Advanced Photographer Issue 31 Sampler

NEW SERIES G GO SHOOT EXPLORE LIGHTING ACADEMY USE GRIDS TO LIVING VING MUSEUMS W WITH YOUR CAMERA

CONTROL LIGHT FOR GREAT SHOTS

Advanced THE MAGAZINE THAT TAKES YOUR IMAGES SERIOUSLY USLY

PHOTOGRAPHER

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FULL TEST

Nikon D7100

Nikon’s latest promises brilliant quality. Does it deliver?

NEW SERIES

CAPITAL GAINS Ideas for shooting 24 hours in London

Make the most of water with long exposures

FULL FLOW

ACTION TECHNIQUE

ACES HIGH!

Shoot your best-ever air show pictures MASSIVE REVIEW

FULL REVIEW

COMPARISON TEST

MEMORY CARDS

ROGUE XL PRO KIT

TRAVEL TRIPODS

36 SD cards compared, one winner. We name the best AP31-001 (COVERv2)hbljc.indd 1

It’s a reflector, softbox and stripbox

Six lightweight tripods tested.

Which one should you pack?

26/4/13 16:18:50

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© JOHN OWEN

Welcome WILL CHEUNG FRPS, EDITOR Will has worked in photo mags for over 25 years and been taking pictures for even longer. His photographic interests are very broad, from nature to portraits

Welcome to Issue 31 which definitely has an outdoors feel, as it certainly should at this time of year.

Susan Brown has a soft spot for sea pools. She often shoots them through her B+W 10-stop filter to produce lovely, gentle seascapes that ooze mood and atmosphere. See her Inspire feature for more and then read our Capture feature to find out how you can shoot similar effects.

If your taste is for something more noisy, check Peter Walmsley’s folio of images taken at air displays. These are hugely popular summer events and looking at Peter’s images it’s easy to see why they appeal so much to photographers too.

We have two major product reviews for you this issue. There’s the flagship DX-format Nikon D7100, a DSLR that eschews an optical lowpass filter for optimum detail rendition. So, does it work? Read our review.

Finally, we have tested 36 SD memory cards. We put them through benchmark software and then used them in Canon and Nikon cameras to see how fast they are in real situations compared with the paper specification. It proved an interesting, if rather long, exercise, but now we know the fastest cards. All is revealed on page 100.

See you next time for more great photography.

Will Cheung FRPS, Editor

The contributors involved in this issue...

SEE PAGE 66

www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

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PETER WALMSLEY LRPS

SUSAN BROWN FRPS

DEL BARRETT ARPS

Peter is a keen photographer and has been interested in aircraft for many years. He had a pilot’s licence for a while which he says has helped him in his aircraft photography too. His work should inspire you to get out and try shooting air shows for yourself. www.evocation.zenfolio.com

We first met Sue at a PermaJet event where she was showing off her lovely seascapes printed on the makers’ papers. She has a lovely touch with a long-exposure filter and while Sue shoots a wide range of subjects, she has a fondness for sea pools. www.susanbrownphotography.co.uk

Del loves London, especially for photography, and she’s shot projects on the Tube, rubbish and shop windows. In our Top Spot feature, she takes us to some of London’s photo hot spots. This should spark ideas for our Photo-24 day-long shoot in June. www.delbarrett.com

ISSUE 31 ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHER 3

26/4/13 16:23:35

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to Advanced Photographer

Contents

44 INSPIRE: Going long

38

GO SHOOT: Living museum

The cover story...

“I love photographing waterfalls and have spent many a happy hour just obsessing and not moving very far,” says Will Cheung. “The thing is there are so many techniques to explore and using a long exposure is just one of them. It all takes time.”

Nikon D3S, 24-70mm f/2.8 at 24mm, 30secs at f/22, ISO 100, Lee Filters Big Stopper, converted to monochrome in Adobe Lightroom 4 WWW.WILLIAMCHEUNG.CO.UK

SEE PAGE 66 FOR DETAILS

Inspiration, technique, opinion 6 UPFRONT Pack your bag ready for school – we’ve news of courses and workshops, plus salons to enter and three opportunities to submit your images to your fav mag. And, of course, oodles of kit.

