Category Archives: reviews

Fujifilm X-T30 Full Review

Fujifilm has dubbed the X-T30 the “Little Giant” – a small camera with big performance. It’s the successor to the X-T20, and it’s a kind of cut-down version of the company’s flagship X-T3 model which shares a lot of that camera’s technological advances. You’d still pick the X-T3 for speed, handling with bigger lenses and high-end 4K video, but the X-T30 is ideal if you want a sophisticated, high-performance mirrorless camera that’s also small and not too expensive. This makes the X-T30 a great little all-round camera that’s right at the cutting edge of APS-C mirrorless camera technology, but well under the Rs 1,00,000 price barrier. If you’re a first-time Fujifilm user and you need a kit lens to go with it, that will probably push it over that figure.

Canon EOS RP Full Review

Canon EOS RP is the Canon’s latest offering in the full-frame mirrorless segment. A smaller version of Canon EOS R with a compact and light-weight body, Canon has launch EOS RP for the users looking for some budget friendly full frame mirrorless camera. In terms of dimensions, Canon EOS RP is nearly 30% smaller and almost 200 grams lighter than Canon EOS R. The EOS RP really is impressively smaller than many of Canon’s DSLRs that have smaller APS-C sensors. Despite this, Canon has made sure the controls aren’t constricted, the grip is comfortable, and both the viewfinder and screen are nice and big.

Canon EOS RP Key Specifications

26.2MP Dual Pixel CMOS sensor
4K/24p (from 1.7x crop region)
4 fps continuous shooting with continuous AF (5 without)
Pupil detection AF in continous/Servo AF mode
AF rated to -5EV
Digic 8 processor
2.36M dot OLED viewfinder
Fully-articulated 1.04M dot touchscreen
Twin command dials

Look, Body and Feel

The Canon EOS RP comes with a 7.62-cm Vari-angle OLED touch panel and DIGIC 8 image processor with Dual Pixel CMOS AF. The offering weighs 485grams with dimensions 132.5 x 85.3 x 70.0mm. It carries a special Feature Assistant which helps users with navigation. The offering also has an RF lens mount which was introduced in the EOS R and it has a short focal length of 20mm. Users can also use their existing collection of EF and EF-S lenses via an optional mount adapter. The Canon EOS RP is kitted with a 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS sensor with an ISO range of 100-40,000 and it can be expanded to the range of 50-1,02,400. The Auto Lighting Optimizer feature of the camera helps in balancing the darkest and brightest parts of a picture for better low-light results. The Digital Lens Optimizer corrects distortions, and the CMOS sensor provides Optical Image Stabilisation. Additionally, the Dual Pixel CMOS AF provides autofocus speed of up to 0.05 seconds. There are 4,779 selectable AF positions and the Eye Detection AF which works in Servo AF mode focuses on the subject’s eyes even when it is in motion. The camera is also capable of shooting videos with 4K resolution at 24p/25p and the Combination IS provides stable footage even without a tripod. It has an LP-E17 battery and along with that, the camera can be charged by the optional USB Power Adapter PD-E1 through its Hi-Speed USB 2.0/ Type C Interface. One can also transfer data via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy technology. The product also performs network-related functions using Canon Camera Connect app for mobile devices. The continuous shooting speed of the camera is 5fps in One-Shot AF and 4ps in Servo AF.

Compared to the existing EOS R, the RP is a bit more ‘compact’ and significantly slimmed down, against other full-frame interchangeable lens cameras, only Sony’s original A7 is lighter. Despite its light weight, the RP’s all-plastic body feels reassuringly solid, with little in the way of creaks or obvious signs of cost-cutting in its build. It’s at a price point where we can’t really complain about the lack of weather-sealing, but at least the RF lenses so far have a covering to keep dust and moisture entering around the mount. The grip on the RP is quite comfortable, and it may not be comfortable for use with larger lenses, the optional grip extender will help here. Though a fractionally larger grip that could have also accommodated a larger battery was much needed in EOS RP. The RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM which came with the camera works good, but is not up to mark as the lens is bit heavy which makes the hold uncomfortable. The control on the EOS RP are well implemented than Canon EOS R. The touch bar form EOS R is missing in EOS RP, which is a good point. Customization buttons are provided by Canon, giving you plenty of flexibility with some buttons. If you want to use the four-way controller for AF point placement instead of the touchscreen, there’s still no option to make your chosen AF area move faster, which we would really like to see on EOS RP and the EOS R. The rear screen provides and excellent and responsive touchscreen experience. The electronic viewfinder has loer resolution than Canon EOS R but it still provides good colours and contrast.

