Sigma ART 85mm f/1.4 vs Canon 85mm f/1.2

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David McKay, Professional photographer and owner of McKay Photography Academy, joins me to test the new Sigma 85mm f/1.4 and compare it to the much loved, very popular Canon 85mm f/1.2 lens. The Canon has long been a revered lens - offering a beautiful quality portrait lens - With Sigma's latest ART series release is the new Sigma 85mm ART as good? Or does it trounce the much more expensive Canon 85mm f/1.2 - We spent a week shooting with both the Sigma and Canon 85mm on the Sony a7RII and the Canon 5D Mark IVhttps://youtu.be/5TuXRgMjwSgDid you find this review helpful?  Support our work and shop the links below.  Would you like personalized photography help? Become a photorec.tv member today and gain access to my Lightroom tutorials, support group and more. Buy the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 ART - B&H PhotoBuy the Canon 85mm f/1.2 - B&H PhotoBuy the Sigma MC-11 Adapter - B&H Photo What should you do with that extra $700?  - Start saving for the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 or Join us on a McKay Trip

Day 7 - Nature Photography Challenge

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Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6

#prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Dave McIntosh (@dave_mcintosh) on

Christmas Tree Rock, #PRTVwildchallenge

A photo posted by Bryan Reynolds (@bryanjrey) on

El Calafate, Argentina #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Natalia Tkacheva (@tkacheva4474) on

Arizona sunset #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Donald Lynskey (@slinky49) on

Day 6 - Nature Photography Challenge

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Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

#prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by bob grzembski (@bobbiog_) on

A butterfly sipping nectar #PRTVwildchallenge

A photo posted by Betsy Masterson (@betsymasterson) on

#prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Dave McIntosh (@dave_mcintosh) on

As part of the #naturechallenge with Photorec.tv I figured I'd post a few of my backlog of photos as it's the thing going around on Instagram with our own additional tag #PRTVwildchallenge. There's still time to join with your own photos! Today's shot is from fall, chilling out, with a posing sandhill crane at Kensington Metropark. ______________________________  @MIMetroparks #getoutandplay #OaklandCounty #prtv #sandhillcrane #crane #birdsofinstagram #naturephotography #wildlifephoto #wildlifeaddicts #michiganphotographer #puremichigan #wanderlust #natureaddict #puremichigan #puredetroit #motorcityshooters  #instabird #your_best_birds #bestbirdshots #nuts_about_birds #nature_seekers #getoutside #hikingadventures #nature_shooters  #instago #roadtrip #miplayground #igersmidwest

A photo posted by Roy McKee III (@roymckeeiii) on

Hands-on GLOBETROTTER AIR

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Overall I am impressed with this small travel tripod that is a lightweight tripod at just 3.2 lbs and a packable tripod at a folded of 12.2"! AND it provides a few features that may be a gimmick but I will let you decide.https://youtu.be/C7zcg54CrXwFollow Steve on his Patagonia/Antarctica AdventureHANDS-ON MEFOTO GLOBETROTTER AIR - This new line of MEFOTO Tripods offers a very packable and lightweight tripod but at what cost? Is this the perfect travel tripod at 3.2 lbs and 12" packable AND it provides a monopod/selfie stick along with a bluetooth remote. Would you use or are they just gimmicks?Buy the MEFOTO GLOBETROTTER AIR

Day 5 - Nature Photography Challenge

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Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

How wild can a snail be? #prtvwildchallenge #day2 #prtv #amsterdamsewaterleidingduinen #nikond7000 #50mmnikkor

A photo posted by Doortje van Helden (@doortjevanhelden) on

Day 4 - Nature Photography Challenge

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Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

 

 

 

Day 5 of the #PRTVwildchallenge

A photo posted by Kylee Doyle (@doyle.kylee) on

 

#prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Ebeth Ungerleider (@hanglidr) on

 

 

Instagram Winners - Product

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Continuing on our last challenge of flash photography a product Instagram challenge this week really narrows the field. It was up to you which product to shoot but each presents their own challenges in getting a photo to look just right. Especially considering in a lot of tabletop setups you need lighting equipment to get the product lit how you’d like for the shot. There were some nice entries this week from traditional tabletop setups to larger outdoor shots that really showed off some great camera skills. One of the harder challenges to shoot for next week, you'll be shooting white as a color challenge. White can be tricky as any exposure to high and you’ll blow out a photo. Going too low as well ends up with dull colors and a gray photo. Just like in the shooting red article you will have to keep a keen eye on your histogram. To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_white.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPo-yEVD1oO/Frame filling perfectly lit goodness.  Only critique - the fried fish in the bottom is just ever so slightly out of focus and now I am hungry!!

