PREVIEW: on1 Photo RAW 2019 (Special Offer)

I've been playing around with the final release version of on1 Photo RAW 2019  starting with this 5 minute edit of a Nikon Z7 NEF RAW Image that was taken in a nasty display case under horrible light and quickly turned it into a pretty decent image. It was a little slower than expected on my Windows system, but it's 2.5 years old so perhaps it might be time for me to consider a system upgrade.

This next image was a quicker edit that took advantage of the effects features much in the same way Luminar offers its effects for a workspace. The net result was a big improvement in a hurry:

Here's what's new for 2019:

A New & Faster Editing Workflow – All of the editing modules from previous versions have been combined into the Edit module to create a single place for editing photos. The former editing modules are now available as tabs to allow you to work in each seamlessly without changing the application appearance. These include Develop, Effects, Portrait, and Local Adjustments tabs.

A New Workflow for Layers – ON1 Layers is no longer a separate module. Instead, the power of layers is accessible within the non-destructive workflow in the new Edit module. This allows for creating or editing multi-layered files, including raw files, and keeping non-destructive settings for each photo layer. Customers can also move, size and mask each layer. More importantly, and a new concept, each layer has its own non-destructive settings, all the way back to the original file. What’s most exciting is if you are working with raw files, powerful adjustments like exposure, highlights and shadows can now be processed using the raw data in a layered photo workflow. All without having to change modules or applications.

• New Lightroom Photo Settings Migration – New AI-powered algorithms give customers the ability to transfer Lightroom edited photos, keep the non-destructive settings, and move them into ON1 Photo RAW 2019. The updated Lightroom Migration Tool in version 2019 transfers almost every edit you can make in Lightroom including raw processing, crop, retouching and local adjustments along with folders, photos, collections, and metadata.
• New Focus Stacking – Automatically blend a series of photos at different focus distances to increase depth-of-field. It’s so fast, you can adjust the focus in real-time, just like changing the focus on your lenses. Think of it like HDR, but for focus instead of exposure.
• New Auto-Align Layers – Easily combine multiple photos as layers, then automatically align them based on image content, making it easy to mask and blend them together.
• New AI Masking Tool (coming Winter 2019) – This new tool, powered by machine learning, will allow customers to easily identify areas of their photos to create a selection or mask and the AI technology detects your subject matter and automatically creates a beautiful mask.
• New Portrait Tab – The new Portrait tab automatically detects faces in your photo allowing you to easily retouch, smooth skin, brighten and sharpen eyes, and whiten teeth.
• New Text Tool – The new text tool is perfect for creating posters, postcards, or adding your byline or watermark. Easily control font size, color, position, and more and then save a preset to add the same text overlay to a batch of photos quickly.
• New Master Keyword List – Now you can see every keyword you use in a single, searchable list. You can quickly apply, clear, edit, or delete keywords.
• Enhanced Local Adjustments – Local adjustments have been enhanced to use the raw processing data. This allows for more highlight and shadow details with more tonal range. This also includes new controls like haze, whites and blacks.
• New Layered HDR Workflow – With the powerful new non-destructive layers you can combine other photos, text or alternate exposures with your HDR photos. Use the powerful masking tools to combine multiple HDR renditions even.
• New Filter Options in Effects – We have added dedicated film grain, curves and color adjustment filters to Effects. These let you add film grain to color photos and make advanced, targeted color and tone adjustments faster. There’s even a new filter selector that allows you to search for filters, learn what they do and even view a sample before you add them.
• New User Interface – The new user interface has a fresh and modern feel. Overall contrast has been reduced to make photos stand out along with a new font to help increase readability. Updated icons, tabs, and sliders will also take up less visual space.
• Other Updates –  including support for HEIC files, keyboard shortcuts for changing modules, more accent color options, color labels on folders and more.
• Additional Camera Support – Added support for the Fujifilm XF10, Fujifilm X-T3, Nikon P1000, Nikon Z7, Panasonic LX100 II, Leica M10-P.
• Additional Lens Profiles – Added lens profiles for: Canon EF35mm f/1.4L II USM (750), Chinon Auto Chinon 35mm f/2.8, KMZ Helios-40 85mm f/1.5, Nikon 200-500mm F5.6 174, Panasonic LEICA DG 8-18/F2.8-4.0, Panasonic LEICA DG NOCTICRON 42.5/F1.2, Pentax Pentax SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4, Sigma Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM, Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS, Sony FE 50mm F1.8, Tamron 14-150mm F/3.5-5.8 DiIII C001, Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 (A032), Voigtländer Voigtlander Super Wide Heliar III

Focus Stacking

Probably one of the biggest new features is the built-in support for Focus Stacking, something that usually requires a 3rd party solution to get right. I wasn't able to try it out yet though as I did have images suitable for trying this feature. Here's a sample provided by on1:

HDR Support

Improved HDR support is included as shown in this sample provided to me by on1:

Pano Support

Stitch your images quickly with the built-in support for building panoramic photos as shown with this feature provided by on1 by Hudson Henry...

