نویسنده: AliBina

Canon RF 10-20mm f/4 L IS STM REVIEW

In this post I’ll be reviewing the new Canon RF 10-20mm f/4 L IS STM made for Canon RF mount cameras like the EOS R5 that I’ll be using to test the lens with.

Overall, this is a great little lens. I really enjoyed shooting with it so read on to see my impressions including (just a couple) of the negatives…

Physical Aspects

Physically this lens is much smaller and lighter than past FULL FRAME ultra-wide-angle lenses with an f/4 aperture.

Here is chart showing the physical size and weight of this new RF lens compared to older EF equivalents.

	Canon RF 10-20mm f/4 L IS STM	Sigma 12-24mm f/4 Art	Canon EF 11-24mm f/4 L USM
Weight	.57 kg	1.15 kg	1.18 kg
Length	11.2 cm	13.2 cm	13.2 cm
Width	8.4 cm	10.2 cm	10.8 cm
Stabilization	YES	NO	NO

Clearly, the new Canon RF 10-20mm f/4 L is saving a lot of weight which is going to make it a lot nicer to carry around on hikes or to keep in your bag in case you need an ultra-wide lens.

Handling & Usage

Being relatively light means that carrying and using this lens is pretty painless. It balances well on the camera and would be a good option for someone who has wrist pain who still wants to shoot full frame with a lens like this.

The lens is easy to use although the focus ring and the control ring are a little too close together. It’s very easy to accidentally turn one by accident when trying to turn the other. The zoom ring is smooth and easy to turn. All the rings are tightly fitted with no play in them.

One downside of this lens is that it won’t take a front filter. This isn’t a huge problem, but it does mean being more careful with the lens and keeping a dust cloth handy to do spot cleans here and there. Instead of a front filter there is a slot in the back where a rear filter can be inserted.

Speaking of cleaning the lens, it is one of the most difficult to clean lenses I have used as the front element is a bit of a dust magnet. And it’s necessary to keep the lens sparkling clean to achieve maximum image quality from the lens as it is very sensitive to oil and dust.

This lens has a unique lens cap which fully covers the lens hood and locks in using threads on the inside of the built-in lens hood. While the lens hood is nice and has a design which works better than some other lenses with large front elements like this, it is still an odd lens cap because it is more than an inch thick which is a big difference from most lens caps which are less than a quarter of an inch thick. It’s minor but it makes sticking the lens cap in a pants pocket pretty annoying.

There is also a button on the lens that can be assigned a specific function. I don’t know if that is camera body specific or if the lens keeps the assigned function from body to body.

Optical Image Stabilization

The RF 10-20mm f/4 L IS STM also has built in optical image stabilization.

The stabilization for stills is good but not quite exceptional on my R5. I have found that around a 1/4th of a second I have to take 3-5 shots to get a sharp one. But that was with mechanical shutter. With electronic shutter it seemed like I was getting sharp photos in 1-3 shots. The problem for me is that on the R5 the electronic shutter is limited to a max time of 1/2 a second. Shooting with a 1/2 second exposure is still impressive though and makes handheld shooting in almost total darkness a possibility.

Shooting video, the stabilization is pretty solid but if you want really smooth footage a gimbal or camera cage with handles is still necessary. This is probably the best I have used for just straight up handheld video though. I think it might even be slightly better than the RF 24-240mm which is tripod like at 24mm.

Zoom Range

The zoom range of this lens is 10-20mm, which may be limiting to some users who want to be able to shoot ultra-wide and zoom in to 24mm or even 35mm. It is truly an “ultra-wide zoom”.

Even though it may seem limiting to be stuck with just 10-20mm, the resolution at 20mm is high enough that cropping is not an issue. And the center of frame performance should make this lens a great performer on APS-C.

Bottom line, if you absolutely must have more magnification then using this lens on an APS-C will give you that. It’s not the perfect solution but it’s worth considering as APS-C cameras are getting better and better.

Focusing

Focusing is ok with this lens. It’s fast enough for most stills and quieter than most lenses too. It is reliable but does seem to just barely pull focus a lot especially when focusing center of frame. I did not extensively test tracking AF on my R5 but it is able to pick out a human subject even when at 10mm. The focus is not as snappy as most USM lenses, so it is a little slow to rack focus. I noticed a couple of times it focused behind a moving subject when I was using face tracking. Video shooters won’t care as much about snappy focus pulls so this lens should meet their expectations.

Distortion

Optically the lens is a good performer with some caveats. The first being that it has a lot of distortion at 10mm. To be fair, its less distortion, and more just not fully covering the sensor. This means the lens has to have digital corrections enabled for the image to be full 35mm frame size. Again, it’s one of those things that they have sacrificed to make the lens smaller, lighter, and probably, the price that it is. The good news is that the lens only exhibits barrel distortion, so the distortion correction is going to be simpler since there is no crossover from barrel into pincushion as many zoom lenses tend to have.

Below is an interactive example showing only the distortion correction at 10mm.

As you can see, the distortion correction is pretty substantial. Sharpness is visibly affected by the stretching required but only large prints will show obvious losses in resolution.

If you are shooting video the distortion correction will always be activated.

The reality is that despite the corrections this lens still manages to hang with the old EF 11-24mm f/4 L for about $700 less money.

Sharpness

I noticed some very slight sharpness inconsistency across the frame on the R5. To be fair, if I got lucky with focus the sharpness is good everywhere, but if the focus is ever so slightly off, I did notice some areas of softness here and there in the frame.

The problem with this is it’s very, very hard to see the focus is slightly off by looking through the viewfinder. What I found is that I typically want to focus to the left side of the frame rather than the center of the frame. I don’t know why that is, it could be how I hold the camera or how I tend to move when pressing the shutter button.

At higher shutter speeds it does seem to look sharper across the frame, so I think this is probably more of a stabilization issue.

Conclusion

This is a good lens that performs well and is lightweight. It is not that expensive for what it can do in the form factor that it has. Remember, this is a full frame lens that is similar in size to many APS-C lenses of the same type. Overall image quality is good but not flawless. It’s a nice lens to own if you’re willing to plunk down the money for it. Videographers in the market for an ultra-wide for Canon should like this one. It performed well for that purpose in the testing I did.