10 TOP FLIGHT: INSPIRE Twin passions, photography and planes, have propelled Peter Walmsley into a rewarding hobby: shooting air shows.

18 GETTING AIRBORNE: CAPTURE To avoid

10

TOP FLIGHT: Shooting air shows

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SEE PAGE 62 FOR DETAILS

the boring ‘yet another plane against a bland sky’ phenomenon, take enthusiast shooter Peter Osborn’s advice. You’ll soon be capturing ‘turn and burn’ shots with the best of them.

27 EXPOSED There’s not much gets editor Cheung hot under the collar – other than unsharp shots and poor technique, of course.

So don’t ask him about High Dynamic Range unless you’re sitting comfortably. Very comfortably.

28 TOP SPOT: LONDON What better way to spend a day than photographing the wonders of our capital city?

Read this guide to them and you’ll soon be inspired to join us on our Photo-24 shoot.

38 GO SHOOT: BLACK COUNTRY LIVING MUSEUM Nostalgia can make for some photogenic opportunities, so we head to a living museum.

www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

26/4/13 16:12:11

Contents

58 LIGHTING ACADEMY: Grid technique

72 NIKON D7100: The latest DX DSLR

90 MEMORY CARDS: 36 SDs timed & tested

Photo Kit: the latest gear tested 44 TIDE TIMES: INSPIRE

62 RAW MASTERCLASS

A move to Devon focused Sue Brown’s attention away from cities and onto the coast, particularly sea pools.

Now they’re the subject of her latest project.

A long-exposure filter only gets you so far, but spend a little time post-processing your blurry water shots in Lightroom and you’re guaranteed some crackers.

52 WATERWORLD: CAPTURE So you’ve come

66 SUBSCRIPTION OFFERS Money off your fav

down firmly on the blurry bank of the river, but how are you going to achieve those beautifully flowing water shots? By reading this article and getting to grips with filters, of course.

photo mag and it’s delivered right to your door – what’s not to like?

58 LIGHTING ACADEMY Get yourself on the grid.

Add a grid to your lighting modifier arsenal and you’ll add another dimension to your studio set-ups.

www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

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114 NEXT MONTH Join us beside the seaside for some awesome seascapes, with not a blur in sight; or head for the city for capital ideas on what to shoot, or the catwalk for stylish portrait shots. And there are testing times ahead for grey grad filters and memory card readers.

72 NIKON D7100 It’s Nikon’s latest DX DSLR and it’s heralded as the flagship.

Do editor Cheung and tech ed Fyfe agree that it warrants the plaudits?

81 TRAVEL TRIPODS Instead of neglecting your tripod when you’re off globetrotting (or even just heading into the city for a day), on the grounds that it’s sturdy, but oh so heavy, invest in one of these lightweight three-legged beauties.

88 ROGUE XL PRO LIGHTING KIT Simple to use, but offering clever lighting modelling, this collection of modifiers opens up a world of new possibilities.

90 MEMORY CARDS As promised, editor Cheung has been stoically testing and timing 36 SD cards – yes, that’s right – 36! All so you know which cards to buy for your megabyte-hungry, speed machine of a DSLR.

Want to read Advanced Photographer on your iPad? Save up to 35% by subscribing at the App Store today!

ISSUE 31 ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHER 5

26/4/13 17:01:21

INSPIRATION

Bird life

WORDS LYNNE MAXWELL PICTURES PETER WALMSLEY LRPS

Peter Walmsley combines a passion for planes with his love of photography

Y

ou don’t have to have a pilot’s licence to take great plane shots… but it helps. Keen amateur photographer Peter Walmsley has been interested in aircraft for many years and even acquired a pilot’s licence (now lapsed) and for him, photographing aircraft

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is a natural extension of that interest.

