A re-upload of an earlier video. Only this time I've uploaded the entire clip in its original frame rate. 60p. It was using an earlier firmware (1.2) and I hadn't actually meant to shoot any video that day. I had literally told myself 'no video today, only photography' so I had set up the camera for that.
Adjusting the AF Sensitivity settings would have sorted out two of the times it lost the bird, the other one was because I was using Single AF Continuous and the bird strayed from the focus zone due to my arms getting tired.
It's slightly overexposed because that's how I was shooting at the time. When I first got it, I shot like I've been shooting Samsung NX since the NX1000: Expose for the highlights, lift shadows in post if necessary. I've already preferred how the cameras handle shadows. Anyway as part of the testing, I started shooting like this to test the highlights in post.
The other cool thing I just so happened to pick a bird that didn't land for about two minutes all the while giving me a perfect test for the camera. Near, far, high, low, with noisy backgrounds, against a clear sky, interactions with other subjects, reflective surfaces, changes in velocity. It was useful!
Thursday, 3 December 2015
Thursday, 26 November 2015
Samsung Cameras - Now out of the UK
To be honest, from what I witnessed as a Samsung NX rep for years (in London), I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner, and it wasn't because of the quality of the cameras or the marketing (mostly) it was because of something else no one else seems to know about. I'm trying to work out how to put it that doesn't end up in an essay, nobody wants to read something that long.
Samsung to axe digital cameras and camcorders in UK (update)
Samsung to axe digital cameras and camcorders in UK (update)
In a statement sent to Amateur Photographer following reports circulating online, a Samsung representative said: ‘We quickly adapt to market needs and demands.
‘In the UK, we have seen a gradual and sustained decline in demand for standalone digital cameras and camcorders and related accessories.
‘For this reason, we have taken the decision to phase out the sales and marketing of these products.’
The UK statement added: ‘This is a local decision, based on local market conditions.’It's a shame really. Lucky I just got the 60MM and the 12-24MM :-)
The news follows reports that Samsung planned to discontinue the NX1 in Europe.
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
Mirrorless eating into DSLR
Nom nom.
Reuters has an interesting article regarding Canon's drop in operating profit, which they say is a combination of camera phones decimating compact cameras and MILC eating into DSLR.
If you want to look at why Samsung is pulling out of various markets, start with dinosaur detractors like that (and that includes staff in retailers). I reckon I have a pretty unique take on this because a. I worked for Samsung NX as a Rep for years and b. I worked in major (flagship stores) in London so I got to observe countless interactions / conversations. I'll be writing about this in another post, hopefully to be published tomorrow (if it doesn't turn into a 10,000 word essay).
Reuters has an interesting article regarding Canon's drop in operating profit, which they say is a combination of camera phones decimating compact cameras and MILC eating into DSLR.
The consumer shift to smartphones for casual photo taking has pummelled demand for compact cameras, while the growing popularity of lighter mirrorless cameras has taken away market share from higher margin single-lens reflex cameras.I immediately thought of that 2014 article in DPReview when Samsung's Byungdeok Nam quoted a market report:
...since 2008 when mirrorless systems were announced, mirrorless didn’t grow very rapidly. In the last year, however, market reports are predicting that in 2018/19 mirrorless cameras will outsell DSLRs.That article got a lot of slack from readers, not because it was a quoted market report but because it was said by someone from Samsung and we all know that we can't have someone from a company that isn't Canon, Nikon, Sony or Panasonic commenting on cameras right?
If you want to look at why Samsung is pulling out of various markets, start with dinosaur detractors like that (and that includes staff in retailers). I reckon I have a pretty unique take on this because a. I worked for Samsung NX as a Rep for years and b. I worked in major (flagship stores) in London so I got to observe countless interactions / conversations. I'll be writing about this in another post, hopefully to be published tomorrow (if it doesn't turn into a 10,000 word essay).
Thursday, 20 August 2015
Building Your Dream Ferrari Is A Beautiful Thing
A short documentary about a gorgeous car, the 1959 Ferrari 250 TR. Shot with the Samsung NX1. If you want more information visit the folks over at dvxuser at this thread...
Sunday, 19 July 2015
A Walk In The Park (A Walk In My Head) - Photography
There's been a heatwave in London recently with record temperatures and humidity to put you in a coma. You combine those two things with a general lack of motivation to actually go out and take pictures anyway, and you have the perfect set up for staying at home and doing nothing.
Well I finally decided to get out and take some photos, it's been a while. There's an interesting psychological aspect to street (or exploratory) photography. Thinking about it beforehand leads me to generally talk myself out of it, especially if it's in area or theme I've shot before. All of the locations for all of the photos in this post have been visited by me in the past. So there I'll be, thinking if I should do it or not and remembering places, animals, paths and whatnot. This invariably leads to the following chain of thought:
'What's the point of going there (it's conveniently close) but I know the parks, the roads, I won't see any angle I haven't seen before etc.'
I do this all of the time. This epic power level of procrastination even extends to new locations.
'I don't know what it will be like, maybe it'll be a waste of time, boring buildings, usual ugly pigeons, traffic. Crap light today. How BORING.'
Definitely a state of mind I need to overcome.
I guess what it comes down to is having a reason to go and do it. For me that reason is not only always the same, it is coincidentally the one thing I can't think of beforehand to motivate me in the first place.
Moments.
Those things you can't imagine or predict beforehand, they just happen in front of you and you react to it and then it's gone. I know it may not be 'right' and I know there are those that specialise in landscapes, architecture and the like. I shoot all of that but not because 'it's what I do', I shoot it because I liked that moment. The camera is merely a tool to capture it. The more comfortable are you with it, the more confidence you have in its ability to get what you want and the more fun you'll have. That's the theory anyway right?
Not that I don't have my gear head/ nerd thing happening with technology. But that's more to do with my love of science and engineering.
So anyway, I got my lazy butt out and went for a walk. I went through two of London's Royal Parks, Regent's and Primrose. It's actually a nice walk, peaceful, lots of green space, improved dramatically by the baking heat and a gentle breeze. I've used the NX1 plenty in rain and cold (this is London after all) so it would be interesting to see how it holds up in the heat.