Image Quality

The Canon EOS RP has a 26.2 megapixel full-frame sensor. The images look nice and colourful. The exposures were correctly exposed and had a good result in terms of sharpness. The Canon EOS RP does not have an in-body stabilisation system built in which is a major miss on the Canon EOS RP. The depth of field in the images are quite good and smooth as the ditance between the lens the sensor is less, which is a plus point for Canon EOS RP. Looking at the low light images, Canon EOS RP performed pretty good with colours, though it had a liitle reddish tinge in the images. The low light portrait captured on EOS RP resulted with good colours and sharpness.

ISO Performance

The ISO performance of this camera isn’t bad. We really liked how the camera handled ISOs upto 6400 well. While other mirrorless cameras in this category might be a better perfomer or the same, this camera is by no means any less competent. The camera faulters a bit at ISO 12800 and shows signs of grains and becomes almost unusable at ISO 12800 as the picture loses edge sharpness.

Video Quality

The video quality of Canon EOS RP isn’t bad, but there are few points which needs to be noticed. The Eye Auto Focus Tracking in EOS RP is ok in comparison with other full-frame mirrorless camera, though it had lag in focusing the eye when the subject is moving. While the focusing speed is fast and smooth in the videos. Canon EOS RP is missing in-body stabilisation system and the stability is totally dependent on the lens. While shooting the video with turning off the stabilisation on lens, the camera performed the same as other full-frame mirrorless camera do. The major part to notice in video section of Canon EOS RP is that it shoots Full HD on 60fps which link to the missing of slow mo in the camera as there is no 120fps available and it also shoots 4k with 1.7x crop frame of the sensor at 25fps only.

Conclusion

The Canon EOS RP is priced at Rs 1,10,495 for the body only, which is much more lower than the other full frame mirrorless camera. However, The Canon EOS RP misses out on a few things than the other full frame mirrorless camera like in-built stabilisation system and joystick. However, the images from the Canon do not dissapoint when it come to quality and colour reproduction. The images along with he ISO performance is definiltly something you can look forward to if you have a lower budget for a full-frame mirrorless.

Nikon D3500 vs Nikon D3400 Review

Nikon D3500 vs D3400 Review

Many of you have been asking us to review the Nikon D3400 against the new D3500 since a while. And if you already have bought the older generation cameras like the D3100, 3300 or the 3400, then this is a question that must be on top of your head. But you aren’t alone, there are many like you and this article is focused specially on people like you.

If you aren’t much of a reader and would like to see a video instead then you can log onto our YouTube Channel and see a complete comparison.

Similar Features:

So while there is much to deliberate when it comes to the new D3500. It has literally taken Nikon two whole years to launch the new update. And that is fair since the new product cycle in the photography industry is approximately that. But what is important to note is that there are many similarities between the two cameras.

Same size sensor: Both the cameras feature the same size sensor, which is 24.2 megapixel and are powered by the Expeed 4 processor. Unfortunately the new D3500 still doesn’t support in-body image stabilization. But while the specs of the sensors are the same, according to Nikon the sensor on the D3500 has been tweaked slightly as compared to the 3400 in order to give better performance. So whether this has an effect on its performance and the output is something that we will check later.

ISO capability and FPS: They both have an ISO range of 100-25,600 and shoot at 5 fps. They also feature the same 11-point focus system that has been around in the D3400 since years. At the back it has the 3-inch LCD screen with features 921k resolution.

