Sony's 'Real-Time' autofocus promises to track almost anything you throw at it, but it's not enabled by default. The words 'Real-Time' don't even appear in the camera's menu. In this video, Chris shows us how to set up this very useful feature.
Great length, level of detail, production value, and especially well done on the balance of humor and seriousness.
Your process is a little Canadian to my ears but other than that, you guys are masters.
Maybe your next subject matter can be your own process for putting these together? A lot of people who do this kind of work could learn a lot from a few minutes on the subject.
To the best of my small knowledge, this has been implemented for a long time, and it exists on the A6000, or doesn't it? As always, I could be wrong!!! :-)
I have the AF-ON button (Alpha FF) dedicated to "Tracking ON".
I can be in any Focus Area and initiate tracking. Eliminates the need to choose between tracking and non-tracking versions on the same AF areas.
My AEL button is set to activate "Eye-AF". This will initiate Eye-AF if you are in a "Flexible Spot" area and you subject's eye lies is outside that area. It will lock on the eye instantaneously rather than waiting for you to move the spot over to the subjects face.
(Obviously not needed if you are in the WIDE AF area.)
But this means you have to be in AF-C all the time, and I find AF tracking comes automatically in AF-C sometimes when you don't want it to. Have you never experienced this?
Example: shooting distant static subject through a tree, breeze blows leaves, camera starts focus tracking leaves. Example: shooting distant sunset down a city street, camera starts tracking moving car in the foreground. This is annoying as hell, because I lack control.
Is there a technical limitation with ML design due to which a DSLR like AF-ON/BBF implementation is impossible?
We have had that on DSLRs for many years now where we press "AF-ON" to turn the AF/tracking ON and leave it to lock focus.
1. Sony has the best AF and face/eye detection in ML world 2. Nikon has the best AF Tracking in DSLRs
Both of them have failed to implement that DSLR simplicity in the ML cameras. There are so many complaints on the usability and tracking setup of both their ML cameras.
I don't own either but I am going by the comments in the forums. I just want to know why it cannot be done in ML cameras.
My Nikon D7500's 3D tracking works exactly the same as my a6400: Half-press the shutter to activate tracking, release it, it stops. Changing from 3D tracking to another mode is a button+wheel turning affair (or pressing on Sony's selector wheel) when the cameras are set up correctly. The only real difference is that the a6400's tracking is MUCH stickyer than the one on the D7500, which is mainly due to the limited number of focus points on the later.
You can also set up the a6400 to use AF-ON with BBF, like most mirrorless cameras and DSLRs.
I’m not sure what you’re saying doesn’t exist in Mirrorless. D5 level 3D tracking exists and on the A9 and certainly A9II it’s as effective. And you can program all the BBF buttons you want.
May be I am not understanding the issue but I see comments that in cameras such as Z7, the tracking is not the same as what is in say D7500. It may be good at tracking but enabling and disabling it requires more buttons and clicks.
My point was, why can't it be as simple as holding the 'AF-ON' button when needed and leaving it when not. And it applies equally to all modes, which can be changed simply by button+wheel.
If that's how it works on all ML cameras, then I am probably misreading the comments in the forums. And if it's that simple, I didn't think there was a need for a video article to explain how it works.
I'm not denying it works, but I understood that it is not that simple to set up and use.
The Sonys can be setup that easily. Not sure about the others. As with any complex and powerful tool it may take a few minutes to figure it out the first time.
I expected to be able to assign a custom button to tracking on. Hit it again to stop tracking. Seems simple enough, but you can't actually do that (a6400).
You are basically forced to switch back and forth between AF-S and AF-C, an extra step and missed opportunity, in street shooting for example, to avoid tracking coming on automatically.
No, you're not forced to do that. You can assign the AF-area to the C1 button, so that after pressing it you can quickly go one step up with the selector, which will put you in "Expand flexible spot" mode. No tracking any more there, but still in AF-C. It's not a one button affair, but it takes two secs instead of one. Not really a big deal.
Nikita you can do one better. Press and hold to enable AF-C and tracking and release to return to AF-S with a half press if you want. You really can set it up however you like.
I agree...Chris and Jordan are some of the best video personalities in the photographic community. The content is there, and it's communicated in a very entertaining and easy to understand way.
Sony still needs to cleanup the convoluted Focus Area selection. too many duplicates between Non Tracking and Tracking mode. Been using A6400 and i know the solution.