Now, each time I go out with my NX1 I try and do something different. I usually shoot raw but on this day I kept it JPEG. I also usually take a camera bag with a bunch of lenses, variable ND filters, external microphone blah blah, enough gear to shoot a freaking film! This taught me two things:
So I've started taking out a minimum amount of equipment. It's the same thing that happened with my music composing and production. I realised I had become obsessed with plug-ins, virtual instruments and technical points of production and ended up not actually making any music. What's the point of that?!?
As part of this I decided not to do any filming. Knowing just how wonderful the video quality of the NX1 is, even if only using it for frame grabbing can lead to you shooting lots of (technically) sweet looking video when you should be taking photos. This also means you have less content to deal with (or get distracted by) when bringing it into your workstation for editing and that all means increased productivity. Not only 'getting the shot' but 'getting the shot out there', they're both sides of the same coin. The same can be applied to music production of course (I think I'm more telling myself this).
So I took out the NX1 with the S 50-150mm, Samsung's premium telephoto lens. I love it, the lens is sharp, fast, focusses instantly and the balance with the battery grip is sublime. The effect is to move the center of gravity away from your wrist and into your lower forearm, much better. It's so comfortable that I've taken the grip out with me just because I like the feel of it, even with the added mass it still isn't enough to bother me in the slightest.
But back to the walk in the park. I like these two parks for different reasons. Regent's is much larger (lots of animals and separate areas, flower gardens, lakes, protected areas) whereas Primrose is smaller and closer to built up areas.
I go to Regent's first, it's further away so I can hit the other park on the wander back. I walk to Regent's along Regent's Canal (where the shot with the baby looking into camera was taken).
It never seems to go the way I expect it to either. The same location on a different day can yield completely different results, and I don't just mean lighting, I mean people and other animals interacting, all of those things I actually want to capture, the real reason I go out there in the first place.
It was a baking day, people weren't doing much apart from melting into the ground. The NX1 held up perfectly well in the heat, it even got almost hot to the touch when I was filming on the way home. Yes I know I said I wouldn't, but it was worth it.
So I generally just wandered through the park, instinctively snapping away while at the same time making a conscious effort to shoot less. Who needs two hundred shots of roses anyway. The birds were staying close to the water and keeping their heads down, except if there's food.
I do tend to have exposure compensation down about a third of a stop, as I know lifting shadows is better than pulling down highlights with the NX1. At the same time however I don't like to pull them up too much as it risks making the shot look unnatural to me. Nothing wrong with darkness anyway.
Take the bird in the shade in the shot above. I could have exposed for that area, which would risk blowing out detail in the grass in the foreground, along with blowing the highlights on the arm of the man laying there and most probably the leaves too, but because for this shot I wanted all three subjects lined up in that way (geometry is a cheap way to make a shot more interesting) they had to all 'fit' exposure-wise.
Obligatory bird in the water shot there. I don't actually like this shot for the bird, I like it because of the pattern the water makes and it's breaking about the body. The anatomy of a shock wave. On that same lake humans were floating about on boats...
Eventually I wandered back to the ranch. To be honest I wasn't feeling very good, haven't done for a while. I decided to walk back topside and head down a road called Parkway for a short cut but I wasn't paying attention (I took the shot of the guys taking the women on the boat - with the guy playing guitar - on the way home). I went the wrong way... Embarrassing. So I went back down to the canal instead. Turning the corner I saw this guy just chilling out. There was a girl singing, her voice drifting across the canal.
At first I just walked past (as I said I wouldn't shoot any video) but I found myself turning around and just having to shoot something. You know that feeling. I was still using spot metering and I was very happy with the results, really helps paint the light in the shot.
I'll just leave it here. For some reason I shot it in Ultra HD, that's how I uploaded it. I didn't have any time to set anything, I wasn't interfering with the performance in any way, so I just crouched down and shot everything hand held. The odd aperture adjustment here and there, everything recorded using the NX1's on-board stereo mics. No grading, essentially out of camera.
I recorded more but I'll put the videos all together in a separate post in the future. For now, that's it! Hope you enjoyed the pictures or the rambling, or the music. Until next time...
The full gallery is available on my Flickr.
Featured in the video are:
Sam Garrett - FACEBOOK - TWITTER
Ny Oh - FACEBOOK - TWITTER
Well I finally decided to get out and take some photos, it's been a while. There's an interesting psychological aspect to street (or exploratory) photography. Thinking about it beforehand leads me to generally talk myself out of it, especially if it's in area or theme I've shot before. All of the locations for all of the photos in this post have been visited by me in the past. So there I'll be, thinking if I should do it or not and remembering places, animals, paths and whatnot. This invariably leads to the following chain of thought:
'What's the point of going there (it's conveniently close) but I know the parks, the roads, I won't see any angle I haven't seen before etc.'
I do this all of the time. This epic power level of procrastination even extends to new locations.
'I don't know what it will be like, maybe it'll be a waste of time, boring buildings, usual ugly pigeons, traffic. Crap light today. How BORING.'
Definitely a state of mind I need to overcome.
I guess what it comes down to is having a reason to go and do it. For me that reason is not only always the same, it is coincidentally the one thing I can't think of beforehand to motivate me in the first place.
Moments.
Not that I don't have my gear head/ nerd thing happening with technology. But that's more to do with my love of science and engineering.
So anyway, I got my lazy butt out and went for a walk. I went through two of London's Royal Parks, Regent's and Primrose. It's actually a nice walk, peaceful, lots of green space, improved dramatically by the baking heat and a gentle breeze. I've used the NX1 plenty in rain and cold (this is London after all) so it would be interesting to see how it holds up in the heat.
Now, each time I go out with my NX1 I try and do something different. I usually shoot raw but on this day I kept it JPEG. I also usually take a camera bag with a bunch of lenses, variable ND filters, external microphone blah blah, enough gear to shoot a freaking film! This taught me two things:
- Carrying lots of gear is just added stress; more stuff to carry, to look after, to worry about.
- Having lots of options with lenses / filters etc, can lead to indecision. Too much choice leads you to spend more time thinking about lenses and other technical crap and less about actually enjoying being in your environment.
So I've started taking out a minimum amount of equipment. It's the same thing that happened with my music composing and production. I realised I had become obsessed with plug-ins, virtual instruments and technical points of production and ended up not actually making any music. What's the point of that?!?
