Category: camera equipment reviews

Category for all reviews of camera equipment like flashes, diffusers, cases, modifiers, straps bags, battery chargers.

Photo Ninja 1.2.4 review
Photo Ninja 1.2.4 review

Introduction and basic features

Photo Ninja is a RAW image converter from software developer Picture Code. It uses proprietary demosaicing processes to give your images a distinctive look. It’s fair to say that, unlike most other RAW converters, Photo Ninja focusses more on visible perception and less on technical accuracy.

This software application has an integrated browser for navigating through folders and opening images. It works directly with the file system, so you don’t need to import your images into a catalog or library.

Original RAF

Photo Ninja

There are some things that Photo Ninja is good at, and others where I’d say it’s as good as any other RAW developer. The latter include:
1. Automatic overexposure compensation: reconstruction of missing data in overexposed areas.
2. Adaptive lighting: A feature set you’ll find in all RAW developers. You can brighten shadows, turn down highlights, and change contrast. Photo Ninja includes an efficient adaptive lighting engine that can pull detail from shadows, overcome backlighting, tame aggressive highlights, and compress excessive contrast. This without flattening detail or halo artifacts.
3. Detail enhancement: boosts or smooths micro-contrast in an image. The effect can quickly look over-processed, so be careful with this slider. You can also set it to negative amounts, for a smoothing effect in portraits
4. Black and White conversion: create monochrome images from inside the RAW editor. The base conversions simulate the use of color filters in traditional black-and-white film. There is also hue-specific control for fine tuning that uses varying the relative lightness of particular color ranges. Split-tone colorization can map shadows to one color and highlights to another, with blended colors for intermediate tones. Subtle split toning can be useful for warming or cooling an image or improving separation of elements.
5. Color correction: Photo Ninja includes simple controls for setting the white balance in an image.It utilizes the light source profiles to improve the overall accuracy of colors. Built-in daylight profiles are available for a large number of cameras but are in need improvement in my opinion. You can photograph a ColorChecker reference chart and use the profiling facility to create a custom light source profile quickly.
6. Chromatic aberration correction: Photo Ninja can remove color fringing due to lateral chromatic aberration (LCA). In most cases, Photo Ninja can accurately measure and correct LCA without user intervention and with excellent results. Significantly, for RAW images, Photo Ninja fixes LCA prior to demosaicing before the aberration is smeared across channels by demosaicing, color correction and other processing. The resulting improvement is striking compared to post-demosaicing correction. The technology is powerful enough to remove complex, nonlinear LCA that is exhibited by some modern lenses. Note that LCA is only one cause of color fringing in digital images. Longitudinal CA and so-called “purple-fringing“ have different causes. This app also includes a general-purpose “Defringe” tool in the noise reduction filter that can help with these types of fringing. I’m mainly processing mirror-less sensors and was somewhat disappointed with these auto corrections. I hear there is a new version in the pipeline and hope this will be improved.
7. Distortion correction: For architecture or landscapes where lines need to be straight, this RAW converter offers lens correction filter that can repair the complex distortion typical of modern zoom and wide-angle lenses. Currently, it does not support auto corrections embedded in RAW data, which is disappointing. The current correction model is mathematically derived from optics theory, and it is powerful enough to correct combined fisheye, pincushion/barrel, and “mustache” distortion. The alignment tool allows you to place several points along an edge that is supposed to be straight, and Photo Ninja automatically calculates the optimal correction settings.
I’ll now go over the features where I think Photo Ninja excels.

Demosaicing

One of the most important steps in raw conversion is converting RAW sensor data to full-color RGB pixels. This process is called demosaicing. Photo Ninja uses a proprietary demosaicing algorithm that delivers a unique ‘look’ with few digital artifacts.
If your camera is fully supported, three modes are available. The standard algorithm is suitable for most cameras with an antialiasing filter. The moderate and enhanced methods are reserved for cameras with weak or missing antialiasing filters like the Fujifilm X series. It is slower, but in many cases reduces directional artifacts and moire patterns that would otherwise result because of the lack of antialiasing.

Sharpening

original RAF

with Photo Ninja Sharpening

Most conventional sharpening methods are based on the “unsharp mask” process. This method subtracts a slightly blurred copy from the original image, creating more defined edges. Photo Ninja created a deblurring algorithm that mathematically reverses mild amounts of blurring using more sophisticated processing.

100% crop original ORF image

100% crop with sharpening

As you can see in my examples, the result can be impressive. You can restore and enhance fine detail without any artifacts. The sharpening tab also has a noise reduction filter that allows you to sharpen edges without adding noise to smooth areas.

This combination of sharpening and noise reduction is another example of how Photo Ninja works in creating and overall better-perceived image. It’s not just taking care of the problem you’re addressing in that tab; all of the RAW corrections and tweaks work together to make a sharper and better-looking photo.

ORF ISO 1600 original

ORF ISO 1600 processed

Three simple sliders are available: Sharpening Strength, Sharpening Radius, and Noise Masking.

Sharpening Strength is quite self-explanatory and signifies the amount of sharpening applied. The Sharpening Radius slider determines the width of the blur that the algorithm attempts to reverse. A setting of 0.5 to 0.7 is usually appropriate for raw images, but you might want to use smaller values with Fuji RAF files. A wider radius can sometimes help if the image is slightly out of focus. The Noise Masking slider is only active when luminance noise reduction is enabled in the main window. It controls the amount of sharpening masking by the noise reduction filter. The noise reduction filter and the sharpening filter work together so that sharpening is applied to edges while avoiding smooth areas where noise could be amplified.

Noise Ninja 3

original ARW file at ISO 12800

ARW file at ISO 12800 with Noise Ninja

Noise Ninja has been a highly regarded de-noising algorithm since the first version back in 2003. This technology has been licensed to medical equipment, semiconductor, and camera manufacturers. Picture Code expanded on their knowledge to develop a completely new noise reduction algorithm.

It features an improved tradeoff between noise suppression and detail preservation, better treatment of color, and more natural smoothing of contoured areas. Luminance noise reduction also works together with sharpening so that edges are sharpened while smooth areas are avoided.

original ARW file at ISO 12800

ARW file at ISO 12800 with Noise Ninja

Color Enhancement

Photo Ninja offers simple yet effective tools for enhancing color. You’ll find some nice built-in color styles that generate eye-pleasing results. The default “Portrait” color style has been carefully designed to yield vivid overall color while avoiding oversaturation of skin tones.

Adjustments are calculated in a perceptual color space for more natural results. Hue-specific color controls allow targeting of specific color ranges with hue, saturation, and lightness adjustments, so you can easily override the base color styles or create new ones. A unique Hue Affinity feature can improve consistency of “memory colors” in the presence of mild color deviations.

RAF original

RAF processed

Conclusion

Photo Ninja can generate some fantastic results if used correctly. I’d even go as far as to say that when it comes to sharpening, toning and noise reduction, some things can only be done to this degree in Photo Ninja. The most important thing to remember is that you’ll get the best end results when using the different modules together, going back and forth to fine tweak your images and find the right balance. It offers a different flavor of RAW conversion than Lightroom, Iridient, Capture One or DXO Optics Pro does.

orginal

with Photo Ninja

Whilst it is not the most flexible RAW developer out there, it does offer a different flavor of RAW conversion than Lightroom, Iridient, Capture One or DXO Optics Pro does. I find it’s strong points are sharpening and noise reduction that work flawlessly together to render realistic-looking sharper and smooth images, even at higher ISO’s.

