From Canon:
Canon EOS C200/C200B
Firmware Version 1.0.4.1.00 incorporates the following fixes and enhancements:
Caution:
Image quality test results have been added to the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS Lens page.
Here are some comparisons:
Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro compared to the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens
Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro compared to the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens
Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro compared to the Nikon 105mm f/2.8G AF-S VR Micro Lens
Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro compared to the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro Lens
Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro compared to the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Macro Lens
Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro compared to the Zeiss Milvus 100mm f/2M Lens
The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS Lens is in stock at B&H | Amazon | Adorama | WEX.
From Sigma:
Authorized U.S. Sigma dealers host hands-on workshops covering travel, portrait, editorial and urban photography with photo shoots at hotspot locations and guidance from established pros
Ronkonkoma, NY – June 19, 2018 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading still photo and cinema lens, camera, flash and accessory manufacturer, today announced its Sigma Lens Workshops initiative. Designed in collaboration with Sigma dealers around the country, the program will engage photographers eager to learn new techniques and refine their photography skills through a series of classroom lectures and hands-on workshops. Led by Sigma technical representatives and photography experts, each workshop session hones in on a specific genre of photography such as portraiture, landscape, astrophotography and more. Normally a two-day workshop event, day one will focus on theory and educational best practices such as lighting, gear setup, camera settings, lens focal length and more. On day two, attendees put their newly acquired knowledge to the test with immersive hands-on, real world photoshoots and photo walks. Photographers of all skill levels, from novice to professional, are welcome to join in. The upcoming workshops schedule and details, including registration, cost, special promotions and agenda, can be found on the Sigma Events webpage.
“The Sigma Lens Workshops provide a valuable education vehicle for the local photography community. Lenses are an investment and these workshops aim at making sure you are getting the most out of your Sigma lens investment. The workshops also give you a chance to learn about specific genres of photography and hone your skills while practicing during real-world photo shoots,” comments Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “The initial workshop feedback has been extremely positive. Customers appreciate the opportunity to up their photography game and test-drive some of the newest lens models. We are confident the positive experience will continue with the rest of the tour.”
Rahul Tuteja, founder of Pixel Connection in Avon, OH and host of a recent Sigma Lens Workshop, welcomed the initiative by saying, “More than just offering our customers the best gear for their photography needs, we strive to engage with them in a non-sales environment to bring them education, inspiration and opportunities to practice their skills. Sigma Workshops are a great platform to do that. These events help our customers get inspired and learn from the pros who show them what's in front of them so they can make educated gear choices and ultimately become better photographers. Sigma has been instrumental in helping us show our customers what a good product can do and elevate the photo community.”
Sigma Lens Workshops June Lineup:
Portrait Workshops at Bedford Camera & Video (Tulsa & Oklahoma City, OK)
Sigma technical representative Brian Linhoff is leading two two-day workshops on how to shoot stunning portraits at Bedford Camera & Video on June 20-21, 2018 in Tulsa, OK and June 22-23, 2018 in Oklahoma City, OK.
Portrait Photography Class – Wednesday, June 20th 5-6pmThe first day of the Tulsa workshop will cover basics of portrait photography, including various lighting setups for indoor and outdoor shooting, how to work with your subject on posing and best lenses for portrait photography. During the second day, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in an exciting Harley Davidson photo shoot with guidance from Brian and the Bedford Camera & Video staff. Participants will practice what they’ve learned as they photograph models and motorcycles. Lighting equipment will be provided and Sigma’s latest lenses will be on hand to test-drive during the shoot. Those participating in the photo shoot need to bring their own cameras.
Harley Davidson Photo Shoot – Thursday, June 21st 5-7pm
@ Bedford Camera & Video – 8172 East 68th St. Tulsa, OK 72223
FREE; Register Here
Photo Model Walk – Friday, June 22nd 7-9pmJoin Brian and the Bedford Camera & Video staff during a Myriad Botanical Gardens photo walk in Oklahoma City during the first day of the Oklahoma workshop. Sigma lenses will be available on loan to capture the beautiful flora. During the second day, Brian will cover the basics of portrait photography, including lighting, lenses, posing and more. Attendees will receive a professional print of their favorite image from the photo walk the day before, courtesy of Bedford Camera & Video.
