[Photography] Pgytech OneMo 25L Backpack Review

The post Pgytech OneMo 25L Backpack Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.

When Pgytech first got in touch about doing an Onemo 25L backpack review, I wasn’t familiar with the company. So whilst I waited (not so patiently) for the bag to arrive, I set about finding out a little more about them, their origin, and ethos. Pgytech was formed by a group of young, enthusiastic, and like-minded photographers to create pioneering products that link together seamlessly with photographers’ existing kit. Besides this bag, they have created a load of products for other photography and video equipment such as drones and action cameras.

OneMo 25L Backpack Review: bag specifications

Capacity – 25L expandable to 30L and a 5L removable drone pouch.

Size – 480mm x 320mm x 230mm for the main bag and 270mm x 180mm x 120mm for the built in pouch.

Color – Black or Olivine Camo

Weight – 2.5kg total.

Material – Polyester fibre material which is water, scratch and tear resistant.

Initial thoughts

When the Pgytech OneMo 25L Backpack first arrived, I was really impressed by the presentation straight out of the box. The bag comes in a really nice branded, recyclable bag. As cool as this was, I’m not going to lie, I tore it off pretty quick so I could take a look inside. The bag itself is sleek and stylish with great quality finishes and a nice all-round feel.

Who’s it for

The OneMo 25L Backpack is designed to meet the needs of drone and photography enthusiasts. The bag will comfortably hold your DSLR or mirrorless camera along with two or three lenses (depending on your lens inventory) in the top compartment. It will also hold a few accessories such as batteries and memory cards.

The bottom section that houses the drone pouch has more than enough space to hold a Mavic 2 Pro, and it’s accessories. If you remove the drone pouch, you have plenty more room in the main bag for more lenses, clothes or general items you may need for the day. The OneMo 25L backpack has targeted the needs of the modern enthusiast and meets them efficiently.

In the field

No camera bag review is complete until you’ve spent some time using it and walking around with the bag. So I hit the trails to get a better idea of how the bag holds up for this OneMo 25L backpack review.

I was out shooting all day with my camera, a 14-30mm lens, 24-70mm lens along with all the accessories I needed. I chose to keep the pouch in the bag and placed the drone and extras in there as I wanted to have only one bag with nothing else getting in the way.

The bag was really comfortable to walk with. There was no noticeable movement from within the bag, which is always reassuring. I use a fairly heavyweight Manfrotto tripod, and I did find the top-mounted tripod holder to be a little cumbersome and awkward for a tripod of this size. But then this bag isn’t realty designed for this type of equipment.

Once I strapped one of my smaller tripods to the bag, it was not a problem. In the field, the bag was effortless to access. I really like the suitcase-style flip lid that joins down the long side of the bag as opposed to the bottom. This does away with the issue of getting straps and leads caught up with your equipment, which I find to be an issue with lots of other camera bags.

Cool features

During this Pgytech OneMo 25l backpack review, there were a couple of cool little features I discovered. I haven’t seen these before, and I thought they were a great idea for photographers.

• Like many camera bags, this bag has dedicated pockets for your batteries. In one of the side flaps, there are three camera battery sized pouches with a little toggle that switches from green to red depending on the condition of your battery. This can be really useful if you have multiple batteries so you know which need charging and which are ready to use. I also thought these could be quite usefully adapted to the same end with your memory cards to know which are used and which are cleared and ready to use.
• Customizable dividers. The Pgytech OneMo 25L bag can be arranged to suit all needs, but the dividers are what really make this great. They can be molded to any position and have this great little flap that can come down to support the lens and allow you to use the dead space for additional equipment.
• Two of the exterior pockets have anti-theft loops that are really easy to set and incredibly hard to gain access to quickly for any would-be thieves.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Lots of neat little design functions
• Comfortable
• Unassuming (doesn’t shout cameras inside)
• Good ergonomics
• Removable drone pouch
• Stylish-looking
• Water, scratch and tear-resistant material

Cons

• Tripod holder not very big
• A little more protection around the main shell would be nice.

