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Balance Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to Improve Your Photographs

27 Oct

Want to know how to balance exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to improve your photographs without causing white or black clippings?

Have you ever faced a scene so contrasted that it’s impossible to achieve balance in the exposure?

If you shoot in Auto mode, you may have seen this quite a bit. If you were not able to solve this problem while shooting, this is the tutorial for you. I’ll show you how to balance exposure in Adobe Camera Raw using helpful post-processing techniques.

For this exercise, I’m using a photo with extreme problems to really highlight the adjustments I’m making. Images with less-obvious exposure problems can still be improved using this same technique.

Balance Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to Improve Your Photographs - Before and After Comparison

Firstly, let’s clarify that this works best with a RAW file, but even if you shoot in JPG format this tutorial can help – so keep reading!

A RAW file is a ‘digital negative’ that contains all the information without being processed, so it won’t open directly in Photoshop. Instead, it opens in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), which is where the editing is done for this tutorial.

Balance Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to Improve Your Photographs - Open File

If you are working with a JPG file, open the ACR manually. To do this, go to Photoshop ->Menu -> File -> Open. From the browser window choose your JPG file and select ‘Camera Raw’ from the ‘Format’ drop-down menu. Click ‘OK’ to open in ACR.

If you are not sure whether to shoot with RAW files or JPG Files, read this interesting article.

Balance Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to Improve Your Photographs - Open JPG File

*From this point, you can follow the same steps for both RAW and JPG files.

Activate your clipping warnings

To help balance your image, activate the clipping warning in ACR.

To do this, go to the top corners of the histogram where you have a white and black clipping alert. Click on the one you want to view first.

Once activated, this highlights any pixels that exceed the intensity represented.

Balance Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to Improve Your Photographs - Activate Warnings

The Shadow Slider

The order in which you decide to tackle different problems doesn’t matter. You have to go back and forward through the adjustments until you reach the balance that works for you anyway.

In this case, I’m going to start brightening up the bottom, so my first instinct would be to lighten the shadows.

Adjust the ‘shadows’ slider until you achieve the desired look.

Look at the changes to the histogram as well.

Balance Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to Improve Your Photographs - Shadows

The Black Slider

Now we can see much more detail in the lower part of the photo, but now the contrast has lowered so much that the image has become quite flat. You can correct this by moving the ‘Black’ slider, which determines the darkest black of your image.

Adjust the ‘Black’ slider and see how the darkest areas are now being highlighted in blue to show you the clipping areas because you’re exceeding the range.

Be careful not to exaggerate.

Balance Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to Improve Your Photographs - Blacks

The White Slider

Now it’s time to fix the lightest parts. The sky is completely blown out and has little detail; therefore I’ll lower the brightest white possible by moving the ‘White’ slider.

Adjust the ‘White’ slider until you achieve the desired look.

Notice how the red spot in the sky that represented the clippings is getting smaller.

Balance Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to Improve Your Photographs - Whites

The Highlights Slider

The image looks better but it hasn’t completely solved the problem.

The next step is the ‘Highlights’ slider to add more detail to it. Be careful not to render the image too dark now.

Adjust the ‘Highlights’ slider until you achieve the look you want.

You’ll need to go back to the Shadows and Blacks to balance them according to the new sky. You can go back and forth through these until you find a balance you are happy with.

Notice how all the clippings have gone:

Balance Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to Improve Your Photographs - Histogram

Before and After Previews

Apart from the clippings you canals keep an eye on the histogram, look how the original had very high points in both ends and was very flat in the middle while the current one is much more balanced.

To view before and after previews, press the P on your keyboard, allowing you to make comparisons without losing any of your adjustments.

Balance Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to Improve Your Photographs - Before Preview

Balance is not necessarily all there is to it.

In this case, it resulted in a flat and muted image.

To give it that extra punch you can boost areas such as contrast or saturation.

Keep in mind that these can create clippings again, so always keep checking the entire image.

Balance Exposure in Adobe Camera Raw to Improve Your Photographs - Preview

If you worked through this process with a RAW file, it is non-destructive, so you can keep editing until you’re satisfied without losing any pixels or lowering the image quality.

Due to the JPG file being a destructive process, I advise you to save it as a copy to always keep your original intact.

If you want to learn more about the basics of ACR, I invite you to read my tutorial ‘Quick Beginner’s Guide to Processing RAW Files in Photoshop Adobe Camera Raw‘.

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Leica M10-D sample gallery

27 Oct

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The Leica M10-D is an M-10 with no rear screen. From an image quality standpoint there’s no difference between the two, but we thought it’d be fun to shoot and process a series of images with the ‘D’ anyway.

