Photography News 14

NEWS PREVIEWS TESTS CAMERA CLUBS INTERVIEWS ADVICE COMPETITIONS

Photography news

SPECIAL ISSUE 14 CANON ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Issue 14

FREE Produced by

Look inside this cover wrap for the latest issue of Photography News www.canon.co.uk/wintercashback

Issue 14 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 14

www.canon.co.uk/wintercashback

NEWS PREVIEWS TESTS CAMERA CLUBS INTERVIEWS ADVICE COMPETITIONS

GET YOUR

Photography

DIGITAL EDITION

news

FREE

EACH MONTH!

SEE PAGE 6

Issue 14

FREE

18 November – 15 December 2014

Your FREE newspaper packed with the latest news, views and stories from the world of photography

Search for top camera club gets underway

Produced by

New kit from Canon and Lee, comps to enter, plus £10,000 landscape winner All the info you need on the latest photo launches Dina Bova

Photography News, in conjunction with Canon, launches first-ever annual club competition Photography News, in association with Canon and renowned landscape photographer, David Noton, is proud to announce its brand-new Camera Club of the Year competition.

Comprising five themes, the competition kicks off this issue, culminating with the announcement of the winning club in issue 21 (June 2015). First prize includes a Canon XEED WUX450 projector, worth £3,000; 25 subscriptions to Canon’s cloud storage service, Irista; and a workshop and talk with David Noton. In each issue of PN, an Image of the Month will be chosen too, putting the spotlight on the best entrants to the themes so far.

The five themes will be announced in the subsequent five issues and clubs have until 5 May 2015 to enter. Entry is online only via www.absolutephoto.com. All camera clubs, groups and societies, whether online or works, affiliated or not, may enter. Each club may enter five images into every round, with the scores being added together to determine the overall winning club. π To find out more about the competition, turn to page 10.

www.photography-news.co.uk

“Winning a Grand Prize is the same as winning an Oscar” Nikon Photo Contest prizewinner on the glory

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Hands-on: Canon G7 X, Samsung NX1 & Pentax 645Z Plus 8 mono papers tested & Christmas photo gifts

Issue 14 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 14

www.photography-news.co.uk

Latest photography news

Stop press

3

Slimmer polariser from Lee The new skinny, but warmer Landscape Polariser

If you’ve been toying with investing in the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens, don’t. Because Canon has just announced its successor, the EF 100400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM. Its long list of initials denotes its place in Canon’s L series of optics, a four-stop Image Stabilizer (IS), its status as a successor lens (II) and fast, near-silent focusing (USM).

This compact, lightweight telephoto also boasts 21 elements with the new Air Sphere Coating, a Zoom Touch Adjustment ring and dust and water-resistant construction.

It’s available next month for £1999.99.

And we hope to have our hands on it for a test soon too.

Lee Filters has added to its extensive lineup of filters and accessories with the 105mm Landscape Polariser and a new Field Pouch.

The new Landscape Polariser is a circular polarising filter, featuring the usual rotating bezel design, but is a lot slimmer than existing types and this means that, when attached to a two-slotted holder, it can be used down to focal lengths of between 16 and 17mm on full-frame DSLRs without danger of vignetting. Mounting on the front of the standard Lee Filters holder, the new polariser leaves both regular slots free for other filters.

The good news continues for landscape photographers because the filter is also specifically engineered to produce a slightly warmer than normal tone. While it produces all the usual polarisation effects – cutting out unwanted reflections and deepening colours, for example – it also enhances natural tones, giving a richer and more golden finish to your scenics.

So, essentially you get a warm-up filter and a polariser in one.

The Field Pouch is available in black or a sandy colour. The pouch has a concertina design and will store up to ten 100x150mm filters. Padded for extra protection and made of durable fabric, the pouch has three strap options, so you can wear it over the shoulder, on your belt or even attach it to your tripod – whichever is the most comfortable for you.

The Landscape Polariser costs £174, while the Field Pouch is £40.

π To find out more, go to www.canon.co.uk. π To find out more about the polariser and pouch, go to www.leefilters.com.

www.photography-news.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF MACPHUN PRESETS If you’re a user of Macphun Intensify Pro or Macphun Tonality Pro, you’ll be pleased to hear about the launch of Macphun Marketplace, offering a selection of creative presets and texture packs created by some of the world’s leading photographers. These one-click effects make enhancement easy in a variety of styles, and they’re very affordable, priced at $5 for five (about £3). Currently on the Marketplace are packs from Frank Salas, Laurie Rubin, Alan Hess, and more. www.macphun.com/ marketplace NEXT ISSUE There’s one more issue of Photography News due this year. It’ll be with you by Monday 15 December. And don’t forget you can sign up for a digital version too; register at photography-news. co.uk/register.

Issue 14 | Photography News

4

Latest photography news

Interfit lights up market Among the maker’s exciting announcements are LED lighting and off-camera flashguns First up is the Strobies Pro-Flash 360. Designed to be used off-camera, it can also be mounted like a speedlight, and it’s powered by an external power pack providing over 450 full-power bursts. Recycle times are claimed to be a speedy 0.5-4.5secs at full power and the Pro-Flash 360’s high-speed sync allows shutter speeds up to 1/8000sec to be used, so you can shoot with very wide apertures. The Strobies Pro-Flash 360 is priced at £450 with the power

pack (which can power most speedlights with the correct cables), but you can get a second head on its own for £100 less. Triggers and spare batteries are sold separately.

With continuous lighting becoming more popular with photographers, especially on location, Interfit’s second announcement is a range of Nanguang LED lights. The lights are battery powered for portability and the range consists of everything from hotshoe mounted LEDs to

more powerful studio style lights. The construction includes metal-bodied versions aimed at professional use (HS), midrange lights made from ABS plastic (CSA) and a value range (SA) for hobbyists. Some of the lights can also be switched between 3200K and 5600K colour temperatures and used with a soon-to-be-released remote. The range starts at £55. π To find out more, go to www.interfitphotographic.com.

Ricoh back with a splash Ricoh is adding to its WG series of waterproof compacts. The WG-30 and WG-30W are claimed to offer waterproof shooting to a depth of 12 metres, withstand falls from up to 1.5 metres and operate in temperatures as low as -10°C. The difference between the two is the WG-30W’s additional Wi-Fi functionality, which allows remote shooting and easy downloading and sharing of pictures. Performance in low light is said to have been improved via a back-illuminated 16-megapixel CMOS sensor and redesigned processor, while the ISO tops out at 6400. There are three anti-shake modes, and six lights around the lens to assist close-up shooting. Full HD movies are offered as well as a new pet detection function. The WG-30 will cost £229.99, while the WG-30W is arriving in January, costing £30 more. π To find out more, go to www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk.

Photography News | Issue 14

www.photography-news.co.uk

Latest photography news

5

Entries wanted

NEWS IN BRIEF PNY POWERPACKS The M3000 (£22.99) and LM3000 (£29.99) are the latest in the PNY PowerPack range, offering built-in MicroUSB and Lightning cables to charge Android and Apple devices, respectively.

Around the size of a credit card, with a thickness of 13mm and 14mm, and weighing only 84g, the devices are extremely portable and convenient, requiring no additional cables. The 3000 mAh battery capacity ensures up to two full charges are possible for a smartphone and LED battery level indicators show when a recharge is needed. www.pny.com

Two epic once-in-a-lifetime trips are on offer for the winners of the Lovers of Light photography competition

ABOVE 2013’s winner, Martin Dawe, Snow Before Melting. RIGHT Third place in 2013, Stephen Banks’s Winter Sunrise.

Leading window maker Velux has launch its third Lovers of Light photography competition. Open to pros and enthusiasts, it is looking for creative pictures that capture a moment of daylight, whether that is in the mountains, on a woodland walk or at the coast.

Two once-in-a-lifetime trips are the prizes. The closing date is 20 February 2015 and the winners will be revealed in March 2015.

PROFOTO LOVELY SOFTIE Profoto’s latest modifier is a four-foot Octa softbox, filling the gap between the threeand five-foot versions.

Perfect for a lovely round catchlight in the subject’s eyes. Priced at £252. www.profoto.com

π To find out more, go to www.velux.co.uk/loversoflight.

Just the landscape A showcase of John Gravett’s stunning landscape images John Gravett, who owns and runs Lakeland Photographic Holidays in Cumbria, is holding his latest exhibition as a homage to the number of people who question him on the subject of his photography, then reply ‘oh, just the landscape?’

Just the Landscape will be on show in the Circle Gallery at the Theatre by the Lake in Cumbria from 1 December 2014 until 29 January 2015 and entry to the exhibition is free. Featured locations include the Lake District but also Iceland, Tuscany and the USA.

SUPPORT YOUR PHONE GorillaPod maker Joby has introduced a supersized GripTight system for larger smartphones like the iPhone 6 Plus. A GripTight XL Stand XL costs £28 and will hold a load of 325g. Existing owners of GorillaPods can just buy the Mount XL for £15. www.joby.com

π To find out more, go to www.lakelandphotohols.com.

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 14 | Photography News

6

Latest photography news NEWS IN BRIEF SAMSUNG DUO Samsung is offering the chance to stock up on extra memory in time for Christmas. Its EVO SD and EVO Micro SD cards are now available in money-saving twin packs.

EVO cards are claimed to be able to withstand 24 hours in seawater, as well as X-rays and magnets, and endure operating temperatures as low as -25°C and as high as 85°C. Virtually indestructible, then.

The twin pack prices range from £28.95 for 16GB to £47.95 for 32GB. www.samsung.com

Quick, get Trigger happy Get in the fast lane with a TriggerSmart workshop in Bournemouth and practise your own high-speed shooting technique

For shooting fast action subjects like water droplets, a balloon bursting or shattering glass, you need a gadget that can coordinate the camera and lighting to fire at precisely the right time. A gadget like the TriggerSmart system, a remote control trigger that’s easily connected to most DSLRs, and which fires your shutter automatically, cued either by the breaking of an infrared beam, or by sensing a light or sound.

For a hands-on demonstration of the TriggerSmart system in action, showing exactly how it’s used to create great action, still-life and wildlife photos, Flaghead Photographic and DEPhotographic are organising a special workshop.

Taking place on 4 December at The Picture House Studios in Bournemouth, Dorset, the workshop covers the basics of remote triggering

as well as motion capture, the effects of shutter speed and flash duration and how to deal with camera shutter delay.

The day gives an opportunity to create some outstanding water-drop photographs as well as taking in fast-moving or exploding objects, like balloons and glass. All you need to bring is your camera and flashgun. The workshop costs £69 and includes refreshments.

π To find out more about the workshop, go to www.flaghead.co.uk.

Taking a view

Landscape Photographer of the Year announced

One of the most prestigious and ethical photo competitions around, Landscape Photographer of the Year, which was profiled in issue 12 of PN, has announced the winners of the 2014 competition. The eighth annual contest presented 14 prizes, including the youth categories and four special prizes supported by the sponsors: the Countryside is GREAT Award, VisitBritain You’re Invited Award, Network Rail Lines in the Landscape Award and The Sunday Times Magazine Choice.

