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Issue 13

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21 October – 17 November 2014

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

Cashback brings Christmas early

Produced by

Enter while you can!

Last call for images in three prestigious photo competitions Don’t miss your chance to win £1000s. See page 4

Three leading camera manufacturers offer money-back deals as this year’s festive countdown kicks off Nikon, Panasonic and Fujifilm have all announced tempting cashback deals in the past few days with more manufacturers expected to follow suit in the coming weeks. Cashback promotions, where customers claim money back from manufacturers by sending a proof of purchase, have become a festive fixture to boost sales in the run-up to Christmas and this year’s promotions are giving photographers a great opportunity to pick up new kit and keep the bank manager happy.

All three companies are offering varying cashback amounts across a selection of products purchased between now and January 2015, but Fujifilm is also offering a free lens promotion on the X-Pro1 in which customers can claim two free prime lenses when they buy the camera body.

For more details on all the promotions, turn to the news story on page 3.

Nikon, Panasonic and Fujifilm have all revealed tempting cashback deals with up to £175 to be claimed on selected products purchased before January 2015.

www.photography-news.co.uk

Salon members as selectors – chaos or the way forward?

London Salon of Photography thinks it’s the future

Tested: Nikon D750, Panasonic GM5 and 12 online print labs Plus Fujifilm XF18-135mm & B+W polariser

Issue 13 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 13

www.photography-news.co.uk

Latest photography news

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Christmas comes early

NEWS IN BRIEF

Nikon, Fujifilm and Panasonic get festive with cashback and free lens incentives

£175

cashback

£30

TWO FREE LENSES

cashback

Nikon, Panasonic and Fujifilm have brought Christmas early thanks to tempting cashback deals and free lens incentives on selected DSLRs, CSCs and lenses.

Nikon’s cashback deals cover entry-level DSLRs, a range of DX and FX lenses and two flashguns with values ranging from £20 for the D3200 through to £175 on each of the 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, 24-70mm f/2.8G ED and 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lenses. Purchases made before 25 January 2015 qualify.

Buy a Fujifilm X-E2 or X-T1 Black between now and 11 January and you’ll be able to claim £100 cashback, the same amount can also be claimed on individual

£100

cashback

XF lenses, but buying multiple lenses attracts greater cashback offers. Fujifilm X-Pro1 buyers can also claim two free lenses – the XF18mm and XF27mm with a combined value of nearly £900 – when they buy the body.

Panasonic’s offer extends across CSCs, compacts and camcorders with the range-topping GH4 attracting £100 cashback and the high-quality TZ60 compact offering £30 back. Purchases should be made before 12 January 2015.

Terms and conditions apply on all the deals, so be sure to check the small print on the links below before you buy.

WIN A TRIP TO PHOTOGRAPHERS’ PARADISE Topping the list of must-visit places for pretty much every photographer is Iceland. Its breathtaking landscape with geysers, waterfalls, volcanoes and fjords provide endless photographic opportunities, ones which you could be making the most of if you’re the lucky winner of X-Rite’s competition.

The colour science and technology giant has partnered with X-Rite Coloratti Einer Erlendsson and his company Focus on Nature to offer one winner an eight day all-inclusive trip to Iceland, including a workshop with Erlendsson. You’ve got until 31 March 2015 to enter the competition via the website and the winner will be notified on 15 April. www.xritephoto.eu/ iceland

π To find out more, go to nikon.co.uk/promotions • fujifilm.eu/uk/products/digital-cameras/promotions • panasonic.co.uk/promotions.

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 13 | Photography News

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Latest photography news

Hurry, hurry, hurry It’s the last call for three major contests so do the groundwork to get your shots ready now Rosanna Castrini, My Garden Prairie (OVERALL WINNER 2014)

Garden Photographer of the Year For those fancying their chances in the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition, the pressure is on to get your entry in with the closing date of 31 October 2014 just around the corner. Enter into one of eight categories and get one step closer to scooping the top prize of £5000 or a £2000 prize and RPS gold medal for best portfolio. The winning images will feature in a touring exhibition that travels around the UK and worldwide, hosted, amongst other places, at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew and as far afield as Australia. IGPOTY is also unique in that it offers feedback to entrants, it’s worth entering for that invaluable constructive criticism alone. Entries are made via the website. π To find out more, go to www.igpoty.com.

Natalia Ciobanu

This year, Nikon has thrown the competition doors open, welcoming images from any digital device – meaning your images will likely be up against smartphone snaps. The competition was already stiff last year, with nearly 100,000 entries coming in from 153 countries and with the net being cast even wider this year those numbers are more than likely to grow.

Entries are organised into four categories: single photo, photo story, photographic video and motion snapshot. New for 2015, there is an additional ‘home’ theme, which invites entrants to offer up their interpretation of home. The grand prize winner as well as 96 first, second and third place winners will be chosen by a panel of 17 judges and will be announced in June 2015. There is a cash prize for the grand prizewinner and for those first in their category. You have until 15 December to get your entry in via the website.

Shuchen Lang

35th annual Nikon Photo Contest

Edoardo Miola

Ebrahim Noroozi

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

Heather Buckley

Photography News | Issue 13

RHS Photographer of the Year If you’ve been umming and ahhing about which image to enter into the RHS Photographer of the Year – or pondering whether to enter at all – now’s the time to make a decision.

You’ve got until 2 November to submit your entry and be in with a chance of bagging the top prize of £2000 and of course the much-coveted title of RHS Photographer of the Year 2015. There are five categories to enter: plants, abstracts, details, seasons, celebrating gardens and wildlife – leaving you with plenty of scope when it comes to choosing an image. Of course you won’t be entering

for the money, but there are also cash prizes for second and third places too and winners receive a year’s RHS gift membership giving you free entry to the RHS gardens.

To clue you in on who’ll be casting a critical eye over your work, the RHS has just announced that international garden photographer Andrew Lawson will be joining the panel of judges this year. Enter via the website, but you’ll have to be quick! π To find out more, go to www.rhs.org.uk/photocomp.

www.photography-news.co.uk

Latest photography news

Congratulations to Harlow PS

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PNY power on PNY has power banks for all your charging needs. The Direct Connect range has two models, the DCM2200 and the DCL2200, the M standing for Micro USB and the L for Lightning, and they fit flush with Android or Apple mobiles. They have enough power to give your mobile device one full charge. Prices are £18 and £27 respectively.

If you want greater capacity for more charging cycles or need to charge up your tablet, look at PNY’s T-series PowerPacks. Four different

capacity models are available, T2600, T5200, T7800 and T10400, at £12, £20, £30 and £40 respectively. These lightweight battery packs feature a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

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

Visit Tuscany Now’s your chance to shoot glorious Tuscany with an expert on hand

ABOVE Delighted members of Harlow PS: Malcolm Tinn, president; Alan Buller, treasurer; Tony Perryman, viewfinder editor; Heather Clarke, outside competitions sec; and Graham Woolmer, chairman.

John Gravett ARPS

Back in Photography News issue 8 and thanks to the kindness of Epson, we offered camera clubs the chance to win an A3 R3000 printer, and the winners are Harlow Photographic Society – so huge congratulations to them.

We asked clubs to submit three pictures and Harlow PS’s submission was judged to be the best by Nick White of Epson UK and Will Cheung, PN’s editor. The winning portfolio comprised Black and White and Red

by Tony Perryman, Attacking the Course by Graham Perryman and The Blue Welly by Heather Clarke.

“Harlow PS is a well-established go-ahead club with around 45 members,” says Heather Clarke. “We engage in a lot of interaction with other clubs as this helps members to gain inspiration from different styles of work. We are also this year running separate ‘discovery’ evenings to help new members and less experienced photographers learn about their cameras, exposure, depth-of-field, lenses, photoediting programs etc. The object of the club is enjoyment of our hobby along with helping each other to improve.

“Thank you so much to Photography News and Epson for this wonderful prize.”

If you fancy a photo workshop in Tuscany in the company of an expert, check out Lakeland Photographic Holidays’ latest trip with John Gravett. The group will enjoy visits to Bagno Vignoni, Belvedere, Spedaletto, Siena, Pienza, La Foce, Montecchiello, St Antimo Castello Velona, St Quirico d’Orcia and Palazzone as well as hearty breakfasts in gorgeous trattorias, fabulous packed lunches and indulgent, relaxed dinners.

Flying out 25 April 2015 and returning 2 May, it costs £1550 per person including transport around Tuscany and most meals but excluding flights.

NEWS IN BRIEF SUPREME BOWENS Bowens has launched five flash heads for its Creo generator mains flash system. There are two Light Sticks (20cm and 30cm) costing £1080 each, two Slim Lights (69cm and 130cm) costing £2099 and the Creo FS250 Fresnel spotlight costing £3455. www.bowens.co.uk EDITING SOFTWARE GETS SLICKER CyberLink has updated its digital workflow program for Mac OS and Windows in the form of PhotoDirector 6. This latest version makes it easy to create perfect panoramas and has smart photo merging, which blends multiple group photos for one flawless shot.

CyberLink has extended its compatibility range so it’ll now work with 100 additional camera models and lenses plus the exporting process has been sped up making it 41% faster than in previous versions. It can be downloaded from the CyberLink website and is available in three versions, PhotoDirector 6 Suite (£114.99), Ultra (£79.99) and Deluxe (£49.99). www.cyberlink.com

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

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 13 | Photography News

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Latest photography news

DxO v10

NEWS IN BRIEF FUJI PROCESSING LAB TO CLOSE Fujifilm has been running its E6 processing facility in partnership with CC Imaging but as of 1 November the camera company will no longer put its name to the facility. Customers with remaining rolls of Fujichrome Sensia process-paid film have until 1 November to get their film processed before the voucher becomes invalid. The E6 slide film processing line will then continue to be run by CC Imaging alongside its existing lab facilities, enabling customers to still process their transparency films, just not under the Fujifilm brand lab.

For any queries, contact the Fujifilm Processing Lab by email at info@ fujifilmprocessing laboratory.co.uk.

DxO has announced two new softwares, OpticsPro 10 and FilmPack 5, and an update, Viewpoint 2.5.

DxO 10 offers faster performance than the previous version.

One of the many notable speed improvements is to the software’s PRIME noise-reducing feature. PRIME denoising is very, very effective, but it can take several minutes per image – v10 is now at least four times quicker. And it’s now also 10x quicker loading files so you have immediate access to images.

The Essential edition costs £99 and the Elite edition £159. Benefits of the Elite edition include the PRIME denoising feature, ClearView, and it allows the use of camera ICC profiles.

DxO FilmPack 5 is an easy-to-use film emulator with up to 80 well-known films available at a click of a mouse. It is available in Essential and Elite editions costing £59 and £99 respectively. Elite has the benefit of Raw support, many more presets, and offers graphic effects like the ability to add frames, texture and light leaks.

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

Lighting it up Three new releases this month from photographic lighting and accessories firm Interfit Photographic. No surprises on their first announcement: a new line of softboxes. The difference lies in the range’s portability. Interfit has designed a series that is foldable offering a large size but light weight. The softboxes are easy to assemble featuring an internal frame of interlocking fibreglass rods that snap into place. The softboxes are available in a range of shapes and sizes, including two beauty dishes, and come in both S-type and EX mounts priced from £61 to £70.

