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 by Matt Suess

Bug with Photo Mechanic and Sony a7R3 Files for Pixel Shift

Any Sony a7R3 shooters out there who also use the awesome Photo Mechanic software from Camera Bits?
Be careful right now with Pixel Shift images.
 
I just picked up my a7R3 the other week and noticed an issue today. I have been using Photo Mechanic for a long, long, long time to batch rename & caption all my photos prior to adding them to my catalog in Capture One Pro. But I discovered a bug with the Pixel Shift images you might want to be aware of.
 
If you batch caption/rename your photos in Photo Mechanic, then use the Sony software to merge your Pixel Shift images into Sony’s RAW .ARQ file, the Sony Viewer and Edit programs will not be able to then recognize the .ARQ file. In the screenshot I posted here, you can see normal .ARQ files processed before I captioned/renamed them and blank thumbnails on .ARQ files that were first captioned/renamed in Photo Mechanic. Sony Viewer and Edit will not read these files now after the merge into .ARQ.
 
I just got off the phone with Camera Bits. They were not yet aware of the issue having just received their own a7R3 camera today. But they were able to repeat the problem on their end and told me the engineers will begin working on a fix to be released soon.
 
So in the meantime, you might want to hold off just yet on renaming & captioning your a7R3 files that were shot for Pixel Shift until they release the fix.
in how to / Image Processing / Photo Tips 0 comments
 by Matt Suess

Luminar 2018 Update v1.1.0 for Windows

Skylum’s Luminar 2018 received an update for Windows today, bringing the current version to v1.1.0 (1235).

In this video I will show you all the new improvements.

Be sure to download my free Luminar presets & workspaces.

Save 10% on Luminar with coupon code mattsuess.

Learn all about Luminar 2018 by purchasing my Mastering Luminar 2018 Online Course

Here are the updates in today’s release that I discuss:

Work faster. Luminar can now launch more quickly. Plus you’ll see a faster-editing performance and better RAM usage.

Save Native files. Be sure to save your editing projects in the new native Luminar format. This makes it easy to come back and edit later. Plus files can be shared between Mac and Windows users.

Clone & Stamp released. Remove objects and blemishes with ease!
LUT Mapping. Any LUT you’ve chosen can now be stored to a preset with no need to link to the original .cube file.

More export control. You can choose to export to the Adobe RGB wide color profile or the ProPhoto space on export. You can also sharpen an exported file which is great for printing.

Better masking controls. Users can adjust both the feather and density controls on a mask to refine the blending of layers. When editing a mask, a user can also press the X hotkey to toggle between Paint/Erase brush mode.

More editing control. Now even more raw formats can be edited natively with our RAW Develop filter. All filters also support advanced blending mode options as well.

in how to / Image Processing / Reviews 0 comments
 by Matt Suess

Luminar 2018 Now Available for Pre-Order – Watch My Preview Videos!

Luminar 2018, the newest version of Luminar from Skylum/Macphun, is now available for pre-order for both Mac and Windows users!

 

I have been using an early beta of Luminar 2018 for the last couple weeks and it is a must-have upgrade if you already have it or purchase if you don’t. I am not going to go into too much detail here today in this blog post, as I have already recorded 5 videos showing you all of the cool new features and what you can do in Luminar 2018! These videos were recorded during a week’s worth of Luminar LIVE broadcasts I did for Skylum/Macphun on Facebook LIVE showing off many of the features of Luminar 2018.

Those videos are at the end of this blog post. But first here is what Skylum/Macphun has to say about the new Luminar 2018

From Skylum/Macphun

Luminar 2018 offers everything a modern photographer needs for photo editing, including new filters powered by artificial intelligence, major speed improvements, a dedicated RAW develop module and a forthcoming in 2018; digital asset management platform.

Users will also benefit from the new intelligent Sun Rays filter, LUT support, and real-time noise removal. With workspaces that match different styles of editing, Luminar adapts to deliver a complete experience that avoids clutter and complexity.

Luminar 2018 has been re-built from the ground up for dramatic performance boosts. Existing filters deliver richer colors and depth in less time. A brand new streamlined user interface speeds up working with presets, filters, and masks. With full support of pro options like layers, masks, and blending modes, complex repairs and photo composites can be easily accomplished.

