Amateur Photography

8/09/2014

Adobe Lightroom 5 Reviews 2014

Is a standalone version of Adobe Lightroom 5 a better alternative to renting Photoshop?

Adobe Lightroom 5

Adobe Lightroom has become a popular choice for amateurs. enthusiasts and pro's who want an all in one software package to edit and process images (specifically Raw files) quickly and with excellent result. It's best summed up as a streamlined version of Photoshop with tools focused towards processing images rather than heavy manipulation. Ths asks the question though does it make a better one off buy for the majority of users compared to Photoshop. which is now only available to rent on a month by month basis through Adobe's Creative Cloud?

New Features

We were impressed by the features offered in Adobe Lightroom 4 and Adobe has managed to to one better by introducing some intuitive features that are bound to receive a warm reception. The workspace is split into the same seven modules as before and although no major changes have been carried out in the Library module (the area where images are rated. organised and exported) many of the new features have been introduced.

To the Develop module, where global and localised adjustments are carried out in a non destructive way. The most significant development is the introduction of Smart Previews - a new function tailored for photographers who'd like to edit shots on the move without overfilling the storage capacity on a portable device, such as a laptop. The way it works is that smaller smart Previews Image files are generated as they're imported. When you become disconnected from your main hard drive where original files are stored you;re given the freedom to edit any Smart Previews in the same way you normally would, and it's these changes that can then be applied back to the full size originals after reconnecting the portable device to the hard drive. This simple but effective process will play a huge part in speeding up a busy photographer's work-flow and storage demands.

Another new feature is the Advanced Healing Brush - a tool intended to offer more control and flexibility when cloning. Unlike circular healing tools it's now much easier to remove irregular imperfections in an image by simply brushing over unwanted object. Adobe's Content Aware technology studies the best pixels to use for replacement, or ther;s the option to sample the pixels if you;d prefer.

There's also a new Upright tool to correct images taken askew. ALthough this could be done using the Crop tool, the UPright tool is intended to speed up the process and straighten images with a single click after analysing the horizontal and vertical lines within an image. The new Radial Gradient tool is also well received and improves on the Post Crop Vignetting function. Unlike Adobe Lightroom 4. you can now create off centre vignettes around a subject to draw you viewers eyes to the heart of the image, with the option to also create multiple vignettes within a single image if this should be desired.

Moving into the book module (the dedicated area that's used to create Photobooks through the company blurb) there's now the option to modify templates rather than replying on set layouts. In the Slide show module. HD video can also now be merged with images and music, with option images from video footage just like Adobe Lightroom 4.

The new radial gradient filter lets you choose where you'd like to apply a vignette rather than always applying it in the centre of an image. It gives you the option to create more than one Vignette and provides great control with a total of 14 adjustment sliders.

The Book module has been modified and now allows you to adjust templates by changing the size of images that appear on the page. There's still no option to create your own templates from scratch - a feature we'd like to see in a future release.

The Advanced Healing Brush lets you paint over large distractions to remove them easily. There's the choice of using the pixels that the software thinks are best for replacement or you have the choice of selecting the area of pixels you want it to use.

"Unlike Adobe Lightroom 4, you can now create off centre vignettes around subjects to draw your viewers' eyes to the heart of the image"

Performance & Interface The design of the interface is unchanged with the exception of the new options and features appearing in their respective modules. The clean, Uncluttered arrangement of thumbnails, options and adjustments is sublime and the dark grey interface with a light grey tone in the centre gives it a modern appearance without feeling daunting for beginners.

In use, we experienced no teething troubles with the new features when running it on a 3.2 GHz intel Core i3 iMac, but we did pick up on a couple of other minor issues, Low resolution files didn't seem to retain the sharpening and noise reduction adjustments we;d applied after they;d been exported, and the files we had selected in the grid view weren't the same as those selected in the film-strip. Adobe stressed that the film-strip selection of images is the correct selection to go by and promises that a future update (expected as this issue went to press) will address these annoying grid selection and exporting bugs.

