#the quality here is.... abysmal.... but i really wanted the crop in the first one

[heliosthegriffin]

Farmer Jaune #1

AN: here’s a little background for you people, places, or things, I love Stardew Valley... That’s all.

Summary: Jaune takes a bet with his father that if he can get the old family farm up in running he’ll have shown enough dedication to be a huntsman.

Forteen year old Jaune stood in front of ‘The Club’ at lunch time carrying large crate of assorted fruits on his left shoulder for this Junior guy to try, while in his right he played on his scroll while the two bouncers out front refused to let him in.

Sure, he could barge in, but that’d be rude and create a bad impression on a potential buyer. So the stuck up suits could glare at him all they wanted, he’d wait till Junior saw him or picked up his scroll, or they finally let him in.

Huh, who knew Spruce Willis liked to garden, another reason to look to the guy as a man among men.

The two suits kept a steady glare on the boy with bangs covering the his right eye, only leaving a single blue orb to stare at his scroll. He was all lean muscle, tanned skin, and sun-bleached hair package up in a dirt stained tee and blue jeans.

They’re were sure that they could take him, and there were no notices about a fruit shipments, so they were ready to put down a scam-artist if they had too. Though, if he was a scam-artist he really was easy going.

“So, ‘Mr. Arc’,” One of the suits said as sarcastically as possible.

“Just Jaune.” Jaune said boredom, hoping Junior wasn’t messing with him, if he was he’d have to sic dad on him.

The guards snicker. “Ok Just Jaune,” Jaune rolls his single visible eye. “What do you got in the crate?” “Are you mugging me? Because if you are that’s just lame, it’s a crate full of fruit, how poor are you if need to mug a man for fruit? Delicious, juicy fruit sure, but just fruit.” Jaune say rapid-fire without looking up from him scroll.

The suit who spoke up went flush with anger at the insinuation, he worked for the damn mob! He made very good illegal money! He didn’t even recorded it to the irs that’s how bad he was!

Suit two just snickered at his friend. “I think what my buddy meant was what do have in the box to sell to the boss, and why do you think he’d buy from you over importing from Mistral or bulk buying from the Agri-Dis?”

Jaune rolled his eye again. “For the fourth time he asked me to bring him a crate, which I would have delivered to him by now, and gotten some lunch to if you two lumper didn’t get in the way.”

“And for the fourth time your not on the list, so try sell us on your product and we might let you in!” The first suit said exsperated. “Also why not just eat some produce?”

Jaune shrugged. “Same reason, I’m going to refuse to sell any to you two right now, cause I have things called standards. I always include a little extra on the orders so that people know their appreciated! If I took that away, it’d ruin the magic!”

Jaune then said with a smile, “That said if you’re interested, I can give my website to place an order, and little peak of the goods too.” Jaune said wiggling an eyebrow.

The second suit let out a tired sigh, knowing that this would be long day already. “Ok, back to my second question first, why would anyone buy from you some dirty looking kid from outside the city walls, instead of the nice clean stalls at the Agri-Dis? Also, I make good money wouldn’t I just import good food from Mistral or Vacuo?”

“Ok, find you’ve worn me down fine. Ok first, the Agric-Dis’s food is abysmal grown for two thing!” Jaune said putting away his scroll, and then holding up two finger making them glow with the light of his soul, making both guards jump at the realization this boy was also a hunter in training. “Bulk production, and fast regrowth speed, they inject Earth dust into the soil to make it more fertile, and genetically mod the plants so they grow as fast as possible and big as possible with account for taste! Which to be fair isn’t a bad thing, the city is overpopulated as is, and the Agri-Dis needs to feed everyone, and neither dust usage or gene mods are intrinsically bad, just that bulk produce doesn’t always taste as good as growing something with love and care!”

The two suits inched back in shock at Jaunes passionate rant, and the first suit recovered faster and asked. “Alright, you’ve made a good point. But what about outsourcing production to Mistral or Oasis in Vacuo? They’re food is really good!”

Jaune held a finger as he regained his breath.

“Ok, that’s a fair point, Vacuo has a warmer climate than Vale so it’s easier to grow more crop in season there in certain areas, and Mistral has the same benefit, but, it’s not the food that bad but the prices, and time you have to wait in between shipments.”

The suits leaned in with interest.

“This also has a couple problems, compared to my products.” Jaune holding up his free hand, letting it glow freely to attract the suits attention. “First, is the price you’d paying is roughly three time as much as my own for virtually the same product.” Jaune said slowly and methodically, letting it sink into the mens minds, he’d never let a potential customer get away, even if they were goons.