See our Leica M10-D gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The Leica M10-D is a Wi-Fi-powered rangefinder with no LCD

27 Oct

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The Leica M10-D is a rangefinder camera that provides a film-like shooting experience. It has no LCD, just two buttons and is set up almost entirely using the company’s FOTOS app.

The M10-D is the spiritual successor to the older M-D, but has much in common with the M10-P when it comes to both design and technology. In place of the M10-P’s LCD is a large dial, the inner ring of which adjusts exposure compensation while the outer switches between off, on (shooting mode) and on (Wi-Fi enabled). The camera features what looks like an old-style film advance lever, but in this case it’s merely a thumb rest. Like the M10-P there’s no red dot on the front plate, though it’s hard to miss the trademark white Leica script on the top.

Inside, the M10-D uses the same 24MP full-frame CMOS sensor and Maestro II processor as the M10 and M10-P, and saves images as DNG or JPEG. The camera has 2GB of built-in memory as well as an SD card slot hidden under the removable bottom plate. The M10-D supports Leica’s Visoflex electronic viewfinder, and automatically switches to live view mode when the finder is attached.

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What makes the M10-D different than other Leica rangefinders is its dependence on the company’s FOTOS app, which is available for iOS and Android. While you can adjust exposure compensation, ISO, aperture and shutter speed using the dials on the camera, for everything else, you use the app. The most obvious uses for the app are live view and image transfer (which includes DNG), and this is also where you’ll access less commonly-required settings. Pairing your camera and smartphone is impressively straightforward, and the one-time action merely requires scanning a QR code printed under the M10D’s bottom plate.

The Leica M10-D goes on sale today for $ 7995. The Visoflex EVF is priced at $ 575.

Images shot on the M10-D by photographer Tomas van Houtryve

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Press Release

Leica Camera Debuts the Leica M10-D

The Camera with a Digital Heart and an Analog Soul

October 24, 2018 – Leica Camera transports the analog experience into the world of digital photography with the introduction of the Leica M10-D. The Leica M10-D combines the benefits of a digital M camera with an unprecedented approach to rediscovering the magic of an analog photographic experience, now augmented with mobile connectivity.

The ultimate experiential camera, the Leica M10-D is inspired by the discreet M10-P. In addition to incorporating the M10-P’s signature near-silent mechanical shutter and classic script logo branding on the top plate, the Leica M10-D’s monitor screen has been purposefully omitted from the camera body, freeing photographers from all distractions and allowing them to always focus on capturing the moment, rather than the camera itself. In lieu of the screen on the back of the camera is a new control ring for switching the camera on and off, with a dedicated hardware setting for activating Wi-Fi – a key piece to modernizing the analog-inspired workflow of the M10-D. Within the rear control ring is a mechanical dial for exposure compensation adjustments, a first for digital M models, harkening back to the ISO film sensitivity dial seen on classic analog M-Cameras.

In keeping with the mechanical spirit, all essential exposure settings on the Leica M10-D are made with mechanical controls. To further enhance the analog look and experience of this camera, the Leica M10-D features an integrated fold-out thumb rest, reminiscent of a classic film advance lever, which aids in the ergonomics and handling of the camera – especially when shooting one-handed. The optional Visoflex electronic viewfinder can also be used with the Leica M10-D to bridge the gap between analog and digital experiences by way of live view capture, and for easier use of wide-angle and telephoto lenses. When paired with the camera’s improved rangefinder and larger field of view, an innovation from the Leica M10, the Leica M10-D and Visoflex allow photographers to truly see the bigger picture from any angle.

With the soul of an analog camera at its core, the M10-D combines perfectly with the brand new Leica FOTOS app to transcend a solely classic shooting style and provide many of the features and functions offered by a modern, high-performance digital camera. By quickly switching the camera to the on position with Wi-Fi, the M10-D can seamlessly connect to an iOS or Android device, making it the perfect hybrid of analog feel and digital connectivity. The Leica FOTOS app allows easy use of the camera when on the go by enabling streamlined portable viewing, sharing of images and the selection of core camera settings. The app can also provide exposure settings and can be used as a remote viewfinder and camera shutter in live view mode. All personalized settings made from the app are saved and stored in the camera, enabling photographers to configure and custom tailor the Leica M10-D to meet their specific needs. The Leica FOTOS app can also be used to transfer pictures to iOS and Android devices for sharing in social media channels and saving to a personal photostream. With the Leica M10-D and the Leica FOTOS app, photographers can choose how analog or how digital they want their photographic experience to be, ensuring they find the perfect balance for their everyday journey in photography.