Interfit’s latest Nanguang LED lighting range has also been developed with an emphasis on portability. There are 16 products in the range, including pro bodies encased in metal, a mid-range using plastic bodies for portability and a value range. Prices start from £54 for a Pro on-camera 7.4W LED light to £540 for a Bi Colour 72W LED Panel Light. The Strobies Pro-Flash 360 (£450 with battery pack) is the last announcement. Designed as an off-camera flash, it is powered by an external 11.1V li-ion battery pack, which provides over 450 full-power flashes. It can also be used as a traditional on-camera speedlight.

π To find out more about Interfit products, go to www.interfitphotographic.com.

Elinchrom delights Elinchrom has added a few very interesting items to its already extensive product line-up.

One of the most interesting to come to market is the Litemotiv, a brolly with 16 sides to produce circular catchlights, with two sizes available, 120cm and 190cm. They fit all Elinchrom heads and can be used with the system’s deflector panels.

For special lighting effects the FS30 focusing Fresnel spot will find many fans, while Quadra users will appreciate a heavy-duty adaptor to fit Elinchrom accessories onto Quadra heads.

Prices of these new items are yet to be announced. π To find out more, go to www.theflashcentre.co.uk.

Lexar go fastest Lexar’s latest 2000x SD UHS-II SD cards offer transfer speeds up to 300MB/s and write speeds of 260MB/s. Cards are available in 32GB and 64GB capacities and these cost £78 and £136 respectively. And every 2000x card comes with an SD USB3.0 reader to maximise the speed of your workflow.

A less expensive 1000x SD card is also available and this offers write speeds of 95MB/s and transfer speeds of 160MB/s. Card sizes 16GB to 250GB are available – the 16GB version costs £24 and the 250GB £401. π To find out more, go to lexar.com.

Photography News | Issue 13

www.photography-news.co.uk

www.photography-news.co.uk

Issue 13 | 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

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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 17 November we need words and pictures by 6 November.

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: 6 November

London Salon debut Derby City PC member has images accepted by London Salon of Photography Barry Thompson LRPS and committee member of Derby City Photographic Club has had two images accepted by the London Salon of Photography 2014 annual exhibition.

“Belonging to Derby City PC, we are encouraged to participate in the monthly competitions and over the years I have been moderately successful,”

says Barry. “I also submit images to national and international salons. This year, I submitted four to the London Salon international print exhibition, which accepts around 200 prints from all over the world and goes on tour in the UK. When I heard that two of my prints had been accepted into this prestigious exhibition, I was very pleased.”

π To find out more about Barry Thompson’s work, go to www.selectivedigital.org.uk. π To find out more about the London Salon, go to www.londonsalon.org or turn to page 14.

which is open every day except Sunday. For details of opening times and how to get there, go to www.barbican.org.uk.

The third of the trio is Davyhulme Camera Club’s annual exhibition, running from 27 October until 1 November (Monday to Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday 10am-4pm). Free to enter, the exhibition is at Urmston Library, Golden Way, Urmston M41 0NA (just minutes from the Trafford Centre); car parking is available. Visitors can vote for their favourite picture in the show and prints are also available for purchase.

A wide range of images is on display and club members are on hand to provide further information.

π To find out more, go to www.silebyps.org.uk, www.cityandcripplegate-ps.org and www.davyhulmecc.org.uk or @davyhulmecc.

All images Steve Blagg Photo graphy

ABOVE Entrants to the Buxton Photography Challenge competing in Buxton.

Photography News | Issue 13

Susan Judd

We kick off with the Sileby Photographic Society’s 60th Annual Exhibition. Running until Saturday 25 October at Sileby’s Community Centre (on the High Street), the exhibition comprises colour and mono prints as well as two shows of digital projected images, selected

by David Gibbins ARPS APAGB AFIAP BPE3*. As well as the club’s own members’ images, other local clubs are also displaying their work. The exhibition is open Monday to Friday evenings 7.30-9pm and Saturday afternoon 1-6pm.

Open until Monday 27 October is the City of London & Cripplegate Photographic Society’s annual exhibition. Called Current Perspectives, the exhibition is at London’s Barbican Library,

Richard Storier

Three photographic exhibitions to catch if you can

Jonathan Thursfield

Hurry now!

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Fantasy Land

by Susan Judd from the City of London & Cripplegate PS; Number 3 by Jonathan Thursfield from Davyhulme Camera Club; and Brentor Church by Richard Storier from Sileby Photographic Society.

Chapel CC get challenged Back in September Chapel Camera Club enjoyed the Buxton Photo Challenge, one of several events to celebrate the Club’s 30th anniversary.

The idea behind the Challenge was to shoot six set themes in the order presented and on an empty memory card. Only one image per theme could be downloaded for judging later. The themes were: lines, 30, the natural world, movement, multicoloured and the end. The event, organised by Chapel members Karl Wood, Keith Gordon and Malcolm Blackburn, has resulted in a display, which is at the Buxton Museum and Art Gallery until 22 November alongside the Club’s 30th Anniversary Exhibition. π To find out more about Chapel CC, go to www.chapelcameraclub.org.uk. www.photography-news.co.uk

Camera clubs

9 Timothy Allen

SPOTLIGHT

York Photo Society “York Photographic Society recently had an exhibition in the Chapter House of York Minster,” explains Allan Harris, president of York Photographic Society. “We had been given the run of the building for two evening sessions and we were asked if we would stage an exhibition in the hope of raising some funds for the building. Members donated prints of our evening sessions and some were taken at other times. We knew that the exhibition space in the Chapter House is challenging, a 12th century building with a very high ceiling and poor light levels, but the exhibition boards presented plenty of space.

“Having received all the images, it fell to me to frame them. We have a supplier in Halifax who sells good quality frames, oak finish, at a very reasonable price so we bought 50 and I ended up framing 46 pictures.

Dismantling, glass cleaning, checking for stray dust and then fixing mirror plates took me two days.

“The exhibition looked great and the comments book had some really encouraging things to say about the images. Having a unifying theme held the exhibition together and seeing it in the context of the historic building was another positive thing. Although we managed two press articles about the show, sales were disappointing. Only three images sold in two weeks. By comparison, we held our annual society print exhibition in York this summer and sold six images in two days. I don’t think that a price of £60 for a framed original image, mostly on archival materials, is steep. How much is a photograph worth? Maybe there wasn’t the emotional appeal of animals or people in the shots?

“If we held it again we would need better lighting, even more publicity, possibly cards or other smaller mementoes of the exhibition.

Overall, it was a very worthwhile exercise and when we next go for an evening photo shoot in the Minster we will have more idea of its photographic potential.”

If you want your club featured in Club Spotlight, write 200 words about your club and why it’s going places, then send the Word document and up to five JPEG images from members to clubnews@ photography-news.co.uk.

Our human planet TPOTY winner Timothy Allen returns to Southampton for his second talk After the successful event last year, Southampton Camera Club is delighted to host another lecture by Travel Photographer of the Year 2013, Timothy Allen on 9 November.

Tim is probably best known for his work on the BBC book Human Planet, which accompanied the TV series. Travelling the world, Timothy records the lives and customs of people wherever he goes. His photographs of people and their environments are stunning and his stories of the peoples’ lives and the extraordinary efforts he makes to capture the images are totally absorbing. He seldom has time to lecture, so this is a rare opportunity to hear him speak about his work and see his amazing images.

The lecture is at Thornden Hall, Chandler’s Ford, starting at 2.30pm on Sunday 9 November. Tickets are £10 and can be booked at events@southamptoncameraclub.co.uk. π To find out more, go to www.southamptoncameraclub.co.uk.

News from Northallerton Northallerton Camera Club put on its annual exhibition in the town hall in September. All the competition winning prints and PDIs from the previous year were shown to great success, with record crowds enjoying the images as well as the biscuits, scones and tea put on by the club.

November’s line-up of events includes It’s a Knock Out, a female versus male PDI competition, on Monday 3rd; summer outing PDI judging on Monday 10th; Step into my World by Richard Cochrane on the 17th; and a trip to Easingwold for an inter club competition on the 24th. The club has also invited all members to the 2014 NYSDPA competition, hosted by Guisborough Photo Group on 28 November at St Nicholas Parish Church Hall in Guisborough. Held annually, the competition pits all photographic clubs in north-east England against each other, as they each submit six prints and six PDIs. Northallerton CC will host next year’s competition.

Finally, congratulations to club member Pauline Potany, who has been awarded her ARPS, having completed her BA Hons degree at Cleveland Art College.

Northallerton Camera Club meets on Mondays at 7.30pm at Brompton Methodist Church Hall, Northallerton DL6 2QC.

Sedgemoor Camera Club takes its first steps Setting up a new camera club is a challenge, but the effort can be totally worthwhile, as Brian Bateman, press officer of Sedgemoor Camera Club, explains: “Four months ago a handful of people decided to set up an additional camera club here in Bridgwater.

Sounds straightforward, doesn’t it? It’s not. The name, Sedgemoor Camera Club, and a venue, a community centre in the village of Wembdon, were chosen.

“First of all a small steering committee was formed with a chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, programme secretary, webmaster and press officer. Later, they were joined by two loyal support members, who helped us plan the vision and future of the club.

“As well as the photography side of the club, much emphasis was going to be placed on the social side.

Our aim is to be a friendly club with lots of fun, but we acknowledged that the majority of members would be eager to learn the basics of their camera and the art of taking a good picture. We are fortunate in having a few experienced members willing to share their knowledge.

“We will have club competitions but that is a little further down the line. For the time being it’s all about

people and their desire to learn. Hence our motto, ‘Focused on learning’.

“Much of our success has been due to word of mouth and a very talented web designer Ian Durston, who has spent countless hours creating a superb website which has proved to be very successful. Ian also set us up with Chimp Mail and 102 people have registered an interest and they all now receive a weekly newsletter.”

Sedgemoor CC meets on Wednesdays at 7.45pm at St George’s Parish Centre, Wembdon. π To find out more, go to www.sedgemoor.co.uk.

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

Issue 13 | Photography News

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Profile INTERVIEW

Sun Hong Lim At last month’s Photokina show, Photography News was the only UK photographic publication that had the chance to sit down with Samsung imaging business’s senior vice president Sun Hong Lim to find out more about his vision not only for the NX1, but also for Samsung as a camera brand

BIOGRAPHY Mr Lim has worked for Samsung since 1988, joining the imaging side of the business in 2011. In the past three years he’s been instrumental in shaping the company’s camera business into what it is today.

He successfully introduced Samsung’s Smart Camera range at CES in 2012 and, after recognising the growing trend for connectivity, has gone on to oversee the creation of a portfolio of Wi-Fi enabled cameras that allow customers to shoot and share images with ease.

Mr Lim was also a key figure in the development of the Galaxy NX, which remains the only interchangeable lens camera with an Android operating system.

In 2014, he’s been key in the development of the NX1, which sees the Samsung brand move into a new area of the market, catering for professional photographers and serious enthusiasts.

What does the NX1 represent for Samsung?

We have a breadth of products in Samsung, including TVs, smartphones, tablets, monitors and, of course, cameras. Cameras are very important because they create the content for the other products, they complete the full system.

We have been working in this area for 35 years and during that time we have produced many innovative products, but we believe the NX1 represents the pinnacle of our imaging technology so far. It combines all our capabilities from the sensor, to the image processor, to the lens, the batteries and wireless technologies.

Is this a key difference that an electronics manufacturer has over a traditional imaging manufacturer?

Yes, absolutely. We are different from conventional imaging companies as we can take our knowledge from other areas and apply it to cameras.

Consumers’ needs are drastically changing and that’s driven by smartphones. You may well wake up in the morning with the alarm on your smartphone, after that you may check your schedule or check the weather with your smartphone. This functionality means consumer expectations have changed for cameras.