Image Samples

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18/04/2025

Why are your SD card transfers slow?

This article provides all the information about SD cards and USB card readers that you could possibly need. The reasons why things could be messed up with your data transfers are listed below. Please read each section carefully in order to make sure you understand exactly what is going on.

#1 Your SD card is actually slow

SD cards have been around awhile and because of that there is a chance you dug up an old card somewhere that is older and slower than any of your other cards. In this case there’s not a lot you can do, and since the SD card standard is really old, if you’ve been doing media stuff for awhile there’s every change in the world you have a slower card.

The original SD cards don’t have any extra naming on them, it’s just “SD”. SD cards have been introduced according to size class, below are the different size classes currently offered:


Maximum Capacity	2GB	32GB	2TB	128TB
Date Introduced	1999	2006	2009	2018

Size classes are a broad category for different SD card technologies that show what the maximum possible size is supported by each technology. Since 2018 most new cameras should support the largest size class for SD cards which is SDUC. These labels should be printed somewhere on your SD card, so, if you see SDHC which was introduced in 2006, you may have an older and slower SD card.

The most important rating related to speed is the Bus Interface type. Look on your card to see if it has a UHS Bus Logo on it as shown in the chart below. If there is no logo your card is probably an older and slower technology. If your card one of the bus logos in the chart below, then you should get the associated Bus Speed. However, that doesn’t mean that you’ll get those speeds for bursts or sustained writes, although you should something in that range for bursts because there is obviously no point in supporting a faster bus speed if the memory in the card doesn’t support the bus speed.

Bus Interface	Bus Logo	Bus Speed	SD	SDHC	SDXC	SDUC
Default Speed		12.5 MB/s	yes	yes	yes	yes
High Speed		25 MB/s	yes	yes	yes	yes
UHS-I		50-104 MB/s	no	yes	yes	yes
UHS-II		156-312 MB/s	no	yes	yes	yes
UHS-III		312-624 MB/s	no	yes	yes	yes
SD EXPRESS		985-3983 MB/s	no	yes	yes	yes

Bus speed does not guarantee sustained writes. It guarantees that the card can write in a burst at up to that speed. For sustained writes you’ll need to refer to the following chart which is called the VIDEO SPEED CLASS.

With the Video Speed Class, it’s purely about sustained writes specifically for something like recording video. Sustained writes tend to be a lot lower because these writes are limited by the flash memory in the SD card as opposed to the card’s bus.

#2 you’re using an old USB port or an old USB hub

Assuming you have determined that you have a relatively fast SD card to work with we can now move on to the next possible issue, your USB port or hub. From 1996 to 2014 there were 4 speed classes of USB introduced and they all used the same familiar rectangular USB plug known as a USB A connector. USB 3.2 introduced in 2017 uses only the new USB C type port. However, just having USB C does NOT guarantee USB 3.2 speeds! USB C is backwards compatible all the way to USB 2.0 so a USB C device could support any of the USB specifications from 2.0 all the way to the upcoming USB4… To try to state that as clearly as possible, USB 3.2 and USB4 ONLY support USB C, but USB C supports ALL USB versions going back to USB 2.0. Now, depending on the age of your computer you will probably be stuck with a USB port that is pretty slow. Here is a chart to help you make sense of that:

Version	USB 1.0	USB 1.1	USB 2.0	USB 3.0	USB 3.1	USB 3.2	USB 4
Date Introduced	1996	1998	2001	2011	2014	2017	2019
Maximum Transfer Speed	1.5 MB/s	1.5 MB/s	60 MB/s	625 MB/s	1,250 MB/s	2,500 MB/s	20GB/s – 120GB/s

With USB 2.0 things are further confused by the fact that there were different speeds of connections possible with 60MB/s being the maximum but slower connections being very common due to device limitations. The point being that your USB 2.0 device could be running at USB 1.0 speeds depending on whether the device, such as your card reader or USB hub, actually supports USB 2.0 High Speed.

There are two types of USB 3.1. USB 3.1 gen 1, and USB 3.1 gen 2. USB 3.1 gen 1 runs at the speeds shown above in the chart, but USB 3.1 gen 2 is a USB 3.2 speed protocol for USB 3.1 connectors. For instance, if you buy a USB A to USB C cable that says it is USB 3.1 gen 2 it will give you the USB 3.2 speeds.

Using the above chart you can see that any and all computers made before 2011 had USB 2.0 at best, so if your laptop or desktop is from 2011 or earlier this could be your reason for slow transfers.

The annoying thing is that even on new computers there are often still USB 2.0 ports. That is because many devices like a mouse and keyboard don’t need anything better than a USB 2.0 port. So, even though you might have a newer laptop a common theme I have seen is that a laptop might have 3 USB ports on it but 2 of them will be USB 2.0 and only 1 of them will be the newest USB 3.1 or USB 3.2 or whatever. If you are confused which one is which you can check your laptop case for a text label, try looking at the side or bottom of the laptop near the USB port in question, or you can also check your computer’s online user manual. If all else fails, try calling customer service.

Another common issue is that if you use an old USB 2.0 hub with a new USB 3.1 port you will only get the USB 2.0 speeds. So, if you are using a hub and getting slow speeds, try plugging your card reader directly into your computer and see if that improves things at all.

Of course the opposite is also true. If you plug a brand spanking new USB 3.2 hub into a USB 2.0 port, again, you only get the USB 2.0 speeds.

If you want the full speed of the USB port the card, the card reader, the cable, the USB hub, and the USB port on your computer all have to support the same maximum speeds.

Speaking of cables, this is yet another tricky situation with USB devices. Many companies are out there are selling non-standard cables, so watch out. As I said earlier USB C is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and newer so just buying a USB C cable is no guarantee you will get the high speed transfers. You have to make sure that the USB cable you buy specifically supports the speeds you are trying to achieve.

Usually, devices and cables that support these standards will sport the “SuperSpeed” logo as a sign that they’re officially rated to achieve those speeds.

