Posts

Posted on

Lightroom Gets Confusing

Adobe has just announced “Lightroom CC”, which of course is likely to confuse many photographers who have already been using Lightroom CC for a while, and who have been familiar with Lightroom for about a decade.

It turns out there is a completely new version of Lightroom that doesn’t actually replace the existing version of Lightroom. To make things more confusing, the new Lightroom is called “Lightroom CC”, and the prior version of Lightroom will become “Lightroom Classic CC”.

Confused? Me too!

Fortunately you can get some clarification in an episode of Tim Grey TV here:

Posted on

New Course: “Understanding Sharpening”

One of the most important steps in preparing your photos to be printed or shared digitally is sharpening. Many photographers find the technical details and practical application of sharpening to be confusing. The new “Understanding Sharpening“ course from GreyLearning can help!

This course includes lessons to help you better understand what sharpening actually is, and how it impacts your photos right down to the pixel level. In addition, you’ll learn specific techniques for applying optimal sharpening using a variety of tools, such as Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Lightroom.

Going beyond the specific tools for applying a sharpening effect to your photos, you’ll also learn about additional techniques that can help you extract maximum detail from your photos, while preserving and enhancing the quality of your images.

In short, if you’d like to truly understand the concepts related to sharpening your photos, and learn to apply sharpening with confidence for all types of sharing, this is the course for you!

Total Duration: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

More Info: https://www.greylearning.com/courses/sharpening

Posted on

A $50,000 Camera System

If you have $50,000 to spend on a new camera system, and you crave incredible detail and image quality, Phase One has a new product just for you.

 

The new Phase One IQ3 Trichromatic digital back features an incredible 101-megapixel resolution with a sensor that is 2.5 times larger than you’ll find on a digital SLR camera.

In addition to the sheer resolution featured with this digital back, you can expect exceptionally low noise levels thanks to a remarkable base ISO rating of ISO 35.

The suggested retail price for the IQ3 Trichromatic digital back is $44,990. For a complete camera system that includes this digital back, the XF Camera Body, one prime lens of your choice, and a 5-year warranty, the suggested retail price is $49,990.

Beyond the obvious potential for amazing image quality, Phase One has focused on color fidelity as well. As noted by Niels Knudsen, the Phase One Image Quality Professor:

“The ability to capture an image that reflects exactly what you see the moment you press the shutter button, with little interpretation or conjecture, is a fantastic leap for photography and more importantly, for the integrity of image quality.”

Phase One has long had a reputation for providing medium format digital backs offering exceptional image quality. The latest IQ3 Trichromatic digital back is clearly aimed at building on that reputation.

To learn more about the Phase One IQ3 Trichromatic digital back, visit the Phase One website here:

https://www.phaseone.com/trichromatic

Posted on

Fanboy Confessions: Xume Adapters

I like photo gear as much as any photographer, but what I really love is gear that makes my work as a photographer easier or more fun (or both!). Well, I’m only slightly embarrassed to admit that I’ve become a bit of a “fanboy” for Xume Adapters. These clever magnetic adapters enable you to effortlessly attach a filter to a lens, and then remove that filter just as easily.

If you’ve ever attached a filter to a lens, you know how frustrating it can be. You know what I’m talking about:

“Why do those threads need to be so small?!”

“Why won’t the filter go on?!”

“How am I ever going to get this @&$%*#$ filter off?!?!?!”

Well, all of those frustrations magically (well, magnetically) disappear with Xume adapters. You attach a lens adapter to your lens, then attach a filter holder to a filter. Both of those parts have a magnetic ring, so attaching a filter is as easy as placing the filter against the lens. There’s even a magnetic lens cap available for 77mm lenses!

It is worth noting that because the Xume Adapters place the filter further away from the lens than would normally be the case, there is a risk of some vignetting caused by the assembly with wide-angle lenses at an effective focal length of less than about 24mm. But for any longer focal length, I consider Xume Adapters absolutely indispensable. I predict you’ll agree 100% if you test these adapters just once.

Here are some links to Xume Adapters in the 77mm size:

Set of 2 Filter Holders (77mm): http://amzn.to/2va5QG3

Lens Adapter (77mm): http://amzn.to/2vceli3 

You can also see the Manfrotto Xume Adapters in action in an episode of Tim Grey TV here:

 

Posted on

Solar Eclipse from NYC

While I wasn’t able to travel to a location that would have enabled me to see the “totality” of today’s total solar eclipse, I was able to see a partial eclipse from home in New York City. The moon covered about 70% of the sun from our vantage point.

Here’s a photo I shared on my Instagram feed:

Using a special Solar Filter (http://timgrey.me/grey-tse-filter) I was able to capture both still photos and videos that even feature sunspots. Scattered clouds did threaten to ruin the show, but I actually found that the clouds passing in front of the sun and moon added an element of interest.

The photo and video clip shared below were both captured with the Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens (http://amzn.to/2vXWjAI) set to a focal length of 600mm using a Canon EOS 7D MkII (http://amzn.to/2wia4g3). With the 1.6X cropping factor of the camera’s sensor, that translates to an effective focal length of 960mm.

And here’s a brief video clip I published on the Tim Grey TV channel on YouTube:

I look forward to seeing some photos and videos from those who were able to experience totality today!

Posted on

Welcome to the GreyLearning blog!

Welcome to the blog for GreyLearning, where our focus is on helping you optimize your photography and workflow with a variety of educational resources.

Stay tuned for new posts, more information, and a variety of resources to help you make the most of your photography!