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  • Samsung’s new W2018 flip phone features a variable aperture F1.5-F2.4 lens

    Samsung just announced something that looks like it belongs in the mid-2000s… but looks can be deceiving. Meet Samsung’s new flip phone: the W2018. Announced earlier today at an event in Xiamen, China, the followup to the W2017 is an Android-powered flip phone that boasts smartphone-caliber specs. In fact, the 12-megapixel rear camera is nearly identical to the one found in the Galaxy S8, featuring dual pixel autofocus, optical image stabilization and 1.4?m pixels.

    It does differ in one very interesting way though.

    Not only does the W2018 boast an F1.5 aperture—the brightest you’ll find on a phone—that aperture is actually variable, switching between F1.5 and F2.4 when it senses there’s enough light around. In this way, the phone automatically captures as much of the background as possible.

    You can see the trick in this close-up video uploaded to Weibo by Jason Wang:

    Rumors have been floating around that the Galaxy S9 will feature a variable aperture F1.5 lens; as you might expect, the appearance of the selfsame lens in another Samsung phone makes us pretty confident that will, indeed, be the case. As to whether or not you ever really need to ‘stop down’ a smartphone camera lens… that’s another topic entirely.

    Like the W2017 before it, this phone will first be released in China, comes with a bunch of “VIP” perks like free tech support, and will probably cost upwards of $ 3,000… no, we didn’t add another zero.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Leica Camera reports ‘strong revenue growth’ for 2016/2017 fiscal year

    In recent years, financial reports from major camera manufacturers haven’t typically made for overly positive news stories; however, Leica Camera AG is bucking this trend with the announcement of its results for the 2016/2017 financial year ending March 31st. Apparently, the German camera maker has been able to grow revenue by 6 percent, despite the global camera market declining by around 10 percent over the same period.

    Leica cites systematic realignment of the company over recent years as the main driver of the positive development.

    At the heart of this realignment lies the establishment of an in-house retail distribution division that now controls a network of 90 monobrand stores around the globe. The company says this move has been vital in promoting the brand, and the retail network is set to expand even further in the near future. China is currently Leica’s number one growth market, and 20 to 30 new stores are planned in the country alone.

    Other important initiatives include the Leica Akademie brand—which aims to increase brand awareness among younger target groups—and the company’s collaboration with Chinese smartphone maker Huawei on the cameras in their latest high-end devices.

    The upward trend has reportedly continued into the 2017/2018 financial year, leading CEO of Leica Camera AG, Matthias Harsch, to predict record-breaking growth for this coming year.

    Its important to note, however, that at least part of Leica’s future growth will have nothing to do with photography. In 2017, the company entered into the eyewear segment under the Leica Eyecare brand, which Leica says will “systematically tap into this global market in conjunction with its technology partner Novacel.”

    Press Release

    Leica Camera AG Records Strong Revenue Growth for the 2016/2017 Financial Year and Bucks the Downward Trend in the Camera Market

    The Leica Camera Group achieved revenue of almost 400 million euros in the past financial year 2016/2017 (31 March 2017) and can therefore look back very positively on the previous twelve-month period. With strong revenue growth of more than six per cent, Leica bucked the overall downward trend in the global camera market, which declined by around 10 per cent in the same period.

    In the first few months of the current financial year 2017/2018, cumulative growth stands at 15 per cent, thus underscoring the positive global performance of Leica Camera AG. Despite a market environment that remains challenging, the CEO of Leica Camera AG, Matthias Harsch, once again expects a record-breaking result for the 2017/2018 financial year. As a result, the revenue of Leica Camera AG has increased more than fourfold since anchor investor and majority shareholder Dr Andreas Kaufmann came on board in 2004.

    The main driver of growth is the systematic realignment of the company that has taken place in recent years. In particular, the setting up of an in-house Retail Distribution division has made a major contribution to revenue growth. Leica now has 90 monobrand stores around the world, which are vital in terms of promoting brand experience in the context of photography. ‘China is our number-one growth market,’ says Matthias Harsch, who is planning 20 to 30 new stores in the country alone. The Group is now strengthening its presence in the service sector with the Leica Akademie brand in order to boost the appeal of photography amongst younger target groups.

