Photography News

Choosing between a wider aperture and a longer zoom range is one of the most common trade-offs in APS-C lens selection, and few comparisons make that tension as concrete as the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 versus the Sigma 17-40mm f/1.8. These two lenses cost $200 apart, share the same weight, start at the same focal length, and yet produce noticeably different results depending on what you're shooting. 

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The latest winner of our popular daily photography theme which takes place in our forums have been chosen and congratulations go to Boulevardier (Day 8 - 'Panoramas').

 

Daily Theme Runners-Up

If you didn't win this time, keep uploading your images to the daily competition forum for another chance to win! If you're new to the Daily Theme, you can find out more about it in the Daily Theme Q&A. 

Well done to our latest runners-up, too, whose images you can take a look at below.

  Day 1

Villages & Towns

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Day 2

Underwater

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Day 3

Beachcomb

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Day 4

Any 'Colour'

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  Day 5

Horizontal Lines

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Day 6

Capture Culture

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Day 7

'Summer' Theme

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You’ll find the Daily Themes, along with other great photo competitions, over in our Forum. Take a look to see the latest daily photo contests. Open to all levels of photographer, you’re sure to find a photography competition to enter. Why not share details of competitions with our community? Join the camaraderie and upload an image to our Gallery.

 

It might seem strange to be out on the beach at night with your camera but you can get some interesting pictures so delay the visit to the pub for a little longer and do some night-time coastal photography once you have your sunsets in the bag.

  1. When To Shoot

The usual thinking for low light work is to shoot while there is still some colour in the sky and this helps avoid those stark black backgrounds. This is definitely good advice and helps you avoid pictures with too much light pollution, which comes out a yucky yellow and can look horrible. But after you've got your sunset shots, stay out after the twilight hour and continue shooting to even later.

You can try this photography at any time of the year, however you may prefer to wait until later in the year when the sunset isn't as late so you don't have to stay out for as long or late.

 

2. What To Shoot

As the sun sets, try shooting silhouettes or if the sky is particularly impressive, make this your focus. Later on, what you shoot is dependent on where you are. If you are at a traditional seaside resort with some nightlife there may be a pier and amusements that are worth shooting. On night's that are clear and the moon is full, try shooting some seascapes decorated in moonlight.

 

 

3. White Balance

The colours you get with different artificial lamps can vary, and you can get orange or green colour casts depending on the light type. Leave the camera in auto white balance and see how it copes with the light source. If you do not like the look of the results, try setting the colour temperature manually. To be honest, though, do not worry too much about weird colour casts because they can embellish the moodiness of the scene.

 

4. Flashguns

You could introduce your own light to close-by subjects thanks to flashguns. The flashgun on the camera hot-shoe will work fine for many scenes but beware of glare off glossy surfaces. 

 

5. Longer Exposures

Another way is to have the camera on the tripod, open the shutter on a long exposure setting of a few seconds or use the Bulb setting with a remote release to keep the shutter open while you fire the flash several times to light up foreground features. If you're working on the sand do make sure your tripod is balanced and secure.  This painting with light technique is fun and will need several attempts to perfect so don't expect to get it right straight away. When trying this technique, do not stand between the subject and the camera and fire the flash because your ghostly image will show. 

 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition

Printing the same image twice with two different profiles and then comparing them under controlled lighting is one of the most effective ways to sharpen your eye for print quality. Most people look at a finished print and react to it instinctively, but that habit makes it nearly impossible to diagnose what's actually working or failing. 

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Lightroom's masking tools are powerful, but there are times when a sky mask or landscape mask alone won't isolate exactly what you need. The intersect tool lets you combine two masks so only their overlapping area is targeted, giving you precise control that add and subtract alone can't match. 

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Thanks to modern architecture that favours glass and steel over bricks and mortar cities are full of reflections which give us an alternative way to photograph the places we live in.

 

1. Take A Walk 

You probably already know where you can find buildings with good reflective qualities in your town, but it's still worth having a walk around at different times of the day to find out when it's the best time to shoot.

 

2. Time Of The Day 

Surprisingly, with modern buildings bright sunlight can work really well so don't think your hunt for reflections is only limited to early and late parts of the day. However, weekend mornings are a good time if you don't want people in your shots but if there are people around, which may include security guards, and they ask you what you're doing just polity tell them as it's easier than having an argument and then them calling the police.

