Panasonic GH5 fully Announced

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What you need to know: The Panasonic GH4 is a mirrorless camera that looks like a small DSLR. Capable of shooting photos and video the GH4 was one of the first truly affordable 4K capable cameras that provides a host of features professional videographers love. The GH5 shipping in late March 2017 offers some noteable improvements that look to continue to place it at the top of 4K capable cameras BUT the now more expensive $1999 price certainly provides room for competitors.

My Current Recommended cameras for primarily videoSerious video work - Panasonic GH4 / Sony a6300 or a6500Best vlogging camera - Panasonic G85Smallest 4k video capable I can recommend - Sony RX100 Mark IV

I own and use the Panasonic GH4 daily - it is the camera I use to shoot all of my videos including my travel vlogs (except the recent Alaska trip where I tried the Olympus EM1 Mark II)  The GH4 shoots beautiful 4K video, has a battery that lasts for hours and hours of shooting and it's nicely portable with a fully articulating screen- I could go on but you are here because the successor to the GH4 has just been completely announced- I say completely because we had an official announcement from panasonic about the GH5 last September.  That announcement wasn't complete with some information missing. We now have the complete picture.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPxKZ2MWgdI

Panasonic GH5 Specs

  • 20.3MP Four Thirds sensor with no low pass filter.
  • 4K Video: Internal recording at 4K60/50p (4:2:0 8bit) & 4K30/25p/24p (4:2:2 10bit).
  • Variable Video Frame Rates 4K: Max. 60fps & FHD: Max. 180fps.
  • No additional crop factor when shooting 4K
  • 5-Axis Photo/Video Dual I.S. 2.0 up to 5 stops with compatible LUMIX MFT lenses, plus in-body stabilization support for classic non-O.I.S lenses.
  • Fast and accurate focusing utilizing LUMIX 480 fps DFD focusing system and Venus Engine 10
  • Full size (Type A) HDMI terminal with cable lock included & twin SD Card slots (UHS-II U3 Compatible).
  • 3.5mm mic & headphone terminals - optional DMW-XLR1 microphone adaptor.
  • Eye viewfinder 3680k-dot OLED, 21mm, 0.76x.
  • V-LogL recording with (Optional) DMW-SFU1 paid upgrade

Body style looks very similar to the GH4 with a few differences

  • Dual SD Card Slots
  • Full-sized HDMI port
  • USB-C for data transfer
  • Joystick button for focus point selection & menu navigation (You can also use the touch screen)

Additional firmware updates planned in April and later in 2017 will provide additional bit rates.Price $1,999 an increase over the GH4 and $600 more over the Sony a6500Pre Order the GH5 from B&H Photo

GH5 vs the a6500/a6300

Benefits of the GH5

  • Better Battery Life
  • 4k at 60FPS
  • Better slow mo
  • Higher bitrate files
  • Fully articulated touchscreen
  • Touchscreen works well for ALL camera options
  • Large photo burst rate
  • no overheating. We don't know for sure yet but the a6500 can in some warmer/hotter conditions shut down do to high internal temps.
  • Better lens selection
  • Stabilized sensor vs the a6300.

Benefits of Sony a6500

  • Better low light performance
  • Faster AF
  • Better photos (greater resolution and cleaner high ISO)
  • Cheaper and the a6300 is almost 1/2 the price.

The list certainly looks good for the GH5 but if you need better low light performance or want a more capable photo camera the a6500 or a6300 would probably be my pick. The GH5 wins in usability and offers that fully articulating screen if you need to vlog.Buy the a6500 from B&H Photo  $1,398.00Buy the a6300 from B&H Photo $998.00Pre Order the GH5 from B&H Photo $1,999.00  

Your Best Photo of 2016

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Click on Through to watch on Youtube in 4K https://youtu.be/c_FRpwo9vO4  Submission is closed - Finished video will be posted soon on Youtube - Make sure you are a subscriber to be notified.  Click to subscribe and be notified.  UPDATE - iOS devices ignore your file name when you upload and all I get is a IMAGE.JPEG filename. IF THE FILE IS NOT PROPERLY NAMED Yourfirstname_Lastname I will not use.   Please upload from desktop or laptop to avoid this. I am collecting your best/favorite photo from 2016 for the 3rd annual slide show.  Read ALL Directions and Disclaimers. Submit link below the video.Directions:

  • Search your library for your favorite image you captured in 2016.
  • 16:9 crop is preferred but not required. - This fits the video nicely but portrait/vertical orientation is acceptable and should NOT be 16:9 - a much wider aspect ratio would be preferred for vertical.
  • You may watermark your image - I would prefer it not be obtrusive but it is your image.
  • Export as a JPEG - longest side at least 4,000 pixels.
  • Name the file your firstname_lastname and drop into the folder found at the link below. - If your image is not properly named it will not be used.
  • Submit by MIDNIGHT PST December 30th.

Disclaimers:

  • By submitting your image here you authorize photorec.tv to share your image in a slideshow on Youtube.  Your image will not be used for anything else without your express permission.
  • I will not return images - make sure you don't give me the ONLY copy.
  • I am not responsible for copyright violations that occur on Youtube.
  • I cannot guarantee that I will use your image

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wrbJ5NVCAo

 >> Submit here >> CLOSED for 2016.  See you in 2017!!