Conclusion

This bag is a really great camera bag for any outdoor photographer.

Whilst more serious professionals might need a bigger bag for all of their equipment, this is more of an everyday bag that would be perfect for a travel photographer like me.

Whilst sometimes I may want to take a bigger bag. Generally, when I’m shooting in a place like a city, smaller bags are much more convenient. There’s less weight to carry, and they are much easier to get in and out of busy places.

Overall, I was really impressed with the OneMo 25L backpack, and it will be a welcome addition to my set of camera bags.

Note: The author was given the bag for free for this OneMo 25L Backpack review. He was not paid or given any incentives in exchange for a positive review. This review is an honest account of his experience and opinion in using the product.

You may also be interested in:

• Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip Review
• Gear review: 3 K&F Concept Camera Bags Put To The Test
• ThinkTank Vision 15 Camera Bag Review

The post Pgytech OneMo 25L Backpack Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.

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[Photography] Sony to Announce Ultra-Wide 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens

The post Sony to Announce Ultra-Wide 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

If you’re a landscape photographer, you’re in for a treat.

Sony is preparing to announce its brand-new, ultra-wide 12-24mm GM lens, which will offer a great range of focal lengths, an impressive f/2.8 maximum aperture, and (likely) stellar optics.

Let’s take a look at what we know.

First, the lens specs:

The Sony 12-24mm will feature a focal length range custom-made for landscape photographers. At 24mm, you’ll be poised to capture some wide images. And once you zoom out to 12mm, you’ll have wide-angle capabilities that few lenses can match, able to capture sweeping vistas that would normally be impossible to shoot.

A consistent problem with ultra-wide lenses is a bulbous front element, which makes it impossible to mount circular polarizers and neutral density filters. But Sony seems to have addressed this too, with the (rumored) inclusion of a rear-mounting filter option. That way, landscape photographers can take advantage of drop-in filters, and don’t have to choose between a wide focal length or enhanced image quality.

As for the optics:

Given the G Master designation, we can expect the lens to offer excellent sharpness from corner to corner, very limited chromatic aberration, and more.

In other words, the new Sony 12-24mm is a landscape photographer’s dream.

Note that Sony does already offer a 12-24mm lens, one that’s well-known for its optical prowess. But the current 12-24mm only shoots as wide as f/4, and while this is fine for most landscape situations, there’s one area of landscape photography where a wider maximum aperture is almost always better:

Astrophotography.

For photographers who shoot skies in complete darkness, an f/2.8 aperture allows for a shutter speed fast enough to freeze the stars without boosting ISO too much. The difference between f/2.8 and f/4 may not seem huge, but it does matter; at f/2.8, you’ll often come away with a sharp, clean shot, compared to the blurry or noisy result you get at f/4.

Of course, a lens that offers such impressive specifications is bound to come with a matching price tag. While Sony has not yet revealed any details, rumors suggest that the 12-24mm f/2.8 GM will cost around $4000 USD.

Is this pricier than I would like?

Absolutely.

But it’s bound to be one heck of a lens!

So keep an eye out for further news; you should see a Sony announcement sometime in the next few weeks.

Now over to you:

What do you think about this new Sony lens? Do you think that $4000 USD is too high a price? Or will the lens be worth it? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Sony to Announce Ultra-Wide 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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[Photography] How to Use the Orton Effect in Photoshop to Save Blurry Photos

The post How to Use the Orton Effect in Photoshop to Save Blurry Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Is your photo a little bit blurry? Don’t throw it out just yet. In most cases, you wouldn’t want soft-focus in your image, but you can rehash-it with a different purpose. One thing you can do is apply an Orton effect in Photoshop to give it new life, especially if it’s a landscape.

Some times when you see your photographs in the camera without zooming in, they look sharp when they are not. Maybe your shutter speed was too slow, or you were using the wrong focus mode.

There are many reasons this can happen. Often you find out too late – when you’re already back home on your computer.