This year’s overall winner is Mark Littlejohn from Derby. His winning image, A Beginning and an End, is of Scotland’s Glencoe, taken handheld during a gap in the weather. He explains: “I saw this wee stream from high up on Gearr Aonach. It tumbled steeply down the slopes before vanishing again near the base of the mountain. With more squalls coming through I decided to take this image as the light became more diffuse. It had be a quick handheld shot due to the sideways rain and I therefore raised the ISO and used a larger aperture to keep the speed up slightly.” As well as the title, Mark scoops a £10,000 prize pot.

In the Youth categories, for under 17s, the Youth Landscape Photographer of the Year and the accompanying £1000 prize went

Film lives Tetenal, one of the world’s oldest photo companies, has launched a film-only photo competition to find the European Black & White Analogue Photographer of the Year. There are five categories – reportage/lifestyle, portrait, architecture, landscape and wildlife – and entries must be submitted as analogue black & white prints.

At the time of going to press, the final prize pool is still being worked on so check the website for the latest news.

European Black & White Classics Award

Each country will find a local winner for each category and the overall judging will happen in Germany in April 2015.

Closing date for entries is 31 March 2015.

π To find out more, go to www.since1847.tetenal.com.

ABOVE The 2014 winning image by Mark Littlejohn.

to Sam Rielly for his mono image of Parys mountain in Anglesea, Wales.

The Landscape Photographer of the Year: Collection 8 book is now on sale, containing full-colour prints of all this year’s winning and commended entries. Published by AA Publishing, it costs £25.

But if you want to see the exhibition of the very same images, you’ll have to wait until next month. The Awards exhibition opens on 1 December at London’s Waterloo station. The free to enter display will be there until 31 January.

π To find out more about the competition, go to www.take-a-view.co.uk.

Photography News | Issue 14

www.photography-news.co.uk

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 14 | Photography News

Camera clubs

Tell us your club’s latest news, email: clubnews@photography-news.co.uk

Camera club news If your club has any news that you want to share with the rest of the world, this is the page for it. Your story might be about your club’s success in a contest, or a member’s personal achievement; it could be about a group outing you had recently or when the annual exhibition is on show. Any news is eligible for inclusion, so club publicity officers please take note of the submission guidelines and get your stories in

HOW TO SUBMIT Allow plenty of time. Photography News comes out around the third week of the month. For the next issue, which comes out 15 December, we need words and pictures by 4 December.

Write your story on a Word document (400 words maximum) and attach it to an email to clubnews@photography-news.co.uk.

In the story please include contact details of the club, exhibition or event – website, meeting time, opening times, whatever is relevant to the story.

Images: Yes please, and attach these to the email too. Images should be JPEGs, 2000 pixels on the longest dimension and any colour space. If the story is an exhibition or event, please send a picture from the exhibition (not the publicity poster), the winning image or one of the event. If the picture includes people please identify them on the Word document.

Deadline for the next issue: 4 December

Charlie Waite says happy anniversary

Showing off in the garden

Crowds expected for renowned landscape photographer’s talk

A two-for-one deal if you like: visit an RHS garden and enjoy a photographic display

The Field End Photographic Society in Ruislip, West London, is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a talk from renowned landscape photographer Charlie Waite. His visit on Wednesday 10 December is the highlight of the anniversary year and the club is expecting such a large turnout that they’ve moved their evening to a bigger venue at Fairfield, Northwood Hills.

The event, An Evening with Charlie Waite: Behind The Photograph, is open to the public, starts at 8pm and tickets, which are available in advance only, are priced at £12.50. Book by emailing events@fieldendps.co.uk or call the ticket line which is 07579 001141.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Okehampton Camera Club members Erica Griffiths, Mikhal Brandstatter, Graham Brown and club chairman Derek Stratton launch their exhibition at RHS Garden Rosemoor.

π To find out more, go to www.okehamptoncameraclub.co.uk.

Charlie Waite

Okehampton Camera Club has an exhibition of members’ photographs on display until 7 December at the Royal Horticultural Society Garden Rosemoor near Torrington, Devon. It is open from 10am to 5pm every day, including weekends. Last entry is 4pm.

Graham Brown, secretary of Okehampton Camera Club says, “This is the second year our members have exhibited some of their favourite images at RHS Rosemoor. We hope our photographs, on a wide range of subjects, give pleasure to the Rosemoor visitors.”

Okehampton Camera Club meets fortnightly on Mondays at the Church Hall in Market Street, Okehampton, Devon. Meetings start at 7.30pm and new members are always welcome.

π To find out more about Field End PS, go to www.fieldendps.co.uk.

Dumfries wins for the second time

Barry Thompson

Ware’s the annual show?

8

Marc Edwards

Dumfries Camera Club has again won the PAGB’s Inter-Club Print Championship 2014, sponsored by PermaJet, beating off fierce competition from 35 other clubs. Taking second place was the Beyond Group, followed by Smethwick PS and Chorley PS in joint third place.

SORRY We ran a story last issue on the success of Derby City PC member Barry Thompson in the London Salon and somehow printed the wrong image. Our apologies to Barry for any inconvenience caused.

π To find out more about the competition, go to www.thepagb.org.uk.

Nikon picks a winner Ware & District Photographic Society is holding its annual exhibition at The Ware Arts Centre, Kibes Lane, Ware, Hertfordshire SG12 7ED, on 22 and 23 November, 10am until 5pm. Entry is free. At 11am on Saturday, the mayor of Ware Town Council will officially open the exhibition.

North Walsham Photography Group (NWPG) was recently invited to take part in a Nikon School camera club competition, with landscapes as the theme. The competition, promoting the Nikon School, offered a Nikon D7100 with 18-105mm lens and SB-700 Speedlight as the prize.

Congratulations to NWPG member John Riggott, who scooped the prize with his entry The Winding Road.

The North Walsham Photography Group meet in the Atrium at North Walsham High School, on the second and fourth Tuesdays in the month.

π To find out more about North Walsham Photography Group, go to www.nw-pg.co.uk. π To find out more, go to www.wareps.org.uk.

Photography News | Issue 14

www.photography-news.co.uk

Competition

9

INTERVIEW

MEET A WINNER Dina Bova: Dina

won the Grand Prize 2012-13 with Elegy of Autumn (right).

How did you feel when you heard you’d won?

Winning a Nikon Grand Prize for a photographer is the same as winning an Oscar. This is a tremendous recognition, a pleasure and an honour. And although I have already received several hundred awards in different countries, I did not expect such recognition.

I found it hard to believe that out of 100,000 images from 153 countries, my work was chosen. It took me a while to calm down.

What advice would you give to this year’s entrants?

First of all, I believe it is important to remember that photography is an art – and not a sport.

In art, you can’t jump higher than everybody or run faster than others. In photography, you just need to be yourself.

Do not try to please someone or to predict someone’s tastes.

Enter work in which you have invested your heart and soul.

35th Annual Nikon Photo Contest You’ve got until 15 December to enter one of the world’s top photo competitions with some amazing prizes to be won. This year’s lead judge, Stephen Mayes tells us more Interviews by Megan Croft

How did you come to be lead judge this year?

I was an observer at last year’s judging and I was excited by the variety and quality of the work submitted so I was thrilled when Nikon invited me to join the 35th Contest panel of judges.

I have a long history of working with photography of different styles including journalism, fashion, art and commercial work so I bring a broad vision across many different types of photography, plus experience of judging including nine years as secretary of the World Press Photo competition.

The keys to a successful competition are great images, strong judges and an excellent organisation. The Nikon Photo Contest has all these things so it was an easy decision to join the team!

What’s expected from you as lead judge, what does your role entail?

I have only one vote and it carries no more weight than any other judge’s.

My job is more as a facilitator, to make sure that every judge is heard and that no judge dominates the process. There will be some difficult decisions and I have no doubt that the judging will be passionate, which is when it will be necessary to organise the discussion and to ensure fair consideration of different perspectives.

What’s your approach as a judge?

It’s easy to be intimidated by the number of images but a strong jury makes the process easy.

The judges have great experience and they will quickly identify the images they like, so the early rounds are relatively fast. The more difficult part comes later when they’re all good! At this point the process slows and the jury will spend more time looking more carefully at each image and discussing their qualities.

There is only one theme this year (home), leaving the other competition categories open.

Does this make judging more challenging?

Categories are only a mechanism to organise the process. Having fewer categories makes the organisation more difficult, but it makes the competition sharper because images will be evaluated only on quality, not on the category that a photographer chose to label the work.

Is it becoming more of a challenge to shoot fresh and innovative images?

In a strange way, having more images in the environment actually makes it easier to be innovative. If you look you will see that many photographers copy what they’ve seen before.

Innovation comes by looking at what’s been done before and breaking the cycle and rethinking the

What does it take for an image to impress you?

Passion! What really makes me stop is when I see that a photographer is passionate about their subject and they have the emotional courage to talk about it and the technical skill to express it.

What do you think of the competition being opened to entries from all digital devices, including smartphones?

It’s really exciting that Nikon has opened the competition to all digital devices. They are speaking the language of photography!

What impact has winning had on your life?

It gave me great exposure: my work got lots of press coverage and I was invited to give TV interviews and lectures. I also had a fantastic trip to Japan for the awards ceremony – a really unforgettable experience and I hope to go back one day.

And of course, I was awarded with great new photography equipment.

approach, making it new again. There’s still plenty of opportunity for innovation!

For you, what are the ingredients of a winning image?

I want to feel the photographer’s passion for the subject and for the image!

Innovation comes by looking at what’s been done before and rethinking the approach ABOVE Elegy of Autumn won Dina Bova the Grand Prize in Nikon’s Annual Photo Contest 2012/13 and led to her work gaining worldwide exposure. RIGHT This year’s lead judge, Stephen Mayes is looking for passion in entries to the 35th Nikon Contest.

www.photography-news.co.uk

π To find out more, go to www.nikon-photocontest.com.

Issue 14 | Photography News

10

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Camera Club of the Year 2014-15 Do you think your club has the sharpest shooters in all the land? Well, it’s time you put that to the test by entering Photography News’s brilliant new contest. There’s plenty of fame and fortune up for grabs…

Photography News is proud to launch our inaugural Camera Club of the Year competition, in association with Canon. Camera Club of the Year is a great way to stimulate creativity in your club and win some top prizes.

The contest starts this month with the first of the five rounds. Round 1’s theme is Water and the four other themes will be announced over the coming months. For each theme we want five images from five different club members (one image per member). Each image will be marked out of 20 points so the maximum any club can score in a month is 100 points.

After the five rounds the club with most points will be declared the winner and scoop the prize of a Canon XEED WUX450 projector, a day with David Noton and 25 Irista Value packages. We’ll also publish a detailed profile of the winning club in PN. We’ll also feature our favourite photo entered each month, as our Image of the Month.

All camera clubs, groups and societies, whether online or works, affiliated or not, may enter. Clubs can enter at

any time from 25 November 2014 right up to the final closing date of 5 May 2015 but there will be closing dates for each individual round; entry for round 1 closes on 5 January 2015. To get started, see the panel below.

Good luck!

How to enter First, your club’s competition secretary (or whoever is going to enter each month) must sign up at www.absolutephoto.com.

Next, click on Members’ Area in the menu bar, then choose Camera Club of the Year 2014-15 from the drop-down list. Simply register your camera club and follow the upload instructions.

