BenQ W11000H 4K UHD THX DLP Projector Review Part One

Equipment, News and Updates, Reviews, Video

Introduction: It isn’t too often you read a projector review on a photographic website but projectors actually have a lot of applications in the photographic industry and over the last couple of years I have found an increasing need and use for projection in my print workshops (as well as using projectors to display photographs to friends in my own home). As a result, I recently updated the projector I had been using and wanted to share my findings on the upgrade as well as comment on how projection technology has matured over recent years in light of this recent upgrade; and lastly how you might utilise projection in your own home to better display your photography.

Because of the length of this review I have broken it up into two parts. Part one is a little about the history of home cinema projection (from my perspective) and how the technology has evolved and Part two is the review of the new BenQ W11000H projector. If you aren’t interested in the history (I think it is interesting see where we came from) then you can just skip forward to Part two (which I will post in the next few days).Where we Came From: By way of a brief history, As well as my photographic background I also have an extensive background in high end home cinema. In my previous life in the 1990’s and early 2000’s I designed a great many home cinemas for clients and was (and still am) both an ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) certified technician and a Level II THX Certified technician. I was also certified by CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association) in home cinema design. My designs won several ‘Best Home Theatre of the Year’ awards from CEDIA. When I say I designed home cinemas, I am not referring to your generic home theatre in a box solutions, bur rather to high end custom home cinemas designed to properly replicate (and in many cases significantly improve on) the movie going experience. When I first started designing home cinemas the only real projection option available was 3-gun CRT (Cathode Ray Tube). CRT projectors were extremely large, extremely expensive and extremely dim by cinema standards. In order to get any sort of reasonable light output you either had to run a very small screen in a completely dark room, or stack projectors for additional lumens (light output). Stacking projectors was neither cost effective nor convenient. It took up a huge amount of space, put a huge dent in your wallet and required significant and frequent alignment (CRT projectors were prone to ‘drift’ which meant they needed frequent calibration). In hindsight, they were quite honestly more trouble than they were worth most of the time. However, they were the only game in town before the advent of LCD, DLP, DILA and Laser and if you wanted a home cinema projector, CRT was about you’re only choice. Of course in those days if you wanted to display your photography on the wall you used a slide projector (remember slides?). At the time I was using a Leica slide projector on a portable screen I would set up whenever I wanted to do a slideshow. The result was good, but it was quite a hassle to setup and prepare.
With the advent of advancing digital technologies the game changed in home cinema projection and it was finally possible to get truly bright large screen projection at a reasonable price point (compared to what it used to cost with CRT). The very first projectors utilising these new digital technologies were quite honestly pretty awful by todays standard, but they were a quantum leap in brightness over the previous CRT units.

Fast forward a decade or so from the advent of digital projection and the technology continued to mature to the point where the CRT was completely dead and digital projection (be it single chip or 3 chip DLP, LCD, DILA or Laser) was providing excellent 1080p High Definition content on just about any size screen you could want at a price point that was affordable for many who were constructing dedicated home cinemas utilising projection. Of course, much depended on your screen size, and room application, but there was a product for just about every application and budget. It was also around this time people started using projectors to display their photographs instead of traditional slide projectors. Along with film and the Dodo, slide projectors went the way of the dinosaur.

In the space of just a few years 1080p HD content became the defacto standard for home cinema. It was around this point in time (a bit over ten years ago) I purchased and installed a Marantz VP11-S1 1080p single chip DLP Projector in my house. It was at the time an extraordinary, industry leading projector with a superb Konika Minolta glass lens. It was single chip DLP and not super bright (around 700 lumens), but it was ‘razor blade’ sharp with outstanding on-board video processing. It had a variable f-stop allowing you to tailor the black level to your environment and it provided a great deal of adjustment to obtain the best possible picture. Once properly calibrated it was regarded at the time as one of the finest single chip projectors on the market at just about any price (and it wasn’t cheap at around $17,000 USD MSRP.) I used it for the next ten years on a 92” acoustically transparent SMX THX projection screen in a dedicated light controlled room for both movies and for photographic slideshows. The Marantz VP11-S1 remains to this day an outstanding 1080p projector that stacks up very well against just about any other single chip 2k projector south of about fifteen grand. During the many years of ownership I also used the projector for slideshows of my photography as well as for screening photography documentaries (and general movies).Fast forward to today and digital resolution has continued to increase to the point where now have a number of new projectors coming into the market place offering 4K UHD resolution as well as HDR10 capability (Dolby Vision is also starting to make an appearance). The game has changed; or perhaps it would be more accurate to say the game has evolved. With the advent of 4K Projectors capable of HDR it is now possible to obtain image quality in home via projection that was up until this point pure science fiction. Enter the BenQ W11000H 4K UHD THX Certified DLP Projector. The world’s first THX certified 4K UHD projector that is HDR capable and that can display photographs (and movies) in a resolution previously unavailable in the average home. Part two of this review will focus on the BenQ W11000H and will be published in the next few days.

Outdoor Photography Magazine April Edition Interview

Arctic, Media, News and Updates, Photographs, Reviews, Travel Photography, Wildlife Photographs

The latest April 2018 issue of Outdoor Photography Magazine features a new interview ‘Five minutes with Joshua Holko‘ about my Arctic Fox project in the north of Iceland and the subsequent book on the project Melrakki. There is also an extended Behind the scenes look on Outdoor Photography’s website. The limited edition hard cover of Melrakki has been long sold out, but it is available as an open edition soft cover HERE. If you enjoy the interview be sure to subscribe to the magazine.

BenQ SW271 27″ Wide Gamut Adobe RGB UHD 4K HDR Monitor Review

Equipment, News and Updates, Reviews, Software, Video

In January of 2017 I reviewed BenQ’s outstanding SW320 31.5” 4K Wide Gamut Adobe RGB monitor for photographers. It offered groundbreaking performance at its price point (Read the Full Review). The SW320 review followed on the heels of my earlier review of the BenQ SW2700PT 27” Adobe RGB Monitor (Read the Full Review). Since my review of the SW320 BenQ has subsequently released the newer and slightly smaller SW271. The SW271 is a 27” 4K UHD monitor that utilises a 10-bit panel with 99% Adobe RGB, 100% sRGB colour space coverage as well as support for HDR content. The SW271 was designed to build upon the success of its SW2700PT predecessor and thus it takes image quality to the next level with the addition of 4K UHD resolution and HDR capabilities.

Back when I reviewed the SW2700PT 4K monitors were not yet widely available and those that were on the market were exceedingly expensive. Much has changed in the last eighteen months or so and there are now a wide array of 4K monitors on the market from which to choose. To be clear, the SW271 is a 27” 4k monitor that is primarily aimed at the middle to higher end of the photography and video market. It is in essence the next generation of the SW2700PT with increased 4K resolution, expanded input options and HDR support and capability. As you will see from my review, it offers an incredible amount of bang for your buck.

When I reviewed the SW320 I was inconclusive on the supposed benefits of the HDR feature in real world applications. Now, a year on from that review I have had the time and experience of a lot more testing and it is clear that HDR capability does make a difference. Where the difference really shines in my experience is when playing the latest crop of 4K Ultra HD HDR disc titles. On the HDR ready SW271 they are simply jaw dropping. If you own a 4K Ultra HD DVD Player then you should definitely plug it into your SW271 and load up a 4K HDR title just to see how good video can look these days.

*Note – To view HDR content from your device, ensure that you use the HDMI cable provided with the SW270 monitor or a High Speed HDMI Cable or Premium High Speed HDMI Certified Cable.

Specifications – There is no need to regurgitate a complete list of the SW271 specifications as those are already available on BenQ’s website. See the SW271 page on BenQ’s website for full details. In brief, the most important key features are included below.

Key Features –

Access to 99% Adobe RGB + 100% sRGB Colour Space With IPS technology

27″ 4K UHD Resolution

High Dynamic Range (HDR10) via HDMI

Hardware Calibration With Palette Master Element Software

USB-C for transmitting data and video signal with one cable

Shading Hood & Hotkey Puck for switching between picture modes as included accessories Appearance –– Externally the SW271 is not dissimilar to the previously reviewed SW2700PT. Don’t be fooled though; the new SW271 display is bristling with the latest technology and represents a not insignificant advance in capabilities and performance. There are a few small cosmetic differences between the models with the new SW271 having a slimmer bezel and the OSD buttons have been moved from the bottom edge to the front.

