EOS R6 Review - Full Hands On - Best Action Camera

EOS R6 Review - Full Hands On - Best Action Camera

I was not impressed with the Canon EOS R - 18 months later they have launched the EOS R5 and R6. And frankly, the R6 is an impressive camera for the money with just a few drawbacks. Watch my full review to find out how the R6 does as a sports and action camera, landscapes, and even video. Though I do not recommend the R6 for serious videographers. At least not yet.

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New Sigma 85mm f/1.4 FE Announced - Same Great Quality, Less Weight!

New Sigma 85mm f/1.4 FE

New Sigma 85mm f/1.4 FE

I spent a few moments googling diet slogans after reading about the new Sigma 85mm f/1.4. The gist of this new lens is it will provide the same quality as the original 85mm f/1.4 ART lens (which is excellent) but in a lighter & smaller package. Seriously it is about 1/2 the weight of the original! This makes me happy to see Sigma catching on that weight IS a factor for many photographers and when you are designing lenses for the Sony system it makes sense to build lenses that balance well on these smaller and lighter bodies.

Old Sigma 85mm f/1.4 FE Lens-

Filter Size 86 mm
Dimensions 3.73 x 4.97" // 94.7 x 126.2 mm
Weight 2.49 lb / 1130 g

NEW Sigma 85mm f/1.4 FE Lens-

Filter Size 77 mm
Dimensions 3.26 x 3.78" // 82.8 x 96.1 mm
Weight 1.38 lb / 625 g

You can see that all around the new Sigma 85mm f/1.4 has lost over an inch of length and a significant portion of its weight, just over a 1.1lbs. The new lens is dust and moisture resistant and offers an aperture ring with click/declick switch along with a programmable button AF button and AF/MF Switch.

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Released this month for $1199 - Preorder from B&H PHoto (your use of my affiliate links greatly support the I do on photorec.tv. Thank you!)

Additional features Lens construction: 15 elements in 11 groups, with 5 SLDs and 1 aspherical lens Compatible with high-speed autofocus Compatible with lens-based optical correction *Only on camera models that support this functionality. Iris ring Iris ring click switch Iris ring lock switch *When turned ON at the position A, the iris ring is locked at A. When turned ON at a position other than A, it is locked within the range between the maximum to minimum apertures and will not engage at the position A. AFLbutton Focus Mode Switch Dust-and splash-proof Hood with lock Compatible with SIGMA USB DOCK UD-11 (sold separately / for L-Mount only) Designed to minimize flare and ghosting Every single lens undergoes SIGMA's proprietary MTF measuring system "A1" 11-blade rounded diaphragm High-precision, durable brass bayonet mount "Made in Japan" craftsmanship

Sony 85mm Lens Choices -

Sony owners have lots of 85mm options - Why so many? 85mm is a fantastic portrait length for full-frame and a relatively easy lens to make so you have lower budget 3rd party companies adding their offerings to the mix.

f/1.8 vs f/1.4 - The difference in depth of field is negligible as is the difference in the light gathering. I would personally choose a good quality f/1.8 lens over a budget f/1.4 lens. If I was a full-time portrait photographer the Sony f/1.4 or the new Sigma f/1.4 would be my choice - they are going to be a little sharper at f/1.8 than the f/1.8 lenses.

Sony 85mm f/1.8 - $598 Buy from B&H Photo
Filter Size: 67 mm
Dimensions: 3.07 x 3.23" / 78 x 82 mm
Weight: 13.09 oz / 371 g
My Take: I own this lens and love it - not quite as sharp as the Sony 85mm f/1.4 or the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 but close enough and so nice and lightweight.

Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM Lens - $1798 Buy from B&H Photo
Filter Size: 77 mm
Front Dimensions (ø x L) 3.52 x 4.23" // 89.5 x 107.5 mm
Weight 1.8 lb / 820 g
My Take: This is a dreamy lens - produces absolutely beautiful images.

NEW Sigma 85mm f/1.4 $1199 Buy from B&H Photo
Filter Size: 77 mm
Dimensions 3.26 x 3.78" // 82.8 x 96.1 mm
Weight 1.38 lb / 625 g
My Take: Sigma has done very well with updated versions of these popular lenses and I expect this new Sigma to perform really well and provide much of the same quality in a lighter package. It will likely be a little sharper than the Sony 85mm f/1.8 and control chromatic aberration better. And of course, it offers f/1.4 instead of f/1.8 but it costs twice as much and weighs twice as much. Depending on your needs the f/1.8 might be just fine.

The Original Sigma 85mm f/1.4 $1099 Buy from B&H Photo
Filter Size 86 mm
Dimensions 3.73 x 4.97" // 94.7 x 126.2 mm
Weight 2.49 lb / 1130 g
My Take: Fantastic quality but does not balance well with Sony a7 series cameras - it is quite front heavy.