Your Photos Suck - Tips for Sucking Less as a Photographer

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I have just a few quick tips to help you suck less as a photographer - or at the very least fool your friends into thinking you are improving greatly! This is a great video to share with your friends and family who post way too many photos on facebook. A couple of simple tips will get everybody taking better photos.https://youtu.be/ihaz1_xmxFk

Quick Tips to better photos

  1. Share only your best work - if you have three photos of a tree PICK ONE, the best one and only share that one image. I used Facebook in the video but if you upload to more than one photo to Instagram at the same time you are doing it WRONG.
  2. Post process your images- Nothing major requiring hours - just add a little clarity, make sure your horizon is straight - learn just how easily it is, you can even do it automatically on import!
  3. Be deliberate in your framing, leveling and timing(see tip 4) - I talk more about framing in my tips for photographing cities.
  4. Timing - don't just snap a photo and walk away - wait for the moment that frames people, objects nicely.
  5. Take time to learn the basics of your camera and understand aperture, shutter speed and ISO

Do you have additional simple tips for sucking less? Leave a comment on the video Thanks to Nick Sharples for helping me film Follow @nsharplesFilmed withPanasonic GH4 and 12-35 f/2.8 LensHandheld Shots with Crane gimbal

Alaska Travel Photography - Vlog 2016

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I spent early December in Alaska with McKay Photography Academy and Salmon Berry tours  - We explored the Matanuska Glacier with ice caves, Sled Dogging (mushing) with Dallas Seavey(an Iditarod superstar), took the Alaska Railroad from Talkeetna to Fairbanks AND saw some amazing northern light displays! The Aurora Display was amazing.https://youtu.be/2CuNHRrECaIJoin Us in March - Sign up for trip noticeMore about the gear used for the Northern LightsGear Used in Alaska:Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark IIOlympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/2.8Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm f/1.8 LensOlympus M.ZUIKO Digital ED 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO LensSony a7RiiRode VideoMicro CompactVenus Optics Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-DZeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 LensTripod MeFoto Roadtrip Carbon FiberFind and Follow me at:http://instagram.com/photorectoby/https://twitter.com/photorectobyhttps://www.facebook.com/photorec.tv500px https://500px.com/photorectoby

Northern Lights Video - Explored

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I recently traveled to Alaska with McKay Photography Academy  - If you don't follow me on Instagram you missed out on some fun stories! Insta Stories is where I am doing much of my vlogging and behind the scenes content these days.   My Youtube vlog is coming soon - in the meantime here is a look at the stunning Aurora Borealis display we got to see - shot over two nights - Gear list and info below the video.  We are making plans to return to this awesome viewing location in March -Drop your name and email if you want to be on the pre notice list?Be sure to watch full screen - 4K resolution possible.https://youtu.be/stZKwVzlw94Captured over two nights outside Fairbanks Alaska- KP index was a 1 and 2.- Temperatures were -30°F to -10°F

A breakdown of the shots seen in the video

screenshot-2016-12-07-17-33-31 screenshot-2016-12-07-16-52-30 screenshot-2016-12-07-16-53-23 screenshot-2016-12-07-16-58-11 screenshot-2016-12-07-17-03-28 Captured with the Sony A7RII and Batis 18mm - 4 second exposure ISO 3200 Captured with the Sony A7RII and 12mm Laowa - 30 second exposures ISO 1250.All the individual shots were placed in Final Cut Pro - :04 seconds in a 30fps video.   Notice the shorter exposure shots capture a bit more of the detail but the difference isn't huge between a 4 and 30 second exposure!

Aurora Borealis Camera Gear

Sony A7RII- B&H Photo LinkLenses - Batis 18mm f/2.8 & Laowa Optics 12mm f/2.8Olympus E-M1 Mark II- B&H Photo LinkLenses - 7-14mm f/2.8 and Lumix 12mm f/1.4Mefoto Travel Tripod CFTriggerTrap Kit for SonyJackery Thunder 10050mAh (used to power the Sony)Some additional information: I wanted to shoot more with the Olympus, but in the freezing dark, I found the familiarity of my Sony easier to work with AND I could power the Sony with the external USB for longer time lapses. I was provided only one battery with the Olympus and wanted to save it for some video work. Both cameras performed well in the extreme cold, with one exception. On our first night of shooting, I didn't have the sony plugged into the USB battery and left it running a series of shots. It died in about 40 minutes! I expected that, but it got so cold that the internal battery must have died and I had to reset the date and time.

Pre Notice List Sign up

Going Lighter, Faster, Further

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Can the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II replace my Sony a7Rii and the panasonic GH4? I talk about the potential and possibilities of leaving behind my GH4 and A7RII - It might be grass is greener on the other side or the sheep are lighter or something but it is very appealing to me to go lighter and simpler with my gear.Watch - Ditching Sony Full Frame for Micro 4/3rdshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgOT5C99v48

Gear List  -

Current Gear:Sony a7Rii - https://bhpho.to/2fyeCr6Canon 24-70 f/2.8 - https://bhpho.to/2fybxqUCanon 70-200 f/2.8 - https://bhpho.to/2gCcC0PSigma 50mm f/1.4 - https://bhpho.to/2gt0DzqPanasonic GH4 -https://bhpho.to/2gS742HPanasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 -https://bhpho.to/2fMXfBtTripod MeFoto Roadtrip Carbon Fiber - https://bhpho.to/2g1VCxeNew Gear ? Micro 4/3rds GearOlympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II - https://bhpho.to/2gS26TtOlympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 - https://bhpho.to/2gFqiFGOlympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/2.8 - https://bhpho.to/2g1NbC7Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm f/1.8 Lens - https://bhpho.to/2gS6d26Olympus M.ZUIKO Digital ED 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO Lens - https://bhpho.to/2gfDtiEVenus Optics Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D - https://bhpho.to/2gtCyc2Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 Lens - https://bhpho.to/2gSsJYF Follow me on Instagram

Cyber Monday Camera Deals 2016

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Black Friday 2017 Deal List Live - Photorec.tv/BF2017

Cyber Monday 2016 (updated hourly) we will post all current Cyber Monday Camera, lens, photography and accessories like tripods, SD cards and more below. Follow me on Instagram for posts on the best deals!For the Month of November, I am offering my Lightroom for Beginners video series at 25% Off . Over 6+ hours of Video, 30+ presets and much more.  Learn More.completeseries01-09photo travel with McKay Photography Academy

The BEST Gift for YOU or the photographer in your life - An Amazing Travel Experience DISCOUNTED!