If you get a particularly spectacular sunset it's worth hanging back as the colours look really good when reflected in modern glass. The same goes for blue skies and white fluffy clouds. In fact, if you have a building that stands away from the rest of the high risers you can almost lose it in the sky.

 

3. Make The Ordinary Look Fab

Reflections are a great way of making the ordinary look extraordinary too and items we see every day such as trees, colourful signs and lamp posts suddenly turn into an abstract image of wavy lines, shapes and colour. They also give you the opportunity to photograph a well-known building in a different way.

 

 

4. Where To Stand

You can photograph the building almost straight on to produce a simple reflection or see if there's the opportunity to line up a shot where the real building meets the reflection so you can create a whole building from the two halves. The contrast of old vs new is something that's always worked well and it's not something that should be ignored here. A big, glass skyscraper reflecting an old, battered, slightly wonky pub can look really great.

 

5. Converging Vertical Issues

Don't get too hung up about converging verticals as with some modern buildings they can create an interesting composition. It may distort your reflection though so it's best to just experiment and see.

 

6. Go Wide & Add Detail 

If you do opt for using wides try giving your image a little foreground detail to fill what can be a big empty space and if you find you have a problem with glare at any time, just adjust your position until it's no longer in the shot.

 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition

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The latest winner of our popular daily photography theme which takes place in our forums have been chosen and congratulations go to Leon88 (Day 20 - 'Dog').

 

Daily Theme Runners-Up

If you didn't win this time, keep uploading your images to the daily competition forum for another chance to win! If you're new to the Daily Theme, you can find out more about it in the Daily Theme Q&A. 

Well done to our latest runners-up, too, whose images you can take a look at below.

  Day 16

Summer Show

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Day 17

Castles

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Day 18

Close-Up Portraits

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Day 19

Puddles

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  Day 21

Family Vacation

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Day 22

Statues & Sculptures

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Day 23

Stately Homes

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You’ll find the Daily Themes, along with other great photo competitions, over in our Forum. Take a look to see the latest daily photo contests. Open to all levels of photographer, you’re sure to find a photography competition to enter. Why not share details of competitions with our community? Join the camaraderie and upload an image to our Gallery.

Almost every camera has a shutter, the mechanism that controls how long light hits the sensor, but not all shutters work the same way. Among mechanical shutters, there are two main designs, the leaf shutter and the focal plane shutter, and the difference between them is not trivia. It determines how fast you can sync a flash, how quiet your camera is, how big and expensive your lenses get, and which kind of photography each system is best suited to. If you have ever wondered why a small fixed-lens camera can do something your big mirrorless body cannot, the shutter is often the reason.

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Red lights blinking on my NAS. Drive failure. Double drive failure. I'm on RAID 6, so the data's still there, but my heart rate has increased. My day is reprioritized — time to work on this.

So I did what we all do now — I asked the internet, specifically Google's AI, how to fix it. The advice was tactically good, but it missed the real problem, and a thought stuck with me: the same AI tech I was leaning on for answers is the reason storage just got so expensive.

When storage costs this much, having good discipline with your data management practice beats blind redundancy.

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Choosing between the 7Artisans 135mm f/1.8 and the Viltrox 135mm comes down to a real tradeoff: raw optical and autofocus performance versus a lighter, smaller package at a lower price. At $689, the 7Artisans sits well below the Viltrox, and that gap raises a fair question about what you're actually giving up. 

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You come home from a trip with hundreds of images, sit down to edit, and feel nothing. It happens more than most people admit, and it usually isn't a gear problem or even a skill problem. 

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Choosing the right portrait lens for an APS-C system is genuinely hard when the native options are expensive and heavy. The Viltrox 75mm f/1.8 and Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 are making a strong case for themselves as lightweight, affordable alternatives for Fujifilm, Sony, and Nikon APS-C shooters. 

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Window pulls are one of the most technically demanding parts of real estate photography post-processing, and getting them wrong is more obvious than most people expect. A bad blend doesn't just look overprocessed; it can make an entire interior shot read as fake, which undermines the entire purpose of the image. 

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Standing on a clifftop surveying a gorgeous vista can lift your spirits as high as the summer breeze. It doesn’t take much effort to sit still for half an hour listening to the gentle sounds of lazy waves, distant boats and calling sea birds and forget all about why you were there – to photograph a coastal panorama.

Coastal cliff top scenes or images shot from the shoreline can add that real something else to your portfolio and today’s software is very capable of helping you achieve your vision.  