That just about covers the possibilities with USB devices and cables so on to the next possibility!

#3 Your card reader is slow

Card readers have to support all features of the USB connection and the SD card. You can’t just plug a UHS-III card into a card reader that only supports UHS-I. If you do that you will only get the UHS-I speeds at the most. The same is true for the USB support. If the reader only supports USB 3.0, you’ll be stuck with USB 3.0 speeds no matter what port you plug the card reader into.

#4 Your computer HDD is slow

That is because there are literally dozens of things you have to know about how computers work just to transfer data from a card to a computer HDD.

Even if you have the fastest USB, the fastest USB cables, the fastest USB card reader, and the fastest CFExpress cards in the world, when all that data gets downloaded onto your computer it still has to be saved onto the HDD or SSD and if the storage device in your computer is slow guess what?? Your transfers will still be slow. The fact is that while a CFExpress card can manage about 1,700 MB/s read speeds and the USB 3.2 spec can support that, the fastest mechanical hard drives will generally write to disk at about 170 MB/s, or about 10 times slower than the fastest cards.

In order to fix that problem, you have to get a faster SSD in your computer. Typically, that is going to be an NVME SSD. The good news is that as of the writing of this article 8TB SSD drives are currently available. So, using SSDs for media storage is finally possible.

If you have an older laptop you may be limited to SATA 3, that interface is limited to 600 MB/s which is still fast enough for most transfers you might encounter. But, if you are trying to transfer terabytes of data from your cards 600 MB/s may not be fast enough. 600 MB/s works out to about 32 minutes to transfer 1TB if that helps you decide whether you need to buy a new NVME enabled laptop or desktop.

IF you have a desktop computer with free PCIE slots you can purchase an NVME expansion card for your computer.

#5 Transfers are still slow even though you know all of the above should be correct

In the case that you have verified all of the above should be correct to enable high speed transfers to your computer, there are rare situations where your drivers are incorrect. Usually Windows will automatically install the correct drivers but sometimes things get messed up. You also could try reinstalling your operating system.

Another unfortunate possibility is a hardware failure of some sort. A cable may be failing or a USB port may be failing on your computer. In those cases try another port, USB hub, or even another computer and see if you get different results. It may seem crazy, but I have had USB ports fail on my computer from overuse. They usually don’t stop working entirely. What I experienced is that the port would become intermittent during transfers, slowing down to just a few KB/s then speeding up for a few seconds before slowing down again.

I have learned from experience that many of these USB related products have questionable performance characteristics either due to buggy chipsets or just being sold as something they are not. Don’t automatically take your cable and USB hub’s performance claims 100% at face value. Test them out on a system you know works properly. This is especially true if you went cheap and got one of those weird Amazon brands for a lot less money than seems normal (I speak from experience).

If all else fails, call an expert and see if they can help you figure out where the issue may be.

#6 SD cards aren’t fast enough for your needs

The highest read speed for SD cards as of writing is 300MB/s. Future cards may be faster, or they may not. To get faster transfers to your PC you’ll need CFExpress Type B cards, or you can use an external recording device that uses CFExpress Type B or SSD (NVME) drives to save your video and photo data.

Troubleshooting:

Problem: Transfers start out fast then slow down.

Answer 1: The computer HDD may be too slow to sustain a large file transfer.

Answer 2: The USB port may be failing. One sign of a USB port failure is highly irregular transfer speeds or extremely slow transfer speeds that never get faster.

Answer 3: The SD card, computer SSD, or USB port may be overheating due to excessive use or other problems.

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18/04/2025

What is a shutter button?

Every camera in the world has a shutter button. The shutter button is the only button that you can press that takes a picture. If you are pressing a button on your camera and the camera is not taking a picture, that button you are pressing is not the shutter button.

If you press a button and the camera does take a picture, then that is the shutter button.

Only still cameras have shutter buttons. Video cameras have “record buttons” not “shutter buttons”.

Below is an image of a shutter button on an EOS RP:

The button is located in a place where it is easy to press with your index finger when holding the camera by the grip in your right hand.

Most cameras are setup for right-handed use, this means that holding the camera in your right hand is necessary in order to press the shutter button.

On many cameras the shutter button causes the shutter to open and close which is what allows light to enter the camera and hit the sensor or film.

Many digital cameras also have electronic shutters. And electronic shutter is what is used in a phone.

However, most professional quality cameras use mechanical shutters because a mechanical shutter actually helps the sensor perform better.

Below is a video of a mechanical shutter opening and closing on the EOS RP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uljygm9yUyU

This type of shutter action is called “1st curtain electronic” shutter. That means that the first “curtain” of the shutter is electronically actuated, but the second curtain of the shutter is mechanical. This is still a little bit better than a full electronic shutter for image quality.

Now you know that the shutter button controls the shutter, and the shutter is the thing that opens to let light into the camera which the sensor than captures to produce a picture.

Film cameras work much the same way although they can have different kinds of shutters.

There are some very old-style film cameras that don’t have shutters at all. With those cameras the lens cap is the shutter, and the exposure time is usually very long, typically in the 30 second range.

Despite that, it’s safe to say that pretty much any camera you are likely to use will have a mechanical shutter button on it and pressing that button is how you take a picture.

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18/04/2025
Incredible Models | Beautiful Flower Pictures Blog

Photos of some of the wonderful models I’ve had the pleasure of working with in recent years.

Zoe Celesta West © 2025 Patty Hankins

Ivory Flame © 2025 Patty Hankins

Lucy Magdalene © 2025 Patty Hankins

Ivory Flame © 2025 Patty Hankins

Rebecca Lawrence © 2025 Patty Hankins

Ivory Flame © 2025 Patty Hankins

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18/04/2025
How to Resize Images Without Losing Quality in Photoshop
You may have been told you need to compress and resize image files for websites, social media, and other uses. Why? Oversized images can slow down your site, mess with SEO, and even affect sales. But shrinking an image the wrong way? That can leave you with a blurry, pixelated mess.

Luckily, resizing images without losing quality is easy once you know how. This guide walks you through how to resize an image in Photoshop without losing quality and all the other best methods—starting with what to consider before you begin.