The program otherwise ran smoothly with no infuriating delays, The advanced Healing Brush makes it a lot easier to achieve flawless cloning result when attempting to remove larger imperfections. where previously images may have had to be worked on In Photoshop. One area that hasn't been improved in Adobe Lightroom 5 is the preset it. In a future version we'd like an even longer list of creative and artistic presets that could be applied with a single click. One example could be a tilt/shift effect or maybe artistic and distressed border edge presets. We know Adobe already has some of this functionality within Photoshop Elements, so maybe it won't be long before Adobe Lightroom adopts it too?

Pros and cons

Pros

- Advanced Healing Brush tool
- Radial Gradient tool
- better photobook customisation

Cons

- Bugs with initial release
- No new presets
- Lacks export options to social media

Verdict

Although we wouldn't say Adobe Lightroom 5 is a huge step up from Lighroom 4, the new features it offers will appeal to a wide audience, especially those who'd like to take advantage of Smart Preview editing on the move. The Radial Gradient Filter is one of our favourite new features and offers superb vignetting control, while other improvements such as altering the size of images when arranging a photobook add up to make it a better all round package.

It's compatible with most of the latest Raw files produced by the latest cameras and makes a great choice if you've owned Photoshop but are put off by upgrading to Adobe's new pay monthly pricing plan. it's unknown for how long Adobe Lightroom will escape the Creative Cloud subscription service on a permanent basis, so it's worth buying as a one off while you can and revert to using another version of Photoshop for more complex imaging tasks.

For organising, editing and outputting images there's no other software that comes close to offering what Adobe Lightroom. It's great to use and has the potential to transform your editing for the better.

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Adobe Adobe Lightroom 5 Reviews 2014 Adobe Lightroom has become a popular choice for amateurs. enthusiasts and pro's who want an all in one software package to edit and process images (specifically Raw files) quickly and with excellent result. Andrian Manhatan Adobe Adobe Lightroom 5

4.5 / 5

8/08/2014

PANASONIC LUMIX LF1 Reviews Updates

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Enthusiast compact that features a built-in electronic viewfinder and 7.1x optical zoom

Rather than employing the same 10.1MP 1/1.7in Live Mos sensor found in the LX7. The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1 features a 12.1MP 1/1.7in Live MOS sensor with an ISO range from 80 to 6400 that can be expanded to 12.800 if needed. The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1 manages to pack in one of the longest reaching zoom lenses for an enthusiast compact, with a 7.1x 28-200mm optical coverage. It's not quite as wide as some rivals or as fast, with a variable maximum aperture range f/2-5.9. but you get that extra reach at the long end.

The feature that's going to cause the most interest on The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1 is the inclusion of an electronic viewfinder (EVF). with the 0.2in EVF sporting a 200k-dot resolution and a 100% field of view that shares a similar if not identical specification to EFVs found on some Panasonic bridge cameras such as the FZ62. Complementing the EVF is a 3in. 920k-dot display.

With The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1 designed for both those looking for a quality point and shoot compact and for more experienced users, The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1 features a broad range of shooting modes including iA+ (Intelligent Auto) for assisted shooting, Creative Control, Panorama as well as manual, aperture and shutter priority modes.

The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1 features both WI-FI and NFC connectivity options, while if you;re looking to shoot video, there's the choice of Full HD 1920 x 1080 at 50i in AVCHD or 25p with MP4 output, while sound can be recorded in stereo provided that you're shooting in AVCHD.

Design

The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1 eschews the design of the LX7 and instead opts for a more sleek and unfussy look that's a little reminiscent of Sony's RX100. its proportions are a little closer to Canon's PowerShot S110 or Nikon's Coolpix P330 though, with dimensions of 102,5 x 62.1 x 27.9mm meaning that it'll easily slip into most pockets and the weight won;t be too troublesome either, coming in at 192g. It has a quality feel and while the curved edges mean there's no space for a hand-grip as such, it still feels comfy in the hand.

Unlike the LX7 which has a dedicated aperture control ring, The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1 has a multifunctional control ring that can be set up to control aperture, shutter speed, ISO and Creative Control, meaning exterior body controls are kept to a minimum.