Out of the Box – Every single BenQ SW271 ships with an online factory Calibration Report. This detailed report includes some very useful information including Uniformity Measurements and Dealt E reports that tell you just how your individual SW271performed when tested before it left the factory. It is worth noting that the report is serial number specific and not batch specific so BenQ are testing each and every monitor. These sort of calibration reports are normally only found in much more expensive displays such as those from the NEC SpectraView Line and the Eizo Colour Edge monitors. The mere fact the BenQ SW271 ships with this sort of individual test report speaks volumes to the sort of high quality display BenQ have produced and the care and attention to detail they have invested in this new display. The report is nicely presented in a branded envelope on the inside of the box. A copy of the individual calibration report included with the supplied SW271 as tested is included below:

Out of the box the BenQ SW271 is very simple to set up and in less than ten minutes I had the stand fully assembled, the display plugged in (via HDMI) to my MacBook Pro and the system fully operable. It is worth noting at this point that the SW271 does utilise the latest USB-C port to transmit video and data with only one cable. So you can do the hardware calibration without having to run a seperate USB cable if you utilise the USB-C connection. The USB-C port displays 4K content and offers an up to 5Gbps transfer rate. Since neither of the current Macs in my studio include USB-C I did not test this capability and instead relied on the HDMI cable for video and the USB for calibration. Until such time as USB-C becomes more prevalent I expect many photographers will do likewise. As I wrote when I reviewed the SW320 I am extremely impressed at the quality of the display stand and ease of installation. It’s a pet peeve of mine that many manufactures of high end displays often include such cheap plastic stands. These manufacturers would do well to take note of the quality of construction and attention to detail BenQ have lavished on their current monitor range.

SW271 Performance – Just like its larger brother the SW320, the SW271 ships in ‘flame-thrower’ mode and out of the box was far too bright for my viewing environment. I know manufacturers do this to try and impress viewers who will no doubt see the display first in a brightly lit fluorescent showroom but I really wish they wouldn’t. It would be preferable to have the display at a comfortable default with an option for store keepers to switch to the ‘super bright’ mode for store display. Once I had calibrated the SW271 to a more reasonable 120 Candelas (a light level appropriate for my studio) and D6500 Kelvin I was able to properly assess its performance and make direct comparisons against other displays.

BenQ Palette Master Software – Just like its larger brother the SW320, the SW271 requires the use of profiling software to access the internal monitor hardware Look up Tables (LUT), and for that you need the supplied Palette Master Element software. For Apple users, the supplied software is installed as an application. I don’t own a Windows machine so did not test the software under a Windows environment.

The SW271 ships with the BenQ Palette Master Software; but it can also be downloaded for free from the BenQ website. By using the Palette Master Element software and a calibrator (primarily the X-rite i1 Display in my case), you can tune and maintain the colour performance of the monitor at its most optimal state.

The BenQ SW271 currently supports the X-Rtie i1 Display Pro / i1 Pro /i1 Pro 2 , and Datacolor Spyder 4/5 colorimeters. I tested all of these during my time with the SW271 and all performed without issue.

Note: The X-Rite ColorMunki Display is not supported. Xrite does not support its use with third party software (Not BenQ’s fault).

BenQ provide a user friendly instruction manual with the Palette Master Software that you can download from their website. There is both a basic and advanced mode to choose from. The instructions are clear, concise and easy to follow. Download the PDF Manual HERE.

Palette Master is supported on Win7 or above and Mac OS 10.6.8 or above.

Rather than repeat myself, If you read my review of the SW320 you will find a link to a video that goes into more detail about the Palette Master software.Driving a 4K UHD Display – I tested the SW271 with both a 2013 6-core Mac Pro with 64 gigabytes of RAM and dual AMD FirePro 500 video cards and a late 2013 15” MacBook Pro with an NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2048 MBMB and both were able to drive the display at its full native resolution. Like my tests on the SW320, I did notice the fan kick in more often on the MacBook Pro when driving the SW271 than with the previous SW2700PT. This is to be expected as the video card is being driven harder with the higher resolution display. There were however no ill side effects and system performance and speed appears unaffected in general day-to-day use. In general, there is now more software on the market that properly supports 4K displays and there have been numerous updates to both Apple and Windows operating systems for better 4k compatibility and performance. BenQ do publish a compatibility guide for the SW271 on their website HERE.

Advanced Black and White Mode – The BenQ SW271 also includes an advanced Black and White mode that allows you to view your photos in a black and white film effect. You can choose from three different black and white presets to preview your photographs in before you perform actual adjustments in Lightroom or other image editing applications. I am not a black and white photographer so I didn’t test this feature other than to quickly check it actually functions as advertised; which it does. Black and White photographers should definitely test this feature to see if it fits within their workflow.Gamut Duo – Matching its larger sibling like-for-like, the BenQ SW271 is likewise equiped with a feature BenQ call GamutDuo. GamutDuo enables you to view content simultaneously on the screen in different colour spaces side-by-side for easy comparison. I found this new feature quite useful to soft proof images going from Adobe RGB colour space to SRGB for the web. By viewing the two images side by side it is very easy to see the differences. Users who have to re-purpose their photographs for different colour spaces are likely to find this a very useful feature. To activate the GamutDuo feature you switch to PIP/PBP mode.Hotkey Puck – Like both the previous generation BenQ SW2700PT, and the 4K BenQ SW320, the SW271 ships with a Hotkey Puck that allows the user to switch between Adobe RGB mode, sRGB mode and Black & White modes with ease. The hot key buttons can also be customised to map other modes or OSD settings, such as brightness and contrast to bring added convenience to photographers. The Hotkey Puck is a nice addition and it is worth taking a bit of time to properly understand its uses and how it might save you time in your own workflow.4K Display Comparisons – Comparisons between the previously reviewed BenQ SW320 and the SW271 are going to be inevitable so lets get those out of the way (since I have both displays side by side in my studio). Perhaps most importantly there is the obvious size difference between these two displays and the corresponding price differential. Whilst the SW320 offers a 31.5” panel, the SW271 comes in at a more modest 27”; which I suspect may be a more convenient size for many people and most office / studio spaces. Side by side there is quite a noticeable difference in their physical size. The SW320 includes a larger bezel and as such appears significantly larger. The SW271 with its much slimmer bezel does present itself with a more edge to edge finish and as such does make the SW320 look somewhat dated in its design. In terms of price the SW320 can be purchased for around $1,500 USD. The SW271 again comes in at a more modest $1,100 USD.

Both the BenQ SW320 and SW271 are UHD (Ultra high Definition) with a resolution of 3840 x 2160. Obviously with its smaller screen size the SW271 has a higher pixel density which does result in slightly smaller text when driving the display at its native resolution. For image editing applications the difference is mostly irrelevant and I suspect the choice of the SW320 or SW271 will simply come down the individual users preference for monitor size, available work space and budget.

Measuring colour gamut between the BenQ SW320 and SW271 is a pointless exercise since for all intent and purpose they are identical in real world applications. Both produce 100% of the SRGB colour space and both produce 99% of the Adobe RGB space. Any subtle differences in gamut are nothing more than a quibble. Side by side in my studio they are to my eyes identical in their colour rendition and accuracy.

When I reviewed the SW320 I noted a noticeable and significant improvement in uniformity over the SW2700PT and outside of the extreme corners it measured almost as good as the much more expensive Eizo CG-318. I am pleased to say the SW271 picks up this improved uniformity over the last generation SW2700PT and at least in my own unit performs ever so slightly better in the corners than the larger SW320. This is remarkable performance, regardless of price and BenQ are to be commended for their efforts in obtaining this exceptional level of uniformity.

Shade Hood – Knowing that ambient lighting can obstruct colour accuracy, all BenQ SW series photographic monitors include a detachable shade hood to reduce screen glare to deliver the most accurate colours possible. The shade hood included with the SW271 can be used in portrait orientation as well as in landscape orientation (a very nice design consideration). Just like the hood included with the SW320 what I really appreciated is the solid build quality of the shade hood that ships with the SW271. It feels like a high quality addition to the display and not a cheap plastic after thought; like it does on the much more expensive Eizo CG-318 display (it’s a real niggle for me that this six thousand dollar plus display has such a cheap flimsy hood). As I noted in my review of the SW320, the Eizo CG-318 shade hood looks positively cheap and nasty in side by side comparisons.

Once secured in place the shade hood for the SW271 feels extremely robust and is nicely finished inside with anti-reflective black flocking. Another nice touch is the addition of a small operable window at the top of the shade hood to pass a colorimeter through for screen calibration. Quite honestly, the shade hood included with both the SW320 and SW271 are the best I have seen regardless of the brand or price of monitor.The Bezel and Stand – Attention to small details is very important in high end displays and I was very pleased to see that the ultra slim bezel of the SW271 is finished in a dark grey matt that minimises any potential bezel reflection. This sort of attention to detail might sound trivial but it ensures an optimal result when you are working for hours at a time in front of the display. The monitor’s stand has been redesigned in a minimalist style, with a sleek L-shaped neck that streamlines with the monitor frame. It looks great on my desk and will likely fit well in most studio spaces. The stand is easily assembled without tools. There is some facility for cable management and over all the stand feels very solid and well made.

Real World Use – In Real world use the first thing you notice on turning on the SW271 is the incredible resolution that a UHD screen provides and the subsequent desktop real estate that this resolution enables. If you are used to working with a lower resolution display the vast real estate that this sort of display offers will be a revelation to you. Depending on how close you sit to the screen and the quality of your vision you may need to implement some scaling to increase the text size. In my studio I sit quite close to the monitor and have no problem reading text on the SW320 without the need for any software scaling. On the SW271 with its smaller size and higher pixel density I occasionally have to squint and lean in a little to read text without implementing any software scaling. Colour rendition is excellent on the SW271 and the UHD resolution makes for a powerful and versatile work space.

