The long and the short of it, Sigma America just announced two new full-frame prime lenses designed specifically for full-frame mirrorless camera systems. Joining the Sigma lens lineup are the world’s first f/1.4 diagonal fisheye and a rugged, lightweight Ultra-Tele.

The Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DG DN Diagonal Fisheye | Art costs $1,999 and provides a 180° angle-of-view (measured diagonally).

The Sigma 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS | Sports is priced at $2,999 and features splash- and dust-proof construction.

Both lenses are expected to be available in mid-March 2024, and both are offered in Sony E-Mount and L-Mount versions.

Click HERE to find an Authorized Sigma dealer in your area.

∞ Shutterbug Staff

We’re all looking for a creative edge when it comes to creating landscape images that really capture attention. One very effective technique is to use Lightroom’s Split-Toning tools to enhance color and contrast.

Instructor Christian Mohrle is a German landscape pro, popular educator, and founder of the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel. In this quick episode you’ll learn how easy it is to create epic outdoor photos with a simple method of adding Split Toning to images shot outdoors.

Mohrle’s demonstration photo is a very nice seaside shot that just needs a bit more “punch,” and we suggest you download the Raw file with a link beneath the video so you can make the necessary changes yourself as they’re explained.

Mohrle always begins with a few global adjustments so he has the best possible base image for the selective enhancements that follow. Here he begins by opening Lightroom’s Basic panel and changing the profile from Adobe Color to Adobe Standard. This lessens Contrast so he has more control over the photo.

Other preliminary adjustments include dropping overall exposure and cutting highlights to accentuate buildings on the right side of the frame. He also opens up shadows to bring out details in the darkest parts of the shot and increases whites to enhance contrast. Mohrle is after a cooler look, so he also modifies White Balance and Tint in a creative way.

Lastly he increases Texture and drops Clarity. With the image now much improved Mohrle turns his attention to selective adjustments to various portions of the shot with the use of simple masks. He first targets the sky with an interesting selection trick, and then move on to the water in the foreground.

Mohrle then applies some straightforward color grading to refine his previous enhancements, and then it’s finally time for Split Toning that really makes the image stand out. This is a two-step process for improving both color and contrast.

All that’s left to complete the dramatic transformation is a bit of judicious sharpening. Take a look at Mohrle’s before/after examples and you’ll be very impressed. Then head over to his instructional YouTube channel where you’ll find a wealth of information for making all your outdoor photos as good as they can be.

We also suggest watching the tutorial we posted from another top pro who demonstrates how to use Lightroom’s Lens Blur panel to control the look and feel of your photographs.

One filter that’s in the bag of every experienced outdoor photographer is the versatile polarizer. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation out there about the best way to use this affordable tool, and today’s tutorial from Photo Masters clears up all the confusion in barely 12 minutes.

Polarizing filters enhance images in a variety of ways, so you don’t always have to reply upon post processing for certain enhancements. Instructor Ian Plant is founder of the popular YouTube channel, and he’s a very accomplished landscape photographer.

Plant summarizes the benefits of a polarizer like  this: “Its designed to remove reflections and unwanted glare, and when used properly in the right environment a polarizer will also help you boost color and contrast” while darkening pale blue skies. As you’ll see, it’s important to take a cautious approach and not overdue the effect.

Another key concern is understanding the situations in which you should leave this filter in your bag. Plant explains the difference between the two types of polarizers; one is referred to as “linear” (even though it’s round) while the other is deemed “circular.” The distinction doesn’t have to do with the shape of the filters, but rather the manner in which they polarize light.

The key takeaway here is that the linear type can interfere with certain camera’s autofocus and metering systems; a problem can occur when using older DSLRs. Hence the best bet is to get yourself a Circular Polarizer (CPL) even though it may cost a bit more. In terms of results, both varieties perform the same.

So when should you thread one on your lens? The answer, according to Plant, is simple: “anytime your scene includes unwanted reflections—particularly if there’s a lot of bright glare.” Flowing water like in waterfalls or streams are examples of when polarizers really work their magic. So are wet objects like plants or rocks covered in morning dew. Waxy leaves also benefit from shooting through a polarizer.

The lesson includes a discussion of how these filters work, and the best techniques for getting the job done. The filters have a rotating ring, which increases or lessens the effect when you turn it in either direction. In most cases you want to reduce—not eliminate—reflections, otherwise your images my look rather lifeless.

Another key consideration is your position relative to the angle of the sun. There are a couple other factors to keep in mind for achieving optimum results. As for those times you don’t want to use a polarizing filter, watch the video to find out.

There’s much more to learn about elevating your landscape photography on Plant’s popular YouTube channel, so be sure to pay a visit.

We also recommend watching an earlier tutorial we posted from another pro who discusses the truths and fallacies about always shooting outdoor photos at ISO.

Photographers—pros and amateurs alike—are in constant pursuit of maximum creative expression, streamlined workflow, and more time to spend creating and less time fidgeting with back-office chores. Zoner Photo Studio X is the passport to do all of this and much more. The incredible power and flexibility of ZPS X are outshined only by its seemingly endless creative prowess.

Here’s the inside look and a small gallery of creative interpretations of an image anyone could capture, even with a smartphone.

