M1 Macbook Air for Photographers and Videographers

As all know M1 macs have turned the tables everywhere. When comes to photographers, we use Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop up to 90 percent of the time. These two software work very well on the M1 macs.

M1 MacBook Air Specifications

Processor: M1 Apple Silicon with 8 core CPU and 7 core GPU

RAM: 8GB/16GB

Storage : 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB

Screen: Retina display

Rest is all unimportant for photographers and videographers

M1 MacBook Air for Photographers

Lightroom and Photoshop Performance

As a photographer, we look for better performance in Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe RAW. This M1 Macbook Air performs in a different level. I have used Intel macs for more than 10 years and this M1 Macbook Air gave an outstanding performance on all these photo editing software.

Phenomenal Retina Display

The Retina Display is phenomenal and gorgeous. every picture is displayed with the most accurate colors as shot. This makes editing look more natural and outstanding. I have been using these M1 Macbook Air for more than a month and have edited around 500 pictures in Lightroom like a breeze.

Lasting Battery

For the normal daily Lightroom edits, I was able to work for 8 hours with around 50% brightness in a bright day-lit room. The battery life is outstanding because of the M1 chip that uses RISC and it consumes very less power.

Noiseless

For a deep level of concentration, noise is the primary enemy. This M1 MacBook Air makes ZERO noise because it has NO Fan, it has passive cooling which makes it completely silent. This silence supports you in a big way while you are trying to concentrate. My Intel-mac sounds like Vaccum cleaners when I start Lightroom.

Other Features

Price

With all the above-said features and improvements the base model comes with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB Storage at £999, which is very reasonable for the apple brand value.

M1 MacBook Air on Video Editing

I tried to install DaVinci resolve and Blackmagic has released ver.17, it works like butter smooth. Blackmagic has released the DaVinci Resolve for M1 macs. I tried editing a 4K footage in M1 MacBook Air, its unbelievable that the M1 chip handles it very smoothly.

I edited a 5 min video with 15 tracks of video and 12 tracks of audio, the m1 MacBook Air handled it very smoothly and there were no skip frames. 

Video exporting was also great, it did not lack anywhere. I exported a 4K Video and it took 3 min to export a 6 min 4K video with multiple layers of Colour grade, Noise reduction, and Effects.

Recommended External Storage SSD Options

1. Samsung T5 1 TB USB 3.1 Gen 2

2. SanDisk Extreme Pro 1TB Portable SSD

3. Crucial CT1000X8SSD9 X8 1 TB Portable SSD

4. RAVPower Portable External SSD Pro, 1TB 

5. Sabrent Rocket Pro 1TB USB 3.2

Limitation

It does not throttle but brings down the clock speed of the processor when the temperature reaches 95-degree celsius, of course, what do you expect a fanless machine to do? Apple has done this to prevent the processor from toasting, but the expected performance is delivered while maintaining the CPU temperature below 100 degrees celsius. This is brilliant Apple.

Features to IMPROVE APPLE

1. The keyboard backlight is not working unless you login, so you cannot see the keys in the dark before login.
2. Only 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports are available, A USB 3.1 / HDMI / SD Card slot could be more helpful.
3. 512 GB could be a minimum storage option
4. Upgradable m.2 slot could be another good addition at least. - Cannot carry an external SSD always.

BUY M1 MACs at BEST PRICE from the below links...

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I will also share my...

- Best accessories for M1 MacBook Air

- Best SSDs for M1 MacBook Air

- Best Dongles for M1 MacBook Air for more ports

Keeping focus while shooting videos with DSLR 

How to keep everything in focus on DSLR video, keeping the subject in focus is an ultimate challenge while shooting videos, this becomes easy in photography as the subject is mostly in a constant distance. This completely changes when it comes to video shooting, it's a different game. Many have asked me do you use manual focus for video?

DSLR video focus tracking can be achieved either m manual focus or by autofocus. A new video camera focus technique has come into the market called the 'Remote focus puller', a focus puller helps you by focusing your camera through a wireless controller. Best focus mode for video is neither manual focus nor autofocus, both works in different situations and also based on the abilities of your camera.

Many have asked me how to keep the focus on a moving subject in focus, I have tried a few methods and those have worked successfully for me.

I have shared my experience and all methods I follow when I do a video shoot.

1.Wide angel Lens

Try to use the wide-angle lens as much as possible, always shoot with a more closed aperture. I use 5.6 to F8 in moderately lit areas. Higher the aperture [higher number], more the focus. 

2. Constant Distance 

For moving subjects always keep a constant distance between the camera and the subject, of course, you have a little freedom based on the aperture, use higher aperture more range of focus will help you keep the subject in focus.

3. Autofocus

Autofocus is available in many cameras nowadays but autofocus works properly only when you have one subject in the field-of-view, one human in the frame if you have more than one person in the frame, it is better to use manual focus else the camera decides on which face focusing rather than the planned face[subject] to focus

4. Remote Focus Puller

Having a Focus puller is a good idea if you have the budget. A focus puller will help to do the focusing from a remote monitor or a tablet, you can have the Focus puller remotely operating the focus so the camera can move freely and also capture the subject in their quiet Focus. We get remote focus puller kit available like the Zhiyun focussing kit, comes as an addition to their awesome gimbals.

5. Fixing a Meeting point for Focus

When capturing a subject moving in the opposite direction, mark a point on the floor, where the subject has to come in focus and then work backwards so that when the camera is moving in the opposite direction to the subject there is a particular marked point where the subject comes into focus and then moves away, remember the camera should be shooting in the manual focus mode.