Performance

Whether using 1-Area, 23-Area or Face Detection AF modes, focus was snappy and only struggled slightly in low contrast scenes which is to be expected, though we'd be hesitant to use the AF Tracking mode on fast moving subjects. It;ll happily track a subject across the frame, but rapid or erratic movements from you subject will see tracking lost - but this is not unique to The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1.

The EVF is a welcome and useful addition to The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1, and something many people have been calling out for in a compact camera of this size. But there;s no getting away from the fact that the display is quite small, while colours appears rather muted compared to the ear 3in display and the level of detail offered is limited it;s perhaps unreasonable to expect anything more when you consider the size of the camera and the fact that it's unique feature for a camera of this class. Keep your expectations in check and the EVF is more than adequate for general composition, particularly in bright sunlight when it can be nearly impossible to frame shots on rear screen, making it a real benefit.

The rear 3in display is good, delivering a decent amount of clarity and crispness, though it doesn't quite deliver the same punch as WhiteMagic display used on the Sony RX100 or AMOLED based screens.

The Control Ring round the lens allows you to make quick exposure adjustment, while the flexibility to program it to a desired setting is welcome, with adjustment clearly displayed in the rear screen or EVF, Combined with the additional function button and the four preset controls, and you've got pretty much everything at your fingertips, though if needed there's a quick menu to access other key settings of The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1.

Image Quality

In most instances The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1 will expose nicely for the scene, though we did find in bright conditions there's a bias towards retaining shadow detail at the expense of blown highlight, requiring exposure compensation to be applied.

Noise only faintly becomes present at ISO 800. Above this and noise reduction comes into play, with result losing definition in an effort to combat noise - at ISO 6400 results look distinctly patchy and waxing, though Raw Files are much better.

Verdict

While the LX7 may suit enthusiasts better, those looking for a quality pocket compact camera will find there;s lots to like about The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1, its compact size, straight forward handling, decent zoom range, great images, Wi-fi connectivity and the inclusion of a build in EVF all combine to make The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1 a great premium compacts.

Pros

Build in EVF
Wi-fi connectivity
Zoom range
Resolution
Handling

Cons

EVG is quite small
Slow maximum aperture
MUted colours

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PANASONIC LUMIX LF1 Reviews Updates While the LX7 may suit enthusiasts better, those looking for a quality pocket compact camera will find there;s lots to like about The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1, its compact size, straight forward handling, decent zoom range, great images, Wi-fi connectivity and the inclusion of a build in EVF all combine to make The PANASONIC LUMIX LF1 a great premium compacts. andrian manhatan PANASONIC LUMIX LF1

5 / 5

8/06/2014

Nikon Coolpix A VS Sigma Dp1 Merrill

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Nikon Coolpix A Previews

With the same sensor as the acclaimed D7000 DSLR, the Coolpix A certainly promises great things

The Coolpix A borrows the Graphic user interface from NIkon's DSLR line. as well as the sensor from the D7000 DSLR, and fits them into a slender, pocket-able body.

Nikon has developed a new 18,5mm optic for the model, with a 28mm-equivalent focal length and a respectable maximum aperture of f/2.8 while the inclusion of a hot-shoe on the top plate ensures compatibility with the company's family of Speed-light flashguns in addition to a handful of other accessories.

The camera goes on to list many other features commonly found in its DSLRs, Including Raw shooting in Nikon's NEF format, a 3in LCD screen with a 921k-dot resolution, and the Virtual Horizon levelling feature. Full HD videos can also be REcorded. With control over exposure on hand.

As is common among such cameras the Coolpix A offers a moderate level of customisation, which includes two user-specific settings on the mode dial and function buttons on the camera's front and rear plates. Those wanting to manually focus may do so with the ring which encircles the lens, while anyone with a keen interest in time-lapse photography will be pleased to learn of a built in interval-meter.

Performance

Anyone familiar with Nikon's DSLR line will be able to start shooting with the coolpix A with little bother, thanks to the adoption of the same interface. what they, or anyone else may find more difficult to uncover is the way of accessing the movie setting, which is bizarrely buried within the camera's Release mode settings (the closest you can get to convenience is to assign the Release mode to a Function button).