Portrait Photography Class – Saturday, June 23rd 10-11am
@ Bedford Camera & Video – 3110 North May Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73112
FREE; Register Here
From Adobe:
Lightroom Classic CC v7.4 | June 2018
This release of Lightroom Classic CC rolls out new features and enhancements, support for new cameras and lenses, and bug fixes.
Manage Presets and Profiles You can now choose to show or hide various preset/profile groups that are displayed in the Presets panel/Profile Browser, allowing you to scan through the profiles and presets you use the most.
Color label for folders and faster folder search
In the Folders panel (Library module), you can now organize your images by adding a color label to the folders. You can also filter all the folders that have been assigned a color label.
HEIC image files support on macOS High Sierra
Beginning with this release, Lightroom Classic CC now supports Apple's HEIC image file format on macOS High Sierra v10.13 or later.
Auto stack HDR and panorama
You can now prevent the HDR and Panorama stacks from cluttering the grid view by selecting the new Create Stack option in the HDR/Panorama Merge Preview dialog.
Support for new cameras and lenses
For a full list of supported cameras and lens profiles, see these resources:
Fixed customer issues
Issues fixed in Lightroom Classic CC 7.4 (June 2018 release)
This release of Lightroom CC desktop rolls out new features and enhancements, support for new cameras and lenses, and bug fixes.
Presets and Profiles syncing
Beginning with this release, your Presets and Profiles (including third-party, custom user presets and profiles) now automatically sync across Lightroom CC desktop and mobile.
However, the custom user presets and profiles that you add in Lightroom CC do not sync with Lightroom Classic CC desktop.
Manage Presets and Profiles
You can now choose to show or hide various preset/profile groups that are displayed in the Presets panel/Profile Browser, allowing you to scan through the profiles and presets you use the most.
Copy and paste edits across multiple photos
Enhanced in this release of Lightroom CC on desktop You can now copy the edits from a photo and paste across multiple photos.
You can also choose which edit settings to copy from a photo using the new Choose Edit Settings To Copy option. To access this option, select a photo and then choose Photo > Choose Edit Settings To Copy from the menu bar. Alternatively, press Control + Shift + C (Win) or Shift + Command + C (Mac) keys.
HEIC image files support on macOS High Sierra
Beginning with this release, Lightroom CC now supports Apple's HEIC image file format on macOS High Sierra v10.13 or later.
Reset photo edits to the last opened state
You can now restore your photo edits to the state when last opened it Lightroom CC using the new Reset To Open option in the Photo menu. To reset your photo edits, you must be in Detail view.
Specify share settings for a web gallery
While sharing a Lightroom CC album as a web gallery, you now control the following preferences:
To modify the sharing preferences of an album that is already public, right-click (Win) / Control-click (Mac) the album and choose Share Settings from the context-menu.
Sort photos by Modified Date
In this release of Lightroom CC, a new option to sort the grid photos by Modified Date has been added.
Get Lightroom CC mobile by texting a download link to your phone
From Lightroom CC desktop, you can now text a link on your phone number to download Lightroom CC for mobile from Google Play/App Store.
Support for new cameras and lenses
For a full list of supported cameras and lens profiles, see these resources:
Fixed customer issues
Issues fixed in Lightroom CC v1.4 on desktop (June 2018 release)
B&H carries Adobe Photography Plan subscriptions.
From Sigma:
Ronkonkoma, NY – June 19, 2018 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading still photo and cinema lens, camera, flash and accessory manufacturer, today announced availability of five of its interchangeable Art prime lenses for Sony E-mount camera systems – Sigma 20mm F1.4 DG HSM ($899 USD), Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG HSM ($849 USD), Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM ($899 USD), Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM ($949 USD) and Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM ($1199 USD).
Offering the same high-performance optical design as other lenses in the Art line, the new Sony E-mount models feature a newly developed control algorithm that optimizes the autofocus drive and maximizes the data transmission speed. In addition, these lenses are compatible with Sony’s Continuous AF (AF-C) and high-speed autofocus, which are not addressed by Sigma Mount Converter MC-11. Like MC-11, the lenses are compatible with in-camera image stabilization and in-camera lens aberration correction, which includes corrections for peripheral illumination, chromatic aberrations and distortion.
Sigma Art Lenses for Sony E at B&H
B&H has uploaded 20 presentations from its OPTIC 2018 event to YouTube channel. The presentations last anywhere from [roughly] half an hour to and hour and a half and cover a wide range of subjects.
