Last week, we got to have some quality fondling time with the brand new Zeiss 12mm f2.8 Touit lens on the Fujifilm X Pro 1. The lens is one of the first entries that Zeiss has made into the mirrorless autofocus lens market. Like all things Zeiss, the company is not only putting image quality first, but they’re also trying to think a bit different in terms of build quality. In our meeting with Zeiss, they also clearly stated that they are targeting the high end user.
And with the price tag of the 12mm f2.8, they really seem to be doing just that.
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Dear Charlie,
You’ve asked me in evaluating your work to be brutally honest. Admittedly, it’s something that other photographers have asked for, but I’ve always been reticent about honestly fulfilling such a request. I have often perceived it as the equivalent of a wife or girlfriend asking, “Do I look fat in this?” A frank, honest answer to that question is likely not going to end well.
However, you have been insistent about receiving such concise, unrestrained and to-the-point-feedback. So, I feel inspired to share with you why your pictures suck.
Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared on the Candid Frame blog. We encourage you to listen to the podcast on iTunes.
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JPEGmini has been around for a while now, as a web-interface as well as a standalone app for Mac OS. The clever software that shrinks your JPEG files up to five times from their original size without compromising image quality ist now available as a standalone app for Windows as well. The great thing about JPEGmini is that it creates 100% compatible JPEG files, but uses a special compression algorithm to reduce file size even further, without degrading perceptional image quality. We’re not sure what wizardry they’re using, but you can learn more about it on their website.
JPEGmini can be purchased for US-$ 19.99 via the JPEGmini website or from B&H Photo.
Via SLR lounge
We often talk about cameras, lenses and lighting but rarely do we talk about what’s behind them–your eye. Not the organ, no, the part of your mind that actually helps you see the world and share it with others. This is what inspires you to capture the world with your lens, what drives you. To me, photography is a person showing how they see their world and capturing moments in time. A person’s “photographic eye” is something that is developed over time with training.
Want more Useful Photography Tips? Take a look at all of them right here.
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Today, Olympus is announcing their EP5 Micro Four Thirds camera. It is now the top tier of the Pen family of cameras under the Olympus brand and in some ways challenges the flagship from Olympus–the OMD EM5. Everyday, we see and hear about new people purchasing the OMD EM5, but if you want to go with the Micro Four Thirds system you’ll be able to now take a look at another very good option within the Olympus world (though Panasonic does offer some good selections as well).
At the moment of publishing this article, we’ve reviewed the OMD EM5 and have tested it in the long run. Additionally, some of our former staffers have sold everything they own to convert over to it. The EP5 hasn’t been reviewed yet, but there is more than enough to compare the two.
Editor’s Note: The EP5 is available body only for $999.99 in black, silver and white or with the 17mm f1.8 and new VF-4 viewfinder for $1,449.00 in black or silver.
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It’s been rumored for a while now, and guess what–it appears that the rumors were true. When I walked into my meeting with Olympus and saw the fabled EP5, I immediately asked them to take my credit card away from me. Today’s announcement marks the upgrade to the top tier of the Olympus Pen line of cameras. And in some ways it is outdoing its bigger brother, the Olympus OMD EM5. This is very typical of Olympus, though, as they often tend to cannibalize their own products very quickly and in different ways.
With that said though, there are some differentiating factors between this and the current king: the OMD.
Editor’s Note: The EP5 is available body only for $999.99 in black, silver and white or with the 17mm f1.8 and new VF-4 viewfinder for $1,449.00 in black or silver.
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