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Olympus unveils OM-D E-M5 Mark II Updated model features across the board improvements
The Olympus OM-D range has a new addition: the E-M5 Mark II. Available from the end of the month, this latest model in the company’s award-winning mirrorless range boasts some significant performance enhancements, which include the world’s most powerful image stabilisation, a new 40-megapixel still image feature and an updated design. While the new model offers the familiar compact dimensions and light weight of the original E-M5, it’s not too difficult to spot the external changes between old and new models. The Mark II offers the same dust, splash and freeze resistance as its predecessor, but now the rear LCD is variangle offering greater compositional freedom, plus there are
a number of changes to buttons and dials, which improve handling. The main top-plate dials are deeper and have locks to prevent accidental movement, the On/Off switch has moved to the left of the pentaprism and there are now four top-plate function buttons, two of which feature switchable dual functions. The front of the camera, meanwhile, has gained an electronic depth-of-field preview button and a PC socket for studio flash. Further specification changes see the E-M5 Mark II sporting a number of features from the range-topping E-M1, including a ten frames-per-second maximum frame rate, TruePic VII image processor and an improved electronic viewfinder
Enhancements include the world’s most powerful image stabilisation boasting 2.36 million dots for impressive sharpness and colour accuracy. Pre-order an E-M5 Mark II before 1 March 2015 and you’ll receive a 3½ year extension to the standard two-year warranty and an OM-D Messenger bag with a combined value of £230. For more details, visit www.olympus.co.uk/promotions.
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Issue 17 | Photography News
Photography News | Issue 17
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Canon DSLRs break 50MP barrier
IN DETAIL
Turn to page 10 for more on the EOS 5DS and 5DS R.
Latest launches confirm the rumours as Canon announces EOS 5DS and 5DS R
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All the launches from Nikon, Pentax and Olympus, plus dates for your diary Read the hottest photo industry news here © Jeffrey Sinclair
Revealed: Round 4 theme for Camera Club of the Year Whether you’re a dedicated follower of online rumour sites or treat them with more disdain than playground games of Chinese whispers, recently you can’t fail to have realised that something was afoot at Canon. And finally, all was revealed last week. Not ones to do things by halves, Canon announced not one but five new EOS cameras plus an EF lens. The real headline grabbers are the full-frame, 50-megapixel EOS 5DS and 5DS R – that’s the highest number of megapixels in a full-frame sensor to date. Offering medium-format performance in traditional 35mm bodyform, they
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both feature top of the line specification, and the difference is the addition of a low-pass cancellation filter in the R version. Also added to the EOS line-up are the entry-level EOS 760D and 750D, featuring 24 megapixels and DIGIC 6 processors. Finally, the smallest addition is the EOS M3, the successor (in Europe at least) to the EOS M – the company’s first foray into the mirrorless market. And last but not least there’s the EF 11-24mm f/4L USM zoom.
Has your club signed up to the challenge yet?
π To find out more, go to www.canon.co.uk.
Plus which hard drive should you buy
Hands-on with the latest Olympus: the E-M5 Mark II
Issue 17 | Photography News
Photography News | Issue 17
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Latest photography news
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More from Canon
Canon’s full-frame DSLRs were not the only new products this month. Here’s news of even more Alongside the 50-megapixel headline grabbers, Canon also announced a ground-breaking lens: the world’s widest angle rectilinear zoom, the EF 11-24mm f/4L USM (£2799.99). Its newly designed optical construction, with three aspherical lenses including a ground aspherical element, keeps distortion to a minimum and it’ll stand up to all-weather shooting. It’ll be available from March. The other new additions to the EOS range, all due in April, include two new entry-level DSLRs: the 760D (£649.99) and 750D (£599.99). Both feature a 24.2-megapixel sensor and a DIGIC 6 processor, whilst also benefitting from an impressive ISO range of 100-12,800. They have a powerful 19 cross-type point AF system, Wi-Fi connectivity and can record videos in Full HD. The 760D’s edge is its flexibility when it comes to recording video. The smallest of the new releases, the EOS M3 (£599.99) is still a mighty camera with a 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and a DIGIC 6 processor. It has a new Hybrid CMOS AF III and 49-point AF system and lets you shoot intuitively with its DSLR controls.
As well as the EOS additions, Canon also added to its PowerShot and IXUS camera ranges. The PowerShot SX410 IS is a bridge camera due next month, priced £249.99. It features a 40x optical zoom, 20-megapixel resolution and a DIGIC 4+ processor. The IXUS range is joined by the stylish 275 HS. This 20.2-megapixel compact with a 12x optical zoom will be in the shops from May onwards. Two A3+ printers have also been launched. The Pixma Pro-100S and Pro-10S are both available now, priced at £499.99 and £599.99 respectively. The Pixma Pro-100S uses an eight-colour dye ink system, while the Pro-10S uses pigments and a tenink system complete with Chroma Optimizer. Turn to page 10 for the low-down on the full-frame, 50-megapixel EOS 5DS and 5DS R.
π To find out more, go to www.canon.co.uk.
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Latest photography news NEWS IN BRIEF CANON FIRMWARE UPGRADES With the new firmware upgrade for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, you’ll get improved AF controllability as well as a string of fixes. There’s also a firmware upgrade for the EOS1D X that includes removing the vertical lines that appear when shooting long exposures. www.canon.co.uk OPTIMISE YOUR TOOLS DxO has announced the latest update to its image processing software, OpticsPro v10.2 as well as new versions of FilmPack v5.1 and ViewPoint v2.5.2. Updates support Sony A7 II, Panasonic LX100, Pentax K-S1 and Samsung Galaxy S5, and are available to purchase now. Prices range from £59 to £159. www.dxo.com
The next generation Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II hits the streets – and this issue The wait is over as Olympus announces the release in late February of the new OM-D E-M5 Mark II, which builds on the award-winning credentials of its predecessor. Its biggest boast comes in the form of its world-leading image stabilisation technology, which compensates camera shake to the equivalent of a shutter speed five stops faster – excellent news for handheld moviemaking and low-light shooting. The Mark II is lightweight but still has a sturdy build that is fit for all-weather shooting, being dust and splash resistant as well as being able to withstand freezing temperatures. There’s been further tweaking with modified finger controls but as with the original E-M5, the Mark II features a vari-angle screen. On the inside, there’s a TruePic VII image processor – the same as in the top-of-the-range E-M1 – and a new 16-megapixel Live MOS sensor that’s
capable of spectacular 40-megapixel composite stills. The Mark II is much more movie friendly and offers more flexibility in terms of frame rates when shooting in full HD. Built-in Wi-Fi means you can remotely control the Mark II and share your images using the OI.Share app. The body only price is £899.99 and kits with an interchangeable lens will start at £1099.99. In other Olympus news, the firm has refined its M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm f/4-5.6 telephoto lens, creating a second gen version that now also includes weatherproofing to keep it in stride with the likes of the new E-M5 Mark II. This all-rounder is lighter than you might expect, weighing in at just 285g and is also surprisingly compact. You’ll get edge-to-edge clarity
and it has a high-speed AF with the ability to focus in as close as just 50cm. The 14-150mm f/4-5.6 will also be available at the end of month for £549.99. A new action cam has also been released, the Tough TG-860. It features all the usual Tough stats, including being waterproof, shockproof and crushproof, plus it boasts an ultra-wide-angle lens – the widest you’ll come across in any compact camera. There’s more shutter release buttons so you can shoot videos and take pictures with either hand. A tilting LCD screen makes action selfies easy and the camera itself will be on sale in mid-March for £269.99.
π To find out more, go to www.olympus-europa.com.
Focus on Samyang Fit your full-frame camera with Samyang’s new 135mm f/2 ED UMC telephoto lens, which is on the market at a suggested retail price of £419.99 for Nikon AE and £389.99 for Canon, Sony A, Pentax and Sony E fittings. It has 11 elements in seven groups and it uses Ultra Multi Coating to minimise ghosting and flare and to the same end there’s also a detachable lens hood, whilst spherical aberration and distortion are kept to a minimum thanks to the floating element design.
Big power, small size Based around the core functionality of the NX1, Samsung’s new NX500 combines industry-leading technology with a portable size and advanced creative features and functions. Low-light scenes are easily captured thanks to its 28-megapixel Back Side Illumination APS-C sensor. Powered by a DRIMeV processor, the NX500 promises to achieve superior colour reproduction, improved noise reduction and enhanced image quality. For videographers, you can record in either 4K or UHD and the built-in HEVC Codec compresses high-quality videos to half the size and bit rate for efficient storage without compromise on quality. It comes in three colours – black, white and brown – and will be released from March, price to be announced. π To find out more, go to www.samsung.com.
Extending the range Top spec lenses and a full-frame DSLR announced by Pentax
π To find out more, go to www.syopt.com.
Photography News | Issue 17
Two lens announcements from Pentax this month, both telezooms. The HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6ED DC AW covers an equivalent range from 230mm to 690mm in APS-C format. This lens is dust and weatherproof, sealed in 21 places, and has three ED (extra-low dispersion) and a super-low dispersion glass elements to minimise spherical and chromatic aberrations. It’s equipped with a Quick-Shift Focus System, allowing you to instantly switch to manual focus after the subject is captured in focus by the AF system. The HD Pentax-D FA* 70-200mm f/2.8 ED DC AW produces the highest image quality of all Pentax interchangeable lenses. It
maintains a maximum aperture of f/2.8 throughout the entire zoom range and also has a dust and weatherproof construction. It too benefits from a Quick-Shift Focus System. Prices and release dates are yet to be announced. Full-frame lenses means there’s a full-frame camera on the horizon. What we know is that it’ll be a K-mount DSLR with a 35mm full-frame image sensor and is also compatible with DA-series APS-C lenses. Launch is likely to be by the end of 2015. π To find out more, go to www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk. www.absolutephoto.com
Latest photography news
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Flashing lights A new portable studio flash is now available from Phottix, the 500 TTL. As the name hints, it’s a 500 watt flash light featuring high-speed sync with eight stops of power adjustment, from full power to 1/128. Take it out on location with the portable battery pack and it’ll deliver a recharge time of two seconds and 360
NEWS IN BRIEF
full-power flashes. Or if you’re in the studio, plug it into the mains for a one-second recharge. The head-only price is £699.99; £929.99 with the AC adapter kit; and £999.99 with a rechargeable battery pack. π To find out more, go to www.phottix.co.uk.
A modern classic
FUJIFILM ADD-ONS A new plug-in for Photoshop and Lightroom released by Fujifilm enables PC tethered shooting with the X-T1 and X-T1 Graphite Silver Edition; it’s available to download now. In addition, Fujifilm has also launched Film Simulation capable Raw conversion software, Raw File Converter Ex 2.0, which is available to download now for free. www.fujifilm.com
Hot on the heels of Panasonic’s recent launch of three new compacts, the company’s saved the best till last with the release of a brand-new interchangeable lens camera, the GF7 (£429 with a 12-32mm lens). Tipping its hat to the classic stylings of analogue models before it, the GF7 is indisputably handsome (choose from either brown or silver) with intelligently placed buttons and a fancy leather-touch grip. It’s fitted with a 16-megapixel Live MOS sensor and a Venus Engine for clear, smooth results even in low light. Its advanced Contrast AF system is good enough to compete, in terms of accuracy, with those found in high-end DSLRs. That isn’t all it does well, the GF7 can record full HD video; its 180° tiltable screen activates Self Shot Mode when flipped; and Wi-Fi means you can share images and shoot remotely using your smartphone. π To find out more, go to www.panasonic.co.uk.
Canon updates cloud Those using the Canon irista image management service will be pleased to hear that Canon has tweaked and improved the service to make it even more user-friendly. You will now be able to edit images directly in Lightroom whilst storing and syncing all versions to your irista account, keeping your shots in one place. If you use irista on your tablet or smartphone, you’ll see an improvement in usability and you can now also order photo books directly from irista. To accompany the updates, there’s a new pricing structure for subscribers, which sees storage increase at every level. There’s no cost for using up to 15GB; up to 200GB is £4.49 per month or £45 per year and up to 500GB can be purchased for £10.99 per month or £99 for the year. π To find out more, go to www.irista.com.
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Get packing Stylish camera bags for the outdoor adventurer
Just in time for your next adventure, bag makers Nest has released a new line of backpacks and shoulder bags, the Hiker range. The Hiker 100 (£99.99) and Hiker 200 (£119.99) backpacks feature pocketed insides to keep your kit in order and padded straps with lumber support to keep you comfy. There are
MAKE IT BIG The new Perfect Resize 9 is now out, letting you easily enlarge photos taken on your mobile giving you highquality images ready to print. Get it as part of Perfect Photo Suite 9 and you can even take advantage of a 30-day trial period. www.on1.com
three sizes within the Hiker shoulder bag range: 10 (£49.99); 20 (£59.99); and 30 (£69.99), each with dual access through either the top or side. Hiker shoulder bags include internal pockets and a rain cover.
POSITIVE RESULTS Interested in finding out more about the people who use and buy film, Harman Technology surveyed thousands of Ilford Photo film users from more than 70 countries and the results have landed. Confirming Harman’s belief that use of film is on the up, 30% of respondents were aged under 35 and 60% had been using film for less than five years. Over 84% of those surveyed said they were self-taught and just less than half develop and print their pictures in the darkroom. Seems as though film really is enjoying a renaissance. www.harman technology.com
π To find out more, go to www.nest-style.com.
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Latest photography news
Hole in one Yes it might look a little unusual, but Westcott’s Omega Reflector (£120) is worth getting excited about. Use it as a standard reflector or convert it into a shoot-through unit by detaching the centre 2:3 frame. A ten-in-one design – including reflective white, silver, sunlight and black block fabrics – makes it worth the price tag. It comes with suction cups for mounting onto glass but the Illuminator Arm Extreme (£95) makes for much easier mounting. Westcott has also extended its umbrellastyle Rapid Box range to include the Duo (£320) which lets you mount up to two
speedlights. It’s easy to set up and take down and with a deep 32in profile it’s great for on-location portraits or group shots. Deck out your Rapid Box duo with a 40° grid (£420), giving you more control over the output of the box with cells that control off-axis light in four directions whilst still maintaining a soft quality. For the ultimate in portable lighting accessories, the Pocket Pack 340 (£24) is just that. Included is a one-stop diffuser and reflector which open out to a full 12in diameter but fold away into a tiny six-inch travel case.