HEIC File Format Supported

I was really happy to see that HEIC files worked fine on Windows and even with no edits the images looked as good as they do on the iPhone as was the case here...

Conclusion

This is the best version of on1 Photo Raw I've used yet, so I'm looking forward to spending more time getting to know the features better. I wasn't able to deep dive with the new features just yet, but I was happy with the support it offered for my Nikon Z7 raw files and Apple iPhone X HEIC files, so new camera or phone users are definitely going to appreciate it.

Where to Try or Buy?

CLICK HERE to learn more, get a free trial or buy today.

SPECIAL OFFER: Use the coupon code Mart20 to save if you decide to purchase.

Other articles you may enjoy

Enjoy more on the Reviews tab as well as Ron's Recommendations.

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

First Thoughts: Canon EOS R Mirrorless Digital Camera

Canon EOS R Mirrorless Digital Camera

A lot of people have been reaching out to me for my thoughts on the all new Canon R – Canon’s answer to the recently introduced Nikon Z series - given my history a “Canon shooter”. Long-time readers have noticed that I’ve been very vocal about how much I loved the Sony a7R III (my 2017 Camera of the Year) and Sony a9, so would my history with Canon change my opinion?

I’ve been off doing other things besides blogging lately, so I have actually been out of the loop on the rumors of the “R” until friends started reaching out to me about it this past weekend. While I’m not surprised about the announcement, I had no inside info prior to the release so it’s been a learning experience for me too.

My first thoughts are:

• Why only 30mp?
• Where’s the advanced eye auto focus?
• Nice job with the screen on the top like my DSLR’s, but where’s the rest of the buttons?
• No joystick?!!!! No thank you!!!

On paper, it feels like it’s button layout is more like a 6D Mark II / 80D but its sensor seems targeted for a 5D Mark IV user. This places it in line to compete with the Sony a7 III not the Sony a7R III which is a bit of a surprise for me – especially given the fact that this camera is priced like the more capable Sony a7R III.

While I should reserve judgement until actually using one, on paper I still think that Nikon and Canon have both missed the mark in competing with Sony’s more compelling offerings. I think Nikon did a better job with the Z7, but if I were spending my money on a mirrorless right now I’d still go with Sony.

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

First Look: on1 Photo RAW 2018 - The Best HDR & Pano Editor Yet?

Try on1 Photo RAW 2018

I'm pretty busy these days so I don't have time for betas. As a result, I've been rocking along with on1 Photo RAW 2017 not paying much attention to what's coming next. Tonight in advance of the launch I finally kicked the tires and got both surprised and shocked by some of the changes so I thought I'd fill you in on some  of the ones that I think are worth your time to check out...

HDR Editor

I was super impressed with how fast and well this feature worked. Honestly, I didn't expect much as I've really been loving Aurora 2018 HDR as I prepare for my upcoming review.  However, I really have loved the fine grain control it offers with RAW images and how it it saves the merged file in a special format so that I can make non-destructive re-edits at anytime. This means that the HDR merge is never really final, and I can always go dial back in the dark and bright areas that might get messed up while editing. Check it out...

Sadly, this video doesn't do it justice because it kinda ends up with an image that doesn't look so hot. However, the image shown at the top of the article features one that I processed using HDR only (no presets) for very fast and realistic results.

Pano Feature

Some people love their panos, but I hate them. However, I thought this demo which shows how it not only does a good job creating panos, but it also adds metadata to make Facebook treat it as a spinnable pano too:

Maybe this is old news to you pano experts out there, but if you are like me and wondered how you could do this - this is it! Pretty sweet!

Mask Blur Chisel

I never quite got the hang of the chisel tool in the past, but this video here gave me one of those chimpanzee moments (you know, ooh, ooh) and I immediately wanted to go try it out.

More Cool Videos

Want to see what else is new? Start with the video above, then check out these videos...

• New Color Range Masks: https://youtu.be/OVAZo59TIRE
• Mew Luminosity Mask Tools: https://youtu.be/v7ry-zRGqAk
• Paint With Color Brush: https://youtu.be/2DiuYS2UBbM
• New Noise Adjustment Brush: https://youtu.be/KrM-e75OwSU
• Remove Haze from a Photo: https://youtu.be/vzz1ueLqTis

Conclusion

I was unhappy with on1 products for a few years, so I stopped covering them on my blog. I was frustrated with them crashing, features I loved being removed, and something that remained being uninteresting to me.

With the 2017 version I got interested again, but I found myself mostly using it for Resize and not much else. However, I've spent some time this evening playing with the new features and rediscovering this product again, and I like what I see.

At a minimum I'd encourage existing on1 fans to check it out as I think it's a worthy upgrade.

For those who have been burned in the past, I'd suggest giving it another go as the setup seems to do a good job of installing things in cleanly without any headaches. When trying out the product, I hit one snag when I selected  corrupt iPhone 7 file on my NAS, but other than that it was rock solid. It feels like some of the quality issues that plagued on1 in the past have been sorted, and more compelling features have been brought back to make it something worth considering again.