B&H OPTIC 2018 Presentations
From Adobe:
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Adobe (Nasdaq:ADBE) today reported strong financial results for its second quarter fiscal year 2018 ended June 1, 2018.
Financial Highlights
A reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP results is provided at the end of this press release and on Adobe’s website.
Executive Quotes
"Adobe delivers all the capabilities to enable transformative digital experiences, including content creation and management, predictive analytics and commerce," said Shantanu Narayen, president and CEO, Adobe. "Our record results in Q2 reflect continued execution against this significant opportunity where Adobe is the clear market leader."
“Adobe delivered record revenue with strong earnings and cash flow, and we expect our momentum to continue in the second half of fiscal 2018," said John Murphy, executive vice president and CFO, Adobe.
B&H carries Adobe Photography Plan subscriptions.
Image quality test results have been added to the Sony FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA Lens page.
This is a very nice lens. Here are some comparisons:
Sony FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA Lens compared to the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 Lens
Sony FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA Lens compared to the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens
Sony FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA Lens compared to the Tamron 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Lens
Sony FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA Lens compared to the Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/2M Lens
The Sony FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA Lens is in stock at B&H | Amazon | Adorama | WEX.
I advised my daughter and then-future son-in-law that something would go wrong with the wedding and that they should be ready to adjust plans as necessary.
What went wrong started with my youngest daughter waking up at 3:00 AM with a fever of 101.7° F (38.7° C) on the day before the wedding. I was so sad for her and expected the virus to have her in its grasp through the wedding day and beyond. Fortunately, after many prayers and sleeping much of the morning, she was feeling much better the same evening and was able to enjoy the wedding rehearsal and dinner afterwards.
That rehearsal dinner afterwards (at our house) became the next issue. The food was all out and everyone was ready to eat (and hungry), but ... the rolls needed to hold the main course were missing. Apparently an assignment was missed and a 40-minute round trip to the grocery store ensued, resolving this relatively minor issue.
As I mentioned, I was (mostly) not photographing this wedding, but received a request to "just" set up a video camera. I assembled the gear I intended to use (multiple cameras, tripods, mic, sound recorder, Pelican cases, extra batteries, etc.) the day before (amidst plenty of other chaos) and ran a gear check late in the day. I planned to use the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II as the primary camera, recording the entire ceremony in 4k. Strangely, when attempting to record video with this body, all I saw was black. After checking for an installed lens cap multiple times and verifying that live view worked in the still photo modes, I resolved to call Canon CPS in the morning, hoping that there was some obscure setting I had missed. Unfortunately, the phone call determined that the camera had a failure of some sort (I was not surprised by that news) that was preventing the shutter from opening in video mode.
So, it was wedding day for my daughter and the primary camera I intended to record video with had failed. This is the perfect example of why a backup camera is mandatory when photographing weddings and other important events.
I had a 4k-capable Sony a7 III with a Sony FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens, the focal length range I needed, sitting on my desk. That setup was untested, so I opted to double-record using a Canon EOS 5Ds R and Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens. I set up the two cameras immediately next to each other, one on a Really Right Stuff TVC-24L Carbon Fiber Tripod and BH-40 Ball Head and the other on a ProMediaGear TR344L Tripod with a UniqBall UBH 45X Ball Head.
A relative captured other video angles handheld using a Canon EOS 80D and EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Lens. Audio was recorded with a Tascam digital audio recorder positioned under the flowers near the pastor, on a Rode Stereo Video Mic mounted on the 5Ds R in the back (closer to some of the musicians) and in-camera on the other two cameras. The setups appear to have all worked great and there is plenty of audio and video available to assemble a nice edited movie.
While I had time to put together a revised camera setup prior to leaving for the wedding, that is not always the case with equipment failures. I had an additional camera and various accessories (including batteries) along to cover any on-site failures (OK, I had enough to cover any of the contracted photographer's equipment failures as well).
Then there was the tomahawk injury that required a trip to the medical center and 8 stitches on the groom's ankle on the morning of the wedding. Don't ask – but it involved fruit. I'll just say that there was little spring in the groom's step as he walked his bride down the aisle, but the wedding worked and I now officially have a son.