“Being able to combine two hobbies is definitely attractive,” he says. “Having the licence helps me understand aircraft manoeuvrability and likely behaviour on take-off and landing, such as flap positions and the ‘flare’ that an

www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

25/4/13 16:24:34

INSPIRATION

Bird life

MAIN The Black Eagles, Republic of Korea Air Force Aerobatic Team. “The pilot with the white smoke trail performs a complete loop around the lingering red smoke. Patience was required on the shutter until the circle was complete.” Nikon D700, 80-400mm lens at 400mm, 1/1600sec at f/6.3, ISO 400, +2/3EV

www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

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TOP SPOT

London

WESTMINSTER BRIDGE Luck plays a part with long exposures. The one Raw image was processed three times wtih different exposures and put through Nik Software HDR EFEX Pro 2.

Nikon D800, 24-120mm zoom at 24mm, 25secs at f/22, ISO 50

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www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

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TOP SPOT

London

London The biggest city in the UK and brimming over with history, people and curiosities to focus your frame on, London is a capital destination for you and your camera WORDS DEL BARRETT ARPS PICTURES VARIOUS

© WILL CHEUNG

There is no question: the best way to see London is by foot. But if you want to cover a lot of ground in a short space of time, get a Travelcard and use public transport – it’s a photo adventure in itself. There are always good images to be taken on the Tube, from the original infrastructure (for example, at Embankment and Waterloo stations) to the striking modern architecture of the stations found on the Jubilee Line. Additionally, Tube travel

www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

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TOP SPOT

© DEL BARRETT ARPS

London

– particularly at weekends and during rush hour – can result in some first-rate candids.

Photography is permitted by London Underground, but remember, no flash, and only use tripods with the permission of the station manager.

While the Tube and the bus are the most popular means of transport, one of the most civilised ways of getting around is the River Bus. The 45-minute trip from Embankment Pier to Greenwich is highly recommended as it offers alternative viewpoints of some iconic London sights – London Eye, Tower Bridge, Millennium Bridge, HMS Belfast and Canary Wharf.

It’s worth getting off at Greenwich, as there really is something for everyone.

The Naval College offers a cornucopia of photographic subjects, including grand architecture, stunning interiors (the painted hall) and spectacular views across to the city. A five-minute stroll along the river brings us to the Cutty Sark,

© DEL BARRETT ARPS

© DEL BARRETT ARPS

ABOVE Detail at the gates of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. RIGHT Painted Hall, Royal Naval College. BELOW Enjoying the British summer.

where visitors can walk under the glass ‘sea’ and get a genuine fisheye view. The nearby Victorian foot tunnel is likewise interesting – the dome that marks its entrance, the spiral staircases and the tunnel itself (low light, but beautifully round and symmetrical).

For those who prefer street photography and candids, there are endless possibilities around the tourist attractions and the markets, although some of the stallholders now prohibit photography. And of course,

The most civilised way of getting around is the River Bus. The trip from Embankment Pier to Greenwich offers alternative views of iconic sights 30

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no trip to Greenwich would be complete without a few shots of the Meridian Line, which is actually invisible, but notices and sculptures help identify its location.

There are a number of photographic itineraries from Greenwich, such as the foot tunnel under the Thames to the Isle of Dogs, walking along the river to the O2 or getting back on the boat and sailing to the Thames Barrier to capture a feat of engineering, reminiscent of the creatures from a John Wyndham novel. My favourite route is the DLR to Canary Wharf.

For architecture fans, Canary Wharf is a must: high buildings, water, the clocks and the overhead rail combine to offer some breathtaking urban landscapes.

www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

25/4/13 11:07:20

TOP SPOT

© NORMAN ATKINSON LRPS

© NORMAN ATKINSON LRPS

London

© NORMAN ATKINSON LRPS

BRICK LANE BY NORMAN ATKINSON LRPS

www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

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“I use a Leica M9 rangefinder either with a Summicron 50mm f/2 or Carl Zeiss Biogon 28mm f/2.8 lens. I shoot at the hyperfocal distance for f/8 or f/11 to get the best balance of foreground to background sharpness. One great thing about these lenses is the excellent depth-of-field scale which makes shooting hyperfocally easy.

“I use the camera’s Auto ISO feature, setting ISO 160 as a minimum and ISO 1600 as a maximum and 1/125sec as the minimum shutter speed.

“My personal favourite time of year to visit Brick Lane is in the winter when there are not so many tourists about.