Pre-Order Availability:

Luminar 2018 will be available for pre-order on November 1, and released on November 16.

Pre-Order Pricing:

  • Current users of Luminar may upgrade at a special pre-order price of $39 ($49 MSRP)
  • New users can purchase Luminar 2018 at a special pre-order price of $59 ($69 MSRP)
  • A collection of bonuses will also be included with every purchase.

Pre-Order Bonuses:

  • A Pack of signature presets and textures fro pro photography Nicolesy
  • An Exclusive pack of LUTs
  • 1-year Power plan from SmugMug ($72 value). For new accounts only

 

 

FREE Luminar 2018 Presets & Workspaces from Matt Suess

I have a collection of 4 Workspaces and 5 Presets for Luminar 2018. Get your copy of them here!

Luminar LIVE Videos of Luminar 2018

Here are the videos I recorded for Skylum/Macphun during Facebook LIVE events during the last week of October. Watch them to find out about the new features of Luminar 2018, to learn some tips and tricks to using Luminar, as well as to get a better understanding of this awesome photo editor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming Soon

Pre-ordering for my upcoming Mastering Luminar 2018 Online Course will begin soon! Contact me if you want to know when pre-ordering begins!

 

in how to / Image Processing / Reviews 0 comments
 by Matt Suess

Aurora HDR 2018 In-Depth Preview

As announced a month ago Macphun is set to release Aurora HDR 2018, their second paid upgrade to their excellent Aurora HDR software. The program, which debuted in November of 2015, received a paid upgrade a year ago for Aurora HDR 2017 and Aurora HDR 2018 is now available for pre-order with a release date of September 28, 2017.

Find out what is new and what has changed in Aurora HDR 2018 and most importantly, find out if this new upgrade is worth the price here in my preview.

Note that this preview was completed using a beta copy of Aurora HDR 2018. As the official release date is still a couple weeks away there could still be some updates & enhancements to the program. I will wait until the official release to do an in-depth review.

3-exposure photo processed in Aurora HDR 2018

First, What is Aurora HDR?

In just a couple of years, Aurora HDR has become “the world’s ultimate HDR photo solution” and has been my personal go-to program for HDR photography. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range and is used by photographers to record all of the available light in a scene from the brightest highlights to the darkest shadows by using exposure bracketing. Aurora HDR takes these exposure brackets and blends them into one image giving the photographer the ultimate control to further enhance the image with layers, masks, specialized filters, and more.

Since it’s release in 2015 I have found Aurora HDR to be so much better than Photomatix Pro, which was the default HDR industry standard for many photographers. I will have more to say about just how much better Aurora HDR is compared to Photomatix soon, so keep an eye out for that! Nik’s HDR Efex Pro was my go-to HDR software long ago until Google decided to abandon it. And for those of you using Photoshop or Lightroom to create HDR photos, boy you are in for a treat with Aurora HDR! It isn’t even fair to compare the two.

Aurora HDR works on RAW & DNG files as well as other common file types like tif and jpg. It’s specialty is blending multiple exposures, but it works great on single exposures too. It features batch processing, exporting to popular file formats, easy sharing to popular social media sites, and exporting to other Macphun programs like Luminar. It runs as a standalone program and also as a plugin to Photoshop & Lightroom and also as an extension to Photos and Aperture on the Mac.

And it is now finally available to Windows users!

Pre-Order Pricing & Special Offers

Before I get into the preview, let’s go over the pricing and bonuses first.

Pricing:

  • Current users of Aurora HDR may upgrade at a special pre-order price of $49 ($59 MSRP)
  • New users can purchase Aurora HDR 2018 at a special pre-order price of $89 ($99 MSRP)
  • A collection of bonuses will also be included with every purchase.

Pre-Order Bonuses:

  • Trey Ratcliff Deep Dive video
  • Travel Photography Tutorial by Matt Granger
  • Source Brackets
  • 3-month Zenfolio Pro website, including a complementary design consultation. $60 value.

Aurora HDR 2018 is now available for both Mac and Windows computers.

