who continue to use or deploy older, unauthorized versions of Creative Cloud may face potential claims of infringement by third parties.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • New York Times Lens photo blog will enter ‘temporary hiatus’ starting in late May

    The New York Times photo blog Lens will go on a temporary hiatus starting later this month, the publication’s Director of Photography Meaghan Looram announced to staff in a note that has been shared on Facebook. Looram praised the photo blog, saying it ‘set out to showcase work that risked getting lost in the digital blizzard.’ However, Looram notes, ‘Lens was founded during a different era,’ and it seems it is time for the photo blog to evolve.

    Looram’s note explains:

    ‘Lens was founded during a different era. Digital platforms were presenting new challenges to the industry, and Lens provided one of the few dedicated showcases for photography. But since then, the means of consuming photography have changed and expanded. We believe that this is the perfect time to take stock of and celebrate what Lens has achieved and to give serious thought to how to better position Lens for the future.’

    The photo blog isn’t ending, but will instead return as an updated offering that better suits present needs. ‘We want Lens to evolve into an unrivalled source for those who want to read about and think about photography,’ Looram said. The team plans to solicit ideas from readers regarding ways to reinvent the brand as ‘a dynamic space to highlight more of the incredible photography that all of you produce on a daily basis.’

    Looram concluded her note, stating:

    ‘There will be time to celebrate Lens and its wonderful run. In the meantime, a final nod to the creators, producers and caretakers of Lens: What an extraordinary thing you created and produced for a decade. You have our deepest admiration and gratitude. Onward.’

    Though Lens is temporarily ending, Looram notes that The NYT is still accepting pitches and the annual New York Portfolio Review that Lens helped launch will continue in the blog’s absence.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Adobe is sending out beta signups for its upcoming Photoshop for iPad

    At Adobe MAX in October 2018, Adobe teased Adobe Photoshop CC for iPad, a full-fledged version of Photoshop specifically designed to be used on the iPad’s multi-touch screen. Now, Adobe is apparently sending out emails to certain Creative Cloud subscribers inviting them to sign up for a beta version of the program.

    Adobe routes signups through a Google Forms page, which asks for just three pieces of information: your email, your full name and the reason you want to try Photoshop CC for iPad. What isn’t clear is when invitations will actually be sent out and what all the first beta versions will include.

    Adobe Photoshop CC for iPad will be the most thorough and powerful photo editing application Adobe has ever brought to iOS, complete with full multi-layer PSD support, a full Photoshop toolbar, filters, masking, adjustments and Creative Cloud sync so everything stays organized across devices.

    We have contacted Adobe for more details regarding the beta invites and beta versions of Photoshop CC for iPad and will update the article accordingly when we hear back.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • How to Achieve Cool Urban Cityscapes

    The post How to Achieve Cool Urban Cityscapes appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mark C Hughes.

    Cool Urban Landscapes through post-processing

    Creating an emotional response

    How you present your images can really affect one’s emotional response to them. Certain styles of image lend themselves to stylistic changes because they can create a specific emotional response when the viewer sees them. For example, film-based black and white images, when done well, present a sense of timelessness and can make things seem more serious. Similarly, high dynamic range images (HDR), when done well, can add “pop” to landscape photography. One particular style of image that lends itself to stylized treatments through post-processing is urban landscapes. Particularly if you are trying to make an already interesting image look more appealing based upon the lighting already present.

    Crushed black and blown highlights on a street scene

    Gritting and moody

    Similar to black and white images, a high-contrast, selectively saturated look works well to create urban landscapes with a gritty and moody feel.

    Using filters for effect

    Nowadays, smartphone and some consumer cameras, have a great deal of pre-packaged stylistic treatments available that you can apply to photographs to try to evoke an emotional response. Someone, somewhere, has spent a great deal of time creating those filters to make your images feel as though they are from a different time or place.

    For example, the classic 1970s snapshot look is full of color shifts and light leaks. They were common at that time because of the use of unstable film stocks and cheap cameras. Digital cameras don’t suffer the same issues that were present at that time. So, to simulate these conditions, adding light leaks and color shifts can make images feel vintage. There are many filters out there – each with their own effects.

    Lit up Las Vegas

    Make your own filters

    To put the idea of emotional response to images in context, think about a familiar treatment that you are probably already aware of: black and white images. These photographs are rarely just images with the color drained. Good black and white images are contrast-rich with deep blacks and bright whites. The grey middle ground of many images can lose their impact when drained of color. Many black and white films had specific response curves that created the contrast-rich images. So now, with digitally-captured images that are black and white, they can appear a little sterile and plain. Adding high-contrast effects and grain to simulate film black and white tends to create an emotional response and mood.