Check out Amazon and B&H for the best photo deals you can find!

Amazon Cyber MondayBH Cyber Monday

Deals

screenshot-2016-11-27-22-14-44NOW!! 3DR Robotics with Gimbal and spare battery $349.95

Camera Rebates

Canon Sale Nikon Sale Sony Sale

olympus savings

And More!

BH Pro Audio BH Lens Rebates

deals

Sony a6500 Sample Images / Early Review

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BLACK FRIDAY DEAL: Sony a6300 - $998 with a $100 B&H Photo Gift Card | More Black Friday DealsI spent the last few days shoot with the Sony a6500 -  Also the Sony RX 100 Mark V and the a99 Mark II - more on those cameras soon.  The a6500 is what I want to share more about.   And a quick reminder that I think the a6000/a6300 are awesome cameras - the a6300 low light performance is fantastic and it was the only camera I took to Moab, Utah last April - leaving my heavier full frame camera at home - I had no regrets.   See my original review of the Sony a6300 and my a6300 shooting tips video.https://youtu.be/l-227X1gA_kA few of my favorite Sony a6300 shots from the last yearhttps://www.instagram.com/p/BKtTD4IjvVn/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BKRsUsJj73O/https://www.instagram.com/p/BIXaKc4Degq/ 

A6500 Review -

Remember the a6500 is NOT being positioned as a replacement for the a6300- rather a higher model that offers several advantages over the earlier model.

Advantages of the a6500 over the a6300

  • Stabilization! The sensor in the a6500 is now stabilized like the a7Sii, A7Rii and the new a99ii - this means every lens you attach, even old legacy lenses via adapters, are stabilized. Good for slower shutter speed shooting when using a handheld video or not using a tripod. In my testing, the difference is noticeable and the stabilization is useful.
  • Faster and more responsive. Deeper buffer with internal changes means the a6500 can capture 107 RAW images at 11FPS. The a6300 was limited to just 21 RAWS. And, you can now start to preview images as they are writing to the card. The a6500 also provides an indication of where it is in the writing process with a little meter in the top left corner of the screen. The a6300 does not provide this and, at times, it feels very slow to clear and be ready for any action again. In two days of shooting fast action with the a6500, I found very few frustrating slowdowns. It is a much more responsive camera.
  • The a6500 offers a touchscreen. Unfortunately, it takes some getting used to and is still not at the level of the excellent touchscreen you find on a Canon or the Panasonic GH4 . However, you can use it to touch to focus and, somewhat similar to the Nikon D5500, you can put your eye to the viewfinder and slide your finger around on the touchscreen to change the focus point - this feels a little loose and it wasn't until I found several menu settings that let you adjust this control that I started to understand exactly how it worked. It still isn't great but, better than nothing. Touchscreen does not work for menu navigation or image playback.
  • Slightly deeper grip and an additional customizable button. It does feel a little nicer in hand, especially with longer lenses and I appreciate the VERY large amount of customizability these small cameras offer.
  • A redesigned menu - it is now better organized and colorful :)

Advantages of the a6300 over the a6500

  • Cheaper - a6300 Body Only at B&H Photo $998.00 | a6500 Body Only at B&H Photo $1398.00
    • $400 difference for a more responsive camera, stabilization and a fiddly touchscreen- Worth it to you?
  • Battery life - The touchscreen and the image stabilization do drawn additional power and you get a little less time out of each battery with the a6500.

Clearly the a6500 has advantages over the a6300 - but I do think those advantages apply to fairly narrow audience and most photographers would be better saving money on the a6300 or putting those savings toward a nice prime lens that will get you some awesome results.Support this site - Buy the Sony a6500 from B&H PhotoOr Buy the Sony a6300 and the Sigma 30mm f/1.4  (see my list of recommended Wide angle lenses including sony options)

Sample Images from the Sony a6500

all JPEGS straight out of camera except where noted.

Hunting with the Hadzabe of Tanzania

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https://youtu.be/PtXxhdQSxIkWe go hunting with the The Hadza, or Hadzabe, a nomadic tribe that lives around the Lake Eyasi region of Tanzania in Africa. Hours spent in the bushes (going in circles sometimes) looking for this small group of  nomadic hunter/gatherersthat suddenly appeared with bloodied dikdik in their hand. Watching them start a fire without matches, smoke weed, roast Dikdik and then we all head out on a hunt - a squirrel hunt!Learn more about Mckay Photography Academy Learn more about Thomson Safaris My Big 5 Safari PhotosStabilized Shots from the Crane | Buy from AmazonSafari and Wildlife Photo Gear recommendationsThose cool wooden sunglasses 

Don't use a Tripod or Tripod Tips and Tricks

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https://youtu.be/0wIlHixjTr8 Tripod Recommendations:Budget Tripod: Dolica ProlineMy Recommendation: MeFoto Road Trip CFTop of the line: Feisol Legs with Acratech GP Ballhead Mini Tripod: Pedco UltralightFlexible Mini Tripod: Joby GorillapodI want to take just a few minutes and talk about when you should and should NOT use a tripod - far too often I see beginners carrying around and using a tripod when they don’t need too. In my opinion the only time you must use a tripod is when you are shooting at shutter speeds slow enough that you might get blur from handshake and that typically happens when your shutter speed is less than your focal length. If shooting at 50mm your shutter speed should be at least 1/50 of a second. There are more variables in figuring out the best shutter speed to avoid shake and I talk about those in my shutter speed video.Shooting at those slower shutter speeds is when you DO want the camera on a sturdy tripod DOES it really hurt to use it at those other times? It can because I see beginners doing two things when they use a tripod - setting up at eye level and rooting. We are humans we like to be comfortable and so we often setup cameras at a comfortable eye level, for some compositions this is OK but being free of a tripod means you are free to quickly try a variety of heights - what does your composition look like from ground level, just above? How about as high as you can reach? Using a tripod encourages us to set up at ONE height and stick there - this brings up ROOTING. We plunk the tripod down, put the camera on it and don’t move, continually shooting from the same location - maybe you try a different depth of field, maybe you try moving the focus point but generally you are going to end up taking way too many photos from that point of view and being free from a tripod encourages movement. Small shifts left or right, up or down can make a large difference in your composition not to mention frees you to look in all directions. When we work with new photographers on our trips we like to remind them about the 360 rule - always take a moment to do a slow spin looking for other possible subjects or compositions that are sometimes behind you. Shooting with a tripod is friction against moving and that’s potentially holding you back from a better shot.When are tripods useful?