The winning club gets…

SPECS STREET PRICE £1799 body only

... a brilliant Canon XEED WUX450 multimedia projector worth over £3,000 to show off their winning shots and 25 subscriptions to Irista, plus an exclusive experience day with international landscape and travel pro, David Noton!

SENSOR 20 megapixels, 1in, 13.2x8.8mm CMOS IMAGE DIMENSIONS 5472x3648 pixels ISO RANGE 125-12,800, auto AUTOFOCUS MODES Contrast detect (sensor), multi-area, centre, selective single point, single, continuous, touch, face detect, live view

CANON XEED WUX450 PROJECTOR

David Noton

EXPERIENCE DAY!

CANON XEED WUX450 PROJECTOR + A EXCLUSIVE DAY WITH DAVID NOTON The Canon XEED WUX450 multimedia projector, worth over £3000, is Canon’s most compact WUXGA projector. WUXGA stands for Widescreen Ultra Extended Graphics Array, so you get a 16:10 screen aspect ratio and a huge display resolution of up to 1920x1200 pixels. www.canon.co.uk David Noton is one of the world’s top photographers specialising in landscape and travel work. The winning club gets an exclusive day with David where he’ll be hosting a workshop and then providing an illustrated talk on his amazing images. www.davidnoton.com 25 SUBSCRIPTIONS TO IRISTA Irista is the new way to manage, organise and share your image files online. It supports JPEGs and Raws from most manufacturers and 10GB of storage space is available free on sign-up. The winning club, though, will get 25 free Value subscriptions that have 50GB storage capacity – which is normally £45 for a year’s subscription. www.irista.com

Photography News | Issue 14

SHUTTER 40secs-1/2000sec

TEST DRIVE! The EOS 7D Mark II is one of the year’s most exciting DSLRs – a 20-megapixel APS-C format camera with the ability to shoot 10fps at full autofocus using a 65-point sensor system.

It’s the ideal action camera and you can play with it before you buy via Canon’s Test Drive scheme.

The 7D Mark II is one of 18 products in the scheme running at locations in London, Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester.

To book your Test Drive, visit the website, specify the subjects you enjoy, the type of products you’re interested in, and pick a date. Canon will do the rest, then you just turn up, try out the gear and ask all the questions you want.

EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ±3EV in 0.3EV SHOOTING SPEEDS 4.4fps with AF in continuous FOCUS POINTS 31 MOVIE RESOLUTION 1920x1080 (60p, 30p) LCD SCREEN 3in tilting, 1040k dots DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 103x60x40mm WEIGHT 304g

π To find out more about Test Drive, go to www.canon.co.uk/testdrive.

Register your club today at absolutephoto.com

11

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Round 1: Water Whether it’s flowing, frozen or falling from the sky, you’re not going to have any problem finding images featuring our first theme – but remember we want your club’s best images Water is the theme and the number of ways it can be tackled photographically is matched only by its abundance, but we’re looking for images where water is absolutely pivotal to the composition’s success, ie. the picture falls flat without the inclusion of water in some form or other.

You’ll probably recall from your science lessons at school that water exists in three forms: as a solid (ice, snow), as a liquid (rain, the stuff we drink) and as a gas (mist, fog, steam) so the subject itself offers numerous approaches. Factor in all the location possibilities and you can see there’s so much potential with this theme.

With each entry comprising five images you may think that the best way to approach this round is to submit a variety of water-based images covering as many subjects as possible.

Conversely, you may think concentrating on one technique is the way to go. To be honest, there is nothing wrong in either approach. But remember every picture will be assessed on its own merits and judged as an individual image and not as part of a wider portfolio or series.

So, for Round 1, we want to see five great images where water in one of its three forms plays a major part in the picture’s success. Good luck.

For Round 1 of the competition we’re looking for shots where water is pivotal to the image’s success

DROPLETS Why not explore the world of water droplets? This shot, using a TriggerSmart trigger, was lit with two flashguns set to minimum power to give the shortest possible flash duration and freeze the splash.

WATERY WEATHER The weather produces all sorts of water-related opportunities: falling rain, puddle reflections, mist, frost, snow and dew, just to name a few. With mist a little bit of overexposure helps to retain the light airy feel when it’s backlit.

WATERY LANDSCAPES Water in the landscape is an obvious subject, but aim to get some mood into your shots if you want a good score. Long exposures will blur the sky as well as the water, but fast shutter speeds can work well, too.

THE BIG FREEZE Grab some leaves or other colourful objects, submerge them in a tray of water (or coloured fizzy pop) and put it all in the freezer for a few hours. Remove when frozen and get shooting as the ice block melts.

GET CLOSE UP Not everyone can get to the wider landscape, but there’s plenty of potential right under your nose if you look for it. Here a macro lens was used to explore dewdrops in a spider’s web.

Photography News | Issue 14

Register your club today at absolutephoto.com

12

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

MASTERCLASS: WATERSCAPES

David Noton

David’s top tips

VIEW FROM AFAR “If I’m concentrating in on tight waves breaking on a rocky headland, I might go for a really long lens perspective using either the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 or the EF 200-400mm f/4 lens.”

SEE THE WHOLE SCENE “A Canon EF 14mm f/2.8 wide-angle lens is a handy tool particularly if I’m wanting to incorporate a lot of sky into the image when there’s a dramatic sky that would benefit the composition.”

STRIPPED BACK “We are surrounded with images with really high colour, colours that have been boosted too much in post-production.

I really encourage people to be subtle and restrained in their use of colour, I think sometimes a real use of minimal colour can be so powerful.”

ABOVE The coast at Budir with the mountains of Holsfjall and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula in western Iceland. Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon 24-70mm f2.8L II USM, 1.6secs at f/11, ISO 100.

that’s visited time and again by photographers, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t scope for creativity.

“It all comes down to looking at the surface of the water and thinking about how you want to express it. Do you want to show the anger of huge waves breaking on the coast? In that case you’ll want to go for a faster shutter speed to really freeze the motion and show every drop of water or spray, which is a very powerful thing to do. Or we can experiment with slower shutter speeds, ranging from fractions of a second to show just a hint of motion through to exposures of 30 seconds or minutes which will transform surfaces of water into seas of milk.”

To capture those stunning landscapes that he’s become synonymous with, David uses the Canon David Noton

CREATIVE FLEXIBILITY “The Canon EOS 5D Mark III is an incredibly flexible tool capable of amazing quality, not just that camera but most modern Canon DSLRs are capable of delivering incredible quality if we photographers do our bit right.”

Ever in pursuit of the perfect picture, there is hardly a place on earth that hasn’t been seen through the lens of David Noton’s camera. He developed both a passion for photography and an insatiable appetite for travel during his career in the Merchant Navy and he’s now been in the business of travel and landscape photography for almost 30 years. “Landscape is the subject that has always captivated me and always will do,” explains David.

“I think photography is a prompt that takes us into environments to experience situations and sights that we would probably never get to in normal life.

As such, it’s a life enriching experience that I feel really passionate about.”

This year alone, David’s travelled to Argentina, Brazil, Iceland and California always following his nose and going where inspiration takes him. One of his most recent trips took him to the Jura Mountains in France after a French photographer told him about the striking autumn colours: “Down in the limestone gorges of that region I had such a fantastic few days of self-indulgence, just concentrating on the photographic potential offered by the combination of the rivers there and the autumnal colours,” recalls David. He spent days within just a small area, not moving more than a few hundred metres to really get to know the place and bring out the best of the landscape. This epitomises David’s shooting style; he makes a plan and he perseveres with it.

“You need a plan or an idea,” he begins. “You can’t just hope to head out of the door and stumble across brilliant photographic opportunities. If you’ve got a good idea it’s worth sticking to it even if it means going back to a location time and time again until you get the very best picture that you possibly can, because quality over quantity always works.”

Being in the business of landscape photography, David is no stranger to photographing water, the theme for this round of the competition. It’s a theme

David Noton

FAST OR SLOW? “I’ll put up the ISO to really freeze motion to show waves breaking or I’ll use filters to slow down shutter speeds if I want to slow things down and express a bit of motion.”

For the next five months we’ll be tapping into landscape photographer and Canon ambassador David Noton’s fount of expertise to help you and your club bag the top prize. To kick off, we’re quizzing him on water

EOS 5D Mark III. Usually fixed to the front of it is a 24-70mm lens which David calls “a workhorse lens that’s just so useful in so many afferent situations”.

As well as entering and winning a string of competitions in the past (he’s won awards in the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year three times), David has also been on the other side of the table too, making him well placed to dish out a bit of advice on what makes a winning image. “I know from when I’m judging competitions that what really stands out is when someone has been imaginative and come up with something that’s a bit different,” he says. “You’ve got to remember that the lens points both ways and that a successful picture should say something about the person who shot it as well.” π To find out more, go to www.davidnoton.com.

The Vision

ABOVE The Mawddach estuary at dawn, Snowdonia, Wales. Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM, 1/25sec at f/18, ISO 100.

Register your club today at absolutephoto.com

You need a plan or an idea.

You can’t just hope to head out of the door and stumble across brilliant photographic opportunities

Handily for us photographers, David Noton has put onto paper what makes a successful image in his new book The Vision. Get inside the mind of one of the country’s best-loved landscape and travel photographers to learn how David creates those winning images from conception through to clicking the shutter. It’s all illustrated with examples from David’s impressive back catalogue of work and can be bought from his website.

π To find out more about David’s book, go to www.davidnoton.com/product/539/ The_Vision.

Issue 14 | Photography News

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 14 | Photography News

14

Opinion BEFORE THE JUDGE

MEET THE JUDGE Ken Holland: Ken

has been a club judge for more than 25 years and now shares his expertise by running workshops for new judges. He’s even written a book on the topic, Looking at Photographs.

Home club:

Honorary life member of Dawlish & Teignmouth Camera Club

Favourite camera: Pentax K-7

Favourite lens:

Sigma 12-24mm DG f/4.5

Favourite photographers:

Sebastião Salgado, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Martin Parr, Elliott Erwitt, Walker Evans

Favourite photographic subjects:

Shadows, people, abandoned buildings, movement

Awards won:

Various WCPF Members’ Exhibition awards; PAGB Gold Medal: best mono print; Commended Finalist: RPS Photobook Competition 2014

Ken Holland ARPS DPAGB Each issue, a respected judge or exhibition selector shares their thoughts and experiences. Having written a book on the topic, Ken Holland is well placed to voice his opinions on judging this month Words by Ken Holland Judging: a controversial topic of conversation in any camera club. I’m often surprised, because all photographers are judges. We all analyse and study other people’s work and form our own opinions, and know what we like and dislike.

After more than 25 years of club judging, I still enjoy the privilege of studying the work of fellow photographers and being invited to comment.

Competition night is generally popular and well attended. I see it as a monthly exhibition of members’ work and they’ve invited someone to comment on what they’ve been doing. Hopefully that person will be interesting, knowledgeable, entertaining, helpful, friendly and enthusiastic and fair. I usually begin by outlining my fundamental thoughts on judging: that the photographer’s choice of subject is almost irrelevant to me. What the photographer chooses to photograph and show the viewer is their own choice.

My role is to assess how well they have done it.

