Connect with us

Camera

Interview: Kristin Bedford digs into Los Angeles’ lowrider culture with ‘Cruise Night’

Published

on

Interview: Kristin Bedford digs into Los Angeles’ lowrider culture with ‘Cruise Night’
The cover of ‘Cruise Night,’ available now.

Kristin Bedford isn’t afraid to commit to a project. Her style of long-term storytelling has taken her to live among a deeply religious community in Philadelphia, explore storefront churches in the South, and most recently to Whittier Blvd. in East Los Angeles to document the lowrider car community there.

“For 70 years, members of the Mexican American community [in L.A.] have been expressing their identity through car culture. I wanted to photograph and understand how transforming a car was integral to being seen and heard”

“The underlying theme of all of my projects is an interest in social justice and how communities express their civil rights in a society that often marginalizes them,” she says of her work. Bedford’s interest in lowriding culture started from an interest in the politics of Ruben Salazar, a Mexican American journalist and civil rights activist who was killed in 1970. It may seem like an unlikely path, but as Bedford sees it the ideas that Salazar stood for are omnipresent in the lowriding culture today.

She started shooting in 2014 and continued to work on the project until 2019. This spring she released the intimate and unstaged photos as a book called Cruise Night (available now here and here). Here, Bedford talks to us about how she became interested in lowriding culture, how she gains the trust of her subjects, and the unique perspective she brings to a project, as an outsider.


‘Luscious Illusion’ | New Class Car Club | Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, CA | July 22, 2018

How did you get started with this project?

My path to lowriding came from an interest in how the customization of a car is all about having a voice – politically, culturally, and creatively. Lowriding is a worldwide phenomenon, but for Mexican Americans in Los Angeles, it has a unique significance.

“The way that I work is I let the photos tell me what the story is about. I make the work in the field and then I go back to my art studio and I quietly look at the images and I just see what speaks to me”

For 70 years, members of the Mexican American community here have been expressing their identity through car culture. I wanted to photograph and understand how transforming a car was integral to being seen and heard. I went to my first ‘cruise night’ in December 2014. As soon as I arrived I knew that I was in the right place. It was a pretty immediate confirmation of my intuition about lowriding and this phenomenon and the community.

‘Gypsy Rose’ | Imperials Car Club | Hawaiian Gardens, CA | July 12, 2015

Did you have any interest in car culture before you started photographing Cruise Night?

I didn’t know anything about cars, I had to learn everything from scratch. I’m not an expert on anything when I go into it, so I have to learn – I order every used book possible, I print out people’s thesis – with lowriding it was the same. I had to start from the beginning.

“I’m not an expert on anything when I go into it, so I have to learn – I order every used book possible, I print out people’s thesis – with lowriding it was the same”

One of the key elements was Ruben Salazar. He was a civil rights activist and reporter, the first Mexican American journalist for mainstream media to cover the Chicano community. During Chicano Moratorium March against the Vietnam War he was hanging out at a place called the Silver Dollar Cafe in East L.A. and the Sheriff’s department shot tear gas into this cafe and he was killed; this was in 1970. My father was this bohemian, activist filmmaker and had told me about him when I was a little girl. When I grew up I looked him up, I heard interviews with him, and Ruben Salazar was someone who just resonated with truth.

When I moved to L.A., I figured out where East L.A. was and where the Silver Dollar Cafe was and I was curious about where that voice, Salazar’s voice, was now. Obviously, it’s in a multitude of places, but lowriding is one of those. It was kind of this confluence of many things: the place, thinking about Ruben Salazar’s legacy and thinking about truth. That’s when I decided to learn about lowriding.

‘Yahaira’ | Millenium Car Club | Los Angeles, CA | December 27, 2015

All of this sounds so intellectual, but when I get to a project I have no agenda. I leave all of that at the door. It’s literally what takes me to the door and then I walk in and I have no end goal. I never even know how long a project is going to last, I don’t know what a project is about – people would ask me and I’d tell them, ‘I have no clue yet’.

