Advanced Photographer 49

BORN THRILLERS NEW NATURAL Readers’ wonderful wildlife shots LOOK!

NEW SAMSUNG NX1 SETTING GOALS

Top-end CSC market just got interesting

Kick off a fresh project today

THE MAGAZINE THAT TAKES YOUR IMAGES SERIOUSLY

ISSUE 49 £4.95 ADVANCEDPHOTOGRAPHER.CO.UK

FULL TEST

TECHNIQUE

PENTAX

REACH FOR

645Z

Bulky, heavy, pricey – we LOVE it!

OUTDOOR FLASH Why two heads are better than one for on-location portraits

THE SKY

Kites and quadcopters: 2014’s must-have photo accessories

16-PAGE AUTUMN SPECIAL

SEE PAGE 17

The most photogenic time of the year is here. Are you ready?

FEATURED INSIDE: SAMSUNG NX1 PENTAX 645Z CANON EOS 6D NIKON D800 FUJIFILM X-T 1 MAMIYA C330 & C220 TLRs ap49-001 cover.indd 1

15/09/2014 10:28

ISSUE 49

Welcome WILL CHEUNG FRPS, EDITOR Will has worked in photo mags for 30 years and been taking pictures for even longer. His photographic interests are very broad, from landscape and nature to portraits, indoors and out.

COVER STORIES

The bad news is that the summer’s over; the great news is that autumn’s almost upon us. Autumn is by some margin my favourite time of year for photography. Mother Nature usually puts on a splendidly colourful show, often with some interesting weather thrown in, and the lower sun means great light all day long.

This issue’s Big Feature focuses on the huge range of autumnal photo opportunities with inspiration, technique and editing advice to help you enjoy the season with your camera.

The GoPro or action camera phenomenon is changing the face of photography and in this issue we take a look at what it’s all about, what it could mean to you and how you can get involved. So if you fancy trying your hand at aerial photography, want a fresh approach to nature work or fancy shooting some amazing action images, this is the feature for you.

Our main Photo Kit test this month features the Pentax 645Z. Admittedly, at £6800 body only, it’s not a camera for the masses but, believe it or not, it could be the bargain of the year when viewed in the context of the digital medium-format camera market where rivals are significantly more pricey.

We look forward to your company next issue for more great pictures and advice to take your photography further.

Will Cheung FRPS, Editor

PAGE 82

PAGE 34

PENTAX 645Z

A SEASON OF COLOUR

PAGE 57

Advanced Photographer is also available as a fully interactive magazine – go to iTunes now!

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MARTIN RAK

KINGSLEY SINGLETON

ON-LOCATION FLASH

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ISSUE 49

CONTENTS PAGE 6

LANDSCAPE MASTERCLASS

Editor Will Cheung shares his scenic wisdom in a new series. This issue, we’re off to night class.

PAGE 10

UPFRONT

Everything about photography that’s got us drooling this month: lens reversing, pounding the streets and visiting London’s V&A. PAGE 17

SAMSUNG SHOOT THE COVER

The clock’s ticking, better get your entry in quick to see your image on the front of AP.

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MARTIN TURNER

PAGE 18

ACTION STATIONS

Taking to the skies for a unique perspective on the landscape is increasingly popular, so we’re joining in, and finding out if a trio of action cams pass muster.

THE BIG FEATURE: AUTUMN

PAGE 34

Leaf through these 16 pages to get ready for an awesome autumn of photography. From landscape to still life and macro details, we’ve got it covered.

LIGHTING ACADEMY

PAGE 57

10

WILL CHEUNG

It’s a trick of the light – simple tips for high-contrast, dramatic results.

6

PROJECTS

PAGE 63

Whether it’s a subject or a technique, a project’s the way to exercise your shutter finger.

INSPIRED

PAGE 110

Each issue, readers share their inspiration and images with us. This month it’s wonderful wildlife.

AND FINALLY…

PAGE 114

Confession time: Editor Cheung admits to being a bathroom hogger.