System Requirements for Mac:

  • Processor Core 2 Duo from late 2009 or newer
  • Minimum 4 GB RAM
  • OS X 10.9.5 Mavericks or newer
  • 2 GB free space, SSD for best performance
  • Display resolution 1280×800 or higher
  • Retina displays supported

System requirements for Windows (recommended):

  • Windows-based hardware
  • PC with mouse or similar input device
  • Direct X 10 compatible Graphics Cards or better
  • Intel Core i3 or better
  • RAM: 4 GB or more
  • Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10
  • 2 GB free space, SSD for best performance
  • Display 128-x768 size or higher

What’s New

There are a number of new features and enhancements in Aurora HDR 2018 and I will go through each one.

Rewritten completely from Scratch

I am told that Aurora HDR 2018 has been completely rewritten from scratch. By doing this, they were able to improve image quality and speed while bringing in new features that we will now explore in this preview.

Next-generation Tone Mapping

A new smart Tone Mapping algorithm automatically reduces noise, and produces more realistic and natural initial results. And let me tell you, this alone is worth the price of the upgrade for those of you craving more natural results with your HDR photos!

3-exposure HDR processed in Aurora HDR 2018

I have been using Aurora HDR 2018 for about a week now and I am so impressed with the natural look to most of my images now right out of the gate with no adjustments. And by starting with a more natural looking image you are able to enhance it further while keeping that natural look. I went back and processed some photos I had recently done in v2017. When I originally processed those photos, I needed to bring back in one of the original exposures to paint in the sky to keep things “looking real”. When I processed those same brackets in v2018 I didn’t need to bring back the sky in any of them. Impressive! I have also noticed a dramatic decrease in problematic halos along with better color.

Dodge & Burn Filter

If you were not yet completely convinced that Aurora HDR 2018 is worth the upgrade price, then this filter should convince you. Personally if this was the only major feature of v2018 I would definitely buy the upgrade just so I could use this one filter.

Dodging and burning has always been a huge part of my photo enhancement – ever since I started printing my own photos in a black & white chemical darkroom. When I transitioned to a digital darkroom many years ago, dodging and burning continued to be a super important part of my workflow, and I developed a great technique for doing it in Photoshop.

Now here in Aurora HDR 2018 we have a filter dedicated to dodging and burning, and it is awesome!!

Dodging and burning allows you to lighten and/or darken specific areas in your photo with the use of an adjustable brush. With that you draw attention to or downplay certain areas in your photo by lightening or darkening them. Effective use of this tool can allow you to control where the eye travels when viewing your photo and can give your photos more of a 3-dimensional look. It is one of my favorite things I do to my photos and I am very excited to see it here in Aurora HDR 2018.

Lens Correction Tool*

The new Lens Correction filter easily fixes all kinds of lens distortion, from barrel and pincushion to chromatic aberration and vignetting. There are no lens profiles in Aurora HDR 2018. Rather, when you are using the Lens Correction Tool you are making manual adjustments.

Transform Tool*

Easily scale, rotate and shift your image to better fit your vision. With this tool you can correct perspective issues common when shooting with very wide angle lenses. Architecture photographers in particular will certainly enjoy this.

HDR Enhance

Adds details and clarity to an image, adjusting colors, details and contrast without creating artificial halos or other problems. This replaces the HDR Look slider in Aurora HDR 2017 and does a much better job enhancing the HDR look of your photo.

User Interface

A new, modern and responsive user interface brings a powerful, yet joyful experience to HDR photo editing. Aurora HDR 2018 now looks more like Luminar and is quite polished from v2017. For some photographers the UI isn’t too important. For me it is. I don’t want to spend lots of time in an ugly looking program, and the new UI of v2018 is a pleasure for the eyes. In regards to workflow it is a little more streamlined. I just wish I could change the order of the filters like in Luminar.

A beautiful new user interface for Aurora HDR 2018.

The Presets also received an enhanced look as seen in the screenshot below.

History Panel

An easy-to-reference list of edits made to your image, the History panel allows you to click on any editing step to revert the photo to an earlier stage of editing.

Touch Bar support for Mac

Aurora HDR 2018 adds Touch Bar support to give new MacBook Pro users fast access to key editing features and speed up their workflow.