As part of this I decided not to do any filming. Knowing just how wonderful the video quality of the NX1 is, even if only using it for frame grabbing can lead to you shooting lots of (technically) sweet looking video when you should be taking photos. This also means you have less content to deal with (or get distracted by) when bringing it into your workstation for editing and that all means increased productivity. Not only 'getting the shot' but 'getting the shot out there', they're both sides of the same coin. The same can be applied to music production of course (I think I'm more telling myself this).
So I took out the NX1 with the S 50-150mm, Samsung's premium telephoto lens. I love it, the lens is sharp, fast, focusses instantly and the balance with the battery grip is sublime. The effect is to move the center of gravity away from your wrist and into your lower forearm, much better. It's so comfortable that I've taken the grip out with me just because I like the feel of it, even with the added mass it still isn't enough to bother me in the slightest.
But back to the walk in the park. I like these two parks for different reasons. Regent's is much larger (lots of animals and separate areas, flower gardens, lakes, protected areas) whereas Primrose is smaller and closer to built up areas.
I go to Regent's first, it's further away so I can hit the other park on the wander back. I walk to Regent's along Regent's Canal (where the shot with the baby looking into camera was taken).
It never seems to go the way I expect it to either. The same location on a different day can yield completely different results, and I don't just mean lighting, I mean people and other animals interacting, all of those things I actually want to capture, the real reason I go out there in the first place.
It was a baking day, people weren't doing much apart from melting into the ground. The NX1 held up perfectly well in the heat, it even got almost hot to the touch when I was filming on the way home. Yes I know I said I wouldn't, but it was worth it.
So I generally just wandered through the park, instinctively snapping away while at the same time making a conscious effort to shoot less. Who needs two hundred shots of roses anyway. The birds were staying close to the water and keeping their heads down, except if there's food.
I do tend to have exposure compensation down about a third of a stop, as I know lifting shadows is better than pulling down highlights with the NX1. At the same time however I don't like to pull them up too much as it risks making the shot look unnatural to me. Nothing wrong with darkness anyway.
Take the bird in the shade in the shot above. I could have exposed for that area, which would risk blowing out detail in the grass in the foreground, along with blowing the highlights on the arm of the man laying there and most probably the leaves too, but because for this shot I wanted all three subjects lined up in that way (geometry is a cheap way to make a shot more interesting) they had to all 'fit' exposure-wise.
Obligatory bird in the water shot there. I don't actually like this shot for the bird, I like it because of the pattern the water makes and it's breaking about the body. The anatomy of a shock wave. On that same lake humans were floating about on boats...
Eventually I wandered back to the ranch. To be honest I wasn't feeling very good, haven't done for a while. I decided to walk back topside and head down a road called Parkway for a short cut but I wasn't paying attention (I took the shot of the guys taking the women on the boat - with the guy playing guitar - on the way home). I went the wrong way... Embarrassing. So I went back down to the canal instead. Turning the corner I saw this guy just chilling out. There was a girl singing, her voice drifting across the canal.
At first I just walked past (as I said I wouldn't shoot any video) but I found myself turning around and just having to shoot something. You know that feeling. I was still using spot metering and I was very happy with the results, really helps paint the light in the shot.
I'll just leave it here. For some reason I shot it in Ultra HD, that's how I uploaded it. I didn't have any time to set anything, I wasn't interfering with the performance in any way, so I just crouched down and shot everything hand held. The odd aperture adjustment here and there, everything recorded using the NX1's on-board stereo mics. No grading, essentially out of camera.
I recorded more but I'll put the videos all together in a separate post in the future. For now, that's it! Hope you enjoyed the pictures or the rambling, or the music. Until next time...
The full gallery is available on my Flickr.
Featured in the video are:
Sam Garrett - FACEBOOK - TWITTER
Ny Oh - FACEBOOK - TWITTER
Sunday, 12 July 2015
Samsung NX1 - Photojournalism
People are aware of my posts about the Samsung NX1, I've been using it for a while now, mostly for scenic things, bird watching, street photography and the like. Nothing really taxing; the light is constant, movement is predictable (for me anyway) and it's easy to get great shots.
But everybody knows this, what this post will be about is using the mirrorless camera in a photojournalist context.
It's 11pm and I'm popping to the shop to grab beer. I see a constant stream of police vehicles travelling into the town centre. Camden Town is probably the busiest area for tourism in the whole of the UK and hearing sirens on a Saturday night (about the time the pubs close) isn't exactly unusual. But this was different, it was interrupting my enjoyment of the new Batman vs Superman trailer so I had to go and check it out. I walked down towards the commotion to see any developments.
Once I got a look of the place and decided this was worth documenting (although I still have no idea what was going on), I popped back, got the NX1, used the S 50-150mm and rushed back out to see what I could see. I could have brought out my 50-200mm but I needed all the light I could get, plus I know with 28 Megapixel images there is plenty to crop with. Plus the focus speed of the S lens is superior to the standard telephoto option and I didn't want to sacrifice focus speed and accuracy for an extra 50mm throw.
But everybody knows this, what this post will be about is using the mirrorless camera in a photojournalist context.
It's 11pm and I'm popping to the shop to grab beer. I see a constant stream of police vehicles travelling into the town centre. Camden Town is probably the busiest area for tourism in the whole of the UK and hearing sirens on a Saturday night (about the time the pubs close) isn't exactly unusual. But this was different, it was interrupting my enjoyment of the new Batman vs Superman trailer so I had to go and check it out. I walked down towards the commotion to see any developments.
Once I got a look of the place and decided this was worth documenting (although I still have no idea what was going on), I popped back, got the NX1, used the S 50-150mm and rushed back out to see what I could see. I could have brought out my 50-200mm but I needed all the light I could get, plus I know with 28 Megapixel images there is plenty to crop with. Plus the focus speed of the S lens is superior to the standard telephoto option and I didn't want to sacrifice focus speed and accuracy for an extra 50mm throw.
Wednesday, 8 July 2015
Samsung NX1 - Minor Firmware Update v1.32
And by minor I mean with few changes, as opposed to not wanted. We all like a firmware update!
Update using the usual methods. This update is a bug fixer. As usual I'll post the entire change log. Remember that a firmware update, even a minor one, will reset all of the settings in your NX1.