π To find out more, go to www.fjwestcott.com.
A date for the calendar
Show your true colours
After much anticipation, Tamron has announced the release date and pricing for its new 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD wide-angle zoom. The good news is that it’s available as of now. The suggested retail price is £949.99 and for that you’ll get an outstanding lens with an optical construction of 18 elements in 13 groups, including an XGM (expanded glass moulded aspherical) element and a number of Low Dispersion elements delivering amazing quality from corner to corner. The VC system has been fine-tuned to keep up with the fast f/2.8 lens and the nine-blade curved aperture produces beautiful bokeh effects. We’ll be testing it as soon as samples permit.
Get an almost spot-on colour representation of your work using BenQ’s new and impressive colour critical monitor, the PG2401PT monitor, which reproduces 99% Adobe RGB colour space. The 24in monitor has been put through its paces in the factory, tested for brightness uniformity and hardware calibration so all you have to do is get it out of the box and set it up. Its rotating display means you can view in landscape or portrait mode and there’s a five-year warranty with zero pixel defect for the first six months. It’s currently retailing at £675.
π To find out more, go to www.intro2020.co.uk.
π To find out more, go to www.colourconfidence.com.
The countdown begins Indulge your passion for photography at the NEC Bigger and better than ever before, the Photography Show is now a little over a month away. From 21 until 24 March, all the big names in photography – including for the first time Leica, Ricoh and Sony – will set up in the NEC, Birmingham, to give you a chance to get hands on with the gear and get your questions answered by experts in the know. Test out your macro skills at the impressive International Garden Photographer of the Year garden; book yourself in for a Lomography workshop; or learn how to improve your street photography – there’ll be plenty going on. As a Photography News reader, you can get yourself a discounted ticket: buy in advance online using the code PHNWSTPS15 (£10.95 instead of £19). Whilst you’re at the show, keep your eye out for PN and pick up your free copy of the latest issue. π To find out more, go to www.photographyshow.com.
Photography News | Issue 17
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Latest photography news
9 Rita Tests
The winner of the inaugural Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) photo competition has now been announced. Rita Testa took home the winning accolade along with £3000 worth of camera equipment thanks to her image Double Travel, which stood out from 300 competing photos. The competition was launched to champion the importance of major infrastructure projects in British society and all shortlisted images will be showcased in a two-week exhibition in RICS London offices.
Steve Jones
The tracks to success
π To find out more, go to www.rics.org/us/footer/rics-infrastructure-photographer-of-the-year.
Store like a pro Stave off the signs of ageing and keep your prints looking as good as new by storing your photos in Hahnemühle Archival and Portfolio boxes. They’re acid free and age resistant, protecting from light, dust and atmospheric impact. Coming in A4 (£5.50), A3 (£9.70), A3+ (£12) and A2 (£17.50) sizes, if you buy before 31 March you’ll receive a 10% discount.
UK photographer wins top award The Royal Photographic Society operates in the upper echelons of the photographic industry, so winning a Gold Award as Luton-based specialist horse photographer Steve Jones has done in the RPS’s Members Biennial exhibition is quite the achievement. His image of a Lusitano stallion titled Joie de vivre was the one that caught the attention of the judges, and his along with other winning images can be seen in a touring exhibition throughout the year.
π To find out more, go to www.hahnemuehle.com. π To find out more, go to www.rps.org/biennial.
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Latest photography news SPECS PRICE TBC (expected around £3000) CONTACT www.canon.co.uk SENSOR 50.6 megapixels (total: 53), CMOS, 36x24mm, 8688x5792 pixels PROCESSOR Dual DIGIC 6 ISO RANGE 100-6400 (expandable down to 50 and up to 12,800) SHUTTER 30secs-1/8000sec, plus B MAX FRAME RATE 5fps for up to 510 JPEGs or 14 Raw files METERING SYSTEM 150,000 pixel RGB+IR sensor. Evaluative, partial (6.1%), spot (1.3%), centre-weighted EXPOSURE MODES Scene Intelligent Auto, program AE, shutterpriority AE, aperturepriority AE, manual, Custom x3 EXPOSURE COMPENSATION +/-5EV in 0.3 or 0.5EV stops, AEB 2, 3, 5 or 7 shots, +/-3EV in 0.3 or 0.5EV stops AUTOFOCUS MODES AI focus, one shot, predictive aI servo FOCUSING POINTS 61 MONITOR Fixed 3.2in, 1040k dot resolution VIDEO Full HD at 30p STORAGE MEDIA Dual card slots: CompactFlash (UDMA 7 compatible), SD, SDHC, SDXC DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 152x116.4x76.4mm WEIGHT 845g (body only)
The EOS 5D range has become synonymous with innovation
FIRST LOOK
EOS 5DS delivers ‘a revolution in resolution’
New Canon bodies deliver pixel counts to rival medium-format models Words by Roger Payne
Canon has put the megapixel race firmly back on the agenda with the launch of two 50.6-megapixel bodies. The EOS 5DS and 5DS R are described as revolutionising what’s possible with a full-frame product and look set to be digital SLR game changers in the same way as the original EOS 5D was back in 2005 and the 5D Mark II in 2010. Photography News was at the official launch of both models in London where Kieran Magee, marketing director for professional imaging in Canon Europe described the new cameras as: “Moving imaging to another level. Canon is proving there are a lot of opportunities to bring new technology to digital SLR photography, despite the maturation of the market.” Aside from the number-grabbing headlines of the Canon-developed sensor’s resolution, both the 5DS and 5DS R also feature a new Mirror Vibration Control System, dual DIGIC 6 processors to help the cameras deliver up to five frames-per-second continuous shooting and a new Fine Detail Picture Style mode that maximises the sensor output. The only difference between the two models is that the 5DS features a low-pass filter, whereas the 5DS R has a low-pass cancellation filter. This means there’s still a filter in front of the sensor, which Canon says is important for protection, but its effect is cancelled out so image quality is higher. See below for details on the technologies and the panel opposite for an exclusive interview with Mike Owen, professional imaging communications manager for Canon Europe. EOS 5DS in detail While other models in Canon EOS line-up may grab headlines for blistering performance, the EOS 5D range has become synonymous with innovation over the years. The original 5D raised eyebrows for managing to cram a full-frame sensor into a remarkably small body, the Mark II version proved to be the definitive model for DSLR moviemakers, while the Mark III model offered a ground-breaking autofocusing system. Now the 5DS (the S stands for ‘superior’, in case you’re wondering) has redefined the resolution achievable from a full-frame sensor. But while the 50.6-megapixel sensor will undoubtedly grab the headlines and have serious landscape, architecture, portrait and fashion
Photography News | Issue 17
photographers reaching for their wallets, there are a number of other ‘under the bonnet’ alterations: Mirror Vibration Control system With such a high resolution sensor, camera shake can be a problem, so in-camera vibrations need to minimised. The mirror box is where most vibrations occur so Canon has developed a Mirror Vibration Control System that uses cams to drive the mirror up and down. This provides more control over mirror movement, avoids any sudden stops and softens the sound of the shutter release.
Magnesium alloy shell The whole of the EOS 5DS’s body is constructed from magnesium alloy, not just the top and base plates. What’s more, the panels are interlocked to offer better protection and durability, while the baseplate has also been re-engineered to cut down on vibrations. As a result, the body is weatherresistant so photographers can keep shooting regardless of the conditions. Design your own LCD While some may be surprised by the fixed LCD on the back of the EOS 5DS, the information on the screen can be customised. The Custom Quick Control screen can be changed so it only features www.absolutephoto.com
Latest photography news the functions that you want to quickly access. Similarly, you can also customise information in the viewfinder, so you can instantly see the status of selected camera functions while the camera is up to your eye. Something borrowed Both the 61-point autofocusing system and 150,000 pixel RGB+IR metering sensor are taken from existing EOS models. The AF system features 41 cross-type points and uses EOS Intelligent Tracking and Recognition AF (iTR) to follow both faces and colour. The metering system, meanwhile, has built-in flicker detection, which ensures consistent exposures under artificial lighting by recognising the point when the light is at its brightest.
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New Picture Style mode Existing Canon users will be familiar with the Picture Style modes, which modify sharpness and colour output according to certain preset or personal preferences. The EOS 5DS offers a new Fine Detail Picture Style, which delivers maximum possible detail from the sensor. Three sharpening parameters can be applied to JPEG files so great results are possible straight out of camera. Low-pass cancellation filter (EOS 5DS R only) Rather than removing a filter altogether from the front of the sensor, the 5DS R offers a low-pass cancellation filter, which cancels the effect. This means moiré and false colours are reduced to ensure the R version delivers the sharpest possible images.
Cropped sensor options Most users will want to realise every one of the 5DS’s 50.6 megapixels, but there are also 1.3x and 1.6x cropped shooting modes provided. These deliver 30.5 and 19.6 megapixels respectively. The camera also features dual DIGIC 6 processors to crunch through all the data and deliver a continuous shooting performance of up to five frames-per-second for over 500 JPEG files or 14 Raw files.
ABOVE While the EOS 5DS may not look much different to the EOS 5D Mark III, the insides are new, and they’re not just about the high megapixel count either.
EOS 5DS sample images So what does a 50.6-megapixel image look like from the Canon EOS 5DS? In a word, excellent. Sharpness, colour and detail are all mightily impressive from a sensor that can deliver A0 size prints without an obvious drop in quality. We also ran a quick ISO test using the native 100-6400 settings. Again, very impressive. These JPEG images were taken using preproduction samples at the official launch and, as such, should not be taken as being indicative of what the EOS 5DS will ultimately be capable of.
Interview: Mike Owen, professional imaging communications manager, Canon Europe and David Noton, Canon Ambassador At the launch, we had chance to catch up with Canon’s Mike Owen and Canon Ambassador David Noton. Here’s what they had to say about the camera: Photography News: No 4K, why? Mike Owen: This is a tool that’s designed for stills photographers, it’s not a multipurpose device, it’s designed to do a specific job. When you look at the resolution of the camera and the technology behind it, we wanted to make sure that was its primary focus and we didn’t want to detract from that by adding extra video functions. We wanted photographers to be confident that they had a tool to produce the best possible still images. PN: What about the other features that people may have expected to see, such as a tilting or vari-angle LCD? MO: A vari-angle LCD is a weakness. Durability will drop because of it and knowing how photographers treat the cameras we didn’t want to put a weak spot in – it’s the same with the 1D X, photographers asked the same question then. It’s designed to be a hard-working tool and any form of weakness will be found out by professional photographers, it’s the same reason why it doesn’t have touchscreen controls. PN: Is the form factor the same as the EOS 5D Mark III? MO: There are a couple of little tweaks but fundamentally it’s
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the same body; the buttons are in the same place, the dials work in the same way, it’s the same battery. David Noton: One little thing I’ve noticed is the viewfinder display is 100%, whereas it was 98% in the 5D Mark III. You may think 2% isn’t a very big deal, but when you’re composing shots in such high resolution, you’re looking right to the edges of the frame. Live view is a useful tool for doing that kind of thing, but I really like looking into the eyepiece. I’ve used the EOS 5D Mark III for three years now and you get to a stage where you no longer need to think about functionality because you know the camera so well. That’s true in the field, but it’s true also with what you do with the pictures afterwards in post-production; I know exactly what I can do with the 5D Mark III files. That continuity has continued in the 5DS. I was handed the camera, got on a flight to Cape Town and was out using it the very next day without having to think about the camera controls. There are a few differences, but nothing that causes any problems. PN: When you launched the EOS 7D Mark II you explained that it was partly a result of extensive consultations with customers, does this also apply here? MO: Absolutely. We have a lot of incredible photographers who work with us on a regular basis, which is one of the pillars of our Ambassador programme – we have the ability to talk to photographers about what they want and what they
DAVID NOTON
MIKE OWEN
don’t want in terms of resolution, file sizes, button positioning etc. We bring in the top management from Canon Inc. so they hear directly from photographers, it’s a critical part of our development cycle. In this case, we sat down with the 22-megapixel EOS 5D Mark III and asked professionals where they wanted it to be. In the end we decided that 50 megapixels offered the best resolution from this sensor, so that’s what we have delivered. Every step of the way, photographers were validating the technology decisions we were making. PN: What are the practical issues of squeezing 50 megapixels on to a full-frame sensor? MO: We spent time looking at how the pixels work. If you take the resolution of this model and compare it to the 7D MkII on an APS-C sensor, the pixel size is roughly the same and the extra DIGIC processing means we get the 5fps. But it’s all about the sensitivity of the pixels. The technology is there to go higher, but the current processing speed and data rate is where we felt the next ‘sweet spot’ was for sensor technology.
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Latest photography news
Photo 24 is back Kevin Perkins
Have you got what it takes to win?
If you’ve got room in your awards cabinet for a new addition and you are a panoramic photographer extraordinaire, well you might just be in with a chance of taking home a shiny new trophy as entries are now open for the 2015 Kolor Panobook contest. It’s free to enter
and the winner, alongside a trophy and the kudos of being crowned Best Panoramic Photographer 2015, will also see their images printed in Landscape Photography Magazine. The closing date for entries is 3 March so act fast to throw your hat in the ring. Samuel Gachet Mohammad Reza Domiri Ganji
Advanced Photographer’s third Photo 24 event in London is taking place from noon 20 June to the same time the following day. Exact details are still being finalised, but reserve the date in your diary right now. It’s basically a free photo experience (with the option of some paid-for events) with a bunch of like-minded people and in previous years
many photographers carried on shooting literally all day long. Details on how to reserve your place will be announced in Advanced Photographer and here in Photography News very soon. Places are limited so when registration details are announced: book immediately!
π To find out more, go to www.absolutephoto.com.
Two-day masterclass Tony Sweet
π To find out more, go to www.panobook.org.