PHOTO KIT PAGE 71

GEAR NEWS

18 100

STUART HOLMES

If it’s new, it’s here; if it’s hot, it’s here. This is your monthly round-up of all the latest kit – wish list to hand…

PAGE 76

SAMSUNG NX1

First look. Get a sneak preview of the most recent CSC to join the NX line-up.

PAGE 82

PENTAX 645Z

Just six days with this 51-megapixel digital mediumformat camera: is it enough to persuade our reviewer to part with £6800?

PAGE 93

LONG-TERMERS

93

The Advanced team and readers tell tales on their treasured cameras and accessories.

SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE SEE PAGE 32

The bits and pieces that are guaranteed to improve your shooting experience.

PAGE 100

Advanced Photographer is also available as a fully interactive magazine – go to iTunes now!

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MINI TESTS

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ADVENTURE CAMERAS

UP IN THE AIR WORDS MEGAN CROFT PICTURES VARIOUS

Small, high-resolution cameras that can be controlled wirelessly have opened up exciting new opportunities for action, nature and scenic photography. Here we take a close look at what three photographers are doing with the landscape from the skies above

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11/09/2014 11:21

ADVENTURE CAMERAS

The GoPro action camera phenomenon has given us amazing images, moving and stills – like Felix Baumgartner’s amazing space jump from 24 miles up. It has never been easier to capture stunning, high-quality action shots of people doing amazing things on snowboards, bikes, horses or climbing up mountains or doing more mundane things like playing a guitar. GoPros have also fuelled the urge to shoot selfies in more adventurous settings and you can even buy a harness to mount a camera on your dog. These aren’t toy cameras – they’re capable of professional quality images.

The surge in popularity of GoPros and the relative affordability of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) has given nature and landscape photographers the chance to jump aboard the phenomenon and get in the air for breathtaking bird’s-eye views, and when we say affordable, you can buy a UAV or drone and an action camera for the price of a full-frame DSLR body – see the Getting Started panel.

It’s becoming ever more challenging to find a new angle on some of the best loved views and in the quest for innovative landscape shots, this new technology can help to achieve a truly unique perspective. Forget fastidiously setting up the tripod and tweaking your settings because landscape photography is no longer synonymous with terra firma. Some have even taken to the skies with their cameras.

Stuart Holmes, featured here, has combined his two great passions, paragliding and photography, for shots of his Lake District stomping ground.

For those who are keen to use the tried-and-tested two-feet-on-theground method of photography, UAVs (also referred to as drones and quadcopters) have taken off in a big way. There is a difference

between the terms although it’s a little ambiguous. Drones and UAVs are generic terms used to refer to more or less the same thing and a quadcopter is a specific kind of UAV or drone propelled by four rotors.

Aerial photography of this sort isn’t new though. In the early 20th century pigeons were fitted with primordial GoPros and even earlier than that people were sending their cameras into the air via kites, but now aerial photography is available to the masses. Of course as the skies get busier, regulations are getting tighter, so if you plan on flying any kind of drone or aerial equipment in the UK, check with the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) first – there’s already been a conviction in the UK for ‘dangerous’ drone use – see the legal panel overleaf.

If this feature leaves you thirsty for more, there’s a site dedicated to the genre, aptly named Dronestagram, www. dronestagr.am, which does exactly what it says on the tin.

UAV enthusiasts and pros upload their footage and photos to the site for your viewing pleasure, there’s even a bloopers style Fails & Crashes page which makes for some wince-worthy watching.

Recently, the site hosted its own photo competition, with sponsors including National Geographic France, which drew in incredible images and is definitely worth looking up – the winners are at: dronestagr.am/contest/rewards.

For more kit-based info, we’ve put together a guide on page 27.

First though, to whet your aerial appetite we’ve interviewed three photographers who’ve gone the extra mile to shoot the landscape from above: Kevin Lajoie, James Farley and Stuart Holmes. Kevin and James have their feet on the ground when shooting from the air but Stuart carries out his photography while paragliding.