“It was completely organic that women are so prominent in ‘Cruise Night'”

The way that I work is I let the photos tell me what the story is about. I make the work in the field and then I go back to my art studio and I quietly look at the images and I just see what images speak to me. I have all these big tables at my studio. And as each [image] would come along I would print it out and put it there on the table and eventually would see the voice of the project. It took many years for that to happen.

‘Lupita’ | Highclass Car Club | Cypress Park, Los Angeles, CA | June 13, 2015

As an outsider what perspective do you think you brought to this project?

My initial interest was in this communal self-expression and that’s what brought me to lowriding; once I began making photographs I had no agenda. My process is to completely turn myself over to the unknown. It’s grounded in mystery and I let the photos tell me what the project is about.

“It became clear to me that the visual narrative culture of lowriding, and automotive culture of all types, is entirely shaped by men”

Over time I realized that many of the photos from this series featured women. It was completely organic that women are so prominent in Cruise Night. During this project, I realized, for the first time, that I am a woman photographer, which was a completely novel thought to me. I never thought that my gender had anything to do with what I do. When I saw the reverent, quiet and natural photos of women lowriders that I made, I discerned that it was a woman connecting with other women. I also reflected on why I had not seen images like this before. And it became clear to me that the visual narrative culture of lowriding, and automotive culture of all types, is entirely shaped by men.

Male-dominated imagery usually portrays women as sexual accessories who pose in bathing suits, stiletto heels or lingerie, beside a car. I think that maybe it took a woman photographer to break through that mold and tell a new story. When I was in my studio looking at my photos, I realized that I was unfamiliar with these depictions of women. I didn’t have any pre-existing ideas about how something should be, I was just being me.

‘Samantha’ | At It Again Car Club | Elysian Park, Los Angeles, CA | May 7, 2017

At what point while working on Cruise Night did you realize that the women in this community were an important and overlooked piece of the story?

It was very early on that I noticed that women were there, but it took time to see how they would play into the story. There were a lot of women present [at cruise nights]; there are women who have cars, more now than ever, and people bring their whole families. Women are a really large part of the culture, but it’s usually men who are photographed.

“Women are a really large part of the culture, but it’s usually men who are photographed”

Some of the pictures in the book I took literally the first cruise night that I went to, and they have stillness and quietude that is very expressive. It’s there from day one, and the photos of women are there from day one. There is a picture of Raquel sliding out of her boyfriend’s Impala while we were on a road trip in Vegas, and you just see her legs. I took that picture really early on; the vibe and the feeling are elegant, integral, and natural.

‘Raquel’ | Las Vegas, NV | October 11, 2015

What gear were you using to shoot these images?

I only use available light, there are no strobes or flashes. When I think about photographing a community of people I think about how I would like to be treated. I would not want somebody shooting next to me with a flash, it’s very uncomfortable. All of the photos are unstaged, there is no posing or created environments.

“I like walking that line of fine art and realism; I’m not a photojournalist, I’m not out to get any story, in fact, I’m like the opposite. Photojournalists are sent out on assignment and I’m just out wandering around in the unknown”

I use a 35mm lens and the distance that I appear to be from the subject is often the actual distance. If you see a photograph from inside of a car, it exists because I was in the car. The story of the lens that you use often tells the story of the relationship that you have with the subject. Some things, like sports, you aren’t going to get close to and so it makes sense to use a zoom/long lens. But when it comes to communities and being an outsider of the community, there is a very disturbing association with the zooms/long lenses.

I think that the fixed 35mm lens is also a reflection of trust and kinship and community. The pictures are so intimate and they are so close. I think that once you know I wasn’t zooming in, I was that close to the subject, it tells another story too.

‘Kandy Lavender & Magenta’ | Barrio Logan, San Diego, CA | April 22, 2017

What is it you like most about the 35mm focal length?