The solution is: Keep the Area as Area i.e. Wide, Center, Zone, Flexible Spot. BUT... AF-S selected: Tracking is disabled AF-C selected: Tracking is enabled AF-A selected: Tracking is automatically triggered when the object in focus move.
But this still requires you to switch back and forth between AF-C and AF-S to toggle tracking on/off, an extra step and a missed opportunity sometimes in street photog, for example.
I expected to be able to assign a custom button to tracking on. Hit it again to stop tracking. Seems simple enough, but you can't actually do that.
I have noticed a "Cancel tracking" message in the EVF (touch the center button), but only inconsistently, and only for a few minutes. Tracking will come on again in AF-C when I don't want it to.
@Nikita66: I don't know how your tracking is set up, but mine starts tracking when I half press the shutter, and stops tracking when I release it. Nothing fidly, and very straight forward.
I figured this out in half a hour, while sitting on the couch and taking photos at my wife walking around. But it's still a useful video for those too lazy (thanks to smartphones AI?) to try out some settings.
It's not a matter of being lazy for a lot of folks out there. First, virtually everyone is too busy with their lives...work, children, relationships, etc. For many they don't want any hassle when trying to capture memories. Hence one big reason why smartphones are so popular.
Second, a lot of people are frustrated and even a bit afraid of technology. I know some people like this and I bet you do too. Yet these people are also customers and it's up to companies to try to win them over if they want their business.
So sure, if one spends some time fiddling around with the camera, or going through the very obtuse instruction manual, then one can get to what they want.
But in the era of smartphones, most people don't want to do that. That doesn't make them lazy; I've met a neurosurgeon who didn't want to fiddle around with tech after a long day operating on people. It's just real life. And again, if you want their money, you need to make it easy for them.
@TRUs I get what you're saying, and I also think that Sony menu is confusing and intimidating. As that in Olympus cameras. But there are also the Fn buttons leading to a more simplified menu, and if you start from there you can simply experiment and learn. I deeply prefer the menu of my Leica Q, or that of my Sigma cameras, for what is worth. I'm still convinced that those buying a camera for a professional use (meaning the camera is a tool to make some money) should take their time, try and try. Practice always helps. We are of course all allowed to complain about the over complicated mass of options inside a not so clear menu.
Marco I agree that if you are using a camera for professional use, then by all means one should invest whatever time and effort to learn.
But my point is more about the average consumer, not the pro. Consumers have to choose to buy a dedicated camera; they don't have to own one. And in today's world, thanks to the smartphone, for the first time one doesn't even need a dedicated camera to take really good photos and capture the moments of your life.
For most of the history of the camera, if one wanted photos, then one had to buy the camera of their choice and learn at least something about how to use it. The choice was between having photos or not having them. That is no longer true.
The smartphone alters that equation. One now can just easily say, I'll rely on my smartphone. And of course that's what the majority of people are doing.
So if a company wants someone to buy a camera outside of their smartphone they better make it easy to use.
ThoughtsRUs Yes, I understand your point. You write "So if a company wants someone to buy a camera outside of their smartphone they better make it easy to use": I sggest you to read the last post on Ming Thein website, about the death of compact cameras.
Marco: thanks for that reference to Ming Thein's article; really great stuff.
Here's what Thom Hogan wrote about the same problem: The problem I keep coming back to is that the camera makers keep throwing more features into cameras as if that's the problem with cameras not selling. Not that there aren't features I wouldn't want to see added, but the real reason I ever want a feature is because it solves a problem for me. So it had better actually solve that problem, not just tease me.
Camera makers need to spend much more time solving our problems than they do on iterating the tenth time for a feature few use (let alone understand; what's Regist. Face Priority again and when would I use it? Does anyone use it?).
@ThoughtsRUs Yes, there is a lot of food for thoughts, in MT posts, I've always appreciated those who know what they're talking about. Your last question made me grin: I was working for Associated Press at the Venice Film Festival, a couple of years ago, and I remember this photographer (not from AP) being super impressed by the feature you mentioned. I remember he said it was cool, because the camera (a6xxxwhatever) could recognize his son in group pictures, and focus first on him.. A group picture, where basically everyone is on the same focus plane.. :)
I just don't understand how fiddling with adjustments on the back is better or faster than pointing a center focus point at the subject in the EVF. Once locked on, you recompose. Like a gun, you point at the target. How is the touch screen or letting the camera decide better than that?