IN THE QUEST FOR INNOVATIVE LANDSCAPE SHOTS, THIS TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP TO ACHIEVE A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE Paraglider Stuart Holmes took this shot over Derwent River using his Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a 17-40mm lens, 1/200sec at f/5.6, ISO 100.

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15/09/2014 11:06

SHOOT AUTUMN MONO

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10/09/2014 16:23

SHOOT MONO

WORDS KINGSLEY SINGLETON

MARTIN RAK

This year, don’t let nature’s most photogenic season pass you by.

Follow our expert tips on finding the best locations, planning your compositions and making the most of the light to finally get the autumn shots you’re after

Advanced Photographer is also available as a fully interactive magazine – go to iTunes now!

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SHOOT MONO

UTUMN IS THE LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER’S FAVOURITE SEASON – A TIME OF RICH OPPORTUNITIES WITH VIBRANT COLOURS, DRAMATIC MISTS AND BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN LIGHT. WELL, AT LEAST IT SHOULD BE. TO MAKE THE MOST OF THIS MOST PHOTOGENIC TIME OF YEAR YOU NEED TO BE WELL PREPARED, OTHERWISE YOUR PICTURES COULD BE AS LIMP AND LIFELESS AS THE FALLEN LEAVES YOU’RE SHOOTING.

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10/09/2014 16:23

SARAH HOWARD

JAN PAUL KRAAIJ

KERSTEN HOWARD

SHOOT AUTUMN

In this guide we’ll examine the essentials of shooting in this most beautiful of seasons, enlisting the help of autumnal experts and showcasing the techniques that will improve your shots and get you ready for success.

Although brimming with possibilities, autumnal shots face just the same challenge as any other seasonal image: mainly how to evoke a feeling of time and place – an unmistakable feeling of being there in the midst of autumn. In a way, this makes them pretty similar to travel photos, except that you’re travelling through a season rather than a foreign place – and it’s very difficult to go back. Mess things up and you’ll need to wait until next year. So, the first step for successful autumn shooting is to plan things out: what you’ll shoot, when you’ll shoot it and what you need to get the job done.

Advanced Photographer is also available as a fully interactive magazine – go to iTunes now!

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Tackling location first, consider how far you want to travel; the UK is full of great woods, forests, and national parks (see page 40), and all will be ablaze with colour at some point this autumn, but time is precious and it’s not always possible to travel more than a few miles from home. Equally, with the best light arriving at the extremities of the day and mist burning away soon after dawn you may not be able to go far before the best conditions have gone. Therefore, finding locations close to where you live is a great idea and while the temptation is to think of acres of undisturbed forest, this more often means parks, botanical gardens, avenues or smaller woods nearby. If you’re a regular landscaper you may already have a few locations popping into your mind, which is a good start – keep a note of pleasing locations within a few miles and you’ll be well prepared.

TOP Kersten Howard captures the reflections of autumn’s turning colours in Llyn Geirionydd, Snowdonia against a complementary blue sky – a superb mix.

ABOVE LEFT In Sarah Howard’s pic, early morning sun rays split in the mist and light the leaves at Westonbirt Arboretum.

ABOVE The autumn mist in Jan Paul Kraaij’s forest scene adds layers of depth as it conceals and flattens the more distant trees.

PREVIOUS PAGE Low sun creates a haze in Martin Rak’s seasonal landscape, and shooting into the light picks out the fiery colours.

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10/09/2014 16:23

PHOTO KIT SAMSUNG NX1

SPECS CONTACT samsung.com SENSOR

28.2-megapixel APS-C

CMOS

IMAGE DIMENSIONS

6840x4320 pixels ISO RANGE

100-25,600 (expandable to 51,200) AUTOFOCUS MODES Active, single, continuous, manual

WORDS ROGER PAYNE

FIRST LOOK:

SAMSUNG NX1 Samsung want photographers like you to buy into their CSC range and the new NX1 might just coax the cash from your pocket

SHUTTER

30secs-1/8000sec, plus B EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ±5EV in 1/3EV steps METERING Multi, centre-weighted, spot SHOOTING SPEEDS Single, continuous (up to 15fps), self-timer FOCUSING POINTS

