Show Notes
Greetings everyone, you’re listening to the Liam Photography Podcast, I’m your host Liam Douglas and this is Episode 425 for Thursday October 24th, 2024. Today we look at the most interesting stories from PetaPixel for this past week.
Following last week’s teaser, Insta360 fully unveiled the Ace Pro 2 action camera. The Insta360 Ace Pro 2 features 8K video recording, smarter artificial intelligence (AI), and a more rugged design.
“Our goal was to refine and enhance the groundbreaking features of the original Insta360 Ace Pro to deliver an unparalleled experience,” says JK Liu, founder of Insta360. “We are confident these upgrades establish a new industry standard. Not only do they bring significant advances in AI, they empower creators to capture what was always impossible with other action cameras, opening the door to unprecedented creative potential.”
Co-engineered with Leica, the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 sports a new Type 1/1.3 image sensor and a wider Leica Summarit lens with a 157-degree field of view. The lens is equivalent to a 13mm ultra wide-angle lens on a full-frame camera and features an f/2.6 maximum aperture. The original Ace Pro’s camera offers a 16mm-equivalent focal length.
Insta360 says the upgraded sensor offers up to 13.5 stops of dynamic range and promises the best image quality of any action camera on the market.
The sensor is paired with a dual-chip design, making the Ace Pro 2 the first action camera with a dedicated Pro Imaging Chip that handles image processing and noise reduction demands, while a separate AI processor handles additional processing and drives overall camera performance.
Thanks to the dual-chip design and high-resolution image sensor, the Ace Pro 2 records 8K/30p and 4K/60p Active HDR video. The Ace Pro 2 also records 4K/120p slow-motion video, ensuring users can capture high-speed action. While the original Ace Pro shot 4K/60p video, 8K recording was previously capped at 24p.
The Ace Pro 2 also includes PureVideo, a specialized shooting mode built using custom-trained AI neural networks. PureVideo promises significantly reduced noise, even in extremely low-light scenarios, and enhanced details to provide additional clarity.
Beyond the Summarit lens, Leica’s involvement with the Ace Pro 2 also impacts the look of photos and videos. The Ace Pro includes Leica-engineered color profiles, promising to bring Leica’s signature aesthetic to images.
Speaking of photos, the Ace Pro 2 can shoot JPG and DNG RAW photos at up to 50 megapixels. As for video files, they are recorded in MP4 format. 8K recording is available in 16:9 and 2.35:1 aspect ratios, while 4K recording is available in 4:3, 16:9, and 2.35:1. Active HDR and PureVideo are available at up to 4K/60p. Slow Motion is available at up to 4K/120p, but only at 16:9 aspect ratios.
As an action camera, the Ace Pro 2 is built to record dynamic, fast movements. These situations are rarely stable. The camera includes 360-degree Horizon Lock, applied automatically in-camera, to keep the horizon level. Further, the camera has a built-in six-axis gyroscope.
Compared to its impressive predecessor, the new Ace Pro 2 is much more rugged. Waterproofing has increased to 12 meters (39 feet) out of the box, up from 10 meters (33 feet). Users can take the camera down to 60 meters (197 feet) using an optional Dive Case. The camera handles temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit), ensuring it is ready for winter sports and extreme climates.
The camera also has a new removable Lens Guard, which offers additional protection when required. A new Wind Guard keeps wind noise at a minimum when required. Alongside the physical protection, the camera features improved audio algorithms to ensure clearer recordings across various situations. Both new guards attach to the camera magnetically, so they are straightforward to remove or put on.
Another significant design improvement is a better flip touchscreen. While slightly bigger (2.5 versus 2.4 inches diagonally), the primary improvement is a 70% increase in pixel density and a 6% bump in screen brightness, ensuring the display is sharper and easier to use.
The Ace Pro 2 is compatible with new third-party accessories and devices, including Garmin, Apple, COROS, and Nike Run Club products. The Ace Pro 2 also pairs with motorcycle helmet headsets from Sena, Cardo, and more. Those without any specialized accessories can pair their phone with the action camera to pair real-time GPS data with the camera.
Beyond the AI-powered image and audio quality improvements, the Ace Pro 2 also uses AI to make it easier for users to create highlight-worthy videos. The Ai Highlights Assistant automatically finds the best moments in a video and delivers the highlights for review, all in the camera itself.
Users can take their photos and videos even further when used alongside a compatible smartphone with the Insta360 app installed. The app includes AI-powered Auto Editing, creative Shot Lab effects, and numerous editing features like cuts, clips, and transitions. Like other recent Insta360 cameras, the Ace Pro 2 also works with selfie sticks and an AI Selfie Stick Eraser to create seamless third-person views of action.
Although the AI features aim to help new users, the Ace Pro 2 is also built with experienced content creators in mind. The camera supports timecode, log recording, and manual controls over shutter speed, ISO, and white balance.