Contact me to let me know your thoughts!

Try it Today & Get  Discount

CLICK HERE to learn more and take it for a spin. If you like it, then try out the MART17 coupon code to get a 20% discount off your order. Contact me if you have any troubles with the special offer.

Other articles you may enjoy

Check out the Reviews tab as well as Ron's Recommendations.

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

PREVIEW: Sony a9 Kit with Real World Shots

SEE MY FULL REVIEW HERE

Sony a9 at B&H

I've been heads down working and not paying too much to the new gear coming out recently. I guess that's a testimony to how much I've loved my Canon 1D X Mark II, but wild claims about the Sony a9 caught my attention so I just started testing it last night.

Ok Sony, you now have my attention.

I'll do a real review later, but I thought I'd toss a couple images up taken from my first and  only 20 minutes using this camera with the 24-70mm kit lens which you know I don't care for much if you've read part II of my Sony a6500 review.  This copy seems to suffer from the same things I saw with other copies, so I've reached out to B&H for another lens to test for my review.

In the meantime, here are a few 100% unedited in-camera jpeg's:

f/3.5 @ 70mm for 1/800 sec at ISO 160
Even without the Eye AF turned on, the AF defaults just got this shot right

f/2.8 @ 70mm for 1/1000 sec at ISO 3200
This was part of a huge burst with Kai being silly, but it illustrated a new use for this camera to me - it's incredible burst mode is great for capturing emotions when interacting with people

f/3.5 @ 70mm for 1/800 sec at ISO 1000
This was just one frame from an astonishing burst of over 150 frames at RAW+JPEG where the electronic shutter was quiet and smoking fast. Every frame within the minimum focus distance was in focus enough to use (a few were slightly off, but not enough to be problematic)

f/3.2 @ 70mm for 1/1000 sec at ISO 5000
I desperately need a better lens, but even at 70mm with this one I was able to get a decent lock on to a bee

Conclusion

Check out my full review (Part I of II) and my final thoughts in part II.

Where to Buy?

CLICK HERE to learn more or buy today.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• a9 Review - Part I
• Sony a6500 & 24-70 f/2.8 GM (Part I of II)
• Sony a3000
• Sony a6000 (includes 16-70mm lens)
• Sony a6300 - 4k video
• Sony a7 (includes Samyang lens)
• Sony a7R Mark II with 24-70mm
• Sony DSC-RX1 (Full Frame Compact Camera)
• Sony DSC-RX10
• Sony RX100 IV (Sony RX100 III)
• Sony NEX-7
• SIGMA 85mm f/1.4 Art Series - the best art series I've tested
• Ron's Recommendations

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

PhotoPlus 2016 Gadget Report–Day 2

Here are my thoughts about the cool products I saw while touring the PhotoPlus Expo 2016 in New York. All mentions are unsolicited and are based on what caught my eye on this day of the show.

Canon PRO-2000 24” Printer

Canon imagePrograf PRO-2000 24" Fine Art Printer

I was glad to see the new 24” Canon PRO-2000 printer in real life along with the optional 2nd roll support. While I was disappointed that the 2nd roll housing doesn’t have a cover to avoid dust build up on the paper, it still would be handy in real life scenarios where you just need to load a roll for a one-off print, and you don’t really want to have to unload your primary paper.

What’s really cool about this new printer is the ease at which you load the the roll. It doesn’t matter if you put your roll on with the paper under or over, just flip the switch to let the printer know and it will auto grab the paper –vs– roll in to feed design of my iPF6300 & iPF6450.

It’s built like a tank, which is something former Epson owners will appreciate, as the design of the previous models had enough shake to “make a martini” as one person at the show said joking. Funny, but definitely kind of true.

I have high expectations for this printer, so I was glad to hear that Canon will be sending out a PRO-1000 & PRO-2000 for me to review, so expect to hear more in the not too distant future as I finally get my hands on these all-new pro printer models.

Click here to learn more or order today from Amazon or click here for B&H.

GTI Graphiclite® Light Boxes

GTi graphiclite® Personal Desktop Viewers

I’ve been a big fan of my GTI PDV-2020EX light box for years, so it’s always cool to see these at a show especially when they are housing prints by the legendary New York fashion photographer, Douglas Dubler.

While these aren’t exactly all-new, they are still the best way for a print master to view their prints. If you do your own printing, I still encourage you to check them out.

New Sigma Lenses

Sigma seems to be doing a great job of listening to customers feedback and desires with the release of the three new lenses featured in this section. All these improvements continue to send the message to consumers that it’s a company that wants to be the proverbial Lexus of lenses where they offer quality that meets or exceeds their higher priced competitors, but still offering a value that others will find difficult to match. This puts them squarely in the value luxury segment, so I don’t doubt their great momentum created by the release of the Art and Sports series is sure to continue.

One feature common to all of these new lenses is an improved all-new focus motor that is 30% quicker than its predecessor.

What that, here are on my thoughts on the the highly anticipated trio of new lenses that I got a chance to check out at the show.