CHANGE LOG
# Body Firmware
1. Title - Firmware version 1.32
2. Applicable Model - NX1
3. Description
[Caution] During upgrading firmware, a camera turns itself on and off two times.
Do not cut off the power and Do not remove battery before complete message.
[v.1.32]
1.Fixed the problem that is Movie STBY mode turning off automatically, after 1080 60p/30p
and Slow Movie(x0.5, x0.25) setting
2. Fixed Left, Right images are recording on each other's side in 3D video recording with 3D Lens
3. Overall fixed minor bugs
_________________________________________________________________________________
[v1.31]
1. Improved "Color Temperature" of White Balance.
2. Fixed UHD Movie recording bugs
- Zoom lens + Tele condition > broken right side
- Zoom lens + Tele + EVF condition > Image broken when you enable MF Focus Peaking
3. Fixed FHD 120p Movie recording bug
- Intermittently broken of some part of movie
4. Keep the Focus mode under below condition
- Movie Standby mode > Start recording > change the Focus Mode > Stop recording
5. Overall fixed minor bugs
[v1.30]
1. Sensor reads larger data size, resulting in improved FHD quality - up to 60P (not for Slow Movie)
2. Time code added features
- Rec Run option is added
3. 1920x1080 (120) setting in the Movie Size Menu for easy access
4. Auto Mic Control On/Off
5. Histogram and Digital Level are displayed during standby / recording mode
6. Capture individual 4K frame forward &backward with precision
- Embedded EXIF data in jpeg
7. Added NEW MF Responsiveness mode
(Capable of setting to Low, Medium, High focus angle in manual focus mode)
8. Remains in Stand By mode after recording
9. Overall AF improved:
- Enhanced AF performance in low light condition
- Enhanced AF performance in backlight and spot light
- Enhanced AF performance in the corners when utilizing 16-50mm PZ lens
- Enhanced Face Detection AF performance
- Enhanced AF performance in movie mode
10. Added Zone AF mode
11. Increased the size of AF to 5 steps in AF Area Size
12. No time limitation in Bulb mode
13. Increased the time-lapse to 3,000 shots
14. Includes the 4 most popular Pro Suggest presets (Cinematic, Memories, Gorgeous Night, and High Speed)
15. Simplified EXIF data preview
16. JPEG, RAW (JPEG only), and Video transfer via WiFi Actual RAW file does not transfer via WiFi. It only transfers JPEG file with Picture Wizard setting embedded to smartphone.
17. Introducing NEW Samsung Remote Studio software and SDK
- Download via iLauncher
- Full control of NX1 through USB
- SRS and SDK will be available to download on 1st week of June 2015
18. Supports Tizen OS TV connection
- One touch connection
- Launched 2015 Samsung TV models operated by Tizen are compatible with NX1
19. Overall fixed minor bugs
[v1.22]
1. Fixed random body bug: 24fps, 23.98fps Movie recording horizontal noise
2. Disable of White Balance-Custom Set-Adjust option in the Movie STBY mode
3. Fixed minor bugs
[v1.21]
1. Improved Drive speed under RAW, SAF, Continuous Normal setting
2. Optimized [Fast / Slow Movie] option of FHD 23.98p Movie size
3. Improved Touch AF performance during Movie recording
4. Fixed Smartphone synchronization of Time and Time Zone when you connect Bluetooth
5. Improved the purple noise issue of UHD 23.98p Movie size in the dark condition.
6. Fixed RAW file EXIF GPS information when you use the Geotagging under Smartphone Bluetooth connection
7. Movie STBY condition enable Drive dial button(AF/ISO/Metering/WB)
[v1.20]
1. C Gamma and DR Gamma curves added for movie shooting
2. Video master black level control in 31 steps
3. Video luminance level limiting [0-255], [16-235], [16-255]
4. Video AF responsiveness control in 5 steps (dictates camera's readiness to change AF subject)
5. Video AF speed control for more cinematic refocusing (3 settings)
6. Wider range of display options, including gridline, center, aspect ratio and action-safe area markers
7. Audio levels adjustable during movie capture
8. General improvement in the image quality of FHD video
9. 'Pro' movie quality setting added for 1080 capture
10. AF / Manual Focus and SAF / CAF toggling in movie mode
11. Autofocus lock option in movie mode
12. 23.98p and 24p frame rates for 3840x2160 and 1920x1080 video
13. ISO adjustable during movie capture
14. Output time code (free run) over HDMI (for use with external recorders)
15. Wi-Fi and [REC] buttons functions can be swapped
16. AF On and AEL buttons functions can be swapped
17. Depth of Field Preview and Delete buttons are customizable and additional functions are available on custom buttons.
18. Added ISO or Exposure Compensation to command dial (customizable per PASM mode)
19. Command dials direction of operation can be reversed
20. AE and Exposure Compensation improved in M mode
1) Able to control Exposure Compensation in M mode
2) EV scale now available in manual mode when flash is attached (shows ambient exposure)
3) Movie AE is more stable in M mode
21. Trap Shot feature: fires shutter when a subject crosses a specified guideline
22. It is now possible to off the NR in Bulb mode
23. When setting ISO Auto, the chosen ISO value is displayed in real time
24. User can select from four AF area sizes when using CAF + Multi AF
User can also position the sensitive area where they would like to begin tracking a subject from.
If subject moves out of selected area AF continues tracking.
25. Change the flash control value from 0.5EV to 0.3EV
26. Exposure/Focus Separation on/off option
27. Smartphone App can operate as remote release using Bluetooth
(The Samsung Camera Manager App must be updated through the Google Play Store)
28. Checks installs for firmware updates over Wi-Fi
29. Samsung Remote Studio for tethered shooting from Windows PC
(Samsung Remote Studio software can be downloaded from i-Launcher in February)
30. Samsung to release SDK for Windows to allow independent remote control software creation
(Samsung Remote Studio software can be downloaded from i-Launcher in February)
31. Pair with multiple smart devices (only for Android OS Smartphone)
32. Selecting and grabbing frames from video
33. Added new option: 'Save Selection AF Position'
34. Menu re-arranged for improved usability
35. Fixed minor bugs
* Refer to the latest User manual for new function explanation
[v1.10]
1. Added Sort by Oldest / Latest in the Playback menu
2. Added View Continuous Shots (Fold / Unfold) in the Playback menu
3. Added AF Start and AF Start + Lock in the AF On sub menu under Key Mapping
4. Added Custom Wheel EVC (Exposure Value Compensation) option in the Key Mapping menu
5. Overall color reproduction improvement
6. General improvement in the image quality of DCI 4K(4096x2160) video
7. Image quality improvement in white balance when Smart Range+ Mode is enabled
8. Improvement in long exposure noise reduction when capturing in RAW
9. Improved AF performance:
a. Added AF Release Priority function (Auto/Accuracy Priority/ Shooting Speed Priority).
b. Improved AF performance in low light situations
c. Improved AF performance in CAF & Multi area AF modes
10. Overall wireless strobe sync improvement
11. Other bugs are fixed
Update using the usual methods. This update is a bug fixer. As usual I'll post the entire change log. Remember that a firmware update, even a minor one, will reset all of the settings in your NX1.
