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DPReview TV: Nikon Z7 II review

09 Jan

The Nikon Z7 II has the same great ergonomics as its predecessor, but has more processing power, dual card slots, 4K/60p video, improved autofocus and more. Chris and Jordan tell us why it’s a solid choice for many shooters.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

Introduction
Design and handling
Dual memory cards
Sample images
Displays
Autofocus
Burst shooting and buffer
Image quality
New subscriber challenge!
Video performance
Time-lapse
More sample photos!
Who's it for?

Nikon Z7 II sample gallery from this episode

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro Review: A Gorgeous Graphics Tablet for Photographers

08 Jan

The post XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro Review: A Gorgeous Graphics Tablet for Photographers appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.

XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro graphics tablet review

I’ve been using Photoshop for many years – primarily as a photographer that works in Lightroom and sometimes exports images into Photoshop for editing. But using Photoshop with a mouse is something that takes a lot of practice; it’s not really a natural way to post-process, which is why many serious editors turn to graphics tablets.

Now, when the team from XP-Pen reached out and offered us a review unit of the XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro, a 2K, 23.8-inch QHD graphics tablet, I’ll admit I was a little dubious. I’d only ever owned one graphics tablet – a tiny little Wacom that didn’t get a lot of use. I was certainly keen to try a new tablet, but I’ll admit that I was a little worried about not liking it.

Fortunately, as you’ll soon see, I needn’t have worried. As I share in this review, the XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro is a powerful graphics tablet, one that both looks and works great.

So to discover all the nitty-gritty details, including both the benefits and the drawbacks of working with the Artist 24 Pro, read on.

First impressions

The package that arrived was much larger than I expected. I knew the Artist 24 Pro featured a 24-inch display, but I had clearly not managed to comprehend just how large the tablet would be.

I have a desk with two 27-inch displays, which meant that the XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro would need an extra bit of real estate. So after I MacGuyvered something together with a Kupo light stand and my Tether Tools Aero, it was time to get the new tablet set up!

I tried using the tablet in two different configurations:

First, on a stand with my Macbook sitting behind it. This is a great setup for shooting tethered, as you can perform quick edits there and then with the tablet while using it as your main display.

The second configuration, as shown in the photograph above, was with the tablet adjusted to the height of my standing desk, ready to go!

Design

The XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro offers one HDMI and two USB host ports (so you can charge things like phones, etc.), as well as the power input on the back of the unit.

There’s also a USB-C port, which allows me to connect my iMac to the display. This was very quick and convenient; it worked straight out of the box with very little configuration required.

The rear of the tablet sports a flappy-paddle stand that, when depressed, moves a foot into the desired position. This lets you adjust the unit to stand up or lay almost flat, as though you’re writing in a nice big notepad.

XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro graphics tablet tilting

I love how I can stand up the tablet to use as a regular second monitor for my 13-inch Macbook Pro, before laying it flat and working on photographs.

XP-Pen Artist 24 pro setup — The XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro lying almost flat.

Ease of use

The XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro comes with a piece of software (a download) that adjusts the settings of the tablet, pen controls and functions, monitor configuration, express key setup (more on that in a bit), calibration, and other general features. I’ve found it very easy to use with no what-the-heck-am-I-doing moments to speak of!

However, when you first set up your tablet and open Photoshop, make sure you have the correct monitor mapped. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself deeply frustrated; I speak from personal experience.

Performance

There are many technical reviews of the XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro on the web, and most of them will tell you, in superbly technical terms, that the tablet is a very capable tool.

In fact, my conclusion is similar – the large screen, the 2560×1440 resolution, the 90% AdobeRGB color gamut, and the tilting stand makes for a very usable tablet.

When you get the XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro custom buttons all configured using the two easy-to-control red dial wheels and the 20 customizable shortcut keys, it’s very easy to open and control many different graphics packages, as well as a lot of other options (depending on which software you like to use on your computer).

In truth, I hadn’t previously used a tablet much. I thought that I’d always just edit with my mouse. I guess that comes from having a less-than-pleasant time with the first tablet I tried (and I hadn’t used another tablet until the Artist 24 Pro).