I use a 35mm lens for everything. My background is as a street photographer and so I don’t like a lot of distortion. The 35mm offers that little extra space [compared to other ‘normal’ focal lengths] and that’s all that I need. I did one day take out a wider angle lens and when I went back and looked at the pictures that day it felt like the language of journalism, just a little bit more width than I wanted. It felt like I was looking at a very traditional journalistic story.

I like walking that line of fine art and realism; I’m not a photojournalist, I’m not out to get any story, in fact, I’m like the opposite. Photojournalists are sent out on assignment and I’m just out wandering around in the unknown for years on end. It couldn’t be more contrary.

‘Kandy Lime’ | Klique Car Club | Barrio Logan, San Diego, CA | April 22, 2017

How did you earn the trust of your subjects and gain access?

I spend the majority of the time listening and getting to know people and very little of the time actually making photographs. Relationships and trust are at the core of my practice. I always keep my camera out so people know why I’m there, but my priority was really connecting with the lowriders, and that was through time.

“Relationships and trust are at the core of my practice. I always keep my camera out so people know why I’m there, but my priority was really connecting with the lowriders, and that was through time”

For me to make something new and honest I have to understand a community. The Mexican American lowriding community was always kind and generous and supportive of me. They knew right away that I had the deepest respect for the tradition and that I appreciated lowriding as an art form. My love and respect for what they do helped build those relationships. And then it’s just time, hanging out in a lot of parking lots and alleys; I’d hang out and get to know people, learn the infrastructure of lowriding, how it’s organized, and the history.

‘Purple Rain’ | Our Style Car Club | Los Angeles, CA | July 22, 2018

When did you decide that this story needed to be published as a book?

Probably six months into the project I was clear it was going to be a book, in part because a book is a very democratic form of expression. A lot of the people that I photographed had demanding work schedules, maybe they have multiple jobs, maybe they don’t have traditional leisure time.

The book is a very democratic format because you can look at it in your own time; if you don’t have money it can be in a library and you can look at it there. When I was thinking about how to distribute the work and how to share it, a book seemed like the fairest form, given that people have such different circumstances.


More images from Cruise Night


About Kristin Bedford

Kristin Bedford’s photography explores race, visual stereotypes, and communal self-expression. Through long-term engagement with communities, Bedford makes photographs that invite us to reconsider prevalent visual narratives around cultural and spiritual movements.

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Camera

Tamron announces 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 for Nikon Z mount

Published

on

By

Tamron announces 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 for Nikon Z mount


Image: Tamron

Tamron has announced it will release its popular 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 fast standard zoom for Nikon’s Z-mount.

Nikon already sells a 28-75mm F2.8 with an optical formula and calculated MTF charts that are a match for Tamron’s original, stepper-motor driven 28-75mm F2.8 Di III RXD. The newer, linear-motor-driven G2 model features improved optical performance.


Buy now:


The G2 uses a more complex 17 element / 15 group design and has a fractionally shorter minimum focus distance (18cm/7.1″ vs 19cm/7.5″) to deliver very slightly increased maximum magnification. The G2 is also a fraction lighter than the Nikon-branded 28-75mm, weighing 550g (19.4oz), rather than 565g (19.9oz). On the E-mount versions, Tamron claimed the VXD linear motor design was twice as fast as the RXD version.

The focal length range makes the 28-75mm a wide to short-telephoto lens for Nikon’s full-frame Z-mount cameras but could, in principle, be used as a 42-113mm equivalent on DX APS-C bodies, if you wished.

Click here to see the Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 G2 gallery shot on Sony E-mount

The announcement adds a more affordable option for Nikon’s Z-mount users, but the hope has to be that, letting Tamron compete against its own-brand lenses, might also indicate some relaxation of Nikon’s restrictions around the mount. As the footnotes make clear, this lens is “developed, manufactured and sold under the license agreement with Nikon Corporation.”

The Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD will be available from April 18th at an MSRP of $999. This is $100 more than the E-mount version and a match for the current price of the Nikkor Z 28-75mm F2.8. It’s $200 below Nikon’s launch price for the Nikkor version.

TAMRON announces the launch of fast-aperture standard zoom lens for “Nikon Z mount system”

28-75mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (Model A063) for Nikon Z mount

March 27, 2024, 11pm ET / 8PM PT, Commack, NY – Tamron announces the launch of the 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (Model A063), a fast-aperture standard zoom lens, for Nikon Z mount full-frame mirrorless cameras1. The lens will be available April 18, 2024, at $999 USD / $1399 CAD.

The 28-75mm F2.8 G2 is compact and easy to use yet has excellent optical performance and is compatible with the latest digital cameras with increasingly high pixel resolution. The AF drive uses a linear motor focus mechanism VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) that is fast, highly accurate and quiet. The lens also excels at close-up shooting, achieving an MOD (Minimum Object Distance) of 7.1” (0.18m) at the wide end and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.7. Additionally, the lens design takes operability into consideration by including a coating with excellent scratch resistance on the barrel of the lens and a rubber focusing ring for a comfortable, secure grip among other features.

TAMRON pioneered the category of compact fast-aperture standard zoom lenses for mirrorless models. Now the 28-75mm F2.8 G2 will be available for Nikon Z mount as the ideal everyday lens for Nikon full-frame mirrorless camera users.

Product highlights

1. Best image quality in the standard zoom lens class

The new zoom leverages the latest design expertise and comprises an optical construction with 17 elements in 15 groups. Two optimally arranged LD (Low Dispersion) and GM (Glass Molded Aspherical) lens elements control optical aberrations to the highest degree. The lens provides high-resolution performance from edge-to-edge and corner-to-corner over the entire zoom range, even at wide open aperture. In addition, the soft, beautiful, round bokeh that can be achieved with a fast-aperture lens adds a distinctive dimension, especially to portraits. The overall compact size and high performance can be used advantageously with top-class, ultra-high-resolution mirrorless cameras.

2. Fast, quiet VXD linear motor for high-speed and high precision autofocus

The AF drive system employs TAMRON’s VXD linear motor focus mechanism. The high-speed, high-precision AF is exceedingly responsive and provides dependable and accurate focusing performance from MOD to infinity, despite the fast F2.8 aperture. The lens delivers excellent focus tracking of moving objects, so you are always ready for fast action. Additionally, the focus motor is quiet, so it’s ideal for shooting both still images and video in situations that demand low noise.

3. Lightweight and compact

The 28-75mm F2.8 G2 is a fast-aperture standard zoom lens with a remarkably compact and lightweight design, just 4.7” (119.8mm) long. The maximum diameter is 75.8mm and it weighs only 19.4 oz. (550g). Filter size is 67mm. With a size that’s easy to carry and a light weight that’s well-suited for handheld shooting for extended periods, the 28-75mm F2.8 G2 will surely become your favorite zoom for travel, street shooting, everyday carry, and spontaneous photo opportunities.

4. MOD of 7.1” (0.18m) at the wide end and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.7 for creative close-ups

The 28-75mm F2.8 G2 features an MOD of 7.1” (0.18m) at the wide end. The working distance shrinks to around 1.7” (4.4cm) when used at MOD. Because the maximum magnification ratio is 1:2.7, you can get close to your subject for wide macro photography, enabling powerful visual impact with the subject positioned large in the frame while keeping a wide view of the background.

5. TAMRON Lens Utility™ expands the possibilities of still photography and video shooting

The 28-75mm F2.8 G2 is compatible with the dedicated TAMRON Lens Utility software developed in-house by TAMRON that empowers users to easily update the lens to the latest firmware without going through the camera2 and includes functions to support focusing operations and other actions when shooting still images or video. By utilizing a wide range of functions3, users can expand the breadth of expression in still images and video. For example, A-B Focus allows users to limit focusing to two pre-selected focus points, shifting focus from one subject to the other with just a click of the Focus Set Button. Users can also choose between Linear and Non-Linear, which affects how the focus shifts during manual focusing.