The Leica M10-D will be on sale beginning today at Leica Stores, Boutiques and Dealers for $ 7,995. The Leica FOTOS App will also be available as a free download from the Google Play Store™ and the Apple App Store™ on the same date.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Five ways the Nikon Z7 could be improved (hint: four of them involve AF)

27 Oct

A critique, not a conclusion

The Nikon Z7 is the company’s first full frame mirrorless camera and its first mirrorless ILC to be aimed at high-end enthusiast and professional photographers. There’s a lot to like: it combines many of the strengths of the D850 with some of the advantages unique to mirrorless cameras, such as seamless video shooting, a silent shutter option, and phase-detection autofocus array that covers almost the entire frame.

But as our review has progressed, we’ve found some areas where we believe the Z7 could use some improvement. Here’s what we’d like to see fixed…

More reliable AF performance

Put simply, the Z7’s autofocus algorithms just aren’t on par with those of Nikon DSLRs. Focus isn’t as decisive, with the camera sometimes hunting in the wrong direction long enough that you’re better off simply re-initiating AF.

Meanwhile, Auto Area AF with face detection doesn’t always select the right subject: it often mistakes non-human objects as faces, everything from balloons to chair legs and UPS labels. Quite frequently ‘Auto’ doesn’t prioritize nearer objects over distant ones, which is the opposite behavior of nearly every DSLR we’ve tested. The lack of Eye AF is increasingly egregious: Sony Eye AF is nearly infallible and even allows you to target desired faces on-the-fly. Less sophisticated but capable continuous eye detection is also available on Olympus, Panasonic and Fujifilm cameras so you can maintain focus on brides walking down the aisle or running toddlers.

Subject tracking isn’t as reliable as Nikon’s industry leading ‘3D Tracking’ mode

Lack of Eye AF might be forgivable if subject tracking – the ability of the camera to maintain focus on your subject no matter where it moves in the frame – worked as well as Nikon DSLRs’ industry leading ‘3D Tracking’ mode. A D850 is capable of sticking to the eye of a subject as long as you initiated focus on it. But on the Z7 subject tracking is unreliable and imprecise, with a subject recognition area so large that quite often you can’t target your specific subject precisely.

Better low light AF sensitivity

Another issue we’ve encountered is how quickly the Z7’s AF system begins to struggle in low light. In our shooting we’ve found it to be considerably lacking compared to immediate mirrorless peers. In fact from our testing, the Z7 begins hunting in light levels two to four stops brighter than comparable cameras from Sony and Canon. The ‘Low Light AF’ mode barely improves things. It only activates in extremely low light levels and slows down focus so much as to be impractical unless you’re taking tripod-mounted shots of static subjects.

We’d love to see Nikon create a proper flashgun-based AF assist system

There might not be much that Nikon can do about this in the current-generation Z7, but we’d love to see the company create a proper flashgun-based AF assist system. This might require a new set of flashes and radio transmitters that project an appropriately colored grid pattern for the Z7’s on-sensor PDAF system to lock on to in dim situations. This would be of particular benefit for wedding and event photography, where fast low-light focus acquisition is critical.

Better AF in backlit shots

It’s not just low light situations where the Z7 AF system struggles. If you try to shoot a severely backlit portrait, particularly where your subject isn’t well-lit, the Z7 often hunts and never achieves focus. This is compared to Nikon’s recent DSLRs with cross-type AF points across the frame, which usually nail focus even in the most challenging conditions (as do Sony’s current-generation a9 and a7-series ILCs).

The Z7 isn’t alone here – the Dual Pixel AF system in Canon’s EOS R also struggles with backlighting, but it’s a shame that a pro-grade camera like the Z7 is unable to acquire focus in situations where even some pocket compacts can achieve focus instantly.

Autofocus user interface

In addition to autofocus performance improvements, we’d love to see some changes to the way that the Z7’s autofocus modes operate. At present, the camera’s subject tracking mode is ‘tacked on’ to Auto area AF, with the result that it’s slower to select and activate than if it were its own area mode.

Ideally, the Z7’s subject tracking mode would work exactly like the industry-leading ‘3D tracking’ mode on Nikon DSLRs, at least from a usability standpoint. That is, initiate tracking of the subject under the AF point with a simple press of AF-On (or shutter button), then reset to the original AF point when the button is released. This makes it easy to then quickly place the AF point over a new subject to initiate tracking, compared to the Z7’s method of first pressing ‘OK’ or tapping on a new subject on the LCD screen to switch subjects.

We’d love to see every one of Nikon’s DSLR AF modes replicated on the Z-series

More generally, we’d love to see every one of Nikon’s DSLR AF modes replicated on the Z-series – from expanded ‘dynamic’ area modes to Group AF. These modes have been added, refined and perfected over years of feedback from pros. And they work: Nikon’s DSLR AF is the envy of many systems. The end result might not be an AF system that is quite as good as that in the D850 or D5, but it would at least operate in a more sensible, more familiar way.