    To improve as a photographer, most people start, at some point, to try to take a more artistic approach to their images. Many newer photographers may start with simple prepackaged filters and presets, and apply them to their images. Currently, there is no end to the filters available in pretty much any photo sharing application and many cameras. From terms like “cool,” “50s,” “vintage,” and “grunge,” all these filters are stylizing the image for an emotional effect. Instagram was built on filters. People are very used to stylized images.

    Old Montreal

    Creating your own style

    Becoming a better photographer involves the deliberate use of styles to create your desired effect. You may find there are particular filters you gravitate towards; styles that evoke an emotional response you like.

    This is the beginning of finding your own style of image making. As you advance, you might explore manipulating images with Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Skylum Luminar or some similar program.

    When you get to the point where you are working with and creating your own filters, you create your style. You can start by playing with filters or dissect other photographer’s images that you really like to see if you can recreate that style.

    Surprisingly, creating set styles in many photo imaging software packages is quite easy. It allows you to recreate your style and apply it repeatedly to multiple images.

    Notre Dame in Montreal

    Create your filter

    Let’s consider the urban, gritty look for urban landscapes.

    Here are two treatments of the same image, split for comparison. On the right is the Straight Out Of the Camera (SOOC) jpeg and on the right is the treatment with the blacks crushed, highlights blown, oranges highlighted and an almost selective color approach.

    It is easy to create for yourself with whatever tweaks you like to create a style for yourself.

    Comparison of straight out of the camera to the final product

    A word of warning is necessary at this point. When you start stylizing your images with intentionally weird effects, you may generate some negative comments from people who don’t like the look you create. This does not mean you have failed to create something interesting. However, it means you have generated an emotional response to your image by someone who doesn’t care for that look.

    Remember that some people find that they can only validate their work by diminishing others. Whereas, most find growth in encouraging others to take risks with their art. A true artist picks their vision and follows it. Sometimes it can be a bumpy road if you are only expecting validation from others.

    It is important at some time for you to consider yourself an artist and not just a recorder of images.

    All art is about creating an emotional response. Beyond capturing a moment, it is how that moment makes you feel. Emotional responses can be positive or negative.

    Atwater Market in Montreal

    It turns out this crushed-blacks, blown highlights, contrasty, desaturated, and the almost selective color look isn’t that tough to create for yourself. However, for this particular effect, you may do some damage to your photos by intentionally making some parts too black and other parts too bright.

    So let’s look at the images I think work for this type of treatment. Shots typically taken at dusk/night, with artificial illumination present, add interesting artistic character for the urban landscapes shot.

    Use a Raw Image Processor or Lightroom

    I use Adobe Camera Raw to do most of the edits to these images, but you can use Lightroom or any image processing software to create a similar style. My suggestion is you modify and tweak it to your liking to get the desired effect.  The tools are similar, but just in different places. Also, even though I process these images with a raw converter, you don’t have to use a RAW image (although that is always the best starting point) and can use a JPEG or DNG file.  The treatment will look very similar.

    To start, open your image with the raw converter.

    Opening up the Raw Processor

     

    With your raw converter, you have access to many parameters that act globally on your image.

    Change the sliders as shown on the panel below.

    Specifically, you want to make sure you have the desired white balance (it may be fine from what your camera selected, or you may want to resample).  You want to up the Contrast hard, more than you probably have done previously to make those hard edges at the light and dark parts of your image. You then do two things that seem contrary – you are going to pull the details out of the shadows (increase the Shadow slider) and make the Blacks blacker (crushing the blacks).

    Finally, boosting the Clarity increases the midtone contrasts, boosting the Vibrance boosts the midtone colors and toning down the Saturation prevents them from looking too candy-colored.

    Here’s my panel for example:

     

    Adjustments for the effect

    Once you have made a look that you like the effect of, you can make this a repeatable look by creating a user preset.

    Switch to the presets tab and then make a new preset.

    You will be prompted to add a preset name. Pick something relevant to your style and save it. Next time you pull up an image (or multiple images) in your raw processor, you can simply highlight them all and apply the presets at once.