I’ve now had the XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro for quite a while. And when working in Photoshop, while I would have once happily used my mouse, I now whip out the tablet and do my editing on the screen – a testament to the great performance and ease of use of the tablet.

Granted, the 24-inch tablet isn’t the smallest device, and you do need to have space for it. But the tablet only requires one USB-C (or HDMI) and one power cable, so you can have your laptop tucked behind the tablet, using the tablet as your main display with a wireless keyboard and mouse to give your laptop that “big screen” feeling.

I’ve used the tablet as the main display for my 13-inch MacBook Pro for almost everything from movies to editing since I received it.

The XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro review: Conclusion

The XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro offers solid build quality combined with a simple-to-navigate interface, great on-screen performance, visual clarity, and ergonomics.

There was only one thing I thought could be improved, and that was the rear foot of the big screen. It has a couple of rubber stoppers that hold the device nicely in place, but it’s easy to scratch your desk if you’re not careful.

Overall, I like almost everything about the Artist 24 Pro; it’s packed full of features that make it one great tablet!

You can purchase the XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro right here.

The post XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro Review: A Gorgeous Graphics Tablet for Photographers appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.

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How These 5 Photography Quotes Can Impact Your Photographic Practice

07 Jan

The post How These 5 Photography Quotes Can Impact Your Photographic Practice appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

Techniques, theory, approaches, and equipment; there are many items that feed into the art of making successful images. Luckily, we have the authority of countless photographers to guide us!

In this article, we’ll look at five photography quotes and the insights we can glean from them.

1. No place is boring, if you’ve had a good night’s sleep and have a pocket full of unexposed film – Robert Adams

photography quotes roll of 35mm film — Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 50mm f/1.8 with extension tubes | 1/20s | f/2 | ISO 200

Robert Adams finds interest in the seemingly mundane. He shines a thoughtful light on the vastness of the wilderness and the hum of human expansion.

However, as Adams argues in one of his better-known photography quotes: It isn’t just a pocket of unexposed film that staves off boredom, but a night of quality sleep.

This is good advice for those of us who often burn the candle at both ends.

2. The camera is an excuse to be someplace you otherwise don’t belong – Susan Meiselas

The second of our five photography quotes comes from Susan Meiselas. Seeing into the veneer of everyday life, photographers such as Meiselas use the camera as a tool to investigate, motivate, question, connect, and share. The camera acts as a passport, as well as a reason to explore and push boundaries.

Today, a generalized knowledge of photographic technology means that most people are aware of a camera’s appearance and function. Nevertheless, those witnessing a photographer in action will frequently respond with interest or curiosity. With a camera in hand, a photographer is often viewed as a person guided by artistic and technical authority.

This gives photographers an entry point into the inner workings of an environment and its inhabitants.

3. Photography is a language more universal than words – Minor White

Photography quotes abstraction black and white — Canon 5D Mark II | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L | 1/100s | f/4 | ISO 100

Minor White sought to make images that stood as “a record of something in front of the camera and simultaneously a spontaneous symbol…A photograph of the bark of a tree, for example, may suddenly touch off a corresponding feeling of roughness of character within an individual.”

Photographs, as we know, have many layers of meaning. With a conscientious approach to composition and execution, photographers can start a dialogue that transcends the boundaries of language.

In referring to the universality of photographic language, White encourages you to carefully consider the many ways in which a subject can be photographed. This hopefully prompts you to capture the subject with a deliberateness and mastery that goes beyond words.

4. Taking pictures is like tiptoeing into the kitchen late at night and stealing Oreo cookies – Diane Arbus

You’ve probably experienced the thrill of sneaking tasty morsels from the kitchen at a late hour: the anticipation, the apprehension, and then the reward.

But Arbus’s quote isn’t just about stealing food and photos; it’s about the driving force behind photography. Why does photography matter? What makes photography so compelling in the first place? And what makes us keep coming back for more?

Establishing why a photographer does what they do can be tricky. There are many different reasons a photographer might take up a camera.

Nevertheless, developing a good grasp of the motivations that spur on your own photography can help you find direction, especially in the event of a creative block.