CHANGE LOG
# Body Firmware
1. Title - Firmware version 1.32
2. Applicable Model - NX1
3. Description
[Caution] During upgrading firmware, a camera turns itself on and off two times.
Do not cut off the power and Do not remove battery before complete message.
[v.1.32]
1.Fixed the problem that is Movie STBY mode turning off automatically, after 1080 60p/30p
and Slow Movie(x0.5, x0.25) setting
2. Fixed Left, Right images are recording on each other's side in 3D video recording with 3D Lens
3. Overall fixed minor bugs
_________________________________________________________________________________
[v1.31]
1. Improved "Color Temperature" of White Balance.
2. Fixed UHD Movie recording bugs
- Zoom lens + Tele condition > broken right side
- Zoom lens + Tele + EVF condition > Image broken when you enable MF Focus Peaking
3. Fixed FHD 120p Movie recording bug
- Intermittently broken of some part of movie
4. Keep the Focus mode under below condition
- Movie Standby mode > Start recording > change the Focus Mode > Stop recording
5. Overall fixed minor bugs
[v1.30]
1. Sensor reads larger data size, resulting in improved FHD quality - up to 60P (not for Slow Movie)
2. Time code added features
- Rec Run option is added
3. 1920x1080 (120) setting in the Movie Size Menu for easy access
4. Auto Mic Control On/Off
5. Histogram and Digital Level are displayed during standby / recording mode
6. Capture individual 4K frame forward &backward with precision
- Embedded EXIF data in jpeg
7. Added NEW MF Responsiveness mode
(Capable of setting to Low, Medium, High focus angle in manual focus mode)
8. Remains in Stand By mode after recording
9. Overall AF improved:
- Enhanced AF performance in low light condition
- Enhanced AF performance in backlight and spot light
- Enhanced AF performance in the corners when utilizing 16-50mm PZ lens
- Enhanced Face Detection AF performance
- Enhanced AF performance in movie mode
10. Added Zone AF mode
11. Increased the size of AF to 5 steps in AF Area Size
12. No time limitation in Bulb mode
13. Increased the time-lapse to 3,000 shots
14. Includes the 4 most popular Pro Suggest presets (Cinematic, Memories, Gorgeous Night, and High Speed)
15. Simplified EXIF data preview
16. JPEG, RAW (JPEG only), and Video transfer via WiFi Actual RAW file does not transfer via WiFi. It only transfers JPEG file with Picture Wizard setting embedded to smartphone.
17. Introducing NEW Samsung Remote Studio software and SDK
- Download via iLauncher
- Full control of NX1 through USB
- SRS and SDK will be available to download on 1st week of June 2015
18. Supports Tizen OS TV connection
- One touch connection
- Launched 2015 Samsung TV models operated by Tizen are compatible with NX1
19. Overall fixed minor bugs
[v1.22]
1. Fixed random body bug: 24fps, 23.98fps Movie recording horizontal noise
2. Disable of White Balance-Custom Set-Adjust option in the Movie STBY mode
3. Fixed minor bugs
[v1.21]
1. Improved Drive speed under RAW, SAF, Continuous Normal setting
2. Optimized [Fast / Slow Movie] option of FHD 23.98p Movie size
3. Improved Touch AF performance during Movie recording
4. Fixed Smartphone synchronization of Time and Time Zone when you connect Bluetooth
5. Improved the purple noise issue of UHD 23.98p Movie size in the dark condition.
6. Fixed RAW file EXIF GPS information when you use the Geotagging under Smartphone Bluetooth connection
7. Movie STBY condition enable Drive dial button(AF/ISO/Metering/WB)
[v1.20]
1. C Gamma and DR Gamma curves added for movie shooting
2. Video master black level control in 31 steps
3. Video luminance level limiting [0-255], [16-235], [16-255]
4. Video AF responsiveness control in 5 steps (dictates camera's readiness to change AF subject)
5. Video AF speed control for more cinematic refocusing (3 settings)
6. Wider range of display options, including gridline, center, aspect ratio and action-safe area markers
7. Audio levels adjustable during movie capture
8. General improvement in the image quality of FHD video
9. 'Pro' movie quality setting added for 1080 capture
10. AF / Manual Focus and SAF / CAF toggling in movie mode
11. Autofocus lock option in movie mode
12. 23.98p and 24p frame rates for 3840x2160 and 1920x1080 video
13. ISO adjustable during movie capture
14. Output time code (free run) over HDMI (for use with external recorders)
15. Wi-Fi and [REC] buttons functions can be swapped
16. AF On and AEL buttons functions can be swapped
17. Depth of Field Preview and Delete buttons are customizable and additional functions are available on custom buttons.
18. Added ISO or Exposure Compensation to command dial (customizable per PASM mode)
19. Command dials direction of operation can be reversed
20. AE and Exposure Compensation improved in M mode
1) Able to control Exposure Compensation in M mode
2) EV scale now available in manual mode when flash is attached (shows ambient exposure)
3) Movie AE is more stable in M mode
21. Trap Shot feature: fires shutter when a subject crosses a specified guideline
22. It is now possible to off the NR in Bulb mode
23. When setting ISO Auto, the chosen ISO value is displayed in real time
24. User can select from four AF area sizes when using CAF + Multi AF
User can also position the sensitive area where they would like to begin tracking a subject from.
If subject moves out of selected area AF continues tracking.