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPqbndhBDWc/The lighting here is superb and showcases the guitar beautifully.https://www.instagram.com/p/BPtl_ecA_36/Nice location and the converging clouds really help to lead the viewer to the snowmobile.   I would crop in a little tighter and remove the trail stakes in the background.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPo-yEVD1oO/Seemingly chaotic scenes can be some of the best for food. Having plates slightly cropped off help fill the frame nicely and give the photo depth. As Toby said the fish is a bit soft but considering the angle and depth of field it still worked out nicely.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPwREZQlvFt/This works great as a food shot using brightly colored spices. Considering they are reflective going with a smaller depth of field played nicely with the highlights. Guessing these are copper but you’ve got an off orange reflection to your left I’d try to tone down with a hue/saturation layer in photoshop. https://www.instagram.com/p/BPtbSU8BqdN/Not a big surprise to see our entrepreneur of the group Heather putting up her nice camera straps. A more traditional product shot you used a reflective surface to get that great reflection working down the photo but also included a bit of fill light.

Day 3: Nature Challenge

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Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

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#prtvwildchallenge snow leopard may he Rest In Peace...

A photo posted by Rick Sroka (@ricks.photo) on

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In Bali. #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Natalia Tkacheva (@tkacheva4474) on

Day 2: Nature Challenge

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Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

 

 

Taking a break from the rain #nature #hiking #chipmunk #nikon #nikond500 #prtvwildchallenge #naturephotochallenge

A photo posted by Oh The Places I Will Go (@the.places.i.will.go) on

 

#prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Dave McIntosh (@dave_mcintosh) on

 

Nakuru, Kenya. #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Natalia Tkacheva (@tkacheva4474) on

 

Are you having fun participating in this 7-day challenge?  Join our Weekly Challenge. More Info

Day 1: Nature Challenge

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Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

 

Day 1 of a 7 day nature challenge. #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Marcus Koehn (@marcuskoehn) on

Day 1 of the #prtvwildchallenge #lunamoth #moth #hiking #canon #prtv

A photo posted by Heather (@ten8e) on

My first post for the #PRTVwildchallenge - took this when we drove up to the snow a couple weeks ago

A photo posted by Kylee Doyle (@doyle.kylee) on

 Are you having fun participating in this 7-day challenge?  Join our Weekly Challenge. More Info

Tips for Completing a 365 Day Photography Challenge

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Tips for Completing a 365 Day Photography Challenge | http://photorec.tvA 365 day photography challenge is the perfect way to work on your photography skills while documenting more of the little moments in life. Even with the best of intentions, it’s difficult to stick to such a big commitment. As with many long-term challenges and resolutions, most people give up within the first couple weeks. The following tips will help you get the most out of your 365 day photo challenge and complete it successfully.

Carry your camera with you everywhere

The single best way to ensure you take a photo every single day of the year is to carry your camera with you at all times. If you don’t already have a camera bag, invest in a bag so you can carry your camera with you safely.

Pay attention to your everyday surroundings

During a 365 day challenge, you’ll take a lot of photos in places you spend time every day, such as your home and office. The challenge is a perfect excuse to check out new areas of town, but there will be days you only have time for a quick photo in the evening at home before you edit and post the photo and head to bed. Think about photography opportunities in these ordinary settings, such as a great area for lighting in your living room or a funny toy sitting on your desk at work. Some of your photos of seemingly boring objects may end up being your most interesting compositions.

Consider using themes

There are no set rules for completing a daily photography challenge besides taking and editing a photo every single day. You may find it freeing to work through the challenge with no themes, which is completely fine. However, you may find it easier to stay motivated when you use themes or create challenges within the challenge. Photorec.tv has a weekly Instagram challenge, which is perfect for photo challenges. The 52 Week Dogwood Challenge is another great way to find themes for your challenge and connect with other photographers.