My daily use for a monitor such as the SW271 involves the editing, post production and printing of digital files in Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud. I also use applications such as in-Design, Premiere Pro and other image related programs and plug-ins. On the whole most of my time is in the majority spent in Lightroom and Photoshop and thus this is the area that my comments are most related.

The colour rendition of the SW271 is exceptional and when combined with the excellent uniformity the display offers it is extremely easy to judge tone and contrast when processing RAW files. For those of you who place a large emphasis on printing (as I do) you will find the BenQ SW271 to offer very good performance. In fact, it offers performance that far exceeds its modest price tag.

I am primarily a stills photographer who only occasionally works in video so I confined my testing to predominantly sill images. The video I did pass through the SW271 looked extremely good to my eyes and videographers should be extremely happy with the performance of this display. During the review I tested several 4K video pieces (including HDR content) as well as upscaled 1080p video content. I also tested 4k UHD HDR content and was very impressed with the results.

Conclusion – The BenQ SW271 is an exceptionally well constructed high quality UHD HDR wide gamut monitor that offers users native 4k resolution, colour accuracy and uniformity at a price point that is extremely appealing. The monitor is simple and easy to assemble and operated without issue out of the box with both my laptop and main desktop computers.

Picture quality is exceptional with excellent linearity and uniformity across the screen that matches the much more expensive Eizo CG-318 in all but the extreme corners. This is outstanding performance that photographers and other graphic artists will really appreciate in daily use.

The display hood is extremely well constructed and provides a very solid black around the screen when working. The screen itself exhibits very low reflectance.

The BenQ SW271 monitor offers the big and accurate colour space I need in my photography and the power of the 14-bit 3D hardware LUT means there is no banding or posterisation in any of the test images I tried when reviewing the screen. I tested the SW271 with a wide range of my own photographs as well as a large suite of ISF (Image Science Foundation) test images designed specifically to trip up displays (ISF test images are designed to show up weaknesses in displays not often found in general viewing). The SW271 performed without issue on all counts. BenQ quote a Delta E of ≦ 2 on their website for the SW271 and the sample monitor supplied measured an impressive Max ∆E of 1.11.

Overall the BenQ SW271 is a superb display that offers a huge UHD resolution workspace in combination with a wide gamut Adobe RGB display at a price point that is extremely competitive. In fact, it is hard to argue with the value proposition BenQ brings to the table with the SW271. With a street price of under $1100 USD you get a colour accurate display with 4K resolution that packs HDR, hardware LUT and a suite of features tailored for photographers. The SW271 quite simply offers extraordinary performance at its price point and is exceptional value for money. Highly recommended.

Full Disclosure – In the spirit of full disclosure I would like to be clear that BenQ provided me with the SW271 test unit at no cost. I also want to be clear that although I am officially an ambassador for BenQ they have in no way tried to influence my review and instead specifically asked me to be thorough and rigorous in my testing of the SW271. I only ever accept products to review on the clear understanding that I will be completely impartial and report anything negative I find as well as anything positive. Since I am using these products in my own workflow being clear, honest and forthright is my number one priority.

Post-Production of Ice and Snow Photographs with MacPhun Luminar Neptune

Equipment, Media, News and Updates, Reviews, Uncategorized, Video

A couple of years ago I did a short video where I demonstrated some techniques that utilised the Nik suite of plug-ins for processing photographs with ice and snow. Specifically, how you use the Tonal Contrast filter in Color-EFX Pro to ensure you had both tone and contrast in your snow and ice (without tone and texture in snow and ice all you have is a flat white scene). Google (who owns Nik) has more or less abandoned the entire Nik suite in recent times (and updates have been non-existent) so I have likewise abandoned Nik and switched over to the Luminar plugin by MacPhun. As a result of this switch I wanted to demonstrate how you can not only achieve the same effect as the Tonal Contrast filter in Nik with the Luminar suite, but actually have even more control over the results. As an added bonus the Luminar plug-in also runs a lot faster than the old Nik plug in. The short video below demonstrates how to achieve wonderful texture and tone in your snow and ice in just a few steps. Just click on the image below to watch the video.

BenQ SW320 31.5″ Wide Gamut Adobe RGB UHD 4K Monitor Review

Equipment, Reviews

Last year BenQ shook up the wide gamut monitor world with the release of the BenQ SW2700PT 27” Adobe RGB monitor (Reviewed here on my Blog and also on the Luminous Landscape website). This 27” monitor offers excellent performance for a wide gamut Adobe RGB display at a price point that was (and still is) far lower than the majority of competitor offerings. When I reviewed the SW2700PT last year I actually wrote that it offered exceptional performance at its price point. Having now lived with this monitor in my studio for the better part of a year I can say without doubt that this is still the case. If you are in the market for a wide gamut monitor with accurate colour and excellent uniformity on a tight budget I doubt you could do any better; or could you? benqsw320 BenQ SW320 Preview – In November last year at Photo Plus in New York BenQ showed us a sneak preview of it’s recently announced (but not yet available for sale) 32” SW320 4K UHD Wide Gamut Monitor. As of publication time of this review the SW320 has not yet been officially released to the public for sale, but I have been testing a production sample of this monitor in my studio for the last few weeks and have now had the time to write a complete review of this remarkable new display. To be clear, the SW320 is not designed to replace the previously reviewed SW2700PT, but rather to supplement the BenQ line up with a high quality 4K UHD wide gamut offering at a competitive price point. So has BenQ succeeded?

In a nutshell; Yes, they have. The SW320 builds upon the success of its exceptional smaller brother (the BenQ SW2700PT) whilst unequivocally setting a new performance benchmark for wide gamut monitors at a low price point. In addition to its UHD resolution the SW320 takes image quality to the next level with the addition of HDR capabilities (not found in the much more expensive Eizo CG-318 I also reviewed last year). According to the supplied literature from BenQ, High Dynamic Range (HDR) increases the overall dynamic range between black and white so the resulting image appears closer to what your eyes see in the natural world*.

*To view HDR content from your device, ensure that you use the HDMI cable provided with the SW320 monitor or a High Speed HDMI Cable or Premium High Speed HDMI Certified Cable.

Does this HDR feature make a difference in the real world? Its hard to say in my experience to date without rigorous scientific testing (which I have not had time to do); but in my own user experience thus far I have no hesitation in stating that the SW320 has outstanding contrast and dynamic range. benqsw320-2 In short, the new 31.5” 4K UHD monitor offers extraordinary performance with a true 10-bit panel with 99% Adobe RGB, 100% sRGB colour space coverage as well as supporting HDR content. The knock out punch is that it does so at a price point previously unheard of for a monitor of this size with these features.

That isn’t the whole story though as the new BenQ SW320 has other improvements over and above monitor size, resolution and image quality. The overall quality of colour reproduction on screen has been further improved from the SW2700PT. In side by side comparisons the SW320 outperforms its smaller brother in colour fidelity and uniformity. Lets examine the features and performance in more detail as well as compare this new screen to other UHD and 4K Displays on offer in the marketplace.

SW320 Key Features

BenQ SW320 Monitor Key Features

31.5 inches, 16:9 3840 x 2160 true 10-bit IPS Technology Panel
99% Adobe RGB coverage, and 100% SRGB
Colour accuracy with 14-bit 3D LUT with a Delta E of less than 2
Palette Master Element Calibration Software with Hardware Calibration with LUT
High Dynamic Range (HDR) content support ready
Brightness Uniformity Function
GamutDuo function to support dual color space on one screen
Advanced Black and White Mode
Technicolor Color Certified *

* Technicolor® Color Certified is a designation reserved for devices — PC monitors, laptops, all-in-ones, and tablets — that satisfy the required Technicolor specifications during the device’s manufacturing process to meet the same strict standards for colour accuracy used in Hollywood and throughout the media and entertainment industries. All Technicolor Colour Certified devices display colours accurately, consistently and exactly as the content originators intended. Anyone can enjoy shopping, entertainment and gaming experiences with full confidence that the colour you see onscreen is accurate.

Specifications – There is no need to regurgitate a complete list of the SW320 specifications as those are already available on BenQ’s website. See the SW320 page on BenQ’s website for full details.

Out of the Box – Every single BenQ SW320 ships with an online factory Calibration Report. This detailed report includes some very useful information including Uniformity Measurements and Dealt E reports that tell you just how your individual SW320 performed when tested before it left the factory. It is worth noting that the report is serial number specific and not batch specific so BenQ are testing each and every monitor. These sort of reports are normally only found in much more expensive displays such as those from the NEC SpectraView Line and the Eizo Colour Edge monitors. The mere fact the BenQ SW320 ships with this sort of individual test report speaks volumes to the sort of high quality display BenQ have produced and the care and attention to detail they have invested in this new display. A copy of the individual calibration report included with the supplied SW320 as tested is included below: calibrationreportbenq Out of the box the BenQ SW320 is a breeze to set up and in less than ten minutes I had the stand fully assembled, the display plugged in (via HDMI) to my MacBook Pro and the system fully operable. It seems to me that with every new model BenQ have continued to refine and improve their display stand and ease of installation. Other manufacturers would do well to take note.