“Second is bidding, when you order from out of kingdom your have to compete with everyone else who wants that food, which also is reason the price is higher they can afford to hike it because it’s in demand, so since it’s in demand that means people want it, which implies scarcity, so even if you place an order there no garuntee that they’ll have any left for you.“ “I never thought of that way when I saw the restock sign...” “Most people don’t, in fact most people don’t care about the quality of the food long as it’s good and edible. So like I said limited supply, right? Well, right now I have tons of food to sell, I won’t be running out either,” Jaune said with a smirk, “but for how long? Anyway, another problem if your foods coming from outside the kingdom means that it’s coming outside the kingdom, this is two probelm. One, you’re weakening the local market, while strengthening foreign market, and you don’t want freaking Vacuo to be stronger than Vale in anyway right?” Jaune asked slyly.

“No..”

“The other problems with outsourcing from out of kingdom, is the shorter shelf lift, shipping takes time, you know this, you’re smart guys right?”Jaune asked the men, who quickly nodded. “Well, you should know that caravans only come so often, there could be month in-between you ordering your product and actually getting it! So your food could be moldy and black!”

The suits looked at each other, remembering the bosses fits of rage about a ruined order of fruit, and their own bad experiences with outsourcing. Conveinently forgeting this only happened once or twice, out of the hundreds of times they’ve ordered.

Jaune continued, “The final problem is it’s outside the kingdom anything can happen! Bandits, grimm, White Fang, Then Bam!” Jaune punctuating by slamming his hand against the crate. “You just lost three hundred lien by ordering from freaking Vacuo, what the hell you’d expect from ordering from those them, it’s all gone now! And it’s all your fault from ordering from Vacuo!” Jaune said quickly, and almost out of breath.

The men scowled at the idea of letting Vacuo pull a fast one on proud Valemen like themselves.

“Now, on the other hand my produce is loved and cared for only a mere half hour away in hunter protected settlement of Stardew Valley. Barring in-climate weather, or Grimm, I will have your product, if it’s ready for shipping out, to you within a week or you get the shipping free! Bam!” Jaune slammed his hand on the box again. “You just cut your grocery bill by a two-thirds!”

Silence then filled the gap again.

“So, did I answer you gentlemen’s questions?” Jaune asked with a slightly sore throat.

“I think I’ll be taking a look at your scrollsite later today,” The second suit said, then smiles thinly. “I just hope you’re not exaggerating, but regardless you got me rethinking my spending habits!”

The men and boy let out a little chuckle.

“Alright how about I let you two see what it’s in the crate to see proof of product.” Jaune said easing the crate on two the ground, easily being twice as wide as his waist, and coming up to his torso.

The men gave a shrug.

Jaune undid the latch on the crate and opened it up, assulting the men with sweet, starchy, and delcious smells of produce, their mouths involuntarily starting to water at the sight of fresh cherries, ripe melons, golden-yellow corn, full and juicy blackberries, tart and sweet blueberries, the spicy red hot peppers, ripe to bursting tomatos, and the most robust coffee they’ve ever smelt.

Jaune then slammed the lid closed a minute later, and put the crate onto his shoulder.

“Arc! What are you doing here? I told you to meet me at noon, and I’d meet you at the Club, not for you to wait for me outside the Club for an hour.”

“Dad say “If you’re early you’re on time, if you’re on time you’re late, if you’re late, everybody’s dead and you’ve lost your huntsman license.”

“Whatever, just follow me in, and we’ll hash out the deal today.” Junior looked at his men. “I’m not mad, you did well.”

“I’m not mad either, just bored.” Jaune said slipping in.

.....

“So, you wanna go half in, on a order?” “Why not? All that talking got me hungry.”

#Jaune Arc #Farmer Jaune AU #I have no idea about economics #I just typed what ever to feel smart #I have no regrets. #Junior #Stardew Valley

[emritcheson]

Is Mortimer Beckett and The Book of Gold Really That Bad?

(Full disclosure: this post contains mild spoilers for discussion’s sake.)

So I am a big fan of the Delicious series and the many spin-offs that have launched from its universe, now formally known as GameHouse Original Stories.  Yes, they sometimes seem like they’re hyper-marketed at that Hallmark Channel crowd, but they are the cream of the crop of modern casual games, I promise.  That said, not every game that comes out of GameHouse Studios is a masterpiece.  But just because it’s not a masterpiece doesn’t mean there isn’t good to be found or fun to be had.