For example, we feel that cameras that don’t have connectivity options make users feel uncomfortable.

What doors do you think the NX1 opens for Samsung?

It’s our first camera that targets professional and high-end amateur users, so we are very excited by this. We have been planning to enter this Photography News | Issue 13

Lenses are an important consideration for anyone buying into a new system. Do you think you have the lens range to satisfy consumer needs?

There are currently 16 lenses in our line-up, which many people aren’t aware of. This is a full lens range, which includes two premium lenses, so I believe we currently have enough lenses to satisfy all the different shooting requirements and expectations.

We also introduced the 50-150mm lens alongside the NX1 and have plans to expand our lens line-up. The 300mm, for example, which we also showed at Photokina, is handmade and if there is a strong demand we will definitely start to produce it, which is another commitment.

sector of the market for a long time, but it is very different from the mass market. Expectations are high, consumers are sensitive to the specs, but they are also looking for good handling and good ergonomics. Consequently, we have spent over three years developing the NX1.

What do you think is the current perception of Samsung among the target market?

Samsung is not the number one company in imaging, but we have always been the company producing innovative technology for the industry.

For example, we were the first to introduce Dual View cameras, Wi-Fi connected cameras and Android smart cameras. The NX1 is another introduction of market-leading technologies and that’s going to improve our perception among target consumers. Since we introduced the NX1, the media response has been overwhelming.

Do you have any immediate plans to add to the Premium S lens range given that these are the ones the target audience will be most interested in?

We do internally, but nothing I can share.

Is it all about producing a model with the most pixels or the fastest AF? We try to be the best in these areas. In developing the NX1 we didn’t want to compromise anything so we tried to be the best in each category.

What will we be talking about at the next Photokina in 2016?

We will have another exciting product to talk about, that’s in our DNA. We always try and introduce new innovations and technology. Obviously, our R&D people are working very hard to introduce meaningful innovation – not just innovation – for the consumers.

We have all the departments working together so we are in the perfect position to develop new products by combining all of them. In order to be successful I believe that usability is very important; even though technology is very complicated it’s vital that we make it easy to use. Connectivity and portability are also key. These are the three key areas I consider whenever we develop new products: usability, connectivity and portability.

The NX1 is quite bulky compared to other compact system cameras. Was this a conscious decision?

We didn’t want to limit its size as a compact system camera, we just wanted to create a professional interchangeable lens camera. Pro photographers don’t care whether it has a mirror or is mirrorless, whether it’s a DSLR or a CSC, they are looking for the best technology, which is why the size is not that important a consideration. Our target consumers are used to larger cameras and sometimes this is an advantage as they are more comfortable and more stable.

Given that connectivity is a key part of the NX1’s specification, where does that leave models like the Galaxy NX? Everybody loved the first Galaxy because everyone loved Android, but it was fixed lens. Customers then told us they wanted interchangeable lenses, so we introduced the Galaxy NX. We didn’t sell a huge quantity but the people who used it, loved it because of the excellent usability – being able to download applications, edit images and then share; you could do everything with one device.

The NX1 target is somewhat different as there’s no Android, no 3G or 4G. This is purely targeting the professional who is looking for excellent optical performance first; the provision of Wi-Fi, NFC (Near Field Communication) and Bluetooth is enough for them, I think.

Our target consumers are used to larger cameras and sometimes this is an advantage as they are more comfortable and more stable

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

Advertisement feature

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ACCESSORIES

Get creative with your ’gun Want to get studio quality results, but working to a limited budget? You need Lastolite’s Strobo range

Not so long ago, the only way photographers could modify light from their hotshoe flashguns was by bouncing the light off a ceiling or taping a piece of coloured gel over the flash head. Studio lighting was the only option for real creativity.

But times have changed. Thanks to the popularity of strobism, a wide range of flashgun accessories has appeared, and one of the most comprehensive is Lastolite’s Strobo range, with starter kits available from just £30.95 SRP. Suitable for any hotshoe flashgun, it’s easy to get up and running with the system through one of two starter options. The Direct To Flashgun kit allows smaller Strobo accessories to be attached directly to the flash head, while the Ezybox Hotshoe Plate is a more substantial accessory that paves the way to using any of the Strobo add-ons.

The modifiers available offer a wide variety of lighting options that can help you get more creative whether you’re on location or wanting to create studio-

style lighting indoors. The coloured gel and gobo sets are two options that can add instant impact to your results, while taking more directional control over the light is easy with the honeycomb set, collapsible snoot or barn doors. Further options can be added using the Ezybox Plate that’s compatible with three different sizes of softbox up to 76x76cm square as well as the 38x38cm Beautybox, which offers an even more flattering light for fashion portraits.

Thanks to the Strobo range, studio flash effects are no longer the reserve of the professional or well-heeled photographer. Select a range of Strobo accessories and unlock the creative power of your flashgun!

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

Keep shooting, whatever the weather Autumn and winter are some of the best times of the year to be out with your camera, but they’re also the most inclement. This year, however, there’s no need for you to make that dash to the car during a sudden downpour thanks to the new Pro Light Element covers from Manfrotto.

The Pro Light Element covers can be quickly attached to your digital SLR or compact system camera to provide complete protection from the elements, without compromising handling. Made from fabric with a special water-repellent coating and high-quality plastic that doesn’t kink or damage easily to provide a reliable, completely weather-proof barrier, the covers are perfectly suited to landscape, wildlife and sports photographers who spend

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plenty of time out on location. Four different versions are available as follows: n Pro Light E-690 PL for compact system cameras and small digital SLRs – £49.95 SRP n Pro Light E-702 PL for digital SLRs with up to a 70-200mm lens attached – £69.95 SRP n Pro Light E-704 PL extension sleeve used with either the E-702 or E-705 for a digital SLR and extra-long zoom or telephoto lens – £74.95 SRP n Pro Light E-705 PL for digital SLR with up to a 70-200mm lens and professional flash attached – £79.95 SRP π To find out more, go to www.manfrotto.co.uk.

Issue 13 | Photography News

12

Competitions INTERVIEW

Austin Thomas

Exhibiting up north The Northern Counties Photographic Federation (NCPF) was founded in 1901 but it was only 35 years ago that then-president Jane Black set up its salon, the Northern Counties International Salon of Photography (NCISP) Interview by Megan Croft For those who aren’t familiar, can you give us an introduction to the salon please?

I was in my second year as president of the NCPF when the only international colour slide exhibition within the Federation (Stockton Photo Society’s International Colour Slide Exhibition) closed its doors. I felt this would leave a huge vacuum and so proposed the idea of an NCPF salon and it became a reality in 1980. I believed that this would be a prestigious event which would focus national and international attention on a well-organised but little known photographic body, the Northern Counties Photographic Federation. I also felt the substantial financial outlay could best be handled by the Federation and similarly the considerable workforce needed could be sourced from across all the clubs within the Federation. We received 2159 slides from 547 entrants in our first year.

What’s a typical day in the life of an exhibition chairman like?

It’s very busy; during the eight days of the year when judging is in full swing I arrive at the club rooms at 8.30am ready for a 9.30am start. It’s non-stop then throughout the day, ensuring everyone knows what they need to be doing as well as briefing and supporting the judges – I don’t get home until 10pm on these days. I do this for three days running for the print judging and for five days for the DIs. I always look forward to having the catalogue in my hand in November when another year is complete without any major problems.

Whilst I have been chairman and the mover and shaker for 35 years, no one can achieve this alone.

I have had very loyal, long-serving and hard-working committee members and support team members who have backed me up all the way. One member, Stan Bewick, started with me in 1979 and only retired in 2007 and there are others with service of ten and more years.

ABOVE Austin Thomas’s image Little Owl Running succeeded in the 2014 Nature category.

BELOW Tsun Ip Patrick Chow’s winning image Having Fun. BELOW RIGHT Rikki O’Neill’s Lady Love image won the PSA Bronze Medal in the Colour Print awards.

BOTTOM RIGHT Yue Yun Chan’s Mum Give Me won a PSA Gold Medal for the best Colour Print Nature shot.

How long have you been interested in photography?

Since I was nine years old. It is my main interest and hobby in life: both organising related photography events and actually taking photos myself.

Have you judged or entered exhibitions?

I have entered from time to time over the years but kept no record. My great interest is travel photography and that costs. It is more important to go and take the picture than pay the high cost to enter it into salons. I have all the letters behind my name I want: ARPS, FPSA gifted from PSA and the top award from the PAGB, Hon PAGB. I have judged on the Dutch circuit, in Italy and sections in the NCPF. I am also a PAGB listed judge.

Do you see certain trends crop up over the years?

Photographers all tend to study the winning pictures from the previous year’s entrants and follow the successful themes. There have been the Rikki O’Neill FRPS

Tsun Ip Patrick Chow

Yue Yun Chan

Photography News | Issue 13

www.photography-news.co.uk

Competitions

13 Phil Barber

Angy Ellis

‘racing motorbike years’, the ‘Indian years’, the ‘Cuba years’, the ‘old cottage interior years’ etc… and many more country-orientated themes are there but not so prominent.

How many entries did you receive this year, and how does this compare to previous years?

One of the biggest leaps in entry numbers came in 2011 when we moved to online entry and we permitted unmounted prints from all countries, including the UK, with non-return of prints encouraged. The total soared from in the early thousands to 11,000. This year we had 7675 entries from an impressive 751 entrants.

In 2007 the exhibition expanded to include print categories, a move some would see as retrograde. What was the motivation behind it?

In 2006, South Shields Photographic Society’s salon was unable to replace its retiring chairman. After more than 60 years, they were facing closure so I persuaded the Federation to take over the print exhibition in 2007. In our first year running the print exhibition, we doubled the entry. We eventually dropped slides in 2010 due to the decline in entries, leaving just print and DI categories. Prints are now very important as they have to be included in applications for an FIAP distinction along with DI entries.

In 2013 the salon introduced two new categories: Open traditional and Open creative. Why was that decision taken?

I encouraged the committee to split the DI General section into two: Traditional and Creative.

Many felt that the traditional in-camera photograph was losing out to the computergenerated image so we decided to give them a section each. The total entry for last year was 4000,

Pia Jessen

Which countries consistently come out on top in the competition?

In terms of prints, UK entrants tend to do consistently well as do entrants from Hong Kong.

TOP LEFT Angy Ellis’s shot received a PSA Bronze medal for best Photojournalism image.

TOP RIGHT Phil Barber won a judge’s medal in the Open Creative category.

RIGHT Pia Jessen won best Geology image for this shot: Australia Mount Bromo Morning.

BOTTOM Joao Taborda won a judge’s medal for this image, Funny Girls.

split into approximately 2500 in the Traditional category and 1500 in Creative.

Joao Taborda

Tell us a bit about the selectors for each category.

We have six sections in total and then we break these down into open and creative projected digital image sections; nature projected digital images; photo travel projected images; and monochrome and colour print sections. Each trio of judges includes a selector from overseas, one from the NCPF and one from the UK. I was always adamant when I set the salon up that one of the judges would be from the NCPF to give them the experience of a salon.

How are the selectors chosen?

I collect knowledge from many sources: I’m an RPS organiser, have been in charge of PAGB competitions for 12 years and, including my friends, I make a list of names and put them to the committee who decide which selectors will make the final panel.

How does the selection process work?

The salon has always had silent press button judging, using a handset and giving scores from two to five. Medal and ribbon winners are chosen after a discussion amongst the three judges. In each section, a judge has a personal medal – this is an NCPF medal which is a copy of the medallion on the president’s chain of office.