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art Series

Sigma makes no bones about the fact that they were targeting customers who want Zeiss Otus 85mm quality, without the hefty price – with the added bonus of auto-focus support. It’s a very interesting proposition, especially when you hold this lens in your hand and it definitely has high quality feel of the Zeiss Otus 85mm. They’ve also added a rubber seal that doesn’t necessarily qualify it as weather sealed, it certainly should in theory help with dust and misty weather days.

Canon and Nikon’s 85mm lens owners are very likely to have a decision to make as all signs point to this new art series lens being one that everyone will want. It only makes me wonder how long before they decide to release their own, but until then I’m very looking forward to trying out what could be one of the most exciting new lenses for 2016.

Click here to learn more on Amazon or click here for B&H.

Sigma 12-24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Series Zoom

Sigma 12-24mm f/1.4 Art Series Zoom

As a proud owner of the Canon 11-24mm, one of the finest lenses I’ve ever tested, I’m skeptical how this lens could be better. However, with a more attractive price point the real question will be – is it good enough to save the extra money. Sigma feels confident that I’ll be impressed with this lens featuring what they claim is the largest aspherical element in the industry.

Just like the new 85mm, this lens has a hefty solid build that feels great in the hand but some will wonder if they want to carry the weight. I have high expectations, and Sigma has been very good lately, so my hopes are high.

Click here to learn more at Amazon or click here for B&H.

Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM Sport Series

A 500mm lens is always going to be sought out by wildlife users primarily, so Sigma put a lot of thought into the design of this new $6000 USD lens to satisfy the needs of this market. Thoughtful features the the ability to silence lens beep sounds, turn off the click sounds of the collar when you rotate it to a different orientation, customizable buttons to switch AF points quickly, and custom modes for different focusing speeds all mean that you can easily make in the field adjustments without scaring away the wildlife.

Sigma 500mm tripod collar click switch

While this lens is a very substantial lens, Sigma did its best to minimize unnecessary weight including creating the all-new hood made out of carbon fiber featuring an improved locking mechanism. These improvements helped to knock over 1.2 lbs off the weight of the Nikon 500mm and get it just under the weight of the Canon 500mm.

Sigma 500mm carbon fiber hood lock

Click here to learn more about this lens at Amazon or click here for B&H.

Meural Fine Art Digital Frames

It was interesting to see how many people were excited about the digital frame that I think is the one to rule them all. After all, once you see this frame in real life you understand my enthusiasm for this product.

One interesting tidbit of information I learned is that the well-made wooden frames for these devices aren’t made in China like most other places, but instead by Amish people in Pennsylvania. This explains the quality that reminds me of Stickley furniture, and it is what impressed me from the moment mine first arrived. The image quality from the LCD display is good enough to impress your visitors, so you'll be surprised to see how much time they spend standing in front of it to watch your art circulate through. 

I still think this is one of the top products of 2016 and look forward to seeing more people join me in my excitement for it.

Be sure to check out my review to learn more and to get a discount on this excellent product.

Other Articles You Might Enjoy

NOTE: More gadget reports to come about PhotoPlus very soon!

If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy these:

• PhotoPlus Expo 2016 Day 1 Gadgets Report
• Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR & PC 19mm Hands On
• Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4
• Canon 11-24mm f/4L
• Canon 200-400mm f/4L IS with 1.4X Extender
• Meural Digital Canvas (Photo Frame) - Discount
• Discount Coupon Codes Page
• Printing Series 
• Ron’s Recommendations 

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission.

Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR & PC 19mm Hands On

Nikon surprised me with a hands on demo with the some of their newest lenses attached to a Nikon D750. I was able to take shots and examine them via the on-screen LCD, and the quality at maximum zoom looked outstanding.

AF-S Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL ED VR

The all new 70-200mm from Nikon

First things first – this lens feels way lighter than any DSLR 70-200mm f/2.8 I’ve ever held, and that’s a good thing in these days where DSLR shooters question the burden of extra weight over mirrorless alternatives.

Another pleasant surprise was that in the limited testing indoors in Javits Convention Center, I was able to quickly focus and track subjects in non ideal lighting conditions. Every test shot I had at the appropriate shutter speed was razor sharp and in focus. This is a huge leap from its predecessor, as I always found my Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 II to be way faster at focusing especially in difficult lighting situations. I can honestly say that Nikon has created a lens that feels like its matched the focusing speed of my Canon, and limited testing proved that the VR and sharpness definitely warrant a head to head comparison in the future.

It’s got reasonable minimum focus distance which is a really big deal, so when I was testing it out with subjects nearby I didn’t have a practical scenario where it didn’t focus. This is going to be a big win for event and wedding photographers!