Preparing for image resizing

Before you resize an image, consider the following:
- Aspect ratio: Make sure the image keeps its proportions so it doesn’t look stretched. Common ratios include 1:1 (square) for profile pics, 16:9 for banners, and 3:2 for product shots.
- Required dimensions: Every platform has its own size recommendations—Instagram Stories need 1080x1920px, while blog images usually fall between 1200px and 1600px wide.
- Resolution: Web images should be 72 DPI for fast loading, while print needs at least 300 DPI for high-quality results.
- Use case: Think about where the photo will be used. This helps avoid distortion and keeps your visuals looking sharp. Websites and online stores need smaller file sizes for speed, while social media platforms have specific size guidelines to keep images looking their best.
It’s also a good idea to make sure you start with a high-quality image. No amount of editing or resizing can make a poor-quality photo look great.

How to reduce image size in Photoshop: shortcut

If you want a quick and easy way to resize images in Photoshop, follow these steps:

If you’re already using Photoshop, open your image by going to File > Open from the menu at the top of the application window. If you have just opened Photoshop, you can still open the image directly from the opening screen. You can also use the shortcut CTRL + O (COMMAND + O on a Mac) to open an image at any time.

Navigate through your documents until you find your image, and open it. Then, go to Image > Image Size in the top menu. You can quickly access the Image Size window by typing CTRL + ALT + I (COMMAND + ALT + I on a Mac).

In the Image Size dialog box, enter the new dimensions you want to resize your image to. Make sure the chain link icon (to keep proportions) is enabled.

If you are sizing an image for your ecommerce website, you will want the dimensions to be as small as possible without losing quality. A good rule of thumb? Keep images around 1000px wide (2000px wide if they are to fill the screen from side to side). You can keep an eye on the final file size with the “Image Size:” text at the top of the dialog box. In general, try to keep ecommerce images under 200K to ensure fast load times.

Next to Resampling, choose a method that works best for the type of image you are working with:
- Bicubic Sharper (reduction) is best for reducing the size while still showing a lot of detail
- Bicubic (smooth gradients) will produce the best images for showcasing flawless skin by smoothing edges
- Nearest Neighbor produces very harsh edges and emphasizes artifacts. Only use this if you want a grainy, pixelated look.
All other resampling options are for enlarging images, not reducing them. If you’re not sure which resampling to choose, stick with “Automatic.”

Click OK, then save your resized image (File > Export > Export As…).

For more control over file size and compression, Photoshop’s Export As… tool is a great option—covered in the next section.

How to reduce image size in Photoshop: Export As…

The Export tool in Photoshop is one of the best ways to shrink image file sizes without sacrificing too much quality. Whether you’re optimizing a product image, a thumbnail, or a homepage banner, it can balance image clarity with fast loading speeds.

Using the Export function in Photoshop is often comparable to the compression you’ll get from other tools, without the extra steps (or extra cost) of needing to access additional software.

Before using the Export function, set your ideal image aspect ratio in the top, left hand corner after selecting the Crop tool.

Once your image is cropped (if needed), resize and compress it using the Export function.

Go to: File > Export > Export As…. You can also use the Export As… keyboard shortcut CTRL + SHIFT + ALT + W (ALT + SHIFT + COMMAND + W on a Mac)

This opens the Export As… window, where you can fine-tune file size and quality.

Photoshop image resizing settings

Here are some of the image resize file size and other settings you can choose from:
- Preview section: See what your image will look like after export. Clicking on 2-Up allows you to see different options side-by-side
- File format: On the right-hand side of the screen, you can choose what file type your exported image will be. JPEG is best for compression while keeping quality. PNG is great for transparency but results in larger files. If you have a simple vector-style graphic with no transparency, PNG-8 will give you a great-looking file at a fraction of the size of a PNG-24 (see below). If your graphic is animated, save as an animated GIF.
- Quality (for JPEG): When the JPEG file format is selected, you can use the slider to move between low quality and high quality. A compression level around 5 or 6 is usually adequate.
- Quality (for PNG): When PNG is selected, you have the choice to choose “Transparency” and “Smaller File (8-bit)” If you want a high quality, transparent image (known as a PNG-24), check Transparency and leave Smaller File unchecked. However, if you need to compress an image heavily and transparency isn’t that important, choose Smaller File. This will allow you to export your file as a lower-quality, smaller-sized PNG-8.
- Image size: The dimensions of your image. If you know the exact dimensions you need, you can enter them here. Or, if you want to reduce the size by a percentage, you can use the Percent scaler as well.
- Resample: This is how Photoshop “rebuilds” parts of the image’s data that are altered during compression. Any time you enlarge or reduce an image’s size, you’re going to affect the original proportion that the image had in relation to pixels per inch and dimensions. Bicubic creates smoother gradients, but does not allow for the most compression. Explore other options such as Nearest Neighbor (most basic and worst preservation of detail), Bilinear (usually better for upsampling), Bicubic Smoother (designed for upsampling) or Bicubic Sharper (better for downsampling/preserves detail).
- File size: On the lefthand side of the Export As… window, you can see the file size of the optimized image.
There’s no one-size-fits-all option here. When reducing an image in Photoshop, each image generally takes an individualized amount of tweaking to find the best image quality with the best compression.