When judging I try to be confident, brief and concise. I hope I’m honest, modest, open-minded and unbiased. I try to present any advice in the manner of a ‘critical friend’. If I can be fair, friendly, humorous, light-hearted (but respectful), then I feel I’ve done a good job. I always try to manage my time to benefit the audience. I check beforehand when they take a break and at what time they finish. I also try to keep the flow of the evening fairly brisk; there’s nothing worse than spending ten minutes on one image and 30 seconds on another. It helps if the club limits entries to 80 or so in an evening.

I believe it is the responsibility of all judges to be informed in terms of technique, current trends and equipment. They should certainly be regularly making their own photographs and hopefully supporting their own club competitions and perhaps larger exhibitions. It helps too if they have some knowledge of the history of photography and some of the great photographers of the past.

I begin by asking why a photo was made, not how. I then appraise, assess and evaluate the whole image. I like to mention the emotional aspects as well as technical. I try to make three positive comments about each image if I can. If I make any constructive suggestions for improvement I try to sandwich

When judging I try to be confident, brief and concise. I hope I’m honest, modest, open-minded and unbiased Photography News | Issue 14

them between positive comments. Suggestions are always just that, not instructions: ‘Have you thought of...’, ‘Have you tried...’ or ‘Maybe you could…’ Perhaps most important of all I ask myself not what the photograph is of but what it is about. I try to get into the mind of the photographer and ask why he or she has chosen to show me this particular image.

Then I can decide how successful it’s been.

We’ve all suffered evenings with judges who just are not up to the job. To try and help I’ve been involved with training seminars and workshops for potential judges and existing judges, with the intention of raising the quality of judging in my own area, the Western Counties Photographic Federation, as well as in Wales. Until a few years ago there was very little written on judging. To address this problem I wrote a book, Looking at Photographs, suggesting an approach to judging and strategies for being a ‘successful’ judge. More details are on my website.

Each workshop tries to focus on the positive aspect of judging, but we do ask potential judges to bear in mind that judges do have some bad habits! We encourage them to avoid passing harsh judgement; repetition; lecturing on their favourite hobby horse; explaining how a picture was taken or which Photoshop feature was used; displaying personal prejudices; insisting on ‘the rules’ being obeyed; trying to crop every image; touching the image with their fingers; dissecting an image;

displaying irritating mannerisms; and praising mediocre work too highly. That’s quite a long list, but I’m sure many of us have encountered judges who do quite a few of these, probably without realising.

At the end there is no pressure but everyone is offered the chance to do a short practice judging session, using just three images. Afterwards they are offered feedback, and, if they wish to go on the list, they are paired with an experienced judging mentor who will go out to clubs with them until they are confident on their own.

I can’t claim that the WCPF has the best judges in the country, but the numbers have increased due to the workshops and there has been a very welcome improvement in the quality of our club judges. π To find out more, go to www.lowenna.co.uk.

What do you think?

Have you seen a photographic judge at work who you’d like to see profiled in Photography News? If so please drop us a line to opinion@photography-news.co.uk with the judge’s name and, if possible, their contact details.

www.photography-news.co.uk

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 14 | Photography News

16

Advertisement feature COLOURFUL KIT

Add colour to your photography Inject some colour into your photo accessories with Manfrotto’s line-up of vibrant supports Manfrotto is putting the fun back into photo accessories with a selection of colourful supports that are sure to make you stand out from the crowd. Ideal for fashion conscious photographers and anyone who wants a break from the norm, selected Manfrotto ranges combine bright colours with useful features and impressive build quality to deliver photo gear that’s as eye-catching as the shots you capture with it.

Want to introduce some colour into your life? Seek out any of the following psychedelic supports at your local Manfrotto retailer, or find out more at www.manfrotto.co.uk.

Pixi Available in four colours – black, white, red and pink – the Pixi is the perfect support to take everywhere with you. It weighs just 190g, but can support over three times its own weight so it’s great for owners of CSCs or lightweight DSLRs after shake-free shots wherever they go.

The Pixi’s ball head gives plenty of framing flexibility and getting the camera into the right position couldn’t be easier thanks to the single push-button control. Push the button to release the joint and move it around freely, and as soon as you let go of it, the Pixi’s head is firmly locked into position.

Compact Light and Action

Pocket The ultimate portable support solution, the Pocket is aptly named as it folds down so small that it will easily fit into a pocket or tiny corner of a gadget bag. In fact, it’s so small and light you could just leave it permanently attached to your camera so you never need worry about being without support.

Despite being so small and light, the Pocket is a robust little unit with an all-metal construction and rubberised feet to prevent slipping. It’ll stay stock still on any surface, giving you peace of mind. It supports cameras or accessories up to 600g. Take your pick from seven different colours, including pink, grey and blue.

Photography News | Issue 14

BeFree The BeFree range of tripods has proved incredibly popular with photographers who want to travel light, and now the aluminium and carbon-fibre versions have been joined by coloured options.

Available in blue, green, grey and red, the new aluminium models offer the same revolutionary leg design that means the tripod measures just 40cm when closed.

The BeFree may be small, but that doesn’t stop it offering plenty of versatility. The quick-release head supports up to 4kg, it can extend up to 1.44m and features a compact four-section leg design.

A recent addition to the extensive Manfrotto line-up of tripods and monopods, the Compact series comprises three varieties: Light, Action and Advanced. Of these, the Light and Action models are available in four different colours – red, pink, white and black.

As its name suggests, the Compact Light is a featherweight model that tips the scales at a mere 816g. Despite its light weight, it can support CSCs and lighter DSLRs up to 1.5kg, extends up to 1.31m and features a ball head for complete compositional freedom.

The Compact Action, meanwhile, features a joystick head with an easy-to-use thumbwheel to securely lock the camera in position.

It also offers a quick-release plate for easy camera attachment and removal, extends to an impressive 1.55m and has a photo/video selector switch so it’s suitable for shooting both stills and movies.

π To find out more, go to www.manfrotto.co.uk.

www.photography-news.co.uk

Profile

17 INTERVIEW

Derek Birch ASIS Hon FRPS

Halfway through his tenure as RPS president, we catch up with Derek Birch ASIS Hon FRPS to find out how he got on in his first year and what the future of the RPS looks like

BIOGRAPHY Years in the photo industry: 33 Current location: Hertfordshire Last picture taken: With my role with other much more skilled photographers, I don’t have time to take many pictures myself at the moment.

Hobbies: Genealogy, railways and the history of the science of photography When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up? I was keen to become a scientist, especially in chemistry.

Dogs or cats? Cats – I was bitten by my grandmother’s dog when I was three.

Toast or cereal? Both enjoyed for breakfast Email or phone call? Email

You’ve been RPS president for a year now, how has it been?

To me it’s been incredible. My background is on the science side of photography; I left Imperial College as a physical chemist in 1973 and joined Kodak as a research scientist specialising in photographic emulsions. In the mid eighties, I was asked to join the Royal Photographic Society because there was an Imaging Science Group, which I worked in for many years. Seven or eight years ago, Professor Ralph Jacobson, who was president of the RPS, co-opted me onto the council of the society. I’d never even dreamt of it, I had no ambition of it. I was starting to learn about not just the science side but also about photography more broadly within the society. After a few years, I was asked to become vice president then a year ago I was nominated and elected as president. I’ve been so delighted and honoured to get the role and it’s certainly been an enjoyable and busy year.

What have been some of the highlights from your first year as president?

I went to Hong Kong just a few weeks after being elected for a two-week event hosted by an RPS chapter established there. It was fascinating to see photography in China and how they approach it.

I also supported the establishment in 2011 of the very first RPS science exhibition. It was originally very small but was so strongly supported that two years later in 2013 we had our second one and the response has been incredible. It’s been travelling around a number of places and people think it’s a superb exhibition. www.photography-news.co.uk

You have achieved an RPS Distinction yourself, how did you find the experience?

When I joined, those interested in the science of photography could get a distinction by submitting their scientific papers. At the time however, companies like Kodak were not really allowing us to talk about what we were doing because it was confidential. There was a concern within the society for how to recognise people in the future because of the inability to share information. In the early nineties, the RPS introduced ISQs (imaging science qualifications) so that you could achieve one of three qualifications depending on your experience in the field. That’s how I achieved ASIS (Accredited Senior Imaging Scientist), matched with a Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society. Because I’ve been elected, my FRPS has been changed to Hon FRPS. Admittedly we don’t have too many people getting those qualifications but we like to promote them and we’re setting out new creative image qualifications too. Being an educational charity, we want to really get involved with academia. We are working closely with the Open University and we’re going to be running some joint courses next year.

and exploring digital photography. The groups are all about supporting the interests of our members.

Who else works behind the scenes at the RPS? We’ve got about 15 permanent members of staff in Bath but the majority of the activities around the country, and the world, are all run with the help of volunteers. We have about 400 active volunteers who are all very helpful. We rely on volunteers and we try to encourage them as much as we can.

As president, you must have met some really interesting and talented people. Who’s been particularly memorable?

I was at an RPS event just recently where Brian May was giving a lecture on stereoscopy and Victorian painting, he’s a very interesting man. I met Marc Aspland, the sports photographer for The Times, and it was fascinating to talk to him about his expertise in sports photography. I was able to give Steve Sasson the Progress Medal because he is the Kodak inventor of digital photography. Amusingly, I spent some time in Rochester, New York, when he was there with Kodak as well. Of course we never met then because I was on the emulsion side and he was on the technology side. It was entertaining to discover something that was kept so secret that I didn’t even know about it at the time.

Can you tell us more about those specialist interest groups?

At the moment, our biggest group is called the Digital Imaging Group. As you can imagine, that was introduced as digital was starting to come in but is now equally as active with people who are learning

The RPS’s aim is to promote the art and science of photography. This obviously meant something different when it was founded in 1853, how does it translate today?

In those days it was a more limited community that was involved, although they were together for the same purpose. Today, we are really interested in the whole spectrum of photography and bringing different areas together. Recently there was a history conference about Niépce, the inventor of photography, and it was great to be able to bring together both scientists and historians. We are interested in promoting everyone, from amateurs to professionals, and all aspects of photography.

Today, we are really interested in the whole spectrum of photography and bringing different areas together

What do you want your legacy to be?

I want to continue to promote the interest of our members. I want to focus on the continuation and the growth of the science exhibitions too. I’ve also put the idea forward within the council to move venues from our current administrative centre in Bath, which is too small. The process has just been started so there’s no guarantee but I thought it’d be a good plan for the future. π To find out more, go to www.rps.org.

Issue 14 | Photography News

18

Competitions READER CHALLENGE

Pentax Hot Shots In issue 11, we offered you the chance to win a day with the Pentax 645Z. Five lucky readers enjoyed their day out recently; here’s how they got on

Jack Ellis

Cyril Deretz

LEFT AND BELOW Barrow Beck by Cyril Deretz, taken with the 55mm standard lens, 0.4sec at f/10, ISO 100. Cyril composing his Barrow Beck shot. ABOVE Shot with the 25mm lens, 1/13sec at f/25, ISO 100 and converted in Lightroom to monochrome by Jack Ellis.

Words by Will Cheung An exclusive landscape shoot in the Lake District with the new medium-format DSLR from Pentax was the promise, and that’s what our five hot shots got. It’s just they probably weren’t anticipating the opportunity to assess the 645Z’s 76 seals at the same time. The reliable British weather had other ideas though, ensuring our five shooters tested the competitively priced camera in the damp, drizzle and a downpour – a test it passed with flying colours.