So largely the D3500 features the specs as the D3400. The D3500 comes at Rs. 34,500 approximately with the 18-55mm lens. On the other hand the D3400 has been discontinued by Nikon and might be difficult to find in the Nikon authorised stores. But on aggregator platforms like Amazon and Flipkart one can easily find a deal for the camera at approximately Rs. 30,000 (which might include a dual lens kit).

So what are the Key Differences?

The first thing you notice is that the D3500 it is lighter a slightly compact than the D3400 (it is 30 grams lighter than the 3400). Next, all the buttons have moved to the right making it easy to operate. And since these buttons have moved to the right and the body is more compact, the screen seems a lot bigger.

The camera also features a deeper grip as compared to the D3400. But this deeper grip also means that your fingers might get stuck in the 3500, especially for someone which has bigger hands. The plus point however is that it offers a much more handy grip even when you attach and use more heavier lenses.

One of the key improvements in the 3500 is the increased battery life. The battery life has been improved by over 30% in the 3500 as compared to the 3400. As per the CIPA ratings a single charge can now give 1550 shots as opposed to the 1200 pics that the 3400 could give using the same battery.

What’s missing?

But where they have improved all of these things I felt that they should’ve also worked on some of the things to improve from the D3400.

For instance:

No external microphone input: The camera still doesn’t come with an external microphone input. Now this was not there in the D3400 also, but in today’s day and age with users migrating towards using the cameras as video recording devices, I think this is a must have.

Less customisable buttons: The D3500 unfortunately has less customisable buttons as compared to the D3400. In the previous camera, there was a Fn button on the front-left side of the body. But this has been removed in the D3500 in order to give the front a cleaner look. While that might be great, a quick customisable button usually proves very useful for consumers who want to toggle and change settings quickly.

No swivel screen: And as the other cameras in this category, the 3500 doesn’t have a swivel screen. Now this is something that you can still live with. But not have a touch screen at the back is not great. With more and more users looking to upgrade from their smart devices to the entry-level segment, a touch screen is an important feature to have.

Performance:

With both the cameras featuring the similar specs one might think that the performance of the cameras might be the same. But there certain changes in the performance that are noticeable.

Daylight Pic:

In terms of the performance of the cameras in daylight conditions, there’s hardly any difference in the pictures between the 2 cameras. The image of the flower that we have shot here is well saturated, sharp and also reproduces the colours accurately. Although the image from the D3500 seems slightly brighter and better exposed. But the difference between the two cameras is marginal.

As for the picture of the props and toys, the colour is also poppy, well-rounded and overall nearly similar. But in this case as well the sharpness and details in the D3500 is slightly higher than the D3400.

Daylight portrait:

It is nearly the same with the portraits as well during the day. All the images shot with both the cameras are shot on the exact same settings. And again the pictures are good. But the overall images in the 3500 seemed slightly more saturated as compared to the 3400. The image also has a slightly warmer cast than the 3400.

Low-light pictures:

In terms of the low-light images, whether portrait or otherwise we can see slight changes in the images. For instance the biggest one is the use of the older lens on the 3400, you can see a lot of lens flaring in the images from the 3400 as compared to the images from the 3500.

But as for the images again there wasn’t much to choose from. The images are nearly identical and one can hardly tell the difference.

Video Performance:

The video performance for the cameras was what differentiated things for me. While both cameras seemed to have a slight focus tracking problem, the 3500 was a lot better than the 3400. And while you don’t have a swivel screen making it easy for your to use it as a vlogging camera, there is enough there to make the cut in this department.

Conclusion:

So what is the overall answer then? Should you go for the D3500 if you are a new user or if you have an older camera like the D3100, 3300 or 3400? Well this is a mixed bag for me honestly. If you are in the market to buy a new camera then yes surely you should buy the D3500.

But if you are using an older camera like the 3300 or the 3100 then there are a lot of formidable upgrades that make the D3500 interesting enough for you. And if you already using the D3400 and are thinking of upgrading then this is a question best answered by you. If you see the specs then the specs are same, but there are small tweaks that have made the performance of the D3500 slightly better. So if you have the extra money and can afford that upgrade then you could go with the D3500.