  1. Using a tripod to shoot a bracketed exposure can help reduce ghosting and increase image quality but if you have a camera with a decent burst rate, with some practice you can certainly shoot a fast burst of bracketed shots without serious alignment issues.
  2. When you are setting up a careful composition, I find a tripod makes it easier to really study your composition, leveling your horizon, scanning the frame for distractions. It's harder as a beginner to study a shot and bring it up to your eye making the adjustments you want though it is possible, just don’t get rooted in the same spot
  3. Working with really heavy lenses, it is nice to have some support there even if you remain above the shutter speed rule.

So there are certainly valid reasons for using a tripod but as beginners I want you to aware of the drawbacks and hope you will keep those in mind as you photograph.

Quick Tripod Tips -

  • Always turn of image stabilization when your camera is on a tripod - some stabilizations systems at some shutter speeds will actually cause blur and give you soft images as a result.
  • I like to position one of the tripod legs under my lens for increased stability.
  • Never ever walk away from my camera on a tripod unless you are 110% sure it is stable.
  • Position the tripod plate release under the lens, making it harder to accidentally grab. There are times in the dark I thought I was adjusting the ball head when really I was loosening the plate. Not fun!!

Do you have additional scenarios where tripods are useful - leave them in the comments below.These days because of all the travel I am doing I am happy carrying the MeFoto Carbon Fiber Road Trip - it offers a nice blend of portability and stability- You can see several other recommendations at different price points below. If you would like to plunk your tripod down next to me in some awesome locations- Click here to see where I am headed next year. Tripod Recommendations:Tripod Recommendations:Budget Tripod: Dolica ProlineMy Recommendation: MeFoto Road Trip CFTop of the line: Feisol Legs with Acratech GP Ballhead Mini Tripod: Pedco UltralightFlexible Mini Tripod: Joby Gorillapod

 

Photographing Cities - Tips & Tricks for Better Photos

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I have some tips and recommendations for getting better photos in historic cities like Edinburgh Scotland- What to look for, how to frame, what is the best focal length for city photography and the best time of day for photographing in the old historic streets. Filmed on location in Edinburgh Scotland and London England.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAv0gxRVbQg  

Canon 5D Mark IV

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https://youtu.be/7WI8rMGT4eg

Strengths of the Canon 5D Mark IV:

Fast and reliable performer with excellent ergonomics and the new touchscreen makes the already smartly organized menu even more accessible.   Dual Pixel AF (not to be confused with the dual pixel RAW) makes live view focusing fast and competent for most situations.Canon's lens selection and reliable track record as a company further highlight the 5D Mark IV as solid choice for serious photographers.I do love that they finally added the intervalometer and time lapse movie modes30MP is a nice resolution, not too large that your system will get bogged down but still allows for decent cropping when needed.

Weakness of the Canon 5D Mark IV:

The Sensor - although this camera and sensor are capable of making beautiful photos it doesn't beat the competition - Nikon D810 and Sony a7R2, and those cameras are a year old or more.Video features - This may not matter to you but those looking for an upgrade from the 5D Mark III as a video shooter or those needing a strong hybrid camera should look elsewhere - The codec is inefficient, the 4K is cropped to 1.74x and you do not have 4K video OUT.

Toss Up:

The CF and SD Cards - My wallet loves the fact that I don't need to buy any new cards but putting technology that it is nearing the end of its life cycle in a camera that won't be replaced for 4 years - feels less forward looking than I want Canon to be.Dual Pixel Raw - this allows you to make very small adjustments to focus after you take a photo using Canon's software.  I have trouble seeing any real differences in my tests and file size doubles.Support this site- Order the Canon 5D Mark IV using the links below.

Canon 5D Mark IV Custom Button Setup

Canon 5D Mark IV vs Sony A7R2

Sony vs Canon
Camera Canon Sony
MP 30 (Dimensions - 6720 x 4480) 42 (Dimensions - 7952 x 5304)
FPS 7.0 5.0
Video 4K with 1.7x crop / JPEG Codec 4K Full Frame / XAVC Codec
Storage Dual Card - SD and CF Single SD Card
LCD Fixed 3.2" Touch enabled Tilting 3.0"
Viewfinder; Optical 100% Coverage Electronic 100% Coverage
FPS 7.0 5.0
Battery Life 900 Shots 290 Shots
Weight 890 g (1.96 lbs) 625 g (1.38 lb)
Body Only Price $3500 (buy from B&H Photo | Amazon ) $3200 (buy from B&H Photo | Amazon )
24-70 Lens Weight 805 g (1.77 lb) 866 g (1.95 lb)
24-70 Lens Cost $1750 (buy from B&H Photo| Amazon ) $2198 (buy from B&H Photo| Amazon)
TOTAL COST & WEIGHT 1695 g 3.74 lbs | $5250 1491 g 3.33 lbs | $5398

 Which one would you pick? Go Vote!

Safari Photo Adventure #3 - Leopard in a Tree

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https://youtu.be/h6qskQ0JueoIt's like we are in the middle of a National Geographic documentary! Watching lions on the hunt, leopard climbing trees, elephants just feet away from the car and some amazing views of Ngorongoro crater and Karatu. Like my epic wooden sunglasses?  Back them on Kickstarter - tons of great looks and I love the fact that they are an eco–conscious company! Learn More and snag a pair of awesome sunglasses at a great price. 