Post your photos publicly

Posting your photos publicly keeps you accountable for the duration of the challenge. It’s scary to put yourself out there creatively, but it’s also exciting to share your photography and get feedback on it. Posting your photos publicly allows you to connect with other photographers who are completing 365 day challenges. If you post your photos on a social media account, use relevant hashtags, such as #365daychallenge or #365dayphotochallenge to boost your exposure.

Brainstorm ideas for future photos

Some weeks of your year-long photo challenge will go smoothly because you’ll be out and about every day, and you’ll have tons of ideas for photos. Other weeks you may find yourself in a total rut. Brainstorming ideas regularly will help you get through the tougher weeks. Keep a small notebook with you or create a document or note on your phone to record ideas. You don’t have to use all the ideas you brainstorm. Having an ongoing list ensures you’ll always have the next idea in mind.

Keep up with your editing and posting

Get into a habit of shooting, editing, and posting a photo every single day. It may be tempting to wait and post-process an entire week’s worth of images at once. Before you know it, a week turns into a month, and you haven’t posted a photo online in weeks. Then you have a whole pile of photos to edit, which may get overwhelming. Editing and posting a single photo takes a few minutes. Set aside time for this task every evening so you don’t get behind.

Don’t expect perfection

Not every photo you take during the 365 day challenge is going to be amazing. There will be days that you get really discouraged and want to give up. Stick it out through the tougher days with mediocre photos, knowing that over the course of the year, you will get a few truly amazing photos that make you really proud.

Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a few days

Inevitably, there will be a day or two during the year that you simply forget about the challenge or have such a crazy day that getting a photo in just doesn’t happen. Don’t get discouraged when this happens. When you miss a day, you can skip over it and keep going or you can make up for it by taking two photos the next day. Either option is completely fine. The important thing is to keep going! Don’t let a missed day stop you from finishing the challenge.Have you completed a 365 day photography challenge? Do you have any additional tips? Leave your insight in the comments!

Instagram Winners - Flash

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Some brighter subjects this week thanks to lighting with the #PRTV_flash Instagram Challenge.  Something you'll discover early on taking photos is you need more light. Either you get a faster lens so the sensor receives more light or you make more light of your own. The latter we focused on this week making a bit of creative lighting for great portraits, catching the action with a 2nd curtain, or even one that took things a bit too literally in a good way.Compounding on this week's challenge will flow into next week with a product Instagram challenge. Pretend you're shooting for a magazine and do a full spread of food lit by a softbox. Or aim big doing automotive photography, shooting a car at sunset, something from my background.  Any product, anyway, anyhow, and it's your choice which way you would like to approach the challenge.To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_product.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPWlSbchdgT/Jane has a great photo with dead on exposure in a creative way making a neat story.  Flashes can be props for lighting effects or hidden in a photo easily to make on the spot lighting. In this case, you used that to your advantage creatively making a shot of reading a book turn a bit more magical and a shot to stand out.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPfZjrMBr0-/Krystal shooting a bit of a classic portrait with a twist makes for a nice shot of her daughter for this week's challenge. Bringing lighting closer to your subject can create a vignette for your photos used to great effect in this photo. It gives quite the contrast to the wood grain background going black as it will light your subject up nicely to stand out.https://www.instagram.com/p/BPdqfADDxov/Alternatively, unlike Krystal's photo, you can get quite creative with multi light setups for portraits. Eileen has a neat shot this week using lighting to soften the face but harder light contrasting in the back as a hair light with a blue gel accounting for the color temperature difference. Professionally setups like these would be kept in a "look book" so you'll have your recipes down when you need them and samples to show your customers.

