camera advice Upgrading Camera

[anna182016]

Hello Fellow Photographer 

 

What is the best Camera for this year 2022? I have Sony RX100M3 and set up to Superior Auto I would like to upgrade to a better Camera that every upload it won't fail QC. 

I know couple of you has the same Camera that upgraded already. I would like to make my photography as my Career. 

[John Mitchell]

Quite a few forum members use the Sony RX100 cameras and like them very much. If you're having trouble passing QC, then it might be a good idea to master the camera that you have before spending money on another one. The RX100M3 should be fine for Alamy.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 13, 2022 by John Mitchell

[sooth]

30 minutes ago, anna182016 said:

Hello Fellow Photographer 

 

What is the best Camera for this year 2022? I have Sony RX100M3 and set up to Superior Auto I would like to upgrade to a better Camera that every upload it won't fail QC. 

I know couple of you has the same Camera that upgraded already. I would like to make my photography as my Career. 

what was the reason for QC failure?

 

"Number of images" "Soft due to size" "Poor exposure" "Over manipulated" "Out of focus" "Noise" "Interpolation artifacts" "Excessive sharpening" "Chromatic aberration" "Camera shake"

[anna182016]

Just now, sooth said:

what was the reason for QC failure?

 

"Number of images" "Soft due to size" "Poor exposure" "Over manipulated" "Out of focus" "Noise" "Interpolation artifacts" "Excessive sharpening" "Chromatic aberration" "Camera shake"

 

[anna182016]

It was soft due because when i took that photo it wasn't set up to Superior Auto, I have to et to this  in every photo i take.

[Betty LaRue]

1 hour ago, anna182016 said:

Hello Fellow Photographer 

 

What is the best Camera for this year 2022? I have Sony RX100M3 and set up to Superior Auto I would like to upgrade to a better Camera that every upload it won't fail QC. 

I know couple of you has the same Camera that upgraded already. I would like to make my photography as my Career. 

I have the same Sony as you and have no problem passing QC with it. I also shoot with. Fuji X-T4. You must learn the camera, pay attention to how steady you are with it. Also if the camera selects a shutter speed too low for shooting on a windy day, or for a subject like birds that are moving, or your hand shakes a bit when you press the shutter, your images won’t be sharp enough to pass QC.

You also need to understand missed focus, which should be on the subject, chromatic aberration, and how to develop your raw image. While some photographers shoot in jpeg, most of us shoot in RAW, which gives more latitude to correct white balance and recover highlights.

John said it, learn what you have before moving on. There is absolutely no reason to continually fail QC with this camera. It is user error. We all started somewhere and were where you are, so don’t get too discouraged, although it’s hard not to when you don’t understand what you are doing wrong.

Edited June 13, 2022 by Betty LaRue

[sooth]

20 minutes ago, anna182016 said:

It was soft due because when i took that photo it wasn't set up to Superior Auto, I have to et to this  in every photo i take.

 

 

 

alamy requires photos to be 17M in size.  the camera you're using has 3 sizes, S, M, and L.  make sure it's set to Large (20M)

 

 

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/W001/W0014494M.pdf#page=60

 

 

1. MENU → (Camera Settings) → [ Image Size] → desired setting.

 

Large

 

 

also https://www.alamy.com/contributors/alamy-how-to-pass-qc.pdf

 

Edited June 13, 2022 by sooth

[anna182016]

10 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

I have the same Sony as you and have no problem passing QC with it. I also shoot with. Fuji X-T4. You must learn the camera, pay attention to how steady you are with it. Also if the camera selects a shutter speed to low for shooting on a windy day, or for a subject like birds that are moving, or your hand shakes a bit when you press the shutter, your images won’t be sharp enough to pass QC.

You also need to understand missed focus, which should be on the subject, chromatic aberration, and how to develop your raw image. While some photographers shoot in jpeg, most of us shoot in RAW, which gives more latitude to correct white balance and recover highlights.

John said it, learn what you have before moving on. There is absolutely no reason to continually fail QC with this camera. It is user error. We all started somewhere and we’re where you are, so don’t get too discouraged, although it’s hard not to when you don’t understand what you are doing wrong.

Thankyou so much, since I just starting over again I'm learning how to use this Finder button on my camera it is set to Superior Auto with Finder is on i think i am not gonna change my set up but i will keep learning. And i don't usually edit my photos i just upload them naturally, no edit no filter no crop.