5. Searching is everything – going beyond what you know. And the test of the search is really in the things themselves, the things you seek to understand. What is important is not what you think about them, but how they enlarge you – Wynn Bullock

abstract camera movement black and white — Photography is often about the journey as much as it is about the results.
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L | 1/20s | f/4.0 | ISO 200

It was during a tour in Europe during the mid-1920s that singer Wynn Bullock first encountered the artworks of Man Ray and László Moholy-Nagy. Recognizing photography as a powerful vehicle for creativity, Bullock bought a box camera and began taking pictures himself.

Interested in art as well as psychology, physics, and philosophy, Bullock constantly sought to build on his own photographic practice. Many of Bullock’s photography quotes emphasize personal growth, affirming the need for deliberation and mindfulness.

Encouraging photographers to absorb as much as possible from every photographic subject and experience, Bullock’s words instill a sense of constructive curiosity in photographers that expands personal practice and furthers the medium overall.

Conclusion

There are so many photography quotes that have been recorded throughout history that it’s nearly impossible to list them all.

Nevertheless, reading and absorbing the advice uttered by pioneering photographers can help you understand the minds that helped shape the trajectory of photography!

Now over to you:

Do you have a favorite photography quote? Share it in the comments below!

The post How These 5 Photography Quotes Can Impact Your Photographic Practice appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

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EaseUS Data Recovery Review: Fast, Powerful, and Easy to Use

06 Jan

The post EaseUS Data Recovery Review: Fast, Powerful, and Easy to Use appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

If you’ve ever deleted photos, videos, or documents by accident…

…then you know how important it is to have good data recovery software on hand.

Unfortunately, not all recovery software works as promised – which is why you have to be extra-careful when purchasing.

But what about EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard? It’s a popular recovery program, but can you trust it to bring back your precious files?

That’s what this article is all about.

I put EaseUS Data Recovery to the test, and I share all my findings with you. And honestly, it’s worth stating up front that EaseUS Data Recovery works really, really well. While I’ll share details with you later on in this review, I’d like to emphasize a few facts:

First, EaseUS is remarkably fast.

Second, it’s packed full of useful features for sorting and locating photo and video files.

And third:

It does a great job (flawless, in my experience!) recovering deleted media.

So to learn more about EaseUS Data Recovery, including what it can do, where you can purchase it, and how you can use it to recover your files…

…read on.

What can EaseUS Data Recovery software do?

EaseUS Data Recovery software offers a quick and easy way to recover deleted files.

Specifically, you can use it to bring back desktop data that you’ve accidentally deleted, memory card files that you’ve formatted, or video files that you forgot to backup then deleted off your card.

In other words:

If you’ve lost your files through some method of accidental deletion, EaseUS Data Recovery can likely get them back.

EaseUS offers a huge list of file types you can recover with their recovery wizard, including plenty of photo file types (JPEGs, TIFFs, PNGs, CRWs, NEFs, ORFs, and DNGs, among others) and video file types (MP3s, WAVs, MPGs, WMVs, etc.), as well as document file types, audio file types, and more.

Also note that EaseUS can go beyond recovery in select cases. The software can actually repair corrupted JPEGs, MP4, and MOV files, though this functionality unfortunately doesn’t extend to RAW files.

Now let’s take a look at how to actually use the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to resurrect your lost files:

How to use EaseUS: A quick guide

EaseUS is impressively simple to use.

Start by installing the EaseUS software, which you can grab off the EaseUS website here for PC and here for Mac.

Once you have the software set up, you’ll be prompted to select the location to target for recovery:

selecting a location to recover files from

Just hover over the relevant location, then click Scan:

click Scan to begin the recovery process

The scanning process will begin immediately, where EaseUS searches the targeted location for any and all files, including corrupted and deleted photos.

You’ll see a countdown at the bottom of the screen that gives you an estimated scan time.

And files will begin to appear in the EaseUS window as they’re identified for recovery.

If you like, you can let the scan continue until completion, but you also have the option to recover already-discovered files. In other words, you can let the scan run in the background while you recover the files already present in the EaseUS window.