Web tools to edit images and reduce file size
- Bulk Web Resizer: This site allows you to upload a batch of images and then resize according to your desired dimensions. You can also adjust the image quality to your needs (choose 100 if you want to preserve the original quality), as well as sharpen images.
- Canva: Canva’s free photo editor allows you to crop and resize images on its site. Additional free editing tools include flipping and rotating images, adjusting the color, and adding filters.
- ImageOptim: ImageOptim can be used in your web browser or via a Mac application. To shrink files, ImageOptim gets rid of EXIF metadata, such as GPS position and the camera’s serial number — however, you can choose to keep specified metadata intact (which is essential to optimizing your product photos for SEO). There’s also a Lossy minification option, which ImageOptim says will result in the smallest file size possible, while preserving image quality. ImageOptim has pricing plans, starting at $9/month for 1,000 image optimizations.
- Kraken: Kraken has a web application and a developer API that can handle bulk image optimization and resizing. The simple web interface is free, and you can drag and drop photos or upload by entering the image URL. There are also different pricing options depending on how many images you work with and how frequently you need to reduce their size. Pricing is based on the total number of GB.
- Pixlr: Resize and also edit photos as needed. The image-editing site also has a free vector-editing tool, as well as free fonts and graphics you can use.
- pngquant: This tool will compress .png files to reduce the file size.
- TinyJPG/TinyPNG: This site allows you to reduce the file size of your images. There are no editing features; instead, TinyJPG/TinyPNG focuses on compressing files to ultimately reduce the file size, stripping unnecessary data from your image.
AI resizing and compression tools
- Let’s Enhance: great for resizing photos for print and digital use.
- Squoosh: web-based, Google-backed compressor with advanced controls.
- Upscale.media: AI-powered upscaler for improving resolution.
Plugins that reduce image size within your CMS

There are tons of plugins on the market that make the image resizing process easier and more automated, all from within your CMS. Here are just a few:

WordPress

Shopify

Tips for resizing ecommerce photos

For ecommerce product photography, maintaining high quality while optimizing file size is key. Here are some best practices:
- Recommended dimensions: Most platforms work well with 1000×1000 px for product images. If zoom functionality is needed, go for 2000×2000 px or higher.
- Aspect ratio: Stick to 1:1 (square) for product photos and 16:9 or 4:3 for banners and hero images.
- Compression: Keep file sizes under 200 KB for fast loading. JPEGs with a “High” setting in Save for Web are a good choice.
- Background: Use a clean white or transparent background to keep the focus on the product.
- Resampling: Use Bicubic Sharper for downsizing to preserve details.
Tips for resizing headshots

Headshots should look sharp and professional across platforms without being too large. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Recommended dimensions: For LinkedIn, company websites, or professional use, 400×400 px works well. For print or high-res needs, go for 1200×1200 px or more.
- Aspect ratio: Stick with 1:1 (square) for profile pictures or 4:5 / 2:3 for portraits.
- File type: Use JPEG for web (compressed but sharp) and PNG for transparent backgrounds.
- Compression: Aim for a file size under 100 KB for web use to prevent slow loading.
- Resampling: Use Bicubic Sharper when reducing size to keep facial features crisp.
Outsource your image resizing needs

Resizing images properly takes time, especially if you’re working with a large volume of product photos, headshots, or marketing assets. Instead of spending hours tweaking dimensions and compression settings, consider outsourcing to a professional image-editing service.

At Path, we specialize in high-quality image resizing, background removal, drop shadow, and more—all done by expert editors with precision and speed. Whether you need bulk resizing for an ecommerce store or perfectly optimized headshots, you’re in good hands with Path.

Need bulk image resizing done right? Try Path free—fast, flawless, and optimized for web.

Image resizing and compression FAQs

Does resizing affect SEO?

Yes, large images slow websites, hurting rankings.

What’s the ideal file size for web images?

The ideal file size for web images is under 100KB for optimal performance.
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18/04/2025
10 settings to boost your Canon EOS R5 to the max!

Did you just get a new R5 or R5 mk II? Here are 5 helpful settings that can help you get more out of your R5 mk II.

Tip #1: Make sure IBIS (In Body Image Stabilization) is turned on.

Both version of the R5 have IBIS. Make sure IBIS is on so you can get more sharp pictures with less camera shake.

Tip #2: Turn your EVF and rear display up to the max!

Set your display to use 120 hz pro motion for the best result. When looking at your screens it will look smoother and better, especially when there’s things moving.

On the same menu you’ll see a setting called “Suppress lower frame rate”. To maximize performance, turn this off as well.

Please enjoy the use of your camera.

Tip #3: “Lower” the image quality to get more on your cards.

The EOS R5 mk II can record with a variety of different file formats and compression algorithms to help you fit more data onto your memory card. This can be especially useful for 4k video and higher resolutions.

Tip #4: You can use EF lenses on your R5 mk II with an EF to RF adapter.

Canon was very nice to design an adapter that will let you use an EF lens with your RF camera. Simply buy Canon’s adapter and attach it to the back of your EF lens, then you can attach the lens to your R5 mk II just like any other RF lens. By do this, you can save money and still have a Canon lens. (Very nice.)

Tip #5: Use the joystick to control your focus point.

The R5 mk II has a joystick on the back of it that you can use to move your focus point around. By using the joystick, you can easily select where you want your camera to focus on the frame.

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18/04/2025
How To Protect Camera In Bad Weather: 16 Pro Tips
The weather can be unpredictable, even in the most temperate of climates. Rainy days can make for a great photo shoot opportunity, but if you’re unprepared and don’t have the right gear, it could also mean some costly repairs for your camera.

Protect your camera from bad weather by investing in high-quality rain protection gear, covers, rain sleeves, waterproof backpacks, and UV filters.

Whether you’re shooting in the rain, snow, or extreme heat, there are steps you can take to ensure that your camera stays safe and functional:

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16 Tips for Weatherproofing Your Camera

1. Invest in a Camera Rain Cover

A camera rain cover is the first line of defense against rainy conditions, and it’s a must-have for any serious outdoor photographer.

upaa

It is a simple and effective way to protect your camera from the elements. It fits over your camera and lens, creating a barrier between the camera and the rain.

A good rain cover will protect your camera from rain, snow and sand—and can also be used to shield it from the sun’s UV rays. Rain covers attach to your camera using hook-and-loop fasteners (a type of adhesive), allowing you to easily remove or reposition the cover as needed.

2. Use a UV Filter

For those who don’t know, UV filters are basically clear pieces of glass that fit in front of your camera lens to protect it from scratches and damage. So why would you want one?

Well, they’ll help keep dust out of your camera and prevent moisture from getting inside. Aside from that, they help reduce the amount of UV light that enters the lens, which can cause lens flare and other problems. A UV filter also provides an extra layer of protection for your lens.

They’re also easy to clean when they do get dirty while you’re working outside with your camera! These filters come in all shapes and sizes – we recommend purchasing one with just a bit wider diameter than the front element on your lens so that it can easily slide into place without having to worry about vignetting (light falloff).