    The extremely successful technology and brand partnership with Chinese company Huawei in the field of mobile phone photography makes Leica one of the world’s leading providers of smartphone lens applications, a burgeoning technology segment that serves as a global basis for new product ideas and applications in photography.

    The entry of Leica into the eyewear segment (glasses) – a move that was completed in 2017 – offers further potential for strong revenue growth in the years ahead. Operating under the name of Leica Eyecare, the company will systematically tap into this global market in conjunction with its technology partner Novacel.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Weekly Photography Challenge – Framing

    There are many ways to compose or images and many different elements you can use for effective composition. Framing is one such element of composition that can be very powerful for leading the viewer’s eye when done well.

    Eastman Kodak House (the home of George Eastman who founded Kodak) framed by the trees in the front garden.

    Weekly Photography Challenge – Framing

    Framing isn’t just about finding an archway, window, or doorway to shoot through though. You need to have a strong and interesting subject inside the frame. An empty parking lot framed with a stunning doorway is still a boring, empty parking lot.


    Here some tips if you need help with your framing:

    • How to Use Framing in an Urban Environment
    • Tips for Framing your Images to Tell a More Compelling Story
    • How to Use Framing to Create a Sense of Scale
    • Tips for Using Natural Framing to Improve Your Composition
    • How to Use Framing for More Effective Compositions

    I shot this Japanese style pagoda closer up, but it was lacking something. So after walking down the path, I turned around and shot it again, this time using the large trees as framing elements.

    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. Sometimes it takes a while for an image to appear so be patient and try not to post the same image twice.

    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.

    The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Framing by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.


    Digital Photography School

  • CAMS unveils new camera plates for small DSLRs and mirrorless cameras

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    Following in the footsteps of its successful Kickstarter campaign to fund the Pro Camera plate system, accessory manufacturer CAMS is looking to the crowdfunding platform once more to create scaled down plates for smaller DSLR and CSC bodies. The company hopes to raise $ 20,000 to fund a project that it says brings a host of new features to the plate and sling strap system.

    The new CAMS standard and Mini Plates are designed to fit smaller camera systems while still allowing access to the battery compartment door so batteries can be changed without having to remove the plate. The plates also have their own storage slots for a spare SD card and to hold the hex key that fits the plate to the camera.

    Those using Arca-Swiss type tripod heads will be able to mount the plate directly onto their tripod, while a further thread in the base allows the plates to attach to a standard 1/4in-20 tripod screw.

    Here’s a quick intro to the new plates from the Kickstarter campaign:

    A sling strap comes as an optional accessory and connects to the plate via a quick-opening attachment, while a hand strap can be used with the smaller lug close to the camera’s handgrip. In addition to the usual neoprene strap, the company is now offering Minima webbing strap and a Pelle leather version.

    Prices start from $ 50 for either plate with no strap or $ 65 with a Minima strap. For more details, visit the CAMS Kickstarter campaign page or the CAMS website.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Video Tips: Composition Dos and Don’ts For Creating Better Images

    How you compose or arrange your frame is one of the keys to creating interesting and compelling images. So learning some composition rules, and when to break them is essential.

    Here are three short videos to help you see what to do and what to avoid in your composition.

    Composition Mistakes to Avoid

    Learn what not to do in this video including:

    • Double subjects
    • Looking out of the frame
    • Tangents (lines cutting through the subject)
    • Lazy composition

    Beginner’s guide to composition

    In this second video, Jordan from Sleeklens gives you four tips you can use to help elevate your photography composition.

    ?

    The four tips covered include:

    1. Rule of thirds
    2. Balance
    3. Symmetry
    4. Leading Lines

    9 Composition Tips

    Finally, in this last video from COOPH you will see nine more composition tips based on the images of master photographer, Steve McCurry.

    ?

    Do you have any other composition tips you would like to share? Please do so in the comments section below.

    The post Video Tips: Composition Dos and Don’ts For Creating Better Images by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.