If it’s possible just go back and shoot again, you can find some useful tips in this article so that you can get the best results. If this is not an option, soft-focus and blurry images are completely acceptable if done in a creative way. This is where the Orton effect in Photoshop comes in.

What is the Orton Effect?

The photographer Michael Orton invented this technique, hence the name. It was created in the 80s, which means that it was done with film photography. He overlapped different versions from the same scene with different exposures and a different focus. As a result, the image gained a surreal atmosphere.

His images look like paintings thanks to the experimentation he does with light, color, and motion. On his website, he says that “The vast color combinations and unique variations of light found in the natural landscape, used with the wide variety of choices in compound camera motion provide an exciting challenge.”

You can go there to see his work and understand more of the technique before getting into it.

The Orton Effect in Photoshop

Because this technique was done by stacking images, it can be perfectly recreated in Photoshop because you can work with Layers. Since this is technically easy to do, many photographers have tried it.

Get yourself acquainted with what is out there so you can find your own style. Try using hashtags like #orton or #ortoneffects on Instagram and Pinterest.

Choose your image

Although technically speaking, you can apply this technique to any photo, it doesn’t necessarily look good on all of them. This is mostly done on landscapes because of the dream-like glow that will result from it.

This image is slightly blurry, it’s mostly a landscape and the man in the bear custom works well with a surreal atmosphere.

Another thing to consider is that it’s not a magical way to save an image that’s completely out of focus. Because it mixes areas with different amounts of detail in them, the soft-focus won’t be distracting. But you do need a certain degree of sharpness in it.

Step by step

In the same way that Michael Orton stacked slides, you’re going to be stacking layers. There are many ways to achieve this technique, it’s a matter of experimenting and finding your own. The basic principle is the same, though; blend different exposures and focus. Here’s my way of doing it to get you started.

Different exposures

When you open your image in Photoshop, it will be a Background layer that is locked. Click and drag it into the Duplicate Layer button at the bottom of the panel to create a copy of it.

Now, change the Blending Mode to Screen. You can do this by opening the menu that you’ll find at the top of the Layers Panel.

The Screen blending mode is one of the different options that allow you to lighten your image. When this layer blends with the one underneath, the pure blacks – if any – will be covered. The pure whites will stay the same and the greyscale will become brighter.

Next, duplicate the original background layer again and drag this copy to the top.

Then, change the blending mode to Multiply. This one does the exact opposite of the Screen blending mode. As the name indicates, it multiplies the base color by the blend color resulting in a darker one.

Different focus

Now that you have different exposures, you need to add the different sharpness.

For this, you’ll need to add a filter.

Whenever you do this, it’s a good idea to make it a Smart Filter so that you can always come back to change it. The first thing to do is to right-click on the layer and choose Convert to Smart Object.

With this change, you’ll be working non-destructively. So, go to Menu>Filters>Blur>Gaussian Blur. In the pop-up window, you can adjust the right amount of blur for your image. Keep the preview option checked so that you can see what you’re doing.

It’s easy to overdo it, so I recommend that you always come back to your work and check with fresh eyes. Because you made it a smart filter, you can just double-click on it and the Gaussian Blur window will pop-up again so you can make any adjustments you want.

Finishing touches

Because the filter will be on a mask, you can paint black any area that you may want to keep without the blur. This can help to create a different effect or direct attention to a specific subject.

You can then crop or add any adjustment layers to finish it off.

There you go, an easy and fun technique that can turn your not-so-great photo into an artistic project to save the day. Try it and share the results in the comment section.

The post How to Use the Orton Effect in Photoshop to Save Blurry Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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[Photography] How to Photograph Long Exposures to Create Dreamy Images

The post How to Photograph Long Exposures to Create Dreamy Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

Many new photographers may not know how to photograph long exposures, or even what that means to their photography. Thanks to the development of camera accessories and filters, capturing long exposures is becoming a very popular medium of photography for enthusiast photographers.

Long exposure photography is a technique used by many landscape, cityscape and seascape photographers. Have you ever seen a picture of the city where clouds show motion, the car lights have been made streaky or the seawater is rendered blurry? Well this will usually be the result of using a filter to achieve a long exposure that captures the movement of the subject.