3. Change your Lens Cap for a Tulip Hood

To protect your camera from the elements, you can use a tulip hood. A tulip hood is an alternative to using a lens cap that will save you time and money. The benefits of using a tulip hood are:
- It’s easy to attach and remove from your camera.
- There is no need to remove it every time you want to take pictures.
- It protects both sides of the lens at once—the front and back sides of the lens are equally protected by this cover!
4. Use a Rain Sleeve on your Camera

You can also use a rain sleeve as an additional protection for your camera gear. A rain sleeve is a protective cover for your camera that helps keep it dry and protected from the elements, including dirt, dust and water.

Rainsleeves come in several sizes: some are designed for specific models like DSLRs or mirrorless cameras; others are universal and will fit any size device.

If you’ve got multiple lenses that need protection but don’t want to buy multiple covers, consider buying an ultralight backpack instead of individual bags—many backpacks have built-in lens cases that can be opened with one hand while shooting!

A good quality rain sleeve will have an adjustable strap to attach it securely around your DSLR or mirrorless camera body. It should also be made from high-quality material with waterproof zippers so that it doesn’t let any water in when you open the case up after using it in inclement weather conditions like heavy rain, light rain or snowfall.

If you don’t want to buy one of these sleeves for every time you go out shooting photos outdoors during bad weather conditions then consider investing in a lightweight plastic bag instead (or even just zip lock bags).

This way you can keep them as spares when photographing outdoors so that if something does happen with your gear while taking photos outside during rainy days then there’s always an extra layer protecting their expensive equipment!

5. Keep your Camera Away from Direct Water Contact

photofocus

The last thing you want is for your camera to get wet, so make sure you take precautions before heading out on your next adventure. If there’s even a chance of rain, keep your camera gear safe in a waterproof camera housing, bag or case for better protection. You must always be ready with weather-sealed cameras.

And if it’s too late and the weather has already turned against you, try taking the battery out and bringing just that part inside.

If a storm happens while you’re out in nature, quickly seek shelter under some trees or rocks until it passes—but don’t risk getting lost by trying to find shelter outside! If all else fails, consider changing plans altogether and rescheduling them for another time when it won’t be raining as hard (or at all).

6. Carry Dry Bags with you

Keep your camera inside a dry, protective bag. Dry bags are waterproof and can protect your camera from the elements.

A camera bag with a weather-resistant exterior can help protect your camera gear safe from the rain and other elements. It’s also a good idea to store your camera in a dry place when it’s not in use for better protection.

They come in all shapes and sizes, so you can choose one that fits your needs. Make sure the zippers are strong enough to keep all the water out and make sure there’s a way for air to escape if it does get inside (don’t buy a dry bag with just a single valve).

You can also use them to keep any other electronics you’re carrying dry. You can typically fit your photo gear, waterproof camera housing, a phone, wallet, passport, etc. in one of these small bags and just throw it into your bag or backpack.

7. Shoot in RAW format

Shooting in RAW format is one of the best ways to protect your camera from bad weather. Unlike JPEG files, which are compressed and have their colors reduced, RAW files are not processed by your camera settings until you open them on your computer.

This means that they contain all of the information captured by the camera’s sensor—uncompressed, high-resolution images with more detail than JPEGs can ever hope for.

8. Buy a Waterproof Backpack to Protect your Gear

You may want to invest in a good waterproof backpack to keep your camera dry. Even if you are confident that your camera and lenses can stand up against wet conditions and the elements, it’s always better to get added protection and to be safe than sorry.

dpreview

Look for one that has been designed specifically with photographers in mind. It should feature an internal memory card slot, multiple accessory pockets and dividers for organizing equipment. It also needs to have padded straps to comfortably keep your camera inside during long hikes or treks through the city streets.

The additional cost is worth it to protect your cameras and gear and keep them safe from the rain, cold, and other extreme conditions.

9. Keep an Extra Camera Battery Handy

The weather is not going to care if you are shooting a wedding or just trying to get that perfect shot of the sunset. You need to be prepared, as your camera’s battery life will be affected by all sorts of things, including temperature and humidity.

As with human batteries (iPhones), the amount of charge left in your camera’s battery will decrease over time. If you use your camera often, then you should consider replacing the original battery with an extra one.

10. Protect your Camera from Heat and Humidity

If you store your camera for long periods of time, make sure it is dry and cool. Do not leave your camera in a car or on any surface that might get hot from sunlight or indoor heating.

For extra protection, keep the lens cap on when not in use to prevent dust accumulation on the surface of the lens. If you’re going to be putting your cameras away for a while, consider storing it in a temperature-controlled environment (such as an air-conditioned room) or climate-controlled storage facility.

11. Carry a Microfiber Cloth

A microfiber cloth can be used to wipe away any excess moisture or dirt that gets on your camera. It’s a good idea to keep one in your camera bag at all times.

12. Avoid Changing Lenses in Bad Weather

If you need to change lenses, try to do it in a covered area to protect your camera from the elements. If you must change lenses in the rain, turn your camera off and cover the body and lens with a rain cover or umbrella to minimize the amount of moisture that gets inside.

13. Use a Lens Hood

A lens hood is a piece of plastic or metal that attaches to the front of your lens. It helps to shield the lens from heavy rain, snow, and other elements. It also helps to reduce lens flare and improve image quality.

14. Avoid Shooting in Extreme Heat

If you’re shooting in very hot conditions, try to keep your camera in a cool, shaded area as much as possible. Avoid leaving it in a hot car or direct sunlight for extended periods of time, as this can cause damage to the camera and its batteries.

15. Use a Dry Box or Silica Gel Packets

drycabinets

If you’re traveling to a humid location, consider using a dry box or silica gel packets to protect your camera and lenses from moisture. A dry box is a small, airtight container that absorbs moisture, while silica gel packets absorb moisture and help to keep your gear dry.