There are 30 NCPF medals presented each year.

I was always adamant when I set the salon up that one of the judges would be from the NCPF to give them the experience of a salon www.photography-news.co.uk

What makes a successful image?

I think they’re after impact, good composition, colour and good technique.

What kind of images would you like to see more of and which would you like to see less of?

A dangerous question! I would have to say more landscape and fewer dark ugly images but this is very personal.

Are there any mistakes that people make in their entries that really get your goat?

Many – entrants think theirs is the only one and ask you to make adjustments when their work has already been processed. This is possible with DI but often impossible with prints. It can be especially frustrating after judging when entrants want their prints back quickly – finding four differently marked prints amongst more than 2000 is just not possible.

What are your future plans for the exhibition?

The salon has just completed several years of considerable change. I want a few years of stability. π To find out more, go to www. northerncountiessalon.org.uk.

See the salon The winners from the 2014 exhibition have now been announced and you can see the winning DIs on the NCISP’s website. The print exhibition tours for four weeks around 19 salons within the Federation; again dates and further details can be found on the salon’s website.

Issue 13 | Photography News

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Competitions INTERVIEW

An exhibition anomaly Breaking away from the norm, the London Salon of Photography’s annual print exhibition embraces and celebrates all that is different.

Who better to tell us more than the salon’s chairman, David Lowe?

Interview by Megan Croft

Richard Spurdens

Les Forrester Dinah Jayes

How did you become a member of the salon?

I have been submitting prints to the London Salon exhibition for over 30 years and have been fortunate enough to gain three medals along the way. As a Friend of the Salon I had been helping with the exhibition, which led to an invitation to become a member. My predecessor, Dave Yates, facilitated the introduction of an online entry system that streamlined our procedures and allowed us to produce a high-quality catalogue and CD with a commentary on selected images. I helped him with this work and as a result was elected as chairman.

The chairman’s role is to protect the heritage of the London Salon and ensure a successful exhibition is produced. The London Salon has a long history of tradition but if it is to survive it must look to its future as well as its past. A great number of members, Friends and volunteers are involved in producing an exhibition of this size and type without whose help it would be impossible to contemplate.

Photography News | Issue 13

The chairman’s role is to protect the heritage of the Salon and ensure a successful exhibition The London Salon has a rich history; indulge us with the tale of its origins…

In 1892, a number of leading pictorial photographers who were not in sympathy with the Royal Photographic Society’s exhibition procedures (they considered the RPS selection process to be too lax) got together in a restaurant where they formed The Linked Ring. It was agreed that there would be no officers nor rules or regulations but some customs and observances. The Linked Ring organised its first photographic salon in 1893. It was an open exhibition and all the attending members served as selectors. The informality of the organisation

TOP LEFT From Russia With Love by Les Forrester.

ABOVE LEFT Soft Touch by Dinah Jayes.

ABOVE Perfecting the art of chair hurdling

by Richard Spurdens.

may have contributed to its demise. For example in 1908, American member Eduard Steichen had 39 acceptances. As a result Link [as they called each other] FJ Mortimer, then editor of Amateur Photographer magazine, organised an exhibition of rejected work.

Clear divisions of opinion led to a split. One group, led by FJ Mortimer, held its first exhibition in 1910 and the London Salon was born. At that time it had 39 members, 12 of whom had been Links. In those early days until the 1960s there were very few exhibitions in the London area and the London Salon and the RPS exhibitions were the largest and most prestigious.

The London Salon today still includes members who are invited based on the quality of their work, their long-term commitment to entering the salon and also their willingness to play an active role in the running of the salon and its exhibition. There are 41 members currently and one honorary member. www.photography-news.co.uk

Competitions

15

Anne Griener

What differences have there been in entries over the years?

Since the early 1970s, the number of entries and acceptances has been smaller than in earlier years.

The aim of the salon has always been to exhibit only that class of work where there is distinct evidence of artistic feeling and execution. The digital revolution has opened the way for ever more creative photography although the salon still looks for and shows traditional images that are artistic and printed to a high standard.

Andrew Wood

Chrissie Westgate

London Salon members act as selectors for the exhibition; how does that compare to having external selectors?

The images are considered more carefully than is possible with the rapid decision-making associated with other exhibitions. Members are able to discuss both the quality and content of the images. Differing views mean that no image is rejected without due consideration. Having so many selectors ensures all styles of photography get consideration, producing an eclectic mix of images with wide appeal.

Unusually, the exhibition isn’t affiliated with any national or international organisations; what effect does that have?

Undoubtedly, it lowers the number of entries. But it also means that the entrants are a select group who value the ethos and traditions of the salon and who want their work to be hung and enjoyed by a large audience. Many of those who have prints accepted in the exhibition feel that it is a high point of their exhibiting career. Not being affiliated to other organisations also means we are not constrained by their rules and demands; we can produce an exhibition that meets our criteria not someone else’s.

There are only two categories: monochrome and colour. What’s the reason for that?

By not setting categories we do not offer any constraints on the types of images we will consider for acceptance. This helps to attract a very wide range of styles and also offers an opportunity to see those pictures that the authors feel don’t fit into other exhibitions and therefore don’t get seen.

Who enters the London Salon exhibition?

Photographers who enjoy making artistic prints that will be appreciated for what they are, even if they are not following popular trends. Those photographers seeking only to produce formulaic images that gain acceptances – and hence points towards various national and international distinctions that enable the photographers to put letters after their name – are less likely to be successful.

Gillian Morgan

Where is the exhibition held?

All accepted images are exhibited and hung (unlike many images accepted into PSA and FIAP exhibitions) and can be seen in Croydon, Birmingham, Edinburgh and two venues in Dublin.

Last year the exhibition in Croydon was seen by around 3000 visitors; a further 2000 visitors got to see the pictures at the venues in Birmingham, Edinburgh and Dublin.

How many entries do you receive and how many get accepted?

We receive around 3000 prints each year and select between 190 and 200 for the exhibition.

The relatively low percentage of prints accepted is due to the limited space available for hanging the exhibition. It is surprisingly difficult to find venues that can accommodate 200 framed prints.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Anyone who wishes to support the salon can become a Friend of the Salon. For a small fee they have special privileges, which include a full colour copy of the catalogue containing all the accepted images, an invitation to the private opening of the exhibition and annual entry into the draw where one lucky Friend receives a framed print that’s been donated by a member of the salon. The Friend’s subscription fee mainly covers the cost of the catalogue. This said, the small surplus given by our Friends supports the exhibition and is a vital contribution to its continued existence. Most importantly, we value our Friends who undoubtedly want to see the ongoing success of the salon.

Tell us about the London Salon medals. What does it take to win one?

Each year we award up to ten medals; we do not always award all of them, sometimes there are not ten images that we can justify giving medals to. The medal-winning prints are the best of the best. The competition is intense and winning a London Salon medal is an emotional experience that provides a lifelong glow of satisfaction.

What type of images can we expect to see in the Salon’s exhibition?

The London Salon has always exhibited ‘only that class of work where there is distinct evidence of artistic feeling and execution’. As there are no restrictions on the type or style of work accepted, visitors to the exhibitions will see a wide range of artistic images from around the world including many that are not usually found in other photographic exhibitions. We hope they will find these images

Not being affiliated to other organisations also means we are not constrained by their rules and demands; we can produce an exhibition that meets our criteria not someone else’s www.photography-news.co.uk

refreshing and be inspired to experiment with new ideas to produce pictures for future exhibitions.

π To find out more, go to www.londonsalon.org.

Plan ahead TOP LEFT Ruth with her candelabra by Chrissie Westgate.

ABOVE LEFT Twinkletoes by Anne Griener.

TOP RIGHT School of Science by Andrew Wood.

ABOVE RIGHT Mist over Stokksnes by Gillian Morgan.

You’ve got plenty of time to prepare your images before entering them for consideration in the London Salon 2015 exhibition. The online entry system opens on 5 February 2015 and closes on Sunday 5 April.

The exhibition opens to the public at Fairfield Halls, Croydon on Sunday 7 June 2015 until Friday 19 June 2015. All other information will be available on the London Salon website.

Issue 13 | Photography News

16

Opinion BEFORE THE JUDGE

Ray Spence FRPS Each issue, a respected judge or exhibition selector shares their thoughts and experiences.

This month, Ray Spence, a well-known face on the circuit, tells us how it is MEET THE JUDGE Ray Spence FRPS:

Ray lives in Warwick and was introduced to photography by a friend whilst studying for a microbiology degree in 1970.

Home club:

Until recently a member of Arena

Years in photography:

44

Favourite camera:

The one I am currently using, my Nikon D700

Favourite lens:

I am currently photographing R & B bands in pubs and clubs and am using a Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 G lens.

Favourite photographers:

Too many! John Blakemore, Joan Fontcuberta, JoelPeter Witkin, Tim Flach, Josef Sudek, André Kertész, Brian Griffin – to name just a few.

Favourite photographic subjects:

Natural forms, still life and the body

Awards won:

Gold, silver and bronze medals at the RPS International Print Exhibition, RPS Fenton Medal, Kodak Photographic Book of the Year

Words by Ray Spence I am a self-taught photographer and learnt my trade whilst a student at a London university and subsequently at Solihull Photographic Society. I then went on to lecture in photography at colleges and universities. I had a commercial studio in Birmingham and have continued to produce personal work on several themes whilst working as a commercial photographer and lecturer. I have also written for several photographic magazines and published photographic books with my friend and co-author Tony Worobiec. I was mainly a black & white film/darkroom worker, but found the new challenge of digital an inspiration. However for many years I’ve worked with alternative processes and am now working with large-format wooden cameras and the wet plate collodion process.

In the mid seventies when I joined Solihull Photographic Society it had some amazing photographers, which greatly improved my understanding of what makes a good photograph and the standards required to be accepted in exhibitions. I then joined the Royal Photographic Society and went through the ranks of the distinctions, finally ending up with a Fellowship in Pictorial Photography. I was also a teacher, so it came naturally to me to want to give something back to photography and hopefully help and inspire others by becoming a judge. I was flattered that people would think that I was good enough to make judgement on their work. Initially it was a bit daunting having to assess images in front of the authors, but I always tried to be positive. I became a PAGB judge and did the ‘circuit’ and enjoyed the experience for some years.

I think a good judge should provide an unbiased opinion and be able to express things that the author of the work was unaware of. Positive criticism is always helpful. I prefer to think that rather than ‘judging’ I am ‘selecting’ work that fits the exhibition criteria. A good judge should be able to recognise quality work in any genre, whether they like the work or not. They should be open-minded and be aware of both the history of photography and current movements. They should also be able to articulate their opinions clearly and concisely. Judging for me is all about seeing new and inspiring work.

I like to encourage and see the positives in someone’s work; to offer advice to those that need improving and praise the work which shows the highest level of seeing and creativity; to understand why a photograph has been taken and assess whether it has communicated the author’s vision to the viewer. I speak directly to an audience if at a club.

If it is an international, I listen to the comments of the other selectors, particularly for the awards, and try to make a balanced decision.

I enjoy seeing new and inspirational work. When I come away from an exhibition wanting to make new images myself, I know why I got involved in the process in the first place. Also, it gives me

Photography News | Issue 13

A good judge should be able to recognise quality work in any genre, whether they like the work or not the opportunity to meet new people who are as passionate about photography as myself, and make lasting friendships. I could do without travelling long distances in a car after work in the winter, but fortunately as I’m now retired that is no longer so much of an issue.