Better customization

Improving the Z7’s autofocus performance to the point where it’s on a level with Nikon’s DSLRs is a big ask, but matching the level of customization should be a simpler fix.

In our view, given its price and market position, the Z7’s customization should be at least as good as on Nikon’s DSLRs. Instead, it actually omits some useful features. For example, you can no longer assign custom buttons to instantly override the current AF mode to try something else when your typical way of working fails. This is something we’ve found useful time and again on the D5, D850, D500, and we’re sad to see it missing on the Z7.

Ultimately, we’d really like to see D5-level button customization on the Z-series. This means not just the ability to assign any button to any AF mode, but also to completely override camera settings with the press of a button (shutter speed, ISO settings, etc.). Sony’s mirrorless ILCs offer this in their ‘Recall Custom Hold’ button functions, as do Canon DSLRs. We’d also like to see Nikon bring back the useful Two-Button-Reset and Quick Format actions on the Z-series.

Summing up

We’ve listed five ways in which we’d like to see the Z7 improved, and as you’ve probably noticed they primarily relate to autofocus. That’s because with almost all of our testing complete, it’s AF where we’ve seen the most serious issues with performance. Unexpectedly, the native Z lenses we’ve tried appear to focus more slowly and less predictably than adapted F-mount lenses too (though to their credit they are silent to focus in video).

In most other respects the Z7 is an impressive camera. We’re optimistic that where we have concerns, Nikon can address some of them via firmware, and others via new dedicated flash accessories. Our other concerns? Perhaps we’ll just have to wait for a Z8.

Since focus is performed from the sensor, there are circumstances in which the Z7 will be more precise than Nikon’s DSLRs

Even so, we’re not saying that the Z7 with current firmware is flat-out bad at autofocus. In fact for a lot of photography, it’ll be perfectly fine. And since focus is performed from the sensor, there are circumstances in which it’ll be more precise than Nikon’s DSLRs, particularly with fast primes shot wide open where DSLRs struggle and often require microadjustment. But when it comes to continuous autofocus performance and usability, it’s simply not nearly as capable as its nearest mirrorless peer the Sony a7R III, nor (in some respects) as good as Nikon’s own mid-range and high-end DSLRs, including the similarly capable and priced D850.

For a complete overview of every aspect of the Z7’s performance, look out for our full review in the next few days.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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How to Make Money as a Photographer with this Instagram Tip

27 Oct

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Are you looking to make money using Instagram? Then this Instagram Tip from Rich Maciver is for you.

Many of you photographers out there are sure to have an Instagram account by now. You’ve probably been sharing your photos and following some of the photographers you love for quite some time. But have you ever wondered how you can utilise this platform to help you make money as well as share your photos?

In this video, Rich Maciver shares some useful pointers on how to make money with your photography using this popular social media platform.

So what’s it all about?

Instagram Directing Messaging (DM)!

How’s it done?

  • Search for people in your area using geotags (locations).
  • Check out their account to see if they are an influencer, model, business or restaurant, who may be in need of some professional photography.
  • Depending on your area of specialisation, choose the accounts that are the right type for you.
  • Look through their photos and see if they ever use professional photographers. If so, send them a DM with a short introduction, a link to your website. Maciver suggests something along the lines of this:  “Hi (name), Great page! If you’re ever looking for a photographer for your portfolio or any sponsor content, it would be great to work together. You can see some examples of my work on IG or my website ‘insert website here’. Regards, (your name)”
  • Look at any of the professional photographs they may have had taken and see who they have tagged as the photographer.
  • Look at the tagged photographers page and see who else they have photographed, and then contact those people too.

The deeper you go, the more people you will find that may be potential new clients.

Give it a go, and let us know if it works for you in the comments below.

More Instagram Tips

You may also find the following articles on our website helpful when it comes to using Instagram.

How to Publish Images Directly to Instagram From Lightroom

How to Connect With Your Photography Followers Through Instagram Stories

12 Steps to Successfully Promote your Photography on Instagram

10 Tips for Mastering Instagram

 

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Epson adds textured paper to Legacy photo inkjet lineup

27 Oct

A new textured paper has been introduced to the Epson Legacy range of premium inkjet media that the company claims allows dense blacks, vibrant colors and ‘outstanding’ print permanence. Epson Legacy Textured Paper promises to ‘simulate old-world handcrafted watercolor papers’ with a heavily textured surface, according to Epson, and is aimed at photographers who exhibit and sell their work as art pieces.

No optical brighteners have been used in the paper, and Epson says that it will have excellent lightfast properties. Permanence figures are not quoted, as the paper is still being evaluated by Wilhelm Imaging Research.