Eventually, you’ll need to select the files you’d like to recover. Just hit the check mark next to the file names:

Then select Recover:

If you’d only like to recover certain files, you have the option to filter specific file types via tags:

Or filter specific file types via the Filter option:

In fact, you can get even more granular with the Advanced Filter; simply open the Filter menu, then click Advanced Filter:

And select your filter options to bring up specific files while scanning:

After you hit the Recover button, you’ll be prompted to select a location to store the recovered files:

select where to store your recovered files

Hit OK, and you can watch the progress bar as your files are recovered:

EaseUS data recovery review progress bar

Once the recovery is complete, EaseUS will automatically launch the location with your recovered files. You can also click the View Recovered button to launch the location manually:

Then you can immediately access your recovered files!

How does EaseUS Data Recovery perform?

I tested EaseUS Data Recovery with a formatted memory card of my own, and it performed flawlessly. When I’d finished the recovery process, I had access to every one of my photos (all in perfect condition!).

Of course, it’s impossible for me to test every scenario and every file type, but my Olympus RAW images came back safe and sound, and I’m confident that EaseUS could effortlessly handle plenty of other situations.

I was handily impressed by the ease of recovery. The process was remarkably simple and took literally zero fumbling around with the software. And I was also pleased by the speed of recovery, because while some recovery software takes hours upon hours to scan and recover photos, EaseUS had all 20+ deleted photos ready for recovery within five to ten seconds. The recovery process itself took thirty seconds at most.

Since I was just recovering Olympus RAW images from an SD card, I didn’t have much use for the filtering functions. But if you’re looking to recover select media from an entire hard drive of files, filtering is invaluable – it’ll let you find and select the files you’re after, without having to waste precious time going through the entire set of recovered items. And I’m a huge fan of the “recover while scanning” option, which allows you to recover already-discovered items while EaseUS continues to scan the drive. When I was testing the software, I didn’t have to wait for the entire deep scan to finish. Instead, I started recovering images as soon as EaseUS identified them.

A word of caution: There are times when EaseUS Data Recovery will fail; that’s just the nature of recovery software. If your photos or videos are too far gone, even the best recovery software won’t be able to piece them back together.

For instance, if you fill up a memory card, format it, and fill it up again, the first set of images will almost certainly be unrecoverable, which is why you should always, always, always have a proper backup system from the beginning. And if you ever find yourself with a formatted memory card that needs recovering, do not, under any circumstances, overwrite that card with new images.

But here’s the bottom line:

EaseUS did a fantastic job recovering my images, and I wouldn’t hesitate to use EaseUS to deal with accidental file deletion of any type.

EaseUS Data Recovery: Plans and pricing

EaseUS offers three editions for PC users:

First, there’s the Free edition, which allows you to recover up to 2 GB of media. If you’ve accidentally deleted a handful of images, this may be enough.

The Pro edition offers unlimited data recovery, plus you get support from EaseUS specialists, all for $ 69.95 USD. This is perfect for most users, assuming you can boot up your drive.

Finally, there’s the Pro+Bootable Media edition, which offers everything included in the Pro edition, plus the capability to recover files from a crashed drive, all for $ 99.90 USD. This is the edition to purchase if you cannot get your drive to run.

Mac users also have access to the Free edition. Then there’s a Pro edition for Mac, which offers the functionality of the PC Pro+Bootable Media edition in a comprehensive, $ 89.95 USD package.

Who should get EaseUS Data Recovery?

If you’ve accidentally deleted photos or videos, then EaseUS Data Recovery is a fantastic solution.

It’ll bring back any recoverable files quickly and efficiently – and it’ll even let you sort through the files for easy access.

So if you’ve lost photos or videos on a memory card, a flash drive, a hard drive, or your desktop, I highly recommend you grab this EaseUS software. If the files can be recovered, then EaseUS will get it done!

You can purchase a version of EaseUS right here for PC users and right here for Mac users.

EaseUS is a paid partner of dPS.

The post EaseUS Data Recovery Review: Fast, Powerful, and Easy to Use appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Update: The end of an era: Olympus confirms it’s completed the sale of its imaging business to JIP

05 Jan

Editor’s Note: (Tuesday, January 05, 2021 at 10:29 AM): We have added additional details about the transition, provided to us by an Olympus spokesperson.