With its upgraded 1,800mAh battery, up from 1,650mAh, the Ace Pro 2 lasts longer. In addition to the bigger battery, a new Endurance Mode offers a 50% longer runtime at 4K/30p than its predecessor. The camera can also charge 80% in 18 minutes or 100% in 47 minutes
The Insta360 Ace Pro 2 is available now for $399.99. The standard bundle includes the camera, a Wind Guard, one battery, a Standard Mount, a Mic Cap, and a USB-C cable. A Dual Battery Bundle adds a second battery and is $419.99.
Missing the Mark: Now in my opinion, Insta360 missed the mark with the Ace Pro 2 a bit and here’s why. The two biggest things they could and should have done they left out and that is internal storage like the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, which has 48GB of internal storage. The second item they missed on is they didn’t add in Apple’s FindMy support for this camera like they did the GO 3S.
Austrian photographer Markus Hofstaetter has added a fascinating new camera to his collection. Even by his lofty standards, his latest purchase is exceptionally unusual.
Hofstaetter purchased a Richard Verascope à décentrement made in 1911. The 113-year-old film camera is built upon a stereo legacy dating back to the late 1800s. Although relatively simple in its design, the camera, as Hofstaetter shows in the video below, is remarkably well-made. The machining is very precise, and despite being over a century old, the camera looks to be in great condition.
Hofstaetter is no stranger to stereo analog cameras. Back in 2019, he wrote about capturing stereo wet plates using an ultra-large format camera and aims to turn his new Richard Verascope into a compact stereo tintype camera.
However, before that, he needed to develop the Agfa 127 color film loaded in the 113-year-old Verascope. While the film is not as old as the camera, Hofstaetter estimates that it’s between 50 and 70 years old, which means it is, one, expired, and two, will require special processing.
Hofstaetter settled on trying to develop the 50-plus-year-old film himself at home. He relied on resources from Found Film, (1, 2), and Film Rescue International.
In the case of a very old, expired film, Film Rescue International (FRI) advises that people use a black-and-white process, even for color film.
“To greatly simplify, color film has two essential components — a light sensitive silver layer that captures the image in B&W and color dye layers to create the color image,” FRI writes. “During a normal color process, once the silver has served it’s useful purpose it is bleached from the film, leaving behind only the color dye image. As film ages, the color dye image deteriorates more quickly than the B&W silver image. By not removing the silver content from expired film during the initial process, we are doing the safest possible process for your film.”
With detailed advice in tow, Hofstaetter tried to develop his newfound film. Ultimately, the results were not what he hoped for, but he learned a lot about developing old films. Besides, it was a fun experiment and an excellent way to acquaint himself with his new-to-him stereoscopic camera.
There’s little doubt that Hofstaetter will do some amazing things with his new Richard Verascope camera, and the results will likely be shared on Hofstaetter’s blog and YouTube channel.
Ansel Adams Auction Nets $4.6 Million
Auction house Sotheby’s sold a collection of images by the legendary landscape photographer Ansel Adams for $4,567,680 this week, far exceeding the pre-sale estimate range of $1.7 to $2.8 million. The auction set 41 new records for Ansel Adams sales amid intense bidding.
The auction, Ansel Adams: A Legacy Photographs from the Meredith Collection, contained images printed by Adams himself that were then gifted to The Friends of Photography, a non-profit organization that inspired many photographers from 1967 until its dissolution in 2001. The collection, stewarded by Tom and Lynn Meredith, comprised 96 lots, 77% of which sold above their pre-sale high estimates.
According to Sotheby’s, 41 of the auctioned images sold for new record-high prices, and the auction broke an additional 15 records for 1970s prints in Adams’ standard size formats. The famed auction house says this showcases how much demand there still is for Ansel Adams’ prints. Remarkably and unusually, every single one of the 96 lots sold.
While Adams’ portfolio is vast and highly varied, many of his most famous images were part of the Meredith Collection, including Aspens, New Mexico (Vertical), which sold for an incredible $720,000, more than double its high estimate. The five-image Surf Sequence series also sold for a considerable sum, with a final hammer price of $576,000, far above its $300,000 high estimate.
The Snake River & the Tetons, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming sold for $96,000, more than six times Sotheby’s prior record high for this specific image set in 2010.
However, an even more iconic image from the same location sold for $988,000 in 2020, which set a still unbroken world record for the highest price ever paid for an Ansel Adams print.
“We are thrilled with the outstanding results of the auction and deeply gratified to see Ansel Adams’ legacy honored in such a profound way. This collection represents the very essence of Adams’ vision — his reverence for the natural world, his technical mastery, and his unwavering commitment to photography as an art form,” says Lynn and Tom Meredith.