Image Flip and Rotate*

Perfect for correcting photos with incorrect horizons or making creative compositions or other stylistic changes to an image.

IMPROVED:  New Structure Algorithm

The re-developed Structure tool allows you to adjust detail and clarity of an image to get a classic HDR effect with great detail or a smoother effect with less details.

IMPROVED: RAW handling

An improved RAW conversion brings out more details in shadows/highlights, displays colors more accurately and reduces noise in RAW files.

IMPROVED: Crop tool update

Now specify custom crop sizes for even more versatility.

IMPROVED: Speed

Faster merging and masking performance, improvement in RAW image processing. I have noticed up to a 25% increase in speed when loading a 3-photo bracket.

IMPROVED: Some of the Filters

The look of some of the filters has changed ever so slightly and some, like HSL, have become more powerful. HSL in Aurora HDR 2018 now provides you with 2 more color controls: Orange and Magenta.

New Option when saving .mpaur2 files

When saving your work in the proprietary .mpaur2 file, you can now choose to just save the history to dramatically shrink the file sizes of the .mpaur2 files. You will still need to hold onto your original bracketed photos however to continue editing where you left off. Saving in this file format saves all of your masks, layers, filter settings, and everything you have done to the file so you can get back to work on your file at a later date just the way you left it.

 

* Lens Correction and Transform tools, as well as image flip and rotate will be available in the Mac version at launch, and arrive in the PC version with the first free update in the beginning of October. Other tools and features that are currently available for Mac only would be added to PC version by the end of the year. Read more about this later in my preview.

 

3-exposure HDR processed in Aurora HDR 2018

 

What’s Different

Luminosity Masking is the most obvious, as Macphun has removed the Zone system of luminosity masking that is in v2017 and replaced it with their standard masking that is in Luminar. I don’t know for sure yet as to the reasoning.

I have noticed a couple other minor things missing from v2018 but I will wait until the final shipping version is available to see if in fact they remain gone. These are not deal-breakers by any means so there is nothing to worry about.

What Might Upset You

I know these next three topics are probably going to upset some photographers and I am going to do my best to explain why this is happening.

Here are the first two issues:

You can’t open .mpaur files from Aurora HDR 2017 or the original version of Aurora in Aurora HDR 2018.

You can’t use presets from Aurora HDR 2017 or the original version of Aurora in Aurora HDR 2018.

The reasons why you can not do either are pretty much the same. Aurora HDR 2018 is a brand new program, rewritten from scratch. The new version features a completely revamped tone-mapping engine that includes completely different slider controls. In v2018 the main HDR slider is the HDR Enhance and it goes from a value of 0 to 100. In v2017 we had a HDR Look slider that went from a value of -100 to +100. These different sliders have completely different algorithms, let alone value scales. And speaking of algorithms, many of those have been enhanced in the rest of the filters. Not only that, but there are some sliders missing in v2018 that were there in v2017, and there are some new sliders in other areas.

What this all means is that it is near impossible for them to have backward compatibility. If somehow they were able to engineer it and you could use old .mpaur files or old presets, your files would look completely different in v2018 than they would in v2017 because of the difference in sliders and algorithms.

How can you adapt?

Keep your Aurora HDR 2017 installed. You can open up both v2017 and v2018 at the same time. Do that and manually re-create your old presets in the new v2018. Remember that not all sliders will be the same so you should expect different results, but you will probably end up creating even better presets based off of your old ones due to the enhancements in v2018.

As for the .mpaur files from v2017, open those up and finish your editing in them and export the file as a tif or psd file that can then be brought into v2018 or Luminar for any final editing.

3-exposure HDR processed in Aurora HDR 2018 and finished with slight enhancements in Luminar.

 

And finally:

Why do I have to pay for another upgrade?

First off, you don’t.

If you don’t upgrade, your v2017 will still work and Macphun will update it with any necessary fixes due to operating system upgrades that might cause issues. But you won’t get any new features.

Secondly, get used to yearly paid upgrades for new features.