But for the new users I would also suggest that you look at some of the other mirrorless options in the market around the same price range since that is where the future is heading according to us.

Text: Bhavya Desai

Best Mirrorless Cameras under Rs.50,000

It is very clear that Mirrorless Cameras are the thing of the future. All manjor manufacturers have not taken the plunge in this technology and this has eliminated the need of heavy camera bodies and lenses to some extent. They are priced almost in similar price brackets as the DSLRs and also the image quality is a good competition with the DSLRs. This month we asked the manufacturers to send us their Best Entry-Level Mirrorless Cameras so we could put them to a head-to-head test in this year’s shootout. The price parameter for the cameras was set between Rs. 45,000 to Rs. 55,000

In this video we test the best cameras you can buy under Rs.50,000 ($700). The contenders in this line up are the Canon M5, Canon M50, Fujifilm XT100 and the Panasonic G85. We put them to test and see which one should you buy?

OnePlus 6T Review

In the last few years, OnePlus has really cemented its place in the minds of the consumer as a brand that offers the best specs at a very affordable price. But for many, the brand has become a beacon of innovation and the boundaries that they are constantly challenging. Whether it is their dash charger, or now the fingerprint sensor under the screen, they have truly been innovating in the smartphone industry. And with the OnePlus 6T they haven’t disappointed.

Every year the T version of the phone comes out, which is an upgrade in terms of the specs, but this year there is a serious upgradation to the phone which is beyond just a specs bump. The phone is available in the 3 variants as usual – 6GB RAM + 128GB storage – Rs 37,999 , 8GB RAM + 128GB storage – Rs 40,999 and

8GB RAM + 256GB storage – Rs 44,999. There is no 64GB version this time.

So what really are the changes that the 6T has introduced as compared to the 6?

Water drop notch

The first is the water-drop notch as they call it. The notch now is less intrusive and also gives you a very immersive experience to your phone. But with the new design the front side of the camera has seen a redesign in many ways. For instance, the camera is the only part that is featured here and the speaker has moved further up on the bezel. The design though is nice and it gives a much better experience when you are surfing the Internet and also watching videos compared to the OnePlus 6.

The phone is bigger

The 6T is now slightly bigger in terms of size as compared to the 6 and features a 6.41-inch screen. The bottom bezels have been pushed back a little in order to make the screen much bigger. But this also means that the phone has become more heavier and slightly bulkier than the 6.

But the change can’t just be attributed to some of these cosmetic changes. There is a lot that has changed under the hood as well. Like the phone now features a bigger battery with a 3700 mAh capacity as compared to the 3300mAh in the OnePlus 6. Which is great since the 6 already had a good battery life and now it has gotten much better with the 6T. And the Dash fast charging indeed makes life a bit easier.

No headphone jack

With the battery being bigger and more powerful, the headphone jack has been completely ditched this time. This isn’t much of a surprise to me honestly since the company moved to the wireless bullet headphones last year, it was evident that at some point of time this was going to happen. And this means that now you get an apple like USB-C connector for your headphones in the box.

And Oneplus has said that it was because of the bigger battery that they couldn’t have the headphone jack in the phone.

Finger print sensor

Now that the headphone jack is out of the way,the 6T also becomes the first OnePlus to use the fingerprint sensor under its screen. This means that the sensor from the back is gone and this makes the design look really beautiful and clean as compared to the 6. Personally I am not a big fan of the fingerprint reader on the back. Its just makes the design look very congested.

The finger print sensor has 3 new animations when you try and unlock the phone and I really wish these would’ve been better. In terms of performance, the fingerprint sensor works all right. It’s definitely not as fast as the one on the back of the 6. But as a first attempt, it is pretty good. And more importantly, it is innovating and gives something new to the user. You can still unlock the phone using the Face Unlock feature which continues to run pretty fast.