As I said, I was mostly not photographing the wedding, but ... the girls happened to be ready just before the official photographers arrived and I happened to have rolled paper on a background stand and two lights in softboxes (one large octagonal overhead, a medium-sized rectangle on the back/left) ready. I needed time to set up and dial in two more lights, including one on a boom, but with a very rushed schedule, I accepted a compromise.
Overall, the wedding was awesome. Thanks for sharing in my excitement!
A larger version of this image is available on Flickr.
From the Canon Digital Learning Center:
by Jennifer WuSee the entire article on the Canon Digital Learning Center.It is 4:00 am and my chirping alarm clock abruptly awakens me. Heading out to photograph the fall colors at sunrise, I notice the car temperature reading 16°F. With a sudden drop in temperature and stormy weather from the previous day, I hope the leaves haven’t turned black from the freezing temperature.
Arriving at the lake, twilight begins and the deep blue sky just starts to get light. I am anxious to discover the fall color conditions. Walking to the lake, I see a beautiful moonlit image before me of fall colors plus the delight of the first dusting of snow for the season! I’m happy that the snow dapples the mountains and doesn’t cover them completely in white.
Seeing the moon shining on the mountain peaks, I quickly set up to capture the moonlit landscape, placing some rocks in the foreground of the icy lake. I press the shutter for my first shot of the day knowing it will be my favorite and sunrise isn’t even for another half-hour. What a wonderful morning!
From Rokinon:
New AF 85mm F1.4 Full Frame Prime for Canon EF – Vivid, Sharp and Bright
(New York, New York) June 18, 2018 – Hot on the heels of the new Rokinon AF 24mm F2.8 Full Frame for Sony E, Rokinon has announced its new AF 85mm F1.4 Full Frame Lens for Canon EF mount.
The new 85mm F1.4 AF lens is designed for optimal quality imaging and for the most advanced Canon Full Frame image sensor cameras. The new Rokinon AF 85mm F1.4 also performs with Canon APS-C sensor cameras as a high speed 136mm equivalent AF telephoto lens.
A variety of advanced lens technologies, including a Hybrid Aspherical element, allow for a more compact (< 3 inches long) and lightweight (17oz) design that also minimizes aberrations, controls distortion, and provides excellent resolution. Autofocusing is fast and quiet which is accomplished by two Linear Ultrasonic Motors (LSM’s) that only have to adjust a single inner lens group to achieve precise focus.
Additional notable features of the new Rokinon AF 85mm F1.4 include Weather Sealing, all metal construction, an ergonomically designed size, shape and grip for enhanced comfort and a 9 blade aperture that helps to achieve beautiful bokeh.
The new Rokinon AF 85mm F1.4 Full Frame Lens for Canon EF is expected to be available in August with a street price of only $799.00. It will include a reversible lens hood, lens caps, and a soft pouch case.
Specifications
APERTURE RANGE | F1.4 - 16 |
OPTICAL CONSTRUCTION | 9 Glass Elements in 7 Groups (Including 1 Hybrid Aspherical Lens) |
COATING | Ultra Multi-Coating (UMC) |
ANGLE OF VIEW | 28.4° 19.0° 2.83” |
MIN. FOCUSING DIST. | 2.95ft (0.90m) |
MAGNIFICATION RATIO | 0.11x |
FILTER SIZE | 77mm |
DIAPHRAGM BLADES | 9 |
MAX. DIAMETER | 3.46” 88.0mm |
LENGTH | 2.83” (72.0mm) |
WEIGHT | 17.11oz (485g) |
COVERAGE | Full Frame |
MSRP | $799.00 USD |
While Bryan and I are fans of Adobe's Creative Cloud offerings, most notably Photoshop CC and Lightroom Classic CC, we know that many are interested in alternatives to Lightroom in particular. The official blog for one of the most popular alternatives, Phase One Capture One Pro, recently posted an article aimed squarely at those looking to make a change.
From the Phase One Capture One Blog:
11 Killer Tips For Switching From Lightroom to Capture OneTo see all of the tips, check out the Phase One Capture One Blog.Getting used to new software is rarely easy – but it doesn’t have to be frustrating. If you are considering switching from Lightroom to Capture One, here are 11 tips for making the transition easy.
1. Interface
There are a few things to take notes of when switching from Lightroom to Capture One:
- No modules! The interface in Capture One uses one main window, where all tools are organized in Tool Tabs.
- The default layout has tools to the left and browser to the right of the viewer.