Photo Safari Video #2 - Croc Kill

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https://youtu.be/abWRJCy3IPAContinuing our journey across the northern Serengeti where I continue to be amazed at the huge number of animals we see- Zebras and Wildebeests fill the plains. AND we round out our BIG 5 (learn more - http://photorec.tv/2016/09/big-5-safari/) The Thomson Camp or Nyumba in the Northern Serengeti continues to be paradise- we eat ice cream for dessert... IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SERENGETI And another Wildebeest crossing - this time with a dramatic Nile Crocodile Attack plus a trip across the border into Kenya, no passport required.Learn more about Mckay Photography Academy Learn more about Thomson Safaris Stabilized Shots from the Crane Buy at AmazonSafari and Wildlife Photo Gear recommendations

Big 5 on Safari

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In Africa, the big five game animals are the African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard, and rhinoceros. (Why are they they Big Five?)  We were incredibly lucky and in just a few short days had awesome and multiple photo opportunities with all of these species.  Watch my Tanzania Safari Adventure Video with Thomson Safari and McKay Photography Academy. 

Canon 5D Mark IV - Official

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Click for My Full Review of the Canon 5D Mark IV

Below is my earlier video based on specs.The Canon 5D Mark IV has been announced and after all the leaks the most surprising bit of info is how soon it will actually be released - in just two short weeks. Preorder NOW if you want this camera in the first few months as it will likely sell out.

Order from B&H Photo 

The Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon 5D Mark IV Specs

  • 30.4MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 6+ Image Processor
  • 3.2" 1.62m-Dot Touchscreen LCD Monitor
  • DCI 4K Video at 30 fps; 8.8MP Still Grab
  • 61-Point High Density Reticular AF
  • Native ISO 32000, Expanded to ISO 102400
  • Dual Pixel RAW; AF Area Select Button
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF and Movie Servo AF
  • 7 fps Shooting; CF & SD Card Slots
  • Built-In GPS and Wi-Fi with NFC

Canon 5D Mark IV - What you need to know

One of the most anticipated and recently leaked cameras has been officially announced.  The 5D Mark IV follows the widely popular Canon 5D Mark III and looks to offer decent, evolutionary upgrades from its predecessor.

  • 30MP is a good balanced file size that provides plenty of resolution while still offering a responsive 7 frames a second.
  • High ISO of 32,000 with a mention of improved dynamic range - While the 80D, Canon's most recent camera, does offer dynamic range improvements they still appear to be behind the competitors, especially at the higher ISOs - I don't expect to be blown away by the improvements.
  • The LCD is now a touchscreen, this combined with the dual pixel AF will make for very easy video focus and the dual pixel AF is fast enough for use in still shots.  Additionally Movie Servo AF looks to track moving subjects smoothly and capably.  No other DSLR provides such easy and smooth live view focusing.  The LCD is not articulating or even tilting.
  • 4k with a catch - the 5D Mark IV will offer 4k but only at 1.74 crop factor. This means your 24-105 lens becomes a 42mm - 182mm lens, you lose the wide angle.  To be fair the very popular Panasonic GH4, which has been my go to camera for 4K for the last 18 months, offers 4k ONLY at a 2x crop factor BUT and here is the BUT- panasonic offers loads of lenses that make sense at that crop factor, Canon does not.  Also Sony's a7SII and A7RII around the same price point offer full frame 4K (no crop) with additional features the 5D Mark IV is missing (More about that in the Canon 5D Mark IV vs Sony A7R2 / A7S2 post)
  • The photo AF system borrows from the top of the line Canon 1DX Mark II which offers fantastic, mind blowingly fast focus and accuracy.   This is all good.
  • WIF and NFC- Finally. There was some worry that you would need a secondary device but they have included connectivity and remote control (hopefully as good as the 80D - you can focus, switch to MF and start and stop video) AND GPS is included too.  Time to finally sell my GP-E2
  • Dual Pixel RAW - I can't yet tell if this is going to be a gimmick or actually useful- When this feature is enabled you can shift focus slightly using Canon provided software Think of this like an after the fact micro focus adjustment.  as it currently will only work with the DPP software this might be more gimmick but I could certainly see fixing minor focus errors on critical pictures - a few other caveats  - your file size doubles and your frame rate and buffer will slow.
  • Still uses CF and SD card slots - great if you didn't want to buy new expensive cards like CFast or XQD but one of the major complaints about the 5D Mark III was the bottleneck provided by the SD card slot, even with the fastest card in there the write speed to the SD card slot is slow enough to slow the whole camera down - this looks to be true with the 5D Mark IV too.
  • Body styling and button placement is identical to the 5D Mark III with a slight change to the joystick.

Screenshot 2016-08-25 06.35.34Bottom line - the Canon 5D Mark IV offers some noticeable improvements over the 5D Mark III and will represent a decent upgrade for many still photographers and those hybrid shooters who are desperate for easy 4k video should be happy.   It is, however, a crowded market and Sony's year old A7RII may still be a better buy for those that want more serious 4K features - S-Log, focus peaking and better dynamic range. Preorder links - I do think this camera will sell well early on and be difficult to get in the first few weeks, maybe months if you do not preorder now.

  

How-to: Photographing the stars and star trails

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RELATED - Best Lenses for Star Photography and Astrophotography

The Basics -

1. Find a dark spot. I like https://darksitefinder.com/maps/ don't get discouraged if you don't have the darkest skies - your camera can capture stars that you won't be able to see with your eye.

2. Check the Moon Schedule - https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/ Anything above 30% will wash out many stars and the Milky Way but you can find a time when the moon is set or just before moonset or moonrise - some moonlight can be great to illuminate your landscape.

3. Make a plan and check the weather - https://www.cleardarksky.com/ is great for understanding if clouds will impact your visibility. Some clouds can actually look very interesting.