This long exposure has allowed the waves to soften. Illheus da Janella © Jeremy Flint
Canon 5DSR, EF24-70 f2.8 USM II | 30sec f/11 ISO 100

Before we look at how to photograph long exposures, it is first worth considering the meaning of a long exposure, and the different types of photography you can apply the method to.

A long exposure is “a timed exposure of a long duration where the shutter is open for a speed of several seconds where the purpose and aim of long exposures is to sharply capture and minimize movement of static objects within the frame whilst blurring the elements with motion.”

Samples of long exposure photography

There are a variety of different styles of photography where using long exposure photography techniques can result in great images. Some examples of popular subjects include landscapes, cityscapes, seascapes, astrophotography (such as creating star trails), street scenes, and even abstract scenes.

Applying the technique of long exposure photography to landscape scenes can be a great way to create drama in skies or foregrounds with moving clouds or foliage.

Shooting water with long exposures can also benefit your images. Capturing moving water can bring an ethereal look and feel to seascapes as waves break or crash. Using a long exposure, you can capture the swell of the ocean or motion of tides for dreamy-looking images.

How to achieve long exposures

When considering how to photograph long exposures, you will initially need to think about the kit that you will require, how to set this up and the steps to capturing your image.

The Lee Big and Little Stopper Neutral Density (ND) Filters are great for long exposure photography.

Kit required

A tripod is an essential piece of equipment to enable your camera to remain still during the image capture time when the shutter is open.

Next, you will need a cable release, or wireless remote so you can start and stop the long exposure. Please note this is only required if you need to extend your exposure time beyond 30 seconds. If you shoot below 30 seconds your cameras self-timer will be sufficient to trigger and close the shutter.

A filter holder is another essential item that is required to achieve long exposures. These are used to hold the filters in place that will be used to slow the exposure time down. 

The filter holder with the Lee 6-stop ND Filter attached to the camera.

With regard to using filters, neutral density (ND) filters are recommended to minimize the light entering your camera.

These vary in strength and the effect they can create. The darker the coating, the greater the number of stops of light and the stronger the filter will be. For example, a 10-stop filter will block out more light than a 3-stop or 6-stop filter, and enable you to achieve longer exposures. Examples of these filters include Lee Filters Big Stopper (10-stop) and Little Stopper (6-stop).

St Nectain’s Glen waterfall, Cornwall, England
Canon 5DSR, EF24-70 f2.8 USM II | 1.5sec f/4.5 ISO 100

Leaving your shutter open for an extended amount of time can result in some really interesting shots. With this shot of a waterfall, I wanted to make the water more blurry, so I set the camera up on my tripod and photographed it using an ND filter and a longer exposure. By increasing the exposure time, you can see I have been able to create a milky, smooth effect on the water, giving a pleasing result to the image.

Set Up

Once you have found a composition you like, you will need to place your camera on the tripod, attach your cable release and affix your filter holder. Next, focus the camera manually (using the MF button on the side of your camera) before putting the filter in place.

Ponta do Rosto, Madeira
Canon 5D Mk IV, EF16-35 f2.8L III USM | 241sec f/11 ISO 100

Steps to photographing long exposures

Once your kit is set up, here are some simple steps on how to photograph long exposures using the equipment mentioned above to achieve sharper images.

1. Bulb mode

Arrange your camera so that you are shooting in bulb mode. This allows you to keep the shutter button open for longer. It will stay open as long as you hold it open.

2. Set your aperture and ISO

I recommend setting a small aperture of over f/8 to f/22. The larger the f/number the longer the exposure you can achieve and a low ISO of 100.

3. Exposure times

Depending on the strength of the ND filter you are using, your exposure time will change. Based on an initial exposure time of ½ second using a 6-stop filter, you will need to shoot for 30 seconds or 8 minutes using a 10-stop filter, for example.