SW320 Performance – Like many displays the SW320 ships in ‘flame-thrower’ mode and out of the box was far too bright for my viewing environment. I know manufacturers do this to try and impress viewers who will no doubt see the display first in a brightly lit fluorescent showroom but I really wish they wouldn’t. Once calibrated however to a more reasonable 120 Candelas and D6500 Kelvin I was able to properly assess the SW320’s performance and make direct comparisons against other displays.

BenQ Palette Master Software – To get the very best results from the SW320, the profiling software you use needs to access the internal monitor hardware Look up Tables (LUT), and for that you need the supplied Palette Master Element software. For Apple users, the supplied software is installed as an application. I don’t own a Windows machine so did not test the software under a Windows environment.

The SW320 ships with the BenQ Palette Master Software; but it can also be downloaded for free from the BenQ website. By using the Palette Master Element software and a calibrator (X-rite i1 Display in my case), you can tune and maintain the colour performance of the monitor at its most optimal state.

The BenQ SW320 currently supports the X-Rtie i1 Display Pro / i1 Pro /i1 Pro 2 , and Datacolor Spyder 4/5 colorimeters. I tested all of these during my time with the SW320 and all performed without issue.

Palette Master Welcome Screen palettemaster-1 Palette Master Advanced Settings Screen palettemaster-2 Palette Master Measurement Screen
palettemaster-3 Palette Master Calibration Results
palettemaster-4 BenQ provide a user friendly instruction manual with the Palette Master Software that you can download from their website. There is both a basic and advanced mode to choose from. The instructions are clear, concise and easy to follow. Download the PDF Manual HERE.

Driving a 4K UHD Display – Before you rush out and purchase any UHD or DCI 4K display you should make sure your computer can actually drive the display at its native resolution. In my case I tested the SW320 with both a 2013 6-core Mac Pro with 64 gigabytes of RAM and dual AMD FirePro 500 video cards and a late 2013 15” MacBook Pro with an NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2048 MBMB and both were able to drive the display at its full native resolution. I did notice the fan kick in more often on the MacBook Pro when driving the SW320 than with the previous SW2700. This is to be expected as the video card is being driven much harder with the higher resolution display. There were however no ill side effects and system performance and speed appears unaffected in general day-to-day use.

Advanced Black and White Mode – The BenQ SW320 also includes an advanced Black and White mode that allows you to view your photos in a black and white film effect. You can choose from three different black and white presets to preview your photographs in before you perform actual adjustments in Lightroom or other image editing applications. I am not a black and white photographer so I didn’t test this feature other than to quickly check it actually functions as advertised; which it does. Black and White photographers should definitely test this feature to see if it fits within their workflow. bwmode Gamut Duo – The BenQ SW320 is equiped with a very cool new feature called GamutDuo. GamutDuo enables you to view content simultaneously on the screen in different colour spaces side-by-side for easy comparison. I found this new feature quite useful to soft proof images going from Adobe RGB colour space to SRGB for the web. By viewing the two images side by side it is very easy to see the differences. Users who have to re-purpose their photographs for different colour spaces are likely to find this a very useful feature. To activate the GamutDuo feature you switch to PIP/PBP mode.You can learn more about “How to use the GamutDuo function to view contents in different colour spaces side-by-side” by watching this short video:Hotkey Puck – Like the BenQSW2700, the BenQ SW320 ships with a The Hotkey Puck that allows the user to switch between Adobe RGB mode, sRGB mode and Black & White modes effortlessly. The hot key buttons can also be customised to map other modes or OSD settings, such as brightness and contrast to bring added convenience to photographers. The Hotkey Puck is a nice addition and it is worth taking a bit of time to properly understand its uses and how it might save you time in your own workflow. kotkeypuck You can learn more about “How to set up the Hotkey Puck to switch between modes rapidly” by watching this short video:4K Display Comparisons – Comparisons between the BenQ SW320 and the previously reviewed Eizo CG-318 4k DCI display are going to be inevitable so lets get those out of the way (since I have both displays side by side in my studio). Firstly, and perhaps most importantly there is a huge price differential between these two monitors. The Eizo retails for approximately $6000 USD MSRP and the BenQ will likely sell for under $1,500 USD when it goes on sale shortly. That difference alone is going to make the choice a no brainer for most people. There are however some other important differences worth noting. Wether those differences are worth the $4,500+ USD hit to your hip pocket depends on your needs and circumstances.

Firstly the Eizo CG-318 is a true DCI 4K Display with a resolution of 4096 x 2160. The BenQ SW320 is UHD (Ultra high Definition) with a resolution of 3840 x 2160. The DCI 4K standard goes above the UHD resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels that is often confusingly marketed as being 4K instead of UHD. Perhaps the easiest way of defining the difference between 4K and UHD is: 4K is a professional production and cinema standard, while UHD is a consumer display and broadcast standard. Whilst the difference on paper between 4096 pixels (DCI 4K) and 3840 pixels (UHD) on the horizontal access is only 256 pixels this equates to a not inconsiderable 7% increase in resolution across the entire display that makes for an overall larger workspace. However, unless you have specific need of a DCI 4K Display in your workflow there is frankly little benefit to the additional resolution in real world applications in my own experience. In fact, you may prefer UHD resolution for pixel mapping if you are dealing with 4K consumer video. photographer page 2 The Eizo CG-318 also has its own built in calibration device that can be automated and scheduled. The BenQ requires the use of an external colorimeter (like most displays including the NEC Spectraview range). This isn’t a big deal in daily use, although one could argue its awfully convenient to simply schedule the Eizo to calibrate itself once a week. The BenQ SW320 does include thoughtful nag warnings to remind you to calibrate the display on a regular basis. How often you choose to calibrate depends on your circumstances and how neurotic you want to be with your hardware. In general, I find every few weeks to be more than sufficient.

Measuring colour gamut between the Eizo and the BenQ SW320 is a pointless exercise since for all intent and purpose they are identical in real world applications. Both produce 100% of the SRGB colour space and both produce 99% of the Adobe RGB space. Any subtle differences in gamut are a quibble. In terms of brightness uniformity the SW320’s exceptional uniformity is achieved through a delicate process involving the utilisation of high precision apparatus to meticulously fine-tune hundreds of sub-regions on the entire screen. The results of this fine tuning is a noticeable and significant improvement in uniformity over the SW270 and outside of the extreme corners it measures almost as good as the Eizo CG-318. This is remarkable performance, regardless of price and BenQ are to be commended for their efforts in obtaining this exceptional level of uniformity. You can check how your individual BenQ SW320 monitor performed in its uniformity test on the supplied Factory Calibration Report.

Comparing a sub $1,500 USD MRSRP display to one that costs around $6000 USD MSRP might seem a bit unfair but the results illustrate just how good the SW320 really is and just how much bang it offers for the buck. Quite honestly, its ground breaking performance at this price point.

Perhaps a fairer comparison would be to compare the NEC Sepctraview UHD display agains the new BenQ SW320 but unfortunately I did not have access to this display for a direct comparison. Since the NEC Spectraview sits between the Eizo and the BenQ in terms of price it will no doubt perform equally well and I suspect any differences outside of calibration software in real world use to be a quibble.

Comparing the BenQ SW320 UHD display to LG’s 27” Ultrafine 5K display (as sold by Apple) is somewhat of a mute argument since LG do not quote how much of the Adobe RGB gamut their display is capable of producing; other than to say it produces ‘P3 wide color – 99%’. Nor are there any uniformity tests available for the 5K LG display that I could find (I did not have a display available to test uniformity for comparison with the BenQ SW320 at time of this review) and none of the online reviews I could find of this display even mention uniformity in passing. One other key point of difference is the LG has a high gloss screen and such screens are far from ideal for making fine art prints in my experience. I suspect anyone interested in a wide gamut display for making prints will dismiss the LG out of hand just because of its gloss finish.

Screen surface aside, purchasers of wide gamut monitors should be aware of the differences between the DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB98 Colour Spaces. Whilst the overall volume of the two spaces is similar the red and green primaries are shifted in DCI-P3 and as result there are not insignificant differences between the two colour spaces. Technically, the DCI-P3 space isn’t new. It was established in 2007 by Hollywood as a standard for digital projection devices. This Colour Space was designed to best mimic the colour range of motion picture film, as projected. Since still photographers generally don’t digitally project in theaters, we’ve been more or less ignoring DCI-P3.

Here’s the problem though. The old video standard, Rec.709 was for all intents and purposes essentially identical to sRGB. Videographers and still photographers were basically getting the same thing. DCI-P3 is about the same size as AdobeRGB, only it’s skewed differently in the CIE colour model. AdobeRGB extends deeper into the greens and blues, while DCI-P3 extends more into the reds and a different set of greens.

For still photographers that means we’ve now got a mismatch we need to look out for. This mismatch is going to be most troublesome for people who shoot JPEGs in AdobeRGB Color Space or for photographers outputting RAW files into the Adobe RGB color space for print applications. AdobeRGB has colours in it that DCI-P3 can’t display, and vice versa.