4. Gather your gear - Camera, your fastest & widest lens, and a tripod. A remote release is a bonus or just use 2-second timer. A small headlamp with the red mode is really helpful too.

5. Practice at home - make sure you can easily put your camera on the tripod and turn live view on(DSLR), magnify live view, & playback. Now do that all with your eyes closed. Seriously. The less you rely on lights when you are out in the field the better.

6. Camera settings - Manual (M), Manual AF, Shutter speed 10 seconds, Your lens on widest focal length and widest aperture (a lens with f/2.8 or better is great). ISO 3200.


7. Turn Live View on if DSLR or just look through the viewfinder on a mirrorless and point the camera at the brightest star you see, magnify to the max, and now move the focus ring carefully toward infinity - the star is most in focus when it is a small, sharp point of light.

8. Take a photo and magnify the resulting photo. Are the stars sharp? Repeat step 7, it may take some trial and error to get the stars as sharp as possible.

9. Once you have focus take some time to judge your composition. Once you have everything dialed in I usually end up around 13 seconds, ISO 2000 - 2500. Divide 300 by your focal length to get an idea of the max shutter speed. Longer and your stars will turn to streaks.

10. I'd love to see your favorite astrophotography pics. Tag me!

#stars #milkway #mtsthelens #wastate #westcoastbestcoast #volcano

Tips on capturing the stars and star trails.

Mt St Helens Milkyway
Star Photography in Moab

Older info below -  

When taking star photos you can end up with star trails or no star trails. It all depends on your focal length and shutter speed and whether or not you follow the 500 rule. Over view for Star Trails (or stars as points of light if you follow the 500 rule explained below)You need a camera with bulb mode - all modern DSLRS and mirrorless cameras offer this - Bulb mode lets you shoot as long as you are holding down the shutter button. that could be 31 seconds to 3 hours!! Now you don’t actually want to hold your shutter down so you need an intervalometer or even better - the Triggertrap dongle and app - I have separate videos about this but it has a mode specifically for star trails and the default settings work so well, plus it does so much more  I highly recommended it. You also need a lens - the kit lens at 18mm with f/3.5 will work but if you can get a hold of something wider with a faster aperture it will be even easier with better quality results. The Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 is great. So is the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8. And you need a sturdy tripod. Depending on the time of year or location you could also use hand-warmers and a rubber band - if you have dew on the grass in the morning it would be a good idea to rubber band the hand warmer to the end of your lens - it helps prevent your lens from fogging up during the shoot.So gather your gear and head out to your selected spot. Setup and decide your composition - if you have picked a nice dark spot it’s probably really hard to see -SO I RECOMMEND YOU DO A LITTLE TRIAL AND ERROR... EYEBALL THE COMPOSITION AS BEST YOU CAN AND RAISE THE ISO TO SOMETHING RIDICULOUS 4000, 8000  THE GOAL HERE IS NOT TO CREATE A NICE IMAGE BUT TO SIMPLY GET AN IMAGE QUICKLY AND JUDGE YOUR COMPOSITION.You typically want some of earth in the shot, trees, water, buildings can all add a nice balance to a big starry sky. Set 8-10 seconds on the shutter, ISO very high 4000, 8000 and fire a shot. Use the resulting noisy image to adjust your composition and repeat. You also should be checking focus at this time - setting your lens on infinity. Not all lenses focus marks line up perfectly with true infinity so it may also take some trial and error.  This can be something to figure out during the day - use AF on a distant object and make note of where the focus mark lines up.  Or at night find a distant light, radio tower, something you can see to focus on - either carefully by magnifying live view or using autofocus if it is a large enough and bright enough target.So you have focus and the desired composition- Now we need to test our actual settings. Plug in your intervalometer or triggertrap - The default in triggertrap is 2 minute exposures with a 5 second break - You can get decent start trails from just 40 minutes of shooting these 2 minute exposures. Why not just leave the shutter open for 40 minutes? You get heat build up and additional noise, light pollution builds up too and if anything goes wrong during that 40 minute exposure the whole thing is ruined. If something goes wrong during one of your 2 minute exposures it is likely salvageable.So 2 minute exposures, I usually set aperture as wide as possible and star at ISO 800. One more tip - set your WB to tungsten for a nice blue look to the night sky and you should be shooting RAW. Try one exposure at these settings. Wait 2 minutes and review - The stars won’t be points of light but short streaks - you should still be able to zoom in and judge focus but you are really looking at exposure - adjust ISO accordingly and review again if needed, otherwise start the app - as I said 20 frames at 2 minutes each will give you decent results- longer will be better so get comfortable - a great time to watch for meteors or just listen to the sounds of night. Be careful if you are out there with a flashlight you want to avoid splashing that light around and haphazardly lighting the landscape. I use a headlamp with a little red mode that doesn’t ruin my night vision and isn’t bright enough to light up the landscape but you still want to make sure you don’t shine it into or across the lens.  You can do some fun light painting or purposefully lighting cool buildings or trees too. At the end of your sequence take one shot with the lens cap on for a dark image reference - helps the StarStax program deal with hotpixels.So you should now have 20 or more images- import those into Lightroom and let’s do a little post processing - I don’t have any hard or fast rules about editing - I usually just play around until I see something I like. Some tips - Cooling the WB more, boosting exposure, contrast and clarity- adding more clarity really helps the stars pop! Once I have an image the way I want I will sync all of the images in the sequence. I also take a moment to inspect the images for annoying plane trails or anything else that you might want to fix/clone out. now export all of these at 90 JOEG, full resolution. We could take these into Photoshop but there is a free program for mac and windows called StarStaX that works even better. It’s linked above and while free you should donate a few bucks if you find yourself using it more than once. We have exported the shots, open StarStaX and import the images, import the one dark frame and leave everything set as default except the blending mode - change that to Gap Filling. Have fun and be sure to share any shots you get on my Facebook Page or tag me on Instagram.