To witness these works receive the recognition they so richly deserve, through the extraordinary enthusiasm of collectors from around the world, has been a humbling and deeply fulfilling experience. We are proud to have played a role in preserving and sharing Adams’ enduring contributions to art and photography.”
“It has been an extraordinary privilege to bring the Meredith Collection to auction, and we are absolutely gratified by the exceptional results achieved. To see the collection sell 100% and achieve 41 records is a testament to both the remarkable quality of these photographs and the timeless allure of Ansel Adams’ work. This kind of result is a rare achievement in the photographs market and speaks to Adams’ enduring influence as one of the most revered figures in the history of photography. The passion and enthusiasm shown by collectors around the world reaffirm his standing, and we are honored to have played a role in this landmark moment for Adams’ legacy,” adds Emily Bierman, Sotheby’s Global Head of Photographs.
A complete breakdown of all 41 records is available here, while the full list of all 96 lots is available on Sotheby’s website.
After weeks of rumors, there are finally (mostly) complete details about Venus Optics’ new Laowa 55mm and 100mm f/2.8 tilt-shift macro lenses for full-frame cameras.
The Laowa FFII TS 55mm f/2.8 and FFII TS 100mm f/2.8 lenses both feature an impressive 1:1 maximum magnification ratio, making them proper macro lenses. Tilt-shift lenses are great for macro photography because by using the tilt and shift functionality, photographers have significantly more control over the focal plane. This can be used to make the depth of field significantly shallower or deeper, which can be great for getting tack-sharp product photos.
While categorized as “full frame” lenses, both the TS 55mm and 100mm f/2.8 macro lenses cover a 67-millimeter image circle, allowing them to be used on Fujifilm GFX and Hasselblad XCD medium-format mirrorless cameras. Alongside these two mounts, the new Laowa lenses also come in Canon RF, Leica L, Nikon Z, and Sony E mounts.
Unsurprisingly, the lenses are manual focus only, as is par for the course with Laowa lenses in general and tilt-shift optics. Both lenses can tilt up to 10 degrees and shift plus or minus 12 millimeters. The lenses also share their 15-bladed aperture design and f/2.8-22 aperture range.
Beyond their focal length and angle of view, the lenses differ in their optical design and dimensions. The Laowa 55mm f/2.8 tilt-shift lens features 14 elements across 11 groups, while the 100mm prime has 13 elements in 10 groups.
With the additional glass, the 55mm f/2.8 is larger and heavier than its 100mm counterpart. The Laowa 55mm f/2.8 TS weighs 1,450 grams (3.2 pounds), while the 100mm f/2.8 tips the scales at 1,310 grams (2.9 pounds). The 55mm lens is 168.5 millimeters (6.6 inches) long, and the 100mm macro is 162 millimeters (6.4 inches) long. Both lenses take 77mm front filter threads.
Laowa’s new FFII TS lenses fill an interesting void in many lineups. While both Canon and Nikon have made tilt-shift lenses for their DSLR cameras, which can be adapted to mirrorless cameras, neither company has made native mirrorless tilt-shift lenses yet. Sony has never made one, and there are no native first-party offerings for L-mount, either. Fujifilm stands alone with its two GF tilt-shift lenses released last year, the GF 30mm f/5.6 T/S and GF 110mm f/5.6 T/S, both of which are macro lenses.
While Venus Optics has yet to share pricing info for its two new tilt-shift lenses, it is a very safe bet they will come in at a lower price point than Fuijfilm’s two GF T/S lenses, which cost $4,000 for the 30mm one and $3,500 for the 110mm prime. As soon as Venus Optics shares cost and availability information, PetaPixel will update this article. The lenses should be popping up on retailers’ websites soon.
ON1 Photo RAW 2025 is finally available, promising a next-generation all-in-one photo editor full of powerful new artificial intelligence features and image editing improvements.
Initially unveiled in September of this year, ON1 Photo RAW 2025 is finally here. The all-in-one photo editor suite, which features powerful generative AI tools like content-aware fill and Generative Erase, will allow photographers to edit their images by adding or erasing elements with realistic results.
PetaPixel previously covered the announcement of ON1 Photo RAW 2025, which touted many new AI-powered capabilities. Generative Erase lets users paint out distractions or imperfections in the frame. The Depth Masks feature lets users adjust parts of the frame based on the depth of objects in the scene. Even the app’s image import functions utilize AI tools to perform simple tasks like automatic detection and removal of sensor dust or power lines.
In addition to the AI tools, plenty of features would attract any photographer looking for an Adobe Lightroom alternative. The Edit Color tool promises improved hue, saturation, and brightness control. Match Color lets photographers copy color settings from one frame to another.
ON1 Photo RAW 2025 also offers a suite of powerful organization tools. Users can use the Target Album tool, which lets photographers easily assign shortcut keys to specific albums to add photos. The software also supports stacking, which can help organize brackets, bursts, and various groups of shots into a single thumbnail for more accessible organization.