25. Change the flash control value from 0.5EV to 0.3EV
26. Exposure/Focus Separation on/off option
27. Smartphone App can operate as remote release using Bluetooth
(The Samsung Camera Manager App must be updated through the Google Play Store)
28. Checks installs for firmware updates over Wi-Fi
29. Samsung Remote Studio for tethered shooting from Windows PC
(Samsung Remote Studio software can be downloaded from i-Launcher in February)
30. Samsung to release SDK for Windows to allow independent remote control software creation
(Samsung Remote Studio software can be downloaded from i-Launcher in February)
31. Pair with multiple smart devices (only for Android OS Smartphone)
32. Selecting and grabbing frames from video
33. Added new option: 'Save Selection AF Position'
34. Menu re-arranged for improved usability
35. Fixed minor bugs
* Refer to the latest User manual for new function explanation
[v1.10]
1. Added Sort by Oldest / Latest in the Playback menu
2. Added View Continuous Shots (Fold / Unfold) in the Playback menu
3. Added AF Start and AF Start + Lock in the AF On sub menu under Key Mapping
4. Added Custom Wheel EVC (Exposure Value Compensation) option in the Key Mapping menu
5. Overall color reproduction improvement
6. General improvement in the image quality of DCI 4K(4096x2160) video
7. Image quality improvement in white balance when Smart Range+ Mode is enabled
8. Improvement in long exposure noise reduction when capturing in RAW
9. Improved AF performance:
a. Added AF Release Priority function (Auto/Accuracy Priority/ Shooting Speed Priority).
b. Improved AF performance in low light situations
c. Improved AF performance in CAF & Multi area AF modes
10. Overall wireless strobe sync improvement
11. Other bugs are fixed
Thursday, 2 July 2015
It's Time To Go Mobile
First, this.
I have a mobile phone called a Oneplus One. Decided to try a few shots in raw. Downloaded an app on Android called MI2raw which can access the sensor and give me DNG's when I pull the trigger.
Here are a few that I've played with a fair bit in RawTherapee. I've pulled the light down because I liked the look it gave. Before and after...
If you want to view them in Flickr, just click here.
I have a mobile phone called a Oneplus One. Decided to try a few shots in raw. Downloaded an app on Android called MI2raw which can access the sensor and give me DNG's when I pull the trigger.
Here are a few that I've played with a fair bit in RawTherapee. I've pulled the light down because I liked the look it gave. Before and after...
If you want to view them in Flickr, just click here.
Wednesday, 1 July 2015
Comment Me This, Comment Me That...
A Rose By Any Other Name
Went for a photo walk yesterday in London, during a heatwave. I'll do a proper post on that day soon, but for now here is a plant from Earth...
Thursday, 25 June 2015
World's Slimmest, Lightest, Cheapest 4K Camera On The Way?
- 4K 24p.
- Auto and manual controls are available.
- Records 4K using h.264
- 20.5 megapixel sensor.
- 3 inch Super AMOLED display
- 400 shot battery.
- Built in flash.
- Shoots raw.
- D-Pad has been replaced with scroll wheel.
- Built in Wi-Fi and NFC.
- Essentially the same size as the original NX Mini, which makes it probably smaller and lighter than your wallet.
- Live power via micro USB port.
The price was listed at approx 549 Euros with the 9-27mm kit (£390).
This would make it quite probably the smallest, lightest and lowest priced 4K camera you can buy! You can also buy the optional NX adapter to use the lenses from the APS-C NX range, with a 2.7x crop. Anyone fancy shooting 470mm at 4K? Sweet! Now to just add a crop mode in 4K to the Samsung NX1....
Keep in mind that these are rumours at the moment (even if it was posted on a camera website). Would like at least 25fps in 4K mode though, but I would say that wouldn't I...
How good will it be? Well, someone tested the first Samsung NX Mini against the Nikon D5100, which the NX Mini proceeded to... well... just watch for yourself. (If it doesn't start at the right place, the comparison begins at 5:45).
One would hope that with the new processor there should be an increase in image / video quality, even if they are utilising the same sensor from the original.
Samsung NX500 Firmware Update Available!
As it says on the tin! Samsung continues to set the pace for quality, free functional updates / upgrades for its NX line in the consumer camera market.
If you're in the UK you can download the firmware onto your SD card HERE. It will update your Samsung NX500 to firmware v1.10
And seeing as most of my audience is from the United States, here is your direct link.
You can, like the Samsung NX1 download it OTA (over the air) using Wi-Fi or plug your camera into a computer and use i-Launcher.
What's been improved you ask? Large improvements with autofocus in still mode, video quality enhancements, manual focus control enhancements. EXIF from JPEG 4K capture, extended video recording time, in other words, bringing it closer with its big bro, the NX1 :-)
[v1.10]
1. Still Photo Enhancements:
Improvements to the overall Auto Focus:
2. Video Recording Enhancements:
3. Overall fixed minor bugs
If you're in the UK you can download the firmware onto your SD card HERE. It will update your Samsung NX500 to firmware v1.10
And seeing as most of my audience is from the United States, here is your direct link.
You can, like the Samsung NX1 download it OTA (over the air) using Wi-Fi or plug your camera into a computer and use i-Launcher.
What's been improved you ask? Large improvements with autofocus in still mode, video quality enhancements, manual focus control enhancements. EXIF from JPEG 4K capture, extended video recording time, in other words, bringing it closer with its big bro, the NX1 :-)
[v1.10]
1. Still Photo Enhancements:
Improvements to the overall Auto Focus:
- Enhanced AF performance in low light condition
- Enhanced AF performance in backlit and spot light
- Enhanced AF performance in the corners when utilizing 16-50mm PZ lens
- Enhanced Face Detection AF performance
- Enhanced AF performance in movie mode
- Added Zone AF mode
- Increased the size of AF to 5 steps in AF Area Size
- Increased the Face Detection Area of the sensor
- Includes 4 most popular Pro Suggest presets (Cinematic, Memories, Gorgeous night, and High Speed)
- Added Selfie as Flipped mode
- The image is flipped to capture as in the preview.
- Improved Selfie AF function in Timer mode.
- Continuous AF is default in Selfie Timer.