Enter Mortimer Beckett and The Book of Gold, released in 2017.  For those unaware, Mortimer Beckett was not originally a GameHouse IP, instead starring in his own series of hidden object games developed by Paprikari from 2007 to 2012.  I played the first in the series, Secrets of Spooky Manor, and dabbled with others, but I am by no means an aficionado on Mortimer Beckett lore.  Actually, I’m not big into the hidden object genre period.  I can tell you, though, that this game feels very different to the traditional Mortimer Beckett series.  Paprikari still worked as the developer for Book of Gold, but the overall style and flavor is extremely influenced by GameHouse.

I can only assume GameHouse acquired permission to use Mortimer’s character around the same time they acquired Sally from GamesCafe’s Sally’s Salon series.  These were two fairly well-known faces in casual gaming for many years, and for those characters to suddenly be picked up by a new company and breathed new life was a strange move to witness.

Not to say it was a bad one.  I was an am a dedicated Sally fan and Sally’s Salon - Beauty Secrets blew my expectations out of the water.

Book of Gold on the other hand...well, that’s why we’re here.

Before I even played the game, the first things I noticed were the consistently negative ratings it received across distributing websites.  Now all things considered, I wasn’t expecting perfection, but these scores were abysmally low.  I thought, “it can’t be as bad as that, right?”

And after playing through the whole thing in one night, I will proudly go on record to say that this game does not deserve these low ratings.

Buuut it’s not perfect, either.

So let’s talk.

First, the elephant in the room - the gameplay itself.  As previously stated, Mortimer Beckett is a hidden object series.  GameHouse is best known for their time management games that occasionally have hidden object mini games sprinkled through the levels.  Mini games and main gameplay mechanics are two very different things, mind you.

That said, I think the translation of the gameplay went very well.  Better than I was expecting, at least.  You’re given a scene in which you must find pieces of different objects that will help you in your current situation.  Then, once those pieces are put together, you can use those objects in the scene to complete small puzzles.  Even with my limited hidden object experience, I can tell that this style of finding pieces of things is quite unique.  

In fact, this was my biggest complaint back in Secrets of Spooky Manor: the pieces that some objects broke into seemed arbitrary and unnatural, making it harder to find what I was looking for.  In Book of Gold, the objects are broken up where they naturally have different “sections” (for example, if you’re looking for a screwdriver, it would be in two separate pieces: the handle and the bit) and gameplay is smoother as a result.

There are also three different kinds of challenge levels throughout the game in which you have to complete certain tasks within a time limit.  These provide a nice sprinkle of adrenaline rush as the main levels have no time limit and you’re welcome to stare at and contemplate them as long as you wish.  So all in all, the gameplay is pretty solid.

Let’s discuss the plot.  Mortimer Beckett moves to Snuggford after inheriting a museum from his Uncle Jerome (a staple character of the series until now, I understand).  In his last letter, Uncle Jerome mentions something called the Book of Gold which apparently possesses mystical qualities, and warns Mortimer to keep it safe.

Even as someone with very little preexisting attachment to this character, I found Mortimer very charming and enjoyable, in that “I don’t really know what I’m doing but I’m going to make the best of it anyway, and probably embarrass myself in the process” kind of way.  It was also refreshing simply to play as a guy, as GameHouse Original Stories pretty much exclusively feature women protagonists.

Speaking of which, while this is happening, Kate O’Malley (Delicious Emily’s sister-in-law) is having something of a life crisis and desperately looking for some kind of adventure to get her out of her “boring” hometown.

This is good for two reasons.  One: Kate is a character seen very little of in the Delicious series.  Other than she’s Patrick’s sister and she used to work as a perfume salesgirl, we didn’t know much about her until Book of Gold.  The writers really gave her some agency this time around, where previously she felt kind of cardboard.  And two: Snuggford is often viewed as a very idyllic small town with emphasis on supporting local businesses and fostering community with others.  It’s oddly refreshing to see a protagonist character have a negative view of this place.

Anyway, the two run into each other, shenanigans ensue, and an adventure does indeed begin.

Now if GameHouse is known for anything besides time management gameplay, it’s their heterosexual romantic subplots.  And as much as I was hoping for a platonic partnership this time around, I have to say I ended up liking Kate and Mortimer more than I expected.  It is a bit tropey and shoved down your throat at times, but I think their personalities play off each other quite nicely - Mortimer the somewhat bumbling scholar and Kate the confident risk-taker.  In the end I was genuinely rooting for them.