Videographers beware that for true digital cinema work, just having a P3 colour space isn’t sufficient. The Digital Cinema Initiative (DCI) standard also specifies a gamma of 2.6 and a luminance of 48 cd/m2 or 100 cd/m2 depending on whether you’re targeting movie theaters or television, and there are also various white point standards. You will still have to use a profiling device to make sure the display is hitting the correct gamma, luminance, and white point numbers for the specific standard you’re targeting. And of course the LG5K Display does not offer the much more powerful Hardware LUT capability of the other Wide gamut displays discussed above

Shade Hood – Knowing that ambient lighting can obstruct colour accuracy, all BenQ SW series photographic monitors include a detachable shading hood to reduce screen glare to deliver the most accurate colours possible. The newly-designed shade hood included with the SW320 can be used in portrait orientation as well as in landscape orientation (a very nice design consideration). What I really appreciated is the solid build quality of the shade hood. It feels like a high quality addition to the display and not a cheap plastic after thought; like it does on the much more expensive Eizo CG-318 display. In fact, the Eizo CG-318 shade hood looks positively cheap and nasty in side by side comparisons. Once secured in place the shade hood feels extremely robust and is nicely finished inside with anti-reflective black flocking. BenQ are to be commended for providing a shade hood with the display of such a high quality. Another nice touch is the addition of a small operable window at the top of the shade hood to pass a colorimeter through for screen calibration. Quite honestly, the shade hood included with the SW320 is the best I have seen regardless of the brand or price of monitor. shadehood

Watch a short video on how to mount the shade hoodThe Bezel and Stand – Attention to small details is very important in high end displays and I was very pleased to see that the bezel of the SW320 is finished in a dark grey matt that minimises any potential bezel reflection. I am told from the factory that extensive testing was done on various bezel surfaces in order to achieve the best result and most optimal viewing experience for photographic professionals. This sort of attention to detail might sound trivial but it ensures an optimal result when you are working for hours at a time in front of the display. In addition to coating changes, the monitor’s stand has been redesigned in a minimalist style, with a sleek L-shaped neck that streamlines with the monitor frame. It looks great on my desk and will likely fit well in most studio spaces. The stand is shipped in two pieces and is easily assembled without tools. There is some facility for cable management and over all the stand feels very solid and well made.

Real World Use – In Real world use the first thing you notice on turning on the SW320 is the incredible resolution that a UHD screen provides and the subsequent desktop real estate that this resolution enables. If you are used to working with a lower resolution display the vast real estate that this sort of display offers will be a revelation to you. Depending on how close you sit to the screen and the quality of your vision you may need to implement some scaling to increase the text size. In my studio I sit quite close to the monitor and have (as of last test 20/20 vision) no problem reading text on screen without the need for any software scaling. Daily life in a UHD environment under MAC OS X just works provided you have good enough eye sight to read the small text. If (like me) you like to work on a single monitor then you recognise the high value of having significant desktop real estate; something the SW320 provides in spades. Colour rendition is excellent on the SW320 and the UHD resolution makes for a powerful and versatile work space.

My daily use for a monitor such as theSW320 involves the editing, post production and printing of digital files in Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud. I also use applications such as in-Design, Premiere Pro and other image related programs and plug-ins. On the whole most of my time is in the majority spent in Lightroom and Photoshop and thus this is the area that my comments are most related.

Working in Adobe Lightroom on the BenQ SW320 is a joy and a pleasure. It has always bothered me that the side panels in Lightroom are fixed and not tear away (yes, they can be hidden, but I prefer tear off). The SW320 has so much screen real estate and resolution to play with that the fixed panels are now an absolute non issue for me. I used to have to hide the panels to gain resolution for the actual image on the horizontal axis for a standard 35mm ratio image. On the SW320 however, the extra screen real estate provides sufficient resolution to negate this need and the side panels can now be left open all the time. This might seem like a very small benefit, but in real world use it’s actually extremely beneficial to my workflow. Again, your mileage may vary.

Contrary to what I have read on the internet in various places I experienced absolutely no issues with Lightroom or Photoshop running slowly with a UHD display. I suspect any such issues are almost certainly related to video cards being driven to their limit (and beyond) or because users are not implementing the latest software versions.

The colour rendition of the SW320 is exceptional and when combined with the excellent uniformity the display offers it is extremely easy to judge tone and contrast when processing RAW files. For those of you who place a large emphasis on printing (as I do) you will find the BenQ SW320 to offer very good performance. In fact, it offers performance that far exceeds its modest price tag.

Conclusion – The BenQ SW320 is a superbly constructed high quality UHD wide gamut monitor that offers users exceptional resolution, colour accuracy and uniformity at a price point previously unheard of. The monitor is simple and easy to assemble and operated without issue out of the box with both my laptop and main desktop computers.

Overall picture quality is exceptional with excellent linearity and uniformity across the screen that matches the much more expensive Eizo CG-318 in all but the extreme corners. This is outstanding performance that photographers and other graphic artists will really appreciate in daily use.

The SW320 is also packed with useful new features including GamutDuo and an Advanced Black and White mode that photographers are sure to find beneficial in their workflows.

When I reviewed the Eizo-CG318 Display I niggled that the HDMI ports really should have been version 2.0 and not 1.4 on a display at this price point. I was extremely pleased to see that the BenQ SW320 includes V2 HDMI (again at a price point well below the Eizo). In terms of connectivity it is also worth noting the thoughtful addition a USB hub with 3 USB 3 ports; one port dedicated to the HotKey Puck.

The display hood is extremely well constructed and provides a very solid black around the screen when working. The screen itself exhibits very low reflectance.

A few other nice additions worth noting include VESA mount compatibility and an inbuilt card reader (I prefer external readers but this addition will no doubt prove useful to some). The OSD menus can also be configured in a whopping seventeen different languages.

I am primarily a stills photographer who only occasionally works in video so I confined my testing to predominantly sill images. The video I did pass through the SW320 looked extremely good to my eyes and videographers should be extremely happy with the performance of this display. During the review I tested several 4K video pieces as well as upscaled 1080p video content.

The BenQ SW320 monitor offers the big and accurate colour space I need in my photography and the power of the hardware LUT means there is no banding or posterisation in any of the test images I tried when reviewing the screen. I tested the SW320 with a wide range of my own photographs as well as a large suite of ISF (Image Science Foundation) test images designed specifically to trip up displays (ISF test images are designed to show up weaknesses in displays not often found in general viewing). The SW320 performed without issue on all counts.

I feel it is extremely important that calibration software is intuitive and easy to use. In fact, the simpler the better in most cases as it means there is less chance of users making a mistake during the calibration process. To BenQ’s credit, the supplied Palette Master software is easy and intuitive as well as ensuring accurate calibration of the display. If you purchase an SW320 be sure to use the Palette Master Software to ensure you are accessing the Hardware LUT for the best possible results.

Overall the BenQ SW320 is a superb display that offers a huge UHD resolution workspace in combination with a wide gamut Adobe RGB display at a price point that puts the competition to shame. That is quite a combination that I feel will again see BenQ shake up the marketplace as photographers rush to embrace a display that offers performance and a feature set previously found only in much more expensive displays for those with much deeper pockets.

Full Disclosure – In the spirit of full disclosure I would like to be clear that BenQ provided me with the SW320 test unit at no cost (at least I have received no invoice to date). I also want to be clear that although I am officially an ambassador for BenQ they have in no way tried to influence my review and instead specifically asked me to be thorough and rigorous in my testing of the SW320. I only ever accept products to review on the clear understanding that I will be completely impartial and report anything negative I find as well as anything positive. Since I am using these products in my own workflow being clear, honest and forthright is my number one priority.

Luminar Pluto is Coming…

Equipment, News and Updates, Reviews

Unless you have been living under a rock (or lost on an iceberg) you are probably already aware of MacPhun’s new photo editing software Luminar (available only for the Mac). I have been using Luminar more or less since its release as a plug in for Photoshop and have been extremely impressed with its workflow and speed (and layers support). It has already completely replaced the Nik filters in my workflow and has greatly simplified my post production work. In short, I am a pretty big fan of Luminar. If you are not yet familiar with Luminar then its well worth taking some time to check it out and download the free trial. You can run Luminar as a stand alone application; or as a plug in for Lightroom and/or Photoshop. In my own workflow I find I prefer to run it as a Photoshop Plug in; but your mileage may vary. I may do a full review on Luminar at a future date if I get the time; but if you want to get a head start there are already a great range of videos on the power of Luminar HERE. Luminar already offers touch bar support for owners of the new MacBook Pro and later this week the new Pluto update will launch (free upgrade for existing users) with additional filters and features. macphun-luminar-photo-editor-release

Book Review: Life at the Edge by Carsten Egevang

Book, Book Reviews, News and Updates, Reviews

Photography books are one of my greatest joys and passions and so it is with great enthusiasm I am reviewing Life at the Edge by Carsten Egevang. If you are unfamiliar with Carsten’s work I encourage you to run (not walk) to his website and spend some time pouring over his remarkable photography. A Danish photographer and a professional researcher with more than twenty years field experience in Greenland, Carsten clearly has Greenland and the Arctic in his heart. Carsten has been recognised in several international photo competitions, including category winner in the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year – the highest position a Dane has yet been awarded in this prestigious competition. He was also awarded the title of “Danish Nature Photographer” (2011) and was a recipient of the Greenland Government’s “Environment and Nature Prize” (2012). Carsten is also a member of the Arctic Arts team (of which I am also a member). He is a master documentary photographer and his book Life at the Edge is a wonderful documentary account of the fragility of life in Scoresby in the Arctic.

