I’ve had the privilege to test all of Nikon’s Z-series midrange zooms extensively over the last several years, both in the field and in the lab. Nikon hasn’t been shy about making them, either! There are six full-frame Nikon Z midrange zooms so far, ranging from the cheapest 24-50mm f/4-6.3 to the most expensive 24-70mm f/2.8 S. Which one is best? Of course, that depends on the photographer’s needs – otherwise, Nikon wouldn’t make so many of these lenses in the first place. But my hope with this article is to show the relative strengths and weaknesses of each lens so that you can make a well-informed purchase.
“It’s a whole new world out there and AI is going to destroy photography as we know it.” At least that what we’re hearing from the frantic naysayers. But is that really what’s on the horizon? Read on to see what one top pro thinks about the so-called looming disaster.
David Bergman is a very successful photographer based in New York, specializing in sports, celebrity portraits, and concert photography. He always keeps abreast of the latest trends, so we were eager to get his view of this recent and rather emotional debate and hear his predictions for the future.
This discussion is a response to a fan who posted a question about AI on Bergman’s Q&A website—aptly named “Ask David Bergman.” He says he’s lived through a bunch of big technical innovations throughout his 30-year career, and his view is that “AI not as scary as it seems.”
The difference today, according to Bergman, it this: “AI isn’t evolutionary, it’s revolutionary.” With so many aspects of our craft changing almost overnight, Bergman insists that, like it or not, professional photographers need to adapt if they want to survive.
Bergman defines AI like this: “The term artificial intelligence is a catchall for many automated learning technologies, that was first coined in the 1950’s.” While the technology has been evolving for decades, Bergman says the biggest changes have occurred just in the last year or two—at least as pertains to photography.
He asked ChatGPT, the AI-powered language model, to define artificial intelligence, and the response he received is both is detailed and extensive. So what does this have to do with photography? Bergman notes that “AI has been creeping into photography for a while, and “has really picked up steam recently.”
He points to Photoshop’s new Generative Fill features as one prime example of amazing technologies that will forever change how images are created. He also notes that the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR, introduced back in 2020, included a deep-learning database built into the autofocus system.
We’re not going to be a buzzkill by revealing how Bergman feels about AI today, and what he envisions for the future. You’ll have to watch the video for that. Let’s just say it’s an interesting and provocative presentation that you don’t want to miss.
You can see more queries and answers by visiting the Ask David Bergman website, and even pose a question of your own.
We’ve featured effective White Balance tutorials in the past, but the lesson below from the Camera Focus YouTube channel is about as simple as it gets. It works really well and deserves a prominent spot in your image-editing bag of tricks.
Cooper puts it like this: “By adjusting the White Balance in your photos you can achieve stunning results that will transform photos into works of art and take your photography to the next level.” The idea is to accurately portray colors as they appeared through the viewfinder, but you can also use Copper’s trick to create interesting special effects.
Cooper quickly explains how White Balance works and uses an environmental portrait to walk you through the easy steps in barely four minutes. As you’ll see, the same photo can convey a variety of moods and different looks depending upon the adjustments you make. He also explains why shooting in Raw will deliver the best possible results.
This particular image was shot using the camera’s Auto White Balance setting. Cooper opens Lightroom’s color panel and illustrates the various White Balance options available. These range from Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, and Tungsten, to Florescent, Flash, and Custom. By clicking on each of these settings you will immediately see the effects they provide.
Cooper then places Lightroom’s Color Picker over a middle-gray area in the image as a point of reference for moving forward. He also illustrates how a simple 18% gray card can be extremely helpful for achieving more accurate tones in the camera while shooting in the field. Then when you bring that image into Lightroom the adjustments are even easier.
Cooper explaining that there’s really is no such thing as “perfect White Balance” because photography is a creative and interpretive endeavor. He then demonstrates how to use Lightroom sliders to convey exactly the look you’re after. He also explains how to make “micro adjustments” to further refine your efforts.
Copper opens the Curves panel to illustrate a final trick for adjusting color range and adding a bit of contrast to the shot. Bottom line: It’s quick, easy and effective. There are more straightforward tips and tricks on Cooper’s instructional YouTube channel, so be sure to pay a visit and explore what he has to offer.
What if you were told you there is a much better way to focus, and pros use it all the time for faster, more precise subject acquisition? If we just grabbed your attention, read on to see how it’s done.
The video below involves a technique known as back-button focus, and it works wonders for just about all types of images you shoot; everything from landscapes, wildlife, and sport/action photos, to portraits and more. In barely 11 minutes you’ll learn how to set up your camera and use this technique for optimum results.
You may have to dig around in the menu a bit, because the necessary settings are located in different places from one brand of camera to another. Smith says that once you’re ready to go, your camera will “become a focusing machine and blurry photos will be a thing of the past.”
The process involves reassigning the focusing task from the shutter button to a button on the back of the camera. You’ll find that by doing this and holding the camera in a comfortable and intuitive way, your index finger will snap the shutter while your thumb controls focusing on the subject. Doing this enables you to more easily capture fleeting moments because you won’t have to wait for a half-press of the shutter button.
Smith organizes the lesson into different categories, each devoted to a different type of subject matter. He first describes the benefits of back-button for shooting landscapes, moves on to portraiture, and then concentrates on sports and other forms of action photography.
You’ll see why Smith typically uses a “focus and reframe technique,” and how he determines exactly where to focus within the frame. He also describes how focus areas interact with back-button focus, and how the focus mode you choose factors into the equation.
Smith explains a few advanced techniques too, like setting the camera properly for real-time AF tracking. You’ll also see how to configure one of the camera’s Custom buttons to toggle between AF and Manual focus.
After watching the video head over to Smith’s instruction YouTube channel where there’s much more to learn, especially if landscape photography is your thing.