I would suggest trying a demo to see if this flavor is something you like or not.
March 14, 2015
Iridient Developer RAW converter review

Iridient Developer 3.0 review

Introduction

Iridient Developer 3.0 is an advanced RAW image conversion application for Mac OS X. This RAW developer is known for it’s superior demosaicing of Fujifilm X-TRANS2 files, but offer support for over 500 other cameras, now including the Samsung NX1.

This version is a major update with new features and improvements including new RAW processing algorithms, sharpening methods and noise reduction methods.

I’ve been using their version 3 beta releases for the last few months so I feel pretty confident in doing a full review. I’ll mainly be going over the new functionality of this RAW developer, and especially the latest sharpening methods for Fujifilm XTANS files.

RAW Processing

All RAW images require demosaicing to render them into a viewable format. This process reconstructs a full-color spectrum image from the incomplete color samples registered by your camera’s image sensor. The Iridient manual has some interesting information on this if you’d like to know more, so I’m not going to go into this here. Suffice to say that there are different demosaicing techniques that, depending on your image, will render better output results. And that different sensors, think X-Trans vs. Bayer, require different development techniques.

One of the interesting thing about a dedicated RAW developer like this is that it offers different developing techniques for all supported sensors. This variety means you’ll be able to get the most out of your images. Now the results will vary greatly depending on the type of image (portrait, landscape, architecture,…) and are often subtle. I’ve processed the same XTRANS2 file here with the 3 available color demosaicing processes. See if you can spot the difference. If you can, you definitely need to invest in a dedicated RAW developer.

Iridient v3 XTRANS detail (color)

Iridient v3 XTRANS smooth (color)

Iridient v3 XTRANS standard (color)

Iriedient version 3 also has new monochrome specific RAW conversions. in B&W, the difference is more apparent. I’ve chosen 3 different types of images here that are more suited to that particular type of conversion.

Iridient v3 XTRANS B&W smooth

Iridient v3 XTRANS B&W detail

Iridient v3 XTRANS B&W normal

New Sharpening Methods

The latest version of Iridient Developer also brings two new sharpening methods: Iridient Reveal and High Pass. This RAW developer processes your images at 32 bits/channel floating point bit depth, very wide gamut, and perceptual color space to only the lightness or luminance data. This system prevents color shifts, provides superfine gradations and a more realistic color rendition.

Besides Unsharp Mask, High Pass, DoG, and Reveal sharpening techniques, Iridient 3.0 brings two new sharpening methods: Iridient Reveal and High Pass. Reveal combines several sharpening methods including aspects of both traditional edges contrast enhancement and deconvolution.

All these sharpening techniques have their roots in processing actions that photographers have been using for decades. The most basic one is Unsharp Mask. This technique uses multiple layers and can be done in nearly all image editors like Photoshop. It uses a slightly blurred layer of the original image that is subtracted from the original to detect the presence of edges, effectively creating a high-pass filter. Contrast is then selectively increased along these edges using this mask, leaving behind a sharper final image.

Nearly all of the sharpening techniques use the term radius terms. This slider changes the size of the edges that are enhanced by the sharpening. Although many things can impact the ideal radius setting, in general, the sharper you shot your image the smaller the radius value will need to be.

100% crop without sharpening

If you are using a modern camera sensor with very sharp lenses without AA filter than a general recommendation of between 0.3 and 0.6 for a radius value is a good starting point for the sharpening methods. Low-cost lenses on cameras with AA filters may generally work better in the 0.5 to 0.8 range. If an image has been resized for large print use has focussing issues larger values might be useful.

Let’s have a closer look at the new sharpening methods Iriedient Reveal and High Pass in Iridient Developer v3.0.

Iridient Reveal

Reveal is the current default sharpening option for all RAW images. It combines the best parts of several of the other sharpening techniques into one quick fix sharpener. It uses aspects of deconvolution and traditional edge contrast-enhancing techniques and has a radius value much like many of the other adjustments.

100% crop with Iridient Hybrid sharpening

You can use the Edge Detail slider to adjust the amount of edge contrast enhancement. To the right of the Edge Detail is a right-click popup menu that allows you to choose from several processing variants depending on what type of image you are sharpening. The Texture/Micro Detail slider is used to primarily adjust the deconvolution and other processing of fine detail.

High Pass

High Pass uses the Unsharp Mask method I explained earlier, but it uses advanced compositing methods to blend the sharpened image with the original which can give a more pleasing effect with fewer artifacts. The downside to High Pass is that the layer blending step makes it slower than Unsharp Mask. But I would not recommend using Iridient on a slow computer. I’m running a 2014 iMac with 24GB RAM and everything works blazingly fast.

100% crop with Iridient Low Pass sharpening

The Radius and Amount sliders work just like they do in Unsharp Mask. You can alter the look of the sharpening by varying the blending type. Keep in mind that certain blending methods can be more suited for some subjects than others. Right-clicking the slider opens a popup menu that offers a choice of three different styles Soft, Standard, and Hard. Soft is more suited to portraits and is subtle, hard is more suitable for landscape type scenes and will produce a crisper image.

Exposure options

Iridient Developer version 3 includes several new options for adjusting overall tonality in the Exposure tab. These include an adaptive Fill Light functionality and pixel neighborhood adaptive Highlights and Shadows adjustments.

Fill Light

The Fill Light adjustment is quite similar to increasing or decreasing overall exposure. It allows you to brighten or darken your image in a not a linear way. This method preserves the brightest highlights and darkest shadows better. A good workflow with over- or underexposed images is to slightly adjust overall exposure then use Fill Light slider to optimise the overall brightness.

original image

Many software editors like DXO Optics Pro and Topaz Labs now how a similar function.The Fill Light adjustment is basically a “smart” or adaptive tone curve that will do its best to avoid pushing very dark blacks and very bright whites to clipping while still providing a pleasant overall brightness. Fill Light will do some “compression” of certain tonal ranges to preserve the maximum dynamic range and maintain a pleasing level of mid-tone contrast.

fill light

Adaptive Highlights and Shadows

Shadows adjustment allows you to brighten or darken specific shadow regions of the image with an adapative method that takes into account the pixel’s surrounding neighborhood. It allows you to make adjustments that better preserve contrast without some further tweaking of other sliders.

original X100s image

Highlights adjustment applies the same adaptive method to regions of the image that fall into the highlights tonal range. The only disadvantage of using adaptive highlights and shadows is that it requires a bit more computing time to do.

with neighbourhood adaptive shadow recovery

Improved Clarity and Noise Reduction adjustments

original image

Clarity

You’ll probably be familiar with Clarity, as you’ll find it in most Current Image Editors. This slider enhances mid-tone contrast and reduces haze. Right-clicking the Clarity slider gives you a few options for targeting different styles like crispy landscape or softer portraits.

with Iridient clarity

Noise Reduction

You won’t be able to clean-up heavy grain and artifacts caused by high ISO values here. Noise reduction is mainly implemented to counter any possible added noise by the sharpening processes. The noise reduction methods in Iridient Developer 3.0 have been updated to provide better results when combined with some of the new sharpening methods. High-level color smearing has been reduced and you’ll find overall better color noise reduction than the previous methods. A new Luminance Grain Smoothness gives better retention of image sharpness while still keeping apparent noise levels under control.