Olympus has confirmed in an announcement on its website that it’s completed the transfer of its imaging division to OM Digital Solutions, the subsidiary of Japan Industrial Partners Inc. (JIP) that now controls the Zuiko and OM brands.

Olympus first agreed to sell its imaging business back in June 2020, when it announced JIP would be the new stewards of its camera brands. Further details were unveiled in September 2020, when Olympus laid out the framework for how the transfer would take place.

This new announcement, embedded above, confirms the transition has been completed as expected, effective January 1, 2021. In it, Olympus says Shigemi Sugimoto has been named President and CEO of OM Digital Solutions under JIP. It’s business will be ‘digital cameras, interchangeable lenses, IC recorders, etc. centered on mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras.’ The company starts out with 37 billion yen ($ 360.9 million) and has 2,000 global employees at inception.

The announcement says sales and research and development will take place at the OM Digital Solutions Co. building in Takakuramachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, while production of equipment will take place at factories in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam.

We’ve also learned OM Digital Solutions has licensed the use of the Olympus brand name. So, in addition to the OM and Zuiko branding, the cameras will continue to be released under the Olympus brand ‘for the foreseeable future.’ This won’t always be the case, but an Olympus spokesperson told us they are ‘unable to provide the exact duration of its use, at this time.’

The Olympus spokesperson also clarified details of the transition, saying OM Digital Solutions ‘will retain Olympus leadership and capabilities in Research and Development, Production, Sales and Marketing.’ The roadmap will also remain unchanged under the new owners, according to the spokesperson. ‘Services, repairs and warranties will continue, and customers will receive full support for future purchases,’ as well.

OM Digital Solutions CEO and President, Shigemi Sugimoto, is quoted in the announcement saying (via machine-translated text) ‘[OM Digital Solutions] will continue to supply high-quality and highly reliable products [and] will continue to develop unique products for the creation of new value.’

What exactly this new endeavor entails remains to be seen, but we’ll get our first preview of Olympus’ brands under JIP in the form of a new website that will go live tomorrow.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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How to Avoid Blurry Photos by Choosing the Right Autofocus Mode

05 Jan

The post How to Avoid Blurry Photos by Choosing the Right Autofocus Mode appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lynford Morton.

Sometimes the light is perfect, the moment is right, but when you get home, you find that your photo is blurry. Arrgh!

Why are your pictures blurry? One obvious reason is that your camera isn’t focused properly.

You see, while today’s cameras and lenses can help you quickly take sharp images in a wide variety of situations, you must first choose the right autofocus mode.

So here are some questions to help you diagnose any blurry-photo situations – so you can choose the correct autofocus settings, consistently!

Are you using the auto-area autofocus mode or the single-point autofocus mode?

Who gets to decide your focus points?

That’s what you’re deciding when you choose between the auto-area AF mode versus the single-point AF mode.

With an auto-area autofocus mode, your camera decides what it should use as your focal point. It usually decides based on what looks most prominent in the viewfinder or is closest to the camera.

Is this a bad thing?

Well, it can work if your subject is obvious and there are no potential distractions. But what do you do when you’re trying to focus on a smaller subject within the frame?

For more control, you choose a single point autofocus setting.

The single-point mode allows you to choose your specific autofocus point (check your camera’s manual if you aren’t sure how to do this).

After all, only you, not your camera, know where your subject is – and where you want to position it within your composition.

(Also, note that your camera offers several additional AF area modes – but it’s a good idea to start by choosing between the auto-area mode and the single-point mode.)

Is your subject moving?

Most DSLR cameras give you four basic options for autofocus settings: single, continuous, auto, and manual.

To help you choose the right option, ask yourself, “Is my subject moving?”

Then, based on your answer, read the relevant advice below:

No, my subject is not moving

If your subject is not moving, choose “AF-S” on your camera (though this mode is referred to as “One Shot” on Canon cameras).