This kind of shot is commonly used in dance videos come on music videos and commercials.

In the below videos, I have used all these techniques I have shared with you, there are 3 more techniques following below...

6. Back-up plan

Take the same shot with manual focus and with autofocus if required, so if either of it goes wrong the other could help you as a backup

7. Multiple takes

To cover up the risk in the focus, I always advise taking multiple shots or repeated shots so that if one goes away at least you have a few to back you up

8. Shoot the rehearsal

If you can shoot the rehearsal that is really good as it will be a backup for you and you could also check the camera angle, camera focus the lighting everything on the monitor and adjust before the real shot.

The above video is completely shot with manual focus in a DSLR camera, I have managed to keep everything in focus. Keep practising and you will understand the techniques better.

Thank you for reading all my experience, if you have better ideas please do write them in the comments so I could learn from you as everybody who reads this blog.

 Dynamic Range

What is Dynamic Range?

It is the difference between the darkest and the brightest part of tones in an image. The human eye has the highest dynamic range, that is why there the differences in the image from a camera and the natural human eye. The dynamic range depends on the camera you use, the high grade and expensive cameras have much more Dynamic Range that the cameras on a budget or cheaper. Dynamic Range is measured in 'Stops'

There are a few tweaks available for Canon DSLRs to increase the Dynamic range to a few more stops.

The more dynamic range helps us to see more details in the darkest and the brightest part of the picture. That is why the Dynamic Range is important on any camera, so the camera can capture more details it could. The human eye has 20-24 stops of dynamic range, whereas the professional cine cameras have 14-16 stops of Dynamic Range.

Why is Dynamic Range important in Videography and Photography?

Dynamic Range is important in Videography and Photography because of the level of details you can capture with the given stops of dynamic range. With the more dynamic range stops in a camera, the more overexposure and underexposure will become lesser in the output. 

The image from a 14 stop dynamic range camera looks almost like a flat and desaturated image. This will help you in the colour grade stages of the production. In colour grade, you can decide the look of the film like warmer or colder or any other colour tone you need.

Advantages of Dynamic Range in Cameras

1. Dynamic range helps to capture more details in the footage, so it could help in the post-production

2. The final image can have a high level of details in the darkest and the brightest parts of the final image/video

3. Dynamic range gives more freedom in the Colour Grade phase of the post-production.

Dynamic Range in common DSLR Cameras

Most of the budget DSLRs come with 8-10 stops of dynamic range, it is half of what a normal human eye can see or perceive. A few more expensive mirrorless cameras from Sony and Canon have a more dynamic range from 12-14 stops. They also shoot in S-Log and C-Log profiles to help the colour correction in the post-production phase.

Samples of Video shot on Canon 90D DSLR

Both these videos were shot on Canon 90D with CineStyle profile which gave a flat picture. This flat picture was then colour balanced and colour graded. You can see the details outstanding because of the CineStyle profile which helped to capture a few more stops of the dynamic range that the normal profiles in Canon 90D.

If less than $900 camera can capture such extraordinary footage then imagine about the cameras higher dynamic range and Log profiles. They can produce 10 times more quality output than what you have seen in the above 4K Video or UHD Videos you seen on Youtube.

Role of Profiles used :

Portrait and Landscape Profile

Usually, we use the 'Landscape' and 'Portrait' profile for shooting a picture or video. These modes are already preset for the tone and colour. The Portrait mode is tuned or set for smooth skin on portraits and the Landscape mode is tuned for the more blue sky. So the priority set on the Portrait mode is the skin and the Landscape mode is the blue sky. Here other equations are not forgotten but lesser priority is given.

Neutral Profile

Neutral profile keeps all the colours saturated and the contrast to a minimum level depending on the manufacturer. So all the colours and the contrast are available for any adjustment during the colour correction and colour grading in the post-production. With such a flat picture you can boost a particular shade of colour for more details if required.

CineStyle - Flat Profile

CineStyle is a flat profile for Canon cameras from a company called Technicolor. This profile is available and can be downloaded for free from their website. You can upload it to any Canon Camera through the Canon Connect software provided. CineStyle profile is more preferred by videographers using Canon DSLRs or mirrorless cameras. Of course, the colour correction and colour grading are required for the footage.

Difference in the Contract

Constant of a picture shows you the difference in bright and dark parts of the image. The higher the contrast the better the picture will look or the picture will outstand. But you tend to lose the details in the dark portions if the darkness is increased. Same to the brightest part of the image, if there is more contract the brightest part might blow up and will definitely hide the details. 

This is why in a flat profile and Log profiles [SLog on Sony Cameras and Clog on Canon Cameras] the contrast is kept at a minimum level, to capture all the possible details in the footage.

ISO factor

When talking about Dynamic Range we cannot avoid the ISO [Sensitivity of the sensor or film]. ISO determines the sensitivity of the image, if the ISO is higher in the low light situations or to capture details in the dark parts of the field, it will introduce noise in the image or footage.

This ISO noise will affect the quality of the output in many ways, even in the colour correction, colour grading, sharpness when we try to render the image. So the videographers and photographers will always keep the ISO to a minimum level st all times. The ISO is increased only when the shooting happens in low lit conditions. This is why the de-noising tools have become popular in the market.

Popular cameras Dynamic Range

Canon 80D - 12 stops of dynamic range

Canon 90D - 12 stops of dynamic range - SALE: UK  | US  | IND

Canon R5 / R6 - 13 stops of dynamic range

Sony A7sIII  - 15 stops of dynamic range

Sony a7S & a7SII  - 13 stops of dynamic range

Panasonic GH5 - 10 stops of dynamic range