In the last few years Macphun has gone with a yearly paid upgrade for Aurora and will likely do the same for Luminar. Each year they offer the upgrade at a special reduced price and include a bunch of cool bonuses that end up paying for the upgrade and then some. Continually improving and supporting a program costs money, and to be honest the price they charge for upgrading is tiny when you consider how much you pay to upgrade your camera, your lenses, your camera bag, most camera accessories, filters, and on and on.

Best bet – download the free trial when it is available and find out if the new features are worth the upgrade price. If not, wait until v2019. If they are, order it right away to maximize your investment.

3-exposure HDR processed in Aurora HDR 2018

 

Hey Windows Users!

You are now finally getting your hands on the best HDR program out there – congrats!

But…

Because this is the first Windows release there are going to be a few missing features at launch that will get addressed soon in free updates.

Here is as complete of a list as I can gather up on what you will likely be missing at launch but will be receiving in free updates – some soon and others most likely by the end of the year: Lens Correction and Transform tools, image flip and rotate, color clipping preview, full screen preview mode, luminosity masking, rotate image, batch processing (or possibly only Batch presets), Flickr and SmugMug sharing, export to PSD, support for Adobe RGB 1998 and ProPhoto RGB, and lastly export to HDR file formats .EXR, >HDR, and fp-TIFF (hey – even us Mac peeps don’t have that last one just yet).

 

Conclusion and Recommendation

The best has gotten better and Macphun’s Aurora HDR 2018 further separates itself from any competition – if it’s even fair to call it that at this point.

The new Aurora HDR 2018 is packed with a number of new features and enhancements that will provide you with a dramatic improvement in your HDR photographs and you really shouldn’t have to think twice about upgrading. In fact the new tone-mapping and Dodge & Burn filters alone are worth the small upgrade price.

And if you have been using another program for HDR or are just starting out in HDR photography, there is currently no program on the market that offers as many features, is as easy to use, or produces the image quality that Aurora HDR 2018 provides you.

I will have a final review once the full version is released on September 28th but in the meantime be sure to take advantage of the special savings and pre-order bonuses by pre-ordering your copy today!

Lastly

I will soon be opening up pre-ordering for my upcoming Mastering Aurora HDR 2018 Online Course – the most complete training on Aurora HDR 2018. Add your name to my list in the box below if you want to take advantage of my pre-ordering offers for the course!

Join me for a free webinar with Macphun this Friday, September 15 at 7pm Mountain Time where I will be showing off some of the new features in this release.

And also join me on October 4 for a Facebook Live presentation I will be doing with Macphun on their Facebook Page.

I will post links to these events as soon as I have them!

Any questions?

Feel free to add them in the comments below or continue the discussion in my Online Forums Here.

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in HDR / how to / Image Processing / Reviews 0 comments
 by Matt Suess

Luminar Receives Free Update With New Filter Plus Enhancements For Drone Photographers

Luminar from Macphun received a free update today to their Mac software to bring the current version to v1.2.1

Users can update by opening the program as a stand-alone and clicking on Check for Updates under Luminar in the file menu.

Photo by Laurie Rubin and used with permission.

The main features of this update are:

  • Aerial Workspace – Unique new workspace that features the most commonly used editing filtes for aerial photographers, including Macphun’s AI-powered Accent, Dehaze, Polarize and Clarity filters among others.
  • Whites / Blacks Filter  – This new filter makes setting the white and black points effortless.
  • One-click Aerial Presets – Instant styling and creative looks for aerial photos.
  • Various Bug Fixes – nothing specifically mentioned but various bugs and performance updates are included

Luminar is the first photo editor for the Mac that offers dedicated tools too help you make the most beautiful aerial photos, working with aerial photographer Romeo Durscher – the Director of Education at DJI – for this release.

Highlights

The new Whites / Blacks filter is a welcome addition and allows one to control the white point and black point in your photo, helping to add or decrease contrast. This filter is instantly going into my Favorites.

 

The new Aerial Workspace is located in the Workspace dropdown and features common filters used in aerial photography but can also be useful in other photography subjects such as landscape.

Nine new presets are included in the new Aerial preset category. Just like the Aerial Workspace, give these new presets a shot on your landscape photos as well as other photo types. Some of the new presets include the new Whites / Blacks filter.

New Aerial Presets do not need to be used on just aerial photos!