The matte finish paper is 100% cotton, using randomly layered fibres to prevent curling in sheets as well as in long rolls, and will weigh 310 GSM. The paper is due to ship in December this year. For more information see the Epson website.

Size Sheet/roll Price
8.5” x 11” Cut Sheet (25 pack) $ 45
13” x 19” Cut Sheet (25 pack) $ 119
17” x 22” Cut Sheet (25 pack) $ 179
17” x 50′ Roll $ 189
24” x 50′ Roll $ 249
44” x 50′ Roll $ 499
60” x 50′ Roll $ 679

Press release:

Epson Launches New Legacy Textured Paper

New Paper Provides Textured Surface and Matte Finish in Epson’s Distinguished Legacy Paper Line

Epson today introduced Legacy Textured, the latest addition to its sophisticated Legacy Paper line, offering the ultimate in quality and longevity for artists selling their work. Legacy Textured is comprised of a mould-made paper base that lays cotton fibers down randomly to virtually eliminate curl, and a heavily textured surface that simulates old-world handcrafted watercolor papers. In addition, Epson today announced that its popular Metallic Photo Paper in Luster and Glossy are now Signature Worthy® papers, moving into Epson’s line of paper designed for photography, art illustration and fine art prints. Both the Legacy Textured and the Metallic Photo Papers will be on display at PhotoPlus Expo in New York City from Oct. 25-27, 2018 at Epson’s booth, #707.

“A heavy, textured paper is what helps my images blur the line between photography and painting,” said Brooke Shaden, fine art photographer, author and motivational speaker. “Though my work is all photographic, having a painterly style has always been important to my aesthetic, and Legacy Textured provides that feeling of mixed media.”

Legacy Textured offers a heavily textured surface with a matte finish and is 100 percent cotton on a mould-made base. The 310 GSM textured paper is free of OBAs (optical brightening agents), delivers a high Dmax for deep blacks, an expanded color gamut volume, and accepts a high ink load. The cotton fibers are laid randomly to dramatically minimize curl in large rolls.

“Realizing the need for a heavily textured fine art paper, we collaborated with industry-leading photographers and artists to help develop a media that blends qualities of old-world handcrafted paper with the latest digital imaging enhancements,” said Jeff Smith, product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc. “Designed to produce rich blacks and vibrant colors, Legacy Textured exhibits unparalleled qualities for artists looking to create and sell exhibition quality prints without compromising print quality.”

The Epson Legacy Textured paper is currently undergoing comprehensive eight-factor print permanence testing at Wilhelm Imaging Research (WIR), the world’s leading independent permanence testing laboratory. Testing includes color and black and white prints made with the current generation of improved-stability Epson UltraChrome® HD, Epson UltraChrome HDX, and Epson UltraChrome PRO pigment inks featured on Epson’s SureColor® P-Series printers. WIR is also testing Legacy Textured paper with high CRI (Color Rendering Index) museum-quality LED illumination. While final results are not yet available – the greater the lightfastness, the longer the test times – Epson is confident the new paper will exhibit outstanding print permanence.

Epson Professional Paper Line
Epson offers a complete line of professional papers to meet varying photography and fine art needs, no matter the finish or price point:

Standard Photo Paper: Available in multiple finishes, including glossy, semigloss, matte, semimatte, and velvet, Epson’s standard photo papers offer a solution for any photographer. Delivering high-performance output quality and color performance with extreme sharpness and clarity, these papers are offered in a range of cut-sheet and roll sizes for producing vivid, lifelike images.

Signature Worthy Paper: Epson Signature Worthy Papers represent the finest in color fidelity, smoothest tonal transitions, and exceptional Black density and longevity, each paper has been developed and tested at the highest levels to work collectively with Epson’s industry-leading professional printers and inks. The most demanding creative professionals use Signature Worthy papers because their reputations are on the line with every print.

Legacy Papers: As Epson’s most advanced line of photographic papers, Legacy Papers were designed in collaboration with many of the world’s greatest artists. The unique papers were developed for those who intend to exhibit and sell their prints, both to art collectors and investors. Working closely with revered European papermakers, galleries and chemical engineers to develop the finest papers available, the Epson Legacy Paper line produces outstanding black density and color fidelity, along with exceptional archival properties required for collectible works of fine art.

Availability and Pricing
The new Legacy Textured will be available in Dec. 2018 through authorized Epson Professional Imaging resellers.

For additional information, visit www.epson.com/legacypapers, www.epson.com/signatureworthy or www.proimaging.epson.com.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Halloween – Weekly Photography Challenge

27 Oct

It’s coming up to Halloween and it’s a tradition that is being observed more and more in the Southern Hemisphere, so we thought no matter where you are, you might be up to the challenge. And if there’s no Halloween where you are, just take a spooky photo and see if you can scare us silly!