Monochrome Conversions

It’s best to do Black and White or Monochrome conversions at the RAW stage. Iridient is very adept at this, with many conversion methods already available in the earlier versions. This latest update adds new monochrome mixer conversion methods for a total of nine, that can radically reduce noise and provide even better image detail.There are now several options, including direct access to low-level RAW linear data, for color managed mixing styles.

original image

Two new monochrome toning methods are Split Toning and Mono Tone. You’ll also find new presets for toning styles like Sepia, Cyanotype, and Platinum.

split tone

mono tone

The Mono tab panel of the Settings window contains controls to convert images to monochrome. Iridient Developer offers nine different options for making the conversion which are described below. Note that after Iridient Developer performs the monochrome conversion images still remain RGB which allows for color tone effects to be applied.

Export options

I have up to now used Iridient from Lightroom with the method described here. It fits with my workflow and allows me to get the results I want. But if you are the type of photographer who does not want to add any extra processing, Iriedient Developer 3.0 has advanced file export options. These include improved preview window approximation of the Detail processing stages, significant improvement to earlier processing methods and simplified colour management tools.

Camera support

This final release also adds support for RAW images from the Olympus E-M5 Mark II shot in 40 megapixel high-resolution mode and the Samsung NX1. Besides these interesting newcomers, Iridient supports over 500 camera models. Have a look at their website to see if yours is supported.

Conclusion

Iridient Developer 3 is without a doubt one of the most powerful RAW developers currently available. It has a plethora of functions and features that will appeal to both the amateur and novice photographer. The sharpening techniques possible are amongst the most versatile you’ll find in any Image editing suite. Version 3 brings all this power and flexibility in an even more easily usable interface, allowing the less experienced photographer to easily improve their imagery.

The Sharpening techniques available are fantastic, not just for Fujifilm X-Trans files, but also with my Samsung NX1 and Sony A7r RAW data. Switch over to 100% magnification and run through all processes available to find the one most suited to your image. Then tweak to get the right style and you’ll be amazed at the results.

Version 3 brings all this power and flexibility in an even more easily usable interface, allowing the less experienced photographer to easily improve their imagery. You can go as deep as you want here, editing and tweaking even minute data captured from your sensor, but it strikes me that Iriident is also excellent at everyday processing tasks. The 2 options for white balance for instance almost always give me a clean and realistic colour rendering, far superior to what my cameras can achieve. This image editor has become my go-to application for my entire photo library. When used with the appropriate settings for that type of imagery, it always enhances them. It’s fair to say I couldn’t live without Iridient Developer anymore.

March 5, 2015
Topaz labs Photography collection review
Topaz Labs Photography collection review

Introduction

Topaz Labs are photo plug-in developer based in Texas that makes a broad range of powerful software products for photographers.
The Complete Topaz Photography Collection from Topaz Labs consists of a suite of 13 plug-ins, as well as an intuitive standalone navigational application.

This collection includes all of Topaz Labs’ highly regarded plug-ins: Clarity, B&W Effects, Adjust, Lens Effects, ReMask, Detail, Simplify, InFocus, DeNoise, Clean, and DeJPEG. It also includes more creative effect plug-ins like Star Effects, Simplify, and ReStyle.

The Photography Collection also includes their Image editor PhotoFXlab that allows you to use all these plugins either from Adobe Lightroom or as a stand-alone application. You can use most of these plug-ins in other host programs too like Adobe Photoshop, CC, Elements, Apple Aperture, iPhoto, Corel PaintShop Pro, PhotoImpact, Serif PhotoPlus, and IrfanView.

Topaz Labs Photography Collection Plug-ins

ReStyle

ReStyle allows you to alter the appearance of photographs quickly and easily. This plug-in uses an array of adaptive looks and effects based on color palettes You’ll find intriguing preset names like Fashion Brown, Olive Drama, Pale Purple and Vanilla Sunrise.

Original image, Sunset in Kenya

Topaz Restyle applied with a star effect

When you open an image in restyle, their Image Mapping Technology maps the picture’s colors and tones. This mapping is then used to produce the best possible enhancements and refines the look of photographs. Once you’ve decided on the tone palette you want to apply, each effect can be manually fine-tuned to suit your personal preference. You can also blend the effect (or effects) with your original photo in its entirety or by using masking tools. Depending on the colors palette of your image, some presets work better than others but you can get beautiful results.

Clarity

original image

Topaz Labs clarity applied

There are over 100 preset effects available in the Clarity Plug-in, Raging from HDR style processing to shadow- and highlight recovery. You’ll find the processes split into categories according to different types of photography like nature, macro, landscape,..

Clarity uses what Topaz Labs calls Intelligent Contrast Enhancement. This technology works to increase the visual impact of photos by fine-tuning contrast settings and maintaining highlight values for realistic results. Again, you can make selective adjustments in combination with masking tools in order to enhance local areas.

B&W Effects

B&W Effects offers a complete range of controls for maintaining high image quality within a rich tonal and contrast range. You can start your conversion by selecting one of the 200 effects in eight different collections when change a picture from color to black and white.

Presets include:

Traditional classically-styled black and white effects.

Toned: for add differently colored tones or tints to images like copper, gold, selenium, sepia, and antique.

Stylized combines traditional black and white images with creative effects like diffusion, cartoon, paint and multi-tone.

Cyanotype mimics the cyanotype printing process to give a rich blue hue to pictures.

Albumen adds a range of traditional colorings, from purple to chocolate brown, to simulate the look of albumen printing techniques.

Platinum gives warm blacks and silvery whites with an especially notable tonal range.

Opalotype: reminiscent of printing onto translucent white sheets of glass and then hand-tinting or coloring imagery.

original image of drying fish in Iceland

Topaz B&W applied

Topaz Labs’s Tonal contrast algorithm is at the heart of this plug-in. I helps to generate blacker blacks and whiter whites, with an extensive range of mid-tones. Traditional film grain styles are available to simulate the look of scanned film types for a more traditional or vintage look. You can also apply vignetting and border effects.

Adjust

Adjust uses Topaz Labs’ proprietary adaptive exposure, detail enhancement, and adaptive color technology to add perceived contrast, better color rendition, and clarity.

Adaptive exposure processes certain parts of an image differently in order to increase the perceived dynamic range of a picture to make it look more contrast-rich while still maintaining detail in the highlights and shadows.

original image, monkeys in Thailand

Topaz Adjust applied

The Adjust plug-in can reveal small details in order to give a more polished appearance without affecting noise levels. This process gives more defined results compared to standard sharpening and local contrast adjustments.

Adaptive color helps to increase the apparent saturation of an image without looking unnatural. Similar to adaptive exposure technology, color is intelligently adjusted based on the analysis of the overall picture.

Lens Effects

This plug-in simulates familiar optical and lens-based effects. It provides 29 different types for improving your imagery using sun or other flare effects. There are also some Bokeh effects available that allow you to blur the background of an image. Diffusion softens the lighter as of a picture and produces a hazy or dream-like quality to a picture.