Exhibition extended Hannah Webster’s client list is undoubtedly impressive, with the likes of Asda, Harvey Nichols, The Tate Galleries and Google all featuring on there, covering a gamut of genres from food and portraits to events and interiors. With all that know-how and experience under her belt, she’s sharing her pro tips and tricks with photographers at a masterclass held at The Hepworth Wakefield on 28 and 29 March. It costs £100 to attend and there are limited places. To book or for more info email learning@ hepworthwakefield.org.
Normally you’d visit London Waterloo to catch a train, but now there’s another reason to swing by the famous station. The Landscape Photographer of the Year exhibition has been stationed at Waterloo’s mezzanine and it’ll be staying for a little longer than initially planned, remaining in situ until the end of February. Amongst the images on display is the winner of the Network Rail sponsored Lines in the Landscape award.
π To find out more, go to www.hannahwebsterphotography.co.uk. π To find out more, go to www.take-a-view.co.uk. Photography News | Issue 17
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Latest photography news
Out of this world photography Nikon’s launches first-ever full-frame astro camera
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An adventureready Pentax
NEWS IN BRIEF
Pentax’s latest DSLR, the K-S2 (£549.99 body only), has been developed with the adventurous in mind. It’s the smallest dust proof and weather-resistant camera of its kind and includes an AA (anti-aliasing) filter simulator that works to reduce moiré as well an optical viewfinder with nearly 100% field of view. A perfect pairing with the K-S2 is the newly developed HD Pentax-DA 18-50mm f/45.6 DC WR RE standard zoom lens, which also has a weatherproof construction and is retailing at £229.99, or £649.99 with the K-S2. The new AF201FG flash (£129.99) is dust proof and weather-resistant so also makes a fine match with the K-S2. In the compact range, the hardy WG-5 GPS (£259.99) has a bright f/2 lens and back-illuminated sensor, plus it’ll keep shooting down to 14m underwater. π To find out more, go to www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk.
You know the old saying, you wait for a new Nikon release and they all arrive at once. Well that’s exactly the story here, as the photo firm announces eight new cameras. The launch that’s made the most noise is a specially modified version of the much-loved D810, the D810A (£2999.99 body only). The A in its name is a hint at the camera’s newly incorporated technological talents, it’s been modified especially for astrophotography. Come the end of May, you’ll be able to take 36.3-megapixel photos of the cosmos with this DSLR. Tweaks include a modified optical filter to enable the true red colour of particular nebulae to be captured on camera, it’ll also improve shots of star fields and star landscapes. Shoot for up to 900 seconds with the new Long Exposure Manual mode whilst keeping vibrations to a minimum by activating the camera’s electronic front-curtain shutter. The COOLPIX S9900 (£279.99) and S7000 (£169.99) are big zoom compacts; the S9900 featuring a vari-angle LCD screen and a 30x optical zoom compared to the S7000’s slimline build and 20x optical zoom. Also boasting big on the zoom power are the COOLPIX P610 (£339.99) with 60x optical zoom; the L840 (£209.99) featuring a 38x optical zoom lens; and the L340 (Argos exclusive) with a 28x optical zoom – all released this month. The 16-megapixel AW130 (£279.99) adventure cam will be on sale as of 26 February. It’ll keep shooting down to 30m underwater and it has built-in Wi-Fi. The new S33 (£89.99) is also happy to take a dip, down to 10m, and it can operate down to -10°. It’ll be released as of 5 March.
Coralie Smith, senior product manager for Coolpix and Nikon 1 “Connectivity is one of the key messages that we want to put across with these new cameras. Many of them now come with NFC, Wi-Fi, GPS and World Maps, and that’s something we know that our audience is asking for. It also likes cameras that come in more than one shade, which is why many of the models we’re announcing come in a choice of colours, the most popular being black, red and plum. “Nikon has seen phenomenal success in the bridge camera sector, and we currently account for 23% of all sales in this area in the UK and are the number one brand. The new top of the range model is the Coolpix P610, and its key features are a 60x zoom and a five-stop VR, so that you can still hand-hold the camera even when it’s at full stretch. The built-in tilt screen is also designed to make it easy to use. “Superzooms meanwhile make up one of the most important parts of the Nikon compact range, and our models now account for 21% of the UK market. As a brand manager I’m not supposed to have favourites, but I’ve taken a particular shine to the S9900. It feels solid and well made, but although it’s still really beautiful and small, it’s got the ability to optically zoom 30x, this extends to 60x using Dynamic Fine Zoom, which is quite incredible.”
String of releases from Sigma
Sigma has unveiled the wide-angle 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM lens (part of the Art line), which claims to have the highest optical performance in its class with almost no aberration or distortion. Right at the other end of the scale, the 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens joins the Contemporary range, providing enhanced functionality with a lighter weight construction and improved optical performance with the inclusion of one FLD and three SLD glass elements. Adding to its range of compact cameras, the dp0 Quattro and the dp3 Quattro, each incorporate a newly developed Foveon X3 direct image sensor. Release dates and prices are to be announced.
HOLSTER YOUR CAMERA It might not be the most fashion-forward solution to keeping your camera safe, but a holster certainly is practical. CPtech has designed a camera holster for mirrorless, bridge and compact cameras, the UNO (£36.95). It has a quick-release plate and can be securely fixed to belts, bags and backpacks. www.camera clean.co.uk LIGHT IMPROVEMENTS ExpoImaging has revamped its range of lighting accessories, including the Rogue FlashBender 2 Reflector, which is now considerably lighter and comes with improved attachments and new softer fabrics. The FlashBender 2 XL Pro reflector is also lighter and includes a stop grid diffuser. www.color confidence.com FUJI ROAD MAP UPDATED X-mount shooters have a lot to look forward to with a number of new releases planned over the next year or so. Amongst those is the XF 120mm f/2.8 R Macro f/1; the XF 35mm f/2 R; and the 1.4x teleconverter for XF 50-140mm, XF 120mm, and XF 100mm lenses. www.fujifilm.eu NEXT ISSUE Issue 18 of PN goes on sale w/c 16 March – just in time for The Photography Show. See you there!
π To find out more, go to www.sigma-global.com. π To find out more, go to .
π To find out more, go to www.nikon.co.uk.
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Issue 17 | 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
Enter now Michael Windle ARPS
To celebrate its 20th year, Cotswold Salon, the National Exhibition of Monochrome Photography presented by Cotswold Monochrome, is inviting photographers to submit a monochrome print entry by 29 May 2015. The selectors for the 2015 exhibition are: Barbie Lindsay MPAGB EFIAP FBPE, Russell Lindsay MPAGB EFIAP FBPE and Leigh Preston FRPS MPAGB EFIAP. This is a qualifying exhibition for the British Photographic Exhibition Crown Awards Scheme and has patronage of the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain.
SPOTLIGHT
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 16 March, we need words and pictures by 5 March. 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: 5 March 2015
Edmonton Camera Club celebrates Martin Parr helps mark camera club’s anniversary
Marking Edmonton Camera Club’s 70th anniversary, renowned Magnum photographer Martin Parr is giving a talk, entitled Photobiography, looking at his long career, almost exactly 70 years after the club’s inaugural meeting. That first meeting happened on 5 March 1945 and the talk is on 6 March 2015, at 7.45pm. Tickets cost £11 or £9 for concessions and are available from Millfield Theatre (020 8807 6680). Also among the club’s anniversary celebrations is a public exhibition of members’ work at Forty Hall, Forty Hill, Enfield EN2 9HA. It runs 3-29 March, excluding Mondays (Tuesdays to Fridays 11am-4pm, Saturdays and Sundays 12-4pm). Edmonton Camera Club meets weekly on Monday evenings from 7.45 to 10pm,
from September to June at Millfield House in London’s Silver Street. Membership is open to all, from those taking up the hobby or picking it up again through to those who have enjoyed making and taking images for years. Visitors are always made very welcome.
π To find out more, go to www.edmontoncameraclub.co.uk, email info@ edmontoncameraclub.co.uk or call the membership/publicity secretary, John McAndrew on 020 8920 6651. Sarah Howard
π To find out more and get the entry form, go to cotswold-monochrome.co.uk.
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Nantwich Camera Club “Nantwich CC is a member of the Lancs & Cheshire Photographic Union (L&CPU),” explains Alison Wood, club secretary. “Our members have a wide range of photographic experience and we have a varied membership, both in age group and subject matter. We aim to be friendly, welcoming and helpful. Our programme includes an excellent range of speakers, competitions and a variety of self-help sessions. We now include a special lecture in the programme,
bringing in a professional photographer from outside the area, and non-members are very welcome to join us for this. This year we have invited landscape professional Sarah Howard of Image Seen to visit on 31 March (sarahhowardphotography.com). “NCC meets from September to the end of April, weekly at 7.30pm on Tuesday evenings, at Regent’s Park, 129 London Road, Nantwich CW5 6LW. Details can be found at nantwichcameraclub.org.uk.”
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.
Photography News | Issue 17
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Camera clubs
Celebrating 125 years
NEWS IN BRIEF
Exhibition and lecture for 125-year old Croydon Having first met on 10 March 1890, Croydon Camera Club is celebrating its 125th birthday this year. The celebrations coincide with the club’s annual exhibition, which is at the ClickClock Gallery in Katharine Street, 2-28 March (shut Sundays). More than 130 prints and projected images will be on display. The club is also holding the 2015 Wratten Lecture on 11 March. Author of more than 60 titles, Michael Freeman is giving the talk, The Photographer’s Eye: On Travel. He’ll draw on his 40-year career shooting principally for magazines and books, advising on how to meet the increasing challenge for photographers, particularly travel shooters: how to get photos we can think of as our own, that no one else has shot. The Wratten Lecture is open to non-members. Tickets cost £5 and can be ordered by post; send a cheque payable to Croydon Camera Club to Wratten, 12 Wickham Road, Croydon CR0 8BA, with a standard size SAE.
DAVYHULME CC ON THE MOVE Davyhulme CC has moved venue after more than 30 years in Flixton, Manchester – but only by a few hundred metres. They now meet at Brook Road Methodist Church, Urmston M41 5RQ and still on Wednesdays at 7.45pm. As always, visitors are sure of a warm welcome. www.davyhulme.org.uk or follow @davyhulmecc
LEFT Mohamed the fisherman by Dave Newman. RIGHT End of the day by Michael Hope.
π To find out more, go to www.croydoncameraclub.org.uk or phone 020 8654 3041.
Upminster’s Open Panel Commemorating much-loved member and judge, Dennis Mickleburgh
ABOVE Ken Scott ARPS was the presiding judge in 2013 when some 77 panels of six prints were entered from individuals from across the south east of England.
When respected Upminster CC member, Dennis Mickleburgh died in 2000, the club wanted to do something in his memory. A leading judge and enthusiastic promoter of amateur photography and club membership, Dennis was also twice president of the East Anglian Federation so it seemed fitting that the club established the Dennis Mickleburgh Open Panel. The competition, which first took place in 2011, is held on one day, with pre-selection in the morning while the audience enjoys
a workshop. Then the afternoon is dedicated to a critique of the selected panels and the final selection of winners, including PAGB gold, silver and bronze medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places, plus PAGB ribbons for the highly commended panels. This year the contest takes place on Saturday 11 April. Richard Walton FRPS is judging and again the competition has been awarded PAGB Patronage. The morning workshop is being run by PW Academy.
π To find out more and to enter, go to www.upminstercameraclub.org.uk or email Dave Wilcox chairman@upminstercameraclub.co.uk.
Club outing The City of London and Cripplegate Photographic Society recently enjoyed a trip of a lifetime to the Galapagos Islands. This is Jean Jameson’s story of the trip “City of London and Cripplegate PS is not in the habit of group outings on this scale. It all came about because one of our members, Julie Calvert of Shutterspeedtravel, is also a trustee of the Book Bus project and they were planning a visit to the archipelago. They needed volunteers to work with schoolchildren in the mornings for a minimum of two weeks. This would leave the afternoons, evenings and weekends, plus an optional, additional week, free for exciting photography, so five of us signed up. “We had chosen to spend a day and night in Guayaquil on the mainland. For most of us, it was our first time in South America and certainly our first time in Ecuador and the street photography in Guayaquil was fascinatingly different and yet similar in some ways, to other big cities. “Between us, we had several Olympus CSCs, Leicas, Nikon and Canon DSLRs and disparate styles, experience and interests. By the time we’d boarded the plane to Barras and taken the ferry to the island of Santa Cruz, we had a considerable body of images from the centre of Guayaquil. “The reality of the volunteer teaching with the Book Bus and also of the photographic opportunities of the islands were slightly different from our expectations. We were able to photograph the children and their school in the highlands of Santa Cruz, but we needed much more time than we expected just for basic living and preparing our lessons. When we did have free time, we explored the nearby town and signed up for various excursions, including trips to other islands. There is a real concern that the amazingly unique nature of the islands and their natural flora and fauna are under www.absolutephoto.com
threat from too many visitors and too much modernisation, so the whole area is a protected national park and there are restrictions as to where you can go. “Despite this, we had a most fantastic time, climbing volcanoes in the mists of the tropical rains, snorkelling from boats to see basking sharks and green turtles and trekking across the sand to see the bluefooted boobies, huge land iguanas and the great frigate birds with their red balloon mating sacs. Without many predators, the creatures are fairly tame and wait patiently for their portraits to be taken. The nature of the guided tours meant that we were often shooting in full sun, with a tight timetable and warnings not to stray from the paths. “Olympus had lent us a couple of underwater cameras and that was, for me, the best experience ever; at one point, when I had mastered my fear but not the camera technique, a small penguin shot past my screen to the right, just as the sleek torpedo of a brown seal glided deep in the other direction, all against the background of vivid blue and yellow fish swishing backwards and forwards like a kaleidoscope. I remember thinking it can’t get better than this. “Once home, club competitions were flooded, to the bemusement of some judges, by blue-footed boobies, troupes of prehistoric, black marine iguanas, huge, brightly coloured land ones and unique landscapes. Even macro images of the volcanic black sand have figured – and succeeded. No pictures, of course, of lonesome George, the famous last giant tortoise who died a few years ago – a symbol of what is feared about the future of the Galapagos.”
Where have you been? Has your club been on a photo trip or club shoot recently and now wants to share its adventures with fellow photographers? The images can be as exotic or as local as you like, but this is your chance to show off the results. Email brief details (when, where, how many members attended etc) in the first instance to clubnews@photographynews.co.uk and we can go from there.