Camera Performance

There is no difference between the cameras of the 6 and the 6T. They feature the exact same cameras on the back, which are the 16-megapixel and 20-megapixel f/1.7 cameras. Usually the cameras in every smartphone works with a combination of hardware and software and in the 6T the performance of the camera is enhanced with software advancement.

A new feature called “Nightscape”, is part of the camera app now and that makes the pictures less blurry in low-light which works in combination with software. And if you are a OnePlus 6 user then fear not, this feature will be available as part of a free software upgrade for you as well.

In terms of the performance this feature didn’t make much of a difference to the pictures that we shot. Yes, the images very slightly less blurry but the fact that you have to hold the phone still for a very long time for the images to get captured, isn’t really the best experience. In the images that we have shot we have clicked the images with and without the software update. We have a OnePlus 6 which we have updated to the new release and it doesn’t have a night mode. And you can tell the slight difference in the images.

The camera also comes with the studio lighting and OnePlus says that in the 6t, it has made an effort to make the images much more true to life and neutral in nature. There is also a studio lighting feature now which is supposed to give a more even light to the images that you click, especially in the selfie mode.

It’s fast, really fast

One of the best things that I like about the OnePlus phones is that it gives you a near stock android performance. And the 6t is also the same. It’s powered with the Andriod Pie version and as usual it performs super fast. I also like the new navigation gestures in the phone and also the new about screen menu, which is a refreshing change since it gives all the info in a much more organised manner.

The performance of the phone is really quick and is very seamless with the new update. You can toggle between apps super fast and also move around a lot.

Conclusion

So what are my overall thoughts about the phone? In simple words, it truly is amazing. It’s fast, innovative, and gives you a great performance. It has taken all the good things it did with the 6 and has added substantial upgrades to the phone. Yes there is no headphone jack, but I think you should be used to it by now because all the smartphones might move in the similar direction in future. And the best part is that the company has stuck to their smart pricing principles and has placed 6t in a very accessible place , by just increasing the price slightly.

So if you are a OnePlus 6 user and have that extra cash to spare then it might as well be an upgrade, that is worth it. But if you are a new user and are looking to buy an android phone then the OnePlus 6 is definitely the phone for you.

Monitor Review – BenQ SW 240

Introduction

The latest BenQ monitor, the SW 240 is aimed at photographers and graphics professionals, wanting a wider gamut hardware calibrated display. The need for better viewing needs and competitive pricing makes this monitor a really interesting deal. We test the monitor with some standard parameters and see if it is really worth the price.

Look, Body and Feel

At 24.1-inches, the SW 240 is a good size option for those looking for something much larger than a standard laptop screen, but perhaps don’t have a huge amount of desk space to work with. It is a slim and stylish monitor, looking smart on a desktop. Setting up the monitor is very simple. Instructions come in the box on how you can attach the stand to the back of the monitor, but you don’t require any specialist tools, everything is very straightforward. The base of the monitor has an attachment for the vertical column to be fixed to it. The monitor can then be attached to the vertical post with a snap lock. There is a press button near the monitor mount which can be pressed to release the monitor from the vertical stand. The vertical stand also allows the monitor to be rotated to 180 degrees to get a vertical view.

The BenQ SW 240 allows the attachment of a hood which would sheild the light coming in from behind and the sides giving the user an easy and smooth editing experience.

The BenQ SW 240 comes with additional supplied cables which can be use d to connect the monitor to an existing system. However the monitor features a DVI port which is pretty much standard these days. It also features a thunderbolt port and a an HDMI out to directly connect it to an Apple computer or direct HDMI output from any source. There is also a built-in speaker for sound and card slot along with USB input ports.

The physical dimensions of the monitor are very manageable as the monitor has almost no bezels on the sides excluding the bottom which has a bezel and houses the buttons for input and adjustments. The buttons allow scrolling through the menu which features various color modes and an exclusive Black and White mode for editing in B&W. There is a dedicated button for switching the colour modes which is welcome as you do not have to go through the menu for changing the colour schemes.