    Digital Photography School

  • Gear of the Year 2017 – Dale’s choice: Sigma 14mm F1.8 Art

    Sigma’s 14mm F1.8 Art lens makes it easier to get shots like this.
    ISO 5000 | 2 seconds | F1.8 | 14mm

    Over the past couple years I’ve developed a strong interest in wide-field astrophotography. Specifically, I’ve become passionate about photographing the aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights.

    The aurora is Mother Nature’s own special effects show, and it’s one of those things that makes you stop to just appreciate the magic of the universe. No photo, IMAX screen, or VR headset will ever replicate the experience of standing under the sky when she flips on the light switch, but maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to aurora photography in the first place: it requires me to go to where I can experience the magic in person.

    There are a lot of good lenses out there for this purpose, and I’ve used quite a few of them including the legendary Nikon 14-24mm F2.8, the Rokinon 14mm F2.8, the Venus Optics Laowa 15mm F2, various 16-35mm F2.8 variants, and even Sigma’s own 20mm F1.4 Art, but once I tried the Sigma 14mm F1.8 it was game over. I knew I had found the one.

    ISO 1600 | 3.2 seconds | F1.8 | 14mm

    One thing you learn quickly when shooting aurora is that you need fast, wide lenses. Fast because you’re shooting at night (duh). Wide because the aurora typically covers a large portion of the sky. It also makes it easier to include some landscape to provide a sense of place. This is where the Sigma 14mm F1.8 Art lens comes in.

    What makes this lens so special is the fast F1.8 aperture. That’s 1.3 EV faster than an F2.8 lens. Put another way, wide open the Sigma 14mm has a 2.5x light gathering advantage over F2.8 lenses. That’s huge.

    One challenge when photographing the aurora is that it can dance around surprisingly fast at times. Even at high ISO values an exposure may be on the order of several seconds, making it difficult to capture the intricate structure you often see in person. That’s part of the reason time-lapse sequences never look as good as the real thing.

    ISO 3200 | 5 seconds | F12.8 | 14mm

    Using the Sigma 14mm, however, I can cut my exposure time significantly. Where the Nikon 14-24mm F2.8 might require a 6 second exposure, the Sigma lets me get away with 2.5 seconds. Still not enough to freeze the action, but enough to reduce the degree to which patterns and structure in the aurora get averaged out.

    Conversely, there are times when the aurora moves slowly and I’m not too concerned about shutter speed. In that case, I can lower my ISO significantly, say from 6400 to 2500, in order to get higher quality images.

    But wait, there’s more! This lens even makes it easier to focus in the dark. I typically use live view to focus on a bright star. Sounds easy, but sometimes it’s not. The extra light at F1.8 makes this easier, making shooting more fun.

    Blah, blah, blah… That all means squat if the photos don’t look good. Thankfully, this lens has great image quality.

    ISO 6400 | 1.3 seconds | F1.8 | 14mm

    Wide open there’s some comatic aberration, which causes point sources of light near the edge of the frame to look distorted, but unless your viewer is pixel-peeping they probably won’t see it. I suppose if I were an astro purist, and the stars were the main subject of my photos, I might get a bit persnickety about this, but I’m not, so I don’t.

    There’s also noticeable vignetting wide open, but it’s a smooth transition to the edges, and I’ve generally been able to correct for it effectively in Lightroom. Again, astro purists will probably cringe at this, but for aurora photos it works great.

    If there’s any significant downside to this lens, it’s that it’s both big and heavy. This is one place where Sigma’s ‘Make the best optic possible and size be damned’ design approach is visible. Put a couple of these in your pack and you’re going to feel it. (Then again, some of those other lenses I mentioned above are pretty big as well.)

    I’m looking forward to doing a lot more aurora photography in the future, and I’ll be doing much of it with this lens. It’s going to take a lot to displace it from my camera, which is why it’s my 2017 gear of the year.