This free update is only for the Mac version of Luminar. Users of the Windows Beta will have to wait for either a new beta or the final release of Luminar for Windows to take advantage of these enhancements.

Don’t have Luminar?

If you are a current user of Macphun products you can purchase it at their standard pricing of $59 with the program costing just $69 for all new users.

Save 10% on Luminar (and other Macphun software) by using coupon code mattsuess when checking out at Macphun’s Website!

Image Credit

Special thanks to my friend Laurie Rubin for the use of her image in my article. She is a drone photography pioneer and you can check out more of her work at the following online locations: website, Facebook, instagram, and skypixel.

in Reviews 0 comments
 by Matt Suess

Photographing the Total Solar Eclipse, With and Without Solar Filters

Tomorrow I will be photographing the Total Solar Eclipse above the Tetons in Wyoming on the Idaho side with a spectacular view of the Grand Tetons.

Here’s how I am doing it with 2 different camera setups.

Wide Angle

I am using my Sony a7R with a Canon 17-40mm f4 lens set at 28mm or 24mm – still deciding on the exact shot I want with this. I will be using a Formatt-Hitech 16-stop solid neutral density filter.

This is definitely NOT a filter recommended for photographing the sun as it doesn’t have any proper solar viewing certificates!

But many photographers have been asking me if solid density filters like this are OK for the eclipse.

Here’s the deal – if you do decide to use one it is at your own risk. You could potentially fry your camera sensor and worse you could potentially do permanent damage to your eyes.

If you decide to take such risks you are on your own. I am not recommending the following tips but rather telling you how I am photographing with these filters while assuming my own risk.

So here is how I am using this filter. I ran tests this morning while photographing the sun and did no damage to my eyes nor my camera.

For starters I have a mirrorless camera. This saves my eyes, as when I am looking through the viewfinder I am only looking at an LCD screen.

If you don’t have a mirrorless camera DO NOT LOOK at the sun through the viewfinder or you could ruin your eyes even with this filter on. Instead use live-view and only for short periods of time.

Next I was concerned with the lens being pointed at the sun for a few hours. Even with the camera turned off, my sensor is still exposed.

To protect my sensor in-between shots during the length of the eclipse I cut a piece of cardboard to cover my filter and used tape to allow me to flip the cardboard up to take a photo and back down to protect the sensor during the eclipse. It may not look pretty but it sure is effective!



With this setup my camera settings were ISO 100 at 1/250s at f16.

Telephoto

For this I am using my Sony a7 on a Sigma 150-600mm lens.

And with this setup I am definitely using the proper solar filter. I got it the other week from Bozeman Camera for $80 and it fits over my lens hood.

I had to make some modifications for my setup.

First I noticed the lens hood has holes at the base that were letting in light under certain circumstances so I taped those up.


Next, because my filter is made of a flimsy and delicate film I wanted to protect it better from rubbing or puncture. I used some foam core and tape to protect the front surface when the filter is transported in the cardboard box that it came with. This keeps the filter from direct contact twith he top of the box.


Again it may not look pretty but it works.

My camera settings with this setup photographing the sun are are ISO 100 at 1/500s at f8.

Other Things To Consider

Here are some other tips for getting the perfect shot!

  • Practice with your gear to be 100% familiar with what you will be doing during the eclipse
  • If you are in an area of 100% totality, when – and only when – it is at 100% totality it will be safe to look at the eclipse. Take your filters off at this time and bracket your exposures. The moment 100% ends back to the filters.
  • In regards to bracketing set your camera to 1-stop increments instead of 1/3rd which most photographers use. You only have at most just over 2 minutes of totality and it will be quicker adjusting shutter speeds and f-stops when dials are set for 1-stop. During totality do extreme bracketing with up to 10 brackets at 1-stop each
  • When photographing the sun rely more on the flashing blinkies than the histogram to judge exposure. Adjust your exposure until they disappear. If you are still seeing them you are over-exposing your shot.
  • Look for other photos during totality such as the crowds and look away from your camera every once in a while to fully experience it. This will be my first total eclipse and I will definitely need to remind myself of this tip.

I hope these last minute tips help out! Have fun, be safe, and enjoy the moment!!

in how to / Photo Tips 0 comments
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