Tips for Shooting at Night

If you’re heading out to snap some ‘trick or treaters’ check out these tips on night time street photography:

In the Dark: 10 Tips for Street Night Photography

Or this one for getting proper exposure at night:

Tips for Getting Proper Exposure for Night Photography

Looking for some spooky techniques?

Here are some techniques you can try to get a spooky feel in your images:

Light Painting Part One – the Photography

 

Stuck for inspiration?

Here are some previous posts with plenty of ideas to motivate you for the challenge:

Halloween Photography Tips

26 Spooky Images for Halloween Week

27 Sinister Images for the Week of Halloween

Some Halloween Projects

Can’t think of anything? Here’s a few project ideas:

How to Light Creepy Halloween Masks for Added Drama

Creating Ghostly Images for Halloween

Weekly Photography Challenge – Halloween

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 #DPSHALLOWEEN 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.

 

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Sigma releases interchangeable lens compatibility notes for Nikon Z7 and Canon EOS R

27 Oct

Sigma has released compatibility notes for its interchangeable lenses when used with the Canon EOS R and Mount Adapter EF-EOS R, as well as updated compatibility information related to the Nikon Z7. The updates follow Sigma’s compatibility note for the Nikon Z7 released in late September, during which time the company said it would continue testing products and publishing future updates.

According to the company, its interchangeable lenses for Canon mount “do not have any issues with general operation” when used with the Canon EOS R and EF-EOS R adapter. However, users will need to disable the in-camera Digital Lens Optimizer feature before using a Sigma interchangeable lens with the model.

Sigma states:

When the Digital Lens Optimizer is switched [OFF], but “Peripheral illumination correction”, “Chromatic aberration correction” and “Distortion correction”, located within the in-camera Lens Aberration Correction function is switched [ON], the appropriate corrections can be achieved in accordance with the optical characteristics of each lens. This is applicable to lenses listed below which were released after March, 2018, or those of which firmware has been updated to Ver.2.0 or later.

In regards to its updated Nikon Z7 compatibility data, Sigma has released a list of 36 interchangeable lenses for Nikon mount that it tested and found compatible with the Nikon Z7 and Mount Adapter FTZ. When used together, “both AF and AE operate without any issue,” the company stated in its latest release.

The full list of compatible lenses is available in the press release below:

[Updated Information] Operating conditions of the Nikon “Z7” and SIGMA’s interchangeable lenses for Nikon mount

Thank you for purchasing and using our products.

We would like to share results of our further investigations regarding the operating conditions of the Nikon “Z7” and SIGMA’s interchangeable lenses for Nikon mount.

When SIGMA’s interchangeable lenses in the current product lineup, listed below, are used in combination with the Nikon “Z7” and their “Mount Adapter FTZ”, both AF and AE operate without any issues.

Furthermore, lenses which incorporate Optical Stabilizer (OS) will work to maximum effect when both the lens’s OS and the in-camera stabilization are switched on simultaneously.

Applicable Products

DG Lens

  • 12-24mm F4 DG HSM | Art
  • 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM | Art
  • 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Art
  • 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM | Art
  • 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports
  • APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM
  • APO 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG MACRO
  • 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG MACRO
  • 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary
  • 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Sports
  • 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary
  • 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports
  • APO 200-500mm F2.8 / 400-1000mm F5.6 EX DG
  • APO 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM
  • 14mm F1.8 DG HSM | Art
  • 20mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art
  • 24mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art
  • 35mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art
  • 105mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art
  • 135mm F1.8 DG HSM | Art
  • 500mm F4 DG OS HSM | Sports
  • MACRO 105mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM
  • APO MACRO 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM
  • APO MACRO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM

DC Lens

  • 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM
  • 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM
  • 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
  • 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM | Contemporary
  • 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM | Art
  • 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM | Contemporary
  • 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM
  • 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM | Contemporary
  • 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM | Art
  • 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC CIRCULAR FISHEYE HSM
  • 10mm F2.8 EX DC FISHEYE HSM
  • 30mm F1.4 DC HSM | Art

Phenomena particular to 4 lenses were confirmed after our announcement of September 28th

After careful investigation, we confirmed some phenomena particular to 4 products listed below. Regarding a firmware update for the SIGMA 24-35mm F2 DG HSM | Art, 50mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art and 85mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art, we are going to announce them at a later date.

24-35mm F2 DG HSM | Art

[Phenomenon]- It may occasionally stop recording while shooting video. It is planned to be resolved by a firmware update.

50mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art

[Phenomenon] – When starting to shoot with the subject completely out of focus, the response to the AF operation is intermittent. It is necessary to release several times or to turn the focus ring once to release. It is planned to be resolved by a firmware update.

85mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art

[Phenomenon] – It may occasionally show overexposure when narrowing down the aperture from F5.6 while shooting. It is planned to be resolved by a firmware update.

APO 800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM

[Phenomenon] – Please focus using MF, since it is difficult to achieve sufficient focusing accuracy. There is no plan for a firmware update.

When the lenses listed below are used, due to product specifications, the in-camera stabilization cannot be turned off. In addition, the Auto Power Off function cannot be used. Please manually turn the power [OFF] after shooting.

Applicable products

Current lineup

  • 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
  • 17-70mm 2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM | Contemporary
  • 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM | Contemporary
  • 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM
  • 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM | Art

Discontinued models

  • 17-70mm 2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM
  • 18-50mm F2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM
  • 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM
  • 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM
  • 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM
  • 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS

Other precautions

  • Please use manual focus while shooting with lenses which do not incorporate an AF driving motor.
  • Tele Converters cannot be used together.
  • Depending on shooting conditions, sufficient focusing speed and accuracy may not be achieved. As required, please use manual focus while shooting.
  • Despite being listed above, some lenses shipped out from SIGMA before November, 2013 may require a firmware update. (Please refer to “Various lenses shipped from SIGMA before November, 2013” below.)
  • Discontinued products have different operating conditions depending on each product and their shipping period. For details, please contact your nearest authorized SIGMA subsidiary / distributor.

Various lenses shipped from SIGMA before November, 2013

We have previously confirmed that some phenomena such as AF not working correctly with some lenses released or shipped from SIGMA before November, 2013, when they are used on Nikon’s digital SLR cameras incorporating the latest firmware. Under this circumstance, we will update the lens firmware free of charge. If the products do not operate on a Z7, even when they are listed above, the lens firmware update may improve the situation.

For customers who have these applicable products, please contact your nearest authorized SIGMA subsidiary / distributor for further details.

*1 For products of which firmware was updated after November, 2013, a firmware update is not necessary.
*2 It is not possible to update the firmware of products for which our support period has finished.
*3 For products with an engraved edition number of A012, C013 or S013, the lens firmware can be updated using the optional SIGMA USB DOCK.

[CANON COMPATIBILITY NOTE]

Thank you for purchasing and using our products.

We would like to announce that, as of this moment SIGMA’s interchangeable lenses for Canon mount in the current lineup do not have any issues with general operation when they are used on the “EOS R”, released by Canon Inc., via their “Mount Adapter EF-EOS R”.

In addition, please note the information below when using our lenses.

1. With SIGMA’s interchangeable lenses, the Digital Lens Optimizer located within the in-camera Lens Aberration Correction function cannot be used. Therefore, please set the Digital Lens Optimizer to [OFF] before shooting.

When the Digital Lens Optimizer is switched [OFF], but “Peripheral illumination correction”, “Chromatic aberration correction” and “Distortion correction”, located within the in-camera Lens Aberration Correction function is switched [ON], the appropriate corrections can be achieved in accordance with the optical characteristics of each lens. This is applicable to lenses listed below which were released after March, 2018, or those of which firmware has been updated to Ver.2.0 or later.

Contemporary line

  • SIGMA 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM | Contemporary *
  • SIGMA 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM | Contemporary *
  • SIGMA 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM | Contemporary *
  • SIGMA 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary
  • SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary

Art Line

  • SIGMA 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM | Art
  • SIGMA 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM | Art
  • SIGMA 12-24mm F4 DG HSM | Art
  • SIGMA 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM | Art
  • SIGMA 24-35mm F2 DG HSM | Art *
  • SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Art
  • SIGMA 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM | Art
  • SIGMA 14mm F1.8 DG HSM | Art
  • SIGMA 20mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art
  • SIGMA 24mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art
  • SIGMA 30mm F1.4 DC HSM | Art *
  • SIGMA 35mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art
  • SIGMA 50mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art
  • SIGMA 70mm F2.8 DG MACRO | Art
  • SIGMA 85mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art
  • SIGMA 105mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art
  • SIGMA 135mm F1.8 DG HSM | Art

Sports Line

  • SIGMA 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports
  • SIGMA 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Sports *
  • SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports
  • SIGMA 500mm F4 DG OS HSM | Sports *

* These lenses will be compatible with the in-camera Lens Aberration Correction function by a firmware update to Ver.2.0 which will be announced in the future.

When lenses other than those listed above are used, “Peripheral illumination correction”, “Chromatic aberration correction” and “Distortion correction”, located within the in-camera Lens Aberration Correction function, may cause images to appear abnormal. Therefore please set these correction functions to [OFF] before shooting.