π To find out more, go to www.cityandcripplegate-ps.org. Issue 17 | Photography News
16
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Profile
17 INTERVIEW
Justin Quinnell Justin Quinnell was involved with Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day at its inception and now uses his role as the event’s publicist to spread the word
BIOGRAPHY Years in the photo industry: 30 Current location: Bristol (my home town) Last picture taken: Two days ago, of my daughter Rosa blowing candles out on her eighth birthday! Hobbies: Photography, obscura fun, environmental politics, cycling, pub quizzes, my family When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up? Zookeeper Dogs or cats? Cats – as long as they don’t kill birds! Toast or cereal? Cereal Email or phone call? Email
This year will mark the 15th Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, how did it all start? It began with a few pinholers in the US and UK suggesting it would be a fun thing to do on the Internet to promote lensless image-making. Photography and the emerging digital technology was leading to an ever-more commercial photographic view of the world. Pinhole day would allow everyone to enjoy the wonder and discovery of pinhole imaging and to exhibit their photo on a worldwide stage.
What does it take to organise such an event? This year there are seven co-ordinators, two translators, and 25 publicists around the world. As well as these, there are camera clubs, teachers and so on who organise workshops and events to encourage pinhole photography around this date.
Not all of us are well versed in the ways of pinhole photography, how does it work? Light travels in a straight line. When this travels through a small hole it creates an inverted image. This can be projected inside the camera onto a sheet of light-sensitive material (or, in a DSLR, onto a CCD chip). Cameras can be made out of anything light-tight; my favourite is a beer can. When is Pinhole Day and what do people have to do to get involved? It happens on the last Sunday in April every year, which this year will be on 26 April. All you need to do is make a camera a few weeks before to give you time to test it out. Then on the day, find somewhere near a blacked-out temporary darkroom, encourage people to take a pinhole picture and watch as it magically appears in the chemicals. The negative can be developed then scanned – or photographed in inverse – and uploaded onto the Pinhole Day gallery. You have a month to load the images onto the site – one image per person. How much has it grown since the beginning? The first event had 291 people from 24 countries. The most we have had was 3865 from 74 countries including Azerbaijan, Congo and Vietnam. We are hoping to break the 4000 barrier this year! www.absolutephoto.com
Tell us more about the events around the day. All events are viewable on the events page of the website. Most appear a few weeks before the day. I am doing a public talk a few weeks before and a set of workshops at the Clifton Suspension Bridge. How did you first get into pinhole photography? I was head of photography at a college in Bristol where many of the kids couldn’t afford cameras so I got them all to make a camera out of a cola can and I was hooked. I was also getting disillusioned with my own travel-related photography and encountering an interest in environmentalism.
In the past I’ve used a watermelon, giant waste bin, cream crackers, a plastic horse, all kinds of fun!
Can anything be turned into a pinhole camera? There are all the resources you need on the Pinhole Day website. Any light-tight container can be made into a pinhole camera. Try and find a container where the pinhole is close to the film plane. Make the pinhole out of aluminium and give yourself time to experiment. In the past I’ve used a watermelon, giant waste bin, cream crackers, jelly (didn’t work!), a plastic horse, all kinds of fun! What are some of the more creative pinhole contraptions you’ve come across? We have a section on the website which allows people to put up a picture of their camera along with their image. There are loads of things used
although my favourite will always be ‘a box I found lying around’ or anything edible. What’s the key to taking a great pinhole photo? The main thing is to imagine what you are photographing rather than trying to imitate what Nikon and Canon force you to photograph with viewfinder-based DSLRs. Enjoying not knowing what is going to happen, the fun of the unknown. Any suggestions on how camera clubs can get involved and celebrate the event? The best thing is for your club to organise a Pinhole Day event on 26 April and get people along to use a pinhole camera and have their photo uploaded onto the gallery. You can then submit the photos taken in your workshop as a group on the gallery and get some publicity (and potential new members) for your club. It’s all free and resources are all on the Pinhole Day website. Do you have any plans to expand the event? Hopefully one day people will put away their autoexposing, buzzy, flashy, battery-reliant, debt‑ridden machines, discard their ‘three kittens in a basket’ approach to seeing the world and party with the fun that is a pinhole camera. Any last words to encourage readers to get involved? Organise any events near you! Not only are pinhole cameras fun and full of wonder, they also cost £34,794 less than a H4D-200MS! π To find out more, visit www.pinholephotography.org. Issue 17 | Photography News
Photography News | Issue 17
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Opinion
19
BEFORE THE JUDGE
Ken Scott ARPS MEET THE JUDGE
Each issue, a respected judge or exhibition selector shares their thoughts and experiences and this month it’s the turn of long-time judge Ken Scott ARPS to take to the stage Words by Ken Scott
Ken Scott ARPS:
Coming from a background in psychology, Ken’s approach to judging is one of encouragement and guidance to help photographers hone their own unique brand of photography.
Home club:
Honorary life member at Steyning Camera Club, West Sussex
Years in photography: 35 Favourite camera:
Then: Pentax ME Super; now: Sony NEX
Favourite photographers:
Galen Rowell, Freeman Patterson, John Beatty
Favourite photographic subjects: Mountain
light, contemplative approaches, everyday observation.
Achievements:
2500 consecutive days of daily imaging at the end of 2014 (seven 365 projects) and ongoing as ‘Project infinity’
Work:
Photography coaching and workshops, speaking, training, writing
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I’ve been privileged to have judged for 25 years, visiting 140 clubs. I see my role not as a judge, but as a coach. Yes, I give marks and decide on winners, but that is just a small part of what I do. Coaching helps photographers to be the best they can be, through meaningful feedback and encouragement. I coach professionally in photography, sport and business, and my academic background in psychology brings unique insights. Good critique is an art in itself, a separate discipline with its own principles. Just as the best sports coaches rarely had stellar careers as players or athletes, it does not follow that good photographers make talented critics. It is about being articulate, informative, constructive and entertaining, about saying things in the right way. Respect is paramount. Photographs can have the power to move us with that indefinable something that engages us emotionally or aesthetically. My response is an emotional one; hence, I weight my appraisal towards expressive quality. There are no rights or wrongs. I am interested in what the photographer is showing me about themselves – individuality rather than emulation. We all have our own tastes and values, so even if it doesn’t move me I have to show empathy in understanding the photographer’s motivation. It might not be obvious so I must be open to finding it. If I make suggestions it is to create possibilities for enhancing that intent, not to create a different image. It is not about fault finding either. Craft certainly contributes to expressive quality but it is not the purpose; technical perfection is never sufficient in itself. One major change since film days is that the finest quality is now less accessible. Whereas everyone could use Fujichrome, not everyone has a pro DSLR. It is vital to differentiate resolution from vision and technique. I have less than 90 seconds to do all this; judging is highly challenging. We owe it to ourselves and our listeners to be well informed, to understand and appreciate all genres
We all have our own tastes and values, so even if it doesn’t move me I have to show empathy in understanding the photographer’s motivation. It might not be obvious so I must be open to finding it without prejudice and to have a firm grasp of visual design and its effects. We must escape the club bubble to look critically at contemporary styles and modern art, at what is happening online. What about photography’s masters? How many marks would you give a Stieglitz or a Cartier-Bresson? It is inevitable that judging generates more bar chat than any other club topic. Judges are not above criticism, but just occasionally it steps over a line. It often comes from those who would not stand before an audience themselves. For that reason I will publicly defend judges to the hilt. However, the one thing that gets me passionately angry is negative criticism. Negative criticism is always destructive. I read recently in the photography press about camera clubs that ‘Members must be prepared to have their work slated…’ Why must they? That it happens does not make it right. Photographers should come away feeling motivated, not inadequate or deflated. We are peers who are passing on our experience, not executioners. If just one photographer leaves club photography off the back of a judge’s scathing or dismissive comments, it is one too many. If I could change one thing in clubs it would be to ditch marks completely. By all means, ask me to choose a winner and some merits – there will always be images that stand out – but I have never been able to find any justification for marks. A recent experience at Brighton and Hove Camera Club, where I was asked to give critique only, illustrates my point. Members were encouraged to put up images that they would not normally enter for competition and the evening
produced the most varied and exciting work I have seen for a long while, including minimal abstract art and contemporary styles. I changed nothing in my delivery. But I noticed no need to compare images to classify them. I needed only to appraise how successfully each image said what it had to say. It was wonderfully freeing. I asked them why, if this was work they love to make, they did not normally put it up for judging. “Judges just wouldn’t get it” or “It would only get slated”, they said. Are competitions and judges simply encouraging photographers to chase points and awards, to tick boxes, to conform to fashion or notional standards? For me, it is time to move on from competition for the single image. Let us expand into projects and bodies of work, facilitated discussions and interactive critiques. Let us encourage club photographers to express themselves through their heart’s work. π To find out more, go to www.touchingthelight. co.uk and www.photovate.co.uk.
What do you think? Have you seen a photographic judge at work who you’d like to see profiled in Photography News? If so, please drop us a line to opinion@photography-news.co.uk with the judge’s name and, if possible, their contact details.
Issue 17 | Photography News
20
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Camera Club of the Year 2014-15 Will Cheung
We can hardly believe we’re already announcing Round 4 of the Camera Club of the Year competition, but the theme this time is travel. If you haven’t signed your club up already head online to get involved shots by 6 April, but you can of course still enter the competition right up to 5 May. Enter your club’s best five images for each round to stand a chance of winning that ultimate prize: a day with pro David Noton and high-spec Canon kit for your club. You’ve still got another round to come so keep snapping and watch out for next issue. Will Cheung
We have absolutely loved looking at your images from the last three rounds and are mightily impressed at the high standards we’re receiving at www.absolutephoto. com, so keep them coming. Of course there are so many ways you can interpret the competition’s themes, so choosing the Image of the Month for Round 2, weather, was no walk in the park, but you can see our worthy winning image opposite. Round 1 was water, Round 2 was weather, Round 3 was close-ups, but now we want you to branch out a bit and travel the world – or at least leave the house – before you enter your travel-related shots. If you haven’t entered by now, you still can, but to qualify for Image of the Month you need to submit your close-ups by 2 March, and your travel
How to enter First, your club’s competition secretary (or whoever is going to enter each month) must sign up at www.absolutephoto.com. Next, click on Members’ Area in the menu bar, then choose Camera Club of the Year 2014-15 from the drop-down list. Simply register your camera club and follow the upload instructions.
The winning club gets…
SPECS STREET PRICE £645 for the printer, £2124 for each ink cartridge
... a brilliant Canon XEED WUX450 multimedia projector worth over £3000 to show off their winning shots and 25 subscriptions to irista, plus an exclusive experience day with international landscape and travel pro, David Noton!
PRINT RESOLUTION 4800x2400dpi
CANON
PRINT ENGINE Inkjet 12 single ink system; LUCIA inks with Chroma Optimizer; FINE print head four picolitre droplet size
XEED WUX450 PROJECTOR
PRINTING SPEED A3+ from 2mins 55secs to 4mins 20secs approx DIRECT DISC PRINTING Available as standard
David Noton
EXPERIENCE DAY!
CANON XEED WUX450 PROJECTOR + AN EXCLUSIVE DAY WITH DAVID NOTON The Canon XEED WUX450 multimedia projector, worth over £3000, is Canon’s most compact WUXGA projector. WUXGA stands for Widescreen Ultra Extended Graphics Array, so you get a 16:10 screen aspect ratio and a huge display resolution of up to 1920x1200 pixels. www.canon.co.uk David Noton is one of the world’s top photographers specialising in landscape and travel work. The winning club gets an exclusive day with David where he’ll be hosting a workshop and then providing an illustrated talk on his amazing images. www.davidnoton.com 25 SUBSCRIPTIONS TO IRISTA The new way to manage, organise and share your image files online, irista supports JPEGs and Raws from most manufacturers and 10GB of storage space is available free on sign-up. The winning club, though, will get 25 free Value subscriptions that have 50GB storage capacity – which is normally £45 for a year’s subscription. www.irista.com
Photography News | Issue 17
Canon PIXMA PRO-1 Canon is the only camera brand that offers products covering input through to output. At the input end we have the world-renowned EOS and PowerShot cameras while for output there are XEED projectors and PIXMA printers. The PIXMA PRO-1 is a flagship A3+ printer that can produce professional colour and monochrome prints using a 12-ink system and a photo lab quality printing head with four picolitre ink droplet technology for top quality precision prints. Using Canon media Chroma Optimizer gives a uniform, high-quality gloss, but the PIXMA PRO-1 will happily produce prints on lustre, matte and art finishes too. For £645 the PIXMA PRO-1 is exceptional value for the discerning photographer keen to control their own output.
INKS Photo black, matte black, dark grey, grey, light grey, cyan, photo cyan, magenta, photo magenta, yellow, red, Chroma Optimizer DIMENSIONS (WXDXH) 695x4562x239mm WEIGHT 27.7kg
π To find out more, go to www.canon.co.uk.
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21
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Round 4: Travel
Travel broadens your mind and widens your horizons. It also gives you even more opportunities to exercise your shutter finger. For this round we want to see your club’s best travel shots Will Cheung
Will Cheung
RIGHT A blurred shot can convey the frenetic pace of a place, as well as giving you a clue to its location; yes, this is a New York taxi. FAR RIGHT Don’t always go for the obvious. Barcelona is irrevocably linked with Gaudi, but you don’t have to photograph his more recognisable projects to get the essence of the city.