Topaz Restyle and lens effects applied

You’ll also find Color Filters, Tilt-Shift Lenses effects, polarization Motion Blurr and Granulated effects here.

ReMask

ReMask lets you make fast image selections and produce masks in an efficient manner. An intuitive workflow allows you to replace backgrounds efficiently, reposition subjects, selectively adjust color, contrast, or exposure, and create unique composite images. This masking plug-in works great with Photoshop where you can transfer your image to the plug-in, define a part of your image and transfer it back to Photoshop as a mask.

Topaz Labs Remask

Masking procedure:

The masking process starts with using three simple, intelligent brush tools to paint quickly paint over the desired portion.

Once you have selected this area, the Apply Tool will interpret the shaded area and produce a mask over the selected parts.

Once the mask has been previewed, you can manually refine it in order to ensure all desired contents are selected.

Detail

Detail is a plug-in designed to enhance the look of your photos. It intelligently isolates particular features of an image and selectively increases detail. Intelligent algorithms divide your photo into three levels of detail separation, and three tonal levels to make more precise highlight and shadow detail adjustment.

original image: Elephants in front of the Kilimanjaro.

More overall perceived detail with Topaz Labs Detail, levels adjusted in PhotoFXLab

You can use the brush tool to refine sharpening regions selectively. The sharpening algorithms were improved to prevent sharpening artefacts and to realise natural looking images.

There are over 50 presets available for quick image adjustment and, additionally, presets can be organised based on personal preference.

Simplify

Simplify converts your photos into works of art. You’ll find different paint and drawing techniques like cartoon, abstract, charcoal, cartoon and Oil Painting. They achieve this by a process called topological decomposition that selectively removes unnecessary image detail and renders a handcrafted looking piece of art.

Topaz simplify

InFocus

InFocus helps to correct loss-of-sharpness due to camera shake. It can refine small details in your images with micro-contrast enhancement, which increases the apparent sharpness and renders cleaner-looking results.

Topaz in-focus

DeNoise

DeNoise can remove all kinds of noise like fixed, pattern, and random noise from images. This proprietary de-noising technique can also eliminate horizontal and vertical banding noise, which will increase apparent detail and restore blurred lines and edges in photographs. It also removes red and blue color casts, while correcting shadow tones and color unevenness commonly found in low-light images shot at higher ISO values.

Star Effects

Star Effects lets you add or modify how highlights look in night scenes. You’ll be able to change or enhance existing bursts of light in your photos by converting them into multi-point stars effects. There is a variety of stars to choose from including burst, traditional and Hollywood types.

original image of the Donau in Budapest

with Topaz Star Effects

You’ll find Topaz Labs’ selection brushes with edge-aware technology in this plug-in too. This brush allows you to paint in or out the affected areas of you image. You can also layer different star effects on top of each other by pressing apply. All presets and effects are fully customizable in color, temperature, secondary spikes, glow, and ring flare.

Clean

This plug-in can smooth out skin wrinkles and blemishes in portraits without the loss of details. It’s also possible to create vectorized, cartoon-like effects in a simple way. Not my favorite tool to use but if creating these types of images is your thing, you’ll find it very useful.

DeJPEG

DeJPEG can restore detail and dynamic range to Jpegs with advanced algorithms. It ‘s a helpful tool to restore highly compressed images and reduce compression artifacts. This proprietary algorithm automatically examines the entire picture, removes artifacts, increases apparent sharpness and restores dynamics as much as possible.

De-JPEG

Glow

Portrait processed with glow

Topaz Labs Glow is one of their latest creative plug-ins. It illuminates or electrifies an image’s contours in a very special way. The result can be surreal and magical, almost like painting on your photo with beautiful luminescent ink. I’m not a big fan of these type of plug-ins, so I use it very sparingly if at all. It can give a bit more magic to a portrait like you see here. The true power however lies in selectively applying it to layers in a photo, like the eyes or outline of you subject.

photoFXlab

PhotoFXlab, a very powerful application, situated somewhere between the functionality of Lightroom and Photoshop, with the emphasis lying on layer based processing and blending of images. You’ll need to take some time to get used to the workflow, but once you do, there is nothing in this regard that you can’t do on the application itself. You can also access all the Topaz Labs plug-ins instantly from within this interface.

InstaTone allows you to apply the tone of an image you like to your own photo. You can either import pictures, or do an online search for suitable colors and tones that you like.

Topaz Labs Photo FX lab interface

You can use the Edge-aware brushes for applying selective adjustments to local areas within an image. Brushes available include dodge/burn, saturation, and smooth/detail brush types. Edge awareness strength can be modified depending on the subject type and size.
PhotoFX preset ‘French Countryside’

Besides being able to load individual plug-ins from the application itself, you also have acces to Topaz Labs’ highly regarded effects in a searchable library. PhotoFX Lab has a layered workflow, meaning that it’s possible to duplicate your original image, make adjustments to individual layers either with the use of their plug-ins or directly from the interface, and blend these layers using various techniques. Which effects and plug-ins are available depends on the individual licences you have. So per example, you’ll only have acces to the B&W effects if you have purchased their B&W plug-in.

Conclusion

The Topaz Labs Photography Collection is a suite of very powerful plug-ins. The underlying technology can render fantastic results quickly and efficiently. It’s an ideal software collection if you’re an Adobe Lightroom user who prefers to stay outside the realm of Photoshop. I’m mentioning this because many of the features and functions available in Topaz Labs plug-ins are also possible with an advanced knowledge of Photoshop. Topaz Labs just makes it easier and faster to do.

My personal favorite plug-ins are Clarity, Detail and Adjust as I can quickly fix any problems I might encounter in my images with these three. If I feel a photo isn’t balanced right, quickly exporting it to Adjust and applying a suitable preset with some tweaks normally fixes the problem. The same goes for images that need some sharpening in Detail or Clarity.

I’ve also grown fond of ReStyle. It doesn’t work as well on all imagery, but it’s an easy and creative way of changing the color palette and mood of your library.

Glow is an interesting new addition to the suite and can give a bit of extra glamour or magic to a portrait.

For photos that don’t need that much work, I also like the basic functionality in PhotoFXLab. You can add some dynamics, clarity and sharpness via the sliders there. These also use Topaz Lab’s proprietary intelligent processes without the need for using any other plug-ins.
February 27, 2015
Topaz Labs Restyle review and promo code

Topaz Labs Restyle review and promo code

Introduction

Topaz Labs is a photo plug-in developer based in Texas that makes a broad range of powerful software products for photographers. ReStyle is one of their more quirky creations. It’s uniquely designed to help you select, customise, and blend effects into your image based on what I would call colour charts.

Similar to Topaz Labs’ Instatone technology, which takes the tone from another photo and applies this to your selected photo, this plug-in totally recreates the tonal palette with your selected colour range.

Editor and Layout

You’ll find the presets collections on the left-hand side. These are collections based around different photography genres like landscape, portrait, architecture or nature. Within these groups, you’ll find dozens of suitable effects for that type, and clicking on one of the colours within a preset automatically opens other presets with similar tones. Other ways of browsing include search by keyword and switching to grid mode that opens up a large preview of all presets in your selected collection.

You’ll find a basic edit tab on your right-hand side, where you can make all fundamental changes before applying the effect. Controls include Temperature, tint, saturation, black level, mid tones, white level, structure and sharpness. Above the basic tab is the restyle tab that allows you to tweak further applied presets’ colours in hue, saturation and lumination.

