Panasonic announces 2 Full Frame Cameras, 3 lenses for the FF bodies and one for MFT

Panasonic today announced two models of its first Digital Single Lens Mirrorless camera called the "S" Series. Both with a 35 mm full-frame image sensor, the LUMIX S1R and the S1. Both cameras will support 4K 60p video and the Dual I.S. image stabilization system. These cameras are slated for release in early 2019 and both promise to be exceptional systems.Key features:

1. Effective pixels:  47M for the S1R and 24M for the S1)
2. 4K 60p video recording
3. Dual I.S. (Image Stabilization)
4. A double slot for XQD memory cards and SD memory cards
5. Rugged triaxial tilt LCD
6. Leica Camera's L-Mount, making it possible to use interchangeable lenses that meet the L-Mount specifications in partnership with Leica Camera and Sigma.

Panasonic will also expand its lineup of LUMIX S series compatible lenses, developing more than ten by 2020, including a 50 mm/F1.4 fixed-focus lens, 24-105 mm standard zoom lens, and 70-200 mm telephoto zoom lens.  The speed of the two zoom lenses was not specified.Stay tuned for additional details as they become available for release.For the MFT system:Panasonic has started developing a LEICA DG VARIO-SUMMILUX 10-25 mm constant aperture f/1.7 lens≥In addition, Panasonic has announced the launch of LUMIX PRO, a service and support program for its LUMIX professionals. This program has been designed to ensure that professionals can receive service and repair benefits globally. Stay tuned for additional details on the October launch for the US market.Prototypes of the new cameras and lenses introduced above are being exhibited at Photokina in Germany.

Aurora HDR 2019 ready for pre-order

About Aurora HDR 2019:

Skylum’s Quantum HDR Engine harnesses the power of AI for a more streamlined editing experience than ever before. It reduces burned-out colors, loss of contrast, noise and unnatural lighting caused by halos and unstable deghosting.

The Quantum HDR Engine has taken three years to create within Skylum’s AI lab, and contains the vast knowledge of the development team paired with artificial intelligence to bring you seamless HDR editing, be it with a single image or multiple bracketed shots.

Skylum’s developers tested thousands of bracketed shots through a neural network, and used the results to develop the technology needed for creating incredible HDR photographs - whether it’s real estate, landscape, cityscape or any other type of HDR photography.

Here are the most essential changes:

• New Quantum HDR Engine

• LUTs support with 11 New Integrated LUTs

• Photoshop plugins support

• New HDR Smart Structure filter for realistic and artefact-free structure (can be found in the new HDR Enhance filter)

• Presets are now called ‘Looks’

• Improved Adjustable Gradient filter with new sliders for Shadows and Highlights added

• Improved HDR Details Boost Effect (the photo is shown in high-resolution while fine-tuning the filter)

Offer Availability:

Aurora HDR 2019 will be available for pre-order on September, 12, and released on October, 4.

Pre-Order Pricing:

• Current users may upgrade at a price of $49 USD ($59 USD MSRP)

• New users can purchase Aurora HDR 2019 at a price of $89 USD ($99 USD MRSP)

Pre-Order Bonuses:

• Video Tutorial: Getting the Most from Aurora HDR 2019 by Trey Ratcliff

• Landscape Photography Handbook by  David Johnston

• Burning Moods Looks by Richard Harrington

Fog X FLO -2

This was photographed at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University located in the Jamaica Plain and Roslindale sections of Boston. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and is the second largest "link" in the Emerald Necklace.  This was another test of the Lumix G9 and Leica 12-60 lens combination's weather resistance.  Both camera and lens were soaked as a result of the spray from the high pressure water misters but performed flawlessly.This art exhibition runs through the end of October and is worth visiting.

Fog X FLO an interpretation

This image was captured midday on Sept 3, 2018, when the temperature was 95 degrees. This location is Back Bay Fens in Boston."Emerald Necklace Conservancy presents the first citywide exhibition of Fujiko Nakaya’s “climate-responsive” fog art, sited in dialogue with the landmarked landscapes designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (FLO)."  This exhibition is to mark the 20th anniversary of the Conservancy.