The inhabitants of Scoresby truly lives LIFE ON THE EDGE. The settlement represents the edge of where to find human habitation in the sparsely populated eastern Greenland. Nearest inhabited area are 800 km to the south and north of Scoresby the world’s largest national park is found. At the same time the inhabitants of the isolated Scoresby lives on the edge of livelihood. Supplies from the outside world to the city are extremely sparse, and traditional fishing shall form a larger role than most other places in Greenland.

Life at the Edge documents Carsten’s travels to Greenland with his camera to shoot wildlife and to document the traditional Inuit way of life as it unfolds in modern Greenland. Although Life at the Edge is a collection of black and white photographs only; it should be noted that Carsten also shoots colour and has released other books with colour images. forside-life-at-the-edge-carsten-egevang-thumb1 Presentation – Hardbound on a soft and supple lustre paper Life at the Edge is a sizeable publication; consisting of more than 200 pages. Presented in multiple languages (including English) I found the layout of Life at the Edge to be highly complimentary to the documentary style of photographs. Divided into chapters, or sections there is introductory text for each section and explanatory text and notes are further scattered throughout the book. I found the introductory text really helped set the stage and greatly enhanced my appreciation for the photographs.

The choice of photograph for the cover is complimentary to the photographs inside and the entire book is a very well constructed package of excellent quality.

The majority of the photographs are framed by the white of the paper in Life at the Edge and this works exceptionally well to contain the imagery from page to page. Full bleed images are scattered throughout the book and these do help to break up the book. I particularly enjoyed the layout of this book and the use of small photographs on some of the pages to create a greater level of intimacy. In an era where big is often seen as better it is nice to see the use of small images employed to help draw the viewer into this mystical polar world. As I have written before, this technique is highly effective at viewer engagement and more photographers would do well to take notice. Presenting a 200+ page book of photographs that continually engages the viewer is extraordinarily difficult and most books of this size leave me tired well before I get to the last pages. The simple reality is that there are only so many photographs my brain can absorb in a single sitting before the images start to blend together. Like Vincent Munier’s Artique (reviewed HERE) Life at the Edge transcended this limitation for me and left me wanting more. That is an extraordinary accomplishment.

You can watch a short film about Life at the Edge by clicking on the image below:Print Quality – Life at the Edge is the first photography book I have reviewed that comprises entirely black and white photography. Black and white photography books (perhaps even more so than colour books) live and die by the quality of the printing. If the blacks are washed out and muddy, or of the highlights are blown out, or tonality is lost then the impact of the images is greatly impacted. The photographs in Life at the Edge could so easily have become poor muddy facsimiles of the originals if the printing were not delicately handled. The eye takes great pleasure in the subtle tonalities of superb black and white printing and I am very pleased to say that the print quality throughout Life at the Edge is really superb with really deep solid blacks, wonderful shadow detail, sublime tonalities and highlights and an excellent dynamic range.

Conclusion –Life at the Edge is a superb documentary collection of powerful photographs that tells the story of life in the Arctic. The choice of photographs work very well as a collective body of work and are very effective in documenting modern life in the Arctic.

I strongly recommend you consider adding Life at the Edge to your collection of photography books. If you have ever travelled to Greenland and experienced the Arctic then you will no doubt connect with Life at the Edge on a very deep level. If not, then Life at the Edge will give you new insight into this incredible part of the world. Life at the Edge is a must have addition to your photographic library and can be purchased online for 50 Euro plus shipping.. Highly recommended.

Overall Review –***** Must Own. No photography library is complete without this book.

CamFi Remote Camera Controller Product Review

Equipment, News and Updates, Reviews

Over the last couple of years I have been investigating different options for remotely triggering cameras for wildlife photography (mostly for my project with the Arctic Fox). One of the solutions I settled on after much research was the Camptraptions camera trap system which I reviewed here (Read the REVIEW) some months ago now (and have subsequently used to photograph Arctic Fox). More recently I came across an alternate (but different) solution from a company called CamFi that utilises a smart phone for remote camera control. Now, I know that smart phone control of a DSLR is nothing new. There are a number of different products on the market that offer varying levels of camera control from smart devices. Just being totally upfront, I have historically not really been a fan of camera control from smart phones. Mostly because I find it cumbersome to use a smart phone in the sort of cold weather environments I am often shooting (plus iPhone battery life in the cold is really appalling). However, the CamFi system is so feature rich and the control is so slick that I believe the system could work reasonably well even in quite hostile conditions. Of course, much depends on your smart phone device in these sort of environments. So with the Caveat that I have not as yet had a chance to test this in either the Arctic or Antarctica you can read on… camfi CamFi is at its most basic, a way for photographers to control their Nikon or Canon DSLR wirelessly. The list of cameras supported by CamFi is steadily growing and a complete list of currently supported cameras can be found on CamFi’s website HERE). The device mounts on the hot shoe of compatible DSLRs and creates a Wi-Fi network that you can connect to using a PC or Mac as well as Android and iOS mobile devices. The wifi network created by the CamFi trigger is by default unsecured and open (it needs to be so you can connect to it). Once you have connected to the device from your phone you can access the settings in the application and quickly and easily secure the network. Anyone using the device in dense urban areas should probably keep this in mind and secure the network as a first order of business. Wireless range is more than reasonable and will I imagine be more than sufficient for the majority of applications. CamFi_slider With dedicated apps CamFi will allow for Live View on a mobile device, as well as capturing images and controlling camera settings such as AF points, metering mode, exposure compensation, aperture, shutter speed and ISO (so it can do a lot more than a pair of pocket wizards for example). You can also configure CamFi to automatically display images as they are taken and connect to an Amazon Fire Stick for viewing on TV sets (a bit gimmicky, but might be of use in a studio environment). Additionally you can browse, delete and view images, including EXIF data on your camera from your mobile device or computer, and a robust built-in time-lapse feature is included. I wont go into detail on every feature of the CamFi as that would require a lot of explanation. Suffice to say, there are some explanatory videos on the CamFi website that outline the many features of the product and these are worth investing some time in if you have an interest in remote control of your DSLR Camera. 1-bigscreen According to the manufacturer, CamFi has a six hour battery life. In my own initial testing I found battery life to be +/- an hour or so from manufactures specified time. I suspect battery life in cold environments to be radically reduced (although I have not as yet had time or the opportunity to test this). I suspect battery life is also going to be heavily dependant on how much you are using the device; but I have not really had time to do extensive testing to date. Given the size of the device and the requirement for it to create and communicate via a wireless network I find the battery life to be more than acceptable.

In my testing with the Canon EOS 1DX MKII and EOS 5DSR to date I have found the CamFi to be simple, responsive and intuitive to use. One might gripe that the unit that mounts on the hot shoe is bigger than it needs to be; but it would be a quibble and given the unit weighs almost nothing I don’t find the size objectionable (its not much larger than a Pocket Wizard). The unit is charged via a micro usb port and so can be plugged into any computer to charge. The CamFi is supplied with a cable appropriate to your camera at time of order and the unit itself also includes a LAN Port (LAN cable not included).

The application to control CamFi is also available for the Mac / PC. So you can control the camera from a computer as well as from a smart phone. The Camfi software is compatible with devices and computers running at least iOS 7.0, Android 4.0, Windows XP or Mac OS X 10.10. CamFi is currently listed at $130 USD on Amazon and at this price is well below manufacturer-provided options for high-end DSLRs. I find it cheap for the features and functionality it offers.

Conclusion: I have to admit that when I first received the CamFi I thought it was a bit of a gimmick and not really a serious tool for photography. However, the application offers just about every level of control you could possibly want from your camera (even live view!) and is simple and easy to operate. In real world use the software is slick, robust and quick to use. There really isn’t much to dislike about the product and I expect it will prove useful in a number of different circumstances. I can envisage a situation where I might use it to photograph Aurora Borealis at night from the comfort and warmth of my vehicle. Simply set up the camera, retreat to the warmth of the vehicle and do the rest from inside the truck!

There are a few things I would like to see in a future generation of the product. First and foremost it would be beneficial to have a battery indicator to show how much charge is remaining in the CamFi. I would also like to see the product incorporate some robust weather sealing for use in hostile environments and inclement weather. As it currently stands, the LAN port and USB ports are fully exposed, so I am not sure I would be comfortable using this device in pouring rain.

I would also very much like the ability to see a live histogram on the controlling device before I take a photograph (this feature is currently missing). You can see a full RGB histogram after you take a photograph (along with all other relevant metadata) so the lack of live histogram isn’t exactly a deal breaker; it would just be nice to have.

Summing up, CamFi is a pretty cool hardware and software system that enables remote WiFi control of many Canon and Nikon DSLR models. The CamFi iPhone App has a better interface and is more feature rich than the Canon and Nikon equivalent software. Critically, it allows you to change exposure settings as well as other key camera settings like ISO and metering. For the many DSLRs that do not have WiFi capability, it could be an important tool for remote shooting and quickly sharing photos to social media. In my own photography it will no doubt find various uses as I continue to experiment with the device.