Both basic tab and restyle tab allow you to make layers using Topaz Labs edge-aware technology. This is similar to creating layers in Adobe Photoshop, and their technology works equally as well. As usual with Topaz plug-ins, you can blend the original image with the processed image via the opacity slider.

Conclusion

Topaz Labs Restyle in a fun and creative plug-in with some powerful re-toning options. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, as it’s more in the heavily processed, effects type editing tools. But what it does, it does well. With the added benefit of their masking technology, there is almost nothing you can’t achieve in this field including unusual vintage cross-processing techniques or black and white conversions. The editor is very easy and intuitive to use, and the colour palette approach to presets is innovative and a good way kickstart your creativity.

System requirements and availability

Topaz Labs Restyle is available for both OSX from version 10.7 and Windows 7, 8 and Vista. The plug-in works in both Lightroom (though you’ll need their PhotoFXLab editor) and all Photoshop incarnations. This product is not updated anymore, but you can still download it here.

February 19, 2015
RNI Film presets 3.0 for Lightroom and Photoshop

RNI Film presets 3.0 for Lightroom and Photoshop

Introduction

Film presets developer Really Nice Images has just released their latest version 3.0 of their acclaimed collection of vintage analog simulation presets for Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.

Agfacolor 40’s warm

They’ve been busy since version 2.1 (find my review here) and have added over 170 new presets to simulate more variations of film stocks, including some discontinued ones. All the pre-existing presets have been reworked and fine-tuned to keep up with modern cameras and for an even higher degree of realism. One of the new features introduced is Analog Softness that emulates the lesser sharpness of analog prints and films.

Kodachrome 60’s – Lens 1 DR

Besides the possibility of using the Film emulations as Lightroom presets, they have now also included them as Adobe Camera RAW develop presets which can be used directly from Photoshop.

New RNI Film Presets

RNI’s folder structure has changed, with a new grouping of Black& White, Instant, Vintage, Negative and Slide films. New and revised emulations, alternative processes and warm/cool renderings for most films have been added, which does make finding the ‘look’ your after easier.

Agfa Pro 400 H

Agfa Pro 400 H Alt

Agfa Pro 400 H Cool

Agfa Pro 400 H Warm

It feels like RNI has matured since their last release and are moving even further away from the Instagram type quick fix to a very customizable range of realistic analog film emulations. I have always liked RNI’s presets, but with the added processes it now works a lot faster too.

Analog Softness

Analog 35mm films and Polaroid prints are not even half as sharp as digital images from modern cameras. In order to reproduce more realistic film emulations, some of the Instant and Vintage Presets contain blur commands that reduce the original image sharpness.

Kodachrome 50’s – Slide 8

Kodachrome 50’s – Without Lens softness

You’ll find this Analog Softness in some of the presets. If this is not the look you’re after, you can always turn the reduced sharpness emulation off by clicking the “- Reset Instant Camera Lens Blur” or “- Vintage Lens – None” presets.

There is another way of applying analog softness in the “Essentials Toolkit” folder. You can use five different grades of analog softness can be to your image via “Vintage Lens” presets, which not only emulate softness but will also add some lens distortion and vignetting.

Essentials Toolkit

As you probably know, the Lightroom preset system work allows for stacking, which means that it does not reset all changes when applying different successive presets. This stacking is where the power of the Essentials Toolkit comes in. First select one of your favorite RNI film presets, and if you’re not totally pleased with your image, you can further apply grain, vignetting, contrast and vintage lens emulation to said image. A handy “Reset all Essential Toolkit” is also available if you think you’ve taken it too far and wanted to step back.

RNI Fuji FP 100C warm muted

RNI Fuji FP 100C alt

RNI Fuji FP 100C Warm mutes no blur

RNI vintage lens + 4

RNI smart contrast +2 2

Adobe Photoshop integration

RNI’s film presets are now accessible inside the Photoshop application through Adobe Camera RAW where you’ll find them in the 2012 processing tab, including the new alternate emulations.

Adobe RAW RNI 3.0 presets

Conclusion

RNI seems to have matured further in this 3.0 release, the film emulations look even more realistic, and it’s easier to tweak your images to your liking. I prefer RNI over other film emulations like VSCO and Alien Skin, but this is of course very subjective.

The addition of alternately processed films does make it easier in version 3 to find the look you’re after. The Analog Softness feature gives your image an even more realistic look without the need to work with layers in order to achieve this.

The new Photoshop integration now allows non-lightroom users to access this excellent vintage emulation, and I’m sure this will lead to more sales for RNI.

Pricing and availability

The RNI Film Presets 3.0 Package is now available for download via their website www.reallyniceimages.com. The “RNI All Films” bundle retails at $122 or $49 for either their Instant, B&W, vintage, negative or Slide film emulations. Until 01/03/2015, existing version 2.1 owners are allegeable for a 50% discount. Mail them for details if you have not received this promotion via email.

February 12, 2015
Deo-Tech OWL filter adapter review
Deo-Tech OWL filter adapter review

Introduction: about Deo-Tech

Deo-Tech, short for Digital Electronic Optical Technology, is a Chinese company that design and manufacture digital and optical camera accessories. Their product line consists of mirror-less camera lens adaptors like their Falcon EOS EF and Golden Eagle Contax G to Sony E- and A-mount. These adapters aren’t just the run-of-the-mill mount converters but offer AF support, electronic integration of an aperture diaphragm and firmware upgrades via Bluetooth. Their R&D and commitment to continually improving their products sets them apart from other manufacturers who often rush low-quality products to market.

Deo-Tech OWL drop-in filter adapter

One of their latest products is the Deo-Tech OWL drop-in filter adapter. It’s about to be launched via a crowdfunding project on Indiegogo (similar to Kickstarter), offering early investors the chance to get it at a discounted price. This neat product provides a lens mount converter and allows you to change screw-in filters on the converter side with a drop-in filter device. Since your filters reside on the back of the lens, in the mount adapter, there is no more need to have your favourite filters in different diameters for different lenses. It also eliminates other issues like vignetting, as the 52mm filters used more than cover a full frame sensor.

The drop-in filter technique is already widely used in hi-end super tele lenses from Canon and Nikon, and Deo-Tech have cleverly included this design in a mount adapter. There is also a screw-in detachable tripod mount included if you want to use heavier lenses with this system. The first model is the Canon EF to Sony-E-mount version, ideal for use with the full-frame Sony A7 series and full-frame lenses like the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 or Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM. I see this as a product ideally suited for landscape photography, but I’m sure other photographers and videographers will use it in many different ways for different subjects.

The OWL adapter does not pass any electrical contacts to your camera, although development of one that does is underway for particular brands of lenses. This omission means that you’ll need to engage the ‘release without lens’ function in your Sony A7r menu. It is not possible to change aperture in-camera, so you’ll mainly be working in manual mode (M), and using the aperture and focus ring on your lens to dial-in settings. As I mentioned earlier, filter usage is for me more-or-less limited to ND, CPL and infrared filters with landscapes, where you’d typically decide on the aperture, shutter speed and focus manually anyway. So I don’t see the absence of electrical contacts as a significant issue.