Photography News | Issue 14

Our five hot shots were accompanied by me; Mark Cheetham, Ricoh Imaging’s national accounts manager; and Matt Emmett, Pentax ambassador and expert urban photographer. They teamed their 645Z bodies with the standard 55mm f/2.8 lens, but our intrepid shooters also got to try out a good selection of other lenses, covering a range from 25mm to 300mm and including the new 28-45mm f/4 wide-angle zoom. Also on offer were loaned Manfrotto MTCXPRO055 tripods with X-PRO

three-way heads, plus Lee Filters ND grads, polarisers and the Big Stopper – basically, everything you could want for a day’s photography in the Lakes, given some half decent weather.

Luckily, the skies cleared up (well, apart from a few threatening rain clouds later on) and the hot shots enjoyed their time with the cameras, turning in a plethora of sharp shots. Here’s a selection of the images our five photographers produced with the Pentax 645Z. www.photography-news.co.uk

Competitions

19 Sarah Canton

Nick Adamson

BELOW At Threlkeld Quarrying and Mining Museum, Sarah Canton used the 25mm wideangle for this shot, taken at 1/6sec at f/16, ISO 800. RIGHT Also at Threlkeld by Nick Adamson.

Dave Bowman

Our intrepid shooters got to try out a good selection of lenses, including the new 28-45mm

ABOVE Rusting Crane by Dave Bowman, at 1/80sec at f/4.5, ISO 800. LEFT Sarah Canton at Surprise View, Derwentwater.

Nick Adamson

About the Pentax 645Z A fully featured medium-format DSLR, the 645Z counts a 51.4-megapixel CMOS sensor, a top ISO of 204,800, articulating monitor and Full HD video capability among its headline features.

Shoot medium-format and you expect great quality images and the Pentax’s 44x33mm dimensions give files of 8256x6192 pixels, which translates to 27.5x20.6in prints without interpolation.

And you get this top quality in a camera that is equally at home on location and in the studio. Handling is slick, AF responsive and accurate. The exposure system uses a 86,000 pixel RGB sensor and the battery is capable of up to 650 shots.

ABOVE While at Threlkeld Quarrying and Mining Museum, Nick Adamson spied some locals in the next field and turned the new 28-45mm f/4 wide-angle zoom on them, using an exposure of 1/250sec at f/5, ISO 400.

www.photography-news.co.uk

Ď€ To find out more, go to www.ricohimaging.co.uk.

Issue 14 | Photography News

20

Camera review FIRST LOOK

Samsung NX1

The NX1 is a top-end CSC bristling with the latest technology, and one that could signal a new era in the inexorable rise of the mirrorless camera. PN gets its hands on one for a detailed first look Words by Will Cheung

SPECS PRICE £1300 body only CONTACT samsung.com SENSOR 28-megapixel APS-C BSI CMOS, 23.5x15.7mm, 6480x4320 pixels ISO RANGE 100-25,600, expands to 51,200, auto SHUTTER 30secs-1/8000sec, flash sync 1/250sec DRIVE MODES Single, continuous at 15fps METERING SYSTEM Multi-zone, centreweighted, spot EXPOSURE MODES PASM, auto, custom COMPENSATION ±5EV in 0.3EV steps MONITOR 3in articulating, touchscreen, Super AMOLED, 1036k dots EVF 100% coverage, 2360k dot resolution FOCUSING Contrast detect (sensor), phase detect, multi-area, single point, tracking, live view, detection FOCUSING POINTS 205 phase-detect, 153 cross-type, 209 contrast-detect (sensor) CONNECTIVITY USB 3.0, HDMI, wireless, Bluetooth STORAGE MEDIA SD, SDHC, SDXC (UHS I/II) DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 139x102x66mm WEIGHT 550g

The enthusiast photographer market is a challenging one to break into with wellestablished names, notably Canon and Nikon, having dominated it for so many years. Despite that, Korean electronics giant Samsung is giving it a determined go in the form of its NX1, a pro-specced CSC packed with innovation and features never seen before on a top-end camera.

At the camera’s heart is a 28-megapixel BSI sensor, the first of this type to be used in a camera with an APS-C sized sensor – more on this later. It autofocuses using a remarkable AF system that uses 205 phase-detection points, 153 of which are cross-type sensors, covering 90% of the image area, and it can race through frames at an incredible 15fps. I got 23 full-size Raws at this speed before the buffer was full and in super-fine JPEG mode I got over 70 shots at this shooting speed using the latest Samsung memory card, which is surely enough even for the most ardent action shooter.

The sensor is Samsung’s own and is the highest resolution APS-C sensor yet seen, as well as the first sensor of this size employing BSI technology. BSI stands for back-illuminated sensor (also known as backside illumination) and is a way of configuring a sensor to maximise light gathering capabilities.

In front-illuminated sensors, the light gathering cells are directly above the silicon substrate

The sensor is Samsung’s own and is the highest resolution APS-C sensor yet seen...

Photography News | Issue 14

BELOW The NX1’s articulating monitor is very useful for low-level shots like this study of a fly agaric mushroom. A low position with the camera cupped in the hands plus the lens’s OIS shake-free system and low shutter vibration ensured a sharp exposure even at 1/6sec at f/8, ISO 100.

used to make the chip’s base but underneath all the chip’s circuitry. As a consequence, less light reaches the light-sensitive cells. Simply, a BSI sensor is built like a front-illuminated sensor but is turned upside down and the silicon substrate (which is about 1mm thick) on which the chip is made is then machined to be less than one per cent of its original thickness. This allows light to pass through and be captured by the light receiving surface which is now sitting above all

the electronics and therefore it receives the most light possible.

The NX1’s AF system is another technological marvel – not just in the number of sensors, but that they offer 90% coverage of the image area.

The theory being that the subject could be just about anywhere in the frame and the camera can still autofocus on it. In this first look AF was very swift, responsive and accurate and being able to focus anywhere on the screen was a boon. www.photography-news.co.uk

Camera review

21

ORIGINAL

FOCUS POINT AIMED HERE

FOCUSING No other camera in the world has AF sensors covering 90% of the frame. In this shot, the central focusing area was moved to the bottom right corner of the frame (as shown) to ensure the focus was on the subject. Taken on a 50-150mm f/2.8 at 1/500sec at f/2.8, ISO 400.

Anatomy

FROM THE FRONT The NX bayonet lens mount has been around for five years and the number of compatible lenses is growing; Samsung recently announced a top-spec 50-150 f/2.8 telephoto zoom.

Under the spotlight

The NX1 features Samsung’s own-design BSI 28-megapixel CMOS sensor. It’s the first APS-C sensor to feature BSI technology. Standing for backside illumination, it’s basically an innovative sensor design to gather more light and minimise high ISO noise.

The NX1’s Amoled rear monitor is packed with user information and pressing the DISP control scrolls through the various options. Many of the items are touch-sensitive, such as MENU, Fn and those items ranged on the left. Pushing the EVF button (just above the screen) toggles between monitor on, EVF on and auto switchover between the two.

FROM THE BACK The camera’s rear is dominated by the three-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen articulating monitor. Live View can be set to switch automatically between this and the EVF.

This is the first CSC to feature a top-plate LCD information panel. You could argue that the data provided by the monitor/EVF makes the LCD panel redundant, but it proved very useful to check settings at a glance without having to pick the camera up.

The stack of controls to the left of the viewfinder includes the drive dial and also offers access to the self-timer and bracketing modes. The four buttons work in conjunction with the input dials to change their respective settings.

FROM THE TOP The contoured handgrip makes the NX1 really comfortable and secure in use. The top-plate LCD is packed with information on camera settings and the large exposure dial can be locked.

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 14 | Photography News

22

Camera review

ABOVE The NX1’s top shooting speed gives an amazing 15fps. In super-fine JPEG mode, our preliminary tests captured a burst of more than 70 shots at this rate before the buffer filled and it began to slow. This is the sort of effect you’ll get on a high-speed train, shot using a 16-50mm f/2-2.8 S lens at 50mm with the shutter speed at 1/4000sec at f/4, ISO 640.

A lot of attention has been paid to the NX1’s body design. It has a die-cast magnesium alloy chassis and is weather sealed to keep out dust and moisture. The body certainly feels robust in the hand and there’s no sign of any give.

Articulating monitors and pop-up flashes are potential weak points of any camera but those of the NX1 feel solid, too.

Samsung has also worked hard on the controls, in terms of layout and usability. Two input dials, which suit thumb and forefinger, control aperture and shutter speed in normal use (they can be switched over if you prefer in Key Mapping in the menu). The dials also come into play when used in conjunction with other controls such as changing ISO and white-balance.

There’s also a full information LCD panel complete with illuminator so you can check settings easily from above. And another nice touch is the exposure mode dial, which can be locked in place or left to be quickly adjusted just by using the central button. On the left side there is a little turret of key controls, again good to use – I like the fact that the four buttons on the top do not have to be held down to allow adjustment.

The rotating collar is the drive speed control and this is where you’ll find the option of shooting at that massive 15fps (see above), along with selftimer and bracketing controls.

The NX1 has a touch-sensitive monitor that provides a bright, high-quality image for composing and previewing and there’s an electronic viewfinder to use if you prefer.

EVFs have come on tremendously over recent years and, currently, one of the best is found on the Fujifilm X-T1, so that was what the NX1 was compared to. It has to be said that the NX1’s EVF is clearly better. It’s brighter, more contrasty and fine detail is very well resolved. Pushing the DISP button scrolls through various layout options mirroring what’s on the LCD monitor.

The touch-sensitivity feature is good to use once you get used to it. Like most people my experience with touch-sensitive camera monitors is limited and to start with it is easy to inadvertently move the AF point or call up the FN menu, but you soon get used to it.

I mostly used the EVF for composing and even had the camera set so that only the EVF was working, which is just my preference. You

EVFs have come on tremendously over recent years and, currently, one the best is found on the Fujifilm X-T1… the NX1’s EVF is clearly better

IMAGE QUALITY The NX1’s 28-megapixel sensor looks capable of excellent image quality. This was shot using a NX50-200mm f/4-5.6 telezoom with an exposure of 1/640sec at f/6.3, ISO 200. You can see here the fine detail has been rendered impressively.

Photography News | Issue 14

can have just the monitor on or have the NX1 switching automatically between the two options.

When I had the NX1 on a tripod the monitor and its touch-sensitive features came in really useful.

The viewing image itself is bright and crisp, and being able to move the AF point around was very handy. So too was the ability to focus on one part of the scene yet meter from another – and it was all done with just the forefinger. I used this feature several times when contrast in the scene was high, taking a reading from the highlights or shadows but leaving the focus sensor on the central area.

The custom wheel on the back panel is also a four-way control pad. The wheel and three of the four-way control pads can be customised to a wide variety of functions – the DISP button is the only one that can’t be altered.

In single-zone AF operation, pushing the central button lets you change the position of the active sensor (with the four control pads) as well as its size (with the rear command dial).

In multi-zone AF operation, pushing the central button lets you choose a mode where the AF sensors are working in a smaller, middle area rather than the default 90% of the image frame.

For this first look, I was using a pre-production sample camera together with a selection of lenses including the 16-50mm f/2-2.8 S, 50200mm f/4-5.6 and the new 50-150mm f/2.8.