Camtraptions Camera Trap System Review

Equipment, News and Updates, Reviews

At some stage in their photographic career many professional wildlife photographers will opt to try a camera trap to help them capture better photographs of their chosen subject. Camera traps are nothing new and have been used by professional wildlife photographers for decades. In fact, some of National Geographics most famous wildlife images have been captured with traps (Nick Nichols first used them on the National Geographic Ndoki project back in the film days).

Camera traps are ideally suited for rare and elusive animal species that are difficult to find or are otherwise extremely wary of humans. They have been used to photograph Snow Leopards, Tigers, and many other species around the world. They can also be used to help capture wide angle images of more dangerous animals or animals that it would otherwise be difficult to approach. Used ethically and responsibly they can be a wonderful tool to help photographers capture images of wildlife that would be otherwise all but impossible.

I have been pondering how to capture some really close up wide angle images for the Arctic Fox project I have been working on for the last few years and came to the realisation not long ago that a camera trap was probably going to be the best solution. The problem was that camera traps have historically been the domain of DIY handymen. Truth be told, I am not very handy with electronics, circuit boards and soldering irons so quickly ruled out a DIY solution and began my search for a suitable off the shelf solution. In my case, I actually needed more than just a way to automatically trigger the camera remotely (thats easily accomplished with Pocket Wizards). I needed a protective housing for the camera and lens in inclement weather and a method of automatically remotely triggering the camera when wildlife was detected. And, I needed it to work in sub zero temperatures in snow and ice.

There really haven’t been any professional off the shelf solutions available that photographers could take into the field and use reliably in hostile environments. There are products from Trigger Trap and various other Smart Phone and wireless trigger devices on the market; but pretty much all of these are unsuitable for remote field work in difficult environments. Trigger Trap is an interesting product; but you don’t want to leave your expensive smart phone out in the rain in the hopes of capturing wildlife images. You need something a lot more robust and dedicated to the task if you are going to leave it out in inclement weather. There are numerous trail master type camera systems on the market – but all of these incorporate a camera inside the detector and are of dubious image quality at best (they are really designed for game trail monitoring and not photography). In order to get really high quality imagery I needed a system I could use with a DSLR. I also wanted something that was capable of being left out in the field for several days without intervention in freezing weather. Quite honestly I was not sure such a commercial product even existed. However, after a pretty exhaustive search I came across a solution from a small company in England called ‘Camtraptions‘. I know….The name conjures up some pretty geeky imagery, but bear with me as the product is pretty clever.

This small English company have a number of different camera trap products; some which seemed to tick the boxes for my project needs. However, it was their camera housing that really piqued my curiosity and had me placing an order for their complete trap system. The trap system is actually extremely simple consisting of an optional camera housing, a customised PIR motion Detector and a trigger cable. Thats it – nothing more complicated than a PIR sensor and a cable.

THE CAMERA HOUSING

From the Camtraptions Website:

The Camtraptions Camera Housing is a strong metal enclosure for a DSLR camera. It is ideal for protecting your DSLR camera trap or stationary remote-control camera. It can be quickly disassembled and flat-packed for easy transportation and storage.

Key features:

Access the camera via a convenient lockable hatch at the back.
Shade the lens from sun and rain with the sliding peak.
A window is included and can be secured in front of the lens for added protection if required.
Housing can be mounted on a tripod.
Includes a quick release plate.
Cutouts allow cables to run out from the back of the housing.
Fits cameras up to the size of a Canon 1D X or Nikon D4, with enough room for an off-camera flash cord mounted on top.

The construction of the Camtraptions camera housing is excellent. Made from sheet metal the housing can be disassembled (flat packed) for travel and then easily reassembled on location. No tools are required and construction is accomplished in just a few minutes via wing nuts that can easily be hand tightened. The housing comes with an optional clear perspex front window that can easily be removed if you are setting up the trap where there is no danger of moisture or other foreign matter entering the camera housing. The perspex window is ideal for working in areas where there is a chance of foreign matter ending up on the front element of the lens. My own testing shows it is important to place the camera lens as close as possible to the perspex window to avoid any potential reflections. To this end the housing has adjustable mounting points and I found I was able to tweak the camera location until the lens butted hard up against the perspex window. There is an adjustable camera mount point included as well as a mounting plate for the camera. I would have preferred an Arca Swiss style mounting system but the included mount accomplishes the task and such a preference is really nit picking. I do recommend treating the outside of the perspex window with Rain X to help keep it clean out in the field. camera-housing_large In terms of size the housing will accomodate a full size professional DSLR such as a Canon 1DX or Nikon D5 with a wide angle zoom lens attached. It would be worth checking the dimensions of the lens you plan to use before you place your order to make sure it will fit. In my case I intend to use this with a 16-35mm F4L IS zoom lens which is easily accommodated inside the housing. I think most wide angle and mid range zooms will fit inside the housing and testing shows you can even accomodate a Canon 24-70mm F2.8L MKII lens.

I really like the attention to detail of making the housing lockable and of including a sliding sun visor (which can work equally well at keeping rain and snow off the front perspex window). The only real problem I have with the housing itself is the weight. Because of its all metal construction the housing weight comes in at just under four kilograms and thats quite a lot to schlep to a remote location or pack in luggage. In an ideal world it would be better to have the housing made of perspex or some other light weight material. However, this would be nowhere near as strong and far less secure so the weight trade off is acceptable. In my case, I intend to ship the housing to my destination before I leave so it will be on location when I arrive.

The nice thing about using a housing such as this in really freezing weather is the ability include a number of chemical hand warmers around the camera and inside the housing to help prevent battery drain when the camera is left for extended periods. If you are handy with metal work I guess you could probably construct your own housing (possibly even adapt a letterbox!), but the Camtraptions housing has been well designed, well built, packs flat for travel and postage, and is relatively cost effective. Whilst the housing itself is not completely waterproof (you cant submerge it) I would have no hesitation in leaving a camera in the housing out in the field in pouring rain for days at a time. Once correctly set up (placed above the ground) I doubt you would experience ingress of water in even the heaviest down pours.

The camera housing is supplied in an olive dark green suitable for use in a forest or wooded area. In my case I just took to it with some white and light grey enamel spray paint to make it more suitable for use in snow and ice conditions. Because the unit disassembles you could easily have it powder coated if you prefer.

THE MOTION SENSOR

The Camtraptions sensor is pretty much like any other off the shelf PIR with the addition of a small built in controller to trigger the camera shutter to fire when the sensor detects movement. The trigger command is sent via a trigger cable that is supplied with the sensor (you just specify what camera you intend to use the sensor with at time of order). What I like about the sensor Camtraptions have chosen is it uses passive infra red motion technology. In my case, laser triggers were out of the question as they result in too many false positives with falling snow. Infra read beams are also less than ideal as they are more complex to set up and can be easily avoided by a wiley fox that might choose to cross the cameras path from a different direction to the beam. PIR motion sensors cover a wide angle so provide plenty of coverage for an approaching animal. Whilst this also means there is an increased likelihood of false positives, memory cards are relatively cheap and now available in huge sizes. One needs to expect a large number of throw away files from a camera trap and I think its better to have an increased chance of capturing the decisive moment and having to delete a few extra files, rather than missing the shot.

From the Camtraptions website:

Taking high-quality camera trap images with your DSLR camera is now easier than ever with the Camtraptions PIR Motion Sensor.

Simply point the device towards your target area and when an animal moves into the sensor’s field of view, your camera will be triggered.

Watch this video to see the motion sensor in action: How to set up a DSLR camera trap

Key features:

Durable and weather-proof enclosure
Simple to use and reliable
6 x AA batteries provide around 4 weeks of standby time
Option to mount the device on a tripod or strap it to a post
Adjustable sensitivity
Adjustable ambient light threshold enables operation at all times of day or just when it is dark
Use the sensor to monitor a wide subject area or attach ‘blinkers’ to narrow the field of view for more precise control over the trigger zone

This device is a reliable passive infrared (PIR) detector designed for wildlife photography. All objects emit heat energy in the form of invisible infrared radiation. Different objects emit varying levels of radiation depending on their temperature and surface characteristics. A PIR motion sensor detects changes in the amount of infrared radiation landing on it. This allows it to sense when an animal passes in front of a static background.

The Camtraptions PIR sensor is quite small, very light and weatherproof with the addition of an o-ring rubber seal (included). There are three different adjustments available inside the PIR. From the Camtraptions user manual:

On time Adj – This is how long the contact closure is active after a detection. The default is set to short, (fully clockwise). If set longer, the shutter release is effectively held down for longer. A longer press allows you to take more shots at a time if your camera is set to continuous drive mode or wait longer between shots if your camera is set to single shot mode.

2. Mov Sens – Movement sensitivity – This relates to how much movement the device needs to detect before it sends a ‘shoot’ command to the camera. The factory default is in the mid position. Turning the dial clockwise reduces the sensitivity. I recommend using a low sensitivity in order to reduce the chances of false detections. You only need to turn the sensitivity up in the following circumstances:

• When photographing very small subjects
• When the subject is far from the detector
• When the ambient temperature is hot, as there will be less contrast between the subject and the background

3. Light Sens – Light sensitivity – This determines whether the device works all the time or just in darkness. When set fully to the ’N’ position (i.e. turned fully anticlockwise), the unit will only fire the camera in darkness (Night). In the D/N position, the camera will fire in light and dark conditions (Day and Night). The control is variable between the two positions so setting it to mid point will activate the unit at approximately dusk, and deactivate it at dawn. Setting the device to only work at night can be useful for avoiding false detections (particularly if daytime temperatures get very hot) and for avoiding using up your flash batteries on unwanted diurnal animals.