[DJ Myford]

Alamy expects professional grade images. If there are any defects such as dust spots or chromatic aberration they will be rejected. If you are uploading images without examining them for flaws and making corrections, that is probably why you are failing QC.

[zxzoomy]

One trick I use is to find something to steady the camera (eg pole, fence etc), as, for stock, I'm keeping the iso low to reduce noise (eg 400) and  I want no risk of camera shake. I may also want to increase the depth of field so, if the camera is very steady, I might go for 20th at f22 for example. Once I failed qc as, on a beach, the filter on the lens got smeared with something. So I check the filter is clean all the time. I don't know your camera but, as others have said, I would explore its potential more.

[John Mitchell]

I would recommend shooting in RAW and using Capture One Express for Sony software to process your files. The program is free and very user-friendly. I use it to process my RAW images taken with a Sony a6000, and I'm pleased with the results. There are plenty of video tutorials available as well. Here's a download link.

[Marianne]

Are you shooting in RAW and then processing your images? It sounds like you are just uploading jpegs straight from the camera. Unprocessed jpegs are less likely to meet QC requirements.

 

I have a 61MP Sony A7riv, and some very expensive lenses, and I still need to check for dust (actually with so many MP, dust is more of an issue and I clean my filters regularly and am super careful changing lenses and it's still tricky to avoid). I also use Lightroom and/or Photoshop to enhance my images, checking at 100-200% to be sure they are sharp, remove chromatic aberration & usually give them some punch. As John mentioned, the Sony Capture software is free and excellent - it does a slightly better job than Lightroom Classic with RAW conversion, but Lightroom is much faster since I'm working with such large files. 

 

Alamy encourages amateur photographers, but they still expect pro quality images, so getting the best from your camera is key

 

Here's my advice for greater success with QC:

This is all very basic so apologies if I'm telling you things you already know. Just assuming very basic knowledge on your part so ignore the stuff you know already.

 

Read your camera manual, shoot in RAW, learn to process your photos (even if it's just minimal). Then, think about a new camera, but learn the basics and master your current camera first. My first DSLR was a Nikon D70 - only 6MP and back when I joined in 2008,  Alamy expected images to be 48MB instead of the 17MB they require now, so I had to upsize my photos significantly and while many still passed, it was quite the learning experience back in 2008 and plenty of uploads landed me in the "sin bin," as we called it. You'll feel so much better about your work and will learn to make better photographs if you work on mastering your camera, and you can research better ones to reward yourself once you do.

 

Also, ISO 400 isn't really low - you should get good results with it, but even better if you shoot at ISO 100 or 200. Of course, today's cameras can often get good results even much higher, but if you're having issues with QC, try shooting at a lower ISO.

 

Test lens at different focal lengths and f-stops to see the sharpest f stop at each focal length. For example, I have one 35mm prime lens for my Olympus that is sharpest at f/5.6 and if I go to f/11 it starts to lose clarity in some cases, while my 35mm Sony Zeiss lens is best between f/8 and f/11. Google "testing your lens" or words to that effect. It will help you get better images.

 

I don't know the setting you're using but if it's programed auto that could affect sharpness.

 

If you are using a tripod, make sure any lens anti-shake is turned OFF. If not, be sure it's on.

 

How slow are you shooting? Experiment and see when it gets slow enough that your images blur. And remember, if you are shooting at the higher end of your zoom - 70mm - you need to use a faster speed than at the low end - 24mm. 

 

Re: A New Camera

I love my SoanyA7rii (42MP) & A7riv (61MP) but I wouldn't recommend them if you are just shooting stock.  They are overkill - the large files create different issues. I sell photographs to clients such as hospitals that often need them printed 5 or even 7 feet wide, so the extra megapixels are great for that - but the files take much longer to process even with a very fast computer with 32GB RAM, dust is a much bigger issue than with my old Nikon and Olympus cameras, the highest MP of which was 16MP - so a huge change. Sony has lots of cameras to choose from if you like their ecosystem. Without knowing your budget and what else you plan to use your camera for, what lenses you have now, it's impossible to make a suggestion. I'm not familiar with the camera you have - though I've heard a lot of positive reviews from the forum. From what I can see your camera is 20+MP which is probably the sweet spot for stock - though it looks like it has a built in lens or perhaps just a kit lens? 