In the above video it's as if the camera is mounted on a tripod in which case maybe the touch screen is necessary. But hand held? I just don't understand today's focus logic.
Further, AF tracking WILL come on in AF-C when I don't want it to. As I have been complaining, there is, shockingly, no simple way to toggle AF tracking on/off (a6400).
If you assign the C1 button to AF-area, all you have to do is to press it and go one step up with the selector, to put it onto "Expand flexible spot", in which mode it won't track. Really simple and nothing shocking at all.
This highlights both the strength and weakness of Sony. OTOH they have such technical expertise and can engineer this great AF experience. OTOH they just don't understand usability that well and make the feature hard to get to.
So you have this very technically advanced camera where most users will never begin to enjoy what it has to offer. And some wonder why smartphones have taken over.
A feature is only useful if people can find and use it. Seems simple. So many have switched to smartphones, and some may ask why go from a more advanced camera system to one with tiny sensor and less features. But one reason is because to many users, their dedicated camera was not more advanced because they never used the features; it was only a more difficult camera to use and carry.
What Sony has done would be like a smartphone company naming its camera app something obtuse like "Photonic Capture App." They have a great feature but don't label it the way they market it.
@Thoughts R Us - "A feature is only useful if people can find and use it. Seems simple."
they just demonstrated automatic tracking being used in full auto mode, it can't get any simpler than that... and in fact they even put up a direct link to that section of the video, so i'm not sure why you don't understand it.
Seriously man. My God... you have to put the camera in AF-C first. That’s like impossible to figure out.
Seriously. Sony engineers should all be fired for such terrible logic.
Or perhaps if you can’t figure out the camera should be in a continuous focus mode to use tracking, well then I don’t think it matters which camera brand you choose.
Obviously, it's not that obvious or else why would DPR feel compelled to make an instructional video on it?
And if you read the comments below you will read one comment "It took me a long time to figure it out..."
It's not enabled by default...and for a more novice user who hears the marketing term of "Real Time" AF, it would be nice to have an actual setting using that term.
But Sony does this with all sorts of stuff...for instance with Time Lapse, they label it "Intvl.Shoot.Func." I'm sorry but that's just poor.
Face it: Sony has some brilliant engineers who get the tech stuff done very well, but their UI group really lacks any feel for real world users. They've been this way for along time with all sorts of products.
One interesting passage: "They [Sony] understand technology and consumer trends better than Nikon, Canon, or any of the more “traditional” camera companies. They understand specs, they understand marketing, and they certainly understand sensors, but they don’t understand photography and photographers as well. As a result, they’ve created incredibly powerful cameras and quickly gained market share, but those cameras tend to lack exactly where you would expect them to."
Sony needs to put more focus on usability; hire some outside experts, do something.
@Thoughts R Us The a6400 gives you the possibiltiy to set up pretty much everything the way you want it. The only thing needed is a bit of time in the beginning to get familiar with it, but once you've set the camera up according to your preferences, it is a joy to use.
Really no big deal at all, if only you bother to do your homework.
@quatpat: any piece of tech can be said to be easy or no big deal if you take sufficient time to learn. The key, if you want to appeal to a broader market, is making it easy to use right out of the box.
Here's the reality: most people are very busy, probably too busy, with their lives. They want to capture memories along the way, but don't want a lot of hassle in doing so. That's not a poor reflection on them: I've met many great and skilled professionals in other areas of life who don't want to hassle too much learning tech outside of their job.
Any company needs to make their product as easy to use and intuitive as they can, out of the box. Ironically, if they do so, then the customer will feel the satisfaction that motivates them to go deeper and then really learn the equipment.
But it's widely acknowledged that Sony cameras are among the worst in terms of menu, ergonomics, and general ease of use. They are a pain to get to know.
@Thoughts R Us: See, it's very simple: If you are too busy or too lazy to learn using your camera, then you should stick to smartphone photography. You'll always have it with you, and the only thing you need to do is to press a button. If you want to do real photography on the other hand, then you'll have to learn using your camera no matter which brand or model. Some are easier to use and some more demanding, but all of them need some work, and have, apart from that, an auto mode for the lazy ones.