So, what is travel? It might seem blatantly obvious but to some people travel is jetting to the other side of the world, while to others it is as simple as leaving the house and catching the bus to town. For simplicity’s sake and for the benefit of this theme, let’s agree that travel means any pictures taken on a bike, car, boat or jet’s journey from your house so images taken a few miles from home are eligible as are those from the other side of the world. But, and it is a big but, the pictures need to capture the spirit of the place. So, whether you have travelled to Birmingham, Bangor, Bolivia, Bogota or Belgium, we want to see images that encapsulate the essence of your chosen location. It is not as easy as you might think. Summing up a location in one image is a challenge, although there are plenty of exceptions to that rule. Shoot the Eiffel Tower and everyone thinks of Paris, a gondolier and
Venice springs to mind, and, of course, the Empire State Building says New York. Regardless how obvious the subject may be though, we will keep an open mind. However, the problem with such locations is that they have been photographed to death so images of these iconic places need to be not just great, but exceptional to achieve a good score. So by all means consider and photograph the obvious but just make sure the images are top quality. If you prefer to steer clear of visual clichés, that is fair enough but don’t go too far the other way. In many ways, being too obscure can be just as bad as being too obvious here. So what subjects should you be looking for? Well, people make places so you might prefer to aim your lens at the local population and there is huge potential here, whether you shoot candid images or
posed portraits. Street scenes are also very effective ways of telling the viewer that you have travelled but the trick, as with any view or scenic, is to work the light. Don’t just shoot when the sun is high in the sky but go for a twilight or even a night shot to give a more interesting and creative look to your images. Don’t be afraid to experiment either. A slow shutter speed can (conversely) convey a busy, city feel, while adding a filter can help make the most of shiny, modern buildings. Travel, as you must have gathered, is a massive subject and one very amenable to creative interpretation so don’t be afraid to push boundaries. Good luck and we look forward to seeing your club’s work soon. The closing date for entries for consideration in our Image of the Month is 6 April 2015. Remember you can continue entering up to the ultimate closing date of 5 May 2015.
IMAGE OF THE MONTH
Jeffrey Sinclair, Harlow Photographic Society
I love the atmosphere of Jeffrey’s beautifully executed image
Jeffrey Sinclair’s A Day at the Races has been chosen by PN’s editor as his Image of the Month from the hundreds submitted for Round 2 weather. “I’m very slightly biased because I love brollies,” editor Will Cheung explained, “but regardless of that I love the atmosphere of Jeffrey’s beautifully executed image. “Actually, judging this month’s cache of entries was a real challenge. There were so many excellent pictures. Others I feel deserve a special mention include: Bad weather by Derek Collis of Halstead PS; Three trees by Cathy Roberts of Beckenham PS; London Eye raindrops by Dan Horton-Soar, Parkwood CC; and Dodging the waves by Martin Godfrey, East Shilton CC. “Well done and thanks to everyone who entered Round 2 and we look forward to your travel pictures for Round 4.”
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Issue 17 | Photography News
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH
MASTERCLASS: TRAVEL
David Noton
David’s top tips
YOUR APPROACH “I think people skills are crucial. Travel photography has to inevitably involve walking up to complete strangers, getting their consent and cooperation and photographing them. Developing a way of doing that, one that you’re happy with and secondly one that gets the results you need is what it’s all about.”
produce anything photographically worthwhile if you’re moving on every day. Often, it’s better to travel less and see more.” The same goes for when deciding where to point your camera. David advises to avoid snapping away trying to capture it all. “I was at a fishing village in Vietnam at dawn when they were just landing the catch,” he begins. “There was so much activity all around it was difficult to know where to start because there was photographic
The adventure and culture shock gives you real stimulation and I’m just addicted, I can’t imagine my life without travel
BE UNIQUE “No matter how many times a place has been photographed, there’s still scope for doing something different and unique to your own vision. I really believe that, I have to believe that otherwise you’d never go anywhere because everything’s been photographed before. It isn’t easy to produce something that is unique to your own vision, but is so much more rewarding than coming back with just another shot of a wellknown view from the standard perspective.”
Photography News | Issue 17
David Noton
STUNNING PORTRAITS “One lens that I absolutely love for my travel photography is a Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L lens. I love using that for portraiture because of its really minimal depthof-field. I often use it shooting wide open at maximum aperture and it gives this lovely out of focus bokeh background, which is very appealing. That’s one of my favourite lenses.”
A travel photographer by trade, David doesn’t stay in one place for too long and there is always another adventure on the horizon. His most recent trip saw him explore Vietnam, travelling from Ho Chi Minh City up to the country’s iconic caves in the north. It’s his fourth time visiting the south-east Asian destination and from his pictures it’s easy to see why he keeps revisiting; with its rich landscape and culture there are endless photo opportunities to explore. Travelling is in David’s blood and although he is more than content photographing landscapes on his own doorstep, it’s the excitement of exploring that motivates him to travel. “There’s no getting away from the fact that travel can really give your photography a shot in the arm of adrenaline,” he enthuses. “The adventure and culture shock gives you real stimulation and I’m just addicted, I can’t imagine my life without travel.” Despite only just returning from Vietnam, David is already busy planning his next trip, inspiration for which normally comes from other photos. That for David is the absolute essence of great travel photography, creating pictures that make the viewer want to be there. Taking your photos from holiday snaps to serious travel photography shots is a true skill; it’s all about getting more intimately acquainted with a place to capture what it truly means to you. To that end, although David has a plan before he sets off, he always leaves scope for soaking up the culture of a place. “I always give myself the time to get out and about and really try and get beneath the skin of a place,” says David. “It’s difficult to
David Noton
LIGHTEN UP “The ability to put the ISO on my Canon EOS-1D X up really high and produce pictures in really dark, dingy places, such as in huts or shacks, opens up all sorts of photographic opportunities that ten years ago we couldn’t have dreamt of.”
We’re tapping into Canon ambassador David Noton’s fount of expertise to help you and your club bag the top prize. Fresh back from a trip to Vietnam, we find out how David takes those memorable travel photos
potential everywhere. You have to force yourself to settle down and not blast away, that never works. Focus on producing one picture that says it all.” So you’ve booked your trip, but what to pack? Travelling light and paring your kit right down will give you more photographic freedom, just by being physically less restricted. “On this last trip to Vietnam, we were jumping on and off trains and if we’d had too much with us, that would restrict flexibility,” explains David. For the trip in question, David’s kitbag contained just two Canon lenses: an EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM standard zoom lens and an EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens, along with his Canon EOS-1D X. “With just that set-up you’d be pretty well equipped for virtually every eventuality, sometimes less is more.” π To find out more, go to www.davidnoton.com.
Watch and learn Handily for us photographers, David Noton has put onto paper what makes a successful image in his new book The Vision. Get inside the mind of one of the country’s bestloved landscape and travel photographers to learn how David creates those winning images. It’s all illustrated with examples from David’s impressive back catalogue of work and can be bought from his website for £25. www.davidnoton.com/product/539/The_Vision
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Issue 17 | Photography News
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Competitions INTERVIEW
The first time Long-time photography expert Peter Phillips is one of four founding members of the new Avon Valley Society. Entries have opened for its first salon and we caught up with Peter, also the salon chairman, to find out how it’s progressing Interview by Megan Croft
Andy Beel FRPS
Andy Beel FRPS
Andy Beel FRPS
ABOVE ‘Volcano’ triptych by Andy Beel FRPS of the Avon Valley Photographic Society. BELOW Image taken from Beel’s ‘Dust’ triptych.
Why did you decide to set up a photography salon in the first place? We wanted to support our ambitions of creating a photographic society that is different, and will make a difference, from the usual photography society or club that exists. The aims of the society are to provide members with an active involvement in their own progress, through development plans and networked mentoring. Photography News | Issue 17
What is it about the Avon Valley Salon that makes it worth entering? It’s different; photographers can enter their usual single image work and be creative with a storytelling triptych panel, perhaps including an already accepted photograph as one of the three images and so increasing the number of their acceptances. The entry fee (minimum £10) is also great value and our hope for acceptance levels is attractive, at 30%. The automated entry process is user-friendly too.
The aims of the society are to provide members with an active involvement in their own progress through development plans and mentoring Andy Beel FRPS
Entries for Avon Valley’s first salon opened in December. How’s it been going so far? Very well. Each salon committee member brings their own specific, unique skills and experience, such as IT, marketing, finance and planning, and we started ten months ahead of time to have the best chance of obtaining the essential patronages and recognitions. Salon-standard photographers aim for recognition and awards from three international organisations: La Federation Internationale de l’Art Photographique (FIAP); the Photographic Society of America (PSA); and The Royal Photographic Society (RPS). Images accepted in salons count towards increasing levels of recognition by FIAP and PSA. Though this is the first Avon Valley Salon we were pleased to be awarded FIAP, PSA and RPS patronage and recognition.
There are many new salons cropping up and the more established ones are counting increasing entry numbers. Do you think competitive club photography will continue to grow? I believe typical competitive club photography is in a rut and its contribution to furthering the art of photography is limited. Its ability to influence personal growth and development of individual photographers is, in many cases, constrained by a tendency for members to adopt a club style rather than develop an individual style. Salons, especially with their local detachment and international viewpoint, have much to offer in terms of developing individual styles and to support excellence in, and higher standards for, photography in general. www.absolutephoto.com
Competitions
25 Andy Beel FRPS
This salon is unique in the fact that it is the first ever salon to have an international triptych section. Why have you decided to include it? It offers an added opportunity for creativity. The triptych category allows one to be creative without necessarily resorting to highly manipulated and composite images. Triptychs allow photographers to tell a story and that creativity expands the scope for understanding the relationships between traditional single images and compositions. We know they are enjoyable and stimulating from our experience of running other triptych competitions. Your judges are all very well decorated with photographic awards and titles. Is that what is most important when selecting judges? Their qualifications are evidence of their suitability to judge at an international level. Our particular group of judges has specialist expertise in the sections they will judge and their frequent participation in salon events means they bring consistency to the process. You need to know a judge’s work and specialty so having that familiarity is important.
Can you tell us about the categories you’ve chosen and why you settled on those? We have chosen as eclectic a range of categories as we can, to give photographers maximum opportunity for acceptance and winning prizes. If you are passionate about your photography we urge you to enter and we are open to all genres, from landscape to fine art. It is unfortunate that there is an increasing trend for photographs to be unacceptably manipulated, specifically images entered in Nature sections, where strict rules exist relating to what post-production alterations are allowed. These alterations are often difficult to detect and take up time for verification, acceptance or disqualification. So we decided not to include a true Nature section but rather to invite all wildlife and nature photographers to enter one of our other sections. What is it about an image that gets it accepted? Three criteria are very important: impact, narrative www.absolutephoto.com
Where will the public be able to see the accepted images? A public showing of all the accepted images will be held soon after the results are announced, at a venue and time to be decided. All awarded and accepted entries will be shown in an online gallery on our website. The exhibition is open internationally. Do you have any ambitions in that respect? We would like to reach as large an international audience as possible, as that gives entrants the chance to compete against the very best worldwide. It also exposes judges to a wider range of cultures, interests and styles. IMAGES Both shots are taken from ‘Jokulsa’, another of Andy Beel’s triptychs.
There are a whopping 75 medals up for grabs. Is it exceptional to have this amount of awards? We decided to offer a wide range of awards to open the opportunity for as many as possible to taste Andy Beel FRPS
How will the whole judging process work? The key to the successful administration of a salon is the entry and reporting process. We are using the user-friendly K-Salon software from www. kenebec.com. It includes facilities for building your own online data-entry system, collecting and checking submissions, scoring the images and producing an online gallery of acceptances for uploading to your web space. It also includes facilities for emailing the report cards back to the entrants. The judging process is run and controlled by the K-Salon software programme. An entrant’s images are distributed randomly within a category for judging. Each category is judged in turn, with three judges simultaneously viewing each image projected on a screen using a calibrated projector in a dark room. Each judge uses a keypad to score the image with a number from two to five and the K-Salon programme controlling the process automatically logs the total score for each image. On completing each category the judges select award winners from the high-scoring images. After all categories have been judged, a threshold score is agreed for images accepted in the salon: for example, images with a score of 11 and above.
and originality. The other issues the judges will then consider are strength of composition, control of focus, colour balance, use of light, effective crop, absence of distractions and presentation.
success. Acceptances gain credit, of course, for FIAP and PSA qualifications. Even if entrants aren’t aiming for an FIAP or a PSA recognition, winning an RPS medal or ribbon is a real achievement in an international salon and something we know photographers really cherish. Do you have any advice to give to people thinking of entering? Take every opportunity to take images of the subjects you feel most passionate about. Ask others for feedback on your images and get a variety of views. Be brave and enter. What do you hope to achieve with the first ever Avon Valley salon? Our primary aim is to establish a first-class competition for photographers, evidenced by the quality and diversity of their submissions. Our salon is organised through the Avon Valley Photographic Society, which is a learning society whose members are committed to the improvement of their photography through a system of mentoring and mutual support. The salon is an important first step: it signifies the commitment of our society to photographic excellence in any genre, so we hope for a substantial entry for all who support our ambition. π To find out more, go to www.avonvalley. photography/salon.html
Get your entry in! Entries into the salon will be accepted until 1 March 2015, so time to get your skates on if you fancy your chances. There are five sections to choose from: Open Colour, Open Monochrome, Open Creative, Travel and a Triptych section. To enter just one section, it’ll cost £10, for two the charge is £12, for three it’s £14 and for four sections it’ll cost just £16. If you’re already planning on entering a section, you can submit a panel of three images into the Triptych section for free. Award winners will be notified at the end of March and the accepted images will be available to view on the salon’s website in May, with public exhibitions to follow in June or July.
Issue 17 | Photography News
Photography News | Issue 17
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Competitions
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WIN A SHOOT
Pentax portraits Will you be shooting contemporary portraiture with the 645Z?
ENTER NOW AT WWW. PENTAXCOMP. CO.UK
About the Pentax 645Z The sensational new Pentax 645Z medium-format camera boasts an effective resolution of 51.4 megapixels, super-fast AF and a top ISO of 204,800, all in a robust body. The camera offers brilliantly slick handling, whether shooting on location or in the studio, and the 76 dust- and weatherproof seals mean it will also work perfectly in challenging outdoor conditions, down to temperatures as low as -10°C. The innovative CMOS image sensor measures 43.8x32.8mm, so approximately 1.7x larger than a full-frame 35mm sensor, and it works together with Pentax’s PRIME III imaging engine to produce images of outstanding accuracy and colour fidelity. With the exceptional quality of Pentax lenses, this anti-aliasing filter-free design sensor can resolve the finest details producing images for the most critical use. Until now, medium-format digital cameras have suffered from limited battery capacity, slow continuous shooting speed and limited high ISO range. The Pentax 645Z has features and handling equal to a top-end APS-C or 35mm format DSLR, with a battery that can deliver up to 650 shots per charge, continuous shooting at 3fps with a large buffer to minimise write times and a top ISO of 204,800. Of course, there is much more, including live view, Full HD video capability, tiltable 3.2in monitor, twin SD card slots and the option of shooting 14-bit Pentax or Adobe DNG Raw files. And you get all this performance at a very competitive price: the Pentax 645Z body costs £6799, or £7699 with the 55mm lens. π To find out more, go to www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk.