2. When SIGMA’s DC lenses are used, “1.6x (Crop)” will not be set automatically. Please select “1.6x (Crop)” manually.

We will continue verification and provide updates on the operating condition at a later date.

Via: Sigma 1, 2

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The essential pro feature that no mirrorless camera offers

27 Oct

In a low-light situation with a split-second to focus and capture the moment, the flashgun’s AF illuminator was essential. Mirrorless cameras tend not to offer this feature and their AF systems aren’t so good in low light that they don’t need it.
24mm F1.4 lens @ F2 | ISO 400
Photo: Rishi Sanyal

Mirrorless cameras have caught up with DSLRs in almost every measurable respect, yet there’s still one feature that’s essential for some professionals that every one of them lacks: flash AF illumination.

The failure to offer an AF illuminator target means mirrorless can’t compete with the best DSLRs in some shooting situations

Wedding and event photographers in particular will recognize the benefit of the AF assist target projected by flashguns and some flash commander units, yet no mirrorless camera maker implements this feature, even on their highest-end models. There are some technical reasons why they omit the feature, but this doesn’t negate the need for it.

‘IR’ illuminators on flashguns aren’t solely emitting infra-red: they also emit visible red light, or you wouldn’t be able to see their telltale grid pattern

It won’t affect everybody’s day-to-day photography, but the universal failure to offer some sort of AF illuminator target for mirrorless cameras remains a major shortcoming and means mirrorless can’t compete with the best DSLRs in some shooting situations.

There are technical justifications for why they don’t: DSLR autofocus sensors can be sensitive to infra-red light, whereas mirrorless cameras aren’t. Because mirrorless cameras focus using their main imaging sensor, any IR has to be filtered-out to avoid skewing the colors in your images. But the AF illuminators on flashguns aren’t solely emitting infra-red: they also emit lots of visible red light, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to see the telltale red grid they project.

Note that the ‘IR’ illuminator in this instance is projecting a visible red target and, crucially, a target that provides a pattern for the camera’s AF system to bite onto.

Another complication is that phase-detection pixels live behind the colored filters that allow most cameras to interpret color in the scene, so may not even see any red light. A PDAF element behind a blue filter won’t see any red light and one behind a green filter will only see a very small amount. But even this shouldn’t be insurmountable: Canon’s Dual Pixel AF means every pixel (including the red-sensitive ones) is a PDAF pixel and, if it came down to it, the manufacturers could offer versions of their flashguns that emit a color that their mirrorless AF systems can see.

If mirrorless cameras are going to displace DSLRs for wedding and event photography, manufacturers need to find a way

Most mirrorless cameras have their own built-in AF illuminators but they’re not nearly as powerful as the off-board lamps on flashguns. Also, they tend to be bright, uniform orange or green lamps which are visually distracting, easily blocked by hands or large lenses and which miss one of the key properties of off-board illuminators: a grid pattern. This grid pattern effectively creates some hard-edges for the AF system to bite onto, even if you’re shooting something that may not have enough inherent contrast to easily focus on. You know, like a white wedding dress in low light.

If mirrorless cameras are going to displace DSLRs for wedding and event photography, manufacturers need to find a way, even if it involves selling (or modifying) flash units that emit a faint green or blue grid pattern. Or doing what Godox does with its X1T command units: firing its red target, just as it would for DSLRs, because in many cases this is better than nothing.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Venus Optics announces Laowa 10-18mm F4.5-5.6 FE lens, RF & Z mount versions “coming soon”

26 Oct

Venus Optics has announced the Laowa 10-18mm F4.5-5.6 FE zoom lens, a new ultra-wide-angle manual lens for full-frame Sony cameras.

“In response to the demand from mirrorless camera shooters of having a compact wide angle zoom, Venus Optics [has] managed to compress the size of the 10-18mm FE Zoom to the smallest in its class,” reads the press release. The lens measures in at 3.5in/9cm long, 2.75in/70mm in diameter, and weighs only 17.5oz/496g.

It’s constructed of 14 elements in 10 groups, including two aspherical elements and one extra-low dispersion element. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 6in/15cm and a minimum aperture of F22 with a five-blade aperture diaphragm.

The rear of the lens has a 37mm filter thread for adding filters to, as well as a 100mm magnetic filter holder system for the front of the lens. A built-in switch de-clicks the aperture on-demand if you’re planning on using the lens for video shooting.

Venus Optics has shared a gallery of sample images captured with the lens on Flickr.

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The lens is currently available for pre-order for $ 849. The first 50 pre-orders through Laowa’s site will receive a free 100mm magnetic filter holder system.

Venus Optics says a Canon RF- and Nikon Z-mount version of the lens will be “coming soon.”

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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