Unfortunately some clubs – the minority – see the judge/lecturer as a cheap form of entertainment.

If I’m travelling to some village hall in the middle of nowhere I expect the club to be organised and welcoming. I also detest marking! I can give my opinion on what I consider to be the ‘best’ photographs and explain why, but I don’t want to give a number. I know that in internationals, this is the only way, but that is really to make the shortlist.

I prefer exhibitions that move away from the stereotype and clichéd images. Usually the more rules and categories an exhibition has, the poorer it tends to be. I’ve been lucky enough to be a selector for the RPS International Print Exhibition several times and for me it is one of the most interesting exhibitions around. I am also one of the selectors for the International Garden Photographer of the Year.

As a biologist and keen gardener, this interests me.

It is difficult to say how I think judging could be improved, but including selectors from a variety of backgrounds and ages allows a greater range of work to be seen. This is the approach of the RPS International Print Exhibition and it works very well.

Being a judge has taught me how to look at work with a critical eye. To assess whether an image communicates effectively and to be critical of my own work. π To find out more about Ray’s work, go to www.rayspence.co.uk.

What do you think?

Have you seen a photographic judge at work that 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

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Issue 13 | Photography News

18

Camera review ON TEST

Nikon D750

Nikon’s third full-frame DSLR of the year tried and tested Words and pictures by Will Cheung

SPECS STREET PRICE £1799 body only CONTACT www.nikon.co.uk SENSOR 24.3 megapixels, CMOS, 35.9x24mm IMAGE SIZE 6016x4016 pixels ISO RANGE 100-12,800, expandable to ISO 50-51,200 AUTOFOCUS MODES Single, continuous, AFA. 51 AF points, 15 crosstype sensors. AF area mode – single point AF, 9-, 21- or 51 dynamic area, 3D-tracking, group area AF, auto area AF EXPOSURE COMPENSATION +/-5EV in 0.3, 0.5 steps.

Bracketing 2-9 frames in 0.3, 0.5. 0.7 and 1EV steps. 2-5 frames in 2 or 3EV steps SHUTTER 1/4000sec-30secs, Bulb, Time, flash sync at 1/200sec METERING Uses RGB sensor with 91,000 pixels. Matrix, centre-weighted, highlight-weighted, spot 1% of the frame EXPOSURE MODES PASM, effects, scene, green square auto, auto flash off SHOOTING SPEEDS 6fps in continuous high, 3fps in quiet continuous mode. Mirror-up and self-timer LCD SCREEN 3.2in TFT LCD, 1229k dot resolution. 100% coverage STORAGE Twin SD slots, SD, SDHC, SDXC

The Nikon D750 is priced at £1799 body only and slots in between the entry-level full-frame D610 and the high resolution D810. It has a specification to tempt those photographers thinking of moving up from an APS-C DSLR sensor or those wanting a backup camera to their existing full-frame DSLR. Whether it will tempt D600/D610 owners to upgrade we’ll have to wait and see.

Given its positioning, it’s no surprise that the D750 shares some features with its sister models but there are key differences too. It has the same 24.3-megapixel resolution as the D610 albeit with a different sensor but its ISO range tops out at 51,200, identical to the D810. The D750’s AF system has 51 points with 15 cross-type, the same as the D810 and more than the D610’s 39 points with nine cross-type. Greater sophistication is also seen in the meter where the D750 and D810 use the identical 91,000 pixel RGB sensor compared with the D610’s 2016 pixel sensor.

One key difference compared with both of its sisters is the D750’s tilting monitor.

Handling-wise the D750 shares many of the long-established aspects of Nikon DSLR design including the menu structure as well as physical traits. For example, the exposure compensation button and metering pattern selector are adjacent to the shutter release while the nearby movie record button can be reassigned to adjust ISO, among other options.

DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 140.5x113x78mm WEIGHT (INC BATTERY AND CARDS) 840g

With a relatively shallow body and large handgrip, the D750 is very comfortable to hold

Photography News | Issue 13

BELOW Shooting in contrasty situations can be challenging for the D750 (and every other camera). In this JPEG original Nikon’s Active D-Lighting set to Extra High was used and that helped bring out some shadow detail. The Raw file had plenty of information so recovering more highlights and shadows is straightforward enough.

The left top-plate is dominated by the exposure mode and drive controls, the latter offering a maximum shooting rate of 6.5fps and it also has quiet shooting too.

Handling, I found assured, straightforward and, importantly, with a relatively shallow body and large handgrip, the D750 is very comfortable to hold and that aids security and stability.

Performance, as with handling, is more than acceptable and I got consistently high-quality shots with minimal manual intervention.

Using a 91,000 pixel RGB sensor, you would expect exposure metering to be accurate and

there’s no doubt on this one. More than 1000 shots taken, mostly in Matrix and aperture-priority AE modes, and very, very few total rejects. The failures (the Raws at least) could still be recovered to some degree in processing.

Shooting into the sun and very dark subjects provided the usual headaches but nothing that couldn’t be easily remedied with compensation or the exposure lock. The most extreme situation was a sunset and having the sun in frame caused at least 3EV underexposure of the foreground but the conditions were extreme and any camera would need help (and grad filters!) to cope. www.photography-news.co.uk

Camera review

19

FULL-FRAME IMAGE

ISO 100

ISO 400

ISO 800

ISO 1600

ISO 3200

ISO 6400

ISO 12,800

ISO 25,600

ISO 51,200

ISO performance The D750’s native ISO range is 100 to 12,800, but this is expandable down to L (ISO 50 equivalent) and up to H2.0, which is equivalent to 51,200.

Our test shots shown here were taken at twilight on the D750 fitted with the AF-S Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G mounted on a Gitzo 2532 carbon fibre tripod. The shutter was released using mirror-up and the 3secs exposure delay setting.

FULL-FRAME IMAGE

The Nikon NEF Raw files were processed using Nikon Capture D v1.0.2 with no noise reduction or extra sharpening.

As is typical of recent CSCs and DSLRs, digital noise is not an issue at speeds up to ISO 1600 and even ISO 2500 is pretty good. There should be no problem making A3 and bigger prints from files shot at these high ISO settings, particularly if the processing is handled sympathetically.

NIKON D750 AT ISO 6400

Significant noise doesn’t really make an impact until you are over 6400 and you start to get splotches of colour in areas of even tone. By the time you get to the expanded settings the colour noise is obvious.

The D750 delivers a respectable rather than outstanding high ISO performance, but up to ISO 1600, it’s comparable to any digital DSLR.

NIKON D800 AT ISO 6400

Nikon D750 v Nikon D800: ISO performance The scene was photographed using the D750 and a Nikon D800, both using the same lens, a Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G at 48mm. The exposure was 1/100sec at f/8 with the cameras mounted on a Gitzo Mountaineer GT2532 carbon-fibre tripod.

The D800’s top native ISO is 6400 and the D750 is 12,800 so the images here are both at ISO 6400. Both Raw files were processed in Nikon Capture NX-D (Nikon’s free editing software) with no noise reduction applied. JPEGs were shot at the same time – the camera’s High ISO Noise Reduction was applied to JPEGs to assess its effect.

There is no denying that image quality – considering the high ISOs – is impressive in both instances; if the light conditions demand it, use them with confidence. On closer inspection, the D750 has the slightly lower noise levels, which is no surprise given that

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it has a lower resolution and it’s younger by two years. But it is also more noticeable that there are splashes of colour noise present, while the D800’s noise is neutral. While neutral noise can look more like film grain, colour digital noise appears less appealing, especially in areas of shadow. Of course in both instances, noise levels can be minimised with software processing post-capture.

The D750 file has also been enlarged slightly more (by factor of x1.22) to achieve the same image size.

On the subject of the camera’s High ISO Noise Reduction feature, it’s definitely had a benefit on the JPEGs straight out of the camera. The High setting was slightly too aggressive and detail suffered slightly but Normal worked well and the setting can be left on as default.

Issue 13 | Photography News

20

Camera review For autofocus my default way of working is using the rightthumb operated AF-ON button that Nikon provides on its pro-oriented products. The D750 does not have an AF-ON button but the AE-L/AF-L can be customised to behave as one.

Autofocusing is accurate and swift with not much in the way of hesitation or hunting. It’s also very responsive even in very low lighting.

The AF system has 51 autofocus points with its 15 cross-type sensors grouped in the marked central area.

First seen on the pro D4s, the D750 has group area AF, offering a set of four closely grouped sensors active, which might be preferable if single area AF is too specific. This group of four can also be moved around the region of AF sensors as you would with the central AF point.

This set-up worked well and I used it as much as single point AF. There are extra options of focusing point selection in continuous AF-C mode including nine sensor group area AF, 51 zone dynamic and 3D-tracking.

In live view, AF is also pretty good with the usual little bit of hunting back and forth for accurate focus that you get with contrast-detect systems. With live view there are two focus sensor sizes and face detection available, and the active sensor can be moved around the whole image area.

The D750’s AF system certainly acquitted itself very well, proving responsive and latching onto the subject quickly and accurately.

In sum, the D750 delivered in the key departments of exposure and focusing so a clean bill of health here.

The D750 has 24.3 effective megapixels, giving images measuring 6016x4016 pixels or prints measuring 50.9x34cm at 300ppi resolution.

Original 14-bit Raws can be saved as Lossless Compressed or Compressed files, the former taking up around 30-32MB per file and the latter 26-28MB. There is no uncompressed Raw option.

A mixture of Nikon lenses was used for this review including the new 20mm f/1.8G, 28mm f/1.8G, 50mm f/1.4G, 24-120mm f/4G, 28300mm f/3.5-5.6G and 70-300mm f/4-5.6G. I made a selection of prints using an Epson Stylus Pro 3880 printer for critical appraisal.

The D750’s sensor has an optical low-pass filter to help avoid any moiré pattern problems. That additional filter does have a potential impact on image quality although by how much is impossible to assess – unless Nikon launches an identical DSLR with the same sensor but without a low-pass filter.

You can see from the pictures shown in this test that the D750 produces high-quality files, both Raws and JPEGs, capable of seriously big prints. With good processing A2 and beyond should be easily possible.

The Raws need sharpening during processing and I found a bit more Unsharp Mask added in Photoshop before printing out helped enhance the images further.

ORIGINAL

RAW WITH NO SHARPENING

ABOVE The original was shot using the D750 fitted with a Nikon 16-35mm f/4 zoom at 26mm. The exposure settings were 1/320sec at f/11 and ISO 200 with metering handled by the Matrix meter and aperture-priority AE.

RAW WITH SHARPENING ADDED

The D750’s AF system certainly acquitted itself very well, proving responsive and latching onto the subject quickly and accurately

The verdict I found much to enjoy on the Nikon D750 starting from the instant I picked the camera up. It’s 250g lighter and significantly smaller than my D800 and while the differences are not massive, in practice every little helps. Moreover I thought the camera combined well with lenses like the Nikon 24-120mm f/4, one of the standard zooms that it will be bundled with. This is a chunky optic but it balances nicely on the D750 without being front-heavy and made for a nice pairing.

The majority of my test shots were done in aperture-priority AE and Matrix metering. I did find the metering could be more consistent.

There is no denying the fact that at £1799 body only the Nikon D750 is not exactly an impulsive purchase – but then going full-frame is not an impulse decision especially if you own a bagful of APS-C lenses. That point aside, there is no doubt in my mind that the D750 is a fine, highly capable camera and anyone who makes the investment will not be disappointed. While the D610 is a perfectly good entrylevel FX camera, the D750 does have more about it. It’s more robust, sports a superior AF system, boasts a tilting monitor and Wi-Fi, so it is probably worth the extra £400 investment.