 

The real difference you often see is not between cameras so much as in buying the best lenses you can afford - so if it is a fixed lens camera, then moving to a DSLR or mirrorless which takes a variety of lenses, you'll see an improvement if you buy the best glass - in Sony's case the G Master lenses - which are usually pricey. I also use some old Nikon lenses on my Sonys and they are terrific. The kit lenses (usually an inexpensive zoom lens) that often come with most cameras are never as sharp as the higher end lenses, but they are certainly sharp enough for stock - I have an Olympus with 3 inexpensive consumer grade lenses and not a single image from that camera ever failed QC. Lenses can vary but the Sony G Master are definitely sharper than their regular lenses, however, the G Master are much heavier than their counterparts, and a lot more expensive, so I have some of both. I'd save up for one good G Master and build your collection slowly once you switch to a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (assuming you stay with Sony). Always read reviews before you buy a lens and if there's a good camera store near you try it out in the store. 

 

 

Edited June 13, 2022 by Marianne

[Bryan]

I take the view that any equipment bought has to pay for itself, and, with the present Alamy contract and situation in the market, you have to sell many images to cover your costs. Think carefully before splashing the cash.

 

I use a secondhand Sony RX100V and a Sony a6500 with a collection of old film camera lenses. The a6500 produces more reliable images than the RX, but, to date, I've not had a QC failure with either camera (famous last words etc). In order to achieve this I've had to reject photos from both cameras, painful when the one shot you particularly like is not satisfactory. 

 

Even at low ISO the RX has a tendency to produce noise in deep blue skies. Sometimes it is possible to control this by selecting the sky and applying noise reduction but occasionally I've had to accept that the result is not acceptable. 

 

As others have said, shoot raw, not JPG, and carefully post process, inspecting every shot at 100% pixels. I use old copies of Lightroom and Photoshop - bought when you could purchase the software outright rather than get involved in monthly payments, but there are cheaper alternatives. This brings me back to my first point, there is no sense in spending money unless there is the prospect of a decent return. When I first started in this game I used the free software that came with the camera - in my case a Canon, you should perhaps first get to grips with the free Sony post processing offering.

Edited June 14, 2022 by Bryan

[Brian Yarvin]

I am using less expensive and older cameras like Olympus Epl-7 and rarely have problems with QC.  I am still learning to use what I've got.

[Betty LaRue]

17 hours ago, anna182016 said:

Thankyou so much, since I just starting over again I'm learning how to use this Finder button on my camera it is set to Superior Auto with Finder is on i think i am not gonna change my set up but i will keep learning. And i don't usually edit my photos i just upload them naturally, no edit no filter no crop.

I suggest you take a look at the images we have taken. Look under our avatar and click on “Images xxxxx” (numbers in our portfolio). All of the images you see by a photographer have passed Quality Control. You’ll see a lot of different styles and subjects. Go to the “Images Sold” threads and look at what’s being bought by clients. Pay attention to the images…color, punch, framing. Some people focus really close to a subject, some leave what is called “copy space” eg…room to add text somewhere, top, bottom, sides. Take a vertical and a landscape of the same subject if you can. Sometimes the subject only calls for one orientation.

Study ours, and you’ll slowly get a grip on what makes a decent, passable image. A lot of people just joining stock photography think all that’s needed is to point, shoot, upload. There’s a lot more to it, it’s a craft. Alamy only wants images that look professional. When I started out, I had a lot of failures, but I learned what was expected over time. It can be a crushing to-the-soul process, and only the ones who have the guts to stick it out and continue to learn are still here.

As what has been pointed out in other responses in this thread, unless you are willing to shoot RAW and learn how to develop that RAW image, I doubt you will be successful. It takes work to learn how to do it properly, and unless you are willing to put in that work, you might as well quit now. 
There is NO instant gratification in stock photography, other than a very rare occurrence.

[Marianne]

10 hours ago, Bryan said:

I take the view that any equipment bought has to pay for itself, and, with the present Alamy contract and situation in the market, you have to sell many images to cover your costs. Think carefully before splashing the cash.