The camera was set to shoot super-fine JPEGs and Raw files. No Raw processor was available at the time of writing, so the images you see here started life as super-fine JPEGs. As you can see from our sample images however, picture quality is impressively high.

We’ll be looking in more detail at the NX1’s performance in the next issue of Photography News, but so far, so good. www.photography-news.co.uk

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 14 | Photography News

24

Camera review SPECS STREET PRICE £579 body only CONTACT canon.co.uk SENSOR 20 megapixels, 1in, 13.2x8.8mm CMOS IMAGE DIMENSIONS 5472x3648 pixels ISO RANGE 125-12,800, auto AUTOFOCUS MODES Contrast detect (sensor), multi-area, centre, selective single point, single, continuous, touch, face detect, live view SHUTTER 40secs-1/2000sec EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ±3EV in 0.3EV METERING Multi, centre-weighted, spot SHOOTING SPEEDS 4.4fps with AF in continuous FOCUS POINTS 31 INTEGRAL FLASH Yes FLASH MODES Auto, on, slow sync, off FILE FORMATS Raw, JPEG, MPEG-4 H.264 MOVIE RESOLUTION 1920x1080 (60p, 30p) LCD SCREEN 3in tilting, 1040k dots STORAGE MEDIA SD, SDHC, SDXC DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 103x60x40mm WEIGHT 304g

ON TEST

Canon G7 X Premium compacts are as popular as ever, and the star of Canon’s PowerShot G series doesn’t appear to be waning. Let’s find out if the latest G7 X is a superstar Words & pictures by Will Cheung Only two sectors of the camera market are growing. Action cameras – known generically as Go Pros even though models from many brands are available – have seen massive growth, while the other is the premium, high spec compact camera market.

Compact camera sales, as a whole, have declined dramatically thanks to most people using their mobile phone or tablet. But premium models have more than held their own because they offer something extra in terms of usability, functionality. versatility and image quality. For the experienced photographer the latter is important because they demand quality comparable to a CSC or DSLR. The Canon PowerShot G7 X is one of the latest top-spec compacts to be launched. While the G7 X might just about be compact enough to pass the shirt pocket test, its weight would not make it comfortable for the wearer. That might sound a minus point but far from it. The G7 X’s heft gives it a solid feel that is reassuring and rather gratifying.

Buy one, and you are shelling out £579, and you want it to feel it’s worth the money so here the G7 X delivers in spades.

Press the on/off button and the lens is uncovered and it quickly, smoothly and quietly extends 3cm to its working position. Start-up time

is just over one second.

Zooming the lens to it longest setting only extends the lens front another centimetre.

The 4.2x optical zoom gives a focal length equivalent of 24-100mm in the 35mm format with a variable maximum aperture of f/1.8 to f/2.8. It’s f/1.8 at the shortest focal length and this drops to f/2 with one touch of the zoom lens control and f/2.2 soon after that. Generally, it’s a high spec optic and features IS technology too, offering a 3EV benefit.

One feature that sets premium compacts aside from their compatriots is their larger sensors. This Canon has a 13.2x8.8mm CMOS sensor boasting 20 effective megapixels. The G7 X is a monitor only camera, which may put some people off.

There is not even an accessory shoe to hold an optional finder even if one was to be made available. The monitor itself takes up most of the back panel and it articulates in one direction only, allowing you to shoot from low down or at waist level and it flips all the way up so you can view the

The G7 X is a monitor only camera, which may put some people off.

There is not even an accessory shoe to hold an optional finder even if one was to be made available

For the full version of the Canon G7 X review please see issue 51 of Advanced Photographer magazine, on sale in newsagents now or go to iTunes to get the digital version.

Photography News | Issue 14

image from in front of the camera. It will satisfy the keen selfie shooter but will disappoint those who like to shoot over a crowd.

The 1040k monitor has touch control which makes accessing regularly used features simple and fast; it can be cancelled if preferred. Control layout is good and while the two top-plate dials for selecting exposure mode and setting exposure compensation lack locks I didn’t have many problems with altering settings by mistake.

I found the exposure compensation odd though.

With most cameras I have used, rotating the exposure compensation dial anti-clockwise usually sets a plus compensation value. On the G7 X you get a negative value.

Around the lens barrel is a control ring that can be assigned to nine functions in total. So it can be an aperture ring, a manual focus barrel or ISO setting. It’s a handy feature although it doesn’t feel or sound right for a camera of this price level.

Its click-stops are noisy and it doesn’t feel smooth.

One option for the control ring is manual focusing and it’s far from ideal for that because you need a click-stop free control. Actually, manual focusing is not great on this camera, especially at the 100mm end where the control ring needs a lot of turning if the subject is closer than 5m. Inevitably, given the three-inch monitor and small body, there isn’t a great deal of room on the back panel so the remaining controls are tightly packed in.

In terms of handling, though, the layout works well and proved very functional. The only issue I had was accidently catching the movie record button on a couple of occasions. This button – and the RING/FUNC button – can be reassigned to another function in the menu if preferred.

Much has been made of battery capacity and rightly so. The quoted figure is 210 shots per full charge with 310 in Eco mode, which turns off the monitor after ten seconds of non-use. It might www.photography-news.co.uk

Camera review save the battery but it’s annoying so I ignored the Eco mode. From one charge I got 342 shots, although it’s true none were with flash.

Given Canon’s experience with menu structures I didn’t find the G7 X’s especially user-friendly. There are three tabs running across the top but the third can be discounted as it’s for My Menu Settings, so that leaves two tabs for a great many options – 28 in the camera icon menu. There seemed to be a great deal of scrolling up and down for the initial set-up. Canon has taken frequently used features and put them under the Func Set button at the centre of the command dial. So you have features like setting ISO, self-timer, bracketing and metering mode that you can access very quickly using the touchscreen.

FULL-FRAME IMAGE

ISO 800

ISO 1600

25 Of course where it really matters is with image quality and the G7 X doesn’t disappoint. It produces sharp images packed with detail and noise performance is good too. It depends how critical you are but shooting at ISO 1600 still gives low noise images fine detail. At a push ISO 3200 is useable. Not everyone wants Raws from their compact and the JPEGs out of the camera are of a very high standard.

On pure resolution you will get more detail from Raws but the gap isn’t great. Exposures were consistently accurate in low light, at night and in bright sunshine. Only strong direct into-the-light situations caused underexposure.

I experienced more focusing failures than duff exposures but even here it was barely in a handful of instances.

Performance-wise the G7 X has a lot to commend it.

ISO 125

ISO 200

ISO 400

ISO 3200

ISO 6400

ISO 12,800

ISO performance As a rule of thumb, the smaller the sensor, the greater the level of digital noise hence compacts suffer more. This Canon’s one-inch sensor measures 13.2x8.8mm. But if you’re thinking ‘how on earth does the sensor size relate to the actual sensor size?’ you’re not alone. Confusingly, the one-inch (or 1/2.3in or 1/1.2in) designation is no indication of actual sensor size. The system harks back to TV camera tubes and refers to the outer

diameter of the tube; the working area is usually around twothirds of that. The Four Thirds format was derived from the same sizing system, based on a tube with a 4/3in diameter.

Anyway, all you really need to know is that the G7 X’s sensor is larger than many compacts’ but smaller than Micro Four Thirds and APS-C. Thus it is no surprise that noise performance is better than a typical compact’s and inferior to

The verdict If you are in the market for a premium compact this Canon deserves to be on your shortlist, in all probability joining the Sony Cyber-Shot RX100 III (allegedly using the same sensor) and the Panasonic Lumix LX100.

Each has their pros and cons and certainly a pro in favour of the Canon is that it’s around £120 cheaper.

It’s also a very capable top-end compact camera with a high-quality lens that delivers well-exposed, sharp, low noise images. On the downside there are a few handling niggles, but there is no perfect camera for every potential buyer, and the things that bug me might not annoy everyone. In sum, though, there are many more pros than cons, so a thumbs up from me.

www.photography-news.co.uk

a larger format camera’s. Images are very clean up to ISO 400 and perfectly good for critical use. ISO 800 is acceptable too, especially with some noise reduction in software (in Canon’s Digital Photo Professional 3.14.41) but don’t overdo it as NR impacts on fine detail. By ISO 1600 the impact on intricate detail is more significant although noise levels are still not too bad. Beyond that however noise levels rise quickly.

CANON POWERSHOT G7 X FEATURES

21/25

PERFORMANCE

21/25

HANDLING

20/25

VALUE FOR MONEY

22/25

Plenty packed into a small package Generally, the GX7 gets a thumbs up Handgrip design, articulating monitor, quiet and low Solid value for a top-end compact

OVERALL 84/100 Definitely a highly capable compact worth a serious look PROS Lens – range and fast aperture, consistent exposures CONS The noisy control ring, menu, manual focus, limited tilt screen, no viewfinder

Issue 14 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 14

www.photography-news.co.uk

Christmas gifts BUYERS’ GUIDE

27

Top photo gift ideas

A touch of glass

Whether you’re treating yourself or someone else, check out Photography News’s pick of Christmas gifts and stocking fillers. They’ll be right up your chimney…

If you’re looking for a fresh way to get your pictures under people’s noses, then look no further than One Vision’s Glass Tableware Photo products. Made from safety-toughened and heat-resistant certified glass, pictures take on a new lustre under the stylish and elegant polished surface of a placemat. The only question is which photo to use. To complete

the look, One Vision also offers the same highquality design for drinks coasters. Imagine a set of colour-themed shots to brighten up a table, or images specially themed for the person you’re treating this Christmas, and you’ll see why these make a great present.

Ordering is easy and a set of four placemats is £35.40, with four coasters just £14.40.

π To find out more, go to www.onevisionimaging.com.

Get set for better photos

Sets are big business at Christmastime: DVD box sets, frilly underwear sets, even train sets... But something that’ll really appeal to the photographer in your life is a new filter set. NiSi’s 100mm Professional Aviation Aluminium Square filter holder system is a great option if you’re thinking about giving the gift of light filtration, being made of sturdy,

anodised aviation-grade aluminum and neatly accommodating 100mm square filters like the NiSi AR ND1000 (£97) for super-long exposures. The holder (£70) is suitable for shooting as wide as 18mm, while filters are easy to install using the nickel-plated screw. It fits up to three square filters at once, or two square filters and an 86mm round filter.

Jump on the case

Cases. You have one for your phone, your glasses, your tablet… so why not your camera? There’s no better way to protect your precious DSLR from bumps, scratches, splashes, sand and dust than a fitted silicone jacket, like the EasyCover from Just. Available to fit a huge range of Canon and Nikon DSLR bodies, EasyCover jackets are custom-fitted

for individual models providing a perfectly moulded fit without restricting access to any controls, memory card access or battery compartments. The silicone construction absorbs minor impact shocks, provides an additional barrier to dirt and dust, and wipes clean. They also come with screen protectors, and all for £25.96 for a medium-sized DSLR.

π To find out more, go to www.nisidigital.com.

π To find out more, go to www.cameraclean.co.uk.

Make a date with your pics

The gift of knowledge

There’s no doubt making a calendar is one of the best ways to get your pics off the computer and into the real world. And what better gift to give than an all-year-round display of your best shots? Loxley Colour produces calendars in A3 and A4 sizes, upright or landscape, or square (297mm or 210mm), and with a three-day turnaround

time, they’re a perfect last-minute option.