NIKON D750 FEATURES

23/25

PERFORMANCE

23/25

HANDLING

24/25

VALUE FOR MONEY

23/25

A promising feature set Excellent battery life, high picture quality

Handgrip design, articulating monitor, quiet and low vibration shutter Good value for what you get

OVERALL 93/100 There is much to enjoy in this good value FX-format DSLR PROS Handling, battery life, articulating monitor CONS Colour noise at very high ISOs

Photography News | Issue 13

For the full version of the Nikon D750 review please see issue 50 of Advanced Photographer magazine, on sale in newsagents now or go to iTunes to get the digital version. www.photography-news.co.uk

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Issue 13 | Photography News

22

Camera review ON TEST

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5 Small can be beautiful, but as far as cameras are concerned, smallness is also a major benefit if you want to travel light without compromising quality

SPECS PRICE £769 with 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 lens CONTACT www.panasonic.co.uk SENSOR 16 megapixels, CMOS with Venus engine, Micro Four Thirds 17x13mm ISO RANGE 100-25,600 AUTOFOCUS MODES 23 AF points, single, continuous, manual.

Modes include multiarea, single point, face detection and live view SHOOTING SPEEDS 5.8fps continuous DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 98.5x59.5x36.1mm WEIGHT 211g

Words by Will Cheung A huge advantage of a smaller format is that the cameras and lenses can be made much smaller too, therefore meaning savings in weight and bulk for the photographer. Case in point, Panasonic’s Micro Four Thirds format cameras, of which the Lumix GM5 is the latest.

The GM5 sells at £769 with the supplied 1232mm f/3.5-5.6 standard zoom – with a 2x crop factor this lens equates to 24-64mm in the 35mm format. An update of the GM1, the GM5’s main gain is an electronic viewfinder as well as £250 on the price tag.

For an interchangeable lens CSC, the GM5 is really petite. It’s sitting on my desk next to a Nikon D750, and the Panasonic looks like it has been blasted by a shrink ray.

With the small size, control layout could have been compromised, but Panasonic has done well here and using the camera is pleasant enough.

Three controls populate the top-plate – focus mode, on/off switch and exposure mode dial. Each is positive to use and recessed enough into the body to avoid accidentally changing a setting.

The back panel is dominated by the fixed, touch-sensitive LCD monitor. There are times when a touch-sensitive panel can be really useful but equally it is handy to be able to switch off this aspect of handling too. On the GM5 you can and there are other options too if you only want partial touch functionality.

There are two physical function buttons and with these you have no fewer than 46 customisable options. There are also five virtual function buttons on the monitor and 42 functions are available for each of these.

The monitor provides a bright, contrasty viewing image and there is the option of auto switchover between the monitor and the EVF. The EVF is nothing more than ok. It’s nice to have a viewfinder but the image is quite small and you get the feeling of looking through a short tunnel, but the resolution is high enough for critical viewing.

Turn the camera on and it’s very likely you will get reminded to extend the lens to its shooting position. After a while you get used to extending the lens first but I certainly forgot for most of the

first day I had the camera. It’s not a problem unless you are after a quick shot in which case you are best advised to have the lens extended ready. At least start-up time is very quick.

In terms of performance the GM5 did very well. Exposures were consistently accurate across a variety of lighting conditions and I didn’t often need to override what the camera decided to give.

Shoot into a bright light and you do need to lend a hand to ensure the subject or the shadows are correctly exposed but that is nothing for the GM5 to be ashamed of.

Focusing is slick and quick. I tried multi and single zone focusing and also tried touchscreen AF too. Essentially the GM5 did very well and rarely tripped up. Touchscreen focusing, especially with single-zone focusing, is ideal for sneaking street pictures regardless of where you place the subject within the image frame. In multi-zone AF mode, using the touchscreen makes a number of AF zones (four to six) active, so opting for single zone is probably best. The size of the single AF zone can be varied too.

The GM5’s image quality is what you would expect from a Micro Four Thirds camera. At ISOs up to 800, digital noise is low and image quality high with fine detail nicely resolved, excellent sharpness and accurate colours. Go beyond ISO 1600 and quality suffers and if you shoot at ISO 6400 and above images look rather smudgy and noisy. Stick to sub ISO 800 if you can.

The verdict The Panasonic Lumix GM5 might be tiny but it packs a considerable punch and represents good value for money.

I’m not a massive compact camera fan and I always prefer an interchangeable lens model although that prejudice is changing with the premium large sensor compacts you get nowadays.

The GM5 is not a truly pocketable camera (unless you go around wearing a jacket with deep pockets) but its svelteness means it’s easy to stow in a handbag/manbag/briefcase or laptop bag. It has the potential as a take-everywhere camera for me.

The GM5 is not too extravagantly priced either and the growing range of Micro Four Thirds lenses from marque and independent brands like Sigma and Tamron only broadens its appeal.

PROS Tiny size – portable, it has an EVF, image quality

Exposures were consistently accurate across a variety of lighting conditions and I didn’t often need to override what the camera gave Photography News | Issue 13

CONS Tiny size – handling, EVF is small, not great at high ISOs

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Issue 13 | Photography News

Photography News | Issue 13

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Lab tests

25

12 pro labs put through their paces

ON TEST

Online print lab services Get brilliant results without the effort of a home inkjet and show off your shots like never before Home inkjet printing can be a wonderfully satisfying process, assuming you have the right equipment, skills and the time to do it – but all too often it’s a frustration.

Getting the crop and colours right in a print often takes experimentation and all the time you’re using up expensive ink and paper. And then you have to clean clogged heads, or fix some other malfunctions. Wouldn’t it be easier to get an expert on the job? Well, yes actually, and it doesn’t need to cost the earth.

Online printing has come a long way in the past few years with broadband connections making it quicker to deliver your files, prices falling, quality rising and plenty of sumptuous fine art archival papers to enjoy your work on.

There’s also been a resurgence in people wanting ‘proper’ wet-processed silver halide paper for that distinctive look and feel of professionally produced prints.

But if you want the best, it’s important to pick the right labs and there are two very distinct kinds of print services out there. First are those you find via stacks of www.photography-news.co.uk

envelopes in airports or those that churn out prints using tired machines run by spotty kids on the high street.

These are to be avoided if you want top quality. Then there are expert services; those tailored to professional photographers, artists and enthusiasts wanting the highest quality reproduction of their images for use in shows, competitions or simply for enjoying framed at home. Those are the labs we’re looking at in this issue: the higher strata that deals in superior archival papers and where experienced printers take an interest in giving your pictures the best finish possible, offering advice and colour correction as part of the service when required.

To test the labs over the page we examined the simplicity and range of services available when ordering and made both full colour and black & white prints at A3 (or similar) size using both standard wet-tank silver halide processing on glossy or lustre papers as well as fine art, gallery standard giclée inkjet printing. The latter is a process that uses large-format printers and an increased

number of inks to achieve a wider colour gamut than home inkjets, with higher resolution, finer detail and smoother gradations. Giclée inks and papers also tend to be archival so offer fade-resistant results.

We noted the prices (including VAT) for each lab and examined the quality of the results – trust us, you’ll love seeing your shots produced this way. Finally we also looked at the speed of delivery and the standard of packaging used to keep your work safe and sound on its way to you. We used speedier courier services for all our orders, although each of the labs listed also offers regular postage at lower rates than the courier services.

Online printing has come a long way in the last few years… with prices falling and quality rising Issue 13 | Photography News

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Lab tests Chaudigital

Point101

London’s Chaudigital offers fine art and photo printing on archival gloss, semi-gloss and matte papers including Hahnemühle, Harman and Ilford, as well as lower cost nonarchival stock and canvas. Ordering is via We Transfer upload: you send shots and then email or phone through your requirements, rather than using a wysiwyg browser system; it’s slower but promotes a collaborative process giving customers freedom in colour reproduction and sizing. Sizes go up to 64in wide, and we ordered A3s on both Da Vinci Fibre Gloss Smooth 285gsm and Crystal Satin 330gsm, costing £36 each (prices drop for longer runs). Results were superb with great detail and colour reproduction. Prints were delivered within two working days from ordering via courier at a cost of £7.50 and packing was first-class; the prints sleeved and padded in an inner box, which sat in another larger box with additional foam packing.

East London’s Point101 supplies quality prints to clients ranging from enthusiasts to the BBC. Ordering is simple thanks to a streamlined interface and images can be uploaded from your hard drive or straight from Facebook.

There are five clear steps, with a good visual of what you’re getting; you pick the aspect ratio, the size and layout, then the paper – we tried both Fotospeed Gloss 270gsm and the fine art Hahnemühle Photo Rag Pearl 320gsm from £14 and £15 respectively, which includes standard delivery. Giclée prints are available to sizes up to 44in wide and our A3s were real crackers, with vivid colour thanks to the optional correction applied in the lab and lots of detail. Ordered before 1pm, the prints arrived via courier the next day at a cost of £7.50 and were very well packed; the A3s came in plastic sleeves inside a cardboard envelope, with an additional plastic stiffener to keep them nice and safe.

VERDICT The quality of prints from Chaudigital really impressed, as did the packaging of our order and the level of customer service throughout.

CONTACT www.chaudigital.com, 020 7833 3938, sales@chaudigital.com

2020 Photographic

Simlab

Based in Farnborough, 2020 provides a wide range of services for pro photographers and enthusiasts. Images can be uploaded from your PC, or via Facebook and Instagram via a browser-based system, which is great for making multiple prints. However, there’s also an FTP route which offers no compression and is designed for bespoke requirements where one-to-one service and test prints are required. We ordered A3-sized prints on Fuji Supreme Lustre and a Hahnemühle Photo Lustre paper, at £5 and £8.50 respectively, and prints can be made up to 24in wide. The finish of both papers was lovely with natural, well-saturated colours and crisp details, and a pleasing neutrality to the mono versions.

The order arrived within two working days via Parcel Force (£12.50) and were very well packed with prints sleeved, taped and rolled, then placed inside a cardboard box padded with bubble wrap to stop any movement.

Simlab, in Hatfield, has a huge range of services including standard photos and fine art giclée prints. Upload and ordering is via a browser-based system and multiple images can be uploaded at the same time, which saves effort. After uploading you select the paper type, then the applicable size and the number of copies. Alongside is a thumbnail preview that shows if the image fits the aspect ratio of the paper; click on this and the pic can be dragged around in its crop. It’s functional and fast. We ordered both Standard A3 lustre prints (£5.28) and Giclée Photo Rag A3 (£12) versions, both of which showed excellent sharpness and true-to-life colours. Post and packing is £5 for next working day, and the prints came in stiff cardboard envelopes, with additional strengtheners within a plastic cover; tissue paper wrapping was used on the art prints, but not the lustre versions, though the prints didn’t suffer.

VERDICT 2020 Photographic combines high-quality prints and very affordable prices. The multiple routes to ordering also stood out.

CONTACT www.2020prolab.com, 01252 375708, info@2020prolab.com

ProAm Imaging

Dunns Pro Photo

Bradford’s ProAm caters for pros and enthusiasts and has a growing number of clients from bodies such as the SWPP. To offer competitive prices, clients are asked to fully prepare files before uploading to the company’s FTP website where there’s an easyto-use automated ordering system. You’re required to register before you can upload, but the system places control with the user and there’s plenty of friendly advice offered on ProAm’s website (and over the phone), as well as colour profiles to download. Using traditional wet process printing, prints can be ordered up to 12x18in in size at £1.20 each. Our copies were great in detail and colour with a clear improvement via the recommended profile. Turnaround times are very fast and we received ours the next day at a price of £8.95 by courier. Packing was exceptional; twin strong cardboard envelopes inside a plastic bag and with plastic stiffeners within.