    How to save the effect

    A lot of these settings may cause parts of your image to clip. The crushed blacks mean that much of the detail in the blacks disappear. The boosted colors lead to clipped highlights. However, in the end, that’s okay because that is the desired effect.

    Here’s a Pro-Tip: All those presets you can buy for Lightroom and Photoshop essentially do a version of this. You can create those presets if you have the time and the inclination to do it yourself. By doing it yourself, you create an image style that appeals to you.

    Edmonton Skyline

    Conclusion

    Art is about evoking an emotion. Sometimes photographers try too hard to make an image that looks too lifelike and loses emotional impact. You can create urban landscape images that are moody and gritty by making them dark with blasted colors and blown highlights. It also opens doors to other types of manipulations used for images warranting other types of emotional reactions.

    Old building in the Westmount area of Montreal

     

    The post How to Achieve Cool Urban Cityscapes appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mark C Hughes.


    Digital Photography School

  • One month with the Huawei P30 Pro

    Huawei’s latest flagship smartphone, the P30 Pro was launched just over a month ago and has since then received a lot of praise, especially for its camera. I’ve been using the device since launch day and thought now would be a good time to summarize my experience and determine if the hype around the P30 Pro camera is justified.

    Focal length flexibility

    A lot of that hype stems from its periscope-style 5x tele lens and the resulting zoom performance. We’ve already had a close look at the system and my early impressions have been confirmed since those first days of using the device.

    The P30 Pro is by far the best current smartphone for zooming. While the focal length of ‘traditional’ single-lens smartphone cameras (typically somewhere between 25 and 28mm equivalent) is great for street and landscape photography and similar genres, it’s not ideal for any photographic situations that require wider or more narrow angles of view.

    16mm equivalent, ISO 400

    The super-wide-angle allows me to squeeze more of this cathedral ceiling into my frame than would be possible with a more conventional smartphone camera.

    16mm equivalent, ISO 50

    Playing around with the ultra-wide-angle and looking for suitable scenes is a lot of fun.

    125mm equivalent, ISO 160

    At the other end of the zoom spectrum the 5x tele allowed me to capture the detail in this stained glass window.

    125mm equivalent, ISO 50

    This type of cityscape would not have been possible to capture with the same levels of image detail on most other smartphones.

    The P30 Pro’s camera setup covers equivalent focal lengths from an ultra-wide 16mm to a 125mm tele, allowing for much more flexibility in your framing and more creative freedom. If you’re happy to accept some loss of image quality, you can zoom in even further but everybody’s tolerance threshold is different in that respect.

    Image quality is best at the individual cameras’ native focal lengths

    While there’s no doubt that the P30 Pro beats the current competition in terms of zooming, there’s still some obvious room for improvement, however. The hybrid-zoom technology processes captured image data from one or more lenses, then uses computational imaging methods to achieve a seamless zoom experience for the user. This means that image quality is best at the individual cameras’ native focal lengths.

    This shot was captured at a zoom setting of around 3.5x. It is softer than the 5x image, especially close to the edges of the frame, ISO 50

    If you shoot at intermediate zoom factors, images can look soft. Between 1x and 3x, the P30 Pro uses its 1x main camera and progressively crops in, using a multi-frame based super resolution algorithm to improve results. For 3x to 5x zoom factors, the tele camera is used for the central portions of the image, with crops from the 1x camera upscaled (again using super-resolution) to fill in the outer portions of the image. This means that image edges at these intermediate zoom factors are noticeably softer than central areas of the frame.

    This isn’t much of an issue if you post your images on Instagram, of course, but it will be noticeable when viewing at larger magnifications.

    The zoom is also limited by its AF system. So while you might be able to nicely frame a soccer player in the game, don’t expect the autofocus to lock on, at least not before the subject has moved out of the frame. You can get good results with some practice and trial and error, but expect a lot of out-of-focus-results with moving subjects as well.

    Out-of-focus, 125mm equivalent, ISO 50 In-focus, 125mm equivalent, ISO 50

    Night shots are a breeze

    Moving away from zoom, the P30 Pro is also a great smartphone for photography in low light, especially for static scenes and when using the built-in multi-frame night mode. It’s pretty amazing that a smartphone is now capable of capturing hand-held night shots which not too long ago would have required long exposures, manual settings, probably some manual frame stacking in Photoshop, and definitely a tripod.