AF-S acquires and locks the focus as soon as you half-press the shutter button. If your subject stays at the exact same distance from the camera, your photo will be in focus (and you’ll be able to keep taking photos and can expect them to be in focus, too). If your subject moves, then your photos will be blurry.

In other words:

Your subject has to be stationary for AF-S to work. In fact, the shutter won’t fire if your subject is moving and your lens can’t acquire focus.

AF-S also allows you to recompose. Let’s say the autofocus point is in the center of the frame, but you want your subject positioned close to the edge. As long as you maintain a half-press on your shutter button, the focus will remain sharp on your subject.

Then you can move the camera slightly left or right, positioning your subject away from the center of the frame.

Yes, my subject is moving

If your subject is moving, use continuous autofocus (“AF-C” on most cameras, though Canon calls it “AI Servo”).

With this mode, you can place your autofocus point over your subject, and the focus continues to adjust while you press the shutter button. This keeps your subject in focus as it moves.

For example, if someone is riding a bicycle, you can place the AF point on your subject and half-press the shutter button. As long as you’re half-pressing the shutter, the autofocus will adjust continuously, keeping your subject in focus as they move.

When you’re ready to take the photo, depress the shutter completely, and the camera will fire a sharp, in-focus image.

No, my subject isn’t moving, but it might

A third option merges the functionality of the single autofocus and continuous autofocus modes. This hybrid mode (“AF-A” for Nikon or “AI Focus” for Canon) works differently depending on your camera.

However, AF-A always involves some sort of automatic switching between AF-S and AF-C modes, based on whether your camera perceives a moving subject or an unmoving subject.

With AF-A activated, you can focus on an unmoving subject exactly as if you are working in AF-S. But as soon as the subject moves, your camera will switch to AF-C and begin tracking.

Make sense?

For some photographers, this is the best of both worlds and allows you to deal with erratic subjects that repeatedly move and then stop suddenly (i.e., birds). However, you’ll often lose the ability to focus and recompose, because your camera may attempt to refocus based on the position of its autofocus point – so make sure to bear that in mind.

My autofocus just isn’t getting it right

You always have the option of turning off the autofocus function and choosing the manual focus setting.

When should you do this?

Well, if your camera is having trouble detecting your focus point, it might be more efficient to focus the camera yourself.

Note that you can turn off your autofocus on accident. So every now and then, when your camera can’t seem to focus, and you don’t hear the motor searching back and forth, check to see if you selected manual focus without meaning to. This can happen more frequently than you might think!

Other issues to consider

What if you set up your autofocus properly and the lens still won’t focus?

I’d recommend you consider these solutions:

You might be too close. Try backing away. If you are too near your subject, the camera may not be able to focus properly.
Your subject might not have enough contrast. Your image needs to have some contrast for most autofocus systems to work. If you try to photograph a solid sheet of white or any single-colored wall, most autofocus systems will struggle. Why? Cameras use differences in colors and tones to determine their focus. If a camera can’t find any contrast, it can’t focus.
You might have an extremely shallow depth of field. In this case, your autofocus is working, but the depth of field is so shallow, it’s hard to tell that your subject is in focus.
You have camera shake. When you depress the shutter, you move the camera. If the shutter speed is too slow, the camera picks up that movement, and it gives you a blurry photo. Make sure your shutter speed is faster than the equivalent of your focal length. For instance, if you are zoomed out to 100mm, your shutter speed should be 1/100s or faster to avoid camera shake.
You have motion blur. If your subject is moving quickly and your shutter speed is too slow, the photo will end up blurry – so make sure you’re using a fast-enough shutter speed to freeze all motion in the scene.

Choosing the right autofocus mode: Conclusion

Why are your pictures blurry?

If the answer is related to your autofocus mode, your fix could be as simple as choosing the right settings.

And to prevent any future blurry photos, make sure you use the process I’ve laid out above.

Do you have any other autofocus tips or tricks you’d like to share? Please do so in the comments below!

The post How to Avoid Blurry Photos by Choosing the Right Autofocus Mode appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lynford Morton.