The system was designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras and super 35 camcorders, and is not compatible with mirror cameras. It supports the vast majority of SLR lenses as long as they physically fit, which is according to Deo-Tech 99,9% of all lenses out there. The only exception is lenses that extend over 12mm (where the Owl can still be used without a filter) and rangefinder lenses such as Leica M.

Although Deo-Tech offer several filter pack sets (check their roadmap below for details), it possible to use your 52mm filters too. The only limitation here is that they have to fit inside the OWL’s filter dimensions (52mm caliber and diameter of filter ring within 54mm). They do not recommend using Cross- and Star filters, as this effect of these is mostly lost when placing them behind the lens in this way.

I would recommend at least starting with one of their fully compatible filter sets for the OWL. As I’m reviewing a pre-production model with a limited filter set they sent over, I ordered a few extra filters. It was a bit of a hit-and-miss situation in regards to whether they would fit or not. For example, I tried a Hoya ND, which was a mere 1 mm too thick.

Modular System

Deo-Tech seems to be serious about this system and have released a roadmap to instill confidence in the OWL’s future. The configuration I’ve tested (and which will be on IndieGoGo as a crowd funding project) is a Canon EF to E-mount (both full-frame and APS-C compatible). The set included a standard type tripod mount and an essential set of filters.

The designers clearly thought long and hard about how and in what circumstances the OWL could be used and wanted it to be as flexible as possible. Once the system has matured fully, it will offer an excellent, one-stop solution for any lens and filter combination you can think of. It all makes you think why someone hasn’t come up with this brilliant idea sooner.

All modules including the lens Mount, Tripod Mount, Filters Holder, and Filters, are designed to be interchangeable. If you have different lens mounts to convert, or change camera brands, you could easily get another OWL adapter while still retaining the use of your old tripod mount, holder and your favourite collection of filters.

As you can see on their 2015 roadmap, are plans to expand the line-up to include Fujifilm XF and Olympus/Panasonic micro-four-thirds mounts on the camera side. Nikon F, Minolta, Pentax, Leica and Contax mounts will be available on the lens side. Everything should be shipping by the end of the year, including a color gel drop-in filter holder, a Manfrotto and Arca-Swiss type quick release plate and Arri PL to Canon EF adapter.

The OWL is a thoroughly thought-out dual filter and mounts adapter system, and it looks like they have all necessary lenses and mirror-less cameras from Fuji, Sony, Olympus and Panasonic covered. It’s refreshing to see such a complete system from any manufacturer, and it works as expected.

OWL Specifications
- Size:65mm (diameter) x 31mm (Depth), without the tripod mount, 88mm (Total height, with the tripod mount)
  (Width) x 80mm (Height) x 40mm (Depth), with Tripod Mount)
- Weight: 90g, 200g with the tripod mount
- Tripod Mount: Arca Swiss Type
- camera mount fit: Camera Sony E Mirrorless camera and camcorder Fujifilm XF camera (Coming Soon), Micro Fourth Thirds camera and camcorder (Coming soon)
- Lens mount fit: Canon EOS EF/EF-s Lens lens Canon FD lens Nikon F Lens (Coming Soon) Minolta MD/MC lens (Coming Soon) Minolta / Sony Alpha SLR lens (Coming Soon) Pentax K lens (Coming Soon) Pentax M43 lens (Coming Soon) Leica R Lens (Coming Soon) Contax C/Y Lens (Coming Soon)
Build Quality

The build quality looks and feels excellent and all parts are made from aluminium. The adapter lens mounts look high quality and durable, no lens wiggle here. The L mount quick release plate has a sturdy screw which allows for easy assembly. The drop-in filter holder slides in perfectly, and makes changing a filter and dropping the adapter back in is as easy or easier than changing a filter in front of your lens.

One note of criticism is that the black paint job does show scratches and wear quite quickly. I’ve been using the OWL extensively for a month and the aluminium is beginning to shine through the black paint on both the drop-it filter holder and the slide-in slot on the adapter itself. It doesn’t affect performance at all though, and hopefully they’ll get this sorted out in the final production model.

My experience with the Deo-Tech Owl

A major annoyance for many photographers is the fact that its physically impossible to use a screw-in filter with spherical lenses. Think of an Ultra-wide like the full-frame Samyang 14mm f/2.8 (a favourite low-cost landscape lens for many A7r owners) and all Fisheye lenses. There are systems available for this, but these are all quite cumbersome to use, and put a limit on your creativity and flexibility. At the least, they take a lot longer to set-up and get right. The OWL solves this problem, since whatever lens or equipment is using, the 52mm filters are placed in the mount converter. I was at first a bit hesitant about putting a filter behind the lens, and what impact this would have on image quality, but I’m happy to report that there are none, it works as well as a normal screw-in filter. The weakest link is of course the filter quality, so as long as you use a good one, you’ll be fine.

As 52mm filters aren’t that expensive, it’s actually quite a lot of fun to experiment with something like IR filters on larger diameter lenses. Getting a couple of 78mm IR filters would set you back a few hundred dollars, but with the OWL you can easily find a few compatible slim IR’s in the cheaper 52mm diameter and start experimenting. It certainly did breathe new life into my Sony A7r and my creativity.

A lot of photographers enjoy using legacy and vintage optics with their Sony A7 range or Fuji XF camera. The Deo-Tech OWL is a high quality adapter by itself (same quality as the Deo-Tech Falcon and Golden Eagle) and you can use it without filters too. Simply drop-in a high quality UV filter and you’ll never leave your sensor exposed to dust whilst changing lenses, something I found particularly handy. It might be interesting to know that Deo-Tech is currently developing a version of the OWL that does relay the electrical contacts to the camera, allowing for control over Aperture and Auto-Focus with your camera.

Another application where the Deo-Tech OWL would be an excellent solutions is in film and video. I could see this making for a faster workflow, as you can keep your vari ND filter setup untouched whilst changing lenses.

Conclusion

A system like the Deo-Tech OWL does make a lot of sense to me. I have dozens of filters in different diameters around the house for lenses I don’t even own anymore, and having to purchase new, high-quality filters for different diameters does put a serious dent in my budget. Now you can build-up a high quality collection of 52mm filters that are useable with all your adapted lenses, and there is no need to familiarise yourself overtime with the characteristics of a new filter.

Landscape photographers, who already have a couple of favourite Canon lenses but have recently changed to a Sony A7r will absolutely love the easy-of-use and flexibility of the OWL, and the fact that they never need to leave the sensor exposed while changing lenses.

The OWL also simplifies your workflow as you can easily experiment and change filters without the need for re-focussing or re-framing your scene. How would this look with an 665nm IR filter, ND or CPL? It will take you about 30 seconds to find out with the OWL.

Purchase and availability

The Deo-Tech OWL has just launched on the crowd funding platform Indiegogo. The Basic version (without filters) starts at $99, with an April 2015 shipping date. You can find all the details here.
February 11, 2015
Sony A7II Gariz case review

Sony A7II Gariz case review

Are you looking for a half case for your Sony A7II? South-Korean camera case manufacturer Gariz was established in 2003 by a professional industrial designer. They make high-quality leather cases, and they have their premium leather case for the ILCE-7M2 ready.