Tokina atx-m 85mm f/1.8 FE $437 Buy from B&H Photo
Filter Size: 72 mm
Front Dimensions (ø x L) 3.15 x 3.67" // 80 x 93.2 mm
Weight: 1.42 lb / 645 g
My Take: I have not reviewed this lens but it has good reviews online and Tokina is well known for producing good value lenses. Looking for an affordable 85mm lens with AF - The Tokina will provide you. Pay a little more for the Sony 85mm f/1.8 and you get a noticeably lighter lens.

Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 Lens for Sony E $599 Buy from B&H Photo
Filter Size: 77 mm
Front Dimensions (ø x L) 3.46 x 3.92" // 88 x 99.5 mm
Weight 1.25 lb / 568 g
My Take: Samy and Rokinon also produce good value lenses - they might be just a little less reliable with AF and suffer a bit more chromatic aberration but nothing terrible. If you are after an f/1.4 lens and on a budget, this is your best option.

Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 FE II $399 - Buy from B&H Photo
Filter Size: 72 mm
Front Dimensions (ø x L) 3.15 x 3.62" // 80 x 92 mm
Weight 1.06 lb / 484 g
My Take: I have this lens in for review - it provides decent image quality and is very budget-friendly. No Af/Mf switch

How BIG Can you Print? - Printing Explained Simply

It is easy to make big beautiful prints to hang on your wall.

In the video above I show you just what you need to know to crop, pick the perfect aspect ratio, and figure out just how large you can print.

Find more FREE Lightroom Training at http://photorec.tv/lightroom

The Steps -

  • Turn on Loupe View info that shows cropped dimensions. View > View Options . . .

  • Crop in Lightroom to the aspect ratio you plan to print. Don’t see the aspect ratio? Enter it as a custom aspect ratio.

  • Export the photo as JPEG, sRGB color space quality 100. Leave the image sizing section unchecked and DPI can be ignored.

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  • I do sharpen low for the type of media I will be printing on.

  • If you want to print BIG - bigger than 11 x 14 - consult Bay Photo File Prep Guidelines and the chart near the bottom showing resolution necessary for different prints. The left shows optimal and the right shows minimum resolution. Compare your cropped resolution with the chart, you want to be near the optimal sizes but don’t stress if you are slightly below. You can also use the calculator at Scantips to find the DPI of the photo you are about to print. Anywhere from 200-300 is just fine for large prints.

  • The larger the print the lower the acceptable DPI. Consult the chart below for more info.

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  • Upload to BayPhoto and choose the same aspect ratio that you cropped to. Choose Color Correction ON in the checkout screen.

  • BayPhoto produces gorgeous prints - the steps above are what I do to print large images for my walls and my clients. Check BayPhoto Savings page and take advantage of discounts.






Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary Lens for Sony E

Sigma just announced a 100-400 f/5-6.3 lens designed for Sony E and Leica L mount cameras.

Sigma 100-400 for Sony FE Cameras

I own and love the Sony 100-400 - it is an incredibly versatile focal length! I use it on every trip & workshop - Finding it fantastic for portraits, landscapes, and wildlife. But Sony’s 100-400 is expensive! Sigma has been producing some awesome value-rich lenses in the last few years and I suspect this Sigma 100-400 will be very good. I am looking forward to testing sharpness and AF speeds. Overall I think this will continue the Sigma trend and be a great buy for those looking for an affordable 100-400 for Sony cameras.

Sigma 100-400 vs the Sony 100-400


The GOOD

  • Sigma 100-400 is about a third the cost of the Sony 100-400 - $949.00 vs 2,498.00

  • Sigma 100-400 weighs 2.5 lb / 1135 g vs the Sony 100-400 3.07 lbs / 1395 g

  • The sigma is slightly more compact and uses 67mm filters. Sony uses 77mm

  • Sigma offers a programmable button on lens

The BAD

  • No Tripod Collar - Coast $107 Extra

  • 1/3 stop slower across the range. Sony offers f/4.5 to f/5.6 the Sigma is f/5 - f/6.3

  • Only one mode of stabilization. Sony offers two modes - normal and active

What needs to be tested - focus speed and sharpness. I have tested the Canon/Nikon mount of this lens and found it to be very good. I suspect it will be virtually the same in the FE mount and that this lens will be a great purchase for Sony full-frame or aps-c photographers looking to get a decent amount of reach without breaking the bank.

The Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary will be available on July 10, 2020 for $949.00 USD.

PREORDER NOW -
Sigma 100-400 f/5 - f/6.3 at B&H Photo $949.00
Order Tripod Collar $107

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