Note: after adjusting the controls, you will need to restart the device and/or wait 30 seconds for the new setting to take effect.

Overall the PIR sensor works very well in my initial testing. Although, set up of the three adjustments is a bit fiddly and I had to experiment to get the best overall settings (You need a small jewellers flat head screw driver to make adjustments – not included). The adjustments are quite sensitive and I found during testing that even a small turn yielded a dramatic difference. During the set up process I corresponded with the owner of the business (Will Burrard) and he provided me with a clear picture showing the settings they recommend. As it turned out these were the exact settings I landed on after a few hours of my own experimentation. There are instructions included on how to set up the PIR and they are clear and easy to follow. Either way, I recommend you set up, tweak and test the unit before setting it up in the field. I think it is fair to say that some tweaking will be required even in the field to ensure the sensor is optimally tuned for your subject.

The design of the camera trap circuit is such that if there are lots of small or ‘noisy’ detections, the device will not necessarily send a ‘shoot’ signal to the camera. In effect, the circuit smoothes out detections to minimise potential false shots without compromising its overall sensitivity. This is pretty clever.

The detection sensitivity and daylight sensitivity can be adjusted to suit your requirements. The system works by detecting heat energy emitted in the form of invisible infrared radiation. Different objects emit varying levels of radiation depending on their temperature and surface characteristics. A PIR motion sensor detects changes in the amount of infrared radiation landing on it. This allows it to sense when an animal passes in front of a static background. This is in effect the same technology used in most house alarm sensors.

IMAG0572 There is a nice inclusion of two small LED lights on the back of the sensor board, one marked ‘detect’, and the other marked ‘shoot’. These LED’s are green and red respectively and are helpful in tweaking the individual parameters. The green LED will light when movement is detected, however the device will not necessarily ‘shoot’ if the ambient light or amount of movement are below the thresholds you have set. When the ‘shoot’ LED illuminates, a shoot signal is also sent to the camera.

It may be necessary to limit the detection area in order to have more control over the position of your subject relative to the camera. In order to achieve this, you could attach ‘blinkers’ to the detector. For example, you could stick a toilet roll tube around the detector to limit its field of view to a narrow cone of space. This would effectively create a detection area similar to a beam-break detector.

Lastly, the PIR sensor takes 6 AAA batteries (0r a single 9V battery) which should provide plenty of standby time for most applications. 9V batteries are easier to travel with and I suspect will be the preferred choice for most users.

I also opted for the Camtraptions mighty pod as a mounting system for the PIR sensor. However, you could use just about any tripod or mounting method for the sensor and its probably best to choose something appropriate to your chosen subject. In my case I wanted the sensor very close to the ground so the mighty pod is an ideal solution. Its well constructed, light and easy to set up and use.

CAMERA CONTROLLER

Camtraptions also have a new product called a Camera Controller that provides the ability to customize how many photographs are taken and how often per ‘trigger event’. With the camera controller you can set the minimum time between bursts to be 10s, 20s, 30s or 60s. If the animal stays in front of the sensor then another burst will fire automatically after the desired time period has passed. cam-con-2_large From the Camtraptions website:

The Camera Controller plugs in between your motion sensor and camera in order to add new functionality to your DSLR camera trap.

It can be used to define the time interval between consecutive photographs and limit the number of images taken per trigger event. It can also be used to record video instead of stills on Canon DSLRs running Magic Lantern firmware.

Find out how this controller can be used to control your camera in this introductory video: Adding a Camera Controller

Find out how this controller can be used to set up a video camera trap in this video: DSLR Video Camera Trap for Filming Wildlife

The camera controller is powered by 2 x AA batteries. One pair of batteries will power the controller for up to 6 months (exact time depends on number of triggers). The controller is not weatherproof; it is designed to sit next to your camera and should be protected by the camera housing. The camera controller is supplied with a 1 meter cable.

MODES

There are 4 modes each with 16 different programs for a total of 64 possible firing combinations. Mode 1, 2 and 3 are for stills photography while Mode 4 is for controlling a video camera trap.

Mode 1: Interval Mode This is a simple looping mode that can be used to space out shots. This could be used to give your flashes time to charge between shots or to avoid your memory card filling up too quickly.

Mode 2: 3 Shot Mode This mode sends a set of 3 shoot commands to the camera in quick succession, followed by a gap. The time between each shot and between each set can be changed.

Mode 3: 5 Shot Mode This mode sends a set of 5 shoot commands to the camera in quick succession, followed by a gap. The time between each shot and between each set can be changed.

VIDEO MODE

Mode 4: Video Mode This mode can be used to start and stop video recording on a Canon DSLR with the Magic Lantern Firmware installed. You can select the length of the video clip and the minimum length of time between video clips. Please watch this video for more information.

You can download Magic Lantern at http://magiclantern.fm/. Note: Camtraptions provides no support for Magic Lantern and you use it on your camera at your own risk.

CUSTOM PROGRAMMING

We are able supply controllers with custom programming. If your needs are not met by the standard modes, please get in touch to discuss your requirements.

CONCLUSION

By way of full disclosure: The testing I have done to date with the Camtraptions camera trap system has been fairly rudimentary and involved testing the system outdoors here in Australia with my cat (there is a shortage of Arctic Foxes and snow here!) I won’t know for sure exactly how this system will respond with Arctic Foxes until I finish in Antarctica and head back to the Arctic to hopefully complete the project. The good news is a domestic house cat is not much such smaller than an Arctic Fox and in this regard made a suitable test subject. The testing I have done shows the PIR is very effective at triggering the camera and the system is capable of capturing some pretty remarkable images. I have found I prefer to use the cameras motor drive as opposed to single shot and control the number of shots taken with the camera controller. This seems to provide the most effective solution in testing to date. Your mileage may vary and I would again encourage you to experiment to find the set up that most suits your subject.

I have also tested the camera housing in very heavy rain and it has proved very resilient so I have no qualms about using this in the Arctic. My feeling is the solution should work very well and I will try and do a follow up report on my findings once I get back in mid April.

A camera trap system isn’t for everyone. However, if you are a wildlife photographer and you are chasing images of a difficult subject that you simply cannot achieve any other way then a Camtraptions camera trap system may well be your answer.

Birds of the World – Key Wording in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

Equipment, News and Updates, Reviews, Wildlife Photographs

One of the key functions of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom (hereafter referred to as just Lightroom) is its database and the capability for users to store and manage tens of thousands of photographs. Key-wording is an integral and core component of the database management. For those who might be unfamiliar with the concept of key-wording: Key-wording enables you to very quickly find a specific photograph or a specific series of images that have been tagged with one or more keywords. I know a great many photographers who use key-wording to various degrees in their work-flows. Personally, I keyword extensively on import so that I can effectively manage the more than one hundred thousand images in my Lightroom Library.

When it comes to wildlife I like to keyword with with the species type (Mammal, Crustacean, Reptile etc.) and then break this down by individual animal in each category. Its a hierarchical keyword structure that works well for me in my work-flow. Once set up in Lightroom its very quick for me to keyword my wildlife images on import. But what about key-wording for Birds?

Birds can be problematic to keyword for several reasons. Firstly, there are more than ten thousand different species across the globe which can make identification difficult, and secondly its massively time consuming to create keywords for them as you import your photographs (especially if you want to add Latin names and appropriate synonyms). I ran into this problem head-on on my recent Falkland Islands workshop where I spent a concentrated week photographing many different species of birds. I shot over 5000 photographs of birds that week and subsequently nearly gave up trying to identify them all, let alone create keywords for them all (and forget synonyms). Thankfully, there is now a solution to at least the second part of this problem….

Good friend and expedition partner Ole Jorgen has recently completed the herculean effort of creating a complete hierarchical list for Lightroom of all of the birds of the world (yes – all ten thousand four hundred plus of them). Not only has he put them all into a suitable structure for Lightroom and made it available for photographers to purchase, but he has also offered a number of different versions depending on your needs. You can check them out in his Web Shop or by clicking on the image below.Over the last few days I have been extensively testing the Birds of the Word UK Latin Edition and have found it absolutely invaluable in key-wording the many thousands of bird photographs in my Lightroom library. Integrating the list into your existing keyword structure is as simple as importing the list in the Meta-Data drop down menu of Lightroom. The lists are built in a hierarchical structure which makes them easy to manage as well as easy to understand. The UK Latin Edition I have been testing also contains synonyms for added granularity and detail. One of the added benefits of using a complete species list such as these is to actually see how many of a given type of bird you have photographed as well as what other types might be similar. Wether you are a keen bird photographer, or want to save time with your key wording of birds (as well as increase your accuracy and add finer granularity), or just wanting to increase your knowledge of birds I believe you will find these keyword lists to be extremely useful in your work-flow.

Anyone up for creating a complete list of the Mammals…?