 

I use a secondhand Sony RX100V and a Sony a6500 with a collection of old film camera lenses. The a6500 produces more reliable images than the RX, but, to date, I've not had a QC failure with either camera (famous last words etc). In order to achieve this I've had to reject photos from both cameras, painful when the one shot you particularly like is not satisfactory. 

 

Even at low ISO the RX has a tendency to produce noise in deep blue skies. Sometimes it is possible to control this by selecting the sky and applying noise reduction but occasionally I've had to accept that the result is not acceptable. 

 

As others have said, shoot raw, not JPG, and carefully post process, inspecting every shot at 100% pixels. I use old copies of Lightroom and Photoshop - bought when you could purchase the software outright rather than get involved in monthly payments, but there are cheaper alternatives. This brings me back to my first point, there is no sense in spending money unless there is the prospect of a decent return. When I first started in this game I used the free software that came with the camera - in my case a Canon, you should perhaps first get to grips with the free Sony post processing offering.

 

Bryan makes a great point, I use some old film lenses I bought on ebay inexpensively, some back before I even heard of stock photography when I got my first DSLR in 2006- using inexpensive adapters - I have a collection of Zuiko (Olympus) and Nikon lenses and they all work well - the older ones have great bokeh (the out of focus areas of a photograph) - I have to focus manually with them, which is easy enough - used equipment can be a great money-saver. I also bought a used Rokinon via KEH - they sell used equipment online. Excellent service - they buy used equipment too. 

 

In fact, even when I bought both of my Sony cameras new, I bought the prior year's model - the A7rii when the A7rii came out and the A7riv when a newer model came out - which saved me about $500-700 each time - you don't need the "newest model for 2022" - you'll pay a premium for it - there are so many older cameras that are terrific. 

[John Mitchell]

I don't buy much equipment these days, but when I do it's used stuff. I've found some really good deals on secondhand lenses (less than 50% of the original price) during the past couple of years. They all look like they've never been out of the box. People must purchase camera equipment on a whim and then end up using their phones most of the time. I hardly ever see anyone with a "real" camera any longer.

[antonsrkn]

As I was reading the replies, I saw several responses that talked about how alamy expects pro grade or professional quality imagery.   This may seem overwhelming for someone who is at the stage of struggling to get images of suitable quality to pass QC.  But... It's also an exaggeration. Alamy doesn't care if your images are pro grade or not as long as they pass a certain minimum quality threshold. In other words they just have to be 'good enough'.  In my alamy library i have some old and new images of the same subject with a marked discrepancy in quality. I'd be lying if i said the 'pro grade' quality image is always the one to sell. If you look at articles, etc using alamy images the photos used are often not technically well done either. What's more important is getting the right kind of image to sell whether that's something most other photographers don't have access to or don't photograph. For most uses, an overworked editor or intern or whoever is picking the images is in all likelihood going to shrug and pick the 1st image that fits and move on.  So again, work towards 'good enough' and when you get there then start thinking of 'professional grade' imagery whatever that means. 

 

Also, no one has really answered your question -- "what is the best camera in 2022?".  Matter of opinion/brand loyalty/etc, but answering the question at face value without bringing financials into it since you didn't mention a budget. The Nikon Z9 looks pretty fantastic from where I'm standing. 

 

[meanderingemu]

18 hours ago, John Mitchell said:

I would recommend shooting in RAW and using Capture One Express for Sony software to process your files. The program is free and very user-friendly. I use it to process my RAW images taken with a Sony a6000, and I'm pleased with the results. There are plenty of video tutorials available as well. Here's a download link.

 

curious, do the Camera specific version of C1 Express still exists?  I know for the main ($$) software they have terminated them which means next time i want to upgrade i need to pay for the All camera version. 

[John Mitchell]

1 minute ago, meanderingemu said:

 

curious, do the Camera specific version of C1 Express still exists?  I know for the main ($$) software they have terminated them which means next time i want to upgrade i need to pay for the All camera version. 

 

I just updated to the latest 2022 version of C1 Express for Sony a few days ago (see download link I provided above), so it still exists. They've made quite a few improvements to the software as well. Don't know about C1 Express for other cameras.

[meanderingemu]

9 minutes ago, John Mitchell said:

 

I just updated to the latest 2022 version of C1 Express for Sony a few days ago (see download link I provided above), so it still exists. They've made quite a few improvements to the software as well. Don't know about C1 Express for other cameras.