    Sigma 14mm F1.8 Art sample galleries

    Sample gallery

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    Astrophotography sample gallery

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    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • 2017 Buying Guide: Best cameras under $500

    Whether you’re looking for a compact camera with image quality exceeding that of your smartphone or just want an inexpensive second camera, there are some impressive options that won’t bust your wallet.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Phase One unveils Capture One 11 with ‘next level layers’ and more

    Watch out Adobe. Early this morning, Phase One unveiled the next major update to Capture One. The new version, Capture One 11, promises improvements in every regard: from “new, highly responsive tools,” to “workflow enhancements” to a new “finely tuned processing engine.”

    Here’s a quick introduction to what’s new in Capture One 11 straight from Phase One itself:

    The major improvements can be broken down into three categories: layers, workflow, and performance.

    Performance

    When Phase One talks about ‘optimized’ performance, the company is not just talking about how quickly Capture One can open and edit your Raw files. Included in these improvements is ‘re-engineered’ color handling, as well as the addition of a LAB Readout option for “customers who wish to measure image output to critical values.”

    ‘Next Level Layers’

    With this update, Phase One is now characterizing Capture One 11 as a ‘layer centric application.’ All of the program’s adjustment tools are now compatible with layers, masking tools have been improved with the ability to refine and feather masks after drawing, and you can now control the opacity of individual layers.

    Workflow

    Since Capture One 11 is trying to be “the professionals’ choice in imaging software,” several improvements have also been made on the workflow side.

    You can now add annotations and graphics on top of your image as overlays, and export them as separate layers in a PSD file; crops can be added as a ‘Path’ when exporting to a PSD file, so you don’t lose any pixels if you transfer out to Photoshop; and, finally, you can now export watermarks as a separate layer in an exported PSD file as well.

    As with all major Adobe competitors—and Capture One is arguably one of the best-known and most widely-used—the message Phase One wants to send loud and clear is, “we care about our customers’ needs.” In fact, you could say Phase One stopped just short of calling Adobe out by name in its announcement:

    In keeping with Phase One’s commitment to its customers’ choice, Capture One 11 is available for purchase by either perpetual license or by subscription – whichever best suits the customers’ needs.

    For photographers eager to escape Adobe’s subscription-only model, Capture One 11 represents a very tempting choice.

    Capture One 11 is available now for both Mac and Windows at $ 300 for a brand-new perpetual license or $ 20/month on subscription (or $ 180 if you pay for a year in advance). If you already own Capture One Pro 9 or 10, you can get a perpetual license for just $ 120, and if you purchased Capture One Pro 10 on October 31st, 2017 or later, you can actually upgrade to Capture One 11 for free by using your same license key.

    To learn more or download a fully-functional 30-day free trial, head over to the Phase One website.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Hasselblad launches its own online store, offers 5% off for a limited time

    Iconic medium format manufacturer Hasselblad has opened its own online store, allowing users all over the world to skip the third-party vendors and local dealer and buy direct from the manufacturer itself. Following in the footsteps of Hasselblad’s first brick-andmortar stores in Sweden, China, and Japan, the online ‘Hasselblad Store’ will be open to resident of the USA, China, UK, Germany and France.

    Currently, the Hasselblad Store is selling both X1D and H6D cameras, as well as a limited number of lenses. Opening offers include 5% off some X1D kits and the body-only price, while H6D buyers can get a free hard case with their purchase. These discounts will last until December 7th.

    The company’s hope is that an official online store will broaden the availability of its products:

    The launch of the ‘Hasselblad Store’ is one of our core initiatives derived from our strategy that focuses on not only making our products more accessible to photographers seeking hands on experience with the Hasselblad product line-up, but also to inspire fans with great images and stories.

    For more information or if you want to purchase a brand new Hassy from the company itself, check out the Hasselblad Store for yourself.

    Press Release

    Hasselblad Expands Into E-Commerce with Launch of ‘Hasselblad Store’

    Hasselblad’s New Online Store is Now Open To The USA, China, UK, Germany and France

    Hasselblad, the leading manufacturer of digital medium format cameras and lenses, is pleased to announce the launch of its new online ‘Hasselblad Store’. The online store will broaden availability of Hasselblad’s iconic high- performance cameras and lenses to photographers in the USA, China, UK, Germany and France.