Dunns in the West Midlands has been printing photographers’ pics for over 110 years. Ordering prints is right up to date though, with a great browser-based system that allows you to upload and store albums, from which you select the pics to use. With pics selected, options are clearly laid out, and there’s a good range of sizes. Regular prints are available in Lustre or Gloss up to 20x30in, and can be mounted or sealed. Fine-Art reaches 30x40in Photo Rag or Albrecht Dura with a 1in or 2in border, but cropping is limited to To Fit or To Fill options and there’s no preview. Our A3 lustre prints (£5.78 each) came out beautifully and the 12x16in Photo Rag fine art prints (£20.20 each) displayed wonderful colour and detail. Delivery was the next working day via courier, costing £9.60, and the prints were well packed in thick plastic sleeves within a box with additional cardboard strengtheners.

Photography News | Issue 13

VERDICT You can’t argue with the prices that ProAm offers for its prints up to 12x18in and our pictures arrived quickly, were well packed and looked great.

CONTACT www.proamimaging.com, 01274 723622, sales@proamimaging.com

VERDICT Point101’s ordering system is incredibly intuitive and well laid out. Prints kept up the high standard and were delivered safely and fast.

CONTACT www.point101.com, 020 7241 1113, sales@point101.com

VERDICT Simlab’s ordering system is clear and simple and prices are very attractive. Print quality was topnotch and our order was well protected.

CONTACT www.simlab.co.uk, 01707 273747, info@simlab.co.uk

VERDICT Dunns’ photo album system makes ordering multiple prints a breeze. Results were excellent, arriving safely boxed and looking great.

CONTACT www.dunnsprophoto.co.uk, 01384 564770, enquiries@dunns.co.uk

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Lab tests

27

Loxley Colour

One Vision Imaging

Loxley Colour offers a huge range of products and its photographic and giclée fine art prints are ordered through downloaded ROES (Remote Order Entry System) software, so you work offline then upload a completed order. The interface is easy to use and provides a large preview of your image as well as allowing resizing. You load a folder of images, then set the options and drag and drop in the pics you want to use. Easy. There are masses of different paper sizes on offer, and further options allowing toning, borders, vignettes, mounting and texture masks.

Print quality on our A3 lustre photo prints (£4.64) was brilliant, and the giclée printed A3 Hahnemühle Pearl 285gsm (£13.30) showed great detail and tone.

The prints, via Royal Mail next-day delivery at £8.50, arrived as expected and were well packed in a large cardboard envelope with additional stiffeners and wrapped in paper.

Offering standard photographic prints and ‘finished products’, under which its fine art giclée prints fall, One Vision Imaging’s ordering system is browser based and very easy to navigate. Images are added to an online collection or album, which is retained for the future if required, which is good, and you tick those you want to use. Paper type and size are then decided, followed by Scale to Fill or Scale to Fit options. Once in the basket you can adjust the crop if your pic doesn’t fit the ratio of the paper. Our A3 lustre prints were £6.24 each and we also picked a giclée A3 print on 300gsm Smooth Art Silk Paper at £21. Print quality was excellent with bags of detail and rich colour; One Vision’s colour correction also gave a nice neutral look to the mono versions. Prints arrived the next working day for £9.66, and packing was superb with a thick cardboard outer, and with prints in tissue paper to prevent scuffs.

VERDICT Loxley’s ROES system works really well and prints were excellent. With very competitive prices and fleet-footed delivery it’s a superb service all round.

CONTACT www.loxleycolour.com, 0845 519 5000, cs@loxleycolour.com

The Print Foundry

Colorworld Imaging

Croydon’s The Print Foundry specialises in gallery quality giclée prints on six different archival papers. Ordering is very simple via a streamlined browser system, although only one image can be uploaded at a time. Paper type, size (customisable up to 60in), border settings and some neat branding options where you can label the back or side of your work are clearly displayed alongside a cropping preview. We went for 18x12in prints on both Ilford Gold Fibre Silk 310gsm and Harman Gloss Art Fibre Warmtone 300gsm (both from £15.60), and were really impressed by the clarity and colour rendition, with the latter’s texture especially pleasing. The prints were delivered within two working days via courier at £7.50 and the packing was outstanding; there was an outer, then an inner box, with prints individually wrapped in tissue paper and attached to hardboard for extra strength and rigidity.

Newcastle-based Colorworld Imaging provides a wide range of photo services and prints are ordered through its Studio Partner ROES software. Folders of images are loaded in, allowing you to prepare your order offline and perfect the look. The process is nice and simple, using a large preview which allows cropping and other simple edits. Options, of which there are a dizzying array, include Individual Prints, which are standard prints up to 30x40in, and Display within which you’ll find giclée prints up to 60x40in on six different paper types. Borders, mounting and vignetting are also easy to add. Our regular A3 prints (£5.57) were of an excellent quality, while the 16x12 bordered fine art version (£17.04) really stood out with ultra-crisp detail.

Prints arrived the day after ordering and were well packed with bubble wrap around a cardboard inner, and the contents further protected in paper bags.

VERDICT The Print Foundry’s love for fine art printing is obvious all the way from ordering to the quality of prints and packaging. A real pleasure to use.

CONTACT www.theprintfoundry.co.uk, 020 3212 2024, info@theprintfoundry.co.uk

Digitalab

Redwood Pro Lab

Digitalab in Newcastle offers all sorts of photo printing services with regular prints and fine art versions being ordered through a browser system. Photos are added by dragging them onto the uploader and from there, the finish, paper size and any border options are easily selected. Fine art paper is available up to 24x20in and regular prints up to 60x40in in matte or gloss on Fuji Crystal Archive DPII paper. Once ordered, you can adjust the crop using a handy preview and set the image to full colour, black & white or sepia. Our A3, gloss and bordered prints (£7.10) looked superb and the colour correction, offered as standard, gave satisfying, true-to-life hues.

The black & white 16x12in prints on Fine Art paper (£34) were fabulously detailed and with very neutral tones. Prints arrived the next day via courier (£12.95) and packed with images individually wrapped in tissue paper and sandwiched between hardboard.

Colchester’s Redwood Pro Lab provides a wide variety of services and while there’s an online portal for large runs of smaller images, professional users with bespoke requirements are encouraged to use its FTP route. This requires signing up, after which you get an email with easy-to-follow instructions; you can use your own FTP client software, or download Filezilla direct from Redwood, and once images have been transferred, you just email or phone in your instructions – it’s easy to get exactly what you want. Regular prints can be made up to 32x20in and large-format inkjet and fine art giclée prints on 300gsm photo rag paper go to 60x40in. Our A3 fine art prints were £16.56 each and very sharp with satisfying deep blacks. The lustre A3s (£6.95) looked superb and the colour grading applied really improved them.

Delivery was fast, £9, and packing was great – bagged, boarded and well protected.

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VERDICT A clear and adaptable ordering system is just the start of the good news from Digitalab, with great image quality and bulletproof packing on its prints.

CONTACT www.digitalab.co.uk, 0191 2323558, info@digitalab.co.uk

VERDICT One Vision’s excellent interface and online albums make ordering quick and easy. Prints were very pleasing, with great care in processing and packing.

CONTACT www.onevisionimaging.com, 0845 862 021

VERDICT Colorworld makes ordering clear and easy, and results are first class with top-quality packaging.

CONTACT www.colorworldimaging.co.uk, 0191 2596926, enquiries@ colorworldimaging.co.uk

VERDICT With multiple ways to order prints, competitive pricing and an emphasis on meeting bespoke requirements, Redwood offers a great service.

CONTACT www.redwoodphoto.com, 01206 751241, info@redwoodphoto.com

Issue 13 | Photography News

28

Kit reviews

Mini tests

Our regular look at some of the latest photographic kit to land on dealers’ shelves Words by Will Cheung, Roger Payne, Kingsley Singleton

SPECS PRICE £339 CONTACT www.intro2020.co.uk GUIDE NUMBER 58 (at 105mm) FLASH COVERAGE 24-105mm ZOOM Manual & auto SYNC MODES First curtain, second curtain, high-speed sync. Strobe FLASH MODES ETTL I/II, manual, multi stroboscopic RECYCLING 0.1-5secs, quick flash 0.1-2.5secs WIRELESS CONTROL Odin Tx, Odin Rx, Strato II Rx, Optical TRANSMITTER RANGE Radio 100m; Optical (in) 12-16m, (out) 7-9m CHANNELS/GROUPS 4/3 DIMENSIONS 203x78x85mm WEIGHT 437g (no batteries)

SPECS PRICE £19.99 CONTACT www.solartechnology. co.uk; www.johnsonsphotopia.co.uk OUTPUTS Positive and negative contacts INPUTS Micro USB charging input, 12V DC charging input (adapter extra) OPERATING VOLTAGE Will charge block batteries of range 3.7-9V BATTERY CAPACITY 600mAh 45mins, 1800mAh 135mins DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 55x106x24mm WEIGHT 65g

Phottix Mitros+ TTL Transceiver £339 When most of us want a top-end dedicated flashgun with all the bells and whistles, the first stop is the camera’s supporting system. But this comes at a price! Take the independent option and you’ll save money without sacrificing features.

A great example is the Phottix Mitros+ TTL flashgun. £339 and suitable for Canon or Nikon, this is a fully featured, GN58 (100/metres) battery flashgun that will do everything a marque model can. In addition to a raft of features, it has a built-in transceiver so it can be used as a commander unit or as a receiver with the (optional) Phottix Odin or Strato TTL flash triggers for wireless, radio controlled, off-camera flash. The Mitros+ is straightforward and it’s easy to control and adjust settings. The four-way control is positive and fast to use while 15 custom functions tailor settings.

I had a Nikon-compatible Mitros+ so tried it on my Nikon D800, on its own, as a master to a standard Mitros in optical mode and also in receiver mode with an Odin trigger. Well, what more can I say but it works and does so with minimal fuss.

Depending on the set-up, ie. with different groups, there was a little button pressing to set things like exposure compensation or mode, but no more than usual with flashgun set-ups like this. Light output and reliability were first-rate; I experienced no problems.

CamCaddy 2

If you want a robust, well-made, highly featured dedicated flashgun, the Mitros+ has to be on your shortlist. It stands comparison with marque brands. It offers more than some, thanks to its integral wireless control. The Canon equivalent, the 600EX-RT, is £465 and for Nikon you need to add an external unit (Odin, PocketWizard).

If you already own an Odin trigger, the expression no-brainer springs to mind, but to be honest anyone wanting a quality hotshoe flashgun should give the Mitros+ a look.

PROS Integral transceiver, power, handling CONS Still a serious investment

£19.99

It is a fact of modern life that when you go on your travels with your camera you need to remember to take chargers, leads and spare batteries. Forget something important and you could find yourself with a camera, phone or laptop that’s useless.

When I travel I almost always have two cameras so that means two chargers. If I have a test camera, make it three chargers.

There is also seemingly a growing trend among camera makers not to supply a charger as standard but just a cable to charge batteries in-camera. The downside of this, of course, is that you can’t use the camera while the battery is charging.