It's not just because YOU don't want to bother to learn using your tool, that the tool is bad.
@cbphoto123: Go figure... I am an Apple user myself, with several generations of imacs, G3-4-5, mac pros, etc, iPads, iPhones... and yet, I like using my a6400. Maybe there's something wrong with me? I find the camera no more confusing than my Nikon D7500, with the main difference being that you have to get used to a different menu architecutre.
Also, I wonder who elected YOU to be the judge about which of the camera brands is supposed to be "PC" and who's "Apple"? Maybe for me "Apple" is Sony and PC is some other brand. In other words, what's right for me doesn't have to be right for you, and vice versa. Think about it.
Oh, and about whether or not you are a lazy person, you might be the better judge of that. :-)
The rai·son d'ê·tre for putting powerful processors into cameras isn't computational photography yet, at this stage it is to support computational subject recognition and AF tracking. Sony is getting this right, Canon and Nikon seem to be relying on yesterday's chips.
Continuous AF tracking and Eye AF for Canikon mirrorless are not yet close to Sony's. Some of this is due to better algorithms utilized by Sony, but the rest is due to the more powerful onboard processors Sony is using in their cameras.
Kudos to the Calgarians for a nice, easy to understand setup video. It is true that Sony has figured out how to replace most every AF-mode with a subject-tracking interface that can usually stick to what you tell it to, not just go directly to the face.
Curiously, with all of this there's one thing that it doesn't do well, and that's target-and-recompose. Primarily because when you stop tracking, it reverts to frame center instead of just stopping. With the latter behavior you COULD replace all of the fixed focus point controls with an intuitive option for the fixed point modes that acquires the subject at some arbitrary position in the frame, then tracks it as you recompose - then with a button click it would STOP moving the targeting reticle and begin whatever fixed point mode you wanted - single point, adjacency aided, zonal...
Since tracking-stop would be a discrete button press (possibly a reprogrammed AF/MF lever), the basic always-tracking interface would always be there.
@mosswings - "with a subject-tracking interface that can usually stick to what you tell it to, not just go directly to the face."
it will automaticatically go from being set on the body, directly to the face, and then to the eyes, as shown in the video... that is the most desirable behavior, for situations where the subject is approaching the camera.
@mosswings - "there's one thing that it doesn't do well, and that's target-and-recompose.
no, it does focus/recompose extremely well, as the video just demonstrated.
@mosswings - "Primarily because when you stop tracking, it reverts to frame center instead of just stopping."
that isn't focus/recompose, because you let off of the bbaf button, after you took the shot.
what you said was for the camera to retain the previous focus area that was used, which is not focus/recompose.
If Center Spot Tracking is enabled in AF-C, you can lock on to an object then re-compose with the shutter release half pressed (or AF button). You can also use the DMF or AF-S mode to focus and compose, with any spot.
You can also use the joy stick to place the spot anywhere in the FOV and it will stay. Use this for portraits, where the face is off center and either you or the subject is moving around.
To recenter the spot, press the joy stick in the center. If you haven't re-assigned it, you can also use the Erase button to recenter the spot.
MILCman and Ed, I wasn't clear. Yes, it automatically goes from general object, to face, to eye, unless you turn off eye/face. Excellent! It does what everyone expects a general subject tracking AF to do.
I did NOT say focus-and-recompose. The Sony AF interface does that quite nicely. You take the shot after recomposition - which is what folks want most of the time.
I said "target-and-recompose" - using tracking to move the focus box to a fixed position in the frame and then leaving it there. This replaces button/stick positioning of the focus box when using fixed or zonal AF modes. This isn't possible with the present AF-and-track coupling. I'm thinking of how this interface could be fully generalized.
I would also love it if the camera would just hold the last tracked position (not the initial position) when retargeting instead of recentering; it would make retargeting in a tight subject group quicker and easier. I don't know of a camera that does - but they should.
Actually, there is an option to leave the focus spot in the last used position. I find that feature a royal PITA, so I don't use it. I also turn the touch screen off unless I'm using the camera on a tripod or for video. My nose is not the best way to select the focus spot.
Ed: Hmmm. Is this option on the a6400? If it is, I haven't found it yet.
And by "last used", is this the focus spot used for the last capture? I'm talking about the focus spot remaining where you left it when retargeting - releasing the shutter/BBF and repressing. Right now, on the a6400, it resets to center (or where you preplaced the focus box in certain modes).