500 Rule for Star-trail-less Photos

500 Rule Star Trail Chart

The 500 rule states that your shutter speed needs to be faster than your focal length divided by 500.  Some places you see 600 used but safer is 500.  So if you are shooting at 50mm you take 500/50 and get 10 seconds.  BUT that only applies to folks shooting with full frame cameras, if you have a crop sensor camera like the Canon Rebel Series of the Nikon Dxxx series you need to multiple your crop factor times your focal length and then divide that by 500.   Nikon crop factor is 1.5 and Canon is 1.6.Here is a handy chart to use as a starting guide- Numbers are your maximum shutter length in seconds before you will start to see the dots of the stars turn into streaks.Columns B through D give you the number of seconds before you will probably start seeing star trails. You can of course go shorter, longer and you will start to see star trailsFor a starry sky you often want to go as wide as possible. 18mm if using the kit lens but if you have access to anything wider- use it.  Starry skies look great with a wide angle lens like the 14mm Rokinon. You can go even wider if you want. See my Rokinon 14mm post for budget friendly suggestions of wide angle lenses.

A good starting point

8 second shutter

Aperture f/3.5 (wider if possible with your lens)

ISO 4000

The trick is focusing and composition.  It is often helpful to include some of the landscape in your composition but judging if you have a straight horizon and focus in pitch black is difficult. A solution is to take some test shots using a VERY high ISO and a shorter shutter speed - these will be very noisy images but you can, without waiting a full 10 seconds at a time, judge your composition and probably your focus.Focus Tip - If your lens has any type of distance indicator you want it set near infinity, that is not a guraguaranteet the stars will be in sharp focus but it is likely. Use the test shot suggestion to judge focus and make adjustments as needed.   If there is a silhouette or a building, anything in the distance you can use that to manually focus, radio towers with their little blinky red lights can also be helpful.  Anything further than a 1/2 mile away is going to give you a target that will set your camera on infinity focus and that should give you sharp stars.Keep warm and keep shooting.Recommended Gear-Sturdy Tripod: Dolica Proline Tripod |MeFoto Travel Tripod (Review of both Tripods)Intervalometer or TriggerTrap for using Bulb Mode or just firing your shutter without shaking the camera.Wide Angle Lens:  is one of the best and most affordable lenses for photographing stars. 

 Photographing Meteors

When photographing meteors you want to avoid any star trails, you want the little streaks left by the meteors to stand out so follow the chart.First task is to find a suitable location with a clear view of the source or radiant. In the case of the Perseids you want a dark sky to your north east, in the direction of the Perseids meteor shower.  I intent to use the the Google Sky App on Android | iOS options.   You really want to make sure the sky is dark, these longer exposures quickly pick up any light pollution and are going to blow out the bottom of your image.Picking a focal length and focusing - You want to go fairly wide here, under 50mm but not really wide as that will likely give you puny little streaks that take up a very small percentage of your image.    Focusing is tricking.  If you have a light tower or something contrasting against the sky, like a mountain, in the far distance you can use that. If you have a distance scale on your lens you can set it just shy of the infinity mark.   Neither of those work for you?  Raise your ISO to the highest possible and take a few shots, a very high ISO will allow you to take a shorter longer exposure so you aren't sitting around for 30 seconds wondering if you have focus.  Take a series of test photos until you are sure you have nailed focus.Camera settings - You have your shutter speed from the chart above, your aperture should be close to wide open and your ISO should be as low as possible.  You might be better off with even shorter exposures, longer exposures will dim any streaks you get. I hope to use my Triggertrap long exposure (star trail) feature to automatically take photo after photo, their star trail feature lets me specify a long exposure and the gap between images.  You can use a standard intervalometer too but that isn't quite as elegant. You could also use a remote and have the camera set for the desired shutter speed and least desirable you push the shutter button - if you use this method make sure you use the 2 second delay so that you pressing the button doesn't jiggle the camera creating blurry images.Your Camera must be sitting on a sturdy tripod.Sit back and enjoy the show.(this is one reason I am going to let Triggertrap do the work, I want to be looking at the sky, not the back of my camera all night. More about the PerseidsThe best budget lens for astrophotography.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TSrFKLzsrQShare your thoughts, tips and comments below.   

Photo Critiques on Photorec.TV

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PhotoCritiqueBannerThe #1 way to improve as a photographer is to get out and take some photos, review your photos and repeat.Sometimes you need a fresh eye, a professional photographer's eye, to help you see what could be improved upon in future photos  - I am here to help!

Photo Critiques on Photorec.TV!

These will be videos shared each week over the next few months.  I know sometimes it can be daunting to put your work out there but as I said it is an awesome way to improve as a photographer and I really focus on constructive feedback and editing tips.At this time these critique submissions are only available to Photorec.tv members on the bronze plan or higher (a reminder that members  also gets access to my entire library of Lightroom Videos  - over 6 hours of how-to make your photos beautiful, keep your catalog organized and so much more.

  • You are limited to ONE (1) image- make sure you pick an image you want critiqued that you feel has merit and is more than a snapshot
  • The image must be at least 2400px on the short side. Larger files are encouraged.
  • The image must have metadata (focal length, aperture, shutter speed etc) - if there is no metadata (i.e. panorama or shot with manual lens) use the caption box to write out any info)
  • The filename must include your name.
  • Submission of RAW files is encouraged (make sure you submit the RAW and the XML file from Lightroom or I will not be able to see your edits) DNG files work too and will contain your edits without need of the XML file.
  • Images submitted will not be returned to you and although you retain all rights to your image, you are, by submitting photograph(s) giving us express permission to use this image in our critique show and possibly as the cover image for the video and the facebook page Photorec.TV

Click to submit a photo (and become a member)

Hands-on Canon 80D Review vs the 70D, a6300 and more

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I have been using the 80D for the last 30 days and I am now ready to share my opinion of Canon's successor to the popular 70D. You want to know - what’s changed, do I recommend upgrading from the 70D to the 80D and how does this camera hold up in a crowded field of DSLRS and mirrorless cameras like the a6300, D7200, D500, GH4 - etc. Link for more informationhttps://youtu.be/tLQI_Jba3pMQuick reminder of my opinion on the Canon 70D- I loved the dual pixel AF, it tracked so well - even without STM lenses - that coupled with the very nice articulating touchscreen made this camera super easy to use for video and that articulating touchscreen is useful for photos as well. 70D Image and video quality are very good and at the time of release very similar to other cameras on the market.Buy the Canon 80D from B&H Photo and support this website.  Your use of these links allows me to continue to review gear (and have health insurance) Thanks!