6. Enhanced overall lens design for user-friendly operation

Every individual part of the lens has been carefully scrutinized, right down to the fine details, resulting in an enhanced design that optimizes both operability and ergonomics. The surface of the lens exterior is glossy black. Improved abrasion resistance makes the lens barrel harder to scratch and resists fingerprints. Additionally, the grip performance has been improved. The smoothly curved, elegant surface of the brand ring creates a dignified appearance with a design that signifies functional beauty and high quality.

7. Moisture-Resistant Construction and Fluorine Coating provide extra protection

1. The lens for Sony E-mount previously launched on October 28, 2021.

2. To connect your PC and lens, use the TAMRON Connection Cable (USB Type-A to Type-C/ Model CC-150, or USB Type-C to Type-C/ Model CC-350) sold separately. To connect your smartphone and lens, use the TAMRON Connection Cable (USB Type-C to Type-C/ Model CC-350) sold separately. Lens firmware updates are not supported with the Mobile version. Performing firmware updates requires the TAMRON Lens Utility for PC and a computer.

3. The ring function (Focus/Aperture) is not supported for Nikon Z mount.

Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 specifications

(Length and weight refer to E-mount version)



Source link

Continue Reading

Camera

Sony announces major firmware upgrades for a1, a9 III, a7S III and a7 IV

Published

on

By

Sony announces major firmware upgrades for a1, a9 III, a7S III and a7 IV


Photo: Dan Bracaglia

Sony has announced major firmware updates for four of its current full-frame range, bringing many features and behaviors up to its latest standards and adding C2PA authenticity verification capabilities.

Sony a1 f/w v2.00

Firmware v2.00 for the Sony a1 is perhaps the most extensive, adding features that have appeared in other models in the three-and-a-bit years since it was launched, such as the lens breathing compensation function. It also adds a handful of new features and modifications of behavior, including an option to ensure the EVF remains on, regardless of the LCD position, and relay playback of images across multiple media. Among the extensive list of additions an updates are features such as Timecode Sync, previously only available in Sony’s Cinema Line cameras.

A series of FTP options, including SFTP support are also added.

The firmware doesn’t activate the C2PA function – which not only authenticates the camera and date/time but also that the photo is of a 3D subject, not a photo of a photo – but instead adds the capability to the camera. Once installed, users need to activate a separate license via the Creators’ App to use the function.

Sony a7S III f/w v3.00

Firmware v3.00 brings many of the updates seen in the a1, including Timecode Sync, breathing compensation and relay playback. It also adds the ability to close the mechanical shutter when the camera is turned off, to mitigate dust ingress, and the ability to transfer Raw files to smartphones.

In addition to the C2PA capability, firmware v3.00 includes the ability to add DCI 4K 24p shooting. Again a license needs to be downloaded to a camera running the new firmware to actually activate the function.

Sony a7 IV f/w v3.00

As one of the most recently updated cameras on this list, the a7 IV gains fewer features than the other cameras here. But in addition to C2PA capability, it adds network streaming, direct cloud upload support and an expansion of the features accessible via software development kit (SDK).

Sony a9 III f/w v2.00 [Expected April 9th]

As the newest of the cameras here, the a9 III receives fewer additions and updates than the a1 and a7S III, as in many instances they are gaining the features that the latest a9 introduced. However, in addition to details such as outputting lens names in video file metadata, the a9 III gains the promised ability to use the camera’s full shutter speed range when continuous shooting. But beyond this, the a9 III gains a small array of feature expansions and refinements being added across the four cameras, including the ability to extract stills from video capture, to take advantage of its lack of rolling shutter.