The monitor allows colour calibration and it also automatically adjusts the colour according to the input source. This is quite useful for those who do not want to spend their time calibrating the monitor according to their systems and preferences. Overall the look and feel of the monitor is quite premium and its features give it a good edge from those very expensive made for the purpose displays.

Testing Parameters and Performance

To test this monitor for its colour accuracy (our main criteria) we decided to connect it to an existing computer and colour correct the same image using two different monitors to see the actual change in colour and the results after the correction. The selected images are plain JPEG files straight out of a Canon EOS 6D Mark II without any retouching.

The images after correction seemed to look different than the original. The one corrected on a regular TFT monitor screen looks dull when printed or viewed on a better screen. The images corrected on the BenQ SW 240 looked better and had more room for adjustments which points out at the display having the colour range to display even the slightest differences. The images when compared side by side using the BenQ monitor showed their apparent differences and made it pretty easy for us to decide. A dedicated photo-video editing monitor sure takes your colour game a notch higher.

Original Image

Standard TFT Monitor

BenQ SW 240

Conclusion

The BenQ SW 240 is a monitor aimed at the pros especially who are not looking to spend a fortune on a dedicated photo/video editing monitor but do realise the necessity of a good display for correcting their images. The main issue with the final output of the image (often in prints) is the change or shift in colours due to different sources and poor colour reproduction from their display devices which only include the monitor. The incorrect colours are seen when the pictures are printed from a high accuracy photo printer, making it lose its original charm. Hence photo dedicated monitors are a real necessity among the design and the editing fraternity.

The BenQ SW 240 has been priced at Rs 39,000 , but is still half or lesser than the price of some dedicated monitors. Sure there would be some differences like a 4K resolution, wider colours etc setting them apart but the overall results and the ease of use along with a approachable price tag makes it an excellent buy for the enthusiasts and pros alike. Not only designers and editors, but multimedia consumers and games also can enjoy the high quality output from the display. The absence of 4K resolution is a bit disappointing, owing to the fact that most videos, games and pictures are shot in very high resolutions and could have used a better crisper screen resolution to make things even better. However we must realise that this is a budget monitor and having a 4K enabled monitor would also increase its price by a few folds.

If you are an enthusiast, a designer or an multimedia editor who appreciates the need of good and true colours in your workflow, could definitely look at the BenQ SW 240 which is a good buy for the price.

Canon EOS 3000D Review: Should you buy it?

Our new video reviews the newly launched Canon EOS 3000D. The camera which was launched a few weeks back for Rs. 31,000 with the 18-55mm kit lens is the company’s new offering to the consumer.

Canon is trying to create a new segment with this camera. Check out the video as we test it.

Tamron 18-400mm Lens Video Review

Exclusive Review of the Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD

In recent times Tamron has come to be known well for its zoom-telephoto lenses. For instance, there was a considerable amount of success that the Tamron 16-300mm enjoyed before the launch of its successor. TheTamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLDwas launched recently in India and is the company’s evolution from the 16-300mm F3.5/5.6.

The 16-300mm had a zoom ratio of 18.8x and with the launch of the new 18-400mm, Tamron has launched the ‘world’s first ultra-telephoto all-in-one zoom lens that offers a 22.2x Zoom Ratio’. This means it offers the best of an Ultra-wide 18mm in a combined body with a 400mm telephoto option. The manufacturer has launched this at an extremely affordable price of Rs. 55,000 and aims to target any enthusiasts who are looking for one single lens to fulfil all their shooting needs.

The 18-400mm is an APSC lens which means it features a crop factor of 1.6x on a Canon mount and 1.5x on a Nikon mount. This means effectively it turns to a 29-640mm zoom lens on the Canon mount which we have used for the review. And for our readers who don’t follow what this means, then in simple words when you put this lens on a APSC body then it gets converted from a 400mm lens, which is its maximum range x 1.6 times on a Canon body giving us a farthest reach of 640mm. And a focal range of 620mm on a Nikon body with a 1.5x multiplication.