An unmissable event… this will be an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience, with the chance to use the Pentax 645Z, one of the world’s most sought-after cameras in a professional situation The medium-format Pentax 645Z is just as at home out in the woolly wilds getting cold and wet as it is in the studio shooting with flash or natural light. And our sister title Advanced Photographer has a unique indoor opportunity for four readers to try the Pentax 645Z for themselves on a specially organised location shoot at a select venue in Northampton. Pentax 645Z mediumformat cameras, a selection of lenses and models will be provided, as will professional flash lighting kit. If using studio flash is new to you, don’t worry, as assistance in the form of the AP team will be available to help you achieve the effects you want. This is an unmissable event so if you are free on 10 April 2015, make sure you enter, because this will be an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience, with the chance to use the Pentax 645Z, one of the world’s most sought-after cameras in a professional situation. The 645Z is a 51.4-megapixel DSLR that sells for £6799 body www.absolutephoto.com
only, so it’s the most affordable medium-format camera around, and it’s fully featured with superfast, very responsive AF, a truly versatile exposure system and ISO up to 204,800. On the day, all you have to do is get to the venue, in plenty of time for a 10am start – travel to the location is at your own expense. There will be a briefing about the camera and then the shoot begins in earnest. More detail will be provided to the four selected photographers. To stand a chance of coming along to this exclusive location event, we want to see your best portrait picture. It can be any style, taken in the studio or outdoors, and the pose can be full face, head and shoulders or three-quarter length. The choice is yours, but we want to see good use of light and a creative interpretation of your subject. Advanced Photographer will be running a major feature on the event, so it’s also the chance to see your images from the shoot in print.
How to enter To be in with a chance of joining us for this amazing photographic opportunity all you have to do is submit your best portrait photograph. Images should be low resolution JPEGs, 1000 pixels along the longest dimension (maximum file size 2MB), and you must have the high-resolution files available in case the judges from Advanced Photographer and Ricoh Imaging want a closer inspection. Entry images should be submitted via the online form at www.pentaxcomp. co.uk. The closing date for entries is midnight on Sunday 22 March. Please remember you must be available on Friday 10 April 2015 to enter this competition, as we can’t change this date. Full terms and conditions are at www.pentaxcomp.co.uk/terms.
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Camera review SPECS PRICE £899.99 body only, £1099.99 kit with M.Zuiko ED 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 EZ CONTACT www.olympus.co.uk SENSOR 17.3x13mm Micro Four Thirds, 4608x3456 pixels ISO RANGE 100-25,600 SHUTTER 60secs-1/8000sec (mechanical shutter), 1/16000sec (electronic shutter), Time, Bulb, flash sync at 1/250sec
FIRST LOOK
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II
The E-M5 was the first arrival in the Olympus OM-D family and very popular it has proved too. The Mark II has now burst onto the scene and with its enhanced performance looks set to be an even bigger success
MAX FRAME RATE Up to 10fps continuous METERING SYSTEM Digital ESP with 324 areas, centre-weighted and spot EXPOSURE MODES PASM, scene modes EXPOSURE COMPENSATION +/-5EV AUTOFOCUS MODES High speed imager AF, SAF, CAF, manual, 81 AF areas IMAGE STABILISER 5-axis sensor shift – yaw/pitch/roll/vertical/ horizontal, 5EV benefit MONITOR 3in vari-angle STORAGE MEDIA 1xSD, SDHC, SDXC, UHS-I/II compatible DIMENSIONS (WXHXD) 123.7x85x44.5mm WEIGHT 469g (including battery and card)
Words by Will Cheung
It’s time to confess: while I enjoyed using Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras I wasn’t a massive fan until the OM-D E-M5 came along three years ago. For me, in one fell swoop Micro Four Thirds came of age and the E-M5 has been a regular companion ever since. Its potent combination of portability, high-quality pictures, great lens support and handling more akin to a DSLR’s has proved compelling for me and many others. News of the E-M5 Mark II was very welcome, although with a small reservation. When camera makers use the Mark II designation it usually means that the original has been upgraded a little but the changes aren’t significant enough to justify a totally new model name. If that’s sounds cynical, it is not meant to be and it is based on past experiences. However, I think it is fair to say that the E-M5 Mark II does offer significant advantages over the E-M5, so existing owners considering an upgrade to the new model can probably be optimistic that the investment will be fully justified. I have only spent a few hours with the Mark II so the jury is still out but the signs are very promising. Olympus took imaging journalists to the Old Waste Water Treatment Museum in Prague for the day to try out the Mark II in a variety of shooting situations to see for themselves how the camera performed. The cameras used were production quality, but the images shown here are from JPEG originals as no raw converter software was available at the time. For the event I took along my own E-M5 as well as an E-M1 too for comparison’s sake. Key changes compared with the E-M5 are in improved image stabilisation system giving a 5EV gain instead of a 4EV benefit, a three-inch vari-angle touchscreen monitor that folds out to the side and an improved sensor for superior low light, high ISO shooting. The sensor is a 16-megapixel Live MOS unit. Some sources have said the sensor is from the E-M5, while others have said it’s from the E-M1. Neither is the case. The sensor is said to be new and, unlike the E-M1’s unit, it does not feature phase-detection AF pixels so high ISO noise performance is claimed to be superior. There are a couple of fascinating extras. There’s Live Composite mode that combines images in-camera over a period of time and this will appeal to light painters, astro and firework
Photography News | Issue 17
photographers, and there is a 40-megapixel High Resolution mode where the camera takes eight overlapping exposures with a half pixel difference between each one and combines them to give a 40-megapixel image. Both modes we got to try in Prague so see the relevant panels for more details. The handling of the Mark II is very similar to the original E-M5 but at the same time different. The on/off switch was moved to a collar around the leftside exposure mode dial and that was confusing to start with. There are also more function buttons so you do need to spend a little time on custom set-up – in the time I had everything was left to default settings. One Mark II feature I am very keen on is the vari-angle monitor, because I like monitors than can swing out to the side too. Some will love it for the convenience of shooting selfies, but I like it for the flexibility of viewing angle. You could, for example, check image composition even when standing to one side of the camera – say, you could be sheltering the camera from a buffeting wind during a long exposure or standing there as a human lens hood against a low sun. We’ll be reviewing the E-M5 mark II in greater detail in the next issue of Photography News, but here’s a closer look at the some of its key features.
The sensor is said to be new and, unlike the E-M1’s unit, it does not feature phase-detection AF pixels
ABOVE The original E-M5 (left, the extra shutter button courtesy of the HLD-6 grip) compared with the Mark II. The Mark II’s exposure mode button on the left is lockable using the same idea as first seen on the E-M1 so it can be locked or left working as click-stops. Other key changes are the relocated on/off switch, the shift in the rear input dial position and more function buttons that can be assigned to frequently used features. One thing you can’t see is that the Mark II body is lighter by some 50 grams.
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Camera review
29
ISO performance Micro Four Thirds format cameras don’t have the noise performance of bigger format cameras, but it is getting to the point where high ISO can be used with alacrity for critical images. In the waterworks a continuous light portrait studio was set up by Hamburg-based photographer Patrick Ludolph. The low lighting levels meant shooting wide open at ISO 800 or 1600 and for the portraits I used the 25mm f/1.8,
FULL-FRAME IMAGE
45mm f/1.8 and 75mm f/1.8, moving the AF point to be on the eye. The 45mm was used for the shot shown right. For the ISO comparison shots below, I used the 12-40mm f/2.8 at f/8, auto white-balance setting and JPEG image quality with no NR set. Compared with its compatriots, the benefit of the cleaner ISO performance of the Mark II is quite clear at ISO 6400.
FULL-FRAME IMAGE
EXPOSED AT ISO 1600
OM-D E-M1
OM-D E-M5
OM-D E-M5 MARK II
ISO 200
ISO 200
ISO 200
OM-D E-M1
OM-D E-M5
OM-D E-M5 MARK II
ISO 6400
ISO 6400
ISO 6400
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Issue 17 | Photography News
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Camera review High Resolution mode In standard operation the E-M5 Mark II gives an image file measuring 4608x3456 pixels and a print size of 39x29.2cm at 300ppi. In High Resolution mode you get a very slightly wider view and in JPEG an image size of 7296x5472 pixels or a print size of 61.77x46.33cm at 300ppi. This is the image shown here. The Raw file is even bigger at 9216x6912 pixels, but no raw converter was available at the time to process our shot. This pair of images was taken with a Mark II using a tripod mounted 40-150mm zoom at 40mm and ISO 200. The exposure was 1.3secs at f/6.3. For High Resolution mode, you need a solid tripod and a non-moving subject. Fire the shutter using a cable release and the camera takes eight exposures in one second using the camera’s sensor shift mechanism to change the image by 0.5 pixels between each shot. There’s no sound (this might be because I always turn off any beeps) as this happens and no warning appears on the monitor so it seems nothing is going on, but actually the camera is working. Once the exposures are finished, you get a processing progress bar while the image is completed and the camera merges the shots. You get a final high res JPEG, a high res 104.5MB Raw and another Raw of the scene at normal resolution but this is ORI
STANDARD 16-MEGAPIXEL SHOT
HIGH RESOLUTION 40-MEGAPIXEL SHOT
STANDARD 16-MEGAPIXEL SHOT
HIGH RESOLUTION 40-MEGAPIXEL SHOT
Anatomy
FROM THE TOP The E-M5 Mark II body is actually 50 grams lighter than its predecessor, but the magnesium alloy body feels very solid and robust. It’s also environmentally sealed.
format, not ORF. ORI is another proprietary Olympus format and whether it will be supported by third-party softwares, only time will tell. The moral is if you want a standard Raw as a backup to the high resolution shot, shoot it as a Raw – just in case third-party support is not forthcoming. The High Resolution mode is a great idea and it works well with the right subject. As you can see from our test image, the quality benefit is amazing and fine detail is wonderfully reproduced. The key thing though is the ‘right subject’, because you
FULL-FRAME IMAGE
need scenes that are totally stationary. With a scene with any movement (clouds, flowing water etc), you risk getting an unacceptable multi-image effect as the subject moves. The mode itself is very clever and innovative, but its usefulness is potentially limited because of the need for a completely still scene. Then again, there might be an opportunity for some interesting creative effects too. Nonetheless, this mode is worth exploring and it could be a real benefit to some users.
FROM THE FRONT The Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor has the benefit of Olympus’s Supersonic Wave Filter – over the year on my E-M1, it’s proved a very effective cleaning mechanism.
1/8SEC AT F/4
1/4SEC AT F/5.6 FROM THE TOP The ability, with four function buttons available, to customise the E-M5 Mark II is very welcome. The on/off switch around the exposure mode dial is more convenient too. THE E-M5 MARK II’S IS SYSTEM The E-M5 Mark II’s image stabilisation system claims a five-stop benefit, ie. a shutter speed of 1/8sec gives sharpness comparable to 1/125sec. This is 1EV more than the original E-M5. The E-M5 Mark II’s sensor shift image stabilisation system is built into the camera body so is available for any lens attached, plus it works in all five planes of movement (yaw, pitch, roll, vertical shift and horizontal shift) and it has been enhanced to give what Olympus claims is the most powerful IS system. My test shot was taken with the high spec 12-40mm f/2.8 standard zoom in the interior of the water treatment museum. The lens was set to 34mm (effective 68mm in 35mm format), so a short telephoto lens. Assuming that 1/60sec is advised for this focal length for sharp handheld images, I shot at 1/8sec, 1/4sec and 1/2sec, so 3EV, 4EV and 5EV respectively. Success rate of five shots (viewed at 100% on screen) at 1/8sec was 100%, 80% at 1/4sec and 20% at 1/2sec. By any measure that is a very impressive showing. While the system works very well for stills it is equally useful for handheld movie shooting where the IS system could potentially do away with any extra gyro stabilising devices.
Photography News | Issue 17
1/2SEC AT F/8
FROM THE BACK The camera’s vari-angle threeinch, 1037k dots TFT LCD monitor is good to use and a real benefit for shooting at low or unusual camera viewpoints. The screen is touch sensitive too.
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Camera review
31
Live Composite mode E-M5 users have been enjoying the camera’s Live Bulb mode where you see a long exposure building up over a period of time. Live Composite is similar but different and that’s the mode used for this light painting image. With the Mark II fitted on a tripod, the camera was set to manual mode, low ISO and the lens to f/6.3. The shutter time was set to five seconds, so the camera took a continuous series of five-second exposures that it then merged in real time. Set-up done, the lights were turned off and with first press of the shutter release the camera makes a five-second (or whatever time is set) dark frame exposure as a reference frame. The camera then tells you that it is ready for your live composite. Press the shutter button again (there is no need for a lockable remote release) and then you can start your light painting (star trail, fireworks, whatever) and every five seconds the image updates and you see the effect on the monitor. Once you are all done, press the shutter release again to close the shutter and terminate the exposure. For this image here the light painting was done by experts from Hamburg, Olaf Schieche and Zhenya Ospanov (www. zolaq.de), using LEDs, light wands and torches fitted with coloured filter gels. In terms of time, the shutter was probably open for three minutes as the light painters moved around the dark interior of the water treatment plant. There was a very low level of ambient light so they could see where they were going but with the low ISO setting that didn’t have any impact.