The New Sigma 85mm ART lens is SHARP

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I have been testing this lens on a Mckay Photography Academy trip this past week and have found it to be an exceptionally sharp lens!   And it stays sharp wide open at f/1.4! Here are some sample shots with the 85mm f/1.4 at or near f/1.4. Click each to see large or scroll down to the dropbox link!Order your copy of the Sigma 85mm ART from B&H Photo $1,199.00Follow me on Instagram to see more images from this trip and the 85mm f/1.8Sigma 85mm Art at f/1.6Sigma 85mm Art at f/1.4 Sigma 85mm Art at f/1.7Sigma 85mm ART f/2.2 Download/View images at 100% Size Order your copy of the Sigma 85mm ART from B&H Photo $1,199.00  

Instagram Winners - Textures

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This week you went small with textures, something requested quite a bit when we called for ideas for the scheduled challenges. Like with the horse I reposted on Instagram sometimes people forget the details and often they can be the most important, or at least your best shot of the day. You guys had some great shots this week, I like that you went large as well as macro capturing texture of buildings as well as the small things.Your challenge for next week is flash, use your lighting equipment such as speedlight or strobes for photos specifically. Adding a bit of light on your subject always helps and it’s a good practice for your skills. Speedlights are not limited to people, you can use them for product shots or even wildlife so it’s up to you how you want to approach this challenge. Test your skills this week and share on Instagram with #PRTV_Flash.A bit lost or starting out? Checkout this video on Mastering your Flash- The Basics on YouTubeTo enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_flash.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPLZO7bhm4i/This is texture that tells a story- I love this still life shot that just happens to have so much texture, so much history in that texture - from the weathered wood to the rusty metal -fantastic shot!

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNrZkQlhqCC/Part of me want’s to hold my breath while I look at this photo - there is such subtle, fragile texture here- Love this macro! https://www.instagram.com/p/BPIrNAfjawf/This isn’t texture as I usually think of it but the detail and lighting here make this a very tactile photo and I can practically feel the fleshy orange through it all.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BO6-O5KDo93/When it comes to shooting texture going to those macro levels can pay off for a photo. Prerana has a great shot of a jute rope that is bundled loose enough it has a lot of nice strands coming loose for detail. Shooting sidelit in this case helped a lot as it puts a lot of contrast on the subject.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPNnJiRh938/The favored angles of one of my friends when it comes to trees this is always a great angle for getting that texture of the bark or moss with a nice bokeh. Keeping your focus point nice and close works great as it pushes the bokeh further giving your photo a long transition to the background. https://www.instagram.com/p/BNrZkQlhqCC/Being the season for it the weather makes a good time for shooting frost and snowflakes like this great shot from Tonya. Getting down to super macro levels you can get the detail in snowflakes getting to that point you can see the formation and texture of the crystals.

Make Photos EP #002 - Long Exposure Light Trails with Seattle Skyline

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I walk you through the capture and post processing in Lightroom of one a recent Instagram photo -  Using a popular vantage point of the city of Seattle - Dr. Jose Rizal Park, a conveniently placed hole in the fence and a long exposure to get light trails creating this image - Follow me on Instagramhttps://youtu.be/fBofBxH8NiEGear used in this videoSony alpha a7r iiCanon 24-70 f/2.8 II LNisi Filters CPL (part of the kit)MeFoto Travel Tripod CFGear used to MAKE this videoPanasonic GH4Panasonic 12-35 f/2.8 Lens  

Instagram Winners - Resolution

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A new year and a new you as they say. This weeks resolution Instagram challenge was simply to shoot your New Years resolution how it fits you. It's a bit of an introspective and a way to look at yourself this week shooting. Also a quick mention goes to @gjbarnard for making a cheeky 20:17 resolution post with a QR code to Photorec.tv.The next challenge is a popular repeat that was asked for when we called for suggestions, it’s your turn again to shoot close and capture the texture of a subject. It’s an interesting way of looking at things as you get a different view of the world and sometimes those details shots can be your best ones in a day’s shoot. To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_textures.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BO6z6grBeyJ/I don't know if you did this in post or not but it's a neat flat contrast action look. I love what your saying to be more playful and approach those projects out of your comfort zone. It's a fantastic way to look at things and grow in WHATEVER your doing.