205 phase-detection, 209

contrast-detection INTEGRAL FLASH GN11 (ISO 100) FLASH MODES

1st Curtain, 2nd Curtain,

Auto, Auto+Red-eye reduction, Fill-in, Fillin+Red-eye reduction, Smart Flash, Off FILE FORMATS JPEG, Raw, MP4 MOVIE SIZES

3840x2160 (30fps only), 4096x2160 (24fps only), 1920x1080, 1280x720, 640x480 LCD SCREEN

3in tiltable, 1037k dots,

touchscreen

STORAGE MEDIA SD, SDHC, SDXC, UHS-1, UHS-2 DIMENSIONS (WXHXD)

138.5x102.3x65.8mm WEIGHT

550g (without battery and

memory card)

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info@advancedphotographer.co.uk

advancedphotographer.co.uk

15/09/2014 14:01

SAMSUNG NX1 PHOTO KIT

T

he honeymoon period is over in the compact system camera market.

Photographers who initially went doe-eyed at the mere prospect of a camera that offered the versatility and picture quality of a DSLR without the associated weight and size have hardened and now look beyond pixel counts and grams when choosing their allegiances.

The key players in the market are different, too. The advent of the CSC has seen a reinvigoration of brands like Olympus and Fujifilm along with a new crop of models coming from electronics manufacturers including Sony, Panasonic and Samsung. Of this quintet, only

Samsung could be singled out for not having a model that’s pitched directly at the top-end enthusiast or pro user. Where Olympus has the OM-D E-M1, Fujifilm the X-Pro1, Panasonic the GH4 and Sony the A7R, Samsung’s line-up currently has a pro-spec CSC shaped hole. Or rather it had.

Unveiled at the recent Photokina show in Cologne, the NX1 is the technological

THE NX1 IS THE TECHNOLOGICAL TOUR DE FORCE YOU’D EXPECT FROM THE WORLD’S LEADING ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURER

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tour de force you’d expect from the world’s leading electronics manufacturer. Not only that, but it also represents a real step change from the NX30, which currently sits at the top of the NX tree.

Regardless of what you’ve thought of Samsung cameras up until now, the NX1 may well make you think again. Let me explain why.

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15/09/2014 12:27

PHOTO KIT PENTAX 645Z

SPECS STREET PRICE £6800 body only, £7700 with DFA 55mm f/2.8 CONTACT ricoh-imaging.co.uk SENSOR

51.4 megapixels, CMOS 44x33mm, 14-bit IMAGE SIZE

8256x6192pixels ISO RANGE

100-204,800 AUTOFOCUS MODES Single and continuous with spot, select and expanded area AF with 27 AF points – 25 cross-type EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ±5EV in 0.3 or 0.5EV steps, AEB SHUTTER

30secs-1/4000sec

plus B, flash sync 1/125sec METERING Multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot

EXPOSURE MODES PASM, sensitivitypriority, shutter- & aperture-priority

FULL TEST: PENTAX 645Z WORD & PICTURESS WILL CHEUNG

Small might well be beautiful, but bigger is better as far as image quality is concerned. So is it worth upgrading to medium-format? If so, should this new Pentax be the camera to save up for?

SHOOTING SPEEDS

3fps in continuous

shooting

LCD SCREEN

3.2in TFT, 1037K

dots resolution

STORAGE MEDIA Dual SD slot, SD, SDHC, SDXC, Eye-fit, FLUCARD DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 156xx117x123mm WEIGHT (INC BATTERY & CARD) 1550g, 1966g with 55mm f/2.8

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The Pentax 645 system has been around for 30 years and went digital when the 645D was finally launched in 2010 after a prototype was displayed under glass at Photokina a mere four years earlier.

Year 2010 is not that long ago, but in camera development terms it’s an eternity. Back then, the camera makers were still finding their way with the new technology and most of them were thinking of smaller formats and mass market appeal and now we have Micro Four Thirds, Fujifilm X-series and Samsung NX. Pentax was amongst them, but with its successful history of 6x4.5cm and 6x7cm format film cameras, it worked hard to develop a medium-format model – the 645D, and now the 645Z.