- Simplified EXIF data preview
2. Video Recording Enhancements:
- Added Pro mode in movie quality and increased the bit rates for movie size and quality (up to 70Mbps)
- Movie Recording Time changed to 25 minutes at FHD 60P/50P
- Larger sensor read out data size with improved FHD quality up to 60P
- Remains in Stand By mode after recording
- 1280x720 (120P) setting in the Movie Size Menu for easy access
- Sound recording is available
- Capture individual 4K frame forward & backward with precision
- Embedded EXIF data in jpeg
- Added NEW MF Responsiveness mode
- (Capable of setting to Low, Medium, High focus angle in manual focus mode)
3. Overall fixed minor bugs
Tuesday, 23 June 2015
Three Blind Mice - Samsung NX1 vs Nikon D750 vs Sony Alpha 77 II
You take three cameras, run some tests with them, post the images but don't tell the audience which images come from which camera. You then ask said audience to vote on what they think the best images are.
This was done by digitalversus.com - it involved a Nikon D750, a Sony Alpha 77 II and the Samsung NX1 (using a pre-release firmware, so quality and performance are higher now than they were during this test).
There were approximately 1000 participants for the blind test, the test covers things like ISO performance, colour rendition, detail etc the usual suspects.
When people only had the image to go on (not brand prejudice, ego and other inefficient human traits) the results put the Samsung NX1 at the top. Link to original article is in the quote.
Last Tuesday, we asked you to give us your opinion about the picture quality on a pre-production model of the Samsung NX1 (firmware 0.36...), compared to a Sony Alpha 77 II and a Nikon D750. Let's break the suspense right now: against all expectations, you by far preferred the Samsung NX1, which came in first, well ahead of the D750. The Alpha 77 II finished last with three times fewer votes than the NX1. Let's go into detail...
Monday, 22 June 2015
Thursday, 18 June 2015
Update! - Samsung NX1 Remote Studio to v1.0.1.0
UPDATED WITH STRESS TEST
Turned on my PC this morning, and Remote Studio was open from last night (I didn't shut it down properly). Was just about to close it and saw this.
What was that, about nine days since its release? And there I was wondering when the next update would be. To access this update simply run the Remote Studio App and it'll check automatically.
Turned on my PC this morning, and Remote Studio was open from last night (I didn't shut it down properly). Was just about to close it and saw this.
What was that, about nine days since its release? And there I was wondering when the next update would be. To access this update simply run the Remote Studio App and it'll check automatically.
Monday, 15 June 2015
Grabbing Stills From 4K Video - Samsung NX1
There seems to be a bit of a 'debate' going around regarding the use of individual frames taken from a video stream as a valid form of photography, or if using certain settings is 'valid'. I'm going to keep this short.
It doesn't matter what anybody says about anything (including me). If you got the shot you wanted who cares? If you're sharing your work, of all of the people who will view it, how many do you think will have 'was this pulled from video, I won't like it if so' going through their head? None, that's how many.
Frame grabbing isn't new of course, but with the advent of affordable 4K video capable cameras, it's become even more useful simply because of the increased resolution. This is the first part of a series where I'll post 4K grabs from video I've shot with the Samsung NX1. None of these were filmed with the express intention of getting screen grabs. With the latest firmware (v1.34 as of writing) you also have the option of grabbing frames from the camera internally, this also writes the EXIF data to the JPEG. These were all shot from v1 to v1.2 so there is none of that here.
These were all shot at 25 or 30fps using a 180 shutter. I have also endeavoured to provide shots in different lighting and of different subjects.
Frame grabbing isn't new of course, but with the advent of affordable 4K video capable cameras, it's become even more useful simply because of the increased resolution. This is the first part of a series where I'll post 4K grabs from video I've shot with the Samsung NX1. None of these were filmed with the express intention of getting screen grabs. With the latest firmware (v1.34 as of writing) you also have the option of grabbing frames from the camera internally, this also writes the EXIF data to the JPEG. These were all shot from v1 to v1.2 so there is none of that here.
These were all shot at 25 or 30fps using a 180 shutter. I have also endeavoured to provide shots in different lighting and of different subjects.
Thursday, 11 June 2015
Sony! α7R II + RX10 II + RX100 IV = 14bit Raw?
Yes, I'm going there. Why? Because it says as much in the specifications for the cameras on the Sony website. Screenshots from the respective pages are included below (click the images to enlarge) along with direct links to the originating page. This is for the Sony a7r mark 2, the RX10 mark 2 and the RX100 mark 4.
What you are looking for is 'Sony ARW 2.3'
Wednesday, 10 June 2015
A Samsung NX1 Short Film - Yvonne
A woman frustrated by her circumstances in life takes up residence inside her refrigerator in an effort to make a change. Yvonne was shot in 4K entirely on the Samsung NX1 mirrorless camera. See the short film with award-winning actress Marissa Jaret Winokur and filmmaker Andrew Putschogel.
RELATED VIEWING
RELATED VIEWING
Tuesday, 9 June 2015
Samsung NX1 Remote Studio Now Available + NX1 SDK
Only just got around to posting about the NX1 v1.31 firmware update and along comes Samsung with a another release. Barely had time to finish my lunch (which was delicious by the way), fry up some mushrooms gently, sprinkle some onion powder, smoked paprika and black pepper, smash some eggs into it near the end, take it out, use the hot pan to fry up some tomatoes (with the smallest drip of oil). Heat up some pitta bread, stuff them, eat them, roll your eyes at the tastiness.
Anyway, after updating the NX1 I went back into i-Launcher which prompted me to update, so I did. It now looks like this.
Anyway, after updating the NX1 I went back into i-Launcher which prompted me to update, so I did. It now looks like this.
Samsung NX1 Firmware v1.31 Now Available!
Along with a firmware update for the Samsung NX 16-50mm f3.5 Power Zoom Lens.
I must admit, I'm loving Samsung's firm (get it) commitment to their flagship. As usual, you can install the new software using the i-Launcher app by connecting your NX1 to your computer via USB or you can also use NX1's built in Wi-Fi update feature. If you would rather download the file directly and do it offline, the link (for the UK firmware) is HERE.
For the record, the web-based i-Launcher looks like this:
I must admit, I'm loving Samsung's firm (get it) commitment to their flagship. As usual, you can install the new software using the i-Launcher app by connecting your NX1 to your computer via USB or you can also use NX1's built in Wi-Fi update feature. If you would rather download the file directly and do it offline, the link (for the UK firmware) is HERE.