Look, Body and Feel

When it comes to the design, structure and the body of the lens then there are certain pluses and minus. For the sort of range that the lens provides it is housed in a very compact structure, and Tamron deserves much credit for the same. It seems pretty light as compared to the other telephoto zoom lenses in the same category and also the everything about the materials used in making the product screams tough, durable and rich.

It features a Design that houses 16 elements in 11 groups. The lens is divided into 3 structures in order to make it light and compact. The 3^rdstructure houses the lens when its contracted and on extension the 2^ndand the third housing is extended. But while Tamron has used this technology to make the lens compact it also acts as a small spoiler for the lens that we received for the review. The lens seems a little stiff when you are extending and using it in a real-world shooting scenario and this can pose a major challenge. I regularly found myself having this issue while zooming into the subject. But in time with the constant use of the same, it did tend to get slightly smoother in operation.

The lens is also weather sealed and comes with a ring lock in order to stop it from accidentally extending when not in use. A feature that many photographers/enthusiasts will surely appreciate.

Key Features

There are number of key features that the lens provides and they are below:

World’s first 22.2x Zoom ratio:

The lens is the world’s first lens to provide a zoom ratio of 22.2x with a max focal length of 400mm and beats the other options in the same category which includes popular manufacturers like Canon, Nikon and Sigma to name a few, all of whom have a 300mm lens in their portfolio.

Perspective flattening effect

Another feature that the lens provides is the Perspective flattening effect. Under this effect the background tends to draw closer and the effect appears stronger as the focal length gets longer. This makes the image look more dramatic, something similar to how the Portrait Mode on the new iPhones work. Now this isn’t different from any telephoto lens ideally, but this seems more pronounced with the Tamron lens.

HLD Motor

The 18-400mm also features the HLD (High/Low Torque Modulated Drive) motor developed by Tamron and is used for AF movement. With less mechanical contact compared to DC motor, both noise level and reliability are improved in HLD motor according to the manufacturer. The motor also has also enabled the company to minimise the size of the lens.

Performance:

In terms of the performance we checked the lens for the overall image quality, zoom ratio, chromatic aberration, distortion, flare and ghosting and bokeh among others.

We shot subjects at different focal lengths of 50mm, 200mm and 400mm and the performance of the lens in daylight conditions were very good. As seen in the sample images, the results are very sharp even on zooming in at 100% and there doesn’t seem to be much loss of detail. The lens produces well saturated colours and also doesn’t provide any issue while Focus Hunting.

But as good as the lenses performance is in daytime, it seems to lag slightly in low-light conditions. There tends to be loss in details in the night time, but we can’t really hold this against Tamron since most lenses in such situations are almost the same.

Chromatic Abbreation:

In terms of Chromatic Aberration, we ran the images through a benchmarking software which gave us an output of 3.22 pixels, which is fairly average for the telephoto lenses in this category.

Distortion:

We checked the distortion by shooting images at both 18mm as well as 400mm. The images showcased a high amount of distortion. As seen in these images the building appears to be leaning instead in a straight line which means it has a high amount of distortion.

Anti-Flare and Anti-Ghosting:

We pointed the lens to a light source to check its performance in this department and the lens performed well in this department displaying very minimal flare and ghosting. Most lens in such categories display a high amount of flare and ghosting.

Quality of Bokeh:

The quality of bokeh in the lens is pretty good and the reason why this is an important point is because when you are using a longer focal length and clicking subjects a good quality bokeh gives you a well-rounded circle which makes the pictures really stand out.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are number of things that the new 18-400mm from Tamron has going for itself. It delivers excellent performance in day-light conditions with sharp and detailed images combined with a decent low-light performance. The images are well saturated with the lens focusing really fast and the quality of bokehs are good.

But while it has some great things about itself there are also certain cautions when it comes to buying this lens. It has an average level of Chromatic Aberration but a high-level of distortion. And we would’ve liked that zoom ring to be a lot smoother.

So this brings us to the question whether you should by this lens or not? This ideally boils down to the what you are planning to use this lens for. If you are looking for an all-in-one lens that is a decent performer, then this is the perfect lens for you.