- To choose a layout more similar to Lightroom, simply select ‘Window > Workspace > Migration’. This will provide a workspace that more closely resembles Lightroom’s layout.
- Most tools in Capture One can be re-organized, moved freely around and even scaled, by simply clicking the Tool Title and dragging. Parts of the interface can also be hidden. For an easy overview, use the View menu.
From the Adobe Photoshop YouTube Channel:
In this video, Julieanne Kost goes over four very popular blend modes – Multiply, Screen, Overlay and Soft Light – and demonstrates how they can be used when compositing images in Photoshop.
B&H carries Adobe Photography Plan subscriptions.
Mostly, this post is to let you share in our excitement and that sentence probably caught your attention with many thoughts potentially entering your mind.
Perhaps for those of you following this site from the early days, it is hard to believe that she is that old.
Yes, the years really do fly by (every year goes by faster).
This image was captured in 2003, the year TDP showed up on the web:
And now, my baby has become a beautiful young lady.
While the girls are taking care of many of the wedding's fine details, I am also involved.
One of the requests of me was to assemble a set of pictures suitable for use in a slide show.
While gathering those, many great memories were brought back and, as you probably guessed, I had a solid selection to choose from.
While on that topic, heed my advice: now is when you need to spend time with your kids and of course, make them feel special by photographing them constantly (and giving them that reason why).
Only photographs (and videos) can keep them that age forever.
Capture your times together and all of the special moments.
Grandparents, you are included here – you get to photograph the grandkids when that generation shows up (I look forward to that day).
Answering another common question: yes, we love the incoming son and look forward to him being an official part of the family (he's been hanging around for years already).
With him and his great family joining our lives, all of the parent wish list boxes are being checked here.
I know, the first question you really wanted answered was "Are you photographing the wedding?"
Well, the official answer is no – there are hired photographers for the event.
But ... I just might have (a few cases of) gear stashed somewhere handy.
You know – just in case!
Then came the "Oh, can you just set up a camera to video the wedding?"
In what seems a blink of an eye, the kid is grown and moving on with her life.
Fortunately, she is not moving too far.
And, we have plenty of pictures to look back on.
The lead image for this post is a recent one, commemorating college graduation.
It was a cloudy day and light green spring colors were still on some of the trees.
I positioned Brianna under the shade of a tall tree to gain some direction to the ultra-soft cloud-diffused light and aligned with a distant tree of interest in the background.
At 200mm, the f/2 aperture turns the tree into an interesting blur of color and Brianna pops from the background.
Due to the color of the background, my eyes struggled to properly recognize the right color balance this image but, in the end, I opted to use the black cap and gown for a custom white balance.
The Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS USM Lens is a killer portrait lens and it has captured some of my favorite portraits of the kids.
This is not an inexpensive lens, but the results can be priceless.
The girls are due home from their hair appointments at any time – gotta go!
From Nikon:
Offers superior agility and optical performance
June 14, 2018 – TOKYO – Nikon Corporation (Nikon) is pleased to announce the development of the AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR, a fixed focal length super-telephoto lens compatible with Nikon FX-format digital SLR cameras.
The AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR will be a high-performance super-telephoto lens that is significantly smaller and lighter than comparable predecessors due to the adoption of the same type of Phase Fresnel (PF) lens element used in the AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR, released in January 2015. This lens makes hand-held photography easy, despite it being a fixed focal length super-telephoto lens that supports 500 mm focal length. The portability of the lens allows it to be used in a wider variety of situations, and for capturing fast-moving and unpredictable subjects in scenes such as sporting events.
Details, including the release date and suggested retail price for this product, will be shared at a later date.
Nikon continues to encourage the pursuit of imaging expression possibilities through its innovative products and solutions, built on its 100 years of heritage and advanced technical capabilities.
PF (Phase Fresnel) Lens Elements
The PF (Phase Fresnel) lens, developed by Nikon, effectively compensates chromatic aberration utilizing the photo diffraction phenomenon*. It provides superior chromatic aberration compensation performance when combined with a normal glass lens. Compared to many general camera lenses that employ an optical system using the photorefractive phenomenon, a remarkably compact and lightweight body can be attained with less number of lens elements.
* Diffraction phenomenon: Light has characteristics as a waveform. When a waveform faces an obstacle, it attempts to go around and behind it, and this characteristic is referred to as diffraction. Diffraction causes chromatic dispersion in the reverse order of refraction.