What has changed with the Canon 80D vs the 70D

  • 24MP sensor vs 20MP in the 70D
  • 45 Cross type points vs 19 in the 70D, 27 of those AF points work at f/8 - this is important and helpful to photographers working with longer telephoto lenses and teleconverters and makes it even better than the 7D Mark II when using longer lenses with teleconverters.
  • Improved low light focusing capabilities
  • 100% viewfinder coverage vs 98%
  • A deeper buffer (70d buffer already was decent)
  • Flicker detection like the 7D mark II and D500 for more consistent exposures in gyms/arena etc
  • 1080p 60fps!!! The 70D only offered 60fps at 720 and you have Mp4 format now too
  • The ability to control the speed of auto focus in movies.
  • Intervalometer AND time lapse movie mode!
  • A headphone jack!! And it is positioned to not block the rotating screen
  • NFC AND WIFI while the 70D only had Wifi and the 80D wifi allows control during video - something not possible with the 70D - you also have the option of adding
  • Two custom modes on the dial

No other camera provides this level of performance while remaining so easy to use.

So what does all that translate to in real world use? The Canon 80D is a very good camera that is incredibly user friendly with an approachable menu system. No other camera provides this level of performance while remaining so easy to use. I am talking about really using the camera - not just leaving it on auto. Any camera is easy to use on auto. This sounds great? Right?  Frustratingly Canon sensor tech is still behind the competitors, despite all the buzz from the increased dynamic range. Yes it is better but still behind the competitors in dynamic range, high iso and overall image quality. The 80D just does not match up against the current Nikons (or even last years d7200) or the Sony a6300. And it lacks many of the more pro level video features you find in the Sony a6300 and Panasonic Gh4 like focus peaking, slog format and 4k video.  About 4k - some of you will be angry that it isn’t included in a camera that clearly is proud of it’s video features and some of you are angry that people are angry it wasn’t included, a few of you just don't care. Just recognize that not everyone uses cameras these days for just photos and despite the fact that you might not know anyone with a 4K TV - it can still be useful to have a camera that shoots 4K and many do mid-2016.

Who cares about 4k Video?

So I set you up - a great camera that is really easy to use BUT doesn't match the competition in image quality or features.  Just keep in mind that for the most part that quality difference isn’t huge and for the vast majority of us - the image or video quality provided by the Canon 80D isn’t going to hold us back. You can make fantastic images and video with this camera.  Another advantage of the 80D is the Canon ecosystem - your lens selection is HUGE with loads of affordable options. This is something Sony hasn’t matched yet and even Nikon doesn’t have quite the same affordable selection. Though at the pro level I will call them tied. I do want to give a special shoutout to the 55-250 STM, this really is such a nice lens and an awesome value. Not only a good telephoto, also useable as a macro!  I would recommend you pick up the Canon 80D with the 18-55 and 55-250 STM unless you want power zooming that the new 18-135 nano USM lens provides when paired with the PZ-E1 adapter and you can even zoom via the canon app.  And remember that vs Nikon - Canon's dual pixel AF provides smooth and silent autofocus during video.  Nikon has introduced some new lenses to try and match but the underlying tech still makes nikon DSLR focus slow and distracting when used during filming.

The perfect camera for...

I see the 80D really appealing to 

  • Wildlife photographers on a budget - if offers excellent AF performance with longer lenses - pair it with the 55-250 STM and you do have one of the best all around performers (see below for additional lens recommendations)
  • Youtubers/Amature videographers looking for good quality in an exceptionally easy to use package - Youtubers especially, this camera combined with the wifi app makes recording talking head videos like most of what is on my channel, extremely easy.
  • Photographers looking for a decent all around camera that offers plenty of room to grow as a photographer and cover a variety of photographic needs.

See below for recommended lenses and accessories forThose who want the absolute best performance in low light and image/video quality should consider the a6300 (my review of the a6300) or Nikon D7200 or Nikon D500 (My Review - current king of APS-C cameras in terms of performance and focusing power)Those that want more serious video options should choose the a6300 or GH4Should Canon 70D users upgrade? While there are certainly improvements, better dynamic range at lower ISOs and less noise at higher ISOs - the differences are not massive and your money is better spent on a nice lens, especially a prime lens or saving for a future model or full frame. Exceptions to this, if you want to start using teleconverters with longer focal lengths or want the better video features and wifi app control over video.The best Canon 80D Package - 18-55 + 55-250 STM | Buy from B&H PhotoCanon 80D best value Wildlife Photographers on a BudgetCanon 80D with 18-55 and 55-250 STM Or For massively more reach - Canon 80D with 18-55, Sigma 1.4x Converter and Sigma 150-600 C - Total potential zoom here is over 1300mm! YoutubersCanon 80D with Canon 10-18 for handheld, stabilized selfie video and a nice prime lens like the 40mm f/2.8 for pro looking videoGeneral PhotographyCanon 80D with 18-55 and 50mm f/1.8 STMRecommended Canon 80D Accessories

Would you like to have a detailed discussion about what gear is going to work best for you? I provide that in my support group.  Join for just $5/month - your contribution supports the work we do here and you get access to all the Lightroom videos, the support group and more.