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOvFqPTB5Ic/I like this image! It's kinda a cute fun image. You used a perfect fast shutter speed to freeze that confetti in place. I also made a little calendar reminder to go back and check every quarter to make sure you're keeping to that resolution!https://www.instagram.com/p/BOucp4TgR7c/I love that you want to use your ND filter and do a bit more traveling. If you haven't seen, DPR review had a poll in the last week or so of what your New Years resolution is and the top spot was more travel. I realize why, it's a lot of fun.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOucp4TgR7c/A lighthouse standing alone made me think of travel and it happens to be reading the caption that’s your goal. The lighting really helps contour the hills and give the photo depth. I’d suggest removing the contrail but other than that it’s a great photo.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOuME9cg15x/It always tends to end up a lot of cityscape photos are shot at dusk. Shooting the blue hour as the sun is falling will add a lot of color to your photo. Especially in the cases of a longer exposure. It makes for a nice shot and a fitting start to 2017 to find and create more great photos. https://www.instagram.com/p/BO5Qdztgz_k/Shooting above the clouds in Alaska makes for my last honorable mention and a neat view you don’t normally get to shoot. A somewhat harder shot as you're dealing with backlit subjects. Overall a nice way to take in the view for 2017.

Olympus OM-D EM-1 Mark II Review

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After two months of using the EM-1 Mark II including a weeklong trip in subzero temps in Alaska - I share my thoughts on this top of the line Micro 4/3rds camera - How well does it do at high ISOs, how good is the stabilization and more...https://youtu.be/SdKpor-nvDs Reviews like this are made possible by Photorec.tv members - want to have a detailed conversation with me about the pros and cons of the EM1 Mark II or another camera, want to figure out what is the best camera for you? Become a member todayBuy the Olympus EM1 Mark II from B&H Photo and support Photorec.tvLenses Used in Alaska/During Em1 Mark II Review

The Olympus 12-100 f/4 Provides 6.5 stops of IS when used with the EM1 Mark II

Full Resolution Images on DropBox

[gallery columns="4" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="13425,13426,13427,13428,13429,13430,13431,13432"]The Olympus e-m1 Mark II camera some reviewers have chosen it as the camera of 2016 and a few weeks ago I wondered if it was going to be my perfect do-it-all camera! For the last month, almost 2 months now,  I have used the Olympus as a do-it-all camera for photos and videos including a week long trip to Alaska in sub-freezing temperatures. In this review I will share what I love about this camera, what I don’t love, how it compares to a few competitors and whether or not it can work for me and replace two cameras I typically take on my travels - my Sony A7RII mostly for photos and the Panasonic GH4 - mostly used for video, vlogging and timelapses.Strengths of the Em1 Mark IIStabilization - I can get 2 to 3 second exposures HANDHELD with this camera and in 4K video that sensor stabilization plus electronic stabilization translates to extremely smooth footage. This camera is a  joy to shoot handheld video with and in all the Alaska footage I shot I saw no signs of the  annoying wobble you often get from electronic stabilization. Note that THE really serious stabilization, 6.5 stops, SYNC IS as Olympus calls it is achieved with their 12-100 f/4 lens which I have not tried.Swiss Army Tool 

"best tool I can compare the EM1 Mark II to is one of those ridiculous Swiss army knifes, the really thick ones"