16. Use a Tripod in Windy Conditions

If you’re shooting in windy conditions, a tripod can help to keep your camera steady and prevent it from being blown over. It’s also a good idea to use a cable release or self-timer to minimize camera shake

Takeaway

The takeaway from this article is that you need to be aware of the weather conditions and keep your camera safe when you are outdoors. You should also take precautions before heading outside.

If it looks like it will rain or snow, keep your camera weather sealed, stay indoors, and wait for the storm to pass. Be sure to wipe off any moisture on your camera if it gets wet in the rain or snow, and make sure you keep it dry when indoors so that moisture doesn’t build up inside of it and damage its internal parts.

The most important thing is to not let yourself get frustrated or discouraged when things don’t go as planned. Remember that there will always be beautiful days for photography.

It’s impossible to keep the bad weather completely out of the picture. Tips, we shared can help you protect your camera from bad weather, and ensure that it stays in good working order, and takes better photos for years to come. Happy shooting!
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18/04/2025
Best Media Storage Solutions for Pro Photographers

Andrew Hancock isn’t the type of photographer that has a lot of downtime from shooting. As one sports season wraps up, he’s already looking ahead to what’s coming up. And when Hancock is covering a sporting event, he’s typically overseeing the remote cameras aimed at the athletes—he estimates for a basketball or baseball game he’s managing anywhere between six to 12 cameras at a time. For horse racing, it can be as many as 20 cameras.

It’s a massive amount of data that needs to be managed after the fact. Hancock trusts the SanDisk® Professional G-DRIVE® PROJECT desktop solution which has a built-in PRO-BLADE™ SSD Mag slot, and SanDisk® PRO-CINEMA CFexpress™ Type B cards to stand up the challenge when he is out in the field.

“I’m only as fast as my slowest point and speed is everything, especially when you’re doing work for the teams,” Hancock says. “Cards can be the Achilles heel for sports photographers—we’re using high speed frame rates, and trying to get as much of the action as we possibly can. SanDisk PRO-CINEMA CFexpress Type B cards help let me push my camera to its limits.”

The SanDisk PRO-CINEMA CFexpress Type B card is a key part of Hancock’s workflow. The card is designed for professional photographers and videographers who need a high-performance, reliable storage solution. The card is compatible with a wide range of cameras, and it offers read speeds of up to 1700MB/s¹ and burst write speeds of up to 1500MB/s¹. This means that Hancock can capture high-resolution photos and videos without having to worry about his cards slowing him down.

Hancock says that SanDisk’s line of professional products has allowed him to create a daisy-chained ecosystem that works well together. The reliable, fast PRO-CINEMA CFexpress cards are loaded into the cameras, media on the cards is offloaded using the SanDisk Professional PRO-DOCK 4 or PRO-BLADE SSD Mag slots, eventually getting archived on a G-RAID® MIRROR.

“The ability to be able to pump this data as fast as it can go and wherever it can go, means I’m not having to worry about overheating issues or filling the buffer,” Hancock says. “In a clenching situation, where I want to get as much as I possibly can, these cards allow me to actually focus on capturing the moment, without worrying about missing frames.”

For Hancock, having these fast, top of the line cards and drives is as essential as his cameras and lenses when he’s on a job.

“I know I’m not going to be covering a massive event and then something’s going to fail or underperform. At the end of the day that comes back on me,” he says. “It’s like being the quarterback of the team. It doesn’t matter if the receiver dropped the ball, everything comes back to your shoulders. It’s on you. As a photographer you’ve got to make those decisions. And it’s a business decision, quite frankly.”

Professional sports photographers typically spend a good deal of time on the road—Hancock mentions that some years he has up to 200 travel days a year. Having a storage solution that’s been easy to pack up and set up on location has also been a huge part of the appeal for him. Beyond its compact size, the SanDisk PRO-CINEMA CFexpress Type B card also comes with a durable enclosure, withstanding up to 1-meter drops and the pressure of up to 50 newtons², so Hancock can be confident his data will be safe on the go.

“I’m like water, I want the path of least resistance. Having a streamlined workflow takes all the stress out of the situation for me,” he says.

For Hancock having such a streamlined workflow with storing and archiving, enables him to perform at a higher level and be more creative when he’s working. But it’s also helped him get valuable back time. “It’s made my job easier and more efficient, which ultimately means more time with my kids whenever I’m home,” he says. “I love what I do, but any second that I can get back, I want it.”

¹Up to 1700MB/s read speed; up to 1500MB/s write speed. 1400MB/s minimum sustained write speed. Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending upon host device, usage conditions, and other factors. 1MB=1,000,000 bytes.

²Based on internal testing.

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18/04/2025
Isotta Unveils Housing for the Insta360 Ace Pro and Ace Pro 2
After many years supporting the GoPro with their rugged aluminum housing, Isotta has turned its attention to the action cam competition—the Insta360 Ace Pro and new Ace Pro 2.

The new housing has much in common with the company’s housing for the GoPro HERO13 Black: anodized aluminum construction and signature red finish; depth rating to 200 meters (650 feet); one-handed open/close; double O-ring seals throughout; and a removable shade that offers a clear view of the rear LCD in bright conditions.

Priced at $515, the housing is available from retailers such as Backscatter.

When purchasing underwater photography equipment like the products mentioned in this article, please support DPG by supporting our retail partner—Backscatter.com.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Isotta Underwater Camera Housing for Housing for INSTA360 Ace Pro and Ace Pro 2

Technical Data
- Red color anodized aluminum body;
- Back housing completely detachable from the front housing;
- Single-hand closing knob for the back of the housing;
- Aluminum buttons;
- Wide back display viewfinder glass;
- Double O-Ring seals on all buttons and removable parts;
- Double square flat porthole;
- Rubber covered feet for solid footing on boat floors or sea floor;
- Cold shoe located on upper side of the housing for various accessories such as focus lights;
- A M6 hole and a 1/4W hole located on housing bottom side for different accessories such as brackets for strobes or tripods;
- Working depth: 200 meters;
Commands
- Mode button;
- Shutter button lever;
Optional
- 1632 – Forefinger shot;
- 1633 – Thumb shot;
- 1862 – Tray for action cam;
- 3073 – Single flip with magenta filter for action cam;
- 3074 – Single flip with red filter for action cam;
- 3075 – Double Flip with Filters for action cam;
What Is Included
- Housing;
- Front lid;
- Shade;
- Replacement O-ring kit;
- Warranty: 2 years manufacturer’s (excluding batteries);
Spare Parts
- 4409 – Set o-ring for INSTA360 Ace Pro and Ace Pro 2;
- 4410 – Shade for INSTA360 Ace Pro and Ace Pro 2;
- 3664 – Front lid for actioncam;
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18/04/2025
Make It Different, Make it Yours.