I’ve had a few Gariz cases, travelling all over the world, and they still look brand new. They have a durable metal base and are very user-friendly. You’ll be able to flip the screen, access your battery compartment, SD slot and all buttons/functions without removing the case. This might seem logical, but most brand manufacturers like Sony, Fujifilm and Olympus don’t have these features in their available cases.

Gariz case have found their niche here, providing logical, stylish and easy-to-use cases for the Sony A7II and many other mirror-less cameras. The prices are or often a bit cheaper than major brand cases, and I’d advise you to order through Gariz Case eBay with PayPal protection. I ordered mine, and it arrived within a week.

January 11, 2015
third party RAW developers for Fuji X-TRANS files in Lightroom

Third party RAW developers for Fuji X-TRANS files in Lightroom

Introduction

The Fuji X-Trans CMOS II sensor incorporates an original colour filter array with an extremely random pattern, eliminating the need for an optical low-pass filter (OLPF). These filters are used in conventional systems to inhibit moiré at the expense of resolution. The X-Trans CMOS II sensor array lets the sensor capture unfiltered light from the lens, achieving excellent resolution. And indeed, Jpeg’s straight out of the camera look stunning, but the RAW files can often look soft in comparison, especially if you’ve based your image workflow around Adobe’s Lightroom application.

Lightroom and Fuji X-Trans II RAW files

I’ve personally been using Adobe Lightroom for years, as it is not just a RAW developer, but also one of the easiest ways of building and maintaining your image library on your desktop computer. Other significant advantages for me are that you can easily use third party plug-ins, edit in Photoshop straight from the application itself and that Lightroom has the most straightforward export options.

When I bought my first X-Trans sensor camera (the Fuji X100S), I believe these RAW files were not even supported, and when they finally were, they looked very soft with strange colour anomalies. I started looking for another RAW developer and went for Capture One, which absolute did a far better jab at decoding the Fuji RAW files. But I missed the flexibility of Lightroom, not to mention that my images from other cameras were still being handled by Lightroom. Let’s face it, they are the industry standard, support new cameras more quickly and do a decent job for most RAW formats from other brands.

When it comes to X-Trans files, much has improved in the last six months since Adobe have been working closely with Fujifilm and you can now even dial-in Fuji’s in-camera film emulations for RAW files.

Because of the architecture of the X-Trans sensor (and the way this information is stored), additional sharpening is needed in order to ‘pull’ these images into focus. You should see sharpening with these files as an essential step in your processing workflow. Since Lightroom is mostly used for processing RAW from Bayer sensors (where this is often not needed, or at least differently), the usual sharpening methods and settings don’t work for RAF files. There are a few blogs out there explaining how to setup sharpening in Lightroom for Fuji files, Google it, as I don’t want just to copy and paste other people’s work.

long exposure sharpened in Lightroom

long exposure sharpened in Iridient with some highlight recovery

Third party RAW developers ideally suited for X-Trans II files

You might have heard about PhotoNinja and Iridient Developer, two independent RAW developer applications that can, at times, render superior results than Lightroom. Especially when it comes to sharpening methods and noise reduction, both offer different flavours with extensive customisability of settings.

Iridient Developer

Iridient Developer is a powerful RAW image conversion application designed and optimized specifically for Mac OS X. This RAW software gives you total control over your digital pictures, yet still provides easy drag and drop batch conversion. It uses the open source RAW decoding program Dcraw as a backbone and supports over 550 RAW image formats. There is a new version 3 beta out right now with exciting features added like a clarity slider and an ‘Iridient Reveal’ sharpening method. This sharpening technique lowers the learning curve when it comes to making the best of the methods available.

Photo Ninja

Photo Ninja uses the same Dcraw backbone architecture as Iridient. It is a professional-grade RAW converter that delivers exceptional detail, outstanding image quality, and a natural look. Photo Ninja has unique capabilities for improving and optimizing your digital images. Their noise reduction algorithms are one of the best currently available.

Incorporating Iridient Developer or Photo Ninja in your Adobe Lightroom workflow

Both Iridient Developer and Photo Ninja are stand-alone applications, but there is a way of integrating them into your Lightroom workflow. As I mentioned earlier, it’s not always necessary to use an external RAW developer with Lightroom nowadays. You might find that in some cases where the standard sharpening methods or noise reduction algorithms are not sufficient, you can trick Lightroom in using them as a plug-in. This involves making a copy of your RAW files as a TIF and exporting your image to either Iridient Developer or Photo Ninja. This technique forces those applications to load the original RAW file and overwriting the TIF with the developed file in Lightroom.

Method in Lightroom:

First you’ll need to go into the Preferences window in Lightroom (Lightroom – preferences) and add the external editor as a preset. Point LR to either Iridient or Photo Ninja, select TIFF as format, 16 bits/component bit depth, 300 dpi resolution (or whatever you prefer) and select ZIP compression (for smaller files).

After you’ve done this, name and save your new preset by going to the Preset drop down menu in the Additional External Editor window. (see screenshot)

Now you’ll find the Preset you just made when right clicking on an image (where you’ll find other plug-ins in Lightroom)

For Iridient Developer:

Second step, launch Iridient Developer, go to Preferences and select “Find and load RAW for TIFF, JPEG, PNG, PSD file open events. This setting is telling Iridient to search for and load the original RAW file instead of the TIFF you’ve just made in LR.

In order to overwrite the TIFF in Lightroom after developing in Iridient, you need to go to File-Process Image and Overwrite (Standard image).

Return to Lightroom, and you’ll find your Iridient developed file as a TIFF there.

For Photo Ninja:

Second step here is to go to User Preferences and enable “Attempt to open/re-edit matching RAW file when JPEG/TIFF received from other application.

Third step, after you’ve developed the file to you liking in Photo Ninja, go to the Image menu, and click quick render to overwrite the TIFF file in Lightroom.

Conclusion

Although it is not needed to go to an external RAW developer in Lightroom 5 for every single Fuji X-Trans RAW image, it is definitely handy to have the option if you feel it is lacking sharpness or you just can’t seem to get it right in Lightroom.

Both Iridient Developer and Photo Ninja have their own unique advantages, with Iridient being better at sharpening and Photo Ninja having the advantage for noise reduction. By integrating either of these with Lightroom, you’ll get that easy workflow back with a centralised image database at your disposal.

January 8, 2015
Nissin i40 Fuji flash for X100T, X-Pro and X-T1
Nissin i40 Fuji flash for X100T; X-Pro and X-T1

Introduction

There are several reasons why the Nissin i40 is an excellent choice for your Fujifilm camera.
1. Firstly, as an X-T1 or X100T (S) owner, you’ll like the unmistakably retro styling of this compact flash. You’ve probably been hoping that Fuji came up with a great looking flashgun like this themselves.
2. Secondly, the Nissin i40 for Fujifilm has the same kind of hands-on operation as your camera. No LCD screen here, and all functionality can be easily accessed with two simple dials called the Power Dial and Function Dial.
3. Thirdly, despite the retro styling, this is a thoroughly modern and fully featured flashgun. It had all the functionality you could wish for like TTL (through the lens metering) and the capability of using it as a remote controller in a multi flash set-up.
The Nissin i40 Fuji flash tilts upwards 90° and sidewards 180° in both directions. It can be used for bounce photography where you use walls and ceilings to illuminate your entire scene with indirect light and not just your subject.

