Instagrammers are sucking the life and soul out of travel

TheGuardian posted an interesting analysis of the Instagram influence on travel:

– The Instagrammability of a destination is apparently now the number one motivation for booking a holiday for millennials.
– These Instagrammers are collectively sucking the joy and spontaneity out of travel photography
– The centering of the self to such an extent is new too, and at the expense of knowledge, exploration and adventure.
– When most travel photographs on Instagram begin to look like fashion editorials you have to wonder whether anyone is learning anything.

At the end this is the worrisome effect of being an Instagrammer:

You might think social media would diversify the range of images we see, yet the most popular users operate according to a strict schema that takes full advantage of the relevant algorithms (creative, fascinating accounts are still there, but said algorithms make them harder to find). And it’s not just travel – it’s interiors, fashion, weddings, food, children. Social media encourages the memeification of human experience. Instead of diversity we see homogeneity. It’s extremely boring.

I couldn’t agree more.

My friend and professional swedish Fashion Photographer Jockum Klenell commented on this:

It has so many negative sides for photography as a communicative medium and its killing our curiosity as travellers. I have no need of going to Bali because it feels, digitally, as if half of the world population with a smartphone and insta account has been there. This is a massive dark philosophical void which is very depressing to think about.
Luckily, and this is what I hang on to, all those people that the article is about, will never see or photograph what we will or what we look for in our images. That keeps us different from those masses who all do the same thing.
It only encourages me to step further away from the mass production of selfies at well known sites.

First leaked pictures of the new Mavic Air

Dronedj leaked the first pictures of the new Mavic Air that will be announced tomorrow. These are the specs:

  • A 32-megapixel camera with panorama mode
  • 1/2.3 CMOS sensor and new ISP (Image Signal Processor)
  • 4K video spec @ 60fps
  • 3-way gimbal (upgrade from 2-way on Spark)
  • Four foldable legs like the current Mavic Pro
  • Obstacle-avoidance sensors in the front, bottom, and back
  • Equipped with a VPS – Visual Positioning System for better control, hovering and indoor flying
  • Gesture control
  • 21-minute flight time
  • It will be available in different matte colors: white, black and red we’ve seen so far
  • Compatible with DJI Goggles

Ted Forbes reviews the Light L16 camera

Ted:

This is my long awaited review of the Light L16. Announced 2 years ago it is finally out. The Light L16 combines 16 lenses in a mobile style body. Light say this is aimed to replace a traditional DSLR and a bag of lenses. The Light L16 uses computational imaging to get to the final image. When you make a photograph, it uses multiple lenses to compose the photo. Up to 10 images are combined and then stitched together in post production. On the widest angle setting this produces an 81 Megapixel image. So how does it work and what do the images look like?

Will both Canon and Nikon announce Full Frame mirrorless in February?

And now even Canonrumors reports about a possible High End (Full Frame?) mirrorless system camera presentation coming in February.

We’ve been told that Canon is sending out “very elaborate” invites to select dealers and VIPs for a mirrorless camera announcement next month.
The invitation was described as being very high end, printed on heavy glossy paper and showing a silhouette of a camera shaped like the EOS M6 with a hole cut out where the sensor would be.

Also Nikon might announce something before the CP+ show. But with both companies we still have no clue about what camera they will announce with what kind of lenses. But to sum up this seems to be the “trend”:

  1. Both companies could announced their FF mirrorless cameras (or prototypes or roadmap) on CP+ show.
  2. Both seem to use proper new mounts. They will not use the current DSLR mount and just take away the mirror :)
  3. Both seem to go for the Full Frame and not for the APS-C sensor.

New Schacht Travegon 50mm f/2.5 for Leica, Fuji and Sony mirrorless cameras

Everything that is (or sounds) German seems to turn out as gold on Kickstarter. The brand “Schacht” has now been revived and the Travegon 50mm f/2.5 lens for Leica, Fuji and Sony mirrorless cameras has been launched on Kickstarter.

The Travegon 50mm f: 2.5 is the fascinating combination of a close to perfect optical system, designed for mirrorless cameras in a compact lens housing. The ultimate goal when designing this lens was to create an outstanding image, optical and mechanical quality at an attractive price so that the increasing popularity of manual photography would meet the appropriate modern lens which allows to take full advantage of the technological innovations of modern mirrorless camera bodies. All lenses will be handmade in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, to ensure the highest quality but sourcing of materials will be done internationally to enable an attractive price point. This is a unique combination taking full advantage of globalized supply chains and German know how to the advantage of the backer.

The Travegon 50 was developed with the uncompromised goal to meet the most stringent quality demands for analog and digital photography. The Travegon 50 shows outstanding performance when it comes to contrast, resolution, structure and tonal depth.

The Travegon is a lens for people who want the extraordinary but do not want to spend extra. It is for photographers who see the bigger picture, who look beyond the obvious, question the average and recognize the significant in everyday things. They want to enlarge their own horizons but not to empty their pockets. All of this calls for the Travegon – a lens that goes beyond the undistinguished but is affordable for all.