The image shared on this post should get your attention!
At this distance, the bear was not close to fitting in the 600mm frame. Keeping the bear's head in the frame is the primary compositional goal and shooting vertically with a sideways pose meant that a large portion of the frame was empty. Fortunately, the mamma bear's second-year cub was moving in and added interest to the empty portion of the frame.
As I had no control over either subject, this result depended on situational awareness along with a bit of serendipity. Time spent in the right locations increases the chance of serendipity.
While the bright gray background may appear studio-like, it was courtesy of a heavy morning fog between the subject and the distant background.
A larger version of this image is available on Flickr.
Acadia National Park is considered the "Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast." Consuming about half of Mount Desert Island on the coast of Maine, Acadia National Park has significant photographic appeal in all seasons, but it is especially appealing in my favorite season, fall.
No one can predict long in advance when the ideal fall foliage color will occur, but this tour's dates have been within the reported peak foliage color time period for the last many years. Regardless of the foliage, the New England coast does not get better than Mount Desert Island's rocky coast that can provide a different experience even daily, with varying tide schedules and especially with surf conditions that can range from quite calm to very rough.
One of my primary goals is to help you get great images and I'd love for you to join me to photograph the landscape in this great location. Beginners can start with the basics and all, including the most-advanced photographers, will be positioned in ideal locations to build out their portfolios. Unleash your creativity in this field-intensive tour in a world-class outdoor classroom environment — Acadia National Park.
Plan on hanging out in a beautifully scenic location with a small group that shares your passion for photography. Bring your friends, make new friends. Just putting this tour together has made me excited!
When and Where: Tue, Oct 15 through Sun, Oct 20, 2019 in Acadia National Park
The plan is to meet at the inn on Tuesday evening for a short orientation/meet & greet, preparing for an early AM shoot. We will wrap up after an early morning shoot on Sunday.
Get the full details here: Fall Landscape in Acadia National Park Instructional Photography Tour
Email me at Bryan@Carnathan.com to sign up or ask questions!
Antlers are very strong, but deer frequently break their tines and even main beams, especially when fighting. However, the broken tine or beam nearly always breaks cleanly, detaching immediately, never to be seen again. Or, often due to injury, antlers grow in abnormal directions. This buck's right antler was broken off under the skin, dangling from the skin keeping it attached.
When photographing animals, I like to see separation between the legs and especially like to see one of the front legs stepping forward, showing action. I'll rarely complain about wildlife photography lighting when there is a setting sun behind me with the catchlight in the eye adding life to the animal.
What will this buck's next rack look like?
I hope to find out this fall.
Want to join me to photograph these great animals in Shenandoah National Park?
A larger version of this image is available on Flickr.
Aside from the effort required to get to this location, this was a very easy image to create.
After setting up the first camera, you have plenty of time, so set up a second camera the same as the first, capturing a different composition.
On this night I had three camera setups with four of what I consider the best night sky lenses available. One of the cameras was a Nikon model and the only Nikon-mount star-capable lens I had along (not a Nikon model) showed a serious image quality problem, leaving two cameras in operation.
I mentioned that the 30-second exposure was a stretch and that is what happens to the stars at this focal length, exposure duration, and imaging sensor pixel density combination. They get stretched.
A blur is created when details in an image move across pixels on the imaging sensor, regardless of the reason why that happens. As we all know, due to the earth's rotation, stars are moving across the frame when the camera is in a fixed position. The longer the exposure, the more they are magnified (longer focal length lens) and the higher pixel density the imaging sensor has, the more that star blur will be visible at the pixel level.
Note that when final images are viewed and compared, the imaging sensor's pixel density-caused blur becomes equalized. For example, if you are printing at 8" x 12", the pixel density factor no longer matters in regards to the star trail blur created by two different resolution, equal-sensor-sized cameras.
Also, note that not all stars move at the same rate relative to the camera position. For example, the North Star (Polaris) does not move at all. If you are primarily including the northern sky in the frame, you might be able to use longer exposures than if your camera was directed west, east or up. There are star blur rules that can be helpful, but photography skills rule. Analyze your results as soon as they are captured and make adjustments as needed.
I mentioned having 4 of my favorite star lenses along with me. They are my favorites, but the perfect star lens, at least from a lens in the realm of affordability for most individuals, does not exist. All lenses have at least some issue keeping them from reaching perfection and corner performance is typically their biggest limiting factor.
This image was captured with the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Lens. It is a great choice for this purpose.
For star photography, ultra-wide angles are helpful for taking in a greater area of the sky and allowing longer exposures before star trails become visible, though ultra-wide angles produce rather small stars. Ultra-wide apertures (that produce sharp enough image quality to be used) create a brighter image in less time or at a lower ISO setting. The Sigma 14mm Art lens has those two features.
The worst case: even if the entire night's shoot was a failure, just hanging out under a starry sky would be totally worth the time and effort.