Many people believe they need specialist tripod heads and other tools, but for a simple coastal vista, all you need is a correctly levelled tripod and a spirit bubble hot shoe level. It's also worth remembering that shooting manually (white balance, focus and exposure) will make life easier in the long-run as you probably won't have to spend extra time adjusting each image before stitching.

Before starting your panorama, do take a look at the foreground as if you have elements which are much closer to the camera you may want to consider moving to a different spot as the final image won't look right or stitch well unless you're using a purpose-built panoramic tripod head.

 

 

How To Capture The Perfect Panorama:

1. Ensure the tripod is set on sturdy ground. Alter the leg length for comfort, and then alter the length for a second time using the tripod's spirit bubble (most have this built-in), so that the tripod head will rotate on a horizontal plane.

2. Attach the camera with lens in either landscape or portrait orientation (depending on your view and the overall size you want your panorama to be) and check everything is level. When shot in landscape orientation, panoramas tend to be much more narrow but this can work well with some shots so do experiment. 

3. Look at the scene you are trying to capture and decide on a start and endpoint for your image.

4. Ensure the scene hasn’t got a speeding boat or the white line left from the wake that could occur in more than one image, as this will make the task of stitching the images together extremely difficult and could ruin the panorama. 

5. Quickly shoot the entire scene, making accurate movements. If you can imagine you have a protractor on the scene in front of you try to take a shot every 10-15 degrees. Always leave some overlapping (around one-third approximate overlap between each frame)  and use a remote / cable release if you have one to prevent shake as you don't want to get home to find that one out of the several images you've taken isn’t sharp. You may also want to shoot a little wider than necessary as the stitching process can often leave the end result requiring some cropping.

Owing to the growing popularity of Leica cameras in recent years, a bunch of new lens manufacturers have sprung up to provide much cheaper alternatives to Leica lenses. And what's particularly exciting is that, with the aid of modern technology, many rare and desirable Leica lenses from the past can now be reproduced with incredible accuracy.

  

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After years of shooting with various "crappy" cameras, I realized they're not always as bad as many would think.

 

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Welcome to the July installment of the Critique the Community!  This month's critique theme is going to be "Augmented with Artificial Intelligence," and we want to see your best photographs that have been enhanced using Artificial Intelligence. This could be headshots that have been retouched using Ai, architectural images that use Ai to clean up landscaping, real photoshoots that were planned or designed with the help of Ai, or simply photos that have been re-rendered using an Ai image generator.

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The Armadex OZC-3 compact camera is both familiar and also breaking new ground for an ePHOTOzine review. It is familiar in that it is based on the OM System TG-7 Shockproof and Waterproof camera, previously reviewed and recommended. It breaks new ground as it gives us a rare glimpse into a different photographic world, where requirements can be extremely specific and require appropriate testing and certification. Let's have a closer look at the ATEX zone 2/22 Explosion Proof Camera Armadex OZC-3, as far as we can do without being able to work directly in its specialised field of the construction industry.

 

Armadex OZC-3 Features

The camera is supplied with its own hard case that contains all the paperwork, the OM System TG-7 Basic manual and the Armadex variation leaflet that defines where the specification deviates from the basic model. Wherever there is a contradiction between the two, the Armadex instructions apply.

 

 

The most obvious difference is that the Xenon flash unit is totally disabled. This is a camera specifically designed as being Intrinsically Safe in ATEX zone 2/22 hazardous areas. The flash is disabled as any spark could potentially ignite any gas or flammable dust that may be present. The definitions for ATEX zones are complex, but in essence, the ones the camera is intended for are areas of relatively low and transient risk that relate to gases (zone 2) and flammable dust (zone 22). There is a wide range of construction and manufacturing situations where hazardous and potentially explosive situations may occur. The camera use will also be subject to whatever site rules may apply and the instructions specify that users should have a basic competence and understanding.

As mentioned above, the basic camera is the same as the OM System TG-7, weighing in at 249g with battery and memory card. Two protective 40.5mm UV filters are added and are intended to be left permanently in place. These filters create an air gap that should reduce the chance of misting of the lens if there are large temperature variations, such as entering the tropical section of a glasshouse. Dimensions are 113.9mm x 65.8mm x 65.8mm.

 

 

One of the most relevant sections of the menu is to be found under Scene mode. Once it has been switched on in the main menu, a Construction menu becomes available and offers several options where the camera sets up the appropriate camera settings. 