The story itself as a whole is...fine.  Not amazing, not terrible, but fine.  It has good intentions but, as I said, falls into tropes and shenanigans rather than raising the stakes.  And when the stakes are raised, it fails to explain why and generally lacks urgency.

The best parts of the story in my opinion are the more character-driven scenes.  Stemming from Kate’s desire for adventure, there is an underlying emotional theme about whether or not you’re satisfied with your life and where you are in it.  I think this is handled better than the immediate plot, but could still use some tweaks.  Overall, the writing has the same wonkiness I would expect from any story that hasn’t truly found its groove yet, but it does enough to keep you intrigued.

I absolutely cannot knock GameHouse for trying to do something new, especially in this cash cow of a universe they’ve built for themselves.  They’ve been using basically the same formula for the past ten years or so, and it makes sense that they would want to branch out into other things while still attracting their core audience.

Unfortunately, this game has some very apparent growing pains.

My biggest issue without a doubt is the art.  It’s inconsistent, there’s no other word for it.  Some sprites are completely 2-D, others are completely rendered in 3-D.  Sometimes it’s 2.5-D.  Sometimes it’s 2-D heads stitched onto 3-D bodies.  Some characters look very disproportionate when standing next to others.  Not to mention a lot of reused assets from other games.  I can’t show it for spoiler reasons, but there is a scene near the very end of the game where the character cutting-and-pasting is so painfully obvious and so sloppily done that I almost had to close my computer and take a lap around the house to compose myself.

Also, this game has far less music than I expected.  Despite a swingin’ noir-style theme song written by Adam Gubman, most cutscenes carry out with only generic background white noise for company.  And let me tell you, when a dramatic scene is going down and the only thing you can hear is the muffled voice of an airport intercom?  It feels wrong.  And also lends to that lack of urgency I mentioned earlier.

And as much as I hate to, we have to talk about the “exotic” themes.

For the most part, I would describe GameHouse as having “lukewarm sensitivity” to cultures that are not North American or European.  They have good intentions and for the most part their characters are pretty well rounded, but their research still leaves a little bit to be desired.  I think the Inuit tribe from Delicious - Emily’s Hopes and Fears is the best example of what I’m talking about.

However, I would not put Book of Gold in that same sensitivity tier.  During the third chapter, Mortimer and Kate travel to South America (it’s never specifically stated but since Machu Picchu is clearly visible in one of the scenes, it’s pretty safe to say they’re in Peru) and end up getting lost in the jungle.  Kate is more or less kidnapped by a group of natives, whose leader speaks what can only be described as “cave man English” and invites her to join his harem.  When she refuses, he threatens to kill her if she doesn’t complete the puzzles set before her.  Then, when Kate manages to escape, the tribe leader leans over to one of his guards and says, “Those tourists are so gullible,” indicated that it was all an act.  I still have no idea what to think about this entire section.

There’s also a great deal of Arabian influence in the second half of the game, as the main villain claims to be a sheikh, but I would say that it’s more there for visual interest than anything else.  The side characters you meet in this arc aren’t particularly memorable, and aside from avoiding a sandstorm and racing camels at one point, the desert setting is just kind of...there.  It’s not as bad as it could have been, but it certainly wasn’t doing the game as a whole many favors, either.

To wrap this up with a bow, if you disliked this game simply because it was different and not the “signature GameHouse experience” you’ve come to expect, I feel sorry for you.  If you disliked this game because it doesn’t feel as polished as it could have been and the graphics are a bit of a train wreck?  Yeah, I get you.  But I still found this game enjoyable despite its flaws.  And if you’ve been avoiding this game because the bad ratings scared you off, pull on your big girl panties and manage your expectations.

I really hope that GameHouse sees Book of Gold as a learning experience and not a failure, because I think there’s some genuine potential here.  With some tweaks and polish (and clearer art direction), I would happily accept another game like this.

#mortimer beckett #gamehouse #gamehouse original stories #hidden object games #game review #original article

[slrlounge1]

Canon EOS-RP Review | Hands-On Experience, Sample Images and More

The Canon EOS-RP Mirrorless Camera was just released, and we had the opportunity to test it at Canon’s press event in New Orleans.  In this review, we’ll dive into who this camera is for, give you the pros and cons of the camera, show you some sample images, and provide you with our overall analysis.