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On paper, the differences between the two models are significant. The Z’s Sony sensor has an effective resolution of 51.4 megapixels against the D’s Kodak sensor with 40 megapixels, the Z has a high ISO of 204,800 while the D tops out at ISO 1600 and the Z can rip along at 3fps while the D is pedestrian at 1.1fps.

Another big difference is in the prices. When the 645D came out four years ago, its body price was £9000; the 645Z’s launch guide price is £6800, so significantly lower and not that far away from top-end flagship full-frame DSLRs from Canon and Nikon. Equally significantly, the 645Z is much cheaper than medium-format rivals from Hasselblad, Leica and MamiyaLeaf. @advancedphotog

In short, I think the 645Z is the first medium-format camera with a genuinely broad appeal for enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Now don’t get me wrong, the body price of £6800 is still a hugely significant amount of money and depending on your interests and needs that could easily double by the time an extra lens or two is added, but in relative terms it seems a very tempting proposition, so is it?

I tested the 645D back in 2010 and while the precise details of how it handled are somewhat lost in the mists of time I do recall it being rather slow to do things like write images to card and buffering was an issue with continuous shooting.

It was just slow generally, not in info@advancedphotographer.co.uk

advancedphotographer.co.uk

10/09/2014 16:44

PENTAX 645Z PHOTO KIT

PENTAX 645Z ANATOMY FROM THE FRONT The front is dominated by the Pentax 645AF2 lens mount 1 and the lens release button 2 . The Pentax 645 system has been going since 1984 and currently there are 16 lens options available from a 25mm f/4 to a 400mm f/5.6, including five zooms. The camera accepts 645A, 645AF and 645AF2 lenses.

At the base of the handgrip is a red countdown LED 3 for self-timer, 2 or 12secs, and at the top there is an input selector or command dial 4 and above this is the shutter release 5 and on/off control. To minimise vibration, a mirror lock-up 6 is provided.

FROM THE BACK The rear of the 645Z is obviously larger than a typical DSLR but it is still dominated by the monitor, a tiltable non touch-sensitive 3.2in model that provides an excellent viewing image.

To its right is a plethora of key controls, each clearly identified and great to use. The scroll command dial 1 also magnifies into the preview image but it’s mostly used in conjunction with another control to adjust and choose settings. Below this is the movie record button 2 and AF-ON 3 button. Next we have a four-way cluster 4 that adjusts shooting speed, picture mode, flash operation and white-balance with a central OK button. Below the AF zone adjust button 5 are four more buttons: 6 is for record/Live View, 7 playback, 8 INFO that lets you turn off the monitor display and 9 MENU. The AE-L button 10 needs just one push and the reading is locked for 20secs.

6

5 4

10 3

2 1

3

7 8

9

11 12 13

9

8 7 6 5

10

4 2

Plenty of buttons for the right thumb but they are well spaced and positive in use. Still probably too many controls for instinctive use with the camera up to the eye. The exceptions to this are the AF button for thumbactivated autofocusing although I would have preferred it slightly higher up and the AE-L is slightly awkward to get at, but needs just a push so you don’t have to hold it down.

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4

5 6

2

FROM THE TOP There is plenty of room up top for controls.

Exposure mode is selected by a large locked knob 1 while measuring method is handled by the rotating collar 2 at its base and this is firmly click-stopped.

Next to this is AF mode selector 3 . Lock 4 lets you lock down the camera’s settings to avoid accidentally changing anything, then there is AF Area 5 which has four settings selected in conjunction with the rear command dial, bracketing 6 and one-touch Raw 7 . The right side is dominated by the large LCD panel 8 with an illuminator button 9 . This button 10 switches between still and movie function. The collar around the shutter button 11 is an on/off control with the third position being depth-of-field preview – this has the option of an image preview. Handily placed are the ISO 12 and exposure compensation 13 buttons, both used in conjunction with the rear command dial. E-Dial programming allows customisation of the front and rear dials in different exposure modes.

