In Depth

Will 2014 be the year of the Full Frame mirrorless camera?

18/05/2013 By Heather

If 2013 was the year of powerful fixed-lens compacts such as the Fuji x100s, Nikon Coolpix A, and the Ricoh GR, 2014 will most certainly be the year of the Full Frame mirrorless camera.

So far, the only Full Frame mirrorless cameras in existence are the Leica digital M series (except the M8) and Sony RX1, whose mix of incredible image quality and compactness make them every photographer’s dream companion for the streets and travel. However, it is hard to ignore the price. Whereas the above-mentioned fixed-lens mirrorless cameras all cost around $1000, the new Leica M costs around $7000 (body only), and the Rx1 will eat away at two month’s salary at just below $3000 – a difficult expense to justify!

Light Field Cameras: a sneak peek into the future of photography?

05/05/2013 By Mathieu

The first Lytro camera, announced in 2011, introduced consumers to a completely different style of photography, one that allows you to refocus after taking a shot. This is possible thanks to Light Field technology, which consists of several micro lenses placed over the image sensor. These microlenses can capture the entire light spectrum of a scene. Then, the camera software uses the data collected to determine the direction of the light rays.

Light Field cameras (or plenoptic cameras) aren’t really a new phenomenon, however. The first ever Light Field camera was actually invented in 1908 by Gabriel Lippmann. Several models have also been developed for industrial and scientific purposes, while others have remained prototypes (including one from Adobe).

Falling in Love All Over Again with the Olympus OM-D E-M5

28/04/2013 By Heather

Tonight, I fell in love all over again. Not with my fiance and fellow MirrorLessons writer Mathieu (bless his heart), but with a camera – the Olympus OM-D E-M5.

This isn’t to say that I ever stopped loving the E-M5. It has the fastest continuous shooting mode I’ve ever seen, a cool retro body reminiscent of the old OM-D series, and drool-worthy image quality, despite its small Micro 4/3 sensor. And did I mention how incredibly silent and discreet it is?

But tonight was different. I had decided to accompany my fiancee on a photography assignment at the Massimo Cinema near the National Cinema Museum of Turin, where he was planning to use the E-M5 professionally for the first time.

Working with RAW files in Adobe Lightroom: Huelight Color Fidelity Camera Profiles

29/03/2013 By Mathieu

One of the great advantages of modern and digital photography is the ability to shoot RAW files. They are the digital version of film and give you the possibility to “develop” them as you would film, with the advantages of doing so faster than ever. Almost every brand has its own proprietary RAW format, but they all perform in the same way.

My favourite software for processing RAW files is Adobe Lightroom mainly for its speed. Lightroom is the perfect way to catalog, organize, convert and process your photographs, and it accepts all kinds of file formats (raw, jpg, psd, tiff etc.).

In-Depth Review of the Panasonic GH3 for Video: Episode 1 – Chaos&Cosmos

14/03/2013 By Mathieu

N.B.: only two images aren’t shot with the GH3 in the video below. There are actually JPGs of paintings inserted into the video (min 1.36 and 2.09).

My first experience with large sensor cameras didn’t start with HDSLRs unlike many of my colleagues in the filmmaking industry. Rather, it began with Micro Four-Thirds and the Panasonic AF101. At the time, it was the only alternative to DSLRs. I still use that camera for my work because it has all the proper features you’d want from a professional camcorder: XLR inputs, ND filters, and so on. But now the AF101’s sensor is old (the same as the GH1), and Panasonic doesn’t seem to be planning any substantial updates for this camera at the moment.