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Canon to Drop Its EOS M Lineup in Favor of Crop-Sensor EOS R Cameras

04 Jan

The post Canon to Drop Its EOS M Lineup in Favor of Crop-Sensor EOS R Cameras appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Bad news for Canon EOS M fans:

The Canon EOS M lineup, which includes popular models such as the EOS M50 and the EOS M6 Mark II, may soon be no more.

This comes from Canon Rumors, which reports that “two sources…suggested that 2021 will be the last year of the EOS M lineup.”

Over the better part of the last decade, Canon has developed two mirrorless camera lines:

The dedicated APS-C EOS M series, and the full-frame EOS R series.

But while sibling APS-C and full-frame cameras are nothing new, the EF-M mount is incompatible with the RF mount, forcing Canon to produce two independent sets of lenses. And as the EOS R series continues to soar in popularity, it seems that Canon has decided to throw all of its resources into expanding the RF-mount cameras and lenses while leaving the EOS M lineup behind.

Of course, this doesn’t mean Canon will stop selling its EOS M models; the EOS M50 Mark II was only announced this past fall, and EOS M cameras are, by all accounts, performing well. But I wouldn’t hold out hope for any additional EOS M cameras or lenses. According to Canon Rumors, “the EOS M50 Mark II was a ‘stop-gap for a couple of future RF-mount APS-C cameras’” – which implies that the M50 Mark II will be the last of the EOS M cameras, and that Canon will try to channel its APS-C demand into new RF-mount models.

Rumors of an APS-C EOS R7 have abounded for months now, but the crop-sensor RF-mount models discussed by Canon Rumors are likely entirely different, catering to beginner photographers, walkaround shooters, and vloggers. Canon Rumors also reports that “there will not be RF-S lenses for APS-C EOS R cameras.” Instead, “future lens design will ‘fill the void of no dedicated APS-C lenses.’”

In other words, you can expect a handful of full-frame lenses that will also appeal to APS-C shooters – in the form of lightweight, kit RF lenses – rather than lenses designed solely for APS-C R bodies.

Personally, I welcome this move away from the EOS M series, as it gives APS-C shooters the opportunity to work with higher-end RF glass while allowing Canon to focus its resources on a single camera lineup. But I can also understand the frustration that EOS M users will undoubtedly feel as Canon lets a successful camera series fade away.

Now over to you:

What are your thoughts about the end of the EOS M lineup? Are you happy? Frustrated? Worried? Do you think Canon will end production of its EOS M cameras anytime soon? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Canon to Drop Its EOS M Lineup in Favor of Crop-Sensor EOS R Cameras appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Starting 2021 Paddling Season with Kruger Canoe in Colorado

04 Jan

New Year Day afternoon. I started the 2021 paddling on Horsetooth Reservoir with Sea Wind, my expedition canoe. No drysuit or wetsuit needed, but loading this boat on Toyota 4Runner and carrying to water was a good crossfit training in […]
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3 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid When Shooting on a White Background

04 Jan

The post 3 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid When Shooting on a White Background appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lily Sawyer.

Because white background portraits are so common, many people think it’s an easy effect to achieve. Simply put your subject in front of the camera against a white background (preferably with a flash or strobe), and take the picture.

white background photography mistakes examples

Unfortunately, it’s not so simple. Using the method described above would result in a photo with either a gray, dull, or muddy-toned background. The best possible result would be an off-white background after you have done some edits. That’s not the only issue, though; you’d see unwanted shadows everywhere, too.

I have replicated the setup with my little model, Sven (Kristoff’s beloved reindeer in the movie Frozen). It is easier doing this with a small-scale subject, as the lights are huge in comparison. With people, to do this to scale, you need to have massive octaboxes and flags. But this tutorial will show you the process clearly.

So here are three rookie mistakes to avoid when trying to achieve 100% pure-white background photography:

Mistake #1: The background is not lit properly

The background must be lit with approximately two stops more light than the subject. For example, if you want to photograph your subject at f/8, set your background lights to two stops brighter, so your meter reads f/16 on the background.

Note: You need to meter foreground and background lights separately, so that when metering for the main light (on the subject) you would turn the background lights off and vice versa. When both the background and main lights are on, your meter should still give you f/8 on the subject, because you are metering the light that falls on your subject and not on the background.