Here’s more specs from Nikon:

• The professional’s choice for nearly any photographic scenario, the AF-S NIKKOR
• 70-200MM f/2.8E FL ED VR sets a new standard for pro telephoto lenses
• Wide f/2.8 constant aperture perfect for achieving optimal low-light performance
• Up to 4 stops of Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization for improved handheld shooting
• Electromagnetic diaphragm and Silent Wave Motor (SWM) offer consistent exposure control during high speed shooting and low-noise AF performance
• Superior weather-sealing and Fluorine coatings for particle resistance and easy cleaning
• 6 ED lens elements, 1 Fluorite lens element and 1 high refractive lens element combined with the Nano Crystal Coat help to eliminate distortion, ghosting and flare
• The AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR will be available in November 2016 for a $2,799.95 SRP

Learn more or pre-order here.

PC  Nikkor 19mm f/4E ED

Left side view

This is a a crazy sharp tilt shift that feels very substantial with butter smooth knobs. While I’m not a big tilt-shift or manual focus lens shooter, real estate photographers are going to be pretty pleased with this offering as it shows minimum edge distortion based on my limited hands on testing today.

Top View

Bottom View

Inside the very thick lens cap

• Nikon’s widest-ever tilt-shift NIKKOR offering, the PC NIKKOR 19mm f/4E ED lens offers complete control over perspective and depth-of-field
• With 97° of coverage, the lens is designed to capture optically challenging-subjects like cityscapes or architecture
• Tilt operation can be made parallel or perpendicular for improved control of perspective, focus and depth-of field
• Super-wide 19mm focal length is perfect for shooting panoramas
• Electromagnetic diaphragm offers consistent exposure control during high speed shooting
• 3 ED lens elements, 2 Aspheric lens elements, Nano Crystal Coat combine to eliminate glare and Fluorine Coat to resist water and dirt
• The PC NIKKOR 19mm f/4E ED lens will be available in November 2016 for a $3,399.95 SRP

Learn more or order now here.

Other articles you may enjoy...

• Nikon D5 (Nikon D4s)
• Nikon D500 with 24-70mm f/2.8 VR & SB-5000
• Nikon D610 (D600 vs Canon)
• Nikon D7200 (and older model links)
• Nikon D750 - Yeah, you want this one!
• Nikon D810 (includes SIGMA 50mm Art & Otus 55mm)
• Discount Coupon Codes page
• Ron's Recommendations
• Printing Series 

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission.

REVIEW: Aurora HDR by Macphun & Trey Ratcliff (includes Tutorial)

UPDATE: Now with over 270,000 downloads (as of 3/21/16)

Aurora HDR Screen Shot (link goes to MacPhun)

Trey Ratcliff has long been known for his popular HDR images, but in the past he’s always talked about doing his work mostly in Photomatix or sometimes HDR Efex Pro. Now he’s decided to team up with Macphun, a company known for phenomenally well designed software, to create the first HDR software that isn’t for geeks.

At first I was a bit skeptical, but when I saw this image made from 8 bracketed shots he got my attention:

8 Exposure HDR of Shackleton Hut in Antarctica - Copyright (c) Trey Ratcliff

As you learn more about the user interface in this video you quickly realize it has the same great fluid responsiveness and ease of use as the current line up of products in the Creative Kit.

I’ve spent a day kicking the tires and I’m very impressed. If you’ve seen my HDR software comparison, then you know what I think of the industry leading products in this space. While Lightroom and Photoshop have definitely improved their HDR support, I still think it sucks compared to what all of the third part solutions offer. As a result, the question becomes where should you put your hard earned dollars?

Well, at this point I’d have to say that HDR Efex Pro seems dead and Photomatix really hasn’t done anything revolutionary in a while, so it was a delight to use a fast, fluid and powerful new product in this space. The results speak for themselves and the speed at which you get a final product that needs no other editing is worth the price alone.

Ron’s Aurora Review & Tutorial

I’m no Trey Ratcliff, but I’ll give you my 2 cents in this 30 minute tutorial where I demonstrate how I use Aurora and my thoughts about it along the way:

The cool thing about this video is that there’s no smoke and mirrors and it’s done on a 2010 MacBook Pro with 8GB of RAM and 512KB video, but it performs very well.

Watch Trey use Aurora HDR

 

Don’t Miss This Video Playlist

Here’s some great videos that pretty much go through everything from A to Z in these 6 videos from Macphun (+2 from Trey). They are direct and to the point, so if you are one of those people who wants to know what something does before you click it, then this video set is definitely for you!

Conclusion

When I found out that Trey had teamed up with them to build an HDR product I quickly knew this would be something special, and it is.

It is very disappointing that Macphun doesn’t make Windows software, but they do promise that one is eventually coming (woohoo). The user experience for their products is fantastic and the user interfaces are super smooth and responsive. This is HDR software that anyone can easily use and understand to achieve great results quickly – with no other products required.

If you don’t have a Mac, then you might want to start considering picking one up from Amazon or at B&H (no sales tax outside NY) if you can’t wait until the Windows version comes out next year.

My only gripe thus far is the lack of support for an auto edge detection brush when creating masks like you’d find in Lightroom. This is a minor quibble since no other HDR product I’ve tested is as feature rich as this one anyway. It also has a lot more features and works significantly faster than HDR Efex Pro and Photomatix, so I think Mac users are going to be thrilled – especially those new to HDR.