@mosswings: I don't think that there is this possibility, that after a tracking is finished, the focus point stays there after the capture, unless you have moved it there before manually. Allthough it could be usefull, I don't know any other camera that would do that.
@quatpat: that's what I've found - but again, I'm not talking about tracking-to-capture; I'm talking about tracking-to-retargeting. Although the Sony tracking AF gets confused less than most such systems, it does happen, and restarting the tracking/focusing process with a lifting of the finger from the shutter or the AF-on button is what you have to do to. No camera system lets you do this without resetting to either frame center or where you manually placed the focus point at the start of the tracking process. They don't make the distinction between the two tracking process end states. Tracking AF UIs are in their early stages of development. They have the potential to completely replace traditional UIs entirely, but they're not there yet. For most purposes Sony's system is very very close.
Yes, it's normal. The manual indicates that tracking is not supported with animal AF. Presumably handling Sony's animal AF detection and tracking algorithms at 61MP is more than the A7R4's processors can handle. The authors might want to add a footnote to their video.
The A7Riii tracks in Animal AF mode in wide or spot mode. I would be surprised if the A7Riv did otherwise. the A9 does likewise, only better, cleaner and faster.
Prepare to be surprised, C&P from the A7R4 help manual:
"When [Subject Detection] is set to [Animal], the following functions cannot be used. Tracking function Face Priority in Multi Metering Regist. Faces Priority"
And, btw, I've found a similar statement in the A7R3 manual, except it refers to lock-on modes not being supported with Animal AF. (I believe 'lock-on' on the A7R3 and 'tracking' on the A7R4 are referring to the same thing.)
That said, with wide mode, I can't tell any difference between wide with tracking/lock-on and just plain wide. And yes, with animal AF on, the plain wide mode will track animals eyes anywhere around the frame. However, on both the A7R3 and A7R4 one cannot, in my experience, turn animal AF on, and then use a spot mode with lock-on/tacking to initial select a particular animal at a particular spot in the frame, and then have that tracked anywhere in the frame. It works on the A9, but not the A7R3 nor A7R4. (You can use wide to track animals it seems,... but then you can't easily select the initial starting point).
Oh, and the focus point tracking rectangle doesn't annoyingly change shape wildly based on what it randomy thinks is in the same plane of focus or subject matter.
I watched the video and my A6500 has the same options he mentioned. The only thing is that the focus area movement options (shown by arrows around the focus box) disappears if I leave the focus options. So I have to stay in some kind of focus options selection mode if I want to move the "Lock-on AF: Flexible Spot" selection...
Tracking in 6500 - is the lock-on tracking which is far, far, far worse than Real Time Tracking. 6500's version can't keep object focused, misses it very frequently and changes subject randomly. Unfortunately.
I recently upgraded my APS-C body from A6000 to A6500, so I will just have to learn to live with what it has for a while. I am going to upgrade my FF from A7II to A7III, so hopefully it has some tracking benefits over its predecessor too.
Unfortunately Real Time Tracking in A7 series is available only on R IV. A7 III and A7R III got only Real Time Eye AF, which is just an Eye AF without pressing a separate button.
It's kind of funny that just one generation after Sony reintroduced the focus joystick on their cameras, they make it obsolete again.
Focus and recompose was always the easiest and fastest way to select your focus target. But due to parallax error and the inability to adjust for movement it fell out of favor with higher resolving cameras and lenses. Thank you, Sony for fixing both of those things and giving us back our favorite focus mode without the problems
"Focuse+Recompose" was a terrible work-around for all the Canon shooters who never got to taste 1-series AF because Canon stubbornly refused to put flagship AF in its 5-series until the 5D3, by which time all X0D and 5D1/2 shooters were so accustomed to only having a dead-center AF point be marginally reliable that they thought it was too annoying to have to actually move the AF point around the viewfinder.
Nikon shooters who started getting pro AF plus a large "joypad" for AF point control, even in affordable bodies since the D300 and D700, on the other hand, got so good at AF point control that it became second nature. Even when 3-D tracking started getting reliable, many still opted to bump their AF points in one direction or another just a little bit, even though the AF system was getting uncanny at "moving the AF point for you"...