What the experts say… It’s one of those things that you need to hold in your hands because the build quality is stunning
Setsuya Kataoka
Damian McGillicuddy
Steve Gosling
“Within the OM-D range we have the E-M10 which is our most compact model for inspirational newcomers, then we have the E-M1 which is the top model in the OM-D range for professional photographers and then the E-M5 which is our core model. The Mark II is its successor and is a really diverse camera for people whose main hobby is photography. “The Mark II has a broad appeal, it’s about gaining the freedom to tell spectacular stories in any genre. No matter how spontaneous the situation or how poorly lit, it gives customers the option to take pictures any time, any where. “Then we have specific technologies like our most powerful image stabilisation system, which enables the photographer to use the camera in situations where they couldn’t normally, but with this powerful IS they are able to take great images. “The R&D team showed me a picture and said they could improve the IS system to produce results like this. The picture was great and I knew it was time to change and improve. In comparison to the past, we have been able to compensate 4EV steps but with the Mark II it’s now 5EV steps – even more beneficial for the customer to take great shots and noise-free images.”
“At the moment, although the E-M5 Mark II is the core model for Olympus it’s really the biggest dog in the yard. The video functionality is absolutely stunning but the image quality is brilliant. I genuinely believe that Olympus has got it right, multiplying the sensor, the processor and the lens triangle by the image stabilisation. I’ve got images that we shot for some test pictures on the Mark II at 1/6sec and 1/10sec and they are just tack sharp, they’re beautiful. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re into landscapes, or portraiture, or glamour – we’ve even got some really good action pictures out of it – it’s just a damn good camera. “I’ve started to dabble with the video, I’m not a videographer but I like the fact that you can use focus peaking in video. I’m glad we’ve got the swing-out screen back again, that was something I missed on the E-M5 so to have that back is brilliant. “It’s one of those things that you need to hold in your hands because the build quality is stunning. The diamond-etched knobs are just the right weight, they feel as though are working properly under your fingers and that’s an important thing for a photographer, to get that tactile feeling so you can work the camera confidently.”
“As a landscape photographer, a number of things appeal to me about the Mark II. One is the improved weather sealing over the original E-M5, so it’s on a par with the E-M1. The problem for me with using the E-M1 as a landscape photographer is that it’s not the best at long exposures, the E-M5 has always been better at that. With the new camera I get the best of the weather sealing and the long exposure capability. “I didn’t think I’d get any benefit from the Mark II’s tilting screen, but actually I was in the Lake District recently and I needed to use my body to cast a shadow across the front of the lens because the sun was shining obliquely across it. It meant I was doing a long exposure using Live Bulb, so you get an update on the exposure; I could rotate the screen back out and stand at the side of the camera whilst still seeing what was going on. I’ve found that feature useful already. “I was hoping the High Resolution mode would work for landscape, but it doesn’t unfortunately. If there’s anything moving in the frame, it doesn’t work and you get a herringbone pattern. But for architectural shots and still life I can see that being incredible, just not for the landscape work that I do. The Mark II will probably replace the E-M1 for most of what I do.”
Olympus general manager, product and marketing planning department
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Olympus principal photographer and educator
Landscape photographer
We’ll have an Olympus OM-D E-M5 review in the next issue. That issue is also a Photography Show special, including a free exhibitor floor plan.
Issue 17 | Photography News
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Kit guide HARD DRIVE ROUND-UP
Desktop mass storage devices Sure, hard drives aren’t the most exciting things on your digital shopping list, but the more you shoot the more important they become. Here are some great options to protect your precious 1s and 0s… Words by Kingsley Singleton Once, just the internal drive of your PC or Mac and a pile of blank CD-Rs gave more than enough storage space for your photographic library. But then came the tidal wave of digital photos, music and movies, and now we’re all up to our necks in 1s and 0s. We need more digital storage space than ever, and the easiest way to get it is to grab an external drive. Or better yet, grab two, so that you have a mirrored backup and won’t lose everything if one drive fails. But don’t get three, oh no… for that way lies madness.
Broadly, the first concern is capacity, and while the first few 1TB drives blew everyone’s head back, now you’re looking at 3 or 4TB as the standard, which is what we’ve gone for here. Make no mistake, this is A LOT of space – plenty of room for all but the most hardcore enthusiast’s catalogue of precious images. But if you want more, or the ability to easily upgrade, it’s worth thinking about a Network Attached Storage (NAS) drive. These aren’t technically in the same stable as external desktop drives, but we’ve included a couple of nice units in the list, too. Next up, take note of the connections offered by the drives and what’s best for your desktop. If your computer has a
Thunderbolt connection – currently the fastest there is at a theoretical 10 gigabits per second (that’s super-speedy by any one’s standards) – you’ll need a drive with that capability to make the most of it. However, USB 3.0 (at a maximum 5Gbps) is plenty fast enough itself, and that’s now the standard connection found on almost all drives, being backward compatible with 2.0 (480Mbps). Naturally, price is a big factor, and some designs can see you picking up a lot more storage per £ than fancier models. How the drive looks and sounds is also a concern, so all the drives here are good looking, with several offering special features like heat-sinking, fan-less designs.
Transcend StoreJet 35T3, 3TB
Samsung D3 Station, 4TB
When you want to make something happen, there’s nothing quite like pressing a large button. Old-fashioned door bells, the knobs on 1980s arcade games, even the symbolic ‘big red buttons’ of the Cold War; they all had that tactile quality. It’s clear, then, that the essential thrill of button pushing prompted Transcend to place the OneTouch auto-backup button on the front of their StoreJet external hard drives. One prod and it instantly synchronises data with your computer and thanks to the USB 3.0 connection, this happens fast. It’s not easy to forget doing it, either, as the button glows at you like a malevolent cyclops. The drive is also eco-friendly with a power-saving sleep mode, giving an energy saving of nearly 70%. There’s also StoreJet Elite software for backup and security, and although the range tops out at 3TB, there’s a good chance you may not need more. And if you do get another you’ll have two buttons. Two buttons!
If you’re on a budget, or need multiple drives, the subject of £s per TB becomes very important. Offering 1TB/£25, the 4TB Samsung D3 Station is excellent value and also small enough to pack away – not that you’d want to as it has a simple but attractive two-tone black finish. Like many, the sweet spot of price/space falls at the 4TB mark – and that’s a pretty cavernous space for most catalogues and media libraries to fill. The D3 is available in sizes from 2TB to 6TB and though it doesn’t get any smaller or larger, the weight does vary. As you’d expect on a modern unit there’s a USB 3.0 connection for speedy reading from, and writing to, the disk and like many of the other models in this guide, the D3 Station also comes with handy pre-installed software, allowing the drive to run automatic backup and protect your data with password protection as well as encryption if desired.
£100
£100
SPECS CAPACITY 2-3TB
DIMENSIONS 172x152x44mm
INTERFACE USB 3.0
WEIGHT 1.04kg
CONTACT www.transcend-info.com
Seagate Backup Plus, 4TB
Toshiba Canvio Desk, 4TB
If you’ve got a lot of stuff and not much space to put it in, or you’re planning to squirrel your drive under the TV when streaming pictures and video, it’s well worth looking for units with a small footprint. And although most external drives aren’t exactly large, the Seagate Backup Plus’s compact size and relatively low weight make it a good digital storage solution when actual, physical space is limited. And the 4TB version is great value, too. Despite its affordable price, the Backup Plus has all the features you’d expect in a modern drive, such as automated desktop backup and the ability to save files from mobile devices via the Seagate Dashboard app over Wi-Fi or using sites like Dropbox. The Dashboard also has a Share function, which syncs with social media sites, letting you upload multiple images in one go. Connection is via USB 3.0 and a preloaded driver makes it easy to use the drive on Windows and Mac systems without reformatting.
Here’s another small, light external drive, which, while not technically ‘mobile’, can be easily transported or slotted away for a cleaner desk space. The Canvio is also nicely styled for those who want some level of aestheticism, and you can pick a two-tone black-white or black-black finish (although the 4TB and 5TB versions are so hardcore they only come in black-black). The 4TB version works out at a little over £25 per TB, which is still a good deal for the digital acreage and, straight out of the box, it’s set up for Windows systems, but can easily be reformatted for Macs. Toshiba Canvio Desk hard drives also come preloaded with NTI Backup Now EZ software (which costs actual money elsewhere), a file-management program offering such features as encryption and compression, automated complete system and file and folder backups, system restore functions and cloud storage, so if the worst happens you’ll have an offsite backup.
£105
Photography News | Issue 17
SPECS CAPACITY 2-6TB
DIMENSIONS 180x129x47mm
INTERFACE USB 3.0
WEIGHT 836g
CONTACT www.samsung.com
£115
SPECS CAPACITY 3-8TB
DIMENSIONS 179x118x42mm
INTERFACE USB 3.0
WEIGHT 862g
CONTACT www.seagate.com
SPECS CAPACITY 1-5TB
DIMENSIONS 167x129x42mm
INTERFACE USB 3.0
WEIGHT 1.04kg
CONTACT www.toshiba.co.uk
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Kit guide
33
LaCie Porsche Design Desktop Drive, 4TB £130
WD My Cloud, 4TB
Your external hard drive’s main function is the safe storage of your photos, right? So does it matter what it looks like? Well, yes it does. After all, you wouldn’t compromise on other stuff, so why should your drive look like it was designed by a warring committee of robots with no eyes? With that in mind, LaCie is driving forward the aesthetics of such devices, combining great form and function. This Porsche Design model is the winner of several design awards and its beautifully crisp shape comes from the 5mm thick aluminium shell surrounding the disk, an outer, which is also good at absorbing heat from the innards and protecting them from knocks. Available in PC and Mac versions (which each offer pre-formatting of the drive), it comes in sizes up to 8TB, but a 4TB version should really see even the most rampaging shutter well catered for. Connection is via USB 3.0, and the LaCie Porsche also has an auto-backup function, password protection for increased security and an eco mode, which cuts in automatically to lower the power consumption by almost 80% when not in use.
As the name suggests, WD’s My Cloud range offers something a bit different from most external hard drives: access to your files from all over the world. This is obviously a good thing for photographers, because if you have one of these plugged into your home router via its Ethernet port, you can back up shots from anywhere with an Internet connection (that said, if you’re sending Raws by dial-up from the middle of nowhere, you might want to invest in a good book). Naturally you can also download shots to illustrate the tall tales you’re telling in hotel bars, and it all comes via the free My Cloud desktop or mobile app, with no fees to pay like other online storage services. With a capacity of up to 6TB, your whole catalogue could fit while still leaving an echo, but we picked the 4TB version, which, at £150, offers a great compromise between price and storage. Space can be expanded by linking other drives off the USB 3.0 port, and as you’d expect from a cloud storage device, My Cloud drives also include password protection for your data and software to automatically back up your files.
£150
SPECS CAPACITY 3-8TB
DIMENSIONS 190x120x38mm
INTERFACE USB 3.0
WEIGHT 1kg
CONTACT www.lacie.com
Freecom Quattro 3.0, 4TB
£150
G-Technology G-Drive with Thunderbolt, 4TB £230
Ever been in a situation where you need to plug your external hard drive into someone else’s computer, but you don’t have the right leads? Or you do, but they don’t have the right sockets? ‘USB type A to USB type B?’ ‘No.’ ‘USB A to micro USB?’ ‘No.’ ‘Oh, just shoot me in the face…’ It’s a crushing experience, but the Freecom Quattro 3.0 is striking a heavy blow against those bad times with no less than – count them – four different interfaces. There’s USB 3.0, FireWire800, FireWire400 and eSATA, making it truly versatile for PC or Mac users. Not content with the smiles it’s providing from that, the Quattro is also super-quiet, thanks to its aluminium enclosure, which absorbs heat from the mechanism and removes the need for a fan. The metal outer also gives it an extra level of durability and, combined with a minimalist high-gloss black inner, it’s pretty easy on the eye, too. It’s small and squarish in shape, and thanks to the included rubber footstands you can position the drive upright, so that it occupies even less desk space. File management software is preloaded on the drive.
With a Thunderbolt connection (as well as the slower USB 3.0 standard), this drive from G-Technology will give you the fastest transfer speeds if you need them, which is particularly important if you’re editing directly from high-res photos or large video files on the disk. As well as the Thunderbolt compatibility, the G-Drive’s pleasing brushed metal finish is sympathetically styled to sit alongside stylish iMac desktops, making it well suited to Apple users. What’s more, unlike many external drives, it comes pre-formatted as a plug-and-play unit for Mac OS, so you don’t need to spend time setting it up (it can, of course, also be easily reformatted to a Windows system). The all-aluminium enclosure isn’t just an affectation either, it functions as a very efficient heat-sink, keeping the unit running cool, which prevents disk failures and also meaning it runs more quietly than units where a fan is constantly burbling away. This G-Drive comes in sizes up to 6TB and is compatible with Apple’s TimeMachine auto-backup app, so you can mirror your desktop files without even thinking about it.
SPECS CAPACITY 1-5TB INTERFACE USB 3.0, FireWire800, FireWire400 and eSATA
DIMENSIONS 155x148x43mm WEIGHT 1.4kg
CONTACT www.freecom.com
ioSafe Solo SK3TB-EU G3, 3TB
Drobo 5N NAS device, 6TB
Rugged hardware is on the advance and this is a very sensible thing. After all, people are constantly breaking stuff, and stuff has a right to protect itself. It’s not unusual to buy cameras, lenses and portable drives that are shock or waterproof. But fireproof? Well, that’s unheard of. A warm welcome then to the ioSafe Solo G3, which has some double-hard credentials, withstanding temperatures of up to 843ºC for half an hour (plenty of time for you to call the fire brigade when your computer catches fire midway through a mammoth editing session) and being waterproof to depths of up to 3m for 72 hours. As a final fail-safe, it also comes with free data recovery no matter what the reason for the loss. To secure it physically, its case has a Kensington lock and tabs so it can be bolted down to your desk or floorboards. Available in capacities up to 4TB, it’s USB 3.0 compatible and if you’re wondering why it looks like someone’s shot it with an airgun: a) that’s actually an airflow cooling system, so the drive can run cool without a noisy fan; and b) it looks cool, so get over yourself.