Where to order

Coupon Code RONMART saves 10%

Click here to learn more or order at Trey Ratcliff’s StuckInCustoms.com store, or click here to buy directly from MacPhun. My friends at Macphun also have it available here with a 10% discount using the coupon code RONMART. Please note that my discount coupon code for everything at StuckInCustoms.com does not apply to this one product, but you can use it if you add any other products to your cart besides this. Be sure to search for “customs” on my discount coupon code page for the latest code.

If you aren’t familiar with Macphun products already, then go ahead and try out the free trial below…

While it lacks a lot of the features of the stand alone desktop version (see below), you can get a lightweight version of Aurora HDR via the Apple Mac App Store:

The following features are missing from the Mac App Store version, but you can get them with the full version here:

• Multiple license - 5 Macs
  
• Native RAW support
  
• Unlimited number of layers
  
• Unlimited number of brackets
  
• Trey Ratcliff signature HDR presets
  
• Photoshop plug-in support
  
• Lightroom plug-in support
  
• Aperture plug-in support
  
• Luminosity masking
  
• Chromatic aberration reduction
  
• Gradient masking tools

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• HDRSoft Photomatix Pro 4.x (4.2 Update)
  
• HDR Software Comparison
  
• Flixel Cinemagraph Pro
  
• Imagenomic Noiseware Discount & Tutorial (iOS Version)
  
• Mylio–Your Life’s Memories Protected on All Your Devices [Discount Offer]
  
• Perfectly Clear 2
  
• Topaz Labs B&W Effects 2 (B&W Products Comparison)
  
• Topaz Labs Glow 1.0
  
• Topaz Labs ReMask 5.0
  
• Topaz Labs Restyle 1.0
  
• Topaz Labs Simplify 4
  
• Topaz Labs Texture Effects
  
• Ron’s Recommendations
  
• Printing Series
  
• NEC PA322UHD 4k for Pro Photo & Video Editing
  
• SIGMA 50mm f/1.4 Art Series (includes comparisons)
  
• Sony a7R Mark II with 24-70mm

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Nikon D5, D500 & SB-5000 Speedlight CES Preview

Nikon D5 DSLR Camera

It’s no longer a promise, the incredible D4s is being replaced by a new super camera that even I’m drooling over. Here’s the product highlights for the D5:

• 20.8MP FX-Format CMOS Sensor
• EXPEED 5 Image Processor
• 3.2" 2.36m-Dot Touchscreen LCD Monitor
• 4K UHD Video Recording at 30 fps
• Multi-CAM 20K 153-Point AF System
• Native ISO 102,400, Extend to ISO 3,280,000!!!
• 12 fps Shooting for 200 Shots with AE/AF
• 180k-Pixel RGB Sensor and Group Area AF
• 14-Bit Raw Files and 12-Bit Raw S Format
• 1000 Base-T Gigabit Wired LAN Support
• Available in dual XQD or CF only versions (woohoo, they listened!)

Nikon isn’t messing around with this one, and as a Canon shooter I’m thinking this will probably blow away whatever Canon had in mind for the 1DX Mark II. Time will tell, but this is one that I’d definitely replace my 1DX for if I could afford – sadly, I can’t afford that nearly $6500 USD price tag!

Check out my review for the D4s, which really is one of the best sports cameras ever made now add this improved ISO, better burst capacity/speed, more AF points, and a better LCD (for 4k video) and you have the Ferrari of cameras right here!

Nikon D500 DSLR Camera

The Nikon D500 is poised to be the Canon 5D Mark III killer with its very affordable < $2k USD price point for a camera that offers features that are superior to the Canon 5DM3 in every category except megapixels (which the Canon pushes to hard anyway):

• 20.9MP DX-Format CMOS Sensor
• EXPEED 5 Image Processor
• 3.2" 2,539k-Dot Touch Screen LCD Monitor
• Video: 4K UHD 30 fps & 1080p 60 fps
• Multi-CAM 20K DX 153-Point AF Sensor
• Native ISO 51,200 Extended to 1,640,000
• 10 fps Shooting for Up to 200 Frames
• Built-In Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC
• In-Camera Time Lapse, Up to 9999 Frames

For as good as the D610 and D750 are, this really creates a super compelling option for people who otherwise might be considering the now dinosaur-like 6D or disappointing 7D Mark II.

Nikon SB-5000 AF Speedlight

Canon was destroying Nikon in the flash department with the excellent 600EX-RT, so it was only a matter of time before they answered with their own SB-5000 radio controlled flashed. This is probably the longest over due product on the market, so it’s good to finally see it arrive.

Conclusion

This is really huge news and more than I think Canon was planning for. It’ll be interesting to see if they proceed with their 1DX Mark II and 5DM4 rollouts this year, or if they go back to the drawing board for a more compelling offer before they show their cards.

Given Nikon’s history, you can really expect to be able to get these products by this March whereas Canon has a habit of announcing 6 – 12 months before they actually build them – and even then they are in limited supply. The Sony A7R Mark II is one of the most compelling and hottest cameras on the market now, so Nikon really needed this to stay alive in the DSLR space. It’ll be interesting to see what Canon does this week to respond as they can’t afford to be second fiddle to either Sony or Nikon in this competitive market.