Quick Overview of ZPS X
Zoner Photo Studio X is the only editor you need to import, organize, quick edit, advanced edit and print your photos, and edit video. An affordable alternative to Lightroom and Photoshop, ZPS X has been downloaded more than 10,000,000 times. That number is about 14% higher than the entire population of all five boroughs of New York City.

ZPS X Performs End to End
Zoner Photo Studio X is easy to use even if you’re an absolute beginner. Navigation is intuitive. You conveniently switch from one powerful module to another without leaving the ZPS X program—a huge timesaver. There are flexible workspace layout choices, too. All essential operations can be performed without leaving the UI. Use ZPS X to edit JPEG and Raw images (including use of Layers and Masks) and perform all cropping, blemish removal, cloning and other photo manipulations with ease.

Enjoy in-house creative presets or create your own. Change a photo’s entire mood with just one click (one of the best-loved features in ZPS X). Catalog your images for easy organization and retrieval. Browse them by date, shot location, keywords, or folders, even their GPS location.

With Zoner Photo Studio X you can also edit video. Turn your photos into a video, a presentation, or a time-lapse without switching software.

Want to cut to the chase and try Zoner Photo Studio X for yourself? Download the full version of ZPS X for Windows 10 and 11 PCs and try it for 7 days absolutely free and with no obligation.

Zonerama and Zonerama Premium
Zonerama is a free online storage/sharing platform for photographers, videographers and content creators of all levels. It provides users unlimited space and allows them to upload photos and videos where they’re securely stored and shared. You do not have to be a user of Zoner Photo Studio X photo/video editing software.

Basic Zonerama is FREE to everyone. Holders of any Zoner Photo Studio X license can access Zonerama Premium and gain additional benefits, including up-and-downloading to Zonerama directly from the ZPS X interface.

Zonerama Premium
The premium tier of Zonerama offers several enhancements and advantages in addition to all of the standard features. Users can upload videos of unlimited length (Free Basic Zonerama users are limited to videos up to five minutes in length). Zonerama Premium also provides a link manager offering editing of existing links plus advanced settings (e.g., link expiration dates) and the highly configurable embedding of HTML galleries in your own website. It also eliminates ads from your albums and on your profile. Zonerama also offers support for HDR, the latest AVIF and HEIF formats and Raw files too. With these exclusive capabilities, all imagemakers will find Zonerama Premium the most useful and versatile online gallery available.

Creative Tour of Color Shift
Of the many, many creative tools Zoner Photo Studio X provides, one of the most dramatic and dynamic is the Color Shift feature found in the Develop section. The Basic mode option does almost all of the work for you, but the real fun happens in the Advanced mode. Select a color on the image with the eyedropper tool and toggle the Mask overlay to see exactly what’s being affected. Adjust the mask to include the areas you want via an easy to use tool shown below. With the areas you want selected, freely alter Hue, Saturation, Luminosity and Uniformity. The possibilities are unlimited.

The gallery below represents just a few of the imaginative things you can do with the Color Shift feature of ZPS X in addition to all of the essential tool edits you frequently perform. Try it yourself at no cost, no risk. We could have taken longer to finetune the results, but our purpose is to demonstrate the creative renditions you can produce quickly and easily—and with virtually no deep knowledge of image editing.

Gallery
The first image is the original.

Zoner Photo Studio X Can Boost Your Business’s Velocity
Attention professionals, part-time pros and those who are aggressively launching their own photography business. Use ALL of the tools available to you to give some loft to your commercial endeavors. For starters, ZPS X has a number of built-in tools that make it a strong DAM (Digital Asset Manager).

1) Directory Architecture
The Zoner Photo Studio X catalog is built on top of your existing folders, so your organization is not disrupted. Your folders, and therefore your edits, are neither replaced nor locked in a proprietary database.

2) Batch Processing
You can apply edits, export multiple sets of photos in different formats, and change metadata in batches. This not only saves time but also eliminates the mistakes that sometimes occur when doing repetitive tasks.

3) Extensive Sorting Features
For example, while culling images you can combine multiple filter criteria (including GPS or metadata), select appropriate rating stars, add or alter labels, and pin photos. Again, this increases the speed and accuracy when doing repetitive chores.

Use Zonerama to Supercharge Customer Contact
Professionals: Want to Give your photo biz a kickstart? Give every customer—including prospective clients—an exclusive, secure Zonerama folder where they can comfortably and efficiently view proofs and order prints.

Customers can select and label photos you share privately with them for further processing without logging in. After you share a secure link with your client they can choose what they want to order and mark it for further editing. Photographers see the selected photos directly in Zoner Photo Studio X linked to Zonerama. This eliminates the need for any third-party programs.

Make a potential customer feel special by creating an exclusive folder that contains images related specifically to their business or field of endeavor. If you’re pitching the owner of a greenhouse, for example, you don’t need to show them portraits and birds of prey.

Zoner Photo Studio X Judged “Best” by Experts
Zoner Photo Studio X is a past winner of two prestigious awards for Best Photo Editing Software from the world-renown TIPA (Technical Image Press Association) and EISA (Expert Imaging and Sound Association).

ZPS X is Totally Affordable
Zoner Photo Studio X costs just $5.99 per month, or $59 for a full year. Zoner Photo Studio X is one of the best money-saving, genuine values available to photographers.

Try the full version of Zoner Photo Studio X for 7 days with no obligation. Download for Windows 10 and 11 here. Or click here to purchase for $59.

∞ Shutterbug Staff