“The thing I like about the Leica is it’s very small and most of the time people don’t know you are taking their picture.

The shutter is very quiet which is perfect for this form of photography. I have a wrist strap so the camera is down by my side, but always ready to bring up to the eye to get the shot.

“A couple of final tips for those who want to hit Brick Lane: I always wear a black jacket which helps me to blend in on the streets. I get the Tube to Liverpool Street station and walk to Brick Lane from there, taking in Petticoat Lane Market, if it’s open, on the way to get my eye in.”

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INSPIRATION

Ebb and flow

44 ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHER ISSUE 31

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www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

25/4/13 11:16:22

INSPIRATION

Ebb and flow

Working on projects provides a focus for both the mind and the lens, as Sue Brown is discovering with her seascapes WORDS LYNNE MAXWELL PICTURES SUSAN BROWN FRPS

T

MIDNIGHT BLUE “This stunning pool is at Coogee on the Eastern suburbs of Sydney and designed to look like sandcastles. I loved its graphic design and took care to line up the top of the squares. I toned it blue as it was taken just after dark.” Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24-105mm L at 35mm, 1/220sec at f/16, ISO 100, 110 10-stop ND filter

www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

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here’s nothing like a photo project to focus the mind as well as the lens. And Sue Brown is convinced that it’s an important element of development; and that to improve you need a challenge. “I discovered sea pools a couple of years ago,” says the 63-year-old from Devon. “I think I felt passionate about them because I had always enjoyed the graphic shapes of city photography. Now I had graphic shapes but in the continuously changing landscape of the sea. Tides, coastal light and wind direction made for a constantly changing view of the same elements.

“Having a project has encouraged me to look at images from the visual art point of view but also to take images purely for information and to document a point in time.”

Sue shoots a mixed bag of subjects but lately predominantly seascapes. “I like graphic shapes so piers, sea walls and rocks all interest me, but most of all the sea pools.”

She recently visited her eldest daughter in Sydney, Australia, and was excited to discover there were at least 25 sea pools around the coastline in Sydney alone. “It was a family holiday so time with my camera was limited, but the family were sympathetic to my passion and I was ‘allowed out’ on several occasions. What amazed me was that we have such a history here in the UK, but the sea pools in Sydney pre-date most of ours.

“Sea pools became popular here during the 1930s, whereas in Australia they were being constructed at the turn of the 20th century.

Probably due to the climate, they are generally better maintained than the continuously-threatened UK pools, where funding is an ongoing issue. I particularly liked Coogee Pool outside Sydney that was constructed to look like sandcastles but was made of concrete.”

Here her favourite is the one at Bude in North Cornwall, perhaps

ISSUE 31 ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHER 45

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INSPIRATION

Ebb and flow 1

There are times when the movement in the sea is beautiful and an exposure of just a few seconds is preferable to minutes. The need for a sturdy tripod is always paramount

46 ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHER ISSUE 31

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because it was her first encounter with a sea pool that encouraged her to look for more.

“I have visited it mainly in winter when the light is soft and gentle or very stormy. I also like Shoalstone pool in Brixham, where I am actually a regular visitor and they have assisted me with access when the winter fence is in place.

“I love the light in winter – it’s less harsh, and I get more privacy as the pools are quiet. Spring and autumn are also good, but summer is very unsociable – leaving home at 4am or arriving home at 11pm – but I love shooting in low light so summer sunrise and sunset times dictate.”

There are several pools in the south west and south east, many of which she has photographed, apart from one at Dancing Ledge in Dorset. “When I enquired how to gain access I was told to abseil! I am not the abseiling type, especially with camera, tripod and lenses.”

Talking of gear, Sue shoots with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II, mostly fitted with a 24105mm L series lens and, often, a B+W 110 10-stop filter. “I use a variety of neutral density filters and graduated filters for when the sky is too bright. There are times when the movement in the sea is beautiful and an exposure of just a few seconds is

www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

25/4/13 11:18:11

INSPIRATION

Ebb and flow

2

preferable to minutes. The need for a sturdy tripod is always paramount.”