The large, tiltable monitor is excellent to use and provides a bright image so no problem inspecting the image or altering menu items. There are two status screens, the one shown with key data like exposure mode, f/stop and so on and the second shows items like Shadow Correction, card storage options, high ISO NR and many more. The monitor does not turn off when you put the camera to the eye.

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1

1 3

Pentax features two modes not seen on other brands – Sv for sensitivity priority and TAV for shutter- and aperturepriority. In SV, you change the ISO and the camera alters aperture and/or shutter speed. In TAv, you have control of aperture on one command dial and shutter speed on the other and the camera’s auto ISO adjusts for the correct exposure – you set the working ISO range.

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10/09/2014 16:45

INSPIRED WILDLIFE

Wonderful wildlife Want to get shooting, but need a creative nudge in the right direction? Then you’ve come to the right place. Every month we’ll bring you a different subject to inspire your next project, challenge your creativity and show how simple themes can be tackled in so many ways…

Experienced wildlife photographers will tell you that it takes a mixture of the right gear and hard-earned skills to achieve eye-catching shots. They’re right, but those skills can be drawn from a variety of disciplines, and as you’ll see in this month’s Inspired section, it’s possible to get great animal shots in a wide range of styles and with different camera and lens combinations. From traditional portrait and documentary styles, to quirky character studies, there’s plenty to try out on your own wildlife images!

LEFT

ROESELIEN RAIMOND

With wildlife shooting, there’s always a benefit in getting to know the behaviour of your subject, helping you predict their movements. Spend time working with animals and you’ll discover their different personalities. Roeselien Raimond has discovered this over years of shooting foxes and she tries to capture their character in her animal portraits, whether they’re playful and adventurous or modest and conservative. To show character, close framing and shallow depth-of-field are best, so long lenses are helpful. Here Roeselien used an EF 300mm f/4L IS lens on her Canon EOS 5D Mark III with an exposure of 1/320sec at f/5, ISO 2500.

ROESELIENRAIMOND.COM

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@advancedphotog

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10/09/2014 16:56

WILDLIFE INSPIRED

ABOVE

LUKE MASSEY

Some of the best wildlife shots feature a great level of context, placing the animal in a wider scene, so rather than cropping close like a regular portrait give your target some space. This does two things. First, it gives the subject some breathing room and infuses pics with a freer, wilder, more documentary feel and, second, you get to make a feature of the lighting and habitat. Here, with an exposure of 1/2500sec at f/4, ISO 160, Luke Massey shot into the setting sun, forming a silhouette of this hare. The shallow depth-offield and the halo of light around the subject from the warm glow of the sun also add separation from the darkening background.

LMASSEYIMAGES.COM Advanced Photographer is also available as a fully interactive magazine – go to iTunes now!

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GET PUBLISHED & WIN GEAR! Want your pics featured in Advanced Photographer? All you have to do is send them in to us! The subject doesn’t matter – we just want to see your best work, so pick your top shots, send them along to inspired@ advancedphotographer.co.uk and you could see them in all their glory here. Please send low-res JPEGs (up to 1000px) and we’ll be in touch for top-quality versions if they make it into the mag. Our favourite image next month will win a Manfrotto 190 tripod kit with three-way head worth £289.95 with the runner-up scooping a Manfrotto Advanced Travel Backpack worth £109.95, thanks to manfrotto.co.uk.

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And finally…

EDITORIAL TEAM

Editor Will Cheung on his photographic month

I’M OLD SCHOOL AND WHILE I HAVE NO PROBLEM WORKING WITH DIGITAL AND THE FREEDOM IT BRINGS, AT THE END OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKFLOW I PREFER TO HAVE SOMETHING TANGIBLE IN MY HANDS. THIS WAS THE CASE EVEN AS A TEENAGER AND EXPLAINS MY MOTIVATION FOR HOGGING THE FAMILY BATHROOM EVERY WEEK… For a few hours every week, I turned our family bathroom into a makeshift darkroom. Nothing beats holding a finished print in your hands. Today, of course, the process is totally different: seeing a print emerge from an inkjet printer does not match the utter thrill of seeing an image appear as if by magic in the developer.