Let’s First Address the Canon EOS-RP Rumors

With the release of the EOS-R, the internets have been speculating that Canon’s next camera would be a mirrorless camera designed for professionals. Speculation that was justified based on Canon’s line up of RF L lenses. Lenses that are designed to resolve incredible amounts of detail, have lightning fast focus mechanics and boast incredible optical quality.

The Canon EOS-RP is not that camera, it’s actually the exact opposite. And while Canon has openly stated, “Have no doubt that a professional model is coming,” many of you will still be throwing your hands up in frustration. Particularly if you were wanting or expecting Canon to take over the mirrorless market with “the next best thing.”

But, while this camera might not be what you want or expect, it’s still a wonderful camera at an incredible price point.

Introducing, The Canon EOS-RP Mirrorless Camera

Before you jump in, I want to preface this article with the fact that this is not a technical Canon EOS-RP review. There are plenty of websites for comparing camera specs and debating technical details. Instead, I offer you information from the perspective of a working portrait photographer who takes pictures as a profession. My Canon EOS-RP review focuses on the benefits and pain points actually seen and felt from the day that I spent shooting with this camera. With that said, read on!

Who is the Canon EOS-RP For?

The Canon EOS-RP is an entry-level mirrorless camera designed for amateur photographers who are ready or thinking about stepping into the full-frame mirrorless world. Paired with the EF-EOS R adapter, the EOS-RP system can make use of all of your existing EF lenses. For $1,299, this makes for an attractive proposal in and of itself.

In addition, the body is light, I mean, very light. The body alone weighs just over 16 oz which makes it one of the lightest full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market. That paired with an articulating LCD screen makes it a wonderful camera for bloggers, vloggers, and photographers who love to travel.

However, if you were hoping for full-frame 4K, you are going to have to wait a bit longer. Canon’s technical team informed us that the Canon EOS-RP is still restricted to 1.6x crop when shooting 4K in order to prevent the camera from overheating. It’s a frustrating technical restriction that we hope Canon is able to soon resolve.

In short, if you’ve got a line up of EF lenses and have been considering a full-frame camera or jumping into mirrorless, the EOS-RP was designed to get you in at a minimal price point.

5 pros About The Canon EOS-RP

pro 1 – Canon Color Science

Canon color science is one of the big reasons that I prefer shooting Canon versus other brands. I always use the best tool for any job. Shooting raw allows you to create and fine-tune color on any camera, I find that Canon files start with beautiful and slightly warm skin tones that already fit my final look. This is where the EOS-RP shines, and honestly where my specialty as a photographer lies. Given that this camera is so new, I had no choice but to work with JPG files. Take a look at how the original files stack up to the final edits below. You are seeing the untouched SOOC.JPG (left) versus the final edit (right).

pro 2 – Solid Low Light Performance

The EOS-RP is essentially using the 6D Mark II sensor paired with the latest DIGIC processor. The result is an entry-level full-frame camera with more than impressive low-light performance. I found noise to be barely noticeably all the way up to 800 ISO, and professionally acceptable even at 6400 ISO. In fact, even when pushed to 12,800 ISO the files still hold up nicely as you can see below.

If you’d like to take a look at the 1:1 files at the different ISO ranges, here they are. Forgive me, I shot these under partial florescent light, so I black and whited the photos as the shutter speed was catching inconsistencies in the fluorescent light. This is a test I’d love to try again in natural light conditions with the final released cameras.

While the noise in the final image at 12,800 ISO is noticeable, I want you to put it into context by seeing the full frame shot. While I wouldn’t advise shooting at this ISO, it’s still very useable if needed.

pro 3 – Good Dynamic Range

We will know more about dynamic range when we are able to test the flexibility of the .cr3 files in post. However, even when reviewing the .jpg files I noticed that the camera has an impressive dynamic range. Keep in mind, even when shooting raw I set my camera profile to a flattened custom profile that allows me to preview more dynamic range from the image directly in-camera. Doing so allowed me to yield more dynamic range from the .jpg files than you might normally see.

In this first SOOC .jpg file you will notice that we are shooting mid-day at a cemetery in New Orleans. Even when shooting from the shadows into direct sun, we can see all details from the shadows to the highlights.