@matthew saville ""Focuse+Recompose" was a terrible work-around" Yes and No, it was terrible for actually getting good focus, due to the errors mentioned above. But it was wonderful in usability
"joypad" + "many opted to bump their AF points in one direction or another" That was the other way around. Bad for usability but great for getting better focus for your shots.
But the new system allows you to have both. No more "bumping their AF points in one direction or another" to get good focus, just let the camera track it.
PS: All new Gen FF cameras from Sony still have the Joystick so you can still use your old method, and Nikons new Z50 APS-C cameras don't have a joystick just like Sony APS-C
I'm left-eyed and find Sony's new tracking AF quite good without a joystick. A joystick would be better for some situations, but generally I keep my tracking point in the center and "focus recompose" on my subject, moving or not.
In portrait conditions and a lot of other stuff, I don't mind the re-compose method, but for high-action types of shooting, even the fraction of a second that it takes to have to re-center the subject and then re-compose the desired framing is highly unwelcome. Whether via the touchscreen or the physical joystick, (I wish it was a touchstick!) ...being able to effortlessly control your focus point BEFORE you even half-press the shutter is very, very useful in certain conditions.
But, point well made about the camera models which have removed that joystick...
In action scenarios it’s certainly much faster to focus recompose than it is to move the focus point with a joystick or even a touch on the touchscreen.
I haven’t used the joystick since Real time tracking was released on the A9. I did setup a custom button so that if I push that joystick center button I get an instant AF-C, and Center real time tracking. So no matter what focus mode I’m in, I can initiate focus recompose with RTT instantly without having to enter any menu.
Works great and there really is nothing faster on the market.
Yes recall custom hold is a true dream in combination with back button focus. Assign three different methods and areas to three different buttons and you can engage everything all the time. Flexible Spot + Center + wide on three different buttons is a great example. I also have others seen using recall custom hold wide with a fast shutter speed override as a panik button solution. There are so many things you can do with recall custom hold... But that's a whole other story. On the A6600 Af-ON and C3 seem in a good position, so you can at least get two different modes conveniently setup
Yep. I have all 3 recall custom hold functions set. One is always focus/track/recompose. Another is an “oh sh#t just get the picture” button like you say, and the third I customize for different events but almost always includes a focus mode included as well.
As an example for dance recitals I usually shoot wide open and 1/640. My third RCH button usually overrides the shutter speed to 1/125 to get better ISO when the dancers are holding a final position.
I can’t imagine not having recall custom hold buttons anymore.
Sony Japan has posted a notice on its website confirming that November 19, 2021 was the last day it accepted orders for its a7 II series, a6400 series and a6100 (black) camera systems, due to supply chain constraints.
We compare two popular APS-C cameras: the Fujifilm X-S10 and the Sony a6400. In a bizarre twist, Chris is left to argue with himself (literally). Meanwhile, Jordan is stuck in Pentax K-01 video purgatory. It's enough to make your head spin.
Sony's 'Real-Time' autofocus promises to track almost anything you throw at it, but it's not enabled by default. The words 'Real-Time' don't even appear in the camera's menu. In this video, Chris shows us how to set up this very useful feature.
This week Chris and Jordan compare four popular mid-range APS-C mirrorless cameras: the Canon M6 II, Nikon Z50, Sony a6400 and the Fujifilm X-T30. Which one is right for you?
The a7R V is the fifth iteration of Sony's high-end, high-res full-frame mirrorless camera. The new 60MP Mark IV, gains advanced AF, focus stacking and a new rear screen arrangement. We think it excels at stills.
Topaz Labs' flagship app uses AI algorithms to make some complex image corrections really, really easy. But is there enough here to justify its rather steep price?
Above $2500 cameras tend to become increasingly specialized, making it difficult to select a 'best' option. We case our eye over the options costing more than $2500 but less than $4000, to find the best all-rounder.
There are a lot of photo/video cameras that have found a role as B-cameras on professional film productions or even A-cameras for amateur and independent productions. We've combed through the options and selected our two favorite cameras in this class.
What’s the best camera for around $2000? These capable cameras should be solid and well-built, have both the speed and focus to capture fast action and offer professional-level image quality. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing around $2000 and recommended the best.
Family moments are precious and sometimes you want to capture that time spent with loved ones or friends in better quality than your phone can manage. We've selected a group of cameras that are easy to keep with you, and that can adapt to take photos wherever and whenever something memorable happens.