It has a built-in reflector card and slide-on diffuser softbox, which will make the flashlight softer for portrait photography. I’ve found the AF assist light does not work in the production model of the i40 for Fuji unfortunately, due to the hardware limitations of Fuji system. The built-in video light does come in handy at times, set to low values, as a Auto-Focussing aide in photography. All this comes bundled with a flash stand and nicely designed carrying pouch and a carabineer.

Features and functionality

Fuji Super Intelligent Flash system

The Nissin i40 is capable of using Fuji’s Super Intelligent Flash system. This is their version of TTL (Through The Lens) metering, where the extra light from the flash is taken into account for correct exposure.

Different functions: Menu Dial and Power Dial

The small Nissin i40 Fuji is quite convincing with a Guide Number (GN) 40 at the 105mm setting (ISO100). It has a hands-on approach when it comes to controlling all settings. Once you’ve mounted your flash on the Hotshoe and turned it on, the Menu Dial allows you to select the desired function:
- LED Video Light: access the video light feature, use the Power Dial to adjust the output level in 9 steps.
- Sf (Slave Film): synchronises as slave to the traditional single flash system often called Optic Slave Mode. The master flash should be set to M. Use this mode in a traditional studio setup.
- SD (Slave Digital): This is Digital Optic Slave Mode, which ignores TTL pre-flashes.The master flash should be set to TTL.
- M (Manual): Manual Flash Power level, adjust the power settings from 1/1 (full) to 1/250. The white LED light illuminates for both dials to indicate the parameters being adjusted.
- A (Auto): Automatic sensor flash metering (Fuji’s Super Intelligent Flash system), the flash is fully controlled by the camera
- TTL: uses Fuji’s Super Intelligent Flash system (TTL metering), the but power is adjustable with the Power Dial.
- A, B, C and Optic Wireless Mode: Set the Mode dial to the group you want to use for wireless flash, then control the unit from the menu on you camera.
The Power Dial allows you to make fine adjustments to the flash output power. The functionality depend on what flash mode you are in. When TTL or video light is selected, it can be used to compensate flash power in 9 steps by half Ev increments, when set to M, SD or SF you can change flash power from full (1/1) to 1/256 power.

Manual Zoom

You’ll find the Manual Zoom controls on the top of the flash underneath a lid. Manual zooming basically directs the flash output into a more narrow beam for correctly exposing subjects further away. Most modern cameras use a system called ADI (Advanced Digital Integration) which relays distance information from the lens to the camera to correctly set this information. Since it isn’t known in what way (if any) Fuji’s Super Intelligent Flash system and Fujinon lenses are capable of relaying information, it is a feature well worth investigating. The auto zoom’s default position is set to 35mm, if you want to change this, press and hold the on/off switch 3 seconds until the colour of the pilot button changes according to the Manual zoom area.

Is the Nissin i40 the right flash for your Fuji camera?

The Nissin i40 Fuji version has the right balance between power and size for the XT1 and X100 series. My only gripe is that this flash is not weather sealed, so be careful when using it on a weather sealed body like the graphite Fuji X-T1.

Unfortunately Fujifilm does not currently support high speed sync. HSS allows flashes to sync at very high flash speeds so it can be used with large aperture lenses for a shallow depth-of-field with flash photography. Perhaps we’ll see this in future releases, but since current Fujifilm cameras do not support this functionality due to hardware limitations, this has been omitted from the Nissin i40 Fuji version. TTL functionality is there though, which meters correct exposure with all settings taken into account. There is also a video light which is quite useful even for photography where need more light but don’t want to bother your subject with flashing.
November 18, 2014
DXO Optics Pro 10: interesting new features
DXO Optics Pro 10 released

Introduction

French camera sensor testing and software correction company DXO announced the immediate release of DXO Optics Pro 10 today. This latest version of their software features more advanced integration of their Optical correction software DXO Viewpoint and a new Filmpack 5 with even more film emulations.

Besides this advanced level of integration, there are many new features like DNG and JPEG compatibility, up to 4 times faster processing and a new de-hazing tool. The new De-hazing tool reduces atmospheric haze, restoring contrast and sharpness. It works very well, have a look at this image, first without De-hazing, second with.

Other new features in DxO OpticsPro 10
- DxO OpticsPro’s Essential and Elite versions now have the same camera model support. And only differ in terms of the number of characteristics they offer (like de-hazing and removing Moiré are now Elite features).
- The rendering of the DxO Smart Lighting tool has been improved (better contrast, greater reliability when in automatic mode).
  The rendering of the Selective tone tool has been improved (the effect for each slider is more localized, and each slider has been readjusted).
- The quality of the Lens softness has been improved (in particular with respect to preserving colored fine details), and its default intensity has been slightly increased. The slider range has also been increased.
- The Horizon tool now works in the same way as in DxO ViewPoint. It is still possible to directly trace a line on the image when using the tool.
- The While Balance eyedropper and the Dust correction tool work in single-image mode.
- The effects of dust correction are visible at all levels of zoom.
- The maximum size of the dust tool has been increased to 100 pixels.
- DNG files originating from a conversion from Adobe Lightroom or Adobe DNG Converter are supported, so long as the original RAW file is also supported.
- A new default workspace groups together the tools into four palettes (Light, Color, Detail, Geometry). The Essential Tools palette, which offers a selection of instruments from the four palettes, is always available to provide quick access to the most frequently-used corrections.
- The presets delivered with DxO OpticsPro no longer include the geometric corrections or white balance, except for the DxO Standard (default) and No Correction Presets.
- The icons on the image browser thumbnails have changed. The statuses “DxO Optics Module available” and “To process” are no longer displayed so as not to clutter the display when in default mode.
- The denoising preview loupe has been enlarged.
- The alignment of all of the sliders has been harmonized among the different palettes.
- The dimensions of the images are displayed in pixels during cropping.
- During a crop with set proportions, it is possible to change the proportions free-hand by holding down the Ctrl key.
- During free-hand cropping, it is possible to preserve the current proportions by holding down the Shift key.
- The GPS coordinates of images are displayed in the EXIF palette.
- When uploading of a folder, the first image is automatically selected.
- PRIME denoising runs about 4x faster.
- Folders and projects load about 10x faster.
- DXO Optics Pro 10 launches about 1.5x faster.
- Compatibility with high-resolutions screens has been improved.
- The DxO FilmPack 5 plugin provides access to the same tools as in the standalone version. A DxO FilmPack 5 license is required to be able to use the plugin.
- The DxO ViewPoint plugin provides access to the same perspective and volume deformation correction tools as in the standalone application. A DxO ViewPoint license is required to be able to use the plugin.
- Support for three new cameras: Nikon D750, Panasonic FZ1000, and the Sony A5100.
Conclusion

You might know I’m already a big fan of DXO Optics Pro, especially for Sony cameras and lenses. Some features like Smart Lighting and Selective Tone where however sometimes unreliable, and better done in Adobe Lightroom. Also simple corrections like Horizon Straightening and Cropping where somewhat difficult to apply. It seems all these issues were addressed and are far more comfortable to use now. The new De-hazing tools works well for almost all images, restoring contrast and selective sharpness on dull images as well as improving pictures taken through glass. DXO Optics Pro 10 is now available at a 30% discount on new purchases as well as upgrades, so now would be an excellent time to get into the DXO magic.
November 2, 2014