Where to order

Click the images above to learn more or pre-order.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Nikon D4s (D4)
• Nikon D610 (D600 vs Canon)
• Nikon D750 - Yeah, you want this one!
• Nikon D810 (includes SIGMA 50mm Art & Otus 55mm)
• Nikon D7200 (and older model links)
• Canon 1D X (Real World Usage)
• Canon 5D Mark III First Look (For Parents Version)
• Canon 5Ds
• Canon 5DsR
• Canon 6D (vs Canon 5DM3 & D600)
• Canon 7D Mark II
• Canon 70D (Part II)
• Canon Rebel T6s/760D
• Ron’s Recommendations 

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Ask Ron: First Thoughts about the Canon 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

One of my readers asked me for my thoughts on the new Canon 7D Mark II, so here’s what I said…

Due to the wave of new product announcements it may be a while before I get around to reviewing one, but on paper it sounds very exciting. The 7D was a revolutionary body when it was released and for quite some time until the 5D Mark III & 1D X came out, it really had some features (like Zone AF) that I really longed for. Now one thing I hated about the 7D was its very mediocre image quality due to its sensor (shared with the 60D) – it just had too many megapixels for the size of the chip which resulted in more noise, softness and a lack of dynamic range that drove me nuts.

What I see in the new 7D Mark II is a camera that once again brings a lot of great features to the table and thankfully uses the same control layout as the 5D Mark III. I think this is huge because it makes a viable option as a 2nd body for 5D Mark III shooters who can benefit from the reach and performance this body offers, without having the lame design found on the 6D (which lacks the all-important joystick).

Woohoo - it's the 5D Mark III Rear Panel Layout

I’m glad to hear about the support for up to ISO 16000, but I’ll need to see it in action before I can really comment on its performance. I’m also glad to hear about the great 10fps burst mode with  dual DIGIC 6 processors and 65pt AF system that can keep up with the action as well as a buffer that can swallow up to 31 RAW files (using UDMA 7) before it chokes. I think these factors make it a much more practical sports camera than the highly anticipated Nikon D750 which appears to be competing more with the 5D Mark III than the 7D Mark II.

The top is just like the 5D Mark III with a more rugged design for the text on the mode dial

One very exciting feature to see built in finally is the intervalometer which avoids the need for the expensive and confusing to use TC-80N3. This will make this a great choice for time lapse photographers, and videographers on a budget are sure to enjoy this camera as well.

Conclusion

Overall I’d have to say that on paper this camera seems to be worth the wait and includes many features people have been longing for. It’s insane in this day and age that there’s a built-in GPS yet Wi-Fi (which is becoming standard on most cameras) is a ridiculously expensive $849 option. While I personally hate using WiFi on the camera, it is an option that people come to expect and desire so I’m perplexed why this camera wouldn’t have it when the 6D has it built in.

It’s a little thing, but I also suspect people will appreciate having the built-in flash as there are times when it comes in handy.

All in all, I think it’s a worthy upgrade for anyone who has an investment in EF-S lenses that they’d like to continue to use. This seems to be the best APS-C camera Canon has ever made, so that’s something for cropped sensor fans to be very excited about.

Where to order

Click here to learn more or order today on the B&H web site. My friends at Adorama have it available here and Amazon has it here.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Ron’s Recommendations 
• Canon 1D Mark IV New Users Guide / Shoppers Guide
• Canon 1D X (Real World Usage)
• Canon 5D Mark III First Look (For Parents Version)
• Canon 6D (vs Canon 5DM3 & D600)
• Canon 70D (Part II)
• Canon Rebel T5i/700D
• Canon EOS M
• Canon 600EX-RT Flash First Look (ST-E3 RT)
• Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake Lens
• Canon 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye Zoom
• Canon 24-70 f/2.8L II (vs 24-70 f/4L IS Comparison)
• Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM First Look
• Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS vs 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 DO
• Canon 200-400mm f/4L IS with 1.4X Extender
• Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS II at the Zoo
• Canon G1X vs G12 vs Fujifilm X10
• Canon G15 vs s110 vs G12
• Canon G16 vs s120 & Fujifilm X20
• Canon iPF6400/6450 vs iPF6300/6350 Comparison
• Canon PRO-1 Printer (PRO-10 Comparison)
• Canon Remote Releases and Cheap Alternatives
• Canon SX-80 Pro Photography Projector

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Thoughts on the new Fujifilm X100T, X-T1 Graphite & More announcements

Ok, I’ll admit it – I’m a bit of a Fujifilm fan boy because I’ve had quite a bit of enjoyment out of reviewing and owning X-series cameras. As a result, I get excited to hear about what’s new when new models are released. Amidst all the hoopla around the iPhone 6 announcement, I almost missed this one!