Although she has a variety of ‘rain capes’ for her camera, none of them quite does the job in the stormiest conditions, so she’s thinking of buying an underwater housing. She says, “Waterproof protection is essential; you never know when a large unsuspected wave is going to hit you, or, more importantly, hit the camera. Many a time I have been drenched with salt water.”

Other essentials are absorbent cleaning cloths to dry lenses and filters between exposures, and good aftercare. “I always wash down the tripod in fresh water and

www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

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clean the camera, filters and lenses as soon as possible (often in the nearest loo if there is one). I use Canon Professional Services and have my camera cleaned on an annual basis to avoid corrosion.

“Staff at my local camera store, Mifsuds, in Brixham are very kind and have stripped my Manfrotto carbon-fibre tripod down for me, replaced corroded screws and advised me to use a silicone polish to keep the movement fluid – very helpful, and appreciated by my husband since the life of my tripod has been extended.”

Sue’s daughters have contributed nonphotographic essentials – photographers’

1 STEPS TO THE POOL, PENZANCE “I am fascinated by the design of this art deco pool.

I would not normally use an ND filter for such a subject in bright sunlight, but out of season the water was murky and the slower shutter speed ‘masked’ this appearance. Someone asked me if I had considered trying to sell it to McDonalds.” Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24-105mm L

at 60mm, 8secs at f/16, ISO 100, 110 10-stop ND filter 2 DREAMING ON THE EDGE “This lovely pool is at Bronte on the outskirts of Sydney’s eastern suburbs. I was drawn to it for its unusual curved shape. A few days later there was a storm with force ten winds and a high tide – the pool was almost submerged: dramatic and dangerous.” Canon EOS 5D Mark

II, 24-105mm L at 55mm, 145secs at f/14, ISO 100, 110 10-stop ND filter

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26/4/13 16:34:25

Photo Kit NIKON D7100

Nikon D7100

Two and a half years and six DSLRs after the D7000, Nikon has updated its DX flagship offering. But what does it offer the advanced photographer?

WORDS IAN FYFE PICTURES IAN FYFE & WILL CHEUNG

KEY FEATURES 24.1 MEGAPIXELS £1049 BODY ONLY DX OR 1.3X CROP UP TO 6FPS IN DX MODE ISO 100-25,600 NO LOW-PASS FILTER FOR MAXIMUM DETAIL WWW.NIKON.CO.UK

I FOR INFO The bottom button to the left of the LCD is a new ‘i’ button, but this doesn’t replace the ‘info’ button, which is still there. What’s the difference? The info button now simply displays the settings on screen and it’s the i button that you press to access the on-screen settings to change them. You’re unlikely to want minute-to-minute access to the controls in question though.

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IN-CAMERA PROCESSING The Retouch menu provides access to Raw image processing that gives you a fair amount of control – white-balance, exposure compensation, high ISO noise reduction, D-Lighting, Picture Control, colour space and image size and quality for the JPEG conversion. There’s not enough for creative post-processing, but good for quick fixes in the field.

DUAL STORAGE OPTIONS With two SD card slots, you can select the role that the card in the second slot plays. It can serve as an overflow so that recording continues on this card once the first is full, or images can be recorded to both cards simultaneously so that you have a backup. Alternatively, you can have JPEGs recorded to one and Raw images recorded to the other.

www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

25/4/13 17:29:17

Photo Kit

NIKON D7100

T

hey say you can’t please all of the people all of the time, and that certainly applies when it comes to cameras. But some cameras manage to cover all bases so that they end up on everyone’s shortlist, and the D7100 has the makings of one of these. It sits at the top of the DX tree, borrowing features from its professional-level relatives and combining them with its own innovations to offer a highly specified DX camera that can also happily mingle at the full-frame party without looking out of place.

The D7100 has clearly been modelled on the D600, and comparing pictures of the two is like playing spot the difference.

In shape and layout, the D7100 is practically identical to its full-frame brother, although it seems that Nikon may have washed all the components at high heat to shrink them slightly – a few millimetres in all dimensions. Including the battery, the D7100 is 85g lighter, plus it’s weather and dust sealed.