Moving indoors, to a warehouse, I found a scene that was perfect for testing the dynamic range of the camera. How much detail would we be able to see within the details of the statues compared to the highlights of the water and bridge outside of the windows? Amazingly, even the .jpg files had enough detail to reveal both with little issue. We can expect the raw .cr3 files to perform even better.

pro 4 – Fast Autofocus Speed

The autofocus speed was blisteringly fast. Canon boasts that the EOS-RP has the “world’s fastest full-frame mirrorless AF speed.” No doubt, the speed of autofocus and its accuracy did not disappoint.

pro 5 – Great Ergonomics

Given the size of the camera, I thought I would hate the ergonomics of the EOS-RP. However, the camera was comfortable, even without an additional grip. I found the buttons easy to access, and the layout of the menu system was simple and intuitive in practice. I will note that since the system only has two dials, I greatly preferred using the EOS-RP with native RF lenses or the RF adapter that has the control ring present. The control ring provides you with that third customizable dial that you can use to quickly adjust Shutter Speed, Aperture and ISO when shooting in Manual.

5 cons of the Canon EOS-RP

Con 1 – camera body Size vs. RF L Lenses

The size of the EOS-RP is only a valid selling point when you are pairing the camera with equally small lenses. Pairing the EOS-RP with any of the new monstrous RF L lenses makes the camera feel like any other full sized DSLR. What we need are more native RF lenses that are designed for travel and portability.  Only then can we really appreciate the size and weight of the EOS-RP. During my day with the camera, I found my favorite lens was the small Canon RF 35mm f/1.8. This allowed me to truly appreciate the size and portability of such a powerful system.

Con 2 – Crop Video/Contrast Focus

For a lot of people wanting this camera to do 4K video, crop mode is a deal breaker. Not because the video quality is bad by any means. It’s simply because it requires us to have a different set of lenses in order to achieve the same field of view. In addition, when shooting 4K the camera is reduced to a contrast focusing system that can be abysmally slow, especially in low-light. In many situations, you will be better off with manual focusing.

Con 3 – Lack of Physical Joystick

When looking through the EVF, Canon has designed the top right of the display to act as your joystick. While it was easy to use, I found myself missing the feel and speed of a physical joystick. This is something that will no doubt improve with time and experience using the new system. However, I still miss the tactile feel of a physical joystick for quick AF maneuverability.

Con 4 – Accidentally Triggering the EVF

Just like with the EOS-R counterpart, I was constantly triggering the EVF on the EOS-RP by accident. Whether I was testing exposure or previewing images, the screen was constantly shutting off when a thumb or finger came too close to the sensor on the EVF. This is more of a nuisance than a deal breaker, but it’s still rather annoying to deal with as it kept pulling me out of the joy and fun of the camera.

Con 5 – Battery and Battery Life

While the EOS-R uses the standard LP-E6 battery, the Canon EOS-RP does not. No doubt this was done to accommodate the camera’s size, but this is still frustrating on multiple levels. For one, if you’ve got a stockpile of LP-E6 batteries, they can’t be used. This means that the Canon EOS-RP is not the ideal travel buddy for those already shooting larger full frame Canon DSLRs. For that, I guess we have the EOS-R. But, even worse is that the smaller form factor and battery gives the EOS-RP a pretty terrible battery life.

When it comes to shooting in a battery friendly manner, I’m on the opposite side of the spectrum. I shoot with my screen set to maximum brightness, and my approach to shooting with intention means I’m constantly previewing the LCD. I got a whopping 70 shots out of the camera before the battery was blinking red. Some of my colleagues were getting around 200-250 shots. Regardless of our approach to shooting, it wasn’t great. Expect to be spending a pretty penny on at least 2-3 spare batteries if you plan to shoot a full days worth of photos.

Canon EOS-RP Review | Final Thoughts

I know many people are going to crap on this camera. It’s not a Sony killer, nor is it the professional camera that we all hoped and wished for. On top of that, it only has one card slot (queue the eye rolls). But, when we look at this camera outside of our expectations we can see it for what it is. A fantastic entry-level full-frame camera that comes in a small body, and with an even smaller price tag. I was shocked at the image quality I was able to pull out of a camera that costs only $1,299.

For that reason, I think this is the ideal camera for an enthusiast looking to jump into a full-frame mirrorless system without breaking the bank. That said, if you are professional or prosumer expecting the “Canon Mirrorless Monster” you are going to have to wait a little longer.

Sample Images Using The Canon EOS-RP

To purchase this camera, click here.

What do you think about this camera? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

from SLR Lounge https://www.slrlounge.com/canon-eos-rp-review/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #SLR Lounge

[slrlounge1]

Canon EOS-RP Review | Hands-On Experience, Sample Images and More

The Canon EOS-RP Mirrorless Camera was just released, and we had the opportunity to test it at Canon’s press event in New Orleans.  In this review, we’ll dive into who this camera is for, give you the pros and cons of the camera, show you some sample images, and provide you with our overall analysis.