Leica 50-200mm f/2.8-f/4 on the G9 with 2X Tele-extender

This is a crop from the image below.  I wanted to see how well the Leica 50-200 mm performed when used with 2X tele-extender.  The image was shot at ISO 16000 and as you can see the noise performance is great.  The cropped image has a small amount of Lightroom noise reduction applied.  Though the flash did fire the distance to the bird was beyond the flash units reach.

Streets of Old Montreal

Not only is the Lumix GH5s a great low light camera, it has excellent dynamic range.  I should have used its native ISO of 400 instead of 160 to get an even better range.

Panasonic announces the LUMIX LX100 II with 24-75mm LEICA DC Lens

The Lumix LX 100 has been one of my favorite all-purpose compact cameras for the past 4 years.  Now the LX100II is here and ready for pre-order.  All that the LX100 had and so much more.

Key Features

• 17 MP [4:3 aspect] high-sensitivity multi-aspect four thirds MOS sensor. 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, 1:1 multi-aspect modes taken from 21.77 megapixel total count*.
• Leica DC 24-75mm lens [F1.7-2.8], with POWER O.I.S. [Optical Image Stabilizer]
• 24p / 30p 4K video and exclusive 4K PHOTO modes plus focus stacking.
• Electronic Viewfinder EVF [2,764k-dot], and large 3-inch touch sensitive monitor [1240k-dot]

For more details and specs - CLICK HERE

Topaz Labs AI Gigapixel - now available

Topaz Labs introduces A.I. Gigapixel - The smarter, sharper, image resizer.A.I.Gigapixel™ is the first desktop application to use a breakthrough in artificial intelligence (A.I.) to enlarge your images while adding natural details for an amazing result. This is in stark contrast to existing image resizers that produce images that are blurry, unrealistically painterly, or lack detail.Whether you need high DPI image conversions for large prints, blowing up extensive crops into existing photos to get that perfect composition, enlarging pictures taken from drones or smartphones, or just hope to have a 50MP medium format camera, A.I. Gigapixel can help. Powerful, Diligent Pixel Perfect Processing.A.I. Gigapixel can perform Millions of calculations per pixel in your image, resulting in trillions of computations for your image to ensure it enhances all the right details. This many calculations on a full-size RAW image can take time to complete, but the results speak for themselves.Topaz A.I. Gigapixel is a standalone application only (it does not work as a plugin or Topaz Studio adjustment) made for batch resizing your images. It uses the power of Topaz's proprietary Artificial Intelligence engine to make sharper and clearer upscaled images than traditional upscaling tools.

Focus Bracketed - Yellow Orchid

One of the greatest features of the Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 is "bracketing". Yes, like most cameras the G9 can bracket exposure.  However, the G9 can bracket aperture, white balance and focus.  While in camera focus stacking is possible using the "Post Focus" function, the individual images are JPEG as is the final stacked image.  For RAW images and high-resolution stacks, it is best to use focus bracketing.  With focus bracketing, you set the stepping distance and the number of images that need to be captured.  You can also set the sequencing for how the images are captured, similar to exposure bracketing - 0/-/+ or 0/+.  I prefer the second as I always start my stack from the front of the subject and work the focus away from the camera.

Hosta - flowers in color

While the intent is to create a book, using sepia or color is still a big  debate.  Here is an image that adds to the dilema. 

Notre Dame Basilica in monochrome

This was another hand-held image inside Notre Dame.  I used the G9, a camera that has the best image stabilization I have experienced.  I had not enlarged a image from the G9 so tried with this one.  Using On1's resizing I enlarged this to a 60 inch image at 300 ppi and saw no significand degredation in detail or quality.

Using the new Panasonic Leica 50-200mm

 I received the newly released Panasonic Leica 50-200 mm f/2.8-f/4 lens yesterday.  I paired it with the G9 for this image.  This is the first and only image captured with this lens and I am in love with its quality.  A lot more testing to do but I have no doubt it will perform exceptionally well.  What is great is that the lens can be coupled with the 1.4x and the 2x teleconverters.  Stay tuned for more on this piece of glass.

Panasonic Lumix GH5s - Performance

The GH5s is a 10.28 MP camera optimized for movie recording and low-light performance. Its large individual pixel size allows impressive low-light performance to an extended ISO 204800, along with Dual Native ISO technology at ISO 400 and ISO 2500. The camera is designed for low light video parformance but its stills capapbilities are exceptional.  It records 14 bit RAW files that provide ample editing felibility and has a burst shooting rate of 12 fps with single-shot AF, or up to 8 fps with continuous autofocus. What I found trully impresive is the camera's capability to focus really fast in very low light conditions.The camera does not have in-body image stabilization nor does the 8-18mm lens.  This image was shot as a three image panorama, hand-held and stitched using Lightroom. 