{PressRelease}

Sony Electronics Delivers Firmware Updates including C2PA Compliancy as a Next Step to Ensure Authenticity of Images

SAN DIEGO, March 27, 2024 – Today, Sony Electronics delivers the highly anticipated firmware updates for the Alpha 1 (Ver. 2.00), Alpha 7S III (Ver. 3.00), Alpha 7 IV (Ver. 3.00), and after April 2024, the Alpha 9 III (Ver.2.00). The update contains some of Sony’s most impactful technology, including Camera Authenticity Solution, the proprietary in-camera digital signature and C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) format support1. Together, these tools will make it possible for news agencies to ensure the authenticity of images, contributing to industry efforts to protect creators, and society from fake imagery.

Additionally, the firmware updates include many requested features to improve everyday use. The update evolves shooting functions and post-shooting workflow and brings advanced movie features like breathing compensation. It also includes new remote-control capabilities, new features for professional applications, and expanded access to cloud services applications.

“There is nothing more core to our mission than listening to the voices of the photographers, videographers, and filmmakers who shoot with Sony Alpha cameras. We know this community has been asking for these updates, and we’re happy to deliver. Each of these updates are designed to promote ease of use for our creators and allow them to maximize the strengths of their cameras,” says Yang Cheng, Vice President, Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics Inc. “We’re especially pleased to deliver C2PA compliancy with this update. This compliancy paired with our unique digital signature technology, allows us to offer the most secure and comprehensive solution to protect professional photographers, news agencies, and society from manipulated imagery.”

Camera Authenticity Solution

Last year, Sony announced its commitment to developing technology in its cameras to aid in the fight against manipulated imagery and AI-generated fakes. The severity of this issue is only increasing and it’s a complex problem that requires the focus and attention of our entire industry.

One critical part of the solution is making more Sony cameras C2PA compliant. C2PA is a Joint Development Foundation project, where Sony is a steering committee member. C2PA aims to develop an end-to-end open technical standard to provide publishers, creators and consumers with opt-in, flexible ways to understand the authenticity, and provenance of different types of media. The C2PA is a standards-setting body that will develop technical specifications on content provenance and authentication by certifying the source and history of media content. With this firmware update, the authenticity information embedded on images from Alpha 1, Alpha 9 III, Alpha 7S III, and Alpha 7 IV can be maintained from capture through publication. This provides professional photographers with the ability to preserve their digital signature from the camera, while tracking the editing history throughout revisions.

Another critical component of the solution is Sony’s in-camera digital signature technology2 that signs images in real-time. This new feature certifies the authenticity of an image at the point of capture and creates a ‘digital birth certificate’ that is retained throughout revisions. The signature contains metadata including 3D-depth information captured through the proprietary technology in the image sensor developed by Sony. This depth information can show if the image captured was of an actual 3D object, vs a photograph of an image or video, providing an extra level of protection and even more assurance of the content’s authenticity, and making Sony’s solution especially unique for photojournalists and news agencies.

Sony’s solution also helps protect the authenticity of content by including an Image Validation Site, which verifies the image even after edits have been made by C2PA-compliant editing software. This service confirms the authenticity of the photo was taken by a specific camera and that the object of the photo is 3D. This service will initially be offered to select news media agencies, expanding to other agencies at a later date.

Sony’s Camera Authenticity Solution overview diagram
Example image of 3D Image verification

Shooting and Playback Updates

The firmware updates include over 10 new features, as well as improvements to existing features, designed to improve the user’s overall shooting experience. These improved capabilities showcase Sony’s commitment to continuing to evolve the functionality of Sony’s existing camera models. A few highlights of the firmware update functions include:

  • Relay Playback: Enables seamless sequential playback from one memory card slot to another on the Alpha 1, Alpha 7S III, and Alpha 9 III.
  • Playback Filter Condition: Lets users categorize image playback based on select criteria including date, folder, file format, and more on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7S III
  • Breathing Compensation: The highly requested Breathing Compensation function3 is now available on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7S III.
  • Upgrade DCI 4K / 24.00p Upgrade License on Alpha 7S III: via a free downloadable license through Creators’ Cloud4.
  • Sync Release function: Enables simultaneous shutter release with two or more multiple cameras connected to the main camera5 on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 9 III.
  • Focus frame display: Focus frame will be displayed on the Remote Camera Tool screeniii on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 9 III.
  • Enhanced image stabilization: The camera body and lens effectively work together to correct larger blurs6 on the Alpha 1.
  • Increased upper limit of recordable images in a folder from 4,000 to 9,999 on the Alpha 1, Alpha 7S III, A7 IV, and Alpha 9 III.
  • Matching the time code with other devices is now possible with a dedicated adapter cable (sold separately)7 on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7S III.
  • Up to 20 IPTC presets can be on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7S III.
  • Custom Grid Line is available as a paid license basis for some models8.

File Transfer and Network Connectivity

Additional updates aimed to optimize the post-production workflow efficiency include improvements to International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC) preset and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) transfer operability. To streamline processes for users, expanded cloud upload and application services will be available. Key updates include:

  • Cloud upload (camera direct) function allows users to upload images directly to the Sony’s Creators’ Cloud9. Key additional features include simplified camera software updates, direct camera registration to the Creators’ Cloud, and a flexible system for uploading, storing, and sharing content. Additionally, the capability to manage video and LUT files via mobile apps, along with the transfer of RAW files to smartphones, optimizes the creative process in fast-paced environments.
  • FTP Transfer Improvements: A “Protected Images Only” option for the Auto FTP Transfer and a “Protect Image in FTP Transfer” option for the FTP transfer function have been added. Available on the Alpha 1, Alpha 7S III, and Alpha 9 III.
  • Support for USB streaming10 on the Alpha 1.
  • Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) has been added to secure protocol on the Alpha 1, Alpha 7S III, and Alpha 9 III and WPA3-SAE is now supported for wireless LAN on the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7S III.
  • Network streaming enables direct live streaming from the Alpha 7 IV to a streaming sitevii.
  • Expansion of app support with Creators’ App and Monitor & Control app now supported with the Alpha 1 and Alpha 7S III.

Many of these updates are applicable to multiple cameras, however for a list of each body’s specific update please check the Sony website.

Exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with Sony’s imaging products can be found at www.alphauniverse.com, a site created to educate and inspire all fans and customers of Sony α – Alpha brand.

1. This feature is available to some news organizations at the press release timing.
2. Both Sony’s in-camera digital signature technology and C2PA compliancy are currently available through a separate upgrade license.
3. For compatible lens information, please refer to the support page (https://www.sony.net/dics/breathing/)
4. For regional app/service availability, check here. To use this service, it is necessary to download and install the upgrade license.
5. Remote Camera Tool Version 4.1.0 is required to activate the function.
6. For compatible lens information, please refer to the support page (https://www.sony.net/dics/func1002/)
7. A dedicated adapter cable, which is sold separately, is required to connect to the timecode source equipment.
8. Availability varies depending on country and region. Available through the Upgrade and License Management Suite at https://ulms.sony.net.
9. For regional app/service availability, check here. Creators’ App Ver.2.3.1 or later is necessary. Settings must be made in the Creators’ App in advance. For more information, please visit the Creators’ App support website (https://www.sony.net/ca/help/opr/)

10. When connecting to a device with a USB Type-C port, please use a commercially available USB cable or a conversion adapter.

{/PressRelease}



Source link

Continue Reading

Camera

Ricoh creates GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF with highlight diffusion filters

Published

on

By

Ricoh creates GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF with highlight diffusion filters


Image: Ricoh

The Ricoh GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF are variants of the company’s existing fixed-lens APS-C premium compacts. They feature a unique “highlight diffusion filter” instead of the ND filter fitted in the standard versions of both cameras.