I have mentioned In the past that these cameras are tools to me and the best tool I can compare the EM1 Mark II to is one of those ridiculous Swiss army knifes, the really thick ones, the amount of features beyond the stabilization they have packed into this camera include ridiculously fast AF,  60 frames per second RAW when you half press the shutter button, 18 frames per second with autofocus tracking and silent shooting, hi res shooting, live bulb, live timer, live composite, 4k video, and built in time lapse! All of these features makes the EM1 Mark II an extremely flexible and versatile tool. And on top of the full feature set you have the freedom to FULLY customize this camera - you can even switch the on/off button to other functions! You will find yourself spending a good bit of time in the menu if you haven’t shot with Olympus more and I did experience several camera freeze ups after customizing until I reset the camera and went a little lighter on the customization.About that AF - I struggled to really get the C-AF and tracking to nail fast moving subjects - overall focus is VERY fast but this wouldn't be my first choice if I was primarily shooting wildlife or sports.  In video C-AF was very good with face recognition/focus working reliably enough to use in most situations.  Certainly a step up from the GH4 which cannot always be relied on to stay focused.Rugged BodyAll of this performance and features are contained in a portable and rugged body that I didn’t worry about using in the rain or  in subzero temps  - in fact I left this outside for several hours in 20 below zero fahrenheit - minus the battery and it continued to perform just fine.    Battery life in normal temperatures is decent - if you have two batteries you should be able to get through a day of mixed photo and video just fine and the charger is quick charge which is really helpful.   The dual card slots are nice and you have an excellent amount of flexibility in how you use those two cards - backup redundancy or photos to one and video to the other though only one is high speed and that might be the cause of some buffer issues I saw that I will address in a moment.Solid Image and Video Quality Below ISO 1600I was for the most part happy with the image and video quality - Excellent quality and great detail under ISO 1600 - above that things can get rough in some situations but a little noise reduction and I am still for the most part happy.   If I look at some of my favorite images of 2016 - the vast majority were under ISO 1600 - which I mostly mention as a way for you to look back over your images to decide how important clean higher ISO is to your photography.  One of the goals of the Alaska trip was capturing the  northern lights photography and they are best shot at shorter exposures and higher ISOs and the Olympus didn’t handle that as well as the Sony with loads more shadow noise.  I got useable shots but really appreciate the flexibility of the Sony when I need clean higher ISOs. Video quality is certainly good though the panasonic GH4 4k and 1080 video looks a little better to me in most situations but of course the Gh4 is not sensor stabilized for that we are waiting for the GH5 or as many of you mentioned in the comments of the Ditching Sony video - the G85 which at 1/2 the price looks as good if not slightly better for video. For photos the G85 doesn’t offer all the bells and whistles - certainly not as good at capturing fast action but generally on par and actually offers more lenses than Olympus with the DUAL IS!  So a quick summary of the strengths of the olympus. This is a great all around camera that is fun to use, provides nicely stabilized video AND gives you a ton of bells and whistles along with good image and video quality but it does have a few issues- Low light performance.  Over the last year I have mostly shot with the Sony a7R2 this is a full frame sensor and one of the best in its class in both resolution and detail so it is hard for ME to NOT compare what I have been used to seeing with what I get out of the Olympus but that isn’t a fair comparison so I looked at matching it up against APS-C sized sensor like the Sony a6300, a6500 the Nikon D500 and the Fuji XT2 - all of those cameras are definitely better in low light performance but the Olympus isn’t too far behind and it even beats the Canon 80D! Now again, the EM1 Mark II offers stabilization that gives you some flexibility with shooting slower shutter speed but vs everything above you are going to generaly find your photos noisier.  The most fair comparison- pitting the EM1 Mark II against other Micro 4/3rd sensors on the market -  it is the current king in low light performance.  However figuring out the true value here is tricky - at two thousand dollars this is not a cheap camera and is more expensive than everything I just compared it too - So you then have to start deciding exactly how much it is worth to you to go smaller and lighter. And  - About being lighter - as I start to price out lenses what I mentioned is already an expensive camera well it doesn’t get any cheaper with these nice lenses AND the weight savings start to vanish- though your bag can be smaller or you could choose to go with cheaper and smaller primes which is fun - but if you want the best lenses you will still be carrying a fair amount of weight and paying top dollar.Remember I am not only reviewing this camera but trying to figure out if it can work for my needs so I can carry less and I had major concerns about the Wifi control turns out you have enough control even if you have to be round about how you setup AF for video BUT there is still one issue for me- While using the remote you cannot shoot 4K video, only 1080P - I shoot in 4K, I plan to shoot in 4k in the future so why Olympus do you give me a 4k capable camera that suddenly becomes a 1080P camera if I want to use the remote?   In researching this and complaining about it online someone pointed out that the Fuji XT-2 limits you to 720P when using wifi. SO Just a thank you to Panasonic for giving a 4K camera, the GH4, that always remains a 4K camera AND you don’t have to be round about to do auto focus with the app.  Another small disappointment when you shoot a crazy burst you don’t get to review any of those images until they all finish writing to the sensor which can take some time with the larger bursts. SO in final summary  - I really enjoyed using this camera, if you are looking for a top of the line Micro 4/3 camera well suited for wildlife photography, general travel photography including vlogging style video - this is the best you can BUY... BUT at its current cost there are some competitors that while they might not offer all the bells and whistles or all of the portability they do either outclass it in low light performance or resolution or both.  And while I would love to simplify to one camera, one lens system I am just not willing to make this big a change in resolution or low light performance, especially when my GH4 still looks better for video even if it isn’t as stabilized.  I will be looking at the Panasonic G85 and while I hope to review the Fuji XT-2 soon it isn’t in the running as a replacement despite many of you recommending it - the 720p during wifi remote use, the 10 minutes limit to 4k without the power grip AND the lack of fully articulating screen means it cannot be a do it all camera for me.  Buy the Olympus EM1 Mark II from B&H Photo and support Photorec.tvLenses Used in Alaska/During Em1 Mark II Review