ON1 has promised users various updates to the software as well. The developers have mentioned a Generative Replace tool, a “Super Select AI” tool that lets users make precise selections of objects with a single click — removing a need for those pesky “holding shift and selecting multiple times” moments — as well as a Face Restoration tool.
Also, photographers will have access to an Edit Camera Profile menu, allowing users to set defaults and interpret RAW images under different color conditions. As an example, ON1 explains. “This feature will be great for those looking to adjust certain color nuances, like making reds or saturated or shifting greens to enhance foliage.”
ON1 Photo RAW is available now in various versions and subscription tiers. The base ON1 Photo RAW 2025 software is $79.99 to upgrade and $99.99 for new users. ON1 Photo RAW MAX expansion costs $149.99 for an upgrade and $169.99 for new users.
Additionally, an ON1 Everything subscription plan is as low as $7.50 monthly. Ways to purchase the software can be found on the ON1 Website.
Photographer Sues Rock N Roll Hall of Fame
A veteran music photographer has sued the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame claiming that the museum illegally displayed his image of the band Van Halen.
Acclaimed photographer Neil Zlozower — who has shot the likes of The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, and Bruce Springsteen — filed the lawsuit against the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame which is based in Cleveland, Ohio.
In a complaint filed Friday in Ohio federal court, Zlozower alleges that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame never paid to license his black-and-white copyrighted photo of Van Halen in the recording studio in the late 1970s.
According to a report by Billboard, Zlozower has accused the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame of using his photo of Valen without permission and turning the image an eight-foot-tall display in the Cleveland museum.
In his lawsuit, Zlozower says that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame made an “exact copy of a critical portion of plaintiff’s original image” for the exhibit, which he says “did not include any photo credit or mentions as to the source of the image.”
The photographer contends that a museum like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which displays so many copyrighted images and recordings, should have been aware of the alleged infringement.
“Defendant is a sophisticated company which owns a comprehensive portfolio of physical and digital platforms and has advanced operational and strategic expertise in an industry where copyright is prevalent,” the photographer’s attorneys allege in court documents.
“Defendant’s staff have significant experience in copyright matters and are familiar with specific practices including the need to ensure that all of the works used in their exhibits have been properly licensed.”
The photographer is pursuing statutory damages, which could reach up to $150,000 per infringement if Zlozower and his attorneys prove the museum wilfully violated his copyrights.
According to Billboard, Zlozower’s lawsuit against the Cleveland museum is the latest of more than 50 such cases that the photographer has filed over the past decade.
The publication reports that Zlozower has sued Universal Music Group twice for using his images of Elvis Costello and Guns N’ Roses. He has also previously filed lawsuits against Ticketmaster, Warner Music Group, and the band Mötley Crüe.
For many photographers, copyright lawsuits can be the only real recourse against the alleged unauthorized use of their images and intellectual property.
Photographer Falls to His Death
A photographer plunged to his death after falling from Spain’s tallest bridge while trying to film a video.
British content creator and photographer Lewis Stevenson died after falling from Castilla La Mancha bridge in Talavera de la Reina, Spain on October 13, according to the BBC.
The 26-year-old fell to his death while filming a video as he was attempting to scale the 630-foot-tall Castilla-La Mancha Bridge. Stevenson was filming content for his social media account.
Stevenson was accompanied by another 24-year-old British man as he attempted to climb the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge in the early hours of the morning, according to a press release published by Macarena Muñoz, Talavera de la Reina’s Councillor for Citizen Security.
However, Stevenson reportedly fell from the bridge at around 7:14 a.m. and died. Stevenson’s body was removed from the scene and taken to a nearby funeral home by a coroner.
“As we have been able to find out, they had come to Talavera to climb the bridge and create content for social networks, which has resulted in this unfortunate and sad outcome,” Muñoz says in a statement.
The cable-stayed bridge, which opened in 2011, is the tallest in Spain and one of the tallest in Europe.
Muñoz says that climbing the bridge is strictly prohibited and city officials have reiterated on many occasions that it “cannot be done under any circumstances.”
Nonetheless, local media outlets report that the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge has long drawn content creators who scale it despite the ban.
Spanish media outlets have suggested that the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge was likely slippery following rain in the region but these reports have not been confirmed.
In a statement to the BBC, Stevenson’s mother paid tribute to her son. She described him as a “thrill-seeker” who had a passion for photography — rather than a content creator.
“He was a thrill-seeker who loved to travel and have new experiences,” his mother Keilia Stevenson says.
“We as a whole family supported his adventures around the world, which included amazing places he got to visit like Easter Island and Machu Picchu, but unfortunately those adventures also included climbing great heights which we didn’t particularly agree with but understood this was what he loved to do.
“He knew his limits and never did anything beyond them. He was a keen photographer and he did this all for passion, not as an influencer.”
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