    “The launch of the ‘Hasselblad Store’ is one of our core initiatives derived from our strategy that focuses on not only making our products more accessible to photographers seeking hands on experience with the Hasselblad product line-up, but also to inspire fans with great images and stories” said Bronius Rudnickas, Hasselblad Marketing Manager.

    The online store follows closely behind the new Hasselblad website and the ‘Rent a Hasselblad’ program that was launched earlier in November.

    ‘Rent a Hasselblad’ is a global online reservation service for Hasselblad cameras and lenses. Whether renting a Hasselblad system for a speci c photoshoot, booking a camera to try it out before purchasing, or reserving gear to pick up and use at their next travel destination, the rental service provides photographers with more freedom and greater accessibility to Hasselblad systems.

    During the opening week of the online store, customers will be eligible to receive a ve percent (5%) discount on the award winning X1D and the XCD 45mm and 90mm lenses. In addition, for every customer purchasing an H6D-50c or H6D-100c camera, an H System Camera Hard Case will be included. This offer will end on December 7th, 2017.
    Access to the ‘Hasselblad Store’ at:
    https://store.hasselblad.com/

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Gear of the Year 2017 – Dan’s choice: Sony a9

    It’s been fascinating to watch the rise of mirrorless cameras over the course of my 7+ years writing about digital photography. And Sony in particular has been fun to watch as they’ve lead the mirrorless charge in terms of sensor size and resolution.

    I’ll never forget the moment the Sony NEX-7 was unveiled in a pre-launch briefing in 2011 – it was the first time I truly craved a mirrorless body – the publication I worked for at the time even named it ‘Camera of the Year’. Up until that point mirrorless still felt like something of a novelty: a nice option for amateurs craving a small, light ILC alternative to a DSLR, but certainly not a replacement for one, especially for those ‘serious’ about their photography.

    It’s often been Sony in particular making the mirrorless cameras I’m most eager to get my hands on.

    As the mirrorless market continued to take off and cameras like the original Sony a7 were unveiled, my interest in what originally seemed like a niche continued to grow. And while a lot of brands have contributed serious innovation to the mirrorless market, it’s been Sony in particular making the mirrorless cameras I’m most eager to get my hands on – an opinion not shared by all my colleagues, mind you.

    But time and time again I found my expectations of shooting a Sony mirrorless camera never quite matched the reality of using the product. For instance, when it came to the Sony a7, sure it packed a full-frame sensor in a super compact mirrorless body – something that’d never been done, but the user interface of the camera, to put it simply, felt unfinished. This led to an overly frustrating shooting experience.

    The Sony a9 is the brand’s first truly refined mirrorless camera, in this writer’s opinion.
    ISO 1000 | 1/1000 sec | F5.6

    To make matters worse, many of Sony’s early mirrorless UI stumbling points were uniquely their own: slow startup times, vague error messages, and batteries draining while the camera’s shut off were problems other manufacturers had long since addressed (not to mention poor battery life). And while no one has the perfect menus, Sony’s have historically been the most cluttered and confusing.

    But time and time again I found my expectations of shooting a Sony mirrorless camera never quite matched the reality of using the product.

    For years, early Sony mirrorless adopters defended their decision to go all-in citing that, eventually, you do get used to the annoying UI and find workarounds. And indeed I’m sure they did. But a good camera shouldn’t force you to work around it: it should work with you. And as the Sony a7 II-series came to market, it seemed clear the brand was intent on fixing a lot of these issues and shaking its image as the camera brand with bad UI.

    And then came the Sony a9

    But it wasn’t until the release of the Alpha 9 this year, that a Sony camera has felt as refined in use as it DSLR counterparts. A year early, the Sony a6500 came pretty close to hitting this mark, but it’s the Sony a9 that’s finally won me over as a whole-hearted mirrorless believer.

    Make no mistake, the a9 is meant to compete against the likes of the flagship Nikon D5 and Canon EOS 1D X Mark II. What it lacks in built-in vertical grip, it makes up for in a faster burst (20 fps on the Sony, 14 fps on the Canon and 12 fps on the Nikon). But it has more appeal to me than as just a sports camera.