Printed on 200gsm satin paper, pics look brilliant and ordering is simple via your browser. Prices start at £14 for the 210mm square version and various templates are available. You can customise layout and text, and even include up to 18 months, making it a gift that keeps on giving.

π To find out more, go to www.loxleycolour.com. www.photography-news.co.uk

If you’re after a gift that‘ll last a lifetime, how about paying towards some photography tuition? This is a present that will set up a friend or relative with new and useful skills and take their photography forward – a really useful and heartfelt idea. Pauls Studio in Reading, for instance, offers Starter and Basic courses as well as advanced versions and tuition

catering to specific photographers’ needs.

Portrait, beauty, glamour, boudoir and fine-art nude workshops are all covered, wherein you can learn new tricks or develop your existing skill set. One-to-one tuition is available with experienced studio photographers, allowing a unique hands-on experience as you work with professional models.

π To find out more, go to www.pauls-studio.co.uk.

Issue 14 | Photography News

28

Papers review ON TEST

Papers for black & white

Nothing beats that feeling of producing a mono print in the darkroom, but printing at home with modern materials can equal it. Any one of these eight papers will give you that feeling

SPECS PRICE £21.87 A4 25 sheets, £47.24 A3 25 sheets CONTACT canson-infinity.com AVAILABILITY A4, A3, A3+, A2, 8.5x11in, 11x17in, 17x22in, roll SIZES 17in, 24in, 36in, 44in, 50in WEIGHT 310gsm

Words & pictures by Will Cheung

Making a lovely monochrome image is immensely rewarding but to confine the image to the computer monitor is criminal. To truly appreciate your work you need to get it printed on a quality paper. You may farm your printing out to a lab service and that’s fine, but for the ultimate fulfilment nothing beats home printing.

Before we turn our attention to the papers, we need to talk about the printer. It is self-evident you need a decent photographic quality unit but for quality monochrome output you need one that has more than one black ink cartridge. Trying to convincingly deliver all those delicate

Canson Baryta Photographique 310gsm

DOWNLOADABLE ICC GENERIC PROFILES Yes (Canon, Epson, HP)

shades of grey, especially the lighter tones, from a single black cartridge is almost impossible. For this test we used an Epson Stylus Pro 3880, which has four blacks although only three are in use at any one time – Photo Black, Matt Black, Light Black and Light Light Black.

With a capable printer ready, all you need now is a good paper and here are eight of the best around. For the test we selected papers that have the look and feel of darkroom fibre-based or FB materials. Such papers when air-dried have a lovely sheen rather than a high gloss and look gorgeous with the right image. Try them for yourself.

There is much to admire in this paper with its very slight creamy base. It lies flat out of the box and has a fine, smooth sheen. Most importantly it responds well to printing. It seems ideally suited to scenes where there is an abundance of delicate shades of grey and it delivers beautiful results that have a great deal of tonal subtlety.

Shadow details come out with plenty of detail visible but it doesn’t skimp on blacks either which look deep and rich.

A nicely priced paper that can be thoroughly recommended and certainly one for the shortlist.

Fotospeed Platinum Baryta 300gsm SPECS PRICE £22.99 A4 20 sheets, £43.99 A3 20 sheets CONTACT fotospeed.com AVAILABILITY A4, A3, A3+, A2, roll sizes 17in, 24in, 36in, 44in, panoramic WEIGHT 300gsm DOWNLOADABLE ICC GENERIC PROFILES Yes (Canon, Epson, HP)

This Fotospeed material has a smooth, very tactile sheen finish and it lies flat straight out of the box. Its base colour is very marginally off-white.

No complaints about print quality and this paper proved to be an excellent all-rounder dealing well with our range of monochrome test images which included portraits and landscapes. Tonal gradation was smooth, shadows held plenty of detail and blacks come out as deep as most people would want.

A fine paper at a price which is competitive.

Photography News | Issue 14

www.photography-news.co.uk

Papers review Da Vinci Fibre Gloss 300gsm SPECS

29 Innova FibaPrint Baryta 310gsm SPECS

Hahnemühle Glossy FineArt Baryta 325gsm SPECS

PRICE £25.20 A4 25 sheets, £48 A3 50 sheets

PRICE £26.84 A4 25 sheets, £52.60 A3 25 sheets

PRICE £28.88 A4 25 sheets, £63.55 A3 25 sheets

CONTACT chaudigital.com

CONTACT innovaart.com

CONTACT hahnemuehle.com

AVAILABILITY A4, A3, A3+, A2, rolls 17in, 24in, 36in, 44in, 60in

AVAILABILITY A4, A3, A3+, A2, roll sizes 17in, 24in, 36in, 44in,50in

AVAILABILITY A4, A3, A3+, A2, roll sizes 17in, 24in, 36in, 60in

WEIGHT 300gsm

WEIGHT 310gsm

WEIGHT 325gsm

DOWNLOADABLE ICC GENERIC PROFILES Yes (Epson printers only)

DOWNLOADABLE ICC GENERIC PROFILES Yes (Canon, Epson, HP)

DOWNLOADABLE ICC GENERIC PROFILES Yes (Canon, Epson, HP)

A fine quality performer. Our test prints came out with an impressive tonal range from the brightest highlights to the deepest shadows. Its base is clean white and its surface finish has a very fine texture.

Print quality is up among the best of the materials here, with good depth in the shadows and clean highlights. If there is any downside it’s possibly that the light mid-tones don’t seem to glow like those in other papers.

Nevertheless, it is a highly capable material and a very decent price too.

Try this paper and it’s difficult not to be very impressed, from initial handling to finished print. It lies very flat out of the box and its fine sheen finish is probably the smoothest of all those on test here. Its base is marginally cream but that’s not a detraction.

Print quality is outstanding, giving pictures with plenty of punch and the shadows and blacks looked tremendous.

But it did equally well at rendering more subtle tones and the highlights looked great too.

Quality product, attractive price and worth trying.

With a pure white base and smooth sheen finish, this paper will show off your monochrome masterpieces in the best light.

Our test prints displayed plenty of depth and the blacks were very rich. Contrast was slightly high too but it handles this well without sacrificing tonality so if you like your black & white photographs punchy, this is definitely a paper for your shortlist.

It’s good, high-quality material at a reasonable price, which is typical of the brand.

Epson Traditional Photo Paper 330gsm

PermaJet FB Royal 325gsm

Museo Silver Rag 300gsm

SPECS

SPECS

SPECS

PRICE £31.12 A4 25 sheets, £77.33 A3+ 25 sheets

PRICE £31.95 A4 25 sheets, £62.95 A3 25 sheets

PRICE £32.50 A4 25 sheets, £78.57 A3+ 25 sheets

CONTACT epson.co.uk

CONTACT permajet.com

CONTACT on-linepaper.co.uk

AVAILABILITY A4, A3+, A2, roll sizes 17in, 24in, 44in, 64in

AVAILABILITY A4, A3, A3+, A2, roll sizes 17in, 24in, 36in, 44in, 60in

AVAILABILITY A4, A3+, 17x22in, 24x36in, 35x47in, roll sizes 17in, 24in, 36in, 44in, 50in

WEIGHT 330gsm

WEIGHT 325gsm

WEIGHT 300gsm

DOWNLOADABLE ICC GENERIC PROFILES Yes (Epson printers only)

DOWNLOADABLE ICC GENERIC PROFILES Yes (Canon, Epson, HP)

DOWNLOADABLE ICC GENERIC PROFILES Yes (Canon, Epson, HP)

It’s the heaviest weight paper in this group so it has plenty of heft and has an impressive feel and look with a smooth, slightly textured sheen.

Print quality is good, particularly with high key images, and if you want excellent separation of lighter tones this material appeals. A nice touch is that the paper comes in a black polythene bag á la darkroom papers. It’s one of the more expensive papers here and the lack of an A3 option might put a few people off but nonetheless it’s a quality, very capable paper. www.photography-news.co.uk

PermaJet’s FB range has options for all tastes including an excellent warm-tone version and you certainly can’t go far wrong with FB Royal 325gsm. It’s a superb paper that gives deep, rich blacks, sparkling highlights and a wonderfully smooth range of grey tones. Contrast is good too if you like your monochromes with an extra bit of punch. The heavier weight also gives prints an extra feeling of quality although there is slight edge curl. Surface finish is a textured sheen.

A lovely material that comes highly recommended.

In direct comparison with its rivals, this is the paper with the creamiest base colour which gives prints a gentle, very pleasant warmth.

Packaging is very good in that each sheet of paper is interleaved with a sheet of plain paper so surface protection is excellent. The glossy surface has a lovely sheen and it’s slightly textured.

Print quality is top drawer too, with superb rendition of the monochrome tonal range from the brightest highlights to the deepest shadows.

Issue 14 | Photography News

30

Technique PHOTO SCHOOL

Camera class

Everyone has to start somewhere, even top pros, and in our regular Photo School feature we look at the core skills that every beginner needs. This month, more focusing questions answered and discover the importance of Clarity in Lightroom Words & pictures by Kingsley Singleton

n In manual focusing (M) mode, how do I know when focus is achieved?

You can do this in a couple of ways, either using the viewfinder or the camera’s screen. The first way is restricted to the camera’s AF points. Place one of these over the part of the image you want to be sharp and focus using the ring on the lens.

When the image is in focus under that point you’ll see a small dot appear in the viewfinder next to the shooting info, or the AF point may light up. When not in focus you may see arrows instead, telling you to shift the focus. If you’re focusing on-screen, when shooting still life or macro for example, switch to Live View and zoom in on the LCD. You’ll then be able to see exactly where the pic is in focus as you move the focusing ring. n What is the AFL button on my Dfor and when is it needed?

The AFL button, which stands for Autofocus Lock, is used to hold the focus on a certain point in the scene before shooting. Many DSLRs have a dedicated AFL button on the body, but on smaller entry-level versions it may need to be mapped to another button, via the Controls section of the main menu.

Autofocus Lock is useful when you’re using a low number of AF points or when the AF points don’t cover the exact part of the frame you want to focus on. You focus as normal, then hold the AFL button before reframing and shooting. The AFL button shouldn’t be confused with the AEL button which locks the exposure settings.

n My camera has an ‘AF-ON’ button at the rear. What is this for?

The AF-ON button lets you divorce autofocus activation from the shutter button. So, where you’d normally half-press the shutter button to focus, and keep it half pressed to continue focusing or to lock the focus in place (depending on your AF mode), it can all be done via AF-ON. This is sometimes called back-button focusing. You need to disable AF from the shutter button via the menu, but the advantage is that because focusing is no longer activated by the shutter button you can lock it where you like and shoot without risking the camera trying to focus again. This technique also decouples any image stabilisation from AF activation. If you don’t have an AF-ON button, you can customise another button to do the job, typically the Fn or AEL/AFL buttons. n Can I turn off the beep when the camera has focused?

The default setting on most cameras is to issue an audible signal when focus is achieved (as well as a visual indicator). This can be turned off (or the volume reduced) via the main menu, which is useful when you don’t want to disturb the subject or draw attention to yourself.

NEXT MONTH:

How to deal with tricky exposure situations and make the best of bad exposures in Lightroom.