The Construction menu comprises:

• Construction 1 for standard construction scenes. Reduces white spots from dust or rain
• Construction 2 effective if C1 images are too dark. More resistant to camera blur
• Construction 3 for backlit scenes. Reduces dust influences
• Indoor – set for using flash but deactivated for this camera as the flash is deactivated. 
• Slow Shutter for night or dark scenes with tripod. Use of self timer suggested to reduce shake from pressing the shutter button
• Documents for shooting A3 or A4 documents. Makes lines of documents or drawings clearer
• Panorama for panoramic shots of the whole site. Follow the camera's instructions for panning the shot

 

Key Features of Armadex OZC-3

• Based on OM System TG-7
• Xenon flash unit de-activated
• LED light source can be used to replace flash
• For use in ATEX zone 2/22
• Two Hoya Prime XS UV filters for constant use, creating air gap
• Supplied in airline style hard protective case
• Examination and Certificate of Conformity 
• Construction Menu in Scenes setting
• Time stamp
• Macro mode
• Microscope mode
• Environmental logging
• OI Share App
• Sensor shift IS
• Waterproof to 15m
• OM System 4.5-18mm f/2-4.9 Zoom lens (“35mm equivalent” 25-100mm)
• CALS settings for standardised images for local authority work

 

Armadex OZC-3 Handling

My initial thought for this camera was that places such as oil rigs and chemical processing sites could be its areas of use, but a little investigation reveals that there are more applications than that. Explosive atmospheres can be found even in food manufacture, places with high levels of wood dust and areas with transient high gas levels but otherwise fairly well ventilated. There is also, of course, the more everyday construction industry where the tough water and dust proofing may be a challenge easily met. 

The two filters provided are intended to be used together, something that seems a little counter-intuitive in terms of expected quality. However, as regards image quality, it seems it makes no difference at all. There would appear to be no detriment in adding two stacked quality filters. However, the emphasis is on quality filters and the Hoya Prime XS used are of exemplary quality.

Flare resistance was looked at and directly compared with a regular OM System TG-7 and also the Pentax WG-8. All three cameras showed no flare in most shots, but all three showed a magnificent display of artefacts when there was a bright light source in the frame. This is our standard extreme flare test. In the case of the OZC-3, the effects are identical with and without the two filters, the conclusion being that the filters cause no reduction in performance of any kind and can be quite happily left in place.

There will always be a place for dedicated equipment and the OZC-3 is a perfect example of how standard kit can be developed and applied to specific,  specialised areas.

 

Armadex OZC-3 Sample Photos Previous Next

 

Value For Money

The Armadex OZC-3 is priced on their website at £1497.32 for the UK. This is the complete kit in its case.

There is no real comparison in that the regular waterproof/freezeproof cameras are not Intrinsically Safe in hazardous environments, so could not really be considered as alternatives. Just to put things into perspective, the pricing for the regular top of the line models is:

• OM System TG-7, £449
• Pentax WG-8, £429

Looking for advice and comments from those active in the construction area, the cost was not seen by them to be an issue. If the camera fulfilled its function, which it clearly does, then the price would be covered.

 

Armadex OZC-3 Verdict

Given the defined areas that the camera is designed for, the OZC-3 is defined as  Intrinsically Safe. This, in its turn, is defined as not being a potential source of ignition when in areas 2/22, but also keeping its non-incendiary status even if it develops a fault. By comparison, a non-inductive product would not continue to be safe once damaged nor faulty.

Apart from that, the camera has various features that enhance performance in the given situations, as well as, if required, operating in the same way as the OM System TG-7 that it is based upon. The exception here is that there will never be any flash capability as one of the safety features is the total removal of the Xenon flash. An LED light makes up for this.

This is all very specific and if its special features are needed, then the kit can be Highly Recommended.

 

Armadex OZC-3 Pros

• Intrinsically Safe
• Suitable for hazardous areas ATEX zone 2/22
• Construction Menu options
• Waterproof
• Crushproof
• Freezeproof
• Shockproof
• Good image quality
• Extensive underwater options
• Compact design

 

Armadex OZC-3 Cons

• Some features can only be found in menu settings

 

[REVIEW_FOOTER]R_features=4.5|R_handling=4.5|R_performance=4.5|R_value=4.5|R_overall=4.5|A_level=4.5|A_text=An Intrinsically Safe camera for use in ATEX zone 2/22 hazardous areas.|E_id=8016[/REVIEW_FOOTER]

 

View the Armadex OZC-3 camera specs in the equipment database.