Although the buttons on the left side of the LCD necessitate two handed operation with the command dial, this soon becomes second nature. There's much to like elsewhere too, the camera powers up promptly with a gentle nudge of the collar around the shutter release button. and there's Virtually no delay before the camera's ready to shoot. The LCD screen is crisp and high in Contrast, and it shows plenty of detail which makes checking focus easy.

The autofocus system does tend to slow things down, however, bouncing back and forth more than expected before any confirmation. although in good light it's unlikely to be deemed "too" slow in poor light, meanwhile, the AF assist lamp does at least help to keep speeds reasonable.

Nikon has combined an aluminium alloy body with a magnesium top plate for the Coolpix A, and fashioned most of the dials out of metal too, At just shy of 300g when loaded with a battery and card the camera is certainly lighter than expected. and it's difficult to find any weaknesses around the body. Some may take umbrage at the lack of a more substantial grip, although the slim leatherette strip does at least help to keep size and weight down. One could argue the buttons on the rear don't protrude far away from the back plate, although all press positively into the camera.

Sigma DP1 Merrill Previews

With a totally different sensor from almost any other camera, does the DP1 Merrill offer anything special?

As with Sigma's other cameras, the DP1 Merrill uses a sensor based on the Foveon X3 Direct IMage technology, where by the extent to which wavelengths of light penetrate its silicon layers determine the colour. This differs from the more conventional method of capturing a single colour at each photo-site and interpolating the other two primary colours from neighbouring values.

Because of this. Sigma claims the camera has a 46MP sensor, by which it means there are there 15.3MP layers. although opening up such an image in an image editing program shows images to measure 14.75MP.

The rest of the camera's specs adhere to the more traditional enthusiast compact template. The 19mm f/2.8 prime lens equates to 28mm in 35mm term. while the 3in LCD screen bears a 920k-dot resolution. The body shares its magnesium alloy construction with many other enthusiast compacts, while full manual exposure control. Raw shooting and hot-shoe all feature too, although videos can only be recorded to a maximum VGA resolution (640 x 480) which is disappointing for a camera of the DP1 merrill's billing.

Performance

The camera turn on in around a second but it's only ready to focus and shoot after a further slight delay. the fact that it also doesn't sport a convenient built in lens cover (as on many other models) mean that the lens cap also needs to be removed before shooting, which makes start up a two stage process.

although the camera's 920k-dot LCD screen is capable of resolving fine detail, this is only realised when using the menus and playing back image, When composing-images, the feed shows significantly less detail, which is further compromised by artefacts, and colours are relatively desaturated when composing images too. ALl of this is disappointing when you consider the discerning user at which the camera is targeted, and makes checking accurate focus more difficult than it should be.

The menu system is difficult to fault though, its construction logical and descriptions clear and unabbreviated. The ease with which the command dial can be accessed by the forefinger also makes its navigation easy. while the QS button allows you to jump to and change eight commonly-used settings without entering the main menu, which speeds things up.

While a bulky body can sometimes benefit the way a camera handles, the portly DP1 Merrill's delivers a less than satisfactory handling experience. This is largely thanks to the lack of a proper grip of thumb rest, which makes the smooth body feel less secure in the hand than desired. this being said, the command dial is far easier to operate than on similar models given both its size and positioning, while the broad rear plate allows enough room for a well spaced set of controls There's also no doubting the camera's solidity, with its magnesium alloy body unyielding to any pressure.

How They Compare

Each Camera has its plus and minus points on its own, but how do they fare against each other?
These three cameras share many commonalities. Each has an APS-C sensor without an anti aliasing filter - the only notable difference here is Sigma's non standard Foveon X3 sensor architecture - as well as a lens with an effective focal length of 28mm and a maximum aperture of f/2.8 Each also has a 3in LCD screen. The DPI1 merrill is notable for being the only camera not to have an HD video mode, with its VGA video option an underwhelming substitute (although to many this won't be a deal breaker) it's also the only camera not to have a built in flash, which is particularly disappointing considering its dreadful high sensitivity performance.