In terms of controls, differences from its predecessor, the D7000, are also minimal, although the area around the thumb grip to the right has been cleaned up by the incorporation of the focus lock lever around the multi-selector. This brings the D7100 into line with the D800 and D600, with a less cluttered area around the multi-selector. Also new is the lock on the mode dial.

As a rule, I’m not a fan of the ergonomics of Nikon cameras – I never feel that I can get a comfortable hold on them. With the D7100, that wasn’t the case, and I found it much more comfortable. Exactly why, I’m not sure, but the depression on the inside of the grip feels more pronounced – whether it’s that, a subtle difference in the shape of the grip, or just the size, in combination with Nikon’s standard control layout, this makes the D7100 a pleasure to use. You have instant access to every setting you’re likely to want in a hurry, with the extensive buttons spread across the back, top and front of the camera. Nikon users will instantly be at home with it in their hand.

When it comes to the guts of the D7100, there’s one real headline feature. We’ve become used to 24-megapixel sensors with native ISO sensitivities of 100-6400 from Nikon. What we’re not used to are sensors that have no low-pass filters.

Nikon says that the density of pixels on the sensor makes the risk of moiré too small to bother with the low-pass filter, and that the advantage of the higher resolution outweighs this risk. Exactly why that wasn’t the case for the last three 24megapixel sensor cameras it has released in the last 12 months or so, Nikon didn’t say, but it looks as though this could be a common theme in Nikon’s future products

www.advancedphotographer.co.uk

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ANATOMY OF...

Nikon D7100 FROM THE TOP The exposure mode dial 1 now has a central lock to prevent accidental rotation, which wasn’t the case on the D7000, but this doesn’t hinder useage. Underneath is the release mode dial 2 , providing simple access to all drive modes. Around the shutter release are the exposure compensation button 3 and metering pattern button 4 , as well as an independent movie-record button 5 , which is only active when in Movie Live View. The shutter release can also be customised to trigger movie recording in this mode, but by default takes photographs regardless. In front of the hotshoe is the stereo microphone 6 .

5 3

4

6

1

2

FROM THE FRONT The D7100 has a control dial on the front 1 and back for independent control of shutter speed and aperture. Tucked between the grip and the lens are the depth-of-field preview 2 and function buttons 3 . The functions of both can be customised – by default, the function button allows switching between DX and 1.3x crop modes. On the other side of the lens, for control with your left thumb, is the autofocus mode selector 4 , Nikon’s ingenious AF/MF switch. Further up are the bracketing button 5 and the pop-up flash release 6 . The 24-megapixel CMOS sensor 7 has no optical low-pass filter, promising sharper detail but with some risk of moiré.

6 5

1 3

7

4 2

FROM THE BACK The viewfinder 1 provides 100 per cent coverage. The buttons to the left of the LCD screen include controls for whitebalance 2 and ISO 3 , as well as a new ‘i’ button 4 , which gives one-touch access to on-screen setting changes in the info screen; the ‘info’ button 5 now simply displays settings on screen. The LCD screen itself 6 is a newly developed RGBW monitor, which includes white pixels for extra brightness, and has scratch- and shock-resistant reinforced glass. The focus selector lock 7 now sits around the multiselector, and below is the live view button and mode selector 8 . Storage is catered for by dual SD card slots 9 .

AT A GLANCE SPECS STREET PRICE £1049 body only SENSOR 24.1 megapixels, 23.5x15.6mm CMOS sensor with EXPEED 3 processor IMAGE DIMENSIONS 6000x4000 (DX), 4800x3200 (1.3x crop) STORAGE Two SD slots ISO RANGE 100-6400 (100-25,600 expanded) EXPOSURE COMPENSATION +/-5EV, AEB 2 to 5 frames in 0.3EV, 0.5EV, 0.7EV, 1EV, 2EV or 3EV steps

1

2

7

9

6 8

3 4

5

METERING PATTERNS Matrix, centreweighted, spot. 2016-pixel metering sensor AUTOFOCUS 51 points (15 cross-type) with single point, 9-, 21- or 51-point dynamic area AF, 3D tracking, auto-area AF SHUTTER 30secs to 1/8000sec, flash sync 1/250sec SHOOTING SPEEDS Single, continuous (L and H), 6fps (DX), 7fps (1.3x crop), quiet mode SIZE (WXHXD) 135.5x106.5x76mm WEIGHT 765g (body with battery and memory card)