Land’s End, Cornwall, England
Canon 5DSR, EF16-35 f2.8L III USM | 1.5sec f/4.5 ISO 100

Press the self-remote timer and lock the shutter open or if you are using the cameras self-timer press the shutter button gently on the camera. When you are ready to close the shutter unlock the cable release (if you are using the self-timer the image will finish by itself).

4. Extra tips

If you are using a DSLR, it is also a good idea to use your mirror lock-up so that the mirror going up and down during your exposure doesn’t cause camera shake. Also, be sure to cover the back of the viewfinder to prevent light from entering and potentially ruining your pictures during the exposure. Many cameras have a little rubber cap that comes attached to the camera strap, to cover your viewfinder. That will stop any light leaking through.

Conclusion

In summary, shooting long exposures is a great technique you can use to enhance landscapes, seascapes and images of water where movement is added to the image by extending the exposure time.

When you are looking at how to photograph long exposures, be sure to get the right kit for the job such as a tripod, filter holder, ND filter and a cable release. Remember to follow the steps required above to capture your long exposures, and share the images you take with us below. It will be great to see what you capture.

If you want to go deeper into long exposures, see this article by DPS writer, Rick Ohnsman.

The post How to Photograph Long Exposures to Create Dreamy Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

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[Photography] Samyang/Rokinon Announces 14mm f/2.8 and 85mm f/1.4 Series II lenses

The post Samyang/Rokinon Announces 14mm f/2.8 and 85mm f/1.4 Series II lenses appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

If you’re looking for a reasonably-priced but high-performing lens or two, then you’re in luck.

Samyang/Rokinon has now announced an update for two of its most popular pieces of glass:

The 14mm f/2.8 and the 85mm f/1.4.

The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 and the 85mm f/1.4 are already highly-regarded among photographers looking to get strong images while keeping prices low (and who don’t mind full-time manual focus). The ultra-wide focal length of the 14mm is perfect for astrophotography, especially when combined with an f/2.8 maximum aperture. And the f/1.4 aperture on the 85mm is a great way to produce that gorgeous, creamy bokeh that portrait photographers want.

All for under $650 USD.

But now, with the announcement of the 14mm f/2.8 Series II and the 85mm f/1.4 Series II, Samyang/Rokinon has taken their product lineup a step further.

The 14mm f/2.8 Series II offers the same optics of the original Samyang 14mm, but now sports a focus lock; this allows you to set your point of focus and hold it in place, which is great for maintaining perfect focus in astrophotography, time-lapse, or other difficult-to-focus situations.

The Samyang 14mm Series II also features a “de-click” option, so that you can manually change the aperture along a near-infinite spectrum (rather than being forced to work in increments, which is the standard for most lenses). This is a great way to fine-tune your apertures in the field, and it also benefits video shooters who want to subtly alter exposure throughout a recording.

As for the 85mm f/1.4 Series II:

You still get the same excellent sharpness and bokeh, but Samyang has added a “de-click” feature to match the 14mm f/2.8 Series II.

And both lenses now offer weather sealing, which will be appreciated by astrophotographers, landscape photographers, and other outdoor shooters, and will make both lenses an easier sell for photographers that work in adverse conditions.

But perhaps the most enticing thing about the new Samyang lenses is the price:

You’ll be able to grab the 85mm f/1.4 Series II for just $400 USD, while the 14mm f/2.8 Series II will come in at $500 USD.

Sure, constantly using manual focus may come as a bit of a shock, especially if you’ve never used it before. But you’ll become an expert before long and, at such impressively low prices, these two lenses are hard to pass up.

You can currently preorder both the 85mm f/1.4 Series II and the 14mm f/2.8 Series II for Canon EF, Nikon F, Fujifilm X, MFT, and Canon M mounts.

Now over to you:

Do you have any experience with the original Samyang 85mm and 14mm lenses? What do you think of them? And for those of you who are interested in the new lenses: What do you plan to use them for?

The post Samyang/Rokinon Announces 14mm f/2.8 and 85mm f/1.4 Series II lenses appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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