Sure, ‘DRDS4A31 5N five-bay desktop Network Attached Storage (NAS) device’ doesn’t sound like a cool name to you – but to your PC, and anyone with a computer science degree, it might as well be called Clint Eastwood. Yes, this is a truly fantastic piece of hardware, and thanks to its upgradable design, it’s able to swallow vast amounts of data. Into each of its five bays plugs a drive, so you could achieve 20TB using 4TB disks, while the ‘open’ design means any 3.5in SATA II/III drives can be used. But it’s not just about capacity – as a network drive, you can access data cloud-style from almost anywhere or stream music and video via the Ethernet connection. Spreading, or mirroring your information across the separate drives, the data is also protected, even in the event of multiple drive failures. You can buy the diskless enclosure on its own for just over £400, or with an assortment of disks – with two 3TB WD Red HDD drives, for instance, the cost rises to around £600. The enclosure is also available with direct storage (called the 5D), using Thunderbolt and USB 3.0
£350
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SPECS CAPACITY 2-6TB
DIMENSIONS 170x139x49mm
WEIGHT INTERFACE USB 3.0, Gigabit 1.2kg Ethernet CONTACT www.wdc.com
SPECS CAPACITY 3-6TB
DIMENSIONS 235x130x48mm
INTERFACE Thunderbolt and USB 3.0
WEIGHT 1.35kg
CONTACT www.g-technology.com
£600
SPECS CAPACITY 2-4TB
DIMENSIONS 440x275x210mm
INTERFACE USB 3.0
WEIGHT 8kg
CONTACT www.iosafe.com
SPECS CAPACITY 5-bay design
DIMENSIONS 150x185x262mm
INTERFACE Gigabit Ethernet
WEIGHT 3.9kg (enclosure only)
CONTACT www.drobo.com
Issue 17 | Photography News
Photography News | Issue 17
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Issue 17 | Photography News
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Technique PHOTO SCHOOL
Camera class Everyone has to start somewhere, even pros, and here we look at the core skills everyone needs. This month, how to use spot metering and how to recover detail in Lightroom Words & pictures by Kingsley Singleton
n What is spot metering? Your camera bases its exposure on the metering mode that’s set by you, and for the latter you can broadly choose from three – multi-zone, centreweighted and spot. Each of these averages out all the lights and darks it can see into a mid-tone value on which it bases the exposure settings. Multi-zone (called different names by different manufacturers, like Evaluative [Canon], Matrix [Nikon] or ESP [Olympus]) and centre-weighted both use the whole frame but bias the reading towards the point you’ve focused, or the middle, respectively. Spot metering uses only a very small area of the frame to judge the exposure, often less than 5% and this is very useful if your subject demands highly accurate metering or if you want to achieve creative effects, like silhouettes. Some cameras also use partial metering which is like spot, but a little broader. n How to set spot metering mode In program, aperture- or shutter-priority mode, switch to spot metering (its icon is a dot inside a square). This can be done using a dial on the body or via the metering/photometry settings in the menu. Now, whether you’re composing via the viewfinder or the camera’s screen, the part of the
frame used to spot meter is usually allied to the active AF point, or the centre of the frame. Move this over light and dark parts of the scene and you’ll see the exposure settings vary much more widely than if you were using other modes. n Spot metering in action Depending on whether you spot meter on a light, mid-tone or dark area (or anywhere in between), you’ll get a very different reading, because of the increased accuracy. Taking the example on the right for instance, spot metering on the light background turns the subject into a silhouette, because the camera thinks this is a mid-tone. Spot metering on the window frame gives a ‘normal’ exposure, because it’s close to a natural mid-tone itself. Spot metering on the subject itself gives a balanced exposure. n Spot and go Much like when locking the focus and recomposing, when you move the camera the spot metering will fall on a new area and take a new reading. To lock the exposure settings you’ll need to press and/ or hold the A-EL (exposure lock) button on the camera, shown as a * on Canon DSLRs. With this held you can recompose with the settings locked.
ADOBE LIGHTROOM
Software skills Part 17: Controlling highlights & shadows
AFTER
BEFORE
In many scenes, the intensity of the light varies too widely for your camera to correctly expose everything, and parts will become over- or underexposed. What you’re left with is areas of pure black or pure white (or close to it), and these blocked-out parts of the pic contain no detail. In some shots, this doesn’t matter, but if you want to avoid the problem, shoot in Raw mode and process your pics in software like Lightroom. In this example picture we’ve actually lost detail in both the highlights and the shadows, but using the clipping warnings and the sliders in Lightroom’s Basic tab, it can all be sorted. Photography News | Issue 17
ABOVE Because spot metering is so accurate, wherever you take the reading in the scene you’ll get very different results: here, the bright background gives an exposure of 1/500sec at f/2.8; metering from the window frame gives 1/125sec at f/2.8 and metering from the shadows on the subject gives 1/30sec at f/2.8.
NEXT MONTH:
More great exposure and Lightroom processing tips for photographers.
STEP 1: SET UP THE CLIPPING Opening your picture into the Develop module, go to View>Show Clipping (or as a shortcut, hit J on the keyboard, or click the triangle icons at either end of the Histogram). You’ll now see underexposed parts highlighted in blue, while overexposed areas are shown in red. If you move the Exposure slider left or right, you’ll decrease the clipping in one area, but increase it in the other, so you need to do something different. The Highlights, Shadows, Whites and Blacks sliders are what’s needed here, as they let you control some parts of the picture without affecting the others too much. STEP 2: RETURN THE DETAIL The sliders are set out in this order as that’s the best way to use them. First move the Highlights slider left until the red clipping has gone, then move the Shadows slider right until the blue clipping disappears, too. If you can’t fully remove the clipping, return to Exposure and move that to brighten or darken the pic overall, then try again. You’ll now have returned detail to the whole pic, but to make sure it has a ‘true’ black and a ‘true’ white point, move the Whites slider right and Blacks slider left until the warnings return in tiny areas to show black and white pixels are there.
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Photography News | Issue 17
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Issue 17 | Photography News
Photography News | Issue 17
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Issue 17 | Photography News
Photography News | Issue 17
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Issue 17 | Photography News
Photography News | Issue 17
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Issue 17 | Photography News
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Prize wordsearch
Win new Samsung memory! You can capture all life’s special moments securely with Samsung’s ultrareliable 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 32GB PRO SDHC card to each of two lucky winners. Just complete the wordsearch below, and you’ll find one word in the list that’s not in the grid. Email us on puzzle@ photography-news.co.uk with that word in the subject line by 16 March 2015, and you could be a winner! π To find out more, go www.samsung.com/memorycard C
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Photography news
Produced by Bright Publishing Ltd,
Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ www.bright-publishing.com When you have finished with this newspaper, please recycle it
Photography News | Issue 17
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 & Debbie Poyser
ADVERTISING TEAM Sales director Matt Snow 01223 499453 mattsnow@bright-publishing.com Sales executive Krishan Parmar 01223 499462 krishanparmar@bright-publishing.com Key accounts Maria Francis 01223 499457 mariafrancis@bright-publishing.com DESIGN TEAM Designers Katy Bowman, Lucy Woolcomb & Mark George Design manager Andy Jennings
PUBLISHING TEAM Managing director Andy Brogden Managing director Matt Pluck Head of circulation Chris Haslum As well as your local camera club, you can pick up Photography News instore from: Calumet, Cameraworld, Castle Cameras, Jessops, London Camera Exchange, Park Cameras, Wilkinson Cameras
n Photography News is published on the third Monday of every month by Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3HJ. n No part of this magazine can be used without prior written permission of Bright Publishing Ltd. n Photography News is a registered trademark of Bright Publishing Ltd. n The advertisements published in Photography News that have been written, designed or produced by employees of Bright Publishing Ltd remain the copyright of Bright Publishing Ltd and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. n The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. n While Bright Publishing makes every effort to ensure accuracy, it can’t be guaranteed. n Street pricing at the time of writing is quoted for products.
www.absolutephoto.com
Advertisement feature
Must-have extras The OM-D E-M5 Mark II keys into a comprehensive range of accessories. We pick some of the best to partner the camera body When it comes to choosing accessories for the OM-D E-M5 Mark II, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Like other OM-D models, the camera offers full compatibility with Micro Four Thirds lenses and also accepts Four Thirds lenses via the optional MMF-3 adapter. The two systems combined give you a choice of more than 70 lenses, covering a huge focal range and including special optics such as fisheyes, macros and teleconverters. This unrivalled lens range means you’ll be able to capture excellent results with the E-M5 Mark II regardless of the subject matter. But the Olympus line-up isn’t limited to lenses and there’s a wide range of other accessories that can help you take your OM-D picture-taking further.
1. PT-EP13 underwater case It may be water-resistant, but the OM-D E-M5 Mark II won’t survive being dunked in the drink. For that you’ll need the purpose-made PT-EP13 housing, which will enable you to explore all the way down to 45m underwater. The camera remains fully functional even when you’re submerged, with large buttons making it easier to operate with gloved hands. There’s even a window that allows you to detect if any water has got in.
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2. M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-150mm f/4-5.6 II To partner the E-M5 Mark II, Olympus has also released a Mark II version of its superzoom Micro Four Thirds lens. Offering the 35mm equivalent of a 28-300mm lens, the 14-150mm Mark II has a new design and now benefits from Olympus’s ZERO optical coating on selected lens elements, which reduces ghosting and flare to deliver an improved optical performance. Weighing just 285g and 83mm in length, this is one superzoom that is easy to carry around and, just like the E-M5 Mark II body, it is dust and splash proof. Autofocusing performance has also been bolstered over the previous version and the lens can focus down to just 50cm throughout the focal range.
3. EE-1 dot sight
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Completing the line-up of E-M5 Mark II compatible weather-resistant accessories is the EE-1. Ideally suited to those using longer lenses to track wildlife or sporting action, the sight slides into the camera’s hotshoe and features an adjustable red dot that can help frame images more quickly.
4. FL-LM3 flashgun While the OM-D E-M5 Mark II doesn’t have an integral flash, that doesn’t mean your flash photography will suffer. Bundled with the camera is this FL-LM3 unit, which even offers a bounce flash capability. Only compatible with the E-M5 Mark II, it slides on to the hotshoe. It has a guide number of 9 and is both dust and splash proof.
5. HLD-8 battery grip
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Designed for the OM-D E-M5 Mark II, the HLD-8 offers both extended shooting times and extra functionality. It’s dust, freeze and water-resistant, just like the camera body, plus it can be used horizontally or vertically. Working off an extra BLN-1 standard battery, it features two customisable function buttons, plus a vertical shutter release, adjustment dial and a headphone output socket.
Issue 17 | Photography News
Advertisement feature
Key performance upgrades
The OM-D E-M5 Mark II offers the following major improvements for stills and video Great handling Small and lightweight, the OM-D E-M5 Mark II stays true to its roots and is the perfect go-anywhere camera. The redesigned body improves overall handling with controls ideally placed for quick and simple use, even with the camera up to the eye, while 60 gasket rings and the magnesium alloy body ensure it’s well protected from all weathers. E-M5 Mark II users will confidently be able to shoot in a downpour, on the beach or in temperatures as low as -10°C.
Improved video capture
Pre-order and save! Pre-order an OM-D E-M5 Mark II before 1 March 2015 and you’ll qualify for 3½ years’ extra warranty on top of the standard two years and an OM-D messenger bag, with a combined value of £230. For more details, go to www.olympus.co.uk/ promotions.
Powerful image stabilisation
A dramatically improved video performance makes the OM-D E-M5 Mark II as capable for moviemakers as it is for still image photographers. In addition to the powerful image stabilisation, the camera shoots Full HD video at up to 60 framesper-second, which gives even more creative control if you want to capture popular effects such as time-lapse and slow motion. And because movies are recorded at 77Mbps (megabits per second), video quality is higher as more data is being dedicated to every second of footage.
Whether you’re shooting stills or video, the OM-D E-M5 Mark II’s improved 5-axis image stabilisation system is sure to deliver shake-free results. Shake is eliminated in all five planes of movement with the compensation effect now equivalent to an impressive five stops. That makes it the most powerful image stabilisation system in the world according to standards set by the Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA). Videographers can wave goodbye to cumbersome stabilisers or rigs, while stills photographers don’t need to get weighed down with tripods or other supports.
Detailed electronic viewfinder 40-megapixel high resolution stills The E-M5 Mark II has a 16.1-megapixel sensor yet, thanks to a world’s first in DSLR and compact system cameras, it can deliver an incredible 40-megapixel still image. This is made possible by the image stabilisation technology, which shifts the sensor left and right in half pixel increments and captures a total of eight sequential images. These images are then combined in camera to make one 40-megapixel JPEG – or a 63.7 megapixel Raw file. No other compact system camera comes close in terms of resolving power.
Photography news
Produced by Bright Publishing Ltd,
Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ www.bright-publishing.com When you have finished with this newspaper, please recycle it
Photography News | Issue 17
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 & Debbie Poyser
ADVERTISING TEAM Sales director Matt Snow 01223 499453 mattsnow@bright-publishing.com Sales executive Krishan Parmar 01223 499462 krishanparmar@bright-publishing.com Key accounts Maria Francis 01223 499457 mariafrancis@bright-publishing.com DESIGN TEAM Designers Katy Bowman, Lucy Woolcomb & Mark George Design manager Andy Jennings
Featuring 2.36 million dots, the OM-D E-M5 Mark II’s viewfinder delivers a performance that matches that of an optical viewfinder in a digital SLR. Both images and information are rendered bright, clear and with minimal lag so users will never miss a shot. Plus photographers can easily pre-visualise the effects of filters or changes to exposure settings so they always capture the image they envisaged.
PUBLISHING TEAM Managing director Andy Brogden Managing director Matt Pluck Head of circulation Chris Haslum As well as your local camera club, you can pick up Photography News instore from: Calumet, Cameraworld, Castle Cameras, Jessops, London Camera Exchange, Park Cameras, Wilkinson Cameras
n Photography News is published on the third Monday of every month by Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3HJ. n No part of this magazine can be used without prior written permission of Bright Publishing Ltd. n Photography News is a registered trademark of Bright Publishing Ltd. n The advertisements published in Photography News that have been written, designed or produced by employees of Bright Publishing Ltd remain the copyright of Bright Publishing Ltd and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. n The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. n While Bright Publishing makes every effort to ensure accuracy, it can’t be guaranteed. n Street pricing at the time of writing is quoted for products.
www.absolutephoto.com