Fujifilm X100T Digital Camera

The Fujifilm X100s is a very good camera that I enjoyed reviewing quite a bit. I was very surprised when I had discovered a new replacement was already being released. The full press release is here, but the highlights are an improved rear LCD & hybrid viewfinder, finer grain control on things like the aperture ring, exposure compensation dial, and up to 7 programmable buttons. While interesting, I’m not seeing anything here that makes this camera worthy of an upgrade so this one will be lower on my review priority list than the new lenses mentioned later.

When I see the back of this camera I get concerned as it appears they’ve decided to standardize on the X-T1 selector buttons that didn’t work very well on the X-T1 unit I reviewed.

X100T Rear View featuring X-T1 selector buttons :(

Here’s the X100s Rear Screen view which shows a smaller screen than the new X100T but a new button layout which means some relearning for loyal X100 users. While I welcome the new display, I much prefer the x100s rear view design. From what I see everything on top and in front of the camera on the X100T improves for the better, so this may not be an issue for some.

X100s Rear View

One thing that perplexes me is why can’t Fujifilm just settle on one design? In my opinion, the best rear panel design in the Fujifilm line up is the X-E2, which is why I bought one myself:

X-E2 Rear View

This was a good design that worked and people liked it. I’m all for innovation and trying new things, but the new body changes seem to be making things worse rather than better.

New X-T1 Graphite Edition – Now Featuring Hard To Read Controls!

Fujifilm X-T1 (Graphite Silver Edition) - Rear View
Pay $200 more to have harder to read controls – hum?

I think one of the things that gets people excited about the Fujifilm X series cameras is their cool retro style, and the silver editions are always a big hit. Over time I’ve discovered that the black ones are infinitely more usable in the real world because they resist scratches better and are easier to read in the bright sunlight. However, I’d still call all of the past silver editions as usable. However, I’m really perplexed by the press photo shown above of the rear of the X-T1 because even in the photo the controls are hard to read. Perhaps it is just a bad photograph, but I can certainly imagine that the black on graphite text is going to be a challenge to read in the real world use.

I’m also saddened to see that in designing a new camera body that they didn’t use the opportunity to come up with a better selector button design like they have in the X-E2.

As a camera, the X-T1 is fantastic – one of my favorite Fujifilm’s – but this edition doesn’t inspire much confidence. My advice is to stick with the black X-T1. At the time of this writing it is $200 cheaper and has easier to read controls.

Now for the really fantastic news – finally the ultimate zoom lens for portrait photographers!

Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Lens

Without question, my most beloved lens for real world shooting is my 70-200mm f/2.8 with image stabilization. As a result, I was thrilled to see Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Lens which has an 35mm effective focal length of 76 - 213 mm – close enough!

I want this lens big time as it’s the perfect zoom lens for how I enjoy photographing people. Granted, the 56mm f/1.2 I’ve tested has been one of my favorite thus far – it’s tough to live without a zoom in a camera system that is designed to be compact. Of course, some might say that this lens is too big for that reason, but personally I’m glad to see see it added to the line up.

Here’s more info on Fujifilm’s site about this cool new lens.

New 56mm f/1.2R APD – for bokeh junkies who thought the current 56mm f/1.2 wasn’t good enough

Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD Lens

The still fairly new XF 56mm f/1.2 R is a fantastic lens, so I’m perplexed why a company with so many other needs in the lens department would release a new variant so soon. The answer lies in the APD designation which is supposed to offer much better bokeh than what is possible in the regular version – at a $500 premium. I’ll definitely have to test this lens because I was extremely happy with the bokeh of the non APD version that I tested as shown in the photo below, so I can’t see how the new one will really be $500 better.

However, for some more is better, so it’ll fun to be give it a try and see how it goes. However, it would have to be pretty incredible for me to recommend it over the existing 56mm which is a brilliant lens.

Here’s more info on Fujfilm’s site about APD.

For the record, I saw no problems with the bokeh from the original:

The original XF56mm f/1.2R does NOT have APD,
but I thought its bokeh quality was outstanding
(FUJIFILM X-E2, f/1.2 @ 56 mm, 1/300, ISO 400, No Flash – Unedited)

Conclusion

I’ll definitely get the lenses in for review, but I’ll not bother with the hard to read X-T1. The X100T will be in the queue for when I’m done with the lenses, or sooner if I get enough requests.

Share your thoughts – is this great news or would you have rather seen something else by Fujifilm announced?

[NOTE: Comments are not auto approved due to spam bots, so please only submit once and be patient for the comment to appear – sometimes days later. I do read every one!]

Where to order

Click the links above learn more or order from B&H. My friends at Adorama have a cool landing page for all of the new Fujifilm products featured here as well.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Fujifilm X100s
• Fujifilm X-E2
• Fujifilm X20 (X30 Review coming later this year)
• Fujifilm XPro-1
• Fujifilm XQ1 (vs X20 & Canon s110)
• Fujifilm X-S1
• Fujifilm X-T1 (includes 18-55mm & 23mm lens reviews)
• Fujifilm X-E1, X100s, X20 & X10 Compared
• Fujifilm XF 56mm & XF 10-24mm Lens Review

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.