But if you are looking for a lens which delivers professional level performance then this might not be the lens for you. But if you are looking for that level of performance then be ready to shell out lenses which might cost nearly 2-3 times the Tamron 18-400mm.

Images and Text:

Bhavya Desai

Video Review of the Fujifilm X-E3

This video features a complete and unbiased review of the Fujifilm X-E3 Mirrorless Camera launched recently. The review talks about the cameras look, body and feel including its Still, Video, ISO Performances along with Key new features as compared to the predecessor.

Canon 760D Review

The canon 760D was first launched in February 2015. An entry level DSLR, it features an APS-C sensor and forgoes some of the flashier elements similar to the 5Dc. As quoted by Canon in their release, “The EOS 760D is the first entrylevel EOS camera to incorporate a top LCD panel, in addition to the main display”. We got hold of a body with an 18-135mm lens for a review, let’s see how it performed.

Look body feel

The Canon EOS 760D is comparatively almost identical to the EOS 750D. It has the same 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor, the same DIGIC 6 processor and the same AF system that provides hybrid focussing whether you’re using live view or the viewfinder as the EOS 750D. Although compared to the Canon EOS 700D, a few important improvements have been made across the board. Focus points have been upped form 9 to 19 and we get the DIGIC6 processor rather than DIGIC 5 for faster shooting and processing. An additional add-on is that Wi-Fi and NFC are included, unlike the 700D. There’s no need to buy pricey Wi-Fi adapter or wireless memory card anymore. It provides a sophisticated top LCD panel which displays important information such as ISO speed, exposure level and battery life. Much alike higher-ends cameras, operating the menus and settings in the EOS 760D is achieved through Quick Control Dial and Main Electronic Dial – an advanced method that allows users to adjust their settings and search for images with maximum convenience and minimal effort. The mode dial of the camera is pretty much the same; however the position of it allowed Canon to fit in an LCD display on the right part of the top plate, something which is generally a feature of a high-end pro DSLR. It lets you read exposure settings without activating the rear screen or looking through the viewfinder. The grip however is much more comfortable than the previous to carry. Mounted on a 50mm the camera bodyweight hardly feels anything. the pairing of an amazing sensor and the DIGIC 6 processor allows the user a standard sensitivity range of ISO 100 to12,800 equivalents which performs well in low-light conditions. For the price and the range the ISO performance is better than other equivalents in the market. The touch screen on the LCD also has good touch capability and calibration.

Performance

The Canon 760D uses 19-point, all cross-type autofocus sensor that’s inherited from the EOS 70D. It replaces the earlier 9-point, all cross-type phase detection autofocus sensor of the 750D,more than doubling the total number of points. The camera gives a Mac video resolution of 1920 x 1080. Together, the pairing of an amazing sensor and the DIGIC 6 processor allows the user a standard sensitivity range of ISO 100 to12,800 equivalents which performs well in low-light conditions. For the price and the range the ISO performance is better than other equivalents in the market. The touch screen on the LCD also has good touch capability and calibration.

ISO

The Canon EOS 760D offers you a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-12,800 with an expansion setting of ISO 25,600 for stills. It’s also possible for the cameras to set sensitivity automatically within the range ISO 100-6400.The native range for movies is ISO 100-6400with an expansion setting of ISO 12,800. The camera gives no or low noise at the higher ISO, and the noise control works well through the range. For more on how the camera performed check out the ISO chart.

Conclusion

Overall, this camera provides more than enough to the ones who want to go beyond the auto mode and explore. It’s fun and easy to use. The top LCD and Quick Mode Dial both make it worth the money you are paying for it. However, if you are looking for something basic and never going to switch out of your program mode than this might not be it.

Look, body and feel rating – 4 *

Light camera body, with touch screen and the all-new function button placement makes this camera very easy to use.

Performance rating – 4 *

With the new sensor and the functionality, the camera performance is as good as any semi-professional, entry-level full frame camera.

Overall rating – 4 *

It’s lighter in weight, like all the APS-C bodies from Canon. The performance and looks are close to any present entry-level full frames, which make this worth the buy for its cost.