Botany Project - Zantedeschia aethiopica (Calla Lily)

Once done, I am hoping to get these image printed as a coffee-table book. Here is another image (right side page) that I completed last evening.

A new project

There are a number of artists who have created some wonderful flower images that I admire and appreciate.  I have started a project that will take a year or more to finish but I feel it is worth the effort.  Here is an example of one of the elements from the project.

Milky Way Arcs Over Bar Harbor

Captured from the top of Cadillac Mountain last weekend, June 16, 2018. Please click on the image for a larger rendition.

The Milky Way and a Photo Workshop - Acadia NP

On a whim last weekend, we drove up to Acadia for a night.  The weather report looked decent so we took a chance.  The weather was just perfect.  The sunset was nice though a cloudless sky does not make for great images.  We waited for darkness as the moon went lower on the horizon and the stars appeared.  Not much waiting and we started photographing the Milky Way.  It is amazing how many cars just hang around with their headlights on (just perfect for astrophotography).  Folks running around without a care - so what if I hit your tripod - I did not mean to - it just happened.  We managed to get a few shots and a panorama that I will post later.We decided to come down Cadillac Mountain and head for Boulder Beach to photograph the Milky Way with the boulders in the foreground and Otter Cliffs as an anchor on the right. As we approached the walkway to the spot where you climb down, we met two photographers. Strangely there was a lot of shouting from some people down at Boulder Beach.  They were yelling about lights and how they were doing a workshop etc. - extremely rude.  The two photographers who were up on the walkway indicated that the workshop leader asked them to leave Boulder Beach as he was conducting a workshop. Excuse me - this is all a National Park and we all have a right to be there.  As a workshop leader, these people need to be considerate and courteous to fellow photographers - not be nasty and rude.  Based on this feedback Monica and I decided not to go down but shoot from the overlook above.  You need a light to get to the overlook so as Monica started toward the overlook the shouting started all over again.  She was rudely told to switch off her headlight - now must one walk in the dark and risk a fall?  There is a way to accommodate other photographers in situations like this.  Give them space and the time to set up, it is a public place after all.  There is enough room and the stars are not running away.  I did look up to see who it was that was conducting this workshop, I don't know him, but I hope he learns a little photographer's etiquette.Here is an image captured from Park Loop Road:

Nature Photography Day - June 15, 2018

It was June 30, 2014, 4 years ago that I photographed this Hyena in the Okavango region of Botswana.  Felt this to be an appropriate image for Nature Photography Day 2018.  I still have a few spaces open for my Tanzania Migration Safari in August - message me if you would like to participate.

Panasonic Lumix Firmware updates released

As mentioned in my previous blog, the firmware updates for the Lumix G9, GH5 and GH5S are now downloadable from: http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/dsc/download/fts/index.html 

Lumix GH5, GH-5S and G9 Firmware updates announced - (Availability May 30, 2018)

Panasonic yesterday announced new firmware updates for the Lumix DC-GH5 (Firmware Version 2.3), DC-GH5S (Firmware Version 1.1) and DC-G9 (Firmware Version 1.1) to further enhance their performance and usability. The firmware updates will be downloadable on May 30, 2018The new firmware includes the following upgrades: LUMIX DC-GH5 Firmware Ver.2.3 

1. Improvement of AF performance 
2. Improvement of Body I.S.(Image Stabilizer) performance
3. mprovement of sound recording performance
4. New functions
5. Other improvements

LUMIX DC-GH5S Firmware Ver.1.1 

1. Improvement of AF performance 
2. Improvement of sound recording performance
3. New functions
4. Other Improvements

LUMIX DC-G9 Firmware Ver.1.1 

1. Improvement of AF performance 
2. Improvement of Body I.S.(Image Stabilizer) performance
3. Improvement of High Resolution Mode
4. Improvement of sound recording performance
5. New functions
6. Other improvements

The new firmware programs will be available at LUMIX Customer Support Site on 30 May, 2018. http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/dsc/download/index.html