    The a9 is a sports camera, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t also well-suited for shooting candids. In fact it’s flip-out touchscreen is perfect for discreetly focusing on a subject.
    ISO 100 | 1/640 sec | F5.6

    For me, the mark of a truly good camera is one you find yourself reaching for regardless of the assignment or subject matter. Since the a9 landed in our office, it’s been a camera that I’ve found myself grabbing for both static and moving subjects. Because as well-suited as it might be for sports photography, it’s also a great street photography camera with lenses like the FE 28mm F2 attached. I find that using the flip-out touchscreen to select a point of focus is a great way to shoot candids.

    Since the a9 landed in our office, its a camera that I’ve found myself grabbing for both static and moving subjects.

    I recently took a trip to Jackson, Wyoming where I expected to shoot a mix of wildlife, landscapes and video, and found myself bringing the a9 because it offered a fast burst rate with good AF, 4K video without any heavy crop factor and excellent dynamic range. But moreover, I packed it because it is a camera I enjoy shooting with and can, with some time spent, customize to complement my shooting style perfectly.

    I picked the Sony a9 for a once in a lifetime trip to Jackson, Wyoming because of its small size, dynamic range, 4K video and burst speed.
    ISO 50 | 1/640 sec | F8

    That’s a big step forward for Sony. They’ve long made cameras that out-spec’ed the competition but for me personally, were not enjoyable to use. But the a9’s menus have been overhauled and are less confusing, its also responsive (starts up fast) and rarely throws confusing errors messages. These may sound like little things, but they add up to vastly more pleasant shooting experience compared to Sonys of years past.

    I packed it because it is a camera I enjoy shooting with.

    Improvements like a new, larger capacity battery that doesn’t self-drain, gave me more confidence in grabbing the Sony for what was likely a once in a lifetime shooting excursion. Plus, compared to a D5 or 1D X II, the a9 is a much smaller lighter camera to pack. And its in-body + lens stabilization allows me the flexibility to shoot handheld at slower shutter speeds and avoid lugging a tripod around. This was something that mattered to me as I was to do a lot of hiking in Jackson.

    These bison may be nursing, and therefore stationary, but they can run at speeds up to 40 MPH. Good thing the Sony a9 can shoot at 20 fps.
    ISO 100 | 1/500 sec | F5.6

    Where Sony can go from here

    The Sony a9, and its recently-released cousin, the Sony a7R III are both exceptional cameras. I used to hesitate to pick up a Sony camera; with this recent generation, no longer. That said, there are still some areas these cameras could improve to truly leave their DSLR pals in the dust, specifically: weather-sealing and subject tracking.

    ‘Nikon’s 3D Tracking is still superior to Sony’s Lock-on AF for subject tracking.’

    The Sony a9 is dust and moisture resistant to certain degree, but the lack of robust rubber gaskets on the ports, SD card and battery doors does not lead me to trust its ability to survive shooting in conditions such as a lacrosse game in torrential downpours – I’d be much more comfortable grabbing a Nikon D5 of Canon 1D X II.

    The same goes for any assignment/circumstance were nailing focus on the shot is mission critical: Nikon’s 3D Tracking is still superior to Sony’s Lock-on AF for subject tracking.

    There are some other minor grievances I have with the a9, like the inability to enter menus while the buffer clears. Another: the omission of video gamma and color modes found in most other Sony cameras. But these are all things that can easily be added/improved in the next generation. And if there is one thing I’ve learned covering Sony’s camera technology, it’s that the brand listens to customers and industry feedback.

    Note: This was shot through a seaplane window.
    ISO 800 | 1/2000 sec | F5.6

    It’s no secret that Sony is hungry for a piece of the professional sports photography market, eager to get mirrorless cameras on the sidelines of the Olympics and Super Bowl. And with the Sony a9, there’s compelling reason to at least acknowledge Sony as a legit player. I think it will take a few more generations of cameras for Sony to blow past the competition, giving pros a concrete reason to consider switching. But if they keep moving in the direction they have been, I see no reason why more and more pros wouldn’t give them a chance.

    So for winning me over and being the first Sony mirrorless camera I truly love shooting with, the a9 is my pick for 2017 gear of the year.

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    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)