Reviews like this are made possible by Photorec.tv members - want to have a detailed conversation with me about the pros and cons of the EM1 Mark II or another camera, want to figure out what is the best camera for you? Become a member today

CES 2017: Nikon D5600 Price and Release Date

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Nikon D5600When Nikon announced their next entry level DSLR in November the Nikon D5600 was dropped with its specs but no details on price or when it was coming to the US. This week at CES they announced it’s coming soon, this month in fact. Coming in multiple kits, the Nikon D5600 will be released this month with the AF-P 18-55mm F3.5-5.6G lens for $799, with the AF-S 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G lens for $1199, with the 18-55 and AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-6.3G lenses for $1149, and body only for $699. Actually $100 less than the D5500 when it was announced last year.

Whats New?
  • Upgraded Touchscreen features such as cropping and frame advance
  • Nikon Snapbridge though WiFI, Bluetooth, and NFC allowing for things such as automatic image transfer, time sync, location info, remote control, and more
  • In-Camera Time-Lapse movie function brought from the higher end models
Available For Pre-Order at

Nikon D5600 DSLR Camera with 18-140mm LensNikon D5600 with18-140mm Lens Nikon D5600 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm LensNikon D5600 with18-55mm Lens Nikon D5600 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm and 70-300mm Lenses Nikon D5600 with18-55mm and 70-300mm Lenses Nikon D5600 DSLR Camera (Body Only) Nikon D5600(Body Only)

Specifications

  • APS-C 24.2 MP CMOS Sensor
  • DX-Format
  • Expeed 4 Image Processor
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • 25,600 max ISO
  • Removed low-pass filter
  • 39-point AF System
  • 3.2” articulating touchscreen
  • 1080p Video at 60fps
  • Snapbridge using Bluetooth, WiFi, and NFC
  • Time-Lapse Movie Recording
  • Dimensions (WxHxD) 4.9 x 3.8 x 2.8" / 124.0 x 97.0 x 70.0 mm
  • Weight 1.02 lb / 465 g

 

Make Data Driven Decisions!

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What lens should I buy next? That's the second most common question we see here at Photorec.tv. Can you guess the first most common question?Lightroom users I have two tools that can help you make sense of all your metadata and provide some insight as to how you shoot which you can use to make smart, data driven purchases that fit your way of shooting.

Method #1 - Lightroom Dashboard

Access at - https://www.lightroomdashboard.com/Easy drag and drop a backup of your LR catalog and the browser based tool returns a simple graphical display with plenty of information - what was your favorite ISO of 2016? I bet ISO 100.

Method #2 - Jeffrey’s “Data Plot” Lightroom Plugin

Access at http://regex.info/blog/lightroom-goodies/data-plotDownload and install Jeffrey's plugin (I show you how to install plugins in my Lightroom for Beginners)Once installed you can find the options under File > Plugin Extras jf Data Plot  From there you have the option to view graphs and even create collections based on your data - want a collection of all your shots captured with prime lenses? It's possible.

Method #3 - Lightroom's Metadata Tools

No plugins, no drag and drop - just use the tools already built into Lightroom to make some sense of your data.In the Library Module(1) Grid View > Click Metadata(2)You can now add columns and change the data in the column simply by clicking on the header (3) Which method do you like best? Any surprises in your findings?  What gear do you hope to add in 2017 to your camera bag?Have you ever had someone audibly lose their breath when they see one of your photos? It's an amazing feeling and I want to help you get there - Become a PRTV member Today!