A larger version of this image is available on Flickr.
Go make some comparisons!
Here is the Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 VC G2 vs. G1 Lens image quality comparison. Obviously, the camera resolution is quite different in these results, but if you visualize the chart details in the G1 results being enlarged to the G2's detail size, you will likely determine that these two lenses perform very similarly. That they perform similarly is not a surprise.
Here are some more comparisons for your entertainment:
Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 VC G2 vs. Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III Lens
Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 VC G2 vs. Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM Art Lens
Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 VC G2 vs. Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM Lens
Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 VC G2 vs. Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro FX Lens (different resolution)
The Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens is in stock at B&H | Adorama | Amazon US | WEX
Rent the Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens from Lensrentals.
Note that sunsets do not always have to be in focus. To mix things up a bit, I decided that I wanted the tiki torch and its flame to be sharp with the background going out of focus. Thus, a wide aperture was selected. The wide aperture had the secondary purpose of enabling a flame-freezing shutter speed.
The composition decisions for this image were made primarily for overall balance in the frame. The tiki torch is dark and heavy, so placing it near the center was helpful for balance. I wanted the torch flame in the frame along with the other flame, the sun, along and the color surrounding it was another subject of primary interest. With the latter seeming stronger than the prior, moving the tiki torch slightly to the right seemed to make sense. Keeping the perimeter of the frame clear of lines often helps keep the viewer's eye in the frame.
As the flame was changing rapidly, I captured a burst of images and later selected the flame shapes I liked best.
The Canon EOS R and RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens are a perfect walkaround combination.
The camera and lens used to capture this image were on loan, but I eventually added this pair to my personal kit.
A larger version of this image is available on Flickr.
The time of the year is one timing factor. In Shenandoah National Park, spring brings bright green foliage and these adorable whitetail fawns.
Another timing factor is where the animal is at the moment it is photographed. That timing involves determining (guessing) where the animal is going next, determining an ideal photo position in that path, being the right distance away for framing and composition purposes, and being ready when (OK, if) they get there.
This time, the timing worked and this image of a fawn against a bed of green was the reward.
Often, wildlife looks best when photographed with a camera that is level for both tilt and roll. The tilt part means getting the camera at the animal's level and when the animal is small (and not at a higher elevation than you), that means getting down low. Photographing from a low position is not always the most comfortable, but the effort is usually worth it and the images taken with a downward angle are often deemed not good enough after some level captures are on the card.
In this example, the low green foliage permitted a level position, but a compromise is sometimes needed if visual obstructions become an issue.
Fawns are constantly moving and a monopod lets me adjust the height very quickly while trying to photograph them.
There is still room for you on the "Whitetail Fawns and Much More", Shenandoah National Park Instructional Photography Tour. All skill levels are welcome!
Sun, June 9 to Wed, June 12, 2019 and/or Wed, June 12 - Sat, June 15, 2019
Email me at Bryan@Carnathan.com to sign up or ask questions!
A larger version of this image is available on Flickr.
In the first quarter, sales of interchangeable-lens cameras were down 19% to 850 thousand units. This reflects the combined impact of accelerated market contraction for DSLRs, in particular entry-level models, and economic slowdown in China, which is a sizeable market for interchangeable-lens cameras.At the very least, it appears that we have six new RF lenses to look forward to before the close of 2019.
The habit of capturing images with smartphones with improved cameras has become a part of daily lives of consumers. As a result, the market for entry-level DSLRs is contracting at a pace that exceeds the outlook we had at the beginning of the year. That said, we expect the user base of professionals and advanced-amateur, people who value the image quality and expressive possibilities afforded by cameras with large sensors and an abundance of interchangeable-lenses to remain. For the market overall, however, we expect the trend of market contraction to continue for some time.
In light of these circumstances, we decided to reexamine our full-year projections for the market and our own unit sales. We now expect the market and our own unit sales to decline 17% to 8.6 million units and 4.2 million units, respectively.
Mirrorless cameras, known for being small and lightweight, are increasing their presence in the market. Amid this situation, we will steadily shift our focus from DSLR to mirrorless cameras with the aim of maintaining our overwhelming competitiveness, which we have built upon DSLRs.
In the first quarter as well, we grew our unit sales of mirrorless cameras at a pace far exceeding the overall market, thanks to such new products as the EOS M50 and EOS R. Additionally, at the end of the quarter, we further enhanced our lineup, with the launch of the EOS RP, a smaller and lighter mirrorless camera equipped with a full-frame sensor and the same new mount found on the EOS R. Additionally, we plan to release six new models of RF lenses within the year. Users have not only praised the performance of these bodies and lenses, but also expressed their high expectations for the R system overall having felt our sense of urgency in strengthening our lineup over a short period of time. We will work to maintain sales growth of the EOS RP, which got off to a flying start, while also successively launching new RF lenses as we work to further stimulate sales of our strengthened mirrorless lineup.