What's the best camera for shooting sports and action? Fast continuous shooting, reliable autofocus and great battery life are just three of the most important factors. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for shooting sports and action, and recommended the best.
While peak Milky Way season is on hiatus, there are other night sky wonders to focus on. We look at the Orion constellation and Northern Lights, which are prevalent during the winter months.
We've gone hands-on with Nikon's new 17-28mm F2.8 lens for its line of Z-mount cameras. Check out the sample gallery to see what kind of image quality it has to offer on a Nikon Z7 II.
The winning and finalist images from the annual Travel Photographer of the Year awards have been announced, showcasing incredible scenes from around the world. Check out the gallery to see which photographs took the top spots.
The a7R V is the fifth iteration of Sony's high-end, high-res full-frame mirrorless camera. The new 60MP Mark IV, gains advanced AF, focus stacking and a new rear screen arrangement. We think it excels at stills.
Using affordable Sony NP-F batteries and the Power Junkie V2 accessory, you can conveniently power your camera and accessories, whether they're made by Sony or not.
According to Japanese financial publication Nikkei, Sony has moved nearly all of its camera production out of China and into Thailand, citing geopolitical tensions and supply chain diversification.
A pro chimes in with his long-term impressions of DJI's Mavic 3. While there were ups and downs, filmmaker José Fransisco Salgado found that in his use of the drone, firmware updates have made it better with every passing month.
Landscape photography has a very different set of requirements from other types of photography. We pick the best options at three different price ranges.
AI is here to stay, so we must prepare ourselves for its many consequences. We can use AI to make our lives easier, but it's also possible to use AI technology for more nefarious purposes, such as making stealing photos a simple one-click endeavor.
This DIY project uses an Adafruit board and $40 worth of other components to create a light meter and metadata capture device for any film photography camera.
Scientists at the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia have used a transmitter with 'less power than a microwave' to produce the highest resolution images of the moon ever captured from Earth.
The tiny cameras, which weigh just 1.4g, fit inside the padding of a driver's helmet, offering viewers at home an eye-level perspective as F1 cars race through the corners of the world's most exciting race tracks. In 2023, all drivers will be required to wear the cameras.
The new ultrafast prime for Nikon Z-mount cameras is a re-worked version of Cosina's existing Voigtländer 50mm F1 Aspherical lens for Leica M-mount cameras.
There are plenty of hybrid cameras on the market, but often a user needs to choose between photo- or video-centric models in terms of features. Jason Hendardy explains why he would want to see shutter angle and 32-bit float audio as added features in cameras that highlight both photo and video functionalities.
SkyFi's new Earth Observation service is now fully operational, allowing users to order custom high-resolution satellite imagery of any location on Earth using a network of more than 80 satellites.
In some parts of the world, winter brings picturesque icy and snowy scenes. However, your drone's performance will be compromised in cold weather. Here are some tips for performing safe flights during the chilliest time of the year.
The winners of the Ocean Art Photo Competition 2022 have been announced, showcasing incredible sea-neries (see what we did there?) from around the globe.
Venus Optics has announced a quartet of new anamorphic cine lenses for Super35 cameras, the Proteus 2x series. The 2x anamorphic lenses promise ease of use, accessibility and high-end performance for enthusiast and professional video applications.
We've shot the new Fujinon XF 56mm F1.2R WR lens against the original 56mm F1.2R, to check whether we should switch the lens we use for our studio test scene or maintain consistency.
Nature photographer Erez Marom continues his series about landscape composition by discussing the multifaceted role played by the sky in a landscape image.
The NONS SL660 is an Instax Square instant camera with an interchangeable lens design. It's made of CNC-milled aluminum alloy, has an SLR-style viewfinder, and retails for a $600. We've gone hands-on to see what it's like to shoot with.
Recently, DJI made Waypoints available for their Mavic 3 series of drones, bringing a formerly high-end feature to the masses. We'll look at what this flight mode is and why you should use it.
Astrophotographer Bray Falls was asked to help verify the discovery of the Andromeda Oxygen arc. He describes his process for verification, the equipment he used and where astronomers should point their telescopes next.
OM Digital Solutions has released firmware updates for the following cameras to add compatibility support for its new M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO lens: OM-D E-M1 Mark II, E-M1 Mark III, E-M5 Mark III, E-M1X, and OM-5.
Comments