ADOBE LIGHTROOM

Software skills Part 14: Increasing and decreasing Clarity

Following on from the theme of adding sharpness to your pictures, there’s another important setting in Lightroom which can give a sharper or softer look to your shots: Clarity. Found in the Basic panel under the Presence heading, and also via the Local Adjustment tools, Clarity increases or decreases midtone Photography News | Issue 14

contrast, giving more ‘bite’ to the image, or making it look less distinct. Depending on the subject or the part of the picture you’re working on, this can improve the look. For instance, on a feminine portrait a lower clarity setting will soften skin tones, and on a rugged landscape, it can increase the sense of detail.

STEP 1: SOFTEN A SKY Like many settings, Clarity is best added locally rather than indiscriminately to the whole image, so in Lightroom’s Develop module, after making basic adjustments to your image – such as to the exposure and white-balance – pick the Adjustment brush tool (K). Set the Size of the Brush and make sure it has a high Feather and Flow setting. Now double-click Effect to reset any previously used sliders and push Clarity to a very low setting like -100 or -80. Here, we ran the Brush over the sky and distant hills to soften them a little. This has the effect of making the textured foreground seem more detailed in comparison.

STEP 2: INCREASE FOREGROUND DETAIL Still within the Adjustment Brush panel, click New to start a fresh Brush and then double-click Effect to reset the sliders. Set the Flow to a lower setting – around 20, so that you’re applying the Clarity slowly with multiple brush sweeps. Next, set the Clarity to about 40, and run the Brush over any parts where you want to increase the sense of detail. In this example, we’ve switched on the Mask Overlay to show where – mainly along the lead-in line. It you want more ‘bite’, increase the Clarity slider, or add another Brush and keep painting. If you make a mistake, hit Erase to brush it out, or delete the Brush with Backspace. www.photography-news.co.uk

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 14 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 14

www.photography-news.co.uk

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 14 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 14

www.photography-news.co.uk

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 14 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 14

www.photography-news.co.uk

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 14 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 14

www.photography-news.co.uk

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 14 | Photography News

40

Prize wordsearch

Win new Samsung memory!

You can capture all life’s special moments securely with Samsung’s ultra-reliable new range of high performance PRO SD cards. PRO cards support UHS-I and offer read speeds of up to 90MB/s. They are also water- and shockproof, and resistant to extreme temperatures, X-rays and magnets, plus they come with a ten-year limited warranty.

We’re giving away three 16GB PRO SDHC cards to three lucky winners. Just complete the wordsearch below, and you’ll find one word in the list that’s not in the grid. Email us on puzzle@photographynews.co.uk with that word in the subject line by 15 December 2014, and you could be a winner! π To find out more, go to www.samsung.com.

E

G

J

Z

V

O

V

W

F

D

N

S

R

O

T

C

E

L

F

E

R

A

I

R

H

U

R

O

C

S

Z

K

I

O

E

A

Q

P

R

J

F

D

D

X

N

S

P

O

T

T

Y

X

A

F

Y

E

I

E

Y

T

E

N

A

E

P

M

P

R

R

K

N

R

H

E

H

C

O

R

A

T

H

E

N

T

P

N

I

O

A

L

U

E

M

I

W

Y

X

T

Z

H

O

R

S

E

I

S

N

A

P

E

S

P

E

H

L

K

U

W

A

O

L

I

O

Z

G

E

M

I

R

P

X

E

O

D

F

C

Y

L

W

Y

Q

F

T

O

G

Y

T

A

H

H

Q

M

B

S

C

U

Y

U

B

R

I

G

H

T

M

C

R

N

L

W

O

X

N

L

E

V

D

A

W

B

L

L

X

B

U

V

T

M

C

P

R

K

Z

A

H

N

X

C

aperture bright cap carbon element

feet head hue manual noise

optic pan polariser prime reflector

retro sharpen softbox sync telezoom

If you do not want to receive any marketing information from Bright Publishing or our partners, in your email entry please type NO INFO.

Photography news

Produced by Bright Publishing Ltd,

Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ www.bright-publishing.com When you have finished with this newspaper, please recycle it

Photography News | Issue 14

EDITORIAL TEAM Editorial director Roger Payne Editor Will Cheung FRPS 01223 499469 willcheung@bright-publishing.com Contributing editor Kingsley Singleton kingsleysingleton@bright-publishing.com Features writer Megan Croft megancroft@bright-publishing.com Sub editors Lisa Clatworthy & Hannah Bealey

ADVERTISING TEAM Sales director Matt Snow 01223 499453 mattsnow@bright-publishing.com Sales executive Krishan Parmar 01223 499462 krishanparmar@bright-publishing.com Key accounts Maria Francis 01223 499457 mariafrancis@bright-publishing.com DESIGN TEAM Designer Katy Bowman Design manager Andy Jennings

PUBLISHING TEAM Managing director Andy Brogden Managing director Matt Pluck Head of circulation Chris Haslum As well as your local camera club, you can pick up Photography News instore from: Calumet, Cameraworld, Castle Cameras, Jessops, London Camera Exchange, Park Cameras, Wilkinson Cameras

n Photography News is published on the third Monday of every month by Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3HJ. n No part of this magazine can be used without prior written permission of Bright Publishing Ltd. n Photography News is a registered trademark of Bright Publishing Ltd. n The advertisements published in Photography News 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. n The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. n While Bright Publishing makes every effort to ensure accuracy, it can’t be guaranteed. n Street pricing at the time of writing is quoted for products.

www.photography-news.co.uk

Advertisement feature

Pick of the Canon cashback offers Don’t miss this trio of great deals from Canon’s Christmas offers Canon’s Christmas cashback offer is available on selected purchases made before 21 January 2015, which means it’s a great opportunity to make some sizeable savings on must-have Canon equipment. Digital SLRs, lenses, compact cameras and printers all have some tempting deals, including £80 on an EOS 6D and £160 on a 24-70mm f/4L IS USM, but we thought we’d highlight three deals all worthy of a special mention. To check out all the offers, visit www.canon.co.uk/wintercashback.

£50 CASHBACK

EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM SPECS STM TECHNOLOGY Smooth autofocus control CLOSE FOCUSING DISTANCE 0.22m FILTER THREAD 67mm DIMENSIONS (DXL) 74.6x72mm WEIGHT 240g

Designed for digital SLRs with an APS-C sized sensor, this lightweight zoom is perfect for a wide variety of picture-taking applications, including landscapes, architectural images and street photography.

Offering the 35mm equivalent to a 16-29mm zoom, the lens features both Image Stabilization (IS) and Stepping Motor Technology (STM). The former helps reduce the effects of camera shake by providing up to four stops of correction, while the latter provides a near-silent autofocus performance that’s particularly useful for movie shooting.

Focusing as close as 0.22m, the EF-S 10-18mm also features a large manual focusing ring and has a seven-blade aperture, which offers smooth out-offocus highlights. Optically, the zoom features both aspherical and UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) elements to reduce chromatic aberrations, while Super Spectra coating cuts down ghosting and flare.

A real go-anywhere optic and with £25 cashback as well, what’s not to like?

Canon PowerShot G7 X

£25

CASHBACK

PIXMA iP8750 SPECS PRINT RESOLUTION Up to 9600x2400dpi NUMBER OF INKS 6 PHOTO PRINT SPEED A3+ with border, approx 120 seconds WIRELESS Yes DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 590x159x331mm

Want to produce lab quality prints in the comfort of your own home? Look no further than the PIXMA iP8750, an A3+ inkjet printer that delivers supreme results through the convenience of wireless technology.

Capable of printing from tablets, smartphones, Wi-Fi enabled cameras or simply through a wireless network, it offers the ultimate in versatility.

The PIXMA iP8750 uses a dye-based six-colour ink system, which includes grey to deliver great results whether you’re working on colour or black

& white images. And thanks to Chromalife 100+ ink technology, those prints will stand the test of time so they can be enjoyed for years to come.

The printer accepts a wide range of printing media and can also print directly on to CDs or DVDs thanks to Direct Disc Print, plus photographers can also enjoy plenty of creative options courtesy of the bundled software. In short, the PIXMA iP8750 offers the perfect entry into the world of A3+ printing and with £30 cashback there’s never been a better time to buy.

A pocketable compact that packs a powerful picture-taking punch. Despite its diminutive proportions, this latest addition to the PowerShot range sports a one-inch sensor for optimum image quality. Couple this to the 24-100mm zoom range (35mm equivalent) and discerning photographers will be able to tackle a wide range of subjects in complete confidence that they’ll be capturing highquality results.

In addition to the larger than average sensor, the G7 X also features a full suite of exposure modes and overrides so leaving the digital SLR doesn’t have to mean a compromise in picture-taking creativity. And when users are out in the field, features like the tiltable rear touchscreen LCD are a real advantage to help quickly scroll through functions and select the focusing point.

As well as being great for stills capture, the G7 X also gives photographers the chance to capture movies in glorious Full HD at up to 60 frames-per-second, plus the built-in Wi-Fi functionality makes it simple to share shots as soon as they’re captured.

On top of the £50 cashback, new purchasers also qualify for a free year’s subscription to Adobe’s creative Cloud Photography Plan giving them two of the most powerful imageediting packages on the planet: Photoshop and Lightroom. A great deal.

SPECS

£30 CASHBACK

SENSOR SIZE/TYPE 1-inch back-illuminated CMOS RESOLUTION 20.2 megapixels ISO SENSITIVITY 125-12,800 SHUTTER SPEED RANGE 1-1/2000sec REAR LCD 3-inch tiltable, 1040k dots DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 103x60.4x40.4mm WEIGHT 304g (including battery and memory card)

www.canon.co.uk/wintercashback

Issue 14 | Photography News

Photography news

Produced by Bright Publishing Ltd,

Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ www.bright-publishing.com When you have finished with this newspaper, please recycle it

Photography News | Issue 14

EDITORIAL TEAM Editorial director Roger Payne Editor Will Cheung FRPS 01223 499469 willcheung@bright-publishing.com Contributing editor Kingsley Singleton kingsleysingleton@bright-publishing.com Features writer Megan Croft megancroft@bright-publishing.com Sub editors Lisa Clatworthy & Hannah Bealey

ADVERTISING TEAM Sales director Matt Snow 01223 499453 mattsnow@bright-publishing.com Sales executive Krishan Parmar 01223 499462 krishanparmar@bright-publishing.com Key accounts Maria Francis 01223 499457 mariafrancis@bright-publishing.com DESIGN TEAM Designer Katy Bowman Design manager Andy Jennings

PUBLISHING TEAM Managing director Andy Brogden Managing director Matt Pluck Head of circulation Chris Haslum As well as your local camera club, you can pick up Photography News instore from: Calumet, Cameraworld, Castle Cameras, Jessops, London Camera Exchange, Park Cameras, Wilkinson Cameras

n Photography News is published on the third Monday of every month by Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3HJ. n No part of this magazine can be used without prior written permission of Bright Publishing Ltd. n Photography News is a registered trademark of Bright Publishing Ltd. n The advertisements published in Photography News 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. n The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. n While Bright Publishing makes every effort to ensure accuracy, it can’t be guaranteed. n Street pricing at the time of writing is quoted for products.

www.canon.co.uk/wintercashback