Let’s First Address the Canon EOS-RP Rumors

With the release of the EOS-R, the internets have been speculating that Canon’s next camera would be a mirrorless camera designed for professionals. Speculation that was justified based on Canon’s line up of RF L lenses. Lenses that are designed to resolve incredible amounts of detail, have lightning fast focus mechanics and boast incredible optical quality.

The Canon EOS-RP is not that camera, it’s actually the exact opposite. And while Canon has openly stated, “Have no doubt that a professional model is coming,” many of you will still be throwing your hands up in frustration. Particularly if you were wanting or expecting Canon to take over the mirrorless market with “the next best thing.”

But, while this camera might not be what you want or expect, it’s still a wonderful camera at an incredible price point.

Introducing, The Canon EOS-RP Mirrorless Camera

Before you jump in, I want to preface this article with the fact that this is not a technical Canon EOS-RP review. There are plenty of websites for comparing camera specs and debating technical details. Instead, I offer you information from the perspective of a working portrait photographer who takes pictures as a profession. My Canon EOS-RP review focuses on the benefits and pain points actually seen and felt from the day that I spent shooting with this camera. With that said, read on!

Who is the Canon EOS-RP For?

The Canon EOS-RP is an entry-level mirrorless camera designed for amateur photographers who are ready or thinking about stepping into the full-frame mirrorless world. Paired with the EF-EOS R adapter, the EOS-RP system can make use of all of your existing EF lenses. For $1,299, this makes for an attractive proposal in and of itself.

In addition, the body is light, I mean, very light. The body alone weighs just over 16 oz which makes it one of the lightest full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market. That paired with an articulating LCD screen makes it a wonderful camera for bloggers, vloggers, and photographers who love to travel.

However, if you were hoping for full-frame 4K, you are going to have to wait a bit longer. Canon’s technical team informed us that the Canon EOS-RP is still restricted to 1.6x crop when shooting 4K in order to prevent the camera from overheating. It’s a frustrating technical restriction that we hope Canon is able to soon resolve.

In short, if you’ve got a line up of EF lenses and have been considering a full-frame camera or jumping into mirrorless, the EOS-RP was designed to get you in at a minimal price point.

5 pros About The Canon EOS-RP

pro 1 – Canon Color Science

Canon color science is one of the big reasons that I prefer shooting Canon versus other brands. I always use the best tool for any job. Shooting raw allows you to create and fine-tune color on any camera, I find that Canon files start with beautiful and slightly warm skin tones that already fit my final look. This is where the EOS-RP shines, and honestly where my specialty as a photographer lies. Given that this camera is so new, I had no choice but to work with JPG files. Take a look at how the original files stack up to the final edits below. You are seeing the untouched SOOC.JPG (left) versus the final edit (right).

pro 2 – Solid Low Light Performance

The EOS-RP is essentially using the 6D Mark II sensor paired with the latest DIGIC processor. The result is an entry-level full-frame camera with more than impressive low-light performance. I found noise to be barely noticeably all the way up to 800 ISO, and professionally acceptable even at 6400 ISO. In fact, even when pushed to 12,800 ISO the files still hold up nicely as you can see below.

If you’d like to take a look at the 1:1 files at the different ISO ranges, here they are. Forgive me, I shot these under partial florescent light, so I black and whited the photos as the shutter speed was catching inconsistencies in the fluorescent light. This is a test I’d love to try again in natural light conditions with the final released cameras.

While the noise in the final image at 12,800 ISO is noticeable, I want you to put it into context by seeing the full frame shot. While I wouldn’t advise shooting at this ISO, it’s still very useable if needed.

pro 3 – Good Dynamic Range

We will know more about dynamic range when we are able to test the flexibility of the .cr3 files in post. However, even when reviewing the .jpg files I noticed that the camera has an impressive dynamic range. Keep in mind, even when shooting raw I set my camera profile to a flattened custom profile that allows me to preview more dynamic range from the image directly in-camera. Doing so allowed me to yield more dynamic range from the .jpg files than you might normally see.

In this first SOOC .jpg file you will notice that we are shooting mid-day at a cemetery in New Orleans. Even when shooting from the shadows into direct sun, we can see all details from the shadows to the highlights.