Ricoh says the HDF has been developed using its inkjet technology and adds a diffusion effect to the images, particularly visible in highlight areas, comparable with a ‘black mist‘ filter. This, it says gives images “resembling those captured in film photography or vintage movies.”

By replacing the switchable ND filter in the optical path, the HDF effect can be turned on or off, depending on what you’re trying to achieve in each shot. By default, the Fn button will be set to engage and disengage the HDF fitler.

Other than the filter, the cameras gain more customization around white balance (which will come to the standard GR III and GR IIIx in a forthcoming firmware update). There’s also a Zone Select AF feature that lets you select a zone within which the camera narrows down when focusing.

The shutter buttons of the HDF versions of the cameras are dark silver, rather than black, to denote the difference, in every other respect, the HDF versions of the cameras are identical to their conventional versions.

Ricoh announces GR series cameras featuring built-in highlight diffusion filter

PARSIPPANY, NJ, March 27, 2024 — Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation today announced the RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF premium digital compact cameras. These new versions of the acclaimed RICOH GR III and RICOH GR IIIx cameras feature a newly-developed Highlight Diffusion Filter (HDF) that diffuses highlights for softer light, creating more expressive images with a sense of depth and emotion. The HDF, which can be turned on and off in a single action, allows the user to add a totally different kind of visual expression to captured images.

Developed using RICOH’s advanced inkjet technology cultivated over the years, this special- effect filter diffuses highlight areas and creates a blurred effect along the image’s edges, making it possible to produce images resembling those captured in film photography or vintage movies. Since the HDF can be instantly switched on and off with a single action, it lets the user effortlessly alternate between two completely different visual expressions — clear, sharply focused images characteristic of the RICOH GR series, and softer light, more expressive images captured by the HDF — depending on the subject or creative intention.

“The RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF inherit the fundamental merits of our GR series – exceptional image quality, flawless point-and-shoot operation and outstanding portability,” said Ken Curry, president, Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation. “The new GR HDF models give users a new creative option that expands the visual boundaries of snapshot photography.”

| Pricing and Availability |

The RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF will be available in April at www.us.ricoh- imaging.com as well as at Ricoh Imaging-authorized retail outlets at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,069.95 for the RICOH GR III HDF and $1,149.95 for the RICOH GR IIIx HDF.

| Main features of the new RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF |

  • Single-action switching to the new, built-in HDF to create softer light, more expressive images:
    The new GR HDF versions incorporate the newly developed HDF (Highlight Diffusion Filter) to emphasize highlights and produce softer light and more expressive images. Developed using RICOH’s advanced inkjet technology cultivated over the years, this special-effect filter diffuses highlight areas and creates a blurred effect along the image’s edges, making it possible to capture images resembling those captured in film photography or vintage movies. Since the Highlight Diffusion Filter can be instantly switched on and off with a single action, it lets the user effortlessly alternate between two completely different visual expressions — clear, sharply focused images characteristic of the RICOH GR series, and softer light, more expressive images captured by the HDF — depending on the subject or creative intention. This creative versatility expands the visual boundaries of snapshot photography.
  • The color of the shutter-release button has been changed to dark silver to subtly differentiate the HDF models from other GR series models and to symbolize the effortless shift of visual expression. The default setting of the Fn (Function) button has also been changed to the ON/OFF switching of the HDF,* allowing the user to quickly engage the HDF with a press of a button.
  • The user can pre-program up to three white-balance settings as the base white balance.** It is also possible to couple the base white balance with the White-balance Fine Adjustment function.
  • The new models feature Zone Select AF,*** which automatically sets the focus at the most appropriate point within the image area after the user shifts the 3X3 focus area to the desired zone.

* The user can also select another function as the default setting of the Fn button.
** This function can be added to all RICOH GR III- and GR IIIx-series models using function- expansion firmware, which is scheduled to be released along with the market launch of these new models.
*** The 3X3 focus area is identical in size to that of the Auto-area AF (Center) mode.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2017 Zox News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by WordPress.