    Night mode, 27mm equivalent
    Night mode, 27mm equivalent

    Night mode can record usable results in near darkness, even capturing starry skies, and is capable of nicely balancing bright and dark parts of the frame. It can be used with all three cameras but the results are by far the best on the primary unit. If night shots are your thing, this is pretty much a must-have feature. Just don’t expect a consistent color response when shooting in near darkness. As you can see, the camera’s auto white balance system produced quite different results for the two samples above.

    The P30 Pro also performs well in low light in its standard camera mode but the results are much more in line with what you’d expect from other high-end smartphone cameras.

    27mm equivalent, ISO 250

    Low light image quality in standard mode is in line with other high-end smartphones.

    125mm equivalent, ISO 3200

    Zooming, low light and moving subjects are not a good combination.

    Low light image quality is best on the primary camera, however. Both the super-wide-angle and tele lag behind in terms of detail, exposure and dynamic range. The tele is definitely taken beyond its limits when you try and capture moving scenes in low light, so don’t expect tack-sharp concert close-ups or action shots in a dimly-lit gym from the P30 Pro.

    Video stabilization for steady-cam-like footage

    When shooting video on the P30 Pro, I generally found the footage to show pleasantly warm colors and decent dynamic range, capturing good detail in bright skies and high-contrast scenes. Noise reduction can be a bit aggressive, though. Distant foliage and other low-contrast textures can appear a little mushy. I was particularly impressed by the image stabilization, which allows for super-steady shooting even when hand-holding the device.

    However, stabilization is not without its artifacts. It can lead to blurring in-sync with your steps, visible in the fence behind the subject near the end of this clip. There can also be a judder effect – where the video skips ahead for a brief instant. This can range from subtle (my panning clip below) to fairly distracting. These artifacts are either absent or more subtle on the latest iPhone and Pixel phones.

    Overall, with some careful consideration to shooting technique – bending your knees and walking softly, and panning slowly – the Huawei can be a great device for mobile video capture without the need for any additional equipment, such as gimbals or other external stabilizers.

    The best smartphone for imaging right now? Probably.

    The P30 Pro isn’t just a very good camera phone, however. It’s also very nice to use as a general device. The body design with its rounded display edges and smooth lines looks and feels premium. Thanks to the high-end chipset there are no performance lags whatsoever and Huawei’s EMUI user interface is much less cluttered than it used to be on previous device generations, making for an overall very pleasant user experience.

    No other smartphone camera offers as much flexibility in terms of focal length and framing

    The camera is this device’s unique selling proposition, though, and it does deliver. No other smartphone camera offers as much flexibility in terms of focal length and framing. That doesn’t mean that the zoom system is perfect, but it is the best you can get on a smartphone right now.

    The P30 Pro captures pleasantly natural colors in most situations, 27mm equivalent, ISO 50

    The P30 Pro performs well in most other photographic respects as well, delivering very good still image and video quality across the board. Night mode is excellent and the camera is capable of capturing a decent simulated-bokeh shot.

    Portrait mode, 27mm equivalent, ISO 50

    As always, there is still room for improvement but a couple of software updates have already been provided since launch. We can be sure that Huawei and other manufacturers will be working hard to make the next device generation even better, with improved image quality and more intelligent features.

    In the fast-paced smartphone world it will likely only take a few months for a better option to come along, but until then the Huawei P30 Pro is my undisputed go-to smartphone camera.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Video: Hasselblad H6D-100C medium-format camera paired with DIY anamorphic lens system

    Through his YouTube channel GxAce, cinematographer Casey Cavanaugh has published a new video showcasing his homemade ‘GX-Pan’ anamorphic lens adapter used with the $ 32k Hasselblad H6D-100C medium-format digital camera.

    According to Cavanaugh, Hasselblad saw the video in which he unveiled his DIY anamorphic lens adapter setup and offered to let him test it with the medium-format model. ‘I was absolutely blown away by how much my little anamorphic lens resolved on that 100MP sensor,’ Cavanaugh says in his video. ‘I was honestly worried that it wasn’t going to hold up to that scrutiny of 100MP.’

    Cavanaugh explains that in addition to being an anamorphic lens created for a Super 16 projection, the unit also has a persistent fungus problem that has proven difficult to eliminate. In light of that, says Cavanaugh, the ‘insanely sharp’ images produced by the setup were ‘honestly very surprising.’ The demonstration also includes short video clips shot with the system.

    Cavanaugh’s previous content includes tips on purchasing a film camera and a short award-winning film on the risks of photo obsession. A selection of his anamorphic still images are available on his website.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)