Moving indoors, to a warehouse, I found a scene that was perfect for testing the dynamic range of the camera. How much detail would we be able to see within the details of the statues compared to the highlights of the water and bridge outside of the windows? Amazingly, even the .jpg files had enough detail to reveal both with little issue. We can expect the raw .cr3 files to perform even better.

pro 4 – Fast Autofocus Speed

The autofocus speed was blisteringly fast. Canon boasts that the EOS-RP has the “world’s fastest full-frame mirrorless AF speed.” No doubt, the speed of autofocus and its accuracy did not disappoint.

pro 5 – Great Ergonomics

Given the size of the camera, I thought I would hate the ergonomics of the EOS-RP. However, the camera was comfortable, even without an additional grip. I found the buttons easy to access, and the layout of the menu system was simple and intuitive in practice. I will note that since the system only has two dials, I greatly preferred using the EOS-RP with native RF lenses or the RF adapter that has the control ring present. The control ring provides you with that third customizable dial that you can use to quickly adjust Shutter Speed, Aperture and ISO when shooting in Manual.

5 cons of the Canon EOS-RP

Con 1 – camera body Size vs. RF L Lenses

The size of the EOS-RP is only a valid selling point when you are pairing the camera with equally small lenses. Pairing the EOS-RP with any of the new monstrous RF L lenses makes the camera feel like any other full sized DSLR. What we need are more native RF lenses that are designed for travel and portability.  Only then can we really appreciate the size and weight of the EOS-RP. During my day with the camera, I found my favorite lens was the small Canon RF 35mm f/1.8. This allowed me to truly appreciate the size and portability of such a powerful system.

Con 2 – Crop Video/Contrast Focus

For a lot of people wanting this camera to do 4K video, crop mode is a deal breaker. Not because the video quality is bad by any means. It’s simply because it requires us to have a different set of lenses in order to achieve the same field of view. In addition, when shooting 4K the camera is reduced to a contrast focusing system that can be abysmally slow, especially in low-light. In many situations, you will be better off with manual focusing.

Con 3 – Lack of Physical Joystick

When looking through the EVF, Canon has designed the top right of the display to act as your joystick. While it was easy to use, I found myself missing the feel and speed of a physical joystick. This is something that will no doubt improve with time and experience using the new system. However, I still miss the tactile feel of a physical joystick for quick AF maneuverability.

Con 4 – Accidentally Triggering the EVF

Just like with the EOS-R counterpart, I was constantly triggering the EVF on the EOS-RP by accident. Whether I was testing exposure or previewing images, the screen was constantly shutting off when a thumb or finger came too close to the sensor on the EVF. This is more of a nuisance than a deal breaker, but it’s still rather annoying to deal with as it kept pulling me out of the joy and fun of the camera.

Con 5 – Battery and Battery Life

While the EOS-R uses the standard LP-E6 battery, the Canon EOS-RP does not. No doubt this was done to accommodate the camera’s size, but this is still frustrating on multiple levels. For one, if you’ve got a stockpile of LP-E6 batteries, they can’t be used. This means that the Canon EOS-RP is not the ideal travel buddy for those already shooting larger full frame Canon DSLRs. For that, I guess we have the EOS-R. But, even worse is that the smaller form factor and battery gives the EOS-RP a pretty terrible battery life.

When it comes to shooting in a battery friendly manner, I’m on the opposite side of the spectrum. I shoot with my screen set to maximum brightness, and my approach to shooting with intention means I’m constantly previewing the LCD. I got a whopping 70 shots out of the camera before the battery was blinking red. Some of my colleagues were getting around 200-250 shots. Regardless of our approach to shooting, it wasn’t great. Expect to be spending a pretty penny on at least 2-3 spare batteries if you plan to shoot a full days worth of photos.

Canon EOS-RP Review | Final Thoughts

I know many people are going to crap on this camera. It’s not a Sony killer, nor is it the professional camera that we all hoped and wished for. On top of that, it only has one card slot (queue the eye rolls). But, when we look at this camera outside of our expectations we can see it for what it is. A fantastic entry-level full-frame camera that comes in a small body, and with an even smaller price tag. I was shocked at the image quality I was able to pull out of a camera that costs only $1,299.

For that reason, I think this is the ideal camera for an enthusiast looking to jump into a full-frame mirrorless system without breaking the bank. That said, if you are professional or prosumer expecting the “Canon Mirrorless Monster” you are going to have to wait a little longer.

Sample Images Using The Canon EOS-RP

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What do you think about this camera? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

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