For the record, the web-based i-Launcher looks like this:
Monday, 8 June 2015
OnePlus One 64GB UK - Cyanogen Logo
I had been looking up news about the breakup between OnePlus One and the Cyanogen team, and have been seeing reviews posting shots of the phone with the 'Cyanogen' logo emblazoned on the back. Decided to actually look at the back of my 64GB version that I received recently only to find there is no spoon. I mean logo.
Only just realised, (I've only had the phone for a few days). Nice phone by the way. I'm not going to do a review on it, there are a million of those on the net already. Looking forward to using it with the Samsung NX1 via the Smart Camera Manager App soon.
Only just realised, (I've only had the phone for a few days). Nice phone by the way. I'm not going to do a review on it, there are a million of those on the net already. Looking forward to using it with the Samsung NX1 via the Smart Camera Manager App soon.
Saturday, 6 June 2015
Samsung NX1 Resolution [Is The Nuts] - Part One
The very first day I walked out of my house with the 50-150mm S lens attached to my NX1 I had the intention of trying on some street photography, it being a perfect lens for picking scenes near and far from the camera without having to dart around the high street like The Flash.
Naturally I couldn't find anything that caught my attention worth capturing, so I decided to randomly walk about (always seems to work best for me). Moving through Oxford Street, in central London I wandered into Regent's Park, daydreaming like usual. It was cold but bright. Could be worse conditions for capturing random moments I suppose.
Thursday, 4 June 2015
Another Track Release - Do You Like Ambient, Chilled Out Music?
Another track from my EP 'Hypervirtua'.
This is part of a series of tracks I'm releasing to celebrating crossing the 1 million views milestone on YouTube! So thank you to all of the humans around the world for passing by my channel and spending a little time with me :-)
This is part of a series of tracks I'm releasing to celebrating crossing the 1 million views milestone on YouTube! So thank you to all of the humans around the world for passing by my channel and spending a little time with me :-)
Samsung NX1 S Lens Firmware Updates!
Once that's done you need to turn off the camera and if you haven't already, attach whatever S lens you have (16-50 f2 S or the 50-150 f2.8 S). Plug the NX1 into your computer and open iLauncher, select Software Update. Follow the instructions. The update should improve AF speed, hard for me to tell seeing as AF has been pretty spot on already with my available v1.3 body firmware and S lenses.
For the record, the lens firmware is v01.02.
Enjoy :-)
HEVC h.265 Hardware Decoding by AMD and Samsung NX1
Didn't take long.
AMD have announced the Carrizo APU family, focused on low energy computing, with hardware support for HEVC h.265 decoding on-chip.
http://www.techspot.com/news/60875-amd-launches-carrizo-apus-focus-efficiency.html
Although these are designed for use in mobile devices (laptops and the like) this just goes to show that the HEVC snowball is picking up speed. As more and more devices begin to support HEVC in hardware it is inevitable that more content with be delivered in the more efficient format, and this goes for 1080p video as well as 4k/UHD content.
AMD have announced the Carrizo APU family, focused on low energy computing, with hardware support for HEVC h.265 decoding on-chip.
http://www.techspot.com/news/60875-amd-launches-carrizo-apus-focus-efficiency.html
Although these are designed for use in mobile devices (laptops and the like) this just goes to show that the HEVC snowball is picking up speed. As more and more devices begin to support HEVC in hardware it is inevitable that more content with be delivered in the more efficient format, and this goes for 1080p video as well as 4k/UHD content.
Saturday, 16 May 2015
Birds In Slow Motion - Samsung NX1
A rough cut of a bunch of clips I shot recently in Regent's Park, London.
Samsung NX1 + 50-150mm S Lens.
1080p @ 60fps native with x2 slow motion switch.
In-camera Sharpness could have been turned down a bit, but I'm testing different settings in real world shooting, so this footage looks like this :-)
Minor grading, no colour adjustment, only Brightness, Contrast, Highlight tweaks.
Tuesday, 5 May 2015
Descent - Ambient Chillout Soundtrack - Part 1
1,000,000+ CHANNEL VIEWS!!! Amazing! To celebrate, I will be uploading a completely original six track EP,
'Descent' is track one.
'Descent' is track one.
Thursday, 16 April 2015
Tuesday, 14 April 2015
Thursday, 9 April 2015
Tuesday, 31 March 2015
Moonlight: Backing Track Prototype
Working on some tunes to play with in between other projects. Was enjoying this so I fired it up and improvised on it. Let me know what you think as a backing track, I may finish it off and release on here for free :-)
Video recorded with a Samsung NX1, this was all so rushed that I didn't mess about with the settings like I should have. Shot it in HD when I should have used UHD, 1/60 shutter instead of 1/50, 1600 ISO etc, plus I used a wide aperture to compensate for the rapidly dropping light, didn't want to waste more time getting out lights so I just hit record and go on with it. As you do.
Tuesday, 17 February 2015
Quorra's Dream - Tron and Tron: Legacy Mashup
This is a video I edited which combines clips from both the original Tron, and it's sequel, Tron: Legacy. I created this video to accompany the music which I composed after being inspired by the art design and soundtrack of Tron: Legacy. Funnily enough, this is the first video I ever edited...
If you haven't seen the films them then this won't make much sense, but for those who have...
I decided to 'zoom' in to the period of time in Tron: Legacy when Quorra was unconscious, and came up with a sequence of memories (embedded in the Grid) which she accesses, telling her the history of the Grid and it's future.
Best watched with the lights off and your speakers up (or headphones).
If you haven't seen the films them then this won't make much sense, but for those who have...
I decided to 'zoom' in to the period of time in Tron: Legacy when Quorra was unconscious, and came up with a sequence of memories (embedded in the Grid) which she accesses, telling her the history of the Grid and it's future.
Best watched with the lights off and your speakers up (or headphones).
Monday, 5 January 2015
Samsung NX1 120fps 1080p Video Sample
First time out with the NX1. Shot a little high (interpolated) frame rate 1080p. Was a cold, freezing wet windy day. Tripod seized up, fingers went numb. Couldn't use the touch screen properly through my gloves. Object tracking worked fine.
Still had fun though :-)
Shot with the Samsung NX 50-200mm.
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