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Stately homes are, in many cases, open to the public. Some are still lived in, with sections cordoned off from public viewing, but the rest is accessible, often with restrictions - no touching, often no flash and sometimes no photography. For those properties that do allow photography, you have the opportunity to photograph grand designs, walls with magnificent paintings, and rooms with exquisite furniture and other items.

1. What Gear Do I Need?

You will need an ultra-wide-angle lens to record interior room scenes something in the region of 10-20mm is best. For more detailed shots of the various trophies, antique collections and paintings you'll need a longer lens of around 100mm. Your standard zoom will be fine for most of the finer details. Tripods can't always be used so do check before you pack yours in the car. You're often asked to leave rucksacks and bags at reception areas so make sure you have a comfortable strap. A polarising filter will be very useful as many antique displays will be behind glass and the filter will help reduce reflections allowing the items behind the glass to be recorded clearly. 

  2. The Entrance

When you enter a stately home the first area is the reception area. This is usually a grand affair with a huge central or split staircase. There's often plenty of window light for illumination and often lots of wall decorations. If you're charged an entrance fee there's likely to be a ticket table to obstruct a full view and it's the area where you'll find the most visitors wandering around and getting in the way too. So timing is important and finding the best angle for a wide-angle shot. It's worth hanging around for a quiet moment to get the best shot.

  3. Around The Home

You're then usually ushered along in a certain direction around the house. Attendants will be in many of the rooms keeping an eye on possessions while helping visitors with facts about the house. If a 'no-camera' rule is present they will be vigilant in preventing your photography. If not feel free to fire away, but try to avoid getting helpers in shots. Watch for mirrors in back walls of rooms that will reflect the tourists and also try to avoid getting barrier ropes in shot. It can be quite challenging. Ropes can often be cloned out, but stand on tiptoes to make sure the rope is lower to the ground and not obscuring some important element that would be harder to clone out than a section of floor or carpet.

 

  4. Photographing Detail

In rooms that have glass, cabinets make sure your polarising filter is attached to reduce reflections and glare. For birds and stuffed animals try to crop tight on one creature. Focus on intricate carvings you'll find on furniture. Shoot the ceilings as patterns. If you include a chandelier watch the exposure - they are bright while the rest of the room will be dark and come out underexposed if you're not careful. If you can hold the camera steady (use a door or wall as support ) take a bracketed exposure sequence and combine in an HDR program later.

5. Indoor ISOs

If the room is dark increase the camera's ISO setting as far as you can without noise. Most cameras can safely go up to ISO800 without too much noise. Don't forget to turn it back when you go outside or into much brighter rooms.

 

 

6. Outdoor Architecture Shots

For outside shots of architecture and statues use a tripod to keep the camera steady. Look for positions where sculptures can be positioned in front of the grand architecture and shoot with a wide aperture to throw the background building out of focus - frame tightly for even more impact. Use the polarising filter if the statue or building is set against a blue sky as the filter will make the blue darker and the stone will stand out better.

Try walking around the grounds to find the best vantage points for an overall view of the house. At Chatsworth House, for example, you can get a shot from the gardens with the fountain and lake in front. While a walk onto the road into the estate provides a view from the bridge and climbing down to the edge of the riverbank gives a view with the bridge arch as a frame.

  7. Grounds & Gardens

Stately houses usually have magnificent gardens often designed by landscape gardeners and may include spectacular water features of cascades and fountains. Shoot into the light to get a backlit spray of water. Use a slow shutter speed to blur the path. Focus in close on gargoyles as the water spurts out of the mouth.

Visit the herb garden and shoot from a low viewpoint to get the sprigs of flowers against the sky. Then visit the greenhouses for more exotic plants and cacti. Depending on the time of year you will find a vibrant range of spectacular colours in the well-kept gardens of stately homes.
 

You've read the technique now share your related photos for the chance to win prizes: Daily Forum Competition

You frame a landscape with a striking rock in the foreground and mountains on the horizon, you focus on the mountains because that is your subject, and when you get home the foreground rock is soft. Or you focus on the rock, and the mountains go mushy. The scene your eye saw as sharp from front to back will not cooperate. The fix is more than a century old and it is one of the most useful, and most misunderstood, ideas in landscape photography: the hyperfocal distance. 

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