From a profit perspective, in the full-frame sensor category where particularly high growth continues, even among mirrorless models, we will work to improve our product mix, actively expanding sales of both R System products. Additionally, for lenses with high profitability, we will not only promote sales of RF lenses, but also continue to promote the appeal of our broad range of EF lenses. Furthermore, we will work to expand automation initiatives not only to other products, but also other processes, raising our cost competitiveness and linking this to a recovery in profitability.
Focal length | 100 mm |
Aperture range | f/1.4 – f/16 |
Camera mount | Canon EF-Mount* (ZE) | Nikon F-Mount* (ZF.2) |
Format compatibility | Full Frame |
Focusing range | 1,0 m (39.4") – 8 |
Free working distance | 0,83 m (32.7") – 8 |
Angular field** (diag. | horiz. | vert.) | 24° / 20° / 14° |
Diameter of image field | 43 mm (1.69") |
Coverage at close range (MOD)** | 206 x 309 mm (8.11 x 12.17") |
Image ratio at minimum object distance | 01:08.6 |
Lens elements | groups | 14 / 11 |
Flange focal distance | ZE: 44 mm (1.73") | ZF.2: 47 mm (1.83") |
Entrance pupil position (front of image plane) | 35 mm (1.38") |
Filter thread | M86 x 1.00 |
Rotation angle of focusing ring | 315° |
Diameter max. | ZE: 101 mm (3.96") | ZF.2: 101 mm (3.96“) |
Diameter of focusing ring | ZE: 90 mm (3.54?) | ZF.2: 90 mm (3.54?) |
Length (with lens caps) | ZE: 152 mm (6.00") | ZF.2: 150,1 mm (5.91") |
Length (without lens caps) | ZE: 129 mm (5.07") | ZF.2: 127 mm (4.98") |
Weight | ZE: 1405 g (3.10 lbs) | ZF.2: 1336 g (2.95 lbs) |
Exploring with a camera is one of my favorite things to do and late on this day, I ended up on the very peaceful Bowers Beach at low tide. With the Delaware Bay drawn back, the low angle light emphasized the ripples left in the sand. Those ripples consumed my attention for the last hour of direct sunlight.
The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD Lens mounted on a Sony a7R III were perfect for walking around the beach. For each image, I selected an aperture that would keep all details in the frame sharp (commonly f/11) and focused roughly 1/3 into the depth of the image. I varied the focal length, the camera height, and the camera's up/down angle while trying out a variety of ripple locations on the beach.
When the right set of ripples are found, there seems to be endless compositions available. That of course creates a selection challenge during post processing. For this set, I simply picked one image I liked and archived the rest of the RAW files.
Images of patterns are seldom among my most-liked social shares, but ... I love them.
They are great for interior decorating and they work very well as backgrounds for various media.
A larger version of this image is available on Flickr.
There is a reason (or many of them) why this is the best-selling lens at B&H right now.
The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD Lens is expected in stock soon at B&H | Adorama | Amazon US | WEX
Rent the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD Lens from Lensrentals.
I was primarily shooting with the Canon EOS R and
RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens this morning.
As there was adequate light, shooting this combination handheld permitted rapid and significant location and composition changes as dictated by the rapidly changing light.
A larger version of this image is available on Flickr.
"Map displaying service of Map Utility will be terminated by the end of Oct. 2019."We reached out to Canon Technical Advisor Rudy Winston to ask what prompted the change. While the reason behind the change remains unclear, Rudy did let us know that Canon's Map Utility is reaching the end of its product life cycle and another Canon-developed program has taken its place, albeit without some of Map Utility's functionality (specifically, the mapping feature utilizing Google Earth imagery).
"Basically, the current Canon Map Utility software is in the process of being discontinued. We don’t know the reasons, so there’s little point in my speculating about possible causes of this. However, the good news is that there is a replacement Canon software available, to work with GPS Log files – it’s called Canon GPS [Log File] Utility, and it was posted on the Canon USA web site as a free download in February.Is the Google Maps API price increase the root cause of this change? I know that one of my favorite dark sky map websites has gone ... dark, popping a "This page can't load Google Maps correctly." message.
It's not literally the same as the previous Canon Map Utility – it’s basically a *retrieval* and conversion software, and does NOT have “mapping” functionality itself. What it does do is convert Canon GPS Log files into Google Earth-compatible .KMZ files – which can then be used and read by numerous third-party mapping software programs. So it loses the display portion of the previous Map Utility, but again, that should pose little problem for most users, since various 3rd-party solutions to display the Canon-generated .KMZ files on a map are readily available.
There’s reportedly no change in GPS tagging capability either (that is, creation of specific spots where a given image was taken) ... again, you just need a compatible 3rd-party mapping software to display them."
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