 

i guess they still maintain them.  interesting

[John Mitchell]

27 minutes ago, antonsrkn said:

As I was reading the replies, I saw several responses that talked about how alamy expects pro grade or professional quality imagery.   This may seem overwhelming for someone who is at the stage of struggling to get images of suitable quality to pass QC.  But... It's also an exaggeration. Alamy doesn't care if your images are pro grade or not as long as they pass a certain minimum quality threshold. In other words they just have to be 'good enough'.  In my alamy library i have some old and new images of the same subject with a marked discrepancy in quality. I'd be lying if i said the 'pro grade' quality image is always the one to sell. If you look at articles, etc using alamy images the photos used are often not technically well done either. What's more important is getting the right kind of image to sell whether that's something most other photographers don't have access to or don't photograph. For most uses, an overworked editor or intern or whoever is picking the images is in all likelihood going to shrug and pick the 1st image that fits and move on.  So again, work towards 'good enough' and when you get there then start thinking of 'professional grade' imagery whatever that means. 

 

Also, no one has really answered your question -- "what is the best camera in 2022?".  Matter of opinion/brand loyalty/etc, but answering the question at face value without bringing financials into it since you didn't mention a budget. The Nikon Z9 looks pretty fantastic from where I'm standing. 

 

 

The Z9 body costs a mere $7000 here in Canada. I'm sure it's an amazing camera, but I think I'll have to pass. I agree, finding subjects that Alamy customers need is the most important thing (assuming one wants to make a little money at this). Getting through QC is actually quite easy once you get the hang of it. Images don't have to be "pro grade," whatever that means. 🙄

[sb photos]

3 hours ago, antonsrkn said:

 

Also, no one has really answered your question -- "what is the best camera in 2022?".  Matter of opinion/brand loyalty/etc, but answering the question at face value without bringing financials into it since you didn't mention a budget. The Nikon Z9 looks pretty fantastic from where I'm standing. 

 

 

Some people will answer "what is the best camera in 2022?" as the camera you have on you. In reality and giving plenty of thought to this depends upon what Anna plans to shoot, what her budget is and so on. There is no set answer, it depends upon your requirements. As I too own an RX100 along with other cameras, I know they are capable of producing good images that can pass Alamy's QC as long as the photographer works around the limitations of its 1" sensor. To get the best out of an RX100 shoot in raw and keep the iso as low as practicable so that your shutter speed is sufficient or your aperture gives you the required depth of field. Shooting in auto will not guarantee this. I prefer aperture priority or manual. Auto and shooting jpeg's will not give consistently good results to pass QC. C1 Express for Sony is free and should edit images to Alamy's standard. Hoping you learn and do well.

Edited June 14, 2022 by sb photos

[Ed Rooney]

On 13/06/2022 at 21:06, anna182016 said:

Thankyou so much, since I just starting over again I'm learning how to use this Finder button on my camera it is set to Superior Auto with Finder is on i think i am not gonna change my set up but i will keep learning. And i don't usually edit my photos i just upload them naturally, no edit no filter no crop.

 

Anna, you don't need a new camera. You need to learn how to use the camera you have. You need to learn photography -- taking pictures and editing pictures. You seem not to know anything at all about photography.

[Steve F]

Hi Anna,

I agree with other Forumites, you don't need a new camera. 20.1MP is more than enough, and it sounds like the inbuilt lens for this model is good too.

 

You need to do some photo editing if you want to completely avoid failing QC (and if you want to get more serious about photography). There are some freebie editing programmes out there, but most of use use Lightroom and or Photoshop by Adobe, although there's a whole range of other software too.

 

If you're using the auto setting on your camera to take pictures, it will be hit and miss. The camera isn't as intelligent as you, so it won't always know what you want to have in focus or it won't have a fast enough shutter speed. You have a lens which goes to F1.8 / F2.8 so you can do some great shallow depth of field shots, but you need to tell the camera to do it.

 

When I started out, I devoured a bunch of photography magazines and books. I'd still recommend getting some magazines, but have a look at YouTube videos. Minimum would be to learn the relationship between ISO, shutter speed and aperture, learn about white balance, different shooting modes on your camera (for example, I almost always shoot aperture priority). Softer skills like composition, choice of subject, lighting etc. can follow.

 

Have fun!

Steve