The photo below (right) shows what it looks like when you don’t light the background at all. You get a tone and color other than the intended white. In the photo on the left, the background was lit, but there was no main light illuminating the subject. Therefore, the resulting image is almost a silhouette of the subject.

My camera settings for all the shots in this setup were ISO 250, 1/160s, and f/8 (though the background gave a meter reading of f/16). The speedlights were set to 1/16th power (I rarely use my speedlights at full power, because the batteries run out very quickly).

The camera was a Nikon D750, which handles noise superbly, so ISO was not an issue. Two SB-910s and one SB-900 speedlight were used for this setup.

The photo below shows the setup with only the left background light firing.

You will notice in the two images below that only the right background light fired in the left photo, and only the left background light fired in the right photo. Such lighting is acceptable, of course, if that was your intention. The main light was positioned at a 45-degree angle on camera right. I wanted to bounce my flash onto the white rogue bender to modify the light.

You may also notice that in the left photo (above), there is a very slight shadow of Sven on the background behind him – because the left background light didn’t fire. When the background light did fire on the left, this shadow was eliminated (right photo, above).

Below is the setup with all three lights firing correctly.

Now that you have your background and main lights set up, you need to make sure these lights only hit the intended subject. This leads us to the next rookie mistake: separation.

Mistake #2: Not enough subject-background separation

Because the background lights are so much brighter than the foreground light, you need to separate them from the main subject. There are two key ways of doing this:

Flagging
Distance

Flagging

You can use anything black to flag your lights: the black side of a reflector, black cardboard sheets, or black foam core.

Black does not bounce light; instead, it absorbs light. It also blocks light from seeping through to places where you do not want it. If you don’t flag (block) your background lights, your subject will end up with a halo effect and look very backlit.

Distance

Once you have flagged your lights, you need to position your subject far enough away from the background (and from the background lights) that any light spillage won’t touch your subject. This depends on your personal preference and intention, of course – you may want some spill on your subject for a certain look or effect, or you may not.

If you do want some spill, make sure to run a few tests with various lenses, as chromatic aberration may occur around the edges of your subject due to the abundance of light. Some lenses are prone to chromatic aberration regardless of aperture, while others perform very well even at wide apertures, where chromatic aberration is most commonly observed. Also, be careful with the amount of spill you allow – you don’t want to chop off parts of your subject from the spill overexposure.

The photos above show a properly-lit Sven. The two background lights fired at f/16 and the main light fired at f/8. There are no unwanted shadows on the background, as was my intention.

However, I wanted to have a reflection and shadow in the foreground. This leads nicely to the third rookie mistake to avoid: a floating subject.

Mistake #3: The subject is floating

If you do not include some floor shadows, your subject will look like it is floating on white air, or like it’s cut out and pasted on a white sheet of paper.

The best tip for avoiding floating subjects is to use a reflective surface such as translucent white plexiglass, or white tile sheet, as a base for your subject to stand on. You can adjust the opacity of the reflection in Photoshop during post-processing, but having the reflection shows that your subject is planted firmly on solid ground.

floating subject example — The left image shows Sven floating, but the addition of the reflection (right) shows Sven standing on solid ground. The latter looks more pleasing and natural, and not like a cut-and-paste job.

Bonus mistake #4: Overexposed background

Be careful not to add too much light to the background. If you go past pure white and really overexpose a shot, the white will start almost glowing around the subject, just like if you had sun flare outdoors.

This lowers contrast and makes your subject look like they have a bit of a halo. You can see this overexposed effect in the images below:

White background photography mistakes: Conclusion

I hope this little tutorial has shed some light on basic techniques for creating a white background, and that it has solved any and all mysteries regarding how to achieve such a look.

If you have other, more advanced techniques, do share them in the comments below!

The post 3 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid When Shooting on a White Background appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lily Sawyer.

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Are you using the auto-area autofocus mode or the single-point autofocus mode?

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Mistake #1: The background is not lit properly

Mistake #2: Not enough subject-background separation

Flagging

Distance

Mistake #3: The subject is floating

Bonus mistake #4: Overexposed background

White background photography mistakes: Conclusion

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