Perhaps the answer is something like the CamCaddy 2. It claims to be a universal camera battery charger and while I haven’t got every type of cell on hand to test the validity of this ambitious claim, I had success with batteries from Fujifilm, Nikon, Olympus and Samsung. The only battery I had that didn’t work was the EN-EL4 for the Nikon D3s – it was too big to fit.

The device is simple in concept. Power is supplied via a USB lead so can be plugged into a computer, a mains or car USB charger. An optional mains adaptor is available or it can be powered by a solar charger from the company’s range. There is

Photography News | Issue 13

The verdict

a spring-loaded section and this holds the battery in place when the contacts are correctly positioned.

There are two contacts that can be moved to marry up with the + and – contacts on the battery itself.

With the unit plugged in you can see on the LCD that you have a good connection. The display also shows how much charge there is in the battery as a percentage, how long the charge has taken, the voltage of the cell and the mAh rating.

From completely flat, a Fujifilm NP-W126 took a little over four hours with the charger plugged into a mains USB charger. By comparison using the supplied charger took less than half that time.

The verdict For £20, the CamCaddy 2 is a bargain. It’s a good backup for your normal charger but has extra advantages too. It will charge a very wide range of camera batteries and can be powered from a computer, a car or mains USB charger and even with a solar charger (optional extra).

PROS Suitable for many cell types, it works. Compact, cheap CONS Contacts seem flimsy

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Kit reviews SPECS PRICE £699 CONTACT www.fujifilm.co.uk CONSTRUCTION 16 elements in 12 groups FOCAL RANGE (35mm equivalent) 27206mm MINIMUM APERTURE f/22 APERTURE BLADES 7 CLOSEST FOCUSING DISTANCE 0.6m normal shooting, 0.45m macro shooting FILTER SIZE 67mm DIMENSIONS (WXL) 75.7x97.8mm (wide-angle)/158mm (telephoto) WEIGHT 490g

SPECS PRICE £140 (77mm version) CONTACT www.schneideroptics. com SIZES 49mm to 86mm (£75-£185) TYPE Circular polarising filter CONSTRUCTION Brass, scratch and water-resistant coating WEIGHT 40g

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Fujifilm XF18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR £699 When Fujifilm announced the X-T1 in January one key selling point was its weather-resistant capabilities. The 18-135mm WR is the first XF lens to get the same treatment.

I’ve been using the lens for two months and the 20 seals around the lens have done their job admirably. The obvious side effect of the weather sealing is the physical size. The aperture ring also has a different feel – you can tell there’s some weather-sealing – and while it still offers third-stop steps, it lacks the mechanical precision of a nonweather sealed XF lens.

With a focal range covering the 35mm equivalent to a 27-206mm lens, this is likely to be an optic that will spend a lot of time on your X-series camera. The manual focus control is much lighter than the zoom control and while this makes it very simple to focus using one finger, fine-tuning can be tricky, even with the X-T1’s wonderful viewfinder.

Camera shake is tackled beautifully by the improved image stabilisation. Thanks to a gyro sensor it can provide up to five stops of correction.

The XF18-135mm combined with the X-T1’s shutter mechanism saw me successfully hand-holding at 1/2sec. The supplied lens hood does well to combat lens flare and the results are very sharp.

I also took a series of lens chart shots, comparing the XF18-135mm on the X-T1 with my Canon EF24105mm f/4L lens and EOS 5D Mark II outfit, because Fujifilm has often said its X-Trans sensor out-resolves a full-frame version.

ABOVE At the telephoto end of the zoom range there’s no pincushioning present and you’ll still get good results at the 18mm end, though it isn’t the strongest.

The verdict The Fujifilm set-up got off to a shaky start at the wide-angle setting; edge definition lacked bite throughout the aperture range and while the central performance is better, it didn’t match the Canon’s 24mm. However, the Fujifilm optic does score better on both chromatic aberration and barrel distortion at the wide setting.

Zoom to the centre of both focal ranges and there really is little to choose between these two lenses. The Fuji XF18-135mm appears sharper, but drops off a little on edge definition at both maximum and minimum aperture settings. At the telephoto end, the XF18-135mm is sharper and has far tighter control over both aberrations and pincushion distortion.

B+W 77mm XS-PRO KSM MRC-NANO Circular Polariser

The 18mm setting aside, this lens performs as well as a shorter range zoom on a full-frame sensor and, in some cases, beats it. It features a highly effective image stabiliser as well as weather resistance and many photographers will rightly be won over. The weather resistance does soften the scalpel-sharp precision of other XF lenses and I find the manual focus ring a little too light, but there’s no denying that the lens opens doors.

PROS Range, quality, weather-resistance CONS 18mm setting, manual focus ring

WITHOUT

WITH

£140 When you can get a 77mm polariser from as little as £10, why would you go for a £140 model like the 77mm XS-PRO KSM MRC-NANO from B+W? Picking up the filter and screwing it on, the first reason we found is build. Unlike cheaper filters which are often made of aluminium, the B+W XS-PRO has a brass mount and it attaches with an assured smoothness.

The added strength also means, down the line, the thread should remain uncompromised and while it weighs a little more than some, at around 40g, it’s not like you’ll notice when it’s attached. For added durability, the polarising film in this Käsemann-type filter is sealed between high-grade optical glass and then edge-sealed to protect from humidity and any build-up of mould, and the MRC nano coating is water-repellent and scratch resistant, so cleaning is easier and it’s free from smearing.

The filter also extends only half as far as most, meaning that it’s less likely to vignette at wide angles. It’s rated useable at a minimum of 17mm on full-frame cameras, and 10mm on APS-C versions, but with a Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 on a D800 we saw no problems at the edges even at 16mm. Although the filter is thin, there’s no issue in locating or turning the bezel while in a shooting position, thanks to its ridged front edge which sits well away from the main screw and the turning action is very smooth.

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The verdict

As for image quality, the filter doesn’t disappoint.

During shooting we saw no discernible loss of sharpness, and the slight warming was entirely pleasing for landscape work. Inevitably, this means loss of light to the sensor, and depending on the angle of use and subject you’re aiming at we saw anything from 2⅓EV to 1⅔EV in the test image on this page – the very minimum was 1EV. Coverage of the polarising effect, which is easy to see against a clear blue sky, is very good, though as is normal at wider settings it doesn’t quite fill the frame.

There is no point buying a high-quality lens and then sticking a budget filter on the front. All that will do is degrade the performance of your expensive bit of glass. If you want to use filters – and filters like the polariser are definitely well worth using – go for a quality brand like B+W. Its circular polariser proved excellent in all aspects and it is a filter I can heartily recommend. Overall, a top-class filter that, treated respectfully, will last a lifetime.

PROS High-quality design and top results CONS It’s not cheap

Issue 13 | Photography News

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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 we feature common focusing questions and problems, and show how to fix them. Plus, find out how to achieve selective sharpening in Lightroom Words by Kingsley Singleton

n How do I adjust my camera’s AF points, so I can focus on a certain part of the scene?

The number of AF points available when shooting, and whether you can adjust their position, is governed by your camera as well as your chosen AF-area mode.

Normally, AF points can be moved via the thumb pad or a wheel on the camera body and you can cycle through all those available. If however your AF area is set to auto, 3D or similar, then the camera will choose the point of focus for you and you may only see the target appear when it locks on. The number of points depends on your camera model – DSLRs have a limited number because they’re linked to physical AF sensors, unlike compacts and many compact system cameras which aren’t and therefore can theoretically autofocus at any point. n Should I use just one AF point or several?

It depends on your subject. Non-moving subjects are easy to shoot with just one AF point. Moving subjects, which you’d normally shoot in continuous or servo AF mode, can be erratic, so it’s a good idea to use more than one AF point at a time. By changing the AF-area mode you can alter the number of AF points used, expanding the coverage so you don’t miss the subject, typically through one, nine, 21 points and so

on. Your camera’s auto and 3D modes both use all the AF points available ‘invisibly’ to automatically focus on the subject or track it through the frame. n Sometimes when focusing, my camera searches and won’t lock on. Why is this and what can I do to stop it?

This is called ‘hunting’ and it happens when the camera is struggling to achieve focus, usually because the part of scene you’re trying to focus on is too dark or lacking in contrast. To stop it, either turn on the camera’s focus assist beam (a light which illuminates the subject to make focusing easier) or use your chosen AF point to focus on a different part of the scene, then recompose.

Or focus manually. n The camera sometimes focuses on the background rather than the subject. How can I stop the camera doing this?

If focus is on the wrong part of the scene, the camera has incorrectly assumed what you want sharp – it happens with busy scenes. You need to lend a hand.

Make sure the camera is in AF-S or one-shot AF and set the central AF point. Now aim that AF point at what you want sharp, focus and then keep the shutter button partially depressed or use AF-L to hold focus.

ADOBE LIGHTROOM

Software skills Part 13: Adding sharpness

Last month we looked at the basic sharpening sliders within Lightroom – found within the Develop module’s Detail panel – but there are other ways to add sharpness to your shots. Firstly, sharpness can be improved using the Local Adjustment tools: the Adjustment Brush, Graduated Filter and Radial Filter.

Unlike the Detail panel’s Amount, Radius, Detail and Masking sliders, which are essentially global tools affecting the entire image, the Local Adjustment tools can be used to add enhancement precisely where it’s needed. So extra sharpness can be added in brushstrokes, or in circular or linear sections.

Like the other parameters, the Sharpness slider can be set to a negative as well as a positive value. A setting of -100 for instance blurs the image. This can be useful because out-offocus parts make others seem sharper by contrast.

Photography News | Issue 13

NEXT MONTH:

Setting up to make the most of your camera’s AF system. Plus the low-down on Lightroom’s very useful Clarity tool

STEP 1: SET UP THE BRUSH Pick the Adjustment Brush tool (K) from the toolbox just under the Histogram, then move to the bottom of the palette and set the brush’s size. As the point is to sharpen with great precision, it makes sense to set a low size. By contrast, keep the Feather high, so that the adjustment is added without causing a hard transition.

Set Flow to 100 if you want to add the sharpness all in one go, or a lower level if you want to Brush it over in a few goes.

STEP 2: PAINT IN THE SHARPNESS Using the Navigator, zoom to a 1:1 view, find the place where you want to sharpen. Now, in the Brush panel, double-click Effect to make sure the sliders are zeroed, then move the Sharpness slider to the right. Brush onto the image to add the effect and push the Sharpness slider to a higher or lower value to increase or decrease the effect. You can see the area you’ve brushed by clicking on the Show Selected Mask Overlay box.

STEP 3: DO IT WITH GRADIENTS If you need to remove the effect from a part of the image, hold Alt to toggle into Erase mode (alternatively you can click Erase next to Brush) and rub out what you don’t need. The Gradient (M) and Radial (Shift+M) Filter tools also have a Sharpness slider, which is used in the same way. When using the latter you’ll again have a Feather slider to control the transition of the effect and an Invert Mask box which keeps the effect within the Radius; great for sharpening just the centre of the image. www.photography-news.co.uk

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Photography News | Issue 13

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Issue 13 | Photography News

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Issue 13 | Photography News

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Issue 13 | Photography News

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Issue 13 | Photography News

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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 one 16GB PRO SDHC card and one 32GB PRO SDHC card. Just complete the wordsearch below, and you’ll find one word in the list that’s not in the grid. Email us on puzzle@ photography-news.co.uk with that word in the subject line by 17 November 2014, and you could be a winner! π To find out more, go to www.samsung.com.

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Photography News | Issue 13

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

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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.

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