Still, my Epson Stylus Pro 3880 printer has been busy recently, mostly producing images taken on test cameras, notably the Pentax 645Z. This medium-format camera is tested in this issue and I must admit to being very impressed. Of course, it should be good for £6800, body only, but even so the price is remarkable. Rival cameras are more expensive and it now means medium-format digital photography is accessible to more photographers.

Whether the opportunity is taken up by them, only time will tell, because now we have cameras like the Nikon D810, the gulf in image quality, so apparent with film, is so much less.

Anyway, from the Pentax (and the Nikon last month) I have been producing A2 prints to check out image quality. Looking on a high-resolution computer monitor is one thing but to pick up an A2 print and peer at it from a few inches is something much more telling – and compelling.

I know printing at home is not the fashion it used to be in the early days of digital when it was a novelty too – and that is a shame because if you’re not printing out your work, you’re missing out on something very special.

With long cold nights round the corner perhaps it’s time to explore your printing options. Yes, sadly, winter is well on its way. The other morning, before the year’s last bank holiday monday, I decided to get out very early to photograph a nearby farmer’s field replete with round hay bales.

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I knew they wouldn’t be there for long and this particular field was not spoiled by pylons and wires – it’s also only a ten-minute drive from home.

I didn’t even need to change my alarm clock settings; I just got up at my normal time. The only difference from my usual routine was leaving the house a few minutes after crawling out of bed, rather than making a cuppa and showering. The camera bag containing the Pentax 645Z and tripod were waiting by the front door.

Boy, it was freezing and I actually went back into the house to pick up a jacket. Incredibly, August not yet over, and it was cold enough for several layers.

Being out so early was lovely, although I didn’t get the light I wanted. I did the following morning and while the shots won’t feature in my portfolio, I got some images for the Pentax 645Z review.

Going back a few years, I loved shooting medium-format and had several cameras that this year I traded in for a Fujifilm X-T1. It was sad to say goodbye, because we shared some wonderful adventures. There was a Mamiya RB67 I’d owned for nearly four decades and was regularly used until this century, and a Bronica SQ-A I used for a portrait project that I’m still proud of.

In a way testing the Pentax 645Z took me back to those halcyon days. Using a ‘big’ camera seemed very special and even though the ability to just snap away until the card was full was still present, it encouraged me to take a steadier, more considered approach. It was a pity I only had the camera for six days so I didn’t have the time to venture much further than a local farmer’s field.

Looking at the small pile of A2 prints from the Pentax I have to say image quality was truly excellent, as you’d expect, but it was at speeds not previously seen on digital medium-format cameras before where it really impressed me. I appreciate they are not speeds used every day but ISO 25,600 and 51,200, with some noise reduction in Lightroom, gave amazing quality images, far better than anything seen from 35mm DSLRs. Remarkable.

Editor Will Cheung FRPS ☎ 01223 499469 willcheung@bright-publishing.com Features writer Megan Croft ☎ 01223 499466 megancroft@bright-publishing.com Contributing editor Kingsley Singleton kingsleysingleton@bright-publishing.com Sub editors Lisa Clatworthy & Hannah Bealey

CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Allan Harris, David Bond, Martin Turner, Chas Bedford, James Farley, Kevin Lajoie LRPS, Stuart Holmes

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UNSPOILT FIELDS Autumn may be here but even a chill in the air didn’t stop me getting out extra early to shoot this local field of hay bales with the 51-megapixel Pentax 645Z. @advancedphotog

Advanced Photographer is published on the first Thursday of every month by Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3HJ. No part of this magazine can be used without prior written permission of Bright Publishing Ltd. Photo Professional is a registered trademark of Bright Publishing Ltd. The advertisements published in Advanced Photographer that have been written, designed or produced by employees of Bright Publishing Ltd remain the copyright of Bright Publishing Ltd and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. While Bright Publishing makes every effort to ensure accuracy, it can’t be guaranteed. Street pricing at the time of writing is quoted for products.

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10/09/2014 17:09