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Photo Kit

LIGHT MODIFIER

Rogue Flashbender XL Pro Lighting Kit

Expand the creative horizons of your flashgun with a smart modifier like this new kit from Rogue. It can do several jobs and is a doddle to use WORDS & PICTURES WILL CHEUNG

SPECS PRICE £90 CONTACT www.expoimaging.com IN THE BOX 1 x Flashbender XL Pro white reflector 33x41cm, 310g 1 x XL Pro Strip Box diffuser 14x33cm, 25g 1 x XL Soft Box diffuser 29x33cm, 60g 1 x XL Pro silver/black reflector 33x35cm, 55g

SILVER REFLECTOR The standard white reflective finish is good enough for most subjects, but there are times when you want a punchier light and that’s when the silver/black insert comes into its own.

Earlier this year, I spent a day at the Focus on Imaging exhibition in Birmingham and saw any number of product demonstrations. I saw top-end compacts, mains flashes, tripods and much more, but my personal highlight was the FlashBender XL Pro Kit. When Erik Sowder, the man behind Rogue who was doing the demo, folded the XL Pro to give a mini stripbox, I genuinely thought ‘that’s really neat, clever, simple and I could see a use for it.’

I’ve used FlashBenders before but this added element gives the product a unique selling point, to use the marketing jargon.

I’ve used the XL Pro before but this added element gives the product a unique selling point, to use the marketing jargon

Fitting the XL Pro to the flashgun is easy enough, with an elastic strap that is Velcroed into position. I found the best way to attach the Pro XL was to lay the flashgun down rather than trying to do it in situ on the lighting stand. You need to do this as tight as possible because the XL Pro is quite a weight for a modifier. Indeed, it is possible to use the XL with the flashgun on the camera’s hotshoe although it is rather unwieldy. It’s best to mount the flashgun and softbox off camera on a lighting stand.

Like the smaller FlashBenders, the XL’s basic surface is white and has three adjustable support ribs that can be moved into position to direct light onto the subject.

As well as the stripbox diffuser, the other new bit of kit here is the silver/black reflector. This simply attaches to the white

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Photo Kit

LIGHT MODIFIER

STRIPBOX With the stripbox diffuser fitted you get a thin light source – the front opening measures about 14cm across which means you can light small areas very precisely.

SOFTBOX If you have been following our Lighting Academy, you’ll know the bigger (and the closer) the light source, the softer the light. The light output area of the XL softbox is about 30cm square.

diffuser so you have the options of a harsher light with the silver finish, or with the black you can cut down or direct the light more effectively when you don’t need as much coverage. The silver finish does work well and gives images an extra bite.

Turning the softbox into the stripbox takes a short time and you end up with a stripbox with an output surface of roughly 31x14cm. That’s thin enough to highlight a model’s cheekbones or hair, and it works well. Move it away a little and it still means you can light your subject without spill lightening the background. The flexibility of the ribs means you can narrow down the strip effect even more if you want. The only slight moan I had was that the top edge of the XL and the lid of the stripbox could do with some more hook and loop fastener.

THE VERDICT The concept of Rogue FlashBender light modifiers is really simple and having tested the two smaller models in the past, I know they deliver too. They are simple to use, portable and give good results.

The FlashBender XL works well, and its larger size and extra accessories, especially the strip box attachment, mean this one gadget gives plenty of creative lighting options. At £90, this flat-pack accessory is definitely worth keen strobists having a closer look.

HOW IT RATES FEATURES

25/25

The Kit offers several lighting options

HANDLING

22/25

Okay, but not for fast-moving situations

PERFORMANCE

25/25

Works perfectly well so no issues here

VALUE FOR MONEY

20/25

Not a cheap modifier kit, but has potential

OVERALL

92/100

The new diffusers add even more great creativity to a very good modifier.

PROS Packs flat, versatile stripbox attachment CONS Can be unwieldy

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