One of the great photographic challenges is making a photograph that is different: different from what others are making and different from the images you’ve made so many times before.

Taking the same photograph over and over doesn’t appeal to me. I want to go further, learn more, and get closer and closer to images that feel uniquely my own. I’m betting you do, too.

So how do we do that? It takes a conscious effort. It takes a recognition that the “same old, same old” isn’t scratching the itch it once did. And it also takes some risk. After all, we do the same old, same old because it works. It’s safe. It’s obvious to us. Approaching things a bit more obliquely isn’t obvious—at least not at first. But being in the moment and then thinking, “I need to do things differently!” isn’t much help, either. Which things? Different how? Asking more specific questions and looking for interesting answers has always been my starting point of departure from my norm.

Here are five questions I ask myself to get unstuck and discover new directions.

How Can I Change My Point of View (POV)?

Often, the easiest way to change things is to get the camera into a new place—to go against your first instinct just to raise it to your eye.

I spent my last safari in Kenya bent over the side of the vehicle or shooting low through an open door after removing one of the seats. Two years ago, I finally caved in and bought chest waders so I could get my camera closer to water level. I’ve started playing with putting my camera in places where I can only control it with a remote app on my iPad. I’ve seen some photographers do the same, but with the camera mounted high on a boom pole. Why not get a drone if it can be used without disturbing others? All these efforts began by asking, “How could I change my point of view?”

Moving the position of the camera changes so much in the image, and it’s often just that one change that makes the biggest difference.

How Can I Change My Technique?

We’re such creatures of habit, aren’t we? We can spend all day shooting one way and only later think, “Oh man, I was going to play with some slower shutters and a sense of movement!” It’s hard to pull out of the rut, I know. But a different technique is a great way to mix things up. Could you play with strobes? Could you learn to shoot underwater? Have you ever used a tilt-shift lens? When was the last time you really dove into macro? I like this approach because it can be playful; I enjoy trying new things and playing with new gear.

Part of this change in technique could just be a different lens. If you’re the photographer who is always out there with your 600mm, try using your 70-200mm and forcing yourself into different compositions.

Learning new techniques is risky because it means trying something new, and the “failure rate” is high. I prefer to think of it as a “learning rate,” but either way, you’re not immediately going to succeed at making images you love, so there’s a risk of losing those opportunities. But remember, you set out on this adventure because something about your existing approach left you unfulfilled. Better to swing and miss but learn and get better, no?

How Can I Change the Light?

Maybe what most needs to change are your habits. Could you go out earlier in the day when the light is moodier or stay later at night? Maybe you’ve written off one kind of light as “bad” and decided only one kind of light is “good.” Creative thinking is thinking differently about a problem, so maybe you need more problems, like “How can I shoot in more challenging light?” Maybe you need to learn to shoot in backlight or light that is more dramatic. Soft light is easy, but is it the only light that satisfies you?

Take a look at your best work. Is it all shot in the same kind of light? Maybe it’s time to mix things up a little.

How Can I Change the Story?

This is a big one, but think in terms of choosing different moments or different compositions from what your first instinct tells you to do. Maybe you’re the wildlife photographer who always shoots super-tight portraits of bears, and it’s time to include moments where the animals interact. I found just that one change made my photography more interesting and gave the images a stronger sense of story. Maybe it’s time to play with a greater sense of scale or wait for moments with a greater feeling of energy. Sure, you might miss the shot at first, but that’s the very impulse or worry we’ve got to fight against if we’re ever going to approach our craft differently.

The impulse to get the safe shot over taking the risky shot is the same impulse that keeps you in your rut. You’ve got enough safe shots. Safe shots don’t teach you, and they don’t satisfy.

How Can I Change the Way I Develop My Images?

Lastly, is there a way you can set your images apart by changing how you develop or post-process them? We all have our preferred workflows, but if you’re like me, you developed yours ages ago, and things change. We change, and so should the tools we use if they’re just better tools.

One of the things I like to do is watch one YouTube video a week about something in Lightroom. Pick a tool, go to YouTube, and search for a video about it. “How to use Tone Curve in Lightroom,” for example. Spend 15 or 30 minutes watching the two most popular videos on the subject and learn something new. See how others are solving some of the problems we all face or how they’re using colour. Maybe it’s time to up your game with black-and-white conversions.

One of the most significant changes I made over the last two years is a shift from doing most of my developing work as global adjustments to using masking tools for most of that work. Once very blunt instruments that were hard to use with any real accuracy, the masking tools in Lightroom have become incredibly powerful and make it much easier to now adjust different areas of the image differently and in a much more refined way.

My development in Lightroom is much stronger—and I think my images are becoming stronger—because I’m doing things differently. Not for the sake of being different, but because doing so allows me to get closer to my own voice, my own vision. If you haven’t dug into the new masking tools in Lightroom, I encourage you to do so.

We’ve all got ruts we fall into. Sometimes, they look suspiciously like a creative groove until one day, they aren’t. The easiest way to escape that rut is to take a risk, shake things up, and do things differently.

Learn a new thing and see where it fits. Try putting the camera somewhere else. Use a slower shutter speed or a different lens. Shake your habits up, and get curious.

Stop playing it safe. If, like me, you feel like you don’t need any more safe photographs, it’s time to stop being such a safe photographer.

Safe shots don’t move the heart, and they probably don’t give you the thrill you used to get when things were all a little newer, a little less familiar and certain. So mix things up a little, try a new thing or a new way of doing the old thing, but if you want different images, you